The Pen and its Wielder (By Alessia Collia)

 Sometimes poetry,

feels like hyperactivity,

through a pen. 

Mental distraction,

in an action,

by the pen. 

But sometimes there is structure, 

the architecture, 

engineered by the pen.  

Sometimes just releasing, 

forehead un-creasing, 

thanks to the pen. 

We try to decode it, 

unload it, 

the thinking of the pen.

Though sometimes limitation is felt,

like the tightening of a belt, 

by the mind behind the pen. 

For furiously, 

curious is the nature 

of men.  

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The Close of the First Semester

The exam season has fallen over the Ridge. No more classes or lessons. Students are only going to school to demonstrate all the learning, study, and hard work they've done over the first semester of the 2013-2014 school year. Not only being the period of hard study and work, it is also a landmark moment for another reason. This is the penultimate week of the first semester and marks an end to the classes and teachers we have been comfortably getting to know for the past four and a half months. After next week, we hit a huge reset button and start our classes, learning, and schedule afresh, delving into new subjects and basically entering 'the first day of school" again.

Looking back at the semester that is almost over, we have been having a great year so far at the Ridge. We have had classes that are fun, but also educational, where teacher student interaction is great. But our school has so much more than classes to teach us. We have broken the basic formula for a school and evolved into a community. Our student population is large and interconnected. Thanks to a few successful initiatives, like Link Crew, the different grades understand, interact and know each other, creating the welcoming feel of the school. Also a great way to bond with the other students of different grades are the numerous clubs the school offers. Each club or team has its own merits and uses and there is always a group that will appeal to a student. It is a great way to meet somebody new and get to know the community better. No student comes for just the classes each day and leaves. There is always so much more to do at Iroquois Ridge High School.

While our old classes and teachers will be missed, the next semester  is an exciting and refreshing prospect, with new classes, classmates, and opportunities We are entering a brand new day at the Ridge and much is to be looked forward to.

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Pixar's Monsters University Has Been Schooled

It seems Pixar Animation Studios is falling out of the glory they held for the past decade. Famous for modern classics such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Up, Pixar has been upstaging its owner, Walt Disney Animation Studios, in the film making business. They created childhood memories for the modern audience with stunning new technology and original storytelling, but that may be no more.

When the Oscar Nominations for 2014 were announced, there were some surprising cuts from the list. One of the most shocking was the absence of Pixar's Monster's University in the category for Best Animated Feature Film. Pixar has usually been the winner of this category, holding 7 wins under their belt, which is no mean feat. Ever since Ratatouille, they have been holding a continuous streak of victories, reaching 4 successes in a row, hitting an all time high with one of the finest animated films in history, Toy Story 3. However, their biggest success was also the bang they went out with. Their streak was broken with their first critical failure, Cars 2, which didn't make it to the Oscar nominations. Never before had a Pixar film received negative reviews, and this failure left a mark. Since then, Pixar had lost its momentum and its magic. They released Brave the following year, and although it was a decent film and managed to scrape an Oscar, it disappointed fans hoping for a strong comeback. Their most recent film, Monster's University was well made and stronger than the previous 2 films, but it faced tougher competition than Brave did, and ultimately, was snubbed by the Oscars. Pixar seems to be falling as the companies they outshone for years suddenly rose up this year. 

While Pixar is facing a downward streak, the opposite is true for its owner, Walt Disney Animation Studios. Disney used to be the top of the animation world, but then entered the new millennium with weak entries. That is around the time Pixar flourished. Disney produced dud after dud, while Pixar rolled out instant classics. Now, as Pixar is finding itself declining, Disney is going back to its former glory. Ever since Tangled, Disney's films are the hits that Pixar's used to be. It is in fact their most recent film, Frozen, that has made the nominations, beating out its companion studio's movie. Pixar is paying for the many instances it outshone Disney, making the studios even. This sudden balance in them may be due to co-founder of Pixar, John Lasseter, lending his creative help to Disney, injecting his storytelling spark in both companies.

The Oscar nominations sure did surprise this year. It is not common for a Pixar film to be left out, but it has happened. However, Pixar shouldn't be put down so easily. They still have the potential to restore their name and as the Oscars haven't been viewed of having good taste for the past few years, Pixar can still be rest assured the audience doesn't agree with the Oscar's snub. But for this year at least, Pixar will have to sit back and  root for a Disney victory. 

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Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Sinks in Failure

Despite critical failure for their first film, 20th Century Fox has produced a sequel for Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Also despite critical failure of the first movie, fans were more than willing to give this movie a chance, even getting genuinely excited. Did Sea of Monsters live up to the hype and succeed where its predecessor failed, or is it just a sign for Fox to give up this pointless franchise.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters continues of  the story of teenage demigod Percy Jackson. In his new adventure, Percy finds that his enemy, Luke, had poisoned the magical tree which creates a magical boundary protecting the demigod training camp, Camp Half-Blood. To save his now defenseless home, Percy and his friends must voyage through Sea of Monsters (known to mortals as the Bermuda Triangle) to retrieve the Golden Fleece, the only thing that can heal the tree.

As the title indicates, there is a lot of monsters in this movie. These lead to a lot of action scenes, as the protagonists struggle to overcome all obstacles in a location filled with foes. While Sea of Monsters is pretty action packed, it doesn't lead a lot of story. There is the main plot and a small storyline about family issues, but other than that, not much is offered. The characters are 1-dimensional and the film fails to leave a good, or even large impression, just joining the ranks of forgettable movies. Maybe to mask the weakness of the story, the movie uses a lot of CGI to make a pretty film. However, the excess is its downfall and every monster looks as if it were created from a computer, rather than creating a convincing spectacle.

While Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is a weak film, it does have similar amount of quality as the first film (that's not a lot), but very different styles. That can be understood, as each picture has a different director. The two movies feel very different in terms of tone ad darkness. The first film is a little darker and slightly more emotional, while the second is bright, colorful, and just a simple adventure movie. The characters themselves also experience changes. Take the demigod Annabeth Chase for example. In the first film, she was a fierce, powerful, and experienced warrior, who rarely loses. In the sequel, she has been toned down to a warmer, gentler, weaker character, who seems to be taken down multiple times against opponents. Also changed are small things, like the title, from the mouthful of Percy Jackson and the Olympians to the simple Percy Jackson. The drastic changes are however for the better. Sea of Monsters is closer to the book, funnier, and tried to keep the franchise alive, though used a lot of influence from the Harry Potter series to do this, which lead to further critical failure.

All in all, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is a time passer, and will keep you entertained, but is weak in storytelling, characters, and making itself a big film. It is an improvement over Lightning Thief for the fans, but still not doing the justice the books deserve. The movie strives to make itself the next Harry Potter and fails in doing so and because of it. Perhaps Fox should consider dropping the series, and leave the remaining books unadapted. Or they could keep the franchise alive with a reboot. No matter what, this film failed to save the (current) series and left an unnoticeable mark upon movie history.

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Number Of Students Abusing Stimulants Is On The Rise

  Students have long found refuge in the energizing effects of coffee and other caffeine containing products. But it seems these products no longer deliver the boost that modern students crave. This has lead to an ever-growing number of students abusing potentially dangerous prescription stimulants. The most common of these stimulants are drugs, typically prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), including Adderall (Dextroamphetamine) and Ritalin (Methylphenifdate). Students abuse these drugs with the hopes of increasing their ability to concentrate and focus. Students often obtain these medications by purchasing them from classmates who hold valid prescriptions or by falsely reporting symptoms to a doctor with hopes of receiving a prescription of their own. In Canada, the majority of these drugs are Schedule 1 controlled narcotics and are illegal to sell or possess without a valid prescription. Students who choose to abuse these drugs are increasing their risk of experiencing a number of health problems. Drugs of this nature can be extremely addictive possibly resulting in the development of life-destroying addictions. These drugs may be responsible for many physical health problems such as racing heart rate, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. This has become such an issue that the number of emergency-room visits related to stimulant abuse has more than doubled in the last five years. Despite the possible legal and health implications, the number of students who choose to abuse these medications continues to rise every day. As this problem progresses it will undoubtably have a substantial impact on the reliability of test scores, the health of our youth and the ability for those truly suffering from legitimate disorders to receive the medication they require.

Who knows what impact the increasing prevalence of stimulants may have on standardized 
testing and exams as a whole? In a couple years, we may not be taking exams at all.

If you have any concerns about yourself or someone you know there are a number of supports and services that can help, such as:
- Your Parents
- A trusted adult
- IRHS PCC office
- Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868)
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1-800-875-6213)
- Your local hospital

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Fans Marvel at Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Episodes 1-4 Review

Marvel has been enjoying much success due to its movie franchise. the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's efforts at the large screen have made Marvel more popular and famous then it ever was. Now, to capitalize and possibly expand on its movies' success, the studio has created a spinoff TV show, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Is this show a well made expansion of the cinematic universe, or should Marvel just stick to the movies?

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D takes place after the Avengers, presumably running alongside the current events of Phase 2, though it is suggested it takes place after Iron Man 3, when extremis is used in the pilot. The show revolves around a returned Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), who organizes a specialist team from the fictional spy network, S.H.I.E.L.D (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division). The team is designed to deal with supernatural threats and consists of Agent Grant Ward, a seasoned agent recruited into the specialist team; Agent Melinda May, a retired agent who is convinced into leaving retirement by Coulson; Agent Leo Fitz, an engineer who designs weapons for S.H.I.E.L.D; Jemma Simmons, who works for S.H.I.E.L.D as a life scientist: and Skye, the only civilian recruit, who was chosen by Coulson for her skill with computers and hacking. Each character has their respective personality and story keeping  the show nice and fresh.Due to its setting in a larger universe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is treated to cameos from characters in the films, such as Nick Fury and Maria Hill. All this gives the fans a closer look at the organization responsible for the assembly of the Avengers, which makes it a welcome addition to the universe, but not a very important or necessary one. While the MCU can stand alone without Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, the latter cannot stand alone from the former. That can be accepted, due to it being meant to be a spinoff, but it doesn't make it feel very large, important, or having much gravitas. Also where the show is weak is its continuity. The first episode is the kickoff of the team, and then it is just the team facing the next, new threat in each episode. Hopefully (and probably), this will be improved, as it has a lot of potential and dangling story-lines.

While Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D does have some continuity issues and dependence on the films, it does have its own charms. The new adventures offered each week do have thrills and entertainment value, also keeping a humorous side that makes Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D far from boring. This new series is a well made one, exceeding mediocrity, but not hitting the magic and feel of the movies. No Marvel should not have stuck to the films, as the show is quite an entertainer, but not a must see. Fans will enjoy the show and it is worth a see, but it isn't a powerhouse on television.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is 7.5/10

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