Winter Break Is No Break

As the holiday season has been winding down, I have been struggling to get back to a normal routine. At least I don't have much homework! However, my cousin has not been so lucky. Knowing she has tons of homework left to do, she keeps getting more stressed as she gets closer and closer to heading back to school on Monday. Why did her teachers feel the need to give out lots of homework over break? It turns out that students need breaks, and assigning homework over a break is cruel and unnecessary. Breaks should be breaks, not extra time to do additional assignments.

My sister is home from college until the end of January. She, unlike my cousin, has no homework. Yet, my sister has about a two or three week longer break than my cousin. That's lots of more time do work. Instead of doing homework, she is catching up on much-needed sleep, spending time with family and friends, and traveling. My sister is even planning a trip to Europe for the summer. Her break has been a real break from work, as well as an opportunity for her to take time for herself. In fact, taking time for oneself is extremely important for one's personal growth and development. Despite not doing schoolwork, my sister still learning about herself and the world around her.

I wish more schools across the country understood that breaks should truly be breaks. Assigning lots of work over a break only takes away from the holiday cheer. Studies even show that too much homework may be detrimental to a student's academic achievement. Schools need to take students' personal lives and health into account and limit the amount of work handed out over breaks. Breaks are breaks, not extra work time.

Have Yourself a Merry 40s Christmas

With Christmas Eve only a day away, I'm sure we all keep hearing the same beloved Christmas songs almost everywhere we go. I can't walk into a store without listening to "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" play in the background at least once. Year after year, it's always the same old songs. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", like most of the other holiday songs that play constantly, traces back to the mid-20th century. In fact, the majority of our top 30 most-played Christmas songs of all time were released back in the 40s and 50s.

Most of these songs were written right after the end of World War II. During that time, people probably wanted to celebrate the war victory as well as move on to happier things. Everyone would finally be home for Christmas. Those decades also became the time of the baby boomers' childhoods. For the baby boomers, those songs represent memories of childhood happiness, economic prosperity, and overall nostalgia. It is no surprise that they are still popular today. Are we ever going to create new holiday hits that reach the same heights as the songs of the 40s and 50s? Maybe the songs go hand in hand with great periods of American history. Until we have another one of those time periods that sparks immense creativity and inspiration, I think we might stick with the same old songs for a long time.

Two Years Since Sandy Hook Shooting, Still No Progress

Two years ago, on December 14th, 2012, twenty-year-old Adam Lanza murdered 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. After two years, the families of the victims are finding it even more difficult to cope with the losses of their loved ones. Nicole Hockley's son Dylan, only age six, was shot and killed by Lanza at Sandy Hook. Hockley claims that after two years, "The shock wears out" and "denial becomes more of a reality." Hockley realized that there was a bigger issue at hand: gun violence. She, along with many other families of the victims, hoped there would be more progress in terms of gun protection at this point in time. Hockley recently joined a non-profit organization called Sandy Hook Promise, aimed at protecting people from gun violence.

However, school shootings are still a major issue across the nation. In fact, throughout the last three months, there have been 16 school shootings. 5 of those incidents occurred within one week, with each shooting taking place in a different state. Our country needs to find a way to greatly diminish this number. Whether it comes down to having stricter laws regarding gun screening or somehow reducing the number of guns sold, I'm not sure. It's just clear that something needs to be done. Unfortunately, according to US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was almost killed after being shot in the head in 2011, Congress has done nothing.

Yet, the families of the Sandy Hook victims didn't just want to stand by and wait. If nothing had been done to limit gun violence in 2 years, how could these families be sure anything would be done at all? Nine of the 26 families of the victims decided to take action. They just filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer, distributor, and seller of the gun used by Lanza in the shooting, claiming that the Bushmaster AR-15 rifle was a military weapon that should not have been made available to the public. I think it's a great idea for these families to try to make a change when it comes to gun violence. I just hope our country will soon do the same.

Traffic Stops By Caring Cops

With all of the protests taking place across the nation after the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, many people have become aware of the issues surrounding police brutality. Of course, many cops throughout the country do their jobs very well and handle tough situations appropriately. Yet, police forces seem to be on edge. Some want to make the clear statement that not all police should be viewed in a negative light. In fact, I came across a very uplifting video that made it impossible for me to be angry with all police. In Lowell, Michigan, a police officer named Scot VanSolkema pulled over many drivers for minor traffic violations (that they would almost never normally be stopped for). He slyly asked the drivers about their plans for holiday shopping, specifically about what gifts they had not yet crossed off their shopping lists.

As VanSolkema gathered information about the gifts, many "elves" listened in as the information was recounted. They rushed through a nearby store to pick up every item the drivers mentioned. Then, they hurried back to VanSolkema at the traffic stop before immediately dashing back to the store. Officer VanSolkema happily surprised the drivers with the gifts, and to say the least, the drivers were delighted. Many claimed that their "bad days turned into good days" after this simple act of giving. One of the drivers, Salvador Galeno, mentioned that his daughters wanted an Xbox One. VanSolkema, of course, surprised Galeno with the wonderful present. Galeno added that "he wouldn't have been able to afford such a big purchase."  VanSolkema and the Lowell Police Department gave him with the opportunity to provide his children with an amazing Christmas surprise.

Clearly, many police have good intentions. This video made it apparent that the Lowell Police Department is trying to develop stronger relationships with its citizens. There are obviously issues with some police procedures, as is evident through the deaths of both Eric Garner and Michael Brown. However, we can't ignore the good intentions of other police departments across the nation. Even if Lowell police intentionally released this video to shed a positive light on police during a difficult time, they are nonetheless giving back. More people, not just police, should get into the holiday spirit and start making people's days brighter. We should all learn a lesson from VanSolkema and the Lowell Police Department: turning someone's day from bad to good is as simple as wishing them a Merry Christmas.

The New Face of Annie

As I sat in the movie theaters a few days ago awaiting the start of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, a trailer for the new production of Annie appeared before my eyes. The preview immediately captivated my attention. This Annie clearly strayed away from the traditional elements of the classic Broadway musical and Oscar-nominated 1982 film. In the new Annie movie, which will be released on December 19th of this year, Annie lives in a foster home (instead of an orphanage like in previous versions of the production) in present-day New York. The trailer makes the hustle and bustle of 2014's Big Apple evident, yet the most surprising and positive change I noticed in the clip was the casting of Annie. In the new movie, Quvenzháne Wallis, an 11-year-old African American actress, portrays the lead role of Annie. Maybe we are finally making strides in Hollywood by including more racial diversity among casts.

Annie over the years:
Aileen Quinn (left), Alicia Morton (center), Quvenzháne Wallis (right)

In the 1982 production of Annie, Aileen Quinn plays a redheaded, freckle-faced Annie, living in an oprhanage during the Great Depression. Quinn is surrounded by almost all other white actors. Geoffrey Holder is listed as the only black actor in the cast. However, he plays Punjab, a bodyguard and butler, who can be described as a servile, supporting character. A new Annie film was released in 1999, with Alicia Morton, another young white actress, portraying the role of Annie. Like the 1982 version, the lead characters in this film are almost all played by white actors and actresses. Yet, Grace Farrell, Warbucks' secretary, is portrayed by a black actress named Audra McDonald. Despite earning more screen time than Geoffrey Holder, Audra McDonald still plays a supporting character.

15 years have passed since the 1999 release of Annie and the cast in the 2014 production looks completely different. Actors and actresses of color have finally been cast as lead roles in the film. African Americans Quvenzháne Wallis and Jamie Foxx play Annie and Will Stacks (Warbucks), the two main characters in the movie. The black actors and actresses are no longer just the helping hands to the leading white characters. Now, they shine in the spotlight. Hopefully, more films follow the example of 2014's Annie and start to include more African Americans in leading roles. The 2014 Annie should represent more than just a new era with modern technology; it should represent changing times in cinema and society.

Got Milk: Got Problems

This morning, my breakfast consisted of a bowl of Frosted Flakes and milk. A few years ago, I probably would've mentioned drinking a glass of milk with breakfast, as well. Yet, I never drink a glass of milk anymore; I only have milk when I occasionally eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast. My mom started to worry about my lack of milk consumption so she encouraged me to take a Vitamin D/Calcium supplement. For babies and infants, milk has been shown to have a very positive impact on the body. However, recent studies have shown that after childhood, drinking milk seems unnecessary and possibly even more harmful than beneficial. Maybe my mom had no need to worry about my milk intake?

According to a study of over 100,000 people, milk was associated with no protection against fractures in men. Women who drank lots of milk actually had an increased risk of fractures. There have been several other studies, similar to this one, of hundreds of thousands of people, all reporting the same results: drinking milk as an adult does not lead to stronger bones or fewer fractures. This news shocked me. I had been told all my life that people should drink 3 cups of milk a day in order to make their bones strong and healthy. Apparently, that advice does not need to be followed.

With this information in mind, I don't feel that drinking 3 cups of milk is necessary at my age, let alone beneficial to making my bones stronger. In fact, there are almost 130 calories in 1 cup of 2% fat milk. Drinking 3 cups a day would mean consuming about 390 extra calories. That would cause me to feel more unhealthy than anything else. Nevertheless, I wonder whether these newly released studies will have an impact on many people who drink milk regularly. Since so many of us have been advised to drink 3 cups of milk per day as a part of a balanced diet, I'm not sure it's possible to convince people to stop drinking so much milk until more studies are conducted and news about milk becomes common knowledge.

Community Grants Dying Boy's Holiday Dreams

Ethan Van Leuven wearing his Halloween costume 

Most children are out and about trick-or-treating in their favorite costumes today. Yet, these children don't understand that trick-or-treating is a privilege, an opportunity many children unfortunately miss out on. Ethan Van Leuven, a 4-year-old who was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 2, feared he wouldn't live to celebrate Halloween this year. Recently, Ethan stopped responding to his cancer treatment. Merrill Van Leuven, Ethan's father, recounted the moment when he heard the horrible news: "The doctors basically said he's got two days to a couple of weeks left to live." Yet, Merrill Van Leuven wanted to make the last few days of Ethan's incredibly short life his best. He gathered support from his entire community in Utah. Together, they provided Ethan with the wonderful joys in life he otherwise wouldn't have been able to experience.

On October 21st, Ethan celebrated Halloween. All across the Van Leuven's neighborhood of West Jordan, children dressed up in their favorite costumes, willing to participate in early trick-or-treating so that 4-year-old Ethan could enjoy the holiday. Unfortunately, Ethan passed away a week later on Tuesday, October 28th. At least he had the chance to celebrate an early Christmas and birthday with his family before his life was cut short. Although it is very difficult to hear about Ethan losing his fight to Leukemia, I admire the Van Leuvens' decision to focus less on the inevitability of Ethan's death and more on enjoying the time they had left with him. The West Jordan community also provided incredible support.

I can't imagine what I would've felt if I had discovered that someone I loved had only a few days to a few weeks left to live. I just hope I would handle the news similarly to the way the Van Leuvens dealt with Ethan's situation. Hopefully, as time goes on, fewer people will be delivered this horrible diagnosis. Yet, at the moment, "cancer remains the second most common cause of death in the US, accounting for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths." We need to find a way to lower this number. No one should have to undergo what 4-year-old Ethan and his family experienced.

Laughter: Motive for Murder

A few days ago, when my mom and I were watching the news, we listened in utter disbelief as the anchors described a horrible incident that had occurred at the home of an Indiana man on Friday. After this Khanji Fairley's home in Gary was burglarized, he made quite a scene. Many people, including 13-year-old Kobe Jones, gathered along the front of lawn of their infuriated neighbor. As the burglarized man vented his anger about the break-in, Jones began to laugh at his neighbor's attitude. However, this pushed Fairley to his breaking point. He snatched up his rifle and immediately aimed it at the 13-year-old. In a few split seconds, Kobe Jones, having been shot 9 times, lay dead upon the lawn.

13-year-old Kobe Jones

This terrible tragedy shouldn't have even taken place. Kobe Jones, only 13 years old, is supposed to have his whole life ahead of him. Instead, his life has been stolen away from him because he laughed. It seems pretty to evident to me that Jones' laughter simply pushed Fairley over the edge, but the man's crime is in no way justifiable. It took four days, but murder charges have just been filed against the Indiana man. Killing a 13-year-old boy for laughing is inexcusable. Unlike murder, laughter is no crime. Fairley shot Kobe Jones nine times; his crime was no accident.

 I think this horrific incident supports reasons for needing more gun control across America. Mentally unstable people, along with people who have trouble controlling their anger (like this Gary man), shouldn't have such easy access to guns. It turns out Khanji Fairley had just been released from Kane County Jail when he discovered his burglarized home. He obviously had trouble with the law in the past and shouldn't have had access to a gun. Unfortunately, criminals like Fairley can be found all across Gary as crimes takes place very frequently throughout the city. In fact, the city has been having so much trouble with crime lately that it has been known as "Scary Gary". It definitely needs more gun control. In the past 50 years, Gary has lost over half its population. Sadly, Kobe Jones has now been added to that list of people lost.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...Already

When I walked into Macy's with a few of my friends this weekend, I noticed a very strange sight: about fifteen Christmas trees adorned with ornaments, garlands, and lights filled up the lower level of the department store. Christmas in October? Although I love Christmas, I think people should focus a little more on the holidays that come first, like Halloween and Thanksgiving.

However, Macy's is doing exactly the opposite. This week, Macy's announced that its department stores will open at 6 pm on Thanksgiving day, two hours earlier than the 8 pm opening last year.  6 pm is right around dinnertime for many families. If many people want to get to Macy's as soon as the doors open, they will have to skip their Thanksgiving feast with family, probably the most special part of the Thanksgiving holiday. Macy's is overlooking the Thanksgiving holiday in order to focus on its Christmas sales, instead of simply allowing everyone to enjoy the holiday and wait until Black Friday to shop for gifts. In fact, Black Friday may be "facing extinction" as more and more stores, like Macy's, open on Thanksgiving day.

By opening doors on Thanksgiving, many employees are forced to work instead of enjoying the holiday. TJ Maxx, which will open its stores at 7 am on Black Friday, strongly opposes opening on Thanksgiving day. Doreen Thompson, a spokeswoman for the store, claims, "We consider ourselves an associate-friendly company, and we are pleased to give our associates the time to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends." I completely agree with TJ Maxx's decision to stay closed on Thanksgiving. It should be a time to celebrate the holiday, not focus on the next holiday which will come 28 days later. Sales most likely won't even increase since they will just "displace sales that would otherwise have been rung up on Black Friday or later in the season." People should not skip over Thanksgiving to move straight to Christmas shopping. Stores should leave Black Friday for the sales, not the Thanksgiving holiday itself. 

Facts Replaced by Fiction at Disney's Epcot

Whenever I babysit my six and four-year-old neighbors, they love talking on and on about the new Disney movie, Frozen. I don't blame them; I think that Frozen should be considered one of Disney's best animated movies of the 21st century. In fact, Frozen earned $1.2 billion dollars in theaters worldwide, becoming the highest grossing animated motion picture of all time. I've been waiting for months to hear about the first Frozen themed attractions to appear inside the magical lands of Walt Disney World. This news has finally arrived. A new Frozen-based ride, set in the fictional village of Arendelle, will replace the "Maelstrom" ride in the Norway section of World Showcase in Epcot. However, "Maesltrom" was meant to teach riders about the real country of Norway, something that the new attraction won't be able to truly present. 

Although I feel that it's about time for a Frozen ride to appear in Disney World, I don't think placing the attraction inside the Norway section of Epcot is the best decision. I rode on "Maelstrom" many times in the past, in which I traveled on a viking ship through the lands of Norway while passing by numerous waterfalls, trolls, and polar bears. Disney wonderfully incorporated real aspects of Norway's culture into the visuals and audio throughout the ride. They even included a video at the end of "Maelstrom" focusing on Norwegian history. "Maelstrom" was never my favorite ride, but I thought it served its purpose: to teach others about the country of Norway in a fairly entertaining way. Now this Norwegian ride will be replaced by a new attraction set in a fictional village. The Norway section of Epcot simply isn't the right part of the park for this Frozen ride. Janice Goeppner, a woman from Chicago who has attended Walt Disney World many times, claims that the World Showcase area of Epcot "is a place about real countries." I happen to agree with Janice; the fictional land of Arendelle just doesn't fit into the World Showcase section of the park.

To me, it makes the most sense to set up a Frozen ride inside Magic Kingdom, where most of the attractions targeting younger children are placed. Then, throughout the ride, Disney wouldn't have to focus so much on the similarities between the American-created Arendelle and the real country of Norway. Maybe Disney hopes to attract more people to the World Showcase in Epcot, using a Frozen ride as the solution? After all, Epcot almost never experiences Magic Kingdom's levels of congestion. I just hope Walt Disney World utilizes this space in the Norway section effectively and attempts to teach people at least a little about the Norwegian nation. As for the "Maelstrom" ride, it seems like it's time for people to "let it go".

Racism Is A Reality

Youtube videos rarely cause me to cover my mouth in disbelief, to continuously mutter "What?!", and to feel completely disgusted by the world we live in. Yet, I recently viewed a video that caused me to react in that exact fashion. A dash cam video (watch below or through this link) from a patrol car of a South Carolina trooper, Sean Groubert, was released this past week, and I really struggled to comprehend its content. I couldn't believe my eyes! In the video, the trooper pulls up next to an unarmed black man, Levar Jones, at a gas station. Groubert immediately yells at the man, screaming for him to pull out his license. Jones reaches for his wallet inside the car, but that action seems like a "crime'' to the trooper. Firing shots left and right, Groubert claims Jones was trying to lunge back into his car to headfirst to avoid the trooper. Yet, unarmed Levar Jones only continues to shout "Why did you shoot me?" as he kneels in agony, unable to regain feeling in one of his legs.

I don't regret taking three minutes to watch this dash cam video, despite its slightly graphic nature. This video showed me the truth. It allowed me to fully grasp the idea that racism is still prevalent throughout our nation, even if many people try to argue that it is no longer an issue. In fact, African Americans are "three times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than whites, more than three times more likely to be handcuffed, [and] almost three times more likely to be arrested." This shooting of Levar Jones, just like the shootings of Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin, didn't need to occur. Somehow, we need to end these shootings. Somehow, we need to end racism. 

War in Vietnam Now a War in Housing

I recently watched Jacob's Ladder and Full Metal Jacket, two horrifying yet incredibly powerful movies depicting the Vietnam War. Before viewing these films, I hadn't truly understood the pain, the fear, the utter terror that soldiers faced during the war. Although only films, both Jacob's Ladder and Full Metal Jacket allow viewers to get a glimpse into the horrendous experiences real-life soldiers endured in Vietnam. Sadly, now I have a better understanding as to why over 150,000 Vietnam veterans have committed suicide since the end of the war. To this day, many veterans struggle to make normal lives for themselves, with over 50,000 remaining homeless. We need to make a strong effort as a society to decrease that number. 

Fortunately, $4 billion has been put into an initiative to end Veteran homelessness by the Obama administration. In the past 4 years, about 51,000 veterans have gained access to housing. However, approximately 50,000 remain homeless, and lowering this homeless rate may not be very simple. Many veterans often choose to live homeless lifestyles, desiring to stay as far away from people as possible. We all need to make a great attempt to change their outlooks on homes in order to provide them with the lifestyles they truly deserve. Veterans desperately need therapy and care before they will be completely willing to gain new housing. They have witnessed too many atrocities throughout their lives to still be suffering without proper care and housing. No one should prefer to live without a home.

13 Years Have Passed, Her Determination Never Waned

This past Thursday, people all across the nation remembered the 2,977 victims who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks performed by Al Qaeda on September 11th, 2001. All across social media, people expressed their grief in response to the 13th anniversary of this tragedy. Yet, as I scrolled through Facebook this weekend, I surprisingly came across a beautiful story about a woman who views 9/11 as a time of hope each year. The story truly touched my heart and restored my trust in humanity.

For the past 13 years, Elizabeth Stringer Keefe has held onto a wedding photograph (on the left) she received from a friend who discovered the image among the debris at Ground Zero. As September 11th rolls around each year, Stringer Keefe posts the photograph across all of her social media accounts in hopes of finding the owner of the picture. Fred Mahe used to have this photo of him at his friends' wedding tacked up along his office walls on the 77th floor of the World Trade Center. He never expected to view the image again. However, due to Elizabeth Stringer Keefe's persistence and hope each year, Mahe finally caught a glimpse of the image online. It will be returned to him very shortly.

I happen to agree with Mahe, who claimed that Stringer Keefe represented "the best of humanity." Although 9/11 tends to be regarded as a time of tragedy, Stringer Keefe has viewed it as an opportunity for the past 13 years. She has used social media as a tool instead of a weapon. Stringer Keefe never knew Fred Mahe personally, yet she went out of her way to return his photograph. If we all learned how to act a little more like Elizabeth Stringer Keefe, our world would definitely be a happier place.

Book to Movie to Profit

A few days ago, my friend and I decided to watch If I Stay, a beloved novel by Gayle Forman transformed into film. As we sat quietly in the theaters awaiting the opening scene of the movie, a trailer for The Maze Runner flashed onto the screen. Another amazing book was being turned into a movie? My mind exploded with excitement, enthusiasm, and curiosity. I couldn’t wait for September 19^th, The Maze Runner’s release date.

As the trailer came to an end, I began to think closely about how many book-to-movie films had been released this year. In just the past five months, I had watched Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Giver, all film adaptions of popular books. Yet, over two dozen more of these books-turned-movies will be coming to theaters between September and November. One of the most highly anticipated motion pictures of 2014, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, will arrive on November 21^st. After all, Hunger Games: Catching Fire earned $864,565,663 in the box office last year. Many other literature-based thrillers similar to The Hunger Games hope to achieve comparable numbers in the box office.

 Will this book-to-movie craze continue on for years to come? Since our society has become so reliant on technology, I hope that we don't only resort to watching movie adaptations of incredible pieces of literature. Much of the magic we spot on screen originates within the books themselves. Nevertheless, I wonder whether these novel-based motion pictures will affect authors' writing choices. In the end, maybe it is all about getting onto the big screen.