As a fellow liberal New Jerseyian, I express the right to address the following—
We need change desperately.
I do not say this lightly, we are in a rut right now: economically wise, job wise and deficit wise. This is due to the fact  that we have been in war with Iraq for about ten years, and are still in the process of pulling troops from Afghanistan.
Let’s face the facts right here.
All of the politicians, will gladly blurt anything about starting unnecessary wars with Iran to creating colonies on the moon out to get more attention on their campaigns of power. We need a President to pull us on our feet again, and out of this giant hole.
Granted, times are incredibly hard right now, and we are not the only country in a financial crisis. Greece, is in a similar situation, trying to cut down on its spending, so it will not require a second bailout. But not to fear yet, now lets meet our candidates of 2012. First, we have our four republican candidates that are still fighting a losing war.

Mitt Romney still is undoubtedly a strong face of the republican race by far, but is he most sensible? Yes he is no doubt leading in polls and the ambitious former Massachusetts governor has gained support in a few southern states, but is the right man for the job?
Despite the fact he’s Mormon, he promises to take down the Obama administration regulations imposed on the economy, and cut the Obama health care, even though its very similar to the very same health care given in Massachusetts.  On February 1, made a statement that he was “not concerned about the very poor.” What is he truly concerned with? The rich, the wealthy and the affluent. His delegates so far read 495.
Ron Paul is last up in this Republican race, a libertarian who is making his third run on the race to the White House. And unlike the other candidates, who want to continue war, and was on of the few conservatives opposed to war in Iraq, wants to end illegal immigration. Unlike his fellow candidates, seems pretty sensible in contrast to their schemes, but his sensibility makes him last in polls, following Gingrich, with an official delegate number of 48.
The obvious Democrat candidate is Barack Obama, our current President, who has created countless jobs to help unemployment out of its hole, made health care a critical issue, ended the war with Iraq, and assisted the U.S make the best of the crisis we are currently in, and is also far more appealing to America’s working middle class.
Call me crazy, but folks, this is the type of candidate we need in our White House, someone who’s reliable, can relate to the middle class, and isn’t too radical in a sense that it’s too drastic, because that isn’t at all what Mr. Obama is about.  So when it comes to voting in November, don’t just stick to some random politician, stick with the facts. See where it gets you.

The sun may be shining brightly in the sky, the thermometer outside the classroom window might read 85 degrees, and the humidity may be at 80%, but the MONMOUTH REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY- STUDENT DRESS CODE 5132 clearly states, “See-through blouses, halters, bare midriffs, spaghetti-straps, tank tops and sleeveless undergarments, muscle or basketball shirts without undershirts, blouses tied at the midriff, and/or any shirt/skirt which displays excessive nudity such as cleavage, skin above/below the waist are not acceptable. Micro-miniskirts and short shorts are not acceptable. Skirts/shorts must be no shorter than 6 inches above the knee.”

In a school not equipped entirely with air conditioning, these guidelines are in need of some revision. While some of the restrictions of the policy are necessary, others go beyond what is necessary to maintain “an orderly and safe learning environment” as stated in the Board Policy. It is difficult enough to function and concentrate on academics and Studies by Herrington (1952) found that, “temperatures above 80 degrees tend to produce harmful physiological effects that decrease work efficiency and output,” Peccolo (1962) found that, ideal thermal classroom environments had an effect on the mental efficiency of students,” Manning and Olsen (1964), and Canter (1976) found that, and “human beings work most efficiently at psychomotor tasks when the environment is at a comfortable temperature.” Freshman Colleen Smith states, “In order to concentrate I need to be cool and comfortable. Without air conditioning and with a strict dress code I’m not cool or comfortable and I find it harder to focus on school!”

 Mrs. Mitchell, an English teacher that works upstairs in room 510, stated, “Student performance is greatly affected. They just about melt in their seats. Trying to get any valuable work out of them is near impossible and frankly the teachers cannot do their best when they are sweating through their clothes and sticking to their seats!”

Many studies have shown that the temperature within the classroom will affect student’s ability to grasp information and knowledge. It is not quite clear to some how wearing a shirt with spaghetti straps or a pair of shorts that are shorter than 6 inches above the knee interfere with fostering a positive educational climate. All of these studies support that a level of comfort in temperature directly affect student achievement. MRHS’s assistant principal Mr. Larkin said, “There is a tremendous amount of research on the schools physical environment, the optimal temperature for students to work in is 78-82 degrees. We (Monmouth Regional) try to create a better air quality. For example all the shades in the class rooms are made to reflect heat.”

 Its not only is the temperature affecting the students, but also the technology. Mitchell says, “Also it can’t be good for the new electronics the school just purchased: the laptops, the iPads, and the smart boards. The copy machines seem to break down more often in the spring and fall when the AC isn’t turned on. And the general population is grumpier during the heat. It’s no wonder that teachers joke that the heat in spring and summer brings out the hallway and lunchroom fights!”

Since the installation of air conditioning in the building does not seem to be forthcoming, perhaps a revision of the dress code on extremely hot and humid days is something that should be considered by the Board of Education to allow students to function more comfortably and effectively and excel in all their academic studies. Hopefully the temperatures don’t rise to high this year.

Aries- 20 January – 18 February

Learn from others’ mistake. Be very careful this month. Trust your gut and  try to make others see your way. Be sensitive to others when you try to convince them. Time to get healthy for summer. Watch what you eat.

Taurus- April 20- May 20

This month, loosen up and utilize free time. Have fun during free periods and enjoy the countdown to the end of the year. But stick to what you know this month because going out of your comfort zone could turn out badly.

Gemini- May 21- June 21

Rethink. Re-organize. Be cautious because due dates are right around the corner. It is time to start new and improve your plan of action. Starting group projects could prove useful. This is the month to dig out your planner and use it to the best of your ability.

Cancer- June 22- July 22

May is the month to get serious. Get off your butt and become responsible. Due to slacking off, things may not just hurt you but other team players as well. Since you are already prioritizing you should take care of your health this month too.

Leo- July 23- August 22’

It is not the time to go out on a limb. Think before you speak because getting the facts wrong could get you tangled in some bad drama. Keep yourself busy with schoolwork and be sure to do well on tests. Schedule in some extra study time or go for extra help.

Virgo- August 23- September 22

Nothing is what it appears to be, you think you can slack off and still pass classes. That is not the case. Use your time wisely this month and be on your toes. Unexpected events could throw things off balance.

Libra- September 23- October 23

Tough times are coming and you need to be honest. Denial and procrastination will only make things worse. If you change your way of thinking, things may appear easier. Be agreeable this month, new friends might be able to help with an old problem.

Scorpio- October 24- November 21

Being impulsive could create problems that cannot use a quick fix. It is time to focus and fine tune long term plans. Confront issues with efficiency, ask a friend or teacher for help. Do not let the little things get in your way, look at the big picture.

Sagittarius- November 22- December 21

Stick to your guns and do not get distracted. What seems like a good opportunity could be too good to be true. Use caution and trust your instinct. Remember your limits, if it is not broke do not fix it.

Capricorn- December 22- January 19

Think things through and do not overreact this month. You might want to make a big change but have not thought of all the little details. Relax and stop worrying, take time to sit and mull ideas over. Soon you will be grateful that you waited.

Aquarius- January 20- February 18

Take all into account before acting. If you jump from thing to thing you may feel overwhelmed and shut down. Take time to do things slowly and correctly. Close friends may want your opinions on important matters this month.

Pisces- February 19- March 20

It is time to move on. Build a bridge and get over whatever grudges or turmoil that has been affecting you. If you are patient new opportunities will arise and help you to achieve long term goals. Do not hesitate to make important decisions.

According to Time Magazine, over 21 million people actively use Twitter . When using Twitter, people look to follow people who have the most interesting, funny, inspirational, and truthful tweets. So the question is who to follow? The top ten twitter users according to the number of followers from 10-1 are; Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears, Shakira, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, and topping twitter with the most followers is Lady Gaga with roughly an impressive 23.5 million followers. But are these necessarily the top 10 people to follow, or do they only have such monumental amount of followers due to their fame?

10.  @732girlproblems (Jersey Girl)- Only the people living by the beach in New Jersey could understand these tweets. To find comfort in knowing you are not the only one annoyed by Bennys and other beach-goer problems, follow this twitter.

9. @YoloJokes (yolojokes)- This twitter is titled after one of Drake’s most famous quotes, “You Only Live Once.” Yolo jokes makes sarcastic and hilarious tweets all ending in #Yolo.

8. @espn (ESPN)- Like sports? Constantly wanting to know what’s going with your favorite team or league? ESPN is definitely the twitter for you to follow. With constant updates and coverage’s of multiple sports, it is great for sports lovers.

7. @miilkkk (Milk) – Milk is an aspiring music artist and songwriter who has some    of the most random and funniest tweets ever. If you are ever in a bad mood or have a bad day Milk’s tweets will be sure to brighten your mood!

6. @TheEllenShow (Ellen DeGeneres) – Ellen is a well-known comedian and talk show host. Her tweets are personal, informational about her show, and, of course, very funny.

5. @ImLeslieChow (Leslie Chow Parody) – Leslie Chow is a character from the famous movie “The Hangover”. This twitter is a parody of Leslie and tweets very relatable and hilarious tweets.

4. @BarackObama (Barack Obama) – Tweets from the president himself. ‘Nuff said.

3. @ohwonka (Condescending Wonka) – According to freshman, Eva Rondon, her “favorite twitter account is Condescending Wonka, (@ohwonka,) because it says all the things we wish we could get away with saying out loud and is good for a laugh. “

2. @Highschoolprobz (High School Problems)– As this twitter says in its description, “[Are you a] teenager? In high school? You’ll relate.” This twitter will have you saying that’s happened to me too! Or wow I know exactly how that feels!

1. @DalaiLama (Dalai Lama) – This is the official twitter page of the Office of His Holiness, the 14^th Dalai Lama. This twitter is full of motivational, truthful, and inspiring tweets.

Lauren Mooney ‘13

            The Lucky One, is another remake of a Nicholas Sparks love story. In other terms, your ordinary chick-flick.  Even though it was better than I expected, The Lucky One is still on my list of boring cliché movies.

            After serving three tours in Iraq, former marine Logan Thibault, who is played by heart-throb Zac Efron, ventures down to North Carolina after believing a picture of a mysterious woman saved him throughout his time in the war.  After finding Elizabeth, who is played by Taylor Schilling, Logan realized the picture was given to her brother who died during the same tour in Iraq. As the movie progressed, drama caused by her over-protective and obsessed ex-husband eventually leads both Logan and Elizabeth to fall madly in love.

            The most bothersome part of the movie was the casting of Elizabeth. She looked way too old to be playing the part. Even though she was divorced and had a child, the relationship between the two characters felt awkward. They should have picked a younger woman to play the part. The only good casting call was Ellie, Elizabeth’s aunt, who was played by Blythe Danner. Her comments were witty and gave a comical side to an otherwise boring movie.

            The situations that played out were easily predictable and made the movie boring to watch. Even though it was a love story, I thought that there were parts that could have been more dramatic to make the movie interesting.  For example, maybe Logan could have actually left North Carolina to make Elizabeth realize she actually loved him.

            The only reason the movie kept my attention was Zac Efron. Other than that, there was nothing really special about the movie. It was your usual fairytale Nicholas Sparks movie. The plot made you suspect everything that happened and made the movie a total waste of my time. I would give this movie 3 ½ stars.

3 STARS

                “Mirror Mirror” is a revamped version of Snow White except this time it is told from the point of the wicked Queen (Julia Roberts.)  This comedy has Snow White cast into exile while the Queen runs the kingdom throwing parties. On Snow’s eighteenth birthday she escapes the castle and explores the kingdom she once knew. She discovers it is become run down and the people are being oppressed by the evil Queen. Eventually Snow joins forces with the Seven Dwarfs to stop the evil Queen.

                The movie starts off with the evil Queen claiming it is her story and is followed by punch lines that seemed a little too forced. As Julia Roberts misses her comical marks, Brighton (Nathan Lane), the clumsy servant gets it right every time. Just like other princess stories the hunky prince is determined to save the day. However Snow White (Lilly Collins) has other plans and takes fate into her own hands.  

                In this version, the Seven Dwarfs are bandits that lurk around the forest, stealing from travelers. When Snow White is cast out by the evil Queen, the Seven Dwarfs take her under their wing and teach her how to defend herself. As the movie progresses she become’s a crucial member of their gang. 

                 “Mirror Mirror” crushes the idea that a woman needs a man as Snow saves the prince and the Seven Dwarfs. Unlike other princess movies, Snow White saves herself and chooses to marry the prince out of her own accord.

                Overall this movie was great for kids but teens and older might want to wait for Netflix. It is really for kids because it captures the innocent plot of the hero saves the day. This movie is ideal for ten year olds since it does have some inappropriate humor. Teenagers may find it predictable and tedious. The acting is somewhat forced and stems from a mediocre plot.  Sadly the best part of “Mirror Mirror” is the ending credits because of the Bollywood flash mob with Snow White.

Four Stars

                Friday April 27^th, local New Jersey indie-rock band The Front Bottoms played a hometown show at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park. After getting signed to Bar/None Records last summer, they’ve been progressively getting bigger and bigger, and this was bound to be a good show. The Front Bottoms play dancy, acoustic indie rock and have put out two full length albums since they formed. Asbury Lanes is an interesting venue; it’s an active bowling alley where the stage is literally on the middle lanes.

                The transformed bowling alley was packed with people for the Front Bottoms, whose three members were all hanging out by the bar, talking to fans, and just walking around the venue before going onstage to play. The Front Bottoms themselves said that the last time they had played the Lanes that there were only fifteen people there. They started off their set with one of their singles called “Flashlight” and the crowd erupted into dancing kids. They played about an hour long set, with a combination of songs from their latest full length, and some older songs. They played all their well known singles, like “Maps” and “Swimming Pool”, as well as fan favorites like “The Beers” and “Rhode Island”. A lot of kids were crowd surfing, and landing right on the stage. It was a little bit insane in there. The band’s musicianship was spot on, and singer Brian’s vocal performance was better than on the album. They put on an energetic and entertaining performance and are bound to blow up in the next few years.

By Allie Campbell

FOUR STARS

                Joe’s Crab Shack is the place to go for good seafood; it is located in the Monmouth Mall parking lot by T.G.I. Friday’s. When you first walk in you are greeted by the hostess who will text you from her iPad when a table becomes available. The lobby sells crab themed merchandise ranging from shirts to hats. On the weekends it can be a long wait but since the hostess will text you, you are free to go the mall or come and go at your own convenience.

                The atmosphere is family oriented with upbeat music and servers mulling around. When seated at your table, the waitress brings a roll of paper towels if your entrée gets messy. For dirty paper towels, shells, and whatnot, a metal bucket is set in the middle of your table. The menu has everything a seafood lover could ask for: steam pots of crab, fried shellfish platters, or roasted fish. The menu also contains vegetarian options as well as a kid’s menu, the menu  ranges from ten to thirty dollars. The prices are adequately priced for seafood but on a student’s budget, it’s too pricey.

                The three kinds of shrimp platter was pretty good and the service was decent. But it’s too much money for a friendly get together. An average meal at Joe’s is about twenty, twenty five dollars per person  without tax or tip.  If you’re cheap and like to eat, Joe’s is not for you.

As the weather gets warmer, the summer clothes come out. Winter clothes go into hiding and shorts and tank tops make their appearance. Due to the hotter temperatures, students begin wearing their shorts and the “dress code police” come out. Monmouth Regional’s dress code needs to be revised in order to adapt to the temperature increase and popular style. 

The stores students shop at do not focus on selling items to fit a “dress code.” They, instead, sell for the interest of just making a profit. Shopping for clothes becomes a hassle, especially with such a strict dress code. Most shorts are much shorter than six inches above the knee, something that varies depending on the height of the person. As a solution, there should be a more consistent rule: shorts that keep the butt covered when bent down should be allowed to be worn without penalty.

 According to several sources including Educational Issues @ Suite 101 brain function is delayed in excessive heat . Let’s be honest – when the sun starts beating through the windows, Monmouth Regional is downright hot! Classrooms have blinds that supposedly block the heat out, but they are not really effective.  There are no fans and classrooms are still stuffy and humid, especially the south facing rooms which are worse than others.

We understand that some students abuse the dress code but the attitude might improve if concessions are made.  Students would actually respect the rule if it is reasonable.  If the rule is broken, then punishment is deserved.

                The dress code discriminates, mostly targeting girls. It is unfair to taller girls. They have an even more difficult time accommodating the “six inches above the knee” rule, especially because they have longer legs. If a tall girl wears the same exact shorts as a shorter girl, the taller person will be the violator of the rule. This is unfair because it is not their fault that their legs are on the longer side.   Also, it seems contradictory that the cheerleader and lacrosse uniforms don’t fit the dress code requirements.  So it seems that it is ok to break the dress code when promoting school activities, but that double standard leaves students feeling annoyed and frustrated.

Wearing a shirt without sleeves and of a lighter material will help to make students feel cooler. According to the current dress code, tank tops are not allowed; however, if they are tasteful, not having undergarments hanging out and are at least two fingers thick, they should be allowed to be worn when the temperature becomes unbearable. The track, field hockey and basketball teams all wear appropriate tank tops.    What is so offensive about shoulders anyway?  Is it the undergarment that shows?

                The dress code needs to be updated.   By changing things like the requirements for shirts and shorts, Monmouth Regional improves the environment for its students. And, if students want more leeway, they need to make more responsible fashion choices. Small concessions on the part of the administration will go a long way in helping students adapt to the trends and feel their voices are heard.  There are bigger discipline problems to worry about. “Stay classy Monmouth.”

Weird News

Sleepy pilot mistakes Venus for a plane and more

An Air Canada pilot mistook the planet Venus for an aircraft, and then sent his airliner diving toward the Atlantic Ocean to prevent an imaginary collision with another plane. The incident occurred at night on board a Boeing 767 passenger plane flying from Toronto to Zurich in Switzerland. The plane was flying with 95 passengers and eight crew. Sixteen passengers and crew were hurt in the January 2011 incident. The report said the first officer had just woken up, disoriented, from a long nap, when he learned from the pilot that an imaginary U.S. cargo plane was flying toward them. The airliner dropped about 400 feet before the captain pulled back on the control column.

Out of the injured, seven were taken to hospital in Zurich. None were wearing seat belts, even though the seat-belt sign was illuminated. The safety board said the crew did not fully understand the risks of tiredness during night flights. The first officer, whose young children often interrupted his sleep at home, had napped for 75 minutes rather than the 40-minute maximum lay down by airline regulations. This meant he fell into a deep sleep and was disoriented when he woke up.

The report is yet another problem for Canada’s largest airline, which has been facing prolonged labor unrest and flight cancellations. Air Canada, expressing regret that passengers were injured, said it had taken steps to prevent a recurrence. The steps include reminding pilots to follow the rules for napping during flights and increasing efforts to heighten crews’ awareness of fatigue and its effects.

Mining in outer space may become the next big thing

A new company called Planetary Resources held its official launch today promising a new venture that would merge space exploration and natural resources, while adding trillions of dollars to the global GDP. The company counts some heavy-hitters amongst its founders and financial backers, including filmmaker and explorer James Cameron, Google co-founders Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, Ross Perot Jr. Charles Simonyi, formerly of Microsoft. Planetary Resources announced its launch on Tuesday morning at an event held at the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery at The Museum of Flight in Seattle. The Group believes in a new space venture with a mission to help ensure humanity’s prosperity.