Daily Archives: September 26, 2013

Claws vs Paws

cats

There is always an argument about something, whether it be sports, or who’s better at something. The one I found to be most common would be the argument between which pet animal is the best. Specifically the dog and cat. Many consider the dog to be man’s best friend. They are known to protect, alert others to danger and play fetch. Others say cats are the better pet. Cats can crawl up on your lap and purr when they are content. Everyone has their own opinion. Cats have been known to save dogs, and dogs have saved cats. It is hard to declare the better pet because both animals have their own loyal followers.

I for one am on the dog’s side of the feud. I have always liked the dog (K9) .They stand their ground and are nice to people. They keep you company and love to play and then relax with you. I myself had a dog, and he was so easy to train. People take points off of dogs because they may bite, but only because there has been a lack of proper training. Cats scratch people and their small claws  plus their sharp teeth can hurt. Cats can also be unpredictable and some just like to be left alone. Both sides have their strengths and weaknesses. The feud could go on, and on. My heart and mind will always be set on the dog’s side of the feud.

~Alex

House explosion in Stamford, What caused it?

As you may have heard, there has been a major house explosion in Stamford, CT.  “The explosion at 305 Webbs Hill Road happened at about 2 p.m., and a next door house was damaged too.” says Police Chief Jonathan Fontneau.  Although officials aren’t sure what caused this massive explosion, a combustible gas tank could be to blame.  “The house received a delivery of 280 gallons of propane about a month ago.”  Ted Jankowski, Stamford’s director of public safety, stated.   Thankfully, nobody was in the house at the time of the explosion, however, the owner of the home was outside and taken to the hospital shortly after the tragedy.

Personally, I don’t feel very comfortable being in homes heated by propane.  Oil feels like a safer option because it explodes less frequently.  This unfortunate, horrible disaster was hard to fathom when I came home from school and saw the news report on TV.  This wasn’t the only one recently reported,  I can also remember a propane explosion in Ohio that happened not too long ago.  It was a devastating tragedy that left me ‘feeling blue” for a while after it happened.  These poor situations happen all the time and I think someone should put a stop to it.  Innocent people should not have to deal with these kinds of problems.

~Mike

OBAMA READY FOR ACTION IN SYRIA!

Only a few short weeks ago on August 21 the Syrian Government used a lethal chemical weapon on it’s own people with hopes to take out a rebellious group protesting against the government. Not only was this achieved but thousands of other innocent people were intoxicated and killed because of this gas. Millions of people fled the country to get themselves and their families out of harms way. The evil action performed by the Syrian government was a crime against all of humanity and the debate is going on now of who should be the one to go to the country and inflict the discipline that they deserve. President Obama believes that the United States should be the one to do so because they be the only one country capable of doing something impactful. He has sent the decision down to congress where it will be voted on whether or not any military actions will take place.

I think that no actions should be taken because it is not the United States responsibility to monitor what goes on around the world. The government’s main focus should be on protecting the US civilians and creating jobs for a struggling economy. I would like to believe that those things are the majority of the talk going on in the White House, not the corrupt country of Syria. Also, I think that the value of American Soldiers lives could be more wisely used on affairs directly affecting America. It would make the USA a lot happier if they knew that their soldiers were not being dumped into a foreign and unwelcoming land trying to settle an affair that has no bearing on the USA. In the end, soldiers lives would be saved by not taking any actions in Syria and and no Americans would die because of the evilness of Syria.

~Harry

Several Wildfires Burn in Several States

As of mid-August, 34 wildfires are burning in eleven states. 10 of which are in Idaho alone. Idaho residents near the town of Ketchum are forced from their homes as 1,200 firefighters battle the state’s biggest wildfire, which burned across 1,000 acres. More than 2,300 homes have been evacuated so far in central Idaho. The fire is only six percent contained. Also, one of the biggest fires in California’s history continues to spread near Yosemite National Park. The fire, which is being referred to as the Rim Fire, was seven percent contained as of August 27 and has burned through 144,000 acres, making it the 14th largest fire in California since 1932, the year the state started keeping wildfire records. The size of the fire is roughly the size of Chicago. The fire’s location made it a threat to San Francisco’s electrical and water supply. Nearly 3,000 firefighters were battling the blaze.

These many wildfires are very hard for most to try and live through. I think it must be hard for all people that are near one of these fires to try and keep calm and live a normal life. I wonder why It has been almost a month now and most of the fires are still burning. How are the firefighters taking these conditions? How many, if any, people have died so far to these fires? Hopefully, all these questions will be answered and we can have all these fires conquered.

~Nick

Apple Releases iOS 7… Good or Bad?

It seemed to be that all the rage the other day, on September 20th, was about downloading the iOS 7 for your apple device. The update comes with brand new features; like a whole new look for your apps and lock screen or the new airdrop addition- which allows one “no setup” file sharing between devices. Pixel Envy’s Nick Heer writes that, “…iOS7 manages to preserve the familiar aspects of iOS while providing a brand new look and feel.” Additionally, “The redesign makes the entire user experience feel brighter and more alive.” However, some negative comments include the fact that the apps look less like actual buttons and seem flatter, and perhaps more importantly that the battery life doesn’t last as long as when one used the old version. But, in your opinion, is the new update better or worse?

Having just installed the iOS 7 on my own phone, I initially liked the way the apps looked. Later, though, I found them difficult to use because it was hard to adjust to the way they were displayed. In addition, I found myself frustrated with the lack of battery life. For example, just this morning when I picked up my phone, I noticed that the battery was at 100%. However, when I picked it up at 3 pm, without having used it, the battery was at only 28%. In conclusion, even though I may face some frustrations with the new format, I am confident that future versions will work any difficulties.

~Emily