There are rules and laws everywhere you go and when a terrorist kills and injures people they should have to answer either with penalty of death or severe jail time. Terrorist organizations need to be sought out and dismantled before they do even more harm. Acts of terrorism are viewed as acts of war and therefor the military should get straight to finding these terrorist groups and taking them out of power. Laws apply to everyone this does not exclude people who run from the law, it is crucial that even if they run to chase them and hunt them down to punish them for their crimes.

   The US is a big force in the fight on terrorism because we are one of the biggest world powers. That being so it is one of our biggest responsibilities to help fight terrorists and bring an end to their acts of violence. No one really steps up to fight terrorist at home or abroad so it is left to the US to fight these terrorist groups and bring an end to their violence. Even if the US doesn’t have the support of other countries and allies we still need to push forward to end these horrible acts of killing.

   It would seem like common sense to think if these groups are killing and injuring all these innocent civilians that they would be prepared to face the consequences that will follow their actions. They must know that there acts will not go unnoticed or unpunished, even if they are expecting people to fight back they still are prepared for the consequences of their actions to affect them. So why not punish them to the full extent even if that means killing the whole group to prevent further terrorist acts.

   The US military is in place and strong for a reason, to protect the US and foreign allies to keep them safe and to keep us free. With terrorists attacking and trying to inflict death and injury the military needs to be used to eliminate terrorist groups to keep the public safe and to keep America free. They are trained to take out enemies and some of our biggest enemies are terrorists, so why not put them to use and eliminate these terrorist groups. The safety of the US should obviously be the first concern but not the only one. Other places get attacked by terrorists just as much as we do, so the US should step up in these foreign places to take the fight to the terrorists to show them that their acts are not acceptable anywhere.

   It is sometimes necessary to save the lives of many by killing a few people. This is especially true when it comes to terrorism. If you had to choose between killing a small group of terrorists or letting them kill hundreds and probably thousands of people, what would you choose to let happen? To me it just makes sense to prevent terrorism whenever you can. These groups have nothing but bad intentions and need to be stopped as soon as possible.

   National security is the most important goal to secure. Terrorist groups want nothing more than to destroy hopes of security. It is the job of the US and anyone else interested in peace to stop terrorists from killing and injuring massive amounts of people for their own beliefs. Countries that hide terrorists are just as bad as the terrorist’s themselves. Places that allow terrorists to hide are basically our enemy because the terrorists need a place to operate, and a country that allows terrorists to hide in their country and carry out operations is no ally to anyone.

   As you can see terrorism has a huge impact on everyone, and it is a huge issue. It needs to be brought to an end as fast as possible even if that means the US acting independently to seek out terrorists. I strongly believe that the US needs to take care of terrorist organizations to bring a swift end to terrorism.

   Being single is not anything to be ashamed of in our age. How happy single people are will depend on how happy they are with themselves. We live in a time when most relationships break up, and there is no guarantee that even the best ones will last. In the meantime, there is much to enjoy in life, and being single has some benefits that even some couples miss.

   Stop worrying about everyone else around you getting into relationships and thinking that you need to as well. All those happy couples in movies and on TV are the most perfect images of couples that Hollywood writers designed to appeal to people who see them. Real couples have problems that they overcome, occasional fights and arguments, and real couples are not all extremely attractive, like they are portrayed in all the movies.

   Everything you do should be for you. Stay positive by getting out and doing stuff. High self confidence will attract more friends and maybe, in the long run, even a relationship. Concentrate on yourself and figure out what you like and don’t like. Make plans with friends that you haven’t seen in a while. Take time for yourself, and don’t sweat finding someone. You can’t go looking for love. Love has to find you.

   If there are things you have ever wanted to do, do them now. Trying something new can lead to new skills, friendships, and self esteem. Be an optimist. This is a trait that helps you whether you are single, married, divorced or widowed. Find the silver lining in everything throughout your day.

   Being single does not mean you are down on your luck. It could be rather the opposite. Some people are much happier when they are single. Relationships are very nice, but they aren’t for everyone. Whatever situation you are in, just remember you can be happy with life if you are happy with who you are.

“Being single doesn’t mean that you are weak; it means that you are strong enough to wait for what you deserve.” –Unknown

   Most relationships end quickly just because there’s neither more excitement nor attraction towards the other person. In the beginning of a relationship, everything seems so new and adventurous, but after a while, it all seems to be boring and you may start to regret being in the relationship.

   There are many reasons why you might get bored of that other person. For one, you know so much about that person, there is nothing really exciting or nothing new about him or her, and it just throws you off to a point where you feel bored and annoyed by them. You start to find everything annoying, and everything you thought was cute and funny turns into a “please just stop.”

   Rather than thinking so negatively and having the thought of breaking up, be grateful for being with that person. That person could’ve been with somebody else but they chose you, and they chose you because they liked you for who you were. Not all relationships are like fairy tales where people live “happily ever after.” You will always have arguments about the most random things, and that’s because you both have different points of view. The best thing to do is set your differences aside because that will always get in between you. Sit down and talk about your differences and see what you can do about them. Don’t just let them be there because they will come back and haunt you in the long run.

   Just ask yourself daily, “What can I do to make my boyfriend or girlfriend happier?”  The little things you do show the other person that you appreciate them and that you actually think about them. You don’t necessarily need to be doing things for them 24/7; you just need to let them know that you are thinking of them.

   “A good relationship is a give and take from both people… a bad relationship is one person giving and the other taking” – Wiz Khalifa

   Guilty pleasures have been around for many years and people have found guilty pleasures in movies, food, activities, or even something they like to watch.  An example of a guilty pleasure is I like to eat crab cakes with whipped cream on top.  That’s something they enjoy eating, not a lot of people eat that kind of thing, but this person likes to eat it.  Here are some people’s guilty pleasures that they enjoy doing:

“I like to party.”

Angel Mendoza

“I like cross-stitching.”

Karise Woodward

“I enjoy listening to dub step.”

Patrick Smoke

“I like vampire books.”

Maddy Bartsen

“I love money.”

Orianna Engles

“I love watching Stargate SG1”

Evan Marinez

1. Be flexible. Know what you can change and what you can’t. Go with the flow. Be open to changes.
   1. Laugh more. Watch a funny movie, tell a joke, read the comics.
   2. Breathe slowly, deeply, and well. Relaxation begins with slow, deep breathing from your diaphragm.
   3. Learn to say “no”. It’s hard to say no sometimes, but recognize you can’t do everything. Pace yourself.
   4. Go ahead and make mistakes. No one’s perfect. The only way we really learn is from our mistakes. Accept them as the natural process of growing in wisdom.
   5. Get active. Exercise brings out the body’s endorphins, natural pain-killers and pleasure-producing substances produced inside every one of us.
   6. Eat well and avoid stimulants. A healthy diet makes the body strong and increases a sense of well-being. Watch those double-lattes. Caffeine and nicotine put more stress on our musculature and nervous system.
   7. Talk to others. Sharing life’s difficulties and problems with another person, whether a co-worker, friend, spouse, lover, or counselor, allows one to shed the weight of burdens shouldered alone.
   8. Face your difficulties. Problems have a tendency to mount quickly until they seem overwhelming. Tackle them one at a time. Set achievable goals. Your day will seem appreciably lighter after even one dreaded task is tackled.
   9. Allow yourself to mourn. Changes, even good changes, can bring a sense of loss for how things used to be. You have the right to grieve this loss. In fact, everyone needs that time . . . to adjust, to reminisce, to care, to process.

Source: Jeffery Kaye, Ph.D.  , http://www.drjeffkaye.com/stress.htm

Kamiakin’s Booth

   Kamiakin as well as several other high schools had booths at the convention where they demonstrated robots, gave presentations, and answered questions from other attendees about what computer classes are like at Kamiakin.

   Rafael “DJ Rafa” Rivera gave a presentation, which he said was his favorite part. “I told everybody about the class, and what I do. For my job, I tell everyone what jobs they need to do and do the tracker for the interns, so they know where to go on campus to help teachers. I also talked about the programs for the bots.”

   Tyce “Supertyce” Lee also presented. He spoke about what the web design class does, and what programs they use in their curriculum.

   Hoglen says he has been taking students to IT Day for ten years, but this is the first year the students have been doing presentations on things they personally did or created. “It teaches them better leadership, and develops professionalism. They get to talk about something they’re interested in and passionate about to some pretty high powered people.”

The Highlights

   At the biggest IT Day to date, the luncheon and keynote speaker from Intel, Stephan Pawlowski, was a sold out event. His presentation was titled Intel’s Vision of Cloud 2015, and covered a variety of topics from security and storage to the involvement of technology in health care.

   Lee says the speaker was his favorite part. “The speaker guy was really interesting. He talked about everything. Like protection and security, and how IT is moving into medicine.”

   From the other 60 vendors, the students learned a number of things. They not only got experience approaching businesses and asking effective, professional questions, but they also discovered job opportunities. From talking to a representative from a company, a student can learn about how to find employment in the field, move up in companies, and get overall advice for excelling in a job.

   Another popular attraction at the event was a robot created by a division of Lockheed Martin. The robot, which roamed about the convention on its wheels, could talk and interact with people. It listened and responded to voices quickly and accurately, so attendees could carry on conversations with it. If you asked for a picture with it, it would politely stand still and and say “cheese” when a camera was pointed at it. Needless to say, the robot impressed many at the convention.

This violent activity began with a little gossip and a lot of bullying. More and more we find this “drama” becoming a problem. A number of Kamiakin students were involved in what the police are calling “a riot,” and have been in the hospital recovering. Some people are in the process of being charged with felonies and misdemeanors due to the damage that had been done on the Hansen Park property and for the people who had been hurt.

Investigating through the school has been going on since then. The police are trying to figure out who was involved and what the true story is that started the nonsense that went down.  People are getting suspended and in trouble from the school, although the incidents had not happened at school. Students are upset due to the fact that this fighting happened way after school and completely away from school grounds.  Many believe that this is a police matter, not a school matter, and that students should not be disciplined by the school in any way.

Pinta Island Tortoise. There is only one known Pinta Island Tortoise left in the world and his name is George. George is about 100 years old. Offers of up to $10,000 are being made for someone who finds a female for George to mate with.

Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin). Only a few of these water mammals are left in the world. It has been driven to extinction after China’s economic growth and fighting for food with humans. Another factor is all the dams and barrages, which have reduced the population. Experts are counting the species and thinking of ways to keep them alive, so let’s hope.

   Seychelles Sheath-tailed Bat. This animal is found in the North side of Madagascar and fewer than 100 exist in the world today. The bat flies around bamboo at twilight and in the daytime.  It spends time resting in the cracks of the mountainside, facing the sea. Seychelles sheath-tailed bat has pale under parts, with reddish brown or dark brown body parts.

   The Vancouver Island Marmot. This animal is only found in the high mountains of Vancouver Island in Canada and has been listed as an endangered species since May 2000. There are approximately only 280-320 left living today. This animal is a member of the squirrel family and ranges in colors of grey. It has short, chunky legs, thick fur, small ears and a bushy tail. They vary in weight from 4 to 20 pounds and they grow to be 15 to 30 inches.

Javan Rhino.  Only around 60 animals are left in the world today, and they can be found in Indonesia and Vietnam. Adults are grey in color and have an armor-plated appearance caused by the deep folds of hairless skin.

Hispid hare.  Hispid hare is a leporid with dark brown hair, which weighs around 2.5 kg. Earlier, this hare used to have a wide habitat range, but now its habitat is confined to some isolated regions in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. Deforestation, cultivation and human settlement have significantly contributed in restricting the habitat of hispid hare, which is one of the rarest mammals on earth today.

Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat. Since the Northern hairy nosed wombat is very rare, not as much is known about it as the other types of wombats. The head and body of a full-sized adult is about 100 cm (40 inches), with a tail of 50 cm (2 inches). They can weigh from 25 to 40 kg (55 to 88 pounds), with the females being the heaviest.

Tamaraw (Dwarf Water Buffalo). The Tamaraw is a small, stocky buffalo. Adults are grayish-black in color, with a darker line running along the spine and white markings on the insides of the forelegs. Lighter markings are also found above the eyes, where they form “eyebrows”. These animals have become endangered due to habitat loss which is caused from farming, cattle ranching, expansion of urban areas, diseases from livestock, and illegal hunting. Only 300 Tamaraw are believed to survive, spread among three populations.

   Iberian Lynx. The Iberian Lynx is the world’s most endangered cat, and is currently on the verge of extinction. They are relatively short, have coarse fur that is bright yellowish-red to tawny in color, overlaid with brown or black spots, and the under parts are white. The male Iberian lynx is larger than the female, and both possess prominent whiskers on the face and long, erect tufts of black hair on the tips of the ears

   Red Wolf. There were fewer than 20 pure bred red wolves round up in captivity in 1980. As of 2007, approximately 207 captive red wolves reside at 38 captive breeding facilities across the United States. The red wolf is a smaller and a more slender cousin of the gray wolf. It is gray-black, with a reddish cast that gives it the color for which it is named.

Why we give so much money to countries that “need” our money makes no real sense when you take a look at the total lack of growth these countries are accomplishing with our money. Too many of these countries that get foreign aid from us don’t use it for the greater good. Most countries are so corrupt the money they are given doesn’t ever see what it is supposed to go towards.

The only reason foreign aid should be given out is for extreme disaster relief and to protect our military and trade investments. I know it probably does help with disaster relief when it is used correctly. But here in the U.S., we have problems of our own that this money could be used on. We have too many problems here in America for government to be giving our money away. When we have homeless and hungry and suffering people of our own, why wouldn’t the government help them out when they are wasting millions of dollars trying to help people just like that overseas? America needs to take care of itself before we can afford to send all of our hard earned cash to other countries, digging ourselves into a deeper hole of debt.

The debt of America is astonishing.  We owe $16 trillion, and with us spending almost $60 million on foreign aid a year, our debt problem is just getting bigger. If we were to cut foreign spending, we could soon save our money and work our way out of debt. American made money needs to stay in America. Who wants to give our hard earned cash to foreign people when we have the same problems?  No one. Our money should be our money.  It shouldn’t be given away.  It should be used to fix problems and better lives here in America.

Once America is out of debt and is able to get ahead and is well off, then I can see the point of foreign aid. But no one helps us.  If we are sending off all of our money to help these countries, what are we getting in return other than more debt? We have some of the same problems as these foreign places where we are sending money, so why don’t we get aid from other countries? The spending for aid seems to be very one sided with almost nothing in return for America.

Any money that is in the American budget for foreign matters should be limited to supporting our troops and real foreign disasters. All other money needs to go directly towards solving America’s debt and taking care of our assets.

I am very clearly against foreign aid because in my mind, it is totally useless. Charity starts at home.  If our home of America is not healthy, we cannot help anyone else.  As an individual, you would not send your neighbor’s child to college and leave your own  child behind.  We need to stop sending money to other counties to get them in better shape until we are in better shape ourselves.