Charlie Kirk is a political speaker best known as the founder of Turning Point USA. He became well known on the internet and on the news by debating college kids at their universities. Kirk began his political journey at a young age. As a teenager, he became interested in government and economic matters. After he graduated high school In 2012 he founded Turning Point USA.
Through Turning Point USA, he helped college kids speak out about things they wanted, giving them a voice. His organization grew quickly and became one of the most well-known conservative student groups in the U.S. . Charlie’s work mainly took place on college campuses nationwide. His influence didn’t only go to college kids, though; his videos were getting shared online, boosting his popularity to a wide variety of ages. At this point he created his own podcast so he could share his views and ideas online even further.
Kirk believed it was really important for young Americans to hear different political ideas and to participate in politics. He wanted students to feel comfortable expressing their beliefs and become involved in elections and public debates. Unfortunately, on September 10th 2025 while he was debating on a college campus in Orem, Utah, he was fatally shot and later died in a hospital. He was a great speaker who was also close with the president. He inspired millions of people to speak out for things they needed, but most of all, he was a loving father of two and a family man.
Even though Kirk is gone now, his legacy isn’t. He inspired millions of people to get more active in politics. He changed the political landscape. He started an organization that helped lots find their voices. He was one of the first politicians to connect with young people online, and he was a loving husband, a father of two, and an idol.
Billie Eilish, a recently (December 18) 24 year old alternative pop artist has made three studio albums and one ep. Her most recent album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, has reached 9.3 billion streams, and the tour for this album has just ended. The tour lasted from September 29th, 2024 – November 23, 2025. That’s one year, one month, and 25 days. Traveling to 17 countries and 20 states, Billie performed 106 shows.
Two out of the 106 shows were professionally recorded by James Cameron, a famous director. Billie announced at one of the two shows, which took place in Manchester, that she was working with Cameron and that a movie would be soon to come. She didn’t say a date at this show, but it made fans ecstatic and wanting more. Later in the year, at Billie’s final performance, she announced that the movie would be coming out on March 20th, in 2026. Early access for these tickets has already gone out, giving people an opportunity to either experience the show for the first time or to re-experience the concert they once saw.
In addition to the concert experience, Olivia Merlucci, a sophomore at Morris Knolls High School, has some insight on what her experience was like. “My experience going to the Billie Eilish concert was so amazing. Getting tickets for the floor was a great experience, and looking at her up close was something I will never forget. My three favorite things were getting ready for the concert before, waiting in line to go into the arena because it made me so excited, and my final favorite thing was the ending song when the confetti came out. This was one of my favorite memories because it made it feel so unreal, and everyone in the arena was cheering so loudly.” Being at this concert with Olivia, I can definitely account for this as well, as the Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour gave me the best concert memories.
The thoughtfully curated set list for this show was “Chihiro,” “Lunch,” “NDA,” “Therefore I Am,” “Wildflower,” “When the Party’s Over,” “The Diner,” “Ilomilo,” “Bad Guy,” “The Greatest,” “Your Power,” “Tv,” or a surprise song. “Skinny,” “Bury a Friend,” “Oxytocin,” “Guess,” “Everything I Wanted,” “opening of Blue,” “Lovely/end of/Blue/ocean eyes”, “L’Amour De Ma Vie,” “What Was I Made For,” “Happier Than Ever,” and “birds of a Feather.” Songs like “Wildflower,” “When The Party’s Over,” “The Greatest,” “Your Power,” “Skinny,” “Everything I Wanted,” “What Was I Made For,” and “Happier than Ever” are all subjectively sad songs that dive into deep topics, usually resulting in tears from the audience. Although these songs are sad, Billie also plays very upbeat songs that can change your mood in a blink of an eye. In relation to this, a song from the album Happier Than Ever called “Billie Bossa Nova” says, “A lot can change in twenty seconds.” Even though this isn’t what Billie is referencing in the song, I feel like it suits the concert very well, because, as I said before, you can go from bawling your eyes out at one second to having the time of your life the next. Besides the songs performed and the experience, the stage setup was also very unique. The setup was a 360 stage, allowing Billie to see everyone in the room, with no obstructed views. There was also a B stage that Billie would pop out of during Guess, or earlier in the tour, during You Should See Me in A Crown. She also performed Everything I wanted on this stage. During “Everything I Wanted,” Billie would walk down from the B stage towards the crowd and do a barricade walk. This barricade walk gave everyone in the first and second rows a chance to have an intimate moment with her. Earlier in the tour, she would hug certain parts of the crowd; this later had to stop because of the number of fans that weren’t respectful enough to be gentle with her. In sum, the Hit Me Hard And Soft world tour was very successful, memorable, and an amazing all-around experience for everyone involved. She had an intricate setlist, with many different genres of music. A stage that let everyone view her and allowed her to have intimate moments with the fans. Talking about fans, the fans loved this tour and will never forget it. To conclude, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour was one to go down in history.
People celebrate Christmas traditions every year, like putting up trees, decorating, and giving out gifts. A question everybody asks, though, is why do we do it? Some of these traditions might come from family, but why do we put up trees and decorate?
Some people might think that we put up Christmas trees because they’re festive. Putting up trees comes from German Christian traditions from the Middle Ages. Fir trees decorated with apples were used in plays and, over time, became a tradition. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the 1840s popularized it, and more people began using them. Some countries think Christmas trees keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. Other people do this because the tradition blends pagan winter solstice customs and causes evergreen symbols of life. Evergreens represent eternal life and hope, while the star represents the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi. Decorating trees symbolizes life, faith, and memories with ornaments.
Why do we decorate for Christmas? Decorating for Christmas can be different for everyone; a lot of the traditions we do come from different cultures. Some decorations, like the manger, are to celebrate Christ’s birth. Other decorations, like Christmas lights, come from ancient solstice traditions that symbolize Christ as the “Light of the World.” It’s also said to bring light, hope, and cheer to dark winter days. Building snowmen comes from medieval Europe in 1380. They symbolized religion and art, while some were also built for decoys.
Gift giving symbolizes appreciation and love, and it can show someone that you’re thinking about them. It’s a fun, meaningful tradition that some people say unites them. We give gifts at Christmas to mirror the Three Wise Men (Magi) who brought the gifts of gold to Jesus. It symbolizes love and generosity.
Overall, some traditions come from family history or ancient cultures. A lot of traditions, like stars, candles, bells, and even candy canes, come from Christians because of Jesus’ birth. Even though all of these traditions come from different cultures, we all share them to express and show our appreciation for the season.
It is the most wonderful time of the year again, and everyone is getting ready to celebrate Christmas. With all the wonderful Christmas traditions like baking cookies, putting up a tree, and giving gifts, a lot of people forget why we are even celebrating Christmas. Most people know that Christmas means Jesus is born, but how much do we really think about it? Do we owe Jesus a little more thought? Jesus is the King of Kings; He is the highest authority that exists. Jesus is God. The most powerful King that ever existed chose to become a baby for us. This miracle is reflected in one verse of the Christmas song Mary Did You Know, which is written, “Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God.” This line is very powerful, as it explains that the little child born to Mary is God. But Jesus came for the poor, and He was not born in a palace. The Author of Life was born in a stable, and His first bed was a manger. He did it all for us. It was the very first Christmas gift—and the very best. A good analogy for this is linked to Legos. Imagine you built a huge city out of Legos and you loved your Lego people, but they needed help. Would you be willing to actually become a Lego to save your creation? It would be really hard, but that is exactly what Jesus has done for us. He became a human just to save us. He gave up so much of His heavenly power to become a human. It is so beautiful to think that God cares that much about us. The very first Christmas gift was not wrapped. It did not have beautiful bows or an aesthetic gift tag, and it was not placed under a tree. It was not even a thing. The first Christmas gift was a person, and He is for everyone. Now, about 2025 years after this gift was given, we still celebrate the day with carols, presents, hot cocoa, and fir trees, but how well do we celebrate the most important aspect of Christmas? This year, I suggest giving thought and thankful prayer to the very first Christmas gift, the gift of a savior, friend, and provider, the gift of Jesus.
Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year. Many people are focused on buying gifts for their loved ones, preparing their houses for parties and family, and traveling on vacation during this time. These activities take our focus off the true meaning of Christmas. The reason we celebrate Christmas is to recognize the birth of Jesus. This time period is known as Advent, when we give our hearts and minds to God and grow closer to God spiritually.
A way to reflect on the arrival of Jesus is the Nativity story. This shows us how the Angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary and told her that she would be betrothed to the Son of God. When Mary accepted Jesus as her son, this represented how God has a plan for us. We have to accept what God wants us to do even if we are afraid. When the three Magi came from the east to visit baby Jesus, they brought gifts to present to him. The gifts we give to our loved ones and those who are special to us are to honor the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh that were brought by the Magi. Giving gifts also symbolizes love and worship and follows St. Nicholas’s tradition of helping the poor.
Sometimes people have a materialistic mindset during this season. They put all their focus on what they want for Christmas and not on what they need. During this season of Christmas we need to stop filling our brains with all this chaos and fill them with God’s wisdom. We can do this by taking time out of our day to pray for guidance and strength. This is the reason for the season.
Santa is known as the magical gift giver of the world. One of the biggest
speculations about him is whether or not he actually exists. First, we have to know a little information about him to be able to determine this. Before he was known as Santa Clause, Saint Nicholas of Myra was born on March 17, 270 A.D, in Patara. He was born into a wealthy family and gave his inheritance to the people of Greece. One of the best well known stories is when he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their fathers by getting them married. This is where the idea of Santa Clause giving gifts comes from. Saint Nicholas would give his gifts anonymously or in person. He died on December 6, 343 A.D. Everyone celebrated him for six days in honor of him. He became known as the protector of children and sailors. His feast day is celebrated on the day of his death, December 6. Now back to the present and wondering if Santa is real or not. Many people always have the debate about whether he is or is not real. People set up tracking websites to track him on Christmas Eve, as it is the only night he leaves the North Pole. Not only can you see Santa’s live location on Christmas Eve, but you can also send a letter to his letter factory asking if he is real. It is located at 580 South Santa Claus Lane, North Pole, AK 99705. He will send you a letter back saying he is real. People can say that this is a hoax, but how can they argue with the big man himself? So the answer is yes, St. Nicholas of Myra is real, and the spirit of him lives on through Santa Claus and anyone who believes in him.
Dutch immigrants then brought this gift-giving tradition to America. St. Nicholas was seen as a tall man with a miter and a cope, traditionally worn by bishops; he would ride a horse and deliver gifts on December 5th. The name for him was Sinterklaas, meaning St. Nicholas in Dutch. This transformed over time into the name Santa Claus in English. Now not only was this tradition brought and kept, but it was also heavily backed by literary influences, such as the works of Washington Irving; this work in particular described Sinterklaas as a jolly elf flying over roofs. This story in particular introduced Santa to a wider audience. Another work is a poem by Clement Moore. This one is called “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” most famously known as The Night Before Christmas. Santa was shaped by these stories and shown as the jolly man we know today.
Now that we know about his history and origin. It is time to answer the big question. Is Santa Claus real? Taking into account his origin, yes, Santa is real. He was a real person in the 200s that would give gifts to those of lesser fortune. Though he might have died, it is an easy topic to argue that his spirit lives on. One of the biggest proofs of his existence would be the NORAD tracker. NORAD stands for North American Aerospace Defense Command. It is a branch of military organizations that specifically looks for things in aerospace. One of those things would be Santa and his sleigh. The military has its own proof and tracker for Santa. Proving his existence.
Some questions still might linger. Why have I never seen him delivering gifts? How does Santa makes it around the world in one night? All of these questions can be answered. Santa simply does not have the time to stay at every house. He must keep moving to reach everyone in the world. His sleigh is powered by Christmas spirit and his 12 reindeer. Through that, he is able to speed throughout the world in under 24 hours.
by Madelyn Hartman, Sophia DiFilippo, Ariana Sabharwal
What is your favorite Christmas movie? The Polar Express? Maybe A Christmas Story? To figure this out, this month, we sent out a questionnaire asking people what their favorite Christmas movie is. According to the statistics, the third most popular movie was Christmas Vacation, with 12.9% of the student body voting for it. The second we had Elf with 26.7% of students voting for it as their favorite Christmas movie. In first place and the winner of this survey was Home Alone.
Home Alone was the number 1 voted movie. Home Alone, a Christmas classic made in 1990, written and produced by John Hughes, has caught the attention of many. It is a classic holiday comedy. The plot is about a family going on vacation for Christmas, and in the midst of all the chaos, they forget their 7-year-old at home, leaving him all by himself. Little did they know there were burglars planning to rob their house while they were away. So now the little boy has to protect their house, belongings, and himself. This movie is full of jokes and laughter, chaos, the creativity of a child’s mind, wholesome family moments, and more.
43.3% of people voted for Home Alone in our questionnaire. There were various responses of why it was their favorite. Some said they were “very funny scenes,” and others said they were “great to watch with the family.” Others didn’t know because there were so many reasons. Some people stated specific scenes that they loved or were nostalgic for. These are some reasons why Home Alone was voted the number 1 favorite Christmas movie in Morris Catholic. Home Alone is silly, witty, comedic, and good to watch with the family. It is fun and will get you right in the Christmas spirit.
The movie that was second most popular was Elf. Elf is a Christmas movie that came out in 2003 that stars Will Ferrell. He plays Buddy, a human who was actually raised as an elf. He
was raised at the North Pole, and then he travels to New York City on a long journey to discover and find his biological father. His father is oblivious to Buddy’s existence and has already created a new family. Buddy’s spirit and enthusiasm for the Christmas season help solve a problem that threatens the Christmas joy and traditions for others.
26.7% of people said that Elf was their favorite Christmas movie to watch during the festive season. One person said that the movie “is very entertaining.” Another said, “Because it’s really funny, and I love the actor.” Other reviews tell us that people love this movie so much because they find it nostalgic, they love the plotline, it gets them in the holiday spirit, and it accurately portrays the Christmas spirit and the joy of the season. It is very clear that the students at Morris Catholic really love this movie, with it coming in second place. They love letting this movie help them get in the happy and joyous Christmas mood. Students also love this movie a lot because of the nostalgic feeling and memories it brings back for those students. People often watch this movie as children, and it therefore is connected to a special and young time in their lives. Then when they watch it again, it brings back all those feelings and memories.
It is obvious why this movie came in second place for favorite movies of Morris Catholic students. They love its humor, fun, and entertaining nature. It is very nostalgic and brings back great memories for them. It gives them an opportunity to take part in joyous traditions to get them in the Christmas mood. This is a great movie to get you in the Christmas spirit this season. It’s an amazing movie to watch with a cup of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies. So if you’ve never seen it before, try and watch it this season, and if you already love it, here’s your sign to watch it again.
Christmas Vacation, written by National Lampoon, is a classic holiday comedy. This movie was voted as the third most popular Christmas film, as it follows the character Clark Griswold, a good but overly ambitious father who is determined to offer his family the “best” Christmas they have yet experienced. His plans go in all different directions, and all that can go wrong does, creating a very comedic and chaotic environment. The movie captures both the stress and joy that come with the holiday season.
Christmas Vacation stands out because of the movie’s primary focus on family. Many people who watched the movie can relate to the pressure that Clark feels of creating a memorable Christmas for his family. Humor is used to show how expectations, stress from everyday life, and extended family gatherings can turn Christmas into a bigger challenge than enjoyment. Despite the constant chaos, the morals of togetherness, forgiveness, and spending time with family are important themes.
In our class survey asking students about their favorite Christmas movie, Christmas Vacation was said to be a movie that was very funny, and it was seen, through the results, that most students preferred movies that were more focused on child characters or adventures. Still, placing third shows that Christmas Vacation remains a memorable holiday film.The results of our survey showed a clear ranking among students’ favorite Christmas movies. Home Alone earned first place, likely because of its exciting storyline. Elf came in second, for its comedy and holiday spirit. Christmas Vacation placed third, proving that Christmas is truly about who you are with rather than what you do. Overall, the survey showed how different holiday movies connect with students.
1) Why Christmas was Celebrated: From the beginning, many wanted a special day to commemorate and honor the Catholic God, Jesus Christ. Many also use this holiday today to reflect on the joy and hope that the birth of this baby brought to all of humanity, especially through His miracles and final act of salvation.
2) Date of Christmas: Everyone knows that Christmas, December 25th, is a celebration centered around the birth of Jesus. However, although there are many theories as to why this day is celebrated as Jesus’ birthday, no one can agree on a singular reason regarding why this decision was made. One of the most common explanations for this holiday’s placement is based on the nine-month theory since the conception. Even though nowhere in the Bible is the date of Jesus’ birth mentioned, there are many clues, especially in Luke’s Gospel, that point to the day of His conception as some time in March or April. Therefore, the Annunciation, or the day when Jesus’ conception was announced, is celebrated on March 25th. Following the average pregnancy time, Jesus would have been born roughly nine months later, on December 25th. Additionally, another theory is based on the fact that, biblically, Jesus is seen as “the Light of the world.” Therefore, Christmas was placed near the Winter Solstice, which marks the beginning of longer and lighter days, symbolizing His bringing of a new light to our world. Finally, a third major theory states that Christmas was put on the 25th of December so that it coincided with a holiday in Rome, Sol Invictus. Therefore, some individuals reason, many were motivated to convert to Christianity because conversion became easier due to the joining of major holidays celebrated on that day.
3) How Santa Came to Be: After Christmas was first officially celebrated by the Catholic Church in A.D. 336, a man named Nicholas became a saint and an important figure to this holiday. Growing up in a wealthy family, he was used to having everything that he needed. However, despite the fact that he could have easily lived a life of luxury without suffering, he chose to give his money to the poor. Specifically, he was known for providing dowries, or money given by brides for their husbands, to young girls so that they could be freed from slavery. Even though he was persecuted against and even tortured for his kind deeds, Nicholas of Myra never gave up believing in what he thought was right. Eventually, he became a bishop, and, after he passed away, he was canonized as a saint for his acts of charity and devotion to children. His feast day, which was celebrated on December 6th, was so close to the holiday of Christmas that he was seen in close connection to it. Also, his generosity to children seemed perfect to represent the beloved holiday. Soon, his Dutch name, Sinterklaas, became Santa Claus, and a new important Christmas figure was created. Santa Claus is a popular character around the world who is known for delivering presents to the good children and coal to the naughty ones.
Christmas Traditions Around The World
1) Russia: In Russia, Christmas, which is called Рождество Христово, is a sizable religious holiday. In Russia, gifts and trees help to establish the Christmas season. However, most in Russia celebrate Christmas on January 7th, rather than December 25th, because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar that we use. Christmas in Russia is also much quieter and more religious, with fasting and other religious ceremonies. Additionally, Advent is celebrated in Russia, although the dates are different because of the different calendars. Overall, however, Christmas is not the biggest holiday in Russia. Some might even say that the Russian New Year is more similar to an American Christmas, which is supported by the fact that the New Year’s celebration contains Ded Moroz, who is the equivalent to our Santa Claus.
2) India: In India, Christmas is a very small holiday, mostly due to the fact that the majority of the population supports other religions, rather than Christianity. A huge Indian tradition is midnight mass, followed by a large feast with many delicacies and the sharing of presents. Similar to in the United States, candles and poinsettias are used during the season, and churches are decorated with them. Also, even though people do not have traditional Christmas trees in India, many decorate banana or mango trees and some use the mango leaves to decorate their homes. There are also many traditions symbolizing Jesus’ light, such as having lit star lanterns and placing oil lamps on the roofs of their houses. Those in India also have a similar figure to Santa, Father Christmas, who delivers toys by horse and cart.
3) Colombia: In Colombia, the celebrations surrounding Christmas begin on December 7th. This day is known as Día de las Velitas, which means Day of the Little Candles. Lights and candles fill the streets and can be seen inside many individuals’ homes. Starting on December 16th, most take part in novenas, which are when families and friends come together to pray. Instead of believing that Santa Claus brings presents, in Colombia, many write letters to baby Jesus and place them on the Nativity scene, and, on Christmas Eve at midnight, these toys are delivered to them by Him. The opening of presents that takes place right after midnight usually occurs after the Christmas meal.
4) Germany: In Germany at Christmas, Advent and Christmas trees are the main attractions. There are many different types of Advent calendars, such as ones made of Fir branches and boxes. Also, traditionally trees were brought into homes, and presents are brought by Weihnachtsmann on December 24th. Plus, most of the gifts are opened on this day after the evening meal. There are also many Christmas markets in German towns.
5) Australia: In Australia, since it is on the other side of the world, Christmas is celebrated in the summer. Therefore, it is much warmer, and the seasonal activities can be quite different. However, many still decorate their homes. Most use wreaths, native plants, and flowers to decorate their houses. Presents are mostly exchanged on Christmas Day. Santa still comes to this country! The day after Christmas, Boxing Day, is celebrated in Australia by hosting barbecues and races on the beach. There are also many traditional Christmas desserts, such as Christmas Pudding and Christmas Crackers.
Gift Ideas for Everyone
Christmas is coming up and I know that some people have trouble picking out gifts for people. I struggle with this a lot since my family is big and everyone likes different things. I also know my friends struggle buying gifts for me because they think I’m “difficult.” Anyways, since Christmas is right around the corner, I am going to tell you about the top gifts depending on who you need to buy a gift for.
Gifts For Mom: Moms tend to like anything from homemade cards to Gucci handbags, but sometimes you need to be on a budget. If you’re a kid and need to buy your mom a Christmas gift, I recommend any jewelry. My mom personally likes necklaces, but any type works. It can also be cheaper or expensive, depending on your budget. Now if you are an adult gifting your mom, I think any household appliance would work. My mom literally bought my grandma a vacuum for Christmas.
Gifts For Dad: My dad is very vague when I ask him what he wants for Christmas, but I usually go to Lowe’s or Home Depot for his gifts. Generally, all aged dads love the same things: toolboxes, grills, and cars. I recommend tools such as hammers or screwdrivers, even though every dad has ten of each tool lying around somewhere.
Gifts For Younger Kids: I have a few ideas because I kind of remember what I asked for as a kid. For younger girls, dolls are definitely a must, followed by Legos or purses. For younger boys, I’d go with toy cars. Even I love toy cars. Next, I’d go with Legos, because Legos are fun for everyone. Overall, most kids are relatively easy to shop for.
Gifts For Teens: Teens are way harder to shop for because when you become a teenager, you start to develop certain interests. For teen girls, I suggest phone cases, makeup, perfume, and clothes. If they’re 18 or older, maybe gift cards, cash, or new tires. I don’t know. For teen boys, I’d suggest cologne, gift cards, or shoes. Lots of guys my age like shoes. I’m just going to tell you right now that these are the best gifts for people my age.
Gifts For Grandmothers: I’m going to be flat out honest; your grandmother will not have the heart to tell you she hates the gift you gave her. Literally anything you give your grandma, she will find a use for. But if you want her to genuinely like the gift, go for a handbag, a candle, or a necklace. Yes, they are similar to moms because, well, they are moms, just older.
Gifts For Grandfathers: So I think gifts for grandfathers can vary because my friend’s grandpa likes tools while my grandpa likes candles, so I’ll give you four words: To each their own. Every grandpa is different. My suggestions are candles, watches, or ties. My grandpa likes practical things, as I’m sure all adults do.
Christmas at Morris Catholic
Anna and I made a survey and had Mrs. Smith send it out to the school. As some people may have taken it, they’ll know it’s an all-about-Christmas survey. In this section, we will be reviewing results and scores. Keep in mind that 80 people responded, and these are the percentages we have collected.
1) Favorite Holiday Movies:
35% of people voted for “Home Alone.”
17.5% of people voted for “Elf.”
10% of people voted for “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
8.8% of people voted for “The Polar Express.”
8.8% of people voted for “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
6.3% of people voted for “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
6.3% of people voted for “The Grinch.”
3.7% of people voted for “A Christmas Story.”
2.5% of people voted for “Die Hard.”
1.2% of people voted for “The Santa Clause.”
2) Favorite Christmas Drinks:
82.3% of people voted for Hot Chocolate
12.7% of people voted for Sprite Cranberry
5.1% of people voted for Eggnog
3) Favorite Holiday Activities:
57.5% of people voted for Watching Movies By The Fireplace
51.2% of people voted for Baking Cookies
46.3% of people voted for Holiday Shopping
26.3% of people voted for Gingerbread Houses
26.3% of people voted for Ice Skating
25% of people voted for Snowball Fights
22.5% of people voted for Building Snowmen
22.5% of people voted for Sledding
12.5% of people voted for Tubing
11.3% of people voted for Skiing
8.8% of people voted for Snowboarding
4) Favorite Christmas Icons:
41.3% of people voted for Santa Claus
31.2% of people voted for The Grinch
10% of people voted for Frosty The Snowman
7.5% of people voted for Elf On The Shelf
3.7% of people voted for Jack Frost
3.7% of people voted for Mrs. Claus
2.5% of people voted for Gingerbread Man
5) Favorite Reindeer:
57.5% of people voted for Rudolph
12.5% of people voted for Comet
7.5% of people voted for Blitzen
6.3% of people voted for Dasher
5% of people voted for Cupid
5% of people voted for Dancer
2.5% of people voted for Prancer
2.5% of people voted for Vixen
1.3% of people voted for Donner
6) Favorite Winter Animals:
35.4% of people voted for Penguins
22.8% of people voted for Reindeer
16.5% of people voted for Polar Bears
13.9% of people voted for Snowy Owls
7.6% of people voted for Moose
3.8% of people voted for Mice
So aside from the survey, MC has other traditions and happenings during the holiday season. For starters, every morning, one person hides an elf around the school. Whoever finds it gets a gift card of their choice! Another tradition is our dress-down days. We dress to the theme, and our most popular one this year was Red vs. Green. Each house was assigned red or green, and then we went to the gym for a pep rally. The pep rally had many fun games like ring toss, wig snatch, and wrapping contests. Overall, thank you to everyone who took our survey! It was a big help to figure out how people enjoy Christmas at MC! Anyways, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The NFL and the NBA have two things in common: they are both “Big 4” sport teams, and they play games on Christmas Day. Christmas day in the NBA started first in 1947 with the New York Knicks and the Providence Steamrollers, while the NFL first played in 1971 with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and the Minnesota Vikings. Both leagues have since made Christmas Day games a tradition, and many sports fans look forward to them every year. But the question is, who is better at showing Christmas Sports? Well, the simple answer is the NFL as they have outperformed the NBA every time as last year, the NFL produced 65 million viewers in the U.S. when the NBA only had 8 million viewers. The major reason this is true is because of the way the NFL set up their Christmas games. They always set up their games at the end of the season so that it is a high-stakes game that can affect playoff implications, football is an American sport, so many families watch it while celebrating, and they show the game on Netflix, which already brings in millions of users. While the NBA sets it up in the beginning to middle of the season. Also, it has been harder to show, as there isn’t enough availability for free-to-air TV, making it so many other people can’t watch it. For years, the NFL has played Christmas only at night, but after signing with Netflix, they have made it a whole day of football just like Thanksgiving, so there are more games for people to watch. Even though the
The NBA has shown very entertaining matches with two very good teams; the way the games are set up and how they’re shown has really impacted their viewership. Even NBA star LeBron James has said that the NFL was way better than the NBA at Christmas Day games. Though, in the end, it is really up to your opinion, so what do you think is better?
Are you looking to reclaim that Christmas magic you felt when you were a kid? Well, the drinks and foods you have can make or break that. Three polls were taken to determine the things that can make your Christmas as special as possible.
Christmas Drinks:
Hot chocolate and cranberry juice are clearly the favorites. Hot chocolate goes above and beyond expectations; with its warm chocolate smell and amazing taste, it conquers all! Cranberry juice is a close second with its sweet but tart flavor that explodes your taste buds.
Favorite Christmas Desserts:
Clearly, sugar cookies are a favorite Christmas dessert for many people. Between the amazing smell wafting off of them and their gooey goodness, how could you not pass these up!
Next, let’s take a look at the last poll: What cookies do you leave for Santa? Santa clearly doesn’t like his cookies with sprinkles. He prefers to gobble up his sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies. Go bake those cookies and reclaim the nostalgic joy of Santa Claus.
If you want to experience Christmas like a little kid again, make sure to go for the hot chocolate and sugar cookies. From these polls we see what foods and drinks people slurp up during the Holidays. We also can see what cookies people enjoy leaving out for Santa to make sure he gets his fill. Now when you go home today, make sure you bake a fresh batch of cookies and some hot cocoa. Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!!!
In student-athletes, the topic of mental health is deeply neglected and commonly overlooked. Many athletes that you wouldn’t suspect to be affected by this are suffering daily from depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and so much more. In some cases, their mental state can cause so much distress towards them and their athletic performance. Many athletes, such as Simone Biles, Kevin Love, Dak Prescott, and so many more, have spoken out about their struggles and difficulties that they have suffered from. Despite increased awareness, different worries like identity crisis, injury-related separation, and overworking contribute to the high rates of mental health issues.
During an athletic career or maybe retirement, identity crisis is an important factor for many athletes. Many often begin to feel lost without the purpose that athletics once provided and can begin to question their self-worth and struggle to discover who they can be without their sports. As stated on brainzmagazine.com, “While the discipline and dedication required to excel in sports can build character, the downside is that many young athletes begin to equate their value as a person with their success on the field.” When an injury occurs or a setback happens, this can create this disruption in their life and make them question who they are beyond the sport. Although they are just losing the ability to perform, they are experiencing like they’ve lost a part of who they are. In this case, many athletes need to learn that their self-worth and identity is not bonded with their performance.
The most common deficit that inevitably happens are injuries. Injuries are something that can randomly occur in an athlete’s life no matter what situation they are in. As a result of this, many psychological responses are depression, anxiety, fear, lack of motivation, and overconfidence. Injuries can cause feelings of despair and hopelessness, especially if they don’t allow them to participate for an extended period of time. Anxiety can significantly affect an athlete’s mental state and overall recovery. As cited on nebraskamed, “Sports injuries can impact the mental health of athletes at any level,” Dr. Arendt says. “But the more your identity is tied to being an athlete, the greater the impact. Suddenly, you feel like you’re no longer whole.” Fear of reinjury, decline of confidence, and anxiety about your return or performance are common issues that can affect recovery.
Lastly, overworked athletes is a big issue, which is more common today than not. Overtraining syndrome is a condition that occurs when you exercise so often or so hard for a long period of time that it begins to injure your body. There are different stages of the syndrome, which can cause mild symptoms, while stage two can affect a part of your nervous system, while stage three creates symptoms in your parasympathetic nervous system. They can also cause, but are not limited to insomnia, tachycardia, hypertension, anxiety, fatigue, depression, and loss of motivation. When athletes are pushed past their limits, it can definitely hurt them more than it helps. Some people allow so much pressure on their body and mental state that it can begin to further affect their mental health.
While awareness has improved, significant factors including identity crisis, the impact of injury on your mind, and excessive work rates continue to create psychological distress. All of these factors contribute highly; however, we now can find different alternatives to figuring out a way to escape these issues. Athlete mental health is not something to joke about, but it’s something that should seriously be taken into consideration.
The date was December 7, 2024. The Mets were coming off a ridiculous postseason run. They made it to the Championship Series before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. Although the 2024 Mets lost, fans saw this as a turning point for the Franchise. Going into the 2024 off-season, there was one free agent on every front office’s mind: Juan Soto. Coming off an electric season with the New York Yankees, where he blasted 41 homers, many saw him as a perfect fit for any contending team looking for a generational superstar. The Mets’ President of Baseball Operations, David Stearns, saw this as the one move that could put the Mets over the postseason hump and into the World Series parade. However, Soto wasn’t an easy target. The Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, and even the Toronto Blue Jays were major landing spots for the young Dominican outfielder. At the end of the day, money talks. On December 8, 2024 Juan Soto signed a record-breaking 15 year, 765 Million dollar contract with the New York Mets.
How can teams afford to make these kinds of moves? It all starts with the market the team is located in. Teams located in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta can afford to make such drastic moves because they know they will make bank year after year. However, Smaller market teams such as the Sacramento A’s and Seattle Mariners have to be more frugal since they don’t have the financial support that teams like the Boston Red Sox have. A Major League Baseball team’s revenue can be broken down into four different categories, Ticket sales, Sponsorship deals, Merchandise sales, and Media Rights.
MLB teams make around 52% of their total revenue from their Media Rights. For example, The Yankees made around 160 million dollars from local media deals such as WFAN, the YES broadcasting network, and smaller deals like Amazon Prime Video for exclusive games. However, teams like the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates won’t make as much as big-market teams from media deals since there isn’t as high of a demand for them.
Merchandise is one of the most interesting sources of revenue for big league clubs. Merchandise sales made around 2 billion dollars for Major League Baseball in the Americas alone in 2025. However, all this money is split in many different ways. Although it may seem a large sum of money, Merchandise sales shockingly make up only 10 to 12% of a team’s revenue. This is due to the fact that most of the money that a team makes from selling merchandise like jerseys and hats are shared among all 30 MLB teams. This means that although Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani jerseys were some of the highest selling, instead of the money going to the players’ respective teams, it is split throughout the league. However, all the merchandise that teams sell in their stadiums goes directly to the team that owns the stadium. So next time you’re shopping for a jersey or mug, make sure you buy from the team store instead of MLB.com so that the money goes directly to the team that you root for!
Another way that teams generate their revenue is through sponsorship deals. If you ever tune into an MLB game, you will likely see many different advertisements throughout the stadium and broadcast. This is a classic example of sponsorship deals. These make up around 10% of the money that teams make. Just like every other metric, this varies largely due to market size. Sponsorship deals can be split into three different categories: Financial services, Insurance companies, and Alcoholic beverage companies. For example, the Boston Red Sox have a lucrative deal with the Financial service MassMutual. This deal makes Boston around 17 million a year. Every MLB player wears a patch on their jersey sleeve of a certain sponsor. The Yankees have Starr companies, the Toronto Blue Jays have TD Bank, and the Tigers have Meijer, a local grocery chain. Another way MLB teams make copious amounts of money is through alcoholic beverages such as Coors, Budweiser, and Corona. Many teams even sell their stadium naming rights for an extra 10 to 15 million dollars. The Houston Astros have Daikin Park, the Chicago White Sox have Guaranteed Rate Field, and the Seattle Mariners have T-Mobile Park. However, most rich franchises stick to original names such as Fenway Park and Yankee stadium.
The last way that Major League franchises increase their revenue is through ticket sales. This lucrative form of revenue is one of the best ways teams make money. Ticket sales make up around 30% of a team’s revenue. Most fans complain about how much going to games cost. Even concessions that make up 10% of a team’s revenue are ridiculously priced. Tickets range from 80 dollars all the way up to 10,000 dollars, excluding the postseason. In the postseason, every ticket is outrageously priced. ESPN made an article in 2024 explaining how expensive tickets were for the Yankees-Dodgers World Series. Tickets were selling for over 1,000 dollars. Unfortunately this leads to the best fans being unable to afford a ticket to their favorite teams most crucial games. Prices will likely never drop since baseball fans will still pay outrageous prices to watch their teams.
Billionaires love to look at the metrics before making big decisions such as owning a sports franchise. MLB continues to prove that it is a very profitable and sustainable sports league. Even owning the worst team in the league will still make you very profitable. In conclusion, MLB is a growing cash cow, and as long as you keep feeding that cow Billionaires will always invest in it.
Mental health has affected college and professional athletes and has gotten worse over the years. There were multiple studies that were conducted that showed higher levels of mental health concerns. From pandemic highs, it has gone down, but before the pandemic, this would be known as high. It has increased from 2014 to 2024/2025. It has been 1.5 to 2 times higher, recorded before the COVID pandemic. Mental exhaustion, anxiety, and depression rates increase. At the higher levels, people try to give athletes a spot to go to. In college, they do have a rule under the NCAA constitution that the players have a spot they can go to to reinforce physical and mental health. Even if they have the spot, that does not mean the players are comfortable with going. The athletes were asked if they felt comfortable going, and less than half of the athletes in women’s and men’s sports said that they would go. Being an athlete, they are prone to injuries, but these injuries can bring down their mental health even more. Athletes competing on professional, collegiate, and Olympic levels face many challenges to their mental health, from long recoveries, performances, and injuries. Even though it might affect higher-level athletes more, mental health is a factor amongst athletes on all levels.
Harper Murray
Harper Murray is one of the examples of an athlete who plays on the collegiate level and struggles with mental health. As athletes get to higher levels, they also can become more known
online. After her freshman season, she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She received many awards and gained a lot of acknowledgement. With this, she then became more known throughout social media, which meant more people would be scrutinizing everything she did. After Nebraska lost in the 2023 NCAA National Championship, Harper made a statement that a lot got angry about. She said that her team would win the next three national championships. She received major backlash from this one statement, and she was experiencing criticism online and many cyberattacks. This caused her mental health struggles to increase significantly. Harper said she did not understand why the comments she was getting hurt her so badly. It was affecting her to the point where she hated volleyball. Many of the things she started doing were out of her norm. She then got help from coaches, family members, friends, and mental health professionals. She opened up about her mental health struggles, and many young athletes look up to her now. Harper uses her platform to spread awareness about mental health. Many athletes struggle with mental health, and Harper Murray is just one example of one.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles’ life has been greatly influenced by mental health issues particularly because she has been dealing with pressure since she was very young. As the most decorated gymnast in history, she has been forced to be perfect, not only in front of others but even in her own eyes. At the time of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she found herself in a situation where she was dealing with mental issues as well as “twisties,” making even practicing dangerous. Taking a break was not an easy thing for Simone. She was going to disappoint people and even get disapproval and criticism, but she did this in order to be safe and sound in her mind and get help. Simone Biles chose to reveal everything she has been through in terms of mental health issues, including anxiety, pressure, and trauma. It is because she has been through so much in life that
she has become so successful, and this simply means that mental health issues are not something that only affects others; even successful people go through it. It is very emotional yet very courageous on Simone Biles’ part because she chose mental health over everything else. With all this in mind, it is safe to say that people’s views on mental health in sports have been changing because of Simone Biles, and she has already reminded people in this world that taking care of your mental health is something very courageous, not something weak.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mental health has had a major impact on both college and professional athletes, but over the years issues have gotten worse, like anxiety, depression, and mental exhaustion, which have increased even though more resources are now available, like sports psychologists. Athletes face pressure from injuries, expectations, performances, and social media, which can make their struggles even harder for them to handle. Even when colleges and organizations provide mental health support, many athletes still do not feel comfortable asking for help. The stories of Harper Murray and Simone Biles help show young athletes and even normal people that mental health affects athletes at all levels no matter how successful they are. By speaking openly about their struggles, they help break the stigma around mental health in sports. Overall, these examples prove that mental health is just as important as physical health, and athletes should be supported both on and off the field.
Students at Morris Catholic celebrated the Immaculate Conception mass this Monday the 8th in the school gymnasium. The Immaculate Conception, not to be confused with the Incarnation, which was when God took human nature in Jesus, was when MARY (The Mother of God) was conceived without sin. The dogma was declared in 1854 by Pope Pius XI in the Ineffabilis Deus, or the Apostolic Constitution, and confirmed by St. Bernadette Soubirous, who witnessed Mary declare herself the Immaculate Conception.
Mary was born at around 20 B.C., her parents being St. Joachim and Anne. Though she is not divine in the way Jesus was, she had to be conceived without sin in order for her to be the bearer of Jesus, who is very much divine. According to the apocryphal Gospel of James, Anne and Joachim were both infertile and wanted a child very badly. God answered their prayers and caused Mary’s birth without original sin. The feast day is very important for Catholics, and Morris Catholic celebrated an in-school Mass Day on the 8th of December this year—which was on Monday. The Immaculate Conception is celebrated on this day because of Mary’s birthday: September 8th. Pope Pius, though, when declaring the dogma, decided that to further fit the Christian faith, the holiday should be during the season of Advent. Thus, he made it the 8th of December and a Holy Day of Obligation, or a mandatory day to attend Church.
To learn more about the day, I interviewed Fr. Carmen to see if he knew anything else about the holiday, to which he had great answers. He described the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as a very important day that symbolizes the fact that Mary had free will, and the choice to decline Gabriel when he asked her to carry Jesus. Here are some of the questions I asked him along with the answers.
Q: Why do you think the Immaculate Conception Mass is a Holy Day of Obligation? Fr. Carmen thinks that God wants us to know God chose Mary and that we should venerate her—and that she can intercede in our battles and issues.
Q: Are there things about St. Mary that you think people should talk about more? We should realize that Mary is as there for us as Jesus is. Just because Jesus is God, it does not mean He is the only person we can go to. It is also important to remember that the Church went through so much to canonize Mary and to make the Immaculate Conception a dogma. Many of those who saw Mary became nuns, like Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima, and St. Bernadette.
Q: For the non-Catholic students reading this article, what does it mean when Catholics “venerate” Mary, and how is that different from worshipping God?
It is a very common misconception that we honor Mary as a God. However, Mary was chosen by God to be Christ’s mother, so we should realize if we go to her for prayer, then she becomes our spokesperson in a way—as she intercedes over conflict. “She is not God, but she is the Mother of God,” is a quote from this interview that I think explains this more concisely.
Q: Why do you think it is so important that Morris Catholic gets to celebrate the Immaculate Conception in school?
Not only is the Immaculate Conception a Holy Day of Obligation, but Morris Catholic’s patron is Our Lady of Lourdes (hence “Our Lady of Lourdes pray for us”) is one of the women Mary declared her Immaculate Conception to. Additionally, recognizing the hardship the Church went through to make the feast day a dogma is very important.
Sleep is vital. It recharges people for the day ahead and allows their body to grow and heal overnight. According to a case study performed by the CDC, 34% of Americans suffered from either a chronic sleep disorder or sleep deprivation as recently as 2022. This means that around 84 million people aren’t getting the doctor-recommended 7 hours of sleep. A lack of sleep can lead to mood swings, lack of energy, memory struggles, fatigue, and weak coordination. Without being rested, the immune system is also impacted. According to doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, people who are sleep deprived have increased chances of kidney disorders, several cancers, and dementia and are three times more likely to catch a cold. Sleep ensures that our bodies run smoothly in the brain and the rest of the body.
Does Blue Light cause Sleep Deprivation?
One of the biggest causes of sleep deprivation has been proven to be the exposure to excessive amounts of blue light, which is one of the colors of light on the light spectrum. Now, we humans get the vast majority of blue light from the sun, and this light regulates our sleep schedule. However, the average human uses devices such as your phones, tablets, computers, or tvs that artificially emit more blue light than any other color. As you may know, many researchers and doctors have talked about how too much time on the screens before bed can negatively affect your sleep schedule and even cause irritation to your eyes. This is because blue light from electronics has a wavelength that, according to many studies, influences our circadian rhythm (our body’s biological clock). This negatively affects sleep quality and duration. As stated by the National Library of Medicine, “There is growing evidence that the blue light emitted from digital devices is sufficient to interfere with sleep when used at night.” But how does blue light do this? An experiment conducted by researchers at Harvard Health Publishing discovered that blue light heavily suppresses melatonin, more than any other color on the light spectrum does. This is important to know because melatonin is a natural hormone that is heavily responsible for managing our sleep-wake cycle. This can become a huge problem in your body because the lack of melatonin in your body can lead to sleep problems such as insomnia and also poor performance during the day. Blue light is very strong, and these studies have shown how it could negatively impact our health. So with that being said, it is very important to limit screen time, especially before bed, to ensure a consistent and healthy sleep cycle.
What can you do differently?
Instead of using a blue light device like your phone or a computer before you go to sleep, there are a number of things you can do that have all been medically proven to improve sleep quality, duration and prevent fatigue during the day. Most quality activities are soothing and meant to calm the mind before resting time. A good example of these is reading a book. Reading books and novels before bed not only calms the body but also allows your mind to stay active without the flashing lights of your device. It has been proven that reading slows racing thoughts by focusing on the plot of the story. Along with all of its positive physiological benefits, it’s also very easy to get ahold of a book. Visit a local library or even a bookstore. Reading helps sleep and could improve the day to come.
Another great way to improve your sleep quality is to work out during the day. When you work out, whether it’s a walk outside, weight training, or a yoga class, it improves the effects of certain hormones. Among these hormones is melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that helps your body fall asleep. When someone is low on melatonin, falling asleep is more of a struggle compared to someone who has the right amount. That being said, when you exercise, the melatonin’s effects are boosted, making it easier to fall asleep. But be careful! Working out too late in the day can be stimulating, leading to a lack of sleep. The best time to work out is in the morning. Working out early not only helps your mind wake up but also allows you to have a better day ahead, as exercise is also proven to affect mood and cognitive abilities.
A final way to improve your sleep is to make sure you are sleeping on a consistent schedule. Going to bed at the same time and doing your best to wake up the same time every day is a good way to help sleep quality improve. As people we all have an internal clock called our Circadian Rhythm. This clock is crucial to how we sleep as it regulates the chemicals that make us tired and wake us up in the morning. With that being said, if you wake up at 10:30 AM over the summer and have to wake up at 6:30 AM for school in the fall, the change in time can be harsh. If you consistently go to bed around the same time, your body will begin to shut down at that same time. If you set an alarm that wakes you up at the same time every morning, you will constantly wake up at that time. It’s a consistent pattern, but you have to set the clock yourself. When you provide yourself with a consistent schedule, you will wake up easier and fall asleep faster and more naturally.
This year, New Jersey, along with the rest of the northeastern United States, is expected to face a harsh winter, with December already bringing record low temperatures and arctic blasts. Weather experts are expecting the cold to become even harsher throughout the coming winter, which is due to the formation of a polar vortex around the North Pole this winter. The polar vortex, which is a large upper-level low-pressure area or circulation that is typically above the Arctic Circle, is moving down onto the U.S., giving us cold Arctic blasts of low temperature. Climatologist Judah Cohen says, “Some of the coldest, if not the coldest, temperatures across the entire globe will cover the central and eastern U.S. over the weekend and into early next week.”
The reason for this surplus of cold weather across the East Coast is the arctic blasts coming from the polar vortex. Because of pressure changes in the weather, the polar vortex is moving downward from the North Pole onto the United States. This causes arctic blasts to be sent down onto New Jersey, among other northeastern states. These arctic blasts are causing record low temperatures in New Jersey that we haven’t seen in years, meaning this winter will be especially cold.
The polar vortex is affecting temperature severely in the United States, as we have seen already, but it also affects the weather. Cold precipitation, like sleet and snow, has already been common this winter season, and it will continue to become more prevalent.
Furthermore, snowfall levels in New Jersey have increased alarmingly this winter compared to winter in 2024. As stated in an NJ.com article about winter in New Jersey in 2025, various counties and towns in both northern and central New Jersey ended up with at least eight inches of snow. Many reporters and forecasters announced that New Jersey ended up with about two to three more inches of snow than they had predicted.
This winter, the snowfall levels on the northeastern coast of the United States are significantly higher than last year. Some southern parts of New Jersey, according to FOX Weather News, are awaiting up to four to five inches of snowfall. Over half a foot of snow has already fallen in parts of New England. However, there is a scientific reason that the snowy season came so early in the country. According to the FOX Forecast Center, “…it’s partly due to the positions of the jet stream, which allows for repeated surges of moisture.” This explains why a significant amount of snowfall has repeatedly hit the northeastern coast. As shown in the graph below, the snowfall from last year compared to this year has increased notably in northern New Jersey towns such as Randolph, Denville, and Rockaway.
All in all, the winter months in New Jersey will be especially cold and snowy this year, so expect days off school and cold weather. The polar vortex will be pushing cold air onto the eastern United States, so make sure you stay warm during this time!
The question of whether the current Oklahoma City Thunder could beat the 2016 Golden State Warriors has become a trending topic among NBA fans. The 2016 Warriors are one of the best teams in NBA history, finishing the 2015-16 season with a 73–9 record. They revolutionized the game of basketball into how it is played today. The Thunder have plenty of young talent, especially Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP of the 2024-25 season. He is their star player and can score in many ways. With his efficient free throw shooting and his tough finishes at the basket, Shai has become the best player in the NBA. Jalen Williams is like Shai’s Robin. He possesses an incredible ability to defend positions 1-5 and can also score at will. Chet Holmgren is known for his astonishing shooting ability at his height of 7 foot 1. As someone who watches a lot of Thunder games, I’ve realized that they are still a young team and aren’t as experienced, leading them to be inconsistent. They usually play amazingly, but some days they don’t play as well, especially in important games. The 2016 Warriors were very experienced and worked extremely well together. Stephen Curry was the star of the team and is the greatest three point shooter of all time. Klay Thompson was a great 3-and-D player who also possessed an incredible shooting skill. Draymond Green was a tough defender and contributed with his passing ability. The team moved the ball well and knew how to stay calm in pressure situations. If this matchup ever occurred, I believe that the Thunder would need to play extraordinary defense and try to stop the Warriors from making too many three-pointers. Even then, it would be very difficult for them. The Warriors’ experience and teamwork would give them the upper hand. In the end, even though the Thunder have a bright future, I think the 2016 Golden State Warriors would most likely win.
Slime has been a popular sensory experience across the world for quite some time. As slime has gained popularity, slime fanatics have discovered ways to create new kinds of slime, such as butter slime, water slime, and fluffy slime. For Christmas, there is one particular slime that is very well known. It is called the snow slime; it is made of instant snow, water, glitter, glue, eye contact solution, and baking soda. Its crunchy texture is satisfying to play with, and it is very easy to make. While it seems very easy to make, you must be careful and precise when mixing your ingredients, or you may not get the desirable texture and consistency. However, just follow the instructions in this tutorial, and you will be able to make the perfect snow slime. How to make snow slime:
1: Gather your ingredients: You will need glue (clear or white is fine), eye contact solution, baking soda, water, instant snow, food coloring, and glitter if you would like a fun twist.
2: If you don’t have instant snow, you can make your own by mixing ⅓ cup of baking soda and spraying a handful of shaving cream.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of instant snow into a bowl, and slowly pour water into the bowl until the snow rises and forms. If you are making your own snow, you will follow the same instructions; just don’t add water.
4: Make your slime base. To make it, pour glue into the bowl and mix it with a tablespoon of baking soda; add one teaspoon of contact solution to the bowl. If your slime is still sticky, you may need to add more contact solution and baking soda.
5. Once your slime has activated, add your instant snow to the slime bowl and knead it with your hands; it may get messy, so make sure you have a protective material underneath the bowl.
6. Take the slime out of the bowl; if it feels too hard, add lotion. If your slime feels sticky, gradually add a little bit more contact solution.
7. Now your slime is complete! With patience and dedication you can create your own snow slime. If you would like a vibrant or shiny slime, adding food dye and glitter are some fun additions to the snow slime. Enjoy your slime!
Kitchen Nightmares is a reality tv show where Gordon Ramsay, a famous celebrity chef, helps failing restaurants turn their businesses around, usually within a week. Common issues like poor hygiene, bad food, owner conflict, and management problems are spotted by Gordon Ramsay and the viewers, leading to some pretty disgusting moments. Gordon first visits the restaurant, and he absorbs the scenery, taking notes of it. He also inspects kitchens and tastes awful food, which just lead to outbursts, and he also confronts the owner (or owners) and the staff about the restaurant. In Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon uses his expertise to help revamp menus, decor, and other things in an attempt to save the restaurant. With these new revamps, the restaurants often lead to dramatic makeovers and new menus in order to transform the failing restaurant of the corresponding episode in an attempt to save them from closing.
Amy’s Baking Company Episode:
Amy’s Baking Company is the 16th episode of Season 6 of Kitchen Nightmares. Fun fact, this was known to be the final episode ever aired in the US of the show. Nevertheless, the episode begins. Amy’s Baking Company is a French-Italian bistro. The restaurant was known to have customers being blamed for not liking the way food tastes. Amy and Samy are the main runners of the bistro. Amy, in the beginning of the episode, says that around two years ago (when the show aired, so she is talking about 2011), reviewers and bloggers came into her restaurant. She claims that they were making up lies and said that when they ate the food, they said it was disgusting. Because of this, they lost a lot of business, and she claims that “they’re just haters,” even though the point of reviewers is to critique food—that is their job. Even before Gordon arrives, we can see that the staff and Samy/Amy argue a ton. Samy is also seen to be arguing with customers for some ridiculous reasons. Amy then says she is going to call the police, but Samy denies this and demands she does not call the cops—this is clearly a big scene in the restaurant. Gordon then arrives in Arizona (where the bistro is located)—he does not know what he is getting himself into. Gordon steps into the bistro and meets Samy. He then immediately sees some beautiful desserts on display. Samy claims that his wife made the desserts. Gordon then wants to meet her. He meets her and then asks if she made the desserts—to which she says yes. He says that they are extraordinary and that the bistro is beautiful. Samy then says he wants Gordon to see their kitchen before he judges it. Additionally, he adds that after he sees the kitchen, he can tell them about their kitchen—they definitely know what he is like; they’ve 100% seen the show. Although his delivery of his words was not exactly the nicest. Nonetheless, they step foot into the kitchen. Gordon then asks who is the head chef is, to which Amy replies that she is. Gordon is shocked by this and stops them. Gordon tells Samy that he is the lucky one, but Amy answers him, saying that she is the lucky one. Furthermore, she adds that Samy is her soulmate and that they are in this business together. She says that they have to stand strong together because there is a lot of online bullies and haters, and she also says that they attack them. Gordon then enters the kitchen and describes it as shiny. Gordon then also meets the other staff, like Miranda, Katy, and Christine. Next, Katy tells the viewers that although the bistro looks positive in all overall aspects, it’s the problem of Amy and Samy. The camera pans back to Gordon, Amy, and Samy. He asks how long she and Samy have been married. Amy answers him back, saying that they have been married for 10 years. Gordon is bewildered by this—especially after the fact that Amy told him that they married five months after they had just met. Samy then speaks up, telling Gordon that it was Amy’s dream to open up a restaurant. She states that God has given her a gift. Gordon then compliments the dessert he’s eating, saying that it is delicious. Amy continues to speak to Gordon, saying that if she and Samy aren’t in the restaurant together, they aren’t open. Gordon is surprised by this; he says that is not how to run a restaurant. Amy replies to him, saying that they just have not found the right person to run the business; that they’ve met multiple people in hopes for someone else to run the business, but have had no avail because they were dirty and mean. Gordon then asks them what the problem is with the restaurant. Amy then goes on to talk about customers who want to be online bullies and say hurtful things. Gordon is shocked by this. Amy responds to him, saying that they say stuff that is not true. Gordon additionally asks when the bullying started happening, to which they respond about 2 years ago, when a guy came and ordered a pizza margarita. He claimed that it was frozen, and he left a review about his experience. Amy then claims she retaliated—Gordon is in bewilderment. Amy says she did; she says that she called him a loser—to which Gordon is once again shocked. She also says that she needs the people to take his word that the food is good at the bistro. Gordon asks Samy if he is a control freak, to which he says yes. Gordon asks if they have children—to which Amy says that they do, but they are trapped inside cat bodies. Samy confirms this, and Gordon’s reaction is hilarious. Gordon concludes their conversation, saying that they are nice—he does not know what is going to happen later. Gordon is now sitting at the table, and the waiter comes to him. He asks if she made any tips, to which she says she doesn’t. Gordon is shocked by this, so he asks her to repeat what she said again. She says that she only makes an hourly wage. He is shocked, and he asks her where the tips go. She says that they go to the owner. She leaves, and Gordon confronts Samy. After talking a bit, Samy asks Gordon if he knows what he would like to order, to which he says yes. A short while later, Gordon gets the food he ordered. He digs into a pizza, claiming that it is sweet and that the dough is raw. He tells Samy about his complaints, and he takes back the pizza. Samy does not notify Amy of Gordon’s disapproval of the pizza, because he claims that she is known to be under pressure and willing to leave if her food is criticized. Samy tells Gordon this, and he is in bewilderment. Gordon eventually gets his next meal and starts eating it. When he takes a bite, there is some weird pink sauce dripping from the burger. He just does not like it, telling the waiter that he did not like the food. The waiter then brings him ravioli. He claims that it smells weird. He also digs into a burger, saying that it is overcooked. The waiter comes to collect the food from him. Gordon then comes up and confronts Amy, who is in the kitchen. He starts off by saying that he waited for the food longer than he expected. He then leaves the restaurant, and Amy and Samy talk in private—they are arguing. Gordon comes back for dinner service. He talks to Amy and Samy about who runs things during dinner service. Amy claims that she makes the pizza, and Gordon brings up the raw pizza he had. Amy said that to her it was crispy. He also told her other complaints he had with the food. They have a constant back and forth. Gordon eventually leaves and speaks to the customers at the restaurant. He speaks about the frozen ravioli and how they are not freshly made. He then speaks to Samy, saying that he cares about the customers, and asking him if he is going to address the problem with Amy, or he himself is going to have to confront her. Samy says that he will confront her about telling her to stop “making” the ravioli, but as he does, she fires back—clearly angry about this. Katy then comes to pick up a pizza to deliver for a table. Amy announces what table the pizza is for; Katy questions her, but she replies back, saying that if she wants to doubt her, she can go home. Amy then approaches Samy, demanding he send Katy home—she practically explodes. As the servers are delivering the food, it’s apparently not worth the wait—many people did not like their food. He confronts both Amy and Samy. Amy is just refusing to even talk to Gordon. Samy, although saying that he will talk to Amy once again about the food situation, responds in a more indifferent tone. Samy comes into the kitchen with Gordon, and they, together, confront Amy about the food situation—which fails. Gordon also confronts Samy about the tips, leaving a sarcastic remark for him about how it’s great that he has all of those tips for himself, instead of the other staff. Furthermore, to prove how wrong this is, Gordon asks a nearby table about the tip they gave—to which the customer replies, saying that is terrible.
Gordon then argues with Samy. The customers are in shock about this. After all of this, Amy states that they will be closing the kitchen. Amy says that Katy can leave. Amy is trying to get Katy’s attention, but she ignores her. Amy yells at her, saying that she should look at her when she is speaking. Furthermore, she says that she does not work at Amy’s Baking Company anymore. Katy then begins to start crying, to which Samy tries to comfort her, but she walks away from him. She cries, demanding that she did not even do anything wrong. Gordon is clearly fed up. Katy then states that she quits. She tries to speak up for herself, but Amy doesn’t even let her speak—she retaliates, saying that she is not the boss of her. Amy adds, saying that Katy is a poisonous viper and that she will not allow people like her to work in her restaurant. Then, Gordon, Samy, and Amy sit down and talk. Gordon asks why Amy cannot handle criticism. Amy tries to speak, but she and Samy bicker. Gordon is clearly frustrated. He then arrives the next morning, but the restaurant is locked. He then talks to former staff members of the restaurant. He goes back to the restaurant and talks to Amy and Samy. Amy and Gordon have a constant back and forth about the events of yesterday. This all results in an explosion from Amy, saying that she wants to just get a drink of water. She gets up and leaves immediately. Amy sits back down after a supposed cooldown, but it only escalates more. Gordon then leaves them—marking the first time Gordon has left a restaurant in Kitchen Nightmares without helping the failing restaurant for the episode.
Where are they now?:
Amy’s Baking Company closed permanently due to landlord issues. Amy then filed for divorce in April 2022, which ended their insane relationship. Amy now runs an active Instagram account, sharing baking videos and content. Samy lives in Netanya, Israel. He was deported in 2018 for failing to disclose past prison time for extortion and drug charges. He also posts bitter rants online, which usually target Amy.
by Ariana Sabharwal, Naomi Natoli, Drew Schubkegel, and Jake Jimenez
When do you think Christmas starts? When do you start preparing for the holiday season? With the holiday season coming up soon, this month we decided to create a poll and survey asking people when they start to decorate their homes and get into the Christmas spirit. The five possible options to choose from were November 1, November 25, November 27 night (Thanksgiving night), November 28 (the day after Thanksgiving), and December 1. November 1 won with a vote of 27. In second place was November 28 with a vote of 21. In third place came December 1 with 14 votes, and in last place came November 25 with nine votes.
Students explained that as soon as Halloween ends, they shift into the holiday spirit almost immediately, with some people already decorating their homes a few days after October 31. Others, however, said they don’t typically start decorating until the November 25-28 time period but start to plan Christmas activities and listen to Christmas carols in early November. This early start reflects a strong excitement for the season!
Overall, although there were many different answers, it’s not about when you get into the Christmas spirit; it’s about how you get into the Christmas spirit. The holidays are meant to be a time to spend with family and friends. So whether you start getting ready for Christmas on November 1st or August 1st, make sure you enjoy the holiday season!
Fashion is something that is always changing—day to day, week to week, and season to season. Especially now, fashion trends are documented, posted, and shared to the millions of people who are active on social media every day. During the winter months, fashion is something especially shared, and the new trends are widely discussed online and in real life.
Faux fur and animal print clothes
In the most recent months, bold animal prints and fur adornments on clothes have become extremely popular; we see this through the common and iconic leopard print, shown in things like tops, skirts, and tights, and the now-popular deer, or fawn print, a new unique animal print staple in every it-girl’s closet for the season. Faux fur jackets, ranging from cropped fur jackets to elevate any outfit to long, elegant nighttime coats for any fancy event, have been reappearing all over the media- even more so, not only is faux fur making a comeback, but thrifting old, real fur jackets is also becoming a trend, as it is better for the environment and more ethical, allowing people to wear authentic and vintage pieces rather than allowing them to be sent to the trash and burned.
Revival of the 2000s
In the past few years, the revival of past or “vintage” styles hasn’t been unusual. For the past few years, early 2000s fashion trends have resurfaced- winter continues on this trend- due to popularity, many brands, such as Hollister and Abercrombie have made “vault” collections: clothing lines containing their sought after vintage pieces found second hand: hoodies with fur hoods, long, lace trimmed tank tops, and tight cable knit sweaters have all made and will continue to make a reappearance all winter long. These pieces of clothing are often produced in “nostalgic” shades and colors: “powdered” pink, “mulberry” red, navy blue, and “espresso” brown have made a large resurgence thanks to the ever-growing demand from teenage girls and young women for a “Y2K” winter.
Military Jackets
New York fashion week is one of the biggest influences on seasonal fashion, and no doubt the most recent NYC fashion week continues on this trend. One of the most noticeable trends throughout the brand showing off their 2026 collections was the repetitive vision of “military” jackets, or, the more proper name, hussar jackets: the standard silhouettes of a baggy, army green coat have been transformed into a tailored, sleek, and trendy silhouette. Designers such as Alexander McQueen and Dior have been showcasing the renewed take on the reoccurring trend—popular fashion feeds have deemed the Hussar Jacket as the new “it-girl” piece and the start of a soldier-esque, dare I say, nutcracker-esque aesthetic, which will be seen trending all throughout the rest of the colder seasons. The piece, simply just a jacket, can elevate even the most boring outfit, adding a bit of uniqueness—not to mention, it never hurts to be on trend.
On February 5, 2017, almost 9 years ago, Super Bowl 51 was being played by the 14-2 New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, who were going 11-5. Both teams were led by elite quarterbacks: Matt Ryan (the 2016 season’s MVP) and Tom Brady, another legendary quarterback. The game was being played in NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Millions of people around the world watched live on their televisions to watch the game and the halftime show by Lady Gaga. The game started with a defensive stalemate with no team scoring. Then, the Falcons started to dominate. They had scored 3 touchdowns in the second quarter alone, and the Falcons were easily stopping Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense, only holding them to three points by halftime. Matt Ryan threw 2 touchdowns, and Brady threw a pick six to Robert Alford. Then, in the third quarter, another touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Tevin Coleman. The score was 28-3, and according to analysts, the Falcons had a 98% chance of winning the Super Bowl. And Tom Brady immediately worked and decreased that chance. Tom Brady made a pass to Julian Edelman on 3 defenders, and caught it while juggling the ball. That gave the Patriots life. Brady passed to Danny Ammendola for another touchdown, and then after a sack, Matt Ryan fumbled, and the Patriots kept coming back after another touchdown run by James White. They needed the two-point conversion to tie, and they did it. The clock ran out but it was tied so for the first time in NFL history, a Super Bowl went to overtime. The Patriots won the coin toss so they had the ball first. This was back when there were no new overtime rules so it was always first touchdown wins. Then, in one of the most memorable moments in NFL history, James White ran into the end zone for a touchdown, and the game was over. The Falcons were in shock as they blew a 28-3 lead and lost 34-28. In one of the most memorable Super Bowls, the Patriots came out on top while being down 28-3, the Falcons’ defense destroying them, and analysts saying that they couldn’t even do it.
The national government of Japan has been a parliamentary constitutional system since 1947, with lawmaking power vested in a governing body called the National Diet (国会, Kokkai). The Diet consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives (衆議院, the lower house with 465 members) and the House of Councillors (参議院, the upper house with 248 members). Of the Representatives, 289 are elected as the top-voted candidate in their district, while 176 are elected based on proportional representation according to party votes. Representatives serve four-year terms, but the Prime Minister may call snap elections (elections held earlier than scheduled to prevent political gridlock).
The House of Councillors operates similarly, with 148 members elected from prefectural constituencies and 100 elected through proportional representation by party. However, there are no snap elections for the House of Councillors; its members instead serve fixed six-year terms, with half the chamber elected every three years. The Diet elects the Prime Minister, who serves as Head of Government.
The two major political parties in Japan are the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP). The LDP was formed in 1955 by merging several right-of-center parties, and since then—apart from two brief periods in 1993–1994 and 2009–2012—it has controlled the government. The CDP is the main opposition party, positioned to the left of center and focusing on social welfare policies and a more economically progressive approach. While the CDP has rarely overtaken the LDP, it maintains a significant presence in the Diet.
In 2025, Japan held critical legislative elections for the House of Councillors on July 20, renewing about half of its 248 seats. The ruling coalition, composed of the LDP and Komeito, lost its majority: they won only 47 of the contested seats, falling short of what was needed to maintain control. This was particularly significant because the LDP had already lost its majority in the House of Representatives in a snap election the previous October. As a result, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is now leading a minority government without a stable majority in either chamber. The campaign focused heavily on economic concerns: high prices, inflation, and the growing burden of social security costs. Some opposition parties proposed measures such as tax cuts or relief payments (including cash handouts) to address the cost-of-living crisis.
Now that the LDP–Komeito coalition has lost its majority, the government faces serious challenges. One major issue is demographic decline: Japan’s population is shrinking and aging, placing long-term strain on the economy, pensions, and social services. Without strong public support or full parliamentary control, it will be difficult for the government to pass bold reforms to address this crisis. Politically, Ishiba’s weakened position has raised questions within his own party. Reports indicate growing internal pressure within the LDP, and a leadership change appeared likely. Indeed, later in 2025, Sanae Takaichi won the LDP presidential election, becoming the first woman to lead the party and positioning her to become Prime Minister. Her rise marks a shift, as she has advocated more aggressive fiscal policies, tighter immigration controls, and a stronger national security stance. However, forming a stable governing coalition will not be easy. Komeito left the LDP, and Takaichi formed a new alliance with the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin), yet her government remains a minority in the Diet. Beyond these immediate political struggles, the real test will be whether her administration can address Japan’s economic and demographic challenges in a way that resonates with voters—especially younger people and those most affected by inflation.
Ukraine and Russia are currently battling for the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. Pokrovsk is important for the steel industry and provides a central military base for troops. It contains many tall buildings that would be suitable for thousands of soldiers to fit into this dense environment. Russian video footage has surfaced showcasing Russian troops riding into Pokrovsk, being nicknamed, “The Gateway to Donetsk” by Russian media due to its key location leading directly into the valuable region, Donetsk. Donetsk is similarly a strategic location due to its rich resources of coal, steel, oil, and gas. It also has a great transportation system. Overall, these places would both be extremely beneficial to both Russian and Ukrainian military forces, however they are currently Ukrainian territories.
Pertaining to Donetsk and Pokrovsk, there are things occurring in both. Found in Euronews.com, “Russian forces reportedly breach Ukrainian defences in eastern Donetsk. Russian forces have intensified their push in eastern Ukraine, pushing towards the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that Russia is redeploying its troops in preparation for a new offensive” (Euronews.com 1). This extravagant breach is directly correlated to the importance of the Donetsk region and its inclusion in the war. bbc.com states, “Russian troops appear to be closing in on most areas of Pokrovsk, according to mapping by the Ukraine-based DeepState monitoring group. Some observers say that its fall is imminent. Most parts of the city are now in a grey zone that neither side fully controls, says “Goose”. “We might hold positions in one building, but the enemy can be in the next one. They’re trying to get behind our backs,” he says. Moscow is trying to encircle Pokrovsk and neighboring Myrnohrad are in what is known as a “cauldron.” Even if the “lid” is not closed, Russians can constantly target all routes in and out of it using FPV drones. To prevent such an encirclement, Ukrainian troops have pushed Russian troops back from Suvorove and Rodynske on the eastern part of the “cauldron,” creating a bigger gap between Russian flanks. Russian forces are trying to cut off logistical routes supporting Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk. They attack supply routes, not only remotely using drones and artillery but also by sending in soldiers on the ground, the Ukrainian drone pilot told the BBC. This tactic is called infiltration, and it has proved quite successful, says Ukrainian military analyst Kostyantyn Mashovets” (bbc.com 1). They have encircled the city on three sides and are attempting to take control of it, leading to intense fighting. Russian troops have been using different movements to advance on the city from the south and northeast while also trying to cut off Ukrainian forces. The main components pertaining to Pokrovsk are intense fighting, Russian encirclement, strategic importance, Ukrainian defense, and imminent threats.
If you’re anything like me, Black Friday is a top 10 day of the year! Black Friday can be a great time to shop for holiday gifts for your loved ones (or find the best deals for yourself!). I usually go in with a plan of which stores to hit first, but this year I am going a step further: finding the best deals beforehand! So, here are the best deals I could find for popular stores around me for Black Friday 2025! Happy shopping everyone!!
Alo Yoga – 30% off
UGG – 30-60% off
Skims – 50% off
Edikted – 60% off site wide
Sephora – up to 70% off
Old Navy – 50% off everything
Hollister – 40% off everything
Urban Outfitters – 40% off purchase
Zara – up to 50% off
White Fox – 30% off site-wide
Glossier – up to 25% off
Pacsun – 50% off
Ulta Beauty – up to 50% off
Kendra Scott – 30% off jewelry
Nike – up tp 50% off
Aerie – 40% off everything
Aritzia – 30%-50% off all store items, free shipping over $100
Abercrombie and Fitch – 25% off
Lululemon – 50% off
Evry Jewels – everything $4.99 (use code HOPEC for even more money off)
Are you wondering what the best food to serve at your thanksgiving dinner is? I took a survey asking people’s favorite Thanksgiving main dish, side dish, and dessert, and the results will shock you!
Thanksgiving Food Survey
For the main dish, 60% said turkey was their favorite! This classic dish is served at most thanksgiving dinners, but if you weren’t already planning on it, you should definitely serve turkey! Although, if turkey isn’t your favorite, 33% said that ham was their favorite dish, and 6% said they don’t eat meat at all!
For the side dishes, mac and cheese and mashed potatoes were the leading two favorites (these are my favorites, along with cornbread!). If you are looking to serve around 4-5 side options, the survey data says you should serve mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits, cranberry sauce, and rolls. Personally, I think there should be a little more variety in the sides, and I would recommend throwing a vegetable in, maybe corn or brussel sprouts!
Now, for the best part, dessert! 40% say apple pie is their favorite, with cookies at a close second. Apple pie is a classic, and my personal favorite! But, if you think apple pie is too boring and want to elevate it just a little bit, serve it “á la Mode,” or with ice cream on top!
While this information is definitely useful in terms of figuring out what to serve, the most important part of thanksgiving is to spend time with loved ones and be grateful for all your blessings. So, even if you don’t see your favorite dish this thanksgiving, remember the true meaning of the holiday!!
Sudan is a country located in northeast Africa. It is bordered by Egypt, the Red Sea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Chad, and Libya. Its capital is Khartoum. It has a population of around 50.45 million as of 2024.
The Issue At Hand:
There are numerous religions that exist within the world—we all are aware of that. However, Christians in Sudan have been facing punishments for their faith. The Christians in Sudan face high levels of persecution—the country is actually the fifth most dangerous country in the world for Christians. There is also the civil war—which just intensifies the risk of Christians’ punishments in Sudan, having intensified their vulnerability. This has led to an increase of Islamist extremist elements that target Christian communities in Sudan. From this, Christians have been killed and abducted. This whole conflict has caused massive displacement, with many Christian families forced to flee from their homes and/or seek refuge outside Sudan. Over 100 churches and Christian buildings have been damaged, looted, or occupied and have been used as military bases since the war has begun. Furthermore, they face discrimination when they try to access essential aid, as people often won’t support and help them. People who convert from Islam to Christianity are vulnerable to severe backlash from their families and the people around them. This forces them to practice their faith in secret so they don’t receive backlash and punishment.
Why is this important to us?
This issue is important to us because not only do we care and love one another (“John 13:34-35: A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”.) Yet, we also can learn from this situation. We can learn that people are in trouble for simply believing in a different religion, which is not wrong at all. As Mrs. Carrini says, “You may not like one another, but you must respect each other.” So, it is morally the right thing to do.
How can we help?
We can help the people in Sudan by praying for them and supporting humanitarian organizations like the International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders, the UN World Food Programme, Save the Children, CARE, Open Doors US, and many others. In conclusion, the Christians in Sudan need our help now more than ever. We need to keep them in our intentions and support our local communities and humanitarian organizations so that the people in Sudan have some kind of relief from the war.
NJ was looking for a brand new Governor. Since Murphy has served his two terms, he could no longer run. Because of this, NJ was on the hunt for a new Governor. Enter Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli. Both were on the hunt to be New Jersey’s Governor.
About Mikie Sherrill:
Mikie Sherrill is an American politician, former naval officer, and former federal prosecutor serving as the U.S. representative of New Jersey’s 11th congressional district since 2019. She is in the Democratic Party. Her grandfather, who is a World War II veteran, had inspired her to join the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. She spent almost 10 years on active duty in the U.S. Navy. Being born on January 19, 1972 in Alexandria, VA, she wants to protect NJ’s children, she wants affordability in NJ, and she also wants to make the state government more efficient and accountable to taxpayers.
About Jack Ciattarelli:
Jack Ciattarelli is an American politician and businessman. He is a member of the Republican Party. He had also represented the 16th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2011 to 2018. He had also previously served on the Raritan Borough Council and the Somerset County Board of Freeholders. Jack was born on December 12, 1961 in Somerville, NJ. Jack wanted to make NJ affordable again, reform government so it works for people, stop the suburban sprawl and advance smart housing policy, and many other things.
The Race:
Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli faced head on to compete for the Governor position last night. Numerous advertisements were seen for both Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli. In these advertisements, one would advertise how great that one person is and would say something negative (or against) about that other person. For example, Mikie Sherrill made an advertisement in which her own campaign claims that the Trump Administration and Jack Ciatrelli’s campaign violated the law by releasing her unredacted military records. Republicans also advertised a cheating scandal that took place in the U.S. Naval Academy when Sherrill was a student. They also said in the advertisement that Sherrill was focused on the release of her personal information. “It’s not just a scandal. It is illegal,” a narrator says in Mikie Sherrill’s advertisement. “The Trump administration illegally released respected Navy helicopter pilot Mikie Sherrill’s private military records to Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign, records containing Mikie’s Social Security number and even her retired parents’ home address. Jack’s campaign distributed her records
anyway—breaking the law.” The narrator in Mikie Sherill’s advertisement goes on to say the Ciattarelli campaign “refused to return” the records, adding, “They broke the law to attack a veteran. Just think what Jack Ciattarelli might do to you.”
Who actually won? Mikie Sherrill ended up winning with a 56.2% percentage, meaning over half voted for her. Jack lost with a 43.2% percentage. Mikie stated the following when she was at a victory rally: “I know these are tough times. I know not everyone voted for me—but I’m working for everyone,” she said. In conclusion, The Governor’s Race was interesting to see!
All Souls Day is a Catholic day that is dedicated to praying for the souls of the departed, especially those in purgatory, to help them reach heaven. Instituted by Abbot Odilo of Cluny in the late 10th or early 11th century, this day shows that we are praying for all souls. All Saints Day is a holy day where we celebrate all of the saints of the church, whether they are known or not. This day was originally a commemoration of martyrs but was then made to include all saints. It was then moved to November 1st by Pope Gregory III in the 8th century.
Why All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day is Important:
All Souls Day is important because it reinforces the belief in the communion of saints and the living’s role in helping the deceased through prayer, masses, and good works.
All Saints Day is important because it is a feast day and a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church. We celebrate all of the Saints we believe in.
Different Countries’ Traditions:
For All Souls Day, countries celebrate in different ways. For example, Mexico celebrates Día de los Muertos during November 1st and 2nd, which involves home altars with food, flowers, decorated skulls, and graveyard visits. Brazil celebrates Dia de Finados, which is marked by cemetery visits with flowers and candles, but not any food offerings. In the Philippines, they celebrate Undas. They gather at cemeteries for all-night vigils, cleaning graves, praying, and holding special masses. Spain displays relics in cathedrals and visiting graves. All in all, these two days are important in the Catholic Church and our faith because not only do we show our love to our Saints, but we also show our prayers and hope to those in purgatory, and that they make it into heaven.
Private Music is the newest album from Deftones. It was released on August 22nd, 2025. It has eleven songs and is a total of forty-two minutes. A lot of people have given very good reviews, and I would like to give my opinion on the album as well.
“my mind is a mountain” —8/10. Good way to open the album and very much a Deftones song. Not my personal favorite, but still a very good song. I don’t think it’s memorable or interesting.
“locked club”—8.8/10, Flows from the previous song well but quickly differentiates itself; it’s one of the shorter songs but still a very good song. However, because it’s shorter, there isn’t as much to it.
“ecdysis”—8.3/10, More toned down (not by much), it flows well with the album and the other two songs before it. Matches the overall tone and vibe that the album gives.
“infinite source”—9/10, A little bit of a tone shift; the vocals are clearer, and it feels slower. This song definitely grew on me; I like it more now than I did when I first heard it.
“souvenir”—6.7/10, So slow, it feels long, when I listened to it the first time, I thought I had listened to at least 3 songs, and then I realized I was still on this song. It just feels long; it’s only 6 minutes, which in the grand scheme of things isn’t very long. It’s just the way the song is that it feels so incredibly long.
“cXz”– 7.8/10, Great way to bounce back from souvenir, but still not a favorite on the album. Not overly enjoyable; to me it’s sort of just there as a filler.
“i think about you all the time”—9/10, Back to a softer feel, kind of like ecdysis. Very smooth overall, just a beautiful song and my second favorite on the album.
“milk of the madonna”—10/10, Fabulous. Wonderful. Best song on the album. It’s just so good and so cool. If this song were playing in public, I would immediately recognize it. It’s very memorable and a little different from the songs prior.
“cut hands”– 8/10, Reminds me a little of Limp Bizkit, not that it sounds like them but that I feel some inspiration being pulled from them.
“~metal dream” — 9/10, I really like this song; it’s just nice. It has good dynamics and moves well; it doesn’t all sound the same. Third favorite on the album even though it took a couple listens to really notice this song.
“departing the body”—8.8/10, Starts out eerie; it has a different feel than the other songs on the album. In the beginning and other quieter parts in the song, the vocals feel similar to You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen. Then it goes into the similar vibe of the rest of the album, louder and more emotional. Overall a good ending to the album.
Album rating: 8.9/10. I love this album, and I’ve listened to it 3 times now in full, but the reason its score isn’t higher is because it doesn’t have much dynamic. It’s a lot of the same sounds, and every song sounds very similar; don’t take that as a bad thing. Each song is very good. If you like Deftones you will really enjoy this album.
by Callie O’Dowd, Emma Carnivale, Olivia Mackinson
October is breast cancer awareness month. At our school, it has become tradition for our girls volleyball team to hold an annual “Dig Pink Game” to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. The team holds a raffle, sells tickets to the game, and sells plenty of fun, pink snacks. The money raised is put towards cancer research. Aside from the fundraising, the volleyball team goes all out to make sure the game is fun. People dress up in pink-colored outfits and wigs, and many students come out to support the team and cheer them on as they play. Although it’s a fun experience whether our teams win or not, luckily, our teams were successful this year!
Both the Varsity and JV teams played Morris Tech, while the freshman team supported from the sidelines. Varsity won 2-1, winning both the second and third sets. They were able to come back after a loss in the first set to two close wins back-to-back. Senior Jianna Melo led the team with ten kills. Meanwhile, freshman Leilani Tynes led with two blocks. Finally, senior Jocelyn Lovins led with fifteen assists. Everyone played a great game! Additionally, our JV team also won their game against Morris Tech in a close 2-1 game. Congratulations to both teams!
Overall, the Dig Pink Volleyball Game went extremely well! The game was high in attendance and really helped to raise the money and awareness goals that we had for the month of October. Due to the success of this volleyball game, there will be more sports-related events upcoming! Go Crusaders!
Halloween is almost here at Morris Catholic High School, and everyone is getting ready! People have been talking about their costumes, and based on a student poll and survey, there is one that seems to be the most popular this year—Subway Surfers characters!
Over 100 students took part in this survey, and the results were pretty close. Coming in second were Cheetahs, and in third place were Princesses. Apart from the top three costumes, everyone’s ideas and costumes seem to be very thought-through. It will be exciting to see what everyone comes up with for what to wear on the day of!
Lots of students are planning to dress up like Jake, Tricky, Fresh, and other fun characters from the game. If you’ve ever played Subway Surfers, you know it’s all about running fast, dodging trains, and collecting coins, so it’s going to be interesting to see how students dress up as the characters!
Some people are even making their own costumes with cool hats, spray cans, and toy boom boxes to match their characters. A lot of people are talking about the costumes they will be showing off on Halloween soon! We can’t wait to see everyone’s costumes this year at Morris Catholic!
A government shutdown occurs when a legislative branch fails to pass legislation that funds the operations of the government, leading to a cessation of government services due to lack of funding. In the United States, a government shutdown happens when the Senate and House of Representatives do not pass federal legislation to fund the federal government, leading to the federal government stopping all nonessential services.
Before 1980 there were no formal government shutdowns in the United States; instead, when the President and Legislature disagreed a temporary continuing resolution would be passed (a continuing resolution, or CR is when a smaller bill is passed by congress to continue funding at the current levels). In 1976 the first modern shutdown happened; however, it was a single-day ordeal between President Ford and Congress, and there were no furloughs of federal employees. The first shutdown to involve furloughs of federal employees occurred in 1980 due to a budget impasse between President Jimmy Carter and Congress; this shutdown lasted for a day as well, but over 10,000 federal employees were furloughed. Throughout the 1980s shutdowns became more common, mostly over military and domestic funding disputes; there were three shutdowns involving furloughs in 1981, 1984, and 1990. Beginning in 1995 and ending in 1996 there was a 21 day shutdown furloughing 280,000 workers during the Clinton administration. There were several brief shutdowns throughout the early 2000s; however, in the 2010s there were two notable lengthy shutdowns in 2013 (16 days) and 2018-2019 (35 days, the longest in U.S. history). In the early 2020s there were several times a shutdown almost happened, but last-minute deals managed to keep the government open until 2025, when the government shut down for the first time since 2019.
The 2025 government shutdown began on October 1st and, as of October 20th, is ongoing. The shutdown has resulted in 900,000 federal employees being furloughed and 700,000 working without pay. Since 1977 the US government has been on a fiscal year, which runs from October 1st to September 30th of the next calendar year, and twelve different spending bills have to be passed by Congress during this period; however, due to increasing political divides between Democrats and Republicans over funding to certain federal agencies, foreign aid, and social programs, they have simply passed continuing resolutions in order to keep funding federal programs. However, the CRs are temporary solutions, and over time political gridlock worsened to the point in which the two factions couldn’t even agree on a short-term deal. The breaking point occurred when the Senate could not decide on passing bills relating to President Trump’s ability to cut the funding for publicly funded broadcasts and aid to foreign governments and extend health insurance subsidies, the Senate minority leader (leader of the senate caucasus of the party with fewer senators), Chuck Schumer, supported a Continuing Resolution to keep funding the government throughout September; however, many Democrats were upset with Schumer’s decision, believing that it would allow Trump’s cuts and wouldn’t protect important programs. House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Schumer’s compromise, believing it would reduce Democrats’ negotiating power. Despite pushback from his own party, Schumer managed to delay a complete shutdown until the end of the fiscal year.
At 12:01 a.m. EDT on October 1st 2025 the federal government shut down for the first time since 2019. During the shutdown only essential services are continued (what is “essential” is decided by the President and the Office of Management and Budget), and other nonessential federal workers have to work without pay or are furloughed. So far roughly 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed because of the shutdown, and many more are working without pay. A wide range of employees from agencies including the Departments of Justice, the Interior, and Homeland Security. Despite most essential workers still getting paid, many services used by everyday citizens, such as business loans, tax refunds, and federal benefit processing, have been put on hold. Stock markets have been showing volatility since investors are reacting to the instability of federal operations, and the closure of museums and national parks has led to economic problems in areas that depend on tourism.
It is uncertain when the shutdown will end. So far the shutdown has lasted 19 days, and the longest one in U.S. history lasted 35 and was the last one to happen, meaning that it could last until the end of October or even longer. In order for the shutdown to end, there will need to be a compromise with both sides making concessions. Most likely the shutdown will continue until bipartisan public opinion decreases enough to force both sides to the table to come up with plans for more pragmatic governance in politically polarized times.
Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934 in Bournemouth, England, as Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall. When she was a young girl, Jane Goodall was known for her love of animals, and she spent as much time as she could outdoors. She had many pets herself and enjoyed observing them as well as animals in her backyard and her grandmother’s hens. Her parents further instilled a love for all creatures as well as hope inside of her. Her father gifted Jane with a stuffed chimpanzee named Jubilee when she was only one year old, and her mother constantly showed support for Goodall, even when she behaved in a childish manner. Additionally, Jane’s love for animals continued to grow when she read Tarzan and Dr. Dolittle. From then on, she dreamed of traveling and living in Africa to work with animals, especially those showcased in the stories.
Jane Goodall’s Later Life
After graduating from high school, Jane, who was not able to afford college, was chosen to attend a secretarial school that was located in London. However, she still held on to her dream of living in Africa with wild animals, and she took up extra jobs so that she would be able to attain her goal. When she was 23, Jane Goodall boarded a ship called the Kenya Castle so that she could visit a friend, who lived in Nairobi. While on a ship, she met a well-known paleoanthropologist, Dr. Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey. He gave her the opportunity to work for the local natural history museum. After working at that job for some time, Jane was given a job studying chimpanzees at the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, which was called the Gombe Stream Game Reserve at the time. Leakey actually thought that having someone without formal academic knowledge would be beneficial because she would be more open-minded.
Her Work
Jane’s job at the time was to learn about chimpanzees and their behavior so she could make inferences about early humans since those two species are the closest known relatives of each other. After being given her first job in the field, Jane Goodall went back home to collect her things and make preparations for her trip. Two years later, she returned to Africa, accompanied by her mother and a cook named Dominic, as Jane was not supposed to stay in Gombe by herself. Her work was challenging, and she was quickly struck with an illness. Once she recovered, she had to face the tough terrain and resistance of chimpanzees. After a while without success, Goodall was able to watch and observe an elderly chimpanzee, which she named David Greybeard. Since he was a respected and important male chimpanzee, Greybeard led an example for the other chimpanzees to follow. Because of Greybeard’s acceptance of Jane Goodall, many other chimpanzees allowed her to observe them. Soon, Jane made one of her most important discoveries: chimpanzees use grass-like tools to more easily take and eat termites. For years, Goodall continued to work with chimpanzees in the field, and in 1962, Leakey helped her enter a doctoral program at Cambridge University, even without an undergraduate degree. Not everyone at the university agreed with Jane Goodall’s methods, such as naming the chimpanzees or claiming that they had personalities. However, despite these forms of pushback, she earned her Ph.D. on February 9, 1966 and became Dr. Jane Goodall. After receiving her Ph.D., Dr. Jane Goodall continued her work in the field for over twenty years. When she was older, she continued to work with chimpanzees by raising awareness for them in speeches around the world. On October 1, 2025, at the age of 91, Jane Goodall passed away while in California for her speaking tour.
Her Legacy
Throughout her life, Jane Goodall has been known for her compassion towards animals and her goal of helping those who seem defenseless to the rest of the world. One of her most famous quotes reflects this quality of hers: “The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Jane Goodall made it her life to speak out for and take care of those who couldn’t do so themselves. Additionally, Dr. Jane Goodall is known for her desire to make a positive change in the world around her. As she once said, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Finally, she was a hero and role model for many people, and almost all treasured “Goodall’s warmth, friendship, and wonderful stories” (Mireya Mayor). Jane Goodall was known to others as a kind person who changed the world for the better with her everyday actions.
Her Lasting Impact
Because of Jane Goodall’s work both in the field and on the road, the world was changed in many ways. Her research changed three facts about chimpanzees: chimps are, contrary to prior belief, omnivores; they use tools to help them collect their food; and they make these tools themselves. Additionally, not only did she change the scientific world, but she also inspired others: “Hearing Goodall advocate for animals of all shapes and sizes affirmed I was doing the right thing” (Michael Shapiro). The death of Jane Goodall was very sad because so many people had been changed by her presence. However, her legacy will live on, and others will still be able to look to her for inspiration years in the future.
Now, a month and a half into freshman year, things are finally starting to feel real. The nerves from the first day are fading, and the halls that once confused us seem more like home. One of the biggest highlights of our year so far has been the freshman retreat. It gave us all a chance to step away from the usual routine, talk with people we’d never met before, and start building real friendships. One exercise in particular helped us realize we’re all in the same boat figuring things out, trying to fit in, and looking for our place. Friday night football games have become a favorite freshman tradition. Whether we’re cheering in the student section, hanging out with friends, or just enjoying the energy of the night, those games have brought us together in a way that’s hard to explain. It’s not just about football; it’s about feeling connected to something bigger. Every day, little things remind us that we’re part of a caring community. A wave or smile in the hallway, someone helping out in class, or a teacher checking in—it all adds up. Now, six weeks in, we’re not just the new kids anymore. We’re classmates, teammates, and friends. The year is just getting started, but already, it feels like we belong.
The New York Jets and their fans have been absolutely miserable for years now. It has been so bad that fans believe that the team is cursed. With coincidentally terrible seasons every year, years of wasted talent, bad quarterback play, and terrible coaching, even when they get a good quarterback, they always either play terribly, or the quarterback in question gets injured. The New York Jets haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1969, and haven’t even made it back since. Fans believe that the team used all of their luck just to win that Super Bowl against the Colts 16-7. The Jets had a couple of chances, but they didn’t make it back. Then, the Jets had their best chance in 2010. Led by quarterback Mark Sanchez and running back LaDanian Tomlinson, the Jets defeated the Colts, led by the legendary Peyton Manning, in the Wild Card in an absolute thriller, winning on a field goal 17-16; shocked the NFL by upsetting the top-seeded Patriots in the Divisional 28-21; and almost made it to the Super Bowl but suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Steelers in the AFC Championship, losing in a close 24-19. They haven’t come back to the playoffs since, and the drought is still going, breaking the record for the longest playoff drought. After Sanchez left, the Jets had been struggling to find a franchise quarterback ever since. They drafted Geno Smith in 2013, and he was terrible, so they released him. Then, the Jets drafted Sam Darnold, who was just as bad, and they released him too. After that, the Jets drafted Zack Wilson, who was the worst out of all of them, and let him go after his rookie contract ended. The craziest part was that these quarterbacks were amazing on other teams years later, with Geno Smith being good on the Seahawks in 2022 and leading them to the playoffs, and Sam Darnold being amazing on the Minnesota Vikings, leading them to a 14-3 record. The Jets had a good draft in 2022 picking up wide receiver Garrett Wilson, cornerback Sauce Gardner, and running back Breece Hall, but they couldn’t help the Jets. Even after Garrett Wilson won rookie of the year, they really needed a quarterback. Even when the Jets had a pretty solid season in 2022 with a very good defense, they still had a bad offense and a terrible quarterback in Zack Wilson. The Jets looked good in 2022. They had a good defense, but they needed a quarterback to lead their offense. They started 7-3, but they lost the last 7 games of the season and finished 7-10, missing the playoffs again, and the Jets Curse struck again. The Jets really needed a quarterback because Zack Wilson was terrible. So, in the 2023 offseason, they traded for Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers was a quarterback who dominated the NFL in the 2010s, and they gave a bunch of first-round picks to the Green Bay Packers for him. Fans were excited for the season, as they thought the Jets had found their savior. The Jets were now a serious contender for the playoffs, and experts thought they had a chance for the Super Bowl, but the curse struck again. On his fourth snap of week 1 against their rival, the Buffalo Bills, Rodgers got sacked and then sat down. Known by fans as the snap heard around the world, Rodgers tore his achilles, ending his season, and the Jets finished 7-10. He came back next year but had his worst season of all time by only throwing 3900 yards and 11 interceptions, which was unheard of for a quarterback with Rodgers’ career. After he got released, the Jets signed Justin Fields, a young quarterback who was more of a runner than a thrower. Justin had a good connection with wide receiver Garrett Wilson, as he had played in college with him and knew how Garrett played. He was a scrambler but didn’t have good throwing ability. He had shocked the Pittsburgh Steelers but still lost in week 1 34-32 and had an amazing game. Then, in week two against the Bills, the curse struck again. Fields fell after getting hit and hit his head on the turf, giving him a concussion, which prevented him from playing, just like Rodgers. But, he came back in week 4, and the Jets haven’t won a game in the 2025-26 season, and it doesn’t look so good for them. The Jets are looking at a first overall pick and are 0-6 right now. It is honestly safe to say that this curse doesn’t look like it is going away any time soon, and fans are miserable. Fans hope that things will change, but with how it is looking for them right now, it will be the same result as every other season and misery for these fans.
Ok, so we all know how Palestine and Israel have been at war for a VERY long time, but recently, the president has made a peace plan between Gaza and Israel. If you don’t know what has been happening between the two places, I’ll sum it up for you. This sort of feud has been happening for about 80 years. Yeah, a very long time. Anyways, on October 7th, 2023, a Palestinian terrorist group called Hamas launched an assault from Gaza, killing 1,200 Israeli people and taking 251 hostages. Major conflicts happened after that and before that, but lately in October, the Israeli government and Hamas agreed to the first phase of our president’s peace plan, leading to a ceasefire in Gaza. A ceasefire is a temporary suspension of fighting. 20 steps have been made by Trump, hoping to ease tension between the two countries. Lowkey reminds me of the 10 Duel Commandments song from “Hamilton.” Anyways, here is the full extent of the president’s plan. Keep in mind, this has been provided by the White House.
Number 1: Gaza will be a deradicalized, terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors. Basically, all the places around Gaza are safe. Gaza will not attack its neighboring countries. Number 2: Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered a lot. I know people choose sides in war, but everyone often forgets about the innocent people involved. Just because one group of people is bad does not mean that everyone else from that country is. Collective punishment is a war crime, remember. Number 3: If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will end immediately. Israel will withdraw their forces to an agreed upon line to prepare for the release of their hostages. During this time, all military operations, like aerial and artillery bombardment, will be stopped, and battle lines will be frozen until conditions are met for complete withdrawal. That was a mouthful, but pretty self-explanatory. Number 4: Within 72 hours of Israel accepting this agreement publicly, all hostages (alive and deceased) will be released. Number 5: Once every hostage is released, Israel will release 250 life-sentenced prisoners and 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7th, 2023. For every Israeli hostage released by Gaza, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. Number 6: Once all hostages are returned, members of Hamas who commit to peaceful co-existence and decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Hamas members who want to leave Gaza will be given safe passage to receiving countries. Personally, that might not be the smartest thing. If they are still in Hamas and say they want to come to America, what’s stopping them from committing terrorist acts here? If they left Hamas and are given amnesty, that’s fine because they won’t be a threat. I don’t think letting Hamas members safely into other countries is the smartest thing. They literally bombed Israel and killed 1,200 people. Number 7: If the agreement is accepted, full aid will be sent immediately into the Gaza Strip, including humanitarian aid, rehabilitation of infrastructure, rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, rubble removal, and reopen roads. Number 8: Aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from either party. Number 9: Gaza will be governed by a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, which is basically a group of experts formed to address social and economic problems. It will be overseen by the “Board of Peace,” which is headed and chaired by the president himself. Number 10: A Trump economic development plan to rebuild Gaza will be created by a panel of experts who helped birth some of our modern miracle cities in the Middle East.
Number 11: An economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries. Number 12: Nobody will be forced to leave Gaza. Those who’d like to leave will be free to do so and free to come back. Number 13: Hamas and other similar organizations agree to not have any role in governing Gaza in any form. All tunnels and weapon production facilities will be destroyed. Number 14: A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to make sure that Hamas complies with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threats to its neighbors and people. Number 15: The U.S. will work with Arab and international partners to develop a stabilization force to deploy in Gaza. This force will train and provide support to Palestinian police forces in Gaza. It will also help secure borders and prevent munitions from entering Gaza. Number 16: Israel won’t occupy or annex Gaza. Israel Defense Forces will withdraw based on many factors linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon by the International Stabilization Force, Israel Defense Force, guarantors, and the U.S. Number 17: If Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, everything above will proceed in the terror-free areas. Number 18: A dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence to try and alter the mindsets of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits of peace. Number 19: While redeveloping Gaza advances, the conditions may finally be in place for a pathway to Palestinian statehood. Number 20: The U.S. will establish a dialogue between Israel and Palestinians to agree on a peaceful and prosperous existence.
This is obviously a lot to read and take in. Thanks to BBC, we have a pretty good idea of what might happen in the Middle East. But my main question is: What parts of the plan do you agree or disagree with? Personally, I don’t agree with the last part of Number 6, but the beauty of America is that we can form our own opinions about things.
The MLB has seen a lot of rivalries, from the Dodgers and the Giants rivalry to the Cardinals and Cubs rivalry, but the biggest rivalry the MLB has seen is the Yankees and the Red Sox. If you didn’t know about the rivalry, I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.
Introduction
We first need a little context on the history of the two teams and the beginnings of the rivalry. The two teams first challenged each other on April 26th, 1901 during the first year of what we now know as the American League. Back then the Yankees were called the Orioles, and they played in Baltimore before they moved up to the Bronx. This was before the Baltimore Orioles got put in as a team. Once the Yankees moved up to the Bronx in 1903 they renamed themselves The New York Highlanders. The Red Sox were called the Boston Americans before they changed their name and became the Red Sox. The actual Boston-New York Rivalry didn’t actually start until May 7th, 1903 when the then called Americans (now called the Red Sox) faced the Highlanders (now the Yankees). Some actually argue that the rivalry didn’t start until 35 years later, in 1938 when the two teams actually became competitive.
The Early Success of the Red Sox’s
The Sox had some early success in the MLB and the World Series. Essentiallysports.com states, “They won the inaugural Fall Classic in 1903 as the Americans. They then changed their name to the Red Sox in 1908 and won 4 World Series titles between 1912 and 1918.” We all know about the Great Bambino who played for the Red Sox’s from 1914-1918 before getting sold to the Yankees in 1919. Babe Ruth took the Red Sox to the World Series once in 1916, and twice in 1918.
The Curse of Boston
The Red Sox made a deal with the Yankees to sell Ruth on the 26th of December, 1919. The owner of the Red Sox at the time needed the money and was unwilling to pay Ruth the salary Ruth wanted. The Yankees, in response to that, made a deal for Ruth for $100,000. The deal between Ruth and the Yankees is considered one of the worst deals in MLB history. In today’s money $100,000 is $3,061,970 which in today’s MLB is nowhere near any good salary. The Red Sox also had adverse effects because they went into an 86 year World Series drought; the Sox made four series appearances during that time but lost all four series. The Sox miraculously broke the curse in 2004 against the St. Louis Cardinals. This was a newspaper written the day of or a couple of days after the trade happened between the Red Sox and the Yankees in 1919. In my opinion, the rivalry between these two teams started at the trade of Babe Ruth in 1919.
Rebirth of the Rivalry and the Red Sox’s 2004 comeback to end the drought
Both teams in 2004 had an amazing regular season, and both made it to the postseason. The rivalry was reborn on July 24th, 2004, during a normal season game. The Yankees took a 3-0 lead by the third inning, then the Yankees slugger Aaron Rodriguez took the plate against Boston pitcher Bronson Arroyo. Arroyo threw an inside pitch to Rodriguez on a 1-1 count, hitting Rodriguez in the elbow. Rodrigues made it very clear to Arroyo that he wasn’t happy. According to Essentialysports.com it states, “Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek told Rodriguez to take his base. A-Rod turned around and the two exchanged words before Varitek swung at the Bombers’ star infielder. This sparked a brawl as both benches cleared. This incident ignited the fire as both teams sped to the playoffs. The Yankees and Red Sox won their respective Division Series and set up a massive ALCS clash. The Bombers won the first 3 games of the series comfortably, with many thinking the series was over. But the Red Sox narrowly won Games 4 and 5 of the series in 12 and 14 innings, respectively, before taking Game 6 as well. ?” This was a major moment in the history of this rivalry because not only did we see these two teams go head-to-head in a fight that cleared both teams’ benches, but it also shows how intense this rivalry was between the players on both sides. As for the Red Sox comeback in 2004.
More important information/ Notable Wins and players
Both the Yankees and the Red Sox have had very impressive seasons this year and in previous years. This year Both the Yankees and Red Sox made it to the ALWC (American League Wild Card), facing each other in those games which ended up in the Yankees advancing to the ALDS (American League Division Series). In 2024 the Yankees made it to the World Series to end up losing to the LA Dodgers 4-1*. This was the first time since 2009 that the Yankees have been to the World Series. On the other hand, the Red Sox haven’t made it close to the World Series until now in 2025. The last time the Red Sox made and won the World Series was 2018. Another notable win for the Red Sox was the comeback in the 2004 ALCS (American League Championship Series). Some notable Yankees wins are the 1978 AL East Tiebreaker, in which the Yankees beating the Red Sox 5-4, the 2003 ALCS Came 7 with now manager Aaron Boone’s Walk off home run in the 11th inning securing the Yankees a the World Series, and the most recent win in the 2025 ALWC against the Red Sox. This picture is of now manager Aaron Boone when he played for the Yankees in 2003. Boone has been the manager of the Yankees since December 4, 2017. Some noticeable players for both the Yankees and Red Sox are as follows: Ted Williams (Red Sox), who famously hit a home run at his final at-bat in 1960; David Ortiz (Red Sox), who was the 2004 ALCS MVP, hit hit pivotal walk-off home runs that sparked the flame in Boston’s comeback; and Aaron Boone (Yankees), the now the manager hit a walk-off home run in game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. The all-time record between the Yankees and the Red Sox is 1249-1037 in favor of the Yankees. This picture is of David Ortiz, the winner of the ALCS MVP in 2004.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry isn’t as intense as it was back in the early 2000’s, but it is still as ever-present in today’s players on both sides. Both sides have strong opinions on the other, but it still makes for good games. I hope some of this information helps you guys understand the history of this rivalry. I hope I explained it well for those who are new to the sport of baseball. The rivalry is far from over; new players on both sides have the fire in their hearts to continue this rivalry. Jarren Duran, a current player on the Red Sox, views the rivalry as an intense and significant part of baseball. Thank you all for reading this!
by Callie O’Dowd, Emma Carnivale, Olivia Mackinson
With the start of the 2025-2026 school year, a new cell phone policy has been implemented. Stricter rules have been put in place to ensure the well-being of our students and faculty. These rules state that the moment you walk into the building, your phone must be turned off and stored in your bag or locker during the day. Any cellphones seen or heard will be confiscated until the end of the school day, and repercussions will be taken. If your phone is confiscated one time, it will result in a detention. If it happens again, it will result in two detentions and a $25.00 fine. A third offense will result in a Saturday detention and a $50.00 fine. If this behavior continues after the third offense, more serious consequences will be instilled, and Mrs. Smith will have to contact your parents.
Morris Catholic is a cell phone free school. The reasoning behind the new policy was not to make our experience less fun, but instead to make it better and more enjoyable.
You might be asking, “What’s the whole point of this cell phone policy?” Well, after speaking to Mrs. Smith personally, she shared that it was because of the issues involved in the school. As we all know, a majority of drama derives straight from our phones. The cell phone usage in schools provides a higher percentage of negative behavioral issues and verbal bullying. So, it was in our best interests that Mrs. Smith chose to enforce the new cell phone policy. Without it being enforced, there was a mass amount of cyberbullying occurring. This occurrence doesn’t only happen through text messages but also stories, posts, and photos. With the revoking of phone usage at our school, we have managed to lessen the cyberbullying rate in our school environment. Although all students are complaining about this policy, we think it is good for our school because it helps the kids who need it most. The kids who were struggling with mental health issues because of constant fear that they were going to be the next victim in someone’s story is not something that we want to live by. In Morris Catholic, we strive to have an inclusive student body. Without cell phone usage, this goal is reached!
The power of perseverance is an important lesson to learn. We all need the power of perseverance in our lives. What does it mean to persevere? Well, when you persevere, you continue to attempt to achieve a specific goal that you have in mind, even when you have obstacles in your way. Words cannot describe how important this power is. When you have the power of perseverance, you can do anything you set your mind to. An example of this power being demonstrated was on September 8th, when the Junior Varsity Volleyball team made a comeback on the second set. Our team lost the first set. However, the bench was loud, and there were Crusaders in the audience cheering us on. With powerful words and the support of our Crusaders, we were able to win the second set in a comeback. Although we did not win, we still demonstrated the power of teamwork and perseverance. In summary, not only is the power of perseverance important, but believing in yourself in general, even when you are facing the biggest obstacles, is crucial.
