Summer Enrichment Program: A Chance to Continue Education

by David

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Be it a hobby, a fascination, or a future career goal, the Summer Enrichment Program at Rumson Fair Haven High School gives students the opportunity to hone their skills and dive deeper into the academic world of their choosing.  Although the prospect of going back to school over the summer may not initially seem appealing, the Summer Enrichment Program offers a unique learning experience without the stress of grades and with the added bonus of learning only what you sign up to learn.

There are many courses to choose from, created and crafted by the teachers you know and love. Don’t let the opportunity slide by! If you’re a student, don’t let everything you learned during the school year slip away during the summer; take advantage of this program and keep your brain active and your mind healthy.

All students of RFH are encouraged to take at least one course during the summer, as ultimately the student body makes the decision which courses will be taught. Each of the 16 listed courses cost $200, except for the Kaplan course which is $49.  Each course needs a minimum of 10 students to run. The courses will take place from July 9th to July 19th, Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 11:30am.  If the number of students exceeds that which can be taken care of in one session, a second session will take place from 12:00am to 2:30pm.

These summer courses can serve as a good foundation for the continuation, or an introduction, to learning during the school year. They offer an Introduction to High School course for rising freshmen, a college application course – which was one of the most popular courses of last year- for any student that wishes to have the upper hand when applying to college.

If you don’t have a lot going on during the summer of 2012, why not advance your learning and give your brain a leg up at the summer courses? Each course is available to every student, and it’s up to you to decide which ones you can take. Don’t miss your opportunity, and join the wonderful teachers at RFH for the Summer Enrichment Program.

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‘The Hunger Games:’ All That it Looked to Be?

by David

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Quick Summary:
This Story is about a girl named Katniss Everdeen who’s 16 years old and lives in District 12 in the nation of Panem. Every year they select one boy and girl, from the ages of 12 to 18, to battle in a arena and fight to the death. The last person alive is the winner…because, well, they are still alive.

Going to see the Movie,Didn’t read the book:
In my opinion, If you didn’t read the book, had no idea what the movie was about,and just sat down and watched it, you might get confused about what’s going on. You are kind of thrown quickly into the reaping, Katniss, Gale, and District 12 (see?  You’re already saying,  “what’s going on right now,what’s this movie about?”) You can only fit so much into a two and a half-hour film. Despite the beginning of the film’s shortcomings, the middle & end are pretty straight forward and clear. So don’t worry, slow pokes, you’ll figure it out eventually.

Going to see the Movie,Did read the book:
I personally liked the movie,and I think a big reason to that is because I already knew a lot of the background from reading the book.  For example, why there is the Hunger Games, why each district specializes in different things, and all the general background on the film’s heroine, Katniss. In the film,there are a couple of things that didn’t get covered that were clearer in the book.  To be honest, I’m not sure why they weren’t included in the film.

Good or Bad?
Even if you didn’t read the book,I think it’s a good movie to watch and it keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next. I also think that it doesn’t give away too much,so that after you watch the movie,it makes you want to read the book. This is what happened to me after watching the first Twilight Movie (yikes, I know).

If you have read the book,I also think it’s good.They did a great job choosing the right people to play the characters and their acting matched the book well, too.

I give it a 4 out of 5

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Picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/42/HungerGamesPoster.jpg/215px-HungerGamesPoster.jpg

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A Preview of the Movies of 2012

by David

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2011 was the year for sequels, and Hollywood seems to think it worked pretty well. Although not in such great numbers, sequels in 2012 look like they are going to have quite a year themselves. That isn’t to disregard the standalone movie, though, as Disney plans to release several movies that certainly have me excited. For a brief glimpse into 2012’s cinematography, I’ve chosen six movies set to be released that I’m already looking forward to.

Men in Black 3- (Action, Comedy, Sci-fi)

Though not much is known about the plot of MiB3 thus far, I can’t wait to see Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones back at their extra-terrestrial antics. According to the short trailer that was released, time travel seems to be the theme for this sci-fi comedy. Maybe I’m biased, but adding Will Smith and time travel can only be a recipe for success. Men in Black and Men in Black 2 were both fan favorites, and it looks like Men in Black 3 will live up to the standard. Look for this gem at your local theatre starting May 25, 2012.

 The Dark Knight Rises- (Action, Crime, Drama)

Oh, boy.

This sequel to the superhero epic The Dark Knight seems to have everyone riled up already, and I am no exception. Christian Bale stars again as the Caped Crusader battling evil in Gotham, and with The Joker gone the new threat is terrorist leader Bane. The hype around this movie is nothing short of a phenomenon, just as The Dark Knight was. Every day I see more previews and posters rolling out, and I feel myself getting drawn in even more. Look for this superhero crime drama on July 20, 2012.

The Avengers- (Action, Adventure, Sci-fi)

If you can recall the slew of hastily made superhero movies in 2011 (See Thor and Captain America), then you’re have seen the build-up for The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson serve as figure heads for this movie. In it, a team of superheroes gather to fight the evil forces around them. As a big fan of superhero movies, I can’t wait to see this conglomeration in action. This movie is hitting the silver screen May 4, 2012.

Brave- (Animation, Action, Adventure)

Disney-Pixar is at it again with their newest installment Brave, where one Princess Merida is a brave archer who must rely on herself to break a horrible curse. Just seeing still shots of this film has me excited. The animation looks gorgeous, and with Disney-Pixar’s elite staff of writers, I imagine that the movie will be great. You can catch this film June 22, 2012.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey- (Adventure, Fantasy)

Once only the obsession of your classic basement dwelling role player, J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings series has blossomed in to three of the greatest fantasy epics to date. The newest of the series, The Hobbit, has fans on the edge of their seats waiting. The huge cast has such stars as Luke Evans, Elijah Wood, and Cate Blanchett. This movie isn’t just for fantasy lovers, but lovers of cinematography as well. This masterpiece in the works is set to be released December 14, 2012.

Dr. Suess’ The Lorax- (Animation, Family, Fantasy)

This is another movie I am approaching with an excited curiosity. The Lorax tells the story of a 12 year old boy looking to win the heart of the girl of his dreams and to do this he must learn the story of the Lorax. Although Dr.Seuss movies are sometimes infamously bad (Looking at you, Mike Meyers), I am looking forward to this all the same. This touching story will melt your heart  March 2, 2012 .

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Pictures from:

http://thekingisborn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/men_in_black_3-535×363.jpg

http://thekingisborn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/the-dark-knight-rises.png

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tJZANSC0Vo/TogyRlIkR8I/AAAAAAAAC4Q/ao8PdG5LbMA/s1600/marvellogos2.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UVFCdLy0nGQ/TgW-EHA9hqI/AAAAAAAAAAo/NrP1HLpI4bo/s1600/Brave%2BMovie%2Bby%2BDisney%2BPixar.jpg

http://courses.moodleshare.com/file.php/3/the-hobbit.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/–q7tEGmIkgE/Tqlvzx56vyI/AAAAAAAAACE/mC-ybFLg7BE/s1600/The%2BLorax%2BMovie.jpg

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The Changing Tide of Communication

by David

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It is the opinion of many people, both young and old, that social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr are a heavy contributor to the degradation of communication skills in today’s growing society.  They say that common internet vernacular is both stunting the growth of face-to-face interaction, and when those interactions do occur the topic and level of discourse are below par and add no meaningful value to understanding.

It is my thought, though, that the accessibility of online communication and availability of personal interaction presented to people through websites like Facebook and Twitter create growth in relationships that span longer distances, and include a greater variety of common interests. Our society as a unit is in constant flux and interactions between people can slow things down and prohibit continued growth; when social media is placed into the picture the flow of change and level of interaction are increased.

Facebook

Widely perceived as the greatest social networking site available on the internet, there is no shortage of criticism for Facebook.com. The website sets trends, not follows them, and is on the frontier of discovery in the field of online communication. Facebook is increasingly a more valid form of reaching out to friends you have made and have yet to make.

One advantage of Facebook lies in its organization and its popularity. With so many unique users daily, one can log on to the site and see a great deal of their friends waiting to be contacted. Another advantage of Facebook based on communication, is the newly implemented group chat. The group chat feature allows for a quick and concise way to address a good number of peers at once.  Perhaps the greatest positive that Facebook has is the comfort of having so many friends so close to you at all times. Just the fact that you have so many people ready to contact art any point in time is a source of comfort.

Twitter

160 characters per message doesn’t seem like a lot. That can be viewed as a positive, though. This small amount of characters forces one to convey a point and helps us boil down a message to discover its essence.

That is only the technical advantage, though; Twitter.com is a huge hit with celebrities to reach out to fans, and let them know of upcoming chances to meet them or otherwise interact with them in some way. It also gives fans an opportunity to interact with each other. Of course it does give the fans that way to keep in contact with someone who they view as a role model, and keep that connection in a way that was not previously available.

Tumblr

Tumblr: the sprawling internet blogosphere. If Twitter has the ability to draw people together with the common interest of a role model, Tumblr has the ability to draw people together with the common interest of…well, anything.

Depending on your interests, you follow different people’s blogs and they have the opportunity to follow you back. It is a content based site, which lends itself to writers and artists alike. The site provides the sense of community that Twitter and Facebook don’t have, and also gives you the option of anonymity. The website is perhaps the greatest proprietor for meeting new people online based on interest group

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Pictures from:

http://www.blingcheese.com/facebook-icon.png

http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1124040897/at-twitter.png

http://wpmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tumblr.png

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‘Real Steel:’ Not the Real Deal

by David

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'Real Steel' opened last September

In director Shawn Levy’s Real Steel, hulking robots fight each other in back alleys and sports arenas as raving crowds cheer them on.  It’s fast-paced and exciting, and certainly takes advantage of a large special effects budget.  However, if you’re looking for a film with a little depth and a little soul, you’ll be disappointed by this film’s impenetrable steel exterior.

The blending of science fiction and fantasy makes the robots more interesting than the human characters in the film.  I don’t know if this flaw can be attributed to the film’s concept, which I think is a tad overzealous in its spirit of fun, or to the filmmakers, who were clearly influenced more by their appeal to audiences in hope of making a quick buck than by actual storytelling.

There’s no denying the technical merits of this movie, but more to the point, there’s no doubt that it’s more a cash cow that will inspire a very marketable line of toys and action figures.  That’s perfect timing, too–seeing that the holidays are just around the corner.

Loosely adapted from Ricahrd Matheson’s short story, “Steel,” the film takes place in the future in which specially designed robots have replaced humans as boxing champions.  People have grown tired with ordinary human matches; they now want to see figters tearing each other apart.  This is pivotal to the short story, which comments socially on people’s growing tolerance for violence and destruction.  So bring in the robots, which by definition have no legal rights and are unburdent by any sense of morality.  You can break as many as you like, as another one can always be built.

A routine, predictable, and sometimes unpleasant plot populated by characters the audience feels nothing for quickly overshadows any social commentary in the film, however.  At the heart of the story, though, lies Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman), in his heyday a boxing contender, but now a base, economically desperate promotoer of low-grade robot fighters.  When he isn’t making poor decisions on bets or black market robot purchases, he tries to woo his old flame, Bailey (Evangeline Lilly), the daughter of a boxing coach who once had Charlie under his wing.  She finds that she can’t make her monthly payments on her father’s old gym.  This is mostly Charlie’s fault; he hasn’t been paying Bailey his rent.

Shadow Mode

He suddently gains custody of his hardened, technically-incined 11-year-old son, Max (Dakota Goyo), whose mother, Charlie’s long forgotten ex-girlfriend, has died (did you get all that?).  Despite having no previous relationship with the boy, and wanting nothing to do with him, Charlie agrees to take Max for the summer.  However, it’s because it will benefit him financially.   He begins by blackmailing the wealthy husband (James Rebhorn) of Max’s aunt (Hope Davis) for $100,000, half of which will be delivered when Charlie’s services will no longer be needed.

It becomes clear that the film will be in large part a father/son bonding story. I am forced to question the logic of bringing them together through robot fighting, though, specifically Charlie’s shady dealings within it.  It isn’t long before Max is making bets of his own with some very dangerous people; this is innately unfunny, but Levy just writes it off as comic relief.

While searching through a robot junkyard one rainy night, Max literally stumbles onto an old robot model dubbed Atom.  After claiming it as his own and fixing it up, Max discovers that Atom was built with am unusually strong metal that is able to withstand the toughest of abuses.  It also has a “shadow mode” which allows it to mimic a person’s movements as he or she makes them.  Max and Charlie put two and two together and eventually use Charlie’s boxing history with Atom’s capabilities to try to better their situations.

While there are numerous twists throughout this plot, its main premise is hackneyed and flawed.  While it means well, the film is too far removed from Matheson’s original vision.  Without a convincing emotional anchor, without a human element, Real Steel is just a piece of machinery.

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Images:

http://www.impawards.com/2011/posters/real_steel_ver2.jpg

http://www.backstageol.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Hugh-Jackman-with-star-robot-Atom-in-Real-Steel.jpg

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An Open Letter to the Spineless Parents in Aisle 5

by David

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I know that action figure with the totally awesome sword is calling your kid’s name, but you need to straighten up and tell them “no.”  They have managed, in their brief little tantrum, to bother not only me, but also everything within a five mile radius with ears.

The horror, the horror!

I don’t understand it; I could see it coming from a mile away.  Your child saw the action figure, in its shiny box, from 3 aisles away.  3.  That’s when the whimpering began; the lower lip began to quiver, in anticipation of the Oscar-winning performance that was quickly to follow.  He looked at you with his beautiful “you can’t possibly say no” blue eyes, and said, “I want it.”

Then all hell broke loose.  As I watched, people came running, thinking that your child had gotten his leg caught in an industrial shredding machine, or had witnesses the death of a beloved pet.  Instead, you had told him no.

What perhaps was more interesting, however, was your child’s ability to call your bluff.  He believed, no, knew, that if he began wailing, and yes, kept wailing, you would eventually capitulate.  And you did.  In a record 2 minutes of ear-splitting shrieking, you gave in.  Handed the toy right over.

I’m not going to push all of the blame on you, though, as your child was the one constantly begging, but you are the one constantly giving into his incessant pleading and whining, waiting for another tantrum to hit so you can shut him up with a toy or a big cookie.  Why on this planet you find it justified to constantly cave into your kid’s efforts, I just don’t know.

You don’t want your kids growing up to be pleading fools for the rest of their lives, do you?  Fix it now before it gets worse; not everyone gets everything he or she wants.  So tell them to put down their toys, those shiny bouncy balls and Beach Barbies, and pick up a book.

Wishing for Deafness and Blindness,

Unsympathetic Bystander

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Image:  http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090203150513/uncyclopedia/images/2/28/Crying_child.jpg

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