Inspiration

The holidays are a time of giving and receiving love and that is exactly what NFL star Andre Johnson just did. Houston Texan star recently dropped approximately $17,000 (17K)  for about a dozen kids including their siblings being part of the child protection services. Where on Earth would he drop $17K? (you may be asking yourself) Toys R Us is the place for that! (especially for kids.) This is not just the first year Johnson has done such a kind act and deed but the seventh time actually where the previous years, the bill has been a little higher but still an inspiring and careful gesture by the NFL star. 

http://www.newser.com/story/179055/nfls-andre-johnson-buys-17k-in-toys-for-kids.html

Katy Perry

Rather than all the devastating and violent headlines that cover the vast majority of news feeds, I am here to blog about an inspirational story of a teenage girl. A 16 year old girl by the name of Olivia Wise had passed away on Monday due to her fatal condition, terminal brain cancer. Before she had died, she had recorded a song in a Toronto studio of the prestigious song, Roar by Katy Perry and posted it to YouTube which has racked up over a million viewers inspiring many viewers around the world. One of those viewers happened to be Katy Perry who responded and told Wise "I love you. A lot of people love you and that's why your video got to me. It moved everybody that saw it."
http://www.newser.com/story/178245/teen-with-cancer-finds-youtube-fame-before-death.html

New Top 'Dino'

This discovery of the week consists of an era way back in time to what I like to call, the Dinosaur Age. Approximately 98 millions years ago lived a four ton Siats meekerorum, whose bones were recently discovered in Utah. This dinosaur had roamed the Earth about 31 million years before the prestigious Tyrannosaurus Rex! Researcher at the Utah's Cedar Mountain Formation had found and dug up the Siat's toes, vertebrae, lower legs, hip parts, etc. Shockingly, these Siats (at a minimum) measured 30 feet long ranking theses Siats in North America as the 3rd largest predator discovered. Lastly, where did the term 'Siats' originate from in the first place? National Geographic reports this was a genus name originating back from a name of a vicious creature of native Ute tribe legend. That covers up my weekly blog, and be ready fr more discoveries in the future to read about!
http://www.newser.com/story/178044/before-t-rex-this-dinosaur-was-king.html

Cellphone tips!

The prestigious and well known electronic device occupied and used among many teens and adults these days is the cellphone whether it's used to check e-mail, play games, etc. It is one of your best friends and most utilized devices throughout your day that you rely heavily one. Well, I'm writing today to blog about new research that's been provided and discovered by tech contributor of USA TODAY, Jennifer Jolly. The first tip is simply turning off features that aren't being used nor ever needed e.g. Bluetooth, many of you probably leave it on but what's the use of the connection remaining on?? It is nothing battery drainage. Some other simple tips include lowering your brightness, (as in fact the majority of battery life is the screen) turning vibrations off keeping phone on silent, and a rather more interesting tip, avoid animated wallpapers as a still image would save crucial battery. Hopefully with these tips, people will have a longer enjoyed time utilizing with their phones making their life a tad bit easier.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/11/17/battery-life-ios-android-google/3517001/

Top Nutrition

As the vast majority of you already know, the United States of America is leading in percentile rates of obesity. That is not a category we should be up at the top of as nation. What are some simple conclusions for everyone to follow to reduce this percentage rate of obesity? Well, top nutritionists share these simple ideas to get kids more healthy and active starting with planning healthy dinner meals and as sitting at the dinner table as a family. Recent studies show family meals as a whole equal healthier weights and better school performance. Other tips simply included steering clear of sugary drinks, exercise and play outside more often,  use smaller plates when it comes to dessert, and just simply making sure your kids get the required 9-10 hours of sleep as emotional problems, difficulty concentrating and weight could affect your lifestyle. All these activities are simply stuff that we seem to be failing to put in action. The last thing you might be asking yourself is why does it matter if they're a few pounds obese or overweight? It starts with the extra pounds which then leads to greater potential for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as liver disease. Your weight is crucial in your lifestyle and it's important that you keep it fit because honestly, it's the only body you have for the rest of your life.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/10/kids-eating-exercising-healthfully/3358229/

Incredible Discovery of the Week!

For my weekly blog, I had chosen to write about a superb discovery that was made this week being featured on USA Today. Like I had said in my last blog, the majority of headlines on the news are always focusing on the bad and consisting of all the violence that occurs but I came across an interesting article I would like to share with you guys for today. For all of you dog owners out there, ever wonder why they wag their tail? Well, long story short, the way a dog wags it tails is actually a form of communication for other dogs. Dogs are able to pick up on a friend or foe depending whether the dog is wagging its tail to the left or right. It was suggested back then that a wag to the right symbolized that it was happy and friendly while to the left, it meant it sensed danger. It's amazing these animals have the ability to process this kind of visual cue!

http://www.newser.com/story/176854/how-dogs-tail-wags-speak-volumes-to-dogs.html

Great Humanity

The majority of headlines covering the news often consists of tragic stories or violent outbreaks. Well, after reading the news, I had read a couple uplifting stories that happened to be good news that proves the world isn't full of bad events after all. The first story starts out with a police officer who recently caught a mother in the grocery store attempting to escape with unpaid food (theft) and what did the cop do? She did NOT arrest her but rather helped her pay her food instead. I was amazed by the sincerity and good deed this cop had done.The other story I read was about a man named Ted Kremer, who is diagnosed with down syndrome, who served as a bat boy for the Cincinnati Reds.  (A prestigious baseball team) Topps, a major sports card company had made a baseball card for him featuring the man on an official MLB card. There are great things happening around us everyday that go unnoticed and the news sometimes fail to tell these great stories but I'm proud to read about and blog these uplifting stories when I come across one. 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/27/newser-uplifting-stories/3280455/

Young Hero

Taking place in Houston, Texas, an 8-year old becomes a hero for not only his mother but for his sister as well. It was a Thursday afternoon when Jose Alonso's mom had run into the gas station quickly leaving her son (Jose Alonso) and her daughter in the car and upon her dismissal and leaving, an SUV pulled up snatching a purse which happened to be the mothers who was still in the gas station. This man did not have a clue who he was dealing with ,when 8-year old, Jose Alonso managed to grasp his mom's wallet out of the purse later running after this fleeing purse snatcher. (Which he managed to do with one shoe on.) Not only was it a heroic action for his mother but when asked why he did such a courageous action, he replied, "My sister's party was coming up and I wanted her to have her party and I wanted my mom to get all of her stuff back." Now tell me, would you have the courage and greatfulness to do such an action Jose Alonso had pulled off? 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/20/newser-purse-snatcher/3090845/

Obesity

When people often come to the term 'obesity' it reluctantly strikes the human mind to think of humans being overweight. Well nowadays, it's not humans that are increasingly getting obese in today's society, but animals. Yes, animals, as in cats, dogs, one study in Baltimore even found out that rats were getting bigger and plumper. What is the cause of this exactly? The cliche answer would be the consumption of too much food or not enough exercise but scientists are now discovering that it potentially could be the chemicals absorbed in our air, soil and water. A Stirling University scientist who studies chemical effects and interactions with animals, reported that some ingredients in insecticides make mice less active physically and for humans, chemicals in plastics may alter human metabolism. These interesting studies show that obesity is much more complex rather than just being a 'couch potato'.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/13/newser-animal-obesity/2975343/

Self-Immolation

On a Friday night, a man had died because of single handedly setting himself on fire in the center of the National Mall, Washington D.C.  Katy Scheflen, a witness at the time of this event had said: "He was standing by himself in the center portion of the Mall when he emptied the contents of a red gasoline can on himself and set himself on fire moments later. This man was alive when the fire had started spreading to his body rapidly as passing joggers took their shirts off to extinguish the flames. Scheflen, the witness also reported she had seen a tripod set up near the incident. So far, it is unclear whether this man recorded the incident. This man was burned so harshly, he can only be identified by DNA and dental records. 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/05/police-man-who-set-himself-ablaze-on-national-mall-dies/?intcmp=latestnews

iOS DIZZY

I'm sure you are all familiar with the new operating system iOS 7 for the iPod, iPhone and iPad but what you didn't know is that this new operating system is making people feel a little queasy...literally. With in the first week of the  operating system and over 200 million downloads, users aren't exactly fulfilled with the effects, popping transactions and the flashy graphics. There have been many various Twitter complaints saying "when they open an app, it feels like its exploding at you and the constant movement makes me feel lightheaded." Greg Sterling, analyst of Sterling Market Intelligence remarks that the online comments are an over-reaction and but will fix it if it becomes a continuous serious problem. Sterling suggests that if you are contemplating whether to get the system, use your friend's device first to see if you like it, then download it.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/09/27/new-ios7-update-making-some-users-dizzy/2883587/

Cornell Lacrosse team Suspended

On the 13th of September, the fall schedule for the Cornell Lacrosse team got suspended including their exhibition games after hazing underage freshman with alcohol related harassment and embarrassment.  "Hazing practices are harmful and antithetical to our values as a university and our commitment to student athletes, they have no place in Cornell University athletics" stated from Cornell's Athletic director Andy Noel. Overall, there has been a concern with coercive traditions involving new students and upperclassmen. The Campus officials of Cornell have no patience or tolerance with hazing since the incident in 2011 with the death of George Desdunes being forced to drink alcohol while bound with duct tape. During this censure, the team will be permitted to practice and train.
http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/09/22/cornell-suspends-men-lacrosse-team-for-alcohol-related-hazing/?intcmp=latestnews

Bus Flip

Taking place in Southern Ohio on an early Saturday, a total of 34 people were taken to the hospital due to a bus turn over. The passenger bus was heading to Detroit when it all of a sudden overturned and landed on its roof Greyhound spokesman Kim Plaskett reported. 18 of the 52 passengers were uninjured while the rest of the 34 passengers were treated to the hospital by helicopter and car. The driver of the bus was well experienced and with the company for approximately 15 years. More investigation continues and as for now, let's hope the injured make it home safely with their family in good condition.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/14/at-least-34-injured-after-bus-overturns-in-southwest-ohio-613788054/

Lost in the Andes

Taking place in Argentina, a 58 year old man by the name of Raul Fernando Gomez from Uruguay was biking across the Andes between Chile and Argentina all the way back in May. Gomez quoted saying his bicycle broke down and he tried to finish his long audacious journey on foot when he lost his sense of direction from two heavy snowfalls.Gomez was found September 7th on a Sunday where he lost about 45 lbs and was severely dehydrated when found. Gomez made survived off his sugar and raisins he had packed with him but at times, he trapped rats and ate them. Although he had to eat a couple rats, it's a miracle that this man is still alive and with his family today.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/08/uruguayan-trekker-lost-4-months-in-andes-found-by-argentine-officials-reported/

Innocent Navy Veteran Killed

A man by the name of Errol Williams from Rockingham, North Carolina had been kidnapped at a Fayettville gas station from three men who chased him and shot him to death. Around 4:45 a.m. on a Sunday, two of the three men hopped into his car and forced Williams to drive to their destined location as the third kidnapper followed behind them in a different car. As soon as Williams attempted to escape from the men, he was shot and killed instantly. The three kidnappers went back to the gas station that afternoon and stole the surveillance security cameras while threatening the gas station employee with their gun. As of now, the three suspects are being identified and hunted down as the footage of the kidnapping got out to social media right away. The William's family gathered together Monday morning in remembrance for their loved one and his innocent death.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/03/nc-police-search-for-men-who-shot-and-killed-27-year-old-navy-veteran/