November is the official home to elections, Veteran’s Day, and Thanksgiving, and unofficially the beginning of snowy winter weather and the first month of the Christmas season (for those few excited elves). But for over 12 years, it is also home to the beard season.

Created by a group of Australian men in 1999, Movember (moustache + November) promotes awareness for men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer. After registering on the official site, these unique men, aptly called Mo Bros, forgo their razors for the whole month of November, turning into a walking billboard for their important cause.

Seeming to fit the mold of a coffee-shop-folk-music-hero, these men fund the campaign by gathering sponsors, or simply donating their own sum of money. Having raised over 174 million dollars, the Movember cause donates funds to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, which funds research accelerating discoveries of better treatments and ultimately the cure for prostate cancer, Livestrong, which funds programs that addresses the needs of men’s cancer survivors (created by Lance Armstrong), and their own Movember Foundation, which uses money to raise funds for their awareness and education program (to increase understanding of the health risks that men face) and the Global Action Plan (to accelerate key outcomes in research by facilitating global collaboration projects).

This cause is truly unique and innovative. While raising awareness for a mens issue, women can also get involved. Called Mo Sistas, women can raise awareness just as a man could, just without sporting the facial hair. These women can get others involved, raise awareness to those around them, and raise funds for the cause.

Various companies are also getting involved, creating products that will also benefit Movember. Popular companies like Threadless and TOMS Shoes have created merchandise to allow others to also get involved with the movement. Smaller companies yet have created things like jewelry, cuff links, skateboard decks, biking equipment, hats, and apparel. There is also a free Movember iPhone app, allowing Bros and Sistas to always be in the loop.

Whether you call it Movember, or Novembeard, or No Shave November, consider the possibilities with this fun, exciting month for a simple cause, and think twice when you judge the grungy scruff on the men around you.

I’m no stranger to tricky eating choices. Seven years ago I made the choice to become a vegetarian at the young age of eleven. I didn’t quite know what I was doing, but it seemed easy enough to cut meat out of my diet. Even before then, I had never eaten red meat before, so the overall switch only involved cutting out chicken and a small amount of fish. To be honest, it was easy. It made me feel good to know I was saving a my share of animals, along with having a bit of a healthier lifestyle. I was proud of this, just as I am now.

Reaching high school, I became more involved and knowledgeable with this choice. I did a good share of research, talked to many fellow vegheads, and viewed Meet Your Meat  (if you want to kick start a vegetarian diet, watch this NOW) and many other PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) videos. What can I say? I was hooked on my choice.

I was always curious, though, about the even more extreme dietary choice: veganism. I’ve been a member of PETA for quite some time now, and the heavy slew of information thrown my way always pointed out the benefits in this choice. For those  who don’t know, vegans don’t consume any animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. It seems to many lifelong vegans, the lifestyle is effortless. I had always wished I had this kind of dedication. So that’s what I wanted to try: one week living my life as a vegan would.

Let me tell you, it was definitely not effortless. Starting out, I made several trips to Kent Natural Foods Co-op and the local grocery store, picking up more than enough healthy vegan choices (among the purchases: fruits and vegetables, chili mix, LOTS of peanut butter, assorted crackers and snacks, Morningstar bacon, chicken, and burgers, soy milk, and Tofurkey). Vegan food makes quite the dent in your wallet (thanks, mom!), about as much, if not more, than organic food is. By far, the trickiest part about shopping was ensuring there was no milk or egg products in anything I was buying.

As a high school senior, I am SUPER busy. My meals tend to be fast food grabbed between school and work, a quick pasta dish that I can whip up late at night while tackling piles of homework, or a slice of pizza brought home from the shop my parents own. There is definitely a limited amount of vegan options for this, and I found myself packing lots of snacks for the day instead. I definitely felt better physically, though, eating an apple and pretzels instead of a cheesy bean and rice burrito from Taco Bell (even though they are delicious). Being forced only one time to find a meal not put together by myself, ironically at a journalism conference, I managed to find a delicious lunch of hummus, veggies, and pita. Other days I enjoyed things like chili (Chicago style, of course!) and pizza bagels. Snacks ended up being things like granola bars, assorted fruits, pretzels and peanut butter, or delicious chocolate chip cookies (made with soy chocolate and no eggs).

Everyone has a different reason for the vegetarian or vegan diet choice. Some are brought up that way, knowing that lifestyle only. Others adopt it later in life after finding out the endless amount of facts about the animal industry (did you know approximately 660,000 animals are killed an hour for meat?). Others do it for the health benefits (you can reduce your chance of a heart attack by 15% if you cut meat, dairy, and eggs out of your diet). But no matter what the reason, it still requires immense dedication and drive to keep up the choice. Kudos to you, vegans! I admire the choice you’ve made!

In high school for a female, many believe it’s all about looks. Life as a teen should be about memories and being you. If someone can’t accept you for being yourself, then there not worth being a part of your life. Too many girls are worried about being that “skinny” model type girl. They want to be popular, and liked by everyone; in the end that's never the most important thing. Everyone was made they are for a reason. We don’t all come from rich backgrounds and everything being handed down instead of working for what you want. Looks should not set how successful you are or how judge but it’s really about what’s on the inside. So you’re not the prettiest girl. I may think a girl is very beautiful but maybe the man or women in front of my may think different. It’s all opinionated. Every morning when 90% of high school girls wake for school they spend time on hair and makeup because they think well if I don’t think I look good no one else will think either. Attention from others is always a plus to situations but the people who give you most of that attention a lot of tomes don’t really matter. So a boy looks at you in the hall way doesn’t mean you’re going to get married to him someday. Looks are important, but you don’t have to be absolute prettiest. Be beautiful in your own ways. Have your own style and love yourself because if you don’t love yourself first you can’t love anyone else. This doesn’t mean that you have to be cocky and conceded, but care for yourself. You don’t have to wear 90 dollar jeans or 100 dollar shoes. Have your own style, but do it your own way. You don’t have to be skinny to be beautiful. You don’t have to wear what everyone else is to fit in. Many girls do believe to fit in this is what you have to do, but your true friends will love you for you. They won’t love you because you’re wearing the same outfit as the girl who sits next to you in English. We all get uncomfortable with ourselves about things. You don’t have to hate yourself though because someone else dislikes something about you. To be successful in life and commit to your dreams, to achieve goals you must always believe in yourself. Push yourself when it’s hard; love yourself when you’re in the mood to hate, but at the end of the day, remember if you love yourself you will be able to take yourself as far you want. Nobody is perfect not even the models and actresses. Technology is good for making them look good. Be yourself and love yourself, that will take you a long way.

I am writing to you to discuss the troubling outcome of the Troy Anthony Davis execution. I believe that the outcome was unjust seeing how they didn’t have any physical evidence. The only evidence they had was nine eyewitness. Seven of them recanted and said the Georgia Police forced them into saying it was Davis. The most shocking event that came out of it was two of the remaining witnesses might’ve been the real gun men. I really don’t think this case came down to what race he was, but rather it came down to government of Georgia making an example out of an innocent man. The government party that is in office for Georgia is at its end and the governor probably needs to show that they’re not short on crime. But you really couldn't have expected the outcome to be any different then what happened. The man was sentenced to death years ago but didn’t try to postpone it before a hour before the actual time. What I’m hoping is some good comes out of this. The good, I hope, is that kids who are doing some of the things they’re doing realize that could have been them. Troy Davis was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sincerely,
Jeffrey Stevens

Issue 2 started off being known as Senate Bill 5. Our Governor, John Kasich, created this bill, which is mainly reducing collective bargaining rights for all Ohio public workers. This goes for teachers, police officers, firemen, and city workers. There been rallies; broadcasting on TV, and even people walking around neighborhoods raising awareness of this issue to have people vote “NO” on issue 2. I myself have gone to two rallies in support of my mom as a teacher and an union worker, and also friends and family members working for the city or even working under the union.

Unions know they are a target of Issue 2, because of their focus on collective bargaining over benefits, wages, working conditions, and representing their members if the management attacks their contract. As the unions are targeted, it only makes them try harder to let people know about the insanity that is being aroused by the bill, thus have a better chance of the bill not passing November.

Issue 2 not only affects the public workers, but also student. If teachers being let go, then there are less teachers, meaning more students per class. Say there are now 30 kids a class instead of 20, then student are possibly not getting the best education that they can possibly get. With more students in each class, there is not as easy of a way to get or even provide the special one on one time needed to help the education level of the students.It also affect student that are thing about studying to be a teacher, or police officer, or a firemen, etc. If those occupations in the industry are not doing well because of this issue, then student are going to have start careers that they might not necessarily enjoy doing. These teachers, firefighters, and policemen help make up the middle class, so if a lot of them were laid off then they would not have money to go to small businesses, which in the long run could cause those businesses to go away.

I have had people say to me that Issue 2 does not affect them, but yet they are working under the unions So if they got laid off, would they admit that it was because of Issue 2? Their spouse even goes with what they say, but yet they are a teacher’s aid. If thier teach got let go, then they would automatically be out of a job too. That doesn’t affect them? I believe their words were “I believe in my governor.” Yeah, you believe in him until you’re out of a job. Even then they would probably have anoth reason why what happened, happened.

Being around my Mom, and seeing what she does, and how she handles this has really helped me understand the topic as a whole. The other side being; Issue 2 allows us to reclaim our schools, there are better health care and retirement benefits for governmenr officials, and it allows us to respect our tax payers. Wopdeeeeeeeeeeeee-dooooooooooooo!!!! Whooooooo cares? Better retirement? Well what about the people that don’t even get to retire because they got let go because Issue 2 passed?

If gay marriage was legalized, what would happen?

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The opening game of the season pitted the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders against non-conference foe the Canfield Cardinals.

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Shadows of the Damned is like no other game on the market with solid game-play, creative presentation and awesome music and makes it the must play of the summer.