Opinion

Trolls take to the internet to poke fun at Lady Gaga’s stomach during her halftime performance

Lady Gaga performed at the Super Bowl halftime show February 2. Many celebrities took to Twitter saying, “Wow @ladygaga killed the halftime show. Well done.”  said @nickjones. Katy Perry, who did the halftime show two years ago, said on Twitter, “Rooting for you @ladygaga! You got this #LittleMonsters.”

“I LOVED the halftime show!” said sophomore Abbigail Hock, Lady Gaga fan. “[Lady Gaga] goes above and beyond with everything, so it was no surprise that it was good.” Hock, who is in color guard, added “my favorite part is the color guard. When me and my sister saw the glowing blades in the background, we freaked out!”

Trolls took to the internet “body shaming” Lady Gaga, poking fun at her stomach while she performed. @PoliticsGhost said, ”I can see why Lady Gaga was breathing so heavy, her stomach was protesting her #superbowl performance. #LULZ #Gaga  #LadyGaga @LadyGaga.”

Cyber bullying is something that Fremont students should know all about after year and year of the cyber bullying videos we watch each and every year.

“Body shaming is ridiculous, and pathetic,” Hock said, “and it honestly made me upset when I saw all of it. People need to stop being petty.”

If you don’t know what a troll is, I offer my own definition.  It’s a low life person who feels so bad about themselves that the only way to make them feel good is to make fun of someone else. Usually, they are 40-year-old men and women who have never had any relations in their life and live in their parent’s basement.

Lady Gaga took to Instagram in response.

“I heard my body is a topic of conversation so I wanted to say, I’m proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too,” Gaga said. “No matter who you are or what you do. I could give you a million reasons why you don’t need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you. That’s the stuff of champions. Thank you so much everyone for supporting me. I love you guys. XoXo, Gaga.”

Lady Gaga’s response is taking the high road to the trolls. She could have been very rude, by body shaming the trolls, but instead she told everyone to be proud of their body, and not to cater to anyone to succeed, Which is very mature of her.

Hairspray live a huge success

        Imagine a 10-year-old boy with the blondest hair, late at night in his basement. He is standing in front of his television learning the dance moves and lyrics to a Broadway classic called Hair Spray. The 10-year-old boy was me. Yes, me.

If someone who watched the Hairspray movie that came out in 2007 were to watch the 1988 one for the very first time they would be very confused. I sure was.

For one, Amber’s mom does not work at the television station. Second, her dad is still alive.In the 2007 Hair Spray, he “mysteriously” died from suffocation (pretty sure Amber’s mom killed him). On the live Hairspray he is also not alive, and if he is he’s not shown

In the first Hairspray, Amber and Link are not dating whatsoever. Tracy and Link are dating for more than half of the movie. One HUGE difference is that there is very little singing, and the one or two songs that there are, are not sang by the main characters. I was very SHOOK.

Hairspray live was like the 1988 Hairspray and the 2007 Hairspray had a baby but the 2007 Hairspray had the more dominant genes.

In my professional opinion, Garrett Clayton, who played Link Larkin, is 10,000 better and more attractive than Zac Efron who was Link Larkin in the 2007 movie.

Another thing that is different about the live Hairspray, and the 1988 Hairspray is that it’s called the Auto Show, but in the 2007 and live Hairspray it’s called The Teenage Miss Hairspray.

Overall the singing, dancing, and acting was really well done, since it was live there was sometimes that when they were on the streets that their microphone would not work for a little while or that the actors just need to take a breather from all the moving and singing.

Social media has quickly helped us forget that none of us have picture perfect skin

Social media has drastically changed what we view and experience. Suddenly in this digital age, the entire world is privy to private thoughts, intimate moments, and situations that would usually pass without incident are blown up on national news networks. Some are hilarious, but most tune us into trends that should not only concern us but push us towards change.

Spreading rumors and hate campaigns over social media for some likes and retweets has become commonplace. It is more than petty, it’s just plain nasty.

We celebrate dangerous and illegal activity, retweet cyberbullying and encourage racism. For example, The #Don’tJudgeChallenge was supposed to be a campaign to address body shaming using social media but turned into hundreds of thousands of people degrading those who have acne, imperfect eyebrows, or ratted hair. Spreading rumors and hate campaigns over social media for some likes and retweets has become commonplace. It is more than petty, it’s just plain nasty.

Colleges aren’t just looking at good grades either anymore, some scouts spend workdays going through future applicant’s profiles, determining if they are worthy to enter their university. No business would want to hire someone that would be at risk for defaming the company online, the same goes for higher education.

Nobody looks like Kim K’s Instagram posts without some severe contour and filters, not even Kim herself! I’m not shaming those who wear makeup, at all, it’s an excellent artistic tool and can help everyone to feel more confident no matter ethnicity, gender, or religion. However, when as a society we fail to understand the difference between the two, and then equate what people everywhere else in the world look like to what we see and show on social media, we forget what the human body and face appear like.  

This continuation of a trend that is rapidly increasing in popularity, it has girls and boys alike staring into mirrors trying desperately to achieve this standard that has been propagated not only by the media but by ourselves.

We cannot assume real faces are poreless, baked, contoured and with lashes as long as a mile. The push for perfection and the expectation for flawless skin, bodies and social media has turned us into a culture that no longer realizes the difference between airbrushed and realism.

This continuation of a trend that is rapidly increasing in popularity, it has girls and boys alike staring into mirrors trying desperately to achieve this standard that has been propagated not only by the media but by ourselves.

We are creating a culture where imperfect skin, stretch marks, and natural hair are aspects to be ashamed of, instead of the physical effects of being a living human being. As flawed as we are, this set the stage for some of the most moving pieces of artwork ever created. The fact that we aren’t perfect drove the realism art movement, the portrayal of people in their natural state.

There is real-raw-emotion that we can portray when we aren’t worried about superficial appearances. It can change the world and the way people perceive themselves in the future. Celebrities are often praised to Hollywood and back for being unafraid to post “all natural” selfies, why should it be any different for the rest of us? Let us praise and take inspiration from their scars, blackheads, and freckles galore.

Hometown Pizza, located in Ogden, brings a new twist to the typical mom and pop pizza parlor

Good food, friendly environment, and even better prices. When I first walked into Hometown Pizza, I instantly smelled  fresh pizza and a little cinnamon.

When I went up to the counter, they asked “take out or buffet?” For my sister and I, it was $19.25. $8.99 for adults and $4.99 for children. The options they had (when I was there) were 3 meat, pepperoni, and supreme. Upon request, they will make a different kind of pizza, everyday varies.

My sister and i got the exact same meal, the three meat, and pepperoni pizza with bread-sticks.

Not only was the food mouth watering, but fountain drinks were on point.  Along with what I previously got , I had a cinnamon sugar twist, which is basically a cinnamon unrolled and twisted, that was pretty good.

About 40 minutes into our eating, my sister noticed the owner making a pizza with her hands and was throwing it in the air. I personally did not believe her, but then I turned my back and I was in absolute shock. Usually pizza places just use some machine to roll out the dough, so seeing that they hand make their pizzas added to the experience.

After we finished eating, they said “Have a good day” as we were walking out the door. That alone showed me how family friendly they are. To top it all off the 50’s and oldies music added a nice touch to the whole experience.

Don’t get your hopes up for a fresh new scene, it could be everything you’re already used to.

When I got home from my first day of college, I ate a snack, took a nap, and then did homework. It was a long day and I was anxious to be in a college classroom with actual Weber State students, all ranging from two years older than me, to thirty years older than me.

After I finished my homework that was due the next day, I realized something. There was no difference between how I felt at college and high school. The teachers weren’t different, the students really weren’t that different, and the experience wasn’t different.

And that’s why I am now 100% convinced that high school and college are actually just the same thing. The only difference is, is that I’m being forced to go to one of them and paying thousands of dollars to attend the other.

Both sound fun, right?

I don’t know why, but I was expecting giant auditoriums and teachers who don’t ask what my name is. And laptop keys clicking over the sound of a lecture, and loving everything about it. But that’s not what I got.

Although I’m sure some colleges do have what I pictured, I was alarmingly reminded of my everyday routine at Fremont: Ignore people, get ignored, take notes, talk some, doodle all over my assignment, and tell people how to pronounce my last name.

At the end, I got assigned two pieces of homework and my professor told us he would see everyone next time.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

But some people disagree. College freshman and Fremont graduate Ronni Baird said, “College is more independent, and more refreshing. There’s more people to meet, and more things to get involved in.”

Which is something to look forward to, I guess.

ColourPop comes out with a lip product that lasts through anything

Finding the perfect lip product for any occasion can be a struggle.  We all need something that will stay on through sweat, eating, the tears we cry during school, and anything else life can throw at us.  ColourPop’s newest lip products seem to do just that.

ColourPop has come out with new liquid lipsticks.  They come in matte, satin, and glossy finishes, and they are available in just about every color.  From nudes to deep reds, they even have shades of blue for a more daring look.  

I bought these lip products on a whim; I was looking for something new and stumbled upon these.  Now I am in love.  This is why:

1. They come in so many colors. There really is something for everyone.  Whether you need something for a formal event or casual wear, they’ve got it.
2. They do not move off your lips.  This is not an exaggeration.  I wore the Ultra Satin lip color in Frick‘n Frack to homecoming and it stayed on all night.  After a lot of sweat, drinking water, and even having water dumped on me a few times, my lips still looked flawless.  Although, the glossy formula does not stay on nearly as long as the others.
3. They are easy to apply.  I need all the help I can get when it comes to applying makeup, but even I can apply these without looking like the joker.
4. Best of all, they are super inexpensive! Each one is only six dollars.  One downside is that they don’t sell them in stores, so you have to order online, but I promise it is worth it.
5. Finally, it was surprisingly really easy to remove.  A simple swipe of a makeup remover wipe and it was gone.  They matte one was a little bit harder to remove, but still fairly easy.

ColourPop also sells many other great products.  I have also tried their Lippie Stix, a standard lip stick, and they are also a favorite of mine.  They also sell lip liners, blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, eyeliners, and eyebrow products, all of which have great reviews.  ColourPop is definitely a website you’ll want to check out soon.

Cine Point 6 offers great prices along with modern interiors

151 E. 12th st. Ogden, UT 84404

The traditional date is going to dinner and a movie. But when a student is broke, they can’t afford to spend that kind of money on a date, which is where Cine Point 6 comes into play.

Situated between Subway and IHOP, is the Cine Pointe 6 movie theater on 12th st. Tickets cost $3.00 for regular movies, and $5.00 for 3D.

The theater was half full,with both young and old. It was a larger crowd than I had expected,but Star Wars The Force Awakens was in the theater that weekend, and it was Good Friday.

When we approached the concessions, our very own Kade Parks, and Marina Orozco work there,and she just so happened to help us with our food.

For three people, it cost $34 for each of us to have food and drink, compared to an adult ticket for $17 at the Megaplex.  For a good price, we got a Large popcorn, and a large drink. There’s also an option to get a ‘megadeal’ (2 large drinks and a large popcorn) it’s $16.75. As for candy, most are $4. That much food at the Megaplex would have cost us a house mortgage.

The concessions were good. The drinks weren’t watery, and the popcorn had just the right amounts of butter and salt. They also have a good selection of candies for sale.

When I sat  down, the leather chairs reclined, and weren’t close together. The temperature was a bit too cool for some, but not as cold as are many other theaters.The Movie quality, along with the audio was superb.

Whether it’s for a date, a family activity, or just something fun to do, the overall experience makes the Cine Point 6 theater a good choice.

High School and long time friendships are hard to maintain

High School is hard. I’m not just talking about the homework or the classes, but the abrupt end to a lot of friendships. I mean do friendships just not withstand the test of time? Or is there an unexplained reason as to why people that have been friends since 1st grade stop being friends once they hit high school?

It’s a known fact that friendships will have their ups, downs and periods of separation. Maybe it’s the different classes, or the different lunches, but before you know it, the friendship has just dissolved. It’s hard to maintain a friendship when you only see a friend once a week, passing each other in the halls.

With an average of 30-40 students per class and tons of extracurricular activities and clubs, everyone is bound to meet new people and, as a result, make new friends. I don’t know about you, but I love meeting new people!

“I meet new people in classes with seating charts and just talking to them,” said Sophomore Carla Conti, who has met new people coming to high school.

Let’s face it. High School changes most people. Whether it’s personal issues, life changes or even personality shifts, everyone changes. This can cause some friendships to drift apart, even if we don’t want it to. Sometimes this drift might feel more natural to you than to your friend or vice versa, causing this whole mess of, “It’s not you, It’s me.”

“A lot of my friends did change,” said a Junior, who has recently lost a close group of her friends. “We just went our own ways and did our own things. I guess it’s just a part of growing up. I made new friends and all, but it’d be nice to still be friends with the people I’ve known for years.”

Sometimes we have to let nature take it’s course and just accept that some friendships don’t work out throughout high school. It’s hard to lose friends that you’ve had for years, but high school is the opportunity to make tons of new ones with new memories to come.

Don’t stop in the middle of the hall

If you’re walking with your friends to your next class, don’t stop and start up a conversation in the middle of the hallway.

“I usually gets about a good 3 steps in before having to stop for a group [of people talking],” said junior Katie Olsen.

The rule of not stopping in the middle of things is true for the stairs also. Just like the hallway, you need to leave enough room for others, or go in a single file line. There should be two lines: one going up, and one going down.

When students walk in pairs, or clumps, it jams up the walkways. With that being said, please don’t move in herds while going up or down the stairs.  If you can’t see anyone else then go ahead, and carry on your conversation but, as soon as you see someone coming to the stairs that you are on, quickly move so that you are either behind or in front of the person walking the same direction as you.

We have 2,065 students plus 130 staff (teachers, counselors, janitors, etc). If even half of us use a system, then everyone would get to their destination on time.

Canadian singer/songwriter explodes from Vine

It takes a unique musician to capture a listener’s attention within the first few notes. Ruth B, a 20 year old rising singer, happens to be one of those musicians catching my attention immediately. Her whispery vocals accompanied by her piano playing, plus her own powerful lyrics, makes for an amazing artist that I can’t stop listening to.

Ruth B released her first EP back in November and continues to gain fans ever since. She first became popular through the social media app Vine. By posting six second video snippets of her song “Lost Boy,” she created anticipation among people that couldn’t stop watching. Within six months, she had two and a half million YouTube followers, blazed a sales trail on iTunes, and was signed to a major record label.

“The Intro,” Ruth B’s EP contains four songs. “Two Poor Kids” is the first song and is all about love. Ruth B sings about how she doesn’t need anything fancy, “just us, just love.”

The next song is the one that made Ruth B famous. “Lost Boy” is a melody about Peter Pan. All the lyrics match perfectly with the storyline and the piano accompaniment is stunning.

My personal favorite song “Golden” is a soft song that packs a self-empowering punch. The lyrics are stunning and sing of being yourself, despite others criticism. “Tonight I’m no bronze I’m no silver / You’ll be thinking damn I knew her / But you didn’t.”

The last song on “The Intro” is “Superficial Love.” This love song is about Ruth B wanting more than just PDA and is fitting for many high school relationships.

For anyone looking for new music and who likes softer voices, I’d definitely recommend giving Ruth B a shot. She’s perfect for those rainy days or times when background music is needed. While these four songs are great for now, I hope to see a Ruth B album soon.