Patrick LaLiberte Staff Writer It may have taken a while, but jetpacks are finally here. No, I’m not talking about those water-propelled jetpacks that have become popular in recent years; I’m talking about actual jet-engine powered jetpacks. The kind of jetpack that Boba Fett uses in Star Wars. Basically, this jetpack is the real deal. The jetpack was made by a company called Jetpack Aviation, and the chief executive of the company, David Mayman, had the honor of being the test pilot of the new invention. The newest model JB-10 can reach speeds of up to sixty mph, can go as high as 3 miles in the air, and can stay in the air for up to ten minutes. Last year, Mayman took the JB-9 model for a ride around the Statue of Liberty. Recently, the first test of the JB-10 took place over the coast of Monaco, and it looks pretty impressive. Jetpack Aviation says the jetpack will be for sale in about three years, and it will cost about $250,000. This price is unrealistic for most people, but as more and more companies start to make similar devices, including Martin Jetpack and Jetpack International, jetpacks will become more common and the price will drop over time. It is pretty crazy to think that real, jet-engine powered jetpacks are no longer science-fiction. These devices are becoming more and more advanced with every year that passes; who knows how long it will be until jetpacks are a common mode of transportation. Uses for jetpacks other than transportation include search and rescue, evacuation, troop positioning and other military purposes. Jetpacks are just one of many recent technological advancements that are making this world look more and more like a sci-fi movie. Perhaps real hoverboards will be the next new invention you will be reading about in a news headline. Jessica Dorcelien News Editor Lying is a part of human nature because the brain is wired to do what is simple and what is easy. If, after trial and error, one finds that the truth won’t allow them to reach their desired outcome, then psychology's idea of positive reinforcement will cause people to lie. And if this method works, then why change it? Therefore, the behavior, in this case lying, will become recurrent. Yes, everyone lies. But no, not all lies are equal. The most common type of deception is when there is problematic information involved. In simpler terms, Stanford University’s Jeff Hancock states that the most common form is “people just leaving stuff out”; with this, he presented the supporting scenario: “I don’t want to tell you certain elements of what happened last night, but I’ll tell you everything else.” “Classic human lying” is categorized as protective deception that involves leaving things out and providing false information after being pressed into answering; whereas “padded, false” lying is categorized as the speaker lying because they do not care for the truth. Amanda Dybal Staff Writer During the week of Oct. 10, Apex High enjoyed our annual Spirit Week to create enthusiasm for our homecoming football game. Each year the crowning of homecoming king and queen occurs; the crowning of king happens during the pep rally and for the queen, at the football game. I had the honor to interview the 2016 homecoming king, Detrich Morrison-Jones, and the queen, Sadie Harden. Homecoming King Interview Detrich Morrison-Jones How did you feel when seeing your name on the ballot and then hearing that you were on the court over the announcements? "I was excited at the opportunity to be on the homecoming court. It was even more exciting when I heard I was in the top ten.” What inspired your dance for homecoming court? “I knew I wanted the drumline to play, but Sadie Harden and Shelby Poliachik worked together to develop our dance.” Why did you pick who you picked for your partner on the homecoming court? “Well, Sadie actually picked me, and I knew it was going to be fun to share the experience with her.” What was going through your head the first time it was your turn to perform in front of half the school? And was it different the second time around? “I was just going to have fun. I didn’t get as nervous as I thought; the second time was much more fun because it was more interactive.” What was going through your head when they were about to announce King? “I was a little nervous about the announcement. I was thinking that I may have a chance.” How did you feel when you heard your name announced that you won King? “I was so excited. It is hard to explain. I was truly speechless when they announced me; I was so overwhelmed.” What does the title of homecoming king and queen mean to you? “It means that you are among the most respected students of the school, and the majority of the student body believes this.” Did you go to the “last dance” at Apex High? If you did, did you enjoy it? “I didn’t. I had marching band. I heard it was lit though.” Amanda Dybal Staff Writer Apex High School has expressed nothing but hard work and spirit since 1907; the only obstacle from the students and teachers performing at their highest potential is the building itself. The students and teachers at Apex High are excited for the change. Everyone at Apex High have said that the move is much needed. Dr. Diann Kearney, principal, gives details regarding the move. She says, “One of the first things I was involved with when I got to Apex was the planning of the ‘New Apex’ and the move to Green Level High. We were projecting only a one year swing but then realized the condition of Apex High and decided it needed to be demolished, taking two years.” The county’s new high school, Green Level High School, will be the staff and students of Apex High’s new home for the next two years. It is currently under construction but should be finished soon. “Green Level is definitely a facility that is more conducive to everybody being closer together. It is also a safer building,” states Kearney. “We are trying to build the enthusiasm from this campus and all the traditions and transferring them to the new building.” She says that she would love to keep most everything the way it is. Rhea Sodem Staff Writer Over the summer, the new game Pokemon Go was released and has everyone catching Bulbasaurs and Charmanders. Originally, everyone thought this was just a normal iPhone game, but now it is starting to become a fitness app also. Statistics have shown that Pokemon Go could add on 2.83 years to user’s life. This app is making people move no matter their size, weight, or shape. Physical activity lowers the risk of mortality, therefore, expanding a user's life expectancy. Although the results may not immediate, Microsoft, after conducting a study, believes that in the long run the effects will be positive. Microsoft mentioned that games that promote public health are of importance to inactive Americans in our sedentary society. Pokemon Go usage has even surpassed Twitter. People are saying that this app is motivating people more than Fitbit. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, fewer than three in ten high schoolers get at least sixty minutes of physical activity every day. As teenagers in the peak of growing, this really affects their well-being. For many years, technology has tried to get people moving with things like Fitbits and Wii Fit. Now, with this game, people have been moving more than ever, and they are doing so despite the doubts on how long it will last and whether or not it’s safe to use. Once the game became popular, there were many stories about careless players and crime investigations surrounding Pokemon Go. Users are recommended to play safely and not to drive and play. There is also the side effect of muscle soreness near the neck because of constantly looking down at phones. It is up to the users if they want to keep playing with these conflicts. There are pros and cons to everything after all. Madeline Rudd Staff Writer Name: Judit Age: 16 Grade: 11 Where are you from? “I'm from Barcelona, Spain.” Have you been able to speak English your whole life? How long did it take you to learn? “Yes, I've been learning English since I was eight years old because I took English classes after school.” What is life, school, and culture like in Spain? “They are very different lifestyles, and school is also very different. Here school is very big, and there are a lot of people and classes to choose from that, in Spain, we don't have. We have like six classes a day, and they always change, and they only last a half hour and it's very... *laughs*, but I like it here more.” Bryce Cullen Staff Writer Thanks to a company called Letvision, they developed the first ever transformer has been developed out of a 2013 BMW. Their functions range from obviously being a car to being able to transform into a giant robot, that is able to turn its head and move its fingers and arms. The only downside to their amazing conversion is the fact you cannot actually drive the vehicle from the inside. Instead, it is remote controlled because the seating area inside the vehicle has been filled with electronics and hydraulics to perform the car to robot conversion. Therefore, this is basically the most expensive R/C car you could ever invest in. Although if you wish to purchase one, there is a possibility you could be denied. The company has stated that an interview will have to take place. This is because the company only works with buyers who have proper “project and reason to use” that matches with their unknown criteria. Meenakshi Sathish Editor-in-Chief Saudi Arabia’s rule on male censorship has been tolerated for long enough. The country’s women are done with the patriarchy that comes with the outdated law of having to be escorted by a male relative or husband in order to be out on public. Men that women can leave the house with include a father(in-law), husband, brother, or son. The idea that a woman’s son has more of a say on his mother’s whereabouts more than his mother explains the ridiculousness of the law. In a fight for their rights, women are using social media and hashtags as their arsenal. The hashtag, Stop Enslaving Saudi Women, is full of women tweeting out their concerns and anecdotes of how male guardianship is negatively affecting their lives. One of the most recent stories to surface the feed is about a woman who is forced to divorce her husband, despite her pleas, because her uncles do not think the couple is compatible. Other tweeters virtually shout against the event calling it a legal battle. User @Ifiguredit tweets, “You know, this legal battle started because she got married without her father's permission. Bear this in mind” to let others know the lack of freedom women have. Amanda Dybal Staff Writer The State Fair is a tradition for a lot of Americans in the United States. It is an occasion where friends and family go to enjoy games, rides, food, and each other; many people look forward to the shows, music, and fireworks. This year the North Carolina State Fair is full of old and new events. Opening on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 3p.m., the State Fair is a $10 admission fee which includes the Homegrown Music Festival. The festival includes 3 stages and 117 concerts consisting of Delta Rae with Katelyn Read, Super Chunk with Skylar Gudasz, a Johnny Cash Tribute, and more. This year the fair will have a few new foods. My favorites include the fried chicken and waffle kabobs, rocky road cupcakes, deep fried jello, and the man’s sandwich, which is a grilled cheese wrapped in bacon. At the end of every night (Oct. 13-23) the fair will be setting off fireworks at 9:45 p.m. Rhea Sodem Staff Writer Digital tools like Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram are becoming more and more popular as technology continues to improve. Social media can be used for more than posting and liking pictures; it can even save languages that are in danger of dying. Languages are depending on translating English terms used on Facebook like friend, invite, and poke. Recently, the Corsican language is slowly dying, so many speakers came together to translate Facebook terms into ones that their language can use. For example, for the word poke they made it “stuzzicà”, which means to alert or tease someone. There are two thousand speakers meet daily trying to translate symbols and Facebook terminology. All of the translations are not literal; some are general everyday dialect. |
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