The Bluffer - Red Bluff, CA
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/171165
Staff Editorial Opinion C Page 2 September 13, 2013 No war in Syria... The news is out: we are not going to war with Syria. Yet. And thank goodness for that. For those that don't know, we came very close to starting a "military conflict" with Syria after they allegedly gassed their own citizens, violating the Geneva Convention and seriously peeving the entire national community. President Obama then said that the U. S. would soon be launching some kind of military strike against Syria. All the signs pointed to war. Then, Secretary of State John Carry was asked what could stop a war against Syria and he sarcastically responded, "If they were to turn over their chemical weapons…" However, this was taken seriously and now we are not going to fight them anymore. At least for now. There is still a lot of tension in Syria so we will probably be debating war with them again soon. This is great news. America does not need another war. We do not need to send any more of our sons and daughters to fight wars in far away places over things we don't fully understand. But the threat of war with Syria still looms, and though it looms further than it was looming previously, it still looms loomingly on us. Now, some people say we should intervene to save Syria's citizens. After all, if Syria is gassing its citizens then America should intervene, right? Wrong. America should definitely not get involved with Syria in the future. Sure, what Syria is doing to its citizens is bad, but it's not America's job to help anyone in need. We need to worry about ourselves right now. I am sorry for what is happening in Syria, but right now America has enough problems of its own to deal with. We as a nation can't just try to swoop in and rescue all nations in need. If we do that, then we also have to help North Korea with it's starving citizens or maybe help the entirety of Africa with its huge problems of mass starvation and wide-spread malaria outbreaks. We just got out of a long war in Iraq and we deserve a period of peace. Until the next elections. Celebrities influence our lives elebrities. How is it that for most of us, somebody we've never met in real life can so greatly inf luence our everyday lives? From the checkout lane at the grocery store to the home page of our favorite web search engine, we are constantly bombarded with celebrity news and gossip. Although it would be easy to say that celebrities aren't that interesting and we "really don't care" about their daily lives, then why is it that reality shows such as "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" are so often viewed in the United States? Why are media sources such as TMZ and tabloids so popular? In reality, the general population is fascinated by the lives of celebrities. For example, from a young age, children watch Disney Channel, which is filled to the brim with stylish characters and personalities. The cannedaudience laughter of Disney with your own family. In conclusion, celebrities are just people. They make mistakes, and they are definitely far from perfect. Spending time obsessing over someone who you'll probably never meet is not advisable if you want to live a mentally healthy lifestyle. Remember, you only live once, so live this life how you want, and in that way, it will be especially perfect. Channel shows offer children a false perception of what being a teenager, and even an adult, is really like. So from this young age, children learn to idolize celebrities so much so that they find themselves at an older age hooked on reality shows, once again offering them the false perception of how real life should work. The bottom line? Nobody's life is perfect. Allowing glimpses of a celebrity's so-called "glamorous" lifestyle to ultimately dictate the choices you make as an individual is the same as listening to a boss dictate your every move. What can we do to prevent this from happening in our lives, from letting celebrities or a false image of a perfect world affect our decisions? Put down the tabloid, pick up a book. Turn off the reality show, turn on Sharknado. Spend a little less time "Keeping up with the Kardashians" and catch up Maggie Tallan Staff Writer Students should go green by recycling bottles and paper O ver centuries, we have used the Earth to satisfy our needs. In other words, we have selfishly put ourselves before Earth. We can no longer maintain this abuse to Earth, our home. The rising temperature has caused the polar caps to melt, thus resulting in an increase of ocean water, raising sealevels, etc. Around the world people from multiple cultures and places are taking action and are going green. When thinking about going green, to many to people it means many things. Going green in a lot of people's own words means recycling. But, going green does not only involve recycling, it can many so much more. Going green involves much more! Basically, going green means to live life as an individual as well as a community, in a way that is friendly to the natural environmental and is sustainable for the earth. Here, at Red Bluff High School, we have Special Spartans who recycle and help our school be green. A way Red Bluff High School goes green is by placing white buckets in all classrooms for student and teachers to recycle bottles and paper. There are many things everybody can take part in to help our environment. There are simple things you can do to be green like, after drinking a beverage that was contended in a aluminum can or a glass bottle you can recycle it. Doing something simple like recycling a beverage everyday can help our environment deeply. Tymberlyn Bealer Staff Writer The Apple iPhone is at risk of just being another smart phone O n September 10, 2013, Apple held their annual technology conference at their headquarters in Cupertino, California. Anyone even slightly knowledgeable about the Apple Corporation knows what a conference this time of year means: a new iPhone. Apple did not fail to disappoint, as it released not one, but two new iPhones. The iPhone 5S, the next step in the long iPhone lineage, and a completely new idea: the iPhone 5C. Hoping to increase already phenomenal sales, Apple released the iPhone 5C, a cheaper, more affordable option to those who may not have been able the original iPhone. By substituting aluminum and glass for plastic, the iPhone 5C starts with a price point at just $100. The iPhone 5S, although not as novel or new as the 5C, still brings many new things to the smart phone table. Apple introduced a new mobile processer capable of processing speeds twice as fast as its predecessor, the iPhone 5, and 46 times faster THE BLUFFER News Editors Marissa Chase Josiah Vasey Editor-in-Chief Marissa Chase Staff Writers Julia Liebert Tymberlyn Bealer River Mist Grey Grotke Maggie Tallan Garret Ward A & E Editor Owen Ritter committed to advancement and improvement, are primarily motivated by one thing: money. Sure, a new iPhone every year is good, but it is getting old. With an increasing dearth of changes present every year, the novelty of a 'new' phone loses its effect. It is understandable that Apple is mostly interested in revenue, but the once extremely captivating and revolutionary phone is slowly losing its magic. Apple needs to change things up with the iPhone, or risk being swept away in the ever-increasing world of smartphones. River Mist Staff Writer SPARTAN THUMBS Adviser Editor-in-Chief Advertising Director Kellie Rodriguez Alisa Pelanconi Josiah Vasey Viewpoint Editors than the original iPhone. The largest surprise and revelation in smartphone technology, though, was not this. It was the introduction of the fingerprint scanner built into the home button of the iPhone 5S. Users can now forget the old passcode to unlock their phones or log into their Apple accounts and use the fingerprint scanner, which Apple is calling Touch iD. Although these changes may seem revolutionary to some, they are hardly anything to truly call "revolutionary". Apple has followed the same refresh pattern for iPhones for the past 6 years, so this year was hardly anything unexpected. Apple knows though, by updating each year slightly, they keep consumers happy enough to purchase another device, although it has hardly changed. Apple has the process figured out, and although Apple could radically change the iPhone every year, they choose the follow their same consistent pattern for the sake of revenue. Apple, although seemingly Cartoonist Karla Nowicki Features Editor Ceighlee Fennel Sports Editor Ryan Fisher Topics Editors Bailey Patchen Becca Blanchard Editorial Policy: Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the district, staff, or student body. We welcome signed letters to the editor. Names may be withheld upon request. We also reserve the right to edit submission based on length and/or clarity. First Home Game It is time for people to show their spirit and support! Tutoring After School There is now tutoring after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. New Tardy Policy Students are not liking the new tardy policy in place. Hawaiian Rally Get out of classes early, have fun, and enjoy the rally! Smoke and Fires All the smoke and fires are cramping people's styles. *These Thumbs came from Mrs. Dausse's 6th period class.