Legend of Edda

Legend of Edda is finally having a CBT after a year of being shut down. This game will be available to play in 18 hours. The download is already up. Sign up before it's too late or else you'll have to wait until the game is OBT for everyone. The game is typically Titans vs. Olympians. You choose either side and during the PvP thats on your level. You get to battle against each other. Each class has their own special skills however you must obtain God points. You get god points for killing and participating in the PvP. There are 6 classes, however there are only 3 types of gears. The gameplay is fairly simple. All you need to is grind and get UPG and upgrades your weapons and armor then you'll be OP. Download and sign up at gamescampus.com.

- Stephen Huang 

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November Birchbox 2012

So finally my Birchbox arrived, Birchbox operates from New York so the shipping was a little messed up due to Hurricane Sandy. Birchbox is a monthly subscription service that sends you 4-5 beauty samples each month for $10, its available for males too. Since its Thanksgiving Birchbox included a reusable gift envelope for the recipients to give to a friend, family member, or stranger with anything inside. I think it’s great how Birchbox gives us the opportunity, and I’m definitely going to participate in it.

Product Spotlight

I received:

 Stila: all over shimmer liquid luminizer

The sample size is what I generally expect and it’s an actual beauty product you can use every day. This product is really shimmery, and you can put it anywhere on your face. There is a color to it, but I like to blend it to make it more natural.

MCMC Fragrances-Phoenix

Most people don’t like perfume samples, but I actually do because it lets me try out different scent that I could use if I liked them. And the they’re a decent sample size so if you feel like you don’t like it, you can give it away or if you do like it, be able to wear it for some time. This scent, Phoenix is sort of musky made with Neroli flower and vanilla. Not exactly my cup of tea, as I’m the type of person who favors the fruit scents.

Kiehl’s Crème de Corps

This lotion is great; it has no scent which is great for people with sensitive noses like me. It absorbs quickly into the skin, and is enriched with cocoa butter, and sesame oil. So it is also moisturizing. I am really pleased with the products I got this month. Want a Birchbox? Visit www.birchbox.com

Zakiyyah Mandisa 

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MERRY GHOSTMAS!!

Dear Baruch,
Halloween has come and past, so did thanksgiving. And now all you seem to care about is Christmas. Well you all forgot about the most perfect holiday of the ages. Ghostmas! Yes, its Ghostmas time! What is Ghostmas some of you are probably asking? Heretics! Ghostmas is about love, and revenge! Here’s the status quo for Ghostmas. You’re going to want a blank t-shirt say #1. On this day you and everyone else is the #1 guy. Also, you need some paint or spray paint; we usually spray hearts and whatever else you want.  There are also pumpkins involved, you usually throw them. Ghostmas can be any day you want it, but hardcore fans celebrate between the time of Halloween and Christmas. Ghostmas is a fun time to let your imaginations go free, it was founded by Blockhead, the yellow guy in the picture. He’s a little cartoon character made by Michael Swain. He is the most hardcore Ghostmas #1 guy there is, but that is probably because he made it and that he is mentally disabled. But we all stil love him for it. So celebrate Ghostmas you none believers. So keep to update on my posteses, and untill I post the next time.

-Love Oscar O. (11)

Enjoy the Ghostmas Carol below:

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Perfect Instrumental Music

After a rough week for everyone because of Hurricane Sandy, diving back into school work and trying to complete assignments for the quarter have been rickety; and music really helped me get past this quarter. Especially instrumental music. Nothing put soothing music to help you relax while doing homework (or drowning out the sounds that distract all of us). 

One of my favorite instruments to listen to would be the piano. Piano notes echo and project sounds so beautifully, that it's very calming to hear. A pianist that my friend recommended to me was Yiruma. He's a famous Korean pianist, and his melodies are amazing! One song that everyone may have heard would be A River Flows in You. It's one of his most popular songs. Another one that I like from him would be Kiss the Rain. One last hopeful piano song would be If I could See You Again. Brilliant low and high notes combined that make it very irresistible to listen to. 

I don't always listen to piano music, I also listen to the violin. My all time favorite would be Spring by: Vivaldi. And of course, it is a perfect violin music for the springtime. 

Lastly, this may sound strange, but I just so happen to listen to background music from a game I use to play in middle school called, Maple Story. And Maple Story consists of many places - each with their own background music. My favorite is from Ellinia. (You'll see why I listen to it. It's quite addicting.) 

Til' next time - I will be posting up random music! Ta ta music-lovers! :)

- Joanne Yu, Music Entertainment

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Scrimmages 2 and 3

On Tuesday, the boys’ varsity team had a scrimmage against another division A team. It was an away game, up in the Bronx, and we weren’t entirely ready for it, especially their full court presses. But we needed to see what to work on before we entered our league games.
The games started off with a 3-pointer by me, but the quarter didn’t go well from there, and we trailed early, 11-5. It seemed like a game that we could catch up in, but the game was slowly loosening from our grip, and soon we were done by double our score.
Eventually, in the fourth quarter, we started to pick up, pressuring the ball and forcing turnovers. But by then it was too late, and we fell, 46-32 (not entirely sure what the score was, the scoreboard was weird). We hadn’t improved at all, except on our defense, which was still lacking in many areas.
The third scrimmage we had was at home, on Wednesday, the day before thanksgiving break. It was against another division A team, Beacon. We wanted to improve again, but this game wasn’t the game to improve upon. We started the quarter off slow, trailing again.
As the game progressed, we could barely scrape up points, until the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, we’re usually active. We got the game a little closer, but ended up losing, through a scratchy game.
But what we took away from this was that we saw our weaknesses, and how our team wasn’t on the same pace. But we’ll still improve from there, because the game is about making you and your teammates better, not just winning games.

Joseph Park (12)

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Are the Movies Too Expensive?

Every now and then, you may want to catch a movie with your friends or family at the movie theaters.  Movie theaters have oversized screens, large speakers, and popcorn to provide enjoyment while watching the movie.  However, movie tickets can be around $13 - $15! It’s not that expensive, but when you factor in paying for popcorn, soda, and other snacks, it comes to a lot more.  You may be walking out of the movies spending around 40 bucks.  My parents told me how you used to be able to buy movie tickets for $5 to see two movies.  Honestly, I think that is a great deal.  It shows how much less it used to cost to go see a movie before!

So is it too much to go see a movie in the movie theaters?  I think it depends how you decide to spend your money at the movie theaters.  You can get movie tickets for $7 before 12:00 which is called a matinee.   This helps you save a lot of money.  Also you can decide to split snacks at the concession stand to also help you save money.  Overall, going to the movies can cost some money, but you can be wise about spending your money there.

- Giselle Barkley, Entertainment

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Playing v. Managing

I am a player and a manager.
I play for the Girl's Volleyball team and manage for the Girl's Basketball team. There is an enormous difference between the two, yet, they are so similar.
Being a player, it is like being on a stage. I feel like I am on a stage playing a sport I like, representing a team and I know that there are many people watching me on the sidelines.
Being a manager, it is like being back stage. I feel like I am on the sideline making things happen, supporting the team and watching the process on stage.

I learned the difference between playing a sport and managing as soon as I started to manage for the girls. Managing is harder than what it really looks like. One manager takes care of the "book" - a book that records the stats of a player, another manager is in charge of the score board, and a third is in charge of the shot clock. Not only does a manager need to be complete immerse into the game, they need to focus on their jobs and there are many things that you can not do. When managing, you are not allowed to cheer your own team on, which is really hard to control. The managers has to set up the court, take down stats and does the clock that literally runs the game and stay after the game to clean up.

All in all, the players and the managers has to work together to make things happen and instead of giving all of your attention to the players next time, acknowledge the managers and all of the hard work they are doing to make things happen.

Peony C.
Senior

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Christmas is Almost Here!

After stores neglect Thanksgiving displays at their windows, they skip right ahead to Christmas. The glittering, white snow, fake evergreen trees, and of course, the joyful music ringing from speakers. It's Christmas Again by Varsity is a great way to jump into the holiday season. The perfect beat and jungle of the bells is a great combination. Another song to shimmy into the holiday season would be Mistletoe by Justin Bieber. Just a nice, soft song. Beautiful. The next song that I personally love is, All I Want for Christmas is You cover by Kevin Lien. His voice is powerful and the video is just perfectly put together. It's just AMAZING. I definitely recommend this song. He also did an acapella version of Mistletoe as well, so check it out. Lastly, the best twist on a classic holiday song, Let it Snow by Glee, is absolutely energizing to hear. 

It may not seem like the holidays are coming nearer, but it's closer than you think. :)

- Joanne Yu, Music - Entertainment

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Rihanna’s Music

Rihanna was born and raised in the Barbados. In 2003, Rihanna was discovered when she was 16 by a music producer who was vacationing in Barbados. Then she came to United States and auditioned for Jay Z and landed a record deal with Def Jam Recordings. Her music never has one theme it always changes around. She doesn't have a specific look or style of singing. I think that makes her music really good and draws more fans. Her album “Good girl gone bad” was basically the turning point in her music; she went from singing squeaky clean innocent songs to songs with a little more edge. She’s grown so much as a singer over the years. The sound of her music has matured along with her. Rihanna’s has been through many up and downs in her life and she brings her experiences in to her music, which makes her songs meaningful. Even during her tragic experience of getting abused by Chris Brown she still managed to put out hit after hit. I have been listening to her music since Pon De Replay first came out and I love her music. She is a really talented singer and never fails at making good songs. Every song she makes literally tops the chart, which is what makes her such a good singer.

- Eleftheria Kalaitzis, Entertainment

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Movie Review: The Life of Pi

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone managed to get something good on Black Friday! My mom decided to go to the movies with me that day, so no shopping for me~ OTL Anyways, she really wanted to watch The Life of Pi for reasons unknown to me. I read part of the book before, and I liked it, so I agreed to see it with her.

*SPOILER ALERTS BELOW~*

Summary:

A boy, Piscine Patel, or Pi for short, and his family own a zoo and live in India. Pi learns about different types of religions, so he tries to worship all of them at the same time. His father tells him that this worshipping is ridiculous, and to worship all of them is like worshipping no religion.

Later on, Pi tries to feed Richard Parker, a Bengal Tiger, some meat, but his father stops him before the tiger can fully approach him, and yells that the tiger is not his friend. He punishes Pi by forcing him to watch Richard Parker kill a goat that was placed in front of its cage.

Many years later, Pi fills in for a teacher in this dance class and falls in love with a girl, Anandi. They spend a lot of time together, but unfortunately, Pi's parents decide to sell the zoo animals and move to Canada. They pack all the animals on a Japanese cargo ship, and then get on as well, planning to sail to Canada.

One night, Pi and his family sleeping in the ship cabins, and Pi wants to get out and see the storm. His brother refuses to go with him and continues to sleep. Pi decides to go up by himself, only to be overwhelmed by the storm and the sea's waves. When he goes back to the ship cabin, it is already flooded with water, and he is forced to resurface to the top. He then sees some of the ship residents trying to lower a lifeboat into the water. He tries to get help for his family, but is shoved into the lifeboat. A zebra jumps in and the whole lifeboat falls into the water. Pi watches in horror as the whole ship sinks. He sees Richard Parker floating in the water and tries to force it away from the boat. A large wave hits the lifeboat, and he blacks out.

When Pi wakes up, he finds that only the zebra is on board. An orangutan comes floating out on the sea, and he helps it onto the boat. A hyena comes out, and Pi is terrified of it. Sometime later, the hyena succumbs to hunger, and it later kills the zebra and orangutan. In the heat of the moment, Richard Parker jumps out from under a sheet that covers half the lifeboat and kills the hyena.

Now, Pi has to survive on a boat with a tiger.

What I liked about it:

I thought the movie was really heart-wrenching during the scenes in which Pi was stuck on the lifeboat. His devotion to God plays a role in how he felt about the situation. Although the whole movie was practically about a boy trapped on a boat in the middle of the sea, the acting was good, and I ended up crying for like, the entire film.

What I disliked about it:

Nothing. The movie had meaningful subtext, and I was really moved by it. My mom didn't get the subtext though, and thought it was really boring because "it was just about a boy on a boat!"

Overall:

I think everyone should watch this movie. I know I haven't really described what's so good about it, but it's something I can't really explain. The acting was good, I cried because I was so convinced by the acting, and it felt like I was there on the boat with Pi when I watched.

- Melissa He, 12th Grade

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This Week’s New Game

 Hitman: Absolution was released this Tuesday on the 20^th. It’s been around six and a half years since Hitman: Blood Money was released. The game continues to follow Agent 47 and in this game, he becomes the target of the agency. The game like Blood Money, also allows the player to choose how to execute their targets although some of the kills are more scripted than others for a more dramatic effect. It’s because of this freedom the player has in determining how their target dies that this game has a slow pace unlike the other more fast paced shooter games. The game awards you with a score after you’ve completed a level and that score is then compared to your friends and the world. The scoring system limits the actions you can take if you want a high score. Signature kills and accidental kills on your target gives you a big bonus but killing non-targets and civilians and being spotted will lower your score significantly. Another big title being released in about two weeks is Farcry 3. Like Farcry 2, it takes a more realistic approach to the story unlike the first game. It follows Jason Brody who was having a vacation on an island with his friends. A conflict sparks on the island and Jason’s friends are kidnapped. Jason then has to mentally and physically change himself so that he can rescue his friends from the psychotic kidnappers. 

- Alan Chen, Entertainment

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Girl's Basketball

The girls basketball team jsut had their first scrimmage on 11/20/12 against a school from Queens. We started off with really little intensity on the court. Tha first half of the game did not show how the team usually played. The passes were sloppy, fouling in the first few minutes, walking back on offense and there were really little taking on the court. The score was something we didnt expect, it was a close score between the two teams with Baruch leading with only a couple of points. After that first half, we got our head into the game and second half we had the intensity, running down the courts, and talking on court. We started to knock down many shots and got a lead of 10 points by the end of the 3rd quarter. We ended the game winning by 20 with a 36-16 but the team and the coaches new we could have done so much better. With this scrimmage, we have a lot to work on and we all know the way we played in the second half, that is how we have to start our first game of the season on monday. Come support the girls on thier frist gaem right after thanksgiving break. It's a home game at 4:30 in Baruch College. Other games are already posted on PSAL so go take a look or ask one of the girls on the team. Go blue Devils!!

 

-Kathy C.

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First Scrimmage

                Last week on Friday, the boys’ varsity team had a scrimmage against an out-of-league team. They were a division A team, and we were in division B, so it looked to be a challenge.

                The game started off slowly, both teams making bad passes, and no one really playing with intensity. Then Peter Lok scored, and the other team did as well. It was 2-2, and from there, we started to pull away. Peter Lok scored again, and then I (Joey P) scored 7 points to end the quarter at 11-4. We had shut them down on defense.

                But when the second quarter began, we lost our touch. After the first 5 minutes had come and gone, we still hadn’t scored. The other team had already caught up and passed us, and from there, we were never able to recover.

                The intensity level had gone, and we couldn’t break done their defense, and in the end, the boys’ team lost 33-44, but we had proven that we can do well against a zone defense. We will continue to work harder to break down any kind of defense, and build up our intensity along the way.

                Come out and support the team! We will be posting game dates as the season goes along. C:

 Joseph P.

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How Stars emerge from YouTube

   Ever notice how a lot of singer or rappers randomly become famous out of nowhere? Well a lot of them get recognized on YouTube. Four Months ago PSY’s “Gangnam Style” video went viral on YouTube. PSY is a famous South Korean Rapper but no one has ever heard of him until Gangnam Style came out. Gangnam style is a good song but in my opinion it’s not really the type of song you listen to you on your iPod, it’s more of the type that you play at parties etc. I’m honestly a little shocked he became so famous from this song., but now he is recognized all over the world. Another person who got famous from YouTube is Soulja Boy. We all know the song “Crank Dat “ from about six years ago. Soulja boy was discovered on YouTube by a producer named Mr.Collipark who saw his video and realized the talent he had. His manager Scooter Braun also discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube. Before he was famous Justin used to post videos of him singing and many people realized he had talent. By luck his talent was recognized by his manager and after his meeting with Usher he had a record deal signing. It’s amazing how just posting a video of yourself can get you so far in life. So if you think you have talent, post a video on YouTube because you never know what may happen.

- Eleftheria Kalaitzis, Entertainment

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The End of the Twilight Saga!

 Last Friday, the last Twilight film, Breaking Dawn Part II, was finally released.  After a year of waiting for the second part, it is finally here!  Of course, I am a huge Twilight fan, so I had to see this movie.  It was a lot better than I expected.  I honestly thought it was the best Twilight film that was released in the last four years that this film franchise has existed.  Many other people as they strolled out the theater murmured the same words of how this was the best Twilight film they have ever seen.

                In this film, Bella wakes up as a vampire after turning into one when she gave birth to her daughter Renesmee.  Everything is new for her and she has to adjust into being a vampire after she has acquired so many things that she has never had before.  Everything seems perfect for Bella now, she has Edward, a new daughter, and Jacob does not feel any jealousy towards Bella and Edward anymore for a reason that was revealed in the film.  Up until a cousin of the Cullens see Bella and Edward’s child and mistakes it for an immortal child which was banished by the Volturi.  They are a group of very powerful vampires that pretty much are the head of the “vampire government”.  This means trouble and the Cullens have to gather witnesses to help them fight against the Volturi’s misjudgments.

                This film was amazing and beautifully directed.  It kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time.  It was such an enjoyable film to watch.  I went to see the movie with a person who dislikes Twilight Saga franchise, but even he admitted that it was a great movie.  I really recommend you go and see this movie especially if you watched the previous one.

- Giselle Barkley, Entertainment

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Thanksgiving is only days away

Thanksgiving is only a couple days away! I don't know about you but I'm sure excited to eat. While you're at it, feel free to submit photos of what you're having for Thanksgiving! The turkey, corn, mashed potatoes, and even your culture's take on this all American holiday.
Remember to let loose and eat to your heart's content and be thankful for your loved ones!
Everyone has something to be thankful for. I'm personally thankful for a home, family, friends, my dog, and well...basically everything I own. Ha.
What are you thankful for this year?

Submit photos of your meal to bloggingbaruch@bcchsnyc.net 

(:

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Franks Pizza Store

Children of the earth, it is I, and I’m here on business. Well technically being here is always on business, but that’s beside the point. Now I’m going to tell you my favorite pizza store, and pretty much favorite place to go for lunch. It’s Frank’s Pizza Store! Located on 23st between Park and Lexington Ave. Its been around for a long time, since 1949 I think. It is also really good, and I mean like really finger licking good. Its got an A for restaurant grade, so you know its legit. Theres a variety of things on the menu… you have to go find
out yourself. Plus the slices are 2 bucks each, so that's that. But cheap doesn’t always mean good. Those
places that have 1 dollar pizzas are not so great. Their pizzas are either small or taste stupid or plain.
Frank's is awesome and has mouth watering food. I should know, I've gone there for a long time. They have nice employees, a family thing or something I’m guessing. It’s a small place, but they have seats, if you
wanna go eat with a few friends it’s all good. So go eat there because its right by the school. And keep
looking out for my posts.

Oscar O. (11)

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TV Show Review: Sherlock

Hi everyone,

Instead of a movie review, this time I'm reviewing a TV show. So these past few days, I've been watching Sherlock, a British television crime drama that is based on the widely known works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (he wrote the Sherlock Holmes series). The difference is that it's now set in modern day London. I don't remember how I learned about this show (I probably saw it somewhere on Tumblr; smh to myself), but I am happy I did because it is awesome and entertaining.

Warning: This post will be super long this time. Just shamelessly promoting here. :’D

*SPOILER ALERT BELOW~*

Summary:

At the start of the series, this guy, John Watson, has been discharged from the army because he was injured, and he has trouble adjusting to life in London. He limps and uses a crutch to support himself. One day, he comes across an old friend, and he tells this friend that no one would want him as a roommate. The friend laughs because John is the second person to say that to him that day. The friend then shows John who the first person was.

The scene changes to that of news reporters interviewing this detective, or rather, Detective Inspector Lestrade, about this case in which there were three suicides that were caused the same way; through ingesting a poisonous pill. Reporters ask if the cases were related and if it was planned murder, and Lestrade responds by saying they are related. They ask something else (sorry, I don’t remember), and when Lestrade answers them, everyone receives a “Wrong!” text message from someone anonymous. The reporters also ask if there is any way to prevent this from happening to them, and Lestrade tells them that they could by not committing suicide. He also says that everyone is as safe as they want to be. Everyone in the room receives another "Wrong!" text message from the anonymous sender.

At the moment, this other man, Sherlock Holmes, approaches this dead body in the morgue, and a worker there, Molly Hooper, tells Sherlock about who the corpse was (it was some nice old guy). Sherlock responds by getting his riding crop (I think they're used to hit horses when you want them to go faster) and beating the corpse senselessly, which frightens Molly. Afterwards, Molly tries to ask him out, but she fails because he doesn't get the message.

*dun dun dun* This is when John and his friend (I didn't bother to remember his name) come strolling in.   Sherlock says he needs a phone to text someone, and John lends him his phone. Then, before anyone can say anything else, Sherlock deduces that John fought in the war, is looking for a roommate, and some otherwise unknown facts about his life. Basically, he figured things out about John just by observing simple details. I'm not going to describe the whole deducing thing in detail because 1. it is too awesome to put into words, and 2. it would be a waste of time to do so; my description will greatly pale in comparison to the actual scene. OTL Anyways, John's first reaction is just like, "whutttttt" and "who is this guy?! I don't even—" and it seems as if he is just torn between being amazed and creeped out at the same time. After explaining his process on deducing, Sherlock leaves and tells John where the apartment is. He then winks and takes his leave.

Thus begins their life of solving crimes togetherrr!!!

/is shot for writing a terrible conclusion

What I like about it:

This show is hilarious. The characters were well planned out, and despite being creeped out by Sherlock at first (seriously, the man beat a corpse with a riding crop and deduced like a boss), I soon warmed up to his extremely odd and quirky behavior at times (he can be socially awkward, but that's what makes his interaction with others so amusing LOL).

I also like their accents. Even though I don't understand what they're saying sometimes, it's worth it because their accents sound awesome. 'Nuff said. I liked the accents so much, I found myself impersonating them at home (my mom laughed at my terrible—I mean awesome skills. Ahem).

The plot is amazing. I praise the way they (the writers) incorporated the show into our modern society. It didn't feel awkward at all (I mean, I didn't read the original series, but the plot was really believable).

The actors possess some, as some people call it (including me) "mad skillz" (emphasis on the z guyz lol). I am totally immersed in every episode because everyone's acting is too good to be true. It's either that or maybe I just get emotionally too easily... -sadcake- (Sadcake is an expression I felt like using. It appropriately describes what I'm feeling by juxtaposing the image of a cake, which is normally associated with good feelings, with the feeling of sadness... Sorry for the lecture OTL).

I also think the writers did a good job, as the show is full of "witty banter" (it drew me in like a moth to a flame) that is funny and memorable. I remember when Sherlock encountered this enemy and said, "People have died" (or something similar), and the enemy (not spoiling :'D) replied, "THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO!" When I heard that, I smh'd the whole time. There are also some lines that I thought was pretty thought-provoking, like when someone (probably Sherlock) said something like, "Caring is not an advantage," etc.

I do believe a small character summary (just the two main characters) will do this post some well-deserved justice (not really, I'm just being overly passionate about this show lol):

Sherlock Holmes - Obviously, he's good at deducing. He doesn't seem to care much about other opinions, except for John's, as he solves cases for his own entertainment. He once called himself a high functioning sociopath. He gets bored really fast, and sometimes he does crazy things to entertain himself (like harpooning a pig, which was really random, the poor piggy). Unfortunately, due to his behavior, he only has one person he considers a friend, John (seriously, he was willing to die for him). He doesn't like it when feelings get in the way because he thinks they just cloud your judgement. He also likes conducting funny experiments (he put a human head in the fridge). In a nutshell, he is pompous (he really likes showing off), sometimes arrogant, and sometimes indifferent, but he does his best to come through for the people that matter to him (by now, I'm pretty sure everyone knows it's mostly John lol).

John Watson - He's the more down-to-earth of the two. He misses the action that he once experienced on the battlefield, so solving cases with Sherlock brings back the excitement and thrill he yearns for. I find it funny that people keep mistaking him and Sherlock for a couple (it seems to be more socially accepted over there), despite his constant denial (I think he just gave up later on). I think it's just that they have a really great bond, and they depend on each other for pretty much everything. Okay, maybe it sounds couple-y. Anyways, he keeps this blog about his life (Sherlock finds the blog pointless), and he usually blogs about the cases he solved with Sherlock. He usually leaves the deducing to Sherlock and is pretty much the opposite of Sherlock personality-wise. He often serves as the moral compass during cases and thinks more realistically.

Okay, enough about me ranting about how much I like this show, it's time for some cons.

What I dislike about it:

The addiction. When I saw the first episode, I got hooked. I wanted to watch all the episodes in one day. Unfortunately, each episode is 90 minutes, so it took me a while.

There are too little episodes. There are only 6 episodes in total (3 episodes per season) at the moment, which is too little for me. Then the writers left this gigantic cliffhanger at the 6th episode, and I can hardly wait for the 3rd season to come out.

The suspense. This kills me. There is always a cliffhanger that bothers me to no end. I have no idea what’s going to happen next and I can’t imagine what would because I have terrible imagination.

The emotions. Maybe it's because I'm too sensitive, but I am drawn into like every episode. Every time there's a sad scene, I'm like "NUUUUUUUUZZZ" and I get all weepy, and if the characters are in trouble, I worry like a paranoid mother.

That’s about it. Yes, my dislikes are fueled by my intense like. OTL

Overall:

It’s quite obvious what I’m going to say. Watch. This. Show. Besides the awesome character interactions, I really liked the plot because it was interesting and thrilling, not boring and tedious like some other crime shows out there (can’t think of one atm, but I have watched a boring one before). It’s also the characters that make this show what it is. I can’t really explain all the reasons why I like this show so much (I’m not good with words, plus I pretty much explained why I like it in the “what I like about it” section), but if you take the chance to watch at least one episode, maybe you’ll understand why. I know not everyone will like the show, but probably a lot of you will/do.

Since it’s a British show, it might be hard to find way to watch the show online (unless you buy it), so I’ve decided to link a website that has all the episodes! Yayyy. Here you go: http://www.dailymotion.com/moffatholmes#video=xnqfr6

BTW, I am aware that there is the American version of this show, but I haven't watched that one and I still like this version better. :)

If anyone really does try to watch it because of my review or has already watched it, you're welcome to leave a comment about the show below. :'D

- Melissa He, 12th grade, Editor/Writer for Entertainment

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Hey guys,

This might as well be the shortest post on the blog, but WHO CARES?

Starbucks is having a BUY ONE GET ONE FREE promotion on their holiday drinks, Nov. 15-18th from 2pm-5pm.

GET IT WHILE IT LASTS!!

The flavors are Creme Brulee Latte, Peppermint Mocha, and Gingerbread Latte.

GO GO GO!!

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Is she gone?

Many seniors had the privilege this year to have an extraordinary English teacher for a quarter. Her name is Ms. Neff.

It's amazing to see how attached and how close I feel to Ms. Neff in such a short period of time.

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."

I love this quote because honestly, it is the smallest things that matters, no matter how simple it may be. She gave me encouragement and feedback and she helped me boost my confident as a person and as a writer. She helped me tremendously with my college application and my college essay. In a time when help is greatly needed, she was there for me, and that alone was enough.

I'll miss her and I know that there are many seniors that feel the same. 

However, with goodbyes, there are hellos.

We officially welcome Ms. Ross back from maternity leave and now she will teach English class. I am excited for a new beginning!

Peony Cheng
(Senior)

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Soccer and Basketball

Girls soccer season has ended. Starting off with only 11 girls to having at least 20 on the team, the team has really developed. We may not have won championship or played our first play off game but we are all winners. We come to practice ready to work even if not everyone shows up. We push each other, we critiqued each other but at the end we are all a team helping each other develop. The last week was tough, games were cancelled, not having a couch for a week but we managed. It's  our last year on this soccer team, Kaylin, Patty and I. We may not have lead them to the championships but we lead a good team. We did our best and now it's time to hand this leadership role to the young ones. Good luck to you girls next season. GO BLUE DEVILS

Basketball

The girls basketball team has their team already with 7 returnees and 3 new freshmen. We may not have had the best turn out like the boys try outs but we still have a team with talent. We may be a small team in height and size but the girls are working on their speed and handling skills. We've played many teams with really tall girls but so what if they are. We have the speed, where we take that as an advantage, during fast breaks or transitions. Our tryout was quick simple with the amount of time we had after the boys, an hr. We introduced ourselves and did some full court lay ups, passing and some ball handling. We did a lot of condition with running and down the courts after missed free throws. We ended with some 5 on 5 and although we were still getting use to our teammates and how they played, we did quite well on our first 5 on 5.  Having Jessenia and now Ally as out coaches we know we will be in shape and ready to play.

We take each practice seriously with some jokes here and there. We take in each drill that we learn and the critiques we get from our coaches.
Like what Joseph said in his post it's the small things that matter, no matter how simple it maybe.

Kathy Chiam
(Senior)
Writer for Sports 

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Burt’s Bees: Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

The first time I discovered this product was when I was over a friend’s house. She had a whole gift package from Burt’s Bees, so we were looking through it. I came across this Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, so naturally I wanted to see what it smelled like. The scent of lemons in this cream is so apparent, and it smells really good. We rubbed it on our cuticles, (between the skin on our fingers and nail bed), and we had healthy hands for months. That’s actually what sold me on getting this product myself, because it actually did what it advertised. This cream helps get rid of hangnails, something everyone gets a time or two. Hangnails usually happen when our skin is dry, so we have to keep our hands moisturized so this won’t happen, because a hangnail can be painful after awhile. This product also helps brittle nails, so if your nails crack easily then this will make them a lot stronger. Every product has some flaws, so one con for this product is how hard it is to get the can open, you really have to dig deep to get the top of the tin can off. Also, when you first put the product on, it feels greasy, so you have to wait a few minutes for the product to really sink in. Sort of like the feeling you get right after you get your nails done, waiting a little bit to feel comfortable with the “weight” of the polish or for it to dry. Nonetheless, I loved this product so much, I’ve even hit pan on it! Check out other Burt’s Bees products if you’re into things like all natural ingredients.

- Zakiyyah Mandisa 

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

As many of you may know, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was just released today. Many of you are probably buying this game or playing it right now. After seeing the trailers and demos and such, Black Ops 2 looks like it will live up to its name or maybe make its own legacy. After taking a look into the full campaign and the continuation of the story from where Black Ops left off, Treyarch did a nice job on continuing on with the story but there are some parts that seem like they need a little more clarification. Treyarch also did a nice job with the multiplayer by adding on a lot of content that enhances the class customization.  The zombie mode is in my opinion the best part out of the entire game because like the previous Call of Duty games that included zombie mode, it has always been the most fun to play. The story for zombie mode follows four survivors in the mid-west after the destruction of Earth in Richtofen’s Grand Scheme which is an easter egg from the black ops zombie map, Moon. 
A tiny fact that you may notice during the campaign (if you watch the television series, The Walking Dead) is that the man who voices Harper is same man as Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker). 

- Alan Chen, Entertainment : Video Games

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Black Friday

It’s that time of the year again when chaos erupts at the mall. Black Friday. The day where people go crazy over all the deals at shopping malls all over. If you have been at a mall when the gates open at exactly at midnight and there is a huge crowd around you, you know the feeling. The anxious feeling you get while planning in your mind what you want to get. You see everyone running and trying to get as many things on sale as they can possibly hold. That day is coming soon, the day after thanksgiving, when all chaos is out and everyone is fighting over sales. It is suppose to be a day of great deals, but sometimes arguments happen, so maybe it isn't such a great day.  My advice is that if you are planning to go shopping on that day plan ahead on what you want because good deals run out fast even if your there at midnight. We all know the feeling of hating long lines, but that’s what comes with the package of Black Friday. A great idea is also to look at deals on line if they are posted early, so you plan out which stores you want to go to. Overall, the idea is to have fun as that time of the year arrives once again in the following weeks.

- Amy Cao, Entertainment

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Beauty and a Beat by Justin Bieber: Music Video Review

   This video that was shot, written, and directed by Justin Bieber acquired nearly 75 million videos in only one month.  How? Maybe in part to his millions of dedicated fans and haters that views his video only to make a negative insult about him.  This video was definitely very original and I lot better than I expected it to be.  It first opens with a message saying that someone stole footage off of the singer’s laptop and decided to release it.  The following clips featured personal clips of Justin.  Then it cuts into a scene where it shows him holding a video camera facing him and music starts to play.  It appears to be at a party of some sort.  His vocals begin to come on and he starts to lip-sync to his voice while walking throughout a waterpark.  He focuses his camera on cool acrobatic tricks, various dancers, and underwater.  I honestly thought it was a very innovative music video because I've never seen anything like it!

            Most videos, the artist is being filmed by someone else and you never actually see them filming it themselves.  It was more personal and a lot more interesting to watch.  It was such a fun and light-hearted video to watch.  The part with Nicki Minaj was really hilarious.  The song was catchy and upbeat.  It’s not the greatest song, but it is also not a horrible song at the same time.  I give the music video a 5 for creativity, a 3.5 for the song, and an overall 4.5! Great job Justin!

- Giselle Barkley, Entertainment - Videos

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R.I.P Jelena

Rumor has it that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have split up. According to E! News the couple reportedly broke up a week ago. Twitter has been blowing up with tweets of articles and proof that the couple has ended their romance. The couple went public with their relationship in February 2011. They are one of the most well known celebrity couples. I found it shocking that they broke-up they seemed to be so in love. Even though I love Justin Bieber so much and I don’t mind that he is single it’s sad to see such a good relationship go down the drain. Justin and Selena were such a cute couple they’re meant for each other. I can’t imagine either of them dating someone else other than each other. I really think they should try to reconcile and solve whatever problems they have. Hopefully the reason they broke-up is mend-able. I know that they have been on the rocks for a couple of months now. Scheduling can put on a lot of stress on famous couples especially if Justin Bieber is your boyfriend, now he is starting his two year “Believe” tour so he will constantly be traveling from place to place. I was a fan of their relationship it’s sad to see them end it. I was lucky enough to see him this Tuesday on 25^th street and Lexington Avenue (Only one block away from our school) rehearsing for the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. He seemed to be a little sad when he is normally overjoyed and cheerful. Whatever happens I hope that they are both happy and continue to be the amazing artists that they are.

- Eleftheria Kalaitzis, Entertainment

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League of Legend S3

Today is the new season of the League of Legends. Everyone's elo is reset for ranks and new champions are coming out. I'm hoping I will get team up with better players in rank than I did in season 2. Since I went to a bronze due to noobs from a silver. The newest champion Zed, is out today and he seems a bit overpowering which is probably going to get nerf by the next patch. This week free champions are ashe, fiddlestick, jax, twitch, vladmir, lux, maokai, wukong, volibear, and elise. I would recommend playing lux, wukong, and volibear since they are strong and easy to use. If you are playing rank and if you are supported, PLEASE BUY SOME WARDS BECAUSE THAT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE. If you are mid, top, or an adc, PLEASE LEARN HOW NOT TO FEED AND LEARN HOW TO GET FED. If you are a jungler, PLEASE LEARN HOW TO GANK PROPERLY. Your first 15 rank games are your most important games since they give you 40 - 50 elos and everyelse after that is from 1 - 15 elos. Hope everyone enjoys season 3.

- Stephen Huang 

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Black Friday

It’s that time of the year again when chaos erupts at the mall. Black Friday. The day where people go crazy over all the deals at shopping malls all over. If you have been at a mall when the gates open at exactly at midnight and there is a huge crowd around you, you know the feeling. The anxiety feeling you get while planning in your mind what you want to get. You see everyone running and trying to get as many things on sale as they can possibly hold. That day is coming soon, the day after thanksgiving, when all chaos is out and everyone is fighting over sales. It is suppose to be a day of great deals, but sometimes arguments happen, so maybe it isn’t such a great day.  My advice is that if you are planning to go shopping on that day plan ahead on what you want because good deals run out fast even if your there at midnight. We all know the feeling of hating long lines, but that’s what comes with the package of Black Friday. A great idea is also to look at deals on line if they are posted early, so you plan out which stores you want to go to. Overall, the idea is to have fun as that time of the year arrives once again in the following weeks.

- Amy Cao 

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The importance of a drill

Basketball tryouts had taken place last week, starting form Monday and ending on Friday. The
Head Coach, Howard Soskind had said that he doesn’t even know who will be cut, but that shouldn’t
stop us from playing basketball. Michael Jordan was cut from his High School basketball team, but that
didn’t stop him from being one of the greatest basketball players ever.

Tryouts had started out with simple drills, and a scrimmage. It may have seemed easy enough,
but what we didn’t think about was what a drill was trying to teach us. A passing drill may be fairly easy,
but if you don’t understand certain points about a passing drill, you fail to throw/catch a pass in a real
game. When we pass the ball, you shouldn’t be standing in one place and passing the ball, but moving
with the ball. The player who is catching the ball doesn’t just stand in one place, but rather moves
towards the ball to make it both an easier and safe pass. You don’t want the opposing team going right
through the passing lane, getting a steal, and scoring an easy lay-up.

We take too many things for granted in basketball, instead, what matters are the small,
important fundamentals of the game.

Joseph P. (12)

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Doing Your Part - Hurricane Sandy Relief

Hurricane Sandy recently reeked havoc on the east coast. States from Virginia to New York and everything in between felt her fury as the super storm made it's way up the coast. Unfortunately, Sandy headed straight into New Jersey leaving behind complete devastation. Houses were literally washed down the street along with cars. The entire Jersey Shore including the amusement park has shifted, the board walk torn into the ocean, houses by the shore are now surrounded by sand, and most of them are missing a good chunk.

Life seems normal in Manhattan and in most parts of the city. The MTA is almost back to normal and school is in session. Not many think about what lies past the Holland Tunnel. Although life is normal for most of us, lives are turned upside down only miles away.
We can't forget about our dear city. Poor Staten Island probably has the most damage out of the five boroughs. With houses still flooded and debris everywhere the clean up is slow.

We have to remember that we are extremely fortunate to still have a place to call home. So how can we help?
Student Government as well as other clubs have joined forces and they need donations. These donations will greatly help the people affected by Hurricane Sandy. A couple dollars, jackets, cleaning supplies, garbage bags, etc. will be greatly appreciated. Please use this three day weekend to gather what you are able to donate. These people need help now and with the temperate dropping, conditions are only getting worse. Student Government representatives will explain further in advisory because the little details are not exactly set in stone yet.

Everyone should at least make a donation, however big or small it may be. Do it for the humanity within us and simply because it's the right thing to do. Whatever you can afford will be fine.

Need more convincing? Take a look at the devastation happening beyond the skyscrapers on Park Avenue.

If these photos make you gasp or disturb you, please make a donation. 

For more photos you can click here

***If you go to Baruch and have been severely affected by Hurricane Sandy, please do not hesitate to let a school official know. It's important that you get help. ***

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