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HOCO Dress Code!
HOCO Dress Code!
By Amy Greig
Published 10/29/19
Homecoming… it's almost here. People will soon be getting dresses, suits, dates. They’ll get their nails done and their hair done. But what if before you could buy a ticket, you had to send a picture of your outfit to your administrator?
“Wisconsin High School requires students to submit dress photos prior to dance.” (source). It took some students many months to find a dress that would actually work for their school.
If you think that's bad, think again. There’s a dress code for a dance at Boylan Catholic in Illinois that is 21 pages long (source). But it's only the girls dress code. Boys are mentioned exactly once.
I don't know about you, but 21 pages is way to long. Just to prove my point, I asked several students and teachers if that was fair and if they would go to homecoming with that dress code.
“No I wouldn’t; that's really dumb,” said sophmore Keia Morris.
“It's not fair, but I can see how it's enforced,” senior Zach Willsey commented.
Many students said that they just wouldn't go if our school has such a lengthy HoCo dress code. They wouldn’t even bother looking for dresses that would fit a 21 page dress code. Basically, when thinking about homecoming and what to wear, keep in mind the staff will turn you away if you don't follow the appropriate guidelines. But if those guidelines are ridiculous, don’t even bother going.
HOCO Bonfire
HOCO Bonfire
By Jayce Carlezon
Published 10/29
Last week, North Bend hosted their annual homecoming bonfire. It was really fun because everyone who was around the fire was talking, hanging out, listening to music, and singing together to Backstreet Boys. They also held a relay race where you run from point A to B, and then back. The first round was running, then bear crawl, wheelbarrow, and then the last person had to crab walk. The Sophomores were against Seniors (Sophomores won) and Juniors against Freshmen (Freshmen won). It then came down to Freshmen and Sophomores, but the raining winner was Sophomores. ASB then had a pillow dressed as Ridgeview and we threw them into the fire to show that we would smoke them in the Homecoming football game. Everyone hung out even more and we ended the night when the fire was going down, singing the fight song together.
Club Spotlight: International, Improv, and GSA
Club Spotlight: International, Improv, and GSA
By: Karis Kohl and Madison Latta
Published 10/15/19
International Club
International Club is a club meant to bring students into contact and new friendships with our exchange students. Club members able to have an open dialogue and comparisons of our cultures.
For each particular month, one of our exchange students have signed up to give a presentation about their home country. Afterwards, there is an open question time for students who wish to learn more about our exchange students and their homes. There is also an annual Halloween party and BBQ in the fall.
The club is open to any student who wants to join, however, there is a $6 fee for food. International Club meets at lunch in room 16 the third Monday of every month. It's never too late to join, and we hope you stop by!
Improv Club
In Improv Club, students can make suggestions and volunteer for improvised comedic routines. Even if you don’t want to participate in a routine, you can still just watch. It is fashioned after the improvised comedy show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and this club a ton of fun.
There is typically a lot of laughing, most weeks someone even ends up on the floor. Anyone is welcome to come by and plan, participate in, and/or simply observe the comedy and, overall, have fun. It gives students an opportunity to just take a break in between all of their classes and enjoy some unscripted comedy.
Improv meets weekly on Tuesdays in Room 16 at lunch. It is highly encouraged that anyone who wants to should stop by and see if the club is for you!
GSA
GSA, or Gay Straight Alliance, is a club that provides a forum for any student to come and share any concerns or needs that they may have. It is based on the premise that humans, as humans, deserve to be treated equally, and that everyone should be accepted no matter who they are.
In GSA, there is also fundraisers and artwork to promote positivity and acceptance throughout the school.
This club is a student led club. The current student leader is Jaidee Spencer. Anyone can join GSA at anytime. It meets at lunch every other Wednesday in room 16. GSA a lot of fun, and we hope to see you there!
Spooky Events in North Bend
Spooky Events in North Bend
By Alex Holston
Published 10/15/19
Halloween is upon us! Time to find all the best spooky festive events happening in your area. Here are some great places to take a group of friends or family.
The Mahaffy Ranch is a perfect place to go pick out your own little pumpkin as well as enjoy some games. The Mahaffy ranch is all ages and open to everyone for the month of October. The ranch has many things to offer while you are there. Enjoy some BBQ, a spooky corn maze, the corn cannon and hayrides!
The Mahaffy Ranch is open from Mon-Fri 12pm-5pm the whole month of October. Located at 10362 Highway 241 Coos Bay.
For more information visit their site: http://mahaffyranch.com/
The North Bend Pony Village Mall is hosting their yearly Mall-O-Ween event. Kids from the ages 0-12 can participate in a costume contest as well as trick or treat a bus full of candy and games! There will also be live music performed by “The Buzz Krill,” a local North Bend band. This event will take place Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, at 5 PM- 8 PM at the Pony Village Mall in North Bend.
For more information on the event, call the mall office at 541-756-0433 or go to their website https://ponyvm.com/
The Farmers Market in downtown Coos Bay is ending their season by hosting a spooky Halloween themed costume contest. They will have prizes to offer the top three best costumes! Make sure to dress in the most spooktacular costume to really scare the judges! Be sure to report to the info booth that will be located next to Jennie’s Shoes. All ages are welcome. The contest will be judged at 11:30 AM. The Farmers Market will be on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 9 AM- 2PM in downtown Coos Bay. For more info visit this site -
https://www.facebook.com/events/272267573617661/?active_tab=about
If you are looking for some scary movies to celebrate this spooky season, head on down to the Egyptian Theatre. This historical building has been around since 1925, and if the movies aren't spooky enough, then the rumored ghosts that roam the building should do the trick! Make sure you check out the Eqyptian Theatre’s website egyptiantheatreoregon.com to see the upcoming scary movies and good throw backs. The Egytian theatre is located in Coos Bay on 229 S Broadway.
The Bulldog Blog staff wishes you a happy Halloween!
Teacher Wages and Walkouts
Teacher Wages and Walkouts
By Kiara Conway
Published 10/15/19
A teacher in today’s America deals with many problems. First, public schools are underfunded in every state. Second, teachers are being underpaid. The job of being a teacher, no matter what level, comes with its challenges. The vision of a teacher in America is changing as they are beginning to step up and demand that change.
Over the last two years, there have been many strikes and marches supporting teacher pay raises. Now, many states have compiled plans for how they are going to raise teachers’ wages. For example, in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis proposed the idea of merit-based bonuses that goes up to $10,000. The action is still in motion.
In Oregon, there have been several teacher walkouts over the last two years. Last school year, teachers across the state participated in protests for more staff hired, and better school health professionals. These walkouts caused 25 districts and 600 schools to close. Teachers were also marching against overcrowded class sizes, for more school counselors, and more funding for school supplies. Teachers in Oregon are not going to give up until legislation is passed that guarantees better funding.
I have met with English teacher Ali Lancaster to get a local teacher’s perspective on the walkouts taking place in Oregon over the past two years.
Conway: How have the walkouts affected the teachers and students in our school district?
Lancaster: I don't want to speak for everyone, but the walkouts were not to benefit the teachers. They were to benefit the students. The schools need more funding. We felt as though we needed to stand up for things like reasonable class sizes and incorporate programs that were cut such as music, art, and theatre, and also things like more services, school nurses, and mental health counselors. We want to provide these services for our students so that they feel like we care about them and so that they can have a place where they feel that they can connect. We want a better environment that will contribute to student success.
Conway: As a teacher, how do you think legislation needs to change for public funding for education?
Lancaster: Well, they just passed the Student Success Act. What that's going to look like, I'm not sure. Allegedly, we (Oregon schools) are supposed to get $1 billion per year for the state for funding. One example that shows the need for more funding in our own school is that this year we hired an extra teacher to teach English. She doesn’t get a full load of English classes. Her workload is filled with other classes like credit recovery. We should be able to hire someone else to do part of that load.
Conway: What are some changes you are hoping for, for education and teachers in the future?
Lancaster: Just to keep up with the times, keeping up with tools and training. That we stay on top of best practices and that we are able to provide a curriculum and opportunities that match world demands. I hope we can provide services that match world demands. We should have those options available for the needs of our students that can help issues like transgender bathrooms and suicide rates.
More and more, teachers are speaking up about what needs to change for education. Not just for wages, although that is important, but for the students too. Over the course of the next few years, I hope to see some positive growth in schools and public education.
Choir Concert
Choir Concert
By: Bec Hull & Jessie Quinn
Published 10/29/19
The north bend music department had a great introduction this year with the annual fall concert held in the first presbyterian church. Performed by the select choir, jazz choir, the womens and mens choir, and guest starring the jazz band in virtual insanity these music groups have been working since school began to show these songs and enjoy the music with friends and family. These songs vary from all time eras and genres so there is something for everyone.
Great job to everyone that sang and was there. Thank you parents especially for coming to support your children last night. Shoutout to all the soloists from One Voice, Men of Note, Select, and Jazz Choir. Outstanding performance, you guys, everyone sounded amazing.
Pony Village Mall Haunted House
Pony Village Mall Haunted House
By Karis Kohl
Published 10/30/19
The haunted house at the Pony Village Mall opened its doors on Friday, October 25th until Halloween. The house opens at 6 PM and closes at 10 PM, and on Halloween, they stay open until midnight. If you enjoy being frightened, this haunted house is for you. It is run by the North Bend Police Department with help from volunteers. The cost is $4 for kids ages 12 and under and $5 for people 13 and over. This haunted house is spooky fun for everyone!
First All-Female Spacewalk
First All-Female Spacewalk
By Lilli Collins
Published 10/15/19
On October 18, 2019, humankind landed itself in the history books again. Jessica Meir and Christina Koch became the first all-female team to go outside the International Space Station (ISS); a journey called a spacewalk. Meir and Koch were tasked to replace a power controller on the ISS. The spacewalk spanned seven hours and seventeen minutes. Both astronauts reported that it went well, and they were able to accomplish some extra tasks, which will help in future spacewalks. This mission marks Koch’s fourth spacewalk, and Meir’s first. Reportedly, both astronauts were positioned in such a way that they could see the Earth spin beneath their feet.
Aside from the incredible event of putting people in space-time and time again, this spacewalk is being hailed as “one giant leap for WOMANkind,” said Rep. Katherine M. Clark, from Massachusetts. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chimed in, celebrating Koch and Meir for leaving their mark on history.
Jim Bridenstine, NASA administrator, said the agency was going to build on their success, and send the “next man and the first woman” to the moon. The mission, called “Artemis,” after the famous first mission Apollo, is supposed to be launched by 2024, after a deadline push from the government. Next, NASA is shooting for Mars.
With the inclusion of Koch and Meir, 15 women have now performed spacewalks, and 14 have been American. The first woman to perform a spacewalk, cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya, was also the first woman to fly to space twice, performing these feats in 1984.
As time moves forward, NASA hopes to combat sexism in their workforce and create equal opportunities for all of their astronauts, engineers, scientists, administrators, and all not mentioned here. One small step for mankind, one giant leap for womankind!
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity
By Ethan Dempsey
Published 10/15/19
Everything in the modern age has something to do with the internet; from medical records, car engines, airplane navigation, to communication, to our phones and computers. We want to protect these electronics from corruption and attackers. If you depend on any of these things, like everyone, you may want to look at getting some form of cybersecurity to stay safe and secure on the internet.
Cybersecurity is very important to the military, the government, financial groups, and medical outfits. These organizations use cybersecurity to collect, process, and store unknown data on devices and computers. Most of this data is very sensitive information, and whether it’s personal information, intellectual property, or financial data, these benign groups transmit sensitive data to other networks and need protection.
With out cybersecurity, your information is unprotected, leaving your secrets and financial information up for grabs. This invasion of privacy can lead to stolen money, blackmail, or even identity theft. As we all know, “Identity theft is not a joke (Jim).”
You could get a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which allows for a way to securely connect to the internet. A VPN can protect this sensitive information for you, and for said corporations, who are vital to our way of life. Personal VPNs has become more popular in recent years are most likely to be a better method to protect your personal information than trusting your luck.
Sources https://www.dhs.gov/topic/cybersecurity https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-001 https://digitalguardian.com/blog/what-cyber-security https://www.whatismyip.com/what-is-a-vpn/Plastic Bag Ban
Plastic Bag Ban
By Lilli Collins
Published 10/15/19
This past summer, the Oregon House passed House bill 2509. This bill bans retail stores from packaging their sales in plastic bags. Bill 2509 was debated for 40 minutes, passed 17-12, and is going into effect on January 1, 2020. The bill would require all retailers to stop the use of single-use plastic bags, and switch to selling paper, heavy reusable plastic, or fabric bags for a 5-cent fee. Restaurants must provide paper bags for free, and reusable plastic bags for the same 5 cents fee. This ban will not apply to plastic bags not at the checkout stand. So, any bags that you pack produce or meats into that is not at checkout will not have a fee or ban on them. Exceptions to this bill are made for low income customers, or customers who use food stamps. They would be provided reusable bags for free. Violators could be subject to a fee of up to $250.
The House also voted down a bill that would ban food vendors from selling or providing polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, containers. House bill 2883 B failed with a 15-14 vote. The bill needed 16 votes “aye” to pass.
Senate bill 90 was voted in and signed. This bill was enacted June 13th, 2019. Senate bill 90 prohibits food vendors or retailers (anyone who sells food), from providing single-use plastic straws to customers unless asked. Violators could be fined $25 for each violation, with a cap at $300 per calendar year. The bill was amended before being passed, clarifying that this bill doesn’t ban hospitals or nursing homes from providing plastic straws to residents.
Oregon is following in the line of states passing these bans, including California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, New York, and Vermont. There is no nation-wide ban as of yet, but it is a plan to look forward to.
Sources:
http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/plastic-bag-legislation.aspxhttps://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2019/06/11/oregon-legislature-plastic-bag-ban-exceptions-styrofoam-polystyrene/1370772001/
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/HB2509
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/HB2883
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/SB90
https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2019/05/29/oregon-house-passes-partial-ban-plastic-drinking-straws-salem/1260204001/
https://theworldlink.com/news/local/facts-about-the-upcoming-plastic-bag-ban/article_f6fb7222-8e30-5d8a-b07f-c676987cd694.html
https://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/oregon-passes-strongest-plastic-bag-ban-in-the-country
https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/06/oregon-on-its-way-to-banning-plastic-bags.html
Kindness Award Given to Moira O’Bryan
Kindness Award Given to Moira O’Bryan
By Bec Hull
Published 10/15/19
Kim Black is having all the teachers and staff watch students to see who shares acts of kindness around campus. She is giving monthly rewards to the randomly selected students. So stay tuned to the announcements! This month, Kim Black rewarded a junior. Congratulations to Moira O’Brien!! Keep up the good work, North Bend.
Japan is Radioactive
Japan is Radioactive
By Jayce Carlezon
Published 10/15/19
We are all dependant on water for many things; to water our plants, cook, everyday activities, and to just live. We wouldn’t last without water for three days. However, in Japan, they have a different epidemic with their water. They are planning to dump radioactive water from Fukushima into the sea.
On March 11, 2011, a disastrous event occurred. The Fukushima power plant had just detected an earthquake, which had automatically shutdown the reactor. This caused the electricity supply to fail and caused the emergency diesel generators to start. Forty-six minutes later, the earthquake caused a 14-meter-high tsunami which flooded the reactor’s seawall. It knocked out the generators, leading to three nuclear power meltdowns that caused radiation to be released into the atmosphere and forced government officials to declare a larger evacuation around the plant. The contaminated water, ment for cooling, was put into hundreds of special tanks that the Tokyo Electric Power Co, Tepco, has brought to the site.
Today, eight years later, Japan decides to dump radioactive water from Fukusima into the Pacific Ocean.
“Japan’s environmental minister has said the country may have to dump more than a million tons of radioactively contaminated water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean as storage runs short, sparking outrage among fishermen and environmentalists,” says Charles Digges from The Maritime Exclusive. Tepco even stated that by 2022 that they won't be able to store anymore water due to their lack of storage. Yoshiaki Harada, a Japanese politician and Environment Minister, said to a news outlet, the Japan Times, “The only option will be to drain it into the sea and dilute it.” A study by Hiroshi Miyano said it would take 17 years to get the waste out of the water after it has been diluted, to reduce the radioactive levels to a safe amount. Soon after, a document was then leaked to Britain's Telegraph, a British newspaper/blog, that the water still has contaminants and radioactive toxins like strontium, iodine, rhodium, and cobalt, in amounts that are “above legally permitted levels.”
Fukushima Radioactive Water Leak ChartPhoto Credit: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fukushima-emergency/
I interviewed Mrs. Geierman about the effects the chemicals would have on the sealife. Her statement was that “the contaminants are mutagens, which will affect the DNA of organisms (sea creatures) meaning cancer, tumors, and death.” She then talked about biological magnification that in short means each creature will take the toxins. An example would be a plankton would take in .0001% but then the algae eats plankton making the toxicity .001%. This would then continue on in the food chain, making a large fish 10% toxic. We wouldn’t know the effect it would take on humans if we consume this large of an irradiated fish.
However, what we do know is that if the Japanese government does decide to continue on this path, dumping the radioactive water into the Pacific, this will have a big impact on people and life in and around the oceans. Most Asian cultures, especially in Japan, eat a lot of seafood, so this may take a big toll on their health. This will have a big effect on the sea creatures causing new mutations in their genes, and thus in our genes. A study by Hiroshi Miyano, who has been studying Fukushima with a committee, said it would take 17 years to get the waste out of the water after it has been diluted, to get down to reduce the radioactive levels to a safe place.
If Japan does decide to dump the waste into the water it would become one greatest hazards on the plants. It would affect the Japanese people, the seafood industry, the sea life and it would take years to get down to a safe consistency.
History of Makeup
History of Makeup
By Haley Belcher
Published 10/18/19
The first use of cosmetics can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians. Cleopatra was known to use lipstick that was made from ground carmine beetles, while other women used clay and water to add color to their lips. Women weren’t the only ones to use these makeup items; men would paint a combination of metal, lead, ash, copper, and almonds around their eyes in an attempt to ward off evil and dangerous spirits. The makeup also had a practical purpose, which was deflecting the desert sun from their eyes and skin.
The beauty standards changed in the 1800s, when makeup became something for only females. The Queen of Great Britain greatly influenced this movement with her opinion on how makeup was vain, feminine, and an abomination. Her religious views also influenced some ideas of masculinity as we know it today. It was also around this time that oil paintings and mirrors became common to have in households, which helped out the makeup industry. However, nothing influenced it as much as when the motion picture was introduced into our society.
In 1914, Max Factor created a foundation that wouldn't crack or cake on someone’s face. In the 1920s, he began marketing his makeup to the public, saying that it would make them look like a movie star. Once idealistic beauty became so easily marketed by a TV screen, the makeup industry built up our insecurities and told us we had to buy their products to fix them. Imagine how many companies would go out of business if we all decided to wake up one day and love ourselves exactly how we are.
The Halloween Heist
The Halloween Heist
By Thomas Jacquot
Published 11/1
The library’s chromebooks have been taken. As of four o’clock yesterday, the chromebooks were in their case. This morning, they were gone; Mrs. Nordahl’s things on her counter next to the window were pushed aside. What we know is they stole the chromebooks and left through the window. One theory is the perpetrator hid in the library before it was closed, stole the chromebooks after the library was locked, and then left out the window. Some important security measures to keep in mind are the library’s alarmed doors, the hallway’s cameras, and the locked windows. This would allow for the school to find who went in to the library and didn’t come out, given that they used the hallway to enter the library. If there were two perps, one could open the window for the thief, let them hide, then walk out of the library. This would keep the helper and the thief anonymous.
The thief's true mistake was moving Mrs. Nordhal’s stuff. This allows us some instance of his plot, and now we might be able to catch them. Also, the chromebooks, are “managed,” which means that only school accounts can log on to them, and they are recorded. This means that if the perp logs in to the computers, we will know who it is. It’s important to note that this happened on Halloween night, so there is a strong possibility of this being a prank. If this was, it’s not funny. If you have any information on this topic, talk to the library staff, or the administration.
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