My Entire Day as a PHOJO in FOCO(It was LOCO)((Not Really Anything to do With the Conference))

So, I woke up at six o' five, which is thirty-five minutes past my alarm's set-off. After a hop in the shower, I rushed out the door in Mossie, drove to school, got caught in traffic, and made it to the checkpoint at 7:11 AM. Not too shabby for a grungey 90s scenario.

What I was personally most excited for was the bus ride. Before this field trip, I hadn't rode in a school bus since I was in first grade, because I went to a charter school for most of my school career. So when I got to ride on the bus, I was in a euphoric state. For the field trip, we had to share a bus with Mountain Range High School. This upset me slightly at first because those kids chose the back rows of the bus first, and I was looking forward to sitting there. However, MR redeemed themselves soon after by presenting several boxes of delicious doughnuts to all passengers. By the time we reached the highway, I was looking at all the amazing things outside the window of my side, caught in deep thought. It was so weird knowing that things really happened in the world this early in the morning besides school. We passed farms, and I thought I saw my own land. But farmers were out in the fields, moving dirt with giant equipment, truckers were hauling payloads to distant places, and cars were heading to work. I'm still amazed as this is happening as I type this. But, we eventually pulled into CSU's parking lot for disembarkation.

When I got off the bus, Mrs. Brown was giving instructions for the day. A girl was about to throw away a full box of doughnuts from the bus, but my scream of horror prevented such a travesty from happening, and I ended up with a free lunch for the day. Funny how fate works out like that sometimes. But, me and my journalism clique went to the conferences without a hitch. I loved the time I spent there, and learned a lot too.  

Utah Bus Driver Under the Influence, Jeopardizes 67 School Children in Drug-Fueled Transport

On Monday morning in Salt Lake City, a bus from a elementary school was on its way to a student council meeting for a fieldtrip. On board were 67 children, 6 chaperones, and the driver, Lycia Martinez. However, there was one major problem that would affect all on board; Lycia was under the influence of several drugs.

Lycia was unable to maintain a single lane while on the highway, several reports confirmed. A parent on the bus, along with fellow drivers behind it, made frantic 911 calls to report the frantic tale.
 "I don't get scared easily, but my heart is pounding," the parent told the emergency dispatcher. Screams are in fact audible on the line when the bus almost collided with a van.

Eventually, a Highway Patrol unit found and stopped the bus on the side of the highway. The officer then put Lycia through a road-side sobriety test, and she failed. Four different prescription medications were found in her purse, and each had warnings of side effects like drowsiness, etc. Lycia has no previous history of driving under the influence or vehicle misconduct.

Eventually, the students made it to their location with a different bus driver. No updates on Lycia or her case have been presented yet.

The Talk With Guest Daniel

Daniel is a fellow member of our Legacy Journal Corps. I had the pleasure to interview him recently.

C: First question, how have you been?

D: I've been very good, hehe.

C: Alright, next question. What have you done this week?

D: Uh, well first, I've been to the Broncos Game, and then I went up to the mountains to view the Rocky Mountains I guess. And I watched TV, but that's basically it.

C: Ah, did you watch any of your favorite shows?

D: The Walking Dead.

C: That's a good show!

C: Another question, have you talked to any good people lately?

D: A bunch, actually. For example, my parents I guess? Haha, I guess anyone we talk to.

C: Last question, have you listened to any good music recently?

D: Uh, none really, no. I'm not really a music guy.

C: Well thank you for talking with me, Daniel!

Alice in Chains: Greatest Hits

Alice in Chains: Greatest Hits is the 5th album of, you guessed it: Alice in Chains.
It has a 10 track list of songs from "Alice in Chains","Facelift", "Dirt", and "Jar of Flies". I rate it very nicely in the category of grunge, as it has that heavy, yet fitting sound.


Listen to this album here!

http://dft.ba/-clsM 

MLP Funko Vinyl Figures: Octavia Melody

In the month of June, I went to Denver Comic Con, where I purchased my very first Funko Vinyl figurine, one Octavia Melody from the show "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic". I choose to review this product because it's a loved character of mine from my favorite show.

Funko was founded in 1998, and its mission was to bring back nostalgic characters and icons to the new generation of technology. The first character brought to life as a figure was Big Boy, as in the mascot for the fast food burger place. Today, Funko makes hundreds of characters, anything from super heroes/villains, TV drama actors, to cute animated characters. In the MLP Funko collection, there are over 20 variants of different characters. What I'm focusing on today specifically is Octavia Melody from MLP Funko collection.



To start off, let's analyze the box our dear Octavia arrives in. On the box, there are subtle character references. For instance, the classic MLP logo is done in the colors of the pony in the box(Purple, Pink, Gray, White, and Black). I personally enjoy this because it gives Octavia her own attention, and that's symbolic because she's actually just a background character in the show. That's something you really don't see with the official Hasbro (c)* produced merchandise. Not only is it beautiful, the box is rather sturdy as well. As soon as I made the purchase, I made a vow to never let dear Octavia get banged up. I immediately broke that promise, as I dropped the whole box onto the solid ground of the convention center. After letting out quite possibly the most girlish scream ever, I picked up the box to discover that it sustained zero damage. If that wasn't proof enough, when I got home that night, I left the box on my couch, where my brother sat on it. Sadly, the box suffered a small rip on the bottom-left corner, but nothing else was damaged! This box is just perfect! Who says that beauty doesn't hold strength?

Now, let's get to what we really want: The figure. The night I purchased Octavia, I unboxed her(Which was hard, considering how badly I wanted nothing to go wrong) for my first interacting session. The first thing I was looking for in the vinyl was it's weight. My initial belief of the figure was that it was dense, weighing around 3/4 of a pound. However, it comes to a stand alone weight of 7.5 ounces, which is not very heavy or light, just neutral. I wish it was slightly heavier, but I really can't complain much about it. My next criticizing category was size. From height to base, Octavia measures  5'' x 5 1/2'' respectively. I rather like this sizing. First off, it gives her an okay weight, and she doesn't look out of place in a work environment, like a desk or shelf. Maybe this is a coincidence to the fact that nearly 70% of the consumers of this Funko series are of the working age? Either way, It works for me! Second, her size allows her to have show-accurate characteristics that her Hasbro (c) counterparts lack. The "Blind Bag" Hasbro (c) figures have a height of 2" and a base of 1 1/2", so details have to be sacrificed in order to keep their mark-up costs at a low $2.99. However, this Funko figure is able to retain many show found features, like appropriate hair length, leg sizes, muzzle dimensions, eye shape, Cutie Mark* on both sides of her hind, and unique articles like her pink bow tie and white lace. To keep ponies like Octavia and others so show-accurate, Funko has to sell each unit at a cost of $14.99. That may seem like a high price, but many members of the Brony* fandom agree that it's definitely a fair price for such a quality product. My final critique of the figure is its material. The entire thing is made of vinyl*. Ya know, like, records, tablecloths, car interiors, even dresses? The vinyl construction of the figure is totally appropriate, honestly. Vinyl is cheap, strong, easy to clean, and allows near perfect imitation abilities of  other materials like skin, hair, metal, etc. Any fears I have of breaking/dirtying/misshaping Octavia are laid to rest just by knowing she is made from a great material.

So, if you haven't wandered away in disgust because an 18 year-old guy is reviewing a toy from a girly TV show, then you'll hear my final verdict on the Funko figure. The way I see it, this product is a perfect investment for a fan of MLP(I'm sure if you like a character from a popular series, you can find a Funko figure of them that you'll love too). It is of great quality, being strong and detailed, and nice to have around. And while it's a little bit pricier than other pony merchandise, you can see where every penny(or Bit) has been used in the product. I encourage any fellow nerd reading this to Google any character you love to see if you can find them in Funko form!




Highlighted Words:

Hasbro (c)*: Basically the overlord toy company responsible for rebooting My Little Pony into the greatest generation yet. Often a controversial topic for us fans to discuss on the off-seasons.

Cutie Mark*: A symbol that a pony receives on its hind quarters when that pony discovers its special talent. Think of it kind of like an ass tattoo that represents what you are good at. Often, low quality merch uses one Cutie Mark on one side whereas the real ponies have one on each hind leg.

Brony*: Any fan of the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that is not part of the intended demographic(Girls, 3-12).

Vinyl*: A plastic material used in many different products. Also, the name of Octavia Melody's friend, Vinyl Scratch.

 

Review of the Ramen: Maruchan Cups

This week, I have eaten a variety of noodle cups from the company Maruchan. As a cheap food connoisseur, I have acquired a special love for these noodles. I wanted to do this review because I'm quite the sucker for easily made food.



Maruchan opened up its doors in the US in 1978, with its product being instant noodles. In 20 years, the company became the top-seller of noodles in the nation. To top it off, Japan rated these instant noodles as the best invention of the 20th century(beating TV, the camera, and Pokemon on the list)! What is so great about this product though?

 
Well, looking at the package should give you a look into God's eyes, but I'll divulge into the specific traits that makes this cup-o-noodles so fantastic. First of all, It's in a Styrofoam cup. This is particularly useful to a customer for several reasons. The foam allows you to hold the container with ease when a scolding-hot liquid is warming up the noodles, and you can eat this meal on the go! This is a big reason that I enjoy Maruchan ramen. Don't have any hot water to cook your meal? No problem. Your dry ramen can be used and eaten in many different ways, from just a plain brick of noodles, to salad topping, to hamburger buns. Hamburger Buns! Another great thing is that there are several unique flavors of ramen for your enjoyment. Some are Chicken, Hot and Spicy Chicken, Shrimp, Cheddar, Jalapeno Cheddar, Beef, and one of my personal favorites, Hot and Spicy Beef. If you want a flavor that isn't listed, all you have to do is add it to the cup!


While Maruchan Cup Ramen has delicious flavors and a very useful cup, there are some bad traits with it. One for instance, is the incredibly high sodium levels each cup contains. For one cup, there is 660 mg of sodium, which is bad because of the next point I bring up. The cups aren't really filling. I mean, I'm an 18 year old guy who eats a ton of food, so it could be just me, but I usually have to consume two ramen cups, a PB & J, and a soft drink to be satisfied with a lunch at school. That isn't healthy, just look at all the carbs, calories, and sodium in that. But, if you're more worried about blowing money on ramen than on medical bills, don't worry. You can buy these cups at almost any grocer for around 35¢ each, which is a really great sales price for any demographic who wants a tasty meal!


So, how do I end my review on this noodley product? I think Maruchan Cup Ramen is a fantastic product. It's very easy to make, versatile, delicious, and innovative for the not-so-culinary person, and while its not too healthy or filling, you definitely get more bang for your buck with this noodle cup.

Horse Racing: Disgusting and Bastardly

Horse Racing has some of the highest forms of torture and violence in any sport in current society. Horses and jockeys alike endure traumatic injuries in a drug-fueled state of competition for sums of money only used to continue the despicable cycle.

Horses have been used for human activities for nearly 3200 years. Early domestication of the equine was intended for use in battle and transportation. To train the horses for conflict, warriors would challenge each other to race and clear obstacles. Slowly, the training of horses for battle decreased, but a new hobby took it's place: Horse racing.

While the ownership of horses has been around for thousands of years, some of the most brutal treatment of these animals has occurred in the past 200 years. By the time horses had mostly left the battlefield, horse racing had become their new torture use. While medical treatment in general was simplistic and ineffective, horses injured during races were either killed on the spot, or kept alive and starved in poor conditions. It is estimated that over a million horses have been killed because of horse racing in the past 100 years around the world.

Some of the worst treatment of horses happens here in the United States. In the US, horse racers are allowed to drug their horses with untested and dangerous chemicals that could easily kill any human being. These drugs can cause serious health problems that ultimately ruin the life of the animal. Often, when these health problems surface, the owners sell the horse to a slaughterhouse or to criminals who take enjoyment in causing the horse pain. Usually, drug use and killing things is considered evil, but here, its a thing to be praised, with horse racing raking in $115 billion annually.

If it were up to me, people guilty of foul horse racing and abuse would be lynched in a horse's stable area, but many feel differently.

"I would never enter my horse in a race like that." says Samantha M., a horse owner. Many equestrians are disgusted with the treatment of horses in racing, and never would participate in such a terrible sport. So next time you see the Kentucky Derby on television, I encourage you to switch the channel if you feel as strongly as I do about the treatment of horses in this despicable sport.