Are you Goo-goo for Gaga?

“I never thought I’d be asking Cher to hold my meat purse,” stated singer Lady Gaga while accepting the “Video of the Year” Award from Cher at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The purse completed a surprising outfit of meaty high heels and a dress made entirely of slabs of raw meat.

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as the catchier name Lady Gaga, is known for hit singles such as “Poker Face” and “Just Dance” which both topped the Billboard Hot 100.
Lady Gaga has changed her style much throughout her career including changing her hair color from brown to blonde after being constantly mistaken for Amy Winehouse. Her early style was described as “a refugee from Jersey Shore” with “big black hair, heavy eye makeup and tight, revealing clothes.”

She finally settled on being as over-the-top and off-the-wall as possible. In fact, the singer/songwriter might be known more for her “notice-me” outfits than her music. Jared F., a Creekview junior, commented, “She does whatever she wants and doesn’t care what people think. I respect that.”

It was hard to ignore Gaga onstage live at the VMA’s in her outfit of meat, but this was not her only exposure of her unconventional fashion sense. She has also been seen in a red lace dress and face mask combination after an onstage performance in which Gaga was covered in fake blood. Other outfits include a dress of strategically placed bubbles and a dress of many Kermit the Frog puppets. The artist explains that she tries to blend pop music, performance art, and fashion, saying, “When I’m writing music, I’m thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It’s all about everything altogether…”

Influenced by legends such as Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and David Bowie, Gaga’s music reflects 80’s pop style with her own flair. Gaga has been compared to artists like Madonna, Gwen Stefani, and Christina Aguilera but is looking to create her own musical revolution.
Lady Gaga is all about catchy dance tunes with provocative lyrics and despite her controversial style, America seems to be on her side. Her first album, The Fame, reached number two on the Billboard 200 Chart in the US, earning Gaga six Grammy nominations and winning two awards: Best Electronic/Dance Album and Best Dance Recording. In June 2010, Forbes magazine listed Gaga fourth of 100 Most Powerful and Influential Celebrities in the World, second Most Powerful Musician in the World, and she was ranked number seven on Forbes’ annual list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.

Gaga is no stranger to the stage. After learning piano by ear at age four, she was writing songs and performing at open mic nights by 14. The teenager’s talent even earned her early entrance to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts at 17. Later on, she climbed to the top of the charts the old-fashioned way by gaining admirers playing in New York City’s Lower East Side rock music scene.

Gaga now has a large fan base, having sold over 15 million albums and 51 million singles. Gaga endearingly calls her fans “Little Monsters” and even showed her appreciation by getting a tattoo of these words. Claiming she wanted to write a pop song that rockers could also enjoy, she even brings a little rock flavor in her song “Boys Boys Boys”, a female version of Mötley Crüe’s “Girls Girls Girls” mashed with AC/DC’s “T.N.T.”

Lady Gaga is everywhere. Her style is controversial and keeps everyone wondering what she will do next. So, are you goo-goo for Gaga?

Written by: Gwen Kirby

The Final Opinion

It is almost the holidays, and that means two weeks of no school! Two weeks of hanging out with friends and family, shopping, and having a good time. Unfortunately, that also means a week of trying to raise a few grades up and studying for the dreaded final exams. These exams, which are worth about 15 percent or more of our final grade, can either make or break us. So why is there this need to put pressure on students before the holiday break? Is it necessary?

“I don’t like finals because I have to study nonstop for just six classes. I feel like I’m on lockdown,” Emily W., junior.

I personally believe that finals are a waste of time. How can one test determine such a major part of our grade? It is not fair. A semester is 18 weeks long; how in the world are we supposed to remember everything that we learned about in the first month of school? Yes, in some classes we do get study guides, but for most classes we do not. For those classes, it is all about rereading the textbooks and looking back at notes, and trying to do this while gathering up more information is time consuming and difficult.

Instead of putting all this unneeded stress on students before the holidays, why don’t teachers make finals something different and not just a major test? For a few of my classes this year, we are doing projects in place of the finals. I really enjoy projects because I can decorate and put my own twist on them. For me, I know that I can make it my own, and that makes it more interesting than a test. I also like the fact that with projects, I have time to make them perfect, unlike the final which I only have an hour and a half to take. The whole idea about trying to rush through major tests that can possible damage my grade is nerve racking. I would rather just do something fun and interesting for the last week of school that can raise my grade.

I am sure many students do not like finals week, but unfortunately it is something that we all must do. We might as well try our best to get that good grade and feel accomplished. After all, once those six finals are over with, we get to enjoy two weeks of no school!

Written by: Paige Amoss

Giving for a Cause

With the holiday season coming into full swing, children seem to keep adding just one more item before sending off last minute letters to good ol' Saint Nick. Mothers are worriedly rummaging through stores with the long wish lists in hand and everyone seems to have one task in mind – shopping. What really should come to mind on this holiday season is family, warm fires, bright lights, Christmas cookies and togetherness.

It seems to be that as time has progressed, the entire thought of holiday cheer and the true essence of each celebratory day, has been twisted and blown out of proportion. Be it giving or receiving, most recent generations only focus on the gift element of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, etc.

A reality check and a bit of a historical background review may be the ticket to an amazing surprise. There are so many people around the world whose main worry is not giving or receiving gifts, while in the reality, some people do not have a warm meal or even somewhere to sleep this season. While the holidays should not be the only time to help those less fortunate, it does become a time when many need to reach out and help.

There are many little ways to make a big difference. Simply by taking an hour or so to just go through your cabinets and closets, and put together a bag of food and clothing to donate would help. It really is as simple as it sounds, and the difference it will make could make one person’s life that much easier.

For the children who do not dream of receiving even one single present on Christmas morning, there are organizations like Toys for Tots where you can buy a simple toy in any price range and donate it to the labeled boxes at stores like CVS. Having just one toy play with and call their own could really make a child’s whole outlook different on the holiday.

When you are comfortable financially and stable, your next step could be to help someone else along in the same direction. Whether you donate your belongings, food, money or time, any donation is a great donation this holiday season, and all year round, as well.

Written by: Tenniea Martin

Christmas Trees

Even during the holiday season, people still seem to argue about whether a real Christmas tree or an artificial tree is better. Based on an interview with 30 of Creekview’s students, 53% voted for artificial Christmas trees leaving 47% who like real Christmas trees better.

To start off the holiday spirits, some people like to go out and find the perfect Christmas tree, while others just fish around in their attics for their artificial one.

One student, Ally B., said, “Going out every year to get a tree is too much of a hassle. Plus, my neighbor’s dog peed on their real Christmas tree.”

While another student, Damani S., argued, “You can’t get that Christmas Tree smell from plastic.”

So why do Pine Trees symbolize Christmas anyways? It has been said that before Christmas even existed, people used plants that would stay green (Ever Greens/Pine Trees) all year to decorate their homes during the winter. By doing this, it reminded people of springtime during cold, dark winters. The first documented use of a tree during Christmas was in Northern Europe during the year of 1510. The first artificial Christmas tree was used in Germany during the 19th century.

Whether you like real Christmas trees for their authentic smell and historical background or artificial trees for their easy convenience, it all serves the same purpose. So, to get into the holiday spirit, put up your Christmas tree, whether they be rel or artificial, and count down the days until the 25th of Decemeber.
Written by: Sammi Urban

Student spotlight: Madeline R. and Victoria C.

Two young ladies of the sophomore class stand out because they continually strive to do their best in school, as well as participating in extracurricular activities such as: clubs, sports, and community service projects. Their names are Victoria C. and Madeline R. Resulting from their hard work in school, the girls are currently in the top four rankings of the sophomore class. Not only are the two very good friends, but they also share the same values about school and serving the community.

To name some of their recent achievements, Victoria and Madeline were awarded first place in the Social Studies County Level Fair for “How the Olympics Affects Other Countries.” They are also members of the math team who were county champions this year. Additionally, both girls are the co-chairpersons for the Georgia State Beta Club Convention the girls will be co-chairpersons, representing Creekview among the other schools.

As an individual, Victoria C. is very intelligent and talented. Her favorite subjects are math and science and hopes to pursue a career in meteorology, chemistry, or biomechanics. Duke University in North Carolina is Victoria’s school of interest. She looks up to Anne Sullivan as a role model because she helped Helen Keller through her struggles and never gave up on anything she tried. Although she has a role model, Victoria leaves it up to herself to take opportunities to better herself. At school, she is in the Habitat Club, Beta Club and all state chorus. Her volunteer activities include passing out fruit baskets at church and helping with the Miracle League baseball team for disabled children. Victoria has played Creekview softball for two years on JV and also plays recreational basketball.

Likewise, Madeline is a hard working and dedicated student. She enjoys every subject at school because she likes learning and studying. Her older brother, Alex R., is her role model because he sets good examples by already having a career plan and does well in school. In the future, she would like to attend Duke University and study Marine Biology. For the community, Madeline volunteers at the Mother’s Cupboard, an organization that boxes different foods that are handed out to the public or those in need. She has also helped build a house for habitat for Humanity and worked at Community Supply Agriculture, a local organic farm. This extraordinary girl also runs on Creekview’s Cross Country team, which is second in the region. As part of the girl’s Cross Country team, they won their county meet and went to state. Madeline’s personal record was twenty minutes and twenty four seconds, which entitled her to the Georgia Elite title in Cross Country.

Victoria C. and Madeline R. are setting great examples for their fellow students by showing them that by working hard, you can accomplish your goals. These young ladies have a bright future ahead of them and will do great things.
Written by: Katelyn Presnell

Kinect

It has been well over a year since Microsoft first unveiled its plans for a new hands-free gaming system – the Kinect for Xbox 360 – and on November 4th, the plans for the revolutionary technology were finally realized. First announced June 1, 2009, under the code name “Project Natal”, the Kinect has quickly set itself up to take control of the next generation of gaming. Since its launch, the Kinect has already exceeded 2.5 million sales, and with the arrival of the holiday season, the new gadget is expected to be in continued demand.

Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business, said in a statement, “We are thrilled about customer response to Kinect, and are working hard with our retail and manufacturing partners to expedite production and shipments of Kinect to restock shelves as fast as possible to keep up with demand.”

Although preceded by both the Nintendo Wii and the Playstation Move, the Kinect is new in that it requires no controllers, the first and only innovation of its kind. Instead, the Kinect works off a natural user interface which uses microphones, sensors, and cameras to provide full-body 3D motion capture, facial recognition, and voice recognition.

On the down side, the Kinect requires a lot of elbow room to play. Additionally, the voice recognition can be frustrating to use and problems have been reported with the sensors in direct sunlight. Although it may seem relatively cheap at only $149.99, the Kinect only works if its user already owns an Xbox 360 (which itself only retails at $199.99). In light of this, the Kinect may seem like a rather expensive add-on to an already expensive system.

On a larger scale, the Kinect, along with the Windows Phone 7, constitutes Microsoft’s plans to begin to incorporate a natural user interface into many future designs. Future plans may include working this new motion and voice-activated technology in products ranging from video games to vehicles. Unquestionably, the Kinect has changed not only the world of gaming but the technological world as well.
Written by: Emily Smoke

Limewire

Limewire served as a way to download free music for your iPod. This was first noted by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) who represents the eighth major music publisher in New York. After four years in court Limewire was shut down by a federal judge who considered that the program helped users in copyrighting songs and other files illegally.

As an outcome of the ruling, Limewire has to permanently shut down and the company assets are being frozen. Limewire is also facing a $150,000 fine per violation for copyright infringement; the damage of this site could end up costing billions.

Limewire CEO George Searie said in a blog post that the company is “naturally disappointed with this turn of events,” but is “deeply committed to working with the music industry and making the act of loving music more fulfilling for everyone.”

Some Creekview students feel the shutdown of Limewire is for the best. They agree that being able to get songs for free takes away money from the recording companies and the artist. They feel that shutting this sight down was the right thing to do because copyrighting is illegal.

“You’re stealing money from the artist that you are trying to support, that does not make any sense,” junior Rachel exclaimed.

Others, on the other hand, feel that it is no different than getting songs from your friends. They think of it as sharing rather than copyrighting and that it should not be considered illegal. To many, Limewire has given a way for all kinds of artist to become well known in an easier more convenient way for teens and adults alike.

“Friends give you music all the time. I ask my friend to take my iPod home every time he gets a new song, how is that stealing?” asked junior Michael.

How do you work out the difference between what is legal and what is illegal? As of today, in the US, purchasing a CD and putting it on your iPod is legal, but what if you burn a CD from songs that you purchased and you give it to one of your friends. Is that illegal?

As a result of Limewire shutting down, many companies that provide the same types of service feel threatened that they may get shut down.
Written by: Tenniea Martin