SNL is Back

Tomorrow is Saturday, and that means the new season of Saturday Night Live is coming on!

courtesy of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_(season_38)

If you don't know what Saturday Night Live is, or SNL for short, it's a sketch comedy show, with a famous celebrity, joining the cast of hilarious comedic actors, as the host of the episode, and they do funny sketches together, and a famous musician comes on as the musical guest. They also do a mid way sketch called Weekend Update were someone acts like a news anchor and recaps funny or unusual things that happened in the media over the week and tells jokes about them, and sometimes characters come on like they're being interviewed, like Drunk Uncle, Stefon, Opera Man, and Snooki. 

  

Bobby Mohnyhan as Snooki
courtesy of: http://patricksandora.blogspot.com/2010/01/snooki-returns-to-snl-for-weekend.html

SNL started on October 11, 1975 with the first ever host being George Carlin, and musical guests Billy Preston and Janis Ian

George Carlin hosting in 1975
courtesy of: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/24/george-carlins-snl-monolo_n_108838.html

And had a cast of greats like Chevy Chase, Dan Akroyd, and Jon Belushi. The show always opens with the phrase "Live From New York, It's Saturday Night!" and then goes to a monologue by the celeb host. It's also had some great comedians make their start as a cast member on SNL. Greats including, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Will Ferrell, and Tracy Morgan plus many more. It is also one of the longest running shows of all time. The show is always fun to watch, and it's my favorite show.

courtesy of http://www.ebay.com/itm/SNL-Saturday-Night-Live-Best-of-Will-Ferrell-DVD-/330608469502

The show's 39th season starts tomorrow, Saturday, September 28th, with former SNL cast member Tina Fey hosting with musical guest Arcade Fire.

Tina Fey (middle) with Arcade Fire (around her)
courtesy of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XOtgK8yL1A

This season SNL greats, and some of my favorite cast members, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, and Fred Armisen are leaving the show after some great years with them. Another SNL great, Seth Meyers is also set to leave mid season for his new job as the host of the Late Night show. 1-year cast member Tim Robinson is also leaving.

With this, 1-year cast members Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon, 4-year cast members Taran Killam, Vanessa Bayer, Jay Pharaoh, 5-year cast member Nasim Pedrad, 6-year cast member Bobby Moyinahan, 10-year cast member Kenan Thompson, and 12-year cast member Seth Meyers are staying as the cast members this year with new members, Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, Noel Wells, John Milhiser, Mike O'Brien, and Brooks Wheelan joining the cast this year as featured players.

I'm super excited for this season and I hope to enjoy it.

SNL Season 38 cast. From left to right:  cast members Tim Robinson, Jay Pharaoh, Aidy Bryant, Fred Armisen, (down) Kate McKinnon, (up) Vanessa Bayer, (down) Seth Meyers, (down) Taran Killam, Bill Hader, Bobby Moynihan, Nasim Pedrad, Kenan Thompson, Jason Sudeikis, and Cecily Strong.
courtesy of: http://splitsider.com/2013/05/breaking-down-each-cast-members-contribution-to-snl-season-38/

Celebrating 10 Years: Pumpkin Spice Latte

This fall marks a decade since Starbucks first launched their signature fall product – the pumpkin spice latte.  But little did you know – it was almost the drink that never was? Ten years ago, while testing out products for the new line of fall coffees, the pumpkin spice latte was initially given a “meh” reaction. It was initially outshined by the cinnamon spice and chocolate caramel. But the developers did see potential. “It wasn’t the natural winner, but there was something there,” said Peter Dukes, espresso brand manager for Starbucks.

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/08/30/pumpkin-spice-latte-the-drink-that-almost-wasnt/

Today, the pumpkin spice latte is Starbucks’ most popular seasonal drink. “We knew within the first week we had a winner,” he said. At the time, there were 7,225 Starbucks stores. Now there are nearly 19,000. “If we changed the recipe now, we’d have a revolt,” Mr. Dukes said.

http://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/a6f392e9c6ae4527b712bb86e88be6f4.jpg

DID YOU KNOW: there isn't actually any pumpkin in the pumpkin spice latte? 

http://james-mcwilliams.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte.jpg

The pumpkin spice latte is a mixture of espresso, pumpkin-flavored syrup, and steamed milk and is topped off with sweet whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices. 

sources:

 http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/pumpkin-spice-latte

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/08/30/pumpkin-spice-latte-the-drink-that-almost-wasnt/

RH: The Secret History of Nintendo

Good Afternoon students, this is Dr. Cooper.
Secrets. They are everywhere, hiding important things from us. Some secrets are to protect us; others are to protect reputations. Some are kept secret merely because they are just plain weird and irrelevant. This is one of them.
Time for a history lesson...
Nintendo. The mighty video game behemoth. Creator of Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Pokemon, Kirby, and all those other Japanese video game franchises. The family-friendly alternative to the blood and gore games of Xbox. The games everyone started out with, until they grew old enough to play Call of Duty. But exactly what is Nintendo? Most people think they know the story. A small video game company, one of many, releases the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1985 with a game called Super Mario Bros., and the rest is history. Well, not quite. Most video and technology companies have been around since the 1970's and 80's. By the time Super Mario came out, Nintendo had been in business nearly 100 years. What had Nintendo been doing all that time? Turns out, almost everything.

In 1889 Japan a man named Fusajiro Yamuchi founded a small company named Nintendo to sell handmade playing cards. At the time a game called Hanafuda had recently become popular in the country, so the company did fairly well. They allegedly also provided cards for the Japanese mafia (yes, there was a Japanese mafia). Nintendo was noteworthy for being the first company in Japan to make cards out of plastic. Nintendo basically continued on like this for 50 years, until the management finally realized the limitations of a card company (you can only make so much money off cards). So they tried expanding into new markets, new enterprises. To boldly go where no Japanese card company has gone before.
However much like the Red Shirts of Star Trek, Nintendo failed with most their exploratory business ventures. 
They experimented with running a taxi company and a hotel chain, neither of which worked. They also tried selling various random things such as instant rice and their own vacuum cleaners. Eventually the one idea that didn't turn out to be too terrible was toys. Nintendo produced mechanical arms and knock-off versions of Lego's, but they soon gravitated towards electronic toys, which were rapidly becoming popular in Japan. Throughout the 70's they released little known electronic games and arcade games which performed poorly. That all changed when one arcade game became a breakout hit in 1981.

Donkey Kong became Nintendo's most popular product up to that time, due to its unique game play. The little hopping hero in the game was originally named Jumpman in Japan. But then one day at the company's U.S division, the angry landlord came in demanding his rent, which was very overdue. His name was Mario Segale.
After the success of Donkey Kong came the little-known arcade game Mario Bros, the first game to have Luigi, and starred the two fighting sewer monsters. Then soon after that Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System and became a worldwide icon. Everyone else knows the story after that...

So there you have it, a secret uncovered! Now you know what playing cards, gangsters, and instant rice have to do with a video game company. A new Retro Show article comes out next week. Until then...
 "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."




Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Nintendo
 http://kotaku.com/5925652/the-weird--wonderful-history-of-nintendo

Photos: http://www.zeldainformer.com/news/nintendo_power_gives_us_the_best_moments_from_the_legend_of_zelda_nes 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NintendoCards.jpg 
 http://gifsoup.com/view/1794566/donkey-kong.html
http://www.fakecard.com/pokedex/pokemon/164.shtml

Nickelodeon's Longest Running Television Show!

Spongebob is the oldest cartoon to air on Nickelodeon, and it has several fans that adore it! In Spongebob, the main characters are Spongebob, Patrick, Sandy, Gary, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, and Plankton. In each episode, there is typically a life lesson about something concerning our everyday lives. There are so many things, though, that I'm sure you didn't know about Spongebob, even if you are one of the show's biggest fans.
1. Each character in Spongebob Squarepants was inspired by one of the seven deadly sins. For Example, Mr. Krabs is a very greedy man. He would kill for a penny, and in one episode, he is even willing to sell Spongebob's soul for sixty-two cents. Plankton, is supposed to be envy.He envies Mr. Krab's business and he is constantly trying to outdo Krabs in everything he does. Patrick, is sloth. He constantly stays underneath his rock and does nothing. There is even an episode titled Big Pink Loser, which is all about Patrick and how he is truly good for nothing. Sandy is a representation of pride. She takes such a great deal of satisfaction in her intelligence and where she is from. She thinks that it is a big deal that she is the only land critter to live in Bikini Bottom. Squidward is wrath. Spongebob and Patrick are always trying to have a good time, and Squidward is basically the party-pooper. He is always fussing at Spongebob and Patrick, no matter what they do. Gary is supposed to be gluttony. This may be hard to notice, but it isn't if you put as lot of thought into it.Gary is always hungry, and when you see him, he is almost always eating. If he isn't eating, he is meowing because he is hungry. Last but not least, there is Spongebob, and he is lust. More than any of Bikini Bottom's Residents, Spongebob has more of a rush for life than any of then. He is always filled with pep and cheer no matter where he goes. He lusts for life more than any of the other characters, and therefore he is the last of the seven deadly sins.
2. Spongebob was created by Steve Hillenburg, and he was a former marine biologist.
3. According to Spongebob's drivers' licence, he was born July 14, 1986.
4. Spongebob's name was originally supposed to be Spongeboy, but the name was already copyrighted for a mop.
5. President Obama is a fan of Spongebob. He says he even watches it with his daughters.

Sources from:  http://www.neatorama.com/2009/10/26/10-neat-facts-about-spongebob-squarepants/#!j7Odc
http://www.omg-facts.com/lists/333/11-Spongebob-Facts-Even-Superfans-Don-t-Know/1

You liked this blog post, didn't you?

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/257/968/786.jpg

Halloween Haunt

  

There’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Screams of pure panic pierce the night. There’s nowhere you’re safe in the most horror experience in the region – Halloween Haunt at Kings Island! The seventh annual Halloween Haunt starts Friday and runs every Friday and Saturday night through October 26. Kings Island transforms into a horror-filled nightmare, from mazes with terrifying creatures around every corner to thrill rides they will haunt your dreams.  Returning mazes which include:  Carn Evil, Club Blood, Corn Stalkers, Holiday Horror, Madame Cavern of Terror, Slaughter House, Tombstone Terror-Tory, Urgent Scare and Wolf Pack.
Kings Island’s favorite thrill-rides are open during Halloween Haunt which includes: The Beast, Diamondback, Firehawk, Vortex, Drop Tower, Invertigo, Delirium, Flight Deck, The Racer, Flight of Fear, Adventure Express, Stunt Coaster, Monster, Zephyr, Scrambler, Shake, Rattle & Roll, Dodgem, Boo Blasters on Boo Hill and the Viking Fury. Friday nights feature the “Wall of Monsters” when the gates to the underworld open at 6 p.m. Only the bravest of souls will make it past the vast array of vampires, werewolves, mummies, zombies, undertakers, clowns and assorted ghouls.On Saturdays, the park opens at 11 a.m. then the transformation into Halloween Haunt beginning at 5 p.m. Halloween Haunt is not for the faint of heart and will ravage your senses. This in-your-face horror experience continues to break new ground.
                  Ticket info-
                   FRIDAY NIGHT HAUNT ADMISSION TICKETS
                   TICKETS ONLINE  $26.99
                   Buy online and you save $13.00 off the regular price at the park of $39.99! Valid for admission Friday nights from 6pm - 1am.

           

SATURDAY                                                           ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT AS LOW AS $32.99 Enjoy the park all day long and the haunted attractions all night for one low price. Buy online and you save $24.00 off the regular price at the park of $56.99!

  

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/
http://www.ohioshaunted.com
http://www.fox45now.com/shared/news/top-stories/stories/wrgt_vid_16090.shtml

                             

The Visual Art Club is Finally Here!



 SPRING VALLEY'S VISUAL ART CLUB



Spring Valley finally has a Visual Arts Club. It is supervised by Ms. Howerton and Ms. Hagar, the art teachers. It is an exciting, and interactive club in which art and ideas can be shared. Students interested in joining should speak with one of the art teachers or can simply show up to the next meeting. This club is not only for people who draw or paint, but is also an outlet for students who are interested in photography to share their work and creativity as well. 



Photo Courtesy of http://triplepeasphotography.blogspot.com/2011/01/monday-january-18th-2011-lovemycamera.html



The Visual Arts Club meets every other Friday in Ms. Hagar's art room and will meet next Friday after school. Art is not always about creating a masterpiece, it is about self expression. It could be as simple as making designs on your nails or making doodles in the corner of a piece of paper. Its whatever you like and enjoy creating. The Visual Art Club is a great place to share your work with friends who will support you and your art.  



Photo Courtesy of http://freelancefolder.com/ways-to-become-more-creative/



Art from all mediums will be appreciated. If you are interested don't be shy. The Visual Arts Club already has several members and is looking to add more and is trying to let students know it's there and that they are welcome to join. Whether you are a sketch artist, a painter, or a photographer, and whether you like color, black and white, or a mash, this could be the club for you.

"Daddy Approved"

                                                         "Daddy Approved"

                                                            Photo Courtesy Of:
                                                 Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images 

      http://www.eonline.com/photos/9779/spring-2014-trends-from-new-york-fashion-week/311930

       Sadie Robertson from the show Duck Dynasty struggled last year with finding a dress that was "Daddy Approved" for her school dance. This year Sadie was seen strutting the runway at New York Fashion Week September 9th, wearing a 2014 Sherri Hill  "Daddy Approved" full length polka dot gown. The Robertson family partnered with Sherri Hill for a dress line called Sadie Robertson Live Original. Both Sherri and The Robertsons are eager to work with each others' families and provide girls around the world with "Daddy Approved" dresses. Although Hill will be designing the dresses, Sadie will choose which dresses she will give her stamp of approval to.

  http://breathecast.christianpost.com/articles/duck-dynasty-star-sadie-robertson-runway-fashion-prom-10452/

Food Animals The Newest Craze!

     Who likes food? Who likes animals? Who likes food carved to look like animals?! If you said "I do!" to all of those questions maybe you should take up the hobby of food carving.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299953/Who-said-dont-play-food-Artist-creates-amazing-animal-sculptures-vegetables.html

     In many countries carving fruit and vegetables is considered an art. We normally think about pumpkins for Halloween, but I bet you never even imagined foods such as watermelon, potatoes, and many more!   

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/fruit-crafted-animals/

Retro TV: Courage the Cowardly Dog

Good afternoon students, this is Dr. Cooper. Today we visit animated TV for this week's show.
Some kids loved it. Others were terrified of it. All parents frowned upon it. Yet the show continued on for 4 seasons and maintains an avid cult following today among lovers of...whatever genre it would be defined as. Yes, today's topic is Courage the Cowardly Dog.

Courage the Cowardly Dog originally ran from 1999-2002 on Cartoon Network when they still made decent programming. It is still very popular even today, as most of the Cartoon Network shows from that era are.
It is difficult to truly explain the plot and basis of this show due to its extremely unusual.....unusualness. Courage is an ironically-named, easily frightened  dog owned by an elderly couple named Eustace and Muriel. They live in the Middle of Nowhere, a place plagued by random and spontaneous paranormal events, most of which only seem to happen to Courage and his family. In the words of the Nowhere reporter himself, "...creepy stuff happens in Nowhere". Courage loves his family very much, even though Muriel is the only one that cares about him. Eustace is always grumpy and calls him a "stupid dog!". A recurring gag on the show is when Eustace, either mad at Courage or wanting to frighten him for fun, quickly puts on a random mask for no apparent reason and screams "OOGA BOOGA BOOGA!!!".

Despite his extreme fears, Courage is always brave when his odd family is in trouble. The area is often plagued by zombies, monsters, chicken aliens, a mummy, thieves, talking cats, rats, trees, personified foods, mad scientists, a giant foot, and just plain weird things. Courage often has to go up against these things to save Muriel and Eustace, although they are often oblivious to what is happening. In the end Muriel and Courage always end up happily at home, while Eustace meets an unfortunate demise (such as being trapped in a pyramid). 
Another noteworthy aspect of the show was that Courage would always research stuff on the computer (to find out what the heck was going on), which may be one of the first known uses of the search engine on animated children's' television....yay. 
Despite having ended over a decade ago, Courage the Cowardly Dog is still aired on Cartoon Network (because their new shows are awful) and has an avid fan base. Its unusual aspect of kid-friendly dark humor and paranormal...things... makes it a unique show that I recommend watching.

This guy scared the life out of you if you watched this episode as a kid. Don't mess with King Ramses unless you like floods, locusts, and bad music. And please, don't steal his stuff.

 Thanks for joining me. That's all for today...go away now.
"We'll always have Paris"

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courage_the_Cowardly_Dog

Photos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courage_the_Cowardly_Dog 

 http://forum.gameanyone.com/index.php?topic=18966.40

 www.tumblr.com  

 http://www.fakecard.com/pokedex/pokemon/164.shtm

ENTER THE COMIC KID!

In a world (earth) where comics, vintage music, and old video games are not considered as awesome as they are, in the distance enters... The Comic Kid! A man who is (EXTREMELY) unqualified to deliver a verdict, but will deliver it none the less!  Now not all of these vintage things are perfect, and I am more than happy to let you know (cough...HOWARD THE DUCK...cough). I will be giving my honest opinion on many things including:

Comics (obviously)
Video games (not even Mario is safe)
Movies
Music

and pretty much any other things I feel like discussing. My first review in a couple of days will be on KINGDOM COME, one of my all time favorite graphic novels of all time. I will have a (wonderful) rating system for my comics:

If it's amazing and deserving of everything good it is
: PERFECTION!!!!!!

If it's really good but not quite perfection : buy it as soon as you find it

If it's pretty good, but not something that'll blow your mind, : its only necessary to read if you're     going on a trip

If it's meh, : it'll only be good if you like the character

If it's not very good at all, : you should probably leave it on the shelf

And if it's just awful, : it is shred-worthy

There you have it! Those are my ratings, in a couple of days, my review of Kingdom Come will be released!

The Iphone 5c

    Apple is coming out with a new phone called the Iphone 5c. It comes in five colors: blue, lime green, yellow, white, and pink. The 16GB is starting at $99 and the 32GB is $199.  The iPhone 5c has the features Iphone 5 has, plus many more new things and it automatically comes with iOS7. iPhone 5c is made with plastic. Beneath the smooth surface of the seamless outer shell, a steel frame provides structural integrity. The 5c comes with cases that helps make the iPhone stand out and protect the phone. The cases also help you to make your phone the way you want it.The iPhone 5c has up to 13 LTE bands. That's more than any other model of smartphone. Which means more iPhone users can experience fast download and upload speeds in more places around the world. The iSight camera delivers sharp photos thanks to the features like a five‑element lens and panorama, which lets you get high‑resolution shots. 

http://www.apple.com/iphone-5c/design/

Male Body Types

Many guys today are trying their best to get in shape. While many have outstanding results, some may not understand why they have been working for months and have experienced very little change. The reason for this may have to do with men not knowing about different body types. Knowing these body types and which one is yours is very important when it comes to changing it.

The three body types for men include ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Most guys though have a combination of ectomorph/mesomorph or mesomorph/endomorph. Knowing which applies to you is very important and can help you greatly.

Following section courtesy of  "http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/body-types-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph.html"

Ectomorph

An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto’s have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorphs have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.

Typical traits of an ectomorph:

• Small “delicate” frame and bone structure
• Classic “hardgainer”
• Flat chest
• Small shoulders
• Thin
• Lean muscle mass
• Finds it hard to gain weight
• Fast metabolism

Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ectos need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight. Workouts should be short and intense focusing on big muscle groups. Supplements are definitely recommended. Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night. Generally, ectomorphs can lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easier for them.

Mesomorph

A mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles and a naturally athletic physique. Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They are naturally strong which is the perfect platform for building muscle.

Typical traits on a Mesomorph:

• Athletic
• Generally hard body
• Well defined muscles
• Rectangular shaped body
• Strong
• Gains muscle easily
• Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs

The mesomorph body type responds the best to weight training. Gains are usually seen very quickly, especially for beginners. The downside to mesomorphs is they gain fat more easily than ectomorphs. This means they must watch their calorie intake. Usually a combination of weight training and cardio works best for mesomorphs.

Endomorph

The endomorph body type is solid and generally soft. Endomorphs gain fat very easily. Endos are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs. Muscles are strong, especially the upper legs. Endomorphs find they are naturally strong in leg exercises like the squat.

Typical traits of an Endomorph:

• Soft and round body
• Gains muscle and fat very easily
• Is generally short
• "Stocky" build
• Round physique
• Finds it hard to lose fat
• Slow metabolism
• Muscles not so well defined

When it comes to training, endomorphs find it very easy to gain weight. Unfortunately, a large portion of this weight is fat not muscle. To keep fat gain to a minimum, endomorphs must always train cardio as well as weights. Usually supplements may not be needed as long as the person has a high protein intake in their diet.

An Important Announcement of Great and Urgent Importance

Good afternoon students this is Dr. Cooper etc etc. I regret to inform you that I will not be presenting a Retro TV Show blog this week due to my busy schedule. Instead I am pleased to inform you that I have been assigned  my own column in The Timberwolf's Editorial section! I look forward to bringing joy and knowledge to our many readers...
Now, the next Retro TV Article will be postponed until next week so I am allowing my 10-20 viewers to decide what the topic will be: Courage the Cowardly Dog, or Tom & Jerry. Vote in the comments below please. 
Also this year we will be selling subscriptions to the Timberwolf paper. $5 for a whole year of issues, a delightful offer. If you desire to subscribe, please see Ms. Dingess or any newspaper staff member, preferably Cody Straley or Michael Finley (the subscription keepers).
Good Day.

 http://www.fakecard.com/pokedex/pokemon/164.shtml

Random History: Micronations

Good afternoon students, this is Dr. Cooper. I want you to think for a moment. Unemployment. Sequestration. War. Terrorism. Corruption. Miley Cyrus. The world today is full of many pressing issues that consequently affect our lives. I'd like to turn your attention instead to an issue that has been largely ignored by the public and is very important. It is perhaps the most under-appreciated form of politics: Micronations.

While there are many definitions for the term, a micronation is essentially when a person or group declares an area of space to be an independent country, usually very small. They differ from imaginary  countries or online communities (ahem, World of Warcraft) in the fact that they claim literal sovereignty over an actual place. No micronation has ever been recognized by the international community, mainly because the claims are ridiculous and have no basing. Micronation territories tend to vary from a single person's bedroom, to objects in outer space.
The theory of micronations first emerged around the 1970's with the creation of Sealand (to be discussed later). There are many motives for creating a micronation, including:

• Attempts to evade taxes
• Creating a host area for illegal online activities
• Having a lot of money and not knowing what to do with it
• To give yourself a fancy title such as "King" or "Emperor"
• Raise awareness of an issue
• To design a cool-looking flag
• People who didn't want to stop playing "pretend" after they grew up.
• Or you're bored

Most micronations are never really taken seriously, but some people give an all out effort, creating laws, a government, and other establishments for their so-called "independent country". There are two famous examples of utterly hardcore micronation efforts that I shall present to you. Prepare to be baffled...

The Principality of Sealand

 Sealand is the world's most famous and oldest micronation. It is a 5,900 sq ft platform located three miles off the coast of Great Britain. It originally served as an anti-aircraft fort in World War II before it was abandoned by the military. In 1967 a man named Roy Bates and his family occupied the structure and declared it to be the nation of Sealand, with himself as Prince. Since then the family has fiercely defended their country from any threats, even firing warning shots multiple times at people who come too close. The British government has made no actions to evict the family after a court decision ruled that the government had no jurisdiction in the middle of the ocean. Sealand claims it has been recognized as a country because it was once visited by German diplomats. In their effort to become independent, they have painstakingly created almost every aspect of a country. Sealand has a functioning government, a constitution, flag, coat-of-arms, motto, national anthem, a Bureau of Domestic and International Affairs, currency, passports, stamps, an online newspaper, a Football Association, a fencing team, a rebel government-in-exile (long story), a Facebook page, and a WWII canon for defense. Their economy consists of sales from souvenirs and Titles of Nobility sold on their website (For $46.86, you can become a Lord of Sealand!). The platform itself is also apparently quite roomy, since it contains a royal palace, Parliament building, offices, chapel, and a small store. The official population is 27, although most of them live in Britain instead. The U.N has not recognized them as a nation due to a law stating that artificial islands can't be countries. Too bad...

The Republic of Molossia

  The Republic of Molossia is a 6 acre area of dry desert land in northern Nevada, along with a 5 acre "colony" in southern California. It was founded in 1977 and is currently ruled by, and I quote, "His Excellency President Grand Admiral Colonel Doctor Kevin Baugh, President of Molossia, Protector of the Nation and Guardian of the People". It has been equally aggressive in asserting its independence, although in much more bizarre ways. They have their own postal service, bank, railroad, Navy, Naval Academy, space program, war memorials, holidays, online radio station, measurement system, and their own time zone. They have fought wars, yes wars, with other micronations, and have been at war with East Germany for 30 years, even though it no longer exists...Molossia was also the host of the first, and so far the only, Intermicronational Olympic Games in 2000. Some people need to get a life...

Other noteworthy micronations include...

• Federated States of Antarctica- claims sovereignty over Antarctica. Seeks to populate it with 2 million people.
• Dominion of British West Florida- claims that western Florida is still a British colony. 
• Ohio Empire- claims control over Ohio. Member of the North American Micronational Culture Organization.
• The Conch Republic- area in Key West, Florida that tried to secede in 1982. 
• Nutopia- a country with no boundaries or laws. Created by John Lennon so he could claim diplomatic immunity.

It's relatively simple to create a micronation. Basically all you need is a flag, a website, and a few followers. I don't recommend all the other over-complicated stuff without money and a good lawyer. Micronation-managing is great for a joke or hobby. I don't recommend seriously trying to make it an independent country though. I must say, when I first read about micronations a few years ago I was like WTC (what the crap)?! But now I aspire to create one someday because it sounds fun. If I ever get that crazy...

Thanks ever so much for reading about this critical issue...another Retro Show article comes next week...

That's no moon. That's a space station!


Sources: http://www.sealandgov.org/
http://www.molossia.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronation
http://micronations.wordpress.com/
http://micronations.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/24/the-worlds-weirdest-micro_n_508738.html#s74926title=Sealand


Pictures: http://www.listofmicronations.com/
www.smh.com.au 
howtostartyourowncountry.com
 http://www.fakecard.com/pokedex/pokemon/164.shtml

Question of the Week

Question of the Week: 

Here's some food for thought...

If a unstoppable force meets an immovable object, which will overpower the other? 

Leave your answers in the comments!

Highlanders vs Timberwolves....game of the year???

"...And there was a war in Huntington. Highlander fought against Timberwolf, and Timberwolf fought against Highlander..."
-reference and paraphrase of/to Revelation 12:7

That's the expectation for this Friday night. The biblical reference gives you an idea of how big this game is. Just as Michael the Archangel fights against the fallen angels, so too will Tyler Brown lead his team in what will be known as a war. The Timberwolves come off of a big win against opener St. Albans, while the Highlanders defeated the Redskins of Hurricane, 23-8. While both defenses looked solid, the T'Wolves have yet to face a formidable foe such as Hurricane.

The biggest test will be Huntington's response to Spring Valley's huge line. The offense returns 4 starters on the line, along with the two behemoth tackles Alex Locklear and Trevor Stacy. Huntington High has not faced a big line constantly coming at them, so to see their adjustments to the smash mouth style of play will be fun to watch. Hurricane put up good numbers and a fight against the Highlanders. St. Albans not so much.

The Wolves are loaded with weapons in the backfield different from last year's running back great ELIIIJAHH WELLMANN. The backfield this year is smaller, but quicker. Huntington High always has tons of athletes, so Spring Valley's biggest obstacle is going to be containing their speed.

The battle is set to begin at 7:30, Friday night, September 6 @ Bob Sang Stadium (Huntington High).