What’s Hot?
Top 25 Comic Book Villains:
By Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
1. Joker (DC)
2. Magneto (Marvel) 14. Green Goblin (Marvel)
3. Venom (Marvel) 15. Two-Face (DC)
4. Dr. Doom (Marvel) 16. Scarecrow (DC)
5. Lex Luthor (DC) 17. The Riddler (DC)
6. Ra's Al-Ghul (DC) 18. Darkseid (DC)
7. Bane (DC) 19. Red Skull (Marvel)
8. Dark Phoenix (Marvel) 20. Mr. Freeze (DC)
9. Galactus (Marvel) 21. Thanos (Marvel)
10. Carnage (Marvel) 22. Doctor Octopus (Marvel)
11. Loki (Marvel) 23. Doomsday (DC)
12. Apocalypse (Marvel) 24. Mystique (Marvel)
13. Shredder (DC) 25. Poison Ivy (DC)
Home Vs. Away:
India Edition
By Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
One of the oldest cultures in the world starting 4,500 years ago is described as "Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara" — the first and the supreme culture in the world, according to the All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) organization. Some of the first anthropologists believe culture an evolutionary process”every aspect of human development was seen as driven by evolution,” according Christina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London. With this view many societies outside of Europe and North America, or other countries that didn’t follow the western way of life were thought to be inferior and primitive. Even though they were considered inferior, India made great advances that we use today such as the number zero, architecture (Taj Mahal), and medicine (Ayurveda).
India is ranked number two in the CIA World Factbook, for population beaten only by China. India has 1.2 Billion people compared to our 322,583,006 and Chinas 1.357 billion. India is broken up into twenty eight states and seven territories. Unlike many countries, India does not have an official language. Country to popular belief not all Indians speak Hindi; about 59% of the people speak Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil or Urdu.
The food in India was impacted in the sixteenth century by the Moghul Empire as well as influenced by the surrounding countries. The food in India is known for their spices such as ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried hot peppers, and cinnamon. Though many Hindus are vegetarian, lamb and chicken are common in non-vegetarian foods. According to the Guardian Reports,about 20%-40% of India’s population is vegetarian. Instead of forks, spoons, knives, and other utensils that we use on a daily basis in America, Indian food is eaten with either your fingers or bread (naan-a leavened, oven-baked flatbread, and bhatoor-a fried, fluffy flatbread).
One of India’s strong suits is their film industry which is referred to as Bollywood. Their movie industry began in 1896 when the Lumière brothers demonstrated the art of cinema in Mumbai, according to the Golden Globes.
Film is not the only thing India is known for. Their music, dance, and theater can be traced back to more than 2,000 year ago according to Nilima Bhadbhade, author of “Contract Law in India” (Kluwer Law International, 2010). “The major classical dance traditions — Bharata Natyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali — draw on themes from mythology and literature and have rigid presentation rules,” (Livescience).
You can spot Indian clothing by the colorful silk saris worn by many of the country’s women. Dhoti, traditional clothing for men, is an unstitched piece of cloth that is tied around the waist and legs. Women and men can also wear a Kurta, a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length. On special occasions, men wear a sherwani, a long coat that is buttoned up to the collar and down to the knees. The shorter version of a sherwani is a Nehur jacket. Salwar Kameez is traditional clothing worn by women (also called Punjabi suit). Sari is the dress they are wearing when Americans typically think of Indian women.
India is very big for its colorful clothing and exquisite culture. They are well known for many great things. As for us in the United States, people are all caught up with the idea of what is main stream or “in”, What they want to wear, or what the next big thing is, and not focused on the big picture and the culture we have here.
Source
http://www.livescience.com/28634-indian-culture.html
Hillary Clinton’s Email
By Lexy Rodriguez
Former United States Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton. From 2009 to 2013, she was the 67th Secretary of State, serving under President Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton used her personal email account to exclusively conduct official business during her time at the State Department. Hillary Clinton acknowledged Tuesday that it “would have been better” if she had used an official government account but admitted that the personal one she used was a “matter of convenience.”
The former Secretary of State, and likely 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, addressed the controversy in New York, following an event on women's empowerment at the United Nations headquarters. (www.foxnews.com)
Hillary briefly stated that she uses her private email server for personal use to communicate with her husband. Clinton told reporters she “opted for convenience” to use her personal email on one device. She thought it would be simpler to do so. Clinton states she did not discuss classified information on her personal e-mail. Hillary turned over 30,490 e-mails to the State Department last fall at the department’s request. Half of the 62,320 total e-mails sent and received as Secretary of State.
More than 27,500 involved official government e-mail addresses. Government officials searched for more Government related e-mail including terms including “Benghazi” and “Libya”. Remaining 31,830 e-mails were deemed personal and deleted.
Clinton said she "chose not to keep" personal e-mails, such as those related to daughter Chelsea's wedding in 2010 or the funeral for her mother, Dorothy Rodham, who died in 2011. "No one wants their personal e-mails made public and I think most people understand that and respect that privacy," she said. "I trust the American people to make their decisions about political and public matters and I feel that I've taken unprecedented steps to provide these work-related emails," she said. "They're going to be in the public domain, and I think that Americans will, find that interesting and I look forward to having that discussion.'' (www.usatoday.co)
Hillary Clinton made these remarks to a crowded news conference outside the U.N. Security Council chambers overshadowed her message earlier in the day about gender equality. Hillary believes that the public should be able to view all her email and has requested them to be viewed on March 4th Clinton tweeted: “I want the public to see my email. I have asked State to release them. They said they will review them for release as soon as possible.”
(www.washingtonpost.com )
Sources
www.foxnews.com
www.usatoday.co
www.washingtonpost.com
Home vs. Away
Madagascar Edition
By: Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
Madagascar which is widely known for its strange animals may have an even stranger history behind it. New research suggests Madagascar has not settled by humans until about 1,200 years ago.
"The unusual thing about this island is Madagascar is a long way away from Indonesia. … It was also settled very recently; by this time, most of the world had already been settled," study researcher Murray Cox, of Massey University in New Zealand, told LiveScience. "We are talking about an entire culture being trans-located across the Indian Ocean."(livescience.com)
Genetic research shows that instead of the people coming from Africa they came from Indonesia an, island nation a quarter of the world, or some 3,500 miles away. There is a clear similarity between the Indonesian and Madagascar genomes. Researchers believed that a maximum of thirty women arrived in Madagascar around 1, 200 years ago and two of those thirty women were African.
In Madagascar, women are deemed the same equality as men and same wages. In the political arena, an increasing number of women are entering politics. Even though laws improve the rights for women, men are still given greater thought in social and religious rules. Men gain more money then the women even to the law states that they should all receive the same amount.
Most families arrange marriages mostly to strengthen their familial and social relationships. Marriages vary according to social status and political implications because they are intended to preserve or increase wealth, power, and prestige. Most marriages are traditional, and divorces are as well.
If male and female family members eat separately,the eldest member is served first. These etiquettes are usually identified during ceremonial meal but are much more relaxed in daily practice. Often children are served before the elder so the children have enough food.
The first of January is New Year's Day. Memorial Day is celebrated on March 29th in honor of those who died in the French Malagasy War of 1949. International Women's Day, when women are honored for their contributions, is March 30th. The third Thursday in May is Labor Day, an important holiday for workers. The unity of the Organization of United African Countries is celebrated on May 25th. Madagascar's independence from France in 1960 is celebrated on June 26th. The Celebration of the Dead is held on November 1st and is a day devoted to ancestors and their burial grounds and it can involve the building of elaborate tombs. The Anniversary of the II Republic, which began in 1975, is celebrated on December 30th. (everyculture.com)
“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!” (Dr. Seuss). Things that may seem strange or funny to us may be completely normal to someone else. Just like something we find completely normal maybe something that. We live on such a diverse planet that not everything will be similar, but not everything will be different either.
Sources
everyculture.com
livescience.com
WHAT’S HOT?
Pick Up Lines
By: Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?
Kiss me if I’m wrong, but dinosaurs still exist right?
Are you a banana? Because I find you “a-peeling.”
I like Legos, you like Legos, why don't we build a relationship?
Your lips look so lonely.... Would they like to meet mine?
Can I borrow a kiss? I promise I'll give it back.
If you were a transformer, you'd be a HOT-obot, and your name would be Optimus Fine.
Is there a rainbow today? I just found the treasure I've been searching for!
I have an "owie" on my lip. Will you kiss it and make it better?
Let me tie your shoes, cause I dont want you falling for anyone else.
Sir Paul and Yeezy Christ
By: Lexy Rodriguez
In early 2014, Paul McCartney and Kanye West began working together in Los Angeles. They were thinking of new songs to come up with. Sir Paul improvising on the key board and Yeezy Christ on vocals and thinking of ideas to come up with which would soon result in the new song “Only One.”
Kanye was with his family enjoying his time with his daughter North. And played back the track the phrase “Hello my Only One….” Was played and he couldn’t remember saying those words. He then realized that they did not come from him to being with.
Yeezy Christ finally realized that the words did not come from him but his late mother Dr. Donda. She was his mentor and best friend someone he couild really look to. Kanye believed that the words were coming from her to be sung to his daughter North. Later he explained to everyone about the words “Only One” and that his then explained that his name Kanye meant “only one.”
Then everyone realized the power of the message and believed it had been passed down through generation.
IHeartRadio Summit on Jan. 21, Kanye West played a new duet with Rihanna and Paul McCartney. The new duet, titled “FourFiveSeconds,” has appeared on line to anyone looking for the song. Kanye West spokesperson called his teaming with McCartney “a prolific musical collaboration,” it’s easy to hear his power on the acoustic guitar and organ-driven track.
Rihanna is best known for “Umbrella” and “Only Girl (In the World),” the latest track might fit in a bonfire sing-along than at the club. The acoustic duet is but with unplugged guitar, an organ, and semisweet lines like “If I go to jail tonight, promise you’ll pay my bill.” Rihanna also sounded relaxed in the album she sounded different then she usually did in the last years in her other album.
Top 25 Comic Book Villains:
By Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
1. Joker (DC)
2. Magneto (Marvel) 14. Green Goblin (Marvel)
3. Venom (Marvel) 15. Two-Face (DC)
4. Dr. Doom (Marvel) 16. Scarecrow (DC)
5. Lex Luthor (DC) 17. The Riddler (DC)
6. Ra's Al-Ghul (DC) 18. Darkseid (DC)
7. Bane (DC) 19. Red Skull (Marvel)
8. Dark Phoenix (Marvel) 20. Mr. Freeze (DC)
9. Galactus (Marvel) 21. Thanos (Marvel)
10. Carnage (Marvel) 22. Doctor Octopus (Marvel)
11. Loki (Marvel) 23. Doomsday (DC)
12. Apocalypse (Marvel) 24. Mystique (Marvel)
13. Shredder (DC) 25. Poison Ivy (DC)
Home Vs. Away:
India Edition
By Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
One of the oldest cultures in the world starting 4,500 years ago is described as "Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara" — the first and the supreme culture in the world, according to the All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) organization. Some of the first anthropologists believe culture an evolutionary process”every aspect of human development was seen as driven by evolution,” according Christina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London. With this view many societies outside of Europe and North America, or other countries that didn’t follow the western way of life were thought to be inferior and primitive. Even though they were considered inferior, India made great advances that we use today such as the number zero, architecture (Taj Mahal), and medicine (Ayurveda).
India is ranked number two in the CIA World Factbook, for population beaten only by China. India has 1.2 Billion people compared to our 322,583,006 and Chinas 1.357 billion. India is broken up into twenty eight states and seven territories. Unlike many countries, India does not have an official language. Country to popular belief not all Indians speak Hindi; about 59% of the people speak Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil or Urdu.
The food in India was impacted in the sixteenth century by the Moghul Empire as well as influenced by the surrounding countries. The food in India is known for their spices such as ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried hot peppers, and cinnamon. Though many Hindus are vegetarian, lamb and chicken are common in non-vegetarian foods. According to the Guardian Reports,about 20%-40% of India’s population is vegetarian. Instead of forks, spoons, knives, and other utensils that we use on a daily basis in America, Indian food is eaten with either your fingers or bread (naan-a leavened, oven-baked flatbread, and bhatoor-a fried, fluffy flatbread).
One of India’s strong suits is their film industry which is referred to as Bollywood. Their movie industry began in 1896 when the Lumière brothers demonstrated the art of cinema in Mumbai, according to the Golden Globes.
Film is not the only thing India is known for. Their music, dance, and theater can be traced back to more than 2,000 year ago according to Nilima Bhadbhade, author of “Contract Law in India” (Kluwer Law International, 2010). “The major classical dance traditions — Bharata Natyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali — draw on themes from mythology and literature and have rigid presentation rules,” (Livescience).
You can spot Indian clothing by the colorful silk saris worn by many of the country’s women. Dhoti, traditional clothing for men, is an unstitched piece of cloth that is tied around the waist and legs. Women and men can also wear a Kurta, a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length. On special occasions, men wear a sherwani, a long coat that is buttoned up to the collar and down to the knees. The shorter version of a sherwani is a Nehur jacket. Salwar Kameez is traditional clothing worn by women (also called Punjabi suit). Sari is the dress they are wearing when Americans typically think of Indian women.
India is very big for its colorful clothing and exquisite culture. They are well known for many great things. As for us in the United States, people are all caught up with the idea of what is main stream or “in”, What they want to wear, or what the next big thing is, and not focused on the big picture and the culture we have here.
Source
http://www.livescience.com/28634-indian-culture.html
Hillary Clinton’s Email
By Lexy Rodriguez
Former United States Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton. From 2009 to 2013, she was the 67th Secretary of State, serving under President Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton used her personal email account to exclusively conduct official business during her time at the State Department. Hillary Clinton acknowledged Tuesday that it “would have been better” if she had used an official government account but admitted that the personal one she used was a “matter of convenience.”
The former Secretary of State, and likely 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, addressed the controversy in New York, following an event on women's empowerment at the United Nations headquarters. (www.foxnews.com)
Hillary briefly stated that she uses her private email server for personal use to communicate with her husband. Clinton told reporters she “opted for convenience” to use her personal email on one device. She thought it would be simpler to do so. Clinton states she did not discuss classified information on her personal e-mail. Hillary turned over 30,490 e-mails to the State Department last fall at the department’s request. Half of the 62,320 total e-mails sent and received as Secretary of State.
More than 27,500 involved official government e-mail addresses. Government officials searched for more Government related e-mail including terms including “Benghazi” and “Libya”. Remaining 31,830 e-mails were deemed personal and deleted.
Clinton said she "chose not to keep" personal e-mails, such as those related to daughter Chelsea's wedding in 2010 or the funeral for her mother, Dorothy Rodham, who died in 2011. "No one wants their personal e-mails made public and I think most people understand that and respect that privacy," she said. "I trust the American people to make their decisions about political and public matters and I feel that I've taken unprecedented steps to provide these work-related emails," she said. "They're going to be in the public domain, and I think that Americans will, find that interesting and I look forward to having that discussion.'' (www.usatoday.co)
Hillary Clinton made these remarks to a crowded news conference outside the U.N. Security Council chambers overshadowed her message earlier in the day about gender equality. Hillary believes that the public should be able to view all her email and has requested them to be viewed on March 4th Clinton tweeted: “I want the public to see my email. I have asked State to release them. They said they will review them for release as soon as possible.”
(www.washingtonpost.com )
Sources
www.foxnews.com
www.usatoday.co
www.washingtonpost.com
Home vs. Away
Madagascar Edition
By: Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
Madagascar which is widely known for its strange animals may have an even stranger history behind it. New research suggests Madagascar has not settled by humans until about 1,200 years ago.
"The unusual thing about this island is Madagascar is a long way away from Indonesia. … It was also settled very recently; by this time, most of the world had already been settled," study researcher Murray Cox, of Massey University in New Zealand, told LiveScience. "We are talking about an entire culture being trans-located across the Indian Ocean."(livescience.com)
Genetic research shows that instead of the people coming from Africa they came from Indonesia an, island nation a quarter of the world, or some 3,500 miles away. There is a clear similarity between the Indonesian and Madagascar genomes. Researchers believed that a maximum of thirty women arrived in Madagascar around 1, 200 years ago and two of those thirty women were African.
In Madagascar, women are deemed the same equality as men and same wages. In the political arena, an increasing number of women are entering politics. Even though laws improve the rights for women, men are still given greater thought in social and religious rules. Men gain more money then the women even to the law states that they should all receive the same amount.
Most families arrange marriages mostly to strengthen their familial and social relationships. Marriages vary according to social status and political implications because they are intended to preserve or increase wealth, power, and prestige. Most marriages are traditional, and divorces are as well.
If male and female family members eat separately,the eldest member is served first. These etiquettes are usually identified during ceremonial meal but are much more relaxed in daily practice. Often children are served before the elder so the children have enough food.
The first of January is New Year's Day. Memorial Day is celebrated on March 29th in honor of those who died in the French Malagasy War of 1949. International Women's Day, when women are honored for their contributions, is March 30th. The third Thursday in May is Labor Day, an important holiday for workers. The unity of the Organization of United African Countries is celebrated on May 25th. Madagascar's independence from France in 1960 is celebrated on June 26th. The Celebration of the Dead is held on November 1st and is a day devoted to ancestors and their burial grounds and it can involve the building of elaborate tombs. The Anniversary of the II Republic, which began in 1975, is celebrated on December 30th. (everyculture.com)
“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!” (Dr. Seuss). Things that may seem strange or funny to us may be completely normal to someone else. Just like something we find completely normal maybe something that. We live on such a diverse planet that not everything will be similar, but not everything will be different either.
Sources
everyculture.com
livescience.com
WHAT’S HOT?
Pick Up Lines
By: Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?
Kiss me if I’m wrong, but dinosaurs still exist right?
Are you a banana? Because I find you “a-peeling.”
I like Legos, you like Legos, why don't we build a relationship?
Your lips look so lonely.... Would they like to meet mine?
Can I borrow a kiss? I promise I'll give it back.
If you were a transformer, you'd be a HOT-obot, and your name would be Optimus Fine.
Is there a rainbow today? I just found the treasure I've been searching for!
I have an "owie" on my lip. Will you kiss it and make it better?
Let me tie your shoes, cause I dont want you falling for anyone else.
Sir Paul and Yeezy Christ
By: Lexy Rodriguez
In early 2014, Paul McCartney and Kanye West began working together in Los Angeles. They were thinking of new songs to come up with. Sir Paul improvising on the key board and Yeezy Christ on vocals and thinking of ideas to come up with which would soon result in the new song “Only One.”
Kanye was with his family enjoying his time with his daughter North. And played back the track the phrase “Hello my Only One….” Was played and he couldn’t remember saying those words. He then realized that they did not come from him to being with.
Yeezy Christ finally realized that the words did not come from him but his late mother Dr. Donda. She was his mentor and best friend someone he couild really look to. Kanye believed that the words were coming from her to be sung to his daughter North. Later he explained to everyone about the words “Only One” and that his then explained that his name Kanye meant “only one.”
Then everyone realized the power of the message and believed it had been passed down through generation.
IHeartRadio Summit on Jan. 21, Kanye West played a new duet with Rihanna and Paul McCartney. The new duet, titled “FourFiveSeconds,” has appeared on line to anyone looking for the song. Kanye West spokesperson called his teaming with McCartney “a prolific musical collaboration,” it’s easy to hear his power on the acoustic guitar and organ-driven track.
Rihanna is best known for “Umbrella” and “Only Girl (In the World),” the latest track might fit in a bonfire sing-along than at the club. The acoustic duet is but with unplugged guitar, an organ, and semisweet lines like “If I go to jail tonight, promise you’ll pay my bill.” Rihanna also sounded relaxed in the album she sounded different then she usually did in the last years in her other album.
What’s Hot?
Top 25 Anticipated Movies of 2015
By Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
1. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Release Date: December 18, 2015
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, Max von Sydow
Summary: A continuation of the saga created by George Lucas set thirty years after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).
2. The Avengers: Age of Ultron
Release Date: May 1, 2015
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Cobie Smulders, James Spader, Paul Bettany, Stellan Skarsgård
Summary: When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
Release Date: May 15, 2015
Director: George Miller
Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Zoë Kravitz, Nicholas Hoult, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Summary: An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There's Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.
4. The Hateful Eight
Release Date: November 13, 2015
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Channing Tatum, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Zoë Bell, Bruce Dern, Demian Bichir
Summary: In post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunters try to find shelter during a blizzard but get involved in a plot of betrayal and deception.
5. Mission: Impossible V
Release Date: December 25, 2015
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson
Summary: The continued exploits of IMF agent Ethan Hunt and his elite team.
6. Tomorrowland
Release Date: May 22, 2015
Director: Brad Bird
Cast: Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Judy Greer, Hugh Laurie, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key
Summary: Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.
7. Furious 7
Release Date: April 3, 2015
Director: James Wan
Cast: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, Lucas Black, Ronda Rousey, Kurt Russell, Djimon Hounsou, Iggy Azalea, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Tony Jaa, Ludacris
Summary: Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for the death of his brother.
8. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Release Date: November 20, 2015
Director: Francis Lawrence
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Toby Jones, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone
Summary: After being symbolized as the 'Mockingjay' Katniss Everdeen and District 13 engage in an all-out revolution against the autocratic Capitol.
9. Inside Out
Release Date: June 19, 2015
Directors: Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen
Cast: Diane Lane, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Kyle MacLachlan, Phyllis Smith, Lori Alan, Lewis Black
Summary: Told from the perspective of the emotions inside the mind of a little girl.
10. The Good Dinosaur
Release Date: November 25, 2015
Director: Peter Sohn
Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Judy Greer, Bill Hader, Frances McDormand, John Lithgow, Lucas Neff
Summary: After a traumatic event unsettles a lively Apatosaurus named Arlo, he sets out on a remarkable journey, gaining an unlikely companion along the way - a human boy.
11. Ant-Man
Release Date: July 17, 2015
Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Judy Greer, Hayley Atwell, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña
Summary: Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
12. Black Mass
Release Date: September 18, 2015
Director: Scott Cooper
Cast: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, Sienna Miller, Kevin Bacon, Juno Temple, Dakota Johnson, Corey Stoll, Adam Scott, Peter Sarsgaard
Summary: Black Mass is a horror film where the user becomes part of the action. From the perspective of someone who's been abducted, you'll find your abductees throwing a black veil over your head as you are transported between increasingly freakish scenes.
13. The Fantastic Four
Release Date: August 7, 2015
Director: Josh Trank
Cast: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Tim Blake Nelson
Summary:Four young scientists achieve superhuman abilities through a teleportation experiment gone haywire. They must now use these abilities to save the world from an uprising tyrant.
14. The Martian
Release Date: November 25, 2015
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean
Summary: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
15. Spectre
Release Date: November 6, 2015
Director: Sam Mendes
Cast: Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Christoph Waltz, Monica Bellucci, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux, Andrew Scott
Summary: A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.
16. The Gunman
Release Date: March 20, 2015
Director: Pierre Morel
Cast: Sean Penn, Idris Elba, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone, Jasmine Trinca, Mark Rylance, Peter Franzén
Summary: A former Special Forces soldier and military contractor suffering from PTSD tries to reconnect with his long time love, but first must go on the run from London to Barcelona and across Europe in order to clear his name.
17. Terminator Genisys
Release Date: July 1, 2015
Director: Alan Taylor
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, Matt Smith, Byung-hun Lee, J.K. Simmons
Summary: After finding himself in a new time-line, Kyle Reese teams up with John Connor's mother Sarah and an aging terminator to try and stop the one thing that the future fears, "Judgement Day".
18. Jurassic World
Release Date: June 12, 2015
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Greer, Jake Johnson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Omar Sy, Brian Tee, Irrfan Khan, BD Wong, Ty Simpkins, Katie McGrath
Summary: Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park (1993), Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly.
19. Kingsman: The Secret Service
Release Date: February 13, 2015
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Michael Caine, Jack Davenport, Sofia Boutella, Mark Hamill
Summary: A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
20. Magic Mike XXL
Release Date: July 1, 2015
Director: Gregory Jacobs
Cast: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Matt Bomer, Gabriel Iglesias, Adam Rodriguez, Michael Strahan, Elizabeth Banks, Jada Pinkett Smith, Andie MacDowell, Donald Glover, Amber Heard
Summary: The continuation of the story of the male stripper named Magic Mike.
21. Crimson Peak
Release Date: October 16, 2015
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Doug Jones, Jim Beaver
Summary: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds...and remembers.
22. Jupiter Ascending
Release Date: February 6, 2015
Directors: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Cast: Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, James D’Arcy, Douglas Booth, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Summary: In a bright and colorful future, a young destitute caretaker gets targeted by the ruthless son of a powerful family, who lives on a planet in need of a new heir, so she travels with a genetically engineered warrior to the planet in order to stop his tyrant reign.
23. Mr. Holmes
Release Date: Unknown
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada
Summary: An aged, retired Sherlock Holmes looks back on his life, and grapples with an unsolved case involving a beautiful woman
24. Chappie
Release Date: March 6, 2015
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, Dev Patel
Summary:In the near future, crime is patrolled by an oppressive mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.
25. Pixels
Release Date: July 24, 2015
Director: Chris Columbus
Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Monaghan, Brian Cox, Ashley Benson, Jane Krakowski
Summary: Video game experts are recruited by the military to fight 1980s-era video game characters who've attacked New York.
Sources:
www.screenrant.com
www.imdb.com
Home Vs Away: Italy Edition
By Lexi Dejkoski and Lexy Rodriguez
Italy is the land of good food and you can’t forget that it’s shaped like a foot that is kicking a football. In, Italy the population is 96% Italian and the rest is North African Arabs, Italo-Albanian, Albanian, German, Austrian, and other European groups. Their official language is Italian and 93% of them speak it as their native tongue.
Family is considered a very important part of their life as most people put family first. They have many family gatherings as they love to spend time together. Children are raised close to family until adulthood to ensure they incorporate there family into the rest of the family.
Italy has a wide number of architectural styles: these are Classical Roman, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical. Italy is also home to very famous structures, including the Colosseum and the leaning Tower of Pisa. The word, basilica according to the Oxford Dictionary, is derived from Latin and meant "royal palace." The word is also from the Greek basilikē, which is the feminine of basilikos which means "royal" or basileus, which means "king." (www.livescience.com).
Many places in Italy such as Florence, Venice, and Rome have many museums, but art may also be viewed in churches and public places. One of the most famous paintings in Italy is in the Sistine Chapel which was painted by Michelangelo between 1508-1512 (www.livescience.com).
Italian food has influenced cultures around the world and is viewed as a form of art to many people. Some ingredients that are essential when it comes to general Italian meals are wine, cheese and pasta. Each region in Italy has its own spin on Italian food. This might be because family gatherings are centered on food.
Appearance look is very important in Italy. What you wear tells people your social status, family background, and your education level. The concept of 'bella figura' or good image is important to Italians as first impressions are lasting impressions. Before you even exchange words with someone they have already assessed your age, gender, and background. With that also comes the judging what you wear from your head to your toes.’ Bella figura’ is more than dressing well. It extends to the aura you project too - i.e. confidence, style, demeanour, etc. (kwintessential.co.uk). Dressing well is always important when meeting people no matter which country you’re in.
Because the United States is the melting pot of the world, we have many different people from different backgrounds in our country. We all have our preferences when it comes to the things we enjoy as well as things we dislike. Italians and Americans are not as different as we seem to believe. We might eat different foods, and have different outlooks on life, but all of us as human beings have things we hold close to our hearts.