Home of Southern Regional Journalism 

                Most teenagers today know what “Snapchat” is or have used it. “Snapchat” is an application on any smartphone that sends pictures or videos for ten seconds or less to anyone of their friends that have “Snapchat”. This past fall, that app was used in an indecent way. Multiple girls from Ridgewood High School in New Jersey sent nude photos to boys using the application “Snapchat”. It gets worse; the male students who received these photos then took screenshots of the photos and posted them on the all too familiar site “Instagram”. Anyone with the photos had a so called “amnesty period” until Monday to delete the photos from any electric device or they would have charges pressed against them.

      We always hear adults say teenagers think they are invincible, but let’s face it, we aren’t. We do stupid things everyday. Maybe some don’t affect us as much, but what these girls did will affect them forever. Sending a naked picture to anyone whether it’s online, or sealed in an envelope and sent in the mail, is a stupid decision. No boy will respect you for doing this, you’re just degrading yourself. Not only can someone ruin their reputation at school, they can ruin their life.

“Sexting” a minor even if you are also a minor is considered child pornography and a person can face up to ten years in jail and pay a fine up to 150,000 dollars. If convicted they can be registered as a sex offender. This can affect a person’s life when trying to apply for jobs, college, and even going on a date. Not many people want to get involved with sexual offenders. Sexting is a stupid decision that will mess up the rest of your life. If you have “Snapchat”, use it for sending funny pictures of you and your other friends not pictures of yourself naked. If people can’t use it correctly, they don’t deserve to use it.

           When the average person thinks of summer a lot of things can come to mind: beaches, tans, friends. This blissful season seems to raise more than just temperatures. Summer is a time where insecurities run at an all-time high. Along with trips to the tanning salon and mall, crash diets begin to play a major role in the yearly preparation ritual some put themselves through in order to get that perfect summer bod. From detox diets and weight loss supplements to grueling hourly long sessions at the gym it seems as if those suffering from this contagious anxiety will stop at nothing to achieve their goals in the shortest amount of time even if it means putting their personal health at jeopardy. So the million-dollar question on everyone’s mind is this: how far is too far?

            Depending on your body type, height, metabolic rate, gender, etcetera, losing weight can be as easy as pie or it can make you want to cry over a slice of pie. It all seems easier when nutritionists and fitness junkies lay the steps out in front of you, but the rate at which the results will appear never brings a smile to anyone’s face. They say to workout reasonably, drinks lots of water, eat six small, well-balanced meals a day and try and make changes such as choosing the stairs over the elevator. It doesn’t get much simpler than that right? Wrong. Unfortunately for most that’s not enough. Some resort to starving themselves, others run until they’re ready to collapse on the floor and most pair that with an unhealthy, drastic diet of some sorts. In the end, those who have chosen to take this route pay for it in the long run. A daily routine quickly morphs into an obsession and before they know it they wind up in a hospital bed or on a table at the morgue.

            The reality of it is that a diet is supposed to make you healthier, not worse off. If you shed the pounds fast you’ll gain them back and then some. If you take your time, pace yourself, and follow the doctor’s orders you’ll be happier in the end. Exercising and watching what you eat isn’t a phase; it’s a way of life. It also should never be seen as a punishment. Being healthy is more important than being buff or model skinny and indulging every once in a while isn’t a crime. Vacations are supposed to be enjoyable, not a boot camp. Soak up some sun and relax- stress and self-loathing never helped anyone in her fight against wrinkles.

          It’s been more than five months since Sandy, the aptly named “Franken storm” which combined a hurricane, a nor’easter and storm surges the likes of which we have not seen in years. It tore through the Northeast, leaving billions of dollars in damage in the tri-state area. Being a barrier island, LBI was one of the hardest hit areas in New Jersey.  Streets were buried with up to four feet of sand and ocean front houses were swept into the sea. Early estimates suggest between $750 million and $1 billion in damages to the island alone. Despite this, businesses all along the island are more determined than ever to get back on their feet and prepare for the summer tourism season. A majority of the establishments on LBI are already opened, and one local favorite will be opening their doors to hundreds of customers, hungry for wings, on April 1^st. I am of course speaking of none other than The Chicken or the Egg.

          The Chicken or the Egg has been serving up their famous buffalo wings to hungry beach goers since 1991 and has become a popular favorite for locals and tourists alike. I know many of the students at Southern myself included, will be eagerly awaiting the annual return of Beach Haven’s finest wings. As I mentioned, LBI and Beach Haven in particular were hit hard by Sandy and its storm surge, and the resulting flooding left a cool 52 inches of water inside the Chegg. The 52 inches of water tossed around the furnishing like toys and left a thick coating of mud on everything in its path. Shawn and Mark Cohen, owners and proprietors of the Chegg, did not let this faze them. As soon as the evacuation order was lifted, the Chegg was back under construction so that it could be ready in time for the spring season. It is people like this that are a great example of the perseverance and determination that exists on LBI in Sandy’s wake. The Chegg is proof that Sandy will not stop Long Beach Island from doing what it does best, bringing families together and creating lasting memories.

             Cruises are supposed to be a getaway for families and loved ones to spend time together or to just sit back, relax and enjoy a break from the real world. The people “vacationing” on the Carnival Triumph certainly had an out of the ordinary experience, but most of them would do anything to take it back.

            More than 4,200 people were trapped aboard the disabled Carnival Cruise ship as it helplessly drifted toward the coast of Mexico. A fire had started on the ship which shut down the ability for the captain to control it. This was only the beginning of the vacationers’ horror stories. As if being stranded on a ship for days on end wasn’t enough, the plumbing on the Cruise ship was unreliable. One of the passengers, Janie Esparza, had commented that they could not flush the toilets and they had to spend hours in the dark with the numerous blackouts. Another person on board the ship also added that the “hallways were toxic”, they were covered in human waste, and that the ship was in no condition to host people.

            Three days after their expected return date, the crippled Carnival Triumph finally pulled into port at the Alabama Cruise Terminal. This “cruise from Hell” was definitely one that every passenger will never forget. Next time you start to think about getting away and taking a break, think twice before committing to a cruise.  Just ask yourself, “Will I come back with a Carnival Cruise Horror Story?”