Category: Opinion

Do you do the Dew?

White out is where it’s supposed to be, and by the looks of it now, it’s going to stay.

Dew-mocracy, a marketing move by Mountain Dew makers, is sweeping the nation with votes from people who want to keep their favorite new flavor of Mountain Dew.

At the moment, White Out, the new citrus-flavored drink made by Mountain Dew is leading votes, and why is that? Because it is the best drink out there.

There is also Typhoon, which is a “punch of tropical” and Distortion, that is packed with lime. These flavors shouldn’t have a shot at staying. Distortion tastes like a Sprite with loads of lime piled into a bottle. Not very original.

Typhoon is just another tropical punch in a bottle, the only difference, probably more sugar and sodium. If I wanted tropical punch I would get a Capri Sun. They both taste exactly the same, but Capri Sun has better nutrition.

But when I take a sip of a nice, cold White Out, my taste buds want nothing else but than me to finish off the drink and get another one. White out may not have the strongest taste in the world, but it is delicious. Sure hits the spot.

How many drinks do you know taste like citrus? Still thinking? Think harder. Didn’t think of many at all did you?

I know why you didn’t, White Out is the most original drink to hit the shelves since “Bawls” energy drinks.

Want some proof? Here it is, this is a map of PA that shows the counties that favor the different drinks.

White-White Out

Red-Typhoon

Green-Distortion

If you won’t listen to me that White out is the best drink, listen to PA, or the rest of the nation.

White Out is currently leading with overall votes in the U.S.  It has 44 percent of the votes, Typhoon has 40 percent and Distortion has 16 percent. Enough said.

But for a different flavor on this controversy check out Gabby Myers latest post:

click here

By Mike Bouder

A Typhoon For Your Taste Buds!

Dew Dew Dew and more Dew. Mountain Dew Typhoon.  Catchy jingle isn’t it?

Pepsi came up with three new Mountain Dew flavors White Out, Typhoon and Distortion to tempt the taste buds of teens.  But not all of them are created equal.

In a obvious effort to promote their new products, they created a website called Dewmocracy.com. Currently, White Out has 44 percent of America’s votes and Typhoon comes in second with 40 percent of the votes. This is an outrage.

Typhoon is by far the best. If you like the taste of tropical gushers you’ll LOVE the taste of this. It doesn’t taste like fruit punch so some people don’t know what they’re talking about.

Other than the taste being wonderful, the color is also very appealing. It’s bright orangish red, it’s definitely different than any other soda ever created.

The other two flavors aren’t as good. Distortion tastes like regular Mountain Dew with added lime flavoring. You could easily make this Mountain Dew yourself-mix Mountain Dew with Sierra Mist and you have Distortion.

White Out on the other hand is different. Its hard to explain what it taste like but it’s(the taste) is very familiar.

Doesn’t White Out have a shocking resemblance to Japan’s Pepsi White?

It’s sad knowing that Lancaster county voted for White Out when Typhoon is definitely on the better side of the sun.

There’s 12 more days to vote for your favorite flavor, I suggest doing so. Just one vote impacts the poll so much.

After trying Typhoon you’ll realize that the name of it makes total sense.

It really is a TYPHOON for your TASTE BUDS!

You can vote now on www.dewmocracy.com

DO IT NOW!

To see another opinion on the flavors, check out this story by Mike Bouder.

click here

By Gabby Myers

No More ‘Clubbin’ for the School Year

It’s Thursday again and I am sitting here bored in homeroom.

There is only a few weeks left of school and I am trying to enjoy what is left. All students have to go through finals, study hard and work like they have never worked before to make sure they do well in all their classes.

But one thing that I looked forward to since day one was going to club every Thursday. When I wake on Thursday mornings, my motivation to get out of bed is knowing I could play floor hockey.

Now for others, it’s different clubs they enjoy including chess, basketball or newspaper clubs. I can say that I am probably not the only person frustrated that I can’t participate in club for the remainder of the year.

Mike Bouder - Penn Points staff writer

What I keep wondering is, why exactly do we not have clubs for the rest of the year?

Whatever the reason, its unfair. If students need time for tutoring, they are supposed to skip  club, anyway. If not, administration punishments ensue. I know that, and I am sure the rest of school does as well, its common sense.

If there is one thing that I would tell the school administration and board is:  keep clubs all year. There’s really no need to make these students suffer in homeroom when we can be doing the things we love.

Some clubs benefit and help students in their classrooms, they advance learning and thought, like German club.

I have never been in German club but I sat in a homeroom while the club was going on. They do activities having to do with all things, well, German. I’m not saying the kids don’t have fun, just that if they want to get more in-depth into German, they turn to their club.

My new end of the year resolution is to get through the rest of the year without losing my sanity sitting in homeroom and not running around joyfully playing floor hockey.

By Mike Bouder

Immigration Law Hurts all Americans

Hispanics in this country will probably want to avoid the state of Arizona completely, at least I will.

A new immigration law in Arizona requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and it allows law enforcement officers to question anyone if they seem to be in the United States illegally.

How does someone “seem” to be in the country illegally?

Do they walk differently?  Eat differently? Oh, I get it.  They look different!

“It is unjust and it’s inhuman, and it violates the civil and human rights of the Latino community … It goes against all human dignity, against the principles of most Americans I know,” said Shakira, a singer and celebrity.

Actually, I’m just saying that because I’m Colombian, nonetheless, the statement she gave about the new Arizona Immigration law is influential because of the truth of how this new immigration law violates the rights of so many Americans.

I do understand that there has to be control of the immigration problem in this country, but being in a country that was founded by immigrants and is run and defended by descendents of immigrants, it is hypocritical to impose such a law that targets one race.

I was born in this country.  I am enlisted in the Air National Guard and I will avoid Arizona at all cost while this new immigration law is enforced there.

Look at the picture to the right, now imagine if I stayed out in the sun until I turn a nice bronze color, let my mustache grow until its thick and then I put a sombrero on. Would officials in Arizona ask me for my alien documentation?

Juan Montes, Penn Points columnist

The thing is yes, of course they would, but could you imagine the humiliation I would go through? I was born in this country and I serve this country and this same country can turn around and question my belonging to it?

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…” wrote by James Madison who authored the Bill of Rights.

If you feel like something isn’t right after reading the last quote and the new immigration law of the great state of Arizona, you’re not alone.

For an editorial on this issue please go to this link: https://www.pennpoints.net/?p=4953

Good Luck McNabb

In the eyes of Cowboys fans, the NFC East conference looks like it should have their team’s name all over it.

The Philadelphia Eagles are losing their team one player at a time. Not only is it bad enough that the Eagles are losing their players, but they are giving their sloppy quarterback of 10 years over to division rivals, Washington Redskins.

This news is not as much of a surprise to me as much as it is a pleasure, especially since I know that McNabb might not even start.

The head coach of the Redskins, Mike Shanahan, told McNabb that he will have to earn his place as the starter.

If the current starter, Jason Campbell, stays in the starter spot I will be in shock and awe.

Many people may think of him as a nice addition to the Redskins, however McNabb is no miracle worker. Whether he improves the team or not, the Redskins will not have a shot at the playoffs.

The Redskins ended their 2009-2010 season with four wins and 12 losses. To have a shot in the playoffs you need to have 11 wins.

Whether McNabb makes an improvement or not, the Redskins will never be able to win seven more games than they did last year.

No matter what quarterback you are, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana or Tony Romo, some of the best the league has ever seen, no one will never be able to adjust to the Redskins offensive line.

Now I am not going to say that Eagles had an amazing offensive line, but the Redskins offensive line is just terrible. According to NFL.com the Redskins let up 45 sacks all season. That is an average of 2.8 sacks a game. If you are a football fan you will understand that that many sacks per game is outrageous. If you are not a football fan, then just understand that you cannot get much worse than that.

Good luck Donovan, good luck.

By Mike Bouder

The Dreaded Senior Year

It affects more high school seniors than the common cold, its causes more headaches for teachers than a dense freshmen.   It is senioritis.

This disease has plagued the shores of the United States for years. Looking back at my brother when he was in high school in 2005, he had so much leeway and pure laziness, that he called his homeroom teacher to tell her whether or not he would be in school that day, just so he could sleep a couple more minutes.

Of course, this was not at Penn Manor, but the feelings of staying in bed for a few extra minutes have grown to new intensity in the second semester of my senior year.

I guess you can call it senioritis that even when writing this paper, while the sun is shining and the breeze of summer is rushing all around, I cringe over my keyboard. I am ready to enjoy summer air on my neck and the feeling of a rather childhood freedom of summer.

Most of this year’s senior class now have acceptance letters from schools or are preparing for what they have planned for the next step of their lives. However what seniors are experiencing now is the feeling of just wanting to get out of here.

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Juan Montes is a senior at Penn Manor.

Going into the final year of high school, when many kids start turning into young adults, at least a sad excuse for an adult, it’s easy to lose appreciation for these moments. These years are completely pivotal for us but we don’t know it yet.

High school is a passage to what we need to experience to become an actual adult. These are the years that we will always remember and about which we will reminisce.

Not everyone has had a great high school experience but while you are yearning for that final bell on June 10, now may be the time to slow down and look around and appreciate what we have just finished, a chapter in our lives.

Juan Montes

The Last Song: A Flat Note

Some critics say that after seeing, ‘The Last Song”, the title is exactly what they hope from Miley Cyrus.

Nicholas Spark’s, ‘The Last Song’ is a story about a rebellious teenage girl, Ronnie, (Miley Cyrus) who returns to her Dad’s house in the summer, the man whom she hasn’t talked to since her parent’s divorce. While there, Ronnie experiences romance, betrayal and tragedy.

Read on for a male and female perspective of the movie.

Lindsey Ostrum (LO): The plot of the movie was good for a ‘chick-flick’ kind of movie, but the actors they chose didn’t fit the characters.

Mike Nitroy (MN): It wasn’t so much the actors, but the screenplay. The movie seemed to spend too much time on Ronnie and her boyfriend then what the movie should really be about, reconnecting with her and her father.

The Last Song doesn't carry a tune with either gender. Photo from wikipedia.com

LO: The fact that Cyrus was playing a rebellious character didn’t fit either. She’s too known as a preteen comedy actress to take on a role that different. Her acting ability isn’t so good that she knows how to portray different roles.

MN: Just having Cyrus in the movie probably drove as many people away as it brought in. She’s more believable in the second half of the movie when she takes the role of the caring daughter.

LO:  The chemistry between Cyrus and her on screen boyfriend, Will (Liam Hemsworth), was believable because they are dating in real life. It just wasn’t the chemistry that the two characters in the story should have. The parts they were trying to play seemed too different than their actual personalities.

MN: The chemistry was fine for a clichéd Nicholas Sparks movie that when it comes down to it, only had one unexpected event.

LO: It was really sad though. It brought out emotion and it wasn’t a bland  ‘all about love’,  romance movie.

MN: The fact that about two-thirds of the theater audience was sniffing through the movie confirms the sadness. There weren’t any tears from these eyes though. The best part of the movie was the soundtrack that ranged through multiple genres.

LO: The idea of the story was overall well done.

MN: It was medium-rare.

LO: They just picked two wrong actors for two good parts.

MN: Waiting to rent it on DVD is probably better than sitting in a cold theater around 30 people without tissues.

By Lindsey Ostrum and Mike Nitroy