Videos, videos, videos! That’s our goal for next month. I’ve made an election video that will be up on the site hopefully in my next post, and I’ve got some other videos planned that will be uploaded next month, sort of combining the work I’ve been doing on Pinky Miranda and the issues discussed on this site.

If you’ve noticed, our site was shut down yesterday and the day before due to changing servers. Luckily, all our posts were saved. I’ve also realized that despite all of my procrastination attempts, making backup files for all the articles is actually necessary.

 So here are our wonderful goals for next month:

• Release more videos!
• Add more pictures.
• Create backup files.
• Write articles regularly despite the fact that it is NaNoWriMo next month

-Rika

We never hear about Biden in the news. We’ll keep it that way.

Palin is getting ambushed by the media. From numerous satires about her wardrobe and her claims about being an average American, to people saying that she’s not experienced, she must be feeling the pressure.

A specific tidbit in the news today caught my eye.

“She’s lost confidence in most of the people on the plane,” said a senior Republican who speaks to Palin, referring to her campaign jet. He said Palin had begun to “go rogue” in some of her public pronouncements and decisions.

Honestly. The media is scruitinizing Palin more than any other candidate- or celebrity for that matter. Forget about what Britney’s latest DUI- did you see Palin’s $200 shoes?

How about instead of making ridiculous claims and focusing on what really matters. The issues.

Fine, I’ll say something about Biden.

He didn’t appear on SNL.

-Rika

The day we swap our tree-eating newspapers and magazines for a sleek, colorful e-reader will be a fine day indeed, and not only for environmentalists!

The bad news? It will be awhile yet. Although new e-readers like Amazon’s Kindle or the Sony Reader are fancy, they are still bulky pieces of metal that can’t fully step in and dominate the Sunday morning paper.

The three top problems of these gadgets are:

1. Most e-newspapers aren’t in full color
2. Takes too long to load
3. Not interactive enough

Liquavista is working to create LCD displays in full color using a process called electrowetting, and other companies are trying to get their products up to the standards already set.
I’ll keep you posted on this latest development!

-Rika

Yes, that’s right, be jealous of my awesome badge telling the world of my participation in what has to be the greatest month in the history of the universe.

National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo.

It’s the month where us writers spend 30 days in a harried attempt to write 50,000 words of total crap. (And to hopefully turn it into something worth reading later)

So you’ll know where I’ll be; sitting on a couch with hot chocolate, a favorite notebook, and several wild kittens intent in seeing how many holes then can puncture into my notebook, or, occasionally, my hand.

Are you skilled enough to get through a whole month of writing like crazy and neglecting the dishes? Are you dedicated enough to write a story without going back and spending a whole hour on revision and then give up? Are you hardcore enough to actually finish the 50,000 words?

Yes? Then check out the site, http://www.nanowrimo.org and get a banner already! Proclaim to all of your comittment to tell that story you’ve always been wanting to tell, and learn something about yourself in the process.

Ah. November. I love that month.

-Rika

Note: I will attempt to continue writing here, but if I’m not coherent, I have a good reason.

And the results for the staff contest are in!

Congratulations to Piratical Lord of the Guitars for winning both the overall contest and the Staff Contest!

Oh and good job Nero for winning the contributor’s contest by a 7 point deficit!

Overall Results:

PLOTG- 11 votes

Nero- 10 votes

Jala- 5 votes

Rika- 5 votes

Hope- 4 votes

Jennith- 3 votes

Popfiddlerprincess-3 votes

Socrates- 1 vote

JD- 1 vote

Staff Contest:

PLOTG- 11 votes

Jala- 5 votes

Rika-5 votes

Hope- 4 votes

Jennith- 3 votes

Contributor Contest:

Nero- 10 votes

Popfiddlerprincess: 3 votes

Socrates- 1 vote

JD- 1 vote

Wonder why teens are always tired, even though they’re getting 7, 8 hours of sleep? It turns out that not only do teenagers need more sleep than adults, but melatonin (a naturally occurring hormone that tells the body it is time to go to sleep) is dispersed later in teens and kids making it harder to go to bed early.

Most high school schedules start earlier than middle schools and elementary schools. This has posed a question for some schools in the U.S. about teenager’s performance in school and their sleeping habits. Staying up late doing homework or hanging out with friends and then having to wake up at 5:30, 6:00 is a recipe for another sleeping student in class. In places like Idaho, some high schools have began an experiment on the alertness and academic success in schools. To test this, the school day began later to allow more time for teens to sleep in.

Lack of sleep affects more than just school academics. It negatively affects athletic performance, focus levels during driving, and overall health and well being. About 1,500 people each year between the ages of 15 - 24 are killed because of being tired behind the wheel. Sleep deprivation slows down reaction time, alertness, brain function, and so much more.

Sleep plays a key role in our lives because without it we just don’t function properly. So let your teens get enough sleep so they can perform properly, and maybe think before you get frustrated by the long hours into the day that they tend to sleep on weekends.

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If your one of those people that love to procrastinate or are just dwelling on the purpose of voting, here are some reasons why you should register to vote.

• The person you want to win needs your vote and without you they could lose
• One vote makes a difference (haven’t you guys seen Swing Vote?)
• Get involved in the website
• It’s easy

Get out there and vote! You don’t have much time left. (Procrastinators- you have waited long enough. Now is the time to register to vote.)

The staff contest is almost over! If you haven’t voted already, vote now!

http://www.thenearbyfuture.com/the-2008-nearby-future-staff-contest-is-here/

PLOTG is in first, with Nero in close second!