SJ GEAR UP

Midwest Devastated by Massive Tornadoes

Brian_GearUp — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:34:42 +0000

More than 2,000 buildings were destroyed throughout the city of Joplin, Missouri last night as massive tornadoes tore through the land. It is expected that hundreds of people were killed during these terrible storms. One of the buildings caught in the middle of the storm was a hospital, where thousands of sick patients were staying. For more information, you can read this article.

Woman Survives 49 Days Stranded in the Woods

Brian_GearUp — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:41:40 +0000

Rita Chretien was found stranded in her van last Friday in the middle of wilderness in Idaho. She survived the 49 days by eating trail mix, some candy, and melted snow as water. Rita was with her husband, Albert, when they became stranded in the wilderness, but Albert left his wife on March 22nd to search for help. Albert is still missing. To learn more about this miraculous story of survival, check here.

Autism Rates May Be Higher Than We Believe

Brian_GearUp — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:09:56 +0000

Scientists in South Korea studied tens of thousands of children to gain more information about Autism. Based upon this study, scientists estimate that nearly 1 in every 38 children have some form of autism. This is a much higher estimate than the U.S. estimate of autism of 1 in every 110 children. Currently, there is no cure for this brain disorder, however, with early awareness and appropriate therapy, children with autism can reduce the negative effects of this disorder. What is autism? Get the facts before passing judgments or making assumptions about individuals living with autism.

Spoiled Conan

Brian_GearUp — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:53:37 +0000

Conan has to be one of the pickiest dogs I have ever met. He appreciates luxury and insists on only sleeping and sitting on the cushioned dog beds. A few times, he’s torn his beds apart so he went on without a bed overnight. He barked and whined the entire night, which kept everyone up. As soon as he thinks you are about to take his bed he bites onto it to prevent such a thing from happening. When he sees us with a new bed for him he shows his excitement by wagging his tail and jumping onto the new bed before we even get to his spot on the patio or even before putting it down on the ground. For this reason Conan has 2 beds, one for when he’s outside and another for when he sleeps inside the house. Another thing about Conan is that he is very possessive over his belongings and will try to hold more than one toy in his mouth at a time to try to stop you from taking them. When we play fetch with him after he retrieves the ball chances are he isn’t going to give you back the ball. Sometimes he’ll pretend like he’s going to give you the ball and then just as you reach out to grab it he turns around and runs away or he’ll set it down on the ground, seconds before you are about to grab it he picks it back up to play keep-away.

Say Cheese! (It May Help You Live Longer)

Brian_GearUp — Mon, 02 May 2011 18:15:38 +0000

According to scientific research, individuals who have larger, more genuine smiles may live longer than those who have smaller and more superficial smiles. The researchers from Wayne State University analyzed the smiles from 230 Major League Baseball players, and found that those with the most genuine grins, lived an average of 79.9 years, while those without smiles lived an average of 72.9 years. The lesson? – remember to have fun and smile, it could lead to a longer life! Check out the story here.

Osama Bin Laden’s Death

Brian_GearUp — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:03:00 +0000

President Obama addressed the world last night that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. His death came by means of a U.S. CIA operation that was put into action by President Obama.

Bin Laden has been the main target of the United States for nearly ten years. As the leader of the Al-Qaeda, a group of radical extremist who openly hated American culture, Osama Bin Laden was in charge of the September 11th attacks that resulted in the death of thousands of Americans. Reporters have said that Osama’s body has been buried at sea. You can get more information on this story here, or you can watch Obama’s announcement to the world here.

College of the Month – UC Irvine

Brian_GearUp — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:52:26 +0000

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is one of the ten UC campuses in the state of California. According to US News and Reports, UC Irvine is ranked the #41 best college in the United States. This school is located in the city of Irvine, California, which is about one hour south of Los Angeles, and one hour north of San Diego.

Nearly 28,000 students attend the University of California, Irvine; making UCI one of the largest campuses in California. Students attending UCI have a choice of 80 different majors to study from. Additionally, UC Irvine offers students with the opportunity to participate in 18 different sports. What UCI is often most recognized for is their unique college mascot, which is the anteater!

Want more information? Stop by and talk to one of your GEAR UP counselors. Or you can visit the UCI website for more details.

The White iPhone is Here

Brian_GearUp — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:37:40 +0000

In case you have been waiting, the brand new White iPhone will be available in stores starting today, April 28th. Do you think this version will be more popular than original? I guess we will have to wait and see.

HP Part 2

Brian_GearUp — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:08:16 +0000

Anyone else excited for the last Harry Potter film??? I think it is going to be awesome. I just saw he trailer for the final movie that comes out on July 15th. It looks really cool! You can check watch the trailer here if you haven’t seen it yet.

Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2011

Brian_GearUp — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:34:44 +0000

Every year, Time Magazine publishes their list of the 100 most influential people in the world. According to Time, these people are “artists and activists, reformers and researchers, heads of state and captains of industry. Their ideas spark dialogue and dissent and sometimes even revolution.” Check out the complete list here, and learn more about some of the most important people that shape the world in which we live.