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My day as a Redken model

A N
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I had the amazing opportunity to Model for Redken brand during the Redken Undressed show that took place on Monday. It was held at the Deerfoot Inn Casino and showed off some great work by the amazing Sam Villa and a huge team of amazing Redken Stylists. I was whisked away on Sunday morning to the amazing prep salon, Me Hair and Body, where I met the stylists, Sam, and all of the other models. They took some pictures, measurements and a good hard look at me to finally decide on the finishing look. I went straight into wardrobe where one of the stylists, Chantal, found me my outfit; Leggings, a black camisole, a beautiful hand made vest made by Sam’s wife, and of course some killer heels. As soon as that was done I was placed in a chair to get my hair dyed into a beautiful shade of dark purple- like brown and bright red for my bangs. We then went to the Deerfoot Inn to rehearse for the upcoming show.

stolen from instagram @terryritcey
stolen from instagram @terryritcey

There had been a huge mix up and all of the models were not allowed into the stage area that was located inside the casino (since we were not 18). As you can probably imagine, that was extremely frustrating since the models needed to be a part of the show as Sam was going to cut all of our hair live, onstage for the audience. However, after a long and hard-fought battle, management at the hotel still wouldn’t budge and we quickly had to think of what we would do! Our solution; using wigs on stage to show the audience how to do the cuts, then during breaks and lunch, the models were waiting on a platform outside the Casino entrance for the hairdressers to get a closer look at the cuts and dyes on real functioning humans. Many pictures were taken of us and many questions asked about how we liked all of our cuts. My personal favorites were the cut on Leah (Bottom Right) which was an edgy blonde cut with peach colored highlights, and a beautiful braid on Monique (Upper Middle) which was essentially a fancy ladder braid. Once it was done we had a mini photo shoot with Celene, another stylist, who took amazing pictures which you can find on her Instagram @celenedupis.

Although the mix-up was very disappointing and frustrating, this day of modeling is,  by far, one of my most treasured memories. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I will never forget! I would love to say a gigantic thank you to Madeline and everyone at Me Hair and Body down in Douglasdale for giving up their work space for the day. Secondly to all of the amazing stylists who I could not thank enough for being so kind and amazing throughout these two days.  I would also like to thank, last but not least, the one and only Sam Villa for letting me model for him and for being such an amazing person and a huge inspiration!

No signal? Try a wrist phone

Daisy
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disposable_phoneWith so much new technology out there, why is this phone concept getting written about? Well, part of the attraction is that this device is not trying to compete with other cellular devices like iPhones or Androids. Instead, it focuses on giving you an advantage in a dire situation. For example you could use it in a foreign country where your phone can’t get a signal. This device is a simple, cheap device that is disposable, Pre-paid, and a wrist phone that could potentially be a life-saving device. It is also indicates your position at all times if there ever was a circumstance where you would need help.

disposable_phone2 Another attraction was its design: it’s modern, simple, and wraps around your wrist. Coming with its own set of earphones, it is extremely portable, and as you see, has a beautiful, sleek design. As a side phone, it simply gives you the technology to phone, and is devoid of all the other functions that will slow your phone down. This also means you can still have your iPhone or Android to text, Snapchat, go on the Internet, etc.
disposable_phone4

Through IDEA, Designer Shirley A. Roberts introduced this concept. It is currently not on the market, but still keep your eye out for it because this will turn up on the market very soon, and I think it will be a hit!

Is Enders Game worth your money?

Dani Kilani
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2013-05-07-Enders-Game-Poster

I have read Enders Game and I highly enjoyed it, but to me and other movie-goers, the movie was a bit of a let down. This movie missed several important scenes that were required to make the movie a great one. Another thing was that the book took the time to develop characters while the movie rushed through and took no extra time to add detail. In my opinion, this movie may not be worth seeing if you are a die-hard fan of the book.

Enders-Game-Book-Cover

For the people that haven’t seen the movie, I would either recommend reading the book or watching the movie and not necessarily doing both. Reading a book and knowing what is coming next is not always the best experience, and seeing the movie after reading the book may disappoint you.

enders-game-promo-poster

In my opinion I would rate this movie a 3 out of 5. This is because I really did not like the characters in the movie due to the poor character development, one up side to this movie was the awesome computer generated special effects, good acting done by Harrison Ford and lastly the rush through the story in the quick 114 minute movie. Overall this movie is worth their money for anybody who has not and does not plan to read the book.

Elbow Park School controversy

Laurie
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high river portable classroom
A High River portable classroom

Image source

80 Albertan schools were affected by the flood this past June. As my own school was unaffected, I was mostly unaware of the troubles being faced by others. Luckily, only three schools were unable to open when classes began: Elbow Park, and two in High River, Notre Dame Collegiate and Holy Spirit Academy.

It is expected that it will take two to three years for Elbow Park to be completely rebuilt, and in the meantime, students of Elbow Park are currently attending the vacant Eugene Coste. This solution is only temporary; although currently closed, the school will be required for a new student population next year, reported the Education Minister Jeff Johnson.

Rather, students were supposed to be studying in modular units set in the yard of the nearby Earl Grey starting September 9.  The completion of these units, by the contractor Enzo Developments, have been delayed, but so far most parents of students are content with attending Eugene Coste, as it is not only a suitable location, but also allows the students to be kept together.

Controversy arose from the money spent on the modules, including a $1.1 million gym, considered an unnecessary extravagance as voiced by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Director Derek Fildebrante argued that with Earl Grey only at 2/3 capacity and already equipped with a gym, sharing would be reasonable, and called this allotment of funds a “gross miscalculation.”

This controversy may also appear to be gaining sympathy for Danielle Smith, the leader of the Wild Rose Party. The party’s education critic, Bruce McAllistar, juxtaposed Smith’s riding in High River, where 750 students two schools have yet to receive their modules and will be sharing one gym, with the perhaps more fortunate situation for Elbow Parks’ 220 students, and attacked Alison Redford over “favoritism” of her own riding.

“It would seem that those Albertans with the strongest political ties and the deepest pockets are first in line for temporary school facilities, while students elsewhere in the province with a desperate need for permanent schools are forced to wait.”

Bill Moore-Kilgannon, executive director Public Interest Alberta

Redford and Johnson were quick to respond, pointing out that these modules were an investment for Calgary’s rapidly growing population. Alberta Education spokesperson Leanne Niblock answered that $15 million has been invested in High River portables already used by over 400 students.  The Calgary Board of Education’s response echoed that of the provincial government, focusing on the future use of the modules.

Others have set the debate aside for the moment to focus on simply returning students back to school.

“The reality is when this flood hit, our premier acted immediately and we went out to school boards and said what do you need […] to be ready for school in September?  Those school boards and those communities came back to us and told us what they needed and we are delivering it.”

Education Minister Jeff Johnson

After all, any decision involving money in Alberta eventually proves to be controversial.

Sources: Calgary Herald, CBC, Calgary Sun

Should Halloween be cancelled?

Ailin Li
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Just a few days ago we rejoiced in a well-celebrated holiday: Halloween. Scary ghouls and smiling pumpkins greet you on the streets as you make your way past houses draped in cobwebs and caution tape. We fill our bellies with candy and pumpkin seeds then pretend to be sick from school or work the next day. This seems to be the repeating pattern throughout most holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, even St. Patrick’s Day for some. Holidays have become part of the tradition for most North-Americans, and on the top 10 list of things we would never want to hear, “Christmas has been cancelled” is definitely one of them.

But what if Halloween were to be cancelled? Would we care? Could we so easily trash our costumes and abandon our chocolates? For the children of Port Colborne’s McKay Public School in Ontario, the decision was not theirs to make.

According to the school, not every religion or culture practices Halloween, and for these reasons are not able to participate in the one day masquerade. Seeing this as unfair, it was declared that Halloween was cancelled for all the children of this school. Now being referred to as “Spirit Day”, the children were recommended to wear black and orange clothing in celebration.

(For more information on this story, visit this article.)

As a fairly multicultural and inclusive country, Canada works hard to protect the rights and interests of all religious and cultural parties. Understandable. Though, are we taking it too far? Should anyone be allowed to say that it’s “all or nothing”? It can become distressing when everyone else is clad in a cape and you are left to your religious boundaries, and one party must make the accommodations. In this case, several more children are missing out on the wonderful opportunity to express their passion for a holiday that has been celebrated for generations past. Has the school gone too far, or was this the right course of action to maintain equality among all?

What do you think?

Rescue your creativity at Fire Escape Pottery

Kristin
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One of my good friends introduced me to Fire Escape Pottery a couple of weeks ago, and I had so much fun there that I had to share!

If you’ve never heard of Fire Escape before, it is a Pottery Painting studio located in Bowness. In this studio you get to pick from a huge range of different pottery items; everything from plates, bowls, vases, Christmas ornaments, pretty much anything you could possibly want to paint. Once you’ve picked out your items you then get to pick your paints and paint your item. Simple as that!

My friend and I both did mugs. Hers is the one on the left and mine was the one on the right of the image below. If you’ve never painted pottery before you may be interested to know that when you initially paint your item, the colour is super duper pale. You can barely tell what the actual color will look like.

muggy_1

 

After you finish painting your mug, unfortunately you don’t get to take it home that same day. In order to get your finished product, the people at Fire Escape put a glaze over whatever you painted and then fire it in a kiln to bring out the true color of the paint and to seal the paint so that you are left with something that you can use. Usually it takes two to three days for them to put your art in the kiln, and then you can go back and pick it up and take it home.

Here’s what my finished mug looks like:

MUG_1

What to do with your extra hour

John Gabriel
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It’s that time of year of again; the time when everyone runs around the house to adjust all their time pieces accordingly to the new hours of the day. Yes, it’s day light savings. As some may have realized, this past Sunday in Canada — except in Saskatchewan — the time for the day fell back one hour. For many people, that means one extra hour of sleep. But for others who just don’t know what to do, it begs the question. What should I do with that extra hour?

Well never fear, I am here. Here to give you advice on what to do with that sudden surplus of sunshine. This is the Falling Back an Hour List.

 

1. SLEEP. 

Something many of us truly deserve in our lives, but sometimes can never find enough time to accomplish. An extra hour of snoozing won’t hurt anyone. Many of us are simply too tired to even consider what to do with that extra hour. Fathoming an idea is just too much effort, effort that could be used to rejuvenate those braincells with some well deserved sleep. According to a study I just completely made up, sleep is great for your body and has a 60 per cent increase of your chances of looking better, being more happy, and reducing your chances of  having those horrible dreams of grapefruits again. Bottom line is, SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP!

2. READ

They often say that reading is one of the most joyous activities that humans ever created. That may sound completely untrue and made up, but to be honest it really is. With an extra hour, you can devour maybe three more chapters of the novel you’ve been dying to know the ending to. Imagine, you sitting on your bed, the lights slowly dimmed. The moon light seeping through the windows, you begin to ponder upon what to do. As you slowly reach for your reading glasses and your earl grey tea, you turn the page of your favourite novel. Maybe some early Victorian Gothic or a American Classic, word by word, slowly captivating you. As the clock strikes 12, you decide to fall asleep, but suddenly, you remembered that it’s one hour gained, meaning you have an extra hour to finish that book.

3. MARATHONS

With that extra hour gained, you can finally schedule in a marathon of your favourite film or show without risking your love of sleep. I totally understand how some people feel. There is a fine line between someone’s love of sleep and their love of their favourite fandoms. Never shall the two worlds meet or conflict with each other. But since to Day Light Savings, you can finally catch up on those recordings you took of the new seasons of Sherlock or American Horror Story. For those who are too cool for TV, you can watch the entire seasons of Community on Netflix. Regardless, pull up a couch, grab your pillows, and pop the popcorn cause it’s time for a marathon.

4. WRITING

Writing is one of the most pensive, reflective, and relaxing moments of my day where I just clear my thoughts and sort out the clutter with the stroke of a pencil. For many pre-teens girls who got caught up in the Disney, pop-glam Kool Aid, writing a diary was one of the essential things that girls had to do. For guys, we’re too cool to write diaries, instead we write journals. Whatever the naming convention is, with that extra hour, you are given the opportunity to express yourself in one of the most ancient forms of expression. It doesn’t even have to be personal, it could be journal entries that go, “Dear Diary, I realized that Brittany is one of the fakest girls I’ve ever met.” Whatever your writing style, it’s great and one of the most cathartic things a person could do.

5. INTERNET 

What better way to spend an extra hour than with some added internet surfing. For all those Tumblr, Twitter, or Facebook aficionados, we understand what an extra hour would give us. That’s added time to create gifs of fandoms, commenting the fifth time on your ex-boyfriend’s profile with his new girlfriend, or spending an extra 60 minutes of looking at pictures of cats in tuxedos. The possibilities are endless.

Don’t Google and drive

Rebecca Yang
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The Google Glass is still undergoing tests and are not readily available to the market.
The Google Glass is still undergoing tests and are not readily available to the market.

On Sunday morning, I was casually surfing the BBC news app on my phone. I ran into an article titled, “Ticket issued to driver wearing Google Glass.” The article reports on a woman in California by the name of Cecilia Abadie, who got a ticket for wearing her Google Glass. If you are not familiar with Google Glasses, they are basically computers that one can wear. The technology can project a website or a video onto the beholder’s view site. These nifty spectacles can also film video. Ms. Abadie is in the minority of Google Glass users. Her ticket is the first to be issued surrounding these gadgets.

It seems obvious that one should not watch a video, be on the internet or be photographing something whilst driving. However, should there be exceptions to society’s condition. With more revolutionary technology under way,–such as the Recon Jet, another version of wearable virtual glasses–should society’s justice system evolve with the trending gadgets and adapt with it, or should society create more strict legislation against these types of devices?

The Recon Jet comes from the Canadian company, Recon Instruments.
The Recon Jet comes from the Canadian company, Recon Instruments.

The controversy surrounding this issue has recently come to light. Ms. Abadie’s case proves that our ever-changing global community is in need of some strict governing in this grey area, and we need it fast. Although these virtual glasses may be issued under the violation of distracted driving in some areas, many argue that these types of spectacles aid in enhancing the driver’s  view with programs such as Google Maps. Cecilia Abadie plans to argue her ticket in court; she has many supporters on her Google+ page.

When these glasses inevitably become the social norm, we need laws to prevent conflict between the driver and the law. In a recent article in the Inquirer, the United Kingdom police department have stated that wearing the Google Glass while driving will be considered as an offense. It is not long before other national departments respond to this matter. We have all been disciplined by the saying, “Don’t drink and drive.” Perhaps, it is a matter of time that we enunciate, “Don’t Google and drive.”

How to make your own tiramisu

lily
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The autumn season calls for a different style of yummy desserts, and my personal favorite seasonal treat has always been tiramisu cake. Recently, I’ve decided to experiment with making tiramisu myself. Although it was difficult to locate a recipe that captures the true essence of the dessert, I think I’ve finally found a winner. This recipe by Zoe Bakes is absolutely amazing, what I really liked about it was that the cake turned out very moist and not overly sweet. I’ve never been a big fan of excessive sweetness in desserts, so this recipe was perfect for me.

http://zoebakes.com/2013/10/01/tiramisu/
http://zoebakes.com/2013/10/01/tiramisu/

First off, you need to make the spongecakes. You can choose to save yourself the trouble and buy spongecakes at any grocery store, or follow this recipe:

  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup espresso, hot
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. In a stand mixer, combine the egg yolks, espresso, and 1/3 cup of sugar for 5 minutes on medium to high speed until thick and light in color. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed for 1 minute while slowly adding the remainder 1/3 cup of sugar until stiff peak. Fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture with a rubber spatula. Sift the flour over the mixture and gently fold it into the mixture. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let the cake cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge while you prepare the mascarpone filling.

To make this filling, you’ll need:

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup Amaretto
  • Pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

In a double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, Amaretto and salt until the mixture thickens. When this happens, quickly place mixture into a bowl of ice and stir occasionally until cool. In a stand mixer, beat together the mascarpone and heavy cream until they hold stiff peaks, try not to over beat the mixture as this causes it to become grainy. Fold the cooled egg mixture into the mascarpone mix.

tiramisu-zb-212

To decorate and assemble the cake, you’ll need:

  • a coffee and Amaretto mixture (I just used equal parts coffee and almond extract)
  • coca powder
  • Ganache :
    • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
    • 2/3 cup heavy cream
    • Fresh Raspberries for garnish

    Heat the cream on medium heat until it simmers, then add the chocolate pieces. Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for 3 minutes. While you’re waiting for it to thicken, it’s time to assemble the cakes!

tiramisu-zb-221

To assemble the cakes, this recipe calls for the cake to be cut and fitted into tiny cups, but if you are unable to obtain these cups like I was, feel free to decorate the cake as a big piece. Brush the cooled spongecake with a coffee and Amaretto mixture to add flavor without making it too moist, then dust off with coca powder. Spread the mascarpone cream over the cake evenly with a spatula, then dust off another layer of coca powder. Lightly stir the ganache and spread it over the cake. Add raspberries to garnish.

Don’t judge a book by its cover – or so they say…

E
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The Cliché

Don’t judge a book…

The majority of you reading this probably completed the above sentence in your head without even knowing it – or without wanting to. The common phrase scolding the act of forming an opinion of others only based upon their appearance is never out of earshot. While it is true that approaching interpersonal interactions with an open mind results in a more accepting community, the superficial impression one forms of someone or something is incredibly important, too. Wait, don’t get me wrong! I’m not encouraging you to get out there and start deducing the character out of everyone – quite exactly the opposite. Remember the pedestrian with the “outrageous” hair colour you saw on the street the other day? What about the individual who chooses to wear hand-me-downs instead of designer clothing? The one with shy, unconfident, and furtive movements? No one can say for sure why those individuals are presenting themselves as they do. It would be unfair to decide for yourself. Noticing those details, instead, teaches one to have sympathy for the stories the individuals possess.

photo via Tumblr
photo via Tumblr

Enough of the ranting – what about book covers?

During Banned Books Week and other events throughout the year, many libraries and book stores launched similar campaigns of blind “dates” with books, where one is to choose a book to read based on its content rather than its appearance. I personally thought it was clever, as I myself has committed the unspeakable crime of choosing one book over another just by the look of its cover (several times, actually… ok, maybe more than several times). However, this behaviour might be more intrinsic than we may think. And don’t worry, our galaxy isn’t overturned. I mean, just imagine that elementary teachers start telling their pupils to read or not read books based on their covers. The cliché itself still holds significance in the sense that by understanding the meaning behind the superficial, one may gain some insight into what is buried underneath.

In the following witty, quirky TED Talk, Chip Kidd takes us on a journey behind the development of many of his well-known book cover designs; it is an exploration like no other…

Things I Hate: Human Edition

Jordan Ilagan
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I am known to be quite a pessimistic person (I’m a pessimistic realist, thank you very much). And I have decided to compile a few things that i can’t stand about humans.

1. I cannot stand people who walk slow. Especially since I naturally walk particularly fast, I don’t even know what to do when I’m stuck behind slow walkers. Especially when slow people walk in the middle of the street, because then I can’t walk around them, and I don’t wanna push people over. And when it’s an old person, I feel bad because I  know they are old, but I wish they would walk on the right side of the street, like they are supposed to.

2. I despise people who are completely insensitive to people’s feelings. Like when people trash talk people, when the victim is in earshot. I’m not sure if people are just completely oblivious to how rude they are, or if they think they are “cool”.

3. I cannot stand people who act like jerks to be “cool.” They can be the nicest people on the planet, but once they are surrounded by their peers, they act all rude and mean. Maybe some people don’t get the difference between teasing and just plain mean, but I can’t help but wonder if people know they are being total jerks. This is especially true for boys. Teenage boys tend to be jerks around their friends. I can never understand why. And most of the guys I know that act like idiots around their friends are actually really nice guys. I will never understand why people are like this.

4. People who do not know personal space limits, I can’t even… I understand if we’re in a crowded place, but if there is room around you, get out of my face. Please.

5. I’m sorry, but I can’t talk to people with bad breath. It’s so bad. I don’t know why I can’t, but I just can’t. How hard is it to carry mints?

6. People who randomly stop walking on a busy street or hallway. You cannot just stop walking! People need to get places!

I hope that you enjoyed this post! I think I’m going to start doing these at the end of the month, every month. I am going to do things I love at the beginning of the month!

Panic Room 2013: Who will win?

Eryl David
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In the spirit of Halloween, AMP Radio Calgary is currently holding a contest deemed “The Panic Room”.

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The rules are simple: Starting Monday, October 28th, be the last one of five contestants standing in the panic room by November 8th and win. $10,000 in prize money, a $2,500 shopping spree to Sunridge Mall and a $4,000 travel voucher.

The five contestants joining the Panic Room, who will last?

Of course, its not that easy.

The room is only 10 feet by 10 feet and is pretty small, and the contestants are constantly being taken through a series of punishments and tortures to see if they can last, with a 5 minute washroom and water break once every three hours. The food is supplied, but other than that they are confined to that space for pretty much 24 hours a day, on top of that, they aren’t allowed to talk to the spectators outside the box.

My opinion: Radio contests like these are sometimes not bad, although sometimes questionable. From what I’ve been reading on the Facebook page for AMP and what I’ve been seeing, so far a lot of people have negative opinions towards this contest. After the first day, one person had already walked out, saying that he had been bored. A lot of people have been complaining that the ‘punishments’ weren’t scary enough and were rather disappointing, while others say that the prize money could’ve been used for a better cause, such as donating to charity.

So far some of the torture the contestants have been subjected to include: eating larva, crickets and chocolate covered insects (yum?), holding a 30 pound snake for 10 minutes, playing a high pitched tone non-stop adding 5 minutes for every balloon popped in the room and having 2 of the five playing a recorder nonstop for 6 hours straight.

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Snakes!
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The room is getting pretty full here….
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Looks like the contestants sure enjoy the recorder.

 

Personally, I can see why some people feel disappointed by this contest. The way it was advertised made it seem like it would be scarier, but I honestly feel like it seems like more of a see how much stress you can tolerate room than a panic room.

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That being said, I don’t think I would eat any insects, so I would totally be out of there first. Also, I don’t think that they could do anything overly scary in the room, since it is supposed to be a contest for the sake of entertainment and people can see everything. On the live feed, half the time they’re just standing around doing nothing, which isn’t something people are really looking for, especially since the sound is omitted. After what challenges they’re put through though, I think that they need the rest. AMP said that they’re just building up to the scarier challenges, which seems like they’re trying to make the people as tired as possible before starting to really scare them. I’m probably going to keep getting updated on this contest though, because I’m curious as to what they’ll think of next and who will win in the end. I honestly don’t see the Panic Room as something negative though, I just find it to be an interesting contest similar to survival game shows on TV. If you feel like seeing the contestants in action, drop by Sunridge Mall in Calgary, or check out the stream here. Also, if you have any suggestions for what kinds of torture the contestants should do next, suggest them here! You could win $1,000! There are currently only 2 contestants left in the Panic Room, (at the time I am writing this) who do you think will win?

Also, what do you guys think? With what’s been going on in the Panic Room so far, do you think that if you were in there you could’ve won?

All images are from the AMP Radio Facebook page.

Favourite quotes: Positive attitude

Ailin Li
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As we get later into the school year, our positive attitude stores also begin to deplete. Negative thoughts are both abundant and common in students taking courses which are “impossible” and will lead to their ultimate failure. Although, our attitude is purely subjective, and the only one influencing these thoughts are ourselves. Sure, life can get hard sometimes, but the sun will always rise. Being quite the drama queen myself, I understand how easily one little thing can become the epitome of misery. When no other words can speak to me, I love turning to quotes for motivation. I especially love quotes that are uplifting and inspirational, though not in a gentle way. Sometimes we need someone to tell us that the only person that can change our lives lies within. In any situation you face, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Today, I present to you some of my favorite quotes talking about how to take your negative energy and start thinking more positively. You will get through it!

“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” – Elbert Hubbard

“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” – Ovid

“You can’t fall if you don’t climb. But there’s not joy in living your whole life on the ground.” – Dr. Seuss

“Challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”  – Joshua J. Marine

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill

“Life is like photography. You need the negatives to develop.” – Unknown

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lou Holtz

“If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way to not win.” – Carl Lewis

I hope that everyone is able to power through whatever struggles they are going through, and never give up! There’s always someone there for you, whether physical or lying under your favorite book.

And remember, “Just keep swimming!”

Creepy Halloween cupcakes photo tutorial

Lauren Morris
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Creepy Halloween cupcakes photo tutorial

Celebrate the spooky season with creepy Halloween cupcakes that are sure to put a smile on friend’s and family’s faces. In this blog I’ll show you how to do four designs; a witch’s hat, a pumpkin, a vampire, and a spider.

Start with your plain cupcakes. I chose chocolate cupcakes, but for a more halloween-y option try purple velvet.

Plain cupcake

The Spider:

Frost your cupcake using a knife. I used cream cheese icing.

iced cupcake

Coat your cupcake evenly in chocolate sprinkles.

sprinkles

Next, cut twizzlers into eight equal lengths. Stick a toothpick in one end of each “leg” and then arrange foursomes on opposing sides of the cupcake.

legs cupcake

Next, place two smartie eyes on the front of your spider.

Finished spider cupcake

The Pumpkin:

Dye your icing orange using the instructions on the food-colouring packaging, then ice your cupcake as before. Cut a mini donut in half and place one of the halves onto the cupcake.

donut cupcake

Cover the donut in the orange icing, and stick a green jellybean in the hole for a stem.

pumpkin cupcake

The Vampire:

Place two strips of parchment in a “V” shape on one side of the cupcake. Carefully sprinkle chocolate sprinkles over the exposed area.

v hairline

Using smarties for the eyes, place one below either side of the “V,” then use a chocolate sprinkle for an eyebrow over each eye. Slant the sprinkle in for a more “menacing” look.

Vamp eyes

Take a piece of liquorice and place it lower down on the cupcake for a mouth, then finish off the cupcake by using two triangle-shaped candies (preferably candy corn) for fangs.

vamp cupcake

The Witch’s Hat:

Dye your icing purple or orange using the instructions on the food-colouring package. Using a piping bag, swirl the icing onto your cupcake.

iced cupcake fancy

Melt chocolate and using a pastry brush, “paint” an icecream cone with chocolate. Using the wet chocolate, meld the cone onto  a chocolate wafer and put the hats in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened. Then, using a little bit of icing, “glue” a smartie onto the front of the hat. Stick your hat onto the iced cupcake.

Witch hat cupcake

I hope that these cupcake ideas bring you inspiration for a spooktacular Halloween; I wish you many treats and few tricks!

A Memory of Summer

Mavis Li
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I think that we are all exasperated with the magnificent weather in Calgary. Our delightful Halloween will be spectacularly costumed in snow. Are we ready to settle in for yet another long, cold, dark, winter? Maybe so, but I believe that we all deserve to have a last glimpse of fresh summer sunshine.

Here is a gallery of beautiful flowers from Butchart Gardens, B.C., provided by @fantasiahigh (Instagram).

If you want to find out more about Butchart Gardens, perhaps begin plans for next summer, take a look at http://www.butchartgardens.com/

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