U MAD, BRO?

                        Funny internet memes have recently exploded all over the internet. Two iterations of memes have become the most popular, Rage Faces and pictures with funny captions. Pictures with funny captions, often just called memes as they are the face of internet memes, are the most popular iteration of memes. They often feature a funny picture with an equally hilarious caption. All memes have a certain theme, whether it is bad luck (Bad Luck Brian) or being condescending (Condescending Wonka).

A Bad Luck Brian Meme

A Condescending Wonka Meme

The Troll Face

                         Rage Faces are the second most popular iteration of internet memes. Rage Faces, such as the Troll Face, LOL Face, and Forever Alone Face, are used in online comics called Rage Comics. Rage Comics are made in online Rage Comic builders. They are normally about something in someone's life that is funny, angering, depressing, confusing, or just an epic win. The characters are usually stick figures and their faces are normally ridiculous. Rage Faces also have themes. The Troll Face above is themed after trolling (making people mad for your enjoyment) people on the internet. A popular theme for Rage Comics themselves is common problems in daily life, such as the one below.

A Common Dish-Washing Problem

                         Popular meme websites include 9GAG, Reddit, 4Chan, and the Spartz Media. But now, memes are becoming popular everywhere. People are posting memes on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and lots of other places. Memes will continue to rise in popularity and will soon be a household term.

A Compilation Of Rage Faces

Slender-Man: So Scary, It's Cool

                       What started off as an old urban myth used to scare children into being good, is now an internet sensation. The Slender-Man has recently exploded all over the internet. The Slender-Man is often depicted as a tall, slim man in a black suit and tie. He has white skin, abnormally long arms, and no face. Slender-Man related mythology dates all the way back to the 16th century with one of the first being Der Großmann, a creature in German folklore that stalked and took children. He also has pitch-black tentacles in which he can manipulate in many ways. His rising fame has attributed to popular YouTubers playing the Slender-Man themed game Slender. Many YouTube videos and and video series feature Slender-Man such as the Marble Hornets Project, TribeTwelve, and EverymanHYBRID. The Slender-Man possibly inspired the movie The Tall Man. Slender-Man is the antagonist in the game Slender, which is probably the most popular iteration of him. In the game you must collect 8 pages with nothing but a flashlight and Slender-Man chasing after you. There is no plot and there is no reason that Slender-Man is chasing you, which gives the game an even more eerie feel. The game is infamous for being incredibly suspenseful and scary. The game derives most of its fear from jump scares. Slender-Man continues to rise in popularity and will soon become a household name.

"Don't look, or he takes you."

http://www.youtube.com/user/MarbleHornets

http://www.youtube.com/user/tribetwelve

http://www.youtube.com/user/everymanhybrid

http://theslenderman.wikia.com/wiki/Slender_Man

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/slender-man

A Change Through Taylor

                Kids change a lot through their years at Taylor. Most of the changes are found in the student's personalities. Big changes are found each year at Taylor, but the biggest differences can be found in 6th and 8th graders.
                6th graders are the fresh, new kids entering Taylor with elementary mindsets. 6th graders usually have plenty of energy, they usually run to class, and are really attentive. 6th graders tend to care a little less than 8th graders about how they look. 6th graders smile a lot and enjoy school. Most of them are jolly, good kids.
                8th graders have been molded by Taylor and have very different mindsets. 8th graders tend to have less energy, usually walk to class, and pay less attention. Despite this, 8th grade CST scores are better than 6th grade scores. 8th graders are really focused on how they look. They tend to smile less and are usually bored by school.
                These changes through Taylor are easy to notice. Some of these changes are good and some are bad. Are these changes Taylor's fault or is this normal?

Before

After

Les Miserable Review (Spoiler Free)

                   Les Misérables is a good movie in some aspects. The movie is filled with popular actors that fit their roles appropriately. Hugh Jackman already has plenty of musical experience under his belt from his roles in past musicals. The rest of the cast are also OK singers, but that doesn't make singing alright. Normally, people don't just randomly start singing to express their feelings. I couldn't take the movie too seriously with all of the singing. Although the singing was ridiculous, it did set the ambience of the movie and I was able to understand the story through it. The plot was good and it made sense but the ending was sort of disappointing. I give the movie a 8/10.

Good Journalism

I learned how journalism has changed over the years and that people are more informed and more easily informed as journalism has changed but that is has also gottent worse.

I wonder how modern technology has affected journalism.

I still want to know how exactly journalism has gotten better and worse.

Taylor Geography Bee Winners

                     Lacklain Lewis, a 6th grade student, won first place in the Taylor geography bee. Noah Weinstein, the second place winner, will take his place in the next level of the competition as Lewis is planning to go home to Australia. The next level is a written exam which will determine the competitors in the state bee. With this, Noah moves a step closer to competing in the national bee in Washington D.C.
                     The National Geographic Society holds the geography bees for 4th through 8th grade students in schools all across the United States. Students were asked challenging questions such as, "The St. Mary's River, which connects Lake Superior and Lake Huron, separates Michigan from which Canadian province?" This is the 25th geography bee they are holding for the first place prize of $25,000 college scholarship at the national competition May 20-22, 2013 at Washington D.C.