I set out to find two strangers who would let me take a picture of them. I headed to Lewis Hall and found myself in Stacie Hays’ office. Stacie is a Career Counselor in the Guidance Office. Stacie is roughly the same height as me. She has a very petite frame, but she still has an athletic build. She has dark hair that covers her shoulders and very kind eyes. She was wearing a navy blue athletic jacket and khaki pants. I told Stacie about my assignment and asked if she would be willing to help me. She said sure and then set out to Shari Benson’s office.

Shari Benson, who is the Director of New Students, is all smiles. Stacie lightly knocked on the door leading into Shari’s office and politely asked if she would be willing to take a picture with her. Shari rose from her chair, which revealed the rest of the blue fun print on her jacket and her knee length mint green skirt. Stacie walked around the circular table in Shari’s room and put her arm around Shari’s waist. My phone was already in my hands, so it took only a few seconds to snap the picture.

As other students started to funnel into the Guidance Office asking for other random favors. We stood and chatted with Shari about Pinterest. Shari explained that she was a Pinterest addict. She said, “Last night I was pinning, pinning, pinning!” 

On Monday Salon published an article about “creeper extraordinaire”, Silvio Berlusconi, the owner of an Italian magazine called Chi. Berlusconi dedicated TWENTY-SIX pages to a topless, sunbathing Kate Middleton. The duke and duchess of Cambridge had just filed a lawsuit against Closer, a French magazine owned by the same publishing company, when they heard the news about more pictures being published in Chi. However, the Chi editor, Alfonso Signorini, doesn’t seem frightened by the thought of a lawsuit.

I found this article newsworthy because I was surprised by the information. People that are in a constant spotlight, like Kate Middleton, shouldn’t be out tanning topless because someone will get a glimpse of it sooner or later.

This story is larger in Europe right now because it has more relevance. However, this article can serve as a lesson, not just for the parties involved, but also for anyone who reads it. Snapping pictures of naked ladies probably won’t help your career and tanning topless, most likely, won’t help you appeal to an audience.

Kate Middleton Still Has Breasts

Decaf Colombian Coffee Crystals

I need help with my grammar and punctuation. I also think I need help with clarity.

In a high-speed pursuit five armed robbers in a black SUV Volvo led police around Santa Clarita, California towards Los Angeles. The five men were suspected of robbing a Bank of America branch in Santa Clarita. Three of the five men ditched the vehicle during the chase. The passenger of the SUV threw fistfuls of cash out the window while the SUV flew around a residential area outside of L.A. Man! I wish I was there. It’s interesting that the driver decided to drive around a residential area. That would not be my first choice if I was the get-away driver. I wonder if the police tried to collect all the money after the two men in the Volvo were arrested. They said the scene started to get dangerous when people started running out into the streets to get the money. Which may have been the reason why they did it. If people run out into the streets, then cops can’t get through. This almost sounds like it could work… in the movies. So lets just look at it as a real life Robin Hood story taking from the rich and giving to the “hood”.

Car Chase Video

A landmark is tucked back on a bluff, hidden behind trees and bushes. The tall trees shade the long path. From the position I was standing in I swear this path was as vertical as it could possibly get. I stared up at the back breaking path and sighed. This climb would lead me right to the historic site. A gravel parking lot sits at the bottom of the steep hill. Across from the bluff are apartment buildings, but the bluff is mostly surrounded by heavily trafficked roads.  A narrow creek protects the bluff from the rest of the world. A bridge allows patrons to visit it’s neighbor that sits on top of the bluff, the First Bride’s Grave.

Large trees shade the small, steep footpath. The beginning of the path seemed so inviting. Wooden logs had been planted in the ground to create a staircase for visitors. Birds sounded cheerful, almost cartoonish. However my welcoming was short lived. The footpath turned into mud, which left my shoes feeling five pounds heavier than they had been at the beginning of my travels. The sun’s rays just barely peak through the tree branches.  As I continued to make my climb up to the gravesite, I noticed the litter scattered between the scarce plants. Cigarette butts have made this path their playground.

I knew the halfway point was the bench that sits awkwardly on the hill. The bench looks so lonely. It’s placed on a steep incline, off a dirt path, nowhere near anything else.  Awkward or not, as I came up on the seat I couldn’t help but praised the person who did decided to put it here. I could tell, this guy, was smart. As I sat on the bench trying not to black out, I admired the drawings and writings of the previous occupiers.

The half-mile trek was nearly completed when I started to see the edge of the bluff. That’s where the path broke into two trails, one for the adventurer and the other for Rosalie. When I finally managed to climb out of that godforsaken trail I could hardly breath. Black dots obstructed the beautiful view I was attempting to take in, between my very mild breathing spasms. Yes really, the trail is that tough. At the top of the hill I had just successfully climbed I could see straight down the bluff on the other side.  The view consisted of Highway 75, the Missouri River, a sewage plant, and two other roads. Little vehicles zoomed off to there destinations in all different directions. I could hear a rushing noise which I assumed was a combination of the wind and the cars, but it very well could have been the sound of my heart trying it’s hardest not to explode. This noise sounded so powerful, it almost sounded like the strong current coming from the Missouri River, but the distance was too far. The sound was consuming, I felt as if I were actually part of the forest, just another tree. The wind could almost pick me up off my feet. I felt like the Disney version of Pocahontas with my hair blowing chaotically in the wind.

Just several yards further sat my destination. I arrived on the gravesite several minutes later. The First Bride’s Grave sat on the bluff peacefully, almost forgotten. It sat on the top of the bluff, protected by the trees, bushes, and creek. The cream colored stone must have been replaced; the tombstone was in pristine condition. A gray colored moss clung to the pale  stone, which was its only blemish. A tall, white metal gate surrounded the grave. A three feet perimeter blocked off the tall, narrow tombstone from the rest of the world. Carved into the front of the tombstone was “Dedicated in memory of Rosalie Menard Sioux City’s First Bride. Born 1838 A.D. Died 1865 A.D.” On the back of the tombstone was a list of names carved into the stone, naming the people involved in the renovation. The ground outside of the gate had been trampled by visitors repeatedly, only dirt remained. This was the only sign that Rosalie still had visitors.

After I finished my hike to Rosalie’s grave, I sat and chatted with my mom at her house. My mom reminisced about the family trips we had taken to visit the First Bride’s Grave. She said “Our family has always enjoyed hiking up to that site.” She was right. We had always enjoyed the peaceful scenery, no matter how crappy the walk was to get there. The harmonious site where Rosalie lay is worth the hassle.

The first person to be diagnosed with the bubonic plague in 6 years was 7 year old Sierra Jane Downing of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Sierra showed up at St Luke’s Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver about a week ago. Sierra’s parents brought her to Pagosa Springs on August 24 and doctors immediately had her airlifted to Denver. When she first came to the hospital Sierra had a temperature of 107 and had already had a seizure. Dr. Jennifer Snow and Dr. Wendi Drummond of St Luke’s confirmed suspicions of bubonic plague. Doctors sound positive about her recovery. They believe that Sierra caught the bubonic plague from burying a dead squirrel.

Bubonic Plague

New lead: Morningside College student gets the most for her money. Jennifer Noel is making the most of her college experience.

Jennifer Lynn Noel (pronounced null) was born on November 20th 1990. Jennifer calls Shickley, Nebraska home. Jennifer is the youngest of her siblings. Her brother is 31 and her sister is 27.

Jennifer keeps herself busy at Morningside College by being a member of the Photo Club and the AIGA, which she explained to me is a design club. This Morningside College student plans to TRIPLE major in Graphic Design, Photography, and Advertising.

In the future Jennifer hopes to move to Colorado and open her own business. Jennifer has been dating her current boyfriend Chris Robinson for 2 years. The pair were friends for a year before they started dating.

Jennifer traveled to Europe on a choir trip. They visited seven different countries including: England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and one other place that she couldn’t put her finger on. When I asked Jennifer why she chose Morningside College she said “Morningside felt like home, I just felt very comfortable here.”