Sun-Kissed
B
Beauty by Ava Gardner
y the change in temperature, you know we’ve already entered the Summer season and surely, you’ve already experienced the nostalgia that last Summer was cooler. However, while you can’t wait to soak up the sun, hang with friends and most of all, go to the beach, be warned that too much sunlight can be bad for you. Sunlight is actually healthy in that it provides Vitamin D, which promotes the body’s absorption of calcium, but in moderation. Excessive exposure to the sun can have negative effects on the skin, such as dehydration, heat rash, sunspots and unwanted pigmentation, wrinkles and oily skin, which ultimately can cause outbreaks. No need to fear though. Teen Spirit has some tips to help you combat and reduce the risks of these effects so that you’ll be as great at the end of the season as you were at the beginning:
Physical Protection
Take out your favourite pair of shades or snapback! Fortunately, hats are also in this Summer. These will protect your facial skin from harmful UV rays.
Multi-vitamins
The sun takes away nutrients from the skin but taking multi-vitamins will replenish the skin. Multi-vitamins also give the skin a more radiant and youthful look. The healthier the skin is, the less damage the sun will be able do to it. Just follow the directions printed on the label.
Water
This is a core essential to surviving the Summer. It’ll keep your skin hydrated and moisturized, which prevents your skin from being easily damaged by the sun. The increase in atmospheric temperature will cause your skin to lose moisture faster, so it’s important to drink a lot of water. Plus, water has been known to prevent breakouts.
Sunscreen
Limit your exposure
UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Also, a tan is the burning of the skin due to ultraviolet rays, so take into consideration how long you’ll stay in the sun.
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This will protect your skin from harmful Ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV rays reach deep into the skin and contribute to wrinkles. Use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) rating, like 30. Sunscreens tend to be oily, so for daily use, try a daily moisturizer that contains sunscreen.
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SteezyFresh Designs His Empire by Ava Gardner
eet Teenetrepreneur SteezyFresh (formerly called Daniel Simpson), a young man of many skills. This 20-year-old of Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts student is one of Jamaica’s upcoming artistes in the entertainment industry. With skills ranging from graphic designing to directing, he has developed them to form various enterprises, such as a clothing line, Baker’s Dozen. He also designs top-of-the-line promotional material, mixtape artwork and directs music videos. It’s safe to say that SteezyFresh is gradually creating his empire. Teen Spirit recently got to meet SteezyFresh to get the 411 on his prosperous beginning and his future plans.
TS:
What inspired you to start graphic
designing?
SF:
Well, as a kid, I always loved coloring books and always used to try and duplicate what I saw around me on paper. I guess it started from there. I was always a fan of the arts.
TS:
When did you first see your
designs take off?
SF:
When my best friend, Lamar asked me to do a mixtape cover for him. Lamar produced for New York rapper, JoJo Simmons, Rev Run’s son. When I sent in my design for his mixtape, he loved it. That’s when I first saw that my designs were going somewhere. It was on his Twitter and all over major Hip-Hop websites.
TS:
How did you transition from being a
graphic designer to a director?
SF:
Like I said, I’ve always liked visualizing things. Also, I’m a big fan of music, mostly hip hop. My first video project was for a song called “Give Me A Sign” by Sizon Klip that was also produced by Lamar (LMRpro). Link for Sizon Klip’s Give Me A Sign video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn637tWJ6BA&feature=related
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SteezyFresh Designs His Empire TS: How was your experience working on Konshens latest video, Last Drink?
SF:
It was like any other video really. I’d listen to the song, come up with a concept and attack the visuals. It was good working with an artist of Konshens stature, not to mention Voicemail because they played a big part in the song as well. Link for Konshen’s Last Drink video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3-UdqHEAZ0
TS: How do you handle cases where
you and your clients have different opinions?
SF: Clients always approach me with ideas and I try to work
with their ideas as well as mine to produce something that they are happy with. It’s mostly compromising and fusing ideas.
TS: Do you have any future projects in the works?
SF:
Well, I’m just working on a couple viral music videos to put out. Nothing big as yet.
TS: Do you have any future plans to revive Baker's Dozen?
TS: What is a key lesson you've learnt
I plan to release some designs for the Summer because fans and supporters have been asking for T-shirts, but I’ve been focusing mainly on a brand I design for in New Jersey, called Jazzberry Chauffeur.
SF: “If you compare yourself to others, you may become
SF:
TS: Is this what you plan to do as your full-time profession?
from starting SteezyFresh Design Studio and these other businesses?
vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.” That’s actually a quote from a poet named Max Ehrmann. Don’t let other people moving forward discourage you. When you feel like you’re going nowhere, just look back at what you’ve accomplished and where you are now.
SF: Well, being Steezyfresh as a profession is so limited. There are a lot of things I plan to get into, but right now, I guess being SteezyFresh will be the main profession (laughs).
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Throwback To The 90's
by Micheal Farquharson
I
personally make jabs at my mother about the fact that she’s not so young anymore. She then reminds me that she still cooks my food. But, on the real though, looking back at how things were and how they are now is pretty amazing. Today’s kids, I feel, are being robbed of a proper childhood, where the sun is their Kryptonite and FIFA seems to be the game of choice. But, for the sake of this article, let’s look at the things that rocked the 90s and seemed like God’s gift to man:
The Walkman: This device was possibly the greatest
innovation of the 90s in terms of music portability. Everybody who was anybody had a walkman and playing your music on your cassette (haven’t seen one of those in years) was the ‘in thing’.
The Motorola Cell Phone: You’ve all seen them,
the phones that could double as weapons and were the true definition of the term ‘fridge’. They were clunky, impractical, heavy, uncomfortable to use but were the hottest thing since FUBU sneakers. Yes, FUBU sneakers. It is truly amazing, considering that the contemporary cell phone is as small as a deck of cards and much lighter.
The DVD Player: The movie industry was never the same again. The DVD player revolutionized the distribution of audio and video files and made storage a lot more convenient than the use of the standard VHS player. However, with every good thing there is apparently a dark side. The DVD’s convenience made it easy for movies to be pirated and sold at a fraction of the ticket price. We have all seen it, walking in Cross roads past a ‘DVD man’ who is selling the exact movie being shown at Carib across the road.
Email: Need I say more? Email possibly is one of those things that count as man’s greatest creations, ever. The advent of email came pretty soon after the creation of the Internet, another one of those ‘eureka!’ moments our species has ever so often. From pigeon mail to sending mail from your blackberry, it’s all about convenience. This is by no means a comparative or expansive list. Next issue, I’ll be talking about some other trends that were truly amazing… back then.
The Internet: Duh! The internet is possibly the great-
est tech invention ever. I DARE ANYONE TO DISPUTE THAT. The Internet has revolutionized how we live, how we interact, how we form our relationships, how we think. Just about everything you can think of is somehow, whether directly or indirectly affected by the Internet. The world as we know it is shaped by the Internet and without it, you would probably not even be reading this article.
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In The Fast Lane with Chad Phillips by Micheal Farquharson
C
had Phillips is one of Jamaica’s premiere race drivers, racking up a slew of wins, accolades and respect along the way. The former Hillel Academy student is now based in Cayman, but travels back and forth to do what he does best. Teen Spirit was able to catch up to this fast-paced future star to talk about his first love:
TS: At what age did you start racing and how long have you been doing this sport of yours?
Chad Phillips: I began racing at 13-14 years old and
have been racing in one way or another for around 16 years. I started off in go-karts and then moved to Dover. I also navigated in a rally. My next move is to drive in a rally.
TS: I'm pretty sure it wasn't a case
where you just got up one day and said, I'm gonna race. What was your inspiration for doing this?
CP: As a child growing up, I used to go to the National Stadium and watch my uncle race go-karts. My first time in go-kart was when Cornel D’oyen put me in his lap and drove me around for a bit and that may have been what planted the seed. I have always loved motorsports though. My dad raced years ago and my uncle Charles Phillips raced at Dover as well.
TS: So is family a big source of support for your endeavours?
CP: Definitely. My family has been there for me through it all and given me both emotional and financial support. I would not have been able to reach as far as I did without their support and the Lord.
TS: As a young driver coming into this
fast-paced sport, what was the reception to you like? Did you get a hard reception from the veterans?
CP: I can’t say there was a hard reception. A lot of the older drivers actually helped me out greatly, coaching me et cetera. Motorsports in Jamaica is a family affair and as much as on track we are competitive, in most cases in the pits we all help one
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another. The hard reception came in the form of a friendly rub on the circuit, but rubbing is racing.
TS: What difficulties do you face in
your everyday operations, such as securing sponsors and getting parts for your car?
CP: Securing sponsorship in these hard financial times is the
toughest part. With so many races out there trying to get good sponsors, you have to be good so people will want to sponsor you. Parts are abundantly available; it is merely a matter of having the finances to purchase them. I have been extremely blessed by having amazing sponsors over the years, Brinks, Digital Audio, Mainland Hardware, AC Delco and RJ Motorsports, to name a few.
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In The Fast Lane with Chad Phillips TS: I’m pretty sure that this sport tends to drive you crazy at times. Are there times when you wake up and just decide to not race anymore?
CP: (Laughs) Many times! I took a break about 11 years ago
when I moved to Cayman, but the spirit never dies. I would come home every year to watch Rally Jamaica and other events. I started a race series here in Cayman called Time Attack about eight years ago and it is still going on to this day, organized now by the Motorsports Club. I started racing karts again in Jamaica in 2005 and actually won the Rotax Championship that year. So, no matter how I tried, I got pulled back in.
TS: What kind of car do you race in? CP: My last car was a 1993 Honda Civic with a built motor. I have actually just recently parted with this car so I am now looking for something to build/buy for my rally car.
TS:
In terms of performance, would you say this car is up to scratch and highly competitive?
CP: I would say it was competitive. The last time I raced it was in Barbados and it won and also set a new track record which was impressive to me as I had never driven there before, nor had I raced the car since purchasing.
TS: What advice would you give someone who is attempting to get involved in this sport for the first time?
or beaten but have a great respect for because of skill or work ethic?
CP: We don’t have enough time for me to list that, I have a lot
of respect for many drivers, especially the ones I raced against. I will say that Jeffrey Panton, Gary Gregg, David Summerbell, John Ralston,R ichie Rerrie, the late Abe Zaidie, David Lyons and Grace Chin Loy are people who stand out in the forefront of my mind. My favourite driver of all time is Ayrton Senna.
CP: Never give up. It may take a while as it is not cheap, but
if you want it bad enough, it will happen. Go out to events and watch. Join the JMMC and offer to help - thats a good way in. You will meet racers and other enthusiasts and make contacts that open the door for you. Have faith and patience and listen to people when they give you advice, especially ones who have been in racing for a while.
TS: Are there any racers you look up to, people in the industry you haven' t raced www.ezineslimited.com
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Tips For Safe
Shopping Online
S
hopping online is, in theory, a brilliant idea, one that saves us money (something teenagers don’t have quite enough of ) and for many, the thrill of knowing that we have goods coming from ‘foreign’. That is all good, but when it comes down to it, many a time we are better off shopping in local stores. There are a plethora of reasons someone would want to do their business with an online store. These range from convenience to the mere fact that a certain good or service just isn’t available on our fair little island, and if it is, it isn’t exactly for the light of pocket. But, as with anything that involves your money, there are certain things you need to take into consideration before carrying out your business: • The business: In the era we live in, most places have a tangible operation and an electronic counterpart. Shop at stores you know actually exist. If you cant Google search the headquarters and where it is located, take your business elsewhere. The possibility exists that you will be ripped off. • The type of item: Clothes, electronics and jewelry are amongst the more common purchases. We all want to look good and keep up with the times, but not at the expense of being unwittingly relieved of your money. • Payment options: If they pay too much attention to collecting your credit card information, you should probably be wary. This site might just be a phishing site; designed to get your personal information. Rule of thumb: if it sounds too
Movie Review
by Micheal Farquharson
good to be true, don’t be an idiot. Now there are some sites like Quibids and Beezid that claim to have ridiculous bargains on items that would generally cost an arm and two legs. Again in theory, they are every shopper’s dream because the concepts are simple enough and you do get items for up to 95 percent off. In practice, however, you will get robbed. You need to actually pay for each bid you make on these two sites in particular. And since the bidding raises the prices oftentimes by cents and not large dollar amounts, you will be paying and paying. If you keep it up, without knowing you end up paying the full price of the item. On Craigslist, you can get anything from a pin to sex (yes, I said sex), so please, shop with extreme caution. Better yet, stick to E-bay and Amazon. You won’t go wrong. If you have the means to shop, by all means shop till you drop. But for safety’s sake, stick to your local stores. You will sleep a lot better at night.
Thor
PG-13
by Alana Gardner
T
Must See!
hor is an action-adventure film from director Kenneth Branagh, produced by Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures, starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgard, Jaimie Alexander, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Josh Dallas, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, Clark Gregg and Colm Feore.
I have to say going into this movie I had high expectations, but I was greatly disappointed. This movie had great potential, but I think it failed to deliver where the plot is concerned.
The epic adventure of Thor spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the mystical realm of Asgard. At the centre of the story is The Mighty Thor (Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, Thor is banished to Earth where he is forced to live among humans. When the most dangerous villain of his world sends its darkest forces to invade Earth, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero. Thor earns itself three out of five stars.
However I must give my congratulations to Marvel and Paramount for their brilliance in combining Norse mythology with the real world, according to the Marvel universe. Hemsworth and Hiddleston, two diamonds in the rough, truly did deliver and didn’t allow themselves to be outshined by academy award winners Portman and Hopkins. But I suppose it’s not surprising. Marvel does know how deliver and leaves us wanting more, making this movie a definite must see.
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The Life and Times
Of A High School Senior by Lenroc
I
think we sometimes forget that teachers are people too. More than often we view them as objects whose purpose are merely to impart knowledge, idols who are to be admired, or examples of the result of lack of ambition or success. I find that the latter is one that we overindulge in, much to the disrespect of those who have arguably the most say in how far we get in life. It’s a brand-new morning and I find myself still equipped with a rather sprightly demeanour even though it’s after eight (my already waning enthusiasm usually before then), and my character is more predisposed to a darker countenance. In any case, I chose not to question it and head off to class. My first class is with Mr. Nelson. A rather curious fellow if I do say so myself. You’d rarely think he’s a teacher if he wasn’t lugging his four-year-old laptop around all day, and even that’s not helping him. In fact, I think it undermines his stature even further. You see, he’s like 5’5, give one take a couple inches (I’m bad with measurement). Therefore, the fact that the laptop bag is two inches away from touching the ground (having been suspended by the strap hanging on his shoulder) is only exacerbating his longitudinal disability. I mean, it’s not every day a guy can say that his teacher is the shortest one in the class room you know. Anyway, for the past couple months Mr. Nelson has been teaching. However, poor Mr. Nelson has not been having much luck teaching us anything. Well no, that’s not fair. He has taught us (some of us) ‘stuff ’ but I’m not entirely sure that any of those things are on the syllabus. I can’t say for sure because my syllabus is in my closet-or is it my bookshelf…it’s somewhere in my room, safe and adequately dusty. So, over the past couple weeks, the class has moved from 100% attendance, to five people missing, then nine and then fifteen, and it trends downward to where it’s at presently. Out of a class of say, approximately 30+ students, maybe about eight show up. Now I am as indifferent to the school as the rest, but I suffer from a mental disorder that prevents me from skulking class (Yes people, please not the word has a ‘k’ in it, it’s not ‘skulling). But back to Mr. Nelson.
the first place was such an achievement) but will still have obliged to support us, the school can easily let him go. And I think we forget that he has a reputation as a teacher to maintain and build on, a household to take care of, student loans to pay back (at an unreasonable 12% interest rate if I do say so myself ) and some sort of self-actualization to attain. They aren’t robots you know, teachers are humans too… but I’m too tired to make an effort.
I feel some amount of sympathy for him. Not because he’s short and has poor class management skills, but because he has someone to answer to at the end of the day, just like we do. However, unlike our parents who will reprimand us (or not because reaching sixth form in
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