June Horoscopes by Chandra Kadar

Aries:

Mar 21-Apr 19

May is not really your month but don’t let that bring you down. You’re an exciting person with a great personality.  Don’t give up on love.  It's only normal to get your heart broken, but true love will find you soon--sooner than you think.

Highlights: Life is too short, so stop pouting around. Do something for you and keep an open eye for your true love.

Taurus:

Apr 20-May 20

You love being in control of everything, but it's time you stop and give someone else a chance. Being bossy and demanding is pushing the ones you care about farther away. Don't wait till tomorrow to express your love for them.  Tomorrow is not always promised.

Highlights: Try being yourself for a week and see how differently people behave around you. You'll see the difference. Don’t take the ones you love for granted. Like they say, you never know what you have until it’s gone.

Gemini
May 21-Jun 20

It seems like your life is finally complete.  You have a great boyfriend, wonderful friends and a family that will stand by you no matter what. But you need to open your eyes and see reality. Don’t get blinded by love. We often love and never realize it until our hearts get broken, so be careful.

Highlights:  Finding love is great, but don’t let it blind you from reality. With family and friends like you have, anything is possible with you.

 

Cancer 
Jun 21-Jul 22

You’re going through some difficult times in your life, but just keep a positive attitude. God only gives you as much as you can handle.  You’re a strong person and you will get through anything without breaking.

Highlights: If everyone had a positive attitude like yours, the world would be a better place. Life may seem hard now, but things ALWAYS get better.  Just keep doing what you’re doing, and you will see.  Only time will tell! 

Leo
Jul 23- Aug 22

You have recently achieved something that means a great deal to you. You have made your family proud, but there are certain people around you that would do anything to bring you down.  KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.  You have good friends.  Don’t leave them behind because you have new ones.

Highlights: You’re smarter than you think.  Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  Keep in contact wit your old friends.  Something tells me you’re going to need them pretty soon.

 

 Virgo
Aug 23-Sept 22

Stop getting distracted.  Your main priority right now is where you are going to be a month from now.  You need to stop worrying about the future.  No one truly knows what is going to happen. Focus on the people around you, and while doing that, don’t forget to thank the ones that have been there for you 24/7.

Highlights:  Nothing is impossible so don’t doubt youself. Take the time to thank the ones who have made you who you are today.

 

Libra 
Sept 23-Oct 22

I know it's hard losing someone you love, but everything happens for a reason. Things fall apart so that other things can fall into place.  You’re still holding onto the past.  It's understandable, but sometime soon you’re going to have to let go.  Time is not going to stop for you.  It's still moving.

Highlights: You can’t change what happened in the past, but the future is yours.  Don’t waste it holding a grudge.

Scorpio 
Oct 23- Nov 21

You’re all about taking risks, but you should really make some long-term decisions. Stress seems to be getting in your way lately.  You need to take some time off for yourself and relax.

Highlights: Risk-taking is a good thing but over-doing it isn't.

 

Sagittarius
Now 22-Dec 21

Of everything you have encountered this year, your life finally seems to be falling into place. You’re always surrounded by people that love you, but don’t forget to return the love. You’re a fun and outgoing person.  Keep it up and your life will keep moving forward.

Highlights: You had a rough year so I think it’s time you relax and spend some time with your loved ones. At this point, you seem focused on one thing.  If you really want it, then do whatever it takes to keep it.

 

Capricorn
Dec 22- Jan 19

You’re funny as can be, but not everyone seem to thinks that. Don’t stop being yourself because of what other people think.  Their opinions really don’t matter. You are who you are.  They can either accept you or reject you. News flash!  You shouldn’t live your life to please anyone!

Highlights: As long as you have that special person in your life, no one else seems to matter. Your jokes are funny, but only a few can really understand them.

 

Aquarius 
Jan 20-Feb 18

It’s about time you break out of your shell and do what you do best. People are starting to step all over you.  Being too nice is really a problem. Life for you seems pretty perfect on the outside, but no one has taken the time to see that it’s raining on the inside.

Highlights: They say smiles are like band-aids.  They cover up the pain.  Yeah, it’s true, but is that what you really want?? Find someone you can trust and tell them what’s really going on. Behind every beautiful face, there is a story waiting to be told. No one will hear your story if you don’t speak out.

 

Pisces
Fen 19- Mar 20

You’re still in the state of being shocked about something someone close to you did.  Eventually you will accept it.  For the past couple of weeks, you seem to be having a blast with your friends and family, which is great.  It shows you have been bonding.  You’re a good friend whether you believe it or not.  You’re always there when someone needs you.

Highlights: Only with time will you come to accept the decision made by your friend.  Even if you do it in your own time, she will still be waiting to hear you say it.  There seems to be a big celebration coming up.  Don’t forget to have fun.

What Guys Really Look For in a Girl by Danielle King

What Guys Really Look For in a Girl

by Danielle King

    You hear this conversation being carried out all the time--either between teenage girls gushing over their crush of the week, or even during a late-night discussion between your mom and her lady friends listening to yet ANOTHER one of Mrs. Williams’ sappy “Why didn’t he call me back?” sob stories, and it was even a #1 blockbuster hit titled He’s Just Not That Into You. With all of these examples, we can guess that relationship issues occur worldwide and every person, no matter what age or race, goes through them. But we also know that as teenage girls, these problems can feel more like life-crushing dilemmas rather than a regular issues.  With all of these movies and magazines filled with pictures of alluring, hot, scantily-clad girls telling you that if you’re not hot, then you are nothing, it’s almost impossible not to feel bad about yourself or question whether every guy wants that. Well, fret no more! Because The Progress Howl is on the case, and we found out everything that a teenage girl needs to know about what guys like in a girl. From their personality, likes and dislikes, and even down to their inner fantasy chica. Girls, this is a definite must-read!

 Question #1: Do looks matter to all guys?

 Answer: Yes, it most certainly does, and whoever told you that it does not, is seriously lying to you! No, I’m totally kidding! Typically, yes looks do matter for a guy--if he’s completely superficial. While most guys do admit that when they first meet their girlfriends or any other girl for that matter, there are certain  physical things that they find stand out, which is not always a bad thing. But as for keeping the girl just for her looks? Well, it depends on the guy. While doing a recent survey with some Progress High School boys, there were some guys that gave us the complete wrong answer. One guy at Progress (whose name will remain anonymous for obvious reasons) gave us the answer we were not looking for. “Yes, looks does matter in a relationship. It’s because of society makes looks important, so guys do as well. Besides, things that are seen as ugly are seen as negative, so why date something ugly and negative. I wouldn’t go out with someone incredibly ugly so yeah, looks are important.”

 One senior at Progress said the same thing. “Yeah most guys like for their girls to look hot when they’re walking around with them, so she can kind of be like his trophy hot chick.” But aside from all of these somewhat vain answers, there were a lot of  guys that felt that there  was more to a girl than just her looks. “No, it always doesn’t. If a girl is pretty but she has a bad attitude, then she’s only temporary, only a hookup. I’m not gonna want a girl that gives me lip all of the time. She’s gotta be nice and fun.” 

Bottom Line: Not all teenage guys date girls just for their looks. There are some that actually want to get to know a girl emotionally. You just REALLY need to look for them, so don’t fret sister! There are some out there. 

 Question #2: Why does it seem like guys only like ditzy girls? 

 Answer: For one, not every single guy goes after the hot, ditzy chick who goes along with everything that he says, so scratch that one off of your list! Most guys go for girls that are fun and are able to make their own decisions. As one gentleman who calls himself “Soldier4U” writes on a message board on www.yahoohelp.com,“When I look for a girl, I want her to be down with trying new things. I want a girl that’s adventurous and has her own thoughts and views. I want us to be able to argue once in a while or debate about something to keep our relationship interesting. She’s got to have something to talk about, not just be a hot board saying nothing.” Kevin, a junior at Progress notes, “Yeah, guys do like girls that are up for anything, but we don’t like it when you say anything just to sound promising or what you think we’ll like. Just be spontaneous and flirty, but fun at the same time. Trust me, we’ll remember you.”

Bottom Line:  Guys are into girls that are just themselves and up for a good time.  While, yeah, the hot chicks that you see in movies or anywhere else are always up for anything, try to see if this “anything” is something positive.  If not, try to differentiate yourself from that kind of spontaneity. You’ll get good results. 

Question #3: Why do guys obsess over the hot babes in sexy magazines?

Answer: Yeah, we understand. As if the Beyonces, Jessica Albas and Kim Kardashians aren’t enough to make us feel bad, you bring in the model with the perfect hair, skin, abs, body, EVERYTHING! While these are qualities that guys do admire in a girl, they’re not the be-all end-all qualities or things that guys look for when thinking of a perfect girlfriend. Although on a guy’s list of girlfriend traits, while “totally hot with smokin bod” may be number one half of the time, just remember that half of the time if a guy even comes close to speaking with a hot chick like that, a lot of them completely freeze up or do not know what to say next, so give them a break! And think about it... is it necessarily cheating when you’re in your room daydreaming about Zac Efron? I think not! So try to understand that it’s totally normal for a guy to behave this way.  And about those perfect girls? Just know that it’s totally not realistic to find any girl that looks like that 24/7, so be more optimistic about it next time, and don’t stress it!

Bottom Line: Well, we’ve finally come to an end! Throughout this whole article, we have learned about guys and all of their likes and dislikes, and what we’ve come to realize is that all guys just want a girl who is nice, cute, non-complicated (meaning drama-free!) and just has a good personality. While you may think that looking hot, having the best body, being the skinniest and saying the coolest flirty phrases ever possible will definitely help win a guy over. While these are added bonuses, they aren’t the be-all end-all for all guys. Most of them just want a girl who is smart, able to make her own decisions and just secure with herself...and all of that has to come before all of the make-up and cute clothes. So try to remember that, and remain strong and comfortable with yourself because that, chica, is a huge turn-on for most guys.

Until next time!

THE DARFUR GENOCIDE by Cristhian Sanchez

History of the Darfur Genocide

by Cristhian Sanchez

Do you have any idea of what is happening in Darfur, Africa?
A similar genocide as the Holocaust has been going on in our present time. Apparently, this is the 4th genocide in Sudan in the past 30 years. It started as a result of the majority government trying to ethnically cleanse the ethnic tribal population in the Darfur region of Sudan. This genocide began recently in 2003 and will last until some form of world coalition steps in and removes these people from power.

The conflict started in 2003 due to events that had been occurring in the previous years. These events included a number of attacks by Darfur Rebels against the Sudanese government.In February of 2003, the government gave up trying to find the rebels themselves and sent in a number of their own rebel forces known as the "Janjaweed." They were sent in using tactics similar to those which the nazis used in the conquering of the Western Europe. They organized air attacks on villages, followed by artillery, and then they sent in troops to burn, kill, rape, and attack those poor people in Darfur who had done nothing bad.

In February, 2003 , rebels in the western region of Darfur rose up against government, claiming the region was being neglected by Khartoum (capital of Sudan). In March, 2004, UN officials stated that pro-government Arab "Janjaweed" (a janjaweed basically means "A man with a gun on a horse") militias were carrying out systematic killing of thousands of African villagers in Darfur.

During the years 2005-2006 , peace talks occurred , but not all groups accepted them. Conflict still continued. By May, 2007, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for a minister and a janjaweed militia leader suspected of Darfur war crimes. By September of 2007 , the UN (or United Nations) talks on the composition of a Darfur peacekeeping force ended without agreement, meaning that the genocide or the killing of innocent people is still happening.

The US may take action about the genocide going on in Darfur. Our country in now involved. A letter was recently sent to our president, Barack Obama. This letter was written with the purpose of asking him to stop the genocide which is going on for no reason.

Solution:Progress High School should get involved.

According to the data that was collected during a survey given to Progress High School students, only 18 out of every 35 students knew what was happening in Africa. One question of the survey asked the following question, "Would you like this genocide to have and end?" Most of the students said "Yes," but they ended up asking me how they could help. Well, there is a certain website that is totally focused on this issue. On that site people from any country can make donations of only $1.

These people of Darfur need our financial help to purchase food , health supplies and other items. Aid organizations , which are working diligently it help refugees in the camps , need our financial support. Progress High School students should help those mothers and children suffering in Darfur.

Visit www.savedarfur.org if you'd like to contribute only $1. I already made my contribution. Please help us stop the loss of more innocent lives.

Article written by Cristhian Sanchez.

″Signs Your Crush Might Want You″ by Chandra Kadar

Signs that tell you a guy has got a crush on you...

by Chandra Kadar

Have you ever had the feeling that one of your close guy friends might like you as more than a friend? Or that a guy you have got a crush on might like you in return, but you weren't sure? Well now you can be sure with these 39 signs a guy gives to show that he likes you. There are more than 40 signs that a guy may give that he likes a girl, but these are the most important ones for me. These signs help me and maybe they can help you find your true love, or at least help you capture the heart of your crush or your dream-guy. These are just some signs that that special guy has a major CRUSH on you. This might even work to help you find out if your best guy friend thinks it's time to take the friendship to the next level. Very often a girl finds out that the guy that likes her has been her friend for quite a while.

Thirty-Nine Signs that a Guy Likes You:

1) He does a lot of favors for you.
2) He gets to know more about the people you hang out with.
3) He is always there when you need someone to talk to.
4) He talks about his hopes and fears with you.
5) He worries about how you feel.
6) He tends to get sad when you're not smiling.
7) He asks if your single.
8) He doesn't talk about other girls when he is around you.
9) He tags along for a movie even if he has seen it before.
10) His friends know your name.
11) He asks what you look for in a guy or what kind of guy you are looking for.
12) He buys you gifts for no apparent reason (That's a definite sign he likes you as more than a friend).
13) He gets distracted easily when you are around.
14) He stutters when you talk to him.
15) If you catch him looking at you, he looks around pretending to look at someone else.
16) He listens to you and remembers everything you say, even if it's dumb and insignificant.
17) He notices new things about you and compliments you on your new hair-do, shoes, clothes, bag, etc.
18) He gets tense when you are with another guy.
19) He calls for no reason.
20) He talks and looks at you differently than for others girls.
21) He asks how your day was almost every day.
22) He tries his best to spend time with you.
23) He skips practice or time with his friends to hang out with you.
24) He puts his phone on silent whenever he is with you (A major sign he is into you).
25) He comes over to you even when his friends are around.
26) He regularly touches or brushes against you accidentally.
27) He say yes to all the things you ask him to do.
28) He acts immature around you--like playful flirting, teasing, poking.
29) He tries to make you smile all the time (Ding! Ding! He loves seeing you happy).
30) He asks about you to your friends when you are not around.
31) He flirts with your friends to make you jealous.
32) He sings lines from your favorite song when you are around or sends you lyrics from his favorite song.
33) He tells you stories about the stupidest things he did when he was a little kid.
34) He thinks your baby picture is so cute, or he even asks to keep one of them.
35) He treasures whatever you give him, like a card or a note.
36) He watches you favorite movie with you, even though it is a chick flick.
37) He emails you some silly little love poem, knowing that there is a chance your parents might read it.
38) He shows his emotional side to you and trusts you with his deepest secrets.
39) He trusts that he can tell you anything without you judging him.

If you answered YES to less than 10 statements, then this guy is just not into you.
If you answered YES to 11-24 statements, then there is a good chance that this guy likes you.
If you answered YES to 25-35 statements, then this guy is really into you.
If you answered YES to 36 or more statements, then there is an excellent chance that this guy is in love with you but is just scared to admit it.

"Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire" by Chandrawattie Kadar

Movie Review:
Slumdog Millionaire

by Chandrawattie Kadar

Slumdog Millionaire is a British film directed by Danny Boyle in 2008. Slumdog Millionaire was written by Simon Beaufoy and cofirected in India by Loveleen Tandan. This movie travelled from the slum to the big screen to the red carpet. Slumdog was nominated for ten 2008 Academy Awards and won eight--the most for any film this year, including "Best Picture" and "Best Director." Slumdog Millionaire also won five Critic's Choice Awards, four Golden Globes and seven BAFTA Awards, including "Best Film."

Even with all its success and fame, Slumdog Millionaire was and is a film that is a portrait of India. Slumdog Millionaire is a very heartfelt story that portrays the love that two people can share over time, but it also shows the everyday life of kids in India and the problems that they have to face each day, living in the slums. Can you imagine living in a tent, where there is no running water or electricity or anything of that sort? After watching Slumdog Millionaire, you would want to take back all the bad things you have ever said about your life. You would consider yourself lucky to have all the privileges you have.

Slumdog's Plot

Slumdog Millionaire is about an 18-year-old boy named Jamal Malik. Jamal is an orphan from the slums of Mumbai. Every day for him is a struggle until the day arrives when he makes his appearance on the popular TV show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" With the whole nation watching, Jamal is one question away from winning an astonishing 20 million rupees. But things get fishy when the show breaks for the night, and the police become suspicious that Jamal might be cheating. I mean, how could a kid from the slums know all the answers to the questions, right? Wrong! Maybe Jamal wasn't cheating. Maybe his experiences and the things he has witnessed have led him to know the answers to the questions being asked. Jamal is now desperate to prove he is innocent, so he tells his story about growing up in the slums with his brother, Salim, and the girl he loved and lost, Latika. The inspector gets interested in Jamal's story and wonders what a young man with no desire for riches is doing on a show like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" But when the final day arrives, the Inspector and the sixty million viewers will find out the real reason Jamal went on the show.

About the Actors

Who on earth is Dev Patel? That's the question hundreds of people are asking. Well, guys, Dev Patel plays one of the main characters in the BEST movie of 2008: Slumdog Millionaire. Dev Patel is an 18-year-old Britich film and television actor, as well as a martial artist. He was born on April 23rd, 1990. Dev is best known for his performances on British television, such as the role of Anwar Kharral in the the teen drama series "Skins" and many more. Dev is a martial artist and is a black belt in Taekwondo. He was even a bronze medalist at the 2004 AIMAA World Championships in Dublin.

Frieda Pinto was born on October 18th, 1984 in Mumbai, India. Frieda was one of two daughters born to bank manager Frederick Pinto and his wife Sylvia, a school principal. Her sister Sharon recently became an associate producer for the NDTV news channel. Pinto always dreamt of becoming and actress. Her dream started to come true after she graduated from St. Xavier College in Mumbai. Frieda worked as a popular model on the Indian circuit. Now Frieda has gone from model to Oscar-winner. Ms. Pinto decided to make her acting dream a reality in 2006 when she auditioned for the heroine-role of Latika, an orphan living in the slums in Slumdog Millionaire. She trained for six months with an acting coach, and the coaching seems to have paid off.

Poetry: 2 poems by Noemy Duran

"You"

by Noemy Duran

You took her away
When I really needed her
She was always there
She was family
She wasn't only my grandmother but my hero too

She would get me out of trouble
She would always defend me in problems
She would always be there for me
And she wasn't only my grandmother
But my hero too

But now I lost my grandmother and my hero too
Why?
Because she passed away

It's OK you took her away cause
She will be better up there in
Heaven and happier

It's OK you took her away cause
I'll always have her in my
Heart

Even though she's not alive
I will always consider her
MY HERO


"Family Feud"
(After Kevin Caval)

by Noemy Duran

My mother's voice rises
Like defense shields when I ask
If she wants a nephew? A niece?
Now or later on in
...Life...

My father screams
Fist through my stomach when I
mentioned I was
...Pregnant...

My Grandmother gone and
Not here with me to help me
Get out of this horrible
...Disaster...

My aunt says, "Why?
You're so young!
You could have lived your life way better
Than how you gonna live it now."

My brother says, "You the
First one to do this to the family
All I have to say to you is
Why?...So early."

My family says, "We are so ashamed of you."
At the age of 16
Why couldn't you wait any
...Longer...

Poetry: "Valentine's Day" by Chandrawattie Kadar

Valentine's Day

by Chandrawattie Kadar

If anyone were ever to ask who my true love in life would be,
I would simply smile and tell them, "It would have to be 'He,"
He that kisses me in a way no other could,
He that holds me in way no other would,
He that loves me through the good and the bad, even when he is sad.

He has been known to put his fears aside
To reassure me that in him I can confide
My deepest dreams, my deepest fears,
As we grow closer through the months.

I know he fears his love for me, as it seems to grow stronger every day,
Yet he doesn't understand that I too feel the same way,
Two people that shouldn't yet...two people couldn't imagine life without one another,
We push, we pull, we fight, and we love, yet we always come back to each other.

This love we have is truly one of a kind,
Which makes me realize as I look behind at our past, our present and wherever we go,
That he has my heart..."Forever to hold."