Cloak of the Light

(Book Review By: Aedan Roach)

Cloak of the Light is a fictional book about spiritual warfare. It is the first book of the three book series, the Wars of the Realm. The other two books are called Rise of the Fallen and Light of the Last. 

In the Cloak of the Light, the main character, Drew Carter, loses his father at age 12. He and his mother are then forced for financial reasons to move from town to town, eventually settling in Kansas. His high school years are filled with rough times with school, friends, and just life in general. The only highlight in his life during this time was the relationship he had with his father’s best friend, Jake, who taught him survival skills. 

At the end of high school, he looked forward to graduating and entering college, so as to start a new beginning. While in college, he has an accident, which leaves him blind and unable to return to school. Even though the doctors said he would never see again, he is graced with new abilities. These abilities lead him to be able to fight a spiritual warfare of good vs. evil.

While reading this book, I found myself unable to put it down, looking forward to each new chapter. The action in the book was intense and full of suspense. The author, Chuck Black, provides believers and nonbelievers the ability to comprehend the spiritual warfare that goes on within us every day. 

This book would be a great book for nonbelievers to read because it demonstrates the battle of good vs. evil. It might even spark a seed in nonbelievers allowing Christ to grow. At the end of the book, Chuck Black offers his readers what the Bible specifically says about spiritual warfare. Chuck Black is an excellent author and has had great life experiences. He spent eight years in the Air Force traveling the world as a communications engineer and an F-16 fighter pilot. He is now the author of fifteen books. I would definitely recommend reading this book to all.

Hank The Cow Dog

(Book Review By: Priscilla Cassase)

Growing up I listened to a comedic series called hank the cow dog . The main character Hank stars as a dog on a ranch in Texas or as he calls himself “head of ranch security.” You get to see and experience in a humorous way how he perceives every sticky situation that all animals and people put him through. As you read of the adventures and suspenseful situations you realize there are great morals in every book. You can follow his life through over 50 feel good books, some written and even more audios.

This short, juicy and creative series is fantastic and I would recommend to anyone especially for your children to read or listen while they sleep. Even though they are simple they get your head gears really spinning.

Nikon COOLPIX P900 Camera

(Product Review By: Delani Ennis)

Are you looking for a new easy to use camera? Or do you know someone who is? Then the Nikon P900 is for you! As part of Nikons COOLPIX series this digital compact cameras with everything built in from Wi-Fi to GPS along with NFC (Near Field Communication) for wirelessly sharing photos to most smartphones and tablets. That's right, that means no having to change the lenses and settings every five seconds in an attempt to get that “perfect shot.” But how am I going to take professional photos on a basic digital camera you ask? Well, I can tell you, this is no basic digital camera! This State of the art camera has an 83x optical zoom range from 35mm-2000mm that is actually equivalent to 24mm-8000mm.

Which is currently the world's longest optical zoom lens to be built on a camera, with Nikon referring to it as a “Super lens” it could be considering nothing less. This so called super lens is so extravagant, it is capable of taking crystal clear pictures of the moon's surface and just about anything else you can imagine. The Nikon P900 price ranges from $499-$700 and is sold in most stores with electronic departments and of course, at Nikon USA.com . Well yes, that may seem a bit expensive at first, if photography is something that truly intrigues you, especially if you are new to it, it is definitely worth it. Because, it is easy to use, quick, sturdy, and reliable all while having the world's largest most incredible lens. So go pick up the Nikon P900 and share the world how you may see it through the lens of this amazing camera, you never know, you may just be surprised at the outcome.

Let’s Go Rangers!!

Sports Review- NHL(National Hockey League)

(By: Delani Ennis)

The New York Rangers hockey team gave their teammate, forward, Derek Stepan the gift of a win for his 500 th NHL game.

On Monday, March 6 th , 2017 the NY Rangers traveled to Tampa Bay to meet up against the Lightening at Amelie Arena, where they pulled out a big win in overtime. Despite the obvious attempts made by the ref’s to steer the game the other way.

The referee’s blatant favoritism towards the Lightening was not going to be enough to save the day. The Ranger’s penalty killers were able to hold the Lightening at bay for all six of their power plays. Ranger’s goalie Raanta had an amazing 38 saves throughout the game. 

However, it was a frustrating game for many of the fans, dressed in their best NY gear. The game was slightly slow for the fast paced visiting New Yorker’s. 

If not for the indoor lightening, created to awaken the Tampa Bay fans, and the flying fists of Tanner Glass (NY) and Luke Witkowski (TB), many could have napped until overtime. In the end, the win went to the team that didn’t blink. As per Lightening coach Jon Cooper, “Overtime is not about creating chances, it's about capitalizing on mistakes. We made a mistake and they capitalized. That was it." And for that, this New York girl says thank you!

Trumps Inauguration Speech

(By: Priscilla Cassase)

Trumps well put together speech was quite a powerful one. He talked about how we, the American people, have been ignored by the government, which has grown too powerful. The well organized speech was short and juicy and boy did he recognize the issues that have been going on. All of which have been overlooked for years! Listening to him speak was really a pleasure. His patriotism has brought life to many Americans including myself. He said, “When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice”. This really got the people clapping! His whole speech was continuously engaging and constantly moving forward.

Little to no repetition kept the audience well in tune and looking forward to the next concern he was going to commit to resolve. He did not hold back about the corruption and warped mindset that has prevailed in previous government administrations. He said what needed to be said but not to purposefully offend any particular people but to bring out to the light the cold hard truth. He gained trust because he spoke plainly and It showed that he has perception and is not afraid to make changes for the better.

The speech was uplifting and gave Americans hope. Donald Trump truly believes he can make America great again. The inaugurations speech also gave a certain peace that we all have not felt in years. Trump is very aware and intuitive of what’s going on, and not afraid to face it! His speech was fantastically done, I would rate it highly.

X Games Adaptive Moto X Racing

(By Aedan Roach)



This Moto X Adaptive Race took place in 2013 at the Staples Center and was broadcasted on ESPN. The competitors in this race were Max Gomez, Steve Howe, Chris Ridgway, Mike Schultz, Todd Thompson, and Dave Turner. These men have had some type of injury or birth defect, which has left them without a limb. Even with a physical disability, they have shown their determination to not allow their disability to affect their ability to race their dirt bikes. Before the race began, Mike Schultz gave us a background on his life.

As a professional snowmobile racer, he was thrown from his machine during a race, which left him as an amputee above the knee. Determined to continue to follow his dreams, he developed a prototype called a “Motoknee”, which allowed him to race again. This led to the development of his company, Biodapt Inc., which sells extreme sports prosthetics. He wears a microprocessor leg, which allows him the mobility to move. Jokingly he said, “when he forgets to plug in his leg, he is stalled.”

The race began with Ridgeway taking the lead with Schultz right behind him. This was a twelve lap race with a 65-foot ramp jump centered on the track. At the fourth lap, Schultz and Thompson passed Ridgway, which allowed for Schultz to take the lead with Thompson just behind. At the eighth lap, Thompson tried to take Shultz but never succeeded. The final lap was intense as Thompson tried to pick up enough speed to pass Shultz; however, he was unsuccessful and Schultz won the race. Showing good sportsmanship, Thompson congratulated Schultz on his win. Schultz is now a five times gold
winner in this sport. This was an incredible race to watch because it was apparent that their shared disabilities led them to a greater drive and a compassion for the race and each other.

Magic NutriBullet Blender Review

(By: Priscilla Cassase)


So many blenders to chose from! One blender, that surpasses most other blenders, is the Magic Nutribullet.

It has a high-torque power base and 600-watt motor. The simple but effective blade is very useful for making smoothies, pureeing and effortlessly grinding nuts and grains for baking brownies, etc.

It is powerful enough to grind up ice without overworking the motor. I have never had a mechanical problem with the motor or blade, however, one safety tab on the cup broke off. Being these safety tabs are so crucial to the usability of the blender, they should not have broken so easily. This blender may not suit the needs of every individual but it is overall an excellent blender and well worth the money.

Amazon Echo

By Aedan Roach



The Amazon Echo, a hands-free device, is a product made by Amazon. The Echo uses Alexa Voice Service to do many things like answer questions, read audio books and news, report traffic and weather, give information on local businesses, provide sports scores and schedules, play music from Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and even more just by using your voice.

There is also the smart home feature in which you can have the Echo turn on lights, change the temperature on thermostats, lock doors, close blinds, turn on or off a fan and even more. These functions are sold separately by companies such as WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Wink,  Insteon, Nest, and Ecobee smart home devices. To use the Echo, you say the wake word which is “Alexa”.

The Echo is very helpful in everyday use and can keep learning your daily needs. It has seven microphones to hear your commands from just about any place in the room. The speaker can also crank out some great sound when you are listening to music with its 2.5-inch woofer and 2.0-inch tweeter. It does need Wi-Fi for all these actions, which could pose a problem for those who do not have Wi-Fi. The price, $179.99, is reasonable for all it has to offer.

If you cannot afford this device, then you could purchase the Echo Dot for $50. This product has everything that the Echo has, except it does not offer the sound quality. I have enjoyed the Amazon Echo for all that it has to offer. I will say that there are times when I must repeatedly call “Alexa” before she wakes because she is next to the TV and can catch too much of the background noise. Overall, I would recommend this product to many users.

U.S. Mens Water Polo Loses Again

(By: Priscilla Cassase)





“We need a new state of mind.”
(Tony Azevedo)


Croatia’s indisputable win against the U.S was a somewhat embarrassing loss to the proud United States. The U.S hopes of winning the medal were crushed by Croatia’s victorious win with a score of 7-5. They also suffered a loss against Spain, ending the game with a close call of 10-9. The captain of the U.S. team, Tony Azevedo, was born in Rio Brazil but grew up in Long Beach, CA. He was one of the greatest water polo payers in American history! He stated to the press after their loss, “We have to win the next three games. We’ve got to win now. We have to play like a team and stop feeling sorry for ourselves. Right now we’re playing like victims and babies and everyone is worried about everything but what they need to worry about.” In the U.S battle to defeat Spain, Spain took an early lead but Tony Azevedo responded rather quickly. He threw an outside shot in the upper left corner placing his team up on the scoreboard! The constant battle of control over the course of the game got heated. Albert Lifante popped a shot just over the head of the veteran U.S goalie, affirming the power Spain never lost. The last minute to the game Alex Bowen muscled in his third goal to bring the U.S just one point behind. But it was too late to save the U.S from the disappointing start in Rio. Tony later stated, “We need a new state of mind.”

Super Bowl Fifty-One

(By Aedan Roach)

Super Bowl Fifty-one was a phenomenal game, in which the New England Patriots versed the Atlanta Falcons. 

At the beginning of the game, the Falcons won the coin toss and decided to receive the ball in the second half. In first quarter, neither team scored which was mind blowing because you expect that one team would at least score. 

During the second quarter, the Falcons came on strong and scored two touchdowns within five minutes. At the end of the second quarter, Robert Alford of the Falcons had a pick six, which made the score twenty-one to zero in favor of the Falcons. Finally, the Patriots scored a field goal and put three points on the board, so at the end of the first half the score was 21 to 3 still in favor of the Falcons. Those in the crowd who were rooting for the Falcons because they had never won a Super Bowl, were overly optimistic with the possibility of a win. 

The halftime performance was put on by Lady Gaga, which was tasteful and free of any political references. In the third quarter, the Patriots came out with their game face on and ready to score. They scored a touchdown and a field goal but the Falcons also scored another touchdown, which made the score 28 to 12 in favor of the Falcons. In the fourth quarter, the tables turned. Tom Brady, Quarterback of the Patriots, led his team to score two touchdowns with a two-point conversion on both. This was unbelievable how quickly the Patriots turned the game around. The score then tied up to 28-28 and ran into overtime. The Patriots won the coin toss for overtime and decided to receive the ball because they knew whoever made the first touchdown would win the game. The Patriots drove the ball down the field and James White drove it in for a touchdown. With an unbelievable comeback, the Patriots won Super Bowl 51 with a score of 34 to 28. 

This was Tom Brady’s fifth Super Bowl win and he is the only quarterback to have achieved this. He showed his thankfulness by dropping to his knees and was overcome with emotion.