In this movie directed by Sam Raimi the audience gets to understand the mysteries character, Oz, in the Wizard of Oz, when we get a look at his past. In the beginning Oscar Diggs, played by James Franco, is swept away in his hot air balloon by a tornado. Now he is in this glorious land called Oz when he comes across a sweet witch, Theodora, played by Mila Kunis. She falls in love with him while he tries to keep up his act of being a great wizard with his magician tricks. He goes on a journey to kill a wicked witch and soon finds out that she is good witch and Theodora’s sister, Evanora, played by Rachel Weiz, is truly the wicked witch. Oz meets friends along the way like is funny servant the monkey and the sweet china girl doll. The good witch is played by Michelle Williams, by the way. Oz gets into trouble as he has to perform his greatest trick yet. Theodora makes a big mistake when she falls for her sister evil trick. Watch the rest of the movie to find out what happens.
Oz the Great and Powerful is for all ages to enjoy. It’s filled with corny jokes, drama, and imagination, a little bit of twisted romance, sadness, fierce battle, and surprises. This movie has amazing visual effects and more. It makes it seem as if you are really in the movie. The whole fantasy of this movie is the best part about. The whole story of this man and his journey is extravagant which will make you love the movie even more.
Even thought this movie may be great, people still disagree. This movie is just another remake of the Wizard of Oz. There already are movies similar to this. Remakes of fairy tales are very popular today. The original will always be the best. That may be true, but this is a different perspective of how someone who came to Oz and saved everyone. This is the story of before the Wizard of Oz and how everything happened. This movie may be modern which could be bad, or good but I think that anyone can look over these disagreements after seeing the movie because it is so great and wonderfully put together. Oz the Great and powerful is movie you must go see and experience the greatness for yourself.
| | You may know Karee Kistler either by her lovely writings in The Pony Express or the fact she’s the younger sister of junior, Kage Kistler. However, we’re giving you the inside scoop on what the best writer in the staff does while she’s not writing and helping CMMS ASB. These are Karlee’s weird talents and weird happenings of her life. But first what does “weird” mean? Is it that awkward kid that picks his nose at lunch or the way the body reacts to the way you move? We ask you please don’t judge Karlee and DO NOT TRY THESE ACTS OF CRAZINESS!
After interviewing Karlee, I learned of her shocking talent… Noodle gets stuck up her nose and comes out her mouth! Pretty crazy huh? She found out she can do this by just sitting in the car with extra udon noodles and just started sticking them up in the bat cave. She had to warn me before I tried to try it that, if you use the small noodles, it gets stuck, so you have to use very long thick noodles. I took about three tries before it came down her throat and way able to pull it out.
Karlee’s also an untrained gymnast when she gets on the trampoline she’s twisting and twirling all over the place! After starting gymnastics at eight she’s always been flexible. Karlee has the ability to put her feet behind her head and been able to do that for three years and just tried it. Karlee believes in “Just Do It” –Nike and tries new things. Speaking of being flexible she also can do the “knee walker.” She advises that you wear padding and long pants if you try this.
Many weird happenings have happened to Karlee, last year while doing a variety of citric juice stands with fellow writer Makena Seal. Hand-squeezing the fruits isn’t the hard part. After not washing her hands well enough after squeezing she came to sell right away with out knowing the affect! When you leave a liquid acid in the sun it causes your hand to get a citric burn. After waking up the next morning and thinking it was a “spider bite” they thought it would go away. But after a couple of days it started to blister and fill with puss. A day after they finally made a doctor’s appointment, this was her worst case in 25 years! So they popped the blisters and blood and puss squirted everywhere! They had to wrap her hand in cloth and let it heal. After it was finally gone her right hand was discolored and look like it would scar, but then it was normal. School was challenge she told me it hurt to write and even hold it but she went everyday! None of these talents affect her school life nor does she even practice, she just does it when people ask her too.
Karlee is one of the most interesting souls I’ve ever met. Oh yeah, she can also suck liquids up through her nose and roll her eyes in crazy directions! Be sure you watch the videos, look at the picture and stay safe!
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 Karlee with the Banana Monkey parfait
Everyday when I walk down the halls of Costa Mesa High School, I hear “Hey, you going to Confetti today?” or “Have you tried Confetti? We should go after school.” Confetti has taken students by storm and is definitely the new “it” place. Not only does it have more than 25 combinations of parfaits but you can also make own with a wide variety of Italian ice and Custard.
Some of you might be wondering: “What is Confetti?” Well it’s a twist on classic desserts. To make a “Confetti Parfait” you can choose either a combination that’s already on the menu or you can make your own. How do you make your own? They have many Italian ice flavors from melon ball to chocolate. Then, the custard: whether it’s lemon, New York cheesecake or the classics vanilla and chocolate. Any combination is possible and they have endless possibilities!
 Behind the counter at Confetti We tried many combos to get the right vibe of the new shop. One of the most popular combos is Nutter Butter, which is a peanut butter Italian Ice and a New York cheesecake custard party in your tummy. I was actually taken by surprise, with the flavor. I’m not one for peanut butter, but it was great! Another popular parfait is Banana Monkey; this is a banana and, again, peanut butter Italian Ice with chocolate custard. This is actually quite tasty! It has a good texture and the banana actually tastes like banana not like artificial candy! One of the lasts combinations we got was 50/50. This was a classic take from the original orange and vanilla floats just like from the 1950’s! Another was the Black Cherry Italian Ice. It was strange. The cherry chunks were not good! The final parfait we got was Peanut Butter and Jelly, this was very strange and not in a good way. It tasted funny like the custard didn’t combine with the jelly Italian ice.
Sometimes, they are out of flavors, so they cannot make certain combinations. When we were there, they were out of strawberry ice, so we had to keep changing what we were going to try.
All and all Confetti is the one of the newest places in Costa Mesa and will probably stay in business for a very long time. We can defiantly tell why Confetti is the new “it” place. The store has good tunes, very happy bright colors, and don’t forget the technology! They use iPads as their cash registers! Karlee and I score Confetti 8.5/10!
 Crystal eating her favorite cone! |  Confetti! |
 Popcorn!
Have you seen Warm Bodies yet? This movie is an action-packed romantic comedy. It is filled with love, as well as destruction. A total chick flick, it is something everybody will enjoy. R, the zombie boy, has such passion for Julie, a human, throughout the movie. Julie is terrified at first, but soon learns to not be scared. Slowly, he becomes human and so do the other zombies after seeing the couple together. However, the humans want them dead.
We gave this movie 9 out of 10. This is because they didn’t describe or talk about the outside world much. It gets scary at some parts, but most of the time it’s really cheesy and romantic. Warm Bodies are also funny. However, the humor is not like regular humor. It is more like the zombies’ actions. R is hilarious because he is awkward and tries to act normal like the humans. Also, you can hear his thoughts throughout the movie, telling himself to not mess up with Julie. If it’s a movie you are interested in, or just want to find out the ending, hit the theaters before it is too late. It is definitely a movie you wouldn’t want to miss.
 “There’s no substitute for quality!” When you walk in the door of the Habit you lay your eyes on a very comfortable scene where you can simply smell the aroma of delicious all-American food, specifically burgers. Grilled, classic, and juicy, this burger is way better than your average fast food chain hamburger. It’s called the Charburger and it is piled high with a variety of flavorful components, but not to the point where it’s too much! It tastes like it’s from a backyard barbecue and is super messy (in a good way!). And you can’t have a burger without a shake! Obviously, the one at the Habit is made with real ice cream. It’s creamy and rich with a sweet, pleasant after taste.
However, even though it’s known for its burgers, coming in number one was the the Chicken Club. You can tell that it tastes fresh and homemade. Pure delight! However, just like many of the items with bread, its greasy! So, the health-conscious beware.
 Shhhhhh…. Do you want to know a secret? Check out the secret menu. This includes the Half and Half. Well, what’s the Half and Half you ask? It’s a combination of French Fries and Onion Rings. The French Fries could be crisper and the onion rings had a little bit too much batter and salt! Also included on the secret menu is the Secret Santa Barbra Style Burger. This is one is very messy too! It has some super good flavor, but the combination of a burger on bread isn’t the best. It was good, but we wouldn’t get it again.
This restaurant can be enjoyed be all ages no matter, single and ready to mingle or just for a nice date. The Habit doesn’t just provide good food, but also fast service; it will come to your table hot and ready! The prices are also very reasonable. A customer, Anonymous, was cautious about even walking in there because she thought it would be expensive. Surprisingly enough it was affordable and can work with any budget.
 The Habit originated in Santa Barbra, California, so you should expect a beachy kind of feel. It’s very upbeat and comfy with high booths and outside seating. Debbie Kistler had very high expectations about the restaurant saying, “I feel comfortable and also I feel like I’m getting a meal that isn’t processed, this place has good tunes and vibes.” Kash, Debbie’s son, on the other hand said this place can be for kids. “Its very salty, but the ice cream cones for a dollar are like heck yeah! And the mushroom burgers are the bomb!”
We give the Habit an 8.5 out of 10!
 M.S. cheer captain Leslie Castellano Is cheer a sport? This is a question that arouses many discussions that can go on without end.
Emily Olvera a student here at Costa Mesa says, “No. In a sport you actually run and exercise. In cheer you just shake your pom poms and yell for school spirit.”
Jessica Vazquez a former Cheerleader has a very strong, similar declaration. “No! All they do is practice routines. It only takes about five minutes. That isn’t a sport. All they do is yell, ‘Go Green!’ An example of a sport is football. That is sweat and tears! Bottom line: cheer isn’t a sport."
On the other hand, Aaron Long, grade eight, says, “Cheer involves stretching. You have to be athletic for that. Sports include practice to be good at them. You have to have passion. With no pain, there is no game. They have pain.”
Bianca Duarte and Serra Quick are middle school cheerleaders this year. They say that even though it doesn’t include a ball, cheer is still a sport. They claim that they actually work out, run, cheer, dance, and stunt.
Kori Johnson is one of high school and middle school’s cheer coaches. Her response to the same question was very different. “There are two aspects to Cheerleading: the spirit side that includes performing and sideline cheering — I consider that an activity. Then there is the competition side where we compete against other squads with a competition routine. And there is also the new sport which would be stunting.”
Cheerleading: sport or not a sport? You decide.
The black light dance was a fantastic night to have fun and dance. The decorations were really cool and lit up the walls of the dance. The neon dots and splattered glow sticks popped out under the backlights. There were also funky tie-die sheets behind the DJ, who was as fantastic as usual. There were lots of treats like Christmas cookies and water provided by Middle School ASB and Mrs. Uhl, who put together the entire dance. Even though there was some inappropriate dancing and some drama everyone had a great time.
The dance made some of the most money in a long time, making a profit of $100 after the cost of the D.J. and the black lights Mrs. Uhl bought. That money goes mainly to the rallies and dances put on by the Middle School ASB. However, some people entered the dance without paying. That money could have gone to your school, which would have benefited everyone with activities. It’s not fair to the one who paid. Every year this happens and it a shame someone would do that. I feel we need better security. We could have teachers and parent volunteer to help out during the dance. There could be supervision inside the dance and outside the front and back doors. This way everyone who deserves to get into the dance does and has a great time.
Almost everyone agrees, it’s the best dance of the year!
 Photo by Sarah Catania. Mr. Triggs teaches seventh grade Honors World History and eighth grade U.S. History here at Mesa in room 172. Mr. Triggs is known for the straight face he keeps in class even when he tells hilarious jokes. He is one of those teachers who you don’t know very well, so here is a little more about Mr. Triggs. “The story of my life,” is the funniest joke he thinks he has ever told. However, he sure has many jokes up his sleeve, many of them related to history. His favorite historical person is Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, the first Democratic-Republican leader, and the president who made the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the size of the U.S. Mr. Triggs also goes on many vacations, his favorite being to “Australia because I met very nice people and it was beautiful.” He also has “seen so many” animals on his travels including “koala bears, sharks, crocodiles, and sting rays.” Mr. Triggs loves to travel with his family, and his favorite holiday is Christmas because of family. Even though he enjoys going on a lot of adventures, he also loves to teach; he says he prefers seventh grade over eighth grade. He has taught consumer math, technology shop, science, and language arts in addition to history. However, he wanted to become a dentist before wanting to become a teacher. Even though he feels that his middle school wasn’t much different than ours, he thinks that schools nowadays have improved financially and have better supplies, such as books. Mr. Triggs also enjoys eating steak. Go meat! Finally, when asked Mr. Triggs if he liked the Joker or Batman better; he said neither. Mr. Triggs may not be a fan of these fictional characters, but he’s still got his wacky sense of humor. History just wouldn’t be the same without him.
 Courtest of totalfilm.com Are you a fan of Twilight? Do you have an interest in werewolves or vampires? The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two, the highly-anticipated conclusion of the popular Twilight series, is a thrilling, intense, and romantic movie that truly is a terrific film! It definitely lives up to its expectations!
Throughout the movie, Edward and Bella are very passionate about their new daughter, Renesmee, and about each other. There are a couple of inappropriate parts, so if you feel uncomfortable, I wouldn’t encourage you to not see this movie. Even though their daughter seems so seems so adorable, in some scenes she just looks abnormal, even creepy, especially as a baby. Renesmee also looks very unusual and disturbing when you see a glimpse of her in the future towards the end of the movie. She was definitely edited and animated into this fake human- like form. I feel the movie producers should have had more actors to play different versions of Renesmee.
Throughout the film there is lots of drama among the main characters and the dreaded Volturi. The fight scene is the overall best part to me. There are so many unexpected deaths that occur throughout the deadly battle. There’s a shocking twist that you will never see coming. You will feel relieved and even disappointed when you find out what really happened. Even thought this is an action and romantic movie, it has many funny scenes. The characters joke around with each other and get into awkward situations. The funniest scene is when Jacob reveals himself to someone. I feel everyone would enjoy that part. Breaking Dawn Part Two is an enjoyable, phenomenal movie with many mind-blowing scenes.
Listen to the entire interview.  This is Mrs. Smith's house. Does it look haunted? Do you believe in ghosts? Well, Mrs. Smith, a science teacher here at Costa Mesa, says “Yes, I do,” and claims “I have one and maybe two in my house”. Can they be real? She explains, “There are some very creepy things that happen in my house…You can hear things in the bathroom flying around. When you go in the bathroom, things have come out of the shower and onto the floor.” But that’s not even all of it. She continues, “There’s quite a few nights that I wake up at 3:30 and no noise, no nothing, but…there’s just this weird feeling in the house.” A coincidence? She thinks not. “My sister came to visit once and she was sleeping in the room where the computer was and she saw what looked like a black cat and thought well that’s weird. Patty doesn’t have a black cat. So she watched it for a little bit and she realized she…could see under the door and the light in the hallway through the cat. And she said okay this is really weird. So she turned to her husband…and she turned back and it was gone…She turned back to go to sleep and it was 3:30.”
Not scared yet? What about this: “So one night I decided that I was going to put a video tape up in the hallway… The next day when we watched the video it was just so weird… One of the closet doors opened and closed like four or five times all by itself…and that’s one of the closet doors that you really have to pull hard to open. So, it is not going to open by itself. And then at one point there’s two sets of eyes in the hallway that you can see on the video and they’re both there for about fifteen, twenty minutes and then the shorter set of eyes disappear and a little bit later the taller set of eyes disappear… Then right when the video is about ready to go off — it’s just about done you know with the battery and all that — there’s a voice on the video and it says, ‘I’m here’…It was really freaky.”  But that’s not all. “Every once in a while, like if you fall asleep on the couch and you’re kind of in that not awake, but not asleep, you hear breathing in your ear. It’s like, go away…It’s awful. My daughter would try to talk to it... [In the living room,] two couches go like this: short one and a long one. She was sitting on this one and she said… ‘this whole arm is cold’ and I looked next to her and you could see an indent in the couch. So she says ‘don’t sit by me go sit by her, go sit by my mom’ and, of course, a few minutes later there’s an indent in the couch and this whole side of my arm gets cold. I said ‘No I don’t want you sitting by me either. Go away’ and it went away.”
So, eventually, she decided it was time to get some people in there to check out all of these occurrences. She says, “We actually had Ghost Hunters come out and they didn’t catch anything on video, but they did catch a voice. They asked it ‘Are you stuck here? Are you here by your own, you know, accord?’ and they didn’t get an answer. So they stopped it and they said ‘are you stuck here’ and you can hear 'no'. So like it’s not stuck there it just prefers to be there.” However, if you want to find it on Television, you’re out of luck because, “That that’s all they got: the voice. But I had to sign that whole thing that said if…they found anything, it could be on TV. I wasn’t Ghost Hunters. I wish it was; those guys are cool. It’s the other one: Ghost Adventures or something like that. But they did get a lot of variations on their little, you know, the meter would go crazy and then not go crazy and they said, ‘yeah, you’ve got something, but don’t know what.” But she believes it’s not there to hurt anyone, it is just there. She says, “It doesn’t play pranks…It doesn’t mean any harm to any of us.” According to Mrs. Smith, the ghosts were more interested in her daughter and sort of died down when she moved out. However, they have always enjoyed Christmas and move around the ornaments on the Christmas tree often. Will they return again this year? And, another question, do they ever follow her to school?
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