Vera Bradley is considered cute and useful by most Ursuline students. Lydia L., ’15, said “Everything I own is Vera Bradley!” Part of the reason it is so well liked is because it has something for everyone. Vera Bradley designs include over 60 patterns and everything from laptop cases to wristlets, both of which are special favorites of the average Ursuline girl.

     Another factor in the popularity of Vera Bradley is the fact that the manufactures are so eager to sell their products. If you tell Vera Bradley when your birthday is, they will give you a $20 coupon on your birthday every year.

     Last fall, representatives at North Park Mall had high school or college students fill out a form, present their school ID, and receive a free customized school spirit Vera Bradley shirt.Other incentive programs also exist.

    While many girls at Ursuline are all over Vera Bradley, an equal amount think it is entirely overdone. As Hannah F.,’15, says, “There’s a lot of it!” According to Hannah, some girls get it not because they like it, but because everyone has it.

     Despite the fact that she thinks it overdone, Hannah lifts her sweatshirt to display a Vera Bradley ID tag holder. “They were giving them away at a women’s soccer game, so I took one,” she said. Apparently even the critics can’t refuse the adorable items in the cute patterns.

     It isn’t just Ursuline girls, either. Vera Bradley is very popular for girls all over Dallas. However, for some time, it was considered an ‘old lady brand’, and few girls would be caught wearing it. Still, despite not being an instant success with teenagers, the story of Vera Bradley’s humble beginnings and instantaneous success is quite surprising.

     Despite the fact that Vera Bradley has only recently become so popular for young women, it has been around for over 20 years. It began in Barbara Bradley Baekgaard’s house, with a $250 loan from her husband. Only five years went by before $3 million in profits were recorded.

     It couldn’t have been difficult for Vera Bradley to find customers, because net revenues have reached the $300 million mark! Customers can purchase products at over 3,000 retailers who carry Vera Bradley’s products, or at one of 29 Vera Bradley stores. It is also available online, at their website or on eBay. Vera Bradley has never been more fun, or popular!

The Stop Online Piracy Act: a Solution or Censorship?

             Although no one can deny that the Protect IP Act/Stop Online Piracy Act has good intentions, it has raised quite a dispute as to how far the government can go to stop copyright infringement.

Piracy is a serious and growing problem. Never before have songs, movies, and television shows been easier to illegally download. The problem is clear: when material is illegally downloaded, the rightful owners are swindled out of their earned money. Illegal streaming and downloading seriously threaten the entertainment industry, but SOPA could possibly reduce such stealing with methods such as making illegal streaming of copyrighted material a felony. The act would allow copyright holders to get a court order based on a “statement of good faith” that their copyright has been infringed. Links to sites containing illegal material could be removed from search engines, and the websites could not be reached by typing the url into the address bar (websites could still be accessed by entering the IP address). SOPA is supported by Motion Pictures Association of America, Recording Industry Association of America, and Netflicks, among others.

Despite its good intentions SOPA is receiving active opposition from “Web-freedom advocates” who believe the act will do more harm than good. Websites such as Youtube, an online video sharing community, could potentially be shut down by the act. While Youtube does contain copyrighted material, it is also the home to the annual Project for Awesome, in which Youtube users make videos about their favorite charities and last year raised $100,000 for those charities, and a major component in the It Gets Better Project, which offers hope to LGBT young people facing bullying and harassment. The act would go so far as to stop people from singing covers of popular songs. On November 16, many websites participated in the “American Censorship Day” to protest the act. The petition against the SOPA easily surpassed the required number of signatures for consideration. Companies such as Google, Yahoo, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, AOL, Wikipedia, and Human Rights Watch oppose SOPA as an infringement on the first amendment.

            Perhaps unfortunate, it remains a far likelier chance that students will be on social media websites on their emails in the hopes of communicating. “Usually I have my laptop out already so If I have a homework question or a group project, I just ask someone of Facebook chat,” says Bailey V. ’13. “The bad part is, I tend to get off track and lose so much time once I’m on!”

            Truth told, many times I have learned of a change or mistake in an assignment due to checking the Twitter updates. I can even say that without some of my relapses of procrastination on the internet I would not have learned about upcoming quizzes and homework. In a similar situation, junior Natalie M. admits that Facebook has helped her remember events at school that would have regretfully been forgotten. “Countless times I get reminders online about upcoming dress down days and bake sales that I would have never remembered and wanted to participate in.”

            A paramount worry exists that students are becoming over reliant on social media to communicate and are losing the ability to manage time and work through personal responsibility. Perhaps a New Year’s resolution can be to focus more on one’s own schedule and manage without the insurance of online aid.

            Though some feel dismay about society’s colossal overreliance on technology and lack of communication through the basic usages of speaking and writing, developing generations are dependent on the Internet for various responsibilities and as a vital source of instant contact. Perhaps this Christmas Holiday we should focus on pausing the online relationships and focusing on the family that is right in front of us.

 Anecia R. ’12, this year’s queen, plays varsity basketball and throws shot-put for the varsity track and field team. Anecia will be wearing a red gown with silver beading and will be taking Elwood Stewart of James Madison High School as her date.

 ”I’m really excited about being snowball queen, it was a big surprise but I like it. I’m excited for Snowball, I love dances! I think it is going to b e really fun and I’m looking forward to having a great time,” said Anecia.

 The first member of Anecia’s snowball court, Jeanette M. ’12, is looking forward to snowball. She is not yet sure what she will be wearing, and is bringing as her date one of her best friends: Durgan K.’12. The most exciting part of her senior year thus far was her first art show.

 ”At the beginning of this year, I had my first art show. It was thrilling to display my work in a public place. More recently, I’ve been fulfilling many commissions, primarily tattoo designs,” said Jeanette.

 Zuzanna M. ’12 will also be attending Snowball as a member of the court. She’s involved in Color Guard and Nach, Ursuline’s Indian Dance Club. Though she has mixed feelings about her spot on court, she’s excited for snowball as a chance to dress up. Her date is Aaron W. ’12, and Zuzanna is in the process of making her own dress.

 ”It’s a 1950’s style evening gown that is mostly a rosy-taupe color with a forest green accent part at the top. That is of course if I get it done in time, otherwise I’ve got a back-up dress,” said Zuzanna.

 Megan M. ’12, the third court member, is a highly involved senior who participates in track, cross country, musical, Ambassadors, NHS, the mobilizers club, and also plays piano. She’s taking John Paul S.’12 of Cistercian to the dance, and is wearing an elegant slate gray dress.

 ”I’m really excited for snowball because getting to go means we’re finally, really seniors! And it’s something that we’ve heard about since freshman year so it’s awesome to finally get to go. I’m a little nervous about having to dance on the court, and I’m not sure how happy my date feels about that either,” said Megan.

 The final member of the court is Katie C. ’12. Katie plays varsity lacrosse, is the co-president of SRO, and is a member of both NHS and the Latin club.  Katie will be wearing a purple, one-shouldered dress with pockets. Her date, Cistercian’s Connor F. ’12, is excited for snowball, but has mixed feelings about being on court.

 ”Both Megan and I felt that if we received cupcakes with walnuts, it would be fine, and if we didn’t, it would also be fine; it didn’t matter either way to us. Now that we’re both on court, it’s actually pretty exciting! It’s sort of strange how everyone congratulates you in the hallways for choosing a cupcake with a walnut in it, but it’s very cool nonetheless. I also didn’t think that I would look to forward to Snowball, but I’m actually pretty excited! It’s a nice way to start off Christmas break and I guess being on court is an added bonus!” Katie said.

 Court members, as well as the rest of the Ursuline seniors, prepare for Snowball on Dec 16. The traditional Ursuline dance will be a night to remember for this year’s senior class.

     Foodandwine.com prepares us for this chilly winter with a Double-Chocolate Hot Chocolate recipe with the aid and contribution of Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito who believe that commercial mix cannot compete with homemade hot chocolate. This recipe is basic, fast and even vegetarian.

Ingredients:

1. 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2. 2 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
3. ½ cup boiling water
4. ¾ cup whole milk
5. ¼ cup heavy cream
6. Marshmallows, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate with the milk chocolate. Add the boiling water and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk the chocolate mixture until it is smooth.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and heavy cream just to a simmer. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk over moderate heat until hot. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the whiskey. Pour the hot chocolate into demitasse cups or small mugs, garnish with marshmallows and serve.

Merry Christmas!

Pan is a new twist on the classic “Peter Pan” featuring AnnaSophia Robb, Aaron Eckhart, and Sean Bean.  In this new movie, Hook (Eckhart) is a former detective who, with the help of Wendy (Robb), a Pan survivor who escapes a mental asylum, is on the search for a childlike kidnapper, Peter Pan.  It should be interesting to see Hook portrayed as the good guy and Peter Pan as the villain.  The movie is planned to be released in 2012.

Oz: The Great and Powerful is a new movie based on the magical land of Oz before Wendy and Toto arrive.  The movie will be released March 8, 2013 and features James Franco as the Wizard and Mila Kunis as Theodora or the future ‘Wicked Witch of the West.’

Jack the Giant Killer is the retelling of the “Jack and the Beanstalk” fairytale.  The movie features Hoult as Jack, Eleanor Tomlinson as the princess, Ewan McGregor as leader of the king’s guard and Ian McShane (Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean) as King Brahmwell.  Jack (Hoult) is a young farmer who plans an attempt to rescue a princess (Tomlinson) that has been kidnapped by a giant.  Her father, King Brahmwell (McShane) strongly disapproves of Jack’s romance.  The movie will be released June 15, 2012.

Snow White and the Huntsman has been one of the more publicized of the new fairytale retellings.  The movie will be released June 1, 2012 and features Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, Ian McShane as Beith, and Sam Claflin as Prince William.  In order to hold on to her youth, Queen Ravenna (Theron) captures and kills young, beautiful girls and literally sucks the beauty out of them.  Snow White (Stewart) is now known as “the fairest of them all” and Ravenna send a huntsman (Hemsworth) to capture her.  In a twist, the Huntsman ends up helping Snow and becoming her protector and mentor in order to take down the evil Queen.

Grimm is a new series this season featuring David Giuntoli as Nick Burkhardt; Russel Hornsby as Hank Griffin; Bitsie Tulloch as Juliette Silverton.  The plot centers around a police detective in modern day Portland, Oregon, who inherits the ability to see supernatural creatures.  With this newfound ability, Nick realizes the fairytales he was told as a child are more than just stories.    The show plays on NBC, Fridays at 8.

Once Upon a Time is another new series this season which features Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan or the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard or Snow White, Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills or the Evil Queen, and Jared Gilmore as Henry Mills.  In the town of Storybrook, Maine, the characters of every classic fairytale are stuck in a state of limbo in which their true identities are a mystery.  Emma Stone (Morrison) is dragged to this town by her biological son, Henry (Gilmore), who has cracked the code and tries to explain to the townspeople their true identities.  The characters struggle to find peace in this new life which just does not feel right.  The story spans back and forth between the original fairytales and current day.  Once Upon A Time can be seen on ABC, Sundays at 7.

In other news, there has been mention of a del Toro film adaption of Beauty and the Beast featuring Emma Watson.  There is little to no more information than that, unfortunately.  If the rumor is true, it would not be released until at least 2013.

     If you have absolutely no idea what to buy, make-up is a pretty safe choice; seeing as, what girl doesn’t love make-up? The best part is that you can find make-up anywhere: CVS pharmacy, Walgreens, Target, Wal-Mart, Sephora, the mall, you name it.  The Bear Fact’s staff recommends the Ultra Fresh Mini-Lipstick Set for $29 from Sephora.

     If make-up doesn’t really tickle your friend’s fancy, bags are also essential parts to any girl’s life.  And there are plenty types of bags to choose from: regular bags, cross-body bags, clutches, jewelry bags, make-up bags, backpacks, wallets, etc.  The Bear Fact’s recommendations for this Christmas season are the Bow Cross-Body Bag for $40 from Gap and the Nightfall Floral Jewelry Roll for $30 at J. Crew.

     Although the English department at UA already requires students to read a list of books appropriate to their course, there is nothing wrong with getting your friends a teen-fiction, non-school-related book from Barnes and Noble.  Books from Barnes and Noble are a favorite among the Bear Facts staff, and we recommend Beastly by Alex Flinn, Divergent by Veronica Roth, and the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.  Even if your friend doesn’t enjoy reading, there are plenty of entertaining, non-fiction books at BN, and we recommend My Even More Wonderful World of Fashion by Nina Chakrabarti.

     IPods, IPhones, and MP3s are too expensive to give as gifts, but that doesn’t mean presents to accompany their already-owned, electronic devices aren’t in order.  The Bear Facts staff advises to buy the Juicy Couture Folding Speakers for $38 from saksfithavenue.com and the Printed IPhone Case for $25 at jcrew.com.

     We know that finding the perfect gift for your friends can be stressful, but remember that Christmas gift shopping was never meant to be nerve-racking; rather, it was meant to be an exciting way to get into the Christmas spirit.

The Ursuline theatre department’s annual fall play debuts in just a few short days. Spectators of this year’s performance are in for a real treat as 26 students put on The Government Inspector, opening Nov. 3.

The comedy is set in a bumpkin town deep in the obscure Russian countryside during the year 1836. There, Hlestakov, a down-on-his-luck man who is bumming across the countryside, is mistaken for a ‘government inspector’, by the town’s corrupt official.

In reality, Hlestakov is a lowly government clerk, who takes advantage of his mistaken identity for all it’s worth. Each of the actors takes his or her individual character to new extremes, and the chaos that follows is only made funnier.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  The matinee is at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.  Tickets run $8 for students, $10 for adults and $6 for children and can be purchased in UCPA.

Don’t just take my word for it, though. The show runs from November 3^rd through November 6^th and everyone’s invited! If the promise of a fun night isn’t enough to lure you in, then you should check with your English teacher who just might give you extra credit.

     Speaking on the role of women at the French court and in particular the role of the mistress and wife, Ms. Wellman told students that since marriages were arranged as acts of state, most French kings had mistresses who had an impact on their behavior and decision making.

     “The impact of these women was quite impressive, considering that at that time, most women were illiterate,” Ms. Pezzimenti said.

     Ms. Wellman explained that mistresses managed to transform the chivalrous knight into educated courtiers who paved the way for support of new Renaissance learning in science, medicine, math, and of course, the arts and literature. Since France continued to play a major role in Western and world civilizations, the impact of these women cannot be overlooked.

     The presentation included a slide show of art works commissioned to enhance the image of the mistress of Henry II whose name was Diane de Poitiers. 

     “The girls asked excellent questions following the slide presentation,” Ms. Pezzimenti said.  “We appreciate Ms. Wellman’s superb presentation.”