Are we paying too much?

Everyone loves the holidays–except Mr. Scrooge. However, is it more profitable to be a Scrooge in the holiday season? Sure, many people love to show how much they care in the holidays by giving out the best gifts to the people they really care about. No doubt most readers can only admit that they look forward to see what they got from anyone and everyone. But just how much money did we spend as teenagers? A large of teenagers do have jobs in which they have some cash to go and spend on others, but some teens just don’t have the money to spend for Christmas. From a survey of 15 teenagers(all of high school level), the amount of money spent on other people–both family and friends–and the number of people bought for was researched. It averaged at about $17 per person. It is truly astounding that students in high school spend $17 on each person they buy for. For some people, thats nearly a tank of gas. So, that means you would have to choose between a tank of gas or a present for a friend–a truly tough choice in deed. And on average, students surveyed bought for a total of 5 people. So, on average, people spent nearly $85 this Christmas. When thinking about that, that is only $15 of $100! In some cases, that is the amount of a paycheck. Maybe the new year resolution for the masses is to save so that we don’t go broke next Christmas.

There’s less than a week left of Christmas shopping. A common item on a family’s buy list is a brand new high definition TV. There can be lots of confusion when trying to get the best bang for your buck. Here’s a few tips:

• Don’t worry about 120/240Hz. A lot of people like the smoothness of 120/240Hz, which is an increase in the refresh rate compared to normal NTSC (America/Japan) standard of 60Hz. Other people argue that 120/240Hz can look a little unrealistic while things are moving around on screen. 120/240Hz is a neat feature in a TV, but it is not needed and can cost you up to $400 extra.
• Larger contrast ratio is a HUGE plus. With a higher contrast ratio, your blacks are going to be blacker and your white are going to be whiter. Colors will also be more vibrant, and there will be a visible difference in detail. Anything lower that 30,000:1 is considered to be low, any thing above that up to 50,000:1 is considered to be about average and anything above that I believe to be ideal.
• Make sure you’re paying the best price. That 46″ hanging up in Best Buy probably looks pretty and seems as if it is a great deal, but shopping online or comparing to other retailers can save you HUNDREDS of dollars.
• Do not worry how the TV looks in store. Most of the settings such as brightness, contrast (not to be confused with contrast ratio), and color can be adjusted via calibration. There are multiple reference sites out there that allow you to finely tune your television viewing experience.
• Go for 1080p. Most TV’s over 32″ have an option of 1080p, that is, a higher resolution TV. As more and more devices become available, they will probably have a 1080p output.
• Have a good idea of where you want to place it. Hanging above a fireplace or some other higher-than-usual place may seem like a good idea, but it can cause neck and eye strain, and may also limit the visual quality of your TV.
• If you can, get a BluRay player too. DVD’s are on the way of being flushed out. BluRay allows video playback at 1080p and can also store more content. Many BluRay players available on the market today also support Netflix Live Streaming, Pandora, and media sharing between your computer and TV.

I hope this post has helped you. I personally like to research on this sort of subject as it involves some big amounts of money, so make sure you really read up on a TV before you make your decision.

DECA is doing a door decorating contest, to get everyone in the Christmas spirit!

When: The doors have to be decorated by Friday, December 18th by 7th hour.

Who:
1. Link Crew Study Halls
2. Clubs/Organizations
3. Winter Sports Teams
4. Academic Departments
5. Other departments such as Front Office Staff and custodial closet doors

How: You can use any supplies you wish but you must bring your own.

Prize: Treats will be supplied to the winners!

Judging: Each door will be judged by:
1. Originality and creativity
2. Quality
3. Clear identification of the group and it’s members
4. Holiday theme

So everyone get going and decorate your favorite teacher’s door. Awwww yeah!

Unfinished Decorated Door.

Found Him.