A New Kind of Sweetner
by Eric Eidelstein
Staff Writer
eeidelstein@thelightningstrike.com
Artificial sweeteners may give drinks an appealing taste that sugar itself can’t give, but Truvia, a reasonably new natural sweetener, may not only be better for your drink but your body as well.
Truvia, which originates from the Stevia plant, an indigenous plant to Central America, South America, and Mexico, has been a natural sweetener for centuries. Its recent popularity is due to its exotic flavor, its no-calorie composition, and its use in medical treatment. The Stevia plant has been utilized worldwide, from the tribes in South American who use it from medicine, to the Japanese who use it in their sodas.
Stevia, which was first recorded by a Swiss botanist who was studying plants in Paraguay, has since been studied and has resulted in the creation of Truvia. Truvia has since become a company that distributes the sugar in a green package to consumers all over the world. Truvia is made from Stevia’s unique and natural flavors, Rebiana, the sweetener in the leaf, as well as Erythritol, the plants natural sugar alcohol. Unlike the artificial flavors of Splenda and Equal, Truvia is unprocessed and equally savory.
One packet of Truvia amounts to two tablespoons of table sugar, without the additional calories. One tablespoon of table sugar has 15 calories and one packet of Splenda has 3 calories, one packet of Equal has about 2 calories, while a packet of Truvia has none. Although Splenda and Equal have low calorie content, they are composed of many chemicals and sugar imitations and do not have the same nutritional value as Truvia.
“After hearing about Truvia, I immediately stopped using Splenda in my iced tea, and now try to use natural sugars,” said sophomore Yamila Waissmann.
Truvia can be ordered from its website, at Truvia.com, and comes in package with 40 bags, 80 bags, and 140 bags. It could be found in about 10 supermarkets in the Miami area and the package of 40 bags is priced at $3.99, while a package with 480 bags is priced at $47.88.
Besides its simplicity and unusual flavor, Truvia has also been proven to be not only diabetes friendly, but it also has helped treat hypertension, a chronic condition in which blood pressure rises, and obesity. Truvia is also known for enhancing glucose tolerance, and it also used as a sweetener in everyday diets. The Guarani tribes of Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay have been using the sweetener to treat heartburn for many years before modern medicine according the Truvia’s official website. Stevia leaves being fed to chicken could prevent eggshell breakage by 75 percent, while could reduce chances of osteoporosis. It is also widely rumored that feeding Stevia to pigs gives their meat double the calcium than before eating the leaf.
Truvia is still being researched all over the world, and developments have been made to mass-produce the Stevia plant as its popularity increases. Although many people have their preferences, the future of Truvia seems bright in a time where people are health conscious and interested in unique flavors to spice up their everyday drinks.
Crowd goes Goo-Goo for Lady Gaga
by Devin RosarioStaff Writer
drosario@thelightningstrike.com
Gaga performs in front of a packed house on New Year's Eve. This popular singer has sold millions of albums with her brand of music.
The idea behind Lady Gaga’s New Years Eve 2009 Monster Ball, was described by Gaga herself: “The doors are closed, and we are the normal ones tonight.”
Headlined by the pop princess herself, Lady Gaga shared the stage with only one opener, Miami’s Jason Derulo.
Known for his radio hit, “Whatcha Say,” Derulo’s first performance at the age of six was at the same Hyatt Hotel in Downtown Miami that he was singing at that night. Derulo led the crowd through several songs, accompanied by dancers with light-up shoes. He even called a young fan from the crowd to sit on stage as he serenaded her. Derulo waited until the end of his set to play his number one song, “Whatcha Say,” which has been featured on TV’s Gossip Girl.
After Derulo, Gaga’s “Monsters,” as she dubs her fans, were forced to sit through intermission. Chants from the crowd began, “We Want Gaga!” The hungry crowed was slightly satisfied when the jumbo screens next to the stage played a pre-recorded video of Lady Gaga. In which she promoted volunteering at homeless shelters and encouraged fans to donate to the cause.
“Every dollar you donate, I’ll match it,” Gaga said.
After the video, the lights dimmed and the crowd went crazy. All eyes were fixed on the stage, with a green laser grid. A heavy bass and house style music mix began the show as she stood in there the middle of the grid. The Fame Monster herself: Lady Gaga.
She opened with “Dance in the Dark,” feeding the crowds hunger. In between most of the songs, videos of Gaga played on the jumbo screens. One video was of a girl who gagged herself and vomited blue coloring all over Lady Gaga’s white dress. The videos continued through the brief intermissions.
Gaga carried the show with her hits “Just Dance,” “Love Game,” and the latest song, “Alejandro.” After her fifth song “Teeth,” Gaga spoke to the audience.
“Do you think I’m sexy?” Gaga said.
The crowd roared. She compared herself to Tinkerbelle, and then demanded a better response. With the crowed still screaming for her, she said she would die without a better response. She then sarcastically threw herself on the floor with her arms crossed and screamed “Do you want me to die?”
After her little outburst, there stood a gleaming black piano onstage, which Gaga proceeded to play her emotional title “Speechless.” The audience jumped in and sang along as two potent spotlights focused on the beautiful pop star.
Gaga took a break to talk to the crowd about violence, urging them to “never throw anything but glitter.”
After the speech, Gaga called an audience member as part of a raffle, and gave her 2 tickets to the after party at the Fountain Bleu.
Lady Gaga then played a piano version of “Poker Face,” she then stood up with a black machine gun and fired blank shots at the crowed.
“See, my gun shoots glitter,” she said referring to her earlier statement.
After another intermission, a man blasted a jaw dropping guitar solo through a thick cloud of fog. Sporting a glossy, gold outfit, Gaga accompanied him onstage and sang “Fame” followed by “Beautiful Dirty Rich.”
Again she left the stage, only to return in a bright red bikini. She sang “Boys, Boys, Boys” then worked her way over to a dentist chair in the middle of the stage, where she entranced the crowed with “Paper Gangster.” Just Gaga and a spotlight.
After “Poker Face,” Gaga sang “Paparazzi” with her pigtails tied to a pole above her head which was carried by two men.
After the last intermission she announced an early countdown to New Year since the show would end before midnight.
She came out in her trademark silver ring sphere and sung her most recent hit “Bad romance.” The song was followed by a final bow from all performers.
Monster Ball was an unforgettable way to end 2009.
World Cup 2010 Bracket
by Pablo StorchSports Editor
pstorch@thelightningstrike.com
Do you think you have the soccer skills to defeat our Sports writers? Play the 2010 World Cup Challenge today! Just print out the bracket below and scan/email your predictions to this email or drop it off in room 2233. The top 3 winners will recieve a prize!
Daily Fun Facts Week 1!
by Samantha MacksonFeature Editor
smackson@thelightningstrike.com
The Bible, the world’s best-selling book, is also the world’s most shoplifted book.
The animal responsible for the most human deaths worldwide is the mosquito.
People who drink coffee are less likely to commit suicide than people who don’t.
The name for Oz in “The Wizard of Oz” was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence “Oz.”
Approximately 55% of movies released are Rated R.
The first toilet ever seen on television was on "Leave It to Beaver."
A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
Cheerleaders Hold New Tryouts
by Micaela Truillo
Yearbook Staff
After a confrontation left our school without a cheerleading team, plans are in the works to revive the sport here at Krop. On the way to the Everglades Game on Nov 13, the cheerleaders were very anxious to arrive and begin cheering.
“We were rowdy on the bus,” junior Shameya Williams said.
According to the members of the cheerleading team who were present, two of the cheerleaders got into a verbal argument using foul language and Sponsor Faresha Osborne was offended. After the Everglades game Osborne stepped down as the cheerleading sponsor.
Upset by the loss of their team, several cheerleaders encouraged Osborne to return as the sponsor and she agreed under the conditions that the team start over by holding try outs.
On Tuesday, Jan 4, a meeting was held for all those interested in becoming a cheerleader. The plans are to “start from scratch” according to athletic director Michael Kypriss.
No one trying out, former member or not, will be guaranteed a spot. Whether one is a three-year member or a freshman looking to cheer for the first time, everyone will have to earn their spot on the new team.
“I’m excited that we’re starting from scratch,” junior Taneya Williams said. “Even though we all have to try out again, I think it’ll be good for the team chemistry.”
Williams was a varsity member of the team having cheered all three years of high school. “I’ve been cheering all these years so I was sad for this year to end like it did, but I’m looking forward to next season.”
There is still hope for the cheerleaders to cheer once again this year. Michael Kypriss is hopeful that the team may be reinstated in time for the basketball playoffs. It would be the first year that the team is ever allowed to cheer at basketball games.
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