Readers Digest

Readers
Digest

By: Sam Harber

Table of Contents

The Car
My Summer Bucket List
20 Facts That Are Strange but True

The Maze Runner
Life through a Hole

Family Recipe
Everyday Myths That Are False

Drugs and Alcohol Among
Julie Harber

Never Stop Running/What a Play

The Car
The car is a very essential item in the everyday life. The car not only affects teens but adults.
Adults use it to get to and fro from about anywhere. Cars have changed so much since they
were first invented in 1768. Now, cars are being engineered to be drive with no driver. Teens

use cars like everyone else but everyone doesn't need them. Some could walk or bike and
some may have parents that could take them. But, some teens really do need them. They could

live too far from school to walk or their parents may not be able to take them. There are
downsides to cars though. One is human error. You can't trust a human to make zero mistakes

in their life. Car accidents cause lots of deaths per year. Another issue is pollution. Cars
produce lots of carbon dioxide which can harm the atmosphere and increase global

temperature. Cars are not all bad though. People have tried creating cars that reduce pollution
and gas use with electric cars. Electric cars are not the answer. They are way too expensive for
the average Joe and still don't completely eliminate the issue. Without them though, life would

be so much harder. We couldn't transport goods with trucks and getting to places would be a
much bigger struggle. Car collecting is another advantage to cars. People and car gurus just like

to look, drive, and own exotic and vintage cars like gtrs, Bentleys, Lamborghinis, teslas and
many more. For right now, cars are all we have and the pros outweigh the cons, but in 100, 200,

300 years we may not have an Earth.

https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/moneybuilder/20
11/07/27/how-many-times-will-you-crash-your-

car/&refURL=http://www.bing.com/search?q=how+many+car+accidents+happen+per+year&src
=IE-

SearchBox&FORM=IESR02&referrer=http://www.bing.com/search?q=how+many+car+accident
s+happen+per+year&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IESR02

https://www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com/teens/environmental-effects-driving-car/

inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/Car_History.htm

My Summer Bucket List

My summer bucket list is consisted of 7 fun and thrilling goals. The first one is to land a
backflip on the ground. This has been a goal and achievement of mine ever since I could land

one on the trampoline. Under this category, I also want to land a cody which is when you
basically do a belly flop on a trampoline and go from that to a backflip. My second goal/activity is

sky diving. This is really a life goal and not a summer goal but if I could get it done at age 13, I
would be very happy. My third goal is to make at least $200 by doing chores and “jobs”. I like to
earn money but not spend. I think it just feels so good to have lots of money but when it comes

to spending it, it is the most irritating thing. To earn the money, I would do chores and mow
lawns. About a week ago, my Dad bought a new lawn mower and it is so easy to start and drive

around. My fourth goal is to earn my Dad’s trust enough to drive our side-by-side on my own
down at the lake. Right now, I can drive it alone when he knows but I can't drive it that far. What
I want is to drive it out of the resort to a nearby creek whenever I want. My 5th goal is to spend a

night out on the trampoline. I would cover the mat with blankets and the net to so it is like my
own little room with no ceiling. I have always wanted to do this ever since I got the trampoline. I
haven't yet because it is either too hot or too cold but I guess that is just Kansas. My sixth goal
is to go to Hawaii. This goal is more for my life as a teenager but it still could happen. My whole

family has gone to a variety of vacations except we never have saved up enough to go to
Hawaii and back. My seventh goal is to sleep on the dock at the lake with my hammock. I have

always wanted to do this but sometimes I sleep-walk. That is my list.

20 Facts That Are Strange but True
Hello there. This is a list of 20 facts that are very strange but utterly
true. Anything from bananas and snails to Maine and Russia, everything on
this list is completely true. I decided to make this list because personally I
loves these kinds of lists. Mostly because I like to tell people just a random,
useless fact whenever they are talking about a certain subject. I hope you
like this list and find it at least mildly interesting so here it is.

1. There is a McDonalds in every continent but Antarctica.
2. There are no bridges over the Amazon river
3. Snails have 14000 teeth
4. All Fruit Loops have the same taste even though they are different

colors
5. Bullfrogs don't sleep
6. Butterflies in your stomach is caused by adrenaline
7. Maine is the closest U.S. state to Asia
8. Pineapples Grow on bushes
9. Russia has a larger surface area than Pluto
10. Hippo milk is pink
11. Humans could swim through the heart of a blue whale because

it's so big
12. Vending machines are twice as likely to kill you than a shark
13. Avocados, watermelons, and bananas are berries but not a

strawberry
14. There are more fake flamingos in the world than real ones
15. The last time the Cubs won the World Series was when women

didn't have the right to vote
16. Humans share 50% of their DNA with bananas
17. A billion seconds is 32 years
18. There is enough water in just Lake Superior to cover North and

South America in one foot of water
19. The total weight of all the ants on earth is the same as humans

on earth
20. An octopus has three hearts

I hope you enjoyed this list and that you learned something new.
There is plenty stranger but true facts out there that you just have to find to
admire. So this is the few that I found interesting and I hope you thought
so too.

The Maze Runner (Movie)

The Maze Runner Movie is a fantastic action-packed thriller that is
sure to make you want to watch The Scorch Trials (next movie in series). I

have watched it about five times and it has never and will never get old.
The story is about a boy named Thomas who wakes up in a maze. He
doesn’t remember anything about who he was or what happened. But

Thomas starts to get these strange dreams that don't even feel like
dreams. In his dreams he kept seeing the same insignia, WICKED. He
fights his way with the other Gladers to find answers but the truth is more
dangerous than Thomas thinks. I have only watched the movie and it is one
of my favorites. If you read this book or watch the movie I suggest that you
read the prequel, The Kill Order. The Kill Order provides background
information that would make the Maze Runner experience just that much
more awesome. Also you should watch the movie or read the book The
Scorch Trials. Just the movie alone has earned up to $348.30 million in
gross revenue. My favorite out of the Maze Runner, Scorch Trials, and Kill
Order has to be The Maze Runner. The story is written by New York Times
bestselling author, James Dashner. The Maze Runner series is a great and

amazing adventure that is full of a long and intriguing story. I highly
recommend you to watch this movie and continue on with the series.

Life through a Hole

Life appears as if it is looked at through a hole
But life is not just a sight
It's a thought
A smell
A feeling
A taste
And also a sight

But when you put it all together
It all starts to make sense
The thrill
The happiness
The enjoyment
The anger
The sorrows
The embarrassment

But don't let your life be defined through a hole

Family Recipe
My family recipe is honey ham sandwiches. Whenever I go over to my aunt's
house at the lake, she always makes honey ham sandwiches. They are my
favorite food at the lake. I always ask my grandma if she will make them for me
at the house. One issue though is that my grandpa strongly dislikes them.
Whenever someone would make a batch, I would eat 2-3 in one sitting. The
sandwiches always bring back memories of when I went to the lake when I was
young. I used to have so much fun at the lake and those memories come back to
me every time I eat them. They are my favorite food at the lake out of everything
that my grandma makes. I don't know how healthy they are but that is not the

point. The point is that I enjoy them and that is all that matters to me.
Recipe

24 sandwiches
1 ½ sticks of butter

3T. poppy seeds
4T. sugar

4T. honey mustard
2T. onion flakes

1 pound honey ham
½ pound provolone cheese

½ pound Swiss cheese
2 pkgs, Hawaiian rolls

Directions
Melt first 5 ingredients together. Bring almost to a boil to really let the mixture come

together. It will kind of thicken up.

Cut rolls in half so you have a top and bottom. Place bottoms in a 9x13 inch baking
dish. Layer with cheese, then ham. Place tops on sandwiches. Pour poppy seed mixture

over sandwiches.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Everyday Myths that Are FALSE
1. Carrots improve your vision. This myth is completely wrong. It was an old myth derived

from the World War two era. The British claimed that the reason why they had really
good night vision was that they ate carrots. This propaganda was made up to distract the
enemy and so it's not really true.
2. Sugar Causes children to have lots of energy. We get our energy from our calories and
so it would make sense for a burst of lots of calories like sugar would boost that energy.
This myth is completely false and it is really just the kid.
3. Eating chocolate gives you acne. This myth I personally believed until I researched this
myth. I feel like this is just the stress that you may be gaining weight that is giving you
the acne but that is just my theory.
4. Cracking your knuckles enough can give you arthritis. This however is the only myth that
I never believed when I was young probably because I just didn't want to accept the fact
that i could get arthritis because I would and still pop my knuckles. The real reason for
the CRAACKK is just harmless bubbles of gas erupting from your fingers. So pop all you
want knowing that you can't get arthritis from it.
5. Watching too much T.V. will ruin your eyes. This misconception usually starts out with
your mom or dad yelling at you because you're too close to the dang T.V. Maybe that's
just me but watching too much T.V. can destroy your eyes. It can strain them from time
to time but it will never cause permanent eye damage.

Drugs and Alcohol among Teens

Drugs and Alcohol usage are a huge problem among teens and young adults. Some of
these problems include underage drinking, underage possession of alcohol, and
overconsumption of alcohol, illegal drug use and possession and illegal selling of drugs. Most of
those problems are illegal and could put someone away for a long time.

Underage drinking is one of the biggest problems with alcohol. Underage drinking is
when you consume alcohol while under the age of 21 or the drinking age (wikipedia). Underage
drinking can get you in some serious situations with the authorities. Even just owning the
alcohol can get you in trouble. Another issue on the topic of alcohol is over consumption. This
can lead to self-control issues, risky behavior violence, legal issues (DUI) and it can even affect
your health later in your life. Alcohol is addictive and if you get hooked, you can be robbed of
thousands of dollars a year just from alcohol (Webmd).

Use of illegal drugs is an issue affect many people and not just teens. But, it is a bigger
issue among teens because it is easier to get hooked young than old. Also possession of illegal
drugs is also an issue. Both of these problems can get you behind bars. Drugs like marijuana,
cocaine, inhalants, heroin, prescription drugs, and steroids affect teens and cause lots of
damage in the long run. Drug overdoses from 15-24 year olds killed 4235 people in 2015. 110
were from alcohol, 442 were from cocaine, and 2343 were from heroin (teens).

Drugs and alcohol are large issues concerning teens and young adults. They can hurt,
cripple, and even kill. Alcohol and drugs are costly and a waste of money. If you get hooked on
either it can cost you for buying and for your medical bills. Using alcohol in certain ways or
having certain drugs are illegal so why even take the risk?

https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/drug-overdoses-youth

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/teen-alcohol-and-drug-abuse-topic-overview#1

http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Famili
es_Pages/Teens_Alcohol_And_Other_Drugs_03.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age

Julie Harber

Julie Harber grew up in Overland Park, Kansas. She explained it as country
like with a field and creek across the street. Her childhood was fun and easy. She
enjoyed it because she was loved and cared for by every part of her friends and
family. She takes care of her two daughters, one son, one husband, one turtle, and
one dog. She's had seven cars in her entire life. The only reason for that is because
instead of buying new cars, she bought used cars that didn't last as long until she
got older. She said that she had never crashed a car though. She works as a loan
adviser. She likes her job but it can sometimes pay really well or sometimes it can
pay really badly. Her favorite hobby is bike riding because she enjoys the outside
and the nature. She has done it her whole life and will continue with it. Her mother
is her role model because she was a good and moral person and loved her own
family. Her least favorite hobby is cleaning her house. She despises cleaning her
house because it is time consuming and boring. If she was granted one superpower
she would use super speed because she never has enough time to get her work
done. It would let her get all her work done early and spend more time with her
family. If she could be one age for the rest on her life, she would be forty years old
because that is when she felt the healthiest and the most confident in her life.

Never Stop Running
I was on the field waiting for the play to begin. The ball was snapped. The receiver ran
past me. I rushed back but I thought I was too late. The pass was thrown. I kept running. Before
I knew it, I had the ball and the receiver was behind me. I rushed toward the end zone. I was
getting closer and closer. Suddenly, someone pulled me down from behind. When I hit the
ground I heard a snap. It was my leg. I knew from that moment on that my life would never be
the same.

What a Play
I was in the restroom at Kauffman Stadium and I heard the roar of the crowd. The hoots
and hollers were about deafening. To appreciate the humor you would have to understand the
situation. It all started on sunny September day. I was playing a football game. I broke my leg
that game and couldn't play anymore. About a month earlier my dad got tickets to game one of
the World Series 2015. I was so pumped because this would be my first ever World Series
Game. The only issue was that I would be on crutches for the whole game. This didn't faze my
excitement one bit. Once we got to the stadium, we sat in right field and I I got a cup of fries and
a huge cup of soda. I downed them both before the game had even started. The downside of
inhaling lots of liquid is that it had to come out. So I went to the bathroom. I got in and locked the
door and this is when I heard the crowd. Alcides Escobar hit a single home run in right field on
the first pitch of the 1st game of the 2015 World Series.