Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2010)
March Features 8 America's favorite "Teen-age Fashion Model" turns 51 M ary W ood ______________ "Fashion Queen" and "All-American Girl"— one of America's biggest icons of beauty celebrated her 51st birthday on March 9. Yes, it was Barbara Millicent Roberts, aka Barbie, the childhood toy beloved by many. Barbie was created by Local hotspots provide spring entertainment L exi W ei p ______________ While some students maybe planning to head off to a tropical paradise for Spring Break, many who do not have any plans feel like their break will be spent on their couch watching television. However, a person doesn't have to travel to Hawaii to have a fun-filled day in the sun. Here are three places to spend the day that don't •OMSI: Located in East Portland, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry provides an array of exhibits and activities that cater to all ages and make for a perfect outing. • Activities: Submarine tour- take a tour of Blueback, the Navy's last non-nuclear, fast-attack submarine Space exhibit- A journey to our future OMNIM AX- Catch a movie in OMSI's dome theater. Featured films include "Roving Mars", "Deep Sea", "Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure", "Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk", "Dinosaurs Alive", and "Hubble". •Average cost: Adults $11, Youth $9 (3-13), Senior $9 (63+), admission is free for members. There is also a $2 fee for parking. OMSI also has several exhibits and shows that range from $4-$7 for general admission. Photo by Mark Popper! The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a great idea for a local spring break outing. Other options include spending the day at the beach or taking a trip to the Oregon Zoo and visiting the animals. •Cannon Beach: Taking a trip down to the beach is a perfect way to spend a day during the break without spending a fortune. •Activities: Shopping- Cannon Beach is famous for it's quaint shops and nice weather. Eating- With specialty shops like Pizza a fetta, and Sweet Basil's Cafe, it is easy to indulge a sweet tooth. Playing at the beach- With options such as surfing, boogie boarding, or just laying out in the sun, it is easy to see why people flock to this particular beach. •Average cost: Depending on a person's budget, gas, shopping and lunch, dinner could vary widely. • Oregon Zoo: Spend the day at the zoo and take time to visit exotic animals in their home away from home. •Activities: Red Ape reserve- In this new exhibit, visitors have the opportunity to observe orangutans and white-cheeked gibbons in their natural habitat. Travel Global Stay Local- go to the Zoo during spring break and "travel the world" while visiting different animal exhibits featuring enrichment and keeper talks. Visiting animals- the Zoo is host to animals ranging from bees to giraffes, and is filled with cool educational exhibits to inform visitors about its residents. •Average cost: Admission to the zoo is $10.50 for general admission, $9 for seniors, and $7.50 for children. There is also a $2 parking fee. mamma an American woman named Ruth Handler (1916-2002) and put on the market on March 9,1959, inspired by a German doll called Bild Lilli. However, it is Barbie's legacy that has thrived. Though she was marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion Model" in the 1960s, she has lived a life that many of us could never imagine. She's held various teaching positions, raced in NASCAR, healed patients as both a doctor and a nurse, served in the military, ran as a presidential candidate, and worked as a . See's Candy cashier. "I loved to play with Barbies when I was younger. I always loved dressing them up and doing their hair," Samantha Wright, senior, said. Barbie has also had plenty of company over the years. Her siblings include younger sisters Skipper, Stacie, Kelly and Krissy. Some of her close friends are Midge, Christie and, most notably, her on- again-off-again boyfriend Ken. She has also had a large array of pets, from the more typical cats and dogs, to the more exotic pandas and lions. Despite all the exciting aspects of Barbie, there has been controversy surrounding her appearance. It has been estimated that if Barbie was a human, she would be 5'9" with a 36" chest, 18" waist, and 33" hips. A 1965 Barbie came with a scale reading 110 lbs.—35 lbs. underweight for a woman of her height. These figures have led many people to believe that Barbie encourages poor body image in girls with more realistic shapes. "I think it creates in girls' minds an image of the ideal body and often may generate insecurities regarding girls and their actually body shapes because realistically it is not common to look like that," an anonymous sophomore said. "The fact that Barbie's life is portrayed as so perfect also leads more impressionable young girls to associate their looks and body shapes with how successful or happy their lives will be." Kaylyn Schaber, senior, agrees that Barbie can make girls feel insecure. "The impact it has may not be*that large, but it's still there reminding girls that unless their bodies are perfect they will be looked down upon by society," Schaber said. Others, though, think Barbie's harmful impacts are exaggerated, and that it should be up to each person to keep in mind that her image is unrealistic. "I don't think Barbie should be looked at in a negative way. I think people would have a bigger problem if Barbie was overweight," Emily Art, freshman, said. "Young girls may want to have the perfect body like Barbie, but they must realize that she is a doll, not at actual person." Photo by Mark Pop pert Photo editing by Libby Kara and Taylor White This month, Barbie celebrates her 51st birthday. She has lived a crazy life working in countless careers and owning many exotic pets. Some people question whether Barbie has made a negative impact on girls’ body image, but nonetheless she remains'a symbol of beauty in American culture.
