Monthly Archives: March 2021

Movies/TV/Theaters, World

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle interview with Oprah Winfrey

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Sunday, March 7, 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, gave an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Here are some of the main takeaways from this interview:

They got married early

In the interview, Meghan told Oprah that she and Harry got married three days before the actual ceremony on national television was viewed by over a million people. They confirmed that they performed a ceremony in their backyard because they wanted to have a private union between them.

Kate made Meghan cry

Before the wedding, the British tabloids reported that Meghan made Kate Middleton cry because of a fight about the flower girl dress Princess Charlotte would wear. But in the interview, Meghan said “It was the other way around that Kate made her cry about the outfit.” Meghan also said that Kate apologized and sent her some flowers. Due to that incident, she said that was the “turning point” in her relationship with the royals because, when the story got out, the royal family didn’t fix the story.

Baby Archie’s skin color

Back in 2019, when Meghan was pregnant with Archie, they said there were “concerns and conversations” with Prince Harry about “how dark his skin might be when he’s born.” Later, when Prince Harry joined the interview, Winfrey asked him if he’d give the name of who made comments about skin color. He didn’t answer. 

Meghan’s suicidal thoughts

Meghan told Winfrey that she “just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” and that killing herself would “solve everything for everyone.” She also said that she confided in her husband about her thoughts of suicide, and also to a senior royal to seek inpatient care, but was told it “wouldn’t be good for the institution.”

Gender reveal of their baby

When Prince Harry joined the interview, the couple revealed that they were expecting a baby girl. This child will be eighth in line for the throne, following her brother Archie. They also revealed that they will not be having any more babies; that their family is now complete.

Loss of royal protection

Every royal family has received bodyguards. During Harry and Meghan’s move to Canada though, and then California, their security detail was cut off. Meghan told Winfrey that she has been the “target of death threats, some based on her race.” Meghan said that the royal family announced their security cut off during their move to California, a time where they were at their most vulnerable. 

Financially cut off

During their interview, Prince Harry said that they “literally cut me off financially.” Harry said he used the money that his late mother, Princess Diana, left for him, and Meghan has had her money from her acting career on the hit TV series ‘Suits.’

The Royals have put out a statement saying: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.” Prince William has also spoken out when asked if he talked to his brother, and if the royals are racist. He said: “He had not yet spoken to Harry, but would soon” and “No, we are not a racist family.” This is not surprising though as no one is going to say “Yes” to being asked if they’re racist. 

For more information please visit:

Science/Nature

Agriculture and the ocean

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By: Grace Helmke

The ocean does not take credit where credit is due. It sustains all life on earth. Without it, humanity would cease to exist. Oxygen would slowly dissipate, temperatures would drop to astronomically low levels, jobs would be lost, and coastal economies would be suffering.

Even so, there is complete disregard for the ocean and its inhabitants. Agriculture, amongst many other things, is one of the greatest plagues our oceans have ever seen; contributing to the complete eradication of life in many areas of our ocean. 

What are dead zones? 

Human activity has created areas in the ocean known as “dead zones,” which are regions where less oxygen is dissolved due to lack of marine habitation. Dead zones occur in areas that are unusually high in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. This dramatic increase causes large scale red tides, which are harmful algal blooms that are toxic to all forms of life. It can become deadly to fish and birds, and can cause severe illness in humans. The red tides will die off after using up all the oxygen in the area, sinking to the bottom to decompose, leaving a barren environment in its wake. 

Causes of dead zones 

While dead zones can be created naturally, man has significantly impacted their frequency and extremity. Overfishing, global warming, and urbanization can all cause dead zones, but one of the most significant causes of dead zones is the industry of agriculture.

Animal manure and commercial fertilizer runoff makes its way into waterways, and empties out into the ocean. Both manure and fertilizer contain phosphorus and nitrogen, the two chemical nutrients which, when built up, can cause algal blooms. The environmental protection agency suggests that around 335 million tons of animal waste is produced by livestock every year.

If a farm doesnt have the correct system to deal with waste, it ends up in the waterways. In 2011, The Economic Research Service, of the USDA, stated that 22 million tons of fertilizers were used in crops in the United States. According to Edf.org, about 50 percent of fertilizer is actually taken up by the crops themselves. The rest ends up in waterways. 

Dead zones around the world 

The biggest dead zone in the world is in the Arabian Sea, right between the nations of Oman and Iran. It covers almost 63,7000 square miles of the Gulf of Oman (equivalent to the size of Florida). The cause is a combination of overfishing and a buildup of phosphorus and nitrogen from the agricultural industry. 

The famed waterway, the Mississippi, is a significant carrier of nitrogen and phosphorus. Midwest farming operations have produced so much chemical population that they have created the second largest dead zone in the world. The Mississippi carries the chemicals through the nation, and empties them out into the Gulf of Mexico. Its area varies in size, but can cover up to 7,000 square miles. 

Effects 

The effects of dead zones can be incredibly detrimental to a region’s economy. Many coastal cities rely on their seafood industry, and biodiversity, to bring in tourists. In addition, many locals work in commercial fishing. If the fish disappear from the ocean, they have no job. 

What can be done to prevent dead zones? 

  1. Buying organic: Organic farms are prohibited from using fertilizer or pesticides on crops. Supporting organic methods of farming is a great way of contributing to a cleaner ocean. 
  2. Buffers: Planting trees, shrubs, and grasses would help reduce the amount of nutrients making their way into the ocean. The plants absorb nutrients, keeping it away from bodies of water.
  3. Animal waste systems: Implementing animal waste systems in farms would help to reduce the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen being released into oceans. 

For more information, please visit: 

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Freaked’ review

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By: Teah Henry

‘Freaked’ is a 1993 comedy written and directed by Alex Winter and Tom Stern. It stars Alex Winter as smug celebrity Ricky Coogin, who is hired by the company Everything Except Shoes, or E.E.S. for short, as a spokesperson to speak against accusations that the company is producing a harmful toxic waste. Sent to South America by E.E.S., Ricky and two of his friends end up taking a detour to visit a freak show, only to find that it’s run by a mad scientist who kidnaps them and turns them into freaks for his show. 

The movie was originally an ‘Evil Dead’ style horror movie starring the band Butthole Surfers. After some rewrites, it became a surrealist comedy more in line with the directors’ MTV show, ‘The Idiot Box’.

When they pitched the film to Fox, Joe Roth was the studio head, and he gave them twelve million dollars as a budget. Unfortunately, Roth would be fired during ‘Freaked’ being filmed, and was replaced by Peter Chernin, who did not like the film and cut the budget.

‘Freaked’ made only $30,000 dollars in theaters, mostly due to the cutting down Chernin and Fox did to the budget and publicity. 

It’s a shame the movie didn’t do well at its release, because it’s one of the most creative comedies out there. It feels like it easily could have become a classic alongside other movies such as ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’.

It’s surreal humor features jokes where an outhouse is humongous on the inside, or how the villain character can’t hear a loud crash but can hear a styrofoam cup falling to the floor. It never misses a beat with the laughs, and the script is actually pretty smart with some jokes being cleverly set up in the beginning of the movie, only for the punchline to appear near the end. 

If the humor isn’t your thing, its special effects are worth watching the movie for on their own. Done by three different companies, the effects in ‘Freaked’ create an ensemble of people turned into freaks such as a human worm and a man with a nose bigger than his face. It’s all done incredibly well, especially the make-up for Ricky Coogin, once he’s turned into a half-human, half-beast. It was even nominated for a Saturn Award for best make-up. 

Despite its troubled release, ‘Freaked’ has become somewhat of a cult hit. It’s not available anywhere to watch officially, but the movie has been uploaded on YouTube in its entirety and has nearly one million views. Most people that have seen it agree that it’s a good movie while being very, very weird. 

‘Freaked’ is a look at how films and their creators can get shortchanged by a big studio, but luckily, some films are able to gain a decent fan base based simply on the quality of the movie alone. If you need a movie to watch, ‘Freaked’ is a good one to check out. 

School Life

SPPS reopens schools

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SPPS will reopen schools starting Wednesday, April 14, for 6-12th graders. Those who decide to do in-person learning will be there for 4 1/2 hours from Monday through Thursday. Fridays will be distance learning days for all students.

Anyone who wanted to remain in virtual learning had to sign up by Thursday, March 11. If you didn’t sign up, you will be automatically enrolled in school for April 14th. Students will continue to learn with their current teachers whether they are attending in person or virtually. 

For those wishing to return to school, the following health and safety measures will take place on the school’s end:

  • Face coverings for students and staff are required 
  • Daily cleaning and disinfecting for door handles, switches, hand railings, desks, and bathrooms. 
  • Assigned seating during meals
  • Conducting a daily health screening
  • Students and staff must remain six feet apart 
  • Avoid sharing workspaces including phones and computers
  • Stay home if you are sick and notify your supervisor
  • Go home if you become ill at work and notify your supervisor

If a student or staff contracts COVID-19 or shows symptoms, the following response will be carried out:

  • The area where the student or staff member has been will be disinfected. For example the cleaning of bathrooms, hallways, drinking fountains, cafeterias, kitchens, and health offices. 
  • Areas that are touched frequently will be cleaned. That includes: the door handles, outside lockers, student desks/chairs, tables, bleachers, exercise equipment, handrails, pool deck, and more. 
  • The cafeteria will be disinfected, and the kitchen staff will disinfect the kitchen 

Personally, for now, I think we should stay home, even though I am eager to get back to school, right now is not the best time. These steps that have been taken to avoid the spread of COVID and for those who get COVID are good to take, but it’s simply not enough.

For more information, please visit: spps.org/reopen and look for additional info.

Advice/How To

How to train your dog!

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By: Reagan Welch

To effectively train your dog you need to establish a two way relationship with them. Dogs see and comprehend the world differently than humans do, dogs begin with the nose, then the eyes, then the ears, whereas humans start with our ears, then our eyes, and then are noses.

Knowing that information, use it to your advantage, commit it to the memory. When trying to communicate with your dog, start with scent, then eye contact, and then calmly speak. This will help build trust early on.

According to Cesar Millan, you want to be compassionate but in control of your dog. Have a calm-assertive personality, and you want your dog to be the follower, a calm submissive energy.

In order to achieve that, you always want to appear calm and in control. Being assertive does not mean being aggressive or angry. You just need to be in control, quietly and calmly, therefore it is easier for your dog to trust you.

To get your dog into a calm-submissive state, just sit them down and have them relax before starting anything. Then, before you start having them look at you, eventually they will be able to do this without any commands.

When correcting your dog’s behavior, it is your energy, your mind set, and the timing that are important rather than the method, as long as it is not abusive. Never resort to striking a dog. Simply a word, a sound, or a quick assertive touch should do the trick and snap your dog out of that behavior. Your job is just to redirect your dog’s attention back to you.

Doing this every time, on time, will help the dog understand what behaviors are unwanted and what behaviors are wanted.

Remember, discipline is not punishment, it is simply commitment. Discipline keeps humans on track and healthy, as it should for a dog too. It is simply there to help guide them and allow them to have a healthy relationship with you. As Cesar Millan says, “Discipline is survival, and without it, you are likely to become a source of negative energy.”

For more information, please visit Cesar Milan’s website:

Music/Concerts

The Weeknd boycotts the Grammys

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By: Alexandra Rimbu

The Weeknd has boycotted the Grammys after his snub. In a statement to the ‘New York Times’ this past Thursday, he publicly announced that he will no longer allow his label to submit his music to the awards show.

In response to the Weeknd’s statement, Harvey Mason Jr., the interim president of the Recording Academy, which oversees the Grammys, told the ‘New York Times’, “We’re all disappointed when anyone is upset. But I will say that we are constantly evolving. And this year, as in past years, we are going to take a hard look at how to improve our awards process, including the nomination review committees”.

It does not seem as though this will appease the singer, as his latest statement follows a series of comments he’s made against the awards show after he failed to receive a single Grammy nomination. The Weeknd himself, fans, and even the general public, highly anticipated recognition for the singer’s work after the release of his critically acclaimed album ‘After Hours’ this past year. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Following the Weeknd’s boycott, other artists have spoken on the issue, calling out the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammys, for what they say is a lack of transparency with voting and diversity among nominees.

The Recording Academy chooses the nominations for the ceremony. But since 1995, the final nominations in the “Big Four” categories — album of the year, song of the year, record of the year and best new artist — have been decided by a select committee, according to ‘Billboard.com‘. The outlet wrote in a 2020 article that the committee was created so the final nominations in those categories were “more progressive” and “more musically adventurous”.

But many artists do not think the Grammys’s system is as fair as it claims to be, insisting that favoritism, racism, and networking politics highly influence the voting process.

It seems we will have to wait and see if these artists’ opinions will inspire any change.

Editorials/Student Voice, Tech/Games

What is it with logos becoming more and more simple?

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So, recently, the obscure indie tech startup known as Google, decided to change the icons of all their apps (sheets, docs, etc) to basically the same design except with different shapes. 

I mean it’s not really earth shattering to me, like, I’m not gonna be hopelessly lost and confused in my treacherous journey to decipher which icon’s Google Sheets or not, but it still makes me go “well that’s sorta dumb I guess”, and that’s what this article’s all about!

Logos are just sorta a small commodity, a nice lil icon on your packaged product, so honestly there’s more I could be worried about in my life. But if one thing’s true about humans for all of history, is that we like to complain about useless nothingness which doesn’t affect our lives in the slightest. But anyway, they probably do this just to make it easier to draw and incorporate into stuff in a way that doesn’t take too much risks, and are easier to animate with less individual assets to keyframe or whatever, but there’s just something about say, the 2000’s era Pepsi logo, or Windows Xp logo, that just stand out to me I guess.

Making an icon, or design that’s memorable and iconic as a brand or otherwise that’ll stick, is definitely not an easy thing to do, especially when you probably have 20 different executives and management teams that your design’ll have to go through before they can even consider using it. But it is important when you wanna get your brand out there, to be something remembered by people so they can, y’know, keep buying it.

But still, the worst offenders of this are definitely Snapple and Firefox. While the browser icon’s still there, the Firefox company logo’s sorta just a fire uhh, circle now?

Science/Nature, Tech/Games

The viral Tiktok trend “Reality Shifting”- Fact or fiction?

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By Caroline Crosby

If you’ve been anywhere near TikTok, or other similar social media platforms, you may have been exposed to the strange concept of “reality shifting”. It was first popularized by avid fans of the Harry Potter franchize in early fall of this year, and spread like wildfire across the internet in the months following. 

Essentially, reality shifting (or just “shifting”) is loosely described as a shift in consciousness from one reality to the next. Now, this may sound like an improbable conspiracy theory promoted by a mob of fictional wizard obsessed teenagers, but there’s more to this trend than meets the eye. 

As a disclaimer, the science behind shifting is mostly theoretical and difficult to grasp; to attempt to understand the complex quantum mechanics of human consciousness is a daunting task indeed. 

First, we address the multiverse theory. 

For those who aren’t in the know, this theory proposes that the realm of space and time that we exist in right now, or our universe, isn’t a singular body of matter. It states that there simply isn’t one universe, but rather an infinite number of dimensions of existence.

Infinite realities means infinite possibilities – and this is where the process of shifting comes into play. The idea is that through a plethora of different mediums, that allows the user to manipulate their state of mind, you can transfer your consciousness from this reality to the next. 

In truth, the concept of reality shifting existed long before Harry Potter fans discovered it. A document from the CIA – “Analysis and Assessment of the Gateway Process” was written in 1983, but only recently approved for release in the summer of 2003. The report explains the science behind “Gateway training”, a process employed by the U.S. military that was used to improve the cognitive function and other aspects of it’s subjects. It’s author, Wayne M. McDonnell, explains that “Fundamentally, the Gateway Experience is a training system designed to bring enhanced strength, focus and coherence to the amplitude and frequency of brainwave output between the left and right hemispheres so as to alter consciousness, moving it outside the physical sphere so as to ultimately escape even the restrictions of time and space”.

This is a difficult concept to understand without appropriate background knowledge, and before we delve further, it’s important to establish that everything is made of energy and energy fields.

In the report, McDonnell states that “Science now knows that both the electrons which spin in the energy field located around the nucleus of the atom and the nucleus itself are made up of nothing more than oscillating energy grids. Solid matter, in the strict construction of the term, simply does not exist. Rather, atomic structure is composed of oscillating energy grids surrounded by other oscillating energy grids which orbit at extraordinarily high speeds… …The point to be made is that the entire human being, brain, consciousness and all is, like the universe which surrounds [it], nothing more or less than an extraordinarily complex system of energy fields.”

After acknowledging the complex concepts behind human consciousness, and it’s physics, reality shifting may seem like less (even if only slightly) of an enigmatic experience. 

The aforementioned Harry Potter fans, as well as other members of the “shifting community”,  have taken these conceptual ideas and turned them into structured processes, including “the Alice in Wonderland method”, “the Raven method”, the “I Am method”, and many more. 

The I Am method, like most others, has a very specific procedure. An anonymous acquaintance of mine, with adverse shifting experience, describes the step by step process of this method:

“Close your eyes and breathe in and out continuously until your mind is clear and there are no longer distractions. If you prefer, meditate before starting this method. Repeat the phrase ‘I am pure conscious not attached to any reality.’ After a while you might feel your body vibrate and get tingly, (if not that’s totally okay!). You might feel like your brain zoomed off, like it turned off or like it’s expanding. You might feel like you’re floating, like you’re in a void. When that happens repeat affirmations over and over until you feel lighter and lighter. Repeat the affirmations ‘I am in my ideal reality permanently’ over and over until you feel lighter and lighter. You could possibly see images from your desired reality, and when you hear, smell, or feel like you’re there just open your eyes!”

This method relies heavily on the use of affirmations and biofeedback. McDonnell explains this occurrence:

“Biofeedback teaches the left hemisphere first to visualize the desired result and then to recognize the feelings associated with the experience of successful right hemisphere access to the specific lower cerebral, cortex, pain or pleasure or other areas in the manner needed to produce the desired result.” 

This can be heavily utilized for other consciousness altering techniques as well, such as manifestation. It promotes the self-cognitive powers of the left hemisphere in gaining access to areas of the “right brain”, such as the lower cerebral, motor and sensory cortices and assorted pain or pleasure centers. Basically, by convincing their brain that it’s somewhere else, shifters can transfer their consciousness to an altered state or plane of existence. It’s a liminal experience that depends on the will of the individual, and according to “ShiftTok”, you’re in full control. 

It’s all highly relative, and when addressing the conceptuality of the universe itself, it’s important to remember that there’s no right or wrong answers. Scientifically, we may eventually find a concrete answer to what theorists now deem hypothetical, but what better way to find out than experiencing it yourself?

For more information, I recommend reading Wayne M. McDonnell’s analysis mentioned above: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00788R001700210016-5.pdf 

Advice/How To

The Pomodoro technique

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By: Joxery Mezen Camacho

The Pomodoro technique is a time management technique created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980’s. It is still used by many today. 

The main idea is that you make a list of what you need/want to get done that day and then set a timer for 25 minutes. In those 25 minutes, you work on the first task at hand without any distractions. After time is up, you take a 4-5 minute break and then do it all over again. Doing this once is called a “pomodoro”. After 4 pomodoros, you take a longer 15-30 minute break. 

This technique is nice because of its multiple breaks. After the break, you start the timer again, hopefully feeling refreshed and ready to begin working again. 

Another variation of this technique is to set a timer for an hour and take a 30 minute break. I personally prefer using this method because I get to watch an episode on Netflix, do a quick workout, or small meditation session, in comparison to the 5 minute break where all I do is eat a quick snack or get up and stretch. 

This variation also seems to be good because in a recent study at the University of California, they found that it takes most people about 23 minutes and 15 seconds to focus after a distraction not related to their work. Therefore, the hour gives you more time to work in a focused manner compared to the 25 minutes. 

Using the Pomodoro technique has helped change my perspective and feelings towards work. I no longer dread doing my homework or studying as much as I once did. It’s also nice because I get to look forward to doing what I want during those breaks, and feel more motivated to turn back to my work after the break is over. 

Both variations of the technique are effective and beneficial to many people, so trying both and seeing which one works best for you is key. You could also try and make your own variation depending on what your day looks like!

For more information, please visit: 

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘The Last Man On Earth’ review

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By: Bijou Kruszka

Phil “Tandy” Miller is the last man on Earth. The year is 2020, and he has found himself alone due to a global pandemic. Yeah, you read that right. This 2015 comedy series somehow predicted COVID-19, and it’s one of the best shows to watch while quarantining.

Let’s start with the characters. Tandy, played by Will Forte, is the main character. The pilot follows him in his post-apocalyptic life. He spray-paints billboards across America, saying that he is alive in Tucson, Arizona. He talks to sports balls with faces on them, after watching Tom Hanks in ‘Castaway’.

He is in peak despair when he finds Carol Pilbasian, played by Kristen Schall, the believed last woman on Earth, and my favorite character.

As the series goes on, the cast expands, all with their own interesting personalities and arcs. One of my favorite running jokes in the show is that a celebrity comedian will be introduced, only to get killed off halfway through their first line.

The show is hilarious, but also still dark. Of course, the central cast are the last people on Earth, and they have to deal with all sorts of consequences because of it. They are forced to flee from their homes because of nuclear meltdowns, there are hardly any animals left, and they have to deal with trying to repopulate the planet, and that barely scratches the surface. The series does a great job balancing the seriousness of living in a post-apocalyptic world though and the humor of being a sitcom, which many other shows struggle to do.

Later on, we meet Pamela, played by Kristen Wiig. Pamela is special because her first episode features none of the central cast, just her, in a prologue before the virus killed everyone.

In “Got Milk?”, the 10th episode, of the 3rd season, we follow life as the pandemic spreads, and the parallels to COVID-19 will make you wonder how much of the writing staff had the ability to see the future. People everywhere are seen wearing masks. Pamela goes grocery shopping in a homemade hazmat suit, and all the aisles have been heavily picked over. She keeps saying over time that the vaccines are going to come any day now. This episode is almost unsettling to watch, considering it aired in 2017.

Of course, no show is without its flaws. The first season is incredibly rough, as they are trying to introduce all the characters, but over a span of an entire season. Plus, Tandy is completely unlikeable until the second season. He’s a self-centered, rude person who can’t stop lying, which is one of my least favorite tropes. But as the seasons go on, he becomes funny, he cares for people, and sure, he still lies for plot reasons from time to time, but it’s more justified.

In 2018, the season 4 finale aired, ending with a huge cliffhanger that I won’t spoil here. Unfortunately, after that, NBC cancelled the show, letting fans suffer on the unresolved plotline forever. I do hope that the show gets picked up again, and that it will get a good ending.

My final rating for ‘The Last Man On Earth’ is an 8/10.