Fast food companies have had their fair share of controversies. They have had problems with their food, leaders, ads, and more. Controversy can ruin companies completely, but these chains are still popular today.
McDonald’s had a controversy once because their coffee was too hot. A woman sued McDonald’s for almost 3 million dollars over their hot coffee being too hot. This case actually became pretty popular because of how ridiculous it sounds. It turns out that multiple people were actually injured because of how hot the coffee was. Stella Liebeck, the woman who was suing McDonald’s got 3rd degree burns from spilling the coffee and actually got hospitalized. McDonald’s decided to lower how hot their coffee is served to prevent future injuries.
There were people claiming that Taco Bell’s beef was only 35% meat. This would mean that their beef wouldn’t actually be beef according to USDA standards. However, Taco Bell quickly disproved these claims in their marketing, but this didn’t erase what people thought and they still have a reputation for fake meat.
Papa John’s is a fast food chain loved by many, but it turns out that “Papa John” wasn’t such a great guy after all. John Schnatter, AKA Papa John, was confirmed to have used the N-word on a conference call. John Schnatter decided to resign because of all of the hate coming towards him. This event scarred Papa John’s and made a lot of people think negatively about the chain.
One of the craziest controversies in fast food history was Krispy Kreme making poor choices with the letters they used. The donut shop Krispy Kreme decided to create a donut decorating club in the UK that they called the “Krispy Kreme Klub”. They promoted it to people calling it “KKK Wednesdays”. The abbreviation “KKK” is more often used to refer to the Ku Klux Klan, a hate group in the US. This promotion was made in the UK and was definitely unintentional but still was a very bad look for the company.
The most popular mall in America is the Mall of America. This mall has endless options to shop with 520 stores. There are also many different places you can eat with 50 different restaurants.
They have great entertainment including a movie theater, an aquarium, escape room, Crayola Experience, and an amusement park inside the mall. The amusement park has 24 rides including a roller coaster that goes around the enclosed atrium of the mall. The aquarium holds 1.2 million-gallons and has sharks, stingrays, giant sea turtles, and many other creatures. There is a glass tunnel that can go from one end of the aquarium to the other, which is around the same length as a football field.
The Mall of America is huge so in case you ever get lost they have these directories that show you where to go.
Here are some more facts about the Mall:
The Mall of America can also be called the MOA.
The MOA is the largest mall in the U.S. it has more than 2,779,242 million feet of shops, entertainment, and restaurants.
This mall is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, as it annually attracts over 40 million visitors.
It first opened in 1992, which was on the site of something previously called Metropolitan Stadium, where the Minnesota Vikings and Twins teams once played.
Around 4 out of 10 visitors that go to the Mall of America are tourists. Almost more than twice as many people as the world’s largest amusement park, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World have visited the MOA.
Some of the original plans for this mall included an indoor submarine ride and a convention center, but all of these plans later were eliminated due to cost. It was co-developed by the Ghermezian family who lived in Edmonton, Canada. This family also developed the largest shopping mall in North America called the West Edmonton Mall.
The MOA is very large so if you’re visiting it might be nice to request a free visitors kit before you go.
*Note: The following is a satirical take on the release of Switch 2 teaser.
Photo of Elon Musk by Debbie Rowe via Wikimedia Commons
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, January 16, Nintendo posted a teaser for a new upcoming console, alongside the company’s international affiliates. Roughly 2 minutes in length, the video showcased the Nintendo Switch 2: a successor to the soon-to-be 8-year-old system of the same name.
Notable for both its physical and internal upgrades, many astute fans of the original Switch have noted its needed – albeit simple – updates to its older brother. While controversies have risen due to these occasionally-minor changes, many have agreed upon feeling relief and excitement about the console’s acknowledgement. A follow-up direct, focused on software is slated for April 2, 2025.
Around the same time, however, came the inauguration of now-president Donald J. Trump, seceding the former Joe Biden. Also mired in controversy, the election’s collision course has coincided with the console’s public reveal, leaving some to connect the 2 in various ways – most of all, the Presidents.
“I saw [the trailer] the Friday after – yeah, it was cool,” said Trump, immediately following a press conference in Atlanta. “I was like, ‘Vance, did you see this?’ And he was like ‘Yeah,’ and we fist-bumped. I dunno, man […] but I thought the new Joy-Cons were sick. Larger, too. I was talking to Joe ‘bout it a week later; he was tripping too. Did these (gestures) hand…things. Yeah. I was like, ‘Hunter would love this,’ and he laughed, and agreed. Hunter loves Mario; he’s so cool.”
Now-former President Biden was also open to an interview.
“Donnie and I had gotten off a meeting when the trailer dropped; some real good [explicative]. I was less enthused at first, really: I saw Donkey Kong’s new redesign during the ‘Mario Kart’ segment and was like ‘Damn, this too?’ Then Trump came over to my place and we played ‘8 Deluxe’ for a while…felt good. Felt better. Kamala was excited, too – did a backflip over her desk. Favorite reveals? Shoot, uh […] like, maybe the, tch, backwards compatibility? Y’know, being able to play my Switch library at launch is a treat. Gotta do a run of my favorite, uh, Switch game: ‘Balan Wonderworld’.” (Note: immediately following the latter-most statement, former President Biden was lobbed in the head with a snowball).”
While these 2 men proved satisfied with the new system’s reveal, other political figures – including some close with the country leaders – were less than optimistic about the trailer.
“It’s [explicative], pardner,” said Elon Musk, in the process of bathing himself with the blood of a sheep when we interviewed him. “Jus’ trash all-‘round. I’m happy for…you know, I’m happy fer those excited, but like, really? After 8 years o’ buildup, we git some gall-darn magnets for them controllers?! Y’all need some bett’r standerds. Rattlesnake tumbleweed cactus.”
With the division with Trump’s republican cabinet apparent, some citizens question whether or not a feud will brew from inside – and possibly spill out into the rest of the US. It’s been close to 200 years since our country’s first Civil War, and in our current day and age, political events and conspiracies have led to heated debate between sectors of the 50 states.
Whether or not the Nintendo Switch 2’s existence will culminate in a new Civil War is yet to be said, but until then we can only speculate, both on the system and our country’s political affairs. Only 1 thing’s certain, however: if this new console has any form of Joy-Con drift again, I think the nukes are gonna drop.
The Coalition was able to take the Hoshiran capital by August, but their forces couldn’t go much further. They too were just as outstretched as the Great Terrans. That would change when news arrived that a large naval force had just landed on the shores of the Lunarian continent.
The Vaserians had just landed on Oprica.
The Vaserians took over the shores of occupied Oprica on August 15th. With most of the Jupitan occupiers being sent to fight in Sapan, the Vaserians were able to take over the entire country in a matter of days with little resistance. The Vaserian entrance to the war was a surprise to many, and there would be further surprises as the Vaserian military continued to land on the shores of occupied Lunarian states.
The 20th of August saw the Vaserian Mage Corps and the Marines landed on Casikee, successfully returning the capital back to its Casikan people as the roars of VF-6s shook the skies above. With the arrival of the Vaserians, the occupied nations of Lunaria rose up against the Jupitans, overwhelming them as the Vaserians trekked more and more into the continent.
August 23rd, the Vaserians finally made the push to join the Coalition and with it, guaranteed the Coalition the needed victory to end the war. With Vaseria now officially a part of the Coalition, other nation states from the Vaserian continents joined and with their entry, saw a flow of new troops from the Vaseria sent to every front of the war.
“Vaserian M2 Strucker tank during the Second Battle of Ulyse, Koldr c. June 9th, 1956”
By October of 1956, the war had completely changed, the Sapanese were able to retake its capital, and Koldr, the first to fall, regained its sovereignty, and the Jupitans were now fighting on the homefront. All that was needed to finally bring the world to peace again was something really big to happen, and that came with the arrival of shooting stars. Man made shooting stars.
SHOOTING STARS
In 1949, the Vaserian Federation, in secret, began the development of a new type of weapon that would harness the power of nuclear fission with arcerium to create an explosion never seen before. The weapon would be placed into a warhead, and transplanted onto newly developed intercontinental ballistic missiles for increased range.
In 1953, the first detonation of the weapon, now nicknamed as “Star” was conducted, an explosive yield of 10 million tons of TNT.
In 1954, ten stars were built and operational with more to follow.
In 1955, Anne Hall is advised by the Office of Secret Security (OSS) to not use the stars until they make land in Jupita.
November 5, 1956, Anne Hall is told by the OSS to use 10 of the 24 ICBMs at specific targets in Great Terra.
November 6, 1956, 10 stars were launched from their silos.
The following are the impacted targets:
Hellica, the capital of Jupita, was the first to be hit by the stars; it destroyed half of the city, and caught Emperor Treijon himself in the initial blast.
New Olapi City, Jupita
Veldpal, Epreau
Gunfang, Hoshira
Songfei, Hoshira
Sakunn, Jupita
Falei, Jupita
Lunbai, Epreau
Raikou, Epreau
Rinyan, Hoshira
THE NEW WORLD
On the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, in the capital city of the first nation to fall, was the signing of a treaty of peace between the Tectonic Coalition and Great Terra. The Treaty of Ulyse put an end to the deadliest war the world had ever seen, over 100 million souls were lost in eight years. Great Terra was no more, but the world before it came with it.
Jupita lost all of the territories it gained from the war, and had to pay reparations to the nations affected by its wrath. The Lunarian continent returned to peace as it was rebuilt with Vaserian loans.
In Kyusia, it was not Hoshira who saw the loss of land, but the Kingdom of Sapan. Princess Chiyo, now queen of Sapan, saw to reward her people, but more importantly, the ethnic minorities who remained loyal to the crown. Her reward was to allow them to choose to stay within the Sapanese realm, or be free.
January 12th, 1957, the Kingdom of Arcana was formed, and on the following day, the Republic of Otrya. It wouldn’t be until March 27th, for the final state to secede from the realm, that being the Kingdom of Kayusa.
“Map of western Kyusia c. 2047”
Eusona, following the war, was not a pleasant sight. Because of how far the technological gap was for Eusonan nations, many could not bear the weight of post-war clean up. In 1957, the Kalavian civil war (1957-1962) began when the socialist government refused to return back to a democracy, and it split the nation into two; the eastern half belonged to the People’s Republic of Kalavia while the west belonged to the Republic of Kalavia.
“Map of West and East Kalavia”
What remained of the Cazar Empire was split up into multiple nation states following its civil war that ended in the 70s, Eraki, Yuzakstan, Yusan, Baniera, Edeon, Eani, Kirstistan, and Xana.
The Kirston Empire, despite being victors of the war and liberators of the Valkyrie Peninsula, found itself with a destroyed nation. Millions of ethnic Nexens were wiped out at the hands of the Cazars. They were, for many generations, the backbone of Kirston society, and with their loss came the empire’s economic troubles.
In 1957, to cope with their economic struggles, the empire sold away parts of its territory as sovereign nations, Envoa and Litho. Although there was some peace for the Kirstons, the ambitions of many hardlined nationalists saw the nation at war again, this time as the invaders in The Grants War (1970-1973).
“An Envoan Special Forces operative posing for a camera crew during an extraction in the mountains of Kirsto, circa April 2nd, 1973.”
Vaseria soon cemented itself as one of few superpowers of the world with the use of its arcerium weapons, and soon enough the rest of the world appeared to have begun their own arcerium weapons program to compete for superpower status.
But the world was at relative peace now that the war, or the Continentals War as coined by the media, had ended, and that was all that mattered in the end.
WAR NEVER CHANGES BUT THE WORLD DOES
The start of the 21st century saw a Cold War begin between the Vaserian Federation and their PATO allies, against the Democratic Union of Kavara and their CDP puppet states. And in 2023, the Second Continentals War began between the two superpowers, but it ended as soon as it was declared, when the Arcerium Rising event occurred and a tense peace insured.
It is now 2049, the world is on the brink of total war between Vaseria and Kavara, and with the civil war in Arcasia becoming more worrisome, it is now up to the people of Earth to decide the fate of this world.
The EA-6B Prowler is an Electronic Warfare aircraft and was built by Northrop Grumman. The Prowler uses an A-6 Intruder airframe and was used in the Navy and Marines.
What is Electronic Attack?
Electronic Attack is used for tactical jamming and is also called Electronic Warfare or EW. The EA in EA-6B Prowler stands for Electronic Attack. The Prowler can disrupt enemy radar and radio communications. What makes the Prowler unique is that it can jam ground signals like mobile phones, garage openers and most importantly, improvised explosive devices or IED. Since it can jam IEDs and prevent them from detonating it makes the troops on the ground much safer with a higher success rate on their missions. The Prowler was so powerful that the Pentagon made sure that no U.S. aircraft carriers went into battle without the Prowler. “Since the Prowler technology was so advanced, the Pentagon had the technology and pilots classified,” said Capt. David Woods.
History
During the Vietnam War there were many anti aircraft weapons and the U.S. kept losing planes to them so Northrop Grumman made the A-6B Prowler to have 4 seats instead of 2. There would be 1 pilot and 3 electronic warfare officers, or EWO.
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island is known to be the home of Electronic Warfare. NAS Whidbey Island would receive the first EA-6B Prowler in 1971. The EA-6B Prowler was first put into squadron VAQ-129 for Fleet Replacement testing, then VAQ-132, or the Scorpions, for deployment. Then, later on, they would deploy the EA-6B Prowler to Vietnam in 1972.
But the first EA-6A was first brought to the Marines for Electronic Attack in December 1965. The EA-6A is an A-6 Intruder and unlike the EA-6B of having 4 seats, it has 2 seats. The avionics for Electronic Attacks were much smaller than the EA-6B Prowler. The Navy took 3 EA-6A from the Marines and made it into the EA-6B. Once the EA-6B Prowler was made, the Marines retired the EA-6A and serviced the EA-6B Prowler.
The Navy first retired the Prowler on May 27th, 2015 and transitioned the Prowler to the E/A-18G Growler which is an F-18F Super Hornet with more advanced jamming. The Marines retired their Prowler in March 2019 and also transitioned to the Growler.
Not only was the Prowler deployed in the Vietnam War but it also was deployed in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The Prowler was also deployed in the Invasion of Grenada and Operation El Dorado Canyon. During Operation Desert Storm, 39 Prowler were deployed in the Gulf War and fired up to 150 HARM-88 missiles, and came back with no losses.
Avionics
AN/ALQ-218 Tactical Jamming System Receiver
AN/USQ/-113 Communication Jamming System
At the top of the tail is an antenna that receives radar and radio signals.
Armament
The Prowler can have up to:
4x AGM-88 HARM Anti Radiation Missiles
5x 300 Gallon External Drop Tank
5x AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System External Pods
AN/ALE-43 Chaff Dispense System Pod
AN/AAQ-28 Litening Pod
Aircraft Specification
Length: 59 feet
Height: 16 feet
Wing Span: 53 feet
Wing Folded: 25 feet
Maximum Take off Weight: 61,500 pounds
Thrust: 11,200 pounds per engine 22,400 total
Airspeed: Max .99 or 659 mph / cruise .72 Mach or 481 mph
This is a picture of a bird/woodpecker I made. I made the woodpecker because I wanted to draw something different and cool. Also, I drew it because there are lots of birds in the world, and I saw one outside a window and wanted to draw one.
In this drawing, I used a pencil to make the bird and tree trunk, then I went over it with an ultra-fine Sharpie. After, I colored in the drawing with markers.
I really like how my first drawing of a bird turned out. My favorite part about the picture is the pecked trunk; I really like how it looks with the bird.
One area I could improve is the color, perhaps by adding more color to the bird. Overall, I think it looks very good.
For my next drawing, I will make a bird or something else that is cool, but it will probably be next school year.
Plaid Line + PRIZM + Scottie News 