Category Archives: Entertainment

Movies/TV/Theaters

Halloween movie/show recommendations

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By: Beverly Stinson

My favorite holiday of the year is coming up and I’d love to share some of my favorite horror/Halloween movies and shows to binge-watch on Halloween or during October.

I’m someone who struggles to find good horror media to watch so I find things like this useful when I need something to watch.

  1. The Scream Franchise

The Scream Franchise is one of the most popular horror series ever. I’d say most people have seen at least one of the movies before. I didn’t become a fan until early 2023 and I became obsessed very quickly.

The franchise is good to watch if you love a continuous story and if you love Horror comedies. It’s also good for people like me who love a good slasher but without a ton of gore.

But even though it’s a good series to watch in full I’d recommend specifically ‘Scream’ (the original), ‘Scream 5’ (also labeled as just ‘Scream’) and ‘Scream 6’. You don’t really need all the lore from the other 3 movies to understand the plot of ‘Scream 5’ and 6 as they focus more on new characters.

‘Scream 6’ is my favorite movie, and compared to all the other movies there are more gory scenes but not too bad. There’s also ‘Scream’ the TV series which is not the same as the movies at all and it’s also incredibly gory. So, if you like gore then the show is where you wanna go.

Where you can watch:

‘Scream’ 1-4 (R): Max

‘Scream’ 5-6 (R): Paramount+

‘Scream’ show (Mature): you can rent it on YouTube or Amazon Prime

  1. ‘The Boy’

‘The Boy’ (PG-13) is a very underrated movie but it’s one of my favorites. I do feel like it takes a certain type of person to like it. It’s a very slow-paced movie which is something that usually draws people away, but to me, the slow aspect of it makes the ending even more unsettling.

In my opinion, it’s not very scary, it’s more just suspenseful. It doesn’t have any gore or really any blood. The storyline is so interesting and to me it’s unique. And since a lot of people probably haven’t heard about it, I’ll give a short summary.

It’s about an American woman traveling to the UK to babysit a boy from a rich family, but when she gets to the house, she learns that the child she’s babysitting is actually a lifesize porcelain doll.

Again, it’s one of my favorite movies, though I knew the twist before watching it so it wasn’t much of a surprise.

Where to watch: Hulu & Paramount+

  1. ‘Totally Killer’

‘Totally Killer’ (R) is a fairly new movie to the slasher scene so most likely a lot of you haven’t seen it. When I heard about this movie I expected to like it and I really did.

It’s a horror comedy but to me it’s more just a comedy.

It’s about a girl in 2023 who goes back in time to the ’80s to stop a series of killings and save her mother. It’s such a fun movie honestly; it references other slasher movies including ‘Scream’.

There is one part of the movie that annoys me which is the main character trying to make the characters understand things that people in the ’80s don’t understand; it’s just a little pet peeve throughout the movie.

I love the plot so much, it’s literally ‘Back to the Future’ mixed with a slasher, but another thing I don’t like is the ending. I feel like it was so unnecessary.

But anyway, it has a good amount of gore for a slasher and will definitely make you laugh.

Where to watch: Prime

  1. ‘Lisa Frankenstein’

‘Lisa Frankenstein’ (R) was a movie I was looking forward to when it was announced, I already knew it would be something I like.

It’s a Horror comedy as well as a romance. It’s about a teenage girl who accidentally raises a man from the dead and they begin to collect body parts to piece the man back together all while Lisa is trying to gain the attention of a boy she likes.

It’s such a good movie all the way through, it’s so hilarious and has a good ending. It has a small amount of gore as there’s dismembered body parts shown but it’s not really bad. I really love the ‘Frankenstein’ take on a slasher movie; I’d say it’s a pretty unique movie. It also is a pretty good love story.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

  1. ‘Supernatural’

‘Supernatural’ (TV-14) is a pretty popular show I’d say; it has 15 seasons so it’s definitely not a watch it in one day kind of show.

It’s about two brothers who are demon hunters and they go around doing just that. The first two seasons are mostly different plots for every episode but then it starts to have a main thing going on around the 3rd season.

It showcases a lot of different monsters, demons, and ghosts throughout the entire show. I’d say it’s not that gory for most of the episodes but there are some bad ones.

It’s also mainly a horror/comedy I think.

Where to watch: Netflix

  1. ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (TV-14) is another one I’d say is pretty popular or was more popular when it was streaming. It’s one of my favorite shows, especially because it’s mainly about vampires.

It’s about a girl who has been chosen to be a “Slayer” which basically means she has this supernatural strength to use to fight monsters, especially vampires. It’s another show that has a different plot every episode with different monsters but it also has a main plot pretty much every season, in which there are 7.

It’s a drama but it definitely gives a Horror/comedy feeling, which obviously I love Horror/comedy if you couldn’t tell.

And this show gives me the most Halloween feeling out of all the recommendations.

Where to watch: Hulu

Some other good things to watch would be:

  1. The X trilogy
  2. ‘The Vampire Diaries’/’The Originals’
  3. ‘The Winchesters’ (Spin-off of ‘Supernatural’)
  4. ‘My Babysitters a Vampire’
  5. ‘Beetlejuice’
  6. ‘The Craft’

Those are all my recommendations. I really love all the movies and shows in this article and I hope it gives you a sense of some things to watch during the Halloween season.

  • Beverly
Tech/Games

PERSONAL RANKING OF ‘UNTURNED’ OFFICIAL MAPS

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By: Hoaseng Thao

‘Unturned’ is a free to play survival zombie game made by Smartly Dressed Games, and is personally one I hold very dear to me. I’ve owned the game for at least six years now, and it’s only recently that I’ve tried to play it again after so many years, but one of the things I do remember about the game are its official maps.

Why am I saying “official” maps and not just maps? Well, that’s because ‘Unturned’ hosts what’s known as “curated” maps or maps made by the ‘Unturned’ community, and while I would want to write about how great those maps are, I want to mainly talk about the maps I grew up playing in.

There are five official maps in ‘Unturned’ and I will be ranking them based on three categories:

ENVIRONMENT – How the maps look as well as any lore present in the map.

GAMEPLAY – Are there elements that add to survival or challenges that force the player to change how they play?

UNIQUENESS – What makes this map stand out from the rest?

I will score each category out of five points so the score will look something like this: X/15

And for clarification, these are my personal rankings of these maps, they don’t represent everyone’s opinions on these wonderfully made maps other than my own.

PEI

Also known as Prince Edwards Island, PEI is the first official map of ‘Unturned’ and is located in the great nation that is Canada.

ENVIRONMENT

PEI’s environment is not one to write a whole lot about, it mainly consists of one main island surrounded by a couple other smaller islands. It has a large civilian presence with a small military garrison.

The towns located on the island are also very bland looking, and they’re very simple in design with little to no details on them that makes it feel like a once populated town.

Lorewise the island doesn’t have too much lore to it, there’s a military document calling for the destruction of the bridge connecting to the island, there’s a diary entry from a girl who begins to question her own memories, and there’s a journal referencing the infamous Roswell alien incident.

Overall I’ll give it a 3/5, mostly because the map layout is not too interesting and the towns present on the island are very small in size.

GAMEPLAY

PEI is mostly a PVE (Player vs Enemy) oriented map, and since it’s the first map in ‘Unturned’, there isn’t really much to do but to scavenge for supplies and weapons. Loot is okay, your best chance of actually arming yourself is by looting the military base or police stations scattered across the map.

I give it a 2.5/5, there’s nothing in the map that adds to the gameplay in an impactful way other than the fact you’re limited to civilian grade firearms.

UNIQUENESS

One thing that is unique about PEI is that it’s the only official map set on an island, but other than that there’s nothing much to say about it except for the fact that it’s the first map to be released.

I’ll give it a 3/5 for that at least.

FINAL SCORE: 8.5/15

WASHINGTON

Welcome to the US state of Washington. This map is known for its high-rises, military presence, and tourist attractions.

ENVIRONMENT

Washington takes place near the city of Seattle, and throughout the map we can see the final efforts to contain the infection with destroyed military convoys scattered throughout the map, as well as the destruction of underground tunnels to prevent the spread of the infection.

One thing I really like about Washington is that it has a lot of lore to it. We learn that the zombie infection may have started there by an organization known as Scorpion-7.

I give it a 4/5, I really dig the idea of piecing together what happened in Washington based off of scattered notes and environmental storytelling, and I really like how tall the buildings are in Seattle; it gives off the idea that you’re in a once populated area.

GAMEPLAY

Military loot is pretty easy to find due to the large presence of the military, so finding yourself with a firearm is your number one priority since this map is kinda PVP (Player vs Player) oriented. Other than that, there aren’t any other factors that make the player think about their choices other than to eat and drink often.

I’ll give it a 3/5, since I see Washington as a more PVP oriented map, finding a gun quickly really helps out but that’s about it.

UNIQUENESS

Washington is the first map to have an actual city instead of smaller towns as well as making Seattle the main landmark for navigating the map.

I give this category a 3/5, it’s the first map to include an actual city in it that not only is good in loot but is also a key element for navigation.

FINAL SCORE: 10/15

YUKON

Located in the Canadian territory of Yukon, it is covered in snow, snow, and even more snow with little human presence.

ENVIRONMENT

Yukon’s environment is harsh since there’s little presence of civilization other than a couple mounted police outposts, a city, and an airport but other than that, most of the map is covered in snow and trees with the occasional secret Scorpion-7 projects. When it comes to night time, you can even see the northern lights shine above you which is a very beautiful sight to see.

I give it a 4/5, Yukon is environmentally beautiful, and watching the northern lights above really nails it in.

GAMEPLAY

One very unique thing about Yukon is that since it’s a snowy map, you have to always be warm no matter what because this map introduces the temperature system. This system forces players to consider bunkering down and heating up from the harsh winter environment that is Yukon.

I give it a 4.5/5, for what it tries to do with temperature mechanics, it does very well.

UNIQUENESS

Yukon is by far the most unique map in ‘Unturned’, it forces the player to utilize the plentiful trees to build bases and create warm spots to survive the cold and it’s also the first winter oriented map that utilizes it as a gameplay mechanic.

I give it a 5/5, it is by far the most unique map in ‘Unturned’ and nothing beats it.

FINAL SCORE: 13.5/15

RUSSIA

Welcome to Russia, or at least the western part of it. There is a large military presence as well as signs of hope in a dire world.

ENVIRONMENT

It is absolutely stunning and beautiful. Russia is the first map to have a large deadzone which can kill any player who dares enter it without a gas mask. It’s also more detailed compared to the other maps, with entire railways that flow throughout to help navigate this large map.

Just like in Washington, there is a large military presence that helps emphasize that there was an attempt to stop the infection from spreading with notes from both the military and the civilian population documenting everything falling apart.

I give it a 5/5

GAMEPLAY

One major thing that Russia adds to the gameplay, are NPC quests. In the South lies an aircraft carrier belonging to the “Coalition” faction, a faction that was created in the wake of the outbreak, and by completing quests from its members, you can earn items, experience, and ranks within it.

To the North lies the “deadzone” an area covered in radiation but is home to really good military loot, but the only way to get there is to get a gas mask and stock up on filters if you want to stay there for a while.

I give it a 5/5, it’s the first map to introduce quest mechanics that greatly benefits the player if they want to get supplies without going on a scavenger hunt.

UNIQUENESS

It is by far the most ambitious map in the game, it not only introduces NPCs and quests but it’s also the first large map that doesn’t feel empty. Plus, it’s set in Europe.

I give it a 5/5, Russia for me has always been my go to map as a kid not only because of the quests but because it’s also the largest map that feels great to scavenge through.

FINAL SCORE: 15/15

GERMANY

Welcome to Deutschland, where you’ll find too many mountains, flooded areas, a failed rocket program, and of course the German supermarkets.

ENVIRONMENT

Now I have a weird connection with this map, because the one I grew up playing is not the same one that is in the current game. The one I grew up with was brown and unlively, but this new Germany is greener.

Other than that tidbit, Germany is a mountainous map but it is also one of the most lore heavy maps in the game. You’ll find remnants of the Coalition as well as the entire destruction of the city of Cologne following a failed rocket launch as the government tries to make the best they can before it collapses. It’s very heartbreaking to see the remnants of an entire nation when you travel across the map.

Germany gets a 4.5/5 for this one, having been released after Russia, this map doesn’t really live up to it as much but it does have better environmental storytelling.

GAMEPLAY

To be brutally honest, Germany is just Russia but without quests and NPCs. It contains unique deadzone locations and even a secret boss but other than that it’s not really different in any other way.

I give it a 4/5, not bad but could’ve been better.

UNIQUENESS

Germany is the first map to be centered around mountainous terrain, and since it’s Germany, there is a large element of Oktoberfest being held throughout the map since Germany canonically was one of the first nations to be a safe haven against the infection before it all fell apart.

I give it 4/5, although the Oktoberfest did make the map feel more unique, there wasn’t really anything else unique about it when compared to Russia which both maps are the exact same size.

FINAL SCORE: 12.5/15

FINAL RESULTS

  1. RUSSIA 15 POINTS
  2. YUKON 13.5 POINTS
  3. GERMANY 12.5 POINTS
  4. WASHINGTON 10 POINTS
  5. PEI 8.5 POINTS

If you want to play ‘Unturned’ I highly recommend downloading it on their Steam store page, https://store.steampowered.com/app/304930/Unturned/

Books/Art

A review of ‘Wonder’ finding courage and kindness

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By: Kimberly Mascote Rangel

‘Wonder’ by R.J. Palacio is a touching and inspiring book. It’s about a boy named August Pullman, who is starting school for the first time. Auggi, as he is called, has a facial difference that makes him look different from the other kids. The story follows his experiences as he begins fifth grade at Beecher Prep a private school and his experiences with bullying and getting called names. 

One of the best parts of ‘Wonder’ is how the story is told from different points of view. We get to hear not just from Auggie but also from his sister Via and some of his friends and classmates. This helps us understand how Auggie’s condition affects everyone around him and it makes it interesting and a good book to read that keeps you intrigued to finish reading it.

Auggie is a wonderful character. Even though he faces many challenges he stays positive and brave. His kindness and strength make him a role model for everyone. The book’s main messages are about being kind and accepting others and also seeing the good in people. These lessons are important and make the book very meaningful.

In ‘Wonder’ the conversations between characters feel real and the emotions are genuine. The book talks about topics like bullying but it also shows the power of friendship and support. It also shows the power of having kind people around you that make you feel better and are nice to you.

Overall, ‘Wonder’ is a beautiful book that teaches us to look beyond appearances and value everyone for who they are. It reminds us that kindness and understanding can make a big difference in people’s lives. This book is a must read for anyone who wants a story that is both heartwarming and thought provoking. I would give it a 9/10.

Tech/Games

‘Lethal Company’: Probably the best co-op game to date

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By: Julia Yang

Warning: this game includes spiders, jumpscares, creepy sounds, and many other horror elements.

Fun fact: ‘Lethal Company’ is one of the most positively rated games on Steam. It’s currently in the top 24 of most positively rated, and was the top rated new release game of 2023.

‘Lethal Company’ is a game where you and your chosen buddies are hired by a pretty hazardous company— some might even say lethal— where you’re tasked to land on a variety of moons in outer space to collect scrap for money to meet the assigned quota. Upon entering the main building containing said scraps, little did they tell you that the moons are infested with monsters, creatures, and creepy crawlers that will almost never hesitate to kill you on sight. You’ll encounter a variety of beings like large spiders, a nutcracker with a shotgun, a totally innocent butler, and even deadly blue goo!

Fail to collect the money needed to meet the given quota, and you’ll be blasted off into space. Do whatever it takes to get the scraps you need. Or don’t. I’m not here to tell you how to play the game.

This game truly is the best horror game to play with your friends and family — if you’re not too scared of course. Despite how the game graphics look, ‘Lethal Company’ delivers some of the most terrifying scares of all time.

This game includes voice proximity, meaning if two players are close then you’ll hear each other, but the further away, the quieter you are. Proximity chat makes any game immediately 10x funnier and scarier with the right moments. You’ll be collecting scraps for the quota and then you’ll hear your friend screaming for their lives in the background, it’s hilarious.

What makes ‘Lethal Company’ so good I believe is the overall multiplayer horror factor and the hilarious moments that come out of it. You see, ‘Lethal Company’ is so terrifying that your friends can’t help but laugh at your demise. I will say, this game may not be the best of games to help bond, but man does it get your adrenaline going.

Yet again, another factor that makes this game so awesome really doesn’t come from the game itself, but its fans. Mods. The mods made for ‘Lethal Company’ are so fun, one of my personal favorites is the “Skinwalker” mod.

This mod basically takes voice snippets of you and every other active player and makes it so the monsters can use you or other players’ voices to lure players to their doom. You don’t understand true fear until you hear a dead player’s voice call out to you.

There are an unbelievable amount of mods to make ‘Lethal Company’ even better than it already is which immediately bumps up the rating once again.

The title may look to be biased, but I haven’t actually played the game myself and many across the globe can agree with it. Honestly, if you want to find out what the hype about this game is because I can’t explain what makes it so good that well, then be my guest; the game is $9.99, only found on Steam.

One last fact: This game is completely made up, developed, coded, modeled, and sound designed by one person.

Tech/Games

HOW TO GET ALL ‘ACE COMBAT 7’ “ACE” SKINS

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By: Hoaseng Thao

‘Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown’ is a video game made by Bandai Namco, and if you’ve ever played the campaign, you may have seen certain enemies with names on them.

These named aircrafts are actually ace pilots and as a brief explanation to why they’re called an “ace”, an ace is a pilot who’s shot down five or more aircraft in aerial combat.

Each enemy ace flies their own aircraft so by downing one of these aces, you can unlock their unique skin for that aircraft, however if you want to fly around with the skin, you do need to finish the main campaign first.

There are a total of 24 named aces throughout the campaign, but they don’t appear right away as they require a couple of steps to be spawned in.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to trigger them, and what’s the best way to unlock them.

I’ll start off in chronological order of the campaign, starting from mission 1 to 19. I’ll also show the name of the ace, and their specific aircraft.

Mission 1 “Charged Assault” | PYRO | Mig-21

To unlock this ace, you need an aircraft that can equip a special weapon that can launch multiple missiles, any variant is fine. The trigger for this ace is that you need to kill at least the third wave of bombers in one volley.

Mission 2 “Charge the Enemy” | JESTER | Mig-29

Enemy ace “JESTER” can be triggered when you destroy the control tower right after destroying all radar vehicles, but before the drones spawn in. As long as you destroy the radar vehicles before the drones spawn, you’re good to go.

Mission 3 “Two-pronged Strategy” | BAYONET | F-16C

“BAYONET” can only be triggered when you down four aircraft within two minutes, so the best way to achieve this is to use an aircraft with long range weapons. “BAYONET” will spawn behind the Arsenal Bird.

Mission 4 “Rescue” | RONIN | F-15J

“RONIN” is an F-15J that can be triggered when you fly below 200 meters during the stealth section, after that you can find him in the North.

Mission 5 “444” | FANG | F-15C

For “FANG” to spawn in, your aircraft has to take on at least half of your health for them to spawn.

Mission 6 “Long Day” | KITTEN | F-14D

To unlock “KITTEN”, you’re going to have to just fly through the tunnel at the western base, then they’ll spawn in.

Mission 7 “First Contact” | FAUCON | Typhoon

This ace is pretty easy to trigger, as you’ll need to eliminate all non-target enemies and they’ll spawn in to intercept you.

Mission 8 “Pipeline Destruction” | GAZELLE | F-15E

“GAZELLE” is one of the trickiest ones to trigger, as you need to destroy all oil tanks before the timer runs out. I recommend using aircraft that can launch bombs with a large radius. “GAZELLE” spawns alongside the drones.

Mission 9 “Faceless Soldier” | SPIDER | F-18F

In order to get “SPIDER”, you need to shoot down at least half of the non-targets for them to spawn. The best way to achieve “SPIDER” is to use air to ground missiles, as you can just shoot and forget.

Mission 10 “Transfer Orders” | LOUVETEAU | Gripen E

Just like for “BAYONET”, this one is time based as you need to defeat all SAM sites within five minutes so you’ll need a fast aircraft. “LOUVETEAU” will spawn from the east alongside other Gripens.

Mission 11 “Fleet Destruction” | IBIS & CHASSEUR | SU-33 & RAFALE M

There are two aces in this mission, “IBIS” and “CHASSEUR”. To get “IBIS”, you must fly through the cores of the sea platforms, and they’ll spawn near the Erusean Fleet. For “CHASSEUR” you’re going to have to destroy all fighter jets on the northern platforms before they go airborne, only then will they spawn.

Mission 12 “Stonehenge Defensive” | WALRUS, FOUDRE, BUFFLE | SU-34, MIR-2000-5, A-10C

There’s a lot of aces in this mission, so to be brief, “WALRUS” can be triggered when Stonehenge has taken no damage, “FOUDRE” will spawn once you fly underneath any of the Stonehenge turrets, and “BUFFLE” will spawn when you destroy the three A-10Cs from the east.

Mission 13 “Bunker Buster” | COMET | MIG-31

“COMET” is pretty easy to do, just get a fast aircraft and just target the bunkers, but the only problem is that “COMET” does spawn behind you when the ICBMs launch.

Mission 14 “Cape Rainy Assault” | GLADFLY | SU-47

Just like in ‘Star Wars’, the trigger in this mission is to complete the trench run within 2 minutes, so equip a fast and agile aircraft for this one in order for “GLADFLY” to spawn.

Mission 15 “Battle for Farbanti” | BOGEN & SERPENT | F-2A & SU-37

“BOGEN” is pretty easy, so target the Aegis ashore platform and they’ll spawn in, but intercept him quickly or else they’ll flee south. For “SERPENT” to spawn just get around 15,000 points before the timer reaches five minutes, and he’ll spawn in.

Mission 16 “Last Hope” | AXEMAN | SU-45S

Achieve at least 10,000 points in the first section of the mission for “AXEMAN” to spawn, however identify them first before shooting.

Mission 17 “Tyler Island” | MANTIS | F-35C

For “MANTIS” to spawn in, you need to fly above but also very close to the mass driver, only then will they spawn in when the bombers arrive.

Mission 18 “Lost Kingdom” | LYNX | YF-23

“LYNX” can be triggered when you destroy all targets leading to Shilage castle within three minutes, however if you don’t engage them, they will flee southward.

Mission 19 “Lighthouse” | TEMPEST & CALAMITY | F-22A & SU-57

These two are fairly simple, so to trigger both of them, you need at least 20,000 points for them to spawn in. “TEMPEST” will specifically target you while “CALAMITY” will try to flee south.

That is all the named aircrafts in ‘ACE COMBAT 7’, and I hope this guide will help you collect them all!

Travel/Food

Pumpkin Spice lattes: Which ones are worth it and which ones aren’t?

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By: Norah Hogland & Lily Sheldon

Fall is here; you know what that means! Leaves changing color, Halloween, fall treats, and best of all: Coffee shops have released their fall menus, and we’re here to test them out. We went to three different chain coffee shops to try out the most popular fall drink: the Pumpkin Spice latte.

Starbucks is the most well known stop for the iconic fall drink, selling approximately 20 million Pumpkin Spice lattes every year. But as the drink’s popularity has grown, more coffee shops have started adding the drink to their seasonal menu. People wait all year for this drink, as its popularity has skyrocketed over the last few years. Other coffee shops have started releasing their version of this fall staple, and we are here to see which one is the best.

First, we tried a Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Spice latte. Some things to note about the Starbucks latte: the pumpkin flavor was not very strong, but still noticeable. It also had a strong coffee flavor, which appeals to some people depending on their taste. It came with whipped cream and spices on the top. The cost of this drink was $6.25, and it was the smallest amount of the 3, though we ordered the same size from each place. Even so, it was a good drink. Overall, we rate this drink a 7.8/10.

Then, we tried an Iced Pumpkin latte from Caribou. This drink had a larger cup than Starbucks, and the cost was only $5.89. Unfortunately, there was no whipped cream or spices on top of this drink, it was just the coffee itself. There was a larger amount of ice compared to the other drinks as well. The latte from Caribou had a stronger pumpkin flavor, and less of a coffee flavor. Another thing to note was that it also had a bit of a fake, artificial flavor to it, which was not exactly pleasant. Overall rating of this drink was 4.66/10.

Lastly, we tried the Dunkin’ Pumpkin Spice latte. This drink had the largest cup for a small sized drink. Dunkin’s drink cost $5.89, the same as Caribou. This drink came with the most whipped cream, and it included caramel drizzle, and a dusting of cinnamon sugar. This drink was the sweetest tasting of the three, tasted more like pumpkin than Starbucks, but not more than Caribou and was more milky than the other 2. This drink is very sugary and sweet, which some prefer and some don’t. Overall, we rate this drink a 6.8/10.

If you are still wondering which drink you would like most, here are our thoughts:

  • If you like to stick to the classics, and if you prefer a stronger coffee flavor and a less sweet drink, we would recommend the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice latte. It is a tasty, solid option for coffee lovers to be in spirit during the fall season.
  • If you are looking for a more simple, and less expensive option, with no add ons, we would recommend the Caribou latte. The only problem with this one is the strange flavor to it, but some people don’t mind this. Caribou is a good option for pumpkin lovers, as it has the strongest pumpkin flavor out of the 3.
  • Lastly, the latte from Dunkin’. It’s a sweet, milky drink topped with lots of whipped cream and spices. This latte was more of a treat, so if you don’t love the taste of coffee but love pumpkin and sweetness, then Dunkin’ is the one for you.

If you don’t know your preferences? Try Starbucks, as it is the most neutral and, in our opinion, best tasting out of the three. Or, to get the full experience, try them all!

Tech/Games

‘The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’ is the first main Zelda game where you actually play as Zelda.

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By: Munira Ahmadad

In May 2023, Nintendo released ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ (TOTK) which was one of the Switch’s most anticipated games after the success of ‘Breath of the Wild’. Unfortunately, the creators of the game had stated there would be no follow up content or a DLC for TOTK, as they believed that it had everything they had intended it to be on its initial release. While the game was considered amazing, plenty of fans were disappointed that was where it was going to end. 

It appears the Zelda developers are serious about moving on from the 2017 ‘Breath of the Wild’ world that remains a fan favorite even half a decade later, as in June 2024, the new main Zelda game had been announced. ‘The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’ is scheduled to release on September 26, and it’s style is the same as ‘The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening’, which has led me, and other fans to assume it’s a sequel or set in the same Hyrule as ‘Link’s Awakening’. 

One thing that you can immediately notice is different from the other LOZ games when you first watch the trailer is that you do not play as Link in this game, but rather Zelda. This is the first main Zelda game in which you actually play as the princess Zelda. The trailer displays a recurring gameplay mechanic that revolves around collecting items and creating imitation versions that are useful for exploration and combat. 

Personally, I am very excited for a new main title game in the series, but I’ve never been a fan of the toy-like and simple graphics. It makes it hard for me to take the gameplay seriously, and it’s indicative to me that the game will be easy. I’m aware Nintendo makes their main games for kids and families, though, so it’s not something I am upset about. 

Advice/How To, Travel/Food

Why eggs are the most nutritional breakfast option

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By: Max Cahoon

According to the ‘Keck Medicine of USC’s’ Kurt Mong, eggs are a great source of high protein and also have very low calories. Eggs also contain a ton of vitamins and nutrients that your body needs.

Many people eat eggs to maintain or lose weight as well. Research shows that people that eat eggs may lose up to 65% more weight than people that eat their eggs with a bagel, according to ‘Sauder’s Eggs’

People think that what they eat in the morning doesn’t affect your body throughout the day, but it actually does both physically and mentally. Breakfast options like cereal or donuts may slow you down, but eggs improve your physical and mental health for the entire day. This is because of the nutrients/vitamins that are in eggs. Eggs have vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iron, which are all huge benefits to your bones and brain.

Eggs are also a protein powerhouse. Eggs are a very good option for people that workout/go to the gym because of the protein. Kirkland brand eggs have 6 grams of protein per egg, meaning if you eat 5 eggs every morning you will already have half of your needed grams of protein for the day, and protein builds muscle.

According to the ‘KRQE’ eggs are America’s favorite breakfast food and around 65% of people throughout the United States eat eggs every morning for breakfast. Eggs are also a very good food to combine other foods with, for example a lot of people will make eggs with sausage or bacon or fruit which makes it into more of a meal.

Another appealing factor about eggs is that there are so many different types of eggs to make, some people even go as far as to say that there are over 100 ways to cook eggs. A couple examples would be scrambled, hard boiled, sunny side up, and omelet, but those are just the popular ones, there’s a ton more that I didn’t mention.

Travel/Food

Guide to the Land Down Under, East Coast

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By: Baarika Suresh

Melbourne City

Melbourne City – Melbourne, the home of Australian fashion is known for its lively culture and vibrant lifestyle. Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, one of the 7 states/territories of Australia. There is live music and jazz clubs around every corner as well as massive shopping malls. There is a free tram to access anything in the inner city circle so you can go anywhere anytime.

The great ocean road is a 240 kilometer long drive that’s west end starts in Victoria, and is where you can see the world’s best coastal views, such as the 12 Apostles.

Katoomba Waterfalls

Katoomba Cascades, Blue Mountains – The Blue Mountains are part of a mountain range called the Great Dividing Range, which ranges all the way from South Australia to Queensland. There are gorgeous walking tracks, beautiful views of the Australian greenery and many fun activities.

There are many local art galleries like the Lost Bear Gallery and cafes and shops nearby as well as the Scenic Skyway which is a cable car ride which glides suspended in the air. It has a 360 panoramic view of the landscape.

Sydney Harbor Bridge – Sydney is actually not the capital of Australia, yet it is the most famous city in Australia. Sydney is known for its beaches, shopping and entertainment. Go to Allianz Stadium where the women’s football World Cup was held last year to catch an A-League soccer game or head to the Sydney cricket stadium to watch the Big Bash League cricket matches.

Sydney never sleeps and people can be seen walking or playing basketball 24/7. Sydney’s most famous beach is Bondi Beach but there are many hidden gems in Sydney’s neighboring town, Newcastle.

Bogey Hole

Bogey Hole, Newcastle – The beaches of Newcastle are undoubtedly the best beaches in Australia. Red Head, Merewether, Nobbys and Newcastle beaches are beautiful places to visit. Nobbys Beach also has rich Australian history, as the boardwalk was built by the blood and sweat of English convicts. The boardwalk connects the beach to Nobbys Head and Nobbys Lighthouse, which guides ships to the biggest export/import port in Australia.

Next to Merewether Beach is Merewether Baths, which is an outdoor swimming area enclosed from the ocean, but lets in ocean water. 

Bogey Hole was dug out by convicts as a private pool for Colonel James Morisett. Now, it’s clear water is open to the public, so that they can enjoy the beautiful views.

Sunset in Orange

Central West – Central West, New South Wales is where the pinnacle of Australian life is. It is just across the Blue Mountains shielded away from the city.

Lake Canobolas (which is actually a dam) is located a half hour drive from Orange City Center and is an amazing place to be. There is a cafe nearby, mini beach, and beautiful walking tracks around the lake. It is in close proximity to The Pinnacle, which is a pretty steep trek up to The Lookout, one of the highest points of elevation in Orange. You can visit Borenore Caves, widely known for its stalactites and stalagmites, or pick your own produce at Huntley Berry Farm, a family owned farm.

Tech/Games

F-18C start up in ‘Digital Combat Simulator’

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By: Yohan Lee

‘Digital Combat Simulator’ is an aviation air to combat plane simulation game. You can play it on a PC. Here I will explain how you start an F-18C.

To start the F-18C in ‘Digital Combat Simulator’ you first must have your battery switch in the upright switch near your right console.

Now look at your left console and locate APU and click right to turn it on. You will see the APU ready light has turned green.

Below the APU there is an Engine Crank switch and right-click to put it in the Right Engine Crank.

Now look at your IFEL panel. When you crank your right engine you should see a number moving on the right side of your IFEL panel. That is the right engine. Once the number has reached 25 percent move your right throttle to idle or press RSHIFT+HOME. Your 25 percent should move up to 65 percent. Your engine crank switch should automatically go to the off switch.

Now do the same procedure  on the left engine. Left-click engine crank. Left at the IFEL panel. 25 percent, and move your left throttle to idle or RALT+HOME. Check that both engines are at 65 percent.

SCREENS

Now look at both DDI and right-click the top knob to day. Now turn on your HUD by turning the knob next to the IFF. At the bottom, you should see the AMPCD screen. Turn the knob to the right.

FCS AND AVIONICS

On the far left of your left console, you should see your rudder trim. Press the button on the top to put your elevator into takeoff trim.

Near that you should see a FCS Reset Button. Hold that for 5 seconds. Look at your right DDI and press the FCS-MC button.

Take a look at your far right and you should see your FCS-BIT switch. Hold that for 5 seconds then look at your right DDI and press the FCS MC button again. It should say in Test.

Close the canopy or CTRL+C and look down and turn your INS to IFA. At your far left, turn your OBOGS on. Press the FCS MC button again. It should all say GO.

Finally, turn your seat arm and parking brake off.