Category Archives: Entertainment

Tech/Games

Tech superpowers at war

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By: Reed Morris

In early January of 2022, Microsoft kicked off the new year by purchasing the video game development company Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in cash. The acquisition marked a major turning point of the ongoing “Console War” in the gaming industry.

Microsoft, who owns Xbox, now also owns one of the biggest game development companies in the world. Along with purchasing the company, they also acquired all IPs (Intellectual Properties) associated with Activision Blizzard. This includes well known games such as the ‘Call of Duty’ franchise, ‘Overwatch’, ‘Candy Crush’, and a handful of other major titles.

Ever since the acquisition happened the public has been waiting for a response from Microsoft’s main competitor in the “Console War”, Sony. Sony is the company behind the very popular PlayStation gaming console which is the primary rival of Xbox.

As of the end of January 2022, Sony announced their acquisition of game development studio Bungie for $3.6 billion. The acquisition is a big deal, as Bungie is the studio behind legendary titles such as ‘Halo’, and ‘Destiny’.

The purchase of Bungie by Sony helped level the playing field, and also has brought more attention to the future of PlayStation. Both Microsoft and Sony are still in competition, but now they both own a major slice of the market they rely on for content.

This is not only a big step for Sony’s gaming branch, it’s also a major step for the company as a whole. With another company acquisition to add to their list, Sony is going to become that much more of a global tech superpower.

Where will they go from here?

There has been lots of speculation that the previous IP’s and any future game production out of these two studios will be exclusive to their new owner’s respective platforms. These rumblings however, have been shut down by both Sony and Microsoft. Sony said in a statement, “Bungie will remain a multiplatform studio with the option to self-publish its games.” Microsoft also followed up their acquisition with a similar statement regarding any Activision Blizzard properties.

While both Microsoft and Sony are willing to cooperate with one another, there is still competition regarding both platforms’ subscription models. While Xbox does have more subscribers to their service, Sony now has a means of reducing that gap and balancing the fight for gaming and corporate supremacy.

Music/Concerts

Why did One Direction break up

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By: Musab Mohamud

A question that still is widely asked by many fans across the globe: “Why did One Direction split up?”

The boy band consisted of recognizable faces such as Harry Styles, Zayn Malek, Louis Tomlinson, and others. The band started with a decision to combine their talents on the show British X-Factor. Shortly after the season’s conclusion the host of the show, Simon Cowell, offered them a record deal. The boys gladly took him up on his offer and began to record songs together.

The band quickly garnered international fame and fandom across the world. From appearing in Super Bowl ads, releasing platinum albums, and going on global tours, the young band seemed to be on top of the world. They released many songs headlined by the hit pop song “What Makes You Beautiful”.

They continued to trek the globe performing and publicizing their songs. However, while on a tour publicizing their album in 2014, the first blow struck the popular band. Zayn Malik, the beloved vocalist of the group had left the band.

Shortly after, in 2015, the band announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus.

Years later, with many members of the band releasing solo music, fans are left wondering what happened. One fan has many theories on why One Direction broke up. “I think Harry and Louis had a romantic split,” she says. Another fan goes in a different direction and says, “I think Zayn and Harry thought they were too big time”. 

The more realistic opinion is that all bands must come to an end eventually, and while they obviously all greatly liked each other it was time to leave their comfort zone. Another option is their record deal being too restrictive and not allowing the creative freedom that they desired.

The band gave many fans, young and old, great pleasure to this day and will not be forgotten any time soon.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Don’t Look Up’ movie review

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By: Eva Olson

‘Don’t Look Up’ is a comedy/disaster film about a Michigan State grad student, Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), who makes a discovery with the help of an astronomy professor, Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), of a comet that is heading straight towards earth that will hit and destroy the planet in just over six months. They must try and convince the world that this comet is real and that they need to do something about it before they are out of time.

This movie had a lot of hints/references to real life politics. It was frustrating to watch how even when the world was ending there were still fights about politics. A lot of hard topics were present but there was also a good amount of comedy which made it a little easier to watch.

A big theme in this movie was social media and how it was used to spread news and how so many people were sharing their own opinions about the comet which I thought was very realistic. Another big concept in this movie was how people with a lot of power and money act and how they use that.

There were a lot of big names in this movie, almost to the point where it seemed forced, but I think overall they pulled it off well. All of the actors played their characters very well. They were all so different from each other which made it really entertaining to see how they interacted and teamed up to attempt to stop the comet. The antagonists of the movie did a great job getting you frustrated and annoyed with them.

I really enjoyed this movie and thought it was very engaging and compelling. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a movie that will get you thinking. Overall, I would give this movie a 9.5/10 rating. This movie is only available on Netflix.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Shutter Island’ review

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By: Eva Olson

‘Shutter Island’ is a thriller/mystery movie following the story of a U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), and his partner, Chuck (Mark Ruffalo). They are brought to a psychiatric hospital on a secluded island to locate a patient who mysteriously disappeared from a completely locked room leaving no trace behind.

The plot was very fast paced and intense as well as suspenseful. It had a lot of dark themes like war, addiction, and murder/death. There was a good amount of gore and violence including many dead bodies and blood. This movie was pretty confusing but I think that just added to the uneasiness and suspense.

Even though this movie was very unnerving it was also very sad. I think one of the main causes of the melancholy theme was the time period it was in being right after the Holocaust. Another thing that added to the somber, but also unsettling, feel of the movie was the setting. Even the weather perfectly set the mood for each scene.

I thought the actors did a great job with this movie and played their roles very well. The casting was great and I recognized a lot of people. All of the characters were very complex and had many different sides to them so it was hard to predict what they were going to do next.

It was always hard to know who Teddy could trust and who was out to get him. Lots of characters kept trying to convince Teddy to believe him and every time I thought one of them was telling the truth and everything had been solved, some other piece of information would be uncovered and I’d be back to square one.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an unsettling, intense, mystery movie. I wouldn’t recommend this movie to someone who gets scared or grossed out easily. I would give this movie a 10/10 rating. You can find ‘Shutter Island’ on Netflix.

Books/Art

Book Recommendations

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By: Musab Muhamud

‘Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief’ by Rick Riordan

This book by Rick Riordan is a fun and light read for anyone of all ages. It delves into Greek mythology and creates a magical world. It uses many themes such as family and nature to expand upon its characters while keeping the reading level low.

Percy is a young man who was raised by a single mother. He is shocked to learn that he is the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the seas. He is introduced to many friends on his journey throughout the story, and his friends are important later on in the story.

The book shows many highs and lows that most young readers could relate to. I think this book is a very well written and impactful book especially for its level. This book is a solid foundation for a series of books to follow, including completely different mythologies being used as well.

‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins

This novel uses darker themes to expand its world. The story is set in a dystopian world where a despotic regime bleeds its 12 surviving colonies dry of their already meager resources. The capitol lives in lavish conditions and forces 2 representatives from every colony to fight to the death for their entertainment.

Katniss Everdeen is forced into this cycle by her own bravery in becoming a placeholder for her sister who was drawn into the Hunger Games. Katniss continues to exhibit incredible bravery throughout the book. She survives by her lonesome for a great part of the fighting and she eventually creates alliances and forms multiple rivalries during the fighting. Katniss shows her ability to make the best of a bad situation by surviving life before and after her involvement in the games.

From being a borderline mother to her little sister, to her will to stay alive, Collins leaves you with a hunger to find out what happens in the next

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Bachelorette’ season finals

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Michelle’s season has come to an end, and so ended the story of the second Bachelorette of color.

The first person to have a date was Brandon. He met Michelle’s parents, and they instantly loved Brandon. They discussed his willingness to relocate to Minnesota and his ability to work remotely.

Nayte was up next. He met her parents and sister. Her family was not impressed with Nayte; he was struggling to communicate including his willingness to commit.

After each of the bachelor’s dates they each got a date with Michelle one last time.

Brandon and Michelle went jet skiing. Later in the day, he gave Michelle his favorite sweatshirt.

The next day Nayte and Michelle went on a date and their date was focused on sharing feelings. During their date, she pushed him to share his feelings and by the end of the date he shared those feelings. This comforted Michelle.

When their date was over, they each returned to their room. Michelle got a note from Brandon which included the lines: “A world without you is a world I fear to face,” “The kind of love where I will always place your happiness above mine,” and “I will love you forever.”

The next day each of the men went out to choose a ring for Michelle. Now it’s proposal time.

Brandon steps out to join Michelle on the beach first, and since he went first he’s going to get rejected. He gave a long speech to Michelle, but Michelle said, “My heart is pushing me in a different direction and I have to go with what I feel.” Brandon said he understood and he went home in tears.

Nayte was up and he vowed to never let Michelle go; he got down on one knee and proposed. Michelle said yes.

Personally, Nayte wasn’t my first choice. She should have gone with Brandon, as he seemed more open and communicative with feelings, whereas with Nayte, he seemed like a player and she had to push him to get him to share his feeling for her.

The proposal to her seemed forced; he seemed unsure of his decision to get down on one knee.

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Books/Art

‘Uninvited’ book review

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By: Mary Koch

‘Uninvited’ is the first book in a 2 book series written by Sophie Jordan, and ‘Unleashed’ is the second one. I read the books the first time in 7th grade for English class, and they’ve been my favorite books since.

The first book follows Davy Hamilton after she tests positive for HTS, or the kill gene. People who test positive for HTS are supposed to have killing in their genes, so the government is putting extra control and rules around carriers. They have special classrooms in schools, curfews, and a social worker constantly checking up on them.

There’s also always the threat of getting an H tattoo on their necks which is meant to mark the more dangerous killers.

Before she got her test results, she was popular, nice, and she was going to Juilliard, but that ended when she was forced to change schools.

Eventually the government decides that carriers need to be quarantined, so they make camps, but some teenagers will be taken to schools to become trained killers. Davy, and her new friends Gill and Sean were taken to the schools where they had to escape.

The book is exciting, and the author made the characters relatable. They aren’t perfect people who randomly save the world. They all make mistakes, and they learn from each other.

The book also doesn’t get too boring with lots of serious talks from the government. At the end of a lot of the chapters, there are letters and updates that give more information about what’s going on in the world that Davy might not know about yet.

The story has a good pace, it’s not a quick read, and the characters take their time, but the story isn’t prolonged or over-filled.

If you’re looking for a new book to read, I recommend ‘Uninvited’, and the sequel, ‘Unleashed’.

Travel/Food

Candy: A spectrum of deliciousness

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By: Isaac Lund

While many topics in today’s society are disagreed upon and argued against, one statement that I think everyone can agree on is one simple fact: candy is good.

However, while I do enjoy the occasional sweet treat, I think that some candies are simply not tasty. In order to rate the staple candies, I’ll be splitting them into two categories: fruit flavored candies and chocolate based candies.

Firstly, the chocolate based candies. Arguably the most well known candy, chocolate is popular for a reason. It’s delicious. However, only when done right. If the chocolate is combined with other materials in a weird way, or is made with low quality, then it can end up tasting bad.

Good chocolate based candies, in my opinion, include Milky Way and Twix, which combine caramel and chocolate; Crunch Bar and 100 Grand, which add in rice pieces for extra crunch; Butterfinger and Reese’s, who’s peanut butter chocolate combo is amazing; and Kit Kat and Heath, with crunchy centers.

All of these incorporate elements that enhance the experience, instead of taking away from it. While these candies are always welcomed into my diet, many chocolate candies are not so amazing.

Firstly, I don’t like Hershey’s because the chocolate is too low quality. This is an opinion shared by most Europeans, who have grown up with higher quality chocolate. Snickers has the same problem, with chalky tasting chocolate. I also don’t like M&Ms, because the candy coating makes them taste plasticine and overly sweet. Candy bars like Almond Joy and 3 Musketeers, that include fillings that are inherently not good, also belong at the bottom of my list.

Secondly, the fruit flavored candies. With a wider range of textures and selections, fruit flavored candies can land on a much larger spectrum of deliciousness. Some are as good as it gets, and some are completely inedible.

Candies that are very tasty include Skittles, whose texture is unbeatable; Smarties, which are pleasing in both taste and packaging; Airheads and Starburst, whose flavors are unbeatable; and Nerds, who are deliciously crunchy. Also belonging on the good end are all sour candies, who make you pucker all while being simultaneously sweet.

All of these candies are good in both texture and flavor.

Candies that don’t share this goodness are Laffy Taffy, which stick to your teeth and the wrapper; Dots, which are just nasty; and Mike & Ike’s, which make me nauseous.

These candies aren’t pleasurable in either flavor or texture, or both. I would rather eat gummy vitamins, which are both tastier and more nutritious, than eat any of these.

While candy is a staple in the dessert world, I believe that some companies need to reevaluate their candies’ quality, and help the world be a better place.

Movies/TV/Theaters

The Bachelorette recap

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In this episode, Michelle meets the families of her final four; Nayte Olukoya, Joe Coleman, Brandon Jones, and Rodney Mathews. She first meets Brandon’s family. Before meeting his family, they went on a little date. After she met Brandon’s mom, dad, and brother, they were all supportive of Brandon and Michelle’s journey to find love. 

Up next was Rodney. They were nice to Michelle, they asked a few questions, and talked about life after the show.

Next was Joe. His sisters-in-law were a little tough on Michelle but they eventually came around at the end.

The final date was with Nayte. His family were not fans of how the show works; they had concerns about if they end up together how they would make the relationship work in the real world.

After she met all four men’s families, she gave her three roses to Nayte, Joe, and Brandon, which means Rodney went home.

The next episode was the “Men Tell All” episode where Michelle comes face to face with 15 of the men she sent packing. The first feud that we didn’t see at the end of the show was with Will and Peter. The two still had their feud going, and they ended up working it out on the stage. 

Up next was Martin who explained all the controversial things he said while on the show. He then got accused of having a girlfriend while he was on the show. After all that drama, the guys got a chance to see Michelle and get closure on why she had to send them home. 

At the end of the episode, they announced Clayton, who Michelle sent home right before hometowns, was the new bachelor. They also showed a preview of his upcoming season. 

Michelle’s journey to find love continued on December 14, after the dramatic “Men Tell All” episode, as she headed with her three remaining men to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

The first date of the episode went to Brandon. They went horseback riding, and during the dinner portion of the date Brandon told Michelle that he loved her and Michelle told him that she was falling in love with him. Their date ended the next morning with breakfast in bed. 

The second date went to Joe. They went zip lining but Michelle made it clear that she still needed to learn about him. The next morning, Michelle told him that she could see a future with him.

The last date was with Nayte. The two went on a ride on a catamaran, and during their dinner date, Nayte told Michelle that he was certain about her and that he was falling in love with her. 

Later, Michelle sends Joe home.

Next up, is the three-hour season finale of ‘The Bachelorette’. Who will she choose to propose to her?

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Editorials/Student Voice, Travel/Food

The effects of being vegan; does it help or harm your health?

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By: Liv Miller

What does it mean to be vegan? Veganism is the diet or lifestyle that excludes the use of animal products. Some people who define themselves as a vegan go the extra mile to not just use animal products in their diet, but in their everyday lives as well. This can include not wearing leather clothing, or not using lotion or cosmetic products that have animal products, or were tested on animals.

The most common type of vegan though is the kind that only excludes animal products from their diet.

Many people do go vegan for the purpose of animals, but there are others who incorporate veganism into their diet solely for the purpose of their own health. Now, there is no right or wrong way to go vegan, but how exactly does being vegan affect your health?

According to a 2019 article in ‘The Economist’, 25% of 25-to 34-year-old Americans say they are vegans or vegetarians. So, it must be doing something right, right?

While going vegan does have a lot of health benefits, it is still important to look at the possible harms of the diet before deciding to incorporate it into your lifestyle. But let’s talk about the benefits first.

According to Insider.com, a vegan diet cultivates different types of bacteria than an animal-based diet. So, the bacteria from a vegan diet is shown to help lower inflammation in the stomach and boost metabolism. This relates to the common ideology around the vegan diet, and losing weight. While it doesn’t happen every time, it is a very common thing that can occur from partaking in this diet.

Another benefit is that going vegan can reduce your risk of getting some deadly cancers like stomach, liver, and kidney cancer. This is because processed meat has been closely linked to these types of cancers.

Going vegan may also cause you to see an improvement in your sleep and skin.

Now to talk about the possible risks.

You may feel tired and foggy when first beginning your diet. According to Insider.com again, a vegan diet tends to lack iodine and choline, since the two necessary nutrients are found in eggs. Iodine is needed to keep your thyroid healthy, regulating energy, metabolism, and mood. Choline supports your brain, affecting your memory and mood.

Another very common risk that many people are aware of is that going vegan lowers your protein intake. Protein is a very essential nutrient for our bodies and acts as a fuel for us. Protein is usually found in eggs, meat, etc., so basically everything that a vegan diet lacks.

Another health risk you should be aware of before switching to a vegan diet is the heightened risk of depression. According to Timesofindia.indiatimes.com “People following a vegan diet are at an increased risk of depression as their diets have a sharp decline in omega 3 fatty acids (no fish oil or fish consumption) and a rise in omega 6 (vegetable oils and nuts). They can include algae-based omega 3 sources in their diet, but they are costly and hard to find.”

Although there are many benefits and risks to going vegan, it is safe to say that the pros outweigh the cons. If you are planning on going vegan, I would recommend doing your own research and talking to your doctor about what the best course of action is right for your body.