Category Archives: Entertainment

The addiction of social media

Zakianna Johnson

Introduction

There’s been many things going on in social media these days. But the addiction to the apps we all have is really bad. Apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, etc. are all of our lives, especially teenagers.

How it affects our lives

Social media is like drugs; you get addicted easily. Everyone has some sort of social media on their phone. Whether it’s to stay in contact with friends or family, or to have a laugh or two. But we don’t understand what the effect is on our minds and bodies.

These apps are toxic, but we love them. We try to take breaks, but it doesn’t work.

My dad responded with, “I used to be really addicted to it. Like I used to not be able to sleep without it. But now I usually only go on social media when I do my live videos, and I speak on reality and show my family. You know, because I’m showing a side of me and my family and our morals and values.”

Zoom

By: Vivian S

During this time of social distancing, many things have changed and new services have gained notice and importance. One new company that has become well-known is Zoom.

Zoom is an app/website that can be used for video conferencing, which has become much more important now that nearly all meetings have to be held from home using a computer. While all of us are social distancing, many people have turned to Zoom to continue holding classes, seminars, and meetings.

You might notice that Highland Park Senior High is not one of those places using Zoom, and Self Service does not even allow you to download Zoom, so you may not have used Zoom yet.

As Zoom grew more popular, misuse of the app grew as well. People took to intruding into the meetings of others, and messing with the meeting. Some people even posted passwords to the meetings online so that more people would join in. These disruptions have been termed “Zoom-bombing” and they are probably the reason that SPPS is not using Zoom.

Zoom-bombing has become so popular and well-known that there is a Wikipedia page about it, which I was not expecting to find during my research.

Zoom has responded to these mass-disruptions and has been working to further secure meetings. On their website, you can find a list of tips of how to secure you meetings.

It seems like many video conferencing apps have been struggling under the weight of all the new users using video conferencing, and while Zoom is one of the most popular, other apps are also experiencing problems and are working to address them.

While more and more security issues are being fixed, we all just have to be aware of any possible security risks (such as a meeting being public – allowing someone uninvited to enter, or a password being shared on the internet) and take steps to minimize those risks with the services these apps are offering and improving.

If you want to hold a Zoom meeting, please read the security guide they provide here: https://zoom.us/docs/doc/Securing%20Your%20Zoom%20Meetings.pdf.

‘The Office’

The Office is a 2005 television show that revolves around a hilarious boss named Michael Scott and his efforts to run a branch of a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This show is pretty popular, and you’ve probably heard about it before, and probably have seen it before too.

The show has a total of nine seasons, and what it does really well is distinguish them from each other. Looking back, you can remember moments from certain seasons because of how the characters acted in each season. This show is anything but repetitive, and the gradual shift of the characters throughout the show is one of the greatest things about it.

Still, The Office has a great idea of it’s humor through its characters. Michael Scott, the boss, is hilariously oblivious to everything around him. He has a certain kind of charm and always says the wrong thing in every situation, leading to all sorts of hilarious hijinks. The single worst part of The Office as a whole is when he leaves the show in Season 7.

There’s also memorable characters such as Jim and Pam, who have a will they/won’t they sort of relationship, because Jim likes Pam but Pam is engaged. Once again, this storyline develops naturally and is mostly resolved after season 4, so it doesn’t get old or unrealistic.

One of the more unique characters is Dwight Shrute, a paper salesman who is Jim’s rival/friend. Dwight is kind of hard to describe, but to sum it up: he’s a man with a lot of pride. He is also very gullible, and falls victim to Jim’s pranks all of the time, which always end up being hilarious and unique.

However, this show isn’t for everyone. It’s rated PG-14, and if you don’t like shows that deal with sex or cursing, this probably isn’t the show for you. However, it’s certainly not overrated like a lot of the haters of this show say. The plot is solid, the characters bounce off each other in a realistic way, and the show could easily drive itself on humor alone, but has several storylines that are entertaining in their own way.

My final rating for this show is a 10/10.

‘Drive’ review

By: Isaac Basques

Drive (2011) is an action packed, raw thriller/drama with a story that will keep you on your toes.

Drive was released on September 16th, of 2011, and made $81.4 million in the box office. The movie is about a no named character (Ryan Gosling) who is a getaway driver for heists. When he meets his next door neighbor in his apartment (Carey Mulligan) and her young son, he
begins to develop a very close relationship with them. Once her husband (Oscar Isaac) comes home from prison, he gets himself caught up in a life or death situation between him and friends from prison, and it’s up to him and Ryan Gosling to set it right.

This movie is very unique cinematically and takes its action in a very different way pace wise. It
doesn’t make action its main priority; it’ll focus heavily on the characters’ relationships and makes you root for them more if something bad were to happen. But when the action actually occurs in the movie, it gets very intense and keeps you on your toes.

The soundtrack in this film is what really stood out to me; it has a very retro theme to it, but it takes place in modern time and it fits very well.

The acting in the movie is good and feels raw and realistic.

Although, there are moments in the movie where the characters will often have very long pauses between dialogue and it makes for a kind of awkward scene for the viewer. This kind of goes for the whole movie; it’ll have too long of pauses and it seems like they’re trying to stretch out the runtime a bit.

One thing I’ve somewhat noticed over time is that they don’t really give too much personality to the main antagonist. They give him personality, but just not enough. They kind of feel as if they were written mainly to be enemies of the film and no one else.

Other than a couple small issues with this film, I’d say it is highly worth watching and will keep you entertained.

I give it an 8/10

Conspiracy theorists burning down 5G towers in delusion that they are causing the corona-virus

There have been a lot of theories on the coming of the new COVID-19 virus, but this conspiracy has been one of the most damaging. This theory involves the work of 5G mobile towers being accused of having connections to the virus. People say the towers have been emitting radiation poisoning, and that people are getting sick because of it. People have said that these towers, for mobile communication, can have an effect on giving people cancer as well as killing wildlife.

The news has been spreading through social media networks, but only recently there have been acts of arson. There is a Facebook group called “Stop5G Australia,” that’s filled with many people that believe the towers are making us all sick.

These theories are easily put down due to scientific facts, but that doesn’t stop individuals from continuing their beliefs. COVID-19 is a virus that spreads through human contact.

Because the attacks continue, it has had a saddening effect on emergency services that depend on the mobile networks provided by 5G. It’s not just the abuse of the towers, as reported by TheVerge,  there have been reports of worker harassment and people attempting to stop repairs and management of the towers as well.

Movies to watch to pass time during quarantine

Ever since COVID-19 the world has been on quarantine, putting on pause the entertainment world. Many things have been canceled like, professional sports, movie releases, and concerts. It would be an understatement if I said I was bored, so here’s some of my favorite movies to watch in quarantine.

While we are on quarantine I’ve had a lot of time to catch up on the movies I haven’t watched in the past few years. Here are some recommendations for movies to watch that can be found on major streaming platforms like Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+

Image taken from: https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/2012
Image taken from: https://reelrundown.com/movies/Train-to-Busan-2016-A-South-Korean-Zombie-Masterpiece

To fit the mood, you can start off by watching movies that are about apocalypses, and the world ending.

2012 is about a man trying to keep his family safe as strings of natural disasters engulf the world.

If you’re looking for an apocalyptic movie The Train To Busan is your best choice. Produced in South Korea, this movie follows a father and daughter on their way to Busan from Seoul. When a zombie apocalypse breaks out, they are forced to make difficult decisions on their journey to escape the zombies (Uses subtitles).

During this time I have also decided to binge watch fandom movie series like The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. You can watch the MCU and Star Wars on Disney+ and can buy Harry Potter on Amazon Prime. 

Since the movie theaters have closed temporarily many movies haven’t been able to come out. Some movie companies have turned to putting their movies on streaming services. You can now watch Onward and Frozen 2 on Disney+ if you have a subscription to the streaming service.

Image taken from: https://movies.disney.com/onward
Image taken from: https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-2-Official-Movie-Special/dp/1787731847

On Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Vudu you can rent Trolls World Tour for twenty dollars.

With other movies that were meant to come out March through May, many companies have come out with new release dates for the movies. Disney’s Mulan will be released on July 4, 2020 and Black Widow will be released on November 6, 2020. 

 

Louisiana police use siren from ‘The Purge’ to signal quarantine

The Purge siren goes out with an announcement.

The police used a siren to signal that curfew had begun and to stay inside. However, they were unaware that the siren was used in the 2013 movie The Purge. In the film, the siren announces the beginning of a twelve hour period where all crime is legal. I’m sure for people who knew about the movie, this would have been terrifying to hear, especially at night.

The police issued an apology, and stated that the siren would be not used again. After getting numerous complaints, they assured the public that it was not a prank set out by the department, and it was an honest mistake.

The Purge is an incredibly successful horror film franchise. It has spawned four films and a T.V. show. A fifth film was slated for a 2020 release, but production was most likely stopped due to the virus. In the series, all crime is legal for a 12 hour period once a year. Hearing this type of siren late at night must have been scary for some people, and luckily the police department was able to catch their mistake on the first night they used it.

‘Map Of The Soul: 7’ album review

Images taken from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2Fap%2Fphotos%2F27596%2Fthen-now-see-how-your-favourite-k-pop-stars-glowed-up-over-the-years%2F924087&psig=AOvVaw0qDw4bfJNQtB0D70HBugOR&ust=1583792542905000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCMCx7pH1i-gCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD & https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdatebook.sfchronicle.com%2Fmusic%2Fbts-announces-two-levis-stadium-dates-for-2020&psig=AOvVaw0U4bpcJ0ocTKbKPvf55JHr&ust=1583792545138000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCMC5kpP1i-gCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

On February 21st, BTS dropped their 4th full album Map Of The Soul: 7. Having already sold 3.24 million copies during its first week of pre orders, Map Of The Soul: 7 was on its way to being the most sold album of the year. Within its first week after being released, it had sold 3.37 million copies; breaking the Hanteo chart history, and BTS’s last record of 2 million (for Map Of The Soul: Persona).

In March, it debuted three songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart (with “onat number 4, “My Timeat number 84, and “filter” at number 87). This marks BTS’s sixth week on top in the Artist 100 as a duo/group. This means that this is one of the most successful albums during their seven years together as a group.

During an interview for WBLI, RM explained what Map Of The Soul: 7 meant for them. “It’s like a big diary book for BTS so I’m how we went through all the ups and downs, rise and falls and yeah just we like to summarize it like it’s made into a small book that we called 7.” To go deeper into that, they have created an album to represent their seven years together as idols and the trials they went through while being in the eyes of the public and finding themselves without losing themselves forever. Not only did this album succeed in telling the beautiful journey of BTS, but it also teaches the youth that you don’t have to lose yourself completely just so you can fit in with what’s around you.

In the album there are twenty songs, fifteen new songs, and five olds songs from Map Of The Soul: Persona.

My top two would be “Shadowand My Time.” “Shadowis Suga’s solo song where he tells us about how when Yoongi was younger he dreamed of being at the top of the music industry. When he finally gets there, as Suga, he realized how lonely he had become. He talks about how Yoongi wants to run away from his anxiety (Suga) of losing all he’s earned. At the end of the song he concludes with Suga telling him that they are one and that will never change.

“My Time,on the other, hand is Jungkook’s solo song on the album. This song relates to where he first joined BTS. He was a fifteen-year-old boy sent to entertainment companies to support his family. In the song, he sings about not being able to call people or hang out, or doing normal things due to him being an idol. Because of this he wishes he could do all these things and now he is.

I would give this album a 9/10 personally. I think this isn’t the best album that they have put out. But this is a great example of the duality music BTS puts out to show known fans.

Netflix screenshots

A new season of Castlevania came out, and all-in-all, I was not disappointed. There was some great action, good character development for everyone except Hector, and some really funny moments.

But it’s those funny moments that I want to talk about. Castlevania is a Netflix-exclusive show, and Netflix does not let you screenshot. For me, this means I can’t share those aforementioned “funny scenes” with my friends.

When you do take a screenshot, no matter what device it is on, it comes out like this:

It simply blacks out the screen, and whatever image you wanted to use for a meme or whatever becomes useless. It’s really frustrating, because it means I either have to verbally describe it to them or search for the same image online, which can take a while.

But why does Netflix do this?

So, how do you get around this?

What I find weird about this whole situation is that other streaming websites, and apps like VRV, don’t do this at all. Also, phones still have cameras, so as long as you have two devices, you can still share images from their shows, although they won’t be as good.

Funnily enough, the reason I ever thought about this topic is because Nintendo does this two, at least in a way. On Nintendo Switch, you can screenshot and record whatever you want from any game, but you can only share on Facebook and Twitter. If you want to share it on another social media platform, you have to go and first post it on one of those two sites, either share it from there or download it, and then post it somewhere else. Because of this convoluted system, I’ve seen many people on other social media just take pictures of their TV’s with their phones and then share it directly, which is much easier, but again, the pictures are a lot worse in quality.

My point with this entire article is that not having the accessibility for your fans to share nothing more than subtitled pictures is stupid. It’s definitely not piracy, most people just do it for memes or laughs, and if you can constantly update your systems to stop the lastest form of screenshotting, then you can find a way for people to screenshot and not screencast. 

‘Levius’

Levius is an a steampunk action anime available on Netflix that features a kid named Levius Cromwell battling other opponents in a sport called “metal boxing,” which is just normal boxing, but they use robot arms. Unlike most anime, this show uses 3D models instead of 2D drawings. The models are done really well and gives the show a sense of energy that you don’t see in other shows of the same type.

The plot of Levius revolves around an upcoming metal boxer named Levius. Metal boxers have metal arms filled with a special water called Agartha Water, that when mixed with a drop of the users blood, turns into steam and falls under their control like a natural extension of their body. When contained inside a prosthetic arm, it’s like the person using it has a normal arm that can hit a lot harder. I like the inclusion of Agartha Water as a plot element because it makes the metal arms seem realistic when the show takes place in an 1800s time period.

Levius lost his arm in a war before the series started, and after moving to his uncle Zack’s house, they bonded through their love of boxing. Soon afterwards, Levius became a rising star in the metal boxing world. The premise is simple enough, a lot like you would see in any other sports anime. But what sets this show apart is the characters.

The supporting cast, which consists of Levius’s one-eyed uncle Zack, his personal mechanic Bill, and his rival Natalia are all great and unique enough that they don’t get boring, but the real star of the show is Levius himself. Right away in the first episode we learn that he doesn’t really know why he boxes, and that he is looking for a reason through the sport. Watching him trying to discover his reason for fighting through the show is easily the most intriguing part of it.

Also, the action in Levius is amazing. Even though every single fight takes place in the same boxing ring and it’s not like they can have weapons in there, the animators still make each fight unique, with each boxer having a unique fighting style and every single fight turning out differently. Each punch has energy you can feel, and the sound effects make you feel the action.

So, if you’re into anime, steampunk, or just like fast paced action shows, then you’ll love Levius. For those into deeper plots and more intricate storylines, Levius’s relationship with his friends and his rival boxers keeps the story moving, and the music is top tier when it comes to a score for a show. 

My only real complaint I have for this show is that one of the episodes near the climax feels like it’s just filler and interrupts the final fight, but because it is so intense, I think it works, and doesn’t interrupt the action. Other than that, sometimes the lips of the characters seem like they don’t match up with the voices, but I think that’s just my brain being too slow.

My final rating for this show is a 9/10.