Cheyenne Parker

October 28, 2024

(FAKE BLOOD AND GORE WARNING!) 

Today, I'll be reviewing 5 Halloween costumes. They will be ranked for least scary to most scary, or something I'd be fine seeing outside anytime to be packing my bags and leaving the state.

5. The Psycho Clown isn't too scary. Yes, I hate clowns and are scared of them, but it isn't the most scary. (117)

4. Clowns. Once again, creepy, but not scary enough for me to run away screaming. (74)

3.  A kid in a goth Halloween costume. Kids in scary costumes like that is just a NO for me. (130) 

2. Weeping angel. Not too scary. Yes, it's creepy but not scary. Just don't look away and you're good. (12) 

1. Samara from "The Ring." Nope…Packing my bags if I see them in the middle of the road, no thanks. If I saw THAT, I would be out of the state, no, the country in a heartbeat, money doesn't matter at that point. (104) 

Citation:

159 Of The Most Creative Halloween Costume Ideas Ever | Bored Panda

Kamryn Heerschap

October 28, 2024

The “Smile 2” movie came out on October, 18, 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $46 million worldwide. Many reviews say things like, “The movie ultimately scutters its own ambitions,” and “It made a thrilling storyline around a pop singer, while still managing to weave in some pretty awesome songs.” Even after these views from certified critics, I’m going to give my own opinion and my own thoughts about the movie. 

The first thing I want to talk about is the scare factor in the movie. Typically, horror movies don’t scare me but jump scares usually get me. “Smile” doesn’t have an exact count of how many are in the film, however, each one is more terrifying than the last. I also think that for a jump scare to be actually scary, the writers have to make it somewhat disturbing. In “Smile 2,” they definitely succeeded in that. Even though the majority of the movie wasn’t actually that scary, the jump scares and the thriller aspect of it made it all the more terrifying. 

Another thing that I wanted to look at is the psychological perspective of the movie. According to City College Times, “This film is about trauma, anxiety, grief, depression and our unhealthy coping strategies.” They also explained how ironic it is for the villain to force a grin on victims, which creates a sense of inversion of the meaning of happy faces right before using their bodies for unspeakably grievous acts. These kinds of things change our perspective sometimes. Like they said, typically you’d associate a smile with fun, happy things. However they completely challenge that norm in this film and make us humans question ourselves. 

To conclude this article, I want to say that overall the movie was a 9/10. I enjoyed the thriller aspect of it along with the horror parts. The jump scares were a 10/10 and I believe the storyline of the movie was also amazing. I would definitely recommend this movie but make sure you're ready for the terrifying jump scares that’ll come when you least expect them too. 

Citations:

Aspen, Virgil. ““SMILE” movie review - truly psychological horror.” City College Times, 20 October 2022, https://sjcctimes.com/16815/opinion/smile-movie-review-truly-psychological-horror/. Accessed 21 October 2024.

“image for Smile 2.” Rotten Tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/smile_2. Accessed 21 October 2024.

Madison Morris

October 28, 2024

Did you hear that Liam Payne passed away a few days ago? Well, sadly he did. The news devastated everyone. 

Liam was a famous singer and songwriter. He was 14 when he first started singing. Two years later, he became part of the band, One Direction. His first solo song after the band went on a hiatus is  called “Strip That Down.”

 He had two older sisters named Nicola and Ruth. His younger life was a struggle; he had a lot of complications when he was born. Later on in his life, he started playing sports, taking  boxing lessons. Then, he moved on to music technology and that’s when he discovered he was into music. The first song from One Direction was “What Makes You Beautiful”. It was the number one song in the UK in 2011. The music video has over 1.5 billion views.

The top 5 most viewed songs of One Direction on YouTube are “Drag Me Down”, “Story Of My Life”, “Night Changes”, “One Thing”, “Best Song Ever”, and “Live While We’re Young”. Most of those songs got over a billion views.  One Direction had 5 singers, including Liam. Zayn Malik left the band in 2015 and began pursuing a solo career. Shortly after his departure and the release of their last album, “Made in the A.M,” One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus. This led to the other band members, Harry, Niall, Louis, and Liam, to pursue solo careers as well. 

Liam was a great guy and known by millions of people in the U.S. and U.K. After his death, One Direction hit number 2 on Spotify. There’s not a lot of information on his death yet, but more is sure to come. So far, we know he fell off a 3 story balcony in Argentina. Liam has always worn a necklace with a safety pin on it, when they discovered his body, it was gone. The news says he had multiple drugs in his system. Liam also had a bad drinking problem, so they seem to say that was part of the cause also. Liam was a father to his 7-year-old son, Bear Payne. Liam was survived by his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, as well as his son Bear.  

Citations:

Blackwelder, Carson. “Liam Payne had multiple drugs in body at time of death: Sources.” ABC News, 21 October 2024, https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/liam-payne-partial-autopsy-report-multiple-substances/story?id=114985701. Accessed 24 October 2024.

John, Elton. “One Direction.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Direction. Accessed 24 October 2024.

“Liam Payne.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Payne. Accessed 24 October 2024.

Shawn Ormond

October 28, 2024

More likely, you’ve never heard of “Murder Drones,” but if you have heard of “Murder Drones” you might have heard some mixed or negative things. If you don’t know what “Murder Drones” is, it's a small animated series made by a small team of creators called Glitch. Before Glitch Productions had made “Murder Drones,” they had some smaller series and shorts and whatnot, but by far “Murder Drones” was the first big series by far they had made reaching 57 million views today. 

 A long while ago, I got bored and decided to watch Episode 1 out of 8 of “Murder Drones.” I didn’t enjoy it too much at all, it felt really poorly made visually and I wasn’t understanding the story all that well so I ended up not even finishing it. Later on, I mentioned it to a friend who watched the whole series and liked it so I watched episode one and left it on that. He had convinced and forced me to keep watching the series and promised me it would get better later on, but does start really slow and boring and overall not good.

I proceeded to watch “Murder Drones” with him while I skipped the first episode, so I missed out on a lot of story building that overall left me lost for the rest of the show. The first two or three episodes, you could tell Glitch Productions was a smaller and less skilled animator then what they are in later episodes and newer series. The story at this point is still building, it doesn’t really get too interesting until halfway through then I would have to say it was really good and action filled.

At the beginning of the series, I really wasn’t into the show. I found a lot of the show's jokes really corny and the behaviors really weird, but I still sat and watched it and I’d say it was worth it. By the last three episodes, I was ready to finish watching the next episode and the rest of the series. Still being lost in the story due to not watching the first episode, I was slowly picking up on everything and I started to enjoy the jokes and humor of the show, along with the better animation going into the show at this point.

I wouldn’t say you should go out of your way to watch this series, it wasn’t a 10 out of 10 show, but if you ever do get bored I would suggest watching this. Overall, I did enjoy the show, I would be caught rewatching it with the knowledge of what happens in the show now. The reason I said you shouldn’t go out of your way to watch the show is for two main reasons. The main reason being how slow the show starts in action, but the end has a ton of action that made it worth my time. The one thing I didn’t like is the cannon shipping of two main characters. It wasn’t even done right in my opinion and was just a random cringe 5 second scene, it ruined it all for me. The show gets a solid 4/10, would watch again and again.

Sources:
MURDER DRONES - Episode 1: PILOT

MURDER DRONES - Episode 2: Heartbeat

MURDER DRONES - Episode 3: The Promening

MURDER DRONES - Episode 4: Cabin Fever

MURDER DRONES - Episode 5: Home

MURDER DRONES - Episode 6: Dead End

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOqw86OGIB0  

MURDER DRONES - Episode 8: Absolute End

Cheyenne Parker

October 21, 2024

Today, I'm doing a review of the movie “Sam and Colby: Legends of the Paranormal.” This has huge spoilers so be warned! 

This will be split into parts. First, let's start with the plot and the layout of the movie. The plot of the movie is centered around Skinwalkers, though UFO are mentioned along with ghosts. Skinwalkers are mentioned the most in the movie. Nat, Sam, and Colby are the main ones there doing the investigation. The beginning starts with a phone call. It is amazing and sets  a tone for the movie. It set almost that horror and suspense tone. The movie was set up as a documentary with a few photos tossed in. 

Moving on to the next part: the investigation. They do a few things to talk to spirits there, one being the Estes Method, which is sensory deprivation and listening into a spirit box though headphones. There was also a second method to stir up spirits, which was disturbing the land as it is said the ghosts and Skinwalkers hate people disturbing the land. That seemed to disturb something in the film. Now we will move onto their evidence and what they found. Something happens at the start of the video when they're driving down the road. They called it a deer, but they were unsure so they didn't want to call it anything. Then at night, Colby walked outside to go investigate something outside while Sam and Nate stayed in their room. Colby  heard something on the other side  of the ranch, almost like a scream (if I remember correctly) so he rushed to tell the others. To keep this very short, I'll only say two parts of evidence as I have two more comments. There are a few funny moments too. There was one where they were accusing the cows of being Skinwalkers and the second moment was when  they were making animal calls by the lake. The last part is the rating of the movie and if I'd recommend it. I give it a 10/10. Amazing movie. I recommend it. It's not too scary and if you're a chicken to horror, it isn't too bad to watch though it has a few jump scares.

Kamryn Heerschap

October 21, 2024

One thing about me is that I’m an only child. This isn’t very common in the United States and especially during these recent years. Around 23% of Americans are an only child. 3.2% of Americans are twins. Today, I’m going to interview two friends of mine, and ask them what life is like as a twin. Fun fact, twins are actually one fertilized egg that has split into two. This basically means that they are one person cut in half, which is pretty interesting to think about. After Googling some options, I’m going to ask both of them some of the most common asked questions about twins. Questions like, do you feel each other's pain or can you read each other's mind? 

Our first interview is with Madison Morris. The reason I did her first was because she is the oldest by only 3 minutes. The first question I asked was whether she was able to read McKenzie’s (the other twin) mind. According to Maddie, “Sometimes I can, but it depends on what we are talking about.” This is a typical question for twins and somehow I never hear the answer I want. I asked Maddie who was the “smart” twin and her response was, “That’s a dumb question, cause it ain’t me.” If you have ever met these senior twins, then you’d know they are very different from each other. When asked whether she thought her or her sister was considered the “bad” twin, Maddie said “Me, and don’t ask why.” 

The second interview went a lot differently and you can tell simply just by their different answers. The first question I asked McKenzie was if she could feel Maddie’s pain and her answer was “No.” The second question was if McKenzie ever wished she had a twin brother instead of a sister and her answer was “sometimes.” I also asked her if they have ever switched places which is a common thing many twins do. McKenzie said, “No, we haven’t, but we definitely want to.” 

Before the interview was over, I asked both twins the same question, “Do you like being a twin?” Maddie said, “Sure,” while McKenzie said, “Yeah.” It may not be obvious in the beginning but even though these girls are completely identical they have different interests and even separate lives. They both even agreed that it's basically the exact same as just having a regular sibling. 

Citations: 

“Twins, triplets, and other multiples.” Office on Women's Health, 22 February 2021, https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/twins-triplets-and-other-multiples. Accessed 15 October 2024.

McKenzie Morris

Madison Morris

Madison Morris

October 21, 2024

Do you need ideas to do during your spare time? Here are 5 easy creative ideas to do for Halloween. 

First, is a Halloween snow globe. All you need is a few items to make this. You need a mason jar, it can be small or big, glycerin, and some glitter. You can create your own Halloween scene. This craft is very easy for kids and even adults. It only cost $3 to make this so it’s very affordable. Down below is the link to how to make it. 

Second, is a black cat banner. If your Halloween style is more sweet than spooky, these cute kittens are the perfect addition to your home. You need quite a few supplies for this. This craft is also easy for kids, but I'd recommend a parent to be there to help. Down below is a link to get you started on this craft. 

Third, is Halloween candles. Instead of your old basic candles, you can spice them up and make these really fun and easy candles. You can use different designs for your candles and you can use the app called Silhouette Cameo. It only cost $15, but I’d definitely recommend it if you want to make your house look extra spooky for Halloween this year. Down below is a link on how to make the candles. 

Fourth, is 3D paper haunted houses. This craft is impressive, but it’s surprisingly easy to make. You only need 3 things to make it: cardstock, glue, and foam. You can make your own very sense from your favorite Halloween movie. It cost $3 to make this craft, it’s very affordable and only takes 25 mins. Down below is how to make it. 

Fifth, is crochet witch hats. You’ll have the best costume in your neighborhood after you make these. But most of all, you can make these hats in a variety of sizes, from human to pet. You only need yarn for this craft, it’s easy for kids, but definitely have a parent around to help. Down below is how to get started on this craft. 

Citations:

Caldwell, Sophie. “23 Halloween Craft Ideas For October 2024.” Today Show, 1 October 2024, https://www.today.com/life/holidays/halloween-craft-ideas-rcna170698. Accessed 14 October 2024.

“DIY Halloween Cat Banner - Free Pattern.” Crafting Cheerfully, https://www.craftingcheerfully.com/diy-black-cat-halloween-banner-free-pattern/. Accessed 14 October 2024.

“Halloween Snow Globe (with Video) ⋆ Sugar, Spice and Glitter.” Sugar, Spice and Glitter, https://sugarspiceandglitter.com/halloween-snow-globe/. Accessed 14 October 2024.

“DIY Halloween Candles Using Vinyl Embellishments + FREE Cut Files.” Where The Smiles Have Been, 11 October 2018, https://www.wherethesmileshavebeen.com/diy-halloween-candles/. Accessed 14 October 2024.

“3D Haunted House Paper Craft ⋆ Sugar, Spice and Glitter.” Sugar, Spice and Glitter, https://sugarspiceandglitter.com/3d-haunted-house-paper-craft/. Accessed 15 October 2024.

“Crochet Witch Hat.” Repeat Crafter Me, 20 October 2022, https://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2022/10/crochet-witch-hat.html. Accessed 15 October 2024.

Shawn Ormond

October 21, 2024

I’m sure that you know what an emoji is. 92% of people online use emojis daily, which comes out to be over 10 billion users. At this moment, we have over three and a half thousand emojis. Having this many emojis and weird people on the internet, you're bound to get some weird usage of these emojis, but it's more common than you may think. It’s often used around the media to use different emojis for the wrong meaning.

One popular use of emojis being used wrong is the sobbing emoji being used for laughing instead of crying. It’s used mostly for laughing while crying, even though the ROFL emoji covers that being made for that reason. The meaning behind this emoji use usually means, “I’m laughing so hard I'm crying.” Most people prefer the look of this emoji more than the ROFL emoji itself, therefore people prefer to use this emoji rather than the laughing and crying emoji.

The skull emoji is another good example of emoji use. The skull emoji represents the object of a human skull, rather than any emotion of face or anything like that. This emoji is commonly used to represent an emotion. However, it’s commonly used as “I'm dead” or “for real.” A way people could use this emoji in this way could be a response to a funny video and they respond with the skull emoji. This would mean either the video was really weird and they meant “For real?” and didn’t like it, or it could mean they found it so funny they mean “That’s so funny I’m dead.”

Those were just the main two that are found all over the media, but if you look you will see so so many more examples of this. There is not a real reason for why people do this other than it becomes a thing to use a specific emoji in a specific situation. I personally will use weird emoji combinations like this often from private messaging people to public comment sections. 

Citations:

30 Statistics About Using Emojis for Businesses | ZoomInfo, 22 December 2023, https://pipeline.zoominfo.com/marketing/emoji-statistics-for-businesses. Accessed 15 October 2024.

“Emoji Counter - Count emojis in text, free online tool!” Character Counter, https://charactercounter.com/emoji-counter. Accessed 15 October 2024.

“What Do These Emojis Mean? A Breakdown of the Top 50 Emojis.” EZ Texting, https://www.eztexting.com/resources/sms-resources/what-do-these-emojis-mean. Accessed 15 October 2024.

Kamryn Heerschap

October 11, 2024

Last week's article consisted of the Menendez brothers and who they are. Recently, they have become more and more popular after the show “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” came out on Netflix. Like I said last week, the public has had some interesting thoughts about this show and how “accurate” it really is. After fans have been waiting weeks, a film on the brothers was released known as “The Menendez Brothers.” The film will show the story from the brother’s point of view after they were interviewed for the film. My job today is to compare the two films and express to you how truly similar and different they are. 

The immediate first thing I noticed when watching the new film, The Menendez Brothers, was the emotional aspect of the movie. After seeing multiple clips pulled from their actual court case, I noticed this brought some immediate connection from the brothers to the movie. I witnessed many discussions from their past, including emotional and physical abuse from their father. Seeing their reaction to the questions by the defense attorney really expresses how they felt towards their dad. Lyle and Erik both struggled tremendously when answering questions about their father and you can see on a physical level how strong these emotions really are. One thing I’ve learned in psychology is how operant conditioning works. This is when someone associates their behavior with the consequences to their actions. Lyle and Erik both endured torture form their father and you can say his parenting style aligned a lot with this. After tennis practice, Erik would be punished merely based on how well he did, or even just how he acted in general. This type of conditioning created a fear in the brothers, so much to the point they could no longer endure the abuse. 

Even though the emotions portrayed in the show “Monsters” were considered tremendously different from the new film, most of the stories and events in the show align in real life. How the brothers were portrayed in the show was inaccurate and can make you question Ryan Murphy’s intentions, but the story is pretty straight you could say. The show “presents several facts from the real true-crime story but also ends up portraying other aspects of the real case with inaccuracies and fact checking errors” (Sharma). We can clearly see the difference between the two shows. One has  interviews from the brothers themselves which were taken in 2023. The other is directed by someone who based the show off public information and personal opinions. I’m not saying which one is better or worse, I’m simply here to compare the two. One is based on the emotional roller coaster these boys went through and they truly feel while the other is based on events that happened to them, and how the director feels. 

Remember, it's always important to do your own research before jumping to your conclusions. Sometimes your opinion may be different than someone else's, and that's okay. 

Madison Morris

October 11, 2024

Have you heard the news about TikTok being bad for children? TikTok was sued by a bunch of attorneys who think it’s dangerous for children. They say it’s harming children’s mental health, with some kids even getting injured. Some kids may even die because of the challenges TikTok has. The attorneys also say that TikTok relies on “addictive content.” This can turn into mental health problems. The content can harm children’s sleep patterns by making children spend more time on the platform. Others say this information is not true and that we should keep TikTok. 

A 15-year-old boy died in Manhattan while playing a game, which was a trend on TikTok. The social media company says they are making kids under 13 not be able to have TikTok. You have to be 18 years or older to be able to get it. There are several states that are suing TikTok. California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington have open lawsuits against the app.

When could the TikTok ban go into effect? They are trying to ban it because of its ties to China. But, TikTok won’t be shut down for a while; the bill could take months or even years. The Senate is not in a hurry to send the bill to President Biden. If the bill passes, it would have to go to the President and become law once he signs it.  

If you ask my opinion on banning TikTok, I would say I don’t mind it being gone; I’ve realized that it's nothing but the same thing over and over. I feel as if kids under 12 should not have it, there is some content on there that is not for younger kids. I can say it has impacted my mental health a lot, TikTok can get depressing sometimes and I feel as if I just watch the same sounds over and over again. 

Citations:

Duffy, Clare, and Deidre McPhillips. “TikTok sued by 14 attorneys general over alleged harm to children’s mental health.” CNN, 8 October 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/08/tech/tiktok-sued-14-states-childrens-mental-health/index.html. Accessed 10 October 2024.

Huddleston, Jennifer. “Could the Latest TikTok “Ban” Pass Constitutional Muster?” Cato Institute, 12 March 2024, https://www.cato.org/blog/could-latest-tiktok-ban-pass-constitutional-muster. Accessed 10 October 2024.

Yilek, Caitlin, and Paul Miller. “When would a TikTok ban go into effect?” CBS News, 20 March 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-ban-go-into-effect-senate. Accessed 10 October 2024.

Shawn Ormond

October 11, 2024

For the most part, if someone comes out to you and says, “Sharpies smell good,” you might just think they are crazy or something. There is a large percentage of people who think gasoline smells good; this is the same thing when it comes to markers like Sharpies. Is there actual science to this or are people just actually crazy?

I’m going to hope that you know what a Sharpie is, but if you don’t, a Sharpie is a popular brand for a permanent marker used to draw or label things. Sharpies contain non-toxic ink that comes from the marker, but if used incorrectly it can lead to health issues. Generally speaking, it’s perfectly safe to sniff the tips of your Sharpies. It is good practice to keep any type of markers, along with Sharpies, away from young children to prevent them from getting hurt.

Sharpies themselves aren't addictive, however they do contain chemicals such as “Toluene” and “Xylene” which can stimulate different receptors in the brain. These can make you think and imagine pleasurable sensations creating a false sense of addictions at times. This smell is a unique smell due to the chemicals in the Sharpie itself, not from any adding scents or addictive chemicals to the Sharpie itself.

It can be harmful if you have a prolonged exposure to the Sharpie fumes due to the chemicals entering your lungs, but this isn't something that you should explicitly worry about due to it being non-toxic. Over exposure to these fumes can create a conditioned response in the brain from the positive sensations received from the chemicals. It’s also worth noting that most injuries that come from sniffing Sharpies are from hypoxia, a lack of oxygen that causes confusion, dizziness, and can put someone unconscious if serious enough.

Citations:

Lecklitner, Ian. “What Does Huffing a Sharpie Really Do to Your Brain?” MEL Magazine, 10 Oct. 2019, melmagazine.com/en-us/story/what-does-huffing-a-sharpie-really-do-to-your-brain.

Perry, Caitlyn. “Does Anyone like the Smell of Sharpie Markers or Is That Just Me?” Quora, 2019, www.quora.com/Does-anyone-like-the-smell-of-sharpie-markers-or-is-that-just-me. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

Wallace, Dan. “Unlocking the Secret: The Science behind Sharpies’ Addictive Smell!” Owlift, 24 Sept. 2023, www.owlift.com/blog/why-do-sharpie-smell-good/.

Cheyenne Parker

October 4, 2024

Today, I'll be listing five strangest animals to keep as a pet from least strange to most strange. The first least strange animal someone has owned is a serval. It doesn't sound as strange as some of the other animals on this list. It is a cat native to Africa and people own exotic cats and it seems quite normal on this list. Next, is the bearded dragon. It's a small reptile and is easy to own. Again, this is not that weird and many people own bearded dragons. It's an animal people can own if they are allergic to cats and dogs and isn't uncommon. Let's dive into some of the weirder animals. The next animal is the chinchilla. It's mild, but not many people own chinchillas. The fourth weirdest animal people keep as pets is the sugar glider. It is an odd pet but not as weird as the last animal. The final animal is the kinkajou. I don't even think I can say that name! The kinkajou has to be the weirdest from the list. 

Citation: 

 https://rarest.org/animals/most-unusual-pets-people-actually-own.

Madison Morris

October 4, 2024

I’m here to give you a review about Longhorn restaurant. This place is around North Carolina; you can find them in Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem, Salisbury and more. Longhorn was founded by a family of four and it’s a steakhouse. Obviously, they are known for their delicious steaks. The prices are a little pricey, but not expensive. My favorite thing to eat when I went there was the “Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich.” You can also get more items there and get parmesan crust. They also have really good appetizers. They used to have fried pickles, but they took them off the menu. If you’re new to eating there, you can’t really go wrong with any of the appetizers. They are also known for their bread and butter; they always give you a fresh loaf when they seat you at a table. Did you know that you can also ask for cinnamon butter? I never knew that. I would prefer to go there and eat the lunch menu. It’s a little cheaper than the normal menu. Longhorn is a perfect restaurant for a family to go to, like for a birthday or basically anything. 

Citation:

https://media.longhornsteakhouse.com

Shawn Ormond

October 4, 2024

I’m sure by now you’ve heard of either brain rot itself or the term, but have you ever sat down and really questioned where it began? You would probably come to the conclusion that “Skibidi Toilet,” or maybe a meme before that, “Skibidi Dop Dop Dop,” had begun infecting the internet first. But brain rot memes themselves began growing way back in 2004 along with the rise of the internet itself. 

With the rise of the Internet being more available to the normal day-to-day person in the early 2000s, it wasn’t too much of a surprise that memes would begin to exist and ways to share memes. On MySpace, one of the earliest social media platforms, people had begun to make memes and such content and had the ability to spread it all over. 

Ever since memes started to form around 2004, the term brain rot began to be used around the year 2010 to categorize overexposed, low-quality memes. A few examples include “What Does The Fox Say?” in 2013, the Troll Face in 2008, and “MLG” memes as early as 2007. All these can be considered low-quality and overexposed memes. As these following memes would be mass shared among the media, they would gain the title of brain rot.

In modern times, brain rot still contains such memes with low quality and overexposure. With how much access people have to the internet in modern days, it is really easy for people to post low-quality memes and for a large audience to overexpose such content.

It doesn’t appear that brain rot will be going away anytime soon. As long as we have the internet, people will be making low-quality memes, and they will be overexposed and spread all over different social medias. Since there isn’t anything you can do to stop the spread of brain rot material, my professional advice is to help by spreading the brain rot and letting it take over the internet even more and faster than it’s currently going.

Citations:

Wikipedia Contributors. “Brain Rot.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Sept. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_rot.

Hamilton, Phillip. “Brain Rot / Brainrot.” Know Your Meme, Know Your Meme, 8 Nov. 2023, knowyourmeme.com/memes/brain-rot-brainrot.

Kamryn Heerschap

October 4, 2024

Lyle Menendez (56) and Erik Menendez (53) are brothers from Blackwood, NJ. Their parents are known as Kitty and Jose Menendez who were also famous and known for their riches. Lyle and Erik are currently serving life in jail without parole due to the murder of their parents which they did in fact plead guilty to. Even though these men were put into jail for murder, they were fighting for release on a manslaughter charge because they argued that these murders were simply self defense. 

Lyle and Erik have been in separate jails for over 22 years and recently were allowed to see each other for the first time. Researchers are looking into their case again to find a verdict after finding new evidence that may prove their “innocence” and that they acted out of defense. According to “The Guardian’s” article about the case they said, “During two harrowing trials, they claimed they feared their parents were about to kill them to prevent the disclosure of their father’s long-term sexual abuse of them.” This quote helps to shine some light on these men and to help prove their defense to these charges. 

Recently a show came out on Netflix called “Monsters; The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and many fans are complaining about the way these brothers were portrayed. The man who came out with the show is known as Ryan Murphy. After comments from the brothers claiming it was poorly portrayed, Ryan comments back immediately saying, “It’s interesting that he’s issued a statement without having seen the show.” We can easily see from past court tapes and videos from their trial, that these fans may be correct. We’ve seen Lyle in action during his trial and even before, showing no signs of anger or psychopathic traits however we can see that Ryan Murphy tried to portray him that way in the show. 

The important thing is, these brothers went through horrendous torture as children and affected them tremendously as they have grown into adults. Maybe we will see these brother’s release happen soon and maybe justice will finally settle. 

Karen Velez Hernandez

September 20, 2024

Every year on Sep. 16,  Mexico celebrates its Independence Day, a national holiday commemorating the country’s liberation from Spanish rule. This significant day marks the start of Mexico’s struggle for freedom, which began in 1810 and culminated in victory 11 years later with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba on Aug. 24, 1821. The movement for Mexican independence began in the early hours of Sept. 16, 1810, when Miguel Hidalgo, a Catholic priest, delivered his famous "Grito de Dolores" ("Cry of Dolores") in the small town of Dolores in the state of Guanajuato. 

His rallying call inspired the people of Mexico to rise against Spanish colonization, sparking an 11-year battle that would eventually lead to freedom. On the evening of Sept. 15, the president of Mexico stands on the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City, reenacting Father Hidalgo’s call for independence by delivering a passionate speech, honoring the heroes of the revolution and ringing the very same bell that Hidalgo rang over 300 years ago. The event is marked by fireworks, parades and vibrant festivities across the country. The holiday however is often confused with Cinco De Mayo, which years later commemorated the triumph on May 5, 1862 of the Mexican army at the Battle of the Puebla.

Charlotte celebrated the independence day of Mexico with entertainment-packed events filled with live music, traditional foods and cultural experiences. The State of North Carolina has been increasingly shaped by the economic, social, and cultural contributions of the Mexican community, and whereas, the State of North Carolina encourages residents across the state to join in celebrating the remarkable history and heritage of Mexican Independence, and wishes all who celebrate a happy Mes Patrio. The Governor of the State of North Carolina, proclaims September 2024, as “Mexican Independence Month” and Sept. 16, 2024, as “Mexican Independence Day” in North Carolina, and commends its observance to all citizens.

Aerial Tate

September 20, 2024

I chose to write about fall, because honestly, it is my favorite season of all time. I think of fall as a season where you spend time with family and friends. I love when fall comes around and everything around me is decorated and smells like pumpkin spice. Most of all, I love when coffee places start coming out with pumpkin flavored coffee. The fall season brings me so much “joy” I love going to pumpkin patches and taking fall pictures. In my house when the fall season comes around, my nanny goes crazy with decorating. For example, she has changed all the Scentsy warmers in the house to fall/halloween warmers and the scents are pumpkin scented. My mom also changes things in her room to fall things and decorated her classroom at work for fall as well. So, as you can see, my family loves the fall season and goes crazy when the time comes. To be honest, I probably am more obsessed with fall than anyone else in my family.

Cheyenne Parker

September 20, 2024

Ever wondered what life is like from a dog's point of view? Well, here is a guess...

Hi! My name is Copper! I have a busy day. Well, busy is a lie. Today, I woke up on my king size bed. It took me 15 minutes to get out of bed, with my mom’s help of course. I went and got some water as I was thirsty. Then, I decided to harass Cheyenne as she was getting ready for school. Her ankles were sadly protected so I couldn't go after them.

I got over that once she was down in the yard. Once Cheyenne was at school, I laid back down for about two hours. Dad asked if I wanted to go outside and of course I did! I ran around outside barking and growling at everything. Once I was tired, I went back in for more water and then lunch. 

After lunch. I laid back down, shocker. I laid until Cheyenne got home, when I harassed her once more. I then went back to bed as that tired me out. I then started to beg for food when the humans were eating dinner. I got my dinner and then night fell when I went out one last time before falling asleep for the night.

Cheyenne Parker

September 13, 2024

My view of the Golden Corral in Asheboro will be discussed in this article. Golden Corral is a popular buffet restaurant. Some of these places are better than others. I will review the Golden Corral in Asheboro. I will start with their fruits. Their fruits vary from what I have noticed. Their fruit is good, but it is out of a can. Canned fruit is something you can't go wrong with. I don't really eat salads but when I did try their salads, some of the lettuce was way too crunchy and then some was too soggy. Their dressing was out of a bottle, again something you can't mess up.  

Let's move onto the meat. The meat is okay. Not the best but they're okay. The ham was the best. Their desserts are good. They are good and look nice. The ice cream was good. I overall give them a 3.5 out of 5. It's not the best, but not the worst food I have ever had. I would recommend it if you want a buffet option with a good amount of options. 

Works Cited

“Golden Corral | Logopedia | Fandom.” Logopedia, https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/Golden_Corral. Accessed 13 September 2024.

Karen Velez Hernandez

September 13, 2024

The UK signed the first international treaty to implement AI safeguards and it was also signed by the EU, US and Israel. This treaty aims to prevent misuses of the technology, such as spreading misinformation or using biased data to make decisions. Under a legally binding agreement, the states must implement safeguards against any threats posed by AI to human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The treaty is called the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence. It was drawn up by the Council of Europe, an international human rights organization. It was signed on Thursday by the EU, UK, US and Israel. The justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said Artificial Intelligence (AI)  had the capacity to “radically improve” public services and “turbocharge” economic growth, but that it must be adopted without affecting basic human rights. 

According to the Council of Europe, its goal is to “fill any legal gaps that may result from rapid technological advances.”  Recent breakthroughs in AI – the term for computer systems that can perform tasks typically associated with intelligent beings, such as learning and problem-solving -have triggered a regulatory scramble around the world to mitigate the technology’s potential flaws. This means there is a patchwork of regulations and agreements covering the technology. The treaty states that AI systems must comply with a set of principles including: protecting personal data, non-discrimination, safe development, and human dignity.

As a result, governments are expected to introduce safeguards such as stemming AI-generated misinformation and preventing systems from being trained on biased data, which could result in wrongful decisions in a number of situations such as job or benefits applications. The treaty covers the use of AI by public authorities and the private sector. Any company or body using relevant AI systems must assess their potential impact on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and make that information available to the public.

The UK now needs to see whether its various provisions are covered by existing legislation, such as the European Court of Human Rights and other human rights laws. The government is drawing up a consultation on a new AI bill.

Aerial Tate

September 13, 2024

Maddie Morris is a very caring person. At first, I didn't know her, but I knew of her. Maddie and I got close when we had biology class last year together. Maddie is a very caring and thoughtful person. She has been with me through so many things and we had gotten really close because of that also. Maddie has shown me what a real friend is and has proven to me that you can trust her with anything. I am very grateful that I have gotten the opportunity to become friends with such an amazing person. When I found out Maddie was a twin, I was so confused on how to tell them apart. As I hung out with Maddie more and more, I started to notice the difference in their facial features and I realized that it wasn't hard to tell them apart. Maddie has become a big part of my life and Has a huge impact on it and I am grateful that I can call her my friend and know she will always be here for me.

Karen Velez Hernandez

September 6, 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are taking two different paths to prepare for their September 10th presidential debate, the first time the nominees will face off since Democrats upended their ticket this summer.

It will be hosted in Philadelphia which will represent the candidates’ last chance to set their agenda before they meet. 

Since President Biden ended his reelection bid, former president Trump has struggled to land on a message to blunt Harris' momentum. Trump has also been commenting out personal attacks and nicknames, also criticized her lack of press conferences and new interviews, and blamed Biden administration policies for inflation and high costs.

 Harris, on the other hand, has been focused on qualifying many of the positions she laid out during as one of the 2019 Democratic presidential debates nominees. She also argued that her values have stayed the same even if her stance on issues such as fracking have not changed. 

The Vice President is also planning on delivering a speech in New Hampshire on Wednesday to expand her next steps for an economic plan according to some advisors. 

For much of this week, Harris will take a step back from the trail ahead of the debate after spending Monday campaigning in the so-called blue wall states with labor leaders. 

Trump meanwhile, is building up his appearances after skipping Labor Day campaigning. The former president will virtually headline the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Leadership Summit in Las Vegas on Wednesday and deliver a speech at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday before holding a rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin, on Saturday.

Trump said he would impose tariffs on other countries and sign an executive order directing and/or leading agencies to combat inflation on the first day of a second term.

Aerial Tate

September 6, 2024

“Crow” is a short story made by John Legend. This short film is based all around friendship and what challenges you can overcome. During this short film, it starts off as summer and all the animals are outside having fun, then it starts turning winter and all the animals are getting cold and in need of warmth. This group of friends named Crow, Skunk, Moth, and Owl come up with an idea to send someone to the sun and ask him to come back so they can be warm again. Owl comes up with the idea to send Crow to the sun because he is the only one who can make it to the sun. At first, Crow was very arrogant about it and only cared about himself , but once he started to notice his friends were in desperate need of warmth he agreed to go to the sun. Crow did everything he could to make it to the sun and when he came across the animal who thought about everything;, she was the reason it was winter and not summer anymore. Crow had asked her to stop thinking about winter and make it summer again. She gave the crow a stick with fire on it and told him to take it back to his friends. Down on earth, Crow’s friends were worried about him and so the moth went up to space to make sure the crow was still alive and safe. Moth ran into Crow and startled the crow and he accidentally blew out the fire. Crow was so disappointed and he had to come up with a plan to get the fire again to help his friends. Crow came up with the idea to fly into the sun and get fire for his friends which he did. When Crow came  down to Earth he was on fire and it had burned all his feathers and his voice was scratchy. All his friends were amazed with the sacrifices he took for them and did everything they could to make him feel better about how his identity had changed because they knew he loved his voice and the way he looked so they helped him regain confidence and tell him how they believed in him and never doubted him. After that, the animal that thinks turned winter into summer again because she was watching Crow and saw the sacrifice he had taken for his friends.

Cheyenne Parker

September 6, 2024

Today, I will be reviewing two movies. “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2.” They are amazing movies, and both of them have a huge meaning behind them. They both focus on mental health and changing when you age. 

“Inside Out” focuses on Riley growing up. In the first “Inside Out,” it focused on Riley when she was 11 years old. It shows how Riley changes. Riley had to move to a different state and a new house. She went from Minnesota to San Francisco. She thought everything would be great, that was until she started to have doubts of her new house. There were a lot of emotions going on and she hid it. She hid it until she couldn't no more and snapped. It showed how stressed and sad someone can get without showing it.

In the second “Inside Out,” it focuses on Riley particing in hockey before she starts high school. It shows Riley changing when more complex emotions come into play. It showed how years changed from simple emotions to complex ones. In the end Riley realizes she shouldn't fit in as it was hurting more than helping her. She let her anxiety go and be herself.

“Inside Out” is a good movie to explore emotions and show that it's ok to struggle with emotions , whether to show them or hide them. I would recommend these  movies 100%.