St.Vincent; the Digital Witness

by Lexie Thomas


       St.Vincent, personified by Annie Clark, is known for her polysemous lyrics and complex, intricate arrangement of musical instruments. Clark’s lyrics are often of a mysterious nature sung with an almost odd calmness and clarity, accompanied by “Hendrix-esque” guitar riffs and electronic melodies.  Clark has produced four albums up to date: Marry Me (2007), Actor (2009), Strange Mercy (2011), and the most recent, St.Vincent (2014). Going back to the bittersweet lyrics and the hauntingly beautiful orchestral sound of Marry Me, Digital Witness is a far cry from Clark’s previous work. However, St.Vincent hints back to some of her roots by integrating a robotic version of a “Big Band Era” brass section into many of her songs, being influenced by Clark’s collaboration with David Byrne entitled, Love This Giant. Clark’s most recent album is a collection of dissonance between electric guitar riffs and big brassy climaxes against her voice, which is angelic in its syntax; it sounds charming and clear in slow tempos and powerful and messy in faster ones. Digital Witness is the pinnacle of the electronic transition Clark’s music has taken over the years.

       Digital Witness opens with "Rattlesnake", an electronic and beat-based track that gives you the powerful urge to shake your leg or bob your head. This track is arguably the danciest, having electronic melodies and a satisfying dissonance that makes one want to play a totally justified air guitar. The lyrics are playful; Annie writes about a feeling we all can relate to, the feeling of being in a place by yourself completely, being unable to physically see anyone. But that isn’t the reality; you aren’t the only one in the world, even if it’s a lesson forgotten at times. On the track, Annie runs through the desert, seemingly alone; she decides to take her clothes off. She then sees a rattlesnake, from which she realizes she isn’t the “only one in the only world”. This is an interesting perspective and provides a story that blends funkily into the beat. The second track,one of Clark’s more popular singles, is called Birth In Reverse. It’s an upbeat track that carries one through a knotty and once again funky beat and acerbic synth and guitar solos that grind, but in the good way. Clark’s smooth yet rhythmic vocals contradict her edgy and synthy sound. The lyrics are some of the most deep and interesting off of the album.  She talks about carelessness; living life inside of an organized chaos you as an individual have created. When infants are born, we consider them to be fragile and innocent; a birth in reverse would be someone  who is impure reverting back to what they were like when they were born. Birth In Reverse is quite similar to Digital Witness with its opening bold and brassy statements. “What's the point of doing anything?...If I can't show it, you can't see me. Watch me jump right off the London bridge.” Clark sings, opening up to the reader about how society today posts countless thoughts on social media and how society depends on social reassurance to function properly. She asks, if everyone on social media doesn't care, what's the point of doing it?

These songs are an open and promising trajectory to the amazing and hyper-poetic album of St.Vincent. Her lyrics here are doing something that they've never before touched—they are giving the listener a peak into Clark’s poetic and beautifully quirky mind. She talks about her loneliness, her numbness from the work she does, anthems to her mother, things she wishes she would have said, etc. Clark’s latest album is one of the most relatable albums concerning young adults; some may dismiss the album as a completely weird and outlandish statement. However, they fail to let the rhythmic and intricate melodies move them and dive into the lyrics to see that Clark has regrets, family, issues and feelings that she brings to the table; a table that may not be too different from the one you and your family dine at.

     
Here is a different yet similar opinion on Annie Clark’s St.Vincent

Why SNAFU’s Deconstructive Elements Make it Such a Thought Provoking Show

by Jack Scheibelein

       Despite popular belief, not all Anime is pandering nonsense watched by guys in their twenties and thirties who live in their mom’s basement. No show exemplifies how expectations can flipped on their head better than My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU. The 2013 spring released Anime flew very under the radar and probably didn’t receive the amount of praise that it should have, given its insightful social commentary on the life of teenagers and the things people take for granted, even when coming from a Japanese perspective. Aside from its general likeability the show as much to offer as a Deconstruction of what is known as the slice of life genre.

       Slice of life is more specifically a genre in the medium of Anime in which a few characters simply live out their lives in whatever universe they happen to be in. There is no overarching theme most of the time, the genre is kind of a misnomer. The genre tends to be filled with shows that have a happy ending without really any struggle. It also is more commonly set in the soul sucking vacuum from which no happiness can escape that most people call high school. A few good examples would be shows like K-ON, Lucky Star, Chihayafuru, Kimi no Todoke, and a slew of other shows.

       Just for a bit of background on the plot, the show is about loner high school student named Hachiman Hikigaya. Seeing that he has absolutely no social life whatsoever, his teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka, forces him to join the school Service Club, whose main goal is to help students at the school with problems that come up in their lives. This creates a story in which Hachiman is forced into solving everyone’s various problems, be it through physical work or through a conflict of ideas. Already in the club is fellow classmate Yukino Yukinoshita who seems to have a similar but slightly less pessimistic outlook on life. The story becomes less about his adventures in a high school club, which is what most Slice of Life stories turn into, and more about the ideological conflict between pessimist to the extreme, someone who is somewhere in the middle, and an optimist in the form of the service club’s third member Yui Yuigahama.

       This is where SNAFU shines the most. It uses what you would typically see from the from the Anime in the Slice of Life genre and creates a show centered around high school philosophy, and also constructs a story and characters that complete subvert your expectations, which is the entire concept of a Deconstruction. Although, this does only refer to the first season(The second season is an entirely different beast to take on).

       The first thing to note about this show is that almost nobody is happy.

Just like actual high schoolers, and unlike the high schoolers of the usual Slice of Life Anime, everybody in the story has their own problems and battles to fight. It’s not all sunshine, unicorns, and rainbows. This is most exemplified in the main character Hachiman. Because he was hit by a car while trying to rescue a dog in the street he is hospitalized for two months and does not start school until more than halfway through the semester. This is the main reason, as he likes to believe, that he does not have friends, but it is a lot more than that. Hachiman’s pessimistic attitude stems mostly from the fact that he got rejected by all the girls he asked out on a date in middle school. His attitude and general lack of confidence or empathy for makes him an outsider to everyone around him, except for Yukino.

       Yukino and Hachiman end up being at odds for most of the show despite being a lot more similar than either one likes to admit. It is because of this similarity and also her somewhat outcast status that she can relate to his pleas.

       Because the show centers mostly around the actions of the Service Club, it is through the way in which they help people with their problems that we see the members individual ideologies and how they perceive the world around them, and in credit to the two main characters more largely negative perceptions that we see a more realistic view of high school and a rather large shift from the happy go lucky attitude of most Slice of Life Anime.

       Another reason that differs in its storytelling is that high school is not the main focus is not on high school specifically. In Fact the dynamic might not be any different even if it was a story focused around a local charity. High School is really only used as an entry point into the minds of the teenagers and how they interact with each other.

       The purpose of the Anime is not to paint a picture of an absent-minded high school existence where the only thing they worry about is social status and grades good enough to get into college. Rather, as what constitutes a Deconstruction, SNAFU uses the high school setting as a battle ground for different outlooks on life.

       This is shown best in episode five, where Hachiman is confronted with his friend from middle school who needs his help in looking at his novel that he is attempting to write. In this case Hachiman’s friend still has a very child-like outlook on life, mostly because he has not grown out of his middle school mindset. In this cased high school is used as a barrier to separate Hachiman from his friend in their views of the future, with high school representing a descent into reality.

       The last thing that makes SNAFU stand out from the crowd is, of course, the philosophy. The shows overall message seems to be that there really is no one way to live life and that, in the end, is not ruled by a single narrative.

       Hachiman believes that nobody likes him and that his social outcast status has relegated him to bearing everyone’s burden. In his eyes, it is only logical that he should be treated as everyone’s slave, further enforcing the idea that he should stay in the club. Yukino, as mentioned previously, has a similar idea. In her case it is because of her popularity among a large population of their school and her wealthy status that she has been cast out as one of the “other.” This causes her to believe that she does not care about the opinions, while it is fairly obvious that Hachiman cares at least a little. Yui, who as a main character is largely ignored after the first couple of episodes, has a dependence on others for acceptance. At first she believes that she can only be validated through other people. Her ideas later change after talking to both Yukino and Hachiman for a long time. She goes from reliant to independent by the end of the first season.

       Life is a series of trials and errors where the errors seem to have more weight than any long string of successes. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU presents an oddly more real “Slice of Life” than any other show in the genre, making it an amazing Deconstruction and even better Anime.

Here's a different take on SNAFU from Animenewsnetwork.

Candide and the Plight of Optimism

by Daniel Nicolette

       We all love a little blast to the past, but how about 300 years into it? Voltaire's Candide is a clever look into the Era of Enlightenment criticizing just about everything. Wars are bloodbaths with no winners, powerful religious figures are hypocrites, and death is just another day in the life of everyone. (except the guy who just died) Such sentiments weren't appreciated by the rulers and religious figures of 1700s Europe, so the book was harshly received by the establishment of the time.

       Voltaire's humor shines through when what seems to be hyperbole strikes the reader as truth. "What! Have you no monks who teach, who dispute, who govern, who cabal, and who burn people that are not of their opinion?" His commentary comes through the eyes of a candid man who continues to questions like these to various characters and in turn, to the reader.
       While Voltaire pokes fun of many social issues facing European society, his strongest message resonates today amongst readers. Candide, the candid man wandering to find his love, follows a philosophy of pure optimism. A mentality that everything was done for a reason, even the most brutal of savagery and horror. While important to see the glass half-full, overflowing the glass leads to incompetence and unwilling to take action against the unjusts thrust upon you in your daily life. This panglossian attitude, amply named after the philosopher Pangloss in the novel, is as dangerous today as portrayed in the book.
       "Optimism, It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst." To accept the worst as the nature of God or a predestined path forces you not to consider why such things are that way. Forgoing logic and reason due to tradition or feeling is a common theme seen in modern media. Voltaire was always one to combat tyranny and superstition, and this gleams in his work.
       Overall, Candide is an excellent afternoon read if you can push through 1700s French translated into English. A true classic to survive another 300 years. Stay a little skeptical of tradition, and it'll help you look at things clearer in the future.

Care for a different take? Click here to check out the historical context from The Guardian.

You're Never Getting Off This Train: The Psychology of the Hunger Games

by Loren Haas

"You're not leaving me here alone," I say. Because if he dies, I'll never go home, not really. I'll spend the rest of my life in this arena, trying to think my way out." -The Hunger Games

     Katniss Everdeen is one of many heroines who has become incredibly popular in a young adult literature. However, there is a price for being a hero. Like those coming back from military service, the choices you make and the things you see can and often will haunt you forever; PTSD is common among veterans and hard to understand for those who do not suffer from it and even sometimes for those who do, as it can take different forms for anyone - and everyone.

     Katniss Everdeen has perhaps the most obvious PTSD, as the reader witnesses the world of Panem from her mind and knows how she thinks, how she feels. The reader is aware of the nature of her nightmares and every detail of what haunts her from her experiences in the Games. However, even if the reader was not witnessing the events from her perspective, the reader could identify the signs of PTSD. The ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) gives three main symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder: reliving the traumatic experience (in ways such as flashbacks or nightmares), avoidance of people, activities, or places that are associated with the trauma, and "increased arousal," which presents itself as insomnia, difficulty concentrating, jumpiness, and being easily irritated or angered. Katniss Everdeen meets all these basic criteria: 1) she has nightmares throughout the Victory Tour, and, in the Catching Fire movie, she mistakes an animal she is shooting for Marvel and misses her shot, 2) Katniss cannot stay in her home in the novel when pressure gets high and conditions in Twelve worsen, so she goes out into the woods, which is not connected to her victory in the Games, and 3) Katniss frequently gets irritated and sometimes angry with Gale, Peeta, and the other Victors, and shatters a window upon President Snow's announcement that the 75th Hunger Games will have the Victors return to the Arena. Katniss experiences more symptoms than those basic three, however; she also experiences incredible and consuming guilt and feelings of worthlessness from her time in the Arena and stops participating in her regular activities, such as hunting with Gale.

Katniss Everdeen after a nightmare in District Thirteen

But the true beauty of Suzanne Collins's portrayal of PTSD does not come from Katniss alone; it is that she is able to represent post-traumatic stress in all of her characters who have experienced the bloodshed of the Hunger Games and the horrors of the Capitol. Coping with trauma through alcoholism is a path taken by many veterans returning from war and Haymitch Abernathy alike; more than two out of every ten veterans with PTSD also develop Substance Abuse Disorder, and veterans have a tendency to become binge-drinkers. Alcoholism has become a major outlet for the pain war and tragedy leaves behind, and Haymitch represents this tendency along with the pain behind it perfectly.

Haymitch drinking while mentoring Katniss

       Substance Abuse Disorder connected with PTSD does not just mean alcoholism; drug abuse is also common with A SUD. Johanna Mason begins to abuse narcotics after being tortured by the Capitol. She has displayed prior symptoms prior to abusing the painkillers in District Thirteen; she claimed to have no one left she loved, a sign of the dissociation from reminders of the Games and perhaps just from society in general that she and Katniss both experience. Also, Johanna is constantly portrayed with a deep, burning hatred and anger towards the Capitol and those she could possibly associate it with. in the words of Jena Malone, who played Johanna mason in the films, "As soon as I started understanding what that horror is, what that anger is, I realized that she had developed all these ways to be able to survive. She's using her humor, her combativeness, and her unpredictability to keep people at arm's length, but also to protect herself."

Johanna Mason before Katniss's interview

       All characters - and all people - respond to traumas differently. Some people blame themselves, and some people blame others. Some people get angry with the world, and some fall into a depression. Some seek out medical help and others self-medicate. The price for being a hero is one that is always paid in novels and in life, and everyone pays that price in their own way. In the end, one lesson all books teach us is that pain is relative.


Want to read more about PTSD in The Hunger Games? Check out here and here!

Star Wars: Why Casting Female Leads Changed Everything

by Kaitlyn Wheeler

        How excited were you when Disney announced its creation of not just Star WarsEpisodes 7, 8, and 9, but also the spin off movies such as Rouge One? Chances are, a majority of you were ecstatic. After all, this is Star Wars we're talking about! It's one of the most successful, innovative series ever made! But one game changer that the creators of this next generation of movies made was the casting of female lead characters, which raised controversy. In fact, when Daisy Ripley was cast as the star of Force Awakens, there was fan outrage. It became so bad, that co-star John Boyega had to make several statements regarding the fans' outrageous hate surrounding Daisy, and his own casting (the hate regarding him revolved around his skin color). The outrage quickly escalated when they announced Felicity Jones as the lead of Rouge One. Many people of the internet claimed that this new consistency of having female leads would deter from the over all Star Wars experience, and blamed the new casting directions on Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm.

       But where many fans see a lack of originality in the double casting of women, what they should see is Star Wars doing what it does best: being innovative. How so, you might ask? Well did you know that between 2007 and 2012, 30.8% of speaking characters in movies were women. Many people argue that this is fair because Fewer women view movies. But this is far from the truth. In fact, about half of movie attenders are female (Statistics provided by the New York Film Academy). But how does this relate to Star Wars being innovative? It does because Star Wars is, by creating a pattern in casting female leads, doing something that has never been done before. It's presenting gender equality in its films. It is showing a plethora of female personas, such as the tough warrior Rey, and even the more feminine Leia. Even in a time where creating new things is difficult, it's being innovative.

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PETA is Not as Harsh as People Make Them Out to Be

by Willow Lewis
                 

       PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), was established in 1980; it is a nonprofit charitable organization, that protest for the rights of animals, and yes, sometimes their methods can be harsh, but they work. For instance, they did "flour-bombed" Kim Kardashian on the red carpet, because she wore fur. The organization operates under the principle that animals are not here for us to eat, wear, experiment on, or for entertainment.  PETA is known to be the most extreme animal rights protest group because they will do whatever it takes to protect and save the animals. The four major areas they focus on are factory farms, laboratories (that test on animals), clothing trade, and entertainment industry, these four areas are where they are suffering the most.  They care for the well-being of the animals and their goal is not to make sure they aren't offending anyone; it is to make sure that animals are heard. They see them as having just as many rights as humans do, and they should be able to live  their life in peace. Animal cruelty has been a growing problem and passive aggressive methods aren't going to get the message across; people aren't going to pay attention unless it's in their face. Allison Mariotti explains how PETA acts like a school bully and is childish. They wouldn't have to be childish if people didn't act like children. Kim Kardashian is known for acting childish. Lady Gaga is wearing a meat dress; that is going to grab attention and some of it is not going to be good. I do understand that PETA could use a different method that is not as violent, but you've got to give them credit for their dedication. PETA is not always the hardcore organization that people make them out to be. They also deal with helping people understand what they are trying to do in a calm manner, and they also help vegans and vegetarians by giving them food choices. PETA gets donation and signatures to help animals in need and they do this just by asking and not by using violence. It needs to be understood that this organization is doing everything it can to make sure animals have a voice. PETA stated that "We can eat better, educate ourselves better, clothe ourselves better, and entertain ourselves better without torturing and killing animals." Without PETA's "outburst" many would look over the animals and their issues. So yes, you could say their methods can be harsh, and many people do not agree with them, but when it comes down to it they are getting things done and getting the message across; and isn't that the most important thing?

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The Tennessee Walking Horse Industry

by Erin Shott

     Tenneseee Walking horses trying to get his or her horse to have a "big lick." This includes soring their feet, putting pads on them, and chains. This is no humane way to go about it. Yet, you see it in shows and training all the time.
 Anybody who owns a horse or is in the horse industry knows of the issue about owners who own
       To the FBI, the official definition of animal cruelty is: "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly taking an action that mistreats or kills any animal without just cause, such as torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maiming, poisoning, or abandonment. Included are instances of duty to provide care, e.g., shelter, food, water, care if sick or injured, transporting or confining an animal In a manner likely to cause injury or inflicting excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering, e.g., uses objects to beat or injure an animal..." This definition addresses the soring, chains, and pads. These are objects that hurt, burn, and injure the horse just so they can have a "big lick." "
       The show judges are encouraging this technique and behavior out of people, because they give the 1st place ribbon to the horse who has the "big lick" and did not put a stop to this ignorance in the first place. My question is why have they not been shut down yet? This has been going on for years with little progress. But, according to the FBI, and to anybody who cares about the health and well-being of the horse, this is abuse.

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Paranormal Take Over

by Abbey James

       
       From TV shows like Hollywood Teen Medium and the drama filled series Vampire Diaries to creepy movies like Paranormal Activity and 10 Cloverfield Lane, paranormal beings and urban legends have taken over society; whether it be a seducing vampire, sinister ghost, or power-hungry alien, we love to watch and hear about their unworldly actions.
       So why are we so addicted to watching these things? Is it because they are things that are unworldly and things that draw out our curiosity? In actuality, we are so consumed by the paranormal because, like any other outlet, we use it as a way to express ourselves and create our own world. This is much like in fan fiction where people attempt to live the lives of the characters. Simply put, we enjoy hearing about things we don't experience in our day to day life.

Edward Cullen from the Twilight Saga

       But even if it is because we are expressing ourselves, how did we turn an evil, blood sucking vampire into a character we fall in love with? Dr. Belisa Vranich from Huffington Post gives us some reasons in why we love vampires, that might cause an obsession with these monsters. Vampires are the archetype of bad boys, yet are sensitive loners, fearless, powerful, and over all attractive. So, sure, I guess vampire fascination can be justified, but why do we enjoy watching scary movies that keep us up at night and give us heart attacks at every jump scare?
       The science of why we like to be scared is based around the release of the chemical Dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is used to control the pleasure and reward center in the brain, thus our reactions to the movie cause a release which allows those horrifying scenes to become fun and addictive. So if watching scary movies can also be justified, can we justify whether or not these paranormal beings are real or fake.
        Many people have eyewitness accounts of UFOs and ghosts, odd personal stories about premonition dreams that come true, or  tellings of big foot stomping through the forest. Are these claims really trustworthy? If you have experienced any of these things for yourself, of course you would say "yes"! However, in reality it is easy for people perceive situations incorrectly, not only that, but most of the time  we also have inaccurate recollections of our accounts. In CSI's post eyewitness testimony and the paranormal, they talk of studies that prove how inaccurately people recall accounts of "paranormal experiences." A lot of these inaccuracies stemmed from the participants who believed in then paranormal.

famous  Bigfoot sighting

       What causes a person to believe or not believe. For most people seeing is believing; which is typically the case for any situation. But not everyone has a paranormal experiences in their life, so is the paranormal only real if you think it is real? I'd say yes, most experiences happen when the person is open minded to the possibility or has the slightest of curiosity about paranormal. But you can also decide whether you believe by looking at pictures or videos; there is a multitude of of these claiming to be real footage paranormal activity.

       The paranormal may be taking over the media, but can it take over the world?



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The 'Wussification' of Baseball

by Matthew Goldstine

       Have you ever wondered how former athletes would play if they were born in a different generation? Take Ty Cobb for example: A first-ballot  Hall of Famer, surely he would have been as dominant as ever, right? Wrong. Though he had an all-time high .367 career batting average and well over 4,000 hits, his whole game relied on violence. Cobb was infamous for sharpening his cleats before games, and then spiking other players during the game to gain an advantage. He was constantly fighting players, and he even fought a fan for  bad-mouthing him during a game. If he played now, he would be fined repeatedly by Major League Baseball, and he would most likely be suspended for a timely length of games. Now lets turn the tables and see how today's stars would play in the MLB of the past. Mike Trout is commonly referred to as the best player in baseball right now, His uncommon mixture of power, speed, and defensive prowess classify him as a 5-tool player, one of only 8 in baseball right now. We, as fans, like to believe that Trout would dominate in any era, though that isn't necessarily true. He would definitely still be above average at any time with his skill set, but he would be a much different player in the past. Ty Cobb would've torn him up any day. Trout would've constantly faced adversities that we overlook now because they don't exist anymore. The roughness of the game creates competition, and that goes for all sports. Countless rules are made that are used to lessen the amount of injuries and coddle players. This can be seen across all sports. Don't get me wrong, rules are the foundation of order, but sometimes the just end up keeping players from playing.
       In the 2015-16 MLB season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were facing off against the New York Competition was at an all-time high for the season as the two teams battled to move on. Veteran second baseman Chase Utley was preparing to make a common play in baseball. He was trying to eliminate the chance of a double play by sliding hard into second base and keeping the shortstop (or second baseman) from being able to get a good throw to first. This play has been executed hundreds of thousands of times in the last 100+ years. As Utley slid into the bag, he slid late and kicked his leg up into Mets' shortstop Ruben Tejada, shattering his ankle and landing postseason him a spot on the Disabled List for the rest of the 2015 and into this young 2016 season. This play ended up causing a new rule to be passed, dubbed the 'Chase Utley' rule. If a player goes into any base late and causes interference with an opposing player, they'll be called out automatically. Boom. As simple as that; well over 100 years of a routine strategic play ended that easily. The rule has already come into play in the first week of this new season. The Blue Jays lost a game to the Rays after Jose Bautista was called out on a quite controversial interference call. If an umpire made that call 100, 50, or even 15 years ago he would've been booed for days by crowds across the country, and most likely suspended or fined.
Mets in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to compete for a chance to go to the World Series.
       Another semi-recent rule was the home-plate collision rule established in 2014. The main reason this became a rule was due to a damaging collision between the Giants' franchise catcher Buster Posey and Scott Cousins of the Marlins in 2011. Click here to see the injury. Cousins blatantly collided with Posey on a play at the plate in hopes that he would drop the ball and give the Marlins a run. The play shattered Posey's leg and the Giants' season. Since the beginning of baseball, people have caused home-plate collisions. It's a strategic play that enables the offense to give themselves a chance to score. It's just like stealing a base; that's the game. While injuries are a serious topic, players know exactly what they are getting into. Major League catchers are definitely aware of the risk they have in playing a sport, since they play the most physical position on the field.  All other players are also aware of the risk they have to deal with on a daily basis. If we continue to create rules just because there was an injury, what are we going to end up with? Will we even have a sport in the future? Players won't be able to run; they could pull a hamstring or sprain an ankle. They wouldn't be able to throw either; someone could pull a muscle in their arm, or someone could get hit by the ball. Oh, wait! No bats then either! There's too much of an injury risk there. We're left with a group of grown men standing in the sun having a casual conversation about the weather. That isn't a sport. Dictionary.com defines 'sport' as "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or a team competes against another or others for entertainment." An excess of rules treat athletes as if they are fragile, not truly representing the grit and toughness in them that helped them reach the level of a professional sport.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Mixed Reviews

by Cameron Niemeyer

       With a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 28%, and a Metacritic score of a measly 44 out of 100, you immediately think that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an absolutely terrible movie. Blamed for having a thin story, underdeveloped characters, and forceful world building, this movie has been slammed by the critics.
       But, when you start to dig a bit deeper, you realize that there's more to this story. User and viewer reviews across the board are much more positive, with a Rotten Tomatoes user score of 69% and a Metacritic user score of 7.3/10.
       So why are the reviews so drastically different between critics and fans? There's only one true answer to this question: this is a comic book movie made for fans, not a movie trying to win an Oscar for Best Picture.

The Batman

       The movie was loosely based on Frank Miller's epic comic book miniseries The Dark Knight Returns. The similarities between the movie and the comic are undeniable. They got the look of the Batman right, all the way down to the studs on his boots (see Garrett Rowcliffe's article Batfleck: Why He's Good and Why it Matters). They also created a live-action Batman that mirrored exactly what a Batman from the comics would do: find a threat, use his skills to discover the perpetrator, and neutralize said threat. So, to any of the critics saying that this movie's Batman was the worst incarnation in history, you forgot about George Clooney.

The Action

       For starters, the movie was absolutely gorgeous. It's best seen at an IMAX theater, and most likely the biggest piece of eye-candy you'll see this year. Now that that's taken care of...
       The fact that BvS is so visually stunning makes the actions sequences within it even more amazing. The action was fast paced, beautifully animated/choreographed, and left viewers on the edge of their seat, not knowing what to expect next. Comic book readers and fans all love superhero action, especially when so much time and care was put into creating these fight scenes. Not to mention that the Batman v Superman fight felt like it was ripped straight out of Frank Miller's comics.

The Characters

       Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice introduced a whole host of new characters for comic book fans to enjoy. The big new guys on the block were Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor. Lex Luthor was depicted in a whole new way from the comics, but his evil antics and scheming nature offered a lighter tone to the much darker movie. He was very enjoyable to watch and created a new version of the iconic villain. Wonder Woman, was, in short, epic. Her ultimate introduction near the end of the movie in the fight with Doomsday showed just how hardcore her character is. The theme music given to Lex and Wonder Woman were perfect, and fans can be pleased that they created themes that so seamlessly matched the characters' personalities and reputations.
       BvS also acted as the prequel to the highly-anticipated Justice League movie coming out next year. In order to do this, Warner Bros had to introduce heroes into the movie, but they couldn't be a distraction to the major plot. And they did just that. The introduction of the Flash through Bruce Wayne's nightmare sequence was ingenious and subtlety hinted at the arrival of the main villain of the Justice League movie. The other two inductees, Aquaman and Cyborg, were introduced through little clips that Lex had collected throughout the years. This allowed the producers to include the beginning of the League without actually taking too much attention away from the main storyline.
       Fans are always excited to see their favorite comic books characters on screen together, and BvS managed to do that without creating too much of a fuss.  

Aquaman

The Box Office

       Even though Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice didn't have a good turnout after the first weekend, it has still reigned in a lot of cash in a relatively short amount of time. As of April 14, the film has had a return of over $800 million worldwide. This a lot of money, but many critics are very disappointed in this turnout. This is an unfair opinion, as they are automatically comparing this movie with the success of The Avengers. The Marvel Cinematic Universe started way earlier than the DCEU did, and this gave them a huge advantage. They were able to roll out smaller movies over time, growing their fan base and testing their audience. When The Avengers released, their universe buildup was complete, and they raked in a lot of cash. With BvS however, they were only given one movie to start out their universe, and were automatically expected to perform just as well as Marvel did with The Avengers.Here's an article that explains it in more detail.

The Story

       Most critics claimed that the film's story had no depth and was forced. However, the producers of BvS crafted a story that perfectly appealed to the fans. The main idea explored throughout the movie was the idea that Superman, a god, lived among man. What destruction would occur if Superman changed his mind about us? Who would stop him? That was the question asked by many of the world's citizens, and especially by the Batman. The pure drive and determination that Batman possessed to kill Superman was a great representation of his characteristics in the comics. But, his story was pretty straightforward: outsmart Superman, and do not allow him to continue as long as he still posed as a threat.
       The depth of the main story comes into play with Superman. Because of all the public outcry over Superman's actions, this also created internal conflict within him, as he was struggling to discover his identity, and whether or not what he had done was right. He also had to figure out whether or not our world deserved him. BvS explorers his inner struggle, and this creates a much deeper story .
       Overall, the story created by the producers of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicesatisfied comic book fans with its in-depth look into the character of Superman.

      Conclusion

       In conclusion, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was a perfect movie for newcomers and long time fans of the characters. It was not a movie meant to please critics (who all they care about is how it stacks up to previous Oscar nominated pictures), it was a superheromovie. A movie meant to amaze their fans. And, through a combination of story and character elements, action, and box office revenue, anyone can tell that this movie is much better than what any critic believes.

Want to read the review from one of the movie critics? Just click here.

The Arkham Trilogy

by Harrison McCroskey

Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight are three of the greatest video games based on comic book characters. Though most games of their kind are awful, Rocksteady, the company that made these games, got it right. Arkham Asylum set itself apart with basic stealth mechanics, fluent combat, and good storytelling. Then, the other games built off of it with new abilities, better graphics and more. However, Arkham Knight has lost some qualities from the first and second games.
       For one, the extensive amount of technology in Arkham Knight has made it almost science fictional. Do not misunderstand, the new Batmobile and Batsuit are awesome additions; however, it almost gives the impression that this game is set in the far future. Batman has always used technology to give himself the edge over criminals, but never to this extent. The Batmobile in particular makes batman more capable of dealing with an entire army, yet makes it impossible for him to have dealt with the Arkham Knight without it. The new voice synthesizer and other gadgets are not too advanced, but the massive amount of drones and some of the weaponry on them seem a bit much. Rocksteady definitely set out to make Arkham Knight this way, but all of this technology seems excessive. As one of the militia said in the game, “More money has been spent on this op than some countries spend in a year.”
       The way that Rocksteady involved the Batmobile is fun and makes the player feel powerful driving into almost everything on the road without taking any damage and blowing up drones. Though, operating a tank seems like one of the last things Batman would do. Not to mention that he actually uses a 60mm cannon while in it. Batman uses a gun, which goes against one of his biggest rules. He has not used a gun in any of the other games, nor has he ever used it so often in any movie or comic book. Rocksteady including this new form of combat feels fresh and fun to Arkham players. The game is more fun because of it, but Batman is not a soldier.

 The story of Arkham Knight is no doubt a good one that portrays Batman and his enemies well. Kevin Conroy (Batman), Mark Hamill (the Joker), and the other voice actors do a great job representing these DC characters; however, there is less emphasis on the story and more emphasis on gameplay and graphics. Rocksteady has created a superb story for the conclusion of its trilogy, but some aspects of it could have been better. Take for example the fact that the Red Hood, or Jason Todd, freed Batman at the end of the story, then just left. Not only is this a wasted opportunity for Batman and him to make amends, but it leaves out the ending for the Arkham Knight. The game was named after him, and he should have gotten a better ending. One of the greatest aspects of this story is that the Joker is in Batman’s head for most of the game. It is both interesting and ironic to hear his input on the things happening in the game. However, I expected a few more laughs out of him than I got while playing the game. At the beginning of Arkham Asylum, Joker says, “That reminds me, I really need to get me some new shoes.” Saying this after Killer Croc threatened to eat Batman made this a hilarious joke that made the Joker a more likable character. He is still somewhat goofy in Arkham Knight, but hardly ever makes the player laugh out loud. The story is as good as the other games in its own way, but could have risen above them with a few added details.
       Rocksteady has changed their main priorities with this last installment. The game feels fresh and epic with many things that carried on from the previous games. Some things, however, would have made it even better.

Want another article about Batman: Arkham Knight? Click here to read IGN's review.

Only Skeleton Bones Remain

by Carissa Culpepper

       Music had always been a part of culture and an important part of people's lives. The kind of music people grow up listening to has an effect on them and says with them through out their whole lives. There are many genres of music, each with it's unique parts and identifiable sounds. Some people listen to one kind of music while others may listen to a variety of different types. No matter who you are or what kind of music you listen to, everyone had that one band, artist, album, or song. That stays with them and has a resonating meaning that's special to them.
       There is a band that had recently rose to fame and that many people, teens and adults alike, hold dear to their heart: Twenty One Pilots. Their hit song, Stressed Out, has recently earned them much fame and praise in the pop industry even though their genre is alternative. Twenty One Pilots consists of two members, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun. Joseph is the singer of the band and also plays the piano, the ukulele, and the bass. Dun is the drummer.

Josh Dun (left) and Tyler Joseph (right) 

       How the two met is still unclear because in interviews they make up a different story each time. The band was formed in 2009 and released a self-titled album that is only available on digital download. In 2011 they released the album Regional At Best only on cd and for a limited time. 2013 brought the album Vessel, which is considered the band's first album because it was the first released with their current record label, Fueled By Ramen. Their newest album, Blurryface, was released in 2015. Fans love all the albums and each brings it's own sound. Twenty One Pilots is also known for having deep songs and lyrics which are evident is songs such as Guns For Hands, which is about how suicide isn't the answer, Truce, which is about staying alive and staying strong, and Migraine, which is about facing the demons in your head.

Skeleton Clique Symbol

       The Twenty One Pilots fanbase is called the Skeleton Clique. The name comes from a short poem Tyler once tweeted: "Under clothes, Under skin, underneath we're all the same. For when you remove the tricky tricks, only skeleton bones remain." The name Skeleton Clique is a reminder that no one is better than anyone because we're all the same.
       Over the years Twenty One Pilots had gained a large fanbase and it continues to grow. Some are casual fans who only know a few songs and some fans live and breathe Twenty One Pilots. But that doesn't mean one fan is better than another. The band does hold a different meaning to different people. Some like them for the music and for others the band is the sole reason they are alive. No matter what the band means to someone the message they send is a strong one. A big part of the band is encouraging people to create. The Twenty One Pilots logo is a big reminder to create and be confident in your creations. The actual meaning of the logo is unknown. When asked about what the logo meant, Joseph's response was:
"It means Twenty One Pilots, the logo does. Why it means Twenty One Pilots, is it really goes along with one of our songs called 'Kitchen Sink'. The whole concept of that song is that I feel that humans are always struggling all the time when it comes to purpose, trying to figure out their purpose is, what purpose even is, what's the point, justifying your own experience. A lot of kids and people my age struggle with 'what's the point' and with the logo, what it really means is it's an encouragement. When someone asks me what the logo means to me, the logo means something to me because I made it mean something to me. That's the point. The point is that I created something that only I understand and whether or not I decide to disclose the meaning of it, that's the beginning of purpose for me. The meaning of purpose for me, is by creating something, if it be writing lyrics, painting a picture, by expressing yourself through art if it's photography or music or theater, or whatever it is. It doesn't have o be artistic, but if you create something and only you know the meaning of it, that's the beginning of purpose for you. When you're in the room by yourself trying to decide whether to stay alive, you can tell yourself, 'I should probably stay alive because I'm the only one who knows the meaning of that thing.' So the logo is an encouragement for people to create. That's what it means."

The Twenty One Pilots logo

 The song "Kitchen Sink" embodies the meaning of the logo. The song talks about how 'a kitchen sink to you is not a kitchen sink to me.' This means something doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. For some people, Twenty One Pilots is their kitchen sink, it's their reason to stay alive. The band means something to everyone, but people relate to things differently and therefore the band hols a different meaning to different people. But none the less the band inspires all its fans to create. The Clique has made amazing fanart and fanfiction all inspired by two guys who make music. The community made by Twenty One Pilots is astonishing. People have made friends at concerts and even through the internet. The online community tries to help everyone and furthers the band's message to stay alive by helping other fans through tough times and giving them words of encouragement. The band Twenty One Pilots had brought so many people together and tries their best to make sure everyone feels included. At the end of every concert Tyler ends it with "We're Twenty One Pilots and so are you." Joseph doesn't see the band as just him and Josh. He sees the fans as the band too which is something that isn't seen a lot in the music industry anymore. Twenty One Pilots means something to a lot of people. Next time you hear 'Stressed Out' on the radio and think of it as a catchy song. Think of all the fans who feel deeply about a band called Twenty One Pilots.

"We're Twenty One Pilots and so are you" 

For more articles like this click here and here.

Why PC Needs to Chill

by Cameron Jeske

       Political correctness, a word that has had quite an up and coming in recent years. But what is political correctness? The definition is the avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against, however today the word refers to much more. Political correctness has taken the form of avoiding anything that might offend someone.
       Now don't get me wrong, I think being a jerk is as bad as anyone, but the fact that there is not a need for an increase in political correctness is evident. Saying words like the "n-word" and other racial slurs are obviously hurtful and should not be uttered, but other words such as "black" draw crowds of people yelling, "that's racist!" Racist is defined as a person who believes that a particular race is superior to another. Black has become a politically incorrect term, and there is no reason for that. The word "black" is not bringing the race down, just as the word "white" doesn't have racist intentions towards white individuals.
      Now racism is still an issue in the world today, that is quite evident. In the world of black individuals, the Ku Klux Klan is still a very large issue. Just as with radical Islam extremists, that one group represents a whole, and whites are represented as racist people who think that they're the best. That just comes with people's perception of things, and the increase of the media.

        Speaking of the media, a main factor in the increase of political correctness is this society. The media has many methods of manipulating viewpoints, thus causing strife among many. This picture to the left is a prime example as to how the media can show different perspectives to influence the common opinion. Every day on the news, you hear tragic stories about deaths, "20 die in plane crash," or "3 dead in theater shooting," however this is shadowed out by other minor issues involving a controversial issue, such as gay marriage or racial violence. A prime example is the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin incident in which George Zimmerman, a white-Hispanic male was out on a neighborhood patrol. He noticed Trayvon Martin, a 17-year old African American male, and called the police, reporting him for "suspicious activity." Their was then an altercation between the two individuals, which led to Zimmerman fatally shooting Martin in the chest. Zimmerman originally was not charged with anything, due to his claims of self-defense. The story is not necessarily the main point, but the fact that after the shooting, riots and protests blew up nationwide due to the fact that a white male killed a black teenager. You don't hear of riots if a crime is white on white, black on white, or any other mix of races. White on black crime is labeled as "hate crime," while murder is just plain murder. I don't care what race you are, if you commit murder then you get put away or given the death penalty. On the other hand, self defense is a justified act. Even if the victim is a black teenager, if self defense was actually put into play, it had a justified reason. The issue here isn't race, it's the fact that people make it an issue of race.

        All in all, people need to stop being offended so much. Basic things turn out as huge issues because a small group of people get offended. Cloyd Rivers, if you're reading this, I appreciate you checking out my blog. Oh, and by the way, Merica.

For more information on the issue of political correctness, visit here.

A New Era for Marvel

by Blake Bart

        DareDevil is a TV show based on the Marvel superhero, Matthew Murdock, who lives in Hell's Kitchen, New York. As a kid he was involved in a car accident and got chemicals in his eyes, causing him to lose his eyesight. He lives with his dad, and when he is around 9 years old, his father did something he wasn't supposed to do, and now Matthew is in a foster home where he meets a man who is also blind, and teaches him that losing his eyesight only made him stronger and taught him how to use his other 4 senses to see better than he ever could. Murdock uses the love he has for Hell's Kitchen to drive himself to get into the mask and fight crime. But throughout the show he has to choose between his friends, career as a lawyer, and continuing being the daredevil. The style of the show is very unique compared to a normal Marvel show. Daytime street chases are replaced with dark ally muggings. And instead of superhero quips, they focus more on the sounds of bones crushing and blood splattering. Marvel has adventured into a completely different way they portray their superhero's and they did a fantastic job with it. Another similar thing that marvel did compared to DC is the flashbacks that happen throughout the show. Matthew Murdock will often have flashbacks about times when he was a kid living with his dad, and when he was in the foster home training to use his loss of eyesight to see better. The idea of using flashbacks is something Marvel has just started to do, and its a good way to elaborate more on the show and provide more information about the character. As someone who is more of a fan of DC Comics, this show constantly had me on the edge of my seat, and having to stop watching for the day was actually hard to do. Overall Marvel did a really good job with the show and have now discovered a new style of superheros that they can now dominate. If anyone asked, I would easily recommend the show for anyone interested in superhero shows, or just seeking an action show.
   
For another opinion over the show click here. It talks more about season 2, and if there ever is a season 3, what could happen.

False Heroism

by Jacob Wiggs

       "A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities." This is the definition of a hero from Oxford dictionary. The status of hero is given to few and although the definition is simple, becoming one is not so simple. To become a hero you must do something so awe inspiring that it can never be forgotten. Most heroes are only fictional and do not exist in the real world, but there are times when there are real life heroes. These are people who we believe fit the definition and have committed an act worthy of out awe, but what happens if these people aren't truly heroes.

        The biggest question we must ask ourselves is,"why do we make these people heroes even if they aren't really heroes?" The answer is very simple yet complex. First you must look at how we find out about their stories. We find out about them through the media. We see their story plastered on the news banner or in a movie theater. You may wonder why this is a problem but with so much money involved with these sources it becomes a major issue. The perfect example of this is Captain Richard Phillips. His story has become very prevalent the past few years due to the release of a movie based on the hijacking of his ship. The movie portrayed him having great courage and risking his life for his crew, but the story told by the real crew was very different. Before and even during the hijacking his crew said he failed to follow protocol and ignored multiple warnings of the danger. Although these new reports from the crew have come out, there has been little coverage over them. How  could these reports be so overlooked and not cared about? The answer goes right back to money. If the story had been portrayed correctly it wouldn't have been as appealing and it wouldn't have sold as much. In order to make sure the true story would remain secret, Sony paid most of the crew to stay quiet. Many believe this was a tactic to help the fake story sell better.
       At an even more basic level with no money involved, these heroes make better stories than their fictional counterparts. We are thrilled by these stories and they make us believe in ourselves and think, "If they can do something so courageous, so can I." So if a person were to not be so heroic in reality they leave out the parts that make them seem not so heroic so people still believe in them.
       There are many other issues involved with creating false heroes. One issue is that the people who were also involved and did heroic deeds get left out of the story or are overshadowed. These other heroes fail to receive the compensation they deserve from the media's earnings. The other major issue is that some fake heroes use their new found fame negatively like to spread false information and commit some forms of defamation to other people. For example, Chris Kyle used some of his fame to spread lies about Jesse Ventura. Chris Kyle has done some amazing things but has also lied about many of his actions to help gain supporters.
       The creation of false heroes is a real issue in American media that does need to be addressed. My challenge to you is to learn the facts before you put that person on a pedestal and make them a hero.

Click here for an article related to this topic.

Walking Dead: The Cliffhanger *Spoilers*

by Tommy Banker

       Season Six of the Walking Dead on AMC has been a rough ride for those following the community of Alexandria. After following their most successful season where each episode received an average of 14.4 million views, the creators of the show refused to take their foot off the gas. Many new characters were introduced and as a general rule we've learned, when you get some new ones, others are sure to be lost. This season, there has been over eighty significant deaths. One of whom is yet to be identified until next season, leaving all of the show's viewers asking, " Who is it?"
      To develop the best guess of who the creators decided to kill off, looking back through the season for trends is a good strategy. This year, the show was full of significant events. The events can be classified into three different groups: caused by the Wolves, Negan, and intra-group issues.

1. Wolves

• The Wolves invade Alexandria
• The Megaherd is drawn into Alexandria
• Jessie dies (Rick's love interest at the time)
• Carl loses his eye

2. Negan

• Alexandria meets Jesus who introduces them to Hilltop and Negan
• Rick and others invade one of the Savior's compounds for supplies from Hilltop
• Negan's group captures Rick and others
• Negan kills one of the main characters

3. Intra-group

• Rick and Michonne hook up
• Abraham and Rosita break up
• Carol leaves Alexandria
• Morgan fights for peaceful action in the group

These events make three visible trends or themes:

Expansion of the World
       This season has opened up Alexandria's knowledge of the new world. This can be accredited to the character Jesus. When first met, Rick and Daryl disregarded what Jesus said, but as a result of many incredible feats performed by Jesus, Rick and Daryl are forced to listen. Jesus shows Alexandria the community of Hilltop and the super power, Negan.
Loss of Control
       With their world flipped, Alexandria is no longer the top dog in this post apocalyptic world. In the season finale, Negan and his people put on a spectacle of power that outshines any other thing we have seen in the Walking Dead. As of now, Alexandria is just another servant to Negan. This is a huge change for the main characters as they have always been the most powerful or escape dangerous situations. This trend no longer applies.
Human Threat v Zombie Threat
       As the show has progressed, zombies are becoming more deteriorated and smaller in number. This makes survival for humans much easier because of how weak and small in number the zombies have become. Although this may sound good, it actually brings about greater human conflicts. As the world starts to repopulate with humans, things like food, water, medicine, and other necessities for survival become more desired. With limited amounts of resources in existence, groups are having to fight for their survival. An example of this is the invasion of the Saviors' compound. Now, unless people need to start becoming more self reliant, they are going to have to start using and whittling down other groups like Negan is currently doing and Rick did in the recent past.

       Though these themes are trends, a good prediction can be made about season seven and answer many of the viewers' questions like: Who did Negan Kill? Can the main group escape from this situation? How will life change under Negan?

       My prediction for who Negan killed is Glenn. Since the start, Glenn has always been one of the most compassionate and human characters. People like these are always at a disadvantage on the show because the setting doesn't accommodate for this mindset. Now that Negan and his people have established their power, they need to exercise it to show how great it truly is. To do this, Negan decides killing one of them would leave the greatest impression. The show's creators are now left with the final decision of who it is. An innocent character like Glenn would strengthen the message that Negan is trying to send. Killing Glenn would follow the idea of Alexandria's weakening control against the growing interpersonal threats.

       For the group's chance of escaping, I'd say they have no chance. No crotch bite is going to save the now. Now that the would has been opened up to them, Alexandria has been put in their place. Negan has complete control right now.

       Finally for how life will change, the character I think will experience the greatest change is Rick. Without direct command on Alexandria and now serving under someone else, I don't know how Rick can adapt. The days of the "Rick-tatorship" are over. Now Rick is just a puppet with no way to retaliate against his master.

As a fellow Walking Dead fan, what are your thoughts?

For more predictions on Season 7 visit this blog.

A One Man Band

  by Kailey Bullock

     Former One Direction member Zayn Malik’s new solo album has been highly anticipated by his fans, new fans, and even people who are curious to see what music he creates by himself for the first time. Almost two weeks ago, he released Mind Of Mine on the one year anniversary of his departure from One Direction, on March 25, 2015. Aside from this interesting coincidence, the album hit number one on the charts almost instantly. Malik even became the first person having hits in the Hot 100-chart when in a boy band, and then have a number one hit as a soloist since George Harrison from the Beatles. He does have many other accomplishments, which can be found at this link, along with another critique on hisalbum.
       In interviews, Malik says that his album is inspired by the women in his life. If you listen to just one song on Mind Of Mine, that largely appears to be the case. Each song on this record sounds different from the others, yet every track flows together nicely. The first track titled “MiNd Of MiNdd (Intro)” is exactly 57 seconds of impressive vocals and soothing instruments. After listening to this, if you think you know what this album’s whole sound will be like, you're most likely wrong. The next track “PILLOWTALK,” which reached number one on the charts the day it debuted, is very different. Mainly an R&B track, it gives the album an awakening start. Each track is so different and has a unique feel to it, yet they are all brought together brilliantly by Zayn Malik’s amazing vocals. Not knowing much about the technical terms about vocalization myself, I know that Malik’s talent is astounding. He hits unbelievable notes on his second single off of his album titled “iT’s YoU” repeatedly throughout the song. Other songs like “sHe,” “BeFoUR,” and “fOoL fOr YoU” also show his incredible talent. He is on the list of A-level vocalists, after all.
       What is so special about this album is not only the songs Zayn has created, but his voice. The smokiness and texture of his voice blends all of his tracks so well, triumphantly bringing the whole album together. This proves to be most evident in the seventh track, “INTERMISSION: fLoWer.” In this unique and short song, Malik entrances the listener with his smooth voice and the words he sings. This song is the only one on the album that is in a different language, that being Urdu. Being of English and Pakistani decent, it shows how proud he is of his origin when he put that language on his very first album. He lets his personality be shown as well by the way he capitalized random letters in the track titles and the occasional cuss word. He does have trouble with enunciation, but that’s just something he will have to work on.
       All in all, Malik should be proud of what he’s created, keeping in mind this is his first record of his own. He shows immense talent and a love for his career. His voice blending all of the tracks together gracefully and effortlessly, Malik has a great future ahead of him.

Immortal Among Us: Who He Is and Why He's Here

by Zach Broemmel

       Immortality is an idea that has been discussed for centuries. The thought of living forever is an alluring idea, but most people accept the idea as fiction and impossible. However, I'm here to tell you that those people are wrong. It hasn't been achieved by science for the general populace, but there is one known immortal that walks among us and has been influencing the world since the middle ages. Who might this be? None other than the one and only Keanu Reeves. Stick with me, it isn't as crazy as it may seem if you look at the evidence hidden throughout history.
       Lets start out with the evidence from a more modern era. Keanu Reeves is famed for his constant youthful appearance. He has looked the same since the start of his acting career. The picture on the left is of his early career, while the present day picture is on the right. Besides the facial hair, there is practically no change in his appearance! Now alone this isn't enough to cause suspicion of him being immortal, but the rest of history reveals the truth.

       History has created many people that have been known for their power and influence. One of the earliest examples of this is king Charlemagne, king of the Franks from 742-814 AD. He was known for his military prowess, incredible empire, and promotion of the arts. He earned the name "The Father of Europe". But, if you look closely, you can tell that Keanu Reeves is in fact the ancient king of the Franks. Look at this photo of the old king. He bares a striking resemblance to the actor. The shape of the head, nose, and eyes are virtually the same.

       This isn't the only time Reeves has appeared in history. There is a portrait of an unknown man painted by Parmiganino in 1530. The resemblance is uncanny. This man looks exactly the same as Keanu and Charlemagne, just with different facial hair.

       The final major person Keanu Reeves was before his modern life is none other than the famous French actor Paul Monet. This is where Keanu was first introduced to the field of acting and performance. Aside from the obvious resemblance, there are 2 other facts that show how he is immortal. Mounet first became a doctor before becoming an actor. By becoming an expert in the field of health and medicine, it would draw attention away from his obvious ageless appearance. Not only did he become a doctor to have an excuse for his appearance, but when Mounet died in 1922, his body was never found. That is because he had faked his death and gone into hiding until the people of the world had forgotten him just as they had done so many times before.

        The evidence doesn't just lie in pictures, but also in how he acts in real life and on the big screen. Reeves is known for his method acting as well as his generosity. While method acting isn't iconic to him alone, he has nailed the art. But how does he do it so well? Over his immense life time, he was bound to become masterful at many things, which he uses in his method acting to embody many characters. He is also one of the most generous and kind actors in Hollywood. He acts like a kind old man to those around him. He acts like this because he is a kind old man, though he might not look like one.
        The relations between his previous aliases and his current one also indicate his immortality. He started as the king of the Franks, other wise known as the French. As king he acted as a patron of the arts, promoting the creations of paintings, tapestries, and other works of art. Where does he appear next in history? In a piece of art, which we know he is very fond of. After that where does he appear next? As Paul Mounet, a FRENCH ACTOR! After that, he appears as Keanu Reeves, another actor who was supposedly born in Lebanon and lived in Canada. Lebanon was placed under the authority of the FRENCH after World War I. And who were the people who colonized most of Canada? The French! These reoccurring themes show how Keanu changes who he is, but keeps his background close to his ancient roots.
        But why would he take these positions in history? What is the point? The answer is simple, to control and influence the people of the time. In the middle ages those with the most power were the kings of empires and he was the greatest one there ever was. He later appeared in a painting during the height of the Renaissance. Those who had their portraits taken at this time were those of high power, wealth, and influence. In more modern times he has appeared as an actor. People now look to actors as their heroes and inspirations. Whenever he appears it is as whatever is the most influential at that time. But you need not worry, this immortal has promoted generosity and aiding those in need so he  is not to be feared to have some diabolical plan.

       Immortality was believed to be a fictional idea that couldn't be attained. However, it isn't as fake as previously thought. Keanu Reeves has been around since the medieval times and has no plans on going anywhere any time soon.

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