WRITTEN BY NATALIA JACKSON
It's been a few years since Dr. Cristina Yang, one of the original characters from Grey's Anatomy, left the show in season 10. Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting her return, but unfortunately, it hasn't happened yet. In this newsletter article, we're going to explore why Cristina Yang should've come back to Grey's Anatomy. First off, Cristina Yang was a beloved character among fans. Her no-nonsense attitude, sharp wit, and incredible skill as a surgeon made her a fan favorite. Her chemistry with Meredith Grey was undeniable, and their friendship was a cornerstone of the show. Her departure left a huge hole in the show, and while the show has introduced new characters to fill that void, none have quite lived up to the standard set by Cristina. Secondly, Cristina's absence from the show left a lot of storylines unresolved. One of the biggest mysteries was what happened to her after she left Seattle. Did she continue her career as a world-renowned surgeon? Did she find love? Did she have children? (most likely not) Fans have been left to speculate about her life, and bringing her back to the show would've been the perfect opportunity to answer those questions and tie up loose ends. Thirdly, the show has suffered from declining ratings in recent years, and bringing back a fan favorite like Cristina Yang could be a much-needed boost. Fans would tuned in to see their favorite character once again, and it would generated a lot of buzz and excitement around the show. Lastly, the show has changed a lot since Cristina's departure, and her return could bring a fresh perspective to the show. She could provide a new dynamic to the relationships between the current characters and bring a different energy to the show. In conclusion, Cristina Yang should come back to Grey's Anatomy. She was a beloved character, her departure left a lot of storylines unresolved, her return could've boosted ratings, and she could've brought a fresh perspective to the show. While it's unlikely that we'll ever see Dr. Cristina Yang back on the show, fans can continue to hope that one day she'll make her triumphant return to Seattle. WRITTEN BY NATALIA JACKSON
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a masterpiece of young adult literature. The story is set in a dystopian society where people have given up their individuality and emotions for the sake of sameness and stability. The story follows the journey of Jonas, a 12-year-old boy who is selected to become the next Receiver of Memory. Through his training with the current Receiver, known as The Giver, Jonas discovers the truth about his society's past and present. The story is filled with themes of conformity, individuality, memory, and love. Lowry's writing is simple yet poignant, and she expertly crafts a world that is both familiar and foreign. The story is told from Jonas's point of view, which allows readers to experience his confusion, curiosity, and growing sense of unease as he discovers the truth about his society. The plot is tightly woven, with every detail serving a purpose and contributing to the story's overall impact. The Giver is a novel that will make readers think about the value of individuality, the importance of memory, and the consequences of sacrificing emotions for the sake of stability. Overall, The Giver is a timeless classic that has remained popular since its publication in 1993. It is a thought-provoking novel that appeals to readers of all ages, and it has inspired numerous adaptations, including a movie and a graphic novel. The book's themes and messages are still relevant today, and it serves as a reminder that individuality and emotions are important parts of what makes us human. WRITTEN BY NATALIA JACKSON
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores the themes of race, beauty, and self-esteem. The story is set in the 1940s and follows the life of Pecola Breedlove, a young African American girl living in Ohio. Pecola is bullied and rejected by her peers, struggles with self-hatred, and has the desire to be white. The novel explores the impact of internalized racism and the way society's ideals of beauty can shape a person's self-worth. Morrison's writing style is poetic and evocative, painting vivid and emotional images of the characters and their experiences. She tackles difficult heavy themes with sensitivity and nuance, which makes the reader feel the character’s suffering. The novel also provides a commentary on the historical context of the time period and the impact of racism on the psychological development of African Americans. Overall, The Bluest Eye is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores important themes and is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the impact of racism on individuals and society. Toni Morrison's writing is masterful, and the story is emotionally charged and memorable. The novel is a classic and a powerful contribution to the literary canon of African American literature. The Bluest Eye has been banned and challenged in various schools and libraries in the United States. Its banning is mainly due to its depiction of controversial themes such as racism, incest, child molestation, and how hard it is on the “white gaze”. The term "white gaze" refers to the way in which people of color are often seen and judged through the lens of white cultural norms and values. It describes the power dynamics that exist in a society where white people hold the majority of social, economic, and political power, and the ways in which this dominance affects how people of color are perceived and treated. The white gaze can also limit the perspectives and experiences that are valued and recognized in society, reinforcing the idea that the white perspective is the default or "normal" way of seeing and understanding the world. Some people have argued that the book contains explicit sexual content and language that is inappropriate for children and young adults. They also argue that the book's themes and content are too mature for its intended audience and that it may be psychologically damaging to some readers. The novel portrays the harmful effects of the white gaze on the black characters. The novel explores how the black characters, especially the young protagonist Pecola Breedlove, struggle to fit into the white standards of beauty and social acceptance, which are unattainable to her. The novel highlights the destructive consequences of the white gaze and how it perpetuates racial inequality and discrimination. After reading the book I believe that it is an important work of literature that tackles important social issues, and that it should be available to all readers. Moreover, the book's mature themes are necessary for understanding the experiences of African Americans and that it is an essential part of American literature. Despite its controversial nature, The Bluest Eye is still widely read and studied in many schools and universities, and it has won numerous literary awards for its author, Toni Morrison. WRITTEN BY DANA BARBEE
Rated by Author: 5/5 **Disclaimer: All quotes mentioned are from the song** The song, “Flaws” by Lily Meola, covers a prominent subject that almost every teenager and young adult face in today’s world. Almost everyone sees people on the internet who exhibit features they wish they had. In the song's first verse, Meola sings, “Like this perfect chick, saying that she just woke up like this. God, I gotta stop comparing myself to everyone else.” If all you see online are people using filters like it’s their real face, wearing expensive clothes that many cannot afford, and traveling to remote, tropical destinations that many will never see, it’s very challenging to not instinctively compare yourself to them. Today’s world practically revolves around the gravitational pole of the internet. Earlier in the first verse, Meola expresses the reality that you never truly know what is going on behind the other side of the camera with the line, “People I don’t know and all my friends. Are they happy or just fakin’ it?” The internet is full of lies and manipulations to make you believe what people want you to believe. It is very rare to see people being fully transparent about their identity online, making it hard to decipher the truth. This is another reason why it is important to understand that comparing yourself to people online, no matter how much you admire their posts, is unfair. When we view ourselves in the mirror, it is easy to catch ourselves focusing all of our attention to the parts of ourselves that we dislike and wish to change. Whether it be physical attributes or sides of your personality, it is crucial to realize how important you are and how what you may view as flaws are just highlights of your significance in this world. I feel that the chorus of this song gives us a moment to ruminate about this thought, as Meola expresses “All I see are my flaws staring back at me. Every inch every scar I end up covering. And I’m not gonna look like the girls you see in the magazines, but there is only one of me. And these flaws are what make me unique.” The second half of the song focuses greatly on the idea that “these flaws are what make [us] unique”. Many of us struggle with the concept that it’s okay to be yourself and lack the acknowledgement that your ‘flaws’ make you special. Many find it difficult to come to terms with this and accept themselves for who they truly are. I felt that this was an important song to write a review about because this is a concept that today’s world is greatly affected by, focusing especially on our generation as teenagers. “We all got things that we wish we could change but I believe you’re who and where you’re supposed to be, so don’t hate yourself, change society. There’s no shame in the way you were made.” I encourage you to be proud of yourself, admire yourself, and recognize that we’re all human. There is no reason in this world for you to feel lesser than because something about you is different than someone else. For all you know, they’re looking back at you and feeling the same way. You deserve your own respect. “All these beautiful flaws staring back at me. Every inch, every scar makes me a masterpiece…Cause there is only one of me. And these flaws are what make me unique.” - Lily Meola WRITTEN BY SHEZA SALMAN
Something Wilder is a second chance romance about a Wild West, treasure hunting, tour guide and the man who broke her heart. A treasure-hunting retreat brings them together again, where they face danger and darkness. Lily Wilder, daughter of Duke Wilder, a famous treasure hunter, left her in ruins. She runs treasure hunting corporate and tourist retreats in the wilds of Utah. With the help of her best friend Nicole, they lead groups of fake treasure hunting tours in the wild. Ready to move on with her life, Lily's last tour reunites her with Leo Grady, the man who broke her heart years ago. In this book a lot of action, adventure, mystery, and suspense ensue!! The narrative alternates between Lily and Leo. I liked Lily--she is tough as nails and makes for an inspiring heroine, but I loved the way Leo’s character was played out. Leo was a passionate and very supportive character along the way and supported every wild dedication lily had. Their chemistry is palpable. Nicole's point of view isn't shared, but I loved her character, and I think she should be the main character in the next romance based genre. Something Wilder is my favorite “Central Love” novel. What I enjoyed is how different this novel was compared to their other novels. There is an edge of darkness, and there is more than just romance, as there is a lot of action and adventure. The plot is a little over-the-top, but I enjoyed it. There is also a mystery and some suspense woven in. I was pleasantly surprised by a dark turn the novel takes. With the lovable characters, this book was a winner for me. I haven’t loved Christina Lauren’s most recent novels. They felt formulaic and forced, but this book brought me back to the reasons that made me love their earlier novels: lovable characters, steamy chemistry, and something a little unexpected. I am glad they stepped out of the box and did something different in Something Wilder. WRITTEN BY NATHANIEL TKACH
Resident Evil is one of the most successful and longest-running video game franchises in history. It has consistently delivered quality zombie-shooting action since 1996, and has gained a massive fan base. It is known for its unique blend of horror and survival elements, as well as an expansive storyline that has spanned multiple games and films. The Resident Evil series consists of a number of games, films, and other media that all take place in the same fictional universe. The series has become famous for its tense, horror-filled gameplay and highly detailed, cinematic visuals. Players take on the role of a variety of characters - including protagonists such as Leon S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and Chris Redfield - as they battle their way through hordes of zombies and other monstrous creatures. The series has had its share of ups and downs over the years such as its stunning visuals but hard to follow storyline, but one thing that has remained consistent is its popularity. Resident Evil games have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been praised for their intense gameplay, gripping story, and stunning visuals. Their series has also spawned a popular movie franchise, with the most recent entry “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” Being a critically acclaimed reboot of the franchise. One of the most iconic aspects of the Resident Evil series is the phrase “Where’s Everyone Going? Bingo?”, uttered by Leon S. Kennedy in his first game (Resident Evil 4) when Ganados (a villain) halted his attack on Leon and all his men headed towards the church as soon as they heard the bell ring, leaving Leon vacant in the village square. This phrase has become a popular catchphrase among fans, and is often used in jest to signify a refusal to partake in something. Pros:
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Overall, Resident Evil is one of the most recognizable and important video game series of all time, with a deep history and devoted fans. Resident Evil has also had a significant influence on pop culture, influencing a huge number of films, TV series, and other video games. As everyone can enjoy Resident Evil, regardless of whether they like horror, action, or just fantastic storytelling. Make sure to take the time to enjoy one of the best horror thrilling franchises ever created. WRITTEN BY JILL LUNA
Rated by Author: 4.75/5 Released on the PS4 on May 25, 2018, then later on PC the following year, Detroit: Become Human is a story and choice based game, based in future Detroit, Michigan in the year 2038. The genre of this game is Sci-fi, exploring the concept of Artificial Intelligence in the form of humanoid androids. The androids were created to make life easier for humans, programmed to follow their orders. In the game, you play as one of three characters, Kara, Markus, or Connor. How you play and the choices you make impact the way their stories unfold, which can result in different endings, with a possible 40 varying endings to explore. A few highlights of the game are its gameplay, characters, and replayability. The gameplay is very engaging, with the characters being able to analyze their environment, calculate the choices around them, and preconstruct future actions. One of my favorite mechanics in the game is when you play as Connor, the android detective, and have to scan the areas for clues and create a reconstruction of what happened at the crime scene. Another cool mechanic is pre constructing future actions, where the androids can run possible actions in their head to calculate the best outcome, seeing what will work or what may fail. One of the main things about the gameplay is the ability to make choices. You can choose how the story goes for the characters, and it can determine the endings, outcomes, dialogue, creating a large abundance of branching paths. A highlight of most games are the characters, and this game is no different. This first character you can play as, and my personal favorite character, is Connor. Connor is an android sent by CyberLife (the company that manufactures and sells androids) to assist the Detroit Police Department in investigating deviants (rogue androids). Connor accompanies Lieutenant Hank Anderson to investigate the crimes. Depending on your choices, Connor and Hank can grow to be friends or Hank grows to despise Connor and the world around him. Hank and Connor have a fun dynamic, with Hank being a hard-boiled, grizzled detective having to deal with the past that haunts him and Connor being determined solely on the deviant cases. It’s always entertaining whenever the two are on screen. The second playable character is Kara, a housekeeping android, who becomes a deviant once she sees the person that bought her, Todd, was hurting his daughter, Alice. If you play the game a certain way, Kara and Alice run away together, spending the game trying to find a better life. The development of Kara’s caring nature towards Alice, and Alice’s love for Kara creates an emotional story and heartwarming interactions that I believe has players rooting and hoping for the two to be free and have a better life together. The third character you can play as is Markus, an android who takes care of an elderly painter, Carl. Carl believes Markus can choose who Markus wants to be. Later in the story, Markus leads a group of androids to freedom from only being seen as machines, to being seen as living beings with wants and dreams. Markus’ resiliency, determination, and leadership role can be very action-packed and very cool to play. One of the many things that stand out about this game to me is the replayability. Since there are so many endings and branching paths, everytime I replay there is something new to see. I love how, even after going through the game almost a dozen times, there is always something new for me to discover. This game is definitely very replayable, since there may be endings that have yet to be seen, or you have to go back and unlock other paths to get to the ending you want to see. The stories between the three characters are very thought provoking, cinematic, and emotional. Replaying the game helps with experiencing the story again, which is another reason why the game is so replayable and amazing. WRITTEN BY AIDEN ORANTES
Rated by Author: 5/5 On March 17, 2023, Hozier released his first extended play record (or EP) in several years. It's titled Eat Your Young, and is currently being met with critical acclaim, from both Hozier's fans, and from music reviewers alike. On Metacritic, a website that allows fans to rate music, he's currently rated a 79 out of 100, which is a favorable rating. This album is very inspired by folk music, as well as rock, alternative pop, and R&B. The varied instrumentation is refreshing to hear from Hozier.The thought provoking lyrics are sung in all 3 of the songs included in this EP. Starting off with “Eat Your Young”, the title references A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, in which he sarcastically suggests that the Irish should eat their young, in order to not starve. However, the lyrics in this song could be taken in a more literal sense, with lyrics such as “I’m starvin, darlin, let me put my lips to something, let me wrap my teeth around the world..” All in all, this song implies multiple forms of gluttony, from the gluttony of war to literal gluttony. With “All Things End”, the instrumentation at the beginning is mainly acoustic guitar, clapping, and piano. It follows the usual formula of a Hozier song, in which no harsh instruments are used (i.e, drums, electric guitar), and the lyrics are definitely full of yearning, talking about how people who go through life without their heart broken probably didn’t do it right. But, at the very end, he mentions how things can begin again, even though things can also come to a close. Lastly, with “Through Me (The Flood)”, it mixes R&B instrumentation and vocals, with a traditional Irish melody, since Hozier is Irish. The lyrics allude to the grief of losing people forever, as well as trying to get over the grief, knowing that the person you grieve is no longer with you, and to be willing to let go. This song uses harsher instruments, mainly a drum kit, which you can hear in the background, next to Hozier’s beautiful vocals, singing lyrics such as “With each grave, I think of loss, and I can only think of you, and I couldn’t measure it..” All in all, each song in this new EP flows beautifully, all having the same rhythms, vocals, and lyricism that Hozier is well-known for. This is just a taste of what is confirmed to be part of his upcoming album, Unreal Unearth, being set to come out sometime in fall of 2023. WRITTEN BY LEE BOCH
Rated by Author: 3/5 McDonald’s McFlurry™️ is showing off as a perfect treat on a hot day. Previously in the U.S locations, McDonalds only had two year-round options for your McFlurry: Oreo™️ Cookies and M&M™️. Other sweet cold treats would have been the vanilla ice cream cone, hot fudge sundae, hot caramel sundae, and basic flavored milkshakes (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry). But starting on April 12, the new Strawberry Shortcake McFlurry came out for only a limited time. It contains the usual soft serve vanilla ice cream with a buttery crushed strawberry shortcake flavor cookie. On the day of the initial release, I went to purchase after school this sweet treat to give my judgment without knowing what was advertised. As received, the McFlurry™️ does come as a soft serve ice cream with crumbled cookies. The cookie has a shortbread texture and a butter cookie taste. It was crunchy and not syrupy. As for the strawberry flavor, it wasn’t as intense or fruity as I would have liked. It tasted artificial and more salty than expected from a strawberry flavor treat like their milkshake. When expecting a strawberry shortcake ice cream, I believed it would have at least strawberry syrup taste or made from jam, or with a soft cakey crumble to resemble a real strawberry shortcake. A close reference would be to Good Humors™️ own strawberry shortcake ice cream bar, but not as strong of a strawberry flavor. Overall, I would recommend for a new experience, but not for its strawberry shortcake flavored itself, so it rates as a 3/5 . WRITTEN BY NATHANIEL TKACH
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has captivated audiences around the world with its blockbuster films featuring beloved superheroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and more. On the other side of the coin, the DC Extended Universe has similarly enthralled moviegoers with its own iconic lineup of heroes, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. But which superhero team would prevail if these two forces of justice ever met in battle? The Avengers and the Justice League are two of the most powerful superhero teams in comics and film. Both teams have a long history of protecting the world from evil and saving countless lives in the process. When it comes to a battle between the two teams, the outcome is far from certain. Each team has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the outcome of the fight could come down to a few crucial details. It’s possible that the Avengers would win due to their superior teamwork and experience in fighting together, while the Justice League could win due to their sheer power and variety of abilities. The Avenger’s biggest strength is their teamwork. The team has worked together for years and knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to coordinate their attacks and counter attacks effectively. The Justice League, on the other hand, is made up of powerful individuals with different abilities, but they don’t always work as well as a team. This could be their downfall in a battle against the Avengers. The Justice League is also powerful in strength and varied abilities. Superman is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, and the other members of the team like Flash with his insane speed and high IQ, have their own unique powers and skills that could give them an edge in the fight. However, the Avengers have faced off against powerful foes like Thanos and Ultron, giving them the experience necessary to handle the Justice League’s power. In the end, the outcome of a battle between the Avengers and the Justice League is uncertain. It could come down to a few crucial details, such as teams’ strategies or the individual powers of each team member. Realistically, if they were to actually fight, the reason they would do so could be the Avengers cockiness. But one thing is for sure: no matter which team wins, the fight is sure to be an epic one! |
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