THE RETURN OF THE EYE

By: Jessica Strimpel and Alaysia Curry

April 24, 2020

“Stupid is as stupid does” is what Forrest Gump hears throughout his less-than-picturesque childhood. 

As a child, Gump (played by Tom Hanks) was taught by his mother (played by Sally Field) the ways of life and to choose his own destiny. Gump wore braces on his legs as a child and also had a below average IQ, but this never stopped him from achieving his goals. 

When exposed to the real world, a series of unfortunate events happen to Gump, but he always finds a way to turn it around and find the good in every situation; his optimism helped him through his struggles knowing that his goals were still within reach.

While overcoming most of his setbacks in life, there was one he still wanted to accomplish. Gump grew up with a girl named Jenny Curran (adult character played by Robin Wright), who he loved very much and wanted to be with for the rest of his life. 

Although the two grew up together and were very close as children, they grew apart as their lives continued. Gump always thought of Jenny when he achieved a goal of his (joining the Army, winning medals, creating a shrimp-fishing fleet, etc.) and always thought back to how important she was to him.

 

Jenny visits Gump one day, and all of his feelings rush back to him, so much so that he proposes to her. She declined the proposal but stays with him until the next morning when she unexpectedly leaves. 

Later on in the movie, Jenny returns with an all-consuming illness and a small boy who is Gump’s child. Jenny then passes away from the disease, but before she does, she returns with a question (asking Gump to marry her).  He then raises the boy on his own and carries Jenny’s legacy forward. 

The plot closes with Gump and his son waiting for a school bus on his first day of school. 

This movie shows heartbreak and loss through the death of many characters, while also showing the love that we should all have for one another. This is shown when Gump joins the army and becomes friends with Bubba (played by Mykelti Williamson), who unfortunately dies during the Vietnam War. 

The color of one’s skin or background did not matter to Gump, and this is a lesson that many should take from his character. He treated everyone equally and accepted people for who they were: HUMAN BEINGS! 

We are all capable of loving one another and creating a society where no matter the trials and tribulations that people face, we are all accepted. 

Forrest Gump is highly recommended in our view because it is such a genuinely-humanizing film that shows life, loss, and happiness. The viewer is shown events that happen in real life and how people still continue to fight through a life of pain and suffering while always thinking that “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” 

By: Valery Warner, Ella Fowler, and Jaden Majewski 

April 13, 2020

While the world may seem to be in a negative place with the recent COVID-19 outbreak, there are still positive aspects to life that we should shed some light on.  

Since COVID-19, the world has had the biggest drop in CO-2 emissions since WWll. Some scientists think that the levels could drop as much as five percent during this pandemic. Due to this, the decrease in air pollution has promoted many public health benefits.

Not only are CO-2 levels dropping to a record low but so are the crime rates in big cities like Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles.  

With New York City being hit the hardest by the outbreak, the crime rate there dropped substantially. From March 16 to 22, the number of serious felony crimes dropped as low as 16.6 percent compared to last year around the same time. 

In Chicago, the homicide rate decreased by 29 percent since the week of March 21, which is the day the stay-at-home order went in full effect.

Most importantly, people have had a chance to rekindle with immediate family.  This bonding time can be used as a time to create, strengthen, and build/rebuild family relationships.

We can make the most out of our time stuck at home with family and maybe even discover new hobbies. 

Simply, there are positives out there, and we all must focus on them.

By: Savannah David, Destiny Cannon, and Izabella Hotz

April 11, 2020

Arise the coronavirus pandemic, a growing number of people have become concerned about the levels of false information being spread and not knowing what to believe. 

To come to the aid of the people, we will identify a few credible sources that people can trust for accurate and up-to-date news.

The first source is Governor DeWine (Ohio). His talks are a top source for the state of Ohio because he briefs his people about how the pandemic has affected our community locally rather than the general nationwide briefing done by President Donald Trump and his board. 

The governor’s briefing is broadcasted live every week day at around 2:00 p.m. on local news channels. 

During his broadcast, he goes over how things are moving along everyday and keeps us updated on stats like death tolls, equipment production, recovered patients, etc. He has an interpreter on screen at all times for accessibility and has Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio’s Department of Health Director, speak on the situation with him. 

Another very credible source is the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The CDC covers the pandemic as a whole and how it is impacting the entire world. 

It is important to stay aware of how the virus is being handled elsewhere and not just in the United States.

While these sources are credible and honest, it is important to look out for sources that are not spreading the exact truth, so make sure to always check your facts and sources to keep from spreading false information and ultimately, panic.

By: Serena Barile, Haley Schaldach, and Anayah Flowers

April 11, 2020

Recently, there has been a pandemic that has turned life, as we know it, upside-down.  A life-threatening disease known as COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is spreading quickly throughout the world, and the number of cases grows each day.  

Even though times like these are rough, there is still hope shining through. 

The World Health Organization, also known as WHO, is an organization that is dedicated to helping people get health coverage, protection from health emergencies, and helps with overall health and well-being. 

WHO is leading and coordinating people to prevent, detect, and respond to the crisis by giving information, allowing people to donate, and by answering questions. People are currently able to donate through the COVID-19-Solidarity Response Fund. By donating, you will be supporting WHO’s work to ensure that patients get the care they need, that frontline workers get the essential supplies and information, and that research accelerates with the hope of developing a vaccine.

In times like this, it is important to fund organizations such as WHO because it helps people throughout our country to receive the health care they need and to help our hospitals keep up with patient care. Without organizations like this, many more people could be affected by COVID-19, and many more lives could be lost.

Donating even the smallest amount can make a big difference. 

If you are interested in supporting the work of WHO, visit https://covid19responsefund.org/.

Please make sure to stay safe and healthy during these difficult times! 

By: Morgan Blechschmid, Gina Pallotta, and Jonathan Drake 

April 11, 2020

Quarantine is tough, and people are having a hard time keeping themselves from being bored. So, how do you keep yourself active?

First, remember to take care of your body, for exercising is proven to keep the brain happier, and it helps to fight off germs. Do not worry about following a strict regimen; doing a couple of simple exercises is much better than doing nothing at all.

Secondly, remember to maintain your relationships. Being in quarantine does mean that you cannot see people face to face, but the Internet and phones make staying in contact with others extremely easy. Humans need companionship, so make sure to talk to others.

Another thing to do is to pick up a new hobby and stay with it. Some good hobbies that do not require you to leave your house are as follows: drawing, writing, 3d-modeling, writing music, cooking, etc. Any activity that is easy to learn and does not require you to leave the house is a good choice. 

Next, watching television and playing video games are good ways to fill up empty hours as there is an almost endless-amount of things to watch and play. However, keeping in mind spending too much time on these activities can lead to heavy procrastination.

The lack of sports and other live events leave a hole in the schedule and heart; try watching live streams. They have the same live aspect, a similar sense of community, and in certain cases, the same level of competitiveness, so throw out any prejudice against streams and give a couple a try.

Keeping busy during self-isolation is important, for nobody likes to go stir crazy. 

Do as much as you can to stay busy, and remember to stay positive as well. 

By: Delaney David and Normeze Rivera

April 10, 2020

With so many people staying safe at home and self-distancing, there is a lot of time to get comfy and relax while watching a series, especially on Netflix. So, here is what we recommend watching.

*On My Block

Season 3 came out one month ago and was #1 for most-watched in the United States. A show about 4 teenagers and how life is changing as they grow in high school. Lifelong friendships are challenged in their Latino and Black neighborhood in South LA. It shows pain, love, and new experiences. 

*All American 

The series was #2 on Top 10 in the U.S. for weeks. Spencer James is a rising football player at Crenshaw High School. The head coach from Beverly Hills High School gives him an opportunity to join the school. All American shows the troubles of teenagers from the worst sides of California and how Spencer has to adapt to the ways of a teenager from Beverly Hills while showing that he did not turn on his community, Crenshaw Heights.

*Self Made – Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker  

The limited Netflix series was #3 in the U.S. The first woman to be a millionaire in the U.S., Madam C.J. Walker, born as Sarah Breedlove. She was the daughter of freed slaves who then became the founder of the Walker Manufacturing Company. The four episode series shows how Breedlove built her business from scratch as an independent black woman in a time full of racism, sexism, and hate as she inspires many women to not take “no” for an answer. 

*The Office 

This Netflix series is the most-watched show on Netflix and was #1 in the beginning of the year for weeks. The nine-season series sitcom shows the everyday lives of a group of office employees. They work for Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. There is Michael, the funny boss at Dunder Mifflin who everyone loves and hates. Then Jim, the likable employee who likes to play pranks on his co-worker Dwight. Dwight is a successful employee who lacks common sense and social skills. This show has a little bit of romance, a lot of comedy, and also has drama. There are many more loveable and funny characters throughout the nine seasons, which could keep you busy for a while.

*Stranger Things

The three-season series was #2 in the U.S. and has broken Netflix records for how many views it has gotten. The setting is Hawkins, Indiana, 1983. One of the main characters, Will Byers, goes missing by a laboratory that is top-secret. The police, Will’s mother, brother, and his best friends Dustin, Mike, and Lucas go looking for Will. As they search, they get drawn into experiments that involve the government, supernatural forces, and one powerful girl named Eleven. Netflix has not given us an exact date yet, but this series will be having a fourth season coming out.

Instead of struggling to find a show or movie to watch, try one of these. It will keep you busy throughout quarantine, keep you inside the house like you are supposed to be, and it will keep you entertained. 

Enjoy watching, and stay safe during this time!

By: Ariana Rojak, Danielle Shehee, and Lexi Jenkins

April 10, 2020

Many people’s lives have changed drastically recently due to the spread of the Coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19). From social distancing to quarantine, it is safe to say that this pandemic has changed a lot in day-to-day life.  

In total, the Coronavirus has claimed the lives of 88,433 people, so far.  In the United States, there has been a confirmed number of 14,753 deaths. In Europe, Spain has 14,792 deaths, Italy 17,669 deaths, Germany 2,280 deaths, and France 10,869 deaths.  In China, where the virus originated, 3,333 deaths have been recorded, and Iran has confirmed 4,003 deaths.

Okay, that information may look scary, but there have also been many recovery cases! In total,  330,589 people have recovered from the Coronavirus. In the United States, 23,774 people have recovered, 48,021 people in Spain, 26,491 in Italy, 32,814 in Germany, 21,254 in France, 77,279 in China, and 29,812 in Iran.

In other good news (outside of recoveries), since the global quarantine has been enforced, air pollution has improved drastically. In Venice, Italy, the water in the canals has run perfectly clear for the first time in 60 years! The water’s clarity has begun attracting more creatures than usual: swans, fish, and even dolphins have been spotted in the waterways, swimming and paddling around in the canals. All of this has occurred because, since everybody is on lock-down, there has been no need for transportation of any kind to be running.

In Venice, the main source of transportation is by boat, and since nobody is driving their boats around lately, the sediment has settled to the bottom and has not been brought to the surface resulting in clear, clean, and beautiful water. The water itself is not necessarily cleaner or in a better condition, but it is less churned-up.

The air quality in Italy has also been less-polluted since there is less boat traffic.

Furthermore, another positive impact that has been noticeable in larger cities is that you are able to see the stars more clearly at night since there is much less light pollution. There are almost no people on the streets, vehicles on the road, planes in the sky, and industries at work. 

Even though this is a unique and trying time, one can always find the positives, which truly helps the mind.

 By: Daylun Armstrong, Jaden Majewski, and Valery Warner 

March 12, 2020

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their own dreams”

Tina Turner, an African-American woman whose strength and resilience helped her climb her way back to the top of the music charts, endlessly fought for her rights as an artist after escaping a terribly abusive relationship with her ex-husband, Ike Turner. Not only does Turner embody strength, she embodies the voice of so many who feel voiceless.   

Turner was born in Nutbush, Tennessee, on November 26, 1939, as Anna Mae Bullock (changed to Tina by her ex-husband) to Floyd and Zelma Bullock. Her parents had an on-and-off-again, volatile relationship and split up when she and her sister (Ruby Aillene Bullock) were young.  

After the split of her parents (both Floyd and Zelma left), Turner was taken in by her grandmother. In her teenage years (1950s), her grandmother passed away, and she moved to St. Louis, Missouri, to be with her mother. 

Music filled the streets and clubs of St. Louis, and Turner immersed herself in all of it. In 1956, at Club Manhattan, she met rock-and-roll pioneer, Ike Turner, who often played at the club with the Kings of Rhythm. 

Knowing that she had a powerhouse voice ever since she was a little girl (singing in church), she wanted to perform with Ike and the Kings of Rhythm. After months of waiting and itching for a spot onstage, she finally got her chance at the age of 17. They were amazed at her voice, and she quickly became the highlight of the show. 

In 1960, “A Fool in Love” was recorded and released but under the name “Ike and Tina Turner”.  Not only did the name change, but so did their relationship. Their once-loving friendship turned into a brutal marriage that began in 1962. 

Soon, they were on almost every television show, but as soon as the cameras were off, their life was not so glamorous.  Also, racial discrimination fueled the music industry, and at times, the radio did not play their songs, they were not hired to play at certain clubs, they could not stay in certain hotels, and were often not given the pay that they deserved.

In 1969, the duo toured with the Rolling Stones, gaining them more world-wide notoriety and propelling their 1971 album Workin’ Together, which featured their first grammy-winning cover song, “Proud Mary”.

Even through the musical hits, the physical violence was much more prevalent in Turner’s life. The amount of abuse and infidelity that she faced at the hands of her husband was also witnessed by their children. 

After their final, greatest hit as a duo, “Nutbush City Limits” (written by Tina Turner herself), she escaped in July of 1976 by running away from their hotel, across a highway, while Ike was asleep. Not only did she run away from her abusive life that day, she gained her independence, and there is bravery and strength that comes with that. 

It was a struggle for many years after that day to become the “Queen of Rock n Roll”. She worked tirelessly performing almost 24/7, while even cleaning houses to make ends-meet to take care of her children. 

Things started to look up with her new manager Roger Davies coming into her life. In 1983, her solo career finally started to take off when she recorded a remake of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” which topped the R&B charts. 

In her mid-40’s, Turner was arguably better than ever. She is known for her energetic performances, raspy-golden voice, her famous legs, and chart-topping, Grammy-winning album Private Dancer, including the award winning song “What’s Love Got to Do With it (later turned into a movie of her life). From then on, there was no looking back. 

Endless tour and ticket sales continued until she “retired” in 2009 at the age of 70 until a sequel to her bestselling memoir came out in 2018 (My Love Story) and a box-office-breaking musical, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. 

Even through the hardships of abuse, sexism, racism, and health concerns, Turner proved to be beyond brave, beyond strong, and beyond a trailblazing inspiration to new artists. She continues to thrive in her life alongside her family, friends, and husband, Erwin Bach.  

In the words of the “Comeback Queen” herself: “You asked me if I stood up for anything. Yeah, I stood up for my life.” 

*Fun Facts:

• She became part of the religion of Buddhism in 1971. “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” was the spiritual chant that helped her endure during difficult times.
• In 1989, she was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (with ex-husband Ike Turner, not as a solo performer). 
• She won 12 Grammy Awards.
• She is the only female artist to garner concurrent Grammy nominations for pop, rock, and R&B.
• She sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history, according to the Guinness World Records.

By: Lexi Jenkins, Jonathan Drake, and Morgan Blechshmid

March 11, 2020

Friday the 13th is a day most people associate with bad luck/bad vibes due to its dark history. However, most people don’t know the actual history behind this day and why it is so popular. 

 

Why is Friday the 13th so unlucky?

“According to biblical tradition, 13 guests attended the Last Supper, held on Maundy Thursday, including Jesus and his 12 apostles (one of whom, Judas, betrayed him). The next day, of course, was Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. The seating arrangement at the Last Supper is believed to have given rise to a longstanding Christian superstition that having 13 guests at a table was a bad omen—specifically, that it was courting death,” (History.com).

Dating back to the 19th century, Friday the 13th has been considered a harbinger of bad luck. The day has inspired a secret society, an early 20th-century novel, a horror franchise, and two psychological terms: paraskavedekatriaphobia and friggatriskaidekaphobia – both words simply meaning to fear Friday the 13th.

An important milestone in the history of the Friday the 13th legend specifically occurred in 1907, with the publication of the novel Friday the Thirteenth written by Thomas William Lawson.

The horror movie Friday the 13th, released in 1980, introduced the world to a character named Jason who was a hockey-mask-wearing killer and is perhaps the best-known example of this famous superstition. 

In the late 19th century, a New Yorker named Captain William Fowler (1827-1897) sought to remove the stigma around the number 13. Every 13th day of the month in room 13 of the Knickerbocker Cottage, before the 13-course meal, members would pass beneath a ladder and a banner that read “Morituri te Salutamus,” which in Latin meant, “Those of us who are about to die salute you.”

Some tragedies that have occurred on this day over the years are as follows: the death of Tupac Shakur (September of 1996), the bombing of the Buckingham Palace (September of 1940), and the Cyclone attack in Bangladesh (November of 1970).

Beware of black cats… avoid ladders… and whatever you do- DO NOT approach a man walking out of a lake wearing a hockey mask!

By the way, you only have two days to prepare.