NOVEMBER 2024
RED BLACK Bohème!
EDITORS IN CHIEF
Lou Phillips-Anderson
Madison Riggs
STAFF WRITERS/DESIGNERS
Declan Ritchotte
Gabriella Rivas
Joshua Chhoeun
Kelin Santos Castellanos
Kevin Perez Gonzalez
Lou Phillips-Anderson
Madison Riggs
Maxwell Eaton
Porter Wooden
FACULTY ADVISOR
Brett Harwood
BACKINCOLDFASHION
by Declan Ritchotte
As fall sports are coming to a close, it's now time for our winter teams to shine. Basketball, bocce, cheerleading, indoor track, poms, swim and dive, and wrestling, are all our winter sports this year. Basketball will get a chance, like volleyball, to play in our new Woodward gym. Wrestling will also host matches at Woodward.
Winter sports tryouts started on Nov. 15.
Our basketball teams kickoff their season on Dec. 6, with our boys’ team away at Springbrook and our girls’ team at home against Springbrook. Swim and dive against Watkins Mill on Nov. 30 and the wrestling team away at Rockville on Dec. 11. If you have any further questions about sports you can ask Marco Fuggitti in room G369.
I asked Fuggitti what he's most excited for this winter season and after a exhausting fall season for him he said, “I’m glad I won't have to deal with getting athletes to different practice sites. Having 90 percent of athletes on campus will be great.”
Senior indoor track captain Maxim Falloux is very excited and hopeful for their season saying, “I’m looking forward to overnight trips, fun practices, good relays and some personal records for the team”.
This year our basketball teams have a tough schedule straight from the jump. The boys’ team with just their second game against last year's state finalist Walt Whitman. Their tough schedule is at the back of their minds with senior basketball player Jalen Moore saying, “We want to stay undefeated, take the season game by game. I want to help evolve and lead [his teammates] in the right direction to better every single one of us”.
All winter athletes should obviously be looking forward to a great and fun season, but please remember that you must maintain above a 2.0 GPA as well as practice our RAISE core values. Athletes also should know that tickets are free for Northwood students. With Fuggitti preaching, “All athletes should be promoting their games. I want to see some huge crowds in our gym.”
Battle of the Boulevard? In the winter when our boys’ and girls’ basketball teams play against Blair, the game is huge. Whether it's home or away Northwood shows up, and goes all out. However this year due to our move to Woodward will the game be as big this year? Simple answer, yes. With a new gym and more bleachers, everyone and their mother must be there. And this rule doesn't just apply for basketball, let's get out, and get hype for our Northwood sports this winter. Good luck to all our winter athletes this season!
Credit: Quinn Marchionini
Season HURRICANE
by Porter Wooden
The Hurricane Season in 2024 was a wild one with two back-to-back hurricanes, mass floodings, and many unfortunate side effects. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) previewed these hurricanes.
NOAA Pre-hurricane Season Preview
For those who don't know, NOAA is the organization in charge of giving the people predictions for the weather and storms coming onto the mainland. This year NOAA warned us of category five and category four hurricanes known as Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. Both hurricanes were predicted to do massive damage to Florida, Louisiana, and the Gulf of Mexico, tearing up homes and flooding streets, houses, and lakes as well. Unfortunately, the death toll from the two hurricanes is 258 people, which is a lot of thoughts and prayers for the lives lostinthesehurricanes.
Photo image from: WorkBoat
Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene was the first hurricane to hit the US this season. It was a category four hurricane and made landfall on Sept. 26, 2024. The first state that was hit was Florida, specifically Perry, with 140 mph winds, mass flooding across the southern states, and two million homes losing power. Unfortunately, the death toll from Hurricane Helene was 230 people. Meteorologists were scared of this hurricane for its threat to the US but it did not come to the predicted size it would be.
Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton was the most laughed-out hurricane this season just because it was named “Milton.” Videos circulated of people explaining that if they survived Hurricane Helene, they could survive Milton. which made landfall on Oct. 9, 2024. Soon after, it became a category five hurricane with 180 mph winds. Hurricane Milton added to the mass flooding Helene started and got rid of 26 percent of gasoline from gas stations, which lead to a larger power outage. The death toll from Hurricane Milton was 28 people.
That’s A Wrap
These were just the highlights of the 2024 hurricane season. Numerous significant events occurred throughout the season, impacting various regions and communities. From powerful storms to widespread flooding, the season was marked by a series of impactful events that had lasting effects on the areas they touched.
Photo Image from: AccuWeather
Photo Image from: NewsWeek
VIVA LA VIE BOHÈME
by Madison Riggs
RENT is a well-known Broadway musical that was originally workshopped in 1994, and debuted in 1996. For many reasons, this show was groundbreaking, as it displayed many at the time “taboo” topics in an open and real way.
Written by Jonathan Larson, RENT is a story of a group of friends on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The show follows the lives of this group, at the height of the AIDS/HIV epidemic and the Bohemian culture of “Alphabet City.” Loosely based on the Opera La Boheme, Larson used various characters and themes from that show as inspiration. Making its Broadway debut in April 1996, the show went on to gain critical acclaim and win awards such as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and a Tony Award for Best Musical.
Today, the Northwood Players are taking on this historical show. While there are many reasons Northwood has decided to do this show, (such as it being a fan favorite) a large driving factor was the still-ever-present themes of this show reflected in real life.
RENT is a show about love, and standing up for what you believe in. The show's opening number focuses on two main characters, Mark and Roger, as they refuse to pay their apartment rent as a form of protest. Songs such as “La Vie Boheme” and “Over the Moon” further this point, as characters lovingly sing everything “taboo” into the world and call out the up-and-coming digital age. While times have changed, many of these general themes, such as freedom and self-expression, remain today.
As mentioned, RENT is a show about love. While these characters are fighting for their views, many of them are fighting out of necessity to protect their people. Illustrated in themes such as death, and disease, a part of why the show is so loved is because it shows that love will persevere despite external setbacks. “What binds the fabric together, when the raging, shifting winds of change keep ripping away” and “Connection in an isolating age” are lyrics throughout the show that highlight these key points. These are some of the most timeless motifs from this show and are a huge factor as to why it has remained so popular. Regardless of who you are, RENT is a show that has a little bit of something for everyone.
The Northwood Players will be performing the show Dec. 4-7, 7 p.m. at Wheaton High School.
LIVE FROM NORTHWOOD
by Madison Riggs
WNHS, Northwood’s very own news station, has been making waves in production. Since the recent move to Woodward, WNHS has been working hard to increase value and viewer engagement.
“Brand new equipment and software allows us to start expanding WNHS.” Says Morenike Rossman, one of the sponsors of WNHS.
Many may have noticed new graphics, visuals, and mixed effects within the recent Northwood Update shows, along with a new segment known as Northwood Now, on social media. Since the start of the school year, the WNHS crew has been working hard to make a noticeable difference. “In this day and age of social media catching people's attention is very difficult, you have a very small window,” Rossman says.
It’s true, one of the many factors contributing to increased graphics is the hope to grab more viewer attention. Another effect the crew hopes to achieve is students turning to WNHS more frequently as a reliable source of information. Recently, a new edition to WNHS is the previously mentioned Northwood Now segment. Started by WNHS members Ava’Marie Arnold, Abigail Awas, and Olivia Davis, the segment features interview-type coverage of various school events and activities. It was created as a more student-to-student way of covering information, rather than the traditional news style. “I want to showcase the school community more. That’s why I like Northwood now.” Rossman praised.
Generally, WNHS is working hard to expand for students and staff alike.
“This move has shaken our community in a lot of different ways, and so I think it’s important to show that we’re still here, we’re still Northwood, we're still proud to be Northwood, and I want to show that.” WNHS continues to work to make new advancements, and updates, and increase production value.
Photo Credit: Mr. Harwood
The Crane Wives
by Lou Phillips-Anderson
As the internet changes how we consume music, and artists scramble to gain the public’s attention, The Crane Wives bring a unique sound straight out of Grand Rapids,Michigan.
Writing exciting new songs — like “Arcturus Beaming”, "Bitter Medicine", and“Scars”—seemstocomeeasilyforthe 14-year-old band. And vocal harmonies, eclectic instrumentation, and traditional folk sounds help to keep the music relevantandfun.
At more than a half dozen beautiful venues across the country, including The Observatory in Santa Ana, California, The Crane Wives are performing their new album “Beyond, Beyond, Beyond”. In the album's first song “Scars,” lead singer Kate Pillsbury illustrates the lasting effects of a bad relationship — the scars it leaves you and the other person. Though the band is not signed with any label, you can listen to their music for free on Youtube, Spotify, and other music listeningapps.
In fact, with five major studio albums they outnumber many signed bands. The Crane Wives started out performing on the weekends at a Chinese restaurant in Grandville,Michigan.Thetwosingerswere eventually joined by a drummer and bassisttoformthebandweknowandlove today.
And they're not just popular with fans; they have won six Jammies in the WYCE music awards. The name “The Crane Wives” comes from the album of the same namebytheDecemberists.Thealbumtitle was originally a direct translation of the Japanese folktale “ 鶴 ⼥ 房 “ (Tsuru Nyōbō).
In the story, a crane plucks her own feathers to support her family. This mirrors the themes of sacrifice and relationships so often found in The Crane Wivesmusic.
By sharing these powerful stories in songs like “Take Me To War”, they are able to create relatable, impactful music. Their music has even been recognized by the Decemberists, the band’s original namesake.
In the spirit of support, the Decemberists’ Colin Meloy posed for a photo with the Crane Wives Album, “Safe Ship, Harbord.” The photo brought the band national attention and introduced the Decimbrists fan base to The Crane Wives. Recently, their sold out album release party at The Intersection in Grand Rapids was opened by Cal in Red and Patty Pershayla.
Not so long ago, many bands were so competitive that Aerosmith's Steven Tyler would (allegedly) unplug the instruments of bands he was worried would outshine them, to ensure they — and only they — held the spotlight. These days, bands like the Crane Wives realize that collaboration is necessary to lift everyone up.
This collaborative spirit is at the heart of WYCE, a Michigan radio station where their music is often played. The Grand Rapids Press also recognizes the band: winning their “local spin of the year” in 2011. They shared the award with The Fuzzrites, a garage rock band, who couldn't sound more different that the Crane Wives, but share the same passion for music and community spirit.
As the award was handed out at WYCE-FM's February Jammie Awards show, it was a powerful reminder that artists don’t succeed in spite of each other — but because of each other. With the support of radio stations and fans, these bands continue to evolve and thrive in the digital age.
We’re never going to not need good music. Good music needs good independent-minded artists, who work together and create great art. But good music also needs people who value and support that work. The future of bands like the Crane Wives is in our hands, and it’s up to all of us to appreciate — and support — great music.
Fall Staff Q&A
We all know november is the for reflection and gratitude. It reminds you to appreciate the things and people in life and not take them for granted. In the spirit of that, this article will feature highlights of staff voices through interviews, offering much-needed insights into their perspectives and opinions.
Thoughts on the new building?
“I think the parts that are finished are wonderful; the parts that are unfinished, it's been frustrating to deal with, but the classrooms are beautiful. The hallways and the public spaces are fantastic. It's just the little things like not having a greenhouse or not having um, I know [things for] photography, the teacher didn't have a developer for the first two months of school, so it's just little things like that, but overall I think it's wonderful.”
-Mr. Miller, Science Teacher
“It's interesting. It's big. There's a lot of walking. It's a lot more walking than last year, but I like it. It allows you guys to spread out, we're not on top of each other constantly. You're not on top of each other constantly. It's nice. I like it. Yeah, there's definitely a lot less traffic than last year in the hallways. It's just, it's just nicer for everything. It's also closer to home. Well I know it's not for you guys, but yeah.”
I have a two-hour commute home.
“Oh, dear Lord.”
-Mr Merrit, Security guard
What made you pick this career path?
“I really like science, but I'm more loosey-goosey artistic type than I am regimented science type, and I love working with young people. I was a camp counselor for a long time and just enjoy teaching. So I think it's a combination of really loving science, not being able to be a scientist but and helping young people.”
-Mr. Miller, Science teacher
“I love working with kids. I was working with kids before this at a kind of like an Aftercare program for rehab and uh, I really just wanted to be more in touch with kids. I get to work with you guys every day. I get to hang out with you guys every day. Get to know you guys, I get to pass on my mistakes and or windfalls it's just nice to work with kids and to help you guys grow in your, in your life. And hopefully make an impact that, you know, 30 years, you'll see me down the street and be like ‘oh, Mr. M, hi!’”
Has that ever happened to you yet?
“Yes. Actually, two years ago. I worked at an alternative program, one of the students is here now and he remembered me after two years.”
Aw, that’s amazing!
“I know, and then I also ran into another one outside of here at a football game. He remembered me, so it's just it's nice that I actually made an imprint on them.”
That's nice. It must feel good to be recognized after all that time.
“Yeah, because I don't remember all my teachers back when I was a kid. I remember a handful but so it's nice to know that, even years down the line someone goes
‘Oh hey I remember you.’”
-Mr Merrit, Security guard
Hardships of teaching?
“Motivating students. I mean that's that's the hardest thing is separating the cell phone from the student and getting the student to care about astronomy with physics? How do you get somebody to care about Newton’s second law? That's the hardest thing, is just how do you make it exciting or interesting enough so the students care enough to do their work.”
-Mr. Miller, Science Teacher
“Teaching can grind you down sometimes. You really have to really pace yourself.”
-Mr. Lynn, Head of WNHS
“Oh, there's four floors. Something happens on the fourth floor. I'm on the ground floor. It's really hard for me to like, get up there. So I try, I do try I take the elevator because there's no way of running on four flights of stairs [and] still able to help out where I'm needed.
There's a lot of access and access and entry points. It's hard to monitor everything. That's those are the two biggest ones that I can think of.”
Really?
“Just four floors. And I mean, there's a lot more intricacies but I could go on and on, and on and on, and on … So those are the two biggest challenges, it's just four floors and a lot of access and entry points.”
-Mr. Merrit, Security Guard
Fall Staff Q&A
What do you think about teen slang?
“Don't think twice about it, you know, to be honest, you know, as long as I understand what they're saying to me, like, I don't necessarily have a problem with slang, I think it keeps me young. Keeps me fresh. Um, you know I'm not sure exactly all the time. What people are saying? I can't think of like a, like a skibidi. I'm not sure what skibidi means. Um, you know, somebody says that's pretty skibidi and I'm like, yes, it is. I don't mind it. I don't mind it at all. I think it's just part of the culture. And, um, you know, I think it's great.”
-Mr. Miller, Science Teacher
“I don't know anything about modern slang, the other day a student mentioned ‘hawk-tuah’ to me? I didn't know what it meant. The last modern slang thing I remember is lit. Do people still use lit?”
-Mr. Lynn, Head of WNHS
Any other closing remarks for the readers?
“One of the things that I struggle with is that we're no longer holding kids accountable for turning work in on time, for coming to school. You know, I see school as a place to not just learn physics, or learn astronomy or horticulture or, you know, whatever you're learning. But also it's a place where you learn how to fit in with society and develop within a society.
And, you know, the fact of the matter is, if you're late to work, or you don't turn your bills in on time, there's a punishment. There's a consequence. And I feel like Montgomery County has gotten too soft on students and we've aired on the side of empathy.
“It's weird. It's so weird. I don't understand it. It's like a foreign language now. You also have to take a class of it because like when I was a kid it was like I or bet or [such and such] and now there's like, slay and eat it up and rinse. And like everything is now like internet based. So, like, once something hits the internet, it's like.. I don't know the internet so.
When I was a kid like everything was passed along word of mouth. We didn't we didn't have, like the give it a toilet party.”
Yeah. Yeah. Uh sometimes you know, even as like a teenager, sometimes someone will say some new slang thing and I’ll just go along with it, no idea what I’m talking about.”
-Mr. Merit, Security guard
Just recently we've gone back to not giving 50 percent and giving zeros if the students don't do their work which is exactly what they deserve. And I think it's important for students to realize there are consequences for behaviors that are not related to academics. But yeah, we don't teach that in Northwood or Montgomery County anymore to me, that's a little frustrating because you're having students who are failing out of college because they don't know that you have to turn things in on time. So that would be the last sort of gripe, I guess.”
-Mr. Miller, Science Teacher
“I just I hope you all have a fantastic year I hope you enjoy [it]. I know we don't really have an auditorium, or like a football field and that's a bummer.”
I don’t think the black box is even finished.
“No, it's not. Yeah, and it's a bummer. But I hope you guys can make the best of what we have here. The Building is definitely a lot better than the last building in a lot of aspects, but we don't have the football field. We don't have the athletic fields. Or the auditorium, which really sucks for you guys, because you guys, I know you guys really look forward to all your arts. It's fun to see you guys put on your dance contests, your plays, and now what? You have go all the way to Kennedy. Uh, but I hope you guys can make the best of this year. Especially if you're a senior, right?”
Nah, I'm a junior.
“So you'll get a little bit more amenities next year than the seniors did this year. So I just hope you guys have a great rest of the year. ”
-Mr. Merrit, Security guard
Picture
by Declan Ritchotte
POLITICS ELECTION RESULTS
Donald Trump wins. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, The American people voted for not just the president and vice-president, but also for 34 of the 100 seats in the senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. All of these, minus the president, make up the 119th United States Congress. In Maryland, six democrats and one republican won the House of Representatives, and in a very close race Angela Alsobrooks won the senate by about 7 percent of votes.
In the House, the GOP gained a seat moving to 219 seats, while the democrats lost a seat moving to 213. The republicans now hold the majority by just one seat. In the Senate democrats lost four seats and republicans
gained four. With this they hold the majority of the senate 53 to 47. With all these seats counted, the GOP now holds control over both executive and legislative branches
In larger news, Trump and JD Vance won the presidential election. Trump and Vance will be the president and vice-president, respectively, for the next four years. Within the country Trump wants to continue his tax cuts from 2017. CBS says that the projected income increase for the low to middle class with the tax cuts is 1.5-2.0%. While for the upper middle class and upper class the income increase is projected to be 2.1-3.0%. While his tax cut is good for some, the middle class, about 50 percent of the American people, will not benefit as much as the already successful upper class.
Another huge plan for Trump is his tariffs. He has proposed that imported goods from China will have a 60 percent tariff and an up to 20 percent tariff on everything else the United States imports. His goal with enforcing tariffs on foreign imports is that it will protect homegrown manufactures. The idea is that the tariff will be high enough to get US businesses to stop manufacturing in China and instead move their manufacturing plants to the US. Also with tariffs Trump has argued that tariffs on farm imports will lower food prices. This is wrong. The US imports about 15 percent of its food supply and tariffing this or removing it completely will create less supply and much more demand for American consumers. This will in turn raise prices for food and possibly other goods.
Trump's plan for abortion rights, one of the biggest talking points this election cycle, is seemingly very pro-life. CBS says that in the past said he wants the states to decide in order to, “have abortion where everyone wants it.”. He also often takes credit for the reversal of Roe v. Wade and touted that his three supreme court justice nominees also unwound the previous ruling. In ten states, including Maryland, abortion rights were on the ballot. Seven of the states either overturned or protected their rights to have an abortion, one of them being Maryland. Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota however failed to overturn the ban.
Trump's win comes as a huge surprise not just to America but worldwide as well says The New York Times. Political expert Tom Whalen says “This is one of the biggest surprises of the last 20 years”. And he's absolutely not wrong. For the first time since George Bush in 2004 a republican won the popular vote. Part of his upset win was his huge strides with African-American men and Latino men. He increased his vote among Black men by about 8 percent, and 54 percent of Latino men voted for Trump. Everyone knew this election would be close, but this next four years need to be looked at with open eyes and ears. Whether you like or dislike the new legislative and executive branches, you must watch on without bias. However that being said, be an advocate, not just for yourself but for others as well. If you see something, say something.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
MCPS students take the SAT on March 19 to show their academic abilities to colleges around the country.
Students already took the PSAT on October 16th.
The big question now is - how do you do well on any of these standardized tests?
As testing season approaches, we will be giving you the information you need to know about standardized testing.
How do Northwood students do on the SAT?
Northwood students generally do worse than the MCPS average of 1063 - with Northwood students scoring an average of 935.
Northwood scores have gone down an average of 152 points since 2021.
County-wide scores have declined even more, going down an average of 161 points since 2021.
While SAT scores can be a helpful data point, no one metric can accurately reflect the learning of students.
That's because standardized tests can only measure how good a student is at taking the test, which is not necessarily the same thing as measuring a student's intelligence. There has been a lot of research and debate into the efficacy of standardized tests.
by Lou Phillips-Anderson
Points on the SAT are awarded out of 1600, with 800 for math and 800 for reading. In reality one cannot score less than 400 on the test, because 200 points are given for attempting each section.
What is the SAT?
The official SAT website
How do you succeed on the SAT?
The most important thing to do before any standardized test is to practice.
Many practice tests for the SAT are available, and just familiarizing yourself with the question gives you a major leg up.
Taking practice tests can help the SAT feel like just another test, and helps to avoid any surprises on test day.
One you have taken some practice tests, identify areas that you could improve in.
Then find study martials in those areas, on websites like Kahn Academy.
At the end of the day, there's no way to guarantee a certain score on any test, but with practice and just trying hard on test day, you can certainly improve your chances.
by Porter Wooden
We l c o m e T o T h e W e l l n e s s C e n t e r
WelcometotheWellnessCenter!
Wesupportyourschoolwork,mentalhealth, andoverallwellness.Youarenotaloneand weareheretohelpyoualongyourjourney throughoutthisschoolyear.
MeetTheStaff
Mr.Antonio's
Hobbies:Motorcycles,Scuba diving,andsnowboarding
From:hereatMontgomeryCounty Position: Programmanager.
Mrs.Stephanie
Hobbies:Hiking,Tryingnewfoods,being outdoors
FromMexico
Position: YouthDevelopmentSpecialist
Mr.Fern
Hobbies:Billiards,golfing,cooking
From:Ecuador
Position:ProgramCoordinator.
CoachBrian Hobbies:Goingouttoeat,playing sports,watchingTV&shows
FromGaithersburg Position: Facilitateprograms
Ms.Ponce
Hobbies: Football, Soccer, jogging
From:ElSalvador Position: Casemanager.
Atthewellnesscenter,weprovidedifferentactivitiesduringlunch.Youcanvisit us to play Mariokart with staff members and fellow students. You can come in themiddleofclassandresttherebrieflybeforereturningtoclass.Wealsohave funboardgames,a“quiet”spaceforreading,andartcollages.
SeeYouSoon!
The Wellness Center is conveniently located in the hallway to the left of the bus entrance. Feel free to drop by to say hello or take advantage of thewelcomingatmosphereandservicesofferedattheWellnessCenter. SeeYouSoon!
FelonToHarvardEducator
by Joshua Chhoeun
Going from a convicted felon to teaching his own course at Harvard University, the locally-grown Jason Mills is a jack of all trades. Rapper, singer, producer, designer, and maybe most importantly, educator. Mills, better known by his stage name IDK (an acronym for “Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge”), grew up about 15 miles away from Northwood, in Bowie, MD. He describes himself as growing up in a middle-class family, occasionally struggling to pay bills, yet despite this upbringing, he committed crimes to impress his more rowdy peers. This ended up landing him with a felony charge, in which he would get charged as an adult.
After being charged with armed robbery, he would face over 80 years in prison, with a set bail of $300,000. Though it seemed like all hope was lost, he received a second chance. Rather than facing the full 80 years, his sentence was worked down to three years. After serving the first six months of his sentence, his lawyer convinced the judge to release him on home detention. It seemed like everything was going his way as if he had gotten a second chance at life. Inspired by the short term he served in prison, he discovered Christianity and developed a primary focus on furthering his education. He would get into college, and pursue a path in computer science. He stayed on track and was a full-time student working as a barber in the restrictions of his home detention program.
Unexpectedly, he would end up back in prison for violating one of the terms of his program regarding payments. He would end up back in the county jail until his violation hearing, which would ultimately land him in the state prison, where he would finish the rest of his sentence.
However, this year in prison would be transformative for him, and what he states to be the most important years of his life. He developed a newfound passion for music and would write lyrics to beats he would hear on the radio. This process gave him a deeper understanding of music. While in prison, he took advantage of his college education and became a tutor in prison, helping inmates earn their GED while incarcerated. While tutoring, he would also rap to his students, which yielded only positive feedback. This inspired him, and he began to launch the career he would take. 15 years later he’s released five albums, six EPs, and collaborations with the likes of Denzel Curry, Burna Boy, MF DOOM, and many more. His latest release, BRAVADO + INTiMO, may not have the best streaming numbers, but it is undoubtedly one of those diamonds in the rough.
With features from Gunna, Conway The Machine, Jo-Vaughn Scott, and TheARTI$t, he didn’t necessarily “pack the album” with features, but was able to make the most out of it anyways. From start to finish with. a runtime of 32:28, the album is a must-listen for all rap fans to enjoy
by Joshua Chhoeun
CAPTURE THE FLAGG?
With the 2024-2025 NBA season starting up, fans can prepare for Capital One Arena to still be quiet per usual, with occasional glimpses of hope.
As the Washington Wizards prepare for the 2025 season, optimism is extremely scarce. After a franchise-record 67 losses last year, the team is in the midst of a much needed rebuild. With a core of promising young talent and some veteran players, fans are left wondering what exactly this season will yield in regards to success.
Under the leadership of President Michael Winger and General Manager Will Dawkins, the Wizards are committed to a fresh approach. Dawkins stated, “The habits they're building are things that we're looking for in current players but also future players. And they're helping [to set] the standards here." This new approach comes after years of unsuccessful performances tied to failed veteran acquisitions.
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Reginald Thomas II/San Antonio Spurs)
(Monica Schipper/ GettyImages)
The Wizards have demonstrated that they will be relying heavily upon Jordan Poole to lead the offense, which isn’t a terrible thing. Poole so far has been somewhat efficient, just missing the 50/40/90 mark, shooting 42/41/90, leading the team in points, and assists, while leading the league in steals. He’s proved himself to be a starter in the offense, and Malcolm Brogdon will likely be the sixth man off the bench. As one of two players on the roster with championship experience, he will be a driving factor in the Wizard’s success this season.
As for the other Wizard with championship experience, a rough start would be a wild understatement. Kyle Kuzma had very underwhelming season expectations, yet he still managed to underperform in this regard. Kuzma currently leads the league in airballs, which is not a recorded stat, but with how often it’s happened, fans have garnered the data from the first two games to discover this. With current shooting splits of 33/28/75, fans can only hope he can go up from here, as he was expected to help space out the offense alongside Jonas Valanciunas.
Unfortunately, these beginning struggles seem to have plagued the rookies as well, with no Wizards rookies shooting above 30% from the field. This is extremely concerning for 2nd overall pick Alex Sarr, considering his 7’0” frame, he struggles to make shots in the paint. When pressed about his performance, he admitted that “finding the rhythm of getting used to the NBA game” was a struggle he had faced. It isn’t all terrible though, as he has shown glimpses of potential on the defensive end. He’s a proven defender with instincts that you rarely see in a rookie, but until he can pick up offensively, the team will
The Wizards are also eyeing the highly anticipated 2025 draft, which features prospects like Cooper Flagg, and Ace Bailey. This focus on the draft suggests a willingness to endure another losing season in hopes of “capturing the Flagg,” as some fans have coined.
While the Wizards are laying the groundwork for future success, fans should brace for another tough season. As young players like Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly gain experience, the immediate results may not be favorable. The team’s ability to succeed may not be rooted within the players, but the coaching, which has been a longstanding problem. Should this be the case, then Wizards fans can prepare for another season full of cheap tickets, and disappointment.
(Eric Bolte/Imagn Images)
By: Gabriella E. Rivas
WHAT HAPPENED AT HOCO?
Homecoming is a place where you can dance, hang out, eat some food, drink water and have your feet hurt in the end.
The SGA selected sports to be this year's homecoming theme but, at the actual dance the decor barely reflected that “sports theme“.
The only “sports” entertainment was an inflatable bullseye dart chart, and a ball that represents the dart. As well as two big basketball arcade games in the courtyard. From what had been seen, around 10- 17 students went outside to play the games and to just relax/ get some fresh air
Let's go back to the beginning
When homecoming was first announced, it was about a week and a half before the actual dance. On the actual week of homecoming, that is when the announcements started being more prominent about the tickets selling, students were allowed to buy them online or in a physical copy, while picking them up on the third floor. The only problem was, where on the third floor?
Tickets were placed near classrooms 3310, 3311 at the concession stand. Getting the actual tickets was being a problem, specifically the online tickets. Online tickets are supposed to be a ticket that can be pulled up on a phone, and to be used on the phone. However, in this case, the online ticket was a pre order, with students still needing to pick up tickets in person, that type of information wasn’t shared until near the end of homecoming week. Having Friday being the last day to collect tickets, piles of students were at the concession stand all throughout lunch. Many students had to be late to, or skip all of fifth period, due to poor communication, and students getting tickets last minute.
Now to the actual homecoming.
The transportation was an A+. When getting tickets, staff asked if school transportation was needed. If the answer was yes students were given a form or QR code to sign up for a ride from the school bus. Students were also allowed to be dropped off or drive to the dance. To actually get in students, parents or guardians have to go through student drive though, follow the road that goes around to the back, where there's a mini playground, and two main doors where the lights are visible, that leads to the cafeteria. When walking in, the imminent music pounding into the eardrum, with flashing lights. There were two ticket stands with two staff members (one at each table).
Once inside.
To the left, tables are lined up on the sides for students to sit and rest of their feet.
To the right, (which was also by the entrances) there a snack stand with multiply bags of chips- pringles, takis, oreos (yellow and reg), any bag of things you can think of, mini water bottles, candies- gummies (trollies, sweet tarts, snickers, laffy taffy candies, M&Ms).
Still on the right but moving a bit further, there was a photo booth next to the courtyard doors.
At the dance floor, all the students were in the middle of everything, dancing, shouting to talk, screaming to the music. The DJ was set up as the usual DJ equipment, the DJ setup, two boomboxes, and a bunch of party lights everywhere, also with Principal Garrick hanging around too.
THERE'S A RAT
The courtyard was open for everyone so the fresh air could get through the students body, and to also sit, and to see a rat. To be more specific, it was a vole rat.
Before everyone noticed the rat, students were just playing games, sitting down, talking and feeling tired from all the dancing.
“Bro there's a rat in the grass” - One of the students screams. All the students' outfits looked amazing, but guessing not everyone read the group chat. Some students (mostly the boys) just wore hoodies and skinny jeans. The outfits weren’t the only thing happening on the dance floor.
The students and music were a small issue as well.
As heard from junior Eren Yager
“The music was horrific, male and female were being inappropriate with each other and dancing provocative, the food should have bigger proportion.”
Also agreeing with them is another junior, Tam Gander saying “It was a Tik Tok party, they didn't play the wobble, cupid shuffle, I got my money's worth with food.”
Even Homecoming Queen, agrees with the following statements
“I thought it was fun, but most of the music was the same as previous years.” Hold on! The homecoming queen of this year is senior Toni Begium!
While interviewing her, the discussion was about her side of winning the homecoming queen, she said she was quite surprised to have won first place but has felt a feeling of happiness. After words, she calls her family and took pictures of her awards of being homecoming queen.
The music wasn't in spoken of good terms. The main artist and songs that played were “‘Not Like Us,’ ‘Can We Talk’ by Tevin Campbell, Romeo Santos, Bachata songs, ‘Carnival’, ‘Sexy Red,’ but mostly Spanish music, but never played any standard ‘supposed to play at a party’ music like cupid shuffle, the Cha Cha slide, and wobble.”
Most of the time everybody was dancing in a circle but barely anyone was in the middle and just being awkward, with students inappropriately dancing on each other and making out.
Folie à deux Joker MOVIES
Folie à deux: “mental illness occurring simultaneously in two intimately related persons who share some elements of the same illness, such as delusions” - Collins dictionary
Batman's Greatest Nemesis, The Joker has returned to theaters. The famous clown struggles battling with his two Identities, the Joker and Arthur Fleck. Arthur is sitting in prison because of the murders that his psychopathic identity the Joker committed.
The sequel to the 2019 hit movie “Joker” released on Oct. 4. Joker Folie à Deux was directed by Todd Philips and starred Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. The 2019 Joker film was a beloved movie, it currently has a 8.4/10 IMBd rating, 68% on rotten tomatoes and 4.4 out of 5 audience rating summary. It was the first R rated movie to earn $1 billion at the worldwide box office and the film won many awards such as Joaquin Phoenix winning best Actor at the Academy Awards and the Critics Choice Movie Awards, composer Hildur Guðnadóttir also won best score at both ceremonies.
Photo from : Entertainment Weekly
Photo from: Arthur Newspaper
Photo from: Mashable
Joker Folie à Deux follows Arthur Fleck while he is in prison awaiting trial for his murders from the previous Joker movie in 2019. While in prison Arthur joins a music course at the Arkham Mental Hospital where he meets Harley Quinn and ends up falling in love with her. Most of the action takes place during Arthur Fleck’s trial. During the trial Arthur's defense attorney argues that Arthur and the Joker are two different identities fighting inside of Arthurs Mind. The Trial takes a wild turn when Harley convinces Arthur to let the Joker take over. The Joker then fires his own defense attorney and defends himself in a dramatic fashion.
Although Joker Folie à Deux was a highly anticipated sequel, the reviews for it have been very poor. The film currently has a 32% Rotten Tomatoes Score, a 5.3/10 IMBd rating, and a 1.8/5 audience rating summary. All of these ratings are Significantly Lower than the Ratings for Joker 2019. The success for Todd Philips’ Joker movies have been drastic. Joker (2019) made $248.4 million worldwide after just 3 days of the movie being released, compared to Joker Folie à Deux which has made $165 million globally after two weeks of being released. Many people believe Joker Folie à Deux did not rise to expectations, leading to it being a box office bomb.
Photo from: The Baylor Lariat
Photo from: Black Girl Nerds
TERRIFIER 3
ART THE CLOWN RETURNS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
The third movie in the Terrifier series has been released. The first 2 movies follow Art the Clown on Halloween as he attempts to brutally take the life of his victims. However, the third movie takes place during the Christmas season.
The Series ended up gaining a lot of attention in 2022 when Terrifier 2 Released. This came as a surprise because the movie had a micro budget of only $250,000 and minimal mainstream marketing. What had people talking about this movie were stories coming out where people would walk out, vomit, and pass out while watching the film.
There were even images going around of people being pushed out of movie theaters in wheelchairs after watching Terrifier 2. Even with many stories about the movie leaving watchers extremely disturbed, Terrifier 2 was a huge success.
The film's budget was only $250,000 and the film made $15.7 million dollars in the box office. Terrifier 3 picks up directly after the events of Terrifier 2 which ended off on a cliffhanger. Terrifier 2 ends with Art the Clown dying while fighting the main character, Sienna.
However during the post credit scene we see one of Art the Clown’s victims which he mutilated in the Terrifier 2016 film. Victoria is in a mental hospital and we see her supernaturally give birth to Art the Clown who smiles before the movie finally ends.
Two months later during the Christmas season Sienna and her brother are trying to get their lives back together after they were terrorized on Halloween by Art the clown, but he is back and he is determined to ruin their holiday spirit.
The movie has had solid reviews so far with a 6.5/10 IMDb rating, a 77% rotten tomato score and a 3.6/5 audience rating summary. The movie has also made well over its budget cost in the box office making 72.6 million with only a 2 million dollar budget.
Photo from: Village Cinemas
THIS OR THAT
Thanksgiving Edition
At Home or Travel
Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie
Canned Cranberry or Homemade
Black Friday or Cyber Monday
Corn Bread or Bread Rolls
Collard Greens or Mac n Cheese
Gravy on Everything or Just Mashed Potatoes
Screenshot, Choose, and Share in your stories!