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By Jasmine Suri

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It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. And I wouldn't say that this is wrong, not necesarily, but I have to disagree with a certain aspect of it. On one side, words can have incredibly deep meaning. There is always some novel out there, some song lyrics, a piece of poetry, that feels like it was written just for you. But words can only go so far when it comes to communicating emotions, which is why I think that they can't be used to describe the depth of a picture or piece of art. Art isn't worth a thousand words, it's worth something so much deeper, something that language can only scrape the surface of.

Claude Monet - Impression, Sunrise (1874)

All art, in one way or another, requires some extent of interpretation, but looking specifically at abstract art, the meaning can be even harder to decipher. Art is primarily a form of communication. It means whatever the artist intends it to mean, and this meaning is shaped by the materials and techniques it makes use of, as well as the ideas and feelings it creates in its viewers. But communication is a two way street, and the viewer's interpretation of a piece is just as important as the artist's intentions. Although abstract art has been around for over a century, and can be traced back to even earlier movements such as Impressionism or Cubism, it is especially prominent in the modern world ( Invaluable). In the past, art used to be a lot more about accurate representation, a portrait or depiction of a landscape, capturing the essence of a scene. But coming closer to the world we live in today, art has become more and more conceptual rather than realistic. This can be frustrating to some people, since a lot of this type of artwork, despite seeming unsophisticated and simple, is sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. But it's important to realize that though abstract artwork may seem hard to understand and can be cryptic, there is often a deeper meaning or intention behind it than what meets the eye at first glance.

This is definitely the case with one very famous piece I'm sure you've heard of at some point or another. Back in 2019, the banana taped to a wall, created by Maurizio Cattelan and sold for $120,000, was probably the most talked-about contemporary art piece of the time ( Artnet). It brought into question the whole meaning and purpose of art with its complete absurdity. But though it may seem completely random and almost even irrelevant to art itself, looked at from the lens of an art critic, it can hold very deep hidden meanings and themes. Cattelan said that he had bought the banana in his piece for about $0.30, and keeping this in mind, we realize that he's trying to make us question the value that is placed on material goods, and how superficial that value is ( The Guardian). Another theme this piece explores is simply humor, which is expressed through numerous elements: Its name, the Comedian, is by far the most obvious indicator. Bananas are very often used for comedic purposes, which adds to the idea, and the artwork itself laughed in the face of what art was supposed to be, driving the theme home completely.

A piece of art that is very similar to the Comedian in its nature is the " Fountain ", also meant as satirical social commentary. Created by Marcel Duchamp, it is actually a standard porcelain urinal. It's a so-called 'readymade' sculpture, meaning that it is an ordinary object that the artist has simply selected and perhaps modified in some way to turn it into artwork, which was also the case with the banana. Duchamp made a very deliberate choice to use a urinal, an object which would unsettle the viewer with its un-art-like associations, and unsettle the customary assumptions about what a work of art should look like. Duchamp makes a very bold statement through this piece: If the artist says something is art, then who is to say whether or not it qualifies?

Monochrome artwork has also become very popular with the rise of abstract art. Colors can have more emotional and mental effects on us than we realize, each one bringing up specific feelings. It's the purest form of visual representation, how we see everything in the world around us. One example of this sort of artwork is Yves Klein's Blue Monochrome, made in 1961 ( Moma). This piece, to some viewers, might look just plain blue, and logically speaking, this is true. But immersing yourself in the color can surface much more meaningful themes behind this simple color. For example, this cold, intense color could feel like a deep, serene ocean, or the sky late in the evening. Klein saw monochrome painting as an "open window to freedom, as the possibility of being immersed in the immeasurable existence of color." ( Curated Crowd). This sort of art is beautiful in its ability to create emotions and feelings so simply, purely through color.

Another incredibly controversial art piece that used this same monochromatic style was Lucio Fontana's slashes in canvas. To use his words, " I do not want to make a painting; I want to open up space, create a new dimension, tie in the cosmos, as it endlessly expands beyond the confining plane of the picture." ( Artland). His art pieces may seem simple at first glance, as though anyone could potentially create something incredibly similar, but the intentions behind the piece make it exponentially more sophisticated. There are a couple of different elements at play here that make this piece exceptional. First, the idea of "creating a new dimension" that Fontana describes plays an incredibly important role in his artwork. In most cases, a canvas is used as a surface onto which artwork is added; However, in Fontana's case, the canvas itself is the artwork, a creative concept that plays with how art is normally created. Another element of his piece is the bold color he uses on the canvas. This vivid shade of blood-red commands attention and feels almost invasive with its intensity. And yet, this same color that feels like it should be aggressive is spread across the canvas so perfectly and looks so pristine that barely any texture is discernible, only adding more weight to the cuts themselves. These are done with surgical precision, especially the three at the center, which are almost completely parallel to one another. This contrast between anger and perfection in this piece gives it a very specific touch that elicits feeling and emotion in the viewer.

The language or art is boundless and can convey emotions, ideas, and beliefs in a universally understood form, even to the illiterate. But sometimes that meaning is hard to find, especially in the modern world, and sometimes, the meaning is just art for art's sake. And, to quote the contemporary artist John Baldessari, "conceptual art isn't about art that has a concept, but about interrogating the concept of art," ( Artsy). But no matter how absurd, how obsolete, how completely ridiculous a piece of art seems to be, there is always something below that facade that carries a deeper meaning, one that anyone who looks closely enough can understand.

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It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. And I wouldn't say that this is wrong, not necesarily, but I have to disagree with a certain aspect of it. On one side, words can have incredibly deep meaning.

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By Sojo Ethridge

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How it not only fails to recreate the magic of the 1998 Mulan, but also actively contributes to faux feminism.

If you grew up in the nineties I'm sure you remember the Disney animated film Mulan. It was such a progressive movie, and it had some amazing cinematography, animation, and songs. An upcoming 2020 movie was to be the remake of this beloved classic. Mulan 2020 had the chance of being a modern retelling of an old and beloved classic with a new, more culturally accurate representation of the media presented. However, Disney missed their mark, having just as many if not more cultural inaccuracies and having a skewed message far inferior to the animated Mulan.

Throghout the past couple of years, Disney has been remaking all their old classics. Most of the time being cardboard cutouts or additional things to correct what was wrong with it in the past. The latter can be said for Mulan 2020, it tries to correct the cultural inaccuracies of the animated Mulan. And while they succeed to a certain extent, they removed what fun and life the original had, and replaced it with a hollow shell of itself.

A photo of Uighur "reeducation" camps

English translation: "I support the Hong Kong police, you can beat me now."

Aside from the movie itself, the movie failed on many fronts. It tanked at the box offices in China, often having low reviews on a popular Chinese movie rating website called Douyin. Internationally it did not do well either, as it was being held behind a Disney plus subscription and a thirty-dollar paywall. Overall, it lost around $80 million to $150 million.

Not only that but it was involved in more than one human rights crisis. The first of two being related to the Uighur Muslims being held captive in "reeducation" camps. Of all the places the movie could have been filmed it was filmed on top of these camps. According to Tursunay Ziawudun, a survivor of the reeducation camps, one of the many things that happened was sexual abuse. ( BBC) A human rights crisis right underneath the place they filmed the movie and Disney could not look into it enough to realize the area's history. The other being in early 2016, there were protests in Hong Kong for its freedom from Chinese law as it had been before, and throughout the protests, many lost their lives at the hands of police. 2020 Mulan's actor, Liu Yifei has openly shown her support for the Hong Kong police.

It is important to think about the politics and geographical elements as the movies are tied so heavily to gender equality, a large social justice movement. As well as Mulan originally being a tale from ancient China written in the mid 6th century.
"Traveling together for twelve years They didn't know Mulan was a girl. "The he‑hare's feet go hop and skip, The she‑hare's eye s are muddled and fuddled. Two hares running side by side close to the ground, How can they tell if I am he or she?"" - The Ballad of Mulan
The Ballad of Mulan has been a poem passed down for many generations, often being taught within Chinese schools. Mulan 2020 tries to include a small reference to the poem; however, in doing so they completely shatter the true meaning of the poem.

In the original ballad, the comparison of the two hares is a metaphor for society; it's illustrating that when caught up altogether, men and women aren't all that different. But in the 2020 remake, they make a sloppy reference only counter to that statement. In the remake, she rides along on her horse as she sees two hares run by, and later she states she thinks one is a male and the other female. If we continue the metaphor of the hares it means that men and women are different and she can differentiate them. If they wanted to correct it but still keep the reference it would've been great if she stopped by the hares and said something like, "oh you look like a boy and you look like a girl" but in the end, they both runoff and she can no longer tell the difference between the two. Such a simple difference in filming could have had a great difference on the impact of the film.

Young Mulan using her Qi

This inaccuracy to the ballad isn't where it ends, in Mulan 2020 they introduce Qi. The way they portray Qi's very inaccurate. Within the animated Mulan, there were many flaws and cultural inaccuracies, one of which was the enemy's name. The name being "Huns", and as much of the Chinese population is Hun Chinese that name is racist and insensitive. That is one of the few things the remake corrects, the other being the scene of Mulan chopping her hair, as during that time both men and women would wear their hair long. That was because long hair was considered sacred. It was seen as a part of someone's body and a legacy of their parents. () And not to forgive the animated film for its cultural inaccuracies, but it was a different time. Nowadays, one would expect the remake to fix cultural inaccuracies to be more sensitive.

However, while fixing a few things such as the chopping of Mulan's hair or the name of the enemy (in the animated movie was Huns whereas here Rourans) they created more cultural inaccuracies as well. As the times have changed, its cultural inaccuracies cannot be overlooked as a sign of its time. On the Chinese movie reviewing site "Douyin" someone commented on Mulan 2020 movie saying it was "a western film in sheepskin", which is easily seen because within the movie they often had strange dialogue, sometimes almost seeming like a mockery of what they thought Chinese people would speak. For example, when Mulan first meets human replacement for the animated movie's cricket. Which he says, "My name is Cricket because I was born on an auspicious moon." A Chinese content creator, Xiran Jay Zhao, has stated that their phrasing is very off. Of course, she is only one of many Chinese people, however, they grew up within that environment, and are quite educated on these topics. This addition of Qi greatly changes the trajectory and theme of the whole film.

The animated Mulan presents ideas very progressive to the time, one would only think the ideas of the remake would align and expand on them. While that is probably what they were aiming for they miserably fail with their addition of chi. It destroys the idea of needing to work hard because it is something Mulan was born with. With this addition, instead of the 2020 remake being about hard work and gender equality, it is now about how one must be their true self to unlock their power. While that is a good message by itself in the animated Mulan, Mulan was always true to herself. Even when she was posing as a man, she still used her wits and intelligence. And when we see her try to parody what she thinks being a man is she fails miserably. But it didn't matter, because the animated film's message was that man or woman, she was still a war hero who saved countless lives. The reason the animated Mulan was so endearing to us is that we see her growth as a soldier and how she affects and impacts everyone around her.
"Be a man, you must be as swift as a coursing river. Be a man."
For example, a scene you would remember well if you have seen the animated Mulan is the scene where she scales the pole. It is a very powerful, dare I say the most empowering moment of the movie. In the animated Mulan, all of the soldiers must reach the arrow lodged atop the pole. To climb the pole they must use two weights, one representing discipline and the other one strength. As they all struggle to figure out how to climb the pole, we see Mulan eventually figure out how to climb it. Not using brute force; but instead, wit and creativity.

As we watch Mulan pull herself up the pole using the two weights as a grip we sit in awe as we hear those lyrics behind her. The power of the music and the fact that she, a woman, was able to "be a man" before any of the actual men was so empowering and eye-opening to many. It sent the message that with hard work and intelligence you can get anywhere.

However, the remake is far from that level of empowerment. The amazing moment they created in the animated Mulan was replaced with a far inferior version in the remake. Instead of her scaling the pole, they had her climb up a mountain with two heavy buckets. And as the others fall and break she does not, she uses her chi to continue moving. While this is not necessarily bad on a surface level, it does not have the emotional weight of the animated. However, upon further inspection, it is so much more than that. Instead of using her wits and intelligence in this one, she just simply does the more masculine thing better than men. This moment suggests that the only way to be on par with men as a woman is to be 'special' or be different. Not only does it destroy the meaning of what the original was supposed to be, but it also hurts this film's message as well.

In the final battle against Shan yu, Mulan uses both a fan and a sword in tandem. Fans are often a symbol of femininity, whereas a sword is a more masculine object. As she uses both in tandem with each other it is signifying many powerful things. That both men and women can work in tandem, or that she need not throw away her femininity to be strong. Even, in a more literal sense, the objects are objects and it is not reliant on gender, whether she was a man or woman it does not matter, she used her cunning ideas to defeat the enemy. All of these meaningful themes are tied to one fantastically animated scene.

In the 2020 remake, they did none of this. That being said, it does not need to be a carbon copy of the original to still be good; however, the end in this movie has little to no meaning. She defeats the enemy using only her masculine powers and traits; using her powers of Qi, a sword, and an arrow for the finishing blow. In the sense of this movie, it almost seems to promote the idea that there is only one type of strength, masculinity. But, this isn't to say that masculinity isn't a type of strength either; however, within the animated Mulan, they acknowledged femininity's strength as well. And nowadays, a lot of Hollywood media often demonizes being hyper-feminine. That is because within lots of media there is an implanted idea of being a "cool girl" who isn't like those other girls who like pink and makeup etc. etc. () This completely counters the meaning of what the animated was trying to portray.

Finally, the most climactic moment of the film when Mulan comes back from fighting Shan Yu and the emperor starts what seems to be attacking her only to end with him singing her praises. When everyone, even the emperor, bows to Mulan it feels so surreal to the audience. We've watched her struggle as she tries to find her place and in doing so we watch her step up to such an astonishingly important role. Even as the emperor hands her the sword of Shan yu and his crest instead of bowing, which would signify she saw him only as a figurehead, she hugs him instead. Not only does that humanize the emperor, but it also shows that she will not use her strengths to "know her place" and uphold the patriarchy.

The 2020 remake not so much, she states multiple times that she "knows her place" and by "knowing her place" she's upholding the patriarchy too. What made the animated Mulan so special was that she didn't know her place. She did not fit within the typical feminine roles or masculine and she was constantly looking for her place. In the end, she never found it but she made herself a place within that society. It tells people that if they cannot fit into the social roles and norms they can find their place elsewhere or they can make their own.

You may think I'm reading too much into a children's film. Because aside from being a very poorly written and directed film, the movie seems fine. However, I see it differently. I see it as a missed opportunity for true empowerment and representation. As someone of Chinese descent it felt so good to see someone of my race on the big screen, I felt seen. Not only that, but it also made me feel less helpless. It taught me I am strong, it taught me I am no different than men, it taught me that I could achieve great heights with effort and work. And if the animated could have such an impact on so many, one could only imagine the impact of a good remake. However, the 2020 remake squanders any opportunity to give the younger generations the chance to see such an eye-opening film. Instead, they use the guise of empowerment and representation for nostalgia bait and a failed cash grab.

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How it not only fails to recreate the magic of the 1998 Mulan, but also actively contributes to faux feminism. If you grew up in the nineties I'm sure you remember the Disney animated film Mulan. It was such a progressive movie, and it had some amazing cinematography, animation, and songs.

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Why Hating Men is Bad for your Health and Feminism

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Why Hating Men is Bad for your Health and Feminism

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By Pia Barnett

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By Pia Barnett

It's no secret that men commit some of the most heinous crimes in society. They are dramatically ore likely to be serial killers, they rape and sexually assault women and harass them in the workplace and on the street, they objectify women and use them for their bodies, they perpetuate a system in which women are paid significantly less for the same job, the list goes on and on. I'm not here to say "but not all men!" - we get it, it's not about the men who aren't terrible people, it's about the men who are. A lot of terrible men do a lot of terrible things and it is completely valid to hold onto the anger caused by the actions of these terrible men and project it onto the entire male population. Recently, hating on men has become a trend all over social media and it feels like someone has posted "men are trash" somewhere every few seconds. Whilst the anger that it stems from is completely valid, it has begun to bleed into our real lives and is rather toxic when there's no genuine discourse about why it's an issue and how we can improve.

The patriarchy affects everyone. Women face disgusting behaviour from men every day and have been abused, mistreated and discriminated against since the beginning of time; however, men's lives aren't perfect either. From a young age, boys are taught to keep their emotions bottled up to appear manly and are pressured by society to provide for their families with high paying jobs. Nearly all school shooters are men and suicide rates are higher in men than they are in women. This is not meant to invalidate the experiences of women in any way or to say that women don't deserve to be angry about the abuse they face because men struggle also. I am simply pointing out the fact that feminism and abolishing the patriarchy will benefit everyone. The more we engage with the idea that "men are trash" the worse interactions between the genders will become. The idea that feminists are all man-hating angry lesbians and that women's rights are gained at the expense of men's rights is something that we are still fighting to reverse, and the trend of saying "men are trash" all over social media isn't helping. If we want to abolish the patriarchy and become a healthier, happier and safer society, we need to push the idea of feminism for not only women but men also. Perhaps mocking and slamming all men on Twitter whilst also telling them that their proper role in the movement is to listen to women and patiently endure anti-male slams is not the best way to win support.

In addition to being bad for the feminist movement, hating on men is also bad for your health. Hating on men is draining, mentally taxing and a waste of your energy, so what if we just simply ignored them? I am not making the argument that we should let men get away with crimes against women or that we should love all men, I am simply saying that spending your energy hating men does nothing but drain you of your energy. The opposite of hatred isn't love, it's apathy. Hating on a group of people isn't healthy in any capacity and leads to emotional exhaustion. Exposing yourself to misogynists online who believe that women owe them sex or just have extremely sexist beliefs is mentally taxing and does nothing but affect you negatively. Arguing with those men is not going to achieve anything and will only negatively affect your mental health. It won't help to educate them or change their minds or erase the sexism ingrained in them, it will only make you more frustrated. This isn't to say that we should stop calling out disgusting behaviour from men and sharing our experiences, it just means that we need to choose our battles. If calling someone out will help to educate them and others, you should most definitely do it. If you find yourself in an argument with an ignorant and close-minded man who refuses to accept the facts that you are laying out for him, walk away.

About a month ago, I was tipped over the edge. The death of Sarah Everard, who was killed on her way home from a friends house in South London, the pictures of O.J Simpson receiving the coronavirus vaccine whilst his wife Nicole lies six feet under, the increase in domestic violence during the pandemic, the article released by the Australian that detailed the hundreds of girls from Sydney's most prestigious private schools who were assaulted by boys from the neighbouring schools, it had all been suffocating me and one night I finally cracked. I spent the night crying and writing page after page in my journal about how much I hated men and how they were ruining the world. I was emotionally drained and I felt helpless and angry. Ever since then, I have adopted a new mindset, and it has helped me to protect my energy and save my tears.

A lot of women have been so badly abused by men and have so many negative experiences, it just may not be possible for them to feel anything but anger towards them, and I completely understand and respect their perspectives. I am fortunate enough to have positive male role models in my life, and I understand that that makes me very lucky. I am an optimist, so I prefer to see the world in a positive light, but I also understand how it feels to feel like someone has their boot pressed against your neck, like you are fighting a losing battle. The World Economic Forum estimates that it will take 135.6 years to reach gender equality. This means that unless I live till age 150, I will not be able to experience the respect I deserve as a human being in my lifetime. This makes me feel infuriated and defeated. However, in order for me to function each day and maintain a healthy mental state, I cannot hold on to this anger. I choose not to spend my time and energy hating men not because I think it is what men deserve, but because it is what's best for me. Don't do it for anyone else, do it for yourself.

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Why Hating Men is Bad for your Health and Feminism

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By Pia Barnett It's no secret that men commit some of the most heinous crimes in society. They are dramatically ore likely to be serial killers, they rape and sexually assault women and harass them in the workplace and on the street, they objectify women and use them for their bodies, they perpetuate a system in which women are paid significantly less for the same job, the list goes on and on.

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By Marta Ryukhtina

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"Chainsaw Man..." the title itself may prompt ideas as to what sort of a series it is. A shounen action story aimed at teenage boys filled to the brim with gory battle scenes, wicked villains, and lewd jokes. And at first, Chainsaw Man does indeed present itself as an easily digestible action story. However, under its surface lies a genius tale involving the deconstruction of and subversion from the shounen genre, as well as numerous plot points that tackle existent societal issues.

The story's beginnng puts us into the shoes of Denji, an orphan boy who hunts devils to pay off his late father's debt.

Devils are the physical manifestations of human fears, and whilst they are generally malicious, the story introduces us to many which we are meant to empathize with. Pochita, Denji's "Chainsaw Devil" dog, being the most lovable of them all. Upon Denji's betrayal by the debt collecting Yakuza's, Pochita gives him its heart, creating Chainsaw Man.

His tragic beginnings resemble that of a typical shounen protagonist, who starts off as pathetic and hopeless but eventually grows into a hero with the guidance of his friends and mentors.

Yet, from the very beginning, the story takes on a sinister tone, Denji's low status isn't painted as pitiful, but as pathetic. The debt collectors refer to him as a dog, he does exactly as he's told, whether that be killing devils or eating a cigarette for 100 yen.

The gravity and overall realism of these opening scenes are telling of the story's tone and broader distinction of direction from other works in the genre, which typically take on a more lighthearted approach in tackling a character's lowly beginnings. The, almost nauseating, sequence of events suggests that there is more to the story than its synopsis.

To deconstruct a genre is to clearly demonstrate its essential elements and then to display their real consequences.

"It is not solely done to denote how unpleasant a genre or trope is, but to break away from the clichés and stock themes said genre or trope has acquired." Genre Deconstruction

Chainsaw Man deconstructs the essential elements that make up a shounen protagonist, by providing realistic explanations for typically expressed behaviors.

Such characteristics include having a large appetite, a lack of social skills, a lack of intelligence, a sort of simple-mindedness, as well as an immense determination. These characteristics are placed upon characters without much reason and serve as either opportunities to provide comedic relief, as ways to drive the plot forward, or to add easily perceptible character development. And although Chainsaw Man undoubtedly uses these peculiarities to add interest to the plot, it is the viable reasoning for their existence that sets it apart from other works.

The realistic explanation given for the usage of these tropes is Denji's socio-economic status. He has a large appetite because he grew up eating rotting garbage in order to survive. His social skills are lacking, but so are any people he could connect with on an interpersonal level. His lack of social cues isn't simply a cool quirk that differentiate s him from the other characters, but often puts and keeps him in situations that cause and perpetuate his suffering. His lack of intelligence is painted in the same harsh and realistic light, it stems from the fact that he never went to school and didn't have the liberty to think complexly due to his living conditions. Lastly, maybe the most virtuous characteristic of a shounen protagonist is their immense determination, but this trait of Denji's does not stem from a noble or abstract goal, but rather from simple, trivial, stupid things.

These choices not only contribute to the genius of the story but prompt the reader to further question works in the shounen genre.

Chainsaw Man's subversion from overdone shounen tropes is what makes it stand out amongst the dozens of other " Shonen Jump" publications. The manga anthology publisher is home to some of the most stereotypically shonen works, such as One Piece, Dragon Ball and Bleach. The weekly publishing format favors simple and easily digestible stories that are guaranteed to cultivate an audience; this makes Chainsaw Man's realistic angle stick out like a sore thumb.

WOMEN

One of the primary reasons I've come to love the manga is how it treats its women. The reader is introduced to two female protagonists, both of whom are painted as love potential interests. The smart and respectable Makima, whose persona is opposed by Power, the promiscuous blood-loving devil. Off the bat it is easy to assume what direction the romance will take, Denji will flip flop between the two girls, but inevitably end up with Makima, the more worthy of the two.

Often, in manga, literature, and broader society, women are grouped into two dichotomous categories, The Madonna and the Whore. Coined by Sigmund Freud, the Madonna-Whore complex categorizes women as the chaste Madonnas and the seductive Whores, claiming that men, at least on a subconscious level, do not respect women they find sexually attractive. This patriarchal lens that women are viewed through is customary in shounen literature, and for a plausible reason. Shounen, the name in and of itself is telling of its audience. The direct translation is plainly " Boy's Comics ". With the target demographic being young boys, many works in the genre rely heavily on male power fantasies. Women are used as a means to satisfy those fantasies, coming at the cost of any nuanced characterization. In Chainsaw Man the reader is almost promised to be able to insert themselves into the shoes of Denji, who will achieve both sexualand emotional satisfaction and will have the ultimate deciding power over the two women.

Those expectations were then flipped on their heads, resulting in a great deal of satisfaction for those who felt as though the ploy was deeply overused and in rather poor taste.

Denji's relationship with the formerly thought of as saintlike Makima is nothing short of a deeply uneven power dynamic, in which he is the dog, and she is his master who he obeys without question. Denji is often humiliated and emasculated to such an uncomfortable extent that the reader can no longer comfortably insert themselves into his shoes.

The emotional satisfaction is then not fulfilled, but neither are any of his indecent needs, since...

MALE-FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS

Denji's relationship with Power is wonderfully platonic.

Her sexual appeal wasn't utilized to satisfy Denji, rather, it is used to diverge the typical dynamics present in male-female friendships. The female is usually either deprived of any feminine characteristics, or the relationship is used as a cheap plot device in which the two parties engage in will-they-won't-they rhetoric, which adds no substance to the plot.

The story tackles Denji's obsessive desire for vulgar things and simultaneously addresses the realistic problems that arise from basing your life's purpose on a specific goal, a common trope amongst shounen protagonists. When Denji achieves his first trivial goal he feels empty, after realizing that it isn't all that it was made out to be. Revealing the often disappointing truth of achieving one's goals, particularly if they are misguided as is the case with Denji. In a sense, his strong urge to be sexual is a manifestation of his desire for normalcy, which he has been so deeply deprived of.

After working through his genuine thoughts for the first time, Power is then painted, not as an object which can be used to satisfy Denji, but as his equal, both in value and in character.

Power and Denji are both outsiders from society, with Denji being dirt poor and Power being a devil, which creates a sort of solidarity between the two. Both characters are simple-minded and largely unaware of social norms. This creates a satisfying power dynamic in which both share many naturally humorous interactions, as well asbuild up each other's humanity. Both of the characters' development lies in their connection to each other, as they build empathy and learn to care for people other than themselves.

GOOD VS. EVIL

Denji, Power, and the other characters the story follows are not the most virtuous bunch. The characters aren't necessarily sorted into groups of good and evil, but into the country mice and city mice. In which, the good and virtuous country mice get killed. This is both a subversion of the shounen genre and of the fable itself.

In Aesop's fable, " The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse ", the country mouse rejects the good food of the city, for the stability of the countryside. Yet, each Chainsaw Man character that has grouped themselves, or otherwise fallen into this category has each met their tragic end.

Aki, who was once the embodiment of the city mouse, continuously chasing revenge and refusing to leave the 4th division in hopes of defeating the gun devil, survived well under Makima's jurisdiction. But, once he gained back a sense of humanity, remembering how he favoured the life of the country mouse, died soon after. This correlation between humanity and defeat is the consequence of Makima's disdain towards humanity.

Makima, unlike the others, does not group herself into either category, signifying that her position is above everyone else. This position is later explained when it is revealed that Makima is the control devil, and has been manipulating the other characters to play into her scheme. This further answers why the story's course didn't align with the moral of the fable, Makima's control over each character is so vast that it goes against human nature itself.

Makima sees humans as dogs, who need to be trained not to sin, this is mirrored in both her abnormal collection of dogs and Denji's role as her dog whose purpose should be to obey. Denji, then, serves as a foil to Makima, he values the simple things and understands that you need to experience the lows to truly appreciate the highs.

EXPERIENCE MACHINE

This line of reason is what eventually prompts Denji to fight Makima when he asks her if "there would be any crappy movies in her vision of a utopian world" and she responds with "it would be for the best if bad movies were erased from the world". This is in reference to when he and Makima went on a movie date and watched a series of bad movies, but when he saw the 10th, comparatively better movie, he burst into tears. The scene is largely symbolic of his life, a series of tragic events followed by a change that isn't truly fantastic by any means but is comparatively fantastic for the ill-fated Denji.

A similar question to whether or not there should be crappy movies in a utopian world was posed by Robert Nozick in his 1974 book "Anarchy, State, and Utopia." His thought experiment named the " Experience Machine" proposes a world in which one could use a machine to experience a desirable state of being at any given moment, a person's brain could not distinguish between the machine and the real world, so then, would you choose to live in the real world? He argues that if pleasure was, as the Hedonists claim, the highest value then the answer would be an overwhelming no, yet many, such as Denji would answer yes. Because what is life without death and triumph without failure and good movies without the crappy ones? This is an interpretation developed creatively by Instagram User @chensoposting.

Makima, by contrast, seeks a god-like controlment of the world, in which she could create a utopian world free from pain, conversely siding with the Hedonists.

Nevertheless, Makima's plan is carefully thought out and well-executed, it is so well executed in fact that the reader almost accepts her supposed victory. Not being able to think of an accordingly complex counterattack the protagonist could follow. Denji isn't one who thinks complexly though, and it is this slow wit that leads to his eventual success.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

Denji is an idiot, but stupidity is not only a weakness but his greatest strength. He doesn't play the psychological games the others try to lure him into, not because he can see through them, but because he doesn't understand the rules. Remorse for himself, let alone others, was never a useful card in the game of survival. When the "dolls" Santa Clause uses to kill Denji with begin begging and screaming in pain like the real people they once were, he continues swinging his chainsaws with raw unwavered power, as though they are but limp nothings. Denji applies no question or reason to his surroundings and circumstances, there exist no What If's? or Why's? What if I am hurting real people? Why am I in this position?

This is the same reason Denji fell into Makima's grasp and was the only one to escape it. He accepted her offer without question, served her without question even barked without question. So when Makima pulled the rug she had placed down from under his feet, he didn't ponder too long the moral complexities of killing the woman who was once his everything. He killed her without question, chopped her up into pieces without question, and ate her without question.

Such an approach not only derives from the typical shonen showdown in which the protagonist uses his newfound knowledge to outsmart the villain but solidifies Denji's standing as a simple-minded character whose greatest enemy is simply not comparable to him.

IMAGERY

Chainsaw Man's imagery provides a further foundation for the distinction between Makima and Denji.

Makima, being the control devil, is parallel to the first horseman of the apocalypse who is otherwise known as the horseman of conquest. Riding a white horse, the first horseman is often interpreted as Christ. Denji, being a foil to Makima, is seen riding a shark similar to how Napoleon is portrayed crossing the Alps. The faithless Napoleon was often equated to the Anti-Christ during his invasion of Christian Russia.

Such semblances are used as a means to uphold the difference between the humanistic Denji and the godly Makima, who are the embodiments of the age-old battle between holy virtues and mortal vices.

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"Chainsaw Man..." the title itself may prompt ideas as to what sort of a series it is. A shounen action story aimed at teenage boys filled to the brim with gory battle scenes, wicked villains, and lewd jokes. And at first, Chainsaw Man does indeed present itself as an easily digestible action story.

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“The View From Halfway Down”: A Successful Ending to Bojack Horseman

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“The View From Halfway Down”: A Successful Ending to Bojack Horseman

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By Isabela Klenorova

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As the TV show, Bojack Horseman slowly comes to a close in its final episodes of season 6, the series hits you with "The View from Halfway Down" when Bojack attempts to drown at the end of episode 14. This sudden climax creates suspense, like How will Bojack's journey end? In the first half of season 6, Bojack is finally on a healthy way of turning his life around working at a university and staying away from bad habits. Viewers awaited the ending of Bojack and how exactly will the creators try to end this triumphant series with different theories and supposed events that could close up this show. Throughout the seasons of Bojack Horseman, you see the ups and downs of Bojack Horseman, a middle-aged actor living in Hollywood, and his daily life along with Diana, Todd, Princess Carolyn, and Mr. Buttercup. The episode "The View from Halfway Down" explores Bojack's relationship with death and the people affected by it. It's Bojack's confrontation with death and dying as the series ends with Bojack's different confrontations for his past and the world.

I still remember when I first watched Bojack a good year ago and was about to watch this episode. Fun fact: I actually decided to watch Bojack because I watched an analysis video on this specific episode. It piqued my interest, the hidden symbolism, the complex history of each character, and the way they portrayed Bojack's state. I was blown away when I watched that video, I ran to Netflix instantly. My first impression of Bojack Horseman that it was just another adult comedy with a toxic male protagonist but oh boy is it way more than that. It delves into so many different topics while still being able to be a comedic show including topics such as mental health, substance abuse, parents, fame, love, and much more. And the sitcom is one of the most successful shows at actually portraying mental health. After watching it, Bojack Horseman instantly became one of my favorite shows of all time.

But how does Bojack Horseman create a successful ending to its series? Many tv shows try and fail at ending their series but for some reason, Bojack succeeds at this. And Bojack shows off its storytelling skills and what a great coherent show it is with its before the last episode "the View from Halfway Down". The whole plot makes this episode so remarkable and minds jarring. It feels out of this world, the animated format lets Bojack Horsman explore the mind of Bojack as he slowly dies and depicts it in animation.

The first scene opens up with Bojack and a young Sarah Lynn and he rings the doorbell. Throughout this episode, we see how Sarah Lynn grows up during this whole episode. Kind of pictured how Bojack watched her grow up and then die right in front of him. Bojack gives Beatrice, his mother, some pink hydrangeas, which in Japan means an apology, or here it represents an apology from Bojack for letting Beatrice die alone. This tiny detail renders to how each small thing that is shown in this episode has a meaning behind it and that this whole episode is a bit of closure for the series. The different settings throughout this episode are all very distinct with a hall that leads into a lounge room with paintings and a green couch. This lounge area is alike to the living room that Bojack grew up with, which was a prominent place in Bojack's memory. On the wall, there are a few paintings that were significant in Bojacks life like a family portrait of his father and mother. A picture of Cracker Jack is also on the wall which conveys how much Cracker Jack, Bojack's uncle, left damage on Bojack's family, and how the loss of Cracker Jack is prominent even to Bojack who never met him. A bird is seen to fly around during this episode which according to a legend/superstition, when a bird is in the house it means an important message and if the bird dies in the house that means death. All the characters move forward into the kitchen which is from the set of Horsin Around, which is the hit tv show in which Bojack starred and what made Bojack famous. In Bojack Horseman, the hit tv sitcom Horsin Around is mentioned a lot and even in Beatrice's final days, she mentioned how the show brought her comfort and Diana also said how Horsin around comforted her. The fact that the kitchen in this episode matches the one in Horsin Around is a notable point in this episode and just displays how much this episode means and symbolizes in the show Bojack Horseman. Further, the characters come into a dining room and sit at a long table where everyone has a meal. If you look closely, you can see that each person has their final meal in front of them which notes how this episode is a representation of the time right before Bojack dies. Bojack has a few pills right in front of him, Sarah Lynn has some McDonalds in front of her, Cracker Jack has some military food, and Beatrice has a meal from a retirement home. I'm someone who just loves symbols and details that connect and this episode is filled to the brim with them. These small-scale details sprinkled throughout this peculiar and fascinating episode keep you captivated and questioning and evoke why this episode helps end the series in a notable means.

Bojack Horseman has some of the most unusual yet powerful quotes and scripts for an animated show. The dialogue just sticks with you after you watch the episode, it makes you think long after and it wanders through your mind because of its deep impact. Since this episode circles around the idea of confrontation and confrontation with death, Bojack talks with a lot of characters he encounters in this episode who have died before him. Some of the smaller conversations reveal a lot more about all the characters who have died such as Cracker Jack. Cracker Jack is painted out to be this war hero and this fearless role model, but from this episode, we get a new perspective of him. From his behavior and words like, "I also never liberated any camps - I'm honestly not sure what I did," we get to see him as a bit anxious and afraid person. Someone who wasn't some war hero he was painted out to be by Beatrice and her mother. Even though this doesn't outright affect Bojack or his journey here, I still think it's really powerful and captivating, the fact that Cracker Jack left such an impression on Beatrice's family and was perceived as this great man who was heroic but in reality, he didn't do much before his death. This episode gives spotlight to so many characters that had a short life on Bojack and further expanded them in this interesting dream sequence episode which just makes me love this episode more.

The characters move from the dining room to what appears to be some theatre or showroom where Herb, Bojack's old friend, starts the show. While the sitcom Bojack Horseman may not be known for its soundtrack or songs, I believe that the music that's included in this series is gripping and a part of the show that fully completes it. In the theatre, Bojack becomes the audience for Sarah Lynn's final performance where she sings "Don't Stop Dancing" a song that has already appeared in the show before. Beatrice tells the same words to Bojack as in the lyrics when she was forcing him to perform when he was younger and then later Bojack said the same thing to Sarah Lynn when she was young and on the set of Horsin Around. Finally, this song was also performed by Gina, Bojack's co-star in Philbert, where during a paranoid state he had a dream where she sang this exact song, "Don't Stop Dancing". The song presents this cycle that everybody is indulging in, in Bojack's world, and how in a way this song led to the death of Sarah Lynn, who did not stop dancing even though she wanted to do something else with her life. This final performance by Sarah Lynns calls out Bojack for never helping Sarah Lynn get out of this cycle and do what she truly wanted to do and rather letting her die, as she never stopped dancing.

Lastly, the part of this episode that sticks with you and engraves itself in your brain, in my opinion, is when Secretariat/Butterscotch(Butterscotch was Bojack's Father) reads his poem named "The View From Halfway Down". Secretariat was always Bojack's idol growing up and he was a famous runner who committed suicide, and this poem is his final thoughts when he jumped. It's apparent that as he reads this poem he regrets his decision after he sees the view from halfway down and wants to go back as he inches away from the door that is supposed to represent death in this dream sequence. The poem moves from the third-person perspective to the second person to the first-person perspective when the poem ends, which demonstrates how there was no going back when he was "halfway down". I interpret the inclusion of this poem in this episode and even naming this episode after it, to how Bojack doesn't want to die and that this whole episode is his "View from Halfway Down". Secretariat was also Butterscotch in this episode which kind of obviously implies how Bojack saw Secretariat as a fatherly figure and the fact that Butterscotch was disconnected with Bojack by not even having a real appearance here. The creators of this show were immensely creative in presenting this episode and its impact heavily stands out.

"The View from Halfway Down" is just a masterpiece of an episode, it's breathtaking and mind-bending, all the boundaries that were created were broken. Bojack Horseman successfully mastered how to end a great show without leaving anybody disappointed or wanting more. Bojack's story doesn't end with the series but that's where we end with him. This story was created to teach us that it is hard to get better and there are many setbacks but it'll get better. Bojack hit rock bottom in "The View from Halfway down" literally. But in the last episode of the series, we see Bojack get better and get himself up and part ways, and continue day to day after prison. After being forced to face his mistakes and all the memorable people who passed before him he turns his life over step by step. "The View from Halfway Down" changed Bojack's perspective with confrontation and hopefully it will change yours too as the series ends.

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"The View From Halfway Down", A Successful Ending of Bojack

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As the TV show, Bojack Horseman slowly comes to a close in its final episodes of season 6, the series hits you with "The View from Halfway Down" when Bojack attempts to drown at the end of episode 14. This sudden climax creates suspense, like How will Bojack's journey end?

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Freddie Mercury Might Have Been One of the World’s Greatest Performers and Here’s Why

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Freddie Mercury Might Have Been One of the World’s Greatest Performers and Here’s Why

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By Yasemin Tezcan

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Now, I don't even remember the first time I heard Freddie Mercury's music or what reaction I had at first, but as I grew up, I started to appreciate it more and more. As I fell in love with music overall, I also started seeing him in a light I hadn't before.

His thunderous but seraphic voice and the everlating mark he left on the world and the music industry are probably known by almost everyone. And the thing is, if you peek more into him and his work, you'll find that he actually deserves all this recognition and more. "I won't be a rock star. I will be a legend," he once stated, and he wasn't wrong. He did become a legend. He became one of the most powerful musicians of all time; with his music, his performances, and his style.

But of course, he didn't start out as a legend. Sure, he was always quite talented, but the first few bands he joined didn't really take off. His main band Queen's debut album "Queen" aired in 1973, pushing Mercury and his bandmates into a world of fame.

They had many hit songs throughout the late 70s and early 80s, some of the firsts being "Sheer Heart Attack" and "A Night at the Opera" from their 1974 and 1975 albums.

After a while Queen's fame and talent reached their peak, Freddie Mercury was quite used to having an elaborate lifestyle and made the most of it. He liked collecting art and never said "no" to a chance to party.

But, unfortunately, after almost two decades of fame, Mercury quit the prominent lifestyle. He was diagnosed with AIDS and recorded one last album before passing away at the age of 45, the reason being bronchial pneumonia.

Freddie Mercury was renowned both before and after his death, one of the reasons being his excessive musical talent and the way he gave his all to his music.

Mercury wasn't just talented by ear; he was scientifically proven to be so. He could hit extremely high and low notes, making him an exceptional artist. He hits a lot of these high and low notes in Queen's songs, his highest possible notes being a low bass F2 and highest being a soprano F6. Another reason why Mercury's voice is extremely impressive is that his vocal range is 5-7 octaves and most tenors only have a 4-octave range. 7 octaves is an outstanding range, some even saying that it's "impossible", but there goes Freddie proving people wrong.

According to Lad Bible, "a team of Austrian, Czech, and Swedish researchers found that the average vibrato varies from 5.4 Hz to 6.9 Hz; Mercury's was 7.04 Hz," meaning that he could switch between chords extremely fast, making him naturally more talented than most artists. He sang by using his vestibular folds as well as vibrating his vocal cords, which made Freddie Mercury's "musical screaming" sound more angelic than ever.

It seems that Mercury was naturally gifted because it turns out the singer didn't have any vocal training. Young Mercury (known as Farrokh Bulsara back then) would play records and sing along to them as best he could, and according to his mom, he was good even then.

Freddie Mercury's only musical gift wasn't his voice; he also had a knack for songwriting. When it comes to songwriting, Mercury is known as an " Experimental Genius ", as he "never really went into songwriting with a clear picture in his head". Sometimes it would take him years to finish a song; and even then, he would still look back at them, as he was never fully satisfied.

He would work spontaneously with no clear goal or path, pouring his current feelings onto the paper. He would randomly get inspired at times, his assistant always being at his beck and call at those times. And maybe part of what made him such a genius and legend were these spur-of-the-moment ideas and his perfectionist personality.
"I write songs the way I feel it, if it means a song that I like needs something that is old fashion still do it,"
Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics (handwritten by Freddie Mercury)

Queen's most widely-known song "Bohemian Rhapsody" (which took the frontman years to write) is one of the best examples of the legend's experimental and creative mind. The song with more than one billion streams contains multiple parts, almost sounding like different songs. The parts are significantly different, sounding like they don't fit together. Yet, with the way the band conveys it, it makes up a perfect whole. I personally can't listen to songs longer than four minutes and get bored easily, but with Bohemian Rhapsody and the way it's so excellently composed, it sure does manage to keep me on my toes till the very end even after hearing it more times than I can count.
"I'd never let the song down, the song comes first,"
Although Mercury had an astounding voice, no artist can really make it in the industry without their fans, can they? Freddie knew exactly how to connect with fans and engage them through his performances. He always managed to keep the audience wanting more, once even throwing water on them and telling them that they could just "beat him up later" and pretending to play a guitar solo alongside Brian May.

He once stated "The reason we're successful, darling? My overall charisma, of course," and that was indeed true. Maybe not wholly, but there definitely was some truth behind it. Mercury was an overall charismatic man, which did come in handy when you were the band's frontman.

His performances amplified this characteristic of his as he interacted with fans and gave it his all on the stage.

Freddie Mercury gave many performances, acing all of them no matter what the conditions were. But I think Queen's Tokyo (1982) and Wembley (1986) performances (as well as many others) showed his true potential as a performer.

When Queen performed in Tokorozawa, Tokyo, they were near the end of their world tour, and most likely extremely exhausted. At least most people would think so, but even if they were, Mercury hid it perfectly. He dominated the stage and the audience, as usual, rocking out and providing the fans with his all. It was January in Japan then, both the cold and the fatigue caused Mercury's voice to crack at times, but he still delivered one hell of a show.

The band's Wembley performance was even more impressive than Mercury's determination and fervor in the Tokyo one. During this concert, the band put on such a show that they got to make it into a whole new album. But the most impressive part was Mercury's vocal improvisation bit. This call-and-response game with the audience emphasized the creative mind of the band's frontman as well as his vocal range and chemistry with the audience.
"Dullness is a disease,"
Mercury must've lived by his own quote because there seemed to be absolutely nothing dull about the whimsical man. He lived his life to the fullest, saying that the most important thing was "to live a fabulous life" no matter how long it is.

And this "fullness" was also included in his style. He engraved his mark in the world by rejecting the gender stereotypes that came with being a man and making rock music in the 70s and 80s. He was one of the most influential celebrities to cross-dress in those decades.

After he came out as gay in the 80s and got inspired by New York's gay clubs and changed his style. He started wearing studded belts, grew a moustache, and cut his hair short, but continued wearing his signature tight clothes.
"It's not a concert you are seeing, it's a fashion show,"
The frontman had many androgynous outfits, each one even more fabulous than the last. Zandra Rhodes designed most of his outfits, never failing to make Mercury look astonishing.

The renowned white batwing outfit of Mercury's was created by her as well. Turns out, Freddie's creative mind also had a knack for fashion, because when he saw a wedding dress that Rhodes was working on, he immediately fell in love with the top part, causing Rhodes to cut it and give it to him.

Mercury was also known for his full-length tight bodysuits. The frontman always looked iconic in these outfits and apparently they also helped him move easier on stage. So, he wasn't only fashionable but also thought about the practicality of his stunning outfits. He really was legendary, it seems.
"I dress to kill, but tastefully."
The fashion icon himself was also extremely passionate about clothes. He apparently went to art school and once even worked at a clothes stall as a teenager.

Maybe it was his passion for clothes that made him such a huge icon, and maybe not, but the man sure knew how to dress. His style was genderless as well as timeless, but most of all, it was brave. Revolutionary. The designer of the movie based on Mercury's life, "Bohemian Rhapsody" Julian Day stated, ".. back then, to dress like that onstage and in public, it's easy to forget how radical that was."

He helped reshape the whole music industry to the way it is now, freer and more unique. Now celebrities like Lil Nas X can follow in his footsteps.
"I always knew I was a star, and now the rest of the world seems to agree with me."
The frontman was an enthralling person all along; an icon of music, performing, and style. He was remarkable both as an individual and as the brilliant star he made of himself. Besides being absolutely engrossing, Mercury was extremely inspiring and powerful, both when he was alive and currently. He really knew how to leave an everlasting mark on the world. Maybe it was intentional or maybe not, but he managed to be both a living legend then and an immortal one now. Because even years after he died, his show is still going on.

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Freddie Mercury Might Have Been One of the World's Greatest Performers and Here's Why

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Now, I don't even remember the first time I heard Freddie Mercury's music or what reaction I had at first, but as I grew up, I started to appreciate it more and more. As I fell in love with music...

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A Cinematic Journey Through Abel’s Deteriorating Mind: Decoding The Underlying Narrative of The Weeknd’s “After Hours”

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A Cinematic Journey Through Abel’s Deteriorating Mind: Decoding The Underlying Narrative of The Weeknd’s “After Hours”

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By Solomon Sarwar

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After Hours is the fourth studio album by the Canadian singer and writer The Weeknd. The album was rleased on March 20, 2020, by XO and Republic Records. In contrast to his previous album Starboy (2016), After Hours (2020) took a drastic change. Not only in regards to its genre but also in regards to its improvement in its immaculate story-writing and deep narrative. This album takes a novelistic and literary journey that is expressed through the visuals of the music videos along with a generic three-act structure. Nevertheless, there was a very positive response from the fans around this very dark and enigmatic album. This narrative conveys the breakdown and instability of his mind. The narrative follows a romantic relationship that slowly manifests itself into Abel's inner crisis.

The songs convey a multitude of hints that Abel's mind is slowly deteriorating and he's losing the stability he once had. He attempts to hide his pain through drugs, and other illegal substances and engages in adultery and other adult-themed activities. However, this is not the narrative this album is conveying; these are merely variables that contribute to the whole thing. The "After Hours" and "In Your Eyes" music videos it displayed Abel losing control of himself and going through a murdering rampage reminiscent of Michael Myers. The events have immaculately presented themselves and have created this masterpiece. This album is an emotional and complex journey through the dark artist's decaying mind.
Track List
1) Alone Again
2) Too Late
3) Hardest To Love
4) Scared To Live
5) Snowchild
6) Escape from LA
7) Heartless
8) Faith
9) Blinding Lights
10) In Your Eyes
11) Save Your Tears
12) Repeat After Me (Interlude)
13) After Hours
14) Until I Bleed Out
Prelude: Alone Again - Too Late
The album starts with a very vivid and immaculate introduction to the world that is The Weeknd's mind (Alone Again.) The viewer is introduced to these fierce and eventful scenes of The Weeknd engaging in forms of debauchery. There is a lot of progression throughout the album; simply based on the album cover it's indeterminate whether he is the victim or if he's the culprit. Starting off with the first line from "Alone Again" (Take off my disguise / I'm living someone else's life / Suppressing who I was inside).

This lyric could refer to a romantic relationship however the track is hinting at a more personal identity crisis. I say this because, years prior, he was a homeless 20-year-old man wandering the streets of Los Vegas, but he very quickly skyrocketed to becoming one of the biggest artists in the world - an example of this would be his near 70 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

When referring to himself as taking off his disguise, it could simply be a way to tell the viewer and listener that he doesn't believe he deserves the accolades and awards he is receiving. Which could hint at some sort of personality disorder - more specifically referring to "Imposter Syndrome" in which individual doubts their capabilities and achievements, it typically affects high-achieving individuals. In this album, we're uncertain of whether Abel is playing himself or has created this enigmatic persona that we follow throughout.

Throughout the song, it's clear that The Weeknd has lost himself and is trying to find himself by piecing together his identity. [In Vegas, I feel so at home (In Vegas, I feel so at home].

Easing into the next lyric, it's uncertain whether The Weeknd views Los Vegas as his home or if he views it as a part of his identity. Throughout the music videos, we are introduced to The Weeknd and his illicit activities regarding debauchery. So it's safe to assume that - he views Los Vegas as a part of his identity rather than quite literally his home, this is based on the evidence we are given by the first lyric.

Too Late is a rather fast-paced and synthetic song in comparison to the previous track. In this song, we are introduced to two characters. That being "The Weeknd" and "Bella Hadid", a supermodel with who Abel Tesfaye has been in an on and off relationship throughout the past. The theme of this song seems to be more about The Weeknd feeling sorry for his actions - essentially he is taking the blame for them.

I believe that he is referencing several relationships here. Primarily his relationship with Los Vegas. The song starts off with The Weeknd talking about letting down someone or something. In this particular instance, I believe he is talking about Bella Hadid (I let you down, I led you on / I never thought I'd be here without you / Don't let me drown inside your arms) He was not being true to Bella Hadid and is talking about how he disappointed her and let her down - which could be a plausible reference to the on and off relationship he has with her.

The next two lyrics, definitely prove that he's talking about a multitude of relationships. He refers to how he can't trust Los Vegas. [I can't trust (I can't trust) where I live (Where I live) anymore (Anymore, anymore, anymore] He is saying this because of the media and paparazzi and how they are assuming things about his relationship with Bella Hadid. He is in a frenzy regarding his two relationships; both with Bella and Los Vegas. [Sources say (Sources say) that we're done (That we're done), how would they know? (They know, 'cause they know, 'cause they know]

At the end of the second verse, he refers to being in hell and how it's disguised as a paradise with flashing lightsthis is very obviously referring to the paparazzi and all the attention he has on him and his relationship with Bella - I say this because The Weeknd is an individual who writes lyrics very carefully and this album has a clear cinematic narrative. As such, all the lyrics in this song must correspond with one another. (We're in Hell, it's disguised as a paradise with flashing lights.)

In the finale of the song, he talks about how it's too late to save their souls and how he made mistakes. He is regretting his actions and pursuits of debauchery. He has been blinded by the lights of the casino and has been consumed by the darkness. He regrets his negative actions towards everyone - Bella especially and sees himself as beyond redemption.
Exposition: Hardest to Love - Scared to Live
A lot of Abel's songs are catered to his romantic relationship - however in After Hours as the album progresses, the point he wants to make is more clear. However, he describes his romantic relationship in a very dark and negative way. Which is the sort of aura this album conveys through and through. There is a very clear and specific example of this in the "Hardest to Love" track. It truly encapsulates the dark theme that Abel is going for with this album. The Weeknd is a rather broken man and is vividly describing the pain he has gone through in these two tracks. Starting off the first lyric in the first verse - we are presented with a rather clear reference to Abel's on and off relationship with Bella Hadid.

It's very clear that she has become a source of inspiration for much of Abel's music. (You try with me so many times, yeah.) Moving on to the chorus of the song he immediately starts reminiscing about how he has been the "Hardest to Love" and is essentially blaming himself for the demise of his romantic relationship with who we can assume to be Bella Hadid.

Based on the fact that she has become the inspiration for most of Abel's music. [But I've been the hardest to love / You're tryna let me go, yeah / And I can see it, I can see it / I've been the hardest to love / It's hard to let me go, yeah / And I can feel it, I can feel it (Oh, yeah] He once again mentions how as a result she let him go because of his actions towards her. In the second verse, he talks about how the house he bought is not a home anymore.

This could refer to a house in a metaphorical sense, and the house in question is rather a "house" of experiences and memories that he built with Bella, and without her, in his life, he feels empty and completely alone. [I don't feel it anymore (Yeah) / The house I bought is not a home (No) ] He then echoes the bridge from "Heartless" which was the first track released from After Hours - but narrative-wise comes later down the line in the story.

The Weeknd questions Bella's choice to come back to him despite leaving him so many times and continues to keep a firm connection with him. [ I can't, can't believe you want me / After all the heartbreaks, after all, I've done, oh-oh-oh (Oh, oh, oh) / No, I can't, can't believe you trust me (Trust me) / After all the rough days, you still call me up (Me up, oh-oh-oh) ] He finishes the song with the chorus, talking about how he has been the hardest to love - which deliberately conveys that he's blaming himself for the demise of his romantic relationship with Bella.

Scared to Live is a frenetic and fast-paced song. It essentially induces anxiety in the listeners throughout the song. This song is Elton John-esque in the sense that Abel hides these dark lyrics behind a very beautiful piano track. This song seems to be talking about how the breakup left his lover (presumably Bella) doubting love. The song starts off with Abel singing about how he failed his relationship with Bella and resultantly it was the end of it - because he was a rather forced relationship. [When I saw the signs, I should let you go (Yeah, yeah) / But I kept you beside me / And if I held you back, at least I held you close (Yeah]

Instead of letting her go, Abel dedicated themself to holding her close to show her how real his love for her was. But as a result, this caused, (presumably Bella) to be in a rather forced relationship, or rather a one-sided relationship. Where only Abel showed affection for his partner it was essentially a one-way street. There were no cars driving down the other direction. Abel spends the entirety of the pre-chorus and chorus suggesting that she shouldn't be scared of letting him go despite it being a one-sided relationship and she should live her own life.

He also goes on to say that he was the reason she forgot love evoking the concept that because of the forced relationship his ex hasn't had a chance to meet other men and see who she is compatible with - out of fear and pity for Abel she dedicated herself to him. (I'm the reason you forgot to love.../So don't be scared to live again / Be scared to live again / No, don't be scared to live again / Be scared to live again) The chorus has a rather interesting contradictory few lyrics. He is suggesting that she should and shouldn't be scared to live simultaneously, raising the question of whether he still has feelings for her or not.

However, based on the rest of the song it's safe to say that he still harbors some very strong and real feelings for this girl. Going into verse 2, Abel knows that he isn't the right man for his ex-lover and suggests that other men do not satisfy her the way he did - and that her heart belongs to him.

A plausible explanation for this is that Bella was only 18 when Abel started dating her and she hasn't had much time to properly engage in other relationships. (You always miss the chance to fall for someone else (Uh, uh) / 'Cause your heart only knows me / They try to win your love, but there was nothing left (Uh) / They just made you feel lonely, hey ) He goes on to say that even if she were to engage in other relationships - they only left her emotionally empty not being able to satisfy her needs both emotionally and otherwise.

The beginning of act II can be described as the midpoint of the album or rather the segment before the rising point. The first song of the second act is Snowchild - which takes a very dramatic turn from the previous track. It's no longer referencing Bella Hadid or any of his romantic relationships. Rather - The Weeknd is zoning out and in essence and describing his entire life in a nutshell albeit in a negative manner. Which once again reminds the listener that the album is very grotesque and dark. The very first lyric of snow child is rather gruesome and dark-toned. Which gives us a ghastly overview as to what the rest of the song entails.

Establishing the foundation with the very first lyric, Abel sings about how he used to pray when he was younger which could be him explaining in a very poetic manner that his ideologies and views on life have changed ever since he entered adulthood. This is extremely important - at least in my opinion; because he has become a more complex individual and through his character, we see this. Abel was a very carefree individual before the entire music career he spent his days wandering the streets of Los Angeles and engaging in copious amounts of illicit substances. (I used to pray when I was sixteen.) As he has gotten older and as stated before through his character we see that his issues are similar to when he was younger but they are more important in the grand scheme of things; especially regarding the value they hold to Abel. All of this being expressed through this enigmatic character he has created to display himself with a mysterious aroma.

There is a very ghastly and abrupt transition regarding the tone with the next lyric. (If I didn't make it, then I'd probably make my wrist bleed / Not to mislead, turn my nightmares into big dreams) This is a very straightforward lyric. He states that if he didn't achieve his dreams in the past; then he would've mutilated himself and engaged in acts of self-harm. He had a very rough childhood and as suggested by something he said in an interview with rolling stones; it goes to show how messed up he was and how carefree his life was when he was younger. "I never needed detox or anything. But I was addicted in the sense of 'F-k, I don't want to spend this day without getting high." This method of self-harm was more of a way to help push himself and obtain his dreams and passions, and as suggested by the second line he turned his fear of his past and failure into these big dreams. He has reminisced over this fear of his past in a majority of his songs.

The song has a lot to unpack - it seems as if too much was packed into one song, but we know this isn't the case because Abel is a very careful and intelligent lyric writer. He very immaculately conveys his thoughts and experiences through these well-written songs. The next line refers to his two previous songs "The Morning" (2011) and "Tell Your Friends' ' (2015) He states how California was his goal and his mission but now he wants to leave. (Cali was the mission but now a n - ga leaving.) In "The Morning," he talks about going to California to pursue this career and passion in music ever since his debut with "Trilogy." In "Tell Your Friends," he talks about how he misses his city which refers to his birth city which is Toronto; but once again he states that Cali is the mission. More specifically he is interested in going to LA specifically to live his dream out. But there is a contrast because in "Snowchild," he states that it was the mission but now he wants to leave, the next track is appropriately named "Escape from LA."

Each track somehow manages to steal the number one for being the darkest song in the "After Hours" album. This track has The Weeknd talks about the sexual liaisons that come in between his relationship with his partner - even making a reference to his former lover and ex Selena Gomez. The first lyric refers to and cements this concept of sexual liaisons. He talks about how she talks about other men trying to persuade her with these gifts and treats and try to essentially buy her love with money; and that in order to live a good life together they must "Escape From LA" and leave the city altogether. With all this fame and attention he has been getting there have been strides in his relationship. (You pillow talk to me about the men who try to get in between us / They buy you bags and jewellery, yeah) He goes on to talk about how despite all these temptations from the opposite sex; he won't give in and will simply dismiss their affection for him. As a result, he has developed an emotional connection and for once he doesn't want that to go away. (When it comes to all these hoes, I'll never chase / But this world is such a, such an evil place / Man, these hoes will always find a way) He states that the world is an evil place which simply refers to LA itself as suggested by the title of this track. He is tired of all the complications that come between his song and simply wants to leave or rather escape this place. This fast-paced lifestyle has caused him to lose control and as such he wants to escape such a lifestyle.

The chorus cements the title of this track quite literally. He talks about wanting to escape from LA and how this place is never what it seems to refer to, how it continuously changes due to its demand for a fast-paced and carefree lifestyle that The Weeknd no longer wants to indulge in. This place, LA, has caused him to spin uncontrollably and lose the stability he once had. He states that this place will be the end of me, once again referring to the concept that LA has slowly been chipping away at his humanity. This is due to the fact that LA offers many temptations especially activities regarding illicit debauchery and if The Weeknd continues to indulge in such activities he will once again lose his romantic partner and will spiral into this perpetual cycle.

But there's a part of him that wants to stay in this hell-like place. This part of him is associated with drugs, gambling, alcoholism, and adultery. As a result, there is a juxtaposition, where there is a clear contrast between these two parts of himself. One part of him wanting to escape but the other part of him wanting to stay and continue to engage in such illicit activities. This could be because of how familiar he is with such things, and a proper romantic relationship is new to him - this is because he has always been cheating and encouraging infidelity in his previous relationships with his partners, and as such he wants a brand new start but there is an internal struggle. (I'm in the Spyder Porsche cruisin' down the street / Black on black venom covered seats.) He essentially talks about how he is cruising down the streets of LA in these fancy cars and how expensive the things he has. This concept of juxtaposition is firmly proven by the next line. (I'm fighting for my soul, Constantine / And it's slowly burning, it was never cheap) He talks about how he's being dragged and controlled by all these demons in hell. Each demon forcing ideas into his head and chips at his soul slowly taking away as he continues to engage. But he is trying to save his soul and is fighting for it and one way to save himself would be by leaving this hell.

The Weeknd goes on a psychedelic bender through his frenetic and energetic visuals in his music video in "Heartless." It's very crucial to pay attention to the visuals as well. Abel chooses a select few tracks to make music videos, and this isn't without coincidence he carefully handpicked these songs to truly encapture his lyrics behind these dizzying visuals. The previous tracks did not have any visuals to support the lyrics but that didn't take away from the value. They are still relevant to the story - it's simply that the video also provides a visual for these lyrics to create a cinematic journey for the viewers/listeners through Abel's crumbling mindscape.

Abel starts off "Heartless," by talking about how he doesn't need a woman, he is what a woman needs. This is a flipped variation of the lyric in "Snowchild" when he talks about how "She never need a man, she what a man needs." His lyric in "Heartless," being, "Never need a b-tch, I'm what a b-tch need (B-tch need) / Tryna find the one that can fix me." The very fact that he says gives us a clue as to the status of his relationship. That being that his partner and he have parted ways, this is based on the second part of the lyric. He talks about how he's trying to find the one that can fix him. Since he lost his heart to this woman, all he's left with is fame and fortune and as a result, he's trying to cure his pain through hardcore drugs, alcoholism and meaningless adultery.

As displayed in this scene we can see The Weekend engaging in forms of gambling alcoholism and other illicit activities. This very scene conveys this lyric very immaculately and as stated before Abel is not one to simply choose tracks to make music videos just "because," he has a very good reason for it. This scene is a very good representation of how he's trying to fix himself through these illicit substances and activities.

This is very cemented by the few lines near the end of the first verse. He talks about how he is running through these women and how he needs a dog pound. A dog pound in this context refers to himself as a dog and how he needs to be put away because he cannot stop himself from giving in to his temptations. The Weeknd is a character created to express Abel's experiences and pain through cinematography and immaculate lyric-writing. (I've been runnin' through the p - sy, need a dog pound / Hundred models gettin' faded in the compound) He has partied with a lot of models and seems to always be around them; his current love being a supermodel (Bella Hadid.) He has even partied with some huge models such as Kendall Jenner, Winnie Harlow, and Naomi Campbell.

Moving onto the chorus, there is a lot to unpack. He is making several references to previous songs. But the broad tone of the chorus is him stating that he is Heartless and how he is attempting to be a better man however he is going back to his old ways which is a reference to his younger days when he only spent his time engaging in carefree debauchery. (Why? 'Cause I'm heartless / And I'm back to my ways 'cause I'm heartless / All this money and this pain got me heartless / Low life for life 'cause I'm heartless / Said I'm heartless / Tryna be a better man, but I'm heartless / Never be a weddin' plan for the heartless / Low life for life 'cause I'm heartless) Once again cementing the already established tone of this album, which is a very dark and enigmatic tone. In this chorus he elaborates on his hedonistic and carefree lifestyle. He has elaborated on his worries about the life he lives on a previous track he released on 2016 Starboy's "Ordinary Life." ('Cause I think it's safe to say this ain't ordinary life.) This lifestyle makes him seem Heartless, and he believes this as well, but this simply a ruse as he is trying to cover up the pain he is feeling.

The pain of losing a lost one, he literally lost his heart to a loved one hence the name of this song "Heartless." This very chorus implies that because of this lifestyle he has indulged in the past it has caused him to become insensitive and he reminisces over this fact through this lyrics in this chorus. Moving onto the rising point of the track, he very simply sings about how he has lost himself and this stability he once held. (I lost my heart and my mind.) He made a similar tweet back in August 4, 2018. However, this very simple lyric is reminiscent of the Weeknd's off and on relationship with Bella Hadid. The next line further comments about his relationship with Bella Hadid. (You just came back in my life / You never gave up on me (Why don't you?)) This is another reference to his off and on relationship with the supermodel Bella Hadid. Despite how he has been treating her she keeps coming back because of the little good he sees in him.

The next track is interconnected and is the rising point of the album. With the very first verse he talks about how he has lost his faith. He tried to fill in the void with all these substances because he was "Heartless," but as a result when these highs have slowly faded away he is reminded once again of the heart ache he once felt. ('Cause I lost my faith / So I cut away the pain, uh / Got it swimming in my veins.) When referring to having something swimming through his veins, it's a very obvious and blatant referral to the substances that travel through his body. As these highs slowly die down; he is reminded of the hardships and heartbreaks of the past and as such he loses his faith in finding love entirely. He is self-indulgent and is replicating his sinful past. What is referred simply as "Coming Down," is a very bluntly obvious statement that he is coming down with a high, and he doesn't care anymore because he has lost his faith he once had. He has lost himself; his mind is slowly deteriorating. (When I'm coming down is the most I feel alone.) When he is alone he cannot resist these temptations and indulge in these hardcore drugs and as a result he loses himself in these lucid-like trances. Additionally, he continues to reminisce over the concept of being alone which seems to be a huge part of this album being incorporated into tracks such as "Alone Again," and "Until I Bleed Out."

His lyrics slowly become more personal as he talks about his own sins regarding temptation and how they have been the downfall of him. Which is an extremely valid statement, because of his previous sexual liaisons in the past he has hurt the ones he held closely. (All my demons wanna pull me to my grave.) As stated before these demons are his own temptations they have slowly been causing him to spiral out of control, and he has continuously ignored his own feelings and has engaged in illicit substances to hide the pain he has been feeling. It's very evident that he is referring to his past here, as he has had troubles with temptation in the past as suggested in "Ordinary Life," and most notably a majority of his tracks on 2011's "Trilogy." In the middle portion of the second verse he makes a reference to his fans. (But if I OD, I want you to OD right beside me / I want you to follow right behind me.) He is referring to his fans and how they have always been there through the highs and lows. "XO 'till we overdose,"' is the motto of the XO community. (XO is Abel's record as well as his signature figure.) It's a very satisfying touch to this very dark toned song.

The song then gives the listener the most personal lyric so far. (When I look inside the mirror and see someone I love / Oh, someone I love.) This very line can have several interpretations and meanings. The message I personally feel it's trying to convey is that despite the literal stating of this lyric; deep down when Abel looks at himself closely from his introspective he understands that he doesn't love himself, the reason he has lost faith and hasn't been able to find love is probably because of the lack of self love. The way he over-indulges in hardcore highs, and other adult-themed activities has caused him to lose control and lose this once established stability he possessed over his life. All of these activities have caused him to get physically harmed as suggested by the ending lyric of this track. (I ended up (I ended up), in the back of a flashing car (Back of a flashing car.) The flashing lights referring to an ambulance as we hear ambulance sirens in the background as he finishes this lyric.

Act III or the Final Act is the climatic top of the hill. The first song of the third act is "Blinding Lights," which is his most popular song having over 2 billion streams on Spotify alone. This song is a very 80's like song with it's up-tempo and electropop track. Like with "Heartless," this song was given a cinematic rendition as well - perfectly encapsulating the dark lyrics over this up-temp 80's track. The verse starts off with him elaborating on the fact that he has been alone for too long. Once again this seems to be one of the several themes of this album. The concept of isolation, solitude, loneliness. He seems to loathe the concept of being alone or rather in a more poetic sense, he has lost the ability to love and because of his fast-paced lifestyle he cannot love. Based on the visuals of both "Heartless," and "Blinding Lights," coupled with the previous hints we were given in "Escape From LA," we can tell that his new place of residency is in Las Vegas, NV in contrast to where he lived previously in Los Angeles, CA.

He looks confused and alone as he wakes up. The first scene consists of him covered in blood and shouting until the scene sporadically explodes into the next one. (I've been on my own for long enough.) This very simple lyric holds more value than at face value. It's an obvious referral to his once again on and off relationship with Bella Hadid, he misses having her in his life and as such he classifies himself as being alone for far too long. He makes another reference to drugs in this track; but this time it's a more positive reference as it's regarding the mental and physical effects that occur when an individual stops taking drugs. (I'm going through withdrawals.) This line could suggest that he genuinely misses the romantic relationship he once had with Bella Hadid and wants to re-establish it and as such he is undergoing these drastic changes to show her the sincerity of his words.

He goes on in the pre-chorus to talk about how his environment is cold and because of his lover leaving him it has left him empty in this unknown and forgien environment. He simply longs for her touch once more. (I look around and / Sin City's cold and empty (Oh) / No one's around to judge me (Oh) / I can't see clearly when you're gone.) He experienced heartache and emptiness in this forgein city when Bella Hadid left him. Las Vegas has been nicknamed the Sin City, which could be because of the temptations this city provides and as such most people cannot resist these temptations and essentially sin and do things they would never do elsewhere. Regardless, this has been another major theme of "After Hours." He also talks about how he needs her in his life, he states that he can't see clearly when she is wrong simply meaning that he is unable to navigate his way through this emptiness without her and that she is the light that sheds upon his emptiness. The crucial part of the song revolves around its chorus.

Once again he introduces multiple concepts and ideas into this one chorus and there's a lot for us to unpack - but despite the complexity of this chorus, it flows elegantly. (I said, ooh, I'm blinded by the lights / No, I can't sleep until I feel your touch / I said, ooh, I'm drowning in the night / Oh, when I'm like this, you're the one I trust / Hey, hey, hey.) This reference to how he is blinded by the lights could be suggesting that he is being affected by the city lights. But there's a little more depth to this lyric than at face value. I believe it's referring to his success and the paparazzi camera flashes. He has been blinded by the reminders of his wealthy and successful life. The second line in the lyric suggests that he can't sleep until he feels "your '' touch; in this context, he's talking about Bella Hadid and how he cannot spiral into this darkness once again without feeling her warm embrace. The final important point of the chorus is the fact that he says he's drowning in the night meaning once again he is talking about how the city and its temptations are overwhelming and they are dragging him into nighttime filled with reckless activities regarding all sorts of adult-themed activities.

"In Your Eyes," is drastically different from the previous songs as he sings about in a more vulnerable manner about giving himself up to these feelings he has felt. This is showcased immediately with the very first line in this song. He talks about how he is pretending to be the dark and he doesn't regret it because he cannot take another heartbreak, he cannot be alone again. (I just pretend that I'm in the dark / I don't regret 'cause my heart can't take a loss.) This is very obviously referring to the lie that his lover is hiding, which in this context being in the dark means to be unaware of the lie his lover is hiding from him, and to continue this relationship and not get his heart broken once more since it has occurred several times in the past before. This secret is then clued on once again in the next lyric. (When it's said, when it's done, yeah / I don't ever wanna know / I can tell what you / done, yeah / When I look at you.)

The Weeknd has no issue dismissing and looking past her infidelities, this is the secret his lover was attempting to hide from him. This is clued on with the lyric "When It's said, when it's done," it's a very blatant statement that the affair has happened, and that his partner has engaged in these acts but out of fear of becoming "Heartless," once more he looks past these affairs and simply wants her back. That's all that matters to him - because she is on his mind all the time, he simply wants to feel love again after losing it so many times, and being without it for a long time he feels that he needs to look past these things. This track is very reminiscent of Abel's "Kissland," album because "Kissland," was about him employing manipulative tactics on his lovers but at the end he is given his own medicine and they break his heart. Here there is a clear contrast - in this track his lover is the one that has committed this affair. (I tried to find love / In someone else too many times / But I hope you know I mean it (Mean it) When I tell you you're the one that was on my mind, oh.)

The Weeknd has attempted to fill this void inside of him by looking for love in someone else; he has attempted to look for another lover but despite this his original lover has always been on his mind. He cannot get her out of his head and as such he is willing to be so dismissive to the acts of affair she has committed, because he simply wants to be with her again. Regarding the cinematography of this music video for "In Your Eyes," there is a lot to unpack and unravel. The Weeknd enters an elevator with a couple and kills the man, but the woman miraculously survives and runs from his murder-frenzed Weeknd who is attempting to end her. But a quick look at this music video and it's very obvious that it's all a metaphorical world that exists within Abel's mind. None of this actually happened, and as the lyrics entail he is simply running after his original lover because she is on his mind.

This scene is the most realistic and overall best example and representation of the lyrics so far. The Weeknd sings about how there is something burning inside of his lover and how he can see it in her eyes. This visual encapsulates this lyric perfectly, as it shows a woman looking back at The Weeknd with an empty gaze of anguish. The pain is visibly clear on her face and this gives us a clue as to what the lyric is about during this scene. (In your eyes (Your eyes) / I see there's something burning inside you (Inside you) / Oh, inside you (Oh, inside you) / In your eyes / I know it hurts to smile, but you try to (But you try to) / Oh, you try to , You try to) Despite the failing relationship Abel and his lover are having, his lover manages to keep this facade on. A strong smile to cover up the fact that she is suffering a lot. He knows this and can tell by the way she looks at him. However, he chooses to overlook this fact and look on the positive side; he's in this relationship and is overlooking his lover's feelings because he doesn't want a breakup to ensue in their relationship. Once again it's another one way relationship similar to "Hardest To Love."

"Save Your Tears," is one of the easier songs to decode and break down from the album. In the very first lyric of verse 1 he talks about an experience he had with her and how happy she looked without him by her side. It encapsulates his pain perfectly and goes to show how much he cares about this one girl which presumably is Bella Hadid, as that has been his own notable lover ever since Selena Gomez - but she had a different album dedicated to her which is his 2015 "My Dear Melancholy." (I saw you dancing in a crowded room (Uh) / You look so happy when I'm not with you.) After using his manipulative tactics and employing them on her once more like he did reminiscent of "Kissland," he feels regretful for his actions, and perceives her as happy when he is not around despite knowing for a fact that she is hurting deep down as suggested by "In Your Eyes."

The next lyric gives another clue as to how she is feeling about this breakup and it's in reference to something that occurred in real life just a couple of months prior to this song's release. (But you walked past me like I wasn't there / And just pretended like you didn't care.) This lyric is in reference to the encounter between himself and Bella Hadid at a club named "Catch One." Once she spotted Abe at the same club she left trying to escape him and the paparazzi. Additionally, there is a metaphorical representation of this lyric. It's in reference to how she is now avoiding him because of all the things he has done to her in the past, she is making sure to keep her distance from him despite hurting down within.

This scene is a very clear representation of yet another immaculately written lyric. The trophy symbolizes his love for her and how he viewed her as a trophy essentially because of how valuable she was to him. This is further proven by the fact that he throws the trophy off stage once he talks about how she broke his heart. The lyric in correspondence with this scene talks about how he wants her to take him back. (Girl, take me back 'cause I wanna stay / Save your tears for another.) He wants to say in this relationship or rather he wants to restart this relationship with her but it's evident that it has come to an end and The Weeknd is back where he started completely "Alone Again," and "Heartless," which goes back to the concept of his life being compared to a perpetual cycle that ever ends and always somehow manages to loop these activities over and over again.

In the first track of the interlude that is "Repeat After Me," The Weeknd goes through withdrawals of pain and jealousy. He has a hard time accepting the fact that his lover has moved, in his mind he is still trying to convince himself that his lover is still with him and still cares about him in a non-platonic way. This is suggested by the very first lyric we are given in the song. (You don't love him / You don't love him / If you're thinking of me.) This very lyric suggests and proves the notion and concept that The Weeknd is feeling jealousy and ever since his lover has moved on he is still trying to convince himself that this hasn't happened out of paranoia and jealousy.

This paranoia and jealousy have led to multiple misconceptions and misunderstandings he has created in his head. He believes that the only reason she is dating or rather seeing this other man is to get back at him. (But It Ain't Right If You F - k Him Out of Spite.) He believes that because of all the manipulative tactics he had employed on her and all the times he has hurt her and caused her to stay in this emotionally blackmail relationship that she is dating this new man only in spite and is trying to get back at him. However, I do not believe this is the case, and I genuinely believe that she has moved on from him and feels no more pity for him and is not falling for his manipulative tactics ever again. He is desperate for her love and is in denial of the relationship's ends.

This is further expressed in the next track "After Hours," in the beginning verses he talks about how his heart only belongs to her and how he will do anything in his power and will risk everything to get her back because of this desperate mindset. He still loves her despite being under the influence of debauchery, illicit substances, overlooking infidelities, and other complex variables that have come in between this complex relationship. (Cause my heart belongs to you / I'll risk it all for you.) Whether this lyric is talking about withdrawals or romantic love he has found himself desperately trying to better himself and become a better person or rather a different person in hopes of being able to jumpstart a relationship with her once again.

But he has found his attempts to be rather futile and has even contemplated suicide which is a very common theme in this album along with these other dark and thought-provoking themes. A similar theme regarding self-mutilation and self-harm is seen in the "Snowchild," track. (Put myself to sleep / Just so I can get closer to you inside my dreams.) He wants to commit suicide and put himself in an eternal sleep where only she roams around them. A place where he will forever think about her and be with her. In an eternal slumber that starts with him killing himself and putting himself in such a state. All because of a crazed obsession with his lover.

He then once again ends the song with another desperate plea of forgiveness and salvation. He attempts to redeem himself once more, yet he fails. (This time, I won't break your heart, your heart, no.) This has been done, said, and promised through the entirety of his album he has promised to become a better man, he has tried to escape his home in hopes of finding a better place for his relationship to strive. But in the end, he is stuck in this infinite cycle of, hardcore drugs, alcoholism, and meaningless adultery. He cannot escape this cycle he has created.

Many albums have a narrative that surrounds its entirety whether it be Billie Eilish's "WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?." Or Abel's "After Hours," album the very fact that such a compelling and dark-tone narrative can be conveyed through only 14 songs goes to show the progression of literature and lyric-writing in music. Abel's understanding of how to create such a world in only three acts displays the complexity and level of understanding one must possess to write such a masterpiece. To further connect elements of these songs with aspects integrated from the real world really make a personal connection between Abel and the listener/viewers. This album is the embodiment of Abel's finest work and it goes to show how much he truly earns the title "The Dark Prince of Pop," from his debut album Trilogy to After Hours his entire discography contains a history of him hurting his lovers and attempting to mend these love wounds by promising to change himself - but is stuck in this infinite cycle of repentance and sin.

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A Cinematic Journey Through Abel's Deteriorating Mind

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After Hours is the fourth studio album by the Canadian singer and writer The Weeknd. The album was rleased on March 20, 2020, by XO and Republic Records. In contrast to his previous album Starboy (2016), After Hours (2020) took a drastic change.

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Are Designer Brands Becoming Irrelevant?

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Are Designer Brands Becoming Irrelevant?

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By Claudia Tortorici

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A few years ago, designer brands were at the forefront of the fashion industry. There was something hat made these particular brands special and unique that other brands simply could not attain. But over the years, the amount of power that high-end brands have held in the fashion industry has been significantly reduced as more people have started paying attention to less luxurious fashion brands such as Urban Outfitters or Zara. A while ago, designer clothing was something that everyone wanted to get their hands on. But now, as these high-end labels continue to increase their prices and create abstract clothes that oppose current fashion trends just because they can, people are becoming less and less interested in designer labels. And as a result of this, designer brands are risking becoming irrelevant in the fashion world. But then again, designer brands won't give up their name and their prestige easily, so let's get into why they are on the verge of becoming irrelevant and what they are doing to prevent that from happening.

Designer brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel were previously the main dictators of fashion. Trends travelled from the runways of these high-end fashion brands straight to their shop windows and catalogues. Not only did these brands establish their own fashion trends, but they also influenced what other brands created. Nowadays, though, these major brands have lost some of their influence; there are fewer gatekeepers in the fashion world and trends can be set in motion from a much wider range of sources. Take the streetwear style trend: you don't regularly see baggy jeans and oversized t-shirts styled with chains and sneakers coming from the runways of Valentino or Gucci, yet many people are currently cashing in on this trend. That's just one of the many indicators that luxury fashion brands are no longer alone in dictating fashion trends.

The internet and modern technology has allowed many things including fashion and trends to move and develop in a much more efficient manner. Majority of high-end fashion brands had about two new collections per year, which is not an exceptionally large amount for the span of twelve months. However, once the internet and social media was introduced to the fashion industry, there were many more opportunities for other brands to rise to power. These brands were able to respond more quickly to consumer demands for newer trends and styles and add them to the clothing racks before you could even say the word Gucci. An example of this is Zara, which released up to 20 new collections per year, therefore making consumers much more eager for new clothes and trends to come out. This type of fashion is called fast-fashion, and brands like these soon became new contestants in the competitive environment that is the fashion industry.

Luxury fashion stores have always used their brand name as a staple for their collections. They can slap their logo on a plain shirt and put an overpriced tag on it and people will want to buy it regardless of how much they actually like the clothing item. Today, it's the logo that attracts more attention from consumers rather than the clothes themselves. "More often today it's the brand that attracts customers, which means luxury brands can sell non-luxurious products with less harm to their cachet" ( Vogue Business). The ownership of clothing items from designer stores is a symbol for wealth and indicates that the wearer can afford such items. Customers wear luxury clothing just for show, therefore it doesn't really matter if they don't like the clothes. High end fashion items represent luxury and grandeur, and that's one of the reasons people will never fully stop buying their clothes, but it also proves that designer labels don't deserve as much hype for the clothes they produce, because the brand name will carry the most significance. So even though these brands certainly do influence fashion trends to some extent, it is more because of their brand name rather than the actual clothes themselves.

Here are two items from the Gucci x North Face collection, both of these items cost approximately $550 each

Consumers want to show off the brand names, but they have come to the conclusion that luxury brands are not worth the money. This was an issue for customers that wanted to wear designer labels - , that was, until counterfeit versions of luxury brand items - also known as dupes - started to gain popularity. Buyers are desperate to show off luxury brand names while at the same time are unwilling or unable to pay for such highly expensive items, therefore dupes were the perfect solution. "Counterfeits may also appeal to those people who want to demonstrate their status, but don't have the funds to do so with genuine products" ( BBC). While an original designer item could cost you around 300 dollars, it is possible to find faux versions that are half or even a third of that price. While this is a great solution for customers, it is not so great for the original businesses themselves. Real brands have lost an enormous amount of money because of how much the counterfeit industry has blown up. According to Fashion Network; "Counterfeiting was estimated to have been responsible for losses of $98 billion in the high-end consumer goods sector, with online counterfeiting making up $30.3 billion of the total." This was in 2017, and since then the quality of fake designer products has only improved. You can find counterfeit products that are great quality and identically resemble the real version of the item. The internet provides many ways for counterfeit businesses to sell their products including small instagram businesses, amazon, ali express and much more. "The shadowy business of counterfeits has taken over the globe to become a more than $500 billion industry" ( The Fashion Law). And this so-called shadowy industry is also pushing the original designer brands to change their ways when it comes to the pricing of their products. One of the ways that the authentic luxury brands could eliminate a large sum of the counterfeit industry is by lowering their prices to either match or go below what these fake designer sellers are selling for. But it's highly unlikely that they're willing to do that as it could potentially tarnish their reputation for being luxurious and only being affordable for the upper-class.

Younger generations look up to celebrities such as Gigi Hadid or Kendall Jenner for fashion inspiration. With every instagram post, these influencers impact and even create new fashion trends that their followers try to emulate. A lot of these influencers posts also consist of brand deals or advertisements for all kinds of things including high-end fashion items, which is one of the common strategies that luxury brands use to remain relevant. But often the clothes that celebrities show off on their social media platforms are highly expensive and unaffordable for their followers who aren't also celebrities. This was previously an issue for those who tried to mimic the style of these influencers, but the counterfeit fashion industry really changed the game for many. Although not all dupes are good quality and obviously fake, there are some counterfeit businesses that have gotten so good that even professionals can't tell the difference between the real and the faux. Dupes are revolutionizing the luxury fashion industry and making it a possibility for everyone.

One important way that luxury brands are avoiding becoming irrelevant is by collaborating with brands that are currently very popular and influential. Some examples of this are Louis Vuitton's collaboration with Supreme, or Karl Lagerfeld's collaboration with H&M. It would generally seem completely out of character for designer brands to associate themselves with fast fashion or streetwear brands, but as previously mentioned, these more casual brands are gaining an increasing amount of influence and are contributing to the dictation of trends and style. Therefore, when luxury brands participate in these collaborations they remain relevant because the collaborations enable luxury brands to "attract new prospects" ( Medium). Designer brands collaborating with other fashion brands outside the range of the luxury industry captivates newer audiences and helps them stay relevant. Even if these new audiences find their prices unreasonable, luxury brands are still gaining attention and are potentially making investments in the future in case people's finances change. The only issue with trying to gain the attention of people who can't afford luxury brand items is that they could resort to counterfeit products, which is the exact opposite of what these brands want.

The fashion industry has had many changes over the years, one of them being that the line between luxury and fashion is becoming more blurry by the second. Some people see designer brands as overrated and tacky while others like the idea of being able to wear clothes that show off prestige and wealth. Every individual has their own style and taste and certain brands resonate with those preferences while others might not. There are quite a few circumstances that have put designer brands at the risk of becoming irrelevant, however, they won't go easily. There are almost as many solutions that allow these brands to swerve becoming irrelevant as there are reasons for them to be seen as having lost their touch. But nothing can be avoided forever, and sooner or later there will come a day where luxury brands are going to start losing their status in the fashion world. There's no denying that other brands are beginning to catch up to high end fashion, and the ever-changing fashion trends and demanding customers will determine who the real winners in the race are.

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Are designer brands becoming irrelevant?

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A few years ago, designer brands were at the forefront of the fashion industry. There was something hat made these particular brands special and unique that other brands simply could not attain.

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How "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" Revolutionized Open-world Games

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How "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" Revolutionized Open-world Games

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By David Mayilyan

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Link stands at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the world ahead of him.

When I first popped my Breath of the Wild cartridge into my Switch on Christmas morning, well, I gotan error saying that the game card couldn't be read, and that I should take it out and reinsert it. But after blowing on it and actually starting the game, I was greeted by pitch black void; no initial menu, no title card, nothing. Just a blank screen with a vague shimmering light staring me in the eyes. After a voice called out to me, I woke up in a cave, and with still the same amount of information I had when I first opened the game, I made my way out. And that was just one of the many magical moments I experienced with Breath of the Wild. As a cutscene started and Link, the protagonist, made his way to the edge of a cliff, the camera panned up and to the vast world that awaited both me, as the player, and Link too. Not even ten minutes into the game, and I already only had one goal in mind; explore.

Even though I do not usually go out of my way to avoid spoilers, I tried my hardest to go into Breath of the Wild with as little information as I could, and it definitely paid off. A large part of my enjoyment came from not knowing what was awaiting me, and of all the games I've played, Breath of the Wild was the only one that I feel like would've lost it's magic if I hadn't gone in blind; and that's mainly because of just the magnitude of delightful things there are to discover in this game.

I had always wanted a game with a world that was magical and interesting, where you could find and discover new things to do, and Breath of the Wild is the only game that has met that quota so far. Other games such as Shadow of the Colossus did feature a giant world filled with beautiful landscapes, but outside of the 16 colossi for you to hunt down, there isn't anything else for you to do, it's just a beautiful yet disappointingly empty world. However, Breath of the Wild somehow managed to break the boundary that all other open-world games succumbed to.

Unlike nearly all other open-world games which have you control a protagonist that is already accustomed to their world, Breath of the Wild has the protagonist, Link, have no memories or prior knowledge of the world he inhabits, already creating a connection between the player and Link. And this connection makes the act of discovering in Breath of the Wild much more significant than in other games; it doesn't feel like you're being filled in on something that has been common knowledge for years, it feels like you truly are an adventurer, discovering never-heard of monsters and landscapes.

If you have ever played a Zelda game before, you probably know the general series of events that take place; Dark Lord Ganon tries to take over the world, then Link has to go defeat him and rescue Princess Zelda. But where Breath of the Wild tries to break these conventions is by changing the game from a passive one, where the player simply advances the story by solving puzzles or making progress, to an active one, where it is the player themselves who chooses the series of events that take place. The best way to show this in my opinion are shrines; which each contain a series of traps and obstacles to be overcome as part of a trial, and offer some linear objectives for the player to complete.

I think that discovery in games should be fun but also rewarding, and Breath of the Wild 's shrines (and Koroks too, which are small leaf-like children that are scattered around the game world and reward you simply for exploring) are the perfect balance between the two. If a game were to have useful items that you can just pick up everywhere, then there would be no fun to it; but if there were things you had to think about and actually try to look for, but they held little to no use, then what's the point in even looking?

Shrines are one of the most fun and engaging thing to discover in Breath of the Wild; beside the ones that you might run into randomly, there are shrines that you need to complete special quests to uncover, like killing an entire family of cyclops like creatures called Hinoxes, or lighting torches in the middle of the desert, or placing colored orbs in their correct locations. Another way that shrines and koroks help boost the sense of discovery in Breath of the Wild is that they are scattered all over the map; with there being 120 shrines and 900 koroks throughout the entire game, there is not a single place where you aren't on the hunt.

But even with the abundance of them, anytime I run into a shrine I still get incredibly excited, and that is mainly because of both the fun challenge that they offer to the player, and the reward that is gifted upon completing the shrine. Shrines are perfect for enticing players because firstly they are an engaging puzzle that require critical thinking and knowledge on how to use the four runes provided to Link, and secondly their small size is perfect for players to get sidetracked for a few moments, complete an interesting puzzle, get a spirit orb, and get back to what they were doing before.

To learn more about Nintendo's own thinking process when making Breath of the Wild, we can turn to their presentation at GDC 2017 where they discussed the game's development and some of the goals they wanted to achieve with the game. Their main focus was for the world to have rules that were simple enough to be easily understandable, but also consistent enough to create complex scenarios and connect everything in the world, or what they call "Multiplicative Gameplay". To achieve this both a complex Havok based physics engine was used, and what Nintendo dubbed the "Chemistry Engine". The Chemistry engine is how Nintendo makes different elements of the world connected to one another; it's what lets you burn grass to create an updraft, or cut a log into the water to make it flow downstream. And the decision to create their own engine for this benefits the open-world feel of Breath of the Wild greatly; because the world no longer has to have scripted events made for every tree and every patch of grass, and the developers no longer need to program how every object interacts with every other object, the engine handles all of it.

And the reason this engine was built is not the laziness of the developers, it's also so the player can notice their own patterns, and create their own solutions to problems the game throws at them. An example of how a player might've been involved in multiplicative gameplay is noticing that their sword gets struck by lightning during a thunderstorm, realising it happens to all metallic objects, and then experimenting and discovering that enemies also get hurt from the lightning. Now, they have identified that shocking enemies with something metallic is a viable opinion for fighting during a thunderstorm.

If you yourself aren't much of a gamer, or even if you consider yourself to be one, looking back on when you first started playing video games, you might remember constantly wondering why you can't solve a problem in the way you thought of, or go the places you want to, or any of the other limitations that video games have that separate them from the real world.

An in-game barrier I came across that has stuck around with me for a long time is when I first played Uncharted 2. I was in the middle of a cinematic sequence where you have to scale up a train dangling off a cliff to reach safety. Midway through holding the analog stick and occasionally pressing X to jump up, I noticed a broken window, and wanting to investigate, I tried to break the window by swinging into it. Naturally, it was impossible to do so, because the developers never intended for somebody trying to do something like that, but it still took away from my overall experience for me and made it much less dramatic by reminding me that this was just a scripted sequence.

However, Breath of the Wild gives the player freedom to solve it's puzzles in any way they see fit. Going back to the GDC presentation, Takuhiro Dohta, the technical director for Breath of the Wild, also touched on this.

"We've filled every corner of the game world with sets of situations and goals, and of course we've envisioned correct ways to solve each of them, but that's not to say we want the player to search for and find those correct answers. Instead, we want them to have fun thinking up and trying solutions on their own."

I've always seen these options as a way for the player to choose the best solution to the situation they're faced with, but instead, it also makes sure for new players that no matter what solution they think of, it will probably work.

I first realized this when I watched my at the time 6 year old brother try Breath of the Wild for the first time, and I was amazed at how differently he approached situations as opposed to me. In the situation that is depicted above in the picture, the intended solution is to talk to an old man, learn how to cut down trees, and use the tree as a bridge to get across. However, my brother didn't bother even interacting with the man. Instead, his plan of action was to get to another cliff that was beside where he was supposed to be, kill the enemies that were residing there, then climb horizontally over to his destination. It was a completely different way of how the developers intended it to be done, and how I had done it, but he created his own way of overcoming the situation he was faced with, and that empowered him greatly as an explorer, especially since he wasn't that used to Zelda at the time.

Breath of the Wild's simple yet diverse mechanics, combined with it's creative and detailed game world create an experience that is challenging, yet approachable by anyone. That's why I would recommend anybody, even if you haven't played that many video games, to check out The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This fantastic game and the newest addition to the Zelda series will bestow you with a breath of fresh air on what open world games can truly become.

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How The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild revolutionized open-world games

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When I first popped my Breath of the Wild cartridge into my Switch on Christmas morning, well, I gotan error saying that the game card couldn't be read, and that I should take it out and reinsert it. But after blowing on it and actually starting the game, I was greeted by pitch black void; no initial menu, no title card, nothing.

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What Makes Maja Kuczynska’s Flying Style So Unique?

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What Makes Maja Kuczynska’s Flying Style So Unique?

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By Valentina Eriksson de Maria Campos

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Spinning this fast in mid-air seems impossible and gravity-defying, but with this magical, invisible mattress always there to support me it's not. It's not impossible in the world of Indoor Skydiving.

Maja Kuczynska was born in Warsaw, Poland. She is 21 years old. Her dd is a skydiver, so Maja was introduced to skydiving by her dad at the age of 10; meaning that she has been practicing the sport for around 11 years. Although her dad was a skydiver, Maja had never jumped out of a plane before indoor skydiving because of her age. Her goal or reason for training was never to jump later out of a plane; her reason was that she loved it. Now Maja has a very unique style of flying making all her moves look flawless and hypnotizing. She has trained very hard in the tunnel and outside and at the young age of 15, Maja Kuczynska managed to become the first-ever Junior World Champion.

But why? How did she become Junior World Champion? What makes her so good? How is her style unique?
Basics:
Indoor Skydiving is a reasonably new sport. The first person to ever fly in a wind tunnel was Jack Tiffany in 1964 in Ohio. Not many people know about this sport or how it works so I am going to explain the basics of Indoor Skydiving.

A wind tunnel moves air up in a vertical column. It is basically like a giant fan pushing a lot of air up very hard. The airspeed can go up to around 200km/h and you use more or less speed depending on what you are flying. There are usually two types of speeds you can fly; high speed and low speed. You use low speed when you are flying on your belly, back, or when you are practicing layouts so that you have fewer chances of getting thrown to the glass. You use high speed when you are sitting flying or on your head which is much harder. Eventually, when you are flying and become very good like Maja, you have a middle speed that will let you fly on your belly, on your head, and other moves without losing control.

What you need to do to fly in the wind tunnel is to use the air in different ways. When you want to fly up you need to make your body as big as possible so that there is a bigger surface area and the air can push you up easily. If you want to go down you need to make yourself small so that there is less surface area and you have less to support you. Depending on what you are doing you need to make yourself bigger or smaller and use different parts of your body. For example, if you want to do a front layout first you need to go up so you need to make yourself big. Then you need to flip so you will start to fall since you are vertical at one point and then finally in the end you need to make yourself big again to stop yourself from falling.

Before, a wind tunnel was used mainly to prepare for actual skydiving. Since you only have a few seconds when you jump you can't practice much. Now flying in a wind tunnel is a sport called indoor skydiving.
Practice and Hard Work:
"Practice makes perfect" is a very common phrase in the whole world even if it is in a different language. The meaning is pretty straightforward; the more you practice and work on something the better you will get. This applies to Indoor Skydiving too. Maja has worked very hard to achieve all of her breathtaking moves and become the First Junior Freestyle World Champion.

In soccer for example there is not much you can practice outside of kicking a ball and doing some drills. But in indoor skydiving it's different. You need to work a lot harder outside of the tunnel than inside for any event. You also have to stretch a lot. You also have to be very strong to be able to support all the air and hold yourself for a long time.

"I eat and sleep and go to school and then go fly"

- Maja Kuczynska

Maja Kuczynska does many different things to be good at skydiving. She stretches a lot and practices a lot inside the tunnel. Maja has to do ballet, hip hop, and trampoline jumping, to get a good technique for her moves inside the tunnel. Doing such sports and exercises allows her to not only think of new moves she can add to her freestyle routine but also get to know her body better.

Trampoline Jumping is one of the more similar sports to indoor skydiving. You have to do all the moves quickly and correctly in both sports. In trampoline jumping when doing a move, you have a limited amount of time before you fall down and in indoor skydiving, you have a limited amount of time before the air shoots you up or to the glass.

With these pictures, you can really see the similarity of the moves. You can see Maja doing a layout on the trampoline and then doing a layout in the wind tunnel. The hands and head are in the same position. The only difference is that Maja is not so arched while skydiving so that the air doesn't push her directly into the glass.

Ballet is also a very complicated sport which takes a lot of work and discipline. For example, when spinning quickly, to stay in the same spot and not stay dizzy, you need to focus on one spot and keep on looking at it while moving your head quickly to keep on looking at the spot.

This technique helps for any type of spinning, even if it is on your head in a wind tunnel. There are many more useful techniques in ballet that Maja uses for flying and many moves she borrows from the dance.
SFR-5 Manna's Space Lab:
All of these extra sports that she does are just to get better at indoor skydiving. She uses them as research for new moves and as a new skill that will help her improve in skydiving and that made her First Junior Freestyle World Champion.

Manna's Space Lab - Maja Video

The Manna's Space is a remarkable move. It is a very hard move too. It looks like you are walking in mid-air. There are a lot of things that you need to think about in 2 seconds because you have a limited amount of time before you shoot up and get hurt or fall and get hurt.

In this video, you can see all the rules that you have to follow in order to complete this move. If you don't do the move following all the criteria you could get negative points in a competition. Watching Maja in this video you can see how straight she is and how striking she makes this move look. She stays in the same spot the whole time and all her steps are even and firm making it look like she is walking.

On the other hand, in these pictures, you can see how poorly this movie was executed. In the first picture, you can see how this person's back is not straight at all, almost making it look like he is folded in half. In the second picture, you can also see how crooked his legs are and you can't tell where he is stepping. Unlike Maja, he is all over the tunnel instead of staying in the same place making the move look messy.

In the previous video I showed, Maja was just trying out that one move. But in this video, you can see how she is starting the Manna's Space Lab in a routine. This is considerably harder since she needs to transition from the previous move to the Manna's Space going to the center of the tunnel looking at the judges and once finished transitioning to the next move.
Sit Spin
The SFR-5 Manna's Space Lab is a complicated move that takes a lot of effort and practice.

Sit Spin Examples in Figure Skating

The Sit Spin is a move that is typically used in figure skating. It is one of the three basic spin positions in figure skating. It is defined by a squatting position forming an angle of fewer than 90 degrees between the thigh and the calf of the skating leg. At this moment you are holding your leg while spinning quickly making an impressive move.

In Indoor Skydiving you can copy the main idea of different movements from different sports. The difference is that you can do the maneuver in any direction you want. You could be facing up or down, making the move look like it is defying gravity.

In this video, you can see Maja doing the Sit Spin in the wind tunnel during one of her routines. Although on air it is not exactly the same as the figure skating Sit Spin it is similar. Unlike the figure skating sit spin she does not start spinning while standing. Although she is very close to standing she is not straight. Then, she starts going down only standing on one leg while spinning; like in figure skating. For the main part of the sit spin, she is holding her leg and is in the sit spin position while spinning quickly making it look almost identical to the original. Then like the figure skating sit spin she goes back into a standing position slowly, while still spinning. Since in indoor skydiving everything happens faster since the air is always pushing you this move is done faster than a figure skater would do it.
Next Steps:
Overall this move is very close to the version on ice which is amazing. This is not an easy move to do since everything happens very quickly but when done properly it can add a lot to a routine.

Even though the rules are not perfect there are still a lot of competitions. Some are small and others are more important; for example the Indoor Skydiving World Championships and the Wind games. The wind games take place every year. Maja has participated twice and she has gotten 2nd and 3rd place for freestyle. Which in my opinion is very impressive considering that there are hundreds of competitors in the wind games and she was even younger when she competed. Then there are the world championships. The first time that Maja participated in the world championships which had even more competitors in the wind games she got first place which is a huge achievement.

Indoor skydiving is a reasonably new sport. All the rules are not yet set in stone. What gives you points or takes away points? This makes the judging in competitions a little complicated and sometimes unfair. But the sport is getting there. Every day there are new moves created and moves improved. There are new rules added and agreed upon. And competitions are getting better.

There is a bright future for this sport and for Maja. According to (Olympic sport in #PARIS2024) "The Paris 2024 Organisation Committee, therefore, has the opportunity to pro-pose Indoor Skydiving as an additional event to the IOC as part of the 2024 Olympics. This would give recognition to Indoor Skydiving as an Olympic sport." The next steps for indoor skydiving competitions and Maja could be the Olympics. Maja is already the World Champion and works very hard to improve every single part of skydiving. People look up to Maja Kuczynska and try to copy her style, her transitions, and flawless moves. Because of her, people have been inspired to try this sport and become the next world champions. Because of her, more people get the magical feeling of being supported by this invisible mattress and spin as fast as they can in mid-air.

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What Makes Maja Kuczynska's Flying Style So Unique?

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Spinning this fast in mid-air seems impossible and gravity-defying, but with this magical, invisible mattress always there to support me it's not. It's not impossible in the world of Indoor Skydiving. Maja Kuczynska was born in Warsaw, Poland. She is 21 years old.

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The Boy who Sought to Become a God, and What His Story Teaches Us

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The Boy who Sought to Become a God, and What His Story Teaches Us

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By Alisa Krotov

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From intense potato chip munching to weird feet washing, the show is a step up from most Anime.

Upon finishing Death Note, I closed my laptop shut and stared at the wall for several minutes until I felt a tear running down my cheek. The show stuck in my head for multiple days and I couldn't quite shake myself out of its world. And, unsurprisingly, there are reasons for that experience; it made me think the show through again and again.

"The road to hell i paved with good intentions'' may give you an idea of the series' plot. Death Note, an anime series released in 2006, follows the life of an honest and hardworking Japanese high school student by the name of Light Yagami. One day, Light comes across the death note; a magic notebook that allows its owner to kill anyone by just knowing their name and face - it's an object from the realm of the Shinigami death gods. As he starts off with the intention to rid the world of dirty criminals, the story spirals into a game of cat and mouse between him and the world's top detective, L. The Anime is a 37 episode standoff between the two, as they predict each other's movements in a complex yet intriguing game of life-and-death chess. The anime joined the hit parade and gained multiple awards both in its homeland of Japan and across the border.

But what is the show really about, and why is it so good?

Death Note's plot is amazingly well written, paced, and it is the perfect mixture of complex and interesting. The concept by itself is very unique; the whole story would be too complex to describe in a few words, as the events progress, the rules change and the cast transforms. But despite its complexity, the show does not bore the viewer with its lore. After finishing the first watchthrough, the story and world linger in the viewer's mind due to being so gripping, interesting, and most of all shocking. One thing that makes the plot so accessible is the pacing; there are no filler episodes, unlike many anime series, and the show does not rely on dynamic fight sequences and plot twists to make it interesting. Each scene is beautifully written, and the editing and storyboarding turn any moment engaging.

A good example is the infamous chip scene. The chip scene became a very big meme due to its over-dramatisation of a simple action; eating a potato chip. During the moment, Light is being watched with cameras planted by L and he needs a way to keep killing criminals while staying unsuspected. While many do, I wouldn't consider it over the top - rather just very well written. This scene amplifies just how well Death Note is written, with its use of dramatic lighting, a triumphal orchestral score, and every other line is not just said but full-on declaimed. Not only that, but the moment marks a turning point for the whole series and holds meaning both metaphorically and visually.

This moment is the first time L and Light interact, albeit indirectly - Light is aware that he is being watched through cameras, and L has his eye on Light, trying to figure out whether he is indeed Kira (the criminal name of the main character).

After pretending to study, Light rips open a bag of chips in an exaggerated manner. As he peers into it, we see a blink in the darkness; yet we don't know what it is. Technically, Light is just opening a bag of chips; but the good animation sequences and music make the viewer excited.

Light starts laughing dramatically, as bass-heavy music accompanied by a choir plays on full volume and the boy starts dodging down words. As he manically writes down names, we see a close-up of him biting into a chip; he exclaims "I'll take a potato chip... and eat it!"

Then, he reveals the details of his plan; the bag includes a mini-portable tv so that he can watch the broadcast and dodge down criminal's names in an unsuspicious manner.

All the story details aside, this scene is so well directed that it creates intrigue over a bag of chips. It also marks a point in the story where Light really starts his war with Kira, despite never having seen the other. It is the last glimpse we get to see of his stable mental state, as he starts to see his life as a strategic game in which he has to win.

This scene is sometimes referred to as "peak-dramatic" in anime, but I see it as much more than that - I see it as a turning point in the plot and a well written moment that creates tension and excitement out of a mundane task.

Death note does not come short of meaningful symbols either. The show is packed with "hidden" elements full of meaning.

One of the most relevant symbols present throughout all of the series is apples. The death god Ruyk following Light feeds off of apples, and in some posters and illustrations, Light is seen holding an apple or being given an apple by Ruyk. This is not just a mere coincidence, as apples do hold meaning.

In the bible, apples are seen as the origin of sin or the forbidden fruit. This meaning plays a role in the series. For an example of this representation, at the end of the first opening sequence, an apple morphs into the death note; this is a clear representation of how the death note started Light's descent into sin. In the recreation of "The Creation Of Adam" by Michelangelo, Ruyk is bestowing some of his power on Light in the form of an apple, aka the death note. The apple represents dangerous knowledge and wisdom. As he gives the apple, or deathnote, to humans, due to the flimsy condition of humanity which is not able to resist the vice, the Death Note is readily taken and used. In Greek Mythology, it was an apple that caused the Trojan war, making the apple also have a connotation of chaos and death. The first time Light uses the death note, he bites into an apple; this may represent how he takes a bite of the dangerous sinful ability to kill.

The apple and Michelangelo painting is not the only place where Christian motifs are hidden. For example, the feet washing scene in episode 25 when L, right before his death, washes Light's feet as a sign of acceptance of his soon to come death. This is a scene that is present in chapter 13 of John's Gospel in the Bible when Jesus washes his disciple's feet as a sign of humiliation and adoration. It is common in Johannine studies to interpret the meaning of Jesus' action as respect, usually washed the feet of guests, marking it as an action reserved for people of lower status.

Besides Christian motifs, the anime is very good at using color to code and imply ideas. In many scenes, Light is surrounded by a red background and his eyes and hair appear in red. The moment when Light plants to kill a possible threat, Naomi, his features sharpen from what we see in the first few episodes and his eyes glow red. Light's appearance changes when he is in and out of the kira role; and every time that he is kira, his eyes glow red.

Opposite to Light there is L, who often appears in blue undertones. In the first opening, there is a close-up dynamic scene of the two standing opposite each other on elevated buildings; in this shot, light has a red undertone while L appears blue. This is a very clever use of color, as blue is associated with calmness and intelligence and red is seen as an aggressive and dangerous color.

Death note drives home a lot of relevant ideas. It touches on themes of justice, corruption, drunkness with Power and the unimportance of human lives.

Light's main objective in the show is to create a "New World" without those who he deems bad; criminals and wrongdoers. Mainly, Kira wants to rid the world of rapists and murderers. Technically, this is a good intention. Kira wants to bring justice to this world, and so does L. They both go off their own understanding of justice and who is bad and good. The way that the two are so similar and the viewer has to decide who is really correct is something that emphasizes one of the main questions of the show - what is justice?

Even in the modern world, people wish gruesome death on criminals and say some people deserve to be killed and yet many agree that killing any human is wrong. When one finds themselves rooting for Kira or L, they realize the point that the show tries to make - that we use good and evil to simplify a complex world, and that justice can take on many forms. Despite the fact that Light is doing bad things, some of the viewers may be wanting him to win. After all, he is intelligent and honest; why can't he be the god of the new world? That is left to be answered, and the answer depends on what kind of person you are.

Despite the fact that Kira and L are driven by the same desire to make a better world, they are sole enemies. What makes them that?

This brings us to the next lesson; what makes Kira different from L?

It is his inflated ego. Light failed to see that he is not perfect, and is just as flawed as the humans living in his world. We did not realize that killing bad people makes you a bad person. His newfound ability and strong desires all fueled his god complex, to which he really succumbs in the second half of the show. This same view of himself as flawless and genius is what brings Kira to his downfall. He was so determined to be the good god and was so blind to his own imperfections that he forgot that his plans had holes too. Near, who brought him down, had all the same qualities except the self-obsession.

Light becomes drunk with power, just like people in real life. This ability that he holds makes him put himself above other people, and the show wants to make it clear that power corrupts.

This concept of power and human's blindness to it is another central theme in the show. Despite his cruel actions, Kira gains popularity; he has followers and fans that appear soon enough. We see all these people call Kira their savior and claim that he is a kind and smart man - which is the anime's way of showing just how lost most people in the world are.

Just like Misa Amane, Kira's incredibly foolish right-hand girl, all of these people decide to view the world as simple black and white. They strive towards the strong, out of fear or adoration, picking a side just like the viewer. Despite Kira's actions being horrible, he has so many followers, and for what? This drives home the idea that the number of followers and fans is not what makes someone right, because the followers themselves are not always in a ready-to-judge mindset and just like Misa many of them have a bias against criminals.

The show makes its viewers question their own morals and emphasizes some real problems with humanity. And even though it drives forward all these big themes, Death Note is still incredibly interesting and does not feel like a morality lesson. The watcher gets to pick their side and make their own conclusions; the only thing that they see is that Kira ends up dead due to his own foolishness and the world keeps on going as if nothing ever happened. He was never a god in the first place, he was just a confused honor student.

Some anime rely on dynamic fighting sequences and complex wars to make an engaging plot. Others are all about sentimentality and important lessons, leaving less space for confusing games. It does not rely on complex lore to drive the plot; it relies on the relationships and actions of the diverse characters. It has an outstandingly diverse music track, with songs fitting for all sorts of scenes.

Justice is a complicated concept, but DeathNote is always here to remind us to not get ahead of ourselves as humans. Nobody on Earth will become a god; because no one of us is perfect, unbiased, or truly justiful. Kira's mistakes are a very accurate show of how one can become drunk with power and swirl into a skewed self-perception of godliness.

But Death Note manages to capture every aspect of an anime that can be good and makes it even better. The complexity of the two main characters and their battle of wits makes the series fascinating, and the way it makes the viewers question their own and other's morality leaves the show in the viewer's head long after finishing the last episode. Death note breaks the rules of what an anime should be and what we expect a "detective' or "thriller" to look like.

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The boy who sought to become a god, and what his story teaches us

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From intense potato chip munching to weird feet washing, the show is a step up from most Anime. Upon finishing Death Note, I closed my laptop shut and stared at the wall for several minutes until I felt a tear running down my cheek.

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By Fatima Monawar

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by Fatima Monawar

Parasite, 2019

Anyone could be the blood-sucking parasite in your life, someone so greedy and desperate enough t lie and manipulate you. The award-winning movie directed by Bong Joon- Ho, Parasite is about the compelling relationship between the wealthy Park family and the impoverished Kim clan. The characters are threatened by greed and class discrimination. When you first go into Parasite you would expect to immediately dislike the wealthy people but you can find yourself siding with them at certain parts. The director of Parasite, Bong Joon- Ho had stated in an interview with Jimmy Fallon, "The film is best when you go into it cold" The movie itself is a good example of life imitating art and today's class divide. Parasite had done a good job in representing both the lower class and upper class as well as their differences in an unbiased light.

Bong Joon- Ho had created many other films with deeper messages such as the gripping movie, Snowpiercer, made in 2013. The whole movie entirely takes place on a train while symbolizing society, where the people in the "front" of the train (upper class, government) treat the "tail" of the train (regular people, lower-class) in an inhumane way. One of the reasons his movies may have been a big hit was because they reflected today's world and how people can view each other based on their classes and wealth. In Snowpiercer when the people at the back of the train (lower class) decided to rebel, many people watching could've related to them somehow and wanted them to succeed in taking down the wealthy. In a scene from Snowpiercer, one of the people in charge had said, "I belong to the front, you belong to the tail"... "know your place, keep your place" This moment was a clear example of class discrimination. A lot of the people near the front of the train had felt superior because the people in the tail weren't as well-off as them.

A message that is portrayed in Parasite is that People in privileged classes should be aware of their power and listen to the experiences of those not as fortunate as them. In Parasite, the scene where Mrs. Park and Mr. Kim were in the car, Mrs. Park talks to her friend about how the rain from the night before made the sky beautiful and clean but that same storm completely destroyed the Kim family's home and many others who had lived in the area which left them homeless. After she said this Mr. Kim had a pained and irked expression on his face which made the differences between the classes clearer and how people who are privileged don't see how their words and actions can affect the underprivileged and be grateful that they aren't in a position to be affected by certain issues as much.

The subtle but constant reminder that the Park family gives to the Kim family that they are poor and "less" than them is a detail in the movie some people might have just brushed past. Mr. Park holds his nose in a sort of revulsion whenever he is around Mr. Kim and that gesture continuously reminds him that he is not as wealthy or as important as Mr. Park. This creates a sort of trigger for Mr. Kim which is also the reason why Mr. Park is violently stabbed by Mr. Kim at his own son's birthday party. (3:24) This moment shows that his actions repaint the lines of a divide between wealthy and poor by continuing to focus on their differences and only caring about himself. This may not have been the first encounter that Mr. Kim had with people who felt like they were better than him. While Mr. Kim starts to feel like they are equals, Mr. Park shuts him down and creates this offensive gesture that is a trigger for Mr. Kim pushes him to snap. In the scene, you can see that when Mr. Park holds his nose in disgust, Mr. Kim's expression changes from worried to anger in a matter of seconds and he keeps that expression even after he kills Mr. Park. Even though you can't really see it right away his face just says it all.

Some people might realize that they could sympathize with both sides because on one hand they are in need of money to survive and the other doesn't deserve to get manipulated and used solely for their money. When Mrs. Park asks "Kevin" what he thinks of her son's painting (0:58), to which she thinks that her son is an "artist by nature" he pretty much lies straight to her face and says how much he likes it and that it is amazing. He does this in order to get paid by the park family. Even though this may not seem like a huge problem it does still show that the Kim family leeches off the Park family like a parasite henceforth the film title. On the other hand, the Kim family doesn't live in a good home and when Min, Kevin's friend, gives them a spiritual rock as a gift (1:42) that will bring them wealth, the mom was wondering why he didn't get them food, proving that they even can't afford food regularly. Even just having a shelter and not going to bed hungry is seen as a big privilege by the Kim family so you can't help but feel some sympathy for them.

From his first film, Barking Dogs Never Bite, to his earlier film, Snowpiercer, up until his most recent, award-winning success, Parasite, Bong Joon-ho has used a plethora of genres in his movies. He has included genres such as dark comedy, monster thriller, detective thriller, action-adventure, dystopian sci-fi, and more. If you pay attention to his movies, Parasite and Snowpiercer, you will see a sort of consistent representation of class differences as the underlying or main plot of the story. When you watch both of these award-winning films with no idea what you are jumping into you will see the realistic representation of today's society and class standards for themselves and each other. Even though you may know much more about the movie including the ending it's still a riveting experience for most people. After all, there is a reason these are award-winning films.

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by Fatima Monawar Anyone could be the blood-sucking parasite in your life, someone so greedy and desperate enough t lie and manipulate you. The award-winning movie directed by Bong Joon- Ho, Parasite is about the compelling relationship between the wealthy Park family and the impoverished Kim clan.

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How Megan Thee Stallion’s Music Triggers Misogynists

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How Megan Thee Stallion’s Music Triggers Misogynists

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By Michaela Hubschmanova

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"This was a disgusting display of nothing more than sl*ts being sl*ts." This was one of the viewer responses to Megan Thee Stallion's and Cardi B's performances of WAP at the Grammys. According to Rolling Stone, the Federal Communications Commission received over 1,000 complaints from fans after the Grammys aired. People were satisfied neither with their song nor their show. But why is it that many people hate it so much? People are criticizing Megan Thee Stallion when in reality, they're just being unreasonable, misogynistic and hypocritical.

Megan Jovon Rth Pete, also known as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. You might know her music from TikTok, when in the spring of 2020 her EP, Suga, dominated most dance trends on that app. Not only did her songs feature amazing artists like SZA and Kehlani, but also her collaboration remix of her single Savage with the Queen Bee herself, Beyoncé. After her release of WAP with Cardi B, Megan became the first woman to get three of her songs to No. 1 on the streaming charts in a single year. Her popularity and individuality got her to perform on multiple shows such as Saturday Night Live, American Music Awards, the BET Awards and of course this years Grammys.

Megan Thee Stallion has quite a life story. While being raised in Houston, she has always been surrounded by music. Her mother was also a rapper and instead of leaving her daughter in daycare like the other children, she would take Megan to all of her recording sessions. This truly brought the two closer together and created a great mother-daughter bond. By age 16, Megan, began writing her own raps and songs and at 18 her freestyling videos began to go viral. Her music career popped off and she gained more and more attention every year. Looking at how far she has gotten, it is crazy to think that she was once just a young Houston girl.

Like everyone, Megan has a life of her own and a lot of her music relates to her story. Her newest studio album, Good News, not only have groovy beats and interesting instrumentals, but also meaningful lyrics. Take " Circles," for example. Megan stated that this song was about her accident in July of 2020. More specifically, on July 12th when rap artist, Tory Lanez, shot Megan in the foot while attending a. party in Hollywood Hills. She then decided to release her song " Shots Fired," where she addresses the situation and continued on to write the song "Circles."

"Bullet wounds, backstabs, mama died, still sad /At war with myself in my head, b*tch, it's Baghdad."

While researching some of her past lyrics, I would say that this was one of her most vulnerable songs. These lyrics feature all the low moments of her year which Megan decided to add into her songs, showing that not all her music is just inappropriate. She kept it real and showed people through her lyrics, that even her life isn't as easy as it seems. Everyone has their struggles and Megan, with her creative texts, displayed that it is okay to be vulnerable at times.

One thing that just doesn't make sense to me is how some people can judge Megan Thee Stallion for being too "harsh" when they listen to artists who do the same thing and sometimes even more. Take Eminem as an example. He is an American rapper who is among the best-selling music artists of all time. It seems crazy to me, that since the 2000s nobody has said a word about how disrespectful some of the music is. In the past, he has insulted some of his fellow female celebrities but none of it was ever such a big deal. Another example of a rapper, Snoop Dogg, is also a very well known American rapper and singer. He is known for his music videos featuring half-naked women, but which rapper doesn't do that? A song he released with his fellow American rapper, The Next Episode, is definitely... something.

These type of men, like Eminem or Snoop Dogg, have objectified women in the past and calling them "gold-d*ggers," but Megan's Grammy performance is somehow more inappropriate to people. I admit that some of their music is quite good, but their behaviour can't be excused. An example of some lyrics from Eminem's song, The Real Slim Shady, saying things like:

"Sh*t, Christina Aguilera better switch me chairs / So I can sit next to Carson Daly and Fred Durst / And hear 'em argue over who she gave **** to first."

Considering that he has won the Grammy's over 15 times, mentioning female celebrities doing unpleasant things is definitely not something to be proud of. How can sexualizing other women be less harmful than Megan Thee Stallion sexualizing herself and not harming anyone else with her words? Though some of her songs are sometimes directed towards someone ( like "Shots Fired"), she has never fully mentioned someone in one of her songs, objectifying them or being rude. So how come Eminem's F*CK is okay while Megan's song WAP is so unholy? Both songs mention words related to s*x so these two artists should not be treated any differently. They are both expressing themselves in their separate ways and they do what they like. I think that if this sort of music continues to be produced, we should all just deal with it and not make unnecessary or hateful comments.

"Sometimes people are really not comfortable enough with themselves, and I don't think they like to watch other people be comfortable with themselves. And I don't think they want anybody to teach other people how to be comfortable with themselves." What Megan Thee Stallion said when asked about the hate towards her songs. I completely agree. Some people really bother writing hate comments and complaining about others when they should be focusing on themselves.

For example, James P. Bradley, a politician part of the Republican Party. In August 2020, he went on Twitter to comment about Megan, saying that is what happens when "children are raised without God." My first reaction was why is a politician acting like he knows ANYTHING about songs and the music industry. My second thought was how is this man talking about Megan and Cardi like that when he's supposed to be an educated man and a role model in the world of politics. Instead, he is sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, in this case, music, and reacting to something that shouldn't be affecting him.

"Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion are what happens when children are raised without God and without a strong father figure. Their new „song" The #WAP (which i heard accidentally) made me want to pour holy water in my ears and I feel sorry for future girls if this is their role model!"

My point with this example is that if you don't like something, don't listen to or talk about it (and please don't "accidentally" listen to it). Megan's songs like WAP or Hot Girl Summer is just the way she likes to express herself through music and it is completely valid. It is not like other people don't do it as well. We all have different styles, likes and dislikes and it makes sense that not everyone will like her music. Though we have our difference, we have to be able to live with them and not make this world even worse than it used to be.

Megan Thee Stallion does not exist to fulfil your expectations or anyone else's. Her music, albums, lyrics, performances and image is hers and isn't meant to be for everyone. However, sending 1,000 email complaints about a single performance is a little over-exaggerated so why be a pain when you can just keep your opinions to yourself. I don't know, maybe talk to a friend about it.

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How Megan Thee Stallion's music triggers all misogynists.

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"This was a disgusting display of nothing more than sl*ts being sl*ts." This was one of the viewer responses to Megan Thee Stallion's and Cardi B's performances of WAP at the Grammys. According to Rolling Stone, the Federal Communications Commission received over 1,000 complaints from fans after the Grammys aired.

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Why Mac Jones Should’ve Gone 3rd Overall

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Why Mac Jones Should’ve Gone 3rd Overall

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By Aleksander Colvin

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With the 3rd pick in the 2021 NFL draft the San Francisco 49ers select, ... Trey Lance, quarterback North Dakota State University! After the first round of the NFL draft wrapped up, many people were shocked. For one, no one thought that Ja'marr Chase would go to the Bengals because they were in dire need of an offensive lineman and Penei Sewell was still on the board. Then the question everyone had, was finally answered. Who would go 3rd overall, Mac Jones or Trey Lance?

The 2020 NFL seson was a disaster for the 49ers. They were a disaster. Their starting quarterback Jimmy Garropalo was injured in week 2 and it all went downhill from there. They ended the season 6-10 near the bottom of their division. Going into the draft the San Francisco 49ers had snagged the 3rd overall pick after making a trade with the Miami Dolphins. The 49ers were ready to move on from Jimmy Garropalo, they wanted a fresh start. Everyone knew they would most likely draft a quarterback, but which one?

Mac Jones was your typical quarterback that would have been perfect five or so years ago. He is a pocket passer with limited speed and mobility. He has a very nice touch on the ball and can fit it into tight windows and make most throws. The game of football is evolving and what was once a run-heavy league, is now pass-heavy. More and more quarterbacks now are very agile and fast and are expected to be able to scramble. They can get in and out of the pocket really quick and can make plays. Trey Lance is one of those players, he is very fast and elusive, he can make people miss and create plays with his feet. The 49ers are moving away from Jimmy G who was like Mac Jones, a typical pocket passer. They wanted someone who was more exciting and who could evade the rush. It makes sense that the 49ers organization wanted to transition to the new age of mobile quarterbacks.

The 49ers run a West Coast offense, which is a very pass-heavy playbook. The quarterback usually is in the shotgun and has 3 receivers and a tight end to throw to. This gives the quarterback time to recognize the rush since they aren't under center. This also gives the QB the option to scramble. Mac Jones went to college in Alabama, their playstyle is up-tempo and lots of runs and ins and outs. They also ran lots of Run Pass Option plays. RPO for short is when the quarterback has the option to hand the ball to the running back, scramble, or throw it to a receiver who was motioned over before the snap. Trey Lance ran a play-action type of offense, which means that the quarterback fakes handing the ball off and looks downfield to throw. Trey Lance and Mac Jones both fit the 49ers playbook well enough to have a successful offense.

While most people thought that the 49ers taking Trey Lance at 3rd overall was better than taking Mac Jones, Mac Jones was actually the more complete and better player. For one, Mac Jones played a full season in 2020 while Trey Lance only played one game. Mac Jones plays in the toughest conference in college football ( SEC) and in 2020 teams only played against teams in their conference. This means throughout 2020 Mac Jones faced up against some of the best college football players and beat all of them. On the other hand, Trey Lance played for a division 2 football team. So while some of his highlights may look good, he is playing against much worse opponents than Mac Jones was.

Throughout the 2020 season, Mac Jones was on fire. He broke several Alabama records and was unstoppable. Every team he played against he

thrived, and made the defense's struggle. They truly had no way to stop him. He was on a path of destruction.

Trey Lance was the starting quarterback for North Dakota State University. In all of 2020, he only played one game. In that game, he played great. He amassed 149 yards on 15 of 30 attempts and 2 touchdowns. Although Trey Lance's highlights from 2019 and his one-game from 2020 looked good, you have to remember that he plays for a division 2 school and against other division 2 schools. Due to Covid-19 he only played 1 game in 2020.

At the start of the 2020 season, there was one huge question among Alabama fans. Who would be the starting quarterback? Would it be the highly touted 5-star Freshman Bryce Young or the steady veteran Mac Jones? Mac Jones had struggled in the last regular-season game in 2019, throwing 2 interceptions for touchdowns. He played much better in the Citrus bowl and made a name for himself. In my opinion, I really wanted to see Bryce Young start, he was electric. His highlights were insane and he was a very quick scrambler quarterback. After the end of the 2019 season, I was a little disappointed with Mac Jones, and I didn't think he had what it took. He shocked everyone. He played his heart out and finished 3rd in the Heisman voting. The Heisman trophy is given to the best player in the nation. Mac Jones's teammate Devonte Smith won it in 2020.

Both these quarterbacks are very good. Trey Lance is a scrambler you can extend plays and get out of tough situations. Mac Jones is a pocket passer who can fit the ball into tight windows and read defensive covers, and make all the throws. Side by side they are two very different players, Mac Jones relies on his arm and vision to be able to excel, while Trey Lance has the ability to escape the pocket. Comparing stats from the 2020 season wouldn't be fair since Trey Lance only played one game, so I will compare overall college career stats.

In 2019 Trey Lance was named the starting quarterback for the North Dakota Bisons. Throughout the two seasons he started he accumulated 2,947 passing yards on 208 attempts and 317 completions. He also had 30 passing touchdowns, 1,143 rushing yards, and 16 rushing touchdowns. He did this all in the 17 games he started in. Trey Lance earned the 2020 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game MVP, the Walter Payton Award (2019), the Jerry Rice Award (2019), MVFC Offensive Player of the Year (2019), and the First-team All-MVFC (2019). Trey Lance was also a two-time FCS National Champion.

Late in the 2019 season, The starting quarterback ( Tua Tagovailoa) for the Alabama Crimson Tide went down with a season-ending injury. He dislocated his hip, and would not be able to return. Mac Jones started the last 4 games in the 2019 season. He played ok, but not what Alabama fans were expecting. In 2020 when he was named the starter he didn't look back. In only 13 games he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. This was on 311 completions and 402 attempts. This gave him the best pass completion percentage ever since this became a statistic. For Mac Jones stellar season he earned the Davey O'Brien Award (2020), the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2020), the Manning Award (2020), the Consensus All-American (2020), the First-team All-SEC (2020), and the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2020). He was also a two-time National Champion.

Mac Jones and Trey Lance are both very good athletes. They both led their teams to National Championships and won. They dominated every game they played. Trey Lance draws close comparisons to Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback. Russell Wilson can throw the ball downfield and make plays with his feet like Trey Lance. On the other hand, Mac Jones's comparison is to the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. Tom Brady is the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) of the NFL. He has won more Super Bowls than any other player (7). Mac Jones stays in the pocket and has small mobility, but he makes great throws and knows what to do and how to read a defense, just like the GOAT Tom Brady. Drafting Trey Lance at the 3rd overall pick was risky, but could turn out great. Mac Jones was a safer pick and arguably a better choice. He had an outstanding 2020 season, and I think his success should translate to the NFL level. Drafting Trey Lance that early in the draft wasn't the best choice but it could turn out great, I think both players will have good NFL careers.

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Why Mac Jones Should've Gone 3rd Overall

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With the 3rd pick in the 2021 NFL draft the San Francisco 49ers select, ... Trey Lance, quarterback North Dakota State University! After the first round of the NFL draft wrapped up, many people were shocked.

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‘Pride and Prejudice’: Why the Miniseries Grasps the Book’s Concept a lot Better than the Movie

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‘Pride and Prejudice’: Why the Miniseries Grasps the Book’s Concept a lot Better than the Movie

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By Yoana Dimova

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"My good opinion once lost is lost forever". This is what I thought when I saw the very popular "Pride and Prejudice" movie with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden. Even though this adaptation is a whirlwind of emotions with glamorous actors, it never really caught the essence of Jane Austen's classic novel like the BBC miniseries of the same name with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle did.

Pride and Prejudice is a classic novel written by Jane Austen in 1813 that has captured the hearts of many. It is about Elizabeth Bennet, the second oldest of five daughters whose mother is desperately trying to marry all of them off to wealthy men, and Mr. Fizwilliam Darcy, a man that wears a cover of pride, judging everyone who meets his eye. Of course, these two characters meet, both too proud and prejudiced to get to know each other before judging one another. In the story, they are acquainted many times with each other, leading to a romance that hasn't been forgotten for more than 200 years. This story has been shown so much love and passion over the years, that there have been over 15 live-action adaptations. The two that have gained the most popularity, "Pride and Prejudice" with Keira Knightley made in 2005, and the miniseries of the same name with Colin Firth made in 1995, are two very close rivals that have caused several debates between fans of the book - which one was better? Which one caught the meaning of the story better? Which one represented Mr. Darcy and Lizzie better? BBC's miniseries adaptation did a much better job at recreating the story than the movie.

One of the many things that let the BBC version recreate the book better is the way it sticks to the storylines in different scenes. In the movie adaptation, not only do they miss some important events from the book, which can be forgiven since it doesn't have as much running time as the miniseries, but they also change some of the major events from the story that they do include in the film.

One very good example of this would be the unforgettable moment when Lady Catherine de Bourgh goes all the way from Rosings Park to Longbourne to confront Lizzie and warm her to not accept a marriage proposal from Mr. Darcy as he is reserved for her daughter, Anne de Bourgh. In the book, this major event in which Lizzie throws an epic comeback and doesn't allow herself to be manipulated takes place during the day, when the Bennets are in their house and they hear Lady Catherine's carriage arriving. Then, Lizzie and Lady Catherine go on a walk around the gardens of Longbourne, whilst arguing about a possible marriage between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. "Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting-woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse;"

This is exactly what happens in the miniseries at this particular moment. The dialogue is also word-by-word acted out by Jennifer Ehle (Lizzie) and Barbara Leigh-Hunt (Lady Catherine de Bourgh). And still, even though they were only saying the words from the book, every detail was so significantly thought about that it felt just felt like you were diving into Jane Austen's marvelous story.

Another thing about this scene is that even though Anne de Bourgh never speaks, she is seen in the carriage waiting for her mother, just like it says in the quote. Then, we have the movie. Here, somehow this majorly important scene has transferred into the night when everyone is in their beds. Then, the conversation we all remember as confirmation that Lizzie very much likes Mr. Darcy is shortened quite a lot and takes place in the Bennets' living room while the whole family listens in through the door. "And will you promise me, never to enter into such an engagement?" "I will make no promise of the kind." This has a high contrast to the book and is not as influential as the scene in the miniseries.

Movie (video: Netflix) Movie Adaptation

Miniseries (video: BBC) Miniseries

From a mere 2 and a half minutes to a full 8 minutes, this scene is much better constructed in the BBC adaptation. Starting out with the music that they use in every appropriate moment, for example, the moment when the carriage arrives and Kitty runs out to see who it is - the music is so intimidating, even though the viewer doesn't know who is coming. This prepares the audience for something big. Then, we have the word-by-word dialogue, the setting, and all the small details that make a big difference.

"The engagement between them is of a peculiar kind. From their infancy, they have been intended for each other. It was the favorite wish of his mother, as well as of her's." This quote is very important to the development of the argument. Here, Lady Catherine confesses that this isn't what Mr. Darcy wants, it's a wish of his mother's. The quote is provided in the miniseries but isn't in the movie, which is a key to a better scene.

(Photo: Costume Lovers) dress Lizzie is wearing at a ball

The early 19th-century style was not as well enunciated in the film like in the miniseries. As "Pride and Prejudice" was written in 1813, it falls under the category of the early 19th-century. This means that the movie should have done a better job of reconstructing the dresses that women wore, the suits men wore, the hairstyles that they had, etc.

As you can see, the dress Lizzie is wearing and the dresses the rest of the attendees are wearing are very similar to the painting of the girl wearing the dress. The length is the same ankle length, the bust is low and the sleeves are t-shirt length and puffy. The one thing that was the same for all dresses in the earlier 19th-century was the extremely high waistline. This is very specific for the 1810s, and the BBC miniseries does a very good job at keeping up with all the small details.

I'm using a photo of Lizzie's ball gown in Pride and Prejudice since it has to be a fair comparison. Here, Lizzie is wearing a white ball gown, just like Jennifer Ehle's Lizzie. However, as you can see, the sleeves aren't puffed, and the waistline is a lot lower than on the dress in the example of the early 19th-century dress. The BBC version was a lot more accurate in recreating the overall clothing.

(photos: whizzpast.com) Examples of earlier 19th century hairstyles

(photos: whizzpast.com) Examples of earlier 19th century hairstyles

(photo: Pinterest) Lizzie in BBC Pride and Prejudice

The 19th century also had a very specific taste in hairstyles. This was also very well thought about during the miniseries.

Jennifer Ehle's hair is almost always like this throughout the miniseries, except when she's getting ready for bed. This was a very common way for women to style their hair. They would tie it in the back in a ponytail or bun, and curl the front side bangs on the side of their face to frame their faces. This is also very specific for the 1810s since after that styles started to change more drastically.

As you can see here, Keira Knightley's hair is kind of messy and has forehead bangs. This was very uncommon in the early 19th-Century. While this hairstyle is very pretty, it is too modern. The way there are loose hairs around her ears was also very uncommon because, at that time, hairstyles were very organized and brushed back. According to whizzpast.com, "Women in the 1830s usually rocked a clean middle part with their hair tied back in a neat bun, braids, or twist. Occasionally they curled the sides, but bangs weren't in fashion.". This shows that BBC's miniseries was more historically accurate than the movie with Keira Knightley.

The BBC miniseries stuck so closely to the story, the dialogue, the actions, the style, the fashion, and the characters. Especially the fact that it is almost 6 hours long shows that it stuck as closely as possible to everything in the book. Pride and Prejudice is a book with a very long and complicated story that just doesn't fold enough to be stuck into a regular motion picture. This is the reason BBC into a miniseries. They could have easily cramped the story into a movie since it would have taken less time, money, and effort, but they chose to make it into a miniseries because they knew that this way they would be able to capture every important detail. The movie is a huge success and is greatly enjoyable, however, it just isn't the real "Pride and Prejudice" - it's not captured right. It should have been longer and more detailed.

The BBC version is 327 minutes long, which is equal to 5.45 hours. According to readinglength.com, the average reader would take 6 hours and 34 minutes to read this book. This is 394 minutes. The miniseries is only 68 minutes shorter than the book, which is astonishing. It is shorter only because it doesn't have the description paragraphs or the parts where it describes what a character is doing as it is live-action. This shows how good of a job they did in trying to make the adaptation very accurate.

Everything little detail in the miniseries points to the fact that it is the better re-make of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. From the missing and fixed-up scenes to the early 19th-century style to the small details like music and setting, the miniseries just captured the story so much better. Whenever I reread this classic novel, I will always picture Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth as our favorite characters. And BBC's masterpiece of a miniseries will always be the better representation of Pride and Prejudice.

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Why 'Pride and Prejudice', the miniseries, grasps the book's concept a lot better than the movie

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"My good opinion once lost is lost forever". This is what I thought when I saw the very popular "Pride and Prejudice" movie with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden. Even though this adaptation is a whirlwind of emotions with glamorous actors, it never really caught the essence of Jane Austen's classic novel like the BBC miniseries of the same name with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle did.

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Are Korean Fans Ready to Share K-pop with the Rest of the World?

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Are Korean Fans Ready to Share K-pop with the Rest of the World?

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By Minie Kim

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Korean teenage fans are excited to share the enthusiasm and charm of K-pop, but they also feel some worries.

When I first left Korea and moved to the Czech Republic, I brought with me my pasion for K-pop. I thought I would be the only girl in my new school who actually knew about it. However, that morning, as I walked through the hallways, I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a girl coming in my direction, wearing a BT21 (BTS characters) hoodie. Not only this, but when I was talking to friends from all around the world, they knew what I was talking about: K-pop. Is it possible that K-pop was known outside of Korea? Before that, I have only heard that K-pop's worldwide popularity. So having the experience on my own, it came to me with mixed feelings; it made me feel proud that I am a Korean, and so feeling the pride of my country, however feeling some dejection that its popularity could mean the loss of the idea of possession. I am certain that this is not only me, but the other Koreans will also have the two ideas coexisting. All being considered, are Koreans ready to share their K-pop with the rest of the world?

Before all, what is K-pop? K-pop, short for Korean popular music, is a genre of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. How popular is it in Korea? Well, according to my own experience as being a Korean who lived in Korea, for sure, everyone knew K-pop. To look at it in more depth, according to Wikipedia, the more modern form of the genre emerged with the formation of one of the earliest K-pop groups, the boy band Seo Taiji and Boys, in 1992. The modern K-pop "idol" culture began with the boy band H.O.T. in 1996, as K-pop grew into a subculture that amassed enormous fandoms of teenagers and young adults.

The charm of K-pop seems to be influenced by the styles and genres around the world such as pop, experimental, rock, jazz, gospel, hip hop, R&B, reggae, electronic dance, folk, country, and classical, but especially because of the fact that it is from traditional Korean music.

The term "K-pop" became popular in the 2000s. However, according to Wikipedia, K-pop is still being just a general term to describe it as popular music in South Korea. Even so, in broad sights, it is starting to be used in a narrower sense, standing up as a genre. How is it possible? After a slump in early K-pop, from 2003 TVXQ and BoA started a new generation of K-pop idols that broke the music genre into the neighboring Japanese market and continue to popularize K-pop internationally today. Moreover, with the advent of online social networking services and Korean TV shows, the current spread of not only K-pop, but also Korean entertainment, together known as the Korean Wave, now being spread out over the whole world, and so gaining a widespread global audience.

Back to these days, in 2018, K-pop experienced significant growth and started to become a 'power player', marking a 17.9% increase in revenue growth. As of 2019, K-pop ranked at number six among the top ten music markets worldwide, according to IFPI's "Global Music Report 2019", with BTS (the boy group that I am mostly enthusiasts in) and Blackpink, cited as artists leading the market growth.

Furthermore, in 2020, K-pop experienced a record-breaking year when it experienced a 44.8% growth and positioned itself as the fastest-growing major market of the year. Now that you could have felt from all these lists of events, nowadays no one around the world denies the fact of K-pop's worldwide popularity.

From this point, I believe that at least one of the people that are interested and/or even the ones that are getting interested in K-pop throughout this writing might wonder how would be Korea's reaction to this rising popularity of 'their culture'. But in this article, I will be specifically angling to the Korean teenage girl's view of this phenomenon, because it is the age group that has the most interest in it, and that shows the most enthusiasm to it.

By having an Instagram poll asking 15 Korean teenage girls about how they (as Koreans) feel about K-pop becoming popular worldwide, this is the result that came out.

As this chart intuitively shows, and probably, as you could have guessed, 80 percent (12 out of 15), the majority of the teenage girls responded positively about K-pop's popularity. Their writing thoughts were,
"As K-pop became famous worldwide, and so does Korea became known, I feel more pride as being a Korean." "It is good that K-pop playing the role of promoting our country (Korea)."
And so, basically, the comments were all about feeling and thinking positive about its popularity, and to be specific, 'good that Korea is becoming well known.' But throughout the responses, the thing to be emphasized is that they were commonly and mainly expressing the 'pride/proud' of their country.

However, as always, of course, there were some opposite sights. 20 percent (3 out of 15), responded not limited but including some negative sight of the phenomenon. This group's writing thoughts were,
"Happy, however at the same time feel sorrow that on one hand, the contents for Korean fans are starting to decrease, on the other hand, contents for foreign fans are increasing." "Feel annoyed that although foreign fans do not make hard efforts supporting the stars, they demand too many supplies. (A very personal opinion of a particular someone)"
Like this, the two statements are described differently, with different angles. They both express the sorrow feeling, and also some anxieties about losing the idea of mine; possessions, from the others outside their group; country.

As one of the Korean fans of K-pop, I do admit the existence of both sides. Like most Koreans, I do feel happy and proud that Korea is becoming known to others around the world. But yes, as K-pop is becoming known to more and more people (indeed, not limited to Koreans), as its popularity around the world is increasing, me and the Koreans feel the lack of recompense; the affection from the stars.

Nevertheless, I do want to conclude that Koreans should focus their feelings on the pride that they feel, rather than on the negatives of sharing K-pop with the rest of the world. As I have previously mentioned, I certainly admit the sorrowful feeling that Koreans could feel, and this group of people could even desire the declining popularity of K-pop. However, Koreans must not be caught up in their selfishness. For its expansion, K-pop must be exposed to many people around the world. Therefore, Koreans, should not be grumpy grabbers, but be broad-minded, by sharing their goods with the world.

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Are Korean fans ready to share K-pop with the rest of the world?

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Korean teenage fans are excited to share the enthusiasm and charm of K-pop, but they also feel some worries. When I first left Korea and moved to the Czech Republic, I brought with me my pasion for K-pop. I thought I would be the only girl in my new school who actually knew about it.

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"Knives Out" is a Modern Take on Human Greed Disguised as a Classical English Murder Mystery

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"Knives Out" is a Modern Take on Human Greed Disguised as a Classical English Murder Mystery

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By Maria Cherkasova

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by Maria Cherkasova

A world-famous, wealthy, crime writing author becomes a victim of his own stories! Found dead in the attic of his mansion. Is it a suicide or a carefully planned murder? A vicious killer, a clever detective, and an innocent-looking nurse. Sounds interesting? If yes, come and see Knives Out!

Knives Out is an American mystery/crime film creted in 2019 written and directed by Rian Johnson, and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. The film tells the story of a master detective investigating the sudden death of Harlan Thrombey, the patriarch of a wealthy dysfunctional family. In Johnson's new movie, this "whodunnit" cliché gets a welcome airing out. Knives out is a typical Agatha Christie murder mystery. Although this movie is set in America, you get the feeling that the plot could have been perfectly placed in the British victorian times. Johnson pays tribute to the genre's legacy while at the same time placing it into the modern era.

This movie has featured many familiar and famous actors, was greatly received among cinema fans worldwide, and made a substantial profit at the box office. The film also was nominated and won multiple international awards.

Murder mysteries have captured the world's imagination since the launch of the now-iconic and famously known Sherlock Holmes series. Conan Doyle's detective-style writing about the mystery-solving duo, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, to this day, fascinates the viewer's interests. The genre, of course, has shifted in style over the decades, but some things never change; there is always a detective who is calm, logical, and determined to get to the bottom of the case. A great example of this would be Agatha Christie's,Hercules Poirot. A cunning, rational man who is seemingly one step ahead of anybody else, selecting clues along the way, with a tidy, neat end. In a classical mystery story, the detective's life is by no means at stake. Compared to modern time live-action thrillers where the detective is placed at the very center of the action and his life is constantly being threatened from the very first seconds of the film. In the case of Knives Out we've got a blend of each tradition: a classical murder mystery with the pleasure of solving a riddle and an action-packed tale. Knives Out has acting performances that bring an exciting and thrilling throwback to the Golden age of detective fiction, whilst nevertheless setting a fun, contemporary-day twist to the story. The ironic aspect of this film is that the main victim, Harlan Thrombey, was himself, a world-famous detective author who built his fortune by writing numerous suspense stories.

Just like Agatha Christie's novels, Knives Out looks and feels like a period piece in current times. In this genre of fiction, there are always character types. Instead of traditional roles like a colonel, a dowager, or a butler, the movie differs with typical contemporary personas such as a social media influencer, a liberal university student, and even a web troll. In the midst of all of these fascinating personalities, there is the detective, Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc. Another French name which is a clear reference to Christie's Hercules Poirot. Detective Blanc is a smooth-speaking individual who at first sight is seen as capable of quickly solving the crime and the one who holds all of the cards. As the movie progresses, we start to see him losing control and grasp of the developing situation. He takes his task and job very seriously and altogether wishes for justice to be served. He might seem annoying and pretentious at times, however, he no doubt possesses incredible deductive abilities. He has a witty and at the same time philosophical sense of humor, portrayed in his iconic lines in the film such as: "When People Get Desperate, The Knives Come Out." or "You're a pack of vultures at the feast! Knives out, beaks bloody!"

"But even as the movie starts as a common 'whodunnit', it quickly morphs into a personal drama centering not on a famous detective, but a Latina daughter of undocumented immigrants." Time Magazine. Knives Out is initially seen through the eyes of Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), the kind nurse protagonist to Harlan Thrombey who plays by her own rules and knowledge and ends up with a large estate as a result. Harlan and Marta's closeness developed into a wonderful friendship and since she actually treated him with kindness and was not solely there for his wealth, he decided to leave her the inheritance. In fact, Harlan even trusted her and respected her more than his own children. He shared with her all sorts of family secrets: affairs, theft, money dependency. After Harlan's death, she seems to only have a good relationship with Meg (Harlan's niece) and tries to be understanding towards the Thrombey family, but things get complicated. Finally, in the end, she decides to not support the family since almost everyone tried to blackmail her in one way or another. A peculiar aspect of this mystery is that throughout the film, Marta assumes herself to be the sole killer of Harlan Thrombey due to an accidental medication mix-up. On the contrary, it turned out to be that the murderer was Harlan's oldest nephew Ransom (Chris Evans). But the murder line is not the only objective of this film. It uncovers themes of stereotypes, prejudice, and attitude towards immigrants in modern American society.

There are many differences between Marta and the Thrombey's. At the start of the movie, I observed the family being nice or at least thinking they were being nice, to Marta. When she arrives at the residence for the police interrogation, she is greeted by Harlan's eldest daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), who hugs and comforts her stating that she is basically part of the family, even though she wasn't invited to Harlan's funeral. Although the Thrombey's publicly admire the work of Marta ("immigrants, we get the job done"), there is still a feeling that the family constantly pities her, looks down at her, and considers Marta as a second-class citizen. Visually, the director strikes a contrast even in the way the characters are dressed. The entire family looks to have something expensive on them during the entire movie. For example, Linda is always wearing expensive-looking suits paired with gold jewelry; rings, earrings, necklaces, watches. Meanwhile, Marta constantly appears in the same outfit: old grey weaved cardigan and coat. The film showcases the importance of status and class perfectly using Marta and the family members as examples.

The Thrombeys appear to think of themselves as liberals: well educated, open to different ideas, and even hiring an immigrant lady as a part of their family. However, all Latinos look the same to them. The Thrombeys can't agree on whether or not Marta's family is from Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, or Brazil, it's all irrelevant to them. The film shows this for laughs in the audience - however, it clearly says something about the hypocrisy of those who consider themselves being progressive yet show no regard for the people who are genuinely being affected by modern-day immigration policies.

For most people Knives Out can be considered a great film on different levels, but for me, this movie reveals many selfish human tendencies. It shows just how desperate the main characters are and how far they are willing to go in order to get their share of the inheritance. Although Knives Out does take features from Agatha Christie's mystery books, it also explores the themes of present inequality and teaches its audience a lesson. Marta's story is inspiring; It shows us the importance of kindness in the world, instead of consistently comparing ourselves to others and trying to outdo them.

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Knives Out is a modern take on human greed disguised as a Classical English Murder Mystery

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by Maria Cherkasova A world-famous, wealthy, crime writing author becomes a victim of his own stories! Found dead in the attic of his mansion. Is it a suicide or a carefully planned murder? A vicious killer, a clever detective, and an innocent-looking nurse. Sounds interesting? If yes, come and see Knives Out!

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"Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" is more than a Fantasy Story

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"Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" is more than a Fantasy Story

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By Katya Ryabova

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By Katya Ryabova

Harry Potter. The all known story. Who hasn't heard of Harry Potter? The fantasy world of wizards mysterious creatures, and pure magic. Kids dream that the Harry Potter world was real. Hope that they would get a letter from Hogwarts brought by an owl on their 11th birthday. But is the magic what makes it so famous? Sure, Diagon Alley and Hogwarts make it unique. However, the deeper meaning represented through the magic is what defines the story, is what gives it the spark and separates it from other fantasy literature. The meaning behind the magic about acceptance and diversity is what makes Harry Potter the Harry Potter. Harry Potter isn't just a fantasy story, it is also a story about the diversity of life and acceptance of who you are, and overcoming self-doubt in order to become the best version of yourself.

If you are one of the little people who hasn't heard of Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a 7 book and 8 movie series. The first book was published on June 26, 1997, and the first movie was filmed and published on November 16, 2001. Now, Harry Potter is a widely known series with a huge fandom. Harry Potter is a story about magic, wizards, and fantasy, however, the story has deep meaning getting across important ideas and concepts. The story takes place mostly in Hogwarts, the magical school of wizard craft and wizardry, and other magical locations of the Harry Potter world. Throughout the series in each book Harry and his friends face different life and death challenges protecting the magical world, while living a teenage life, growing up, and learning some of the most important life lessons. Even though Harry Potter is a fantasy it is also a mystery, drama, romance, realistic fiction, and much more. Throughout the article I will focus only on the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in which is Harry getting introduced to magic, going to Hogwarts, and finding out he is a wizard, after the traumatizing events of his past in which both his parents got murdered by the darkest wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort.
Harry Potter
It may seem as if Harry Potter had to be the most outgoing and confident character of the story because he became famous at the age of one, and how could the famous Harry Potter have any doubts about himself? However, he was a kid who had a hard childhood and was raised to see himself as not good enough, and he did have a traumatizing past. When Harry came to Hogwarts he didn't know a thing about the magic world expecting himself to fail. In Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone Harry had to face everyone's worst enemy self-doubt, and lack of confidence. Even though he wanted to prove himself, he was afraid to take the wrong step. "Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you(sorting hat)." This quote amplifies that even though Harry had courage, talent, and was smart, he didn't pay attention to those characteristics simply because was so desperate to get approved. For Harry public acceptance/approval mattered, because when others approve of you it's easier to accept yourself. However, the thing that he didn't see nor realize was that he already was approved and welcomed; he just wasn't paying attention because of how much he was worried about people treating him otherwise. Before he was told that he wasn't good enough by his aunt and uncle so that made him desperate to be approved and told that he was good enough by others, however, it also made it harder for him to notice it because he already was expecting people to treat him badly. The other thing that Harry Potter didn't know when entering the magical world was that he was a celebrity. That did give him certain advantages because he was "the boy who saved the world". Every wizard knew who Harry Potter was, appreciating him. My point is that Harry was approved by others, he just wasn't noticing it because he was caught up in his own self-doubt. For Harry, his first year at Hogwarts was about learning that there is nothing wrong with being you.

Through the story, Harry was desperate to get approved, to be included, and yet what caused all that? Well, Harry was raised by his aunt and uncle, who were muggles(normal humans not wizards) and strongly disliked and feared magic, so when Harry Potter was left at their doorstep as a small baby they weren't really "happy" about it. Harry's aunts' and uncles' hatred of the magical world made them hate him. Harry did obviously see and realize that he wasn't loved at the Dursleys( last name of Harry's aunt and uncle) home, though he didn't know why, so it caused him to not want to live with the Dursleys and hate them back. " When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family." This quote shows that even though Harry knew that Dursleys were his only family, his best dream was him leaving them. A lot of the time the stories people write about, the dreams they have are based on how they truly feel, even if the stories and dreams are fantasy. So how miserable must one's life be in order for them to want to escape it so bad? This quote shows that Harry Potter is not only a boy who wants to be approved, but he is a person who wants to have a better life being desperate for any change; he wants to be happy, but yet is not sure if it's possible. Also looking at the style of the text J.K. Rowling builds up this "perfect fantasy" at the beginning of the quote making the last part of it sound even more powerful and depressing. In the end, Harry is an 11-year-old boy who just wants to be overall happy, so I guess the life of the famous Harry Potter isn't as perfect as it may have seemed at first sight. Throughout Harry's story, the reader is taught an important lesson that not everyone is gonna like you all the time, and even though getting approved by the public matters it is more important for you to approve of yourself, because that is what will make you happier, to accept who you are, and then others will accept you too.
Hermoine Granger
Hermoine Granger the smartest and best student. Through having her challenges she was the glue that held the story together. Her reason and understanding is the reason for the survival and success of many characters. Hermione was a muggle-born wizard meaning that both her parents were muggles (to be more specific, dentists). She was shown to be the character who knows everything, exceeds every class, and spends most of her free time studying in the library. She may have seemed to be the character who has their whole life together and really has no doubts and troubles at all. However, that is not true. Hermoine Granger believed that education was one of the most valid things in life, not understanding the importance of friendships. She thought that a good score would get her a friend. For Hermoine, analyzing books was way easier than understanding people due to self-doubt. Focusing on education she thought she would kill two birds with one stone. " Hermione: Harry, no way! You heard what Madam Hooch said. Besides, you don't even know how to fly! [Harry ignores Hermione and he flies up] Hermione: What an idiot! " This quote truly represents that at the beginning of the first Harry Potter book Hermoine did have education as her first priority. For Hermoine, getting expelled was the worst nightmare, and she was trying to teach the other characters in the story to believe so too. Throughout the story, she had to come to terms that good grades are not the most important things. Hermoine Granger is still an 11-year-old girl, and for her, the first book was about overcoming her fear of "failing" school/not having good grades and understanding that school is not the most valid thing in life. If for Harry his worst fear was not getting approved by his peers, for Hermoine it was a fear of not getting approved by professors and teachers, because she believed that if she would get approved by the elderly the others would follow. She believed that the approval of a teacher would be the thing that would get her a friend.

First, when Hermoine came to Hogwarts she didn't have many friends because of her desperate need to be the best student, and the need to show how smart she is. Unlike Hermoine not very many students came to school and already read all their school books, being around her made them feel not good enough so people preferred to avoid her. However, as the story progressed Hermoine learned that a good grade wouldn't be the thing that would make her happy in life. When she became calmer about being the best student she became a best friend. "Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him. "Hermione!" "Harry - you're a great wizard, you know." "I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him. "Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be careful!" This quote shows that when Hermione sorted out her priorities she became a completely different person. As she saw that a good score is worth nothing, if there is no one to share it with, Hermione overcame herself placing friendships above education. Throughout the story she wanted to have a friend, however, Hermione didn't know how to approach people and present herself in the best light, because with her love of education she just showed herself as better than everyone scaring people off. If Harry had to overcome unconfidence, self-doubt, and the fear of not fitting in order to become the best version of himself, Hermione had to reset her priorities and values overcoming her "bad score" phobia, because education is far less important than love and friendships.
Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley was always the "out-shined" character. He grew up in a family of 7 children with 5 older brothers and a younger sister. Each of his brothers has achieved something in life, did something to outshine the others and yet Ron was the youngest. How was he supposed to outshine all of them? Ron's family is all wizards. He was a "pure-blood" wizard. You may think that because he grew up in the magical world he was supposed to know all about it and be the best student at Hogwarts, but no, he was still a boy who had much to learn. When Ron came to Hogwarts he was haunted by the shadow of his brothers' success. His biggest dreams, his deepest hopes were to better his siblings. "I am head boy - I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to - and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup - I'm Quidditch captain, too!" In this quote Ron and Harry snuck out of their bedrooms, breaking the rules. As they were about to get caught they hid in an abandoned classroom. There they found the Mirror of Erised, which showed people their deepest /largest desires. If Harry saw him standing surrounded by his family, Ron saw himself bettering his siblings, achieving more things than they did. This shows that Ron wanted to shine and get more positive attention. He wanted to be treated like he was different from the others, however, he already was. Every person is unique and special in their own way. There is no such thing as an imperfect person. There is no ideal of how you should act, look and be. Though sadly at times it takes time for people to realize and overcome themselves in order to see their perfection. If the world was filled with the same "perfect" people then it would lose some of its largest strengths. Diversity of life, and uniqueness. Ron Weasly had to overcome himself to see that. He had to overcome himself to see that he didn't need to overachieve anyone in order to be loved and noticed. He had to prove himself wrong. However, that was a hard goal to achieve, because he not only had low self-esteem, but also Ron was best friends with the famous Harry Potter, and the best student Hermione Granger. How do you shine with such outgoing friends? Over the course of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone book, Ron had to face his own low confidence. The development of Ron's character teaches the reader an important lesson. The way you see yourself is not always how others see you. Most of the time others don't see your self-doubts until you tell them.

If all above still doesn't convince you that Harry Potter is more than just a fantasy, Harry Potter books not only teach us important life lessons but also address some important global issues such as racism and the unacceptance of diversity of life. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone was published on June 26, 1997, and even back then those issues were noticed and addressed. In the book, J.K.Rowling addresses those issues, however, instead of referring to skin color J.K. Rowling referred to "purity of blood". The sound of people being judged based on "how pure" their blood is terrible. Many conflicts in the story were based on the idea of racism. Throughout the story Harry and his friends were defeating Voldemort; the darkest wizard of all time who believed that the world should be rid of "mud bloods". However, as well as showing the darker side of racism, the story also shows the main characters overcoming it. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were all wizards of "different blood". Ron "pure blood", Hermione "mud blood", and Harry a mix of both (his dad "pureblood" and mom "mud blood"). And yet they were 3 best friends, who in the end defeated Voldemort. Though it may seem as if the Harry Potter series is pure fantasy, that "fantasy" gets across very important ideas that must be addressed in the world, outside of the beloved books, that many authorities couldn't get across with thousands of speeches. Every fantasy has some truth to it, and the incredible story written by J.K. Rowling gets many important life lessons across through its magic.

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is more than a fantasy story.

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By Katya Ryabova Harry Potter. The all known story. Who hasn't heard of Harry Potter? The fantasy world of wizards mysterious creatures, and pure magic. Kids dream that the Harry Potter world was real. Hope that they would get a letter from Hogwarts brought by an owl on their 11th birthday.

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How "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" Critiques and Subverts the Male Gaze

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How "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" Critiques and Subverts the Male Gaze

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By Antonina Smolarek

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The Male gaze is a feminist concept used to describe the depiction of women in media that presents wmen as sexual objects for the heterosexual male viewer, seen often in big Hollywood movies. The French Film "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" centred around two women doesn't try to appeal to the male viewer. Instead of taking the previous approach, it critiques the ideas of objectifying and sexualising female characters. It observes the two from a female gaze centring it around ideas that queer women could relate to. It consistently critiques the sexist ideas surrounding women, the main one being society's need for women to be reduced to a man's pleasure in other words the male gaze. Movies portrayed through the male gaze centre the male viewer that normally consists of the sexualised and stereotyped woman. A contradiction to that is movies from the female gaze that represent women correctly as emotional, thoughtful people instead of the usual portrayal of women as mindless dolls. Female Gaze movies do not cater to the male audiences by showing how men view the world but rather show how women perceive things. The film does a great job portraying the two through this female eye by showing all of the emotional aspects that movies through the male gaze about women tend to steer away from. The plot of the movie revolves around Marianne, a female painter tasked with doing a portrait of a reluctant bride to be, Heloise. Trying to complete the task Marianne observes Heloise day by day, to paint her secretly. The main idea of the film itself is a heavily gendered topic, revolving around an 18th-century woman being married off to a husband that she's never met. The film director Céline Sciamma stated that "The tension around the gaze is the plot of the film so you could even see it as a manifesto around the female gaze". The movie succeeds in criticizing the male gaze by painting a love story from the female's perspective.

Throughout the 2 hour film, the pair develop a bond that leads to Heloise pose for Marianne, finally letting Marianne draw her. A scene shows Marianne painting Heloise in an artist-muse dynamic. Whilst composing portraits artists can have a muse to inspire their creativity and become their source of inspiration. The movie notes that a typical muse is seen as an object for the viewer's or artist's pleasure and satisfaction invented to make the woman more passive and object-like. It conveys these criticisms by subverting this idea and showing true equality between the two women. Instead of having it be as an object is being painted for the viewer's pleasure and satisfaction it shows them as equals. Instead of having the one woman being looked at, they were both represented as observing each other equally at the same time. This scene reinvents the idea of a muse by creating the sameness between the pair. Director Scamme states that "I was obsessed with this idea of building a love story with equality. It got even more radical in the process. There would be no gender domination of course because it's two women but also no intellectual domination and no social hierarchy". This equality between the two is highlighted even more during painting scenes of Heloise because it doesn't follow the standard of making the muse a passive-like object. It rather shows the woman's perspective whilst being painted, what she is gazing upon instead of the painters. The equality between the two is a direct contradiction to the male gaze. Due to no unequal power relationship between the viewer and the viewed they are converting the standards of the male gaze. The reinvention of the artist-muse relationship shows a love story between women rooted in equality and artistry rather than in domination and lust.

The movie intertwined the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to show the similarities between how the male gaze has affected the stories. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice says that musically skilled Orpheus married Eurydice yet unfortunately she soon died from a snake bite. Grieving Orpheus ventured himself to the land of the dead to attempt to bring Eurydice back to life. The myth says that his playing and singing charmed the guards of the mythical land of the dead. The music and grief moved Hades, king of the underworld, to the point where Orpheus was allowed to take Eurydice back up to the world of light. Only under one condition was he permitted to leave. "Upon leaving the land of death, both Orpheus and Eurydice were forbidden to look back." But as they ascended, with her following behind him, Orpheus looked back, and she was returned to Hades for all time. Marianne, Heloise and their maid were reading this story together and then discussed the meaning. The maid believed that Orpheus had no reason to turn back, that he would have gotten his wife soon enough criticizing his stupid decision. Marianne then offers that the man could resist but he chose not to rather kept the image of her instead. Their opinions reflect how the male gaze wants a perfect illustration of a woman with none of the thoughts and feelings. A man that would rather have an illustration of a woman over the woman herself. This tale adds more emotional impact to the movie because the two are in the process of creating a perfect image for a man that Heloise has not met nor does she want. The movie uses this tale to add extra layers to the story and to portray female love despite the patriarchy.

A powerful scene concluded of Marianne taking in the previous portrait made of Heloise created by a male painter reflects how the male gaze perceives women. Whilst conversing about the painting with Heloise's mother, Previously, the mother said that the prior portrait was a failure due to Heloise not posing for the man. Even stated that he did a terrible job of capturing her. Therefore in the next scene, Marianne observes the failed job of her predecessor and lights it on fire. The painting was fairly beautiful with pretty hues and nice shading, yet when Marianne saw the portrayal she lit it on fire. Marianne hated the portrait not because it wasn't up to her standards but because of what it embodies. It exhibits a shallow and faceless woman that through previous zoom-ins onto hands or jewellery viewers can also recognise is not at all an accurate representation of Heloise. Marianne burning the painting was burning the false perception of Heloise, the Male's perception of Heloise. Marianne burned the portrait and also burned how the male gaze perceives women.

By the end of the movie, director Sciamma tells an intelligently moving and tragic love story exploring the power of observation. This power transforms into the male gaze and how it affects women. Showing how the male gaze perceiving women is harmful to the female protagonists. The male's perception of women stays lingering throughout the film. It portrays profound female solidarity that never feels like a direct shout at modern-day gender politics. The simplicity of shots of them simply observing each other enhance the power of the gaze between the two. By the end, Marianne is observing Heloise like no one ever has, she is truly seeing her. The two being able to fully see each other is what subverts this male gaze. The two perceive each other through the beauty that is the female gaze. The gripping movie of two lovers perfectly portrays how the power of the male gaze and how wondrous the female gaze can be.

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How the Portrait of a Lady on Fire critiques and subverts the male gaze?

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The Male gaze is a feminist concept used to describe the depiction of women in media that presents wmen as sexual objects for the heterosexual male viewer, seen often in big Hollywood movies. The French Film "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" centred around two women doesn't try to appeal to the male viewer.

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The COVID-19 Vaccines, And Why So Many People Are Apprehensive

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The COVID-19 Vaccines, And Why So Many People Are Apprehensive

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By Sofie Odehnalova

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For over a year now, the world has been battling what is perhaps, if not definitely, the largest event of the 21st Century. The Coronavirus pandemic has shaken up the whole world, piercing and tearing up our normal lives, and changing everything around us. It caused massive upheaval and a lot of controversies among the public regarding perhaps everything about the virus.

As the pandemic has slowly begun to suside, however, the main focus of the public has centered around the vaccines that are being developed against it. Currently, as I am writing this, 8 mainstream vaccines have been successfully approved for full usage thanks to meticulous testing.

The fact that all of these eight have been approved, however, does not mean that two of them had not faced a couple of hiccups during their creation process. As is expected, these controversies caused sizeable unrest amongst people, seeding doubt about the science we are supposed to put all of our trust in. The unexpected thing that happened, however, was that this unrest seemed to spread beyond just the two vaccines, negatively impacting the public's view on the vaccines in general.

And, while some of the apprehension is justified, the public needs to shift past their predicaments to truly release the world of the hold the virus has gotten on it. We need to remember that a few outliers don't immediately mean that vaccines in general are something to be apprehensive about. And, while some aspects of said outliers may seem scary, that is all they are; anomalies.

One of the frontrunners and most well-known names among the mainstream 8 is Johnson and Johnson. J&J has recently been facing a few controversies concerning their battle with the virus, with the company itself having a less-than-perfect past.

This vaccine is not the only vaccine that has been facing backlash from the public eye, although it is one of the main targets of the public "wrath", with people using the specific vaccine as a pretense for all the others. Many people have found themselves wondering whether the fact this one vaccine has gone through such turmoil allures to others going through the same process.

There has been much indecisiveness when it comes to the vaccine, although most of it seems to come from clinicians, with the public's opinion seeming hard-set. According to AMA, the vaccine is great for hard-to-reach areas where the regular vaccine would be difficult to assemble. This is due to the vaccine requiring only one shot to "fully vaccinate" someone.

However, this slightly beneficial fact about the vaccine is entirely minuscule when it comes to non-effectiveness, and even danger to the receiver that the vaccine brings.

Johnson and Johnson has a mere 66% success rate in preventing COVID. That number is far from satisfactory; it means that only every other person will actually get protection from the virus. To quote Stat, it (Johnson and Johnson) will not, in any way be the thing that puts a stop to everything concerning COVID. It is much likelier to serve purely as an obstacle to the virus.

This all, and much more, is the reason that the vaccine is so negatively perceived by the public. However, there is yet another aspect of the vaccine's history that causes some of the main uneasiness, possibly the largest conversation topic when it comes to the vaccines.

Going back to when the vaccine was first developed, it is important to note a few things. The vaccine was neither the first nor the fastest vaccine to be developed- Pfizer currently holds that title. This seemed to be positively perceived by the public, giving the impression the vaccine was done carefully and meticulously.

That first impression and reaction from the public gave it a relative boost, however, that was all it was. An impression.

J&J's production and path certainly weren't smooth sailing. Even when the vaccine was first being developed, it faced a few hiccups, most of which were barely disclosed to the public.

One of these was the brief pause the vaccine was forced to take. Back in April of 2021, the J&J vaccine paused further development.

At first, this pause seemed to make the public trust the vaccine even more. The halt gave the impression that the J&J company's first and main concern was the safety of the public. By putting a stop to further development, the idea that the company was double-checking, and ensuring everything was perfect with what they have done so far spread. People gained trust for them, believing that they were thoughtful and throughout with every step, putting a pause to further progress to make sure what they have so far is as optimal as it could be.

However, it was soon revealed that there was more to the pause than double-checking. The public's positive thoughts took a hit as it was revealed that the FDA and the Center for Disease Control ordered the pause. As is expected, as the real reason for the pause started to come to light, the feelings that were elicited by people took a full 180.

It turned out that the vaccine was not paused as an extra precaution. While the vaccine was being tested, a very dangerous aspect was discovered. The vaccine seemed to elicit a very rare case of blood clots. According to AMA, these blood clots are combined with platelets, essentially making a dangerous condition referred to as TTS.

The TTS blood clot condition

That chance of danger, coupled with heightened emotions and the fact the public was so late to be alerted about the ordeal made people doubt.

As more and more fuel for the debate spread, more questions did so as well. One of the main ones was "how can we truly be sure that the clots are directly linked to the vaccine?"

Well as it turns out, there is an important fact that makes scientists believe the two are connected. J&J is no the only vaccine that has a supposed link with the rare clotting condition. AstraZeneca, another vaccine that was developed by Oxford scientists, has recently faced similar allegations for causing these blood clots.

Since it is no longer just one vaccine facing a controversy due to the blood clots, it is quite reasonable to believe the vaccines truly are directly linked to the condition. Both of these vaccines, after all, are put into effect by delivering a sample virus into your immune system, essentially making you create the antibodies by yourself.

The similarities between their creation, and the blood clots, serve as difficult to dispute data, that the public did not take lightly.

An important thing to do, however, is to put the situation into perspective. The numbers concerning the clots may seem daunting, however, it is important to remember only a tiny part of the people who receive the vaccine will get the condition.

The clots seem to affect mostly women, from the ages 18-48. There also seems to be data pointing towards the vaccines mostly affecting people with pre-existing conditions that have to do with clotting. And, even if the clots are discovered, the quicker the better, according to blood specialist Adrian Newland, 75% of people with the clots are guaranteed to survive.

So far, it only makes sense that people are becoming more and more apprehensive of the vaccines. But, it is important to point out that the previously mentioned data and statistics are only about two, out of over fifty vaccines that are being tested and created, and the other six that are fully approved.

According to a CNN poll, over one-quarter of Americans say they are unwilling to take a vaccine against COVID. While it is completely reasonable, and in their own right, the public seems to be more centered over the minuscule "cons," of the vaccines, rather than the pros.

Because let's face it, there are many pros when it comes to receiving a vaccine against the outbreak. Vaccines have been used throughout history, that is an undisputed fact. They are an essential part of today's world, and the world wouldn't function the same without them. It is likely to expect the COVID vaccines will be treated with the same level of importance and regularity as the virus will be regarded more as an illness than a terrifying worldwide pandemic.

All of the other vaccines that have been developed have been proven to prevent you from catching the virus, according to CDC. And, while some of the other vaccines have been inducing a few side effects, those pass, and eventually lead to that person being safe, and protecting others around them.

It is also important to remember that whichever vaccine a person chooses to administer is entirely up to the individual at hand. It is a person's own free choice. If someone feels unsafe with a specific vaccine, which is entirely valid and understandable, they have the right to choose whichever one they deem the safest.

While it is impossible to say exactly which option is the "best," people everywhere are getting vaccinated. All it takes is just opening our eyes. In countless countries, getting a vaccine was mandatory for teachers and positions that interact with people often. Furthermore, scientifically, and from my personal experience, everyone that has received a vaccine has come out alright afterward, with only the most minor of side effects. While these effects come with almost every single vaccine, however, they quickly deplete and leave the person feeling amazing, but most importantly safe from the virus.

Now that vaccines are in full effect, people need to take advantage of the upper hand we now have. The fact we have something that can put a dent in the cases is astronomically important.

Even J&J and AstraZeneca, vaccines, and groups with a tainted past, are just factors and data that scientists can utilize as learning tools. Improving on what was done wrong, learning and developing new techniques, and helping put a stop to the phenomenon that has taken over the whole world.

Once the world moves past its bias that is spreading across all the options, the whole world will become a safer place. It will move past the outbreak and accept it as a debacle of the past. We will leave it behind, forever with us, but moderated and understood.

Life will become just that much more likely to return to normal.

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The COVID-19 Vaccines, And Why So Many People Are Apprehensive

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For over a year now, the world has been battling what is perhaps, if not definitely, the largest event of the 21st Century. The Coronavirus pandemic has shaken up the whole world, piercing and tearing up our normal lives, and changing everything around us.

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"The Queen’s Gambit": A Story That’s About More Than Chess

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"The Queen’s Gambit": A Story That’s About More Than Chess

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By Bella Virk

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By Bella Virk

How many female chess players do you know?

The Queen's Gambit follows the journey of a woman trying to make a name for herself in the sort of chess. It is a mini-series that was released in 2020 and went on to win multiple Golden Globes. The series is based on the novel written by Walter Tevis. In it, young Beth Harmon is sent to an orphanage where she learns about the game of chess, which she soon grows fond of. The protagonist goes on to battle through the field of chess in hopes of becoming the best, whilst struggling with matters of drug addiction and alcoholism which she developed from a young age. The show takes place in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in a world with less gender equality. Beth endured certain challenges such as doubt from others and being out of place when trying to become a pro in a male dominant sport. Some of these obstacles however wouldn't necessarily be there for someone in her same shoes and same gender in a chess tournament today. Nonetheless, some aren't enough. The Queen's Gambit shows us how far we've come with gender inclusivity in sports, but also reminds us of how much farther we still have to go.

First of all, it is important to establish who Beth Harmon is. She is a strong-willed and curious young woman. She was robbed of her childhood, yet gained from it an understanding of chess that very few her age were capable of holding. Unlike many, Beth is very particular and doesn't share the same desires as other girls her age, making her stand out even more in the male-dominant world of chess. Beth goes into her first-ever tournament clueless about how the game is competitively played, yet no one knows that about her, they just assume that since she is a young girl, she automatically is bad at the sport. What these people saw was a cowardly and fragile girl with no idea of

what she was getting herself into. And oh how wrong they were. In the scene where Beth goes to apply for her first ever tournament, the two men operating the ticket stand tell her there is no women's section which they followed with: "we can put you in with beginners". After she asks to be put in the Open with three supposedly great guys, she is told she will be eaten alive. This made me think about how the scene would play out if a young man the same age with the same "inexperience" as Beth came up to the table to apply. A young man wouldn't be doubted as much as Beth was. The tournament organizers underestimated Beth and didn't give her the chance to prove anything of herself. The fact that Beth needs to prove anything at all to these men is outrageous. She is the only one who knows her level and skill but that doesn't give others the chance to vanquish it.

Beth goes on to beat everyone and dominate in the tournament which is very empowering to young women such as myself. Everyone around her including the boys finds it impossible for her, a young girl with so little experience in tournaments to do so well. Something as normal as the success of women was all new to these people that their reactions say it all. The people's reactions and expressions were not a huge shock to me as they are something we often see women face in similar situations, but in chess, I didn't believe a female would be looked at in that way anymore. Today we have seen women succeed and some still find it absurd, yet it is slowly becoming the reality.

In Beth's first chess tournament that was talked about in the previous paragraph, she is one of only two females. As she continues to make it to harder and bigger tournaments there are even fewer women. Today these ratios of gender in chess aren't the same. There are approximately 15% of women in chess tournaments nowadays, but how come there can't be 50%. That is exactly what I ask myself and frankly, I don't know the answer to that, but I know it needs to change. Only one female chess player made it among the top 10 players in modern chess in the more than 100 years it's been around, which to me is astonishing. This player was Judit Polgar from Hungary. She is known as the best female chess player in history. When watching Queen's Gambit she told the New York Times how she could understand how Beth felt having gone through similar struggles of being the only woman among many men in tournaments. She saw the world of chess from the same perspective as young Beth. Not only was Beth the youngest in most of these tournaments but also the least experienced and only one of the opposite gender. Polgar even talked about society and how parents often undermine their daughters' abilities to improve in the sport of chess, which is one of the struggles Beth faces with society. Like I explained before, people's views of Beth were manipulated by the fact that she was a woman.

Outside of chess, however, the Queen's Gambit did very little to depict sexism in the 1960s. In the chess tournaments, Beth participates in it is evident there is a lack of women's inclusion, though outside of the tournaments the series shows no evidence of the struggles women faced at this certain point in history. Inside the United States in the sixties, sexism was unrestrained, as the structure of society made it very difficult for most women to achieve success and work to their best potential. The Queen's Gambit didn't portray these grapples women faced in their lives. We did see minimal examples of doubting women's abilities but we didn't see much more than this. Showing women's struggles outside of chess in only just the smallest ways can both strengthen the point of women's lack of inclusion in the sport by showing that some of this lack is caused by the outside. These hints of women's inequality in the streets of the show can also help young women who are watching the show see Beth and her struggles from another and perhaps a more personal perspective.

As I watched the Queen's Gambit I wondered whether the Director intended to include certain elements of gender inequality to portray the struggles of women at the time and how the struggles are different to today. Though perhaps, it wasn't the intent but only my way of perceiving the show. Facial expressions, body language, and the tone of the characters were some things that I observed due to my interpretation of an underlying theme. The Queen's Gambit portrayed the lack of women's inclusion and gave the audience the chance to analyze how this lack of women's inclusion has changed or if it even did change at all.

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The Queen's Gambit: A Story That's About More Than Chess

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By Bella Virk How many female chess players do you know? The Queen's Gambit follows the journey of a woman trying to make a name for herself in the sort of chess. It is a mini-series that was released in 2020 and went on to win multiple Golden Globes.

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The Importance of Maintaining a Stable Routine During Stressful Times

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The Importance of Maintaining a Stable Routine During Stressful Times

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By Jasmin Bodker Hoegh

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You might think that a well-established routine is regretful because your body resists change, but studies have shown that your routine has significant value, and can improve your mental health.
As many of us have been spending our time inside, due to the pandemic,we might wonder: Whether a stable routine is necessary anymore or just useless? Throughout distance learning, we have had unusually much time on our hands. Some have spent it perfecting their distance learning routines and remaining consistent, while others have given up. "Human beings are creatures of habit, we find safety in routine and generally do not cope well with uncertainty," says Emily Cooke, a business psychologist. I believe that we should all commit to a routine, even in distance learning, and I have personally seen a meaningful difference. At first, you might consider that a routine would be useless, but over time it has many benefits.

"If people don't have structure and are sitting around with less to focus on, then they also probably will find themselves thinking about the stressful situation more, which can also lead to additional stress and anxiety." NYU School of Medicine

Why should you have focused on creating a good routine at the beginning of distance learning? Creating a well-balanced routine is key for a stable everyday life with limited stress and anxiety. When students first were informed regarding distance learning, most viewed it as a short school-free period, though we would all learn weeks later that it wasn't the case. Routines can help students navigate these complicated times because they bring structure and predictability to a students' world and prevent them from experiencing the stress associated with sudden change. Some, like me, created a stable routine for a less stress-free school day and felt better than ever. Others centered their day on waking up five minutes before class, with the consequence of losing focus and time, throughout their day.

ILO research warned in May that global youth were especially vulnerable to the Covid-19 crisis. Mental health is the main concern during distance learning for global youth for repetitious reasons: Isolation, little to no social interactions, and unbalanced routines. A balanced routine can help with some of those problems.

"There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase the risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators," says Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph. D, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University. She, like many others, believes that social isolation and limited human interaction can lead to health problems and premature mortality.

Creating a well-adjusted routine at the beginning of distance learning/quarantine, helped and guided people out of stress and anxiety, but some didn't gain the same benefits. The power of a good routine is key for a good and well-balanced everyday life during distance learning, and there are do's and don'ts.

-Wake up at the same time of the day. (If we wake up at the same time every day, we can reinforce the circadian rhythm and be prompted to go to sleep at the same time every night. The outcome is that our bodily functions and cycles operate efficiently, keeping our system strong and energized. CBC)

-Make your bed immediately when you wake up. (A poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that people who make their bed in the morning are 19 percent more likely to have a good night's sleep, every night. Clever)

-Snooze your alarm when waking up. (Hitting the snooze button will probably make you feel foggy and more tired. Ameri Sleep)

-Do school work in your bed. (Your brain has designated spaces that all serve a purpose. Your bed is for sleep and relaxation, therefore, use a desk so that your brain immediately knows that it is now time to focus.)

Now that you have learned why and how to create a well-balanced routine, it is now time to discover why commitment, consistency, and stability are equally as powerful. According to Liz, a 20-year old blogger, based in London. "Commitment is a big word. It's not saying "I hope" or "I'll try" but "I will" and the definitiveness of it is the reason many don't last." She, like other psychologists, believes that commitment isn't something that lasts one week, but something continuous. Commitment and consistency are where you'll see results for the simple fact that you're working towards your goal every day. Much like this illustration, commitment is a balance that is key for good consistency. The drawing is what many endeavor for when creating and maintaining a good routine. The design is called "One new step" and like the name, when creating a good routine, you should also only add one new step at a time. The illustration represents a woman, who is a line dancer, she is perfectly balanced between a moon and stars. This resembles balance and stability, which is what you should strive for when being consistent with your routine.

Everyone has the same 1,440 minutes in a day, therefore, stability is important to get the most value out of our significant time. With limited time, energy and focus, it's simply not realistic to accomplish everything, hence, we should be mindful when creating our routine, but more importantly, being consistent.

Why is it important to have a new routine when coming out of quarantine? When coming out of quarantine "We should all ask ourselves, 'When we return to the new normal, what do we want to have accomplished? Or what would we want to have experienced?' Then build your routine around that." Jennifer L. FitzPatrick. Jennifer FitzPatrick believes that we should all focus on creating a routine consisting of desired accomplishments because it accommodates the purpose of having something to look back at when distance learning will come to an end.

After going through a lengthy lockdown, you might feel a rise in fear and anxiety, or a loss of confidence when it comes to doing simple everyday tasks. This can include things like; Public transportation, doctor's appointments, public crowded areas, restaurants, and school/work. It is essential to change your routine from fearing Covid-19, upon getting used to the future normal. Now, this doesn't mean that you should drop all of the work you have just put into your old routine, but rather transform it into something new. "It helps if you can continue the hobby that you started during the lockdown," states psychologist Valérie S. Legendre. "This way, you can maintain your milestone - even as the world around you continues to change," she adds. "It'll also give you an ongoing sense of achievement." Hobbies have a significant influence on your health, therefore for continuous healthy mental health, you should continue your part of your old routine, but adapt it to the future normal without distance learning and Covid-19.

This illustration shows the opposite of what we should do, it represents the reverse of what experts say. Don't do rational things, don't forget about the past, and don't change your routine completely, but rather adapt your routine to the future normal. According to Roxane Cohen Silver "It is extremely important, however, we should acknowledge that this rationality is stressful. And this anxiety is appropriate under the circumstances." Distance learning and Covid-19 have affected us so much, and most importantly it will have an influence permanently.

When coming out of distance learning, and it hopefully ending soon, you should remember to apply the same lessons from distance learning to future stressful situations. We should see distance learning as a learning opportunity, rather than a distraction. Lessons such as - Time management, technical abilities, leadership, communication, and drive - can all be applied through other stressful times.

What have you learned from this article? Hopefully something new, and something that makes you wonder and think and dream of new things you would have liked to change at the beginning of 2020. There is nothing you can change about it now, but you can look back and reflect at the time and I encourage you to ask yourself- If I had read this article then, would my mental health have been different? Hopefully, it will, and hopefully, you can change now and see, feel, and understand the significance a good routine can have on your health. At first, you might have considered that a routine would be useless, but after reading this article you hopefully have recognized that it has many benefits.

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The Importance Of Maintaining A Stable Routine During Stressful Times.

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You might think that a well-established routine is regretful because your body resists change, but studies have shown that your routine has significant value, and can improve your mental health. As many of us have been spending our time inside, due to the pandemic,we might wonder: Whether a stable routine is necessary anymore or just useless?

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The Incredible Return of the European Bison

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The Incredible Return of the European Bison

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By Liubov Krugliakova

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"We were the ones to make them extinct but now are the ones bringing them back."

Imagine walking by a big animal that freely walks through the forest along with its congeners. The dstinctive animals that you saw in the middle of the forest had a big head with short black horns and a hump on their shoulders. You never knew what that animal was and walked past it. This was the European bison, which almost became extinct. "The European bison (Bison bonasus) or the European wood bison is also known as the wisent[a] (/ˈviːzənt/ or /ˈwiːzənt/), or the zubr[b] (/zuːbər/)." (Wikipedia) The heaviest wildland animal and the largest land animal in Europe, that's all about the European bison. Because of the past generations that made a major mistake, we were the only generation that could make a change and bring this unique animal back. Us - humans were the ones to drive this species to near-extinction. Just like the other species in Europe, they eventually fell victim to human population growth and land change.

The family of the European bison proudly standing in the middle of the forest
What Has Happened?
"The loss of species and habitats poses as much a danger to life on Earth as climate change does."

During late antiquity and the Middle Ages, bison became extinct in much of Europe and Asia, surviving into the 20th century only in northern-central Europe and the northern Caucasus Mountains. For most of the Caucasian people, the bison was a game object and personified the forces of nature, had traditional cult significance, and was worshiped as one of the symbols of the native land. During the Middle Ages, the European bison species were commonly killed for their hide and meat, sport, and to produce drinking horns. European bison were hunted to extinction in the wild in the early 20th century. Most of the European bison were killed by the occupying German troops during World War I.

There is a lot about the species we don't know. By the time scientists and naturalists began to research and observe the European bison, only 50 or so animals remained in the world. As such, the scientists and biologists only had an incomplete image of the situation: they were only able to study the survivors, basically the most adaptable of the species. People were informed about the extinction of the European bison by many scientists by the time only a couple were left, however, no one listened to them. Therefore, this led to this: " The last wild European bison in Poland was killed in 1921 and the last wild European bison in the world was killed by poachers in 1927 in the western Caucasus." (Wikipedia) The past generations, unfortunately, turned out to be too cruel. The majestic heads of these proud animals were considered truly honorable hunting trophies. Bison were exterminated just for the sake of meat and skins. They were near-extinction. We are also a species, which can harm others, like the bison species. Because of us, an animal like the European bison became extinct. All because humans had done nothing in order to protect these beautiful creatures. The European bison extinction should be a lesson for all of us; we were the ones to destroy them but now we are the only ones that can bring the rest of the species back to the planet. We had the ability to get them nearly extinct, but as this situation proved, we were also able to achieve the success of their return. According to the World Wildlife Fund, "The disappearance of bison in nature was due to anthropogenic causes: habitat destruction (cutting and burning of forests, conversion of forest areas to agricultural lands) and unrestricted hunting. The last wild populations of this species were destroyed in the early twentieth century. It took about 70 years of breeding, first in zoos and nurseries, and then in nature, to increase the number of the world herd from 52 animals (1927) to 3,418 individuals (1993)."
Challenges the European Bison are Facing
While the trend of the European bison species is positive and most of the populations continue to grow as healthy, the species is still in danger and is listed as 'near threatened' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Reintroducing bison back into the wild has proven a challenge and this seems quite logical. When humans move or change something in their life, they also need to adapt to new changes. European bison also need time when being transported to different areas, and it is quite difficult to adapt quickly to a new environment.

The other challenge the European bison faces is life during winter. On average, an adult European Bison weighs approximately 610 kilograms, and as it is winter, they need to also eat more food. Because of such a big mass, it is very difficult for them to move through the forest due to the snowdrifts, and usually, throughout the winter, they choose to stay in one area of the forest as it is too difficult for them to move through the snowy forest.

European bison in the winter season trapped in the snowdrifts
The Restoration Plan
The European bison has moved a step back from the brink of extinction, based on the update of the official extinction list. Europe's largest land mammal was almost wiped out, but what has been done for their return? In the 21st century, bison are the only wild bull of Europe, which has survived today. According to the latest International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List update, the European wood bison population has grown so much as to no longer be considered "Vulnerable" and based on the BBC Statistics, the European bison has increased by more than 3,000% during the past five decades. However, for this to happen, it took several years to find a strategy that would work. There have been many rewilding plans throughout the years, but only a few of them worked, which helped to save the European bison from major extinction. "Rewilding is not just about putting animals back," said Frans Schepers. "It's about allowing natural processes to take over as much as possible."

Bison are first kept in holding areas until they adjust to their new environments. (Credit: National Geographic) PHOTOGRAPH BY STAFFAN WIDSTRAND, REWILDING EUROPE
Why Should This Matter and What Does the Future of the European Bison Look Like?
Overall, the European bison serve important roles in cropping and fertilizing grasses, which then become food for deer and many other animals. The bison also serve as a significant food source for different predators like wolves and vultures when they die. The European bison is just one species, but if this one species becomes extinct, the rest will too. With animals going extinct, the ecosystems collapse.

Healthy ecosystems depend on plant and animal species as their foundations. When a certain species becomes endangered, it is a quick sign for us that the ecosystems are slowly falling apart. As determined by Endangered.org, "Each species that is lost triggers the loss of other species within its ecosystem."

If you think that the near-extinction of this distinctive animal is not a big deal and won't affect you, that is clearly wrong. Humans depend on healthy ecosystems to purify our environment. Without healthy forests, grasslands, rivers, oceans, seas, and other ecosystems, we will not have clean air, water, or land. If we allow our environment to become contaminated, we risk our own health. The near-extinction or just a full extinction of any animal is a sign for us that something is wrong, that we are ruining our planet and we must take action.

The future of the European bison doesn't seem to be at risk now, however, as previously mentioned they are still marked as 'near threatened' in the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species, the IUCN Red List.

We need to remember that this issue is a big deal, as the European bison play a significant role in shaping ecosystems. The near-extinction of the European bison should be a lesson for all of us.
How Can You Help?
"I want to preserve nature and help save the bison!" - many people say. But how? You might think that the only way of helping is to give up your usual way of life and go to the forests to catch poachers or plant forests, however, there isn't a need for such drastic changes in order to help the European bison.

There are many easier ways each individual could take to help restore the bison population.

First of all, you can spread all of the information you've learned to your friends and family or to the people you know.

To educate others, you can recommend them to watch the following documentary by The New York Times - Bringing Back Europe's Bison.

Moreover, to help, you can donate to local organizations that help restore the population of the European bison or companies such as the WWF: "The World Wildlife Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment." (Wikipedia)

If we raise awareness about this issue, there is clearly a chance to restore the whole European bison population!

The European bison hiding in the branches

This spring I had an opportunity to visit a National nature reserve in Russia, in the Oryol region, where I was able to see the European bison with my own eyes, as well as to see the people who are engaged in restoring the European bison population, and for them, it really was the matter of their whole life.

The bison has proved that it is capable of returning if we let it. The biggest threat facing many animal species in the 21st century is habitat loss which is driven generally by human activity and expansion. The near-extinction of the European bison should be a big lesson for all of us, and we should make sure that this never happens again to not just the European bison, but also to other species. We should learn from the mistakes of the previous generations. Claimed by the Bison Specialist Group, "The conservation successes in today's Red List update provide living proof that the world can set, and meet ambitious biodiversity targets if we simply try."

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The Incredible Return of the European Bison

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"We were the ones to make them extinct but now are the ones bringing them back." Imagine walking by a big animal that freely walks through the forest along with its congeners. The dstinctive animals that you saw in the middle of the forest had a big head with short black horns and a hump on their shoulders.

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The Influence of Princess Diana on Modern-Day Fashion

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The Influence of Princess Diana on Modern-Day Fashion

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By Almudena Ramos

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Fashion trends resurface every few years or decades, however, Princess Diana has become a fashion staple and has changed the fashion industry. Not only was she known for being a royal, but her fashion made her stand out. She left a mark on fashion history throughout the course of her life, which still persists even after her death.

Although the attire was usually very forma, Lady Diana Spencer, also known as Princess Diana of Wales, altered royal fashion from strictly formal, to casual, bright, and adventurous. As a result, she revolutionized the fashion industry. There are many fashion trends that have evolved from her sense of style, as well as clothing items that were first seen on her which are now worn by A-list celebrities. Diana was known for her beauty and style as well as her down-to-earth nature. She was loved by many and the influence she had on others in the past is conveyed all over the world today through the way people dress. After a few appearances with her black sheep sweater, it became a popular clothing item, and years after it went out of stock Rowing Blazers brought back the iconic sweater. Diana quickly became one of the most photographed people in the world, her fashionable sense of style reached places all around the globe, which is what allowed her to gain the influence that she did. All of the attraction she got from the media is incomparable to many modern-day celebrities.

Before looking at her impact on fashion we need to know a bit of her background story and who she was with her style and kind nature. Diana was the "people's princess" and was always eager to help and get to know everyone. She was very beloved by the people and her job was to love them. " I knew what my job was; it was to go out and meet the people and love them." She was very keen on showing kindness and spreading it alike. Princess Diana was born July 1st, 1961, and was married to Prince Charles from July 28th, 1981 till August 28th, 1996. After getting her divorce from Prince Charles, she died just a year later on August 31st, 1997. During her time as a royal living with the royal family, Diana would break dress code to events and was not afraid of experimenting with her style by varying with colors, patterns, and unusual combinations. Unlike other royals, one of her main goals was to show that she was a normal person just like everyone else. One of the ways she was able to show this was through the way she dressed.

Diana really loved to vary between flashy and bright to more casual and unusual, which distinguished her from the other members of the British Royal Family, who usually wore formal clothes everywhere they went. She made her personality shine through what she wore and was able to connect and empathize with her people. The royals always wore formal and expensive clothing that "normal people" couldn't afford or dream of wearing. She wore casual clothes to convey that she connects and empathizes with the people and isn't above or different to them, she is an equal. Diana's extensive wardrobe made it possible for her to vary in style and make her outfits interesting to look at.

In March of 1989, during a royal tour in Dubai, she wore a bold pink and red dress by Catherine Walker, exerting her ability to combine bright colors. The daring colors are not a combination seen often, as they may be seen as clashing, however, Diana was able to pull off something that not everyone can.

August 1987, Princess Diana wore a pastel yellow jumpsuit in Mallorca, Spain during holiday, toning down on the colorful aspect but continuing to express herself through different styles of clothing such as casual clothing. Her diversity with her wardrobe and the way she experimented with clothing resulted in her establishing her own style. The style we all know and love.

Not everything the princess wore was necessarily appropriate as a royal, but that did not force her to change her ways. She once said, "I do things differently because I don't go by the rule book, because I lead from the heart, not the head, and albeit that has got me into trouble in my work, I understand that." Although her choices might've not been agreed with, she consistently chose what she believed was right and what she wanted despite anyone else's opinion throughout her life. And in fashion, it was clear she was willing to make her own statement no matter the prying eyes of the world.

Princess Diana was the first female royal to wear pants to an evening function, making history and asserting her power once again. She wore the navy suit on the 29th of April 1990. With it, a matching blue clutch bag and velvet course shoes.

As she grew up, she continued figuring out her style which nowadays is seen as iconic and inspiring. As a fashion icon, Diana has classic moments and outfits that are greatly known worldwide today. One of her most famous outfits shows her wearing her revolutionary dress known as the "Revenge Dress." In June of 1994, she wore a black off-the-shoulder dress to a gala at the serpentine gallery, after her husband Prince Charles' documentary came out where he admitted to having an affair. The dress has an asymmetrical hemline and a black chiffon trail. With the dress, she wore black tights and shoes along with a few pieces of subtle, but elegant jewelry which helped pull the outfit together. The scandal ultimately led to their divorce as well as the name for the very iconic dress. With that outfit, she claimed her power and exhibited it to the world.

While the revenge dress got a lot of attention from the media, another outfit that has climbed its way to the top has been one of her more casual looks. It was a very athletic look which consisted of a navy blue virgin Atlantic sweatshirt combined with orange-colored biker shorts and a pair of sports shoes with tall white socks. (image at the top of the article) This image, which has been widely recognized, was taken as Princess Diana was coming back from the gym and is an item that she would always have with her. The Virgin Atlantic sweatshirt she wore was put up for auction in July of 2019 and was sold for $53,000. The original piece was gifted to her, which is obviously nothing compared to what it sold for, and the sweatshirt is nothing you wouldn't be able to find in Zara, yet her essence is what made the clothes special.

She was so influential that not only was her sweatshirt sold for such an absurd amount of money but in 1995 one of Dior's most well-known bags was first seen on Princess Diana. She paired the bag with a blue slip dress at the MET gala in 1996, as well as with an orange Versace dress earlier in 1995. Lady Di is an epithet for Diana which Dior used to name the bag she made famous for them. The Lady Dior bag was first presented in black which later evolved and is still being worn and bought in a variety of colors from blue, pink, and white to the original in black. Just like Diana, the colors are joyful and full of life. Not only have there been variations in color but in design as well such as newly made phone holders and wallets under the name. This bag became a signature accessory for the princess and her many appearances with it made it into what it is now.

There are many celebrities who have created fashion trends that became immensely popular. However, the real question is, who wore it first? In 2016, Kim Kardashian wore biker shorts, after her husband Kanye West came out with his 4th season show for Yeezy, making a comeback with the 80s and 90s trend. But it was a couple of years later, in 2018 when there was a sudden surge for biker shorts. Kim and Kanye popularized the item however they were the second ones to do so. In the 80s and 90s biker shorts started becoming popular after being worn by Princess Diana along with Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker. As some may have thought, Kim Kardashian did not start this trend, but she revived a trend which was greatly worn and loved by these influential women.

Hailey Baldwin (now known as Hailey Bieber) has become a street style/athletic wear modernized icon. Her style resembles Lady Di's in a very inspiring way. She has become the new Princess Diana when it comes to style, setting her own trends and expressing herself through her attire. Some of Hailey's outfits include pieces of Diana's essence through her choices in wardrobe. In August 2019, while she was in Paris, she partnered with Vogue to pay homage to Diana since she died that same month 32 years ago (in 2019). Hailey had a photoshoot recreating some of Diana's most well-known photographs and outfits in a renewed way. While these photos didn't make it to the Vogue magazine, it was a more personal project for Hailey, as she posted these on her instagram with a heartfelt caption towards the princess. Her caption on one of the posts stated: "new story for @vogueparis shot by @gstyles styled by @virginiebenarroch 💕 all credit and inspo to the amazingly beautiful and iconically stylish Princess Diana who I've looked to for style inspiration for as long as I can remember. Thank you for leaving behind such an iconic fashion and style legacy." Hailey's caption amplifies the persevering impact of Princess Diana, who even after passing away, holds so much power over our everyday wear.

Fashion evolves constantly and that's the beauty of the industry. It continuously reinvents itself over and over again, stemming from stronger bases that have made it into what it is today. Diana has become one of those big stepping stones in the fashion industry. So many trends, ideas, and outfits have begun through her inspiration. She had an effect during her time which has lived on, not only because of who she was but because of what she was able to communicate. Her nurturing nature and originality is what attracted so much attention and what was most admired about her. And the change she had on fashion is acknowledged all over the world and continues to be seen on the streets. Diana has made modern-day fashion into what it is today.

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The Influence of Princess Diana on Modern-Day Fashion

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Fashion trends resurface every few years or decades, however, Princess Diana has become a fashion staple and has changed the fashion industry. Not only was she known for being a royal, but her fashion made her stand out. She left a mark on fashion history throughout the course of her life, which still persists even after her death.

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The True Meaning Behind "Come As You Are"

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The True Meaning Behind "Come As You Are"

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By Karl Rosendaal

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"Come as you are, as you were

As I want you to be

As a friend, as a friend

As an old enemy"

Grunge is a music genre that shaped the music industry in the early 90s. Grune was born in the late 80s in the Seattle scene with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. However, the genre was quickly launched into superstardom when albums such as Ten by Pearl Jam or Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger were released. Grunge acted as almost a big middle finger to hair metal, which was a genre that dominated the early to mid-80s. By 1993, grunge overtook the music scene, stealing the spotlight away from the hair metal craze of the mid-80s. Rather than focusing on the usual sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll, grunge concentrated on social issues and emotions. However, in 1994 grunge died as quickly as it exploded onto the charts with the sound of a shotgun blast. Kurt Cobain, the lead singer in the band Nirvana had committed suicide in his Seattle home. Grunge didn't last much longer than 1994 as it slowly faded away and Nu-Metal and rap took over after it.

Nevermind, Nirvana's 1991 sophomore album was an instant hit and the track Come As You Are shows their versatility and the difference their 6th and final drummer Dave Grohl had made seeing as that was his first album playing for Nirvana. Come As You Are is a song about expectations that all people need to live with and the contradictions that this causes.

"Music, the most abstract and uncanny art, is an eternal river of sound moving through time. We can free ourselves from whatever may be holding us back, and join that flowing river"
- William Westney

Everyone interprets and relates to music in many different ways. To some, it is an escape to a different world where their issues are not the most important part of their lives. To others, it's a way of expressing their feelings and relating to people with similar interests. This in itself means that there is no wrong way to interpret a song since it's all subjective. To clarify, this interpretation of the song is not incorrect, however, it is certainly different to my personal interpretation of its meaning.

Reddit user HeelSpider thinks that "In the song, Kurt Cobain repeats over and over that he swears he doesn't have a gun. He very badly wants the person he's singing the song about to believe he doesn't have a gun. The only person who would deny having a gun like that over and over is someone who actually has one. There's even a whole "wink wink" kind of feel to that part of the song."

Although the idea of singing a song from the perspective of a criminal is not a new one to Nirvana, this interpretation of the song does not feel complete. In the prior uses of this perspective, the song was used to fight against the actions that the character in the song takes. An example of this would be the song, Polly. However, there seems to be none of that in this song and Nirvana wasn't known to write songs without any meanings.

Another popular theory has to do with Cobain's troubled childhood. According to Musicfeeds.com,

A local resident reportedly brought to the reading an 1940s advertisement for Aberdeen's Morck Hotel, whose motto was, "Come as you are." "The Morck has been dilapidated for years, but it was one of the many places in Aberdeen where Kurt's friends told me he crashed during his 'homeless' teenage era," Cross said after being shown the advertisement.

"Whether Kurt directly took something from that, or whether it simply stayed in his subconscious a few years later when he wrote the song, is unknown," said Cross. "But it's a fascinating twist, and perhaps an explanation of the genesis of the title of one of Nirvana's greatest songs."

But once again, this theory doesnt seem to be complete. Although the basic idea of Kurt Cobain writing a song about his childhood is not very far-fetched, this theory does not explain the lines in the song that contradict one another. Furthermore, the song also references a campaign launched by the Seattle government to advertise the bleaching of needles in order to stop the spread of HIV. However, the song is not necesarily about that.

In actuality Come As You Are comments on the expectations that people have to live with and contradictions. According to SongFacts

"Kurt Cobain described this song as "About people, and what they're expected to act like."

The lyrics are intentionally contradictory and confusing, with one line rebutting the next:

"As a friend, as an old enemy"

"Take your time, hurry up"

The theme of confusing and contradicting sentences is a common theme for the rest of the song with lines like

"Come as you are, as you were

As I want you to be

As a friend, as a friend

As an old enemy"

The song itself also references a campaign in Seattle that encouraged heroin users to clean their needles using bleach to prevent the spread of HIV. The phrase for the campaign was actually "If doused in mud, soak in bleach." However, Cobain referenced this campaign as

"Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach"

However, this in itself does not necessarily mean that Come As You Are is a song about heroin or commentary on how Seattle handled the AIDS pandemic.

The song itself follows a fairly common song structure to other Nirvana songs. The song starts with 4 bars of the guitar without any backup from Kirst Novoselic or Dave Grohl. However, this quickly changes once we get to the first chorus. Similar to other Nirvana songs, the verse's are usually much calmer with a clean guitar tone. To record the guitar part Kurt used an Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus pedal to create the watery tone that you hear in the verses. The watery guitar tone helps convey this mood and so do Kurt Cobain's signature vocals. The E minor key that the song is written in, is supposed to evoke emotions like sadness and grief. This most definitely suits the feel of the entire song and is also commonly used in other Nirvana songs.

In conclusion, song's are possibly the hardest art to put a label on since it often does not have a distinct meaning. This then means that people can relate to the music in different ways. Come As You Are is in the same boat as all these other songs, as different people had very different ideas of what the song is about. However, Kurt Cobain's meaning behind the song must still be taken into consideration since he is the one that wrote it.

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"Come as you are, as you were As I want you to be As a friend, as a friend As an old enemy" Grunge is a music genre that shaped the music industry in the early 90s. Grune was born in the late 80s in the Seattle scene with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

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By Klaudie Bittnerova

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100 million Spotify streams in only ten days. That is the current record set by 17-year old Olivia Rdrigo and her song Driver's license. Driver's license is a song that every teen with social media is well aware of by now. Since January 2021. This is a song that practically broke the internet and left everyone astounded with its unusually rapid growth to the top of the charts. According to Buzzfeed "this actor was thrust into the mainstream after she dropped "Drivers License" - a song that will likely be the biggest success of 2021." The overwhelming popularity of this song truly stunned the internet and left me wondering... Why did this song gain so much traction so fast? The New York Times believes that "The debut single from the 17-year-old Disney actress became a TikTok smash, broke Spotify records and topped the Billboard chart thanks to a "perfect storm" of quality, gossip, and marketing." It is a great song but what made it stand out from the others? The quote helps us get on the right track but I plan on diving further in. Isn't gossip bad for an artist? Doesn't it lead to bad publicity instead? How did all of this differ from the experiences of other artists? Many songs have compelling backstories and other similarities to Rodrigo's songs. Whatever it was, it resulted in a massive 'boom' for Rodrigo and a promise for her career. Seems like Rodrigo discovered the correct ratio.

Before Driver's License, Rodrigo had already gained some recognition from various acting parts. Olivia started out as an actress with some Disney channel roles with singing parts. An example would be Paige Olvera on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark where Rodrigo starred alongside Masdison Hu. However her most well-known role would be Nini Salazar-Roberts on the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. However, this small fame was nothing compared to her fame now. She wowed the social media world and made her name with a Driver's License. It was a fresh song that introduced us to Rodrigo's personal story laced with raw emotion.

The hit song reached 15 million global streams only four days after the song's release. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the origin of the song. Perhaps it was the combination of curiosity and the boredom quarantine brought along that led to the desperate hunt for Rodrigo's potential clues. Nevertheless, the vigorous fans listened over and over, analyzing each and every lyric in hope of discovering a story. As fans slowly began piecing together the story behind the song, the curiosity began to build up and brought out the urge to listen to the song. In the end, it was one of Rodrigo's controversial lyrics that ended up giving the story behind the song away and starting an online mania.

"And you're probably with that blonde girl

Who always made me doubt

She's so much older than me

She's everything I'm insecure about"

Speculating fans found a link to Sabrina Carpenter through a lyric that happened to mention an older blonde girl. The song tells a story about Rodrigo's previous love interest, Joshua Bassett, and the girl he talks to now. Rodrigo posted an earlier draft of the song on Instagram in July in which she sang brunette girl rather than blonde. Later, she changed her mind. This made fans' thoughts spiral as to why Rodrigo changed her mind. Was it because Joshua Bassett had been spotted with Sabrina Carpenter on numerous occasions? Throughout the song, Rodrigo reminisces their inside jokes and memories while comparing it to their current relationship. In a TikTok post shared by Rodrigo herself,

She admitted that driving "alone thru the suburbs crying" inspired the idea for the song. A resurfaced social media video posted on Youtube, Rodrigo said she would "always remember" practicing driving in Bassett's car before she got her license. In the song, the star sings, "I got my driver's license last week, just like we always talked about / Cause you were so excited for me to finally drive up to your house." The fans noticed all the small correlations and eventually connected the dots. Once everyone thought the dust had begun settling on this 'love triangle drama', both Joshua and Sabrina dropped songs of their own. Both their songs were a clear response to Rodrigo. This drama truly fueled the fire of the song's success and surely plays a big part in the song's rapid growth on the charts.

Social media played a major role in the song's success. Not only was it used as the source of information surrounding the 'love triangle' drama but it gave the song publicity. The song dominated TikTok, a popular social media platform. Many trends arose using this song. A few examples would be the POV trend, the parody singing, serious covers of the song or people doing parody dancing. This content gives you what you crave from social media whether you browse TikTok for actual talent or relatable humor that gives you some laughs. People share everything on social media, including their opinions on popular topics such as this song. The more positive this feedback began traveling across social media, the more people's curiosity to hear the song grew. These trends relate to the majority of social media users. The POV (point of view) trend consists of rewriting a verse of the song from the point of view of another person that would fit into the story Driver's License tells. An example of this would be the point of view of the blonde girl or the boy. Then there are more humorous ones such as the car or the driver's license itself. As for the covers they are quite self explanatory. People record themselves singing, some more seriously and others for the purpose of laughter.

However, that alone does not do enough for a song to 'blow up' on such a grand scale as this one. This record-breaking hit clearly connected and resonated with a lot of people. That also explains the broken record for most one-day streams for a non holiday song and the unit total of 568,700. Which is the highest unit total in the chart's history. Whether it was the reminiscent lyrics or Rodrigo's talent for her age, something stuck with the listeners. More so than usual, quarantine brought out the sadness in everyone and sad songs like this one really helped accentuate these feelings. Although it is a catchy song that incorporates pop elements as well as gentle piano chords that stick, the majority of listeners were stunned and intrigued by Rodrigo's young age. Rodrigo has received praise from several well-known artists due to her vocal range and songwriting talent. Rodrigos' age also led to more publicity for her song. Fellow teens use social media to express themselves and share their opinions. Since this feedback was positive, Driver's license gained more traction. Heartbreak is a relevant topic in the music industry, sad music about heartbreak is used to amplify those emotions and feel like you can relate.

Although the rate of the growth has gradually slowed down, it has not stopped and the hit song is still continually growing. The shock has settled and Rodrigo has released new songs since Driver's license. These songs have also gotten recognition but simply not as much. Driver's license was a special song with a special place in people's hearts. The shock of the popularity has now slowly dissipated. Whether or not you personally like the song, it is important to admit that this song truly made history. We will never truly know why exactly this song was so groundbreaking. Whether it's simply the magic of social media, Rodrigo's talent, the rapid spread rate of rumors or a combination of all three. Nevertheless, it seems as if Rodrigo has truly cracked the code to success and in the end, we all applaud Rodrigo for achieving a success of this magnitude so early on in her life.

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100 million Spotify streams in only ten days. That is the current record set by 17-year old Olivia Rdrigo and her song Driver's license. Driver's license is a song that every teen with social media is well aware of by now. Since January 2021.

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Is Horse Racing Just Another Way Humans Abuse Their Rights over Animals?

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Is Horse Racing Just Another Way Humans Abuse Their Rights over Animals?

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By Lucy Sinclair

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Horse racing is a topic with half of the industry hidden in the shadows. In plain sight, it looks lie the horses are treated well; they are kept in mostly lovely stables. But when digging a little deeper pain and suffering come to light. The thing is these poor animals are killed regularly in this devastating sport. When uncovering the dark side of this sport it just becomes plain and simple, it's cruel. Same with all animal racing, including greyhounds. Horse's are interesting grand creatures. They enjoy simple activities such as eating, playing and sleeping. Most horses enjoy galloping across fields, but when it comes down to horse racing it's pretty much the same but that's because they don't know the true dangers of it. Horses are incredibly willing animals like dogs, when they earn your trust they will do almost anything for you even if it leads them to injury.

What is horse racing?
Horse racing is a sport where horses are ridden by jockeys and are then put to race against each other. Depending on what place you come to you will get a lot of money. Horse racing is a big industry that is built upon a thing called betting. What happens is that people place money on horses and if that horse wins they get lots of money. Betting keeps the industry thriving because it gives the industry so much money.

I'm not trying to say that horse racing needs to be necessarily banned, it just needs to change. When I mean change it has to be safer. 500 horses died on the racetrack in the U.S in 2018 and these numbers happen every year. For a safer race, there should be few horses per race. This would then hopefully mean few build-ups and crashes. Having no horse jumps/obstacles needs to also be taken into account. Horse's aren't meant to carry 108 to 118 pounds of weight on their back while flat out galloping over massive jumps. Horses jumping at such speed makes the whole thing extremely dangerous. At the start of each race, the horses mostly clear the jumps, but at the end, these horses are throwing themselves over these bushes. This is because they get so tired; this then leads to most of the injuries happening at the end of each race. Finally, whips also need to be banned. They aren't being used correctly in this sport and cause the horse unnecessary pain. In this analysis, I will be going over the two main points of horse racing; the dark side of horse racing and the bad use of whips by jockeys. The main question is why is horse racing still a popular sport considering how dangerous it is?
Horse's Forced to Run
People stand by watching 1,000-pound beasts flat out gallop carrying riders smacking them with tools to make them go even faster. Most of these horses are treated like royalty but in the end, death is just a hoofbeat away. If a human breaks a leg, they just put a cast on, if a horse breaks a leg it's a whole other story. Horse's rarely live with 3 legs and it seems injury on track is so common for these poor horses that many are euthanized. Their life ends with pain, terror, fear as many horses end up having devastating falls.

Not only do some of these horses die from injury on track, but many are sent to slaughter for meat. We can't just allow these horses to be cheered on one minute and then the next end up in dog food or in our burgers. It's actually not legal to eat horses in most countries such as the U.S so they have to ship the meat out to countries like Belgium and China because there it is. ( Washington Post)
Whips
When whips are brought into the equation, horses end up with more injury. The purpose of whips in horse racing is to make the horse run faster in the last 100 meters when they are tired. Most of the time whips don't benefit the horse or the jockey, and the negatives outweigh the positives. ( RSPCA)

The dislike of whips has been around for a very long time, but thankfully on February 19th, 1966, a 52-year old former jockey named Walter Hoysted came to protest against the use of whips. He walked into the middle of the race track with a double-barrelled shotgun and said that he would shoot if he saw jockey's whipping the horses. Most people seem to understand the cruelty of this sport, but sadly, that's not enough to make a change.
Is it cruel?
There are two main sides to this issue. Some think that the horse racing industry isn't cruel. Commons ideas are that they aren't forced to run and they're kept in great conditions.

Some people believe horse racing isn't cruel as there are many observations for this such as " their ears are pricked forward. " This piece of evidence is something that you can't use to justify horse racing. A horse's ears could be forward if they are spooked, or just paying attention to what's in front of them. When I observed a horse race I saw that most of the horses had their ears back anyway. This information isn't enough to tell the happiness or the cruelty of their situation.

" As stubborn animals, horses won't run unless they want to do so." If you had a strong rider on top of you hitting you, you would run. Also, these horses have been trained their whole lives to do this. These animals didn't sign up for this, they don't know the consequences and the dangers of this sport.

This article also says that horse racing industries take many measures to keep horses and jockeys safe. That is absolute nonsense. If proper measures were put in place, it wouldn't be common for injury of both horses and jockey. Saying that there are measures put in place when thousands of horse's die on track from traumatic deaths isn't ok. The odds aren't in their favour when 1 in every 1,000 horses starts, which leads to death. This number doesn't even include the injury. "Racing exposes horses to a significant risk of injury and sometimes, catastrophic injury and death through trauma (e.g. broken neck) or emergency euthanasia" ( world animal protection). In 2018 in America, 10 horses died on track each week, and 700 to 800 died total in a year. ( Peta). For these reasons, horse racing is the most dangerous equestrian discipline. When participating in horse racing it's not a matter of if you'll get hurt it's a matter of how bad and when.
Are padded whips better?
Normal whips aren't being used as much as padded whips in horse racing anymore. Padded whips are supposed to provide a cushioning effect. The problem with this is some of the non-padded parts of the whips end up hitting the horse sometimes. Padded whips also can cause localized trauma and tissue damage. Lots of the time, the whip hits the abdomen or the flank. This happens 75% per cent of the time but is "unacceptable" according to the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering. This type of whip is hit with such force that it causes the horse still a lot of pain. It is hard to tell how hard and where the horses are being hit in sport as it is very fast-paced as the average speed is 40 miles per hour.

An experiment done by Paul McGreevy to prove how much it hurts for a horse to be hit by a padded whip shows that it does actually hurt a horse. Paul stated at the end "So did it cause me pain and distress? Well, the answer is a resounding yes." What I saw in the footage was an instant muscle reflex or in other words, the whole leg moved after being struck. The part of the leg which was hit was also red. The thermographic footage also showed inflamed tissue. Horses do have a very similar thickness of skin to humans they just also have a layer of fur but, to think that this happens to horses every race, and they get hit multiple times (7 times in flat racing) is astounding. Whips cause the horse the same amount of pain as they would for us, yet we are still doing it. Why is that?
Animal Abuse Sports
In the 21st century, animal abuse or animal suffering is sort of normalized in sports or events. Looking back to the 1880s there were horses forced to jump off diving boards for crowds who had to pay money. This act is now seen as incredibly harsh and dangerous. What would happen is people would get the horse to go up to a 60-foot platform and then jump off into the water while riding the horse. Many riders and horses die in the doing of this act. The difference between the cruelty of humans and horses is the horses were forced into this the humans weren't. Horse diving shut down in the 1990s but it may shut down in the 1970s from lack of crowds and pressure from animal rights activists.

Other events where animals suffer are circuses, bullfighting, fox hunting, bear shows and all animal racing. Greyhound racing is another type of racing but with a breed of dogs. These dogs are so overbred that many are euthanized. Over 12 years between 48,000 and 68,000 dogs were killed because they were "too slow to pay their way or were unsuitable for racing" ( the conversation). I believe zero unnecessary euthanasia should be tolerated when it comes to both horses and dogs in the racing industry. This world is so twisted that horses race for humans so that people can get richer till they eventually retire, just become meat for greyhounds, who also race and then get euthanized.
Now and Then
Today, the world is a very different place than it was 20 years ago or even 5 years ago. Taking a horse to war and having it die gruesome ghastly deaths, was a thing that had to be done 100 years ago. But times are different now. We can't change everyone's relationships with animals but, we can protest against large industries/sports publicising animals being treated incorrectly. Animals can't speak out for themselves but, that doesn't mean they don't feel emotions or pain. People abuse animals on an everyday basis. Dogs are left homeless on the sides of streets, all the way to the big lick: a tall shoe designed for horses strapped onto their legs with chains causing them lots of pain. I use a whip on my horse because she is very stubborn and doesn't move sometimes but, I never hit it so hard that it would hurt me. Horse racing is just another way humans abuse their rights over animals. Horse racing is dangerous and cruel and needs to be stopped. Whips in horse racing just cause the horse more pain and don't make it any safer. Why is horse racing not banned yet?

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Is Horse Racing Just Another Way Humans Abuse Their Rights over Animals?

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Horse racing is a topic with half of the industry hidden in the shadows. In plain sight, it looks lie the horses are treated well; they are kept in mostly lovely stables. But when digging a little deeper pain and suffering come to light.