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Are Honors Classes Worth it?

Zong Chen
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Are Honors Classes Worth it?

 

     At the beginning of the school year, each student has the decision whether or not to take an honors class or more than one, or just stick to a regular schedule. The choice can seem overwhelming, as shifting from one experience to another can be intimidating. So, are honor classes really worth the trouble?

     To be straightforward, I, Zong Chen, am confident that honors classes are worth the trouble in taking harder curriculums. Although I am going to have biases as I am currently attending some honor subjects, I stand with this claim.

     When deciding my classes before the school year started, I immediately knew I wanted to do honors.. I did it because–sure, it does look good on your record and it might impress your parents, but I knew I had my strengths and weaknesses that needed to be fixed. I wanted to improve and challenge myself to take a course that would benefit me, but not in an easy way.

     For instance, in Honors English, I am challenged to write thought-provoking essays and think outside of the box. In Honors Biology, the course goes at a fast pace and allows me to process and adapt to more information that can prepare me in further high school years and even college.

     Not only to mention, next year, these honor classes are a push to harder courses that I want to take, such as AP Language or Anatomy. The decision to join an honors class may be tough and seem tedious, especially in your freshman year, but that is the entire purpose of it, to challenge and teach you how to improve tremendously in the future.

     While I myself, Isla, may not be in any honors classes, I have asked a few friends that either take a number of honor classes or do all honors their opinion on this matter.

     I first asked Leslie Garcia, who is taking Honors English, if she thinks it is worth the effort. She told me that she believes taking Honors English was a good decision. She mentioned that while it is harder than a standard English class, it improves her overall knowledge of the subject.

     When asking my close friend Audrey Black if all the honors classes she takes are actually helping her education, she responded with, “Honors classes are worth it because [they help] you learn subjects at a faster pace and take you one step ahead in life.” Audrey and other students agree that even though honors classes are tougher than your regular courses, they boost your education and overall understanding at an exceptional rate.

     Moreover, I asked other students if they believed honors classes were worth the time, the majority of them answered the same: yes. Even when answers varied, the overall meaning stayed the same. In the end, the majority of students believe honors classes are worth the extra time and work.

     As many students will struggle throughout the year taking a challenging course, it can be evident that it challenges and benefits your future immensely. Overall, taking honors is the right decision for any student in high school.

The State of California is in Distress

Violet Clark
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The State of California is in Distress

 

     If you live in California, or specifically Southern California, you have most likely heard about Hurricane Hilary. Hurricane Hilary was formed in the Pacific ocean near Southern Mexico, on August 16th. It was labeled as a category four Pacific hurricane. The hurricane built up very quickly and proved itself to be brutal in the seas and Southern Mexico. As it made its way to California it dramatically decreased in severity, turning into a tropical storm. This storm made its first impact in SoCal on August 18th and dissipated  August 22nd.

     Hurricanes are typically very violent and powerful storms. They send huge winds up to 74 mph and lots of heavy rain. However this was not exactly the case for Southern California. Although SoCal did experience the wind and rain, it was not as violent and extreme as the news made it out to be. People all over Southern California were stressed out, preparing for this “brutal storm” that in reality wasn’t as big of an issue as the media painted it to be.  

      Residents around Southern California prepared for this storm a bit like Floridians. Selling out sandbags, toilet paper, emergency food and water supplies, flashlights, and candles. And unshockingly, most of this went to waste. Some citizens however did put these items to good use, as a few cities experienced mudslides and flash floods. 

      Nonetheless some areas in Southern California were more heavily affected than others. San Bernardino, Palm Springs, Victorville, and Mount Laguna got the worst of the hurricane’s impact, to name a few. These cities had some major flash floods and that damaged many communities. The aftermath of the flash floods left them with plenty of mud and debris everywhere.

         Clean up crews worked effectively to clear mud and debris in the affected areas. Clearing roads and moving toppled trees, the crews worked tirelessly for over 24 hours. Residents of the areas also helped take part in cleaning. The damage left by hurricane Hilary was estimated at more than $126 million.

      Hurricane Hilary definitely made history, being the first ever serious tropical storm warning for Southern California.  The first ever hurricane to even come close to California was the 1858 San Diego Hurricane. After that catastrophic storm, only two other tropical storms hit California, one of them in 1939, near Long Beach. Then  the other, being Hurricane Hilary, which was technically labeled as a tropical storm. 

      While Hurricane Hillary was certainly overly dramatized, there was one death believed to be caused by the hurricane. Although, this fatality did occur in Southern Mexico. Luckily for us Californians, we endured no fatalities as the hurricane ran its course. 

Pablo’s Got a New Sport

Leah Douglas
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Pablo’s Got a New Sport

     Girls flag football is burning up the field with an aggressive determination to win, with both Varsity and JV representing our school and making Pablo proud. From an undersized club to a booming new sport, the girls flag football team has been welcomed into the inferno. 

     As a new CIF sport, the girls flag football team is dominating the competition with a score of 18-7 at the last varsity game against Aliso Niguel High School. They have currently played 7 league games with varying outcomes. The girls really have proved that with enough effort anything is possible. 

     With 15 girls on varsity and 13 on JV, the team has made bonds that are unbreakable. Leah Vanderveen, a freshman on JV, said it best when she stated, “The whole team is so nice and uplifting on and off the field. The girls that played last year are so welcoming to all of the new players.”

     The team considers team bonding very important. They regularly have lunch together and when the weather is nice they go swimming. During away games on the bus they blast music and have a good time. Through these fun activities they have grown together and have become more like a family than a team. 

     The team started playing as a club two years ago but this year is its official debut to being a certified school sport. In past years the team was small and had inconsistent practices a couple of times a week. Now, with a consistent practice schedule and two full teams, the team has done an incredible job growing and recruiting more members. 

     Katie Neilson was one of the first original players and has since become captain of the varsity team. She has watched this team grow since the start and has fought hard for it to become an official sport. Neilson stated in an interview, “It’s so nice to finally wear the Mission jersey after two years of flag football being a club.” Neilson also mentioned how much she loves her team and the sport she plays.

     Flag football has had an incredible impact on many of the girls on and off the field. Avin Mohammadi, a freshman on JV, states, “It’s all like we’re one big family.” So many girls use this sport as a home away from home. Flag football is a place where many of the girls are able to escape their life and get lost in running plays and scoring touchdowns. It’s incredible that it is  finally getting

 the recognition it deserves. Especially since people view it as “scary” or “aggressive”. 

     Yes, the sport can be aggressive, but as Geneva Bjornstad, a junior on JV, explains, “I wish people understood that girls flag football is much different than boys tackle football. So there are different rules and regulations.” And Vanderveen says, “I wish people understood that even though it has football in its name it is definitely not as aggressive as tackle football. And I think if more people knew this a lot more girls would be playing.”. They all state that flag football is not as scary as people make it sound and more girls would have a blast if they joined!

     Flag football has positively impacted all of their lives and even people before them. Vanderveen explained, “My mom inspired me to join because she played in high school! And she balled out!” People have so much to share about the impact and importance of flag football and how wonderful it is. If people would just listen or even do research maybe it wouldn’t be as scary as they think. 

     These girls are so incredibly dedicated to flag football and will continue to improve and grow together. They will continue to destroy their biggest rival Trabuco High School and win. The players have become like a second family to one another and they will continue burning up the football field today, tomorrow, and for many more years to come.

Opinion: Flextime for School

Evan Garcia
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Opinion: Flextime for School

     Here at Mission Viejo High School we have a schedule that not a lot of other schools share or are familiar with, a flextime schedule or a flexible schedule. What is flextime? Flextime is a part of the day where you do not have a real learning class, more of a classroom where you can either do your homework, study, get help with tutoring, or relax and talk to your friends.

     Many people wonder how this schedule works, well I can’t speak for all schools because every school has its own unique schedule but as a mission student I can explain. 

     Flextime is available on Tuesday through Friday and is 30 minutes long from 10:32 to 11:02 and with a flextime app you are able to create appointments with teachers at a classroom, all you need to do is create an appointment and show your student I.D and your all good to go.

     How the Mission Viejo schedule works is that on Mondays we have all 6 periods which is the reason why we don’t have tutorial that day, on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have even period days which means only periods 2,4 and 6 are the only periods for that day with tutorial included as well. 

     On Wednesdays and Fridays, we have periods 1, 3 and 5 including tutorials too. This is a very nice schedule because it gives students a break from all the hour plus classes, it also gives students more time to work on homework and other assignments which is very nice for students who have a very busy life. 

     The reason why I believe that this is good for students who are busy is because many older students may not have the luxury of staying home and have to help their parents make ends meet and also work and for teachers to just blow that off and still assign homework to kids and expect it all to be done in a nice fashion is not thinking straight especially for high school kids are older and are busy not like elementary school where the work was easy and could be done in a certain time period many kids are busy with certain things in their life and having a more flexible schedule can really help kids a lot. 

     Another reason is sports, if you do football or any other parts balancing homework with your practice can be difficult so this schedule makes it somewhat easier for athletes, for example football practice ends at 7:00 and it takes a while to get from school to get home, shower, eat and finally get started on your homework and with the risk of being kicked out if a sport because of poor grades they need to be on top of there assignments. 

     For these reasons this is why I believe that flextime is good for students is because it provides a more flexible schedule for students and can meet many different needs and benefits for students and because of this schedule many students are able to get help from places like tutorial and have a much shorter schedule. 

 

Beware of The Bear

Jim Marsoobian
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Beware of The Bear

 

     “It’s not about the food. It’s about the people.”

     

     It’s all part of the life. The yelling across the room, the cursing at spilled food, the constant background clatter of crashing utensils. Slipping on spilled water, and trying to make the most of worn-down appliances.

     It is truly a feeling like no other. And it’s a feeling that is perfectly conveyed in the ever-increasingly popular streaming show, The Bear.

     

     On the surface, The Bear is just about a restaurant. But it’s only when you begin to delve deeper and deeper into the story that you realize The Bear is about so much more.

      The first season of The Bear dropped suddenly in 2022 onto the popular streaming platform, Hulu. The show, created by Christopher Storer, follows the young, award-winning chef, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto as he returns home to Chicago to work in his late brother’s sandwich shop.

     The season exposes the chaos behind the counter as an eclectic group of chefs try to adapt to the changes brought by now working under a professional chef. It also exposes the chaotic, yet not-too-far-fetched relationships between the characters.

     Incredibly well-rounded characters played by Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Abby Elliot, Matty Matheson, and Molly Gordon, are truly what makes this show what it is.

 

     The reception of this show is overwhelmingly positive, with its IMDb rating being 8.6. On top of this, the Rotten Tomatoes score is a whopping 99% on the average Tomatometer as well as an audience score of 92%.

     On top of these rave reviews, the show has been nominated for numerous awards, including multiple Emmys and Golden Globes. It also won the American Film Institute’s “Top 10 Programs of the Year” category, as well as earning Jeremy Allen White a Critic’s Choice Award for “Best Actor in a Comedy Series.”

     

     So, after The Bear’s second season was released a few months ago, I decided to see what all the hype was about. The cast of this new season was, more or less, the same as the first. The seemingly random yet very satisfying celebrity cameos notwithstanding, of course.

    After the turbulent conclusion to the first season, the group gets to work trying to rebuild “The Original Beef” into a luxury, Michelin star-winning place of high dining. This obviously leads to a lot of trouble, with the original members of the crew struggling to catch up and change their ways, as well as Carmy himself dealing with a slew of issues.

      As with the first season, it received tremendous reviews and accolades.

    And after watching the show, I completely understood why this show was so well-received. The acting is absolutely phenomenal, with Jeremy Allen White conveying such a depth of emotion that you feel deeply connected to his character, Carmy. The rest of the cast provide a thoughtful set of well-rounded characters that feel like people you already know.

     The perfectly atmospheric soundtrack to the show is nothing short of great, either. The repetition of the show’s most iconic songs throughout the series (including “New Noise” by Refused) highlights how far each of these characters have come. The songs, which are often featured with a few picturesque landscape scenes of Chicago, further transport you into the story.

     And I can’t write this review without talking about this show’s makeup. Or rather, lack-there-of. When the camera zooms in on these characters, you see real people, not actors who are caked up in a thick foundation and whose every blemish is edited away.

 

     The entire show is so real, and I can’t stress enough about how it feels as though you, yourself are right there in the kitchen with the rest of the characters.

     I’m not kidding when I say that this show stressed me out. It is incredibly tense to watch, and for that reason, I would not recommend it to someone who wants a happy, feel-good binge-a-thon. That’s not what this show is.

     This show is for the people who are tired of seeing fantasized, unrealistic depictions of lives that are absolutely exhausted from trying to live up to the standards set by them. This is a show for people who want to see realistic characters dealing with realistic problems.

     The Bear is a realistic depiction of real people and that’s what I love about it. It was extremely intense to watch, and yet somehow comforting at the same time. It’s because in each of the characters, you can see yourself or someone else in your life.

 

     When watching this show, there were countless moments and episodes that stood out to me. There is no scene that feels like a time-filler, or a waste of space.

     But if there’s one thing I have to talk about in this review, it’s the sixth episode of the second season, entitled “Fishes,” which received a near-perfect IMDb score of 9.6.

     I can say with confidence that this “Christmas special gone berserk” is one of the best television episodes I have ever seen (perhaps the exception being Breaking Bad’s “Ozymandias”).

     This episode makes you feel awful in the absolute best way. As this hour-long episode progressed, so did the situation. And, just like the rest of the characters, I began to feel the rush of panic and distress. Suddenly, everything you’ve assumed about these characters you’ve been watching for a season and half comes together in one moment. You understand why the characters are the way they are, and it makes the following few episodes even better to see where these people started and where they are now.

     As soon as the episode starting, I felt the initial shock of seeing all the celebrity guest appearances, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Gillian Jacobs, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, and the return appearance of Jon Bernthal in the role of Carmen and Natalie’s late brother, Michael Berzatto. Moments later, this eclectic cast conveyed the very familiar hustle-and-bustle associated with most every family dinner.

     It was truly the last group of people I expected to see in a room together, and yet — it worked. This seemingly random group of well-loved actors and actresses worked together extraordinarily well with the usual Bear cast.

     Other guest appearances throughout the show, such as Molly Ringwald and Olivia Colman, also mesh perfectly well with the story line and, as expected, put their all into their characters.

 

     Although a third season has not yet been declared by FX, the show’s extreme success (and season 2’s some-what cliff-hanging finale) might hint at at least another season to come. However, no information has yet been provided.

 

     So yes, The Bear is a perfect representation of what the food worker’s life is all about. It’s about the yelling and cursing, the spills and crashes. The slips, the broken appliances. The small talk you make with the customers, learning of new skills to use throughout your entire life and solving problems. It’s about bettering yourself, and bettering the relationships with the people you work with, too.

 

     But that’s not what The Bear is about. The entire restaurant plot of this show is merely a facade for something a lot more meaningful. People. What makes a person frustrated? What makes a person yell and scream and cry? What makes a person snap? What makes a person happy?

 

     It’s not a nonfiction story, but the story that it tells is true. It’s a story that is true for all of us, because at the end of the day, The Bear is just about people. And we can all relate to that, can’t we?


Go watch The Bear. Every second counts.

I Got Into The Ivy League, Here’s Why It Doesn’t Matter

Judd Karn
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I Got Into The Ivy League, Here’s Why It Doesn’t Matter

     Ok, let me reiterate what I mean by that headline: I got into Brown University, a member of the ‘ever-prestigious’ Ivy League, ranked #9 on the infamous US News rankings. I am extremely grateful to have gotten in; however,  students, and the American population as a whole, put way too much of an emphasis on the university you get into. 

     After all, the Ivy League is only an athletic conference, nothing more, and the US News ranking system has been called a “joke” by US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, basing its ranking on relatively arbitrary metrics to get a quantitative number for something that shouldn’t be quantitative, and instead much more personal.

     I know many have this mindset of “if I get into [insert college name here] everything in my life will be better and I’ll have a successful life.” I had that same mindset in some points of my life, but that way of thinking can only be described as toxic and potentially hurtful. 

     If you have a dream school, that’s great, but do not make your life dependent on it. Was I happy when I got into Brown? Yes, but then life returns to normalcy. Nothing changed except for my knowledge of what school I’m planning on attending next fall.

     I also did not choose Brown because it was part of the Ivy League athletic conference, or because of whatever it was ranked on US News; I chose it because of its unique attributes that aren’t really found at any other school, most notably the open curriculum.

     The open curriculum is an academic system where there are no general education requirements and, in the case of Brown, you have two years to choose what you want to study. This was perfect for me as I realized through the college process that I’m not sure what I want to do with my life; Brown is one of the few schools that would allow me to explore my potential interests to the fullest.

     I also chose Brown because, due to their extremely generous financial aid policies, it was cheaper for me to attend Brown than to attend a University of California. There are dozens more factors that contributed to the reason I chose Brown, but at the bottom of that list is how ‘prestigious’ it is.

     However, I could also give a hundred extremely great reasons to choose attending a local community college instead; there’s this stigma attached to attending a junior college, but in reality they are very similar in academic rigor to universities, but, instead of a ludicrous price tag, they’re free through California’s Promise Program. 

     It’s also not like the community colleges don’t have amazing programs. Saddleback’s Psychology Club provides an all-paid trip to the annual Western Psychology Association convention for a select number of students, where they get to see some of the greatest minds in the modern American psychology academia sphere come to speak and discuss with each other. There are tons of amazing opportunities like this at community colleges, you just have to look for them.

     It is also arguable how big of an impact going to a selective college is. Although a fairly old study (1999), economists Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger, using national surveys of high school students, found that people who “attended more selective colleges did not earn more than other students who were accepted and rejected by comparable schools but attended less selective colleges.” There’s this conception that going to a more selective college gives you a major economic advantage, but, evidently, it doesn’t. It’s not about the institution you go to but about the drive and work ethic you have developed throughout the years.

     And even if this was not true in the modern day, is it really worth it to spend so much of the most formative years of your life focusing on trying to be the perfect applicant? The answer is pretty clear, especially for the negligible difference in salary (if that is your reasoning behind it). If your reasoning is that you want the [insert selective college here] experience, then take a second to remember how much you are sacrificing for that, and ask yourself that same question once again: is it worth it?

     Your success isn’t determined by what school you went to, it’s about your ability to learn, adapt, and persevere, to have drive in whatever you want to do. Your life isn’t defined by the next four years after college, nor will it have that major of an impact on your salary. You could put the same amount of effort into getting into a selective college into what you are looking to study in and get a similar amount of experience and step ahead financially wise. 

     As a student you have such little responsibility, so just remember that and have fun whenever possible; don’t choose a school just because it has a notable name, choose it because its ideologies align with yours, because it has programs and opportunities that appeal to you. 

     An integral part of being a human being is our differences, and with that it is inherent that a different path may be a better choice for one person and a worse choice for another.

     Either way, just don’t worry about college as a freshman and don’t let it consume your life. It’ll work out, just make sure to have fun in whatever you’re doing. And remember, college is such a small part of your life and the impact that it has on you depends on you and your actions, not the school you are going to.

“Sucks to be him”: A Renfield Review

Jim Marsoobian
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“Sucks to be him”: A Renfield Review

    The man, the myth, the legend: Nicolas Cage strolls into the room — top hat, cane and all. His pale lips part to reveal his nasty yellow fangs as he recites, “Some call me the dark one; others, the lord of death. To most, I am simply known as-”

     “Renfield’s boss!”

     That’s right folks… after years and years of good ole’ Count Dracula being the center of attention in countless books, movies, and more, the overshadowed R.M. Renfield has finally gotten his own movie.

     First appearing in the OG Dracula novel by Bram Stoker, Renfield is depicted as a mad but deeply devoted servant (“familiar”) to the Count. He (Renfield) agrees to turn another character into a vampire in exchange for immortality. Renfield believed that the consumption of bugs (and other animals) would give him strength and an extra-long life, which pretty much explains how he ended up in a lunatic asylum.

     Renfield’s first film appearance, however, was in the 1922 silent film, Nosferatu. Then, most notably, he was portrayed by Dwight Frye in the 1931 classic Dracula movie. The sorrowful servant appeared in many Dracula books and movies after that, too. However, he has never been the main subject of a major film…

      …until now. The R-rated comedy horror film Renfield, directed by Chris McKay (also known for The Lego Batman Movie and The Tomorrow War), was released in theaters on April 14th of this year. 

     The plot follows the almost-pitiful Robert Montague Renfield as he tries to leave his line of work — and of course, the mayhem he faces when Dracula learns of his decision. He longs for a life independent of his servitude to the Count. And, as you can probably imagine, the Drac-man did not take that very well.

     Starring Nicholas Hoult as Renfield himself, alongside Nicolas Cage as Dracula, I have to address the great acting that made this film. Nicholas Hoult was quite successful at adding depth to this deeply misunderstood character, while simultaneously adding humor into his performance. Not to mention that Nicolas Cage Dracula-ed his heart (or should I say fangs?) out, delivering one of the best (and hilarious) Dracula performances I’ve ever seen.

     The cast of the film also featured Awkwafina as Robert’s love interest, cop Rebecca Quincy, Shohreh Aghdashloo as crime empire leader (we’ll get to that in a minute), Bellafrancesca Lobo, and Ben Schwartz as her son, Teddy Lobo.

     The story itself was alright. Just alright. Somehow, whoever wrote this movie thought it would be great to include a little crime-drama action in there. I know that when I think of Dracula and Renfield, the first thing that comes to mind is a crime drama. Really, who wouldn’t associate gothic vampirism with a cocaine-selling crime empire?

     Fine, in all seriousness, I do get what they were going for. Classic tale tied to the modern world in some way. Clever, maybe, but not the way it was written out here. The plots between Renfield trying to separate from Dracula and Rebecca trying to take down the “Lobos” crime empire just did not mesh well. Though the “Lobos” nod to the classic werewolf vs. vampire was noted (and appreciated) they were a completely unnecessary addition to the film.

     I wished that the movie stuck to the path of more traditional vampire-y films. Renfield already had something unique and different about it: it was about Robert Montague instead of Count Dracula. I understand why they were trying to shift things around, but I ultimately just wanted to see a funny, classic, bloody mess of vampirism that gave more life to a character that has been around for 125 years.

     Renfield received just alright ratings from reviewers and the general public, earning scores of 6.7/10 from IMDb,

58% from Rotten Tomatoes, and 80% from the Rotten Tomatoes audience rating.

     My movie-going partner in crime, Sarah Green, also had some interesting insights into the film: “I thought that it was pretty gory and I wasn’t expecting that. I was hootin’ and hollerin’ at some points because it was real funny. I liked how the Renfield guy, he like, took control of the situation, you know, and became his own person and stood up to the big bad vampire man.” Ditto.

     “Well, how was the movie?” you might be wondering. Well, dear reader, here it is: after careful consideration and a thorough evaluation using my state-of-the-art movie-rating formulas, I gave this movie a generous 7/10. The acting was fantastic, the settings and costumes were great, the cinematography was nice but nothing special, and it was funny. But — the plot is what lost my last 3 points.

   Look — Renfield might not be the next “Best Picture,” but I would still recommend giving it a watch. Renfield is an enjoyable movie that will hopefully provide you with a few well-needed chuckles (and “ew!”s). 

 

That is, if you’re not too scared.

From Writers to Fighters: The Writers Guild of America puts their “pencils down” for the first Hollywood strike in 15 years

Jim Marsoobian
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From Writers to Fighters: The Writers Guild of America puts their “pencils down” for the first Hollywood strike in 15 years

     2007—the year of the first iPhone, the Spice Girls reunion tour, and the infamous finale to the Sopranos. It’s also the year of the 100-day Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

     Fifteen years later, they’re at it again. The AMPTP, representing Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony, failed to agree on a new three-year contract with the writers.

      Demanding changes to mandatory staffing levels, duration of employment, and amount of money, over 11,000 writers are walking the picket lines in front of America’s major production companies in Los Angeles, New York City, and other cities. Earlier discussions about the looming threat of AI screenwriters and salary increases could not be agreed upon between the two organizations.

     Hollywood is going to take a big hit from the strike, which has already impacted some late-night talk shows and other daily cable shows. Without writers, unfinished television shows, movies, and talk shows will have to pause until negotiations are made.

       According to The LA Times, the 2007 WGA strike shut down “more than 60 TV shows, hampering ratings and depriving the networks of tens of millions in advertising dollars.” Experts are saying that the same can be expected now.

     While the impact of this strike is expected to have the same result as in 2007-2008, the circumstances are very different now. An extreme increase in the use of television streaming services in the past few years has contributed substantially to the matters being negotiated by these writers.

      Some writers have criticized the job insecurity resulting from these streaming networks. Most streaming shows only have about eight episodes per season, as opposed to the standard twenty-ish episodes on traditional cable shows. Shorter seasons mean less writing, and less writing means less work for these creators.

     Not to mention AI’s role in this strike. Many of those on the picket lines are carrying signs saying something along the lines of, “Don’t replace me with AI, please!” The increased use of AI has posed a threat to many jobs, but writers have been especially concerned. The rise of ChatGPT, the popular writing AI software, has been the subject of talks about a new approach to screenwriting.

     The times have changed, and the writers who put hard work into creating our favorite media should be recognized and supported in this action. Some ways that you can support the strike include donating your time or money, speaking out about the situation, and spreading information.

     I will leave you with a brief segment of the message that the WGA wrote to its members regarding the importance of going on strike—

 

“Here is what all writers know: the companies have broken this business. They have taken so much from the very people, the writers, who have made them wealthy. But what they cannot take from us is each other, our solidarity, our mutual commitment to save ourselves and this profession that we love. We had hoped to do this through reasonable conversation. Now we will do it through struggle. For the sake of our present and our future, we have been given no other choice.”

Farewell to Everyone’s Best Bud, Judd

Jim Marsoobian
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Farewell to Everyone’s Best Bud, Judd

    It was September 1st, 2005 in Mission Viejo when now-17-year-old Judd Karn came into this world. Being the current Editor-In-Chief for The Diablo Dispatch, as well as being involved in numerous other activities including golf, the SVUSD Student Advisory Committee, and multiple MVHS clubs, Judd has definitely made an impact on this campus.

     Outside of school, Judd’s hobbies include playing golf, playing Minecraft with his friends, and going to his friends’ places of work to try to get free food. “Not for the free food, I just think it’s a funny thing to do. It’s a goal to have while you’re just talking with your friends,” he explains. He also enjoys watching movie (singular movie), computers, graphic design, and writing.

    Some items on Judd’s bucket list include going to Cyprus or Bermuda, and traveling “as much as possible” in general. Aside from that, Judd is very lucky to have already experienced some bucket-list items like going to Catalina Island, New York, and visiting his family in Canada. He also has a passionate desire to watch Werewolf by Night, which is a fantastic one-hour-long movie about a werewolf at night (released a whopping 213 days ago, as of May 8th). Can you believe that?

     Speaking of movies, among Judd’s favorites are The Truman Show, La La Land, Django Unchained, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Everything Everywhere All at Once. He enjoys film analysis and also writing entertainment articles.

     Judd’s love of writing stems from Mission Viejo High School. He specifically accredits The Diablo Dispatch and Mr. McCormack for helping him learn to enjoy writing, as well as plenty of help from Mr. Cost and AP Literature. Journalism has definitely had some influence on his future career possibilities, which could be journalism, screenwriting, or business administration for journalism.

     During his time at Mission, Judd has also really enjoyed humanities. He says that it is “a really great program where you kind of get that transition between college and high school, with the lectures. But it’s also just fun and it’s a great way for me to relax in my senior year because a lot of other schools have you take, like, the hardest classes your senior year.”

     When asked about the most important thing that he has learned in high school, Judd explains, “I feel like a lot of high school isn’t really about the content, it’s more about learning to learn. So, the most important thing, in my eyes, has been figuring out how to learn to learn.”

     Taking this knowledge with him, Judd is going to be graduating from Mission Viejo High School in just a matter of weeks. Thus, leaving him with a relaxing and fun summer break before he leaves for Brown University in Rhode Island. “I will be sleeping a lot… the first week, I think I’ll probably do nothing,” he says. After that, however, Judd hopes to spend the summer road-tripping across the West Coast, possibly visiting his family in Canada, and working at a golf course, Disneyland, or participating in an internship.

      A well-deserved break, especially once you hear how much he has already accomplished so far. In high school alone, he created the entire website for the school newspaper, got nominated for Youth of the Year, actively participated in the Saddleback Student Advisory Committee, and received a Diablo Excellence medallion—twice. Now that he is going to Brown University, Judd is sure to have many more accomplishments coming his way.

     Nestled in Rhode Island’s capital city, Providence, the Ivy League Brown University has an open curriculum, meaning there are no general education requirements. This aspect appealed to Judd. He explains, “Since I don’t really know what I want to do in the future, Brown helps me choose.”

     The ex-Miami blue enjoyer is looking forward to studying computer science, business, journalism, and, possibly, film at Brown. He is trying to “take up a bunch of different stuff to figure out, Do I like this? Do I want to do this forever?”

     Though Judd is currently undecided about what he wants to do in the future, he is currently leaning toward becoming a screenwriter. Yet, he knows that his aspirations could change. Judd suggests, “A lot of people in high school have certain goals of theirs. Last year, I had a certain goal. I was like, I’m going to be an engineer, and I’m like, Wait, business is also cool, and now I’m like, I shouldn’t be 17/18 and trying to figure out those darn goals of mine. That’s what college is for. College is for figuring out what you want to do. And so, my goal right now might be to become a screenwriter, but that’s probably going to change ten times over in college. And that’s a good thing.”

     Which is great advice, especially if you are also somebody who does not yet know what you want to do in the future. Speaking of really great advice, Judd would like any incoming freshmen to know that, “There are some freshmen that are already caring about what college they get into or where they want to go. It doesn’t really matter. The difference you have from getting into an ‘elite college’ and a Cal. State is negligible. You’ll probably just get a couple year head-start, but I’d argue that that couple year head-start is not worth as much as spending your time in high school developing as a person and having fun. So, I’d say focus on having fun in high school.”

     Just have fun. It is an idea that appears to be common among a few of Judd’s philosophies. An example of this is his philosophy of trying to make an impact wherever he can. “Just making sure that every single act I do has a positive impact on someone. If I can do that, and magnify it as much as possible, I will,” he says.

     It is evident that he follows this mindset in his day-to-day life. From smiling and “waving profusely” to his friends, just because he feels that “it’s funny and a lot of people smile” when he does it, to dedicating endless amounts of time to everything he gets involved with, it is obvious that Judd really is making a positive impact wherever he goes. “If I can do that, and make someone’s day just slightly better, then I’ll do that every single time,” he says.

     Judd has more than certainly left his impact on Mission Viejo High School, as well as on his friends, teachers, and classmates. His positive attitude, diligence, and kindness will continue to pay off well into the future.

 

Even though Judd is considered a traitor to our journalism program, along with the entirety of Mission Viejo High School for leaving us, we all wish him the very best—in college and beyond.

The Immortality of Dracula

Jim Marsoobian
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The Immortality of Dracula

     “I want you to believe…to believe in things that you cannot,” spoke Van Helsing, the enemy of Dracula. Of course, it might be a little difficult to believe that there are really blood-drinking, bat-converting, nocturnal, and undead monsters walking among us. Or even in the possibility that someone can truly be immortal.

     However, Bram Stoker’s 1897 Dracula would beg to differ. Immortality most definitely exists — just in the form of stories, rather than monsters.

     There is no denying the immortality of Dracula. No matter how many years pass, this particular bloodsucker continually finds himself popping up in all sorts of movies, books, songs: you name it.

     But where did this creepy-cool guy even come from? The original novel is said to be inspired by classic vampiric folklore, like the “nosferatu”: an archaic Romanian word translating to “undead” or “vampire.” Some also speculate that the novel was influenced by Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 vampire novel, Carmilla. Yet the character of Count Dracula himself is often thought to be based upon a 15th-century governor of Romania: Vlad the Impaler.

     Vlad the Impaler was also known as Vlad III and even —get this— Vlad Dracula. Vlad was known for his excessively brutal acts of violence. According to some records, he ordered the impaling of people in his prisons to “assist them on their way to heaven,” during his time in power (hence, the name). Vlad III’s “thirst for blood” can easily be recognized in Count Dracula’s literal thirst for blood.

     The figure of Dracula in pop culture, however, has come a very long way since the days of poor, old Vlad. There are innumerable adaptations of Dracula, especially in writing and film. Some examples of the most popular include the iconic Universal Studios 1931 Dracula film, Bram Stoker’s Dracula of 1992, the Nosferatu movie released in 1922, and The Horror of Dracula from 1958.

     Dracula has obviously had a lot of influence in pop culture, but what is it exactly that makes Dracula’s story so powerful, so popular, and so pivotal?

     At the end of the day, he was necessary in order to create the beautiful world of vampire fiction that is so deeply adored, even today. Dracula is well-loved by many, and the sheer influence it has on people and their art can itself be a testament to its significance.

     And of course, there is plenty more in store for the future of everyone’s favorite, fanged Count. Several upcoming projects will be arriving this year, including Chloe Zhao’s Sci-Fi/Western Dracula movie (more information to be announced), The Last Voyage of Demeter film coming August 11, 2023, and the highly anticipated Renfield — coming April 14th of this year.

     Renfield is a comedy-horror film centered around the pitiful R.M. Renfield, the troubled assistant to Count Dracula. Renfield is a man deranged with the promise of immortality in exchange for his services. The plot of this film follows Renfield as he tries to leave his line of work — and of course, the mayhem he faces when Dracula learns of his decision.

     Even though that’s all that is on the books for now, there will be, without a doubt, plenty more Dracula to come. Like the character himself, Dracula’s stories will never die. They will live on and on, continuing to haunt us for many years to come.

     At the darkest of dusks, the pages of his novels will always flap open like bat wings, ready to spook a new generation. Every Halloween night, kids will drip bloody ketchup down the crooks of their mouths in his honor. And every year or so, a new film or novel will be released with some interesting twist on the original story.

     It will never matter how much time passes —

 

     Dracula will always be immortal.

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