Movie Review – Crimson Peak

By Kendall Zuniga 

Romance and Murder? Count me in! Crimson Peak is the perfect movie for those who enjoy a good spooky love story with scenes that will make you do a double take. This movie was given 6.5 out of a rating of 10 from IMDb and a 73% rating from Rotten Tomatoes, directed by  Guillermo del Toro and starring Mia Wasikowska and Tom Hiddleston. Characters Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) and Sir Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston) live in the year 1887 struggling to make a way in the former world of the 1800’s till they found each other. After the sudden death of her father, Thomas vows to take care of Edith and they are married soon after he funeral. But dark secrets lie within the walls of Edith’s new home, hundreds of years old with a dark past that Edith knows nothing about. 

I would definitely recommend watching this movie if you’re like me and enjoy a good romance but need the horror factor to keep you on your toes every step of the way. I’d give this movie 8 out of 10 stars.

True Crime Vol. XXXII: “Dr.Death” Harold Shipman

By: Kendall Zuniga

A doctor’s job is to help people in times of need and vulnerability, but that wasn’t the case with Harold Shipman also known as “Dr. Death ”. Between the years 1975 and 1998 Shipman is alleged to have killed over 250 people but was only convicted of 15 murders. 

Harold Shipman was born in Nottingham, England in 1946 and was known to be a promising young student and excelled in sports, rugby in particular. This all changed when at the age of 17 Shipman’s mother, Vera, was diagnosed with lung cancer. As Vera lay in her hospital bed, Shipman would closely observe how the doctor soothed his mothers pain by the use of administering morphine to her. It was later speculated that this would be the moment that inspires the sick and twisted mind of “Dr. Death ” to start his spree of killing. 

Shipman went on to study medicine at the Leeds University Medical School and graduated in the year 1970 as a junior doctor but quickly became a general practitioner at a medical center in West Yorkshire, England. Six years later he was found guilty of forging prescriptions for Demerol, an opioid used to treat severe pain, he was fined, fired from his job and was required to attend a rehabilitation clinic in York, England.

March of 1975 would be the year Harold Shipman took the life of his patient, 70-year old Eva Lyons the day before her 71st birthday, injecting a lethal dosage of Diamorphine into her bloodstream and killing her. Though Shipman was fired from his previous job that same year, he was not removed from the General Medical Council but yet instead received a warning letter. It is rumored that Shipman had killed 71 patients at his former practice and the remainder while operating his one man practice. Of his victims, 171 were female and only 44 were male.

In 1998, Harold Shipman’s killing spree would come to an end, at least that’s what you’re thinking now. When undertakers in his community became suspicious of the number of his patients who were dying, finding that his death rates were about 10x higher than the death rates of their own patients, a police investigation was ordered to be carried out but failed due to the the most basic of checks. Police hadn’t looked at shipman’s criminal records, resulting in “Dr. Death” to continue his spree of murders until later that year in 1998.

In August of 1998, Shipman’s crimes had been discovered after he made the mistake of trying to forge the will of one of his victims. His last victim happened to be Kathleen Grundy, Former mayor of Shipman’s town, Hyde. Grundy’s body was exhumed from its grave and was found with diamorphine in her muscle tissues. Shipman was arrested on September 7 of that same year.

Police verified 14 other cases where shipman had given lethal doses of diamorphine, falsely registered the patients deaths, and tampered with their medical history. Police could only charge him with 15 murders but it has been estimated that his kill count is anywhere between 250 and 450 victims.

In the year 2000, Harold Shipman was given life imprisonment with the recommendation of never being released. Harold was incarcerated in a Manchester prison before being moved to Wakefield prison where he eventually took his own life. The day before his 58th birthday, Shipman was found hanging in his cell. To this day no one really knows the true reason as to why he committed these murders, some speculate that it was a way to avenge his mother.

True Crime Vol. XXXI:The Carnation Murders

By: Kendall Zuniga 

On December 24, 2007, the Anderson family was gathered in their Washington home for the holidays soaking up the Christmas cheer but, sadly their cheer would be cut short by their own tragic murder. Michelle Anderson and husband Joseph McEnroe, arrived in their pickup truck at Michelle’s family home and didn’t hesitate to murder 6 family members and 3 different generations by gunshot. Of the 6 family members, 2 were Michelle’s 5-year old niece and 3-year old nephew. The family’s bodies were discovered two days later by a family friend and were immediately reported. 

Around 3 hours after the police arrived, Anderson and McEnroe pulled up to the Anderson house. They did not seem phased by the police cars surrounding the property, nor did they ask if Wayne and Judy were okay, raising officers’ suspicions right away. When Anderson was questioned why she would murder her own family, her reasoning was “tired of everybody stepping on her”. Michelle’s  brother, Scott, owed her $40,000 and would not pay her back, and that her parents had begun pressing her about paying rent money for living in the mobile home on their property, after she and McEnroe had lived there for a year free of charge. On December 28, Anderson and McEnroe were each charged with 6 counts of aggravated murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

 

Movie Review: The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

By: Kendall Zuniga 

 

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will have you jingling your bells all the way out of this world! Receiving a score of 7.1 out of 10 from IMDb, and 95% from Rotten Tomatoes, The Guardians  of the Galaxy Holiday Special stars Chris Pratt, Dave Butista, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, and Kevin Bacon. Director, James Gunn, brings us a holiday movie filled with immense amounts of emotion that will surely get you in the spirit of Christmas this holiday season. Mantis(Pom Klementieff), and Drax(Dave Butista) go on a quest to earth to find the perfect gift to give to Peter(Chris Pratt) in hopes of making his Christmas unforgettable. 

I would give this movie 8.5 jingle bells out of 10.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas break and an awesome New Year! See you all in 2023!

TrueCrimeVol. XXX: Jeffrey Dahmer

By: Kendall Zuniga 

 

In the year 1978, hitchhiker Steven Hicks was on his way to a rock concert in Ohio, when suddenly a car pulled up alongside Hicks and asked where he was heading to, if he had needed a ride, and if he wanted to go back to his house to enjoy an alcoholic beverage with him. Hicks graciously took the offer and went back to the stranger’s home not knowing that Jeffrey Dahmer’s face was the last face he was going to see and speak to. Steven Hicks was only 19 years old at the time of his murder, Dahmer was only 18 years old and had graduated high school three weeks prior to the murder of his first victim. 

Dahmer was active between the years of 1978 and 1991 with his victims ranging from 32 to as young as 14 years of age, dismembering, sexually assaulting, and experimenting on his victims. 14 year old Konerak Sinthasomphone was Jeffrey Dahmer’s youngest victim and was the first victim of Dahmer’s to be experimented on as an at-home lobotomy. Only months prior to Konekrak’s murder, his brother, Somsack, was sexually assaulted by Dahmer and managed to get away before anything more was to be done to him. Sadly that wasn’t the case for his younger brother, Konerak. Konerak managed to get away from Dahmer, neighbor Glenda Cleveland, actually called the police to have a look at the boy but police returned young Konerak back to Dahmer after he claimed that the boy was his boyfriend who had a drinking problem. Konerak died later on that night at the hands of Jeffrey Dahmer.

 In 1991, a victim by the name Tracy Edwards managed to get away from Dahmer and was found by the police and taken to Dahmer’s apartment for questioning. When police arrived and questioned Dahmer they almost let him go, but police spotted polaroid’s of dismembered victims and immediately put Jeffrey Dahmer under arrest. Authorities were in complete and utter horror when searching through Dahmer’s house, finding human remains, including two human skulls in Dahmer’s fridge and a large barrel in his room filled with acid and decomposing body parts of his former victims. After 13 years, 17 young boy and men victims, and what felt like forever to the victim’s families, their murderer was finally caught and in custody.

Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced 15 terms of life imprisonment on February 17, 1992 and later received a 16th term of life imprisonment leaving him with a total of 941 years in prison without the chance of receiving parole. Though Jeffrey Dahmer’s life sentence was cut short on November 28, 1994, when a fellow prison inmate learned of Dahmer’s crimes and beat Dahmer to death with a 20-inch metal bar from a piece of exercise equipment leaving Dahmer lifeless.

More recently on the terms of Jeffrey Dahmer, a new Netflix series called “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” was released. Telling the story of Dahmer getting caught, his time leading up to his killings, and his victims’ backgrounds. This show offers an in depth experience in the mind of world known serial killer, Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer.

 

Victims names:

June 18, 1978: Steven Hicks, 18

November 20, 1987: Steven Tuomi, 24

January 16, 1988: Jamie Doxtator, 14

March 24, 1988: Richard Guerrero, 25

March 25, 1989: Anthony Sears, 26

May 20, 1990: Raymond Smith (also went by “Ricky Beeks”), 33

June 1990: Edward W. Smith, 28

September 1990: Ernest Miller, 22

September 24, 1990: David C. Thomas, 23

February 18, 1991: Curtis Straughter, 18

April 7, 1991: Errol Lindsey, 19

May 24, 1991: Anthony “Tony” Hughes, 31

May 27, 1991: Konerak Sinthasomphone, 14

June 30, 1991: Matt Turner, 20

July 5, 1991: Jeremiah Weinberger, 23

July 15, 1991: Oliver Lacy, 23

July 19, 1991: Joseph Bradehoft, 25

Movie Review: Smile

By: Kendall Zuniga 

 

Don’t have plans this Halloween? Sit back, grab a blanket and your favorite snacks with some hot cocoa because “Smile” is the newest psychological horror movie for you to watch. Starring Sosie Bacon, Jesse T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, and directed by Parker Finn, “Smile” scored a 78% from Rotten Tomato critics and a 6.9/10 from IMDb critics. “Smile” is good for those who need a jumpscare to meet their horror-loving needs, but not so much for those who enjoy only a small taste of horror. This movie tends to have some gruesome scenes, so if you have a weak stomach, I’d skip the gore and demolish the bucket of popcorn you made. 

I’d rate this movie 8.5 spooky ghosts out of 10 spooky ghosts.

Have a Happy Halloween!

True Crime Vol. XXIX: The Zodiac Killer

By: Kendall Zuniga 

On October 30th, 1966, a woman by the name of Cheri Jo Bates was slashed on the Grounds of River City College. She was 18 at the time. She was the Zodiac Killer’s first victim. He confessed by sending a message to the police and giving a sign to “Beware” of him. In 1968, a teenage couple was shot in their car in a remote area of San Francisco. The following year, another couple was attacked in similar circumstances, but the male victim survived. The Zodiac Killer then made himself known to the police again the same as the years before, confessing to the 1968 and 1969 murders. Later, the Zodiac Killer attacked another young couple, and his last known victim who managed to survive the grips of death is a taxi driver who was shot in October of 1969. 

What makes this so-called “Zodiac Killer” infamous and memorable to all? Nobody knows who he is, where he is, or if he is still alive to this day. He would confess to the police his crimes in his own sadistic and unique way, coded letters he had made himself saying “This is the Zodiac speaking”, “I like killing people because it is so much fun,” and “I hope you are having lots of fun trying to catch me.” Taunting those who follow and try to solve the fascinating codes and identity of the Zodiac Killer, even leaving his own symbol at the bottom of every letter he sent to the police, consisting of a circle with a plus sign overlapping. 

Many have come forward claiming to be him but none have matched the handwriting and description of the true Zodiac Killer. After 62 years of searching and decoding, no one has been able to decode and solve the identity of our Zodiac Killer. Will Zodiac ever be decoded?

Movie Review: Purple Hearts

By: Kendall Zuniga 

Grab your tissues and prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster, because Purple Hearts is sure to make the butterflies in your stomach flutter. Purple hearts is a dramatic romance movie starring Disney’s Sofia Carson, Nicholas Galitzine, and Chosen Jacobs. Directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, “Purple Hearts” received a Rotten Tomato score of 30% and a 6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. Although receiving these low scores, many people actually had pleasing things to say about this 21st-century romance drama, loving how it involves current problems in the world today including poverty, broken healthcare systems, and military trauma. However, this movie has also received its fair share of problems. Its depiction of type 1 diabetes has received much backlash from actual patients who live with type 1 diabetes.

I enjoyed watching this movie but thought it was a little choppy when it came to certain scenes transitioning. I would give this movie a 7.5 out of 10, I would watch it again if I hadn’t seen it in a while.

 

Monthly Cause

By: Kendall Zuniga

   During the month of May, we raise awareness for those who have suffered from the effects of having a stroke as well as how their families have suffered. What is a stroke? A stroke is an attack on the brain when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and causes death to the living cells. Effects can vary depending on where the attack occurred in the victim’s brain, they may be permanent or can be easily recovered over time, death can also be a result in having a stroke.

   How do I know if myself or a loved one is having a stroke? Signs you can look for are: numbness or weakness in the face, arm, leg, or on one side of the body, sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech, trouble seeing in one or both of the eyes, trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance and lack of coordination, and a severe headache with no known cause.

You would never think that something like this could ever happen to you or someone you love but it’s possible for it to happen to anyone. I’ve personally have had to deal with the occurrence of my own father having three mini strokes within a span of about 3 months. We were told if he were to have a 4th stroke that causes him to collapse and hit his head, he could die. 

   I remember the night my dad’s first stroke had occurred, he said that he had felt kind of numbness on the left side of his body, had been feeling nauseous, and dizzy. I told him that what he was describing were symptoms of a stroke but he insisted that he was okay and could probably just sleep it off. The next day I found out that my mom had taken my dad to the hospital in the middle of the night because he wasn’t getting any better. C.A.T scans showed signs of cell damage in an area of his brain, that was the first of my dad’s three strokes. By the second stroke, my dad had been left visually impaired and had to re-learn how to do most things others can easily. 

   Never would I have thought that something like this could happen to someone I love and care about but, that shows that the unthinkable can happen to anyone. Use my experience as a way to inform others about the dangers and effects strokes can have on an individual and their families. We can’t predict the future but we can alter the present, here are some ways you can lessen the probability of a stroke happening to you: choose healthy food and drink options, maintain a acceptable weight, get exercise regularly, limit alcohol consumption, do not smoke, and maintaining a good lifestyle can all help prevent a stroke from happening to you or a loved one.

Ways you can help:

American Stroke Association

https://www.stroke.org/

American Stroke Foundation

https://americanstroke.org/

Swingin Season For Golf

By: Kendall Zuniga

Swinging into action this month is our very own mighty eagle golf team coached by our very own biology teacher, coach Guerra. The Eagles golf team finished in 1st place at the District 27AAAA Golf Tournament held at Riverbend Golf Club in Floresville on Wednesday April 6th.  This was their 8th district title in a row, as well as their 6th 1st place finish for this school year and their 5th in a row. Students Reed Foster, Jake Cassias, Brady Stevens, and William Levi Turner shot a combined score of 336 on day two and a total score of 332 on day one, giving us a combined total score of 668. 

Monthly Cause: Sexual Assault Awareness

By: Kendall Zuniga

Every 68 seconds a person becomes a victim of sexual assault or rape in the U.S. On average 463,634 victims are ages 12 and older, 1 in every 6 women and 1 in every 33 men are victims. These numbers are continuing to go up at rapid speeds each year and victims are becoming much younger as time passes.

The effects of being sexually assaulted can really damage a persons mindset and body. Many victims of assault develop things like PTSD, depression and anxiety. When these things are triggered many effects can cause the victim to be sent into a spiral. 

 Feeling like you are losing control of your life or your mind, re-experiencing assault over and over again through flashbacks, problems concentrating and staying focused on the task at hand, guilty feelings, and developing a negative self-image; feeling “dirty” inside or out are just a few examples of how sexual assault can deeply effect a victim.

When those who go through a traumatic experience like this, they tend to not speak up about the occurrence/s with the fear of not being believed or feeling like no one will understand what they went through. When you don’t speak up about an assault, you’re at risk of having these effects occur as well as putting other potential victims in harm’s way. 

What do I do if I or someone I know has been sexually assaulted? Don’t be afraid to speak up if this has happened to you, speak to a trusted parent, guardian, or friend about the occurrence. Multiple helplines can be found all over the internet and local health offices, listed below are a few of the many help lines. 

You are not alone and you do not have to go through this alone.

RAINN.org 

RAINN helpline: 800-656-HOPE(4673)

www.nsvrc.org/states-territories/texas

NSVRC helpline: 844-303-SAFE(7233)

https://avp.org/

AVP helpline: 212-714-1141

Monthly Cause

By: Kendall Zuniga

Black History Month is celebrated every February to recognize achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, additionally devoting a month to celebrating Black history.

In the year 1915,  almost half century after the 13th amedment had abolished slavery in the United State, historian Carter G. Woodsen and Minster Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association For The Study Of African American Life and History. This association was dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by black Americans and other people of African descent. 

President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to, “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” 

But why was February chosen as the designated month for black history? February was chosen primarily because the second week of the month coincides with the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Lincoln was influential in the emancipation of slaves, and Douglass, a former slave, was a prominent leader in the abolitionist movement, which fought to end slavery. 

Forty years after President Ford formally recognized Black History Month, it was Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, who delivered a message of his own from the White House, “Black History Month shouldn’t be treated as though it is somehow separate from our collective American history or somehow just boiled down to a compilation of greatest hits from the March on Washington or from some of our sports heroes, It’s about the lived, shared experience of all African Americans, high and low, famous and obscure, and how those experiences have shaped and challenged and ultimately strengthened America.”

Each year during Black History Month a theme is selected, this year’s theme, Black Health and Wellness, pays homage to medical scholars and health care providers. The theme is especially timely as we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately affected all communities and placed unique burdens on Black health care professionals. 

To support the cause, go to www.asalh.org to learn more about history and join the cause.

Monthly Cause: Blood Donor Month

By: Kendall Zuniga

In the month of January, blood shortages are at a critical stance. This tends to happen because people choose to stop donating during the cold and flu season, donor stations also become snowed out in some states preventing people from donating. About 38 percent of the population actually gives blood, and blood supplies can’t always meet the proper demand due to only 3 percent of the population being age-eligible. Every 2 seconds a person in the United States is in need of blood. Blood donations are used for patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries.

What do you know about your own blood and blood type? Your blood type is determined by the presence or absence of certain antigens, these are substances that can trigger an immune response if they are foreign to the body. There are four major blood types: A,B,AB, and O.

 A protein called the “Rh Factor” can be present by positive or negative antigens in our body giving us the eight main blood types:  A+, A-,  B+, B-,  O+, O,  AB+, and AB-.

Thinking of donating blood but not sure how the process works? First make sure you meet the appropriate guidelines before donating or making an appointment to donate blood. When arriving at the donation center you will be asked to sign in and present your ID, such as your drivers license or your school Id. You will be asked to read some information about donating, such as why you should donate as well as how donating benefits yourself and others. A certified nurse will cleanse an area on your arm and insert a brand new needle for drawing the blood, the needle is only a quick pinch and should go away within a matter of seconds. During the blood drawing process it should only take about 8-10 minutes, and in the duration of your  time you’ll be seated or lying down comfortably. Once approximately one pint of your blood is collected, your donation is complete and a staff person will bandage up your arm. When your donation is complete, you’ll be given a snack and something to drink and are allowed to leave and continue on with your day after 10-15 mins(this is just to make sure you’re feeling well and on your feet).

Feel like spontaneously donating blood? You can go to www.redcrossblood.org, go to the red drop down tab and enter your area zip code to find popup donation centers near you!

Monthly Cause: Marine Toys For Tots

By: Kendall Zuniga

During the months of November and December, Marine Toys For Tots Foundation is a charity made for children who are less fortunate to receive joy and hope through the gift of a new toy that they aren’t usually able to get. The mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to assist the U. S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. This assistance includes providing day-to-day leadership and oversight of the Program, raising funds to provide toys to supplement the collections of local Toys for Tots Campaigns, to provide promotional and support material and settle the costs of conducting annual Toys for Tots Campaigns.

Toys for Tots began in 1947, when Diane Hendricks, the wife of Major Bill Hendricks of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, made a doll for a needy child to receive for Christmas. When the couple determined that no organization existed to provide the doll to a child, they started a campaign to provide toys to children. Approximately 15 million American children live in poverty. Studies reveal that growing up in poverty can have an adverse psychological impact on a child. One of the adverse impacts is low self-esteem – a by-product of little or no hope for the future.
Each child has a choice of two paths to the future. One path leads to a productive life as an asset to the community. The other path leads to a life of dependency on the community for support. Without outside help, the path of least resistance is too often the path to a life of dependency. Economically disadvantaged children who receive toys through the Toys for Tots program have an opportunity to observe first hand how young men and women, just like themselves, have achieved success.

Since Christmas 1980, Marines have distributed only new toys. One of the principal reasons for the change was that delivering a “hand-me-down” toy sent the wrong message. A second hand toy gives a youngster the impression that he or she is a “second-class” citizen, worthy only of someone’s cast-off toys. Marines want to create and enhance self-esteem and deliver a message of hope. This can only come in the form of a new toy.
When looking back on your own life and you remember how happy you were to receive that new toy on Christmas day, you can’t help but realize how much of an impact that small toy had on you as a child. We can all agree that we would want the same for those who are less fortunate than us.

Ways to donate:
Go online to https://www.toysfortots.org/Default.aspx
Click on the “Donate a Toy” tab and follow the steps listed when donating a toy.
You can also find Marine Toys For Tots drop boxes at your local grocery stores.