Myers Park Hoofprint

The Myers Park High School Newspaper

Eleanor Haviland

March Madness ‘24: I Won It All

By

Growing up in a soccer-centric household, basketball, let alone March Madness, was never a big deal to me. I entered my first March Madness bracket competition sophomore year and although I didn’t do too well, it opened my eyes to the thrilling world of college basketball during March and early April. While some spend hours studying tape and breaking down player stats to craft their “perfect” bracket, I have always taken the more relaxed route by focusing on vibes. Everyone has heard the stories of brackets winning when chosen based on which team has the cutest mascot or the color of their jersey. That route has always seemed the most appealing to my low basketball IQ. Using this strategy I maximize ease of choosing and minimize the stress of caring about the outcome. I am able to back up my wins with the blind confidence of “trusting my gut” but I am detached enough from my choices to brush off the losses as a slight vibe oversight. While obviously, my bracket was far from perfect, I successfully won our Hoofprint staff bracket challenge against some of the biggest sports fanatics I know, using my nonchalant, low-emotional-investment approach.

About two days before the tournament began, I scrambled to come up with my dream bracket. Sitting in S-7, scrolling through the 32 matchups of 64 teams on the ESPN website, with some teams I recognized from previous years and others completely unheard of. Things I considered when picking: do I know anyone who goes/went there, vibes of mascots, random clips I’d seen of pre-tournament games, or various facts thrown about by those also choosing their brackets at the time.

 For starters, I had Tennessee going to the final four because it’s my dad’s alma mater. They held strong until I had them beating Purdue in the Elite Eight, in hindsight a major misstep. JMU was in my sweet sixteen because my friend Jane is on their top tier climbing team so I assumed that skill would translate into basketball. While that choice wasn’t the smartest as I had them beating Duke to get there, it at least helped my accuracy in the first round. The only time vibes really let me down was with Kentucky. My great-grandfather Bill went there for journalism (extra vibe points for Newspaper) so I had high hopes and placed them confidently in my elite eight, only to get out in the first round. I spent the entire month holding a grudge against UK after that initial blow to my max points. 

A lot of good circumstances were involved in the eventual victory of my bracket. Many people lost points when Alabama unexpectedly beat UNC, but due to the randomness of my picks and lack of logic, I had them winning and the Red Tide boosted my score and dropped my competitions’ by a good chunk of points. My winner pick was purely thanks to my circumstances as it was the influence of those around me that led me to have UConn as the victor. Going in with practically no prior knowledge or research would not have gone as well as it did if my peers hadn’t convinced me of the Connecticut team’s superior hooping abilities enough to put them as my winner. 

When the final game ended, I was shocked by my standing in the bracket. I knew I wasn’t going to come in last and face the dreaded newspaper suit punishment, but with only one of my final four correct and my final game predicted as Tennessee vs. UConn I wasn’t too confident that I had secured any type of win. Lo and behold, UConn won the final and in turn, I won the Newspaper bracket challenge. Since my strategy won this year, I don’t see any reason to change and I highly recommend this chill approach to anyone dipping their toes in March Madness.

Mustang Mothers

By

This year, on Sunday, May 12, we will take a day to celebrate the mothers in our lives. Whether by blood or circumstance, the women we call mothers shape our morals and nurture us into the people we become. Similarly, the hours we spend in school with our teachers shape our future success and teach us valuable life lessons. The Hoofprint staff was lucky enough to sit down with three Myers Park teachers who are mothers or grandmothers themselves to gain some insight into the various aspects and overlaps of motherhood and education. 

Mrs. Harris, mother to two girls (five and seven years old) teaches world history. Although she generally teaches seniors she believes that her students are more similar to her young daughters than one might think. Harris stated,  “My students might have different challenges than I face with my girls but the same patience and understanding is needed at the end of the day.” She believes, “Keeping patience with my students and remembering that they’re just kids who are learning how to go through life exactly how my little ones are” is a major overlap between her work and home life. Mrs. Hamm, the school’s security monitor, is the mother to two sons and ten grandchildren aged 2-22. While not a teacher, she believes that, “guiding children, directly or indirectly” is a characteristic of both education and motherhood. Ms. Blackert, an IB math teacher, has a sophomore and a senior here at the park herself. She agreed with Hamm, explaining, “While we aren’t our students’ parents, we see them for a large portion of the day so it’s our responsibility to help them learn some of the things they need to develop as they grow.” Expanding on that, Blackert believes it’s a big responsibility of both mothers and teachers to care for the health of student’s brains. She says, “Especially since COVID, a lot more students struggle with their mental health and as a parent, I want to protect my children and help them, and I try to do the same with my students in the classroom.”

Mothers are full of life experience and wisdom that goes way beyond their children’s years. Surprisingly enough, they had to learn it from somewhere too. These teachers were each guided through life by their mothers and various other strong female figures, the advice which they carry into their motherhood as well as the classroom. Harris specifically shouted out Mrs. Allison, an English teacher at the Park, whom she’s known for the past 20 years. Harris said, “I watched her kids grow up and she’s watched my kids grow so I’ve always gone to her for advice. She always says that [childhood] goes by so fast, they’re only going to need you and want you for a few more years until they just want to see their friends or not need you anymore so you need to cherish every moment now.” Blackert was advised not to expect perfection out of anyone, especially yourself. She expressed, “All we can do is our best. We know that we’re making decisions and doing things that we think at the time we think are the right thing to do and then we learn that maybe it wasn’t working or whatever but we just learn from it and not punish ourselves.” Alternatively, Hamm believes the one thing that is perfection is showing compassion. In her closing statement, she said “ Always let your children know that you love them.  Be patient and kind as they learn and grow.”

This Mother’s Day, and the rest, make sure to show the mothers in your life how much you appreciate them. We owe so much (if not our whole lives) to them so take some time to give back!

H2-Overconsumption

By

Photo contributed by Eleanor Haviland

The rise of the anti-single-use plastic water bottle movement has incited a rise in the reusable water bottle industry. In the past 20 years, names such as Camelbak, S’well, Hydroflask, and many others have rotated through the trend cycles impacting both our water consumption and our overconsumption of new products. A trip to Target or a quick shop on Amazon can supply you with the newest fad but the impact of this modern movement of always needing trendy water bottles could prove more harmful than it seems. With the increase of social media and influencers, water bottles have become more of a status symbol or collector’s item than a resource for hydration, affecting people’s pockets, the environment, and society.

     Staying on each water bottle trend comes with a hefty price tag. There have always been popular brands but when comparing to icons of the past: the classic green Gatorade bottle at $6 and a 32-ounce Nalgene is $16, with trends of the present: 30-ounce Stanley Cup is $35 and a 32-ounce Hydroflask is $30, the price disparity is glaring. Sometimes the water bottle itself isn’t enough and one needs accessories to enhance it . A rubber bottom to “protect” the easily dented metal, an interchangeable lid to match your mood for the day, or a cute silicone animal to cover your straw can all be purchased to personalize the hydration station. The sticker industry is also safe as long as people keep curating the perfect gallery on their water bottles only to misplace it the next month. Are these customizations super fun and cute? Yes. Are they also an arbitrary expense on top of the already stupidly expensive water bottle? Yes again. 

     Even worse than your bank account’s well-being is the health of our environment. While reusable water bottles are far more eco-friendly than their single-use plastic counterparts, the impacts of metal manufacturing and the bottle’s disposal method can prove just as harmful. According to Treehugger.com, many water bottle manufacturers use only virgin materials in production, despite the vast amount of recyclable stainless steel and aluminum available.” Not only is obtaining metal ore harmful to the ecosystem, but most of the United States’s supply is outsourced meaning tons of emissions from international transport alone. The carbon spewing doesn’t stop at mining, with manufacturing exacerbating air and water pollution. Treating, shaping, and painting the metal for these trendy water bottles involves the use of toxic chemicals that inevitably make it into our air and waterways and eventually wreak havoc on our ecosystems and human health. 

    Perhaps the biggest long-term effect of these water bottles is their disposal. The idea of reusable water bottles is to relieve the strain of extra plastic in our landfills but even worse than plastic in landfills is metal that can’t be recycled. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t just recycle metal with your cardboard and paper products, your decrepit dented receptacle requires specific after-life treatment at a metal recycling plant. Many bottles contain layers of insulation with mixes of aluminum and stainless steel making the recycling process difficult.  In many cases, if it isn’t easily melted down it is rejected by the metal recycling plant and sent to a landfill anyway.  In a landfill, the metal can potentially leach toxic chemicals to its surroundings, practically defeating the purpose of a reusable water bottle in the first place. 

     While buying a 40-pack of plastic water bottles is by no means better than refilling your Owala, it is important to consider moderation when feeling the urge to jump on the new water bottle bandwagon, and at the end of the day, we all need water somehow.

Mustang Moms

By

Everybody has made the mistake at least once or twice of raising their hand in class meaning to say “Miss (teacher’s name)” but instead “Mom” comes out. While this could be chalked up to a Freudian slip, it’s not hard to imagine that when you are looked after, taught life skills, and cared for by someone for hours at a time,  the title of mom doesn’t seem far-fetched. Being a field ¾ dominated by women it is safe to assume that a lot of overlap consists between those who are teachers and also mothers. Mrs. Osburn, mother to a 27 and 25-year-old and grandmother to a 16-month-old, Mrs. Hoyle, with a 3-year-old, and Mrs. Pittinaro, mother to a 17 and 21-year old all fit that demographic here at the Park and gave insight to their lives with the Hoofprint Staff

All three teachers described their favorite aspect of teaching as some variation of seeing and helping their students grow and succeed. Pittinaro explains growing relationships is her favorite, saying “It’s all about learning about them… boosting them up when they struggle and celebrating with them when they succeed.” On a similar note, Osburn admits part of it is also growing with your students, “I am continually shaping and refining them and in the process, they change me”. Hoyle relates it to her classroom, saying “I’m a history teacher and we don’t learn, in my class, about the United States at all. We instead learn about rights and protests around the world and then we can draw comparisons or parallels to our society. Now, in my 18th year of teaching, learning with my students is never boring because they help make meaning of not only the past but their current lives and our current lives together… that journey of learning together is so powerful.”

Referring to her students, Osburn admits they’re less work than real kids, saying “They are like kind of extensions of children but without the financial responsibilities… I can send them home at night, and I’m not responsible for their decisions.” Speaking of her actual children, Osburn said “My children are my greatest achievements…the most satisfying aspect of being a mother is seeing how they’ve turned into interesting, wonderful, enjoyable people to be around.” Similarly, Pittinaro says “…what makes me happiest is seeing my children succeed. Even if that is just having the courage to stand up in front of a class and give a presentation, being an active part of a club or sport, or learning how to order their own Chick-fil-a for the first time, I love to see them make those milestones.” With a younger child, Hoyle says her favorite aspect of motherhood so far is seeing the world through an entirely new lens. She professes “I’m seeing it [the world] from the lens of being a mother but I also get to see it almost through her eyes. It’s almost like reliving the parts of a childhood that I have no memory of.”

While all three educators maintained that both teaching and motherhood are extremely rewarding, Hoyle is not shy in admitting it comes with its drawbacks. She confesses “There is so much that we do, that we’re expected to do, that is not compensated…I don’t know if it’s mostly because it’s women who are teachers that it is this way but regardless, there is something there in the toil of a mother and that of a teacher that a lot gets unseen, unrecognized, and uncompensated.” On that note, use Mother’s Day as a time to show your mom that you appreciate her hard work. For future reference, Osburn and Pittinaro said their favorite Mother’s Day gifts have been handmade and from the heart, whether family members made of clay or DIY spa days, just recognize what she does for you in a thoughtful way.

Charlotte’s Forgotten Mall

By

If you’ve lived in Charlotte for any amount of time, chances are you have stepped foot in one of our many malls. Southpark, Concord Mills, and Carolina Place are all frequented by swarms of bored teens, gift shoppers, and food court dwellers, and it is nearly impossible to walk through one of them during the holidays without seeing someone you know. Those previously mentioned malls are now some of the biggest names in the Charlotte area, but in the 70’s there was only one mall worth going to.

The grand opening of Eastland Mall took place on July 30, 1975. Located on Central Avenue, between Sharon Amity and Albemarle Road, this three-story building contained 1,100,000 square feet of retail space consisting of 3 anchors (JCPenney, Ivey, and Belk) and 50+ other stores. Introducing the first mall food court to the city and operating a skating rink in the middle of the space, this mall combined entertainment, dining, and shopping like never before. Axios Charlotte says “…Eastland was a trend-setter. It wasn’t like every mall that came later — every mall that came later was like Eastland.”

For a while the mall was thriving and so was its neighborhood. Eastland was shaping up to be a perfect suburban area. By the late ‘90s and early 2000s however, this narrative had shifted. An article from 1997 by the Charlotte Business Journal describes a lawsuit between a tenant and Eastland Mall’s management where the owner of The Coffee Beanery claimed the rising crime caused them to lose 40% of their sales. Incidents like shootings, police chases, and robberies led to the mall’s reputation changing from a fun social hub, to a dangerous, crime-ridden complex. 

Further decline in the mall’s reputation was thanks to its original anchor stores pulling out of the operation. The first to go was JCPenny. According to an anonymous user on a December 2005 post for deadmalls.com, “Its JCPenney anchor became an outlet and then closed but was replaced with a classic dead mall anchor, Burlington Coat Factory, and [a] Fred’s, a regional discount chain similar to Family Dollar or Big Lots.” The author then explains how name brands like GAP were being replaced by smaller lesser-known stores, even extending to the food court with chains being replaced by local family-owned fast food joints. Things only got worse as the other two anchors left.

Between JCPenny leaving in 2002 and its foreclosure in 2010, the mall saw many changes. Owners shifted, the ice rink was turned into a soccer field, a Harris Teeter moved in and out, a movie theater reopened and reclosed, and a church ran their operations, all whilst the exterior continued to show its age and lack of uptake. After foreclosing the building sat vacant until finally facing demolition in 2013. By 2015, the Eastland community had built “Eastland DIY Skatepark” where many young Charlottiens got their first glimpse of the neighborhood. In 2020, amid exciting plans for the remaining 69 acres of land to be dedicated to a new Major League Soccer headquarters, the skatepark was demolished despite its Eastland community’s woes. Soon after demolition, the MLS plans fell through completely and the city had to come up with a new plan.

Many options were presented during the mall’s early decline, ranging from movie studio to ski slope but none of them ever stuck. According to WBTV, currently there are 3 big proposals being considered: “Eastland Aquatic Center” which projects to host 30+ events a year, a “Racquet Sports entertainment district” expecting to serve 16,000 people annually, and a massive Target anticipating to bring 300+ jobs to the city. All three options are proposed as catalysts for engagement with the local community of East Charlotte and aim to re-revitalize the area as the preceding mall once had.

Myers Park Orchestra Reigns Superior

By

Myers Park prides itself on having an extremely talented student body. Whether it’s basketball, swim & dive, or speech & debate, we always show up and make our mark in any competition. In early March, The MP orchestra proved they are no exception to this when Mr. Freeman conducted them to straight Superiors (the highest scores possible) at North Carolina’s Music Performance Adjudication (MPA). 

The MPA, which orchestra director Freeman refers to as “the gold standard in the state for performing arts assessment,” typically consists of the performance of 2-3 rehearsed pieces followed by the sight reading of a new work, both in front of a panel of 4 judges. Based on their performance and the difficulty of the piece, they are allotted 1-5 points, 1 being highest and 5 being lowest. A Superior is achieved when a 1 overall score is received from the judges. “Technically, you only have to get two judges to give you the higher ranking and they’ll take that.” Freeman explains. “So say you get two twos and two ones, they’ll give you the one overall… So then the highest score is called a Superior and there’s a difference between having two twos and two ones with a Superior as opposed to getting all ones which is where the term Straight Superior comes in, all four judges gave you a one.”

He was humble in admitting that our two competing groups, one performing pieces of the highest difficulty, got Straight Superiors, making us one of the only groups from our area to achieve such an accomplishment. However, a senior orchestra member and 7-year cellist, Abby Barton, acknowledges this feat wasn’t a surprise. With after-school rehearsals and intricate pieces, Barton says, “It is more commitment than last year but we definitely saw it pay off and we can even tell the difference in class when we’re rehearsing… It’s so rewarding to hear us all come together in the end to create a quality piece of music that we can be proud of.”

Barton explains that another element of their success was their growth as a whole unit and how much they have improved their ability to play as a group. Freeman also stresses this idea of cooperation, expressing, “Everybody has to at least understand how to work with the people around them in order to make, in our case, the music happen.” He goes on to say, “One of the biggest things people need to learn in life is how to get along with other people. The performing arts in particular, if you can’t get along with the people sitting around you it’s not going to happen and it’s so obvious.”

Freeman believes collaboration is one of the most important skills we learn in school. In other classes, teachers might encourage group work to better understand the content, but in orchestra class, the content is group work. He explains that in a typical class day, while individual performance is important, the group sound is more pressing. Instead of tests, this music-based class opts for performances meaning your success in class is based on how well you work with the group. Freeman notes, ¨As we get closer to the concerts it’s less about the “oh do you know your notes and rhythms?” it becomes more about, not only do you know your part, but again going back to collaboration. Do you know what’s going on on the other side of the room? Do you know your part and do you understand how the other parts interact with yours?”

While there isn’t a beginner’s orchestra class at the Park currently, Mr. Freeman encourages anyone interested in the musical arts to stop in and check it out. Barton notes, “Orchestra offers a unique opportunity to constantly collaborate with peers while building skills that just couldn’t be learned elsewhere.”

Avery Tackles Rugby at the Park

By

With Myers Park being such a large and diverse campus, there are numerous opportunities to find a community or group of people to fit in with. Avery Peacock, senior at MPHS, is doing her best to provide an opportunity for one such community through rugby. Avery currently plays for a club team in Charlotte but has been working to rally support to form a girls’ rugby team in upcoming years here at The Park. Having started as a freshman, Avery recently celebrated four years dedicated to the love of her sport.

“I started playing through my brother… I got cut from the Myers Park soccer team and the next day I was at rugby practice because that’s what my brother said; if I got cut I’d be there.” “Basically I just went out to practice with zero experience. I literally didn’t know anything, and I am very thankful I went to that practice,” Peacock notes. 

Though Avery’s plan to create a new team is still in the works, other schools have sought interest in participating. So far, West Charlotte, Olympic, and South Meck have all expressed interest in participation. 

Peacock  admits, “I really do wish I could’ve played for my school. Hopefully, I can get that going at the end of this year in order for them to start something next year. That’s my goal.”

Peacock’s current league, Elite Girls Rugby, consists of teams from all over the east coast spanning from Florida to New York.

“They wanted to create a league where you could get a lot of competitive rugby in one spot, just because girls rugby- the levels are very spread out across the United States,” voices Peacock 

This struggle of playing such a niche sport also serves as a binding force for the teams. “It’s a very welcoming environment just because rugby is so unfamiliar to most people that like we have to be… It’s different like everyone knows how basketball operates for the most part, people know how soccer operates, [and] football, but it’s like when people don’t know anything about a sport you have to be willing to help them.” 

“Whenever I describe it to people I would say it’s like a mix of football and soccer. Rugby is like a game of possession so the game doesn’t stop… In rugby, the point of it is you want to keep going so the game doesn’t stop and the clock runs.” 

Peacock then explains what rugby looks like in a high school context, “So there’s traditionally a 7’s team which happens in the fall, so 7 on 7… and 15’s is in the spring, so 15 on 15. Next year they’re trying to do a girls’ high school 10’s, so that’d be 10 on 10.” 

Joining the sport relatively late herself, Avery says the best way to learn how to play is by watching others. “I would just watch a game. I would watch the USA women’s 7’s, they were in the Olympics and did pretty well” 

She also explains that it is imperative to have no fear, “Just show up, just be vulnerable, get uncomfortable you know. Go somewhere you don’t know what’s going to happen and just take that chance because worst comes to worst, you don’t like it.”

With the spring season underway, Avery says it’s never too late to give rugby a try and encourages anyone interested to go out to a practice and see what it’s like firsthand. 

She is a firm believer that anyone can find what they are looking for within the rugby community and says  “If you’re the person that’s getting technicals in basketball, play rugby, or if you need an outlet, rugby. If you’ve ever felt rejected in a sport or like you’re not good enough to be on a team… and if you’re looking for change in your life, play rugby.”

Love: The Universal Language

By

As December concludes and the winter holidays pass, stores waste no time filling the shelves with pink and red carnations, chocolates, teddy bears, or anything heart-shaped. Valentine’s Day, which began as an ancient Roman celebration involving violence and lottery-determined matchmaking, has evolved over the years into a celebration of love and romance enjoyed by all. While it might be customary in America to go on a romantic date or exchange gifts with your loved ones, different Valentine’s celebrations are seen worldwide.

In Japan, there are two different holidays to celebrate love. February 14th is traditionally reserved for the girls to pamper their partners and loved ones. A month later, on March 14th, “White Day” offers an opportunity for the favor to be returned by those pampered. Typically the women will give chocolate to whomever they deem appropriate and, in return, will receive candy or white accessories like bags, jewelry, and clothing.

The “Day of Love” in the Czech Republic is celebrated on May 1st. On this day, hopeful couples are tasked with finding a blossoming cherry tree to share a kiss under to ensure health and prosperity in their relationship. Another spot for this superstition is the Karel Hynek Mácha Statue erected in honor of the “poet of love”; many young couples lay flowers at his feet to pay tribute to his work.

If you’re a hopeless romantic, you might want to consider a move to Finland or Estonia where February 14th is “Friends Day.” This day revolves around sharing your love with friends and family by spending time together, whether sitting down for a meal or ice skating. Traditional material gift-giving is replaced by the gift of each other’s presence.

The most valuable gift to give in England on Valentine’s Day is handmade and typically baked. Pastries and sweets homemade with love and a traditional heart-shaped cake given to loved ones show that you genuinely care. Flowers are also a must-have, along with inexpensive little gifts like chocolates or a teddy bear.

Slovenia celebrates “Saint Gregory’s Day” on March 12th. This day supposedly marks when the birds get married after they met a month before on Valentine’s Day. Leftover baked goods from the birds’ weddings are hung in bushes and trees for kids to find. It is also said that the first bird a woman sees in the sky that day indicates the type of husband she will have.

Whether through words, gifts, or actions, no matter where you are Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to express your love to whomever you hold close to your heart. 

From Reality to Reality TV

By

Media in recent years has featured an increase in biopics: a movie or TV show that dramatizes the life events of a real person. Films like  Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody, I, Tonya, and Rocketman hit the box office with high expectations of delivering a thrilling story about beloved pop culture icons. Streaming services have released series’ like Dahmer, Pam & Tommy, Inventing Anna, The Dropout, and Dickinson, which depict snippets of the main characters’ lives in a shorter form that viewers can binge. While these pieces are based in reality, they often end up sacrificing details or the true nature of events to craft a more captivating story. 

The 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody followed Freddy Mercury’s career alongside the band Queen’s rise and fall. . They touched on significant  events like the formation of the band, their performance at Live Aid, the writing of “We Will Rock You”, and other hit songs, all the way to Freddy’s tragic AIDS diagnosis. While this film was nominated for five awards, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role and Best Motion Picture, with a more critical lens, the fallacies present in the storyline stick out like a sore thumb. The movie shows that for the band to play at Live Aid they had to reunite from a hiatus and relearn how to play together to pull off their iconic 17-minute performance. In actuality, Queen had released their widely successful album “The Works” a year before and had just ended a 9-month world tour. Ultimately, they were anything but unprepared to perform as a group. Another inaccuracy appears when Freddy tells his bandmates of his AIDS diagnosis before their previously mentioned gig. Live Aid occurred in July of 1985 when, as Peter Freestone- a friend of Freddy’s- told Express Online “Freddie thought he was sick in 1986 and it was confirmed in 1987.”, meaning the movie overlooked at least a whole year of real history to supplement the storyline and make the event seem more high stakes.

In early 2022 streaming services Hulu and Disney+ began airing Pam & Tommy, a whirlwind story of the early 90’s “it” couple, Pamela Anderson & Tommy Lee, and their 3-year marriage. Not only was the series produced without the permission or knowledge of Pamela Anderson, but it also makes light of the shame and humiliation she endured during the relationship, especially regarding her and Tommy’s sex tape being leaked. The show mainly focuses on that last point, with the showrunner Rob Siegal telling Entertainment Weekly, “We very clearly, unambiguously present them as victims of a crime, which they were.” Many critics claim it achieves the opposite effect. Rand Gauthier- the man responsible for the copying and distributing of the intimate video, is played by Seth Rogan in the series. Known for his teddy bear-like charm and overall chill vibe, one wouldn’t expect him to play the broad-shouldered, rough-and-ready electrician he was acting as. The stylistic choice can be overlooked as just that, but in a different light can be seen as a way to make the story feel more conflicting to the viewer- it starts to feel like you should be rooting for this blue-collar worker who is seeking revenge for losing a valuable job due to Tommy’s self-righteous attitude. On top of all this, Pamela is depicted as a two-dimensional bombshell lacking any attributes other than her looks and given less of a compelling storyline than Rand. 

The misrepresentation in biopics shows Hollywood’s willingness to blatantly bend the truth to create more monetarily successful projects regardless of the facts. Generalizing details for the sake of plot twists and keeping viewers entertained seems to be the name of the game.

Long Live The Queen

By

Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully on September 8th, 2022 ending her 70-year reign over England and its many sovereign states. On April 21, 1926, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born, the eldest daughter of Prince Albert Duke of York and his wife Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. At the time, the next in line for the throne was her childless uncle Edward VIII and if Edward was to have children, they would replace her father in succession to the throne. While seemingly unlikely that Elizabeth would occupy the royal spotlight, fates changed when Edward fell in love with an American divorced woman and abdicated the throne to his younger brother to marry her. Elizabeth’s father was named King George VI and with no male siblings, a future of royalty was secured for the young princess. In another turn of events, World War II began in 1939 when Elizabeth was 13 years old. In order to avoid the dangers of the war, like many other children at the time, Elizabeth and her sister were sent away from their parents. However, unlike their peers, they had the pleasure of spending that time in Windsor Castle where Elizabeth gained an education from various college professors and experts in their field.

In 1944, when Elizabeth turned 18, the princess insisted that it was time to do her part in the war effort. She joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (female branch of the British Army) where she quickly gained her footing in mechanics and began maintaining a driving and vehicle maintenance operation. The lessons she learned from her time in the army carried over to her reign, often drawing parallels between her army experience and current role, as a guide for Britain through crises and turmoil. Two years after the war she was married to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in a wedding that was broadcasted to an estimated 200 million TVs worldwide. After her father’s untimely death in 1952, Elizabeth was crowned at age 25 and the new Queen began her corgi-accompanied and colorfully-dressed reign. 

Following WWII, nations formerly under British rule began to declare independence and the public view of the Monarchy changed. BBC news stated they were beginning to see Elizabeth and her court as “too British” and “upper-class”. People began to feel disconnected from the crown and the Queen quickly realized that. To help their image, the title of “the Monarchy” was slowly replaced by the less rigid “Royal Family”. Their efforts to humanize themselves went as far as allowing a BBC crew to film the inside of their home for a documentary where they could be seen doing everyday activities. The film brought back the idea that the Royals were normal people.

More recently Elizabeth maintained the integrity of the crown during what she has called their “annus horribilis” consisting of all the events of 1992. Windsor Castle was both metaphorically and physically on fire given that three of her four children went against the royal standard by divorcing their spouses and the castle was literally set ablaze, destroying 115 rooms and causing £36.5 million in repairs. 

The early 2000s saw tensions ease for the Royals, Elizabeth celebrated her 50th year on the throne in ‘02 and the resulting “Golden Jubilee” saw England rejoice. Prince Charles’ marriage to Camilla Parker Bowels in ‘05 went over well with the public, and the world regained interest in royal life with the marriage of Prince William (Elizabeth’s eldest grandson) to Katherine Middleton. Despite the challenges she faced in her final years including Covid-19 and the death of her husband in the spring of 2021, the Queen’s impact on the world has not diminished nor does it seem like it ever will. The amazing floral memorial surrounding Buckingham Palace serves as a small reminder of the influence Elizabeth left as the powerful, hardworking, and well-loved monarch who carried the Royal Family through to the modern ages.