Jessica Barnett
Editor
I voted in my first presidential election in 1996. I was 8 years old. Some of my classmates decorated signs to hang on the back of their chairs or wore stickers on their shirts and backpacks. I didn’t know who any of the candidates were, except that one had the same name as a banana. The girl in front of me had a Clinton sign, so when it was time to vote, I picked him.
It was the most attention I paid to an election or politics until I turned 20.
Patrick Wiggins
Feature Editor
“I’m pretty much f*****.”
And so begins the New York Times best selling book “The Martian.”
And the college student when she realized it was close to impossible to bring her grade up to passing.
As well as the other college student who suddenly found himself pulled over by a police officer and was driving without a license.
And a citizen of Laketown when she saw Smaug the dragon flying towards them in The Hobbit.
And countless others all across this country, both in real life and the fake one.
Patrick Wiggins
Feature Editor
Ever wanted to know what the pressures from working in a top kitchen might be like? Well, "Burnt" does a nice job of bringing that to the big screen with the help of performances from Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Sienna Miller (American Sniper) and Daniel Bruhl (Rush).
Asia Duren
Editor
In recent years, the everyday use of cell phones has skyrocketed, and I am not alone in believing that they are ruining our relationships.
I cannot count the times I have been with a group of friends sitting in pure silence. We were not silent because we were sad, tired or angry, but because we were all on our cell phones. When a conversation does start, it spurs from a post someone saw on Facebook or a picture someone posted on Instagram. That is absolutely insane. If a room full of educated college students cannot carry on a conversation without getting ideas from social media, then where is our society headed?
Asia Duren
Editor
For as long as I can remember, Halloween has been my mother's favorite holiday. She says she likes the idea of getting to be whatever, or whoever, you want to be once a year. (She also really likes that we don't have to throw parties and give presents.) My question is this: Why can't we be whatever we want to be every day?
When you ask a child what he or she wants to be for Halloween, you get a broad spectrum of replies. You could get anything from a dog to an astronaut to a trash can (yes, I was a trash can one year). So we laugh and think to ourselves, why does this child want to be this? Personally, I wanted to hide in my trash can and scare people walking by. I thought my costume would be hilarious, and I like to make people laugh.
Frederick L. Brown
Reporter
As September rolls along, there are a lot of great films showing in theaters. The top movies showing at local theaters are: "The Perfect Guy," "War Room," "The Visit," and "A Walk in the Woods." So far, "The Perfect Guy" has earned more than $25.9 million at the box office.
"The Perfect Guy" is a suspenseful thriller that features an all-star cast, including actress Sanaa Lathan, in addition to actors Michael Ealy and Morris Chestnut.
Asia Duren
Editor
This is my first column as editor, and I thought it might be nice for all of you to get to know me a little better. My name is Asia Claire Duren. I am 20 years old, and I am from Muscle Shoals, Ala. I am studying to get a communication degree with a minor in legal studies. I love being involved on campus.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved to tell stories. When I was little, I would always start stories with, "Ponce a wanna time," rather than the classic, "Once upon a time," not because I thought I was right, but because I wanted to be different than everybody else.
Evan Fox
Editor
Lately, it seems as if America has become a nation of lines instead of the melting pot it was originally meant to be. When I say lines, I mean people are being separated by different issues. Opinions are becoming actions and those who wish to stay neutral are being forced to a side.
The nation was founded as a place where people can be free from persecution. Originally it was in order to practice religion freely. It soon became about personal freedoms and equal rights for all individuals. Granted, America has fallen short of those ideals and has had to recover from major pitfalls.
Great orators and their quieter counterparts once brought great change and won many victories. The Civil Rights Movement is the most recent one that comes to mind. People were not afraid to strive for change and let their voice be heard. It was a glorious time.
Charlie Benton
Features Editor
“American Sniper” follows the story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle. The film has been controversial throughout its run, with some critics lauding the film for its realistic, gritty view of the wars in the Middle East and some believing the opposite, going as far as saying that the entire film is based on lies. Even with the controversy, or perhaps because of it, the film has grossed more than $316 million worldwide so far during its run, according to Boxofficemojo.com.
Here is what six W students had to say about “American Sniper.”
Question: Did you like “American Sniper,” and do you feel like it is an accurate depiction of the war in the Middle East?