World’s most beautiful beaches

During my summer travels I got the chance to explore beaches around Europe. I grew up in Panama City, and all I’ve ever known is white sand and the teal gulf.

The view from my mom’s condo in Panama City Beach

After some traveling, I think I have taken it for granted. Is Panama City Beach really home to the world’s most beautiful beaches? I think so.

I brag to my friends in England about how Panama City Beach has pure white sand that squeaks when your feet brush through it. I don’t shut up about how I love swimming in the Gulf of Mexico all day. As you enter Panama City Beach the welcome sign says “World’s Most Beautiful Beaches,” and I’ve concluded it’s true.

This summer was the first time I have visited Spain. It’s also the first time I have been to a beach with stones. The beach is covered in stones, so be prepared to wear your sandals to get down to the water.

All of Spain’s beaches aren’t like this. Javea, Spain, has a beach without stones, but it’s still not comparable to the place I call home. In Javea, you can rent personal watercraft, paddleboards, floating slides and beach chairs.

Javea, Spain, main beach area with golden sand

Javea, Spain, stone beach by La Siesta Beach Club

I will say you can find the best beachside cocktails here. When they are not having their afternoon siesta, it’s never too early for happy hour in Spain.

Beachside Mojito at La Siesta in Javea

St. Tropez, France, has breath-taking beaches, but it’s very different than Panama City Beach. With golden sand and clear water, I wanted to swim in the ocean all day. The sand was a little too coarse for me as I felt my feet were getting exfoliated.

St. Tropez has more unlimited water sports than any other place I’ve been. You can even find the latest water sport crazes, such as flyboarding, jet surfing and walking paddleboard. I can assure you you won’t find yourself bored here.

St. Tropez Beach

Flyboarding in St. Tropez

As you walk along the beach, there are endless beach club and restaurants. The beach clubs serve amazing food with some of the freshest seafood and sushi I’ve had.

Sushi boat at Nikki Beach St. Tropez for lunch

I think St. Tropez is my second favorite beach. Panama City Beach has stolen my heart for first.

— Brittany Sowell

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

One day in Paris

I couldn’t end my summer travels in Europe without seeing Paris. Growing up I was obsessed with the Eiffel Tower and never thought I’d get the chance to see it in person.

My favorite part about my day in Paris was that I got to explore it with eight of my best friends.

When we arrived in Paris, we went to lunch at Le Café Marly, which overlooks the iconic Louvre Pyramid.

This is where I had the best truffle ravioli of my life. 

After lunch, we took some photos in front of the pyramid before heading to the lock bridge.

Last year, Paris removed the love locks from the bridges as they were making them too heavy and beginning to collapse. It was estimated there were more than 1 million locks weighing 45 tons.

Since this happened, they have new railing to lock your love locks so we were able to do the tourist tradition. 

After we locked our love locks and threw the key over the bridge, we rode on the tour guided bikes through the city as we made our way to the Eiffel Tower.

The bike was pedaled by a driver for a fee. It cost 30 euros to travel from the lock bridge to the tower.

Once we arrived at the tower, we were sightseeing and taking photos.

We didn’t go up in the Eiffel Tower as we only cared about actually seeing it. 

After being a tourist around the tower, our day in Paris came to an end. One thing that surprised me about Paris is that it wasn’t as crowed as I imagined. It was quite peaceful and one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The food was great, and there is endless shopping. We couldn’t have asked for a better day in Paris.  

 — Brittany Sowell

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

‘Suicide Squad’: Summary and analysis WITH SPOILERS

If you want to avoid spoilers, read the previous version of my review.

Now that you have been thoroughly warned that this section will spoil the movie for you, we can begin to get into the juicy stuff.

This film follows the events of “Batman v Superman,” in which Superman is seen as a deadly alien that could have destroyed the planet. Amanda Waller, head of a secret government defense agency plans to use detained super villains to prevent a meta-human attack. Along with a team of super villains and the powerful, 6,000-year-old Enchantress, Waller is granted her request in creating Task Force X, aka the Suicide Squad, under the supervision of Col. Rick Flag.

The Enchantress later escapes to release her trapped bother, Incubus. She vows to create a machine with her supernatural powers that will wipe out the human population so she and Incubus can rule the planet once more.

In response to the destruction by Incubus and the power surging from Enchantress’ spell, the U.S. calls upon Task Force X, which is controlled using bombs implanted in their necks. After losing Slipknot to a failed escape attempt, the group fights an army of creatures created by the Enchantress. Finally arriving to their destination, the group discovers their mission was to save Waller.

The group goes to the rooftop for rescue, finding The Joker in the hijacked helicopter. A tech specialist on Joker’s crew disables Harley’s bomb, giving her a chance to escape. Just as Harley and Joker are reunited, a missile hits the helicopter and Harley falls out and lands on a nearby rooftop. The helicopter crashes and explodes.

Waller leaves in another helicopter, which is quickly brought down by Incubus. The lone survivor of the crash, Waller is taken by Enchantress’ creatures and her mind is used to show the secret to defeating mankind.

Meanwhile at Waller’s fallen helicopter, Deadshot realizes their true mission after reading a binder containing top secret information. After learning the truth and accepting defeat, the Suicide Squad retreats to the bar across the street.

The super villains start to share sob stories about their lives and understand that there isn’t a place for them in this world. Deadshot and Harley explain that they all might be bad guys who are ugly on the inside, but aren’t ugly on the outside. So they start to own their mistakes, and make them apart of who they are. After their heated discussion, Flag walks in, desperate for help, tells them that if he doesn’t do something to stop The Enchantress that the woman he loves, Dr. June Moon, who is trapped inside of her, will die. He gives them permission to leave, relinquishing them of their duties and walks out to save Dr. Moon. Swallowing some pride, the Squad decides to come along.

The group decides to plant an explosive underneath the footing of Incubus. Killer Croc, having the ability to swim in the sewer takes the lead and clears a path for the soldiers carrying the explosive. The rest of the Squad and Flag heads inside the subway station to divert Enchantress. Knowing their presence, The Enchantress puts visions of their greatest desires in each person’s mind. El Diablo is the only one isn’t fooled by the false vision and snaps himself out of her trance. After awaking everyone else, Diablo fights Incubus and becomes a sort of fire demi-god as he becomes enraged. He fights Incubus and holds him down until the explosion kills them both.

Enchantress cries out for her brother, but it is too late. She and the rest of the Squad members fight until she allows them a chance to join her army. Harley walks forward to ask Enchantress for one thing. She wishes for Joker to be brought back to life and Enchantress says she will give her anything she wants as long as she worships her. Harley kneels down before her, reaches for Katana’s blade and slashes Enchantress’ heart out. Her powers start to fade once again and the Squad moves in quickly. In a series of slow-motion action, Killer Croc throws a pile of C-4 at the still thriving magical vortex of Enchantresses spell. After fighting The Enchantress’ apparition of his daughter, Deadshot fires at the C-4, which explodes inside the magical vortex, shutting it down completely.

Defeated and in a much weakened state, Enchantress pleads with the Squad to kill her so she can be with her brother. After pleading with her to bring back June, Flag squeezes the Enchantress’ heart until it crumbles into pieces. Enchantress falls dead. When it seems all hope is lost, June’s face appears through all the muck and mud left from Enchantress’ body. The two lovers hold each other and start to kiss.

While the rest of Squad members talk about what they plan to do next, Waller reappears, still holding their explosives. Because they saved the world, Waller agrees to fulfill a request for each of them in addition to 10 years off their prison sentences. They all ask for something, except for Captain Boomerang, who claims that 10 years off his triple life sentence isn’t worth it. He threatens to leave and is quickly stopped by Waller who still threatens to blow off his head again.

Each member is given what they asked for; Deadshot is seen with his daughter, Killer Croc gets a TV put in his cell, and Harley gets her espresso machine, while Boomerang is thrown into a tiny cell with nothing.

As the movie slowly winds to end, masked prison guards bust through the walls of Belle Reve prison to Harley’s cell. Several dozen break through and open Harley’s cell. One masked guard walks in and takes off his mask. The Joker is revealed and he tells Harley that they’re leaving. Ecstatic to see her lover still alive, Harley springs toward him and they escape together. End of movie.

Disappointments

• The most disappointing aspect of the movie was that The Joker was not in it enough. I already knew this going in to the movie from hearing a lot of the reviews, but I still imaged him being in it a lot more, just going by the trailers. A lot of his scenes that had me really excited about the movie that were from the trailers were either cut short or just completely cut out entirely. If I had one bad review it would be that. The actor portraying The Joker, Jared Leto, said after seeing the premiere that a lot of his scenes were cut out. So I hear this and I’m like, why have him in the movie then? He’s obviously not the main villain of the movie so that clearly points to Enchantress as the villain, and I was right. Jared Leto said that this was probably the hardest character he ever had to portray, so that just confuses the heck out of me. He puts all this time and effort in playing this iconic character and he’s hardly in the movie. Quite honestly, he really has no affiliation with the plot of the movie. He’s used a backstory for Harley Quinn and he shows up occasionally to retrieve her, but the movie really made no effort in making him a bigger deal than he really was. He’s really only a third party in the movie, with his own agenda. I enjoyed every second of screen time he had and just wanted to see more of him is all. All that being said, I get the idea of limiting this new Joker in the movie that doesn’t revolve around him just to get him out there and prepare us for him in later movies, and whenever a new director uses him, he/she can fix or change the things that people didn’t like about him. The movie isn’t about him, he has to be there to tell the Harley Quinn story I get that; we were lucky enough to get him in the movie more than we did, but still I am still disappointed in his lack of screen time. My hats off to you Mr. Leto, you did a great job, hope to see you as The Joker again!   
• There were several other scenes that were shown in the trailers and TV spots that were cut from the movie completely, other than The Joker ones. Reasons I’ve heard for that is that these scenes presented an entirely different movie than what was released for theatres. I get that all movies go through these same kinds of cuts, but in researching on what scenes were cut, it is very disappointing to not get to see these on film. Some of them sound really amazing, and it’s just a shame that I didn’t get to see them on the big screen. I am hopeful that when the film finally gets released for Blu-Ray and DVD we get a Director’s Cut, including all of these scenes, just as Batman v Superman did. In my opinion the Director’s Cut was far better than the theatrical version. I still love the film for what it was, but I can’t help but think of what it could have been.  

Other things I’d like to mention 

Batman

If you went ahead a read The Plot in further detail piece, then you are well aware that Batman is in this film. His scenes were very short, as expected, but they proved to be pretty vital to the story. Batman did apprehend both Deadshot and Harley Quinn, as well as appearing in a dream sequence by Deadshot where he kills Batman. Other than those few scenes Batman wasn’t involved in the rest of the film, which is fine, until the mid-credits scene. Bruce Wayne is sitting with Amanda Waller after everything that has transpired with the Suicide Squad and they’re discussing doing business. She claims that if anyone finds out the truth about what happened in Midway City and with her Task Force X that she’ll be ruined; Bruce offers her protection, if she gives him what he wants. She does. And what he gets are files on the meta-humans. Bruce then gets up to walk out the door and turns back to Waller when she tells him to stop working nights, that he looks tired, basically telling him she knows he’s Batman, he tells her he’d more worried about shutting down her Task Force X, before he and his new friends do. End of movie for real this time.

Ike Barinholtz’s character

After much deliberation and discussion on who Barinholtz’s character could be, he is no more than Griggs, the Belle Reve prison guard captain or as his uniforms say: Alpha 1. Known for his comedic skills, Barinholtz was thought to be brought in for more than just the silly guy, and he was, as he is very much disliked by the inmates of Belle Reve of whom he torments. And though he played a jerk and a bad guy the inmates wanted to kill, he was still pretty funny. We do see him later on in the movie with The Joker at some casino or night club where he is given something (later proven to be a cellphone) to give to Harley from The Joker. After delivering it, Harley laughs and tells him he’s screwed. I don’t recall seeing him again after that.

Scott Eastwood’s character

Being such a young actor, many had hoped that Scott would be playing Nightwing, Batman’s first Robin sidekick. It was never revealed in the movie that he was any more than Lieutenant GQ, a leader in Rick Flag’s military force.  With very little screen time, there was nothing that special to the character other than him following orders or asking questions about the mission. I don’t even think he survived to be quite honest. I could be wrong, though.

Slipknot (Adam Beach)

As most of us could have guessed from seeing the trailers and other footage, we accurately guessed Slipknot would be the first member to die. In order to prove the Nano-bombs implanted into their necks would actually go off if they escaped, there needed to be at least one member’s head blown off. Poor Slipknot never had a chance. He was tricked into escaping by Captain Boomerang, who I think used him as a scapegoat to see if the bombs were legit. He told him that nothing would happen, that the “bombs” were a trick to imprison them in their own minds. Boomerang went one way and was caught by Katana, and Slipknot tried to escape using his grapple gun to jump a building. That was all she wrote, as Flag detonated the bomb in Slipknot’s neck and blew his head off. Sorry Adam Beach, your screen time has now ended at five minutes.

Common’s character 

Many were hoping, including myself, that Common’s character was going to be the main villain, but were denied. Instead of being The Tattooed Man, who can project images off his body, he was just simply Monster T, an unknown character in the DC Universe. He was shown in one of the flashbacks to Harley Quinn’s creation story as it showed him in Joker’s night club looking to talk business. He welcomes Joker back into the business after he had been incarcerated and told him he would be profitable help for his business. Joker, not really paying him much attention, held his gaze on his lovely girlfriend, Harley Quinn, as she was dancing on main stage in the club. Monster T turned his head and made an insulting comment about Harley and that caused Joker to get up and call Harley over. He told Monster T that Harley belonged to him now and she climbed up onto his lap, enticing him. Wanting no trouble, Monster T started to back off, claiming Harley was Joker’s girl. Without any notice Joker pulls a pistol out and shoots him dead.

Overall opinion 

This was a really exciting film that I think all movie and comic book lovers would really enjoy. The acting was above average. Though the plot was a bit wonky in some areas, it still worked and made for a very interesting story. This was a fun film. I laughed more than I thought I would. I nerded out (shut up, it’s a word) more than I thought I would. And I liked characters I didn’t expect to like.

Forget what the critics have said and enjoy the movie for what it is. Is it perfect? No. It’s not the worst comic book film; it’s actually far from it. And it’s not the best, nor does it try to be. Director David Ayer created his own adaptation of a comic book movie, and it worked.

I highly recommend seeing this movie, even if you’re one of those lame Marvel fan boys who have nothing good to say about anything DC. I guarantee you’ll enjoy yourself. I plan on seeing it again at least a couple more times while it’s still in theaters. You just have to see a movie like this again and catch some new things you may have missed the first time.

I give this movie 4 ½ menacing laughs out of 5

This is me going to see Suicide Squad for the second time

— Cory Morris

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

‘Suicide Squad’: Non-spoiler summary and analysis

For those who haven’t read my preview to this movie, you should go ahead and read that before going any further.

Okay, you’ve read it now? Good. Let’s continue.

I will try my very best to keep this review mullet-style. Meaning, a basic, spoiler-free, movie review will be in this post. All the juicy spoilers will be left for a later post.

The best possible way I can describe this movie is this: It’s not as good as expected, but it’s definitely not as bad as you’ve heard.

To begin, I would have to say I was looking forward to this movie for probably over a year, so I had some pretty high expectations. Some were met and others were not, but that didn’t make or break it for me.

Ever since the first set photos were released, which was sometime last summer, along with an unofficial trailer, I had fallen in love with what I was seeing. The marketing team for this movie had done its job; I was hooked. Growing up I was the typical nerdy kid who loved superheroes and comic books, so whenever any of these movies come out I just have to see it. Now, to be quite honest I hadn’t heard of the Suicide Squad comics before the movie, so I wasn’t sure of what to expect. But thank God for the Internet, right? From the moment I heard of a new DC Comics movie, I had to learn as much as I could to have some kind of background knowledge. So, for the next year I studied up on the Suicide Squad. And after I thought I knew enough, I felt like I knew what I was getting into and I could honestly call myself a casual fan.

The Plot 

The general plot of this movie can be taken from the comics: A secret government agency, led by Amanda Waller, creates a team of imprisoned super-villains to perform dangerous black-op missions in order to shorten their prison sentences. These missions are considered to be so dangerous, those recruited to execute said mission aren’t expected to survive. If you want a more detailed description of the plot, please read The Plot in further detail piece in the spoilers section.

The Characters

Those who know me know I am a huge DC Comics fan. Yes, I like Marvel Comics, but I just happen to prefer DC. I don’t really know why.

Those who know me really well know I am a huge Batman fan. Seriously, this fandom goes back to my adolescent days when I would dress up as Batman for Halloween three years in a row. Anything to do with Batman I love. I have such a love for this fictional character I have even begun to love his villains almost as much. I don’t care what anyone says, DC fans or Marvel fans, Batman has the best villains out of any other superhero.

It just so happens that a lot of the characters imprisoned and coaxed into being part of the Suicide Squad are Batman villains. It would also be natural to like his arch enemy, The Joker.

One of the first cast photos released for this film was of the new Joker. It’s no surprise this character is one of the most iconic beings in comic book and cinema history, just look at the famous actors who have portrayed him over the years. What is surprising is when doing my research on the Suicide Squad comics, is that The Joker really isn’t ever a part of them. His love interest, Harley Quinn, is.

I assumed The Joker would show up only to serve as a backstory to Harley Quinn and possibly show up once here and there in the movie. Either way, I knew I was going to see The Joker in this movie, along with other notorious comic book villains.

There are some things about these characters that I can’t say to keep from spoiling anything. I will go in some more detail on some of them in the spoilers section.

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) 

The leader of the secret government agency which recruits the super-villains is Amanda Waller. Don’t think that just because she’s a woman she can’t handle her own, in fact that is far from the truth; she is probably one of the more intimidating characters of the movie. She goes before the U.S. government to plead her case as to why they need this team, and she doesn’t back down. She convinces those in charge that the team is necessary and is given full control of them. She was tough, brutal and fearless, and she was one of the pleasant surprises of the film. She was easily one of the best, if not the best aspects of the film. If Viola Davis doesn’t get at least some nominations for her performance in this movie, then there should be riots in the streets.

Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney)

A lot of people seem to give Jai Courtney a hard time because of his lackluster performances in movies. Some of that is blamed on him being miscast into roles not suited to his acting abilities, or he’s just a lousy actor. I have never seen him in anything else, so I didn’t have anything to go on. And once again I had to do a lot of research on Captain Boomerang to understand who he was. He’s simply an Australian criminal who seems to have boomerang fetish. I wasn’t overly impressed with this character, but I wasn’t completely bored with him either. I’m just on the fence with him; maybe seeing the movie another time or two will I be able to make a legitimate conclusion on him. Could they have found a better actor to portray this character? Yes. But they also could have used a better member of the Suicide Squad. Regardless, Captain Boomerang was a useful character for the movie’s plot, to an extent, and he did make me laugh a time or two.  Jai Courtney did well with what he was given.  

Deadshot (Will Smith) 

I knew quite a bit about Deadshot going into this movie and I really appreciate Will Smith as an actor, so I was really intrigued with how he would perform. As per usual, Will Smith played Will Smith in another movie. Remember his characters in Men in Black, Wild Wild West, I Robot and Independence Day? They were all basically the same character, but it worked. He brought the Deadshot character to life and even though he still portrayed the same character as usual, Will Smith’s Deadshot was amazing. Deadshot in the comics, video games and animated series is known as a deadly marksman who has diarrhea of the mouth. Simply put, he never shuts up. This is what we got out of this Deadshot, and Will Smith did a phenomenal job. The dude was arrogant, funny, charming and above all else hardcore with a skill none can match.

Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) 

There was a lot of speculation surrounding the Enchantress and what her role was going to be in the film. There were rumors of her being the main villain as well as her being a backup to the Suicide Squad in case they should fail their mission. I was really intrigued with how they used her in the movie. I had never heard of the character, I only knew from doing research that she was a witch with unstoppable magical powers. And as little as I knew about the character, I knew even less about the actress portraying her. Cara Delevinge is a model turned actress, so basically all I knew about her was they were getting a pretty face to play a witch – sounds like an odd combination, but the creators made it work. And though her performance is the most heavily criticized by fans and critics alike, I feel like Cara portrayed the character reasonably well. There were times when I cringed because of her poor acting skills, but she did better than what everyone is saying.

El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) 

Holy cow this guy was amazing! Without spoiling much, El Diablo is a pyrokinetic, which means he has the ability to create and manipulate fire. Jay Hernandez is an average actor in my opinion and wasn’t quite capable of handling such a large role as Diablo, but he earned a lot of respect from me with his performance.

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie)

I have seen Margot Robbie in a few other films before and she was simply amazing, sometimes shining over veteran actors – see Wolf of Wall Street. So knowing what she is capable of I was thrilled to see her cast to play the iconic girlfriend to The Joker, Harley Quinn. Margot Robbie’s take on Harley Quinn is the first to make it to the big screen. She had a lot of pressure to make this character come to life beyond the comic books and animated series, and in my opinion she did the character justice. She was intimidating, funny and sexy; it was the perfect rendition. I can’t wait to see more of her in future films. Some of her jokes did fall flat, but not all of her jokes are supposed to start a laughing riot. She’s just supposed to be this obnoxious sex appeal, who is just as sinister as The Joker. Margot Robbie was born for this role.

The Joker (Jared Leto) 

Without giving too much away, The Joker was used as a backstory for Harley Quinn as predicted, but he was also used for other present scenes as well. It was obvious that the two actors portraying the characters The Joker and Harley Quinn shared enough chemistry on and off set in order to make me believe in their romantic relationship on film. As for The Joker, his performance was going to be heavily criticized for several reasons. For one thing, Jared Leto had some big shoes to fill ever since Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in 2008’s “The Dark Knight.” This Joker was going to be either something the fans looked forward to see because of how different he was or it was going to be strongly disliked because of who they cast to play him and how different this version of The Joker was going to look. I’ll admit the first photo that came out that showed a wide-mouth Joker covered in tattoos and sporting a grill didn’t sit too well with me, but I liked Jared Leto as an actor, so I was going to hold my judgments until after I see him in action. And after learning a little bit more about this particular Joker I came pretty fond of this version and was even more ecstatic to see him on the big screen. After seeing the movie, he didn’t disappoint. He was menacing and twisted, just what I expected to see out The Joker. Even though he wasn't your typical Joker who cracks jokes all the time, this new interpretation made him look more psychotic and evil and that was just fine with me.  

Katana (Karen Fukuhara)

Katana was sort of the bodyguard to team captain, Rick Flag, as she was used to aid him in keeping the other Squad members in line, as well as keeping Flag from any immediate danger. Skilled with her Soultaker sword, Katana was very tactical with the blade in hand and probably one of the more accomplished fighters in the film. I did feel that her entrance into the movie was a little forced, as she didn’t join the group until nearly halfway through the movie. She sort of just jumped in just as the crew was taking off into their mission and even though she was properly introduced, it was a little strange for her to come in as randomly as she did. I did enjoy watching her in action however, and the supernatural secret to her sword was pretty awesome. If I am correct, I believe this was Karen Fukuhara’s first American movie she’s ever been a part of, as she usually does performances in Japan. That being said, I felt she held her own among the rest of the cast. With few speaking parts and most of them in Japanese, I felt I didn’t get enough of the character other than her innate ability to wield a sword, to fully understand who she really is. They gave little detail to her backstory, but I suppose they gave enough to roll with for the time being. I would still like to see more of her; she was a very interesting character.

Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) 

Killer Croc was going to be difficult character to create and to portray. In comics, animated series, and in the video games he’s supposed to be 8 foot or taller. Originally, yes, he was just at normal height, but still a man covered in scales. I really loved the way they created him for this movie. He was still a regular-sized man, but had all the physical characteristics of a crocodile; it was very interesting to see on film. He was so beast-like he was startling to look portray an actual crocodile. I really loved the line in the movie where they’re talking about Killer Croc acting like a beast, so they decided to treat him like one, as they threw in a large piece of meat into his cell. He didn’t talk much in the movie, and I can see why. It was pretty difficult in understanding what he was saying. I don’t know if that was because of the fake teeth he had to wear or if the creators wanted him have such a deep, raspy voice to sound more animalistic, whatever the reason, he was hard to understand. I can remember whenever he spoke a lot of people in the theater would be turning to their neighbor, probably asking at what he just said. Regardless, I enjoyed his character. Along with his frightening physical appearance, this guy was a brute. He was basically the muscle of the Suicide Squad and in battle he displayed his strength and agility exceptionally.  

Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) 

Rick Flag is the unquestioned leader of Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad. Though, technically not a member of the Squad himself, he is given control of the group as the leader of Waller’s military force accompanying the Squad on their mission. I knew coming in to the movie that Joel Kinnaman had the acting chops to be the stern Rick Flag that the movie needed – look at the RoboCop remake. A lot of his performance is heavily criticized for being so grumpy and grouchy throughout the movie. All I have to say to that is, when was a leader of a secret military force in charge of dangerous criminals not grouchy about his position? The guy had to be the one in charge, control this group of super-villains and complete the mission at hand; of course he’s going to be perturbed, get off his back. Joel did just fine in my book. He was the leader the group needed to take charge of the situation. And he wasn’t always such a grump; he had moments of compassion and some redefining moments of emotion. It was a very realistic take on the character.  

A slight scare before seeing the movie 

So with all this knowledge, with all this hype, and with everything else going on in between, we the fans, including myself, got a huge letdown the week the movie starts to show. Low and behold the movie critics come to bring it all down. With review after review, the critics start to slice and dice this movie and tear it a new one. The first reviews come out, and they’re just awful. Not bad, but awful. Everything about the movie is being heavily criticized. 1 out of every 5 reviews (if not more) from the critics just totally slammed this movie from beginning to end. I start to hear about this and read some of the negative reviews and my balloon of enthusiasm slowly starts to lose all its air and I’m just waiting for it to start flying around the room. With over a year of excitement built up, it all started to crumble in just a few short days before it officially hit theaters. What a bummer…

But after seeing this movie several times I am at a loss on what these critics were complaining about. I have no idea why this film has received such a poor rating. Some of the complaints exclaimed that this movie was too much like a comic book… Yes, take a moment to let that stupidity sink in. It’s supposed to look like a comic book; it’s a movie adaptation from the comic books! I don’t know, I’m not a movie critic, well not a “highly qualified” paid movie critic, so I don’t really understand where they’re coming from. This was a pretty awesome movie if you ask me.

— Cory Morris

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

Missing American grocery stores

While traveling in Europe this summer, I’ve concluded that I miss America’s grocery stores, particularly Publix.

Publix in Panama City is my holy grail for groceries. Always there to satisfy my needs, we are best friends. I’m big into organic food, and Publix’s Greenwise options are my ride or die.

It wasn’t until I experienced foreign supermarkets that I realized Publix had me spoiled.
Waitrose is my supermarket of choice in England but still isn’t up to par. The selections are much smaller and you can’t find as much organic variety. If you know me and know how much of a foodie I am, this is devastating.

Even more devastating is that no grocery stores I’ve experienced here have a sushi counter that makes fresh sushi daily. The convenience of walking into Publix and getting a tuna avocado roll is non-existent. Is that real life? Not for me.

The things I would do to have Publix’s Greenwise organic chocolate ice cream right now. I would probably go as far as shaving my head to have a gallon of that in front of me. Only kidding but c’mon.

America’s grocery stores are the real deal and being away this summer has made me realise this. Publix has forever spoiled me. Like Drake would say, “You're my right hand, you're my go to.”

Here are some items from Waitrose I’ve settled for:

organic butter

organic cream cheese

organic piada shells

veggie burgers

— Brittany Sowell

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

Thank you, Facebook: Reconnecting with an old friend

I met my first best friend in pre-kindergarten at Leal Elementary in Mission, Texas.

It started with a fight over a fake box of cereal that was in our miniature, wooden play kitchen. (Insert gender predictability comment here.) She was playing with some other little girl and I grabbed something that wasn’t “mine” and that was that.

I fearfully gave it to her, and I don’t remember what happened after that. What I do know is that we became friends almost immediately.

Her mom always had her hair perfectly brushed, and there was almost always a matching colored bow in her hair. I remember that my hair was almost a bowl-cut nightmare with straight bangs across the middle of my forehead. Ugh. I spent most of my childhood at her house, her parents were my second parents and we rarely fought.

Being the only girl at my house was hard, and I always wanted a sister. I wanted to feel like I was a part of something and her and her family always made me feel included – even when we would collectively get in trouble for something – I was like, “Yes! I’m in trouble too!!!”

As time went on, we started to participate in different things. She was an athlete and a good one at that. I was a fine arts kid, always singing, acting or attempting to play an instrument.

While we grew apart and made new friends, as most of us do, I always held fond memories of that friendship. Without her and her family, my childhood would have been quite lonely. I hope for that kind of friendship for my own child.

A few months ago, she asked via Facebook about things to do here and where they should stay for the week they were visiting. I was so excited! I knew there was so much time between us so I was a little nervous, but I couldn’t believe they were coming here.

We met in Panama City, and the visit was therapeutic for me. It was like I blinked and we were 34 years old. We both talked about our families and our kids. We talked about the loss of her beautiful mother. I could see the strength of her father within her, and I haven’t seen him in just as long or longer. That was something that I could have only recognized face to face, and I’m glad I did.

I don’t particularly enjoy Facebook, but the very reason I still use it is because of my ability to connect with family and friends. Without social media, she could have been minutes away from me and I never would have known.

— Sandra de Arrigunaga

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

What to watch on Netflix

Those who know me fairly well know I am a TV and movie junkie. I literally have a collection of over 500 movies and TV shows that I like to call my “prized possessions.” I can’t get enough; it may be an obsession.

I was probably 8 when the N64 came out with Pokémon Stadium and I lost a few weeks of sleep. Since then, Netflix has been one of my favorite creations. I am on Netflix almost every day. Let’s just say if I’m not on Netflix, then I must be deathly ill or I might have actually gone outside — the sun … it’s EVIL!

But seriously, I am fascinated with Netflix and all it provides. Sadly, I might even be more obsessed if it added a few extra TV shows I’d like to binge, but I digress.

After asking around for a bit, researching online, and putting my own bias and opinion into the study, I have come up with the ultimate guide on what to watch on Netflix. Some of these I have not yet watched myself, but most of them are on ‘My List’ to watch.

My personal recommendations

Friends (Comedy/ Romance) – 10 Seasons TV-14

Six friends in their 20s, living in Manhattan, New York, together face life’s many trials, struggles, joys, sorrows and passions in hilarious fashion.

The Walking Dead (Drama/ Horror/ Sci-Fi) – 6 Seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

This is the story that follows a group of survivors out of Georgia during a world-wide epidemic that has infected the entire population with the zombie virus. As the dead have come back to life to feed on the living, the survivors must learn that in this new apocalyptic world they must fight the dead as well as the living in order to survive.

Breaking Bad (Crime/ Drama/ Thriller) – 5 Seasons TV-MA

Walter White, an overqualified high school chemistry is suddenly diagnosed with lung cancer and is only given so long to live. He looks to Jesse, a ruffian and former student, to help him manufacture crystal meth to sell on the streets in order to leave his family financially stable after he passes.

How I Met Your Mother (Comedy/ Romance) – 9 Seasons TV-14

A father sits his two teenage kids down and tells them the story of how he met their mother. In a series of flashbacks, he narrates his life starting as a 20-something-year-old and everything that happened that led him in meeting the mother of his children.

That ’70s Show (Comedy) – 8 Seasons TV-14

A wacky show about a group of teenage friends in the 1970s, revolving around their mishaps, adventures and relationships during their transition into adulthood.

Supernatural (Drama/ Fantasy/ Horror) – 11 Seasons (as of right now) TV-14

A series that focuses on two brothers who are trained monster hunters. Haunted by their past and the present, they must learn to trust in one another and overcome the dangers of the supernatural beings they hunt without being hunted themselves.

Daredevil ( Action/ Adventure/ Crime) – 2 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

Blinded as a child in a freak accident, Matt Murdock has learned that his disability has increased his other senses far greater than ever before. As a “blind” lawyer in the day he beats criminals in court, but by night he beats them with his fists as a masked vigilante, known as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

The League (Comedy/ Sport) – 7 seasons TV-MA

This collaborative comedy is about a group of life-long friends during football season as they all try to beat each other in fantasy football, by any means necessary. No rules, no filters, no way will any of them lose and suffer a year of torment and humiliation and “win” the The Sack-o trophy.

Bates Motel (Drama/Thriller) – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

"Bates Motel" is a modern-day prequel to Albert Hitchcock’s "Psycho," as it portrays Norman Bates’ psyche through his teenage years. The series reveals the depraved and sadistic relationship Norman has with his mother, Norma, and how psycho(tic) he truly became.

Gotham (Action/Crime/Drama) – 2 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

We all know the story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman after the death of his parents, but what we don’t know is what transpired thereafter. This series follows after the murder of the Wayne’s as future Commissioner Jim Gordon patrols the mean streets of Gotham City as a detective.

Comedy 

The Office – 9 seasons TV-14

In this mockumentary comedy series we see a typical place of employment and all its employees as they attempt to get through the workday in one piece.

Parks and Recreation – 7 seasons TV-14

The inner workings and ridiculous antics of an Indiana town’s Parks and Recreation department as the employees try and tackle the countless amounts of challenges they see on a daily basis.

New Girl – 5 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

The socially awkward, but oddly cheerful Jess moves into a loft with three single guys after her most recent break-up. Each guy, having his own problems and antics, try to cope with and befriend Jess, all the while becoming this abnormal dysfunctional family.

Malcolm in the Middle – 7 seasons TV-14

With a goofy dad, a control freak mom, and three insane brothers, Malcolm tries to manage being a genius and the only normal one in the family as the middle child.

Arrested Development – 5 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

After his father is arrested for a securities-fraud fiasco in their real estate business, Michael Bluth tries to keep the family calm and afloat but struggles to keep his maladjusted family happy.

Everybody Loves Raymond – 9 seasons TV-PG

Ray seems to have it all: a wonderful wife and beautiful children, a decent job and a nice house. The only problem is his intolerable parents who live next door and his envious brother seem to always be in his way.

Archer – 7 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

An animated series about an international spy agency with the sophisticated and charming spy Sterling Archer as the main character dealing with his mother, also his boss, his ex-girlfriend and fellow spy and her new boyfriend. Their spy headquarters, ISIS (International Secret Intelligence Service) is located above a disguised laundry mat in New York City.

Family Guy – 14 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

The most infamous adult animated series beyond The Simpsons goes above and beyond the definition of sick and twisted humor. In this politically incorrect series the show follows a seemingly normal American family in Rhode Island, but as evil babies, alcoholic dogs, moronic husbands, obnoxious wives, and misunderstood-dimwitted teens go, this family is anything but normal.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – 11 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

Friends who try to run a pub in the city of brotherly love while dealing with their own abnormal lives learn that getting out of their own way is a lot harder than being bar owners.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – 2 seasons (as of right now)  TV-14

Trying to return back to the living after living underground for nearly two decades, Kimmy Schmidt tries to live a normal life in New York while working as babysitter for a billionaire’s wife.

Drama

Orange is the New Black – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

Piper Chapman, a woman in her early-thirties is sentenced to serve 15 months in Litchfield Penitentiary for selling drugs with her drug-dealing girlfriend.

Grey’s Anatomy – 12 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

Ambitiously seeking to become a surgeon, Dr. Ellis Grey tries to become more than just a daughter of a famous surgeon. Finding herself caught up in personal and professional desires, Grey tries to remain focused as the show follows her life and other medical interns lives at Seattle Grace Hospital.

Scrubs – 9 seasons TV-14

In the unreal world of Sacred Heart Hospital, intern John "J.D" Dorian learns the ways of medicine, friendship and life.

Between – 2 seasons TV-14

A mysterious plague has wiped out everyone who is 22 years and older in the small town of Pretty Lake. The series follows pregnant teenage Wiley Day as she tries to cope with what’s going on while she tries to evade the government who has quarantined the entire town.

M*A*S*H – 11 seasons TV-PG

In the middle of the Korean War this series focuses on the lives of the doctors, nurses, administrators, and soldiers of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital team. Though the show is considered to be a dark comedy, it has mainly been received to be more a “dramedy” because of how dramatic and bleak the content can be.  

House, M.D. – 8 seasons TV-14

Gregory House is an eccentric doctor who is medication-dependent, strange and cynical, but above all else, is a medical genius. The series follows his as he leads a team of diagnosticians at Princeton–Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey.

House of Cards – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

Set in present day Washington, D.C., the series follows Congressman Frank Underwood from South Carolina and his wife, Claire, as they come to power, enacting revenge on those who they feel have wronged them. Through cunning manipulation the Underwood’s climb their way to the top of the political prominence to take Washington by any means.

Lost – 6 seasons TV-14

A group of plane crash survivors have found themselves lost and stranded on a desolate island in the Pacific. The survivors must learn to overcome their differences and band together in order to survive the harsh conditions and the strange and inexpiable things that occur on this god-forsaken island.

Call the Midwife – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

Set in the mid-1900s, this series follows the lives of a group of midwives and nuns in a nursing convent called the Nonnatus House in East London.

Mad Men – 7 seasons TV-14

This series follows Don Draper, a hard-drinking, chain-smoking executive with a sketchy past, as he struggles to stay on top of the food chain in the dynamic world of advertising in the 1960s New York City.

Horror/Thriller 

Scream – 1 season (as of right now) TV-14

A TV series after the Wes Craven movie franchise with the same name. This series follows the brutal death of a teen in Lakewood as a result of cyber-bullying and shows the repercussions and how it affects everyone in the small town.

American Horror Story – 5 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

A compilation series that centers on different characters and locations each season, including a house with a deadly past, an insane asylum, a witch coven, a circus freak show and a supernatural hotel.

Being Human – 4 seasons TV-14

Aidan is a vampire and Josh is a werewolf, but they’re best friends who decide to buy a townhouse together in Boston and live as human. They soon discover that the previous tenant was killed there and is now a ghost named Sally “living” there as well.

Z Nation – 2 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

After the world is overwhelmed with the zombie virus a group survivors have discovered the only known survivor that isn’t affected by the virus. Now they have the daunting task of transporting him to from New York to a lab in California that is waiting to turn his blood into a vaccine.

Penny Dreadful – 3 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

Some of literature’s most interesting and chilling characters, including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, the Wolf Man, along with several legendary Dracula figures come together to fight off supernatural threats in the Victorian-era London.

Hemlock Grove – 3 seasons TV-MA

Two suspects, who are blamed for the murder a teen in a small Pennsylvanian town, venture off to find the killer themselves, but eventually find more obscurity among the town while concealing their own dark secrets.

Salem – 2 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

This series follows the Salem witch trials in the mid-17th century, revealing what really started it all and who these supposed witches were actually like.

The Originals – 3 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

New Orleans is under the rule of a diabolical vampire as the original vampires return to dethrone him and take back the city they built.

The Returned  - 1 season (as of right now) TV-14

This series follows after the death of several children returning from the dead and having no memory of how they were brutally killed. Others are returning from the dead, some that are not as innocent as children.

Bitten – 3 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

Elena is rumored to be the last female werewolf to still be alive and had left all the supernatural world of monsters behind because of it. She is suddenly called back by her pack leader – back into the world of werewolves, for some mysterious reason in which she must discover.

Action/Adventure

The Flash – 2 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

Adapted from DC Comics, this series is about the super-fast and comical Barry Allen who received his super powers from a bolt of lightning. He and decides to use his abilities for good and fight crime in Central City as “The Flash.”

Arrow – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

Adapted from DC Comics, this series is about a spoiled billionaire named Oliver Queen who is presumed dead after his yacht is lost at sea. Returning five years later as a changed and revivified man he decides to clean up his act and his city as the masked vigilante armed with a bow simply known as “Green Arrow.”

Jessica Jones – 1 season (as of right now) TV-MA

Adapted from the Marvel comics, this series is about the one time super-hero Jessica Jones attempting to rebuild her life and career as a private detective in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Her investigations challenge herself beyond her understanding, which brings her back into old habits and brings new encounters with old enemies.

Heroes – 4 seasons TV-14

Groups of people all over the United States start to learn they have supernatural abilities. When one man starts killing these types of people to absorb their powers for himself they start to work together and fight back.

Prison Break – 4 seasons TV-14

Michael’s brother, Lincoln, is just arrested and prosecuted for murder, a crime which he did not commit, and is sentenced to death row. Now Michael must purposely get arrested in order to free his innocent brother before his execution.

Person of Interest -  5 seasons TV-14

Former-CIA agent John Reese, assumed to be a dead, teams up with Harold Finch, a mysterious billionaire programmer, to prevent crimes via a surveillance AI, which predicts crimes before they occur.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – (3 seasons of right now) TV-PG 

The missions of the Marvel Comics secret-intelligent organization known as Shield, Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.

Marco Polo – 2 seasons (as of right now) TV-MA

The adventures of the young explorer Marco Polo in 13th century Mongolia.

Chuck – 5 seasons TV-14.

Chuck is a nerdy computer geek who works as a computer programmer who breaks open a secret government email encoded with government secrets; he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. A CIA and NSA agent are assigned to protect him while he goes around solving crimes and confronting terrorists and other deadly assassins.

Spartacus – 3 seasons TV-MA

Spartacus is a captured by the Romans and thrown into slavery. Trained to be a gladiator for entertainment purposes, Spartacus battles to save his life, earn his freedom and rescue his enslaved wife.

Crime

Dexter – 8 seasons TV-MA

By day, Dexter Morgan is a forensic expert who is a blood-splatter expert for the Miami Metro Police Department’s Homicide division. At night, he is serial killer who murders the wrongdoers who have escaped justice.

NCIS – 12 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

This series follows the cases of the agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Services in Washington, D.C., as they track down terrorists, extremists and other conspicuous criminals.

Law & Order: SVU – 17 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

This series follows New York City detectives working in the Special Victims Unit, which investigates all sex-related crimes such as sexual assaults, domestic disputes and kidnappings.

Sons of Anarchy – 7 seasons TV-MA

A motorcycle gang runs the streets of Charming, California, both protecting their hometown from unwanted outsiders, while running their own gun-running and garage businesses. The main character Jax, the VP of the gang, tries to change how things are run and challenges the president of the gang: his stepfather, Clay.

Sherlock – 3 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

In a new and modern tale of the classic characters, Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. John Watson, live in 21st century London solving perplexing and oddly inexplicable, murder mysteries.

Hell on Wheels – 5 seasons TV-14

Cullen Bohannon is a former confederate soldier that follows the group of Union soldiers who murdered his wife. His travels bring him to the construction of the first continental railroad where he joins to venture out west in search for his wife’s killers.

How to Get Away With Murder – 2 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

Professor Annalise Keating teaches her law students about criminal defense in her "How to Get Away with Murder" class. She entangles four of her students in a twisted murder plot, leading them into a never ending series of murders that will change the course of their lives.

Bones – 10 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

Dr. Temperance Brennan is a brilliant but socially awkward anthropologist working for the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington, D.C., solving crimes by identifying human remains too far gone for standard forensic examinations. She is partnered with the conceited former Army Ranger turned FBI agent Seeley Booth to help her solve gruesome homicides.

Burn Notice – 7 seasons TV-14

Former spy Michael Westen recently terminated, helps the locals in Miami who are desperate enough to call upon his services. All the while, unraveling the reason why he was unexpectedly “burned” by the U.S. government.

Psych – 8 seasons TV-PG

A novice investigator and his best friend fool the police into thinking he has psychic powers which helps solve crimes. Evidently, the two con the police long enough to tag along and assist them with some complicated cases.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

The X-Files – 9 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

The dynamic relationship between two FBI agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, forms an intense bond that sends the two in finding what it is true and what is false. Their investigations take them past human comprehension as their quests involve the unexplainable paranormal phenomena beyond our world.

Star Trek – 3 seasons TV-PG

Led by Captain James T. Kirk, the crew of the Starship Enterprise probes deep into space to seek out new life, while protecting the system of Federation planets and of course to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – 7 seasons TV-PG

70 years after Captain James T. Kirk, a new crew boards the USS Enterprise with its new captain, Jean-Luc Picard, as they fearlessly travel further into space to seek out new life forms and new civilizations.

Lost Girl – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

Bo is a supernatural being called a succubus, who feeds off of the sexual energy of others. Searching for the truth about her mysterious past, she encounters other supernatural beings, like herself, as well as learning how to control her abilities.

Once Upon a Time – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-PG

A troubled young woman named Emma arrives in a small town in Maine inhabited by fairy-tale characters.

Haven – 5 seasons TV-14

FBI agent Audrey Parker is sent to a small town in Maine called Haven to investigate the townsfolk who have been afflicted with some strange supernatural plague.

3rd Rock From the Sun – 6 seasons TV-PG

A group of aliens, disguised as humans, are sent down to Earth to study human life, learning all their quirks and habits along the way.

The 4400 – 4 seasons 

A comet hovering around the Earth releases 4,400 people who have been missing for the last 50 years. The people who were presumed dead come back just as they were when they disappeared, except the fact they have supernatural abilities.

The Vampire Diaries – 6 seasons TV-14

Two vampire brothers fight over a beautiful girl while an evil starts to rise in their town of Mystic Falls.

Beauty & the Beast – 3 seasons TV-14

An attractive homicide detective teams up with an ex-solider, hiding from the government that turned him into monster with uncontrollable strength, to help solve the murder of her mother.

What they need to add 

Seinfeld (Comedy) – 9 seasons TV-PG

One of the masters of sitcom, this comedy’s premise is basically a show about nothing. It’s about Jerry Seinfeld and his 3 friends living in New York going through everyday life, with a variety of unusual situations, including off-the-wall characters with even stranger personalities.

The Big Bang Theory (Comedy) – 9 seasons (as of right now)  TV-14

A group of brilliant physicists who live in Pasadena have all the answers to life’s most difficult questions but have no idea how to talk to girls. Good thing they have a beautiful woman living next door to them to show them how little they know about life outside of their laboratory.

Monk (Comedy/ Crime/ Drama) – 8 seasons TV-PG

Adrian Monk is a brilliant San Francisco detective, but has a terrible fear of germs and contamination.

All That  (Comedy/ Music) – 10 seasons TV-Y

All That is a “Saturday Night Live” show for the Nickelodeon viewers. The series consists of short comedic sketches with reoccurring characters, including having a musical or comedic guest every show.

Kenan & Kel (Family/ Comedy)  - 4 seasons TV-Y7

The misadventures of two teenage boys living in Chicago as they attempt to dream big and wind up failing miserably most of the time.

Reba (Comedy/ Drama/ Family) – 6 seasons TV-PG

Reba has a lot going on in her life, with an ex-husband and his new obnoxious wife still hanging around, to her pregnant teenage daughter and her just as dimwitted boyfriend, to her overly sarcastic, hardheaded middle child, to her oddly well-behaved youngest child, Reba has just enough patience to keep calm without having a mental breakdown.

Mike & Molly (Comedy) – 6 seasons TV-14

This show about how Molly, a fourth grade teacher, who meets Mike, a Chicago Police officer, at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and how they fall in love.

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Comedy) – 6 seasons TV-PG

Street-savvy teenager Will Smith gets shipped off to live with his wealthy Aunt and Uncle in Bel-Air, California to turn him into a responsible, respectful, and mature young man. Will has other ideas of course.

Vikings (Action/ Drama/ History) – 4 seasons (as of right now) TV-14

This series follows the greatest hero of the Viking age, Ragnar Lothbrok, and how he became King of all Viking tribes.

Duck Dynasty (Reality-TV) – 9 seasons as of right now TV-PG

This series follows a wealthy Louisiana family known for their successful duck-hunting business. You wouldn’t know how wealthy the family really is by looking at them, for they look like any other redneck family, but because of their faith is God and their dedication to their business, the Robertsons have built a well-respected dynasty revolving around their duck calls and decoys.


Again, this after asking around for a week and a half in the Panama City area, along with online research, as well as adding my personal opinion was this guide created. In no way do I disapprove of any other Netflix TV show others may watch. I expect an endless amount of choices and favorites others may have, please don’t take it too personal if your favorite show was not added, maybe next time you’ll be around for an interview.

— Cory Morris

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

My very own culture clash

I lived in South Texas the first 18 years of my life. Five minutes from Reynosa, Mexico, in a school that was 98 percent Hispanic, there I was, the one whom without my last name, nobody would have guessed I was Mexican in the first place. I didn’t speak Spanish when I was a kid because we didn’t really speak it in my house. 

Selena Quintanilla was a Mexican-American icon where I grew up. The fact that she was murdered at the beginning of her incredibly successful career was a tragedy for our community. We lost someone that young girls looked up to. In a community stricken with poverty and immigration concerns, she was a light for young women who needed to see that they could become something.

A movie based on her life was released in 1997, and when I saw it, this is the scene that spoke to me:

I grew up with parents whose first language was English in a predominately Spanish-speaking place. We didn’t have quincineras, and we didn’t celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. We didn’t watch novelas or Sabado Gigante.

As we got older, my brothers and I adapted to our culture more, but for me, it wasn’t until I left home that I appreciated it.

The commentary in the scene is absolutely accurate. Mexican-Americans (especially when you’re around people from Mexico) have it the hardest. I just enjoy freaking waiters out at Mexican restaurants when I perfectly roll my R’s and order in Spanish.

— Sandra de Arrigunaga

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

A weekend of horse races and champaign

This past weekend I went to my first horse race in England. Goodwood horse-racing was July 26-30 in Chichester, England.

We went the Saturday, which is definitely the busiest day of the weekend festival. We lucked out with the weather as it was sunny and high of 70s (you learn to embrace those rare moments in England).

I wasn’t into the gambling side of the races, but we got lucky and won 110 pounds on the first race of the day. We only bet 10 pounds, so it was a good profit. My favorite part of the race was dressing up for the experience.

The dress code is strict, so you have to be dressed to the T. Men must wear suit jackets and ties, while women wear fascinator hats and heels.

The event is glamorized with people sipping on Campaign while gambling on the races throughout the day.

I loved my first horse race experience and have put on my bucket list to attend the Ascot races, which are the biggest of the year. The Queen of England typically goes.

— Brittany Sowell 

Four Crossed Logs intern 

professional communication major

Snapchat Game Level: STRONG

My 16-year-old niece was the only reason I ever downloaded Snapchat in the first place. She texts from it, and it was the only way to see what she’d been up to and the only way I could communicate with her. So recently I decided to step up my Snapchat game. It’s not like I do anything exciting, but I wouldn’t say my life is dull. There are all of these cool stickers and filters you can use on photos and videos. I recommend it!

Today, day 3 of my strong snapchat game, I see that Instagram is offering a similar feature. I can’t even believe it! And this comment is going to age me, but I can’t keep up anymore! Just when I start to get really good at something, (IMHO) it’s being taken over by something new. So what’s your favorite social media app? Here’s my list:

1. Twitter
2. Instagram
3. Snapchat
4. Facebook

Follow me if you want to @sandelida on Twitter, Insta, and Snapchat!!

— Sandra de Arrigunaga

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

Staying connected through student life

While attending a small campus like Florida State Panama City, it can be difficult to feel connected with the student body. Whether you’re a nontraditional student or a newcomer to the college scene, the Panama City campus has various options for students to enjoy from every walk of life. With activities such as local campus events and interesting clubs to join, you’re sure to find something to keep you occupied and involved throughout the year.

Join a club

Joining a club is a great way to interact with other students who share a similar passion or interest. If you can’t seem to find a club that peeks your personal interest, you can always set out to start your own. Current registered student organizations include:

• Association of Computing Machinery
  Steven P. Leach, Advisor, sleach@pc.fsu.edu 
• Black Student Union
  Trina Jackson, Advisor, tjackson@pc.fsu.edu 
• Civil Engineering Association
  Ahmet Pamuk, Advisor, apamuk@pc.fsu.edu
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
  Geoffrey Brooks, Advisor, gbrooks@pc.fsu.edu
• Garnet Key Honor Society
  Cristina Rios, Advisor (850) 770-2253
• Pi Alpha Upsilon
  Kelley Kline, Advisor, kkline@pc.fsu.edu 
• Project Runway
  Milinda Stephenson, Advisor, mjay@fsu.edu
• Psychology Club
  Kelley Kline, Advisor, kkline@pc.fsu.edu
• Scuba Hyperbaric and Recreational Club (SHARC) Dive Club
  Darren DeDario, Advisor, sharcfsupc@gmail.com
• Society of Student Social Workers (SSSW)
• Student Government Council 
  Mike Smith, Advisor, mjsmith2@pc.fsu.edu 
• The Veterans of America Club
  Trina Jackson, Advisor, tjackson@pc.fsu.edu 

Check your email for campus events

One of the advantages of a smaller campus is the ability to interact with students, faculty and staff on a more personal level. With fun events like powderpuff football (with students vs. staff), Halloween costume parties and etiquette classes, there is never a shortage of fun activities.

Although the campus is littered with flyers and posters, the primary source of information is right at your fingertips. Checking your student email account will not only keep you up to speed with important class announcements but will also keep you plugged into what’s going on around campus.

Spend a little time outdoors

If you missed out on a major campus event, there's still plenty to do on campus. Gather a few friends and spend a little time enjoying the beautiful campus. There’s a challenging disc golf course and an amazing walking trail where students gather together to exercise.

Attend a home football game

If you don’t mind taking a short road trip, grab a few close friends or family members and cheer on the best football team in the nation. Attending a home football game is the ultimate expression of school spirit and pride. The experience in itself is worth the travel time.

— Candice Snodgrass

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major

Yellow Pages in an Internet age

I went for a walk around my neighborhood today and found one of these in just about every yard of my subdivision.

I hadn’t noticed until I got home but I had one too! It was a paper book in a plastic bag. The book had list after list of phone numbers. Not phone numbers to people you might know, just businesses in our city. They are all there in alphabetical order for your convenience.

But is that what this really is? It didn’t seem convenient that they were just thrown onto my lawn. It wasn’t convenient that I had to pick it up and open it just to realize that the bag it was in was trash.

When I opened the book, I thought, “Are these people not aware of the phenomenon called Google or Bing?”

Is it possible that hundreds – maybe thousands – of these books were thrown onto lawns around the city only to be thrown away because all of the information it contained is accessible at your fingertips? Certainly the company who distributed them paid someone to throw it on my lawn.

My only question is why? Do you or anyone you know still use a phonebook?

— Sandra de Arrigunaga

Four Crossed Logs intern

professional communication major