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Showing posts from March, 2024

Reviewing "Project Hail Mary"

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  No spoilers are included in this review Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a science fiction novel about the end of the world, and the only way to stop the inevitable doom. The book starts when the main character, Ryland Grace, wakes up from a coma with two dead people at his side, having no idea where he is and what he needs to do. He slowly remembers what his role is. He is in a solar system far away from ours. He is there to try to solve a crisis going on on Earth, global cooling. This is destroying crops and causing global problems. As time moves on, he starts to remember more and more about who he is and what he is doing in a solar system far away from ours. Back on Earth the global cooling is being caused by microbes that are stretching in a line from the sun to Venus. There are so many of the microbes that they are taking a significant amount of energy away from the Sun to make the Earth get colder. Ryland is going to the other solar system because scientists believe that ...

The Gunners, Citizens, or Reds: Who will Raise the Premier League Trophy

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Warning: Necessary Football Knowledge Level may be high     During spring break, I had been reading The Mixer  by Michael Cox, which discussed the developments of tactics in the Premier League. Each chapter talked about different changes in the league - from major rule changes to new formations to game changing players - since it was founded in 1992.  Sounds familiar? Well I actually decided to read this book after reading Muhammad Iftikhar's post from a few weeks ago. If you don't know, the Premier League is England's football league (and no not American) which is considered to be the world's best. Chapter 18, "Inverted Wingers", talked about the end of a seven year quadropoly during the eventful 2009/10 season - with a shocking decline in Liverpool, an intense title race, and Tottenham Hotspur's fight for the 4th Champions League spot. Contributing to this was the rise of Gareth Bale - a left back who went from hardly getting minutes to becoming the most...

The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics

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          Most of February was quite frigid, and as the IFC season was approaching, I was looking for a way to increase my game IQ when the weather wasn't suitable outside. That's how I found the Mixer, by Michael Cox. The Mixers breaks down and analyses premier league tacts, and aspects of soccer pre-2018, and I thought that this would be a good way for me to improve my game.         In The Mixer, each chapter is orientated around one aspect of soccer or style of play, and every chapter is almost narrated as a story. For example, there was a chapter talking about Antonio Conte and how he'd revolutionized an aging Chelsea team by introducing a defensive back three, which would be a part of a very fluid 3-4-3 formation. Conte signed many players with high versatility who could fill gaps in this formation that other teams struggled with, and this was a big reason why he was the only manager to thrive with a defensive back three. Howev...

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest: A Book Review

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      I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest is a book I first read in 7th grade. And although it was a quick read, with small chunks of it being a graphic novel, there were deep ideas that were interesting enough for me to want to delve into at the time. Because I Am Princess X  is a book I own, one day recently I decided to pick it up again to see if I still liked the book as much.      I Am Princess X  is a book about a girl who as a child became best friends with a girl named Libby, together they created a character with a story, Princess X. Together with the main character, May's, skills of writing and Libby's skills of drawing could create the persona they wanted. Tragically, a few years before the main part of the book takes place, Libby and her mom die in a car crash which causes May to stop writing about Princess X entirely. Soon after, May moved away and many years passed by. The start of the present time part of the book begins with May...

My Top 5 Hunger Games Characters

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  My Top 5 Hunger Games Characters. I have to say that these are just my opinions, so if you want to spark debate in the comments here I will understand. Adrian and Cadence were yelling at me while I wrote this so I will expect it. Anyways, The Hunger Games series was like my obsession in January so hope you enjoy! Number 5. Finnick Odair Some of you may disagree with Finnick not being in the top 3. And although I do think he’s an incredible character I don’t think he’s really worked his way up to the top in my mind. I find him to be a very good comedic relief, and do find his background to be really well developed and sad. He definitely has the potential to be somebody’s number one character; he is just not mine. Number 4. Haymitch Abernathy When I read the Hunger Games I didn't expect to get so attached to Haymitch. He is originally portrayed to be this middle aged alcoholic that the entirety of district 12 hates. Luckily, I do think that ultimately he changed. I think it mos...