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The Most Popular Christmas Gifts Over the Years

By: Lucy Buxton

Christmas Recap & After Christmas Steals

Since the Christmas season is approaching and children are making their Christmas lists for Santa, it only seems fitting to discuss the most popular Christmas gifts all over the world over the years. I will be discussing the “hottest” Christmas gift by each decade from nineteen-fifty to the two-thousands.

Starting off with the year, nineteen- fifty, or as some would describe it, “The year of Barbie”. Barbie first hit the selves in nineteen-fifty and as you can probably imagine, Barbies were at the top of every little girl’s Christmas list. This is interesting because as I have looked at the shift of interest in toys over the decades, Barbie has continued to make her mark almost every year. This might also be connected with the movie released last summer.

Interestingly enough, in nineteen- sixty the most popular toy under Christmas trees was the G.I Joe action toy. In ten years the most popular toy went from a very girly doll to an action packed “rough around the edges” G.I Joe action toy.

Following the crave of G.I Joe in the nineteen- sixties, the next popular toy in the nineteen- seventies was Weebles. These items were popular more than thirty years before I was born but I still remember finding these toys fascinating when I visited my Grandmas. I guess my uncles were even a fan of Weebles.

Another iconic toy that is still around today that was highly popular in nineteen-eighty is the Rubix Cube. Although this frustrating yet iconic toy didn’t gain much popularity til nineteen- eighty, it was invented in the nineteen-seventies. I’m not quite sure if children actually craved this item or if they raved the attention they got if they were able to solve it.

Moving on to nineteen-ninety, the Tamagotchi. I feel like I have heard of every toy so far but I can’t say this is something I have heard of. The Tamagotchi was a digital pet that required constant attention. Owners of this toy had to feed it and clean it to make sure the beloved pet did not die. This does not seem like a toy that could carry on its legacy into future years and it didn’t.

The two thousands, a whole new century. Of course the most popular gift had to do with electronics. The Nintendo Wii captivated children of all different ages and although the Wii is not around still, many different variations of the Nintendo are still being purchased to this day.

It is important to remember no matter how badly you or your child feels like they “need” a gift under the tree, the real gift is the birth of Jesus and spending time with the people you love most.

Should South Carolina make the CFP?

By: Milling Galloway

If you take a look at the big picture, the committee is going to put Alabama in over South Carolina. Alabama has the bigger name, brand , and just the fact that they are Alabama. That’s not what I am here to talk about. I am here to tell you why South Carolina should make it. LaNorris Sellers is the best quarterback in the nation. There is no debating that, also no team can put him on the ground. Clemson felt his wrath as he would rush and pass for over 150 yards. No other quarterback in the nation is doing that. Our receivers are finally coming out of their shells and are starting to thrive. Guys like Nyck Harbor and Dalevon Campbell are breakout future stars. The team itself is starting to fully come together for the first time in ten years. Just because Alabama beat us in the head to head at their home by two, does not prove anything. Our quarterback was still learning. Now, he has turned into a Heisman contender. The most recent comparison would be Alabama going into Norman, Oklahoma and Oklahoma beating them 24 to 3, An absolute blowout. South Carolina went into Norman and won 35 to 9. Those clearly show the better team. Alabama just can not play well on the road and this last team to get in has to play all away games. I just think it is so dumb Alabama will get in after having two unranked losses and USC has all three unranked losses. The CFP really needs to take a look at all these factors and who is playing better now and not in the past. The truth is Milroe is just not a great quarterback he is way too inconsistent compared to the superstar Sellers. All these factors need to be in play but to answer again, Alabama is going to get in just because of their name.

How to Draw in AutoCAD

By: Lottie Bynum

AutoCAD is a software for 3D modeling and “drawing” in a sense. People use the software for engineering and professional purposes, however I use it for school and to make fun items to 3D print. To work with AutoCAD there are a few commands to know:

“L” enter – starts the line command to draw straight or diagonal lines
“C” enter – creates circle
“Extrude” enter – extrude command to make a drawing 3D
“Join” enter – to join lines together to make one line or shape
“Region” enter – creates a region to be able to extrude a shape
“Tr” enter – starts the trim command to trim pieces of lines that intersect
“Sub” enter – starts the subtract command to remove parts of an extruded feature
“M” enter – starts the love command

To start a drawing click new in the application. After, draw whatever shape you want. For example if someone wanted to draw a cup they would have to draw a circle base and two more circles to be the sides. Then they would region all three circles so they would be extrudable. After regioning, they would extrude one of the circles as the bottom of the cup and the other two as the walls/ sides of the cup. The circles will extrude into a large cylinder up, to hollow them out to make them sides start the subtract command (“sub” enter) and select the outer circle/cylinder first which saves that one and press enter and click the inner circle/cylinder to remove it. Then you have your walls. Move the walls to the bottom of the cup with the move command (“M” enter) and select the centerpoint of the circle and snap it to the centerpoint of the base of the cup. There is a cup! Similarly, to make a box, start the line command (“L” enter) draw a rectangle, use the join command (“Join” enter) and then the region command (“Reg” enter) and extrude it (“Extrude” enter) and copy the steps of how to make the base and hollow out the walls with rectangles instead of circle like the cup example for the walls. Then you have a box! Drawing in AutoCAD has many steps to get used to but worth the effort.

Carolina Panthers Update

By: Knox Buxton

The Carolina Panthers are currently sitting at 3-9 but they have been playing decently well recently. The Panthers are 2-2 in their last 4 games and have lost close games to good teams in their last two. They beat the New Orleans Saints and then the New York Giants in overtime the next week. In the past 2 weeks, Carolina lost to the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs by 3 points and then lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 3 in overtime this past week. I personally have been pretty impressed by the way the Panthers have been playing as a whole. They had two big opportunities to beat Tampa Bay where Bryce Young hit Adam Thielen for a touchdown to go up 3 with a minute left. Unfortunately, the Bucs had all 3 timeouts left and drove down the field and got a field goal to tie the game to go to overtime. The Bucs got the ball to start overtime and they missed a field goal and gave Carolina the ball back. Bryce Young found Adam Thielen again with an impressive one handed catch on a third and five to put the Panthers in field goal range. Carolina tried to run the ball with Chuba Hubbard to get closer and make an easier field goal attempt, but he got stripped and Tampa Bay got the ball back. The Bucs drove the ball down the field and got a field goal to win. I personally am just happy that the Panthers look like a functional team again and are putting up fights against good teams. At this point in the season, I would just like to see them put together a few more wins and gain momentum for next season while securing a top pick in this year’s draft. I am also happy that Bryce Young has put together two of the best games of his career so far even though they were both losses. Chuba Hubbard also looks like a top running back and with Jonathan Brooks coming back Carolina has two good running backs they can use in the future. The worst part about the Panthers this year is the defense who is towards the bottom of the league in just about every category this season. In my opinion, if the Panthers just go out and get an elite receiver this offseason and build up the defense everything will be alright. I think Bryce Young is still the guy for Carolina, they just need to get him another weapon.

If Carolina can use their draft pick wisely they could be a good team next year. In conclusion, even though the Panthers are sitting at an ugly 3-9 right now, I think the future is still bright and there is not a lot more that needs to be fixed.

Thanksgiving Food Power Rankings

By: Anna Kate Coker

Now that Thanksgiving break has come to an end and I have had my fair share of Thanksgiving themed lunches and dinners, I have decided to rank my favorites to least favorites food items. I feel like I have gained a great understanding of what deserves the top pedistoles and what doesn’t.

Mac and Cheese

I do not know how good the mac and cheese is at other families’ gatherings but my grandma makes the best mac and cheese in the whole world. Normally, it would not be getting my top overall choice but this year it was just even better than the previous. The mac ratio and the cheese ratio was just perfect so thank you Mimi for giving me this delicious food.

Sweet Potato Casserole (specifically with pecans and brown sugar on top)

During my Thanksgiving lunch at Uncle Billy’s pond house, I decided to put a spoonful on my plate. It was so good I had to go back and get more. The toppings made it even better with the scrumptious sugary goodness. Whoever made this dish deserves a Christmas gift this year from me because it changed my life.

Turkey is overrated. Ham is the way to go and I am not just saying this because I am biased and have worked at Honey Baked Ham. Paired with the hickory honey mustard it is so good. Heat it up and put it on a biscuit and it is just the best thing ever. I will pick ham over turkey every single time.

Mashed Potatoes

Lowkey, mashed potatoes can deserve to be placed higher but without the accompaniment of the other 3 food items, it just is not that good alone. I prefer them without gravy and more on the buttery and creamy side so they still make my list, but not on the top three.

Electric v Gas Cars

By: Campbell Cromer

While electric cars are often said to be the future of transportation, there are several reasons why they may not be the best choice for everyone or even the environment. First, electric vehicles are often advertised as zero-emission, but this doesn’t tell everything. The electricity required to charge electric vehicles is still largely produced by fossil fuels, so while they may not emit pollutants directly, they still contribute to the carbon emissions indirectly. Also, the production of the high powered batteries, which power electric vehicles relies on mining rare metals like cobalt and lithium. Mining these resources is harmful to the environment and often raises issues around labor practices.

Electric vehicles are also greatly less convenient than their gas-powered parts. While the number of charging stations is expanding, it still falls in comparison to the accessibility of gas stations. Charging an electric vehicle takes significantly longer than filling up a gas car, even with the newest fast-charging stations . For people who drive long distances or don’t have access to home charging setups, this can be a major challenge to the owners of electric vehicles. There is something called range anxiety where people are scared to run out of charge while on the road. Range anxiety is real, and running out of charge is a larger problem to solve than running out of gas.

The upfront cost of an electric vehicle is often higher than the price of a traditional gas car. While people argue that electric vehicles save money on fuel and maintenance, these savings are generally seen over a long period of time, and not everyone drives enough to see the benefits.

Finally, gas cars have just a little over a century of engineering on them. They are efficient, reliable, and adaptable. Electric vehicles might be new and what everyone wants, but their effects, hidden environmental impact, and high cost make them a questionable option when buying a new car for the average driver today. Gas cars on the other hand, remain a practical and dependable option no matter what.

What is the Best Breakfast Food

By: Stirling Tindal

Breakfast is very important because it is at the start of your day and what you will be basing your day off of. If you have a bad breakfast that usually leads to a bad day so you need to know what you should be eating.

I’m only going to be comparing breakfasts that are quick and easy to make and what you would usually eat before school. The main options in the morning are cereal, eggs, grits, oatmeal, breakfast bowls, and muffins. All of these are great but there is one that takes the cake for best breakfast food.

The cereal is really good the first time you have it but if you have it for more than five days in a row it usually becomes pretty bland. The type of cereal is a big factor. My very hot take is that Cinnamon Toast Crunch is not very good. I may think that because I’ve had it so many times but I believe there are so many better options. Cereals like Captain Crunch or Fruity Pebbles I personally think is the best, however; they always end up with the same blended and sugary tastes.

Grits and oatmeal are in a similar category. I’m only going to talk about the easy to make ones that take about two minutes to microwave. Depending on the flavor they can be an amazing breakfast and with their super simple instructions they could be a perfect breakfast. The one factor holding them back is their small serving sizes. To fill you up most of the time it takes two packets.

The best breakfast food is a tie between muffins and breakfast bowls. Both of these options are delicious, can fill you up, and are simple to prepare. A good muffin is the perfect start to your day and preferably a blueberry muffin. If you’d rather have something meaty then you can have the breakfast bowl. The best bowls are the Jimmy John’s breakfast bowls. They only take about three minutes to make and have a good amount of protein, around 20 in each bowl. In my opinion, muffins and breakfast bowls will always be on top in the breakfast world

Top Five Shows

By: Lucy Buxton

Again, I will be making a “top three” list on my personal favorites but this time on my favorite shows but in no specific order.

Starting with “Gossip Girl”. Gossip Girls first season was released in two thousand and seven. This show is about “Upper East Side” teenagers and their family problems. Some actors that star in this show consist of Blake Lively, who plays Serena Van Der Woodsen. Lively stars in “It Ends With Us’, “A Simple Favor”, and “The Age of Adaline”. Lively’s co-star Leigh Meester plays Serena’s best friend. I love this show because it only consists of six seasons which means they don’t really drag on the plot. Every season is interesting and keep you on the edge of your seat.

One of my other favorites is “Watcher”. This show is pretty new, it came out in twenty- twenty- two. This show isn’t for everybody though, it is a horror/mystery show. This show is inspired by the events detailed in a New York Times magazine article by Reeves Wiedeman. This story is said to be mostly true and is about a real house the was stalked by the neighbors and more. This show was created by Ryan Murphy. Ryan Murphy also produced “Monsters” based on the Menedez brothers that has caused a lot of controversy in the last month. I like this show because it messed with your mind and constantly got viewers to pay close attention to every detail.

To add on to the horror/mystery shows, “Fool Me Once” has got to be in one of my top favorite shows. This show is about a newly single mom who is grieving her husband when in just two weeks she sees him alive. The lesson of this show is “People should learn from their mistakes”. I’m not going into too much depth about this show because if you haven’t seen it, I don’t want to spoil it.

Top 3 Fast Food Restaurants

By: Logan Mims

In this week’s blog, I will be writing about and rating my top three favorite fast food restaurants in Sumter, South Carolina. We don’t have that many options to choose from, but some of them are still pretty good.

Coming in at number 3 of my top 3 favorite fast food restaurants in Sumter is Mcdonald’s. I’ll start off with their ice cream. My go to ice cream dessert from there is an M&M mcFlurry. The ice cream is soft serve and it is so good with the M&Ms in it. Their cheeseburger is also pretty good. I usually like to get ketchup cheese and pickles on my burger from there and they are always pretty good. Some people don’t like their chicken nuggets but I honestly think they are good especially with ranch or sweet and sour sauce. Lastly, their fries, I would have to say Mcdonald’s has the best fries out of all the fast food restaurants. They are always hot and crispy and have the perfect amount of salt on them. Overall, I would rate Mcdonald’s a 6/10.

My second favorite fast food restaurant in Sumter is Zaxby’s. I love to get chicken fingers and fries from there along with a piece of their buttery, crispy bread. I personally think the best part about Zaxbys is their sauces. They 100% have the best ranch out of any fast food restaurant you could find and their Zax sauce is also really good. Overall, I would rate Zaxbys a 8/10.

Lastly, my favorite fast food restaurant in Sumter is Chick-fil-A. I feel like that is so basic but they have such a big variety of different things you can get. My favorite thing from Chick-fil-A is their mac & cheese. It is personally my favorite mac & cheese I’ve ever had. I also really love their chicken nuggets and they gave such a big variety of sauces to choose from. chick-fil-A‘s fries are also delicious. Overall, I would rate Chick-fil-A a 10/10.

Best Holiday of all time

By: Bryce Hanson

In honor of Holiday season, I will be writing about the best holiday of all time. Like always there is a certain criteria to be the best holiday, and that is: holiday originality, holiday participation, and holiday food.

To start with holiday originality, you must know what that means in my definition. What is the original purpose and meaning behind the holiday. The most commonly known Holidays for their origin is Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and for good reasons too. Easter with the rising of Jesus again, and Christmas with the birth of Jesus. Then Thanksgiving with the feast between natives and explorers. But the holiday with the best purpose in my opinion is Christmas not only because it’s a celebration of Jesus Christ, but also because it’s a holiday that brings everyone together. No matter what it’s almost impossible to be mad on Christmas. It’s a holiday where everyone takes a pause from the real world and gets together with friends and family.

Then we move on to the holidays with the most participation in the world. Of course we revert back to Christmas, Easter, and special holidays like Halloween. The participation in these holidays are massive, but not worldwide. The most celebrated holiday may come as a surprise for a few,but it is Mother’s Day. The reason I think it’s the most celebrated is because obviously everyone loves there mother, but it’s the most celebrated because there are more people with Moms than dads. Which is a sad fact but that’s why this holiday is so massive.

Lastly comes holiday food, which is not as important as the last two factors but it’s some peoples favorite thing about a holiday. There’s Easter with the signature candy, then Christmas with cookies and delicious meals. But the most signature holiday with overall best food is Thanksgiving. Even if turkey is not your thing thanksgiving has so many options to choose from to satisfy your needs. This Holiday is just above the rest with food and rightfully so since it started with a feast.

So this brings us down to the man question: “What is the best holiday of all time?” To answer that question you have to look back at my criteria and you will see that Christmas is the best. It has some of the best food, and second most participation, and the best origin story. It’s just the best option for a holiday.