What is the Best Fast Food Spot in Sumter

By: Braelen Lewis

What is the best fast food spot in Sumter South Carolina is a very hard question to answer to someone who is not very knowledgeable on the subject but to me it is just blatantly obvious. The fast food locations in Sumter South Carolina are split into the burger joints, chicken joints, and Mexican American places. Of the Burger joints in Sumter i would have to say that the top three are surprising the Habit because yes it is not very popular for being a newer restaurant in the area the burgers are quite delicious. In the number two spot I would have to say belongs to Five guys because their fries, milk shakes, and burgers are absolutely heavenly but to me it falls short of number one for one reason: the absurd price. At number one unsurprisingly is McDonald’s because it’s cheap and their quarter pounders and wide variety of options make this the absolute go to burger spot in Sumter. Of the chicken joints in Sumter I would have to say the big contest is between either Bojangles, Zaxbys, or ChicFila but to me it’s not even a close debate. Bojangles is obviously the best option for chicken in Sumter. Its prices are low, they have great chicken, and they have the absolute best breakfast biscuits in the South. Between the Mexican Fast food options in Sumter there is the classic Taco Bell which is cheap and always reliable, Chipotle which offers some of the best authentic Mexican food in Sumter, and then there’s Moe’s which has almost the same options as Chipotle does. In my opinion however one of these far surpasses the others, Moes is the absolute best option out of these three because of the stack, their queso, their guacamole, and their perfect selection of beverages. Therefore the best fast food option in Sumter is between Mcdonalds, Bojangles, and Moe’s. Now although these places are all equally great to me, one stands out further than the others and that place is Moes because yes it is a more pricey option than the others the atmosphere and the absolute assurance that the food will always be fresh and delicious makes it my number one fast food choice in Sumter.

The Sopranos Review

By: Braelen Lewis

The Sopranos is a HBO original series which aired on January 10, 1999 and is a show centered around Tony Soprano who is the new head of an Italian mob gang. Now although this might sound just like any other classic mob show it is very different because instead of just an action packed mob series it goes deeper into mental illness awareness. This is done by giving the main character severe depression and erratic panic attacks while also giving the fans the action and plot they want. Personally, one episode that stuck with me and had a great impact was “TheTest Dream” where Tony has a severe battle with his mental illness and mixes reality with a surreal dream. Another thing I love about this show is how they were not scared t depict the realism of how cruel life can be like how it shows in the earlier seasons how Tony interacts with his son and then later on in the later seasons it reveals the consequences of his words when his son attempts to end his life. The show even depicts how in the early 2000s it was thought an act of weakness to speak out about personal struggles to even just a friend much less of a therapist which Tony has and it shows the struggles he has with trying to maintain his secret from the world. This is crazy to me because in today’s day and age it is much much different from these beliefs with thousands of people who see therapists openly not having to hide it all. To me the Sopranos is one of the perfect shows because the plot is extremely well written and the characters are very likeable while also implementing these indiscreet messages of real world problems with the world ultimately facilitating the watches with these problems. In all the Sopranos is one of if not the greatest original made by HBO close behind the Game of Thrones but certainly it was for its time one of the greatest pieces of television in the world for its openness to extremely controversial topics ultimately spreading awareness to these problems.

The Sopranos (TV Series 1999–2007) - IMDb

Flying Cars?

By:Tyler Jordan

Once called an unreal event , flying automobiles are now becoming a hot topic of discussion and interest. Although it may seem exciting to fly over traffic, I am adamantly opposed to their widespread use. Even with the latest advances in technology, flying automobiles still pose too many risks to be deemed safe or useful for daily use. To start by thinking about the safety issues. Even though they happen infrequently, aviation accidents nowadays are significantly more devastating than auto accidents. New laws, structures, and completely different safety procedures would be needed for the start of flying automobiles; they may take decades to develop. The risk of flying cars outweighs any potential advantages unless we can guarantee that they are as safe as conventional cars. Another issue is how complicated flying is. Most people are not trained pilots, and flying is far more difficult than driving on the ground. The possibility of human error whether due to weather, technical malfunctions, or bad judgment becomes a significant concern even with strong autopilot systems. The thought of inexperienced individuals operating vehicles through congested airspace is extremely scary, and even a minor error may have devastating consequences.Then there is the traffic problem. Flying cars would cause a completely different kind of traffic if they were allowed to operate in urban areas. Consider an airport with thousands of cars pushing for access like airplanes. It is horrifying to consider having to deal with flying debris or collisions in populated locations. It’s hard to think that traffic control would be handled any better in the air when we’re already having trouble with it on the ground.Lastly, it is impossible to overlook the effects on the environment. Flying automobiles would demand a huge amount of energy, and the environmental impact might be disastrous unless we can create clean, environmentally friendly energy sources.In the end , flying cars may seem like a step into the future, but the potential dangers far outweigh the benefits. Until we can ensure safety, environmental responsibility, and effective regulation, they should be a project. I personally don’t like the idea of them or foresee them coming around in full effect in my lifetime. There’s so much you have to learn to operate and control them and how to go about controlling air traffic.

Why is Everyone Suddenly Moving to SC?

By: Henry Jones

While I believe that South Carolina is a great state to live in, I wish it wasn’t so great that everybody suddenly wants to move here. From an outsider’s point of view however, there are many tempting reasons. One of them is the mild climate we have. South Carolina has a generally mild climate, with warm summers and mild winters. It’s particularly appealing to those wanting to escape harsh winter weather in the North. Also, we have an affordable cost of living and various tax benefits. Compared to many other states, South Carolina offers a lower cost of living, especially in terms of housing, which is attractive to people looking to save money or get more for their dollar. While on the topic of taxes, South Carolina has some tax advantages, such as no tax on Social Security benefits for retirees, which makes it appealing for those looking to retire comfortably. Next of course are the sunny beaches. The state is home to popular coastal destinations like Charleston, Hilton Head Island, and Myrtle Beach, making it a great spot for people who enjoy beach life. Another one of my favorites is the amazing food. South Carolina is famous for its Southern cuisine, especially barbecue and lowcountry specialties like shrimp and grits. The state also has a rich cultural heritage with music, festivals, and a vibrant arts scene. Another thing that might look good to some people are the southern hospitality and rich culture. With its rich history, South Carolina offers beautiful historic towns and cities, particularly Charleston, which is known for its cobblestone streets, historic homes, and Civil War landmarks. South Carolina also is known for its friendly atmosphere, slower pace of life, and strong sense of community. Many people appreciate the laid-back lifestyle and strong family-oriented values. In conclusion, South Carolina is such an appealing state to many due to various reasons.

How Crucial is Ohtani to the Dodgers Success this Year?

By: Henry Jones

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the 2025 MLB season with high expectations following their 2024 World Series championship. Analysts project the Dodgers to achieve a remarkable 104.5 wins, the highest preseason win total since at least 1990. The Dodgers also made many off season pick ups by adding Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki to their bullpen. Sensational player Shohei Ohtani is also coming back from arm injury and will be able to pitch this year. The Dodgers’ lineup remains formidable, featuring stars like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández. The addition of Hyeseong Kim from the KBO adds depth to the infield. The Dodgers are heavily favored to repeat as World Series champions, with odds of +250, reflecting their strong roster and successful offseason. While the Dodgers’ roster is exceptionally strong, the unpredictable nature of baseball means that success is never guaranteed. However, the combination of a deep roster, strategic acquisitions, and high expectations positions the Dodgers as strong contenders for the 2025 season. Also, Shohei is projected to win the National League MVP. This is not a shocker to most people due to his ability to make big plays at the plate and be a reliable starting pitcher. Assuming he stays healthy (a big factor for any prediction), Ohtani’s two-way success will continue to set him apart from the rest of the league. There could be some load management for his pitching, especially given his dual role, but as he continues to push boundaries, the Dodgers may work with him to ensure his longevity while still maximizing his impact both at the plate and on the mound. Also, his hitting will probably maintain his offensive production at an elite level. After a strong 2024 season, he will continue to be a powerful presence in the lineup, hitting over 40 home runs and driving in around 100 RBIs. His batting average could hover around .270-.280, with his on-base and slugging percentages remaining among the best in the league. Expect him to also be a consistent threat on the base paths, stealing around 10-15 bases. While some people say the Dodgers already have enough stars to win it without Ohtani, I believe he is such a generational player that they just couldn’t achieve greatness without him.

Why Is Block Blast So Addicting?

By: Andrew Howle

What is Block Blast? Block Blast resembles Tetris, where you match awkward-shaped blocks in a grid. The goal when matching them is to destroy the column to free up space. However, Tetris has blocks that drop from above, putting a time limit on the player to make a placement. At the same time, Block Blast blocks appear at the bottom with no time limit. Mobile puzzle games such as Block Blast uniquely pull us into the common phrase “one more round.” This causes us to spend almost endless time playing the game, which causes us to lose track of time completely. The game lacks a simple undo button to replace your blocks. This causes the player to think ahead and strategize their next moves to reach a new high score. Unlike many other games, the player only has one life. This can drive many people crazy when they make a costly mistake. Several people, especially Coach Rip and Cooper Scott, are very competitive at the game. People fully addicted to the game spend countless days in a row addicted, earning scores like 50000.

I refuse to download the game on my phone because I do not want to get addicted. However, I will play it on the computer during my free time. I admit that the game is really fun and one of my favorites. It is also a popular app for my friends. Although the game is not super complicated, it does a great job of using simple mechanics. These simple mechanics make the game so enjoyable for many users worldwide. The game’s bright, vibrant colors also appeal to the minds of many users. The other reason Block Blast is so popular and addicting is through promoting TikToks. It has lifted the game to new heights with the fanbase that originated particularly from the TikTok app.

In conclusion, Block Blast has taken the internet by storm and amassed a large fanbase. It is potentially the most addicting game out right now online. I recommend not downloading it on your phone unless you’re okay with being on it all day. 

Caffeine In Today’s Society

By: Andrew Howle

To begin with, caffeine is a highly effective central nervous system stimulant to the body. It affects the methylxanthine class of the body and is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance globally. It is found in many widely consumed daily drinks, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks. Even eating substances like chocolate contains amounts of caffeine. Caffeine has become such a staple in so many American lives today. It is almost impossible to fathom a world without caffeine. I love caffeine, but I try not to drink too much daily. It can be very harmful to someone in improper amounts.

Typically, most teenagers my age drink excessive amounts of caffeine a day. This caffeine is most commonly in energy drinks and soft drinks. There is an obsessive taste factor and stimulant feeling that makes these drinks so irresistible to the average teen. I am not a fan of energy drinks or soft drinks in general. They can cause teeth to decay as well as heart complications later in life. There have been way too many people hospitalized due to an overdose of caffeine, making potential heart complications appear. Some people are not as lucky and pass away from continuous overdoses of caffeine.

However, drinking adequate amounts of caffeine a day also has some positive benefits. These benefits can include awakeness and alertness. This can be traditionally helpful during early mornings. I love to drink coffee in the morning to caffeinate my body for the tasks ahead. It helps hugely when coming off a stormy night of rest. I probably drink coffee four days a week to get through tough mornings at school. However, too much coffee can cause a person to crash, resulting in extreme tiredness to the body. A person’s senses all diminish during this period of crashing.

To conclude, caffeine is a prominent staple in today’s society. It just needs to be used in the right amounts to prevent harm to others. I enforce the safety of the right amount of caffeine to drink. There should be no health complications from the use of this psychoactive stimulant.

Best Madden of all time 

By: Bryce Hanson

         Now last time I talked about 2K being my favorite game, but a close second is Madden. It’s a NFL football game with a bunch of fun different game modes to play. Obviously the best Madden of all time would have the most fun game modes. But this time I want do it differently. I’m going to cut straight to the point, which is why I think Madden 20 is the Best Madden of all time. 

         First, I have to tell you what the best part of this game was, The Face of the Franchise. This game mode was started in Madden 20, and will forever be my favorite game mode ever. It’s basically like NBA 2K’s mycareer, but with a better way to make your player better. Another game mode that was started by this game was Super Star K.O.  This game mode is where you draft 3 players who have an X-Factor and you play someone online who did the same thing. When you beat them you move on and draft another player, and this cycle continues until you enter the Championship Round and you try to win the championship. X-Factor was another thing started by this game. It is given to players that literally have an X-Factor about them. It’s basically like a power up for a player that has entered the zone. Next, I can tell you that the music in this game actually made it better, and it’s not artists who people have heard of either. Songs like No Name, Move the Chains, and Time flies actually blessed th people’s ears who listened to them and the created such a sense of Nostalgia, which you know by now that I love the nostalgic feel. Lastly, I would just say this game was so good because it was during quarantine and the NFL was at a good place. Where the teams were still kind of fair and balanced.         Overall Madden was probably the best Madden of all time, because it was the start of something new in Madden. It took it from a boring football game to putting a spin on football overall. The nostalgia I feel from this game also makes me love it even more. 

Best 2k of all time 

By: Bryce Hanson

      For someone who doesn’t play video games too often I am limited on knowledge of a bunch of games. But one game that I do know like the back of my hand is NBA 2K. This game has been a part  of my life for almost 12 years now and there has been some highs and lows of the game. Today I’m here to tell you about The highest of highs for this game. 2K has 4 main game modes to play, MyCareer, Myteam, Myleauge, and Quick Play. The 2K with the best version of all of these will be my GOAT of 2Ks. 

       To start we have MyCareer, and if you’ve played the game you know what this is. It’s the biggest game mode on here Nation wide and tons of people love it. The two best MyCareer games were 2K16 and 2k17. 2k17 had a story that made us have to share the court more rather than just shooting all the shots, which in my opinion makes it more entertaining. We had a teammate name Justice who could average easily thirty points a game and was our dynamic duo in the game. 2k16 had a real story line that made it feel like you were in a movie. And this movie was actually directed by Spike Lee. You got to experience the ups and downs of being an NBA player and not just on the court but off the court as well. This story had a sad ending where our best friend died and we played for his memory. This made me get involved in the game mentally and emotionally. Which just made me love it a lot. In my opinion 2K16 had the best MyCareer just because I loved the story. 

          Next we have Myteam, I don’t have much to say about Myteam other than who had the best Cards to choose from. So in my opinion it comes down to the Diamond players in 2k16 or the Dark Matter players in 2k22. The diamonds feel so nostalgic but the better cards were definitely the dark matters. They were just more fun to play with and gave basketball a little spin to it. So 2k22 was better on this front but 2K16 was a close second. 

          Lastly we have Myleague and Quick Play, and these are shorter game modes but still really fun. Myleague puts you in the shoes of a head coach or General Manager and you can do any senario you wasn’t like trading super stars to different teams and drafting new rookies. Quick play is exactly what it sounds like, you pick a team( or player in BlackTop) and you just play. 2K16 by far had the best qualities for both these modes, with the Park look, and animations for Quick Play. Then it’s also had a better Myleague because NBA basketball was at it’s peak for me in 2015-2016.            Overall my GOAT for 2Ks is 2K16, mainly because this was my childhood growing up and it just brings me nostalgia every time I play it. 

Top 5 Ice Cream Flavors

By: Addie Griffin

Ice cream is one of people’s favorite desserts worldwide. There are so many different flavors and toppings you can put on them. This is the top five best ice cream flavors of all time. 

5. Starting off with number five we have birthday cake. This flavor is like a party in a bite. It’s super fun and colorful and tastes like vanilla ice cream with frosting and sprinkles. The only reason it’s not higher is because it can get a little sweet after a while. It is a great flavor to choose if you want something classic and festive. 

4. At number four we have cookies and cream. This flavor is a classic that everyone loves. The mixture of the chocolate crunchy cookies and the sweet vanilla ice cream is simple but so good. It is the perfect combination of creamy, chewy, and sweetness. The only reason it’s not higher on the list is because it is a little basic, but that doesn’t mean it’s not delicious. 

3. To start the top three flavors we have chocolate chip cookie dough. Eating chocolate chip cookie dough is already amazing as it is, but putting it in ice cream just makes it so much better. The chunks of cookie dough mixed with the vanilla ice cream is even better than cookies and cream. If you love cookies then chocolate chip cookie dough is the perfect flavor for you. The only reason this isn’t higher is because the ice cream flavor itself is only vanilla. 

2. Now for the second best ice cream flavor is brownie batter. This flavor is mostly for chocolate lovers, which I am. It’s a super rich flavor that has chunks of brownie or swirls of brownie batter mixed in. If you ever wanted to eat the brownie batter right out of the bowl then brownie batter is the next best thing. 

1.The number one best ice cream flavor is blueberry cheesecake. This is probably a hot take but it is my absolute favorite. It is creamy, sweet, and fruity. It has all the flavors that you could possibly want in an ice cream. The blueberry pieces give it some tartness and the cheesecake chunks make the ice cream have the perfect texture. It is the perfect blend which makes it number one on my list!