Stop Online Shopping

Meryl Callaway

Staff Writer

As Christmas is looming nearer, everybody is rushing to find the perfect gift for the special people in their lives. They are scurrying to shopping malls and lurking through the dark corners of the internet, desperately searching for inspiration, but is online or in-store shopping better? 

  In my opinion, good, old-fashioned, in-store shopping is better. When you go shopping in a store it is an experience. You walk in and you can physically see what you may buy. You can feel the quality of fabric, see the fit of the clothing in person, and find unlikely inspiration in a simple, obsolete item.

  When shopping online, you are stuck in a desolate wasteland. A desolate wasteland that is perfectly curated to fit your exact search history. Why? Major companies are collecting and analyzing data on you. This data then follows you as you travel through the internet. The same products constantly plague your screen because you made one search and prices keep fluctuating based on the amount of interest you show in the product. It is also creepy. When you go shopping in a store, you do not have to deal with the annoying advertisements, there is only one set price, and nobody is monitoring the items that you are interested in.

  This wasteland also makes it impossible to find what you are looking for, impossible to see what you are looking at, and impossible to complete a transaction in a timely fashion. This is incredibly frustrating. Between website crashes, slow internet connection, and the website blatantly not working, it feels like you are pulling teeth. You also have to be very talented in the art of super sleuthing, operating covert missions just to find the dimensions of a candlestick.

Call me antiquated, but shopping is all about experience and shopping in a physical store provides the most pleasant shopping experience. 

Amenities at National Parks will Ruin the Experience

Ryan Viehweger

Staff Writers

 Trail running through the woods, mountain biking, sightseeing, hiking, and kayaking are activities that consume the time that people spend at national parks.  Getting children off their phones and growing relationships with nature is crucial for satisfaction in life.  “People who have a deeper response when viewing beauty in nature have better well-being” according to Dr. Miles Richardson.  When people feel more connected to nature, it brings out positive emotions and reduces stress levels.  A trickling creek, pine aroma, and noisy cicadas are the aspects of nature which inspire people to contemplate the real meaning of life and their aspirations.

  Many families look forward to escaping their modern routines and going for family vacations at national parks.  These preserved American wilderness sites serve as great destinations for improving a connection with nature.  For generations, people have taken their families out camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and more at these places, forcing them to leave stress behind.  However, government officials are looking for “a way to improve overall camping experiences,” said Derrick Crandall, vice chairman of the Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee. 

  NBC News Contributors Phil Helsel and Sam Brock reported that in order to ‘improve’ the national parks, “the Trump administration [suggests] that food trucks, Wi-Fi and Amazon deliveries should be allowed in campgrounds at national parks” to improve the camping experience.  In addition to the added perks, they recommend “privatizing the operation of campgrounds, including adding running water, tent and cabin rentals.”  These proposals have not been finalized and are facing fierce criticism from many campers.

  A passionate camper exclaimed on NBC news that “we don’t need food trucks, we don’t need Wi-Fi, and we don’t need more garbage and people dropping hot dog wrappers.”  

  National parks are a place for leaving screens and fast paced life behind and are not the place for Amazon deliveries and Wi-Fi.  Many children already spend a gigantean amount of time on devices and thus face isolation from nature.  National parks are the only place where the youth can disconnect and enjoy life fully.  Adding privatization will make these areas like towns, ruining the aspect of isolation that draws people there in the first place.  When planning to go to a national park, it is essential to take the surroundings in fully, unimpeded by smartphone distractions. 

  While the government officials’ passion for improving national parks is essential for them to continue, turning them into shopping center, luxury glamping sites would backfire immensely.  Unfortunately, efforts for Internet connectivity have begun in Yellowstone Park through building “five microwave antenna stations, several backcountry repeater stations, a dozen wireless antennae spaced throughout the park, and hundreds of wireless transceivers fixed to buildings. The system would blanket Canyon Village, Grant Village, Lake, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Old Faithful.”  A lack of vocal opposition from Americans has resulted in the development of the national parks.

         Becoming isolated from nature on video games, families try to get kids back outside.  National Parks are some of the few remaining areas where the youth can find a connection with nature, without the interruptions from technology.  Rather than cooped up in a tent trying to find resource gems on Minecraft, children should be out exploring and finding the actual gems that make the world great. 

Apple Aims For Comfort With The New AirPods Pro

AJ Oakes & Mike Janora

Staff Writers

On Oct. 30, Apple launched the brand new AirPods Pro. Apple made headlines in 2016 with the launch of the original AirPods for $160, but the new AirPods Pro are expected to cost about $100 more. What makes these worth $250 are their major improvements from the original AirPods. The first major improvement is that they are fully waterproof and sweatproof, making them great for working out and using them on the go. Athletes on hot days experienced trouble with the standard AirPods in the past, but the AirPods Pro will not be affected by these harsh conditions.. No other earbuds hold up well against sweat and water. 

  Another perk is that they have a customizable, specially-designed fit which makes them comfortable in your ear. Instead of one-size-fits-all buds, these AirPods come with three different silicone extensions, small, medium, and large, to attach to the actual device. This is key for a comfortable fit. People are picky when they’re paying a good amount of money for a product, as they expect the most bank for their buck. With the AirPods Pro, consumers will get what they desire. 

  One of the biggest perks for the AirPods Pro, according to CNET, are the active noise-cancelation and transparency modes. The active noise-cancelling mode has been the number one most wanted upgrade to the AirPods by consumers. “They're the first Apple headphones to offer active noise cancellation, which electronically counteracts exterior noise like the hum of a jet engine.” says CNET. Coupled with transparency mode, a setting that allows listeners to also hear background noise while using the device, AirPods Pro exceeds consumers’ expectations.  As stated earlier, these new features are options, meaning you can turn all these modes on and off. 

  The last of the upgrades, but certainly not least, is the Adaptive EQ mode. This mode is unique to AirPods Pro. Apple says the feature “automatically tunes music to the shape of your ears for a rich, consistent listening experience” that offers “superior sound quality.” This is a huge leap forward for earbud users because they can now listen to the best quality sound with comfort.