Why Netflix? Why would the newspaper staff want to do an entire issue on Netflix? It’s because of you. Our student body at BLHS was the inspiration for our Netflix addition. We have been talking about wanting to do this edition for awhile now because all we hear in class is “Hey, did you see the latest episode of such and such? I can’t believe that happened!” or rather, “I stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing the latest season of that show instead of studying for this test or doing this project.” Netflix is obviously a hot topic among our students because it fills a personal enjoyment and can help kids take breaks from timeconsuming projects and homework, sometimes too long of breaks, but we make it work. This edition was made especially for you, the students and staff of BLHS, and we hope you enjoy it!
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By: Ashley Novo-Gradac
NET NEUTRALITY On February 26, the FCC voted 3-2 to enact new regulations involving net neutrality. Most of you probably have absolutely no idea what that means, and neither did I until I researched it for this story. However, that vote could end up being very important to our lives, our Internet, and most importantly, our Netflix. To clarify some details, the FCC stands for the Federal Communications Commission, an agency of the U.S. government made up of five members. They regulate radio, television, satellite, cable, and wire communications in America, according to their website. Net neutrality is the concept that all websites and information on the Internet should be treated equally. It basically means that Internet service providers can’t favor one website over another, and it’s what keeps the Internet
a free and equal place. It keeps all websites on a level playing field. It also prevents Internet service providers from charging websites more money to have a faster connection, or from charging people more money to have access to certain content. The Internet is known for being anyone’s game. I could decide to start a website, and that website has as much potential to become successful and wellknown as a website made by a large company. That’s all thanks to the net neutrality given to us by FCC regulations. However, the level playing field of the Internet was put into danger when a federal court in D.C. overturned those regulations in January 2014. Suddenly, net neutrality regulations were about to be brought to a vote by the five members of the FCC, and no one was sure what the outcome would be.
BY CALDER HOLLOND
There were–and still are–many different opinions. Internet service providers tend to oppose net neutrality, because it means less money for them. Companies tend to support net neutrality, because it means the Internet service providers can’t charge them extra money for faster connections, and some companies, like Netflix and Tumblr, even publicly spoke out in favor of net neutrality. There are also many people on both sides of the issue. Comedian John Oliver delivered a 13-minute-long tirade in favor of net neutrality on his show “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” His segment motivated people to post over four million comments on the FCC’s website. There are many opinion articles online speaking out against net neutrality. President Obama even put in his two cents in favor of net neutrality, saying, “The
position of my administration, as well as a lot of the companies here, is that you don’t want to start getting a differentiation in how accessible the Internet is to different users. You want to leave it open so the next Google and the next Facebook can succeed.” February 26 was the decisive day of the vote. With a result that shocked many, net neutrality won, with a 3-2 vote. The level playing field of the Internet is relatively safe for now, but lawsuits are sure to follow. So while net neutrality and the FCC vote may seem boring and unimportant, the truth is that they are very important to our lives. They affect our ability to successfully share content online, as well as the speed of some of our favorite websites (like Netflix), and the price of that Netflix.
THE QUICK FACTS: What is it? A government vote in favor of net neutrality. When was it? February 26. What is net neutrality? The concept that all information on the Internet should be treated equally.
PRODUCTS
Who is in favor of net neutrality? Many companies and people, as well as President Obama. Who is against net neutrality? Some people,
as well as most Internet service providers. What does this vote mean? All information on the Internet will be treated equally, and companies can’t pay more to have their content be faster. Why is this important? The decision will keep the Internet as a level playing field. How does this affect readers? Costs of Internet and Internet services (like Netflix) will probably stay roughly the same, rather than increasing.
Written by Jill Espinoza Designed by Erin McGowan Services like Netflix and Hulu offer customers to watch movies, TV shows and documentaries for a low monthly cost. Netflix and Hulu both provide something for everyone in the family to watch. Although Netflix is the more popular of the two, Hulu still has a lot to offer. Here are some differences in both of the services. This may or may not give you a reason to pick one over the other.
PRODUCTS
Offers fairly new movies but also older TV shows. Their TV shows do not always offer the most recent season.
SIZE
The size of Netflix is much larger than Hulu. It has about 100,000 movies and TV shows.
PRICE
The price of Netflix is cheap but you are not able to stream more than one screen at a time. If you want to stream two screens at the same time then your price will increase to $9 a month. If you’re still not satisfied with streaming two screens at a time then you can pay up to $12 a month to stream four screens at a time. It is compatible with smartphones and tablets.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Does not have any advertisements
SUBSCRIBERS Has about 30 million subscribers and also about 7.75 million subscribers internationally.
REVENUE Invested in about $3.6 billion in the United States alone in 2012.
Offers primarily TV shows that include the current seasons.
Much smaller than Netflix. It has about 1,650 TV shows and 2,500 movies.
Only $7.99 a month for basic services. Not all shows are available with the basic services. Not compatible with tablets and smartphones.
Does have advertisements even if you upgrade to Hulu Plus.
Has about 3 million Hulu Plus subscribers. The number of free subscribers is unknown.
Invested in $695 million in 2012.
OBSCURE NETFLIX TITLES
BY KELSEY COLEMAN
THIS IS NOT A MOVIE: With only 25 hours left until the world ends, a disgruntled man locks himself in a Las Vegas hotel room and tries to prepare himself for oblivion. BRONIES: This engrossing documentary explores the phenomenon of Bronies, the avid adult fans of the kids’ cartoon show “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.” MEGA SHARK VS. MECHA SHARK: When a new Mega Shark threatens mankind, the government unleashes the top-secret Mecha Shark to defeat the monster in a pitched battle. GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA: When Tokyo is again threatened by Godzilla, officials believe the key to defeating the mutant may involve a giant moth goddess from a remote island. RUBBER: A car tire named Robert rolls through the desert Southwest using its strange psychic powers to blow up birds, bunnies, human beings and more. SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS: The Martians are irked that their children spend so much time watching TV shows from Earth about Santa Claus, so they decide to capture Mr. Claus. (summaries from netflix.com)
Congratulations! You have gained access to the wonderful world of Netflix! Create a separate profile. Enjoy your freedom by watching without scrutiny. Uses power wisely.
Abolish all barriers and watch scandalous movies. Secretly watch all seasons of My Little Pony.
Begin to collect my Little Pony memorabilia. Become full fledged Brony and attend all conventions. Have a midlife crisis when you are almost trampled in a brony stampede, give up on My Little Pony.
by Erin McGowan Join family profile and remember to keep the recently watched box clean.
Make the mistake of watching all the Disney movie Knockoffs.
Become desensitized and never flinch at a gory scene again.
Horror movies stop being scary and you start go to theme for parks cheap thrills.
Enjoy classics like Planes Trains and Automobiles, Aristocats, and Secret of the Kells
Loneliness consumes you, making you turn to Disney movies for further comfort.
Begin to seriously consider working at Disney Land.
Realize that you are great with crowd control.
Slowly begin to realize that it is a loosely organized cult.
Lose friends because your voice does not sound like a golden harp.
Decide that the all the good movies on Netflix are gone.
Get job at theme park.
Find an online community that loves ponies just as much as you do.
Gain the ability to sing every Disney song on que.
Work at Disney Land.
Wonder why there is nothing left in netflix.
Grow a beard and start a new life in Portugal where Netflix can’t stream.
Begin to paint depressing water colors that become popular and sensational.
Profit.
Never even get out of the state because you are a minor and your parents want yo only watching live action movies now.
accept your parents wishes and give up on all the silly dreams Disney put in your head.
Slowly become weened off of animated films entirely and move on with your life
Become the type of person who uses Hulu instead of netflix
Begin to watch Dreamworks instead, watching some live action but sneaking in an animated film here and there.
What Should You Be Watching? by Ashley Hicklin
ASHLEY H
1. The best word to describe you? a) active b) funny c) dramatic d) friendly e) gossipy
d) friends e) myself
2. Which is one of your favorite hobby’s? a) sports, anything active b) school choir/band or other extracurricular activities c) reading and furthering my education d) hanging out with friends e) keeping up with the latest celebrity gossip 3. Among your friends, you are the... a) athletic one b) weird one c) level-headed one d) positive one e) sassy one 4. What is one thing you never leave home without? a) waterbottle b) an extra pair of socks c) a pad of paper and a pen/pencil d) my cellphone e) my purse 5. How would you describe your sense of style? a) practical; running shorts or sweatpants b) casual and comfortable c) sleek and sophisticated d) unique and original e) short and trendy 6. You spend most of your time with... a) family b) my animals c) coworkers/classmates
7. Favorite color? a) blue b) orange c) green d) violet e) pink 8. What’s your ideal date like? a) hiking or bike riding; something active b) hanging out at the house, watching a movie, eating pizza c) I’m too busy to date d) something low key like ice skating or a movie e) as nice dinner at a fancy, highend restaurant 9. What food group is your favorite? a) all natural, low calorie foods b) meat c) fruit d) pizza e) candy 10. What season of the year is byfar your favorite? a) fall b) I love all the seasons! c) summer d) spring e) winter
Mostly A’s ~ Friday Night Lights Mostly B’s ~ Parks & Recreation Mostly C’s ~ Grey’s Anatomy Mostly D’s ~ New Girl Mostly E’s ~ Pretty Little Liars
AWKWARD NETFLIX SITUATIONS By Jenna Espinoza
We’ve All Been There... It’s happened to all of us at some point. We’re just sitting there, minding our own business watching our favorite show. Then suddenly, we’re caught off guard by someone while watching our guilty pleasure, or reciting every line to our favorite movie. What do you do? Continue watching? Explain yourself? There’s no answer. These are simply awkward Netflix situations. Keith McDonnell, our first victim of Netflix awkwardness, was enjoying his down time watching “Family Guy” in advisory. Little did he know that Ms. Bovos was behind him watching too. She let out an
innocent chuckle that resulted in an end to Keith’s Netflix diversion. Erin McGowan had a very complex situation. In Erin’s spare time, she enjoys watching different shows and movies such as “Showgirls” (NC-17), “Basic Instinct” (Unrated), and “Paperboy” (R). Erin did not want to explain herself when these popped up on “Recently Watched.” So, she took matters into her own hands and created an account under the name Ziggy Nazareth. Problem solved right? How about no. Erin’s father thought that a
burglar had created an account under the same name. Now Erin spends her spare time preparing what she will say when the account is viewed by her parents. Chase Simpson was watching one of her favorite shows, “House of Cards”, alone in her bedroom. Chase wasn’t aware of how loud the volume was and that her parents could hear everything. During one of the explicit scenes, her father came bursting through her bedroom door asking what no one wants to hear in that kind of situation, “What are you
watching?” Jill Espinoza was caught in a very, very embarrassing situation. Jill spent an entire weekend binge watching “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.” Enough said. Carson Fliger was enjoying time watching Netflix with his “boo thing”, but let’s be honest, couples don’t watch anything for a long amount of time when they’re alone together. However, they weren’t as alone as they thought. Carson’s mother came downstairs and caught them making out. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix an awkward Netflix situation. Once the damage is done, there’s no going back.
watch. You are more likely to watch these shows and movies because they relate to previous things you have watched, and you won’t have to see recommendations that are the complete opposite of what you want to watch.
have already watched it, so their loss is your gain!
“Once the damage is done, there is no going back.”
NETFLIX HACKS By Alyssa Foster
1.Delete Your History ~You no longer need to worry about someone catching you watching a show that you know you would be shunned for if ever discovered. By simply deleting your history, you can be worry-free as you sit down and engage in your guiltypleasure show without fear of being caught.
2. Create Your Personal Profile
~This will make it easier to quickly find your choice of shows without having to filter through your family’s massive
Graphic by Ashley Hicklin
amount of entertainment just to find yours. This tip will save you time and effort, and avoid any frustration while wasting time away trying to locate that one special show.
3. Use the Recommendations on Netflix to Get a Better Choice of Shows to Fit Your Personality ~Use this option on Netflix to get better recommendations for shows you might actually watch, versus having to flip through every category and show to find the perfect one to
4. Take Advantage of Star Ratings ~Have you ever noticed the star ratings below each title? By using them, they can potentially help you avoid those really bad movies with terrible acting that we see on Netflix all the time. These opinions are from viewers that
5. Find Out What’s to Come ~Check out the website, http://us.whatsnewonnetflix. com/, to look up what shows and movies will be appearing soon on Netflix. This website breaks it down by each day, includes the title and season, and provides a brief description of what the movie or series is about. Check this site frequently to know the latest entertainment coming to Netflix.
IN DEFENSE OF DOCUMENTARIES By: Mitchell Mikinski
There are many fantastic movies and TV shows on Netflix, but in all honesty, the documentaries are the items that keep me there. House of Cards is great, Parks & Rec is hilarious, but the information you can get from even a shoddily edited documentary makes the $9.99/month all worth it. My favorite movie, as previously mentioned in this paper, is “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.” It is a documentary that tells the now infamous story of Enron, at one time one of the hottest energy companies on Wall Street. At one time it was trading at $100 per share. As time went on, it was revealed that the company was one big fraud. They had been booking profits on ventures that had actually been losing them substantial amounts of money, as a result they eventually went bankrupt,
destroying the pensions of millions of Americans. This story is gripping and tragic and just scratches the surface of the thousands of documentaries on Netflix. You can find any piece of knowledge and then some from watching just one of those movies. Perhaps you’re interested in psychology, look no further than “Brain Games.” Perhaps modern American history, “Citizen Koch” or “The Flaw” would suit you perfectly. Or maybe you’re just plain weird and think history is a hoax, “Ancient Aliens,” a show that details how extraterrestrials built the pyramids, helped the Greeks fight wars, and then left mysteriously was tailor made for certified crazies such as yourself. A good documentary can also transport you to different places, helping you understand
the people and events in far away lands. A particularly memorable documentary I watched called “Living on One Dollar,” did that and then some. The documentary was shot over a summer by four college students who lived as rural Guatemalans over break. There were days when they had one dollar between the four of them for food, water, and tools for gardening (their main source of income). In addition it details the housing, educational, monetary, and political options available to the people of rural Guatemala (Hint: they’re practically nonexistent). Social docs like that not only make you more appreciative of the world you live in, but also make you a better citizen of the world. By understanding the poverty that surrounds us all, we can become more sensitive to the needs of the uber-poor
in third world countries. There are also just good ol’ history docs, the type you see on The History Channel or The Biography Channel. Netflix has “America: The Story of Us” or “Mankind: The Story of All of Us.” Both of these give great looks into human history. My personal favorite of this genre of documentaries is “The Men Who Built America” series. It paints an intimate portrait of the men who made the Industrial Revolution what it was. Documentaries open you up to new worlds, ideas, and thoughts. They also make you better human beings. Next time, instead of watching Blair and Chuck scheme on “Gossip Girl” (I’m on season five, I know how addicting it is) browse the documentary section and find something that interests you, I promise it will be worth it.
NEWSPAPER STAFF FRONT ROW: Adam Crouse. MIDDLE ROW: Clay Beebe, Mitchell Mikinski, Ashley Novo-Gradac, Calder Hollond, Kelsey Coleman, Erin McGowan. BACK ROW: Adviser Kristen Loney, Jenna Espinoza, Jill Espinoza, Alyssa Foster, Ashley Hicklin, Emma Hall. CHECK OUT MORE CONTENT AT
BLHSNEWS.COM
BEST NETFLIX SNACKS By: Adam Crouse
Graphic by Emma Hall
Whether you’re bingewatching the latest season of “Parks and Recreation” or indulging in a new movie, like “American Sniper”, the best thing to indulge in with it is a great snack and a fizzy drink. Or perhaps you go all out, and order some pizza from the closest pizza shop. Maybe fruit and some healthier drink fit your fancy. No matter what you choose, there’s no denying that snacking and sipping makes every late-night Netflix watching festival just that much better. Below is a list of the best things to snack on while watching Netflix. If you’re looking for something new to try, maybe this list can help! The answers were provided by BLHS students. Popcorn Chips (Lays are preferred) Ice Cream Candy (especially Reese’s Pieces or something sour) Cheese stuff (That means anything. Cheez-Its, Cheetos, and nachos are some recommendations) In addition, there are some more alternative choices that you can make. For example; Organic Popcorn (I hear it’s “Freakin’ amazing”) Chinese food, but specifically from New China Inn Cookie dough (I would assume cookie dough anything would be amazing.) Flaming Hot Cheetos with nacho cheese (I don’t know, sounds pretty cheesy to me…) Jalapeño Kettle Chips Finally, I’d like to make some recommendations of my own; Wheat Thins with muenster cheese slices Pizza (keep it simple, like cheese or pepperoni) Town House Parmesan Herb Pretzel Thins I hope that these suggestions will aid you in your future binge-watching campaigns.
Emma TV Show: InuYasha Movie: Pulp Fiction
TV Show: Orange is the New Black Movie: Reviving Ophelia
Jill
Kelsey
TV Show: Dexter Movie: Bad Grandpa
Erin
TV Show: Law & Order SVU Movie: World’s Greatest Dad
Jenna
TV Show: Carrie Diaries Movie: One Day
l l e h c t i M
TV Show: The West Wing Movie: Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Calder
TV Show: Portlandia Movie: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
y e l h s A TV Show: Firefly
Movie: Night at the Roxbury
Mrs. Lo
TV Show: 30 for 30 Movie: The Good Lie
ney
ClayTV Show: Futurama TV Show: Doctor Who Movie: Mrs. Doubtfire
Alyssa Movie: Crossroads
Adam