Live, laugh, literature: PCC’s favorite reads

Share: Regardless of whether you love or hate reading, everyone has at least one book that played a crucial part in shaping them into the person they are today. Books transport us to other worlds, get us out of our heads, and allow us to sit and relax for a while and just enjoy a good story. That said, here are some absolute must-reads according to some of the students and faculty of Pasadena City College. “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky A favorite of …

Tool nails a killer show at the Crypto

Share: A show full of bright lights, loud sounds, beautiful guitaring, and soothing vocals. The most memorable moment from that night was seeing 20,000 people rocking alongside each other for two straight hours. Feb. 15th stands as one of the most memorable nights of my life as I experienced one of the greatest concerts I’ve ever seen. In that moment in time, the crowd all shared something in common, a love for Tool.  Tool is a rock band that originated in Los Angeles in 1990. …

Scammy scum: Don’t get hoodwinked by online hoodlums

Share: In a time where technology is constantly evolving and scammers are becoming more adept and prevalent, the need for cybersecurity awareness and preparedness is more important than ever.  As students integrate themselves into the online world, they are inadvertently putting themselves more at risk for these various cyber threats and scams.  One of the more pervasive scams comes from hackers trying to access people’s personal information like banking info or social security numbers by pretending to be authoritative figures and then draining their bank …

‘Dune: Part Two’ leaves its predecessor in the dust as it soars to extraordinary heights

Share: Director Denis Villeneuve is known for breathtaking visuals mixed with fantastic character work to boot, and no movie gives him more of an opportunity to show this off than the “Dune” series. After a three-year-long wait, Villeneuve has returned to his Sci-Fi epic with “Dune: Part Two.” Truthfully, it’s hard to put into words how amazing this movie is, as it takes a serious step up in every department over its predecessor.    The movie once again follows Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, and …

Bad bad, not good: Don’t get stuck in Madame’s Web

Share: Sony’s latest Marvel-related film “Madame Web” came to theaters just a few weeks ago, releasing on Valentine’s Day, and was met with a heap of negative reviews from Spider-Man/Marvel fans.  The build-up and overall promo were quite bizarre ranging from things like blatant false advertising, to the weird attempts from the main cast to get people to buy tickets like Dakota Johnson’s promo video where she goes on to say, “I think you’re gonna see it twice.” Aside from all this, the trailers and …

Textbook costs empty student wallets

Share: Students are already paying hundreds of dollars for classes. So, on top of that, paying an additional amount for textbooks is not ideal. As the spring semester kicks off, PCC students are being required by their professors to buy what many people deem “expensive textbooks”. There are a couple of options to get around the expensive costs of books though, such as buying used, or even online ebooks/pdfs. “All my classes require textbooks, except for my stats class, which has an online pdf textbook,” …

What is the future of physical media?

Share: With a few clicks on a remote or our phone, we have millions of movies, songs, and a multiverse of media at our fingertips. People are now accustomed to having access to any form of media they want within minutes. With these huge leaps in technology and streaming, it begs the question, what is the future of physical media? So many different companies and groups have decided to remove more and more physical media to create their own streaming platforms or other services instead. …

Netflix Avatarnishes new adaptation

Share: Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” remake feels like a very genuine love letter written with largely inaccurate information about the recipient. It’s really difficult to fully hate this show when it’s clear so many people tried to make something truly special. From the cast’s infectious enthusiasm in the promotional material to the emphasis on staying respectful to the various real cultures the world of “Avatar” takes influence from, it’s a shame it was all in service to a result so painfully mediocre.  The notion …

‘The Iron Claw’ delivers a takedown that pulls on your heartstrings

Share: In a time when celebrities were normally found in Hollywood, a particularly famous wrestling family thrived in Texas as world champions of the ring. Even when they were on top of the world, the Von Erich family were believed to have been cursed. Their “curse” is rooted in the entrapments of toxic masculinity that the Von Erich brothers inevitably faced. “The Iron Claw,” the recent film directed by Sean Durkin tells the tragic true story of the Von Erich brothers who climbed to success …

Genuine, unsponsored gift ideas for everyone on your list

Share: With the holidays right around the corner, it can be very overwhelming to find gifts for the many different people in your life. To get you prepared for Christmas, I scoured the internet so you don’t have to! Here’s a gift guide with ideas for men, women, teens, and kids. The gifts in each category are sorted from least to most expensive.  Gifts For Men: Men’s Memory Foam Slippers  Price: $20.98 Give the gift of comfort and warmth with a nice pair of slippers. …