By Sidney Brant TikTok is a terrifying platform. Users of the app often acknowledge this with the caveat that yes, it sucks the life out of you and makes any long-term task impossible without a Subway surfers video playing in the background, but it can expose you to so much unique, interesting media that you otherwise wouldn’t have discovered. There are communities formed fully online … Continue reading Why is BookTok So Annoying?
by Ada Kessler It’s no secret that 2023 has been an incredibly successful year for Taylor Swift. One of the most notable achievements thus far is her newly achieved billionaire status following her tour success. Her song “Is It Over Now” dethroned her other song “Cruel Summer” as number one on the charts and she released two re-recorded albums this year alone. Swift embarked on … Continue reading Does “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” live up to its iconic counterpart?
by Caroline Ponticelli On Friday, November 3, McCaskey’s Voices of Freedom gospel choir performed their annual fall showcase. The show’s setlist included “Go Down Moses,” an African-American Spiritual song with an amazing solo by Yarelis Perez. Other songs included “How Much Can We Bear,” by Hezekiah Walker, “I Pharadisi,” a South African folk song, “Praise your Name,” by Cedric Ford, “Soon and Very Soon,” Andrea … Continue reading McCaskey’s Voices of Freedom fall showcase
By Mitchell Copeland Music is one of the few things that all people seem to love, a unifying force among many cultures and communities. We don’t often think about the impact of music on pop culture and art. It is used to make political statements, tell stories, share culture, or just make cool melodies. It’s no secret that some artists garner more support than others, … Continue reading Panchiko is a DIY Music Era Success Story
By Gabriel Brogan Andes Manta, a band of four brothers specializing in traditional Ecuadorian folk music, recently hosted a workshop and concert here at McCaskey. The workshop was organized by McCaskey Spanish teacher Sñra. Savidge, who coordinated the event with local nonprofit, the Latin American Alliance, or LAA. While Savidge has worked with Andes Manta before, the workshop was the first to be held on … Continue reading Andes Manta’s McCaskey Debut
In 2019, Megan Phelps-Roper’s life changed. Formerly under the spotlight as a disaffected member of the ultra-conservative Westboro Baptist Church, Roper has since been a commentator of sorts, tracking current issues in politics and culture from a centrist perspective. Her latest and most ambitious undertaking is a podcast covering the events of bestselling author J.K. Rowling’s life and recent controversies. Smugly named “The Witch Trials … Continue reading From Her Hogwarts Mansion: J.K. Rowling and how to Control a Narrative
On Thursday, April 13, two vehicles left from McCaskey High School to go to Washington Elementary. One was a truck, which contained speakers, two collapsible screens, five giant wooden walls with wheels on the bottom, a sound board, two projectors, a box full of pirate and cowboy costumes, a box full of maps, telescopes, other props, two large monitors, and three fold up tables. The … Continue reading Spring Play 2023: On Tour
It’s strange and remarkable how music conjures visceral memories. In fact, according to neurologist Andrew Budson, music can “open forgotten doors to your memory” and “take you back in time.” When we hear a song that we associate with specific moments in our lives, the details of those moments come flooding back. As I prepare to graduate, time feels compressed. Experiences are denser, richer, faster. … Continue reading On Boygenius’s ‘The Record’ and Lessons from Senior Year
On April 20, Lancaster Public Library closed to the public and began the move to its new location on Queen Street, which is expected to open in late May. The old Duke Street building has several structural issues, such as flooding and mold, that made the move necessary. It was bought by a group of investors for the use of Saint James Episcopal Church, located … Continue reading The Lancaster Public Library Is Moving Locations
With the recent spike of news covering ChatGPT, one could only imagine the complications that would come when this writing AI software app reached the classroom. The rising fear of cheating among teachers has caused panic not only for school boards, but students as well. ChatGPT is an AI (artificial intelligence) chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022. Sam Altman is the CEO … Continue reading How Will ChatGPT Impact Education?
Technology has had a huge impact on television as it evolved throughout the years: from moving towards streaming platforms and away from cable, to binge watching becoming favored over the norm of weekly releases. Many have been left to question whether these changes are good or bad, or whether they’ll stick around. Originally, when watching a TV show on cable it’d be found easily through … Continue reading How Streaming Transformed the Way We Watch Television
The ‘cell phone’ or mobile phone using cellular data, was invented in 1973. However, the cell phone that we all know and love, the high speed mobile computer with internet access, was invented in 2007. The very first ‘smartphone.’ Today, 97% of America’s population owns a smartphone. Since their rapid rise in popularity over the course of the early 2010s, the smartphone has boasted convenience, … Continue reading We’re All Addicted to Our Phones-Now What?
“Everything is made of corn!” This thought has pervaded my brain ever since my class read Michael Pollan’s middle-grade edition of The Omnivore’s Dilemma in the 7th grade. The book explores different food production methods and diets, most of which ultimately end up being majorly inconvenient or unhealthy, to highlight the impact that industrialization has had on the food we eat. Deciding what to eat … Continue reading How Industrialized Food Production Harms Us All
From an early age, you’re driven to stay away from social media. “You never know who you’re talking to” or how behind the screen it can be an eighty year old man waiting to kidnap you, so you should never talk to strangers online. The dangers of the internet have always been categorized by its anonymity, although that should not always be the focus of … Continue reading How Being “Chronically Online” Impacts Teens Today
Nearly two decades after its conception, the internet brought the creation of YouTube and several other platforms that served as video creation sites. But it wasn’t until 2011 when Twitch and the live-streaming fad gripped the online culture. Twitch was a near instant success, providing a more intimate experience and connection with content creators. In addition, it provided opportunities for live engagement–and more dedicated fans. … Continue reading How Streamers Wield Their Influence Online
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