The Antlerette
Volume 99
November 2024
The Split Amongst Young Voters
Thomas Perera, Staff
Historically speaking generations tend to lean one way in their political ideologies. But in recent years there has been a split between young voters. Young women continue to lean left in their voting, whereas young men have been heavily voting more conservatively than their counterparts.
The left heavily tying themselves into progressive movements has become a huge reason why there has become a more distinct tie between gender and political parties than in the past. Reproductive rights, gender equality, climate change, and social justice are all pressing issues that many young women are directly tied to. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we have seen a large number of female voters align themselves to candidates that are pro-choice. And with the vast majority of these pro-choice candidates being liberal, it has greatly added to the discrepancy in youth voting.
Young men on the other hand care more about economics as they struggle to relate to some of the social justice movements seen in the last decade. Young men don’t feel as though they can relate to many of these movements and it has led them to vote more conservatively than their female counterparts. There is a large concern for the economic side of America rather than the social side. Online platforms like Twitch and YouTube have become hotbeds for this issue, with big male influencers like Andrew Tate preaching to their audiences to become more masculine, and to return to more traditional ways of life. Young men have found something they can relate to, as they can’t relate to many progressive movements.
The feeling of alienation from modern movements has pushed many young men towards the consumption of more alternate right winged media. When most social media pushes an agenda that a group cannot relate to, it is natural they seek out something they can, which explains the pushback against progressive movements from young men and the large disparity between young voters.
The Rise of Digital Marketing: How It’s Taking Over Traditional
Methods Kina Her, Content Editor
In today’s fast-paced world, digital marketing has rapidly emerged as the dominant strategy for businesses seeking to connect with their audiences. With the proliferation of the Internet and the exponential growth of social media platforms, traditional marketing methods are being overshadowed by innovative digital approaches. This article explores how digital marketing is taking over, its advantages, and what this means for the future of business.
One of the primary factors driving the shift towards digital marketing is the change in consumer behavior. Modern consumers spend a significant amount of time online, whether for shopping, entertainment, or information gathering.
According to recent statistics, over four billion people use social media globally, and this number continues to rise. As a result, businesses are recognizing that reaching customers where they spend most of their time online is essential for success. Digital marketing campaigns often require lower budgets compared to traditional advertising methods. Platforms like social media, email, and content marketing provide cost-effective ways for businesses to reach their
audience without breaking the bank. This allows businesses to create highly targeted campaigns. Using data analytics, companies can segment their audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring that their messages reach the right people at the right time. Unlike traditional marketing, which can rely heavily on estimations of reach and impact, digital marketing offers measurable results through analytics tools. Businesses can track engagement, conversion rates, and in real-time, enable them to adjust their strategies for optimum performance.
Digital marketing fosters direct interaction between brands and consumers. Social media platforms enable two-way communication, allowing businesses to engage with their audience, address concerns, and build relationships. The level of interaction was seldom possible with traditional marketing methods. The internet has no geographical boundaries. Digital marketing allows businesses, regardless of their size, to access a global audience. Therefore, this opens up new markets and opportunities for growth that were previously unattainable through traditional advertising. As technology evolves, so too does the landscape of digital marketing. Techniques such as artificial intelligence (AI) and
machine learning are increasingly being used to analyze data, predict consumer behavior, and personalize marketing efforts. Additionally, innovations like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are creating immersive experiences that engage consumers in unprecedented ways. Despite the numerous benefits of digital marketing, it is not without its challenges. The digital landscape is constantly changing, requiring businesses to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies. Privacy concerns have also emerged, as consumers become more aware of data collection practices. Businesses must navigate these challenges while ensuring ethical marketing practices are in place.
As we look to the future, it is clear that digital marketing will continue to evolve and dominate the marketing landscape. Companies that embrace these changes and integrate digital strategies into their overall marketing plans will likely thrive in an increasingly competitive environment. Traditional marketing methods may still hold value in certain contexts, but the overwhelming evidence suggests that digital marketing is paving the way forward.
In conclusion, the rise of digital marketing signifies a fundamental shift in how businesses connect with
consumers. With its cost-effectiveness, targeted approach, measurable outcomes, and global reach, digital marketing has transformed the marketing landscape. As technology continues to advance, businesses must adapt and innovate to harness the full potential of digital marketing, ensuring they remain relevant and successful in an ever-changing market. The takeover of digital marketing is not just a trend it’s a revolution that is reshaping the future of business.
Transgender Athletes and Their Uncertain Future
Marvin Canaya, Staff
Change… A universal given right to human kind, establishing their exigence for a better future. Although this right seems to be supported by society, it does have its limits, especially in the transgender community where many athletes feel prohibited from playing a particular sport professionally, due to the lack of transgender representation and appreciation when it comes to professional leagues, such as the NBA, NFL, or WNBA. To compensate for the lack of fairness shown in professional organizations, the Olympics have set rules that allow transgender people to compete in the Olympics as long as transgender women have a reasonable testosterone level in order to compete, which was seen as a fair rule by the public, keeping a safe environment for all athletes. However, in the recent conflict at the 2024 Paris Olympics, being a trangender athlete is now being seen as an advantage to sports, which has been taken as offensive and disrespectful towards the transgender community.
Most recently, controversy between transgender people occurred during the 2024 Paris Olympics, such as the case of Algerian boxer, Imane Khelif, a Paris Olympic transgender
gold medal-winning boxer. After disputes about the gender eligibility testing issue regarding Imane Khelif’s testosterone level, Khelif had received mass amounts of online abuse, to the point of serious legal action. It has caught the attention of world leaders and celebrities, such as Donald Trump and J.K. Rowling, as they have questioned Khelif’s eligibility to compete in the Olympics games or falsely claiming that she was a man.
Many people believe that if this issue occurred once that it will continuously occur if they keep allowing transgender athletes to compete in specific sports, but doesn’t it seem unfair? Society is taking one mistake and using it to model an entire community and depriving them of their natural rights to compete equally among cisgendered athletes.
This issue not only occurs in the public media but within the youth community. In today’s society, transgender teens often experience struggle within school settings as they may be prevented from using locker rooms or bathrooms that align with their gender identity. Although some schools allow these actions, it does not fix the ridicule trans teens will face from their peers. Over the years, there are many situations where teen trans-bullying has escalated to serious matters such as mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, PTSD, or
increasing risks of suicide, all of which were caused by lack of acceptance and support from not only their school environment but their family members as well. This discrimination causes many trans athletes to develop fear of a sport or become restricted due to the school’s rules. These rules cause serious limitations towards kids’ futures, as it may prohibit them from being scouted by college and earning scholarships or even make them give up their dreams entirely.
These issues seem to be crucial evidence that states should adopt more inclusive sports policies that welcome the trans community. Some states and organizations, such as the Olympics, have shown acceptance towards these policies, but society still causes major problems that oppose these accepting challenges.
Note: Some of this information may be false
Modern Technology Is Becoming Harmful
Colin Metcalf, Staff
The world has changed immensely over the past few decades. The age of generative AI, social media, self-driving cars, and computers being integrated into just about everything under the sun has arrived, and while this future may seem utopian and wonderful, it seems as if some of these new technologies either overpromise and underdeliver or get in the way of life completely. Technology is changing the world as we know it faster than ever before, and it’s becoming increasingly hard to tell if it’s for the better or the worse.
AI is a brilliant example of this. Generative AI has become widespread, as seen in products and services like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Meta’s Llama models. These AI models are large-language machine learning algorithms that learn to mimic human language, allowing them to seemingly create new content based on the prompts and parameters you give them. These models are far from “intelligent,” though, as they effectively just take content from the internet, smash it all together, and then blurt it back out to you in a somewhat new way. They are fundamentally incapable of actually creating new ideas, as they are all limited by the data they are
trained on. And a large amount of the data they copy is copyrighted work, taken to be used as training without any approval from or compensation to the creators. Oftentimes it simply gets things wrong or goes so far off the rails that it becomes incomprehensible. Despite these major shortcomings and ethical concerns, generative AI has infiltrated many areas. Generative AI threatens the world as we know it, putting our autonomy, control, and privacy in jeopardy.
The real detriment to the world that has been brought on by the modern age is social media. Touted to reinvent how we interact with each other and make us more social, it has not so ceremoniously seeped into our lives and practically uprooted it completely. But is this a good thing? As we get to know it more and more, it’s beginning to seem like it may be more trouble than it’s worth.
Social media has pushed us further apart, locking us away behind screens to view the cherry-picked lives of celebrities and our peers. Studies have found that teens who use social media for more than three hours a day are twice as likely to face negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety and depression. Social media overstimulates our brain and causes it to release dopamine, which over time can lead to symptoms similar to addiction in people. The algorithms built by social
media companies are incredibly good at knowing what you want and like, and they are designed to suck you in and not let you go, furthering this issue. All in all, it seems like social media in its current state, while being a way to foster positive relationships in some ways, is not all that good for society. It pushes us apart and abuses the reward centers in our minds to keep us hooked and make as much money as possible from our ever-decreasing attention spans.
Declining Individuality
Bakhtawar Ahmad, Staff
Living in a modernized world can mean individuality being increasingly lessened by social media pressures and consumerism. Individuality which was once praised is now bypassed by the urge to fit in and become part of what is considered normal. Whereas social media was once a tool that empowered users through the freedom of self-expression, ironically enough, it now breeds uniformity through trends and algorithms that favor certain content over others. People lose their originality when they inauthentically strive for likes and followers in order to display highly curated versions of themselves in line with social expectations. Often in even just a year the difference in someone ' s looks or behaviors can be so substantial because of how fast trends move. In recent years having a casual Instagram feed became trendy; people can post whatever they want but even that has become so curated and planned. While these users continue to make more of what is popular, individuality is sacrificed a little more. Our systems of education and career also all join in, emphasizing standardized testing and well-defined career paths rather than
allowing the expression of individual creativity and personal growth. Students are constantly under immense pressure to live up to inflexible expectations, often at the cost of their peculiar talents and passions. Stability is now only seen through certain careers, especially careers in STEM, leading to people not wanting to pursue the path, which is more in interest for their individual selves even if it means feeling like they have lived an unfulfilled life.
Despite these, individuality is relevant for creativity and development. It requires pursuing personal interests, making choices of intention that express the authentic self, and counterbalancing the pressures of conformity. Society prospers by diversity, and saving individuality means creating a world that does exactly that. Individuality erasure, however, seems to be an increasing concern, but the appreciation and resistance against such forces does help individuals rediscover their uniqueness.
Deep Sea Creatures
Caiden Brown, Staff
In the oceans, there are over two hundred thousand known creatures. These creatures range from as small as plankton to as big as whales. All of these creatures live in different zones in the ocean. There is the sunlight zone, twilight zone, midnight zone, the abyss, and the trenches. Most of the sea creatures live near the sunlight zone. But I’m here to talk about what lurks in the midnight zones and lower.
In the midnight zone and lower there is no light, so these creatures have different adaptations than some of those near the sunlight. One of the most well known deep sea creatures is the angler fish. One of the main strategies that enable these creatures to find food is that they have a light that hangs in front of them to attract prey.
Another creature that lives in the depths is called the viperfish. They have an adaptation that makes their organs glow to attract prey as well. They also have such huge lower fangs that they must dislocate their jaws to swallow prey.
One last creature is the pelican eel, which, like their name, looks like an eel and pelican hybrid. Pelican eels have a pelican-like mouth which they can extend to catch bigger fish or crustaceans. To attract these prey, you guessed it, they have bioluminescence. All of these creatures have such a unique way of surviving the depths of the ocean, which may be one of the hardest places for animals to live. They have to have extremely good eyesight, or other senses such as smelling. A lot of the creatures in these depths do have bioluminescence to attract prey because it is a faint light at the bottom of the ocean that'll attract such creatures. No matter what creature you look at it has some cool feature that you may not find anywhere else in the ocean.
Laufey’s Revival of Jazz
Dylan Perkins, Staff
In an age where the genre of jazz was the musical equivalent to an old wrench sitting in the corner of a shed gathering dust, Laufey walked in, dusted the tool off, and used it to fly to the moon. The unexpected rise of Laufey in 2020 led millions of people to return to the genres of jazz and bossa nova. Laufey’s combination of the ethereal sounds that are heard in jazz and bossa nova and the modernity that is heard in pop grabbed the attention of millions in 2020, sequentially reviving the genres of music that people were starting to fall out of love with.
Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir is an Icelandic musician who in recent years has grabbed the attention of millions of music listeners. After her hit single, Laufey went on to drop the album Bewitched that took the world by storm. Her first hit song that grabbed the attention of many was a song on her album Bewitched called From the Start. This song grabbed the attention of millions of people around the globe on social media apps such as TikTok due to its refreshing and unique sound. Millions of people were reintroduced to the sounds of jazz and bossa nova from Laufey’s music.
There are many reasons as to why jazz was slowly dying out. People would say that the sounds got too complicated to improvise on or that after the rise of rock in the 1960s is when jazz started dying out. Whether these reasons are true or not, it is factual to say that Laufey introduced many people to jazz and has gone to inspire many future musicians.
Free The Menendez Brothers
Belen Gutierrez, Staff
The Erik and Lyle Menendez case has become a popular topic recently even though their trial was more than 30 years ago. The brothers grew up in a very wealthy home to parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Jose Menendez was a self-made Cuban immigrant who became the CEO of RCA Records. Kitty Menendez was a former beauty pageant winner, later a teacher, and then a stay-at-home mom after giving birth to her first son, Lyle. At first glance this family seemed like the American dream; however, that couldn’t be further from the truth. According to the brothers, their father had been sexually abusing them since they were very young while their mother knew and did nothing to try and stop it. On the night of August 20, 1989, Erik and Lyle went into their parents’ Beverly Hills home and fired at them with shotguns, very quickly killing them. It seemed like a cold-blooded murder, but adding in the factors of the abuse suffered during their childhood and even leading up to their murder, the murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez seems almost justifiable.
The reason the brothers were convicted was because they extensively planned out their parents’ murder and it was assumed they only did it so they could get their parents’ fortune. Their claim was that it was self defense, due to their abuse, and the fear that their parents were planning on killing them. It does raise questions as self defense is usually in the heat of the moment because someone else plans on attacking you. Erik and Lyle Menedez shot their parents, there is no denying that, but from a legal perspective, the claims of self defense, though it was planned out, make their defense a bit murky, since both parents are dead and no one else was there when the murder took place.
These factors and the fact that no one believed that they were abused by their father during their trials is why they were convicted and to this day remain in prison. However, if they were living the American dream, why would they kill their parents? For the money? They would inherit the money anyway as they are the sole heirs. The murder doesn’t make sense unless something was happening behind the scenes.
Due to the recent Netflix show Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story, though not completely accurate, shows a glimpse of the lives of the brothers and what their lives were like when their parents were alive. Though the brothers claim
the show is not completely accurate, it does give the audience perspective on the abuse suffered from very young ages. During the 90s, the mindset was that men couldn’t suffer any kind of abuse, much less sexual abuse. People ignored that abuse can happen to anyone and ignored the fact that the brothers had been sexually abused by their own father since they were very young. Many often asked “Why couldn’t they just go to the police?” or “Why didn’t they tell their mother?” In many situations, victims of abuse don’t feel like they can go to the police or police aren’t much help. Especially during this time, no one believed them because they were men and were wealthy. Interestingly enough however, familial witnesses that were brought in describe Jose Menendez in a similar way. He was aggressive, dominating, and intimidating. All the relatives mentioned different occurrences where he would be too hard and cruel to the boys when they were children. Even the prosecutors couldn’t find one person to say a nice thing about Jose Menendez. Kitty Menendez was a hysterical, cold, and distant woman; she was under the control of her husband, and allowed the abuse of her sons to continue. In this cruel and frightening household with no love or care; it's no wonder Erik and Lyle Menendez shot their parents. All they have been raised with is violence, so the natural response would be with
more violence, a way to make it all end permanently. Strangely though, the brothers praised their father and even after his death they wanted to make him proud. This is the trauma they’ve lived with for years, they’ve been abused by their father since very young, and they could’ve been emotionally stunted in a way that they thought their father had complete power over them, where they are still mentally the age they were when the abuse started.
Most people have a biased mindset that rich people can’t be abused and men can’t be abused, which is why the defense attorney posed these questions to the jury, “Would you feel different if my client was named Erika Menendez?” and “Because his parents were wealthy, the prosecution tells you he did it for the money. What do they say when poor kids kill?” This trial would’ve gone completely differently had these brothers been women or if they had been poor. There would have been more sympathy for them and more people would have believed them. The murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez was imperfect self defense. Imperfect self defense is the honest but unreasonable belief that your life is in danger. Due to the abuse they suffered, they had the genuine belief that their lives could have been at stake. Erik and Lyle Menendez’s story has clearly been told and it's one of severe abuse; their motives are justifiable. They have spent more than enough time in prison and should be able to reenter society.
Good Character, Bad Person
Adrian Bayardo, Editor-in-Chief
From a young age, we are taught that stories have “good guys ” and “bad guys ” . From Harry Potter to Star Wars, most stories in media are designed for the audience to be rooting for the main character- who happens to be the “good guy ” , but not all stories are designed this way. Sometimes characters are deliberately written to be the “bad guy ” , but this does not diminish their value as a character. I’ve seen many people complain about how “badly written” a character is, but all of their grievances are directed towards the horrible actions of the character, not the actual quality of the storytelling. Many people confuse a character being a good person with being a “good” character. However, I believe the quality of a character comes not from the morality of their actions, but that character’s ability to contribute to the overall story.
My favorite example of a “bad guy ” being a good character is Doctor Gregory House from House, M.D. In the show, House is incredibly rude to everyone around him. He refuses to do his job properly, and when he does, he repeatedly insults the members of his staff. Along with his workplace hostility, House commits some form of medical malpractice in almost
every episode. In real life, House wouldn’t have his medical license longer than a day without it being revoked, but it is this awful behavior that makes the show interesting.
Although House, M.D is a medical drama, dealing with serious topics such as substance abuse, there is still a comedic element to it, and most of that comes from House’s insane antics. Whether that be House secretly harboring a chicken in the hospital to win a bet against his best friend instead of doing his job or House making an extremely offensive joke to shock his colleagues, these HR violations committed by House are what make the show so entertaining.
Although I find much of House, M.D humorous, it is still a drama. Throughout the show’s eight seasons, House struggles with his addiction to the drug Vicodin. Because of his addiction, House writes himself unauthorized prescriptions for the drug by forging another doctor’s signature. This is a felony, and it nearly lands House’s best friend in prison. After this incident, House’s friend chose to forgive him (even though House almost had him sent to jail) but House did not stop this reckless behavior. The show demonstrates the bitter ugliness of addiction and what it does to people. House lies, cheats, steals, and harms the people around him to get his way. At the end of the fifth season, House overdoses several times until he is eventually sent to a rehab facility. This is one of my favorite
storylines of any show I’ve ever watched because it demonstrates significant character growth for House. He gets clean and tries to atone for the horrible things he did under the influence of drugs.
The story of Gregory House is tragic, and at times horrific, but that is what makes the story so compelling. The story simply wouldn’t work if House was a law-abiding doctor that wasn’t abusing drugs. Although it is incredibly difficult to root for Gregory House as a viewer, there is no doubt that he is an amazing character. He was written to be a morally challenged main character, and that is exactly what he is.
Every story needs a “bad guy ” , and people often hate on these “bad characters” based on the characters’ actions, not the actual quality of the characters. It’s okay to not like a character, but it is also important to understand a character’s role in the story and why they were written to be the way that they are. I can appreciate Gregory House as a character because of how his character moves the story along in the show. He may not be everyone ’ s cup of tea but objectively, House is a good character, just a bad person.
Growing Apart From Friends
Michael Coronado, Staff
From the times between elementary and high school people begin to develop their sense of identity, but along with it are the friends they create relationships with that helped shape who they are today. Although, sometimes those friendships don’t always work out and we simply grow out of them. It’s not like we want these friendships to be severed either, but as we grow older, we meet new people and suddenly the friend we once knew in elementary or middle school is an entirely new person.
As kids, we befriend our neighbors, classmates, and whoever else we find interesting, but for some reason it's them we continue talking to everyday and telling our deepest secrets. I find it somewhat strange how we choose people in our lives to suddenly trust and hang out with without any explanation whatsoever. The phenomenon is incredibly odd because in what world did our decision of playing tetherball together, playing four square, collectively disliking the same person, talking about a hidden room under a tree to be a safe haven from school’s boring work, and sharing a piece of licorice with you mean that we were now best friends? It’s like a never-
ending puzzle running around my brain that I can’t seem to solve but enjoy so much.
Friendships are one of the building blocks in our lives because they influence who we are today, although a point of acceptance is realizing not all good things last. I’m talking about this like it’s such a bad thing when it’s not, considering we love making friends and creating long lasting friendships. In some situations, those bonds don’t disappear either but rather fade from their former strength and prominence. Even if these friendships don't last, they still help us develop and give us experiences for future bonds and what to look for to avoid toxic friendships. No matter what happens between two people, friendships have an effect on everyone because we learn compassion, appreciation, and love. All of these values teach us lessons that help guide us as we get older, especially once we reach middle school.
It seems it’s here teenagers always seem to either make their long-lasting friendships or strengthen them. During this time everyone goes through dramatic changes and to many that includes how you express yourself. Any teenager could tell you that “middle school” was the awkward stage and their friendships strengthened here because their friends saw them at their “most awkward.” Although, for some this can also be
the start to these friendships slowly drifting. This is because at times friends may not have any classes together or the same lunch block as their best friends. At this point, the friendship is determined by how friends continue to communicate with each other by hanging out, playing games, or speaking on call. Like I said, people begin to make their friendships here and at times it can drive a wedge between their new friend compared to the old one. We begin to hang out with our new friends so much more because we want to broaden our palette to discover other friendships. The middle school phase can be the beginning of the end of a friendship but it all comes down to communication. Growing apart from friends takes its most dramatic form when we finally enter high school together.
As friends join high school, a lot of things can change ranging from personality, clothing, and the biggest of all, your friendship. We are of course getting older, and in high school people can drastically change by who they hang around. These dramatic changes can cause the person you once knew to be an entirely new person through the influence of others.
Friendships drive from shared interests, but when our friends no longer share these interests or the desire to hang out with you, it’s hard for the friendship to continue. We meet so many new people once we enter high school and without even
realizing, we end up changing along with it. Sometimes friends leave to spend time with their new friends because at the end of the day, making new friends has never been a bad thing. But, at times the old ones come with a cost and our friendships begin to fade away as time goes by. Our bonds always seem to be the same when we talk, but deep down we will always know things will never be how they used to be; it will never be how we used to talk or hang out.
Our friendships can even seem the exact same when we see each other or hang out every so often and in honesty, that's true friendship – to be out of each other’s lives for a long time without things ever seeming like they changed. Because inside we still see them the way we first met them. At least that's the way I perceive it, he's changed so much and our friendship has become duller, but I’ll always see him as the kid who wanted to become a NASA scientist when he grew up, the kid who I shared that piece of licorice with, the one who I could call my best friend.
Story Time With Ethen
Ethen Rico Villa, Staff
Hello, today I will share with you the reader a story that happened my sophomore year of high school and how I started my long “ career ” of being a professional dumby, I am still surprised that my brain is still somewhat functional. So let's begin with how this whole thing happened. It was February 11th, 2024 the day of the Super Bowl and one of many dumb things that happened. I was on the couch listening and watching the Super Bowl, quick note it would have been a loss for me anyways because my girlfriend is a 49ers fan so if they won, I wouldn’t hear the end of it because I am a Raiders fan.
So I sat and watched the game. I was chill, and already on my 3rd serving of food. I sat there and saw that the Kansas City Chiefs were losing and I was okay with it, but in reality I was sad because the 49ers were looking like they would win during that year ’ s Super Bowl. And if that were the case, then I would have, again, a girlfriend that would never leave it alone and A LOT of 49ers talking bull about the Raiders.
So I sat there with a face of depression and defeat, but for the most part depression. But then I went to my room to chill because I will admit that I was getting a little salty and getting angry. Later when I came back, I saw that the Kansas City Chiefs were winning. Soon enough they did; it was 22-25. I was very happy at that moment in time and ran to my room to celebrate and jumped on my bed, but when I did, my head hit the wall and I was able to leave a hole in it. I didn’t feel good in the head and felt very dizzy. I looked at the wall and saw the hole and I was very scared because at the time the house was still new and after that they didn’t see the hole until later on, like maybe three weeks after.
Happily Ever After
Jorden Dykes, Staff
My mother and father were the definition of soulmates. They’ve always shown their love for one another and told my siblings and me the best ways to have the closest thing to a happy, healthy relationship. But all of that changed when my mother found out my father had been cheating on her. They had a big argument, as you could imagine my mother was furious and felt betrayed. My dad expressed that he regretted ever even considering doing such a vile thing to someone he truly loved. I had always favored my dad, but this changed everything for my siblings and me. My mother tried her best to forgive him, to move on and go back to the way things were. This awkward and forced happiness ended when my dad went missing a year ago.
He left for work that morning and never came back. Everyone assumed he went to start a life with his mistress and left his wife and three children behind. But that never sat right with me. I know who my father was and while he did make a big mistake, he owned up to it and tried to fix it. My siblings resent him for it. My mother, however, showed no resentment or worry throughout the years, which made me feel quite uneasy.
She kept smiling and nothing ever changed for her since my dad’s disappearance. Although, she spends an unusual time in the basement now. I had just assumed she had been putting my dad’s belongings down there if he ever came back. I’ve asked her if she could grab an item of his for me a few times, since I never liked the unusual, pungent smell of the basement. She would usually simply smile and change the subject, so I stopped asking. But nothing about this felt quite right, so I decided to go down to the basement myself while my mom and siblings were at the store.
As I walked up to the door, I took note of the unusual amount of locks on it. When I opened the door, it was pitch black inside but there was a lightbulb by the entrance and when I turned it on, I screamed. There he was, laying down in the back corner. I ran to him with tears streaming down my face, relieved to see him. But as I got closer I realized how waxy his skin was and how his usually vibrant eyes were unnaturally sunken into his skull and soulless. He was gone.
In an instant I was on the floor, weeping. I recognized my mother’s footsteps behind me; they were always light and swift. I stood up and turned around. She was right in front of me, smiling. I felt a sharp pain in my neck and saw that her arm was stretched out. “This way we can be together forever.
You’ll understand when you ’ re older and in love, I promise.”
The world spun, then faded to black.
Heavy Duty Cycle
Azriel Ezra Hu, Copy Editor
And I almost couldn’t believe that the kitten would die.
I watched through the glass circle as it spun round and round, its little paws scrabbling for purchase. Its black fur was halfwet from the water. I could hear its little mews from through the glass. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
In the reflection in the glass I could see my brother cross his arms behind me. “Stop whining,” he told me. “I told you that if we got a thing like that I wouldn’t let you keep it.”
“But why?” I asked plaintively. My hands scrunched against the window of the washing machine. Inside the kitten’s mews were growing softer as its fur grew wetter. “Mom said-”
“It doesn’t matter what Mom said,” he said harshly. “Mom’s not around right now. You have to listen to me. ”
“Isn’t it going to die?”
“Don’t be stupid,” he said. “Didn’t you know? Kittens can swim
like fish. That’s why the washing machine is on. ”
I knew he wasn’t right. But I was so scared of him and for the kitten that I couldn’t say anything. The kitten wasn’t mewing anymore, just a pile of big glassy eyes and sodden fur getting thrown around in the washing machine. I couldn’t tell if it was dead already or not. I hoped it was, but I also hoped it wasn’t. I had never had a pet before, and I had always wanted a kitten. But I hadn’t wanted one like this.
In the reflection in the glass I saw my brother walk away. I laid my cheek against the window.
When Mom found me when she came home, she said I was asleep against the washing machine. Inside the kitten was pressed up against the glass, both of our eyes closed and our cheeks only separated by the glass.
Lluvia Maya Buqeileh,
Design Editor
I stare at the phone in my hand, the screen wet from the pouring rain. I really should have borrowed that umbrella from my friend when she offered. Every second my clothes and hair become more soaked. The cold is almost overwhelming.
As I close my eyes and return my phone to its spot in my pocket, I can’t help but feel the warmth in my heart as the memories of her flow back into my mind. The rain always made her feel so gloomy, so I showed her that the puddles that formed barriers in our path could be fun. I ignored my own displeasure and jumped right into every puddle that surrounded us. I acted like I was having the time of my life. She laughed at me. It was the greatest feeling I have ever experienced, I made her smile. I wouldn’t trade the sight of her smile for anything in the world. We were both drenched but we were together and in that moment, that was enough.
A buzz in my pocket made me check my phone again. An equally bright smile grew on my face when my phone screen lit up with a notification from her. I decided to wait until I was dry to check the message. I put my phone back in the side pocket of my
backpack and continued my walk home in the rain. Today, I plan to take the long way. She knows I don’t respond right away, everyone does, so I’m sure she won’t be upset if I don’t check her message for a while. I’m sure she just wants to be on call for hours while she’s really supposed to be doing homework. By the time I arrive at home, I’m sure she will still be free to chat. That’s our routine. It’s finally autumn and my walk home is as beautiful as a dream. The scorching summer heat that turned my skin a few shades darker has finally come to an end. I embrace the change of the season and enjoy the cold gust pushing me forward. I almost fell over a couple times but still find it amusing. The most jaw dropping sight of them all is how the orange leaves of the trees go perfectly with the gray sky above. This is what I’ve been waiting for all summer, the end.
As I arrive home I am greeted by silence. I only just realized how wet and numbingly cold I am. Nothing sounds better than a warm shower and some hot apple cider. I toss my soaked backpack to the floor and my phone slips out of my pocket. I clench as I anticipate the loud bang of my phone hitting the wood floor. I panic and quickly pick up the phone, only to see I cracked it, but it still works.
The feeling of disappointment quickly fades when the screen lit up once again and reminds me I had completely forgotten about her message. I immediately unlock my phone and read the message, expecting a quick hello. The message is longer than I expected… significantly longer. I reluctantly sit down and begin to read.
I stand up and read it again.
I sit back down and read it again.
I drop my phone to the ground and the message replays in my head again.
I scream and pick up my phone to read the message again.
I can barely breathe or see from my tears but I read the message again.
I will never see her again.
Opened Box
Kaylyn Haley, Staff
“Alison, honey? Can you please grab me the ceiling duster from the attic?” Her mother’s voice echoed through the hallway, all the way from downstairs. What is a ceiling duster? Who needs a ceiling duster? Why do they own a ceiling duster?
“Yeeesss! Hold on!” she hollered back from her bed, moving the heart-printed sheets off her body and onto the side of the bed, sliding off it with little effort. She quickly allowed herself a moment to stretch her legs and back, having not moved from her cocoon for the entire day, before heading to the door of her bedroom. The attic was just down the hall from her room. The string that would pull the stairs down got closer and closer to hitting the top of her head as she grew. She’d have to reach far in order to grasp the string in the tips of her fingers, and on her tiptoes, she pulled down on it to open the staircase from above. The stairs creaked with each step upward, like a cricket in deep distress, and the eerie coldness of the dark room sent shivers down her spine.
Alison reached for the lightbulb at the top of the ceiling, twisting the knob enough to spark a glow that would illuminate the whole room. At first glance, there was nothing that closely resembled a duster long enough to reach a ceiling. She sighed to herself, coming to the conclusion that she would have to move some things aside in order to find the appliance. The dust washed around the room and made her sneeze a few times, but she quickly recovered from the attack and rummaged around the small room.
Under the mattress, maybe? No. Behind the old oil lamp, perhaps? Not there. What about around the stack of boxes?
Alison put one foot in front of the other, walking towards the huge stack of boxes. Right behind the stack was a long pole with a puffball top, the all-wonderful ceiling duster. The corners of her lips lifted up and she picked the duster up, but miscalculated where the top of it would hit and the stack of boxes came crashing down, the contents inside spilling over the attic floor.
“Everything okay up there, pumpkin?” her mother called from the bottom of the stairs, she assumed. Alison didn’t say anything at that moment, too overwhelmed by the mess she was going to have to clean up and the fact that she would have to stay in this dusty attic for a second longer. After a few
moments of continuous staring at the mess she knew she would have to clean up, she replied to her mother who was still at the stairs.
“Yes! Something fell over. Come grab this, please!” she replied, walking over to the entrance of the attic to place the duster at the bottom of the staircase. The sound of footsteps followed after her reply, signaling that her mother had come to pick up the duster. Alison walked back over to the unfortunate mess she had made, squatting down to pick up what seemed to be a bunch of photos of her family from when they were younger, including her grandparents. A slight smile found its way on her face with each image picked up, her imagination going through the moments before and the moments after the photo.
One with Nanny and Pops sitting on a blanket at the seashore, her head resting on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her side. Another from the Outer Fields where kids her age would go out and have bonfires with whatever lumber they could find around the place. It truly reminded her that her current life was not all that interesting and the jiggle in her arms further solidified that she needed to get out more and explore her town.
The next photograph was a picture of her Pops holding what seemed to be a hand gun with the hand where he wore his favorite watch. What kind, she was unsure. The gun seemed to be pointed at a bag of rice, and in the photo you could make out a small smirk on her Pops’ face, one that unsettled her and gave her goosebumps. She was never a fan of guns. With the goosebumps still risen on her skin, she flipped to the next photo.
A picture of a woman, someone she had never seen in previous family pictures before, crying. Mascara ran down her slim face, then glistened in her eyes full of panic and terror, and a hand holding the base of her chin as if they knew they had some extraordinary power over the next few moments of her life. Her grandfather used to be in the Hollywood industry back in the 70 ’ s and would have plenty of photos lying around from the sets he directed. It must’ve been a prop for a movie at one point that he just decided to keep as a memory for something. It didn’t explain why it would be in a pile of family photos, but honestly, it probably just got mixed in.
She set the picture aside and the one right under it made her blood drop down to a dangerous temperature. It was a picture with a single hand holding the same gun her grandfather held in the previous image, but this time the hand was gloved and
was pointed directly at the same actress as earlier. On the same hand was her grandfather's favorite watch. Alison flipped the image over so that only the back would show. There was a brown stain that covered a small portion of the picture and in red ink, there was a two-word phrase that confirmed what exactly she was seeing. “Bang, bang! - Charles and Delilah.” Her grandfather was born a junior to her great grandfather Charles. She could only assume Delilah was the woman in the photo who she was starting to believe was not actually acting.
At that moment everything she had believed about her grandfather came crashing down into a pit of fire. He gave off the impression of a good man, donating money to animal shelters and, every so often, helping out in soup kitchens for the homeless. He would go on and on about how he believed love was love and, “You must not judge one for the people they can’t help loving.” He was a great husband to his wife, her Nanny, and an even better grandfather to his son ’ s children. Charles was a good man. So then what was this?
Oh, gosh. What was she going to do with these photos? Alison stood up and walked over to the entrance of the attic, just to peer through and see if anyone was watching her, before pacing the floor. She had to turn them in. Right? Her
grandfather did a horrible thing, at least she was assuming he did. But what if he did not? What if that truly was just an acting job that he so happened to take a photo of? If she took this to the police and that was the case, not only would her family name be tarnished, but she would get in trouble. Her parents would never forgive her for putting her grandfather in prison for the rest of his life. She couldn’t forgive herself if she did either.
With that thought in mind, she walked over to a desk in the corner of the crowded attic and opened one of the drawers, her eyes immediately falling on the purple lighter on top of the notebook. She snatched it out of the drawer, remembering how her mother said to never light a lighter without asking her first. Oh well, she would forgive her for this. One swipe of her thumb and the flame protruded from the tiny stick of life, staying completely still with the lack of airflow in the room. Alison watched the flame for a moment, almost mesmerized by the way it held so much beauty, but could cause so much ugliness. With the photos in one hand and the lighter in the other, she brought them closer and closer together until the paper began to turn a deep brown, slowly dissolving from the tips of her fingers as the fire engulfed its worn down edges.
“What are you doing?” A feminine voice came from the entrance of the attic, “Alison! Put that out! What are you doing?!” A few moments later, her mother’s hand had swatted the charred photos from her fingers, putting the flame out but leaving no evidence of her grandfather’s crime behind. They both stared at the pile of ashes for a moment before her mother looked at her with a face of irritation and worry. “I told you to never light one of those things unless I said you could. What were you burning up here that you felt you needed to hide?” Alison stayed quiet, fearing the worst for her family and what could come if she told her mother what Pops had done.
She couldn’t stop her mother from looking around the basement, and when her eyes landed on the shoebox of photos that had fallen because of the duster, steam came out of her ears. “Photos?! Alison, these are family valuables! They are irreplaceable! Which ones did you destroy?” She yelled at Alison while motioning at the box, jabbing at the air with each word. Under pressure Alison cracked, “The lady Pops hurt! I didn’t
want him to get caught!”
“Alison, your Pops is scared of bugs! What makes you think he is going to hurt a human being?” Her mother reasoned, her right hand now rested on her waist while her left hand rubbed at her closed lids. Alison didn’t know what to say to this and simply shrugged her shoulders. In the end, she still managed to get herself into trouble and “saved” her grandfather from something he didn’t need saving from. They stood there in silence for another minute or two before her mother shook her head. “The imagination of a child, I swear. ”
Why Modern Family is the Best Sitcom
Lana Holbrook, Staff
Modern Family was a show that ran from 2009-2020 for 11 seasons. It was a beloved television show that broke boundaries, opened minds, and fostered many laughs. Modern Family follows one big family consisting of 3 different households, each with their own stories. The show is not only one of my favorites, but is also a favorite among many because of its witty humor that has stood the test of time. It’s not just a coincidence that Modern Family ran for so many seasons; it proves that it is a fantastic show with a good storyline. Modern Family took familial cliches like the phrase “like mother like daughter” and delved into the humor of it all. The show’s progression and introduction of new characters that provide a new perspective for each character over the course of the show makes it a great sitcom to enjoy by yourself, or with your family.
Three Days Instead of Two
Bailynn Heu, Staff
You’ve experienced a three day weekend with Mondays off because of holidays in school and you feel relieved to have an extra day to rest. Well, let's say what happens if having that three day weekend instead of just Saturday and Sunday becomes a regular weekly thing? If you ’ re worried about having your summer break be shortened, don't because the three days would symbolize more rest, which requires schools to let the students rest and enjoy their own times in their breaks. This optional three day weekend rule would apply to some schools only in California.
If you ’ re wondering why the school weekends should be extended to one more day, the reason is because Mondays have been considered the mentally coldest day in the week.
Waking up early for school after two days of rest causes students to be more tired because they need that extra day to recover and be not too stressed with coming to school. Since it’s just one extra day of rest, it wouldn’t harm their schedule because schools have managed with three day weekends before. Because of this, Monday should not be considered a school day.
Since rest would be the most important thing in a school that takes part in three day weekends, the only consequence for students would be that they are required to not sleep in class. This is because they should use their extra day of rest time wisely. Even if they have school work assigned on the weekend, they have no excuse if it’s missing. The only exceptional excuse would have to be verified by a parent or guardian. Yes, rest is important but being responsible and on task while being in school matters too.
All in all, schools should have three days instead of two for rest time.
President Qualifications are Bad
Derrick Wright, Staff
The qualifications to be a President of the United States of America are simple. You must be 35 years of age or older and be a natural born citizen. And you must have lived in the United States for 14 years. These qualifications are simple and plainly bad. It requires no form of education to be a presidential candidate. It also has no form of seeing if you have ever had experience leading things in the past. This allows anybody to be a president, education or not. This could also make it easy for presidential powers to fall into the wrong hands and effectively make bad decisions as a president. That is why the qualifications to be president should be stricter.
At least a bachelor's degree of higher education. They also need to prove that they know what they're doing in any way. A bad president can break ties with allied countries or countries like Russia who is a very possible threat for America. A president can change inflation and either make it good or bad. This is why the qualifications to become President of the United States of America should be stricter.
Why Winter is the Best Season
Mikela Laurenzi, Content Editor
Winter season means the holiday of joy is close. During this time, families spend the most time together because of holidays, storms, winter breaks, etc. This means more time for getting closer with one another. Around this time is when most kids away at college or adults that live somewhere else can reunite and connect with their loved ones. When you get to come home to a warm house after being in the cold for so long, it's one of the best feelings that you can have. Knowing that you get to get in bed and drink and eat hot foods sounds like relief to a lot of people. The winter season has the best weather to cuddle up and stay home in. It gives you such a relaxing feeling to hear the raindrops or see the snow, depending on where you live. Getting to spend as much time with your family as possible while seeing beautiful mother nature cry will always be some people’s favorite things. Christmas time is also a lot of people's favorite holiday because it is the holiday of joy.
You get to give the people you love the most a present they will cherish and the people you love get to give you something that you will cherish just as much. Winter brings people closer together and makes them remember where they came from and to never forget it. The weather, food, drinks, and warmth, it all pulls together to create a magical season.
Why Golf is Bad
Tyson Wise, Staff
The “sport” of golf is for some reason a loved sport by a lot of people across the world even though there are a multitude of reasons why it's bad and shouldn’t be considered a sport. One of the reasons being that it’s just plain boring to play and watch. Golf matches go on for hours and it’s just the same repeated motion for 18 holes straight. Not to mention the lack of skill that goes into it unlike other sports like basketball, football, soccer, etc.
Another reason as to why golf sucks is that it’s an expensive hobby. Good golf clubs can fetch you over $2000 plus buying tees and balls and then you have to factor in repairs if it gets damaged and replacing your clubs. It doesn't seem very worth it to dump this amount of money into something so useless and boring.
The main reason golf is bad is because of the possible deforestation it can cause. Knocking down hundreds of trees just to play golf seems like a major waste of money and time, plus deforestation is wrong and we need more trees as the days go on. Golf courses also use a lot of resources such as gas, pesticides, and large amounts of water to keep the grass fresh.