THOSE THOSE DARN THOSEDARN DARN #MILLENNIALS #MILLENNIALS #MILLENNIALS
CORONA CORONA DEL DEL MAR MAR HIGH HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL •• VOLUME VOLUME 55 55 •• ISSUE ISSUE 44 •• APRIL APRIL 2017 2017
CONTENTS
April 2017 • Those Darn #Millennials
Feature
Entertainment
The F-Word...........................................................4
The Story of Tonight..........................23
Burnt Out..............................................................6
Coachella..........................................24
Cronkite to Hannity................................................8
Fashion of the Present......................26
Last Millennium’s Millennials.................................10
Newport Beach Film Festival.............27
Pink Partisanship.................................................12
The Art of Everything.........................28
How Millennials Are Changing Family Dynamics...14
Magnificent Must-Reads....................29
A Reality Check....................................................15
Global
Campus Life
Losing Our Religion...........................30
Feature Student: Olivia Holton..............................16
Sci/Tech
Feature Teacher: Jen Yennie.................................17
Social Change...................................32
Athletics Feature Athlete: Alyaa Abdulghany.......................19 The NFL in California............................................20 The Soccer Revolution.........................................22
Media Influencers..............................33 Designer DNA...................................34 Power Play........................................35 Cover Photo by The Trident Staff Contents Photo by Julia David Editors Photo by Kurt Jupin
Editor-in-Chief Hannah Schoenbaum Co-Editors Anna Constantino Delaney Ivey Adviser Laura Holk Copy Editors Jillian Hughes Sam Parhamfar Jodi Parker Jake Tsubota
Dear Reader,
Business Manager Jina Lee
What, or who, is a millennial? The dictionary defines them as people reaching young adulthood in the early 21st century, but there is no true official age range. Besides, some would say being a millennial is a state of mind, not an age. The millennials are also known as Generation Y. There is definitely a generation gap between millennials and those who came before them: Generation X. Millennials have basically grown up alongside modern technology. We are the first generation to have cellphones and social media as our constant companions. Our pop culture is diverse and incomprehensible to many of the past generation. Imagine what someone from fifty years in the past would think if you said to them, “Check out my Snap story,” or “I can’t even with this Kim K meme,” or “Quick, let me take a selfie.” Many people consider millennials to be glued to their phones, antisocial, and obsessed with being politically correct. Who knows, maybe we are. One of our other nicknames is the “Selfie Generation,” after all. We have one of the most uncertain economic futures of any generation in America since the Great Depression. We have inherited environmental issues and political turmoil. The competition for college admission and high-paying, white-collar jobs is stiffer than ever. But we are doing the best we can with what we have to work with. Millennials, this one is for you.
Your Editors, Hannah, Anna, & Delaney Legal Information Trident is a student forum used to inform and entertain the students and community of Corona del Mar High School. Opinion articles reflect the views of the writer; they do not represent the beliefs of Corona del Mar High School Staff, administrators, or the Newport-Mesa Board of Trustees. Letters to the editor may be submitted to room 224. Trident reserves the right to edit letters based on consideration of accuracy, length, clarity, obscenity, and libel. 2016-2017 ©
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FEATURE
THE F-WORD
How millenials view feminism
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hen I was young, I was told never to say the F-word. I was slapped on the wrist for murmuring it under my breath at the age of 11, and I avoided it ever since. Recently, I was in a room filled with my peers discussing an array of social issues. When I stated that I was a feminist, the room became awfully quiet while nearly every nose wrinkled. I was 11-years-old again, being threatened to have my mouth washed with soap. I could argue that the exact definition of the word is still how we use it today in conversation; however, this word has morphed into an entirely new discussion as time has passed. There is still value in the true meaning, even if it may not be the most accurate representation. Merriam Webster defines feminism as “the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” Yet somehow, our daily use of the word has become jumbled and misunderstood in the context of our everchanging society. Although the original definition is important, millennials are reshaping how we view large movements such as feminism and are offering new meanings. Many millennial women support the textbook definition of feminism, but they do not identify themselves as feminists. Senior Jackie Perri is the president of the feminist club at Corona del Mar High School. Perri believes the problem with feminism is how people view the word. “People will say, ‘I’m not a feminist’ because they don’t want to be associated with the movement,” Perri said, “but in reality, it’s rare when you find someone who actually thinks men are superior to
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MEGAN MOORE women. If we are ever able to break down the stigma around the F word, we might actually be able to make change.” According to a Huffington Post poll, “just 20 percent of Americans — including 23 percent of women and 16 percent of men — consider themselves feminists. Another 8 percent consider themselves anti-feminists, while 63 percent said they are neither.” Senior Cameron Harbilas refuses to be associated with the millennial version feminist movement because he believes that the movement only seeks to empower one group. “I advocate for policies that
If we are ever able to break down the stigma around the F-word, we might actually be able to make change.” —Jackie Perri
improve the quality of life for everyone and ensure everyone’s rights are protected,” he said, “instead of policies that benefit specific groups who think they deserve it because of historical bias against them.” Erin Topping is the advisor for the feminist club and believes that she grew into her feminism as she got older. “I realized that the privileges I enjoy have been paid for by the struggle of women almost a century before me,” she said, “to women my mother’s age, to this minute. I am lucky to teach students who come from a place of privilege; the classroom feels equal, with male and female students both able to let their intelligence shine.”
One of the biggest influencers of the anti-feminist movement is Milo Yiannopoulos, who can be found on Instagram by searching @milo. yiannopoulos. Yiannopoulos is the face of the #FeminismIsCancer movement and believes that birth control is a “mistake,” said women are “happier in the kitchen,” and considers Black Lives Matter a “hate group.” His Instagram has more than 175,000 followers and supporters of Yiannopoulos believe that the feminism movement is hurting how we view men. Recently, Yiannopoulos stirred up riots at University of California, Berkely when he tried to deliever a speech about why culturual appriopriation is a positive thing. Protestors quickly gathered around the building as an attempt to prevent him from speaking. It appears that pointing fingers and damaging stereotypes are harmful to the true feminism movement. Calling out injustice is important, but claiming any male is trying to mansplain when simply attempting to inform is unfair and harmful to the movement. In order to make real change, hostilility needs to be removed. Meninism has gained increasing popularity in recent years, an ideology that claims that males are the oppressed sex. This phrase initially began as a joke to poke fun at men who thought they faced more hurdles in life when compared to women. As soon as the word began appearing in everyday conversation, the intention of the word was shifted and many males believed in the underlying idea. While much of the attitude towards the movement is sarcastic, many truly believe that the feminist movement has spiraled so out of control that it deserves opposition. Jokingly or not, many get so
FEATURE
Many Orange County residents showed their pride at the Women’s March on January 21st. People of all ages, genders, and originas came to show their support for the feminist movement. Many marched with signs that displayed their beliefs. Photo by Delaney Ivey.
upset by what modern day feminism has become that they strengthen the meninist support. When people discuss feminism, participants would be wrong to ignore the spotlight on equal pay. The White House website stated that “ in 2014, the typical woman working full-time all year in the United States earned only 79 percent of what the typical man earned working fulltime all year.” Women earn merely 79 cents of a man’s working dollar. While many factors affect these reports, the fact is that women earn less than men. This is one of the main pillars on which feminism is built to encourage women to have just as much ambition for high-paying jobs as men. Influential figures such as Emma Watson have tried to shed light on what feminism means to them. In her speech to the United Nations, Watson said, “Women are choosing not to identify as feminists. Apparently, I’m among the ranks of women whose expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, and anti-
men. Unattractive, even.” Watson has taken a strategic route to spread the positive word about feminism that many millennials have adopted. Instead of isolating men from the movement, Watson extends an invitation to them to join the movement and offers understanding towards both sexes. In order to establish a mutual respect and work towards a common goal, both sides must be open to change. Feminism is a dynamic concept that millennials are molding into their own interpretation. Not just representing the equality of the sexes, a woman that is a feminist is often seen as the loudest, most ignorant voice in the room. Feminism is not just unshaven armpits and pink beanies. While the future generations will most likely keep shaping the word into new meaning, it is critical to remember the roots from which feminism sprouted and fight for the rights of women everywhere. Whether you identify with the F-word or not, be prepared for change or be a part of it.
Two young women march proudly with signs that empower the voice of women everywhere. Regardless of their age, marchers all around the nation are sending the same message; let women be heard. Many marchers took creativity from famous quotes such as Elizabeth Warren’s “nasty woman” remark. Photo by Delaney Ivey.
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BURNT OUT OUT FEATURE
The American education system
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SAMMY PIEROTTI
merica likes to think of itself at the top of every list that matters, but, according to the atlantic, where education is concerned we place closer to 30th than first. While our national ranking may concern us more than the education system itself, it’s obvious which one we should be focusing on as a country. Public schools pound the creativity out of today’s students by stigmatizing their mistakes and telling students that they don’t have a voice in their own education. In a school system where the perfect student is a master of every subject, must play sports and be involved in clubs or extracurriculars, teenagers are so wellrounded they are beginning to feel like a circle. There have been many movies made on this topic, including two of the most outstanding ones: Waiting for “Superman” and The Race to Nowhere. Waiting for “Superman” says that together, it’s possible to fix public education. The film reminds us that education statistics have names: Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily. The plot of the film revolves around these five children and focuses on the stories of their families trying to give them access to a better education at charter schools, while also examining poorly performing teachers and teachers unions. The film was released in 2010 and was given the score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, but was greeted with accusations of inaccuracy from professors
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Sophia Tung and Hannah Greengaurd work on their Grant Proposal Project for Honors Biology. Photo by Sammy Pierotti.
and teachers everywhere. If an educator cannot recognize their own mistakes and confront them, how can they be expected to teach children to do that. By pushing aside their faults, teachers set a bad example for students that spend at least six hours a week with them. Although the movie portrays teachers unions as lousy, there are two sides to every story. There are a lot of good things about teachers unions, they keep the school staff safe from an unreasonable boss or biased treatment in the workplace. But on the other hand, detailed contracts sometimes prevent teachers from doing their job and going the extra mile for students. An example that was provided
by Huffington Post said: “If a school wanted to have a special parent night, or after school tutoring, contracts may be so specific that teachers are only allowed to do an after school activity once a year. Even though teachers would be willing to go the extra mile for their students, they are too intimidated by their union to try.” This, obviously, is not good and can lead to mediocre educational staffs. Another problem that teachers unions have is that they protect the bad along with the good. They shelter unskilled or burnt out teachers that the administration is too scared to fire because they would risk the wrath of the union. These inadequate teachers give the profession a bad
reputation, and make education tedious for their students. What are these lifeless teachers producing other than dull lesson plans? The schools and educators that we put so much faith into are producing students that aren’t able to think for themselves. This is done by teaching students the wrong information: adolescents memorize meaningless facts that they will soon forget after the unit test, but do not learn any fundamental life skills. According to US News and Quartz News, high schoolers spend as much as 17.5 hours a week on homework and nine hours a week on extracurriculars. They barely have time to think, let alone focus on improving skills that should be taught in school. The irony of this situation is that students think extracurriculars are helping them improve their chances in the job market, but all of these extra activities will really be their downfall. But it’s all worth it, right? If teenagers can get through the grind of high school and college, they’ll make it to a great job and then live a happy life with lots of money? Wrong. The education system is designed for the mid-1900’s, when students went straight from school into repetitive labor jobs. Back then, job transfers were rare. If a college graduate started in the lowest rung of the company ladder, one could work her way up. Jobs like this are not around anymore; the workforce is in desperate need of creative, young, and innovative thinkers, which is the exact opposite of what schools are producing. So how can school prepare students to be useful in the job market without killing thier creative capacity? A country that we can take notes from is Finland. Finland traded standardized tests, stress, and control for collaboration and peer assessment. Students in Finland look at their teachers as mentors and friends, not the villains students make them out to be in America. In Finland, teachers are encouraged to experiment with their students to improve their teaching, while in America, according to the Smithsonian, teachers are forced to teach standardized curriculum
FEATURE
Ninth grade students either take notes or mess around in thier class. Photo by Sammy Pierotti.
to students like they are all robots being programmed for the same job. Think about it: if we are not all going to have the same job then why are we all learning the same thing? The logical way to educate would be for all kids to learn the basics of every subject, like they do up until the end of 8th grade. Up until high school, students would learn all subjects like the way they do today, and so kids will have a brief but necessary education in all subjects to prepare them for the real world. Then, if one has an idea of what she wants to do, or what she doesn’t want to do, she could start taking classes that are more her style in grade nine. If she still does not know than she could continue taking basic classes until she finds something that she is passionate about. This way, students would not learn information that they do not need to know in the future, and will be passionate about what they are learning. Students will more likely apply themselves to their work if it’s something that they want to learn about, and will be happier learning things that they find interesting. The future of the education system now lies in the hands on Betsy Devos, Trump’s Secretary of Education. Devos is the a former Republican Party chairwoman and chair of the pro-school-choice advocacy group. School choice is the belief that kids ages K-12 should be able to choose
what school suits them best, whether it’s public, private, home school, or other. She believes in privatizing education, and has also been a force behind the spread of charter schools in Michigan. Her charter schools have recorded test scores under the state’s average in both reading and math, and are duplicating like cancer cells. According to the Washington Post, Hope Academy has been serving the surrounding area for almost 20 years. During those twenty years it’s test scores have leisurely lowered until they scraped the first percentile, which is the absolute and utter bottom for academic performance. Two years later that same school had its charter renewed. So, yes, Devos would give us freedom of choice. But what’s the point in choosing if all of the schools are as bad as Hope Academy? Although she might have good intentions, Devos may dig our education system deeper into the grave we’re digging ourselves already. The future of our country and the future of our education system are intertwined, one cannot succeed without the other. When you think that our schools do not impact our country, remember that a great future starts with a great education, and that our future leaders are the ones currently suffering through standardized curriculum.
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FEATURE
CRONKITE
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News during the age of millenials
here do you get the news? Do you click on a link to an article sent to you by a Facebook friend? Do you check out what is trending for news on Buzzfeed, and look up clips from Jimmy Fallon’s show to see what the president has said or done lately? Maybe you are sitting on the sofa clicking through various channels on the TV and pause for a bit at a news show on CNN, MSNBC, or Fox News, especially if the news show is covering some kind of breaking news. Or maybe there are a few Twitter feeds that you follow. If many of these news sources above are ones that you use to gain information about events both here in town and around the world, there really is not much difference with regard to popular sources of news between millennials and members of our generation, Generation Z. We have much in common in this regard with our big brothers and sisters, much more in common with them than any of us do with the experiences of many of our parents, and grandparents, when it comes to the news. Years ago, when our parents and our grandparents were our age, most people received their news from the same few sources. They read the newspaper, such as the Los Angeles Times, or watched one of the daily newscasts on one of the big three networks, that is, either from CBS, ABC, or NBC. They trusted that these sources would issue news reports that were objective and reliable, and that the news would be based on information that had been fact-checked for accuracy. Everyone, whether living in a city on the coast or in a small town in the Midwest, was pretty much in agreement 08 APRIL ISSUE
to
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MAYA SATCHELL about what the facts were, even if people might hold different opinions with regard to those facts. This kind of news experience is no longer possible. Not only do people of different age groups— kids our age or the millennial generation, our parents or our grandparents— hold different opinions about events in the world, there seem to be different and often
Walter Cronkite was a newscaster in the 1960s. His nickname was the “Most Trusted Man in America”. Photo by Arizona Public Media.
opposing views as to what is real. There are arguments today about what counts as a fact in the first place. This is partly because of the way in which everyone, especially millennials and those of us coming behind them, get their news today. And how we get our news, and what facts we understand to be proven facts, plays a monumental role in our ability to be the kind of citizens every good democracy needs. We all need to be well-informed citizens who can make good choices in order to be able to govern ourselves. So unlike our parents and grandparents, who can remember a time when most people could agree on a fairly large set of accepted facts about the world, millennials and members of
Generation Z have never experienced such a world. Instead, for TV we not only have NBC, ABC, and CBS, but also the big three cable news channels (CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC) along with other specialty news channels. There are many different online news sources, not just Buzz Feed but also the Drudge Report, not just the Daily Kos but also Huffington Post. Viewers can decide to inform themselves by watching a news satire television program such the Daily Show with Trevor Noah, or by listening to the Rush Limbaugh show on the radio. And of course, you can click on the link to an article shared by a Facebook friend, or check out someone’s Twitter feed. Millennials, and everyone else, have such a wealth of choices for their news — so what is the problem? There is a wealth of sources for the news available to everyone, but it is the reliability and objectivity and the depth of these news reports that is the problem. If the news that is being reported by these various sources is not fact-checked, if the information is not verified, if sources are not cited, or if opinions or even falsehoods are made to appear as facts, then such news sources cannot help anyone become an informed citizen. There is a well-known expression that is relevant here: “You are entitled to your own opinions, but not to your own facts.” A fact is a statement about the world that has been proven to be true. So it cannot be the case that there is an “alternative” fact. An alternative fact is by definition not a fact, it is a falsehood. If a crowd at an inauguration is said to be larger than the crowd at another inauguration, and pictures of the two crowds from the same angle at the same corresponding time show very different numbers of people, then we can state, as a matter of fact, that the crowd at
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HANNITY one inauguration was larger than the crowd at the other. If there is a statement made that millions of votes were cast fraudulently in an election, for this statement to be a proven fact, there needs to be evidence. If there is no evidence of such voter fraud, then that statement is not a statement of fact, it is a falsehood. Yet this is not the kind of world in which we live in any longer. Rather, it is a world in which it is growing more and more difficult to distinguish between real news and fake news, between proven facts and ‘alternative facts.’ We have access to many news sources that present information that is not always fact-checked, or which give information only from one side of an issue (what could be called lying by omission). There are news reports that refer to “data” that is not verified, to “experts” who are not experts, or are outright lies made to attract viewers to click and share this “news.” It could be that all of what is now being called fake news is just another name for what would otherwise be called propaganda. However, while some fake news is produced directly in order to help a particular political cause, other fake news is created simply in order to make money. It is these clicks and shares that bring in advertising dollars and which provides the motivation for more people to make up the “news” rather than to report the news. For example, as reported recently in the Los Angeles Times, just up the coast in Long Beach two young millennials created a website that attracted more than 300,000 Facebook fans in one month alone, and has made them thousands of dollars in advertising fees. The two young men had no problem admitting to a newspaper reporter that they write alt-right kinds of articles for their website not based on accurate reporting of facts, or on their own political beliefs (the two men say they identify as liberals), but rather
Kellyanne Conway was President Trump’s campaign manager for the later part of the election. Throughout the campaign she was notourious for rephrasing President Trump’s words . She now holds the position of counselor to the president. Photo by Politics USA.
on how many page views, and money, it might make them. . Now many people probably feel overwhelmed by so much information out there on so many news programs and Twitter feeds and blogs and magazines. However, we still need to understand there are facts out there, real, proven facts. Many millennials, and many other Americans, simply do not take the time to look for reliable news sources, and maybe don’t know how to figure out which news sources are reliable and which are not. Often, we do not get around to fact-checking our own assumptions about how we think the world works, even though with a little effort we could check to see if our assumptions are correct, or not. For example, for years now many Americans have believed that 25 to 30 percent of our federal budget goes to foreign aid (Kaiser Family Foundation). Instead, foreign aid is less than two percent of the US federal budget. Yet this misconception is not just incorrect, it can influence how Americans view governmental policies and how they might vote with regard to suggestions that the deficit could be cut significantly by reducing the amount of money America spends on foreign aid.
So if we need reliable information in order to think critically about the world around us, so that we can be informed citizens who can govern ourselves well, how is this possible? In order to become a more critical consumer of the news, we can follow some general guidelines as we surf the web or watch a news show on TV, as seen in the Breaking News Consumer’s Handbook. Another option is to check out a fact-checking website such as PolitiFact, or FactCheck, or the Washington Post’s FactChecker. These websites are produced by non-partisan news organizations, staffed by journalists and editors, that research and evaluate the accuracy of claims made by American politicians and other political figures and organizations, so that readers can have access to credible, reliable facts in order to inform their views about current events and government policy. We can become educated consumers of the news. We need to take a stand that there are facts, and that there are ways to access those facts, and that it is worth the time to locate those facts so that we all can be the kind of informed citizens who can make good decisions not only for our own sakes, but also for the sake of our country.
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FEATURE
LAST MILLENNIUM’S MILLENNIALS
Parallels between last century’s youth and today
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KARA PAULEY
very generation boasts their own group of defiant youths who befuddle the older folks with their trendsetting ideologies and unprecedented cultural breakthroughs. The 2010s are home to the often infamous millennial generation. However, the “selfie generation” was far from the first to be disputed by pensioners and parents alike. If we were to hop into a Model-T and flash back 90 years, we would find that the youth movement during the 1920s was not entirely unlike our own. Booming technological advancements, a broadening feminist movement, and an increase of secular urban values during the Roaring 20s mirror the current decade’s adolescent crusade. World War I ended in 1918 and led to the disintegration of the Victorian woman. As men traveled to fight overseas, women remained in the States take over jobs previously held by men. When the war ended and servicemen returned home, they were in for a shock. The women suffrage movement was more prevalent than ever before. When women were finally granted the right to vote with the 19th Amendment in 1920, the flapper girl was born. According to the website US History, flappers were northern, urban, single, young, middle-class women. Famously romanticized by films such as “The Great Gatsby” and “Chicago,” flappers gained fame for challenging Victorian standards of femininity. Not unlike modern feminists, flappers received sharp criticism by the conservative older generation.
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Photo courtesy of The Gloss.
Many referred to flappers, an ideal of women never seen before, as the “New Woman.” One of the most drastic transformations of the New Woman was their avant garde style. Ironically, while flappers were famous for their exploration of womanhood, the clothes they wore, while feminine and elegant, were reminiscent of a young boy. Shorter hairstyles and Coco Chanel’s iconic “garçonne” style, which implemented menswear, were a staple of flapper fashion, along with shorter hemlines and the ditching of corsets. Today, we can thank flappers for the widespread use of
makeup, as only “immodest women” wore makeup in Victorian times. One of the most essential components of the youth generation in the Roaring 20s was the development of the Jazz Age. Pioneers including Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong revolutionized the way music was listened to and absorbed. Jazz allowed a rapid, free style of dance that contradicted traditional waltzes popular in the nineteenth century. The Charleston and the Shimmy were met with as much opposition by older folks as “twerking” and the “gas pedal” are today. Jazz was to the 1920s as rap is to the
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The Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, and Lil’ Wayne of the Jazz Age. Photo courtesy of USA Today.
2010s. Favored primarily by younger generations and conceived from African American culture, both rap and jazz share interesting parallels. According to the website Hostory, “Some older people objected to jazz music’s vulgarity and depravity.” Rap fans can relate to this resistance from parents or adults with today’s hip hop artists like Kanye West and Lil Wayne who are primarily favored by younger folk. Resistance to flappers and the urbanized Jazz Age did not end with contrasting music tastes. The Prohibition movement to ban alcohol consumption countered flappers and young men’s eagerness for alcohol. Alcohol consumption and manufacturing became an underground movement, controlled by infamous criminals including Al Capone. Racial clashing assailed the 1920s as well. The Harlem Renaissance, which according to PBS drew, “Black writers, artists, musicians, photographers, poets, and scholars,” and the increased prominence of African American culture
consequently drew in Caucasians to the Ku Klux Klan from all over the country. According to the website History “The Klan represented a return to all the ‘values” that the fast-paced, city-slicker Roaring Twenties were trampling.” Similarly to today’s Black Lives Matter movement created by young activists today to prohibit biased police brutality, the Harlem Renaissance attempted to break down the divisive Jim Crow laws that prevented integration of blacks and whites. Yet another similarity shared between youth today and youth in the 20s is an affinity for state-of-the-art technology. Henry Ford’s invention of the Model-T allowed young women and men a chance of relatively inexpensive freedom, not unlike the euphoria experienced by newly licensed drivers here at CdM. Perhaps the most significant parallel between then and now is the newly streamlined access to world news and information. The first commercial radio station broadcasted in 1920. The radio
was as revolutionary an invention as social media is today—both became exponentially widespread, particularly among younger generations. And, like Twitter and Facebook, the radio became integral to spreading global news and political opinions. Instead of cranking up Spotify or live tweeting debates, young people in the 20s gathered around the radio to listen to music (likely jazz) and hear the latest breaking news, which was much more delayed than today’s age of live streams. Millennials can get a bad rap from the media and older generations who cannot keep up with the swiftly modifying facets of youth culture. We can take solace in remembering that generations like ours— innovative, transformative, and even a bit radical— were once misunderstood by their seniors as well. Maybe someday, we will be revered like the flapper generation and have winter formal themes dedicated in our honor. Perhaps only time can truly reveal the refinement of our “Selfie Generation.”
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FEATURE
PINK PARTISANSHIP
How American policy should reflect our rights to individuality DELANEY IVEY In 1979, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It stands to define discrimination and call for national action to eliminate it. The CEDAW, commonly referred to as the International Women’s Bill of Rights, calls for equal access to, and equal opportunities in, both public and political life, as well as education, health, and employment. It provides a foundation for equality for both women and men. Most importantly, it declares that the rights of women and young girls are universal human rights that are indivisible and inalienable. Naturally, the United Nations cannot endorse abortion. Our world’s most prominent cooperative organization can, however, express the importance of the rights of women within our national policy. Reproductive rights are an aspect of our democracy that must be preserved in order to further advance towards complete and lasting equality. As a United States citizen privileged with constitutional rights and unquestionable liberty, my choices define who I am and where I want to be. I can vote. I can peacefully protest, petition, and call my representatives. I can advocate for what I stand for. I can pursue any religion. I can express myself. I can choose a financial path and select a university to further my education. It would be easy to step back and be contented with this plethora of opportunity and freedom. Female choices are still limited, even in a country as privileged and developed as ours. Despite Supreme
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Court cases, heavy legislative actions, and a 40-year-old UN declaration, our partisan politics still reign supreme. Women are not equal; no one can deny that. Abortion is one of society’s most heavily debated topics because it engenders discussion on life’s biggest questions. What defines life? When does life begin? What defines a human? Do our fundamental American rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness apply to the unborn?
“It is completely and wholly possible to be pro-life and prochoice at the same time.” Proponents of the movement to legally define fertilized eggs as human beings with constitutional rights often argue their cases on religious grounds. The Bible never specifically mentions abortion, but it continually underscores the importance of human life. The Bible is most definitely pro-life, its emphasis on value and the purpose of creation outlined distinctly within its pages. And most humans would agree—life is a priceless, unfathomable gift. Life’s preciousness is precisely why death certificates are issued, by law, upon the death of a fetus towards the end of a pregnancy. Life’s preciousness contributes to the psychological and emotional trauma following a miscarriage or an
abortion. Loss is incredibly devastating for everyone. However, our moral and legal equations represent a fork in the road on common ground. The landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade ruled in favor of the Constitution and in favor of choice, its controversial aspect being a verdict that early and late stages of pregnancy are morally and legally different. The case spawned the creation of the trimester system and declared a concise differentiation between human life and a human being. According to our judiciary, during the first trimester, life is undeniable, but underdeveloped. A woman’s right to privacy trumps the government’s responsibility to protect the embryo. The first trimester lasts through week 13; risks of miscarriage are significant, with over 80% occurring during the first three months of pregnancy. Ninety-two percent of legal abortions are performed during this developmental period. Second and third trimesters mark a transition of protection from the woman to the child. As time progresses, termination of a pregnancy becomes far more difficult. Abortion rarely occurs during these late developmental stages, except in cases in which the lives of the mother or child are threatened or the fetus has a terminal illness. A wide variety of medicinal and legal restrictions are enacted during this period to make the process of termination more difficult. Neither holy books, nor science, nor Supreme Court verdicts provide explicit and simple answers to life’s biggest questions, leaving the pursuit of truth
solely up to us as individuals. This is a common pattern in our country’s history; it is the basis for the separation of church and state, the First and Tenth Amendments, and the elements of our democracy that remain solely in the hands of our people. Over the course of our nation’s development, we have learned to respect one another’s personal truths when we handle legal and judicial discourse. We have reasoning behind why our government does not force particular truths on all of its constituents. This crucial American doctrine exemplifies a freedom of choice—an integral form of self-determination that should be applied unconditionally to the issue of abortion as it is applied to non-reproductive health issues. It is completely and wholly possible to be pro-life and pro-choice at the same time. With our American values held close to heart, it is of utmost importance to respect the views of other people—anyone who is pro-life has the right to preach it, advocate for it, argue for it, and let
others be influenced by it. However, it is quintessential that we acknowledge the variety of belief systems and moral truths that individuals hold closely across our nation. We can disagree with others and we have the right to say so. But expecting our entire country to comply under a blanket statement of what is right when it comes to abortion is blatantly contrary to our declaration of “liberty and justice for all”. This goes both ways—it is important to note that disrespect and close-mindedness converge from each end of the spectrum. Our country is plagued by an epidemic in which we refuse to open our minds, to listen to others, to see the other side. It has been impossible and will remain impossible to reach an agreement on whether abortion is morally correct, acceptable, or just. But forcing our beliefs on others, regardless of our fervor, our following, or the amount of evidence we can cushion our claims with, is not the answer. As we continue to investigate the constitutional, medicinal, psychological,
FEATURE
and scientific consequences of such a debate, we must trust the case-by-case basis of each woman’s situation and leave the choice to the individual whose very future is directly affected by her decisions. Here are some truths: abortion, without a doubt, is one of the most traumatic and emotionally scarring procedures a woman can undergo. Nobody wants an abortion. It is illegal to earmark funds for abortion in the federal budget. Raising a child to adulthood costs just short of half a million dollars. Rape and incest are rampant and undeniable issues. Sexual education is inadequate on a national level. Condoms and birth control are not 100% effective. One woman around the world dies every seven minutes due to an unsafe abortion. Making abortion legal or illegal has no effect on the number of women who receive abortions. Each woman has a different story to tell. Let’s empower them, educate them, and most importantly, respect the direction in which they choose to take their lives.
Planned Parenthood is the largest single provider of reproductive healthcare in the United States. Despite common misconception, federal funding dedicated to the non-profit does not directly fund abortion, but instead funds the above mentioned services.
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APRIL ISSUE 13
FEATURE
ALL IN THE FAMILY
How millennials are changing family dynamics
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JILLIAN HUGHES
he millennial generation is known for being unique. Older generations think of them as too needy and selfish while the millennials think of themselves as righting the injustices and mistakes made by those before. However, one of the factors that makes this generation so unique is their approach to kids and the prospect of family life. Though traditional family structure has been decreasing in popularity since the end of the post-World War II baby boom, millennials have contributed to this decrease more than previous generations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S.’s fertility rate, the average number of births per year per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, has decreased dramatically in recent years. It hit its lowest level ever recorded in United States history in the first quarter of 2016 with an average of 59.8 births per 1,000 women. This is down from 69.3 in 2007, just nine years before. Today’s mothers are also having babies at later ages than before. CDC data shows U.S. women in 2000 had their first child at an average of 24.9 years old, compared to 26.3 in 2014. Average family size in America has also decreased in recent decades. Pew Research Center data shows a decline in the percentage of women aged 40 to 44 with four or more children across all races measured in the past three decades, with the biggest decrease coming from African American women. Interestingly enough, this decrease in large families and amount of kids in general has not been accompanied by a decrease in a desire to have kids. In a 2013 Gallup poll, just five percent of
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all Americans, including those with and without children, said they did not want to have children. Most Americans, nearly 65 percent, said that they believed couples do not have more children due to the high cost of raising children. A further 11 percent said it had to do with the state of the economy or jobs not being favorable enough to have children. How will this demographic change affect the U.S. in coming decades? One might expect the population to plateau or decrease as has occurred in Europe, where many countries’ total fertility rates are below the 2.1 births required to replace the previous generation. The problem is at a higher degree of severity in places like Europe and Japan, though it stems from similar issues of a changing millennial culture. However, due to immigration, the U.S.’s population is still expected to grow, and is predicted by the United Nations to hit 402 million around 2050. But this change in demographics will not come without consequences, both positive and negative. On the one hand, having less children has allowed women more freedom to pursue a career and achieve a better work and life balance. It has also allowed fathers to explore the opportunities of being stay-at-home dads as mothers earn more income. Furthermore, having fewer kids means there will be less people using dwindling resources like water and oil. But this change can also negatively impact the children of millennials. Once the millennials have retired, it is likely they will live longer than previous generations, assuming medical technology continues to improve. This means their children may have to take care of them in their retirement, and for a longer period
53% of millennials have a very different mindset than previous generations. They thhnk 18-24 is too young to get married, whereas this used to be a typical age to marry. Image courtesey of Pew Research Center.
of time than before. However, because millennials are having fewer children, many kids will have to bear the sole responsibility for their parents in their retirement as opposed to having siblings to share the burden. On a national level, fewer children and longer lifespans translate into an aging population. While this is not necessarily damaging on its own, the situation becomes more complex when there are less young people in the workforce that can care for the increased amount of elderly citizens. This could lead to a healthcare crisis or a decrease in life spans as hospitals become overcrowded. Fewer children can have many benefits, but it can also mean large-scale issues for the entire nation. But for better or for worse, the millennials will create significant demographic changes whose effects will be felt for generations to come.
FEATURE
A REALITY CHECK
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Taking a closer look into the effects of reality TV
n 1973, the first reality TV show, “An American Family,” aired on PBS. According to Thirteen. org, the show became “the most controversial and talked-about television program of its time.” Since reality television had just been introduced, people had yet to form opinions. Some joined the bandwagon. Others were skeptical of the newness and legitimacy of it all. Even though society standards and expectations have changed since 1973, some people still wonder if reality television provides true insight into the lives of others. In recent years, reality TV has risen in viewer-ship, showcasing the dramatic daily lives of celebrities and reality stars. According to the Jobmonkey, three out of four favorite shows for girls between the ages of 12 and 17 are reality television programs. When asked to choose between “Chopped”, which airs on the Food Network Channel, and “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”, Jilly Senk, a freshman, stated that “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” sounded more appealing. Senk claims that “while it may not be real, it is more entertaining, which ultimately wins {her} over.” In fact, reality television has become so popular and appealing, that according to The Wrap.com, over 2.5 million viewers tuned in to watch last year’s season premiere of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.” As these entertaining programs have increased in popularity, psychologists have begun to wonder if they provide an accurate representation of “real life.” The answer is no. Teenagers under the influence of fake, inappropriate, or foul language and content can contribute towards poor
GEORGIA JETER
In recent years,“Keeping Up With The Kardashians” has become one of the leading shows in the reality TV genre, gaining an immense following. Photo by The Take.
behavior and a desire to fit an unrealistic mold. Additionally, exposing children and teenagers to an overdose of reality television before the brain is fully developed, can have an extremely influential effect. The Cyberbully Hotline claims that the average human brain continues to develop between the ages of 21 and 24. According to Shelbra Waldron of the St. Petersburg and Tampa Juvenile Welfare Board, “Kids soak up views from the outside world and incorporate them into their belief systems.” This leaves children susceptible to negative influences, which can impact their decisions and mindsets. As professionals take a closer look into the effect of reality TV on the mind, there is no doubt that the imaginary and false “real life” picture presented in the reality TV genre, is having a negative impact on the millennial generation. Not only does reality TV provoke unrealistic expectations, but it also draws attention to negative subject matters. Shows such as “Teen Mom” and “16 And Pregnant,” shine a light on the
adversities of having adult responsibilities at such a young age. However, despite the struggles young moms face, these shows still glamorize the situation as an entertainment and fame magnet, while showcasing inappropriate language and adult matters, which is not content teenagers should be exposed to on a daily basis. The lifestyle that is showcased in those shows normalizes teen pregnancies, which can be quite challenging on families and teenagers alike. Yet, regardless of the unfortunate circumstances, young reality TV stars become “successful” by showcasing their lives through a screen. Tom Green from the Huffington Post considers this type of influence a reward for bad behavior. Green states that the reason for drama and inappropriate content is “increased competition for ratings and money.” While that may be true, it certainly does not justify the morals of profanity and indecency that are instilled within children of the millennial generation. While many impacts of reality TV may be negative, there are some positives. Despite the amount of success reality stars such as Lauren Conrad, Ryan Seacrest and others have attained, they put hours of hard work and time into their careers. After all, the culture, creativity, and entertainment in today’s society is what makes the millennial generation unique. Our generation is shaped and inspired by social media and TV culture, which makes this day and age diverse. The power to create, express, share, and develop opinions on television and social media, makes the world a more exciting place. So grab some popcorn and a comfy blanket, and brace yourself. Things just got real.
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APRIL ISSUE 15
CAMPUS LIFE
OLIVIA HOLTON Student, teammate, leader
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SIMONE OBERREITER
regular Wednesday for Olivia is a whirlwind. She goes from school to lacrosse to youth and government to homework. And that is just one day! Olivia keeps herself busy with her many interests and passions. One of Holton’s passions is Youth and Government, a club on campus focusing on mock legislature. As the president of arguably the most popular club on campus, Holton is constantly busy with “Y and G” events. Olivia commented on her Youth and Government experience, “I have grown so much in a mere four years. As a freshman, I would never have thought that I would be confident enough to run for a leadership position, be enthusiastic about public speaking, or be passionate about government. I have really learned to test my personal boundaries and could not be happier.” Katie Langley, a sophomore in Youth and Government said, “Olivia is such a great leader. She is so in tune with the rest of the delegation and really makes sure our
Olivia with the 2016 lacrosse team.The team went on to semifinals in CIFs. Photo courtesy of Olivia Holton.
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voices are heard. I love having her as our president.” Holton’s pursuits in Youth and Government have sparked her interests in real-world governing. For her senior project, Holton interviewed Dave Puglia, a lobbyist for Western Growers. “My interest for lobbying came from Y and G and being able to now have real life experiences in the government world is
Olivia, “Olivia is such a motivation for our team. She really encourages us to keep pushing on even when we all don’t want to. She is always so positive and such a great senior leader for us,” said Ashley Villariasa, a sophomore on the girls lacrosse team. Although excited to attend any of the universities to which she applied, Holton will still miss Corona Del Mar. “I’m really going to miss Y and G, but more so just spending time with my family and friends. Not always being in the same place is going to be insanely hard for me,” said Holton.
All about Olivia
Olivia and Senior Grace Jennings pose for a photo on their trip to Sacramento. Olivia is president of the club Youth and Government. Photo courtesy of Olivia Holton.
pretty inspiring. Being able to interact with someone who is involved in government for a living is really exciting,” Holton said. Apart from Youth and Government, Holton plays on the varsity lacrosse team. As a spring season sport, lacrosse has most of the year to practice and bond as a team. “I love my team,” Holton said. “We have been training for a while now and have gotten to know each other really well. I have recently bonded with some of the underclassmen and I just know that it’s going to be such a fun and successful season.” Younger players on the team look up to
Favorite Band: Hoizer Saddest Song: Closing Time by Green Day Favorite Genre: Jazz Favorite Team: Chicago Cubs # of Times Moved: 5 Last Place I Lived: Georgia # of Dogs: 2 Favorite Pastime: Cooking Lacrosse Position: Attack Favorite Food: Italian # of Siblings: 2 Favorite Vacation: Rome
JEN YENNIE
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CAMPUS LIFE
Influencing one student after another
Ready, set, go!” yelled Jen Yennie as students ferociously wrote to beat their Quickwrite records. Quickwrites, one of the many activities by Yennie, help speed student’s writing and let their minds to think faster. Yennie, a dedicated teacher, currently teaches 10th grade College Prep and 11th grade AP Language and Composition. For the past four years, she engages with all her students not only because it is her job, but because of pure love and enjoyment of her kids. “Students keep me doing what I am doing I wouldn’t do [teaching] what I do unless I loved the kids. They inspire me every day, not with just what they say but just how hardworking, diligent, and enthusiastic they can be from day to day.” Many teachers have their favorite part of being a teacher, but specifically for Yennie it is the ability to “nerd and geek out about language” and inspire her students that don’t necessarily get the full exposure in literature and language. “I love being able to spark interest in a field that I have always been passionate about in books and words and it’s fun to talk about it to young people.” Also, like other teachers, Mrs. Yennie has specific ways she sees her classroom and what she adds to benefit her students to learn better. “I try to keep my classroom studentcentered and let the students be the one guiding the learning and I’m there to support and offer assistance when needed. Obviously I love being creative and intergrading art, music, poetry, philosophy, politics but basically my driving motivation is to mix things up because that I how I like to learn. I think it
JINA LEE is important for students to work together and talk and collaborate because it fosters more learning.” Before becoming a teacher at CdM, Yennie dreamed about being a writer instead. Poetry is her biggest passion but teaching has become an extension of that interest. She continuous to do free lance writing during school breaks especially because teaching and working with rhetoric has made her writing better. She stated, “I get the best of both worlds” from her chance to write on her free time and practice literature and language at school. Besides teaching, Yennie loves to spend her time playing soccer, bookbinding, traveling, and being with her family. She is not only a teacher but also recently a mother to her son Everett. She tries to balance her work and motherhood; however, it has been difficult, but she realizes that she has reflected a lot of insight of being a mother from her work. “It’s been a challenge but I don’t know if it is Everett who made me a better teacher or teaching that has made me a better mom. I think they have gone hand-in-hand and I feel like I have been a better version of myself since becoming a mom. I think I have become more compassionate and learned to let go of things and that is okay to and not have to control everything.” Yennie inspires many students daily but what inspires her? Post-modern writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.D. Salinger, and Samuel Beckett and poets like Charles Bukowski and Frank O’Hera. All these writers are a part of her passion that she brings to her students to influence them the art of writing. One tip that Yennie has toward her students is to try something new until they
Jen Yennie loves spending time with her baby Everett, and her husband during her freetime. Photo courtesy of Jen Yennie.
find something they love because there is always something for everyone. “Dabble. Dabble in different things because sometimes you don’t know what you love until you do it,” she said. For example, Yennie took a bookbinding class in college with small interest but she didn’t realize that she would enjoy it so much. However, it is not what she does as her career, but she is in love with it and does it as a hobby. “Keep trying things out, the right profession or passion will have its way of finding you if just keep trying things and work hard,” Yennie said. Out her four years of teaching, she has successfully reached her goal: teaching an AP class. Every day she works very hard in making sure all of her students feel comfortable writing and covering the material in creative ways. She is one of the many remarkable teachers on campus, who influences students daily with her compelling personality, innovative teaching, and positive mindset.
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APRIL ISSUE 17
TRIDENT ONLINE www.tridentonline.net
For students, by students. LIFESTYLE • SCHOOL LIFE • SPORTS • REVIEWS • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • WORLD
ATHLETICS
ALYAA ABDULGHANY
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A swinging success
n and off the course senior golfer Alyaa Abdulghany always puts her best foot forward. When she was younger, Abdulghany played many different sports and instruments but as she grew older, her love for golf won out. These days, Abdulghany constantly motivates herself to do her best. “My inspiration is really becoming the best me I can be,” Abdulghany said. Every day, she strives to be the best version of herself and to push beyond everyone’s expectations. In the fall of 2017, Abdulghany is planning on attending USC. After college, she hopes to play professionally. Three times in the past year, Abdulghany has had the privilege of representing our country in international competition. She has competed in Germany, Canada, and Japan for the USA. “It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Abdulghany said, Dividing time between practicing on the course and studying at school can not be an easy feat. Abdulghany described this as one of her greatest struggles. All
Alyaa is always happy on the course. She is ranked 4th in the US as of now. Photo courtesy of Alyaa Abdulghany.
RILEY FOSTER can imagine the pressure of managing important things like school and sports and it is incredible how well Abdulghany handles this. As an athlete, Abdulghany needs to manage her priorities well. She tries to not lose sight of her goals. Her motto is “Once you’ve accomplished it, go set more goals.” Obviously Abdulghany’s goals setting method had worked well as she now is one of the top golfers of her age. Abdulghany is not intimidated by competition. “When you’re out in a tournament, everyone is equal game,” she said. She always tries her best t no matter what.
“My inspiration is really becoming the best me I can be.” — Alyaa Abdulghany
Abdulghany stated she always just knew golfing was going to be her passion. She never said to herself, “I’m going to be one of the best golfers out there,” but this mindset of being a golfer was always there. She realized the more she put into working hard, the better she became. She now has astonishing success to show for it. Abdulghany attributes some of that success to the golf community. “It really allowed me to mature and grow,” she said. Golf has taught Abdulghany how to handle situations that may seem unfamiliar. She admits how golf has changed the ways she views things and teaches her everyday how valuable it is
Alyaa can not go a day without golfing. She loves it. Photo courtesy of Alyaa Abdulghany.
to no stress. “I believe that golf really changed my perspective about life, as cliche as that sounds. Before, I would really stress out about a lot of things and if it did not turn out the way I want to, I thought this would offset what I hoped for myself. Golf instilled into me the determination and perseverance to go out and put myself into uncomfortable situations, make sure I put in the hours to accomplish success and even if I believe that I failed, it is a step in the right direction. “I believe that golf really changed my perspective about life, as cliche as that sounds. Before, I would really stress out about a lot of things and if it did not turn out the way I want to, I thought this would offset what I hoped for myself. Golf instilled into me the determination and perseverance to go out and put myself into uncomfortable situations, make sure I put in the hours to accomplish success and even if I believe that I failed, it is a step in the right direction.” Her time at CdM was just the putting green. From here, she will no doubt succeed, on and off the course.
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APRIL ISSUE 19
ATHLETICS
Los Angeles Rams fans march through LA to show their desire for the Rams to return to the city. Photo by wwww.atlanticbb.net.
THE NFL IN CALIFORNIA How relocation is changing the football landscape
T
XANDER POLNY
he city of Los Angeles is home to numerous professional sports teams, and in some cases even has two teams representing a single sport. The Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Kings, and Galaxy have all enjoyed different levels of success, which has enabled them to 20 APRIL ISSUE
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motivate and maintain their large, passionate, and overlapping fan bases. LA is undeniably a great sports city, but until just this past year there has been a notable absence in the city, and even casual sports fans can tell you what that missing piece was: the NFL. Sure, the USC and UCLA football teams have provided fans with exciting,
memorable football, but the absence of a professional football team in one of the world’s largest cities was confusing and inexplicable to many. LA actually had professional football before, back when the Rams moved there in 1946 and played there until eventually relocating to St. Louis in 1994. Ever since then, both longtime fans of the franchise and casual
ATHLETICS football fans in LA have yearned for the return of a professional football team back the city. Now, not only are the Rams back, but the Chargers have also entered the Los Angeles football spotlight. The Chargers, formerly in San Diego, officially moved to Los Angeles on January 12, 2017. This upcoming season, they are set to play at the StubHub Center (home of the LA Galaxy) until the completion of their brand-new, stateof-the-art Inglewood stadium in 2019. Though there is definite excitement (and a lot of resentment) about the Chargers’ move, expectations for the team are tempered. Coming of a season in which they went 5-11 and lost the last five games, fans are hoping that the emerging talent of running back Melvin Gordon, the efficient Quarterback-Wide Receiver tandem of Philip Rivers and Keenan Allen, and the hiring of new head coach Anthony Lynn propel them to more success in the near future. However, the Chargers may have some trouble acquiring a sizable fan base if these sub-par seasons continue, as they will face the difficult task of competing with a strongly-rooted franchise in the Rams for the attention and support of new Los Angeles football fans. The Rams, meanwhile, have been playing at the historic LA Coliseum but will eventually share the stadium in Inglewood with the Chargers upon completion. The Rams were actually slightly worse than the Chargers this past year, as they finished the season with a 4-12 record and lost the last seven games. Todd Gurley, the Rams’ star running back, greatly underperformed and their QB duo of Case Keenum and Jared Goff left a lot to be desired by their dedicated fan base. This mediocrity spoiled their return to LA in the minds of some fans and led to the firing of their head coach, Jeff Fisher. All of this has created a situation in which Rams fans now face the unfortunate truth that the team’s foreseeable future may not be as bright as many hoped. The relocation of the Rams and Chargers to LA, a much more familiar city than St. Louis and San Diego to other parts of the world, is undoubtedly due to the NFL’s
The then-San Diego Chargers and veteran quarterback Philip Rivers line up against the Carolina Panthers. Photo by www.rukkus.com.
effort to expand the worldwide appeal of the game to countries like Mexico, England, and Canada. To find evidence of this, one needs to look no further than recent seasons. The 2016 football season saw Mexico host its first-ever NFL game, a November 21 match-up between the Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders in Mexico City. Most people viewed the game as a resounding success, making the possibility of our southern neighbors hosting more games in the future highly probable. Additionally, England has continued to be the NFL’s go-to option for overseas games, as the United Kingdom has hosted at least one football game every season for the past ten years. Many of those years contained two or more, including this past season, and the success of these games has prompted the NFL’s continued attempt to weave American football into British culture. The Oakland Raiders are also playing a pivotal role in this changing NFL landscape. They are expected to officially announce a move to Las Vegas sometime in the near future, which makes sense considering its global appeal and entertainment culture. However, as the most firmly-established franchise in California, this move would have a
ripple-effect throughout the state. Though they will retain the majority of “Raider Nation”, there will undoubtedly be some who decide to switch their allegiances to one of the Los Angeles teams. This relocation also presents an interesting situation in that the Raiders were the most successful California team this past season and are projected by experts to be one of the top teams in the league for many seasons to come. A move to Las Vegas certainly does not bode well for the increasing popularity of the professional game in California with the Rams, Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers all in disarray. The future of the professional football in California looks bleak in its current state. To put it bluntly, the Rams, Chargers, and 49ers are not nearly good enough to pose a serious threat to powerhouse teams like the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and even the Oakland Raiders. Football fans in the state can be disappointed in the lack of playoffcaliber teams to choose from, but at least it can finally be said that the NFL is back in the City of Angels. And if the Rams’, Chargers’, and 49ers’ mediocrity is not cutting it, the soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders will be right next door.
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APRIL ISSUE 21
ATHLETICS
THE SOCCER REVOLUTION Soccer to replace football?
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CESAR ARBEL
o one knows exactly when soccer was created but the earliest versions of the game can be traced back 3,000 years. It first looked more like a brawl than a civilized sport, played between villages to settle disputes with no set rules or anyone to enforce them. It evolved into a worldwide recognized sport nicknamed by its fans, “The Beautiful Game” which is now played by more than 250 million people in over 200 countries. The first official rules, or laws, of soccer were drawn up in London in 1963. This meeting also led to the foundation of the Football Association. It has been an Olympic sport since 1900 and many countries have their own leagues like England’s Premier League, France’s Ligue 1 or Spain’s La Liga. Only one country completely resists the seemingly unstoppable spread of soccer, the United States of America. That resistance comes from the American people’s uncompromisable dedication to football. However, I think that soccer should replace football as America’s favorite sport. First of all, people must understand why football is worth replacing. Most football fans will disagree with my following argument but having experienced two drastically different cultures, one completely into soccer, the other into football, I have the opinions of both sides of the spectrum, soccer lovers and football lovers. Therefore, I can easily compare both sports and decide on one over the other. First, football is a much too violent sport and that is one of the reasons it has never really spread to the rest of the world. Just the equipment football players wear and the fact that many football players get concussions show how violent and dangerous the game is. It is hard to cheer in a football 22 APRIL ISSUE
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The U.S. Women’s national soccer team after the World Cup’s final game. After a heated game against Japan, they became world champions. Photo courtesy of etonline.com.
game when a player sustains a traumatic injury. Also, football is not entertaining to watch since the game always stops. Only people that know the rules and watch football every day get excited over any play but someone new to football could never enjoy the game because of that. The last major reason is that football is not at all an all-age friendly sport. It is true that there are versions of football that are safer and more appropriate for young players like flag football but the actual sport that people watch on television cannot be played by younger players. The injuries players sustain and the violence in football make it an exclusively adult’s sport. Soccer can be violent if the players get in dangerous situations where it is obvious that there is a risk of an injury. The only equipment soccer players need are shin guards. Soccer is also very entertaining for just about anyone who is willing to watch it. If someone watches soccer for the first time, they will be more likely to get into
it because of how suspenseful a soccer match can be and can even end in a penalty shoutouts which is the most nerve racking event in sport history. Finally, soccer can be played by any age group. As stated earlier in the article, soccer is dangerous only if the players are taking risks that create a higher chance of injuries. Soccer is a much safer sport than football and safety is one of the most important factors of popularity and acceptance especially for young players. All these reasons and facts point towards one answer. Soccer should replace football and become the most popular sport in America. Overall, soccer is a better choice because of its ability to entertain people watching and its safety. Football is less appealing because it has lesser of an ability to keep someone watching a game and the violence it comprises. Americans might want to reconsider their choice and move to soccer and join the rest of the world in its love for soccer.
ENTERTAINMENT
THE STORY OF TONIGHT THE STORY OF TONIGHT Hamilton Fever THE STORY OF TONIGHT
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very generation has cultural touchstones. The sixties saw four Liverpool lads with skinny ties and bowl cuts seduce teens around the world. In the eighties, bedrooms boomed with the sounds of Madonna and Michael Jackson. The 2000s were all about Beyoncé, who may well claim the next decade, too. But a 200 year-old history lesson is giving Queen Bey a run for her money. Alexander Hamilton served as the first treasury secretary of the United States. On paper, his life does not sound like blockbuster musical material, much less a hip-hop musical. In the last half-century, musicals as a rule haven’t gotten off the arts pages— unless in the case of masterpieces like “The Sound of Music.” The Hamilton cast album recently hit one million sales, ticket prices often reach four figures, and it looks to sell similarly for at least a decade. It has caught the attention of the White House and the zeitgeist. (Beyonce’s a fan, too) It has achieved immense critical acclaim—12 Tonys , a Grammy, a Pulitzer for Drama (which seldom is awarded to composers of musicals), and a MacArthur Fellowship. But it works. And a big reason why it works lies in its creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda—the man of the hour and the JFK of entertainment: young, attractive, and progressive. Miranda is a born-and-bred New Yorker. His home turf, Washington Heights, served as the setting for his first musical, “In the Heights,” which he began while studying at Wesleyan University. Miranda’s childhood soundtrack was a mix of classic musical theater and 90s rap.
BROOKE PAULEY
That dual influence is audible in Hamilton. As a result, Hamilton is a musical gateway drug: hip-hop heads are turned on to musical theater through songs like “Wait For It” (a showstopper for Aaron Burr) and the three cabinet rap battles are gold. And Hamilton keeps booming. Miranda is currently filming the Mary Poppins sequel, recently hosted SNL (to big ratings) and has resurrected the mixtape with an album of Hamilton covers by
The Hamilton cast album is among the few to have acheived triple platinum status. Photo by Brooke Pauley.
artists such as Sia, Usher, Busta Rhymes, and Regina Spektor. Leslie Odom Jr. (who played Burr) recorded a Christmas album, and Daveed Diggs (who played Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson) has appeared on Blackish and Sesame Street. Renee Elise Goldsberry (who played Hamilton’s intellectual sister-in-law Angelica Schuyler) co-starred in a movie with Oprah Winfrey. All those actors are actors of color. Diversity in entertainment is the hotbutton issue de jour, and Hamilton has met the moment. The fact that these characters
were real people—and, more specifically, real white people—has not eluded anyone, nor made the play less successful. It is, in Miranda’s words, the story of America then told by America now. It would be all too easy for “Hamilton” to be a perfectly respectable, passive hit. Instead, however, it not only retells history, but makes an effort to shape it. The cast bore the Puerto Rican flag on the Grammy acceptance stage to raise awareness of the debt crisis there. At the Tonys, Miranda recited a sonnet made all the more poignant by the Pulse Nightclub shootings that had happened the same day. That sonnet inspired a charity collaboration with Jennifer Lopez to benefit victims of the attacks. His online business teerico sells T-shirts emblazoned with fan art supports good causes. Alexander Hamilton was a penniless Caribbean immigrant who came to this country with the hope of making history. He sings in the show “there’s a million things I haven’t done, just you wait.” And his legacy was confined to the ten-dollar bill until Miranda saw something compelling in it. Hamilton is the glorious result. Besides being the most engaging civics lesson ever, it has also catalyzed a much more deliberate effort to make a difference in American education. Through a partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, thousands of American high schoolers enrolled in US History (most of them from underfunded public schools) will see Hamilton and be inspired to create something of their own. In the show, George Washington cautions that “history has its eyes on you.” At the moment, the eyes of the world are on “Hamilton.” How lucky we are to be alive right now.
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APRIL ISSUE 23
ENTERTAINMENT
COACHELLA
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The melting pot of the millenials
elodic vibrations keep in rhythm with the swaying palm trees as cries of glee permeate the desert air. Road tripping and the pulsing bass-line from morning till night can only mean one thing–Coachella! The famous music festival seems to be a right of passage for California-native millennials, and come Friday morning, caravans of locals pack Interstate 10 towards Coachella Valley. Coachella was founded in 1999, when Beck, the Chemical Brothers, Morrissey, and Rage Against the Machine were the first to headline the event. Eighteen years later, the festival has gained traction and is recognized worldwide. The festival is held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, and the venue features a main stage as well as five to six other tents and domes for the various acts. The uniqueness of Coachella lies in its versatility, whether that is the music, the art, or the fashion. From EDM to indie, there is something for everyone to groove to. This year’s lineup features a variety of bands and artists from all across the board. The headliners include Radiohead, Lady Gaga, and Kendrick Lamar. Back in February, it was announced that Gaga would replace the initial headliner for Saturday night, Beyoncé, due to an unexpected pregnancy. It has been established that Beyoncé will most likely be returning as a headliner for Coachella 2018. Though the headliners are a main part of the draw, many other notable artists will be gracing the stages. Martin Garrix,
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ANNA CONSTANTINO Galantis, Justice, and Dillon Francis will be attracting EDM fanatics, while Travis Scott, Gucci Mane, and Future are the main rap staples. Two Door Cinema Club, Bastille, and the XX are bringing the alternative vibes, while “girl-bosses” Lorde, Banks, and Kehlani are giving us a taste of pop. Among the less mainstream bands, Warpaint, Thundercat, Bishop Briggs, BROODS, Twin Peaks, and Autograf will be attracting enthusiastic crowds. In the past few years, the festival has put a stronger focus on its art displays, which include sculptures as well as interactive pieces. For the past three years, a company called Poetic Kinetics created Coachella’s main art installations. They specialize in mass interactive displays, usually accompanied by light and movement. They are responsible for last year’s caterpillar that transformed into a butterfly by the festival’s third day, as well as past years three-story astronaut and giant electronic snail. In addition to massive LED displays, arrays of smallerscale sculptures populate the grounds, immersing guests in a variety of pieces representing different cultures and artists. Coachella is known for being a popular breeding ground for fashion trends, serving as a place for individualism and self-expression. Festivalgoers sport different vibes each day, transforming from boho-bling to raging rocker and everything in between. Popular trends from last year’s festival included body jewelry, crochet tops, and bandanas. We can expect these staples to return once again, along with embroidered denim,
Coachella 2014’s massive LED astronaut towers over the festival grounds. By the third day, the face transformed into a large smiley face. Photo courtesy of Poetic Kinetics.
fringe, and everything lace. “I am so excited to experience the Coachella atmosphere and listen to my favorite bands while surrounded by all the positive energy,” said senior Megan Moore, who will be attending the festival for her first time this year. Though purchasing festival passes may seem like giving away a fortune, a portion of the proceeds from each ticket go towards charities such as Global Inheritance, the Academy of Musical Performances, and youth centers local to Coachella Valley. In addition, the festival also has many sustainability initiatives, some of which include “carpoolchella”, recyclable art, and an energy-generating, interactive playground. No matter where festivalgoers are coming from or what they are coming to hear, they all have something in common–a love for music and a free spirit. So grab those flower crowns and dancing shoes–the desert awaits.
ENTERTAINMENT
A KING, A QUEEN, & A HEAD
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Radiohead
From the cul de sacs of Compton to the stage at the Grammy’s, Kendrick Lamar has come a long way to make a name for himself in the music industry. Lamar’s music career was born in 2004, when he released his first mixtape at the age of 16, subsequently landing a recording contract with Top Dawg Entertainment. In 2010, the rapper gained the public’s attention upon the release of his fifth mix-tape Overly Dedicated, and only two years later, he released his second studio album, good kid, m.A.A.d city. The album sold 242,000 copies only a week after its release, and less than a year later, the album was certified Platinum. Along with Lamar’s unique voice and smooth sounds, he captivates his audiences with powerful messages. The rapper often writes and reminisces on his childhood growing up in Compton, and how he overcame poverty and dangerous influences. Several of his songs also touch on relevant societal issues and personal struggles, particularly relating to racial prejudice. Though 2017 will not be the first year Lamar is appearing on the Coachella stage, it will be his first year headlining the festival.
She’s bold, she’s flamboyant, she’s… Gaga. The pop icon has been musically inclined since her toddler days, when she learned to play piano by the age of four. Years later, her debut album, The Fame, was released in 2008, instantly becoming a worldwide success. Since then, the artist has produced five more albums, with her most recent, Joanne, taking on a much more personal tone. The singer-songwriter is best known for her raunchy and theatrical outfits, including her reflective “sea-urchin” dress that appeared to be several feet in diameter, her 8-inch bedazzled heels, and the infamous meat dress. Gaga is also widely known for her earlier party anthems, “Poker Face”, “Telephone”, and “Just Dance”. Since then, she has expanded her repertoire, moving towards more layered, in-depth songs about love and loss. But despite the heavier tones, Gaga will surely bring the glitz, glam, and party vibes to the desert.
Radiohead fits the bill for the phrase “old but gold”. The band dropped their first album, On a Friday, back in 1986, and released their most recent album A Moon Shaped Pool, just this past year. Though they have been around for quite some time, they remain popular with millennials and adults alike for their unique instrumentals and captivating lyrics. The members of Radiohead first got together when they were teens, attending the same all-boys school in England. Since then, they have come a long way from rehearsing in their school’s band room, to producing nine studio albums and selling over 30 million albums worldwide. The band has progressed since their inception, moving away from their signature angst and intensity, and more so towards lighter, harmonious vibrations. Though their newest sounds are relaxing to distant ears, the haunting instrumentals and echoing lyrics are the key attributes of their newest album. This will not be the first time Radiohead has appeared as a Coachella headliner. The band headlined the festival back in 2004, as well as 2012. Nevertheless, festivalgoers are ecstatic for their appearance; third time’s a charm!
Photos courtesy of Harpers Bazaar, GrooveVolt, Consequence of Sound, & intrepidsbu.com.
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APRIL ISSUE 25
ENTERTAINMENT
FASHION OF THE PRESENT A CdM guide to style THUY PHAM
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Nike Air force shoes have been especially popular with students. Photo by Thuy Pham.
This backpack showcases both the backpack trend and the pins trend. Photo by Thuy Pham.
These Puma shoes feature a unique design of basketball shoes. Photo by Thuy Pham.
he millennial features a variety of exciting trends, from technology to the unique fashion around the world. Many teens have been caught up with the latest fashion trends, whether they are from luxury brands or other well-known fashion brands. CdM students can be seen sporting a variety of trendy clothes and shoes. A booming trend among CdM students is sneakers. Sneakers showcase a variety of trendy accents, from this past season’s embroidery trend to the new patches trend. “Sneakers nowadays have become super stylish. I love all the cute trends that they showcase and the comfort they provide for me at school. They are easy to slip on, perfect for days when you are running late or want your feet to be comfortable,” said freshman Micaela Fasulo. A classic sneaker design is shoes with three stripes, or the Adidas Originals Superstar sneakers. Many students at CdM, whether they are boys or girls, can be seen wearing these sneakers. Not only do these types of shoes appeal to girls, but they also attract many boys regardless of their fashion style. Particular sneaker brands and styles that appeal to CdM’s male students include Vans, Converse, and Nike. Although most males are not as interested in the latest fashion trends
in comparison to females, many male students at CdM can be seen sporting the latest of sneaker trends. Collaborations between well-known public figures and sneaker brands are worn by students today. To name a few, Comme des Garcons PLAY’s collaboration with Converse, Rihanna’s collaboration with PUMA, and the newest shoes from Stan Smith’s collaboration with Adidas are constantly seen being worn by CdM’s fashion enthusiasts. Sneakers are not the only thing that provides comfort to CdM students, who carry supplies or books. Nowadays, backpacks are designed in many unique ways for those who are fashion-forward. For those who are looking for a more basic style of backpacks, those with solid colors and little accents or details are perfect to wear to school. Students can find fashionable and trendy backpacks from brands like Fjallraven Kanken, Brandy Melville, Marc Jacobs, Rebecca Minkoff, Vans, and much more. Mini backpacks have become increasingly popular in recent years. These backpacks appeal to those who do not carry much to school and those who do not carry purses to school. “I love wearing my mini backpack to school and when I hang out with my friends. The thing I love about mini backpacks is that they are cute and can fit
more things than a smaller purse,” said freshman Angelina Carpio. When one is in need of a fun and trendy way to spice up their simple fashion pieces, they look no further than pins and patches. From fashion enthusiasts’ perspectives, it is a perfect way to spice up an outfit with one of fashion’s most unique trends. Not only can wearers add pins and patches to denim jackets, tee shirts or other clothing pieces, they can also add them to backpacks. It is an easy way to dress up a backpack and add a personal touch to an outfit. “Pins and patches on clothing items have been one of my favorite fashion trends. Pins and patches have recently been a prominent part of my wardrobe, from my classic jean jacket to my backpack. This trend appeals to everyone because of the many unique designs,” said sophomore Payton Campbell. Many new fashion trends have been introduced in recent years, and these new trends are long-lasting and unique. Fashion designers are constantly adding their own twists to sneakers, backpacks, and pins, or patches. Each unique design of these fashion pieces represent a new era of fashion and ideas. With fashion becoming increasingly popular, there are new styles being added to the books every day.
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ENTERTAINMENT
A glimpse into Newport Beach film culture
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very year, towards the end of April, marquees belonging to movie theaters across Orange County are seized by the Newport Beach Film Festival. The big black block letters advertising the annual festival host over 350 films that are shown in a span of about eight days. The Newport Beach Film Festival boasts a variety of films, including foreign movies and short films. The movies shown at the festival are usually produced by lesser known movie directors that are able to film in their free time, and often it’s the movie’s first time being seen by an audience, but that does not mean that they should be discredited or taken any less seriously than the big-budget Hollywood films. Catherine Dickinson, the head of community partnerships at the Newport Beach Film Festival, said, “The Newport Beach Film Festival introduces you to movies that you would have never had thought of watching, or even known about, through regular cinema-going. I have watched some really brilliant movies from all over the world, without perhaps initially realizing how much I would enjoy them. It’s a bit like a great friend introducing you to something. You can rely on the Newport Beach Film Festival to show you something unexpected”. Throughout its lifetime, the Newport Beach Film Festival has screened a multitude of noteworthy films, including Layer Cake, (500) Days of Summer, Crash, Chef, Waitress, The Illusionist, and countless others. Dickinson said, “We try and find movies that have a local
Photo courtesy of Lido Isle
NIKKA AFSHAR
connection as well, and obviously loads of movies are made in LA, but [my favorite] was a really independent movie. I think it took the film maker over five years to get the money together, and then doing it in his spare time, and it was a cool walkingaround LA love story”. That movie, although not named, was shown several times at the festival that year, on top of a couple movie screenings in Los Angeles. The goal of the festival, aside from supporting new and upcoming movie producers, is to introduce a culture of film and art to the Newport Beach community. Not only does the NBFF premiere a variety of movies with local ties, but it also brings a variety of foreign films to the table. Dickinson said, “We will have amazing movie access to our films, for example, but to really gain an understanding and by really reviewing some of the best art and film, you can really broaden yourself as a person. i do think it broadens your world really to see all of these points of view. There’s a lot of shallow culture out there to view online, through Youtube or Instagram, and we love that. But I think you get something deeper by experiencing art, and I think that by pairing up with more organizations and schools I think we can helps guide people to some of the better art films”. A unique characteristic of the festival is the engagement between an audience and the film producers. After movie screenings, directors and producers often host a Q&A session that’s open to the entire audience. This differentiates the festival from cinema going or streaming movies online, as you’re
able to ask questions left on your mind after watching the movie. Dickinson said, “It’s so interesting to see who made the movie, and hear a little bit about what moods they filmed, what the difficulties were, what they wanted to say with their movie. Often, they open up to questions by the audience. You’re often left thinking about something after the movie, and with this you have the directors and actors there to answer your questions”. The festival is widely anticipated, bringing over 50,000 movie goers from across Orange County every year. This year, the festival is planned to take place from April 20-27, with a program soon to come out featuring over 350 movies that will be playing during the festival this year.
500 Days of Summer was a mvie shown at the festival, and went on to win several awards. Photo courtesy of Roger Ebert.
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APRIL ISSUE 27
ENTERTAINMENT
THE ART OF EVERYTHING
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Los Angeles: The mecca of modern art
hen people see a city, they may just see buildings and people and cars, but to others it is art. Everything that has ever been created is art, even though it may not seem like it. Now in the 21st century, art is stereotyped as something on a canvas or photographed. However, art is everywhere and the city of Los Angeles is a perfect example. The obvious way to see art is at a museum. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is a great choice. Established in 1961, the museum was created to show Los Angeles’ diverse and distinct population of 2.4 million, now over 3.8 million people. The museum shares a fair amount of different art forms, like the exhibition, “Miracle Mile”, a wall that captures ones’ attention with its florescent to subdued colored tubes. Designed by artist Robert Irwin, his goal was to capture “the properties of light, material and color”, according to the LACMA website. Each one of the 66 tubes is equipped with colored gels, creating either the dim or bright color. Another artist, James Turrell transformed light into an art. His piece, “Breathing Light,” causes the viewers depth perception to be removed, causing one to essentially breathe light. Walking into the room, one can only see the color in front and all around them. The painted white walls, the slightly curved corners, and the projected color cause this effect. A tribute to the city, Chris Burden created a kinetic sculpture entitled “Metropolis ll.” Throughout the structure, modeled after a modern city like Los Angeles, there are 18 roadways, a six-lane freeway and 100,000 moving miniature cars, all around a network of buildings. On the LACMA website, Burden said “the noise, 28 APRIL ISSUE
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KENDALL GORE
the continuous flow of the trains, and the speeding toy cars produce in the viewer the stress of living in a dynamic, active and bustling 21st century city.” In the heart of Los Angeles is another museum, The Getty Center. Even though this museum is more focused on art that is painted or captured through a camera, there is still art everywhere, even in the garden. Well-known artist Robert Irwin constructed The Central Garden in the middle of the museum. Throughout the 134,000 square foot design, one can walk through the trees and smell the flowers, giving a visitor a unique experience. One starts at the foot of a hill, descending down into a plaza, while seeing a variety of plants that are always being changed. At the ground of the plaza, one can see in the middle of the pool a floating maze of azaleas, shaped like a turtle. Encircling the pool are gardens full of roses, lilies, and dahlias. Besides the garden, the buildings themselves are also truly art. Architect Richard Meier designed the buildings to highlight both nature and metropolitan culture. One of the most amazing parts of the complex is the stone itself, embedded into the walls. Transported from Italy, the stone contains fossilized leaves, branches, and feathers. Apart from the stone, the modern outdoor sculptures take people’s breath away, like “Gandydancer’s Dream.” Created by Mark di Suvero in 1988, it is formed from geometric shapes. His sharp-edged and rough sculpture enhances its kinetic properties, creating an almost “poetic wholeness.” In addition to “Gandydancer’s Dream”, there is also “That Profile” by Martin Puryear, a stainless steel sculpture. Puryear’s sculpture stands 45 feet above the plaza. At different sides of the center, one can experience an unfamiliar image
every time. From the north, the image is curved, while in the south, it is flat, and from other viewpoints it is completely round. The meaning of the sculpture refers to a fixed identity, suggesting a cast against the sky and a human head profile. Besides LAMCA and the Getty Center, there is also the Norton Simon Museum. Located off the 134 freeway in Pasadena, the museum features Van Gogh and Picasso with pieces like “States of Minds: Picasso Lithographs”, and “The Bedroom” by Van Gogh. In addition to the two popular artists, the museum also has
Barbara Hepworth’s “Assembly of Sea Forms” is a sculpture composed of rocks on display at the Getty Center. Photo by Kendall Gore.
sculptures that contribute to art in the Los Angeles area. One sculpture, “Assembly of Sea Forms,” shows the ability to produce organic forms from inorganic materials. Barbara Hepworth, the artist, gave each rock in the sculpture a name; the two tallest, Sea Mother and Sea King, the row ranged before them, Shell, Sea Form and Young, and Rolled Sea Forms and finally the two small figures, Embryo and Sea Bird. This form of art can be viewed from every angle, opening the viewer’s perspective. Los Angeles is one of many cities around the Southern California area to experience art in a different way. Art surrounds us everywhere we go; but if you do not open your eyes, you might just miss it.
ENTERTAINMENT
MAGNIFICENT MUST-READS
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Dive head-first into these books
hen readers open a book and begin to read, they jump into a whole other world. Some of these worlds are absolutely breathtaking and readers become completely absorbed in the book. Others are not as compelling and tend to drag on without the reader being interested in the story at all. Here are three great suggestions of books to read. In October of 2016, New York Times Bestselling author of the Legend Trilogy, Marie Lu, came out with the final installment of her trilogy, The Young Elites. The Young Elites takes place in a fantasy world where the Blood Fever has swept the world, marking all those who survived it. The marked are called malfetos and are treated poorly, given rotten food and looked at with disgust. Some of these malfetos are special and have been gifted with supernatural abilities from the Blood Fever. These people are called Young Elites. One girl, Adelina Amoutera, has been marked and when she
Hardback cover of The Midnight Star. Photo by Brooklyn Hollander.
BROOKLYN HOLLANDER discovers she is one of the Young Elites her life changed completely. This trilogy will keep readers on the edge of their seat throughout the book. It takes a different spin on the usual “people get supernatural talents” with the way Lu has structured her world and her main character. Fans of Legend will love this series. Anyone who has a taste for fantasy will enjoy reading this trilogy. Nicola Yoon, the author of Everything, Everything, came out with a new contemporary novel in November of 2016, The Sun is Also a Star. This book takes place in New York City and the story unfolds over the course of one day. At 17 years old, Natasha Kingsley is a Jamaican illegal immigrant. She immigrated to America when she was eight years old. Her family is forced to leave the country and return back to Jamaica, although she tries to do everything in her power to stay. Daniel Bae is also 17 and is the son of two Korean immigrants. His whole life he has been told he is will attend a good school and be a doctor. He has an interview for Yale. Of all days in the world Natasha and Daniel’s lives intertwine on this day with a series of events that can only be explained by one thing; fate. This contemporary novel is absolutely breathtaking. It conveys deep messages about family, love, and finding oneself. Many people will be able to relate to Natasha and Daniel’s family lives. Anyone who loves John Green novels will be sure to love this. Just be prepared to cry when reading this book. The second book in The Dark Artifices trilogy, by Cassandra Clare, comes out on May 23rd of this year. This trilogy is set in our world, but there is another world existing within our world. This
Hardback cover of The Sun is Also a Star. Photo by Brooklyn Hollander.
is called the Shadow World where there are demons, faeries, werewolves, vampires, warlocks, and Shadowhunters. Shadowhunters are half-angel, half-human and were created to protect us from demons and to rid the world of them. Clare has written many other books set in this world. There is The Mortal Instruments, a six book series, The Infernal Devices, a prequel trilogy, and The Dark Artifices, which is still currently being written. All of the series set in this world are absolutely wonderful. The suggested order to read the books is in the order they were published. When read in the order of completing the whole Mortal Instruments series first and then moving on to the Infernal Devices, readers will be spoiled slightly for the ending of the final book of the Infernal Devices. Readers who loved the Percy Jackson series or the Harry Potter series will be sure to fall in love with these books. Any reader or even non-readers will be sure to enjoy the stories these books tell.
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APRIL ISSUE 29
GLOBAL
LOSING OUR RELIGION
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The new trend of religious decline JAKE TSUBOTA
eligion is quite possibly the most important idea to have existed since humankind existed. Nations have been built and destroyed all in the name of God. Some of the most powerful empires from the English to the Ottomans have all reigned supposedly under the will of gods. Powerful kings of the Middle Ages in Europe claimed to have the “divine right” to be king and ancient China’s Mandate of Heaven granted power to the strong while taking it away from the weak. However, religious fervor is not just a phenomenon of the past. In fact, religion is still as prominent today as it was in the past. For example, numerous countries in the Middle East are ruled as a Muslim theocracies Politics in the United States still revolves around the idea of a nation with Christian values. Nearly all of Central and South America profess to be strong Catholics. However, in some countries around the
Mariners Christian Church’s chapel in Irvine. Photo by Jake Tsubota.
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world, the force and influence of religion is declining. Highly developed first world countries such as the Netherlands nearly have a non religious majorities rather than religious ones. By 2030, the Pew Research Center has predicted that Christians, the dominant religious group in the Netherlands, will fall to second place behind those with no religious affiliation. Other developed countries in Europe are also following suit. Even the United States, where the line between church and state is blurry at times, is recording a similar demographic change. Rather than churches, atheist meetups are expected to increase in numbers, where non believers can congregate without God’s blessing. Sophomore Justin Le said, “The rising rates of atheism, agnosticism, and other nonreligious beliefs is very beneficial to society as a whole. The separation of church and state is now more necessary than ever due to the outrageous policies pushed some of our politicians”. However the startling changes occurring in many developed countries will actually have a minimal effect on worldwide religious demographics. The decrease in the number of religious adherents in developed countries like the United States and the Netherlands will be counteracted by the population explosion occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. The population growth occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa is mainly occurring in countries with a strong religious presence. The prevalence of Christianity, Islam, and tribal African religions are all expected to grow as the African population increases. The large discrepancy between religious adherents in developed countries and developing countries really highlights particular socio-economic differences
Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Augustine Florida. Photo courtesy of Chris Morris.
between the two groups. Countries with a high income level and a high quality of life usually have an increased nonreligious populations. The overall health of a country also influences a country’s religious following. According to the CIA World Factbook, Tanzania, a small country in Africa, has an average life expectancy of 62.2 years. French citizens were given a life expectancy of 81.8 years. At the same time, in 2010, less than two percent of Tanzania’s population was religiously unaffiliated while France had a nonreligious population of over 25 percent. Just as religious influences differ across continents, it also differs across ethnic lines. Ethnic and racial minorities of a country are less likely to be religiously affiliated, possibly a relic from their country of their origin. Again, socioeconomic status plays an integral part in religious beliefs, with the poorer ethnic minorities having greater faith in religion.
SCI/TECH
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SOCIAL CHANGE
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How millenials have changed technology AUDREY TUMBARELLO
hroughout the past couple decades, technology has changed dramatically. Phones and social media have changed from being used very little to a day-to-day activity. Everywhere one looks, people are on some sort of electronic device. Because many millennials spend hours on these devices, they do not know how to interact with others face-to-face. Instead, they look down on their phones and text. On January 9, 2007 the first Apple iPhone, known as the 2g, was invented. Before the iPhone the Apple Company came out with a first generation iPod Touch. Every year since then Apple has invented a brand new iPhone. Although, there have not been major changes, somehow the company manages to keep making the phones a little bit bigger each time. The company also attempts to enhance the camera on the new phones that come out annually. Apple has produced regular iPhones like the 6, but
This is the original iphone that was invented in 2007. The phone has been improved each year. Photo by Sam Loveridge.
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they also have managed to make a 6s, which increased their costumers. Now, there are multiple different brands of phones out there. In order to compete with Apple, Samsung manufactures many phones. Around 1985, Samsung came out with its very first basic phone, and in June of 2009, it came out with its very first Samsung Galaxy. This model helped Samsung make a debut into the Android smartphone market. According to Android Headlines, Samsung sold more phones than Apple did in 2016. “I think the future of technology is going to be interesting because little kids are so used to technology today, they cannot get off their phones,” said freshman Gabby Montgomery. Even millennials are aware of their electronic addiction. “Technology is very helpful when it comes to studying and learning, but at times it is very distracting,” said Montgomery. Many kids become caught up in technology when studying for long periods of time, and they cannot control themselves enough to put down their phones even for a short amount of time. Some people do not like technology because of all the social media apps and games, but others disagree and think technology will allow people to expand their horizons and think outside the box. “Nobody knows for sure what the future of technology looks like, but it will be one that enables ordinary people to do extraordinary things,” said freshman Marbella Marlo. Most children do not just own one electronic. Many have iPad Minis, larger iPads, and some sort of computer. “I have a MacBook Air and I constantly
Over the past decade many millineals use social media. These are many apps that are very popular for kids to use on their phones. Photo by Steve King.
use it to do school work, watch Netflix, and Facetime friends,” said Montgomery. Many people have different views on technology and so do the kids today. “I think technology is an amazing thing because it allows people from all over the world to communicate and share their experiences and ideas with one another,” said Marlo. Many think cell phone technology is one of the best things ever invented, but many millennials are concerned about their future jobs. They are afraid of their job being taken over by robots. A couple of young teens worry about communication, not for just themselves, but for younger kids. Overall, phones and social media have changed the world as a whole. It changed the way people view the world, and the way people communicate. It has also transformed the way kids in school learn and are taught.
SCI/TECH
MEDIA INFLUENCERS
A
new business industry has formed with the help of social media and the opportunity it provides to connect with millions of people all over the Internet. Many people have been able to turn having an Instagram into a full-time and highly successful job. The word “influencer” is used to describe those with a large social media following on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Influencers work with brands on ad campaigns or collaborations aimed at their followers. According to 2012 data from Nielsen, 90 percent of customers trust peer recommendations and 70 percent trust consumer reviews, while only 33 percent trust ads. When customers see their favorite Instagramer or blogger rave about a product, they are more likely to go out and purchase the product rather than if they saw it on a commercial with an unfamiliar face. Media Kix predicted that that the influencer marketing will become a five to ten billion dollar market by 2020. This new industry keeps expanding day-by-day with all the new influencers gaining a large following. Influencers tend to have a specific theme to their page depending on what they focus on, which can be anything from beauty and fashion to technology to comics. Companies send their products to influencers so they can review it and share their thoughts about it, but they are not paid to do this. Influencers make money in three main ways: by hosting events and making other public appearances, by documenting an event or experience, and by making sponsored Instagram posts. Many times brands want the influencers to hype up their product, whether it is at an event or on social media. Affiliate network sales is also a major money maker for influencers. The
The new frontier MALLORIE COHEN
Amra and Elma Beganovich are pioneers of the influencer business. Making it a steady and sucessful job. Photo by Marie Claire.
influencer receives a percentage of online sales where the customer made the purchase after seeing the influecer’s scoial media. The amount of money that people make from their accounts largely depends on how many followers they have. The more followers the more the influencer can charge businesses to sponsor posts. Danielle Bernstein, of @weworewhat, told Harper’s Bazaar in May that she usually charges between $5 thousand and $15 thousand for a single branded Instagram post. At the time, she had 992,000 followers. Liz Eswein of @NewYorkCity told The Guardian that she charges companies one dollar for every “like” that a sponsored photo receives, in addition to a separate charge for the photos themselves. Some of her recent sponsored images have each been “liked” more than 23 thousand times. Influencers are very business savvy to be able to make such large profits. A major part in being successful is knowing who
your following is and what they like and don’t like based off of data from previous posts. When people interviewed Amra and Elma Beganovich who are highly successful influencers,“We factored in medians and averages to better represent the monthly variations: Blog earnings: $30,000, average per month $2,500; Instagram posts: $480,000, median per month $5,000 per post with eight posts per month on average; Twitter posts, $60,000, median per month $2,500 per Tweet with two posts per month on average; event attendance: $144,000, median per event $6,000 with two events per month.” They are smart business women and are taking their job to the next level by working out the business side of their social media. The influencer and social media market is still not fully tapped into and has endless possibilities for how successful one can become doing what they love every day and working for themselves.
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APRIL ISSUE 33
SCI/TECH
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DESIGNER DNA
Genetic engineering past and present ISABELLA WEBB
icture a world of people with no genetic diseases or disorders, where everyone is free of suffering. Then imagine a world filled with designer people who are made genetically superior. Guess what? It is the same place. Genetic engineering is the deliberate altering of an organism’s characteristics by modifying its genetic material. Although it is a rather controversial idea, it could have great benefits. The idea of genetic engineering began in the mid 1940s, when Adolf Hitler attempted to create a genetically pure super-race. When World War II ended, the concept became unpopular and appeared abandoned. However, the idea came back in full force in the late eighteenth century. On September 14, 1990, the first successful attempt on gene therapy occurred. The patient was a four-year old girl who had a genetic disease that caused adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency. This left her exposed to infections. The scientists removed multiple white blood cells, and reinserted them after instilling them into the normal genes that create ADA.
Millions of double-helix structures like these form our genetic makeup. Scientists are making strides towards manipulating this genetic material. Photo courtesy of GMO Gone.
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After this groundbreaking achievement, scientists did not slow down in their efforts. If anything, their energies doubled. In 2015, an article written by The Telegraph announced that by 2017, scientists believe the first genetically modified humans could exist. In 2010, an invention now called the CRISPR/Cas9 system was presented to the world. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary invention that allows scientists to precisely cut two strands of DNA for fragments of DNA to be added or removed. However, most people are wary of genetic engineering. Many simply do not trust the scientists. A poll done by the Pew Research Center in 2014 demonstrated that the public was more distrustful than enthusiastic of opportunities to eliminate diseases, and increase the intelligence of babies. At least seven out of ten people believed scientists would allow the technology to be used before it was properly tested. The issue of ethics often comes up when it comes to human engineering. In 2009, talk of designer babies surfaced when LA’s Fertility Institute announced that expecting parents could choose their baby’s hair color, eye color, and more. Like CRISPR/Cas9, the technology was originally created to screen for disease, but led to parents being able to decide physical traits. “I think that genetic engineering is an exciting growing field, and that it has the potential to create a lot of benefits for the human race. However, I don’t think it should be used for cosmetic reasons” said CdM AP Biology teacher Jennifer Walters. Another big concern in human genetic engineering is how it will affect future generations. Scientists are unsure of
A poll done by the Pew Research Center in 2014 asked adults whether genetic engineering in babies is appropriate or taking medical advances too far. The consensus was that making the baby more intelligent and reducing the risk of serious diseases was not acceptable. Photo courtesy of the Pew Research Center.
the long term effects that may come with altering human genomes. In an article by Stat News, American physician-geneticist Francis S. Collins says, “...the individuals whose lives are potentially affected by germline manipulation could extend many generations into the future. They can’t give consent to having their genomes altered from what nature would have made possible.” He adds, “There’s also a concern about human hubris. Who gets to decide what’s an improvement on the genome?” Genetic engineering is but one of many innovations scientists have developed this century. After all, this is an unprecedented age. Genetic engineering has the potential to stretch the boundaries of humanity— but are the risks worth the benefits?
POWER PLAY
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SCI/TECH
How the media changed the election
ocial media connects people to one another and provides a snapshot of what is going on in the world instantly. During the election, it was especially critical; for people because many relied on social media to inform them on everything election-related. Even if they did not have access to social media, they were able to get election information from alternate sources, like newspapers. However, because many of these institutions printed biased information, these sources changed the election. People pick up a newspaper and read two different headlines depending on which newspaper they grabbed. The influence of the media changed the election in ways most were not able to predict. People turned to the Internet to get out their ideas and beliefs on the candidates. This astonishing exchange of ideas through social media let people see what other members of the community believed. The social media accounts of the candidates were another source
Most of Trump’s power comes from social media sites like Facebook. Trump has millions of followers that make what he says travel farther through the Internet. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Newcomb.
MEGAN FISK of information for readers around the country. It also might have contributed to Donald Trump’s success. As of this writing, Trump has over twenty-one million Facebook followers whereas Clinton only has a little over ten million. A post about a Trump campaign appearance was seen, liked, and shared thousands of times more than Clinton’s posts. Trump’s social media popularity may have represented more fascination than endorsement, but for better or worse, whatever he said traveled farther online than what Clinton said. This distribution of information could easily have been one of the causes of Trump’s win. The major news publications also played a large role in the election. Newspapers broadcast every major addendum to the race, each putting their own spin on it. But, in many of these pieces, the writer added in his own opinions. According to journalist Pablo Boczkowski from Niemanlab.com, Clinton was backed by 229 dailies and 131 weekly newspapers. Compared to the nine dailies and four weeklies that backed Trump, Hillary dominated the news corporations. Companies endorsed the candidate of their choosing and publish articles that would twist the truth in their own ways, supporting one candidate and destroying the other. These companies expressed changed the way the public looks at these businesses and the candidates they analyzed. Despite these differences in coverage for both candidates, Trump still came through and won the presidency. Trump’s power on social media gave him an unexpected, unprecedented advantage over Clinton no one saw coming. Social media is a powerhouse of information for
Clinton gained the endorsement of hundreds of newspapers around the country. The newspapers published articles supporting her and bringing her power. Photo courtesy of New York Daily News.
most voters, and that more people turn to their social media accounts for news than newspapers. Even though they both had a strong social media presence, Trump’s was stronger and helped him seal the deal In the heat of the campaign, the push-andpull factors may have slipped right under America’s noses. Now that the election is over, it is easy to see in hindsight that much of the news we received was biased and it could have impacted our decision. It makes the public question if their opinions on the candidates were theirs or if they were crafted by the media. The way that the news was twisted changed the way that they saw the story and the way that they thought about the situation. Now that the election is over, we can now look back at the whole process and see just how it all played out. We can see that the media changed this election and we will just have to wait and see how much it affects the next one. TRIDENT
APRIL ISSUE 35
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