Social media: the new platform for advertising
Justine Chen and Medha Upadhyay
March 29, 2018
A viewer watches her favorite YouTuber apply foundation on her face, swatch each color of an eyeshadow palette and compliment the quality of the two products. After discovering the words “this video is sponsored by” in the video’s description box, the viewer frowns in confusion, wondering if the ...
When words cut: verbal abuse at Lynbrook
Arul Gnanasivam and Patricia Wei
March 29, 2018
Junior Katherine Patel* knows the impact words have. For the past few years, she’s felt the effects of verbal abuse: low self-esteem, self-doubt and loss of trust. One year ago, Patel’s friend told her something so hurtful that it has remained etched in her memories to this day. “A friend cal...
A step into the digitized Amazon Go store
March 1, 2018
It’s been a busy day, but before you get home, you need to go grocery shopping for dinner; luckily, there’s an Amazon Go store right around the corner. As you enter, dozens of cameras, the genius behind it all, lay hidden in the rafters monitoring the store below as customers browse the products. ...
Uncovering the positive role of therapy animals
Justine Chen and Diana Xu
March 1, 2018
A 400-pound llama guided by an animal trainer walks through the sliding doors of a hospital. Puzzled onlookers turn their heads and stare as a nine-year-old diagnosed with autism tentatively walks up to the llama with a carrot in hand, which it eats eagerly. The girl smiles, stroking the animal’s soft fu...
Feminism from the 1900s to the modern day
Jocy He and Ashley Song
March 1, 2018
Feminism, a movement that has often resurfaced throughout history, has been steadily gaining momentum, especially in recent years. By definition, feminism is the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of having equality of the sexes. Under this ideology, people have banded together for centuries to promo...
Voice of majority ignored
January 25, 2018
The FCC’s recent repeal of net neutrality was alarming for a number of reasons, not just because our access to the full extent of the internet has become compromised. Although 80 percent of Americans, myself included, believed in the importance of having unrestricted access to every corner of the i...
Web freedom at risk with loss of Net Neutrality
January 25, 2018
Facing the threat of net neutrality’s disappearance in 2017, many scrambled to contact Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to voice their dissent toward its suggested repeal. Nevertheless, on Dec. 14, the FCC, spearheaded by Chairman Ajit Pai, voted 3-2 to eliminate net neutrality...
Binging on nostalgia – why we replay TV from our youth
January 25, 2018
Sitting in front of the television screen, wondering what to watch next, one may feel a spontaneous desire to skip past the new programs available and revisit an early 2000s Disney show or 90s cartoon movie. By impulse, one may choose a “classic” movie or TV show over new releases. While this feelin...
Cryptocurrency ushers in new age of digital commerce
Srinidhi Seshadri and Noela Bae
January 25, 2018
In a time of rapid innovation and modernization, cutting-edge technology has made a decentralized digital cash system a reality. The use of digital currency, or cryptocurrency, has ushered in a wave of dependable and efficient digital payment systems such as Bitcoin. With its easy accessibility and uniq...
Clicking into the modern world of online shopping
Tzen-hao Ng, Michelle Zemlyak
December 7, 2017
The hustle and bustle of stores is one of the first things that comes to mind when one thinks of shopping; however, this foot traffic is slowly being redirected online. Whether we are buying food, toiletries, luxuries or anything in between, shopping satisfies everything from our most basic necessities...
Weinstein effect exposes dark secrets
Medha Upadhyay and Belinda Zhou
December 7, 2017
Sexual assault scandals like the one regarding renowned film producer Harvey Weinstein are continuing to surface, empowering many victims to come forward with personal stories of sexual abuse or misconduct by highly publicized and powerful personalities. Over the past couple of months, Weinstein has garnered ove...
Unmasking the realities of the Tinkerbell Effect
November 2, 2017
Tinkerbell’s light gradually dims as she begins to die. Her only hope of survival is the applause of an audience who believes in fairies. With each clap, Tinkerbell flickers back to life. Placing an emphasis on the power of belief, the Tinkerbell Effect was born. Named after the character in J.M. Bar...
