Satire, comedy or news? Comedy Central programs provide alternative to mainstream media
Corrina Taylor Staff Writer When we tune into Comedy Central, we see shows such as The Colbert Report, The Daily Show and South Park. We turn these on to have a few laughs before bed, but we may not understand the significance of the shows and what they are saying The actual definition of satire is the use of irony, or sarcasm in exposing or denouncing, and it is on display on these Comedy Central programs . The Colbert Report takes real political disputes and spins them into comedic skits for the viewers’ enjoyment. It uses satire to denounce the major conservative programs such as Fox News’s The O’Reilly Factor. The more liberal stance the…
Stewart ponders censoring oneself
By Kelly Stewart Opinions Editor Last night, when I was finally done with the studying I had to do, I did not get on the Internet or watch TV. I did not read a book or plan for the week ahead. I spent what was probably two and a half hours at my sewing machine, working with my fabric, trying to piece together my costume before the anime convention in June (and for those of you who are wondering, yes it does take that long for me to make a good costume). But for those who have no interest in anime or conventions, do not stop reading. This is for you too. Because while I…
Self-righteous hearts
By Jordan Thompson Staff Writer I have a lot to say about the elephants in the room; one of them is Christian, one of them is gay. They are not bullying each other. They do not want to make a scene – they are not even talking. One of them is just trying to be a good Christian while the other is just trying to be himself. The tension between Christianity and homosexuality is powerful in a quiet way; it involves less brutal name-calling than most of the bullying geared towards homosexuals. When it comes to Christianity, homophobia is simply the fear of something “bad” or “wrong,” and the lack of a malicious tongue is…
Con – state of music today
By Annie Wen Staff Writer Music is a big part of the lives of our generation. In the hallways, kids almost always have their earphones in. In the classroom, one of the most commonly asked questions is “Can we listen to music while we work?” Listening to music is a favorite pastime of kids nowadays. Music is always developing and changing with the times. New artists are always introduced, and the ones who have been in music for a long time are always coming out with new music. But lately it seems like music has lost the meaning it used to have. Everyone has a different taste in music, but this lack of real “soul”…
Pro – state of music today
By Tolu Salako Staff Writer When regarding the music today, most people assume all of it is as just pure garbage. However, people tend not to realize how music has actually changed for the better, especially with the new genres being created that were unheard of several years ago. If you exclude the music heard on the radio on a daily basis and what teens regard as “mainstream,” you can tell that music today is not as bad as people say it is. Take Indie pop artists for example, many of their songs contain a deeper meaning that do not only consist of the different aspects of love and superficiality, which was very popular during…
Soccer unappreciated, underrepresented in America
By Thomas Hair Online Copy Editor Try to go through your daily routines for an entire week, or even a single day, without seeing or hearing anything about sports. Even if you have always been disinterested in sports, it will surprise you how much they are intertwined in everyday American life. It is no secret that Americans as a whole are fascinated by sports, with football obtaining almost religious levels of devotion from some. This enduring fascination has led to the development of a notorious sports culture in America – one more lucrative and diverse than any other in the world. I have been an avid sports fan since infancy. I relish being able to…
Pressures from parents, friends set unrealistic standards for students
By Caroline Carter Staff Writer From grades and sports to clubs and social activities, high school students face a good amount of pressure from parents, coaches and even friends to be the best, especially when living in such a competitive city like Coppell. Whether trying to make a varsity team, maintain a high GPA or become an officer within a club, every student at some point faces extreme amount of pressure either from themselves or someone else in their life to be the best, well rounded student they can be. I am no exception to this. When I started high school, I had this idea, which I am sure many others have had, that I…
Illegal downloading teen trend
By Tolu Salako Staff Writer The majority of students at Coppell High School enjoy different genres of music, whether it is alternative, rock, classical or pop. Students claim they want to support their favorite bands and artists; however, these same students would rather use websites such as LimeWire, Media Fire, or BT Junky to download their favorite songs illegally. Everyone enjoys music, and people seem to enjoy it even more when they no longer have to pay for it. Almost every teenager has illegally downloaded songs or movies, fully aware that these same songs/movies downloaded can be found on iTunes for a reasonable price. The number of students who participate in illegal downloading has seriously…
EMAC gains insight from Katie Couric
By Christina Burke Staff Writer One of the many advantages of being in the academies at Coppell High School is being able to take part in extraordinary opportunities that are not available to other students at the school. In my time with the Emerging Media and Communications (EMAC) Academy, I have had many experiences that are great for a developing journalism student such as myself. My most recent experience was a question and answer session with the experienced journalist, Katie Couric. Couric’s well-known television career began in 1979 as a ‘low-level’ assistant for ABC news. She has made it all the way from brewing coffee and answering phones to being the first woman to regularly…
Michelle’s Musings: Stay-at-home heroes save the day
By Michelle Pitcher Editor-in-Chief I love America. I even have a button that says so. The first Sunday in December, I went to D/FW Airport on an assignment for newspaper. The weather was dreary, the traffic was horrifying and my mom would not stop singing along with the radio. We were going to greet soldiers arriving home for a two week break before the holidays, when they would be deployed once again. But all I had on my mind was getting interviews for my story then getting the heck out of there. When I arrived, after wandering aimlessly around the airport for 30 minutes, I entered a room decorated from top to bottom with colorful…