On Sep. 16, 2011, an app known as Picaboo, created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown, became rebranded into what we refer to today as Snapchat. Originally created to encourage spontaneous and authentic relationships, Snapchat introduced the trend of sending or “snapping” pictures that are only temporarily available to view. The creators’ main intention, however, has been overlooked...
On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. What Trump and supporters refuse to recognize, or simply fail to care for, however, is the devastating impacts that millions of American students will suffer from. Contrary to popular belief, the department does not dictate school curriculum; state and local districts do. The White...
The rivalry between Starbucks and Dunkin’ is unmatched. The two make up the largest coffee chains in America today. In 1950, Dunkin’ was founded and started the legacy of huge serving sizes and cheap coffee that apparently “America Runs on.” While Starbucks was founded in 1971, building their empire of very caffeinated and wildly expensive coffee. Despite the history of either, I’m a bit...
Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of being selected as one of two delegates from Michigan to attend the 62nd annual United States Senate Youth Program. I once thought that the experience of receiving my “Congratulations!” email from the Michigan Board of Education, confirming my selection as their first choice for the program, would be the most exciting moment of my life; I was soon proven wrong. Established...
Little Women by: Louisa May Alcott Wow. Okay. This was so good, but I was so confused. While it may seem confusing in the first few chapters, as there is not a real "storyline" in the first chapters as much as other books. Slowly, you get used to the characters, style, etc. Only thing is, some of the plot points are a bit strange, but overall, really good. I personally think that this is probably...
Entertainment, and what constitutes it, is sort of like a rock in a raging river. This river is not of water, but of cultural change: aesthetics, philosophies, emotions and a myriad of other things; all pieces that shape the entertainment people choose to create and consume. As a result, pieces from different times can vary strongly in theme and mood, sometimes causing future generations to scratch...
On March 10, 2024, the 96th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the fourth time. It was quite a successful night for some in Hollywood, consisting of many films acquiring more than one award and well-deserved stars receiving recognition. There were also many jaw-dropping moments and unexpected surprises. Best...
On March 8, “Kung Fu Panda 4” made its way to the world’s theaters. As a child who grew up watching the “Kung Fu Panda” movie franchise religiously, I was very excited to hear that there would be a fourth movie added to the “Kung Fu Panda” movie franchise. Like all the movies before, The Dragon Warrior, Po, is a panda who fights villains to protect the Valley of Peace. The movie stars...
The Troy Theatre Ensemble opens with “Footloose” at the Troy High School Auditorium on March 1 and 2, with further performances on March 3, 8, 9 and 10. The music begins to play and the stage comes alive with the first musical number, “Footloose.” The actors enter and sing and dance to the tune, the stage covered in all manner of colored light, light beams from the top of the stage shifting...