By Meghan Proctor ‘16 A bill recently approved by Virginia’s Senate would require schools to send notifications to parents when the class will read a book that contains sexually explicit content. Parents would then have the opportunity to opt their children out of reading that book. While this bill is not as bad as outright banning books for all students, … Read More
By Sidney Brown ’17
By Natalie Murray ‘18 Say you’re traveling through the desert when your water runs out and you become severely dehydrated. Another traveler has much more water than they need, so you tell them, “I need water.” They reply, “everyone needs water,” and give some to a healthy, perfectly hydrated traveler. This is, essentially, “Black Lives Matter” versus “All Lives Matter.” … Read More
By Tyler Ruth ’16 If Apple were to incorporate a backdoor into the iPhone’s software it would be like creating a master key that opens all doors. No one believes anyone should have that power in the physical world, so why should it be given to someone in the digital world? The FBI has recently demanded that Apple Inc. build … Read More
By Natalie Murray ‘18 It would seem that, for every one of the millions of Taylor Swift fans in the world, there are three Taylor Swift haters. Although Swift is a genuine, kind, hardworking singer-songwriter, she always seems to be under fire for something ridiculous— like that she “sues her fans” or is “money-hungry.” The claim that Swift sues everyone … Read More
By Meghan Kimberling ’17 Are there any fears that you wish you could overcome? Fear of public speaking? Fear of heights? Roller coasters? Circus clowns? Good news: there is a way “out.” Just like in other aspects of life, admitting you have a problem is the first step to overcoming your fear and enjoying a fuller life. If you aren’t … Read More
By Lauren MacFadden ’17 Many people turn to Netflix to binge watch their favorite shows like “Gossip Girl” or “Grey’s Anatomy.” However, when Netflix released the documentary, “Making a Murderer,” on Dec. 18, 2015, people could not turn away from the suspense. In this ten-part series, viewers dive into the case of Steven Avery. In 1985, Avery was falsely convicted … Read More
By Bryse Thornwell ’16 Why do most humans jump at the sight of 50 spiders but not at 50 cars on a highway? Why do most humans scream in terror at the sight of a snake, but shrug at, or even welcome, a fast-food restaurant? In America, 38,300 people died in motor vehicle accidents last year alone, but only an … Read More
By Will Van Gelder ’16 The fear of panicking in public, or agoraphobia, can cause some people afflicted by this panic disorder to stay in their homes for years on end due to fear of panicking in a public place. Agoraphobics were once viewed with much disdain, but in recent years these “shut-ins” have become more widely accepted as their … Read More
By Connor Brady ’17 Barophobia is defined as the fear of gravity. Not to be confused with the fear of heights, people who suffer from barophobia live in constant fear of two possible scenarios. One is when gravity will simply disappear and they will float away. The second scenario is they fear that gravity will become too strong and crush … Read More