Category: Culture

By Gigi L.

One of the music industry’s most cherished icons, Taylor Swift, has released a total of nine albums throughout her career, all of them being immensely successful. But have you ever heard the theory that there could be a 10th? Ever since the release of her most recent album, Midnights, fans have been suspecting that there is a secret, unreleased Taylor Swift album hiding away somewhere. You might think it’s far-fetched, but you’d be surprised at how much evidence actually supports this wild idea. Break out your shovels because we’re about to do some deep digging.

The theory about the lost album has been around for a while, but the release of Taylor’s new album has made fans start to connect the dots. The theory is as follows: there is a secret Taylor Swift album entitled Karma that was supposed to be released in 2016, but was scrapped because of the scandal with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West at the time. (Long story short, Kim released excerpts of tapes catching Taylor in a messy public lie, and fans turned on her. Don’t worry, the rest of the tape was released in 2020 and Taylor’s name was cleared). The song “Karma” on the Midnights album is theorized to be an unreleased track from the “lost” album. 

First, the evidence. For the first part of her career, Taylor released an album every two years: her debut album in 2006, followed by Fearless in 2008, Speak Now in 2010, Red in 2012, and 1989 in 2014. Following this pattern, her 6th album should have been released in 2016. However, it wasn’t. There was no album in 2016. Instead, Taylor took a one-year hiatus and released Reputation in 2017. Fans suspect that Taylor was supposed to release the lost album, Karma, in 2016, but it was thrown out after her feud with the Kardashians, which led her to skip her usual album release date.

I know you’re thinking, “That’s probably just a coincidence.” However, there are more pieces to the puzzle hidden in the first song of the album Reputation, “Look What You Made Me Do.” If you watch the music video, Taylor can be seen with a chainsaw, cutting the wings off of an airplane. Look a little closer and you’ll see that the plane is labeled TS6, possibly representing Taylor Swift’s sixth album. She then spray-paints the word “reputation” over it, suggesting that her sixth album, Karma, was scrapped and transformed into Reputation. But that’s not the only piece of evidence in the song. Taylor sings, “The world moves on, another day, another drama drama, but not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma.” Which karma are you referring to, Taylor?

But wait, there are more music video Easter eggs to look at. In her music video for “The Man” in 2019, a businessman can be seen standing in front of a wall with the names of all of Taylor Swift’s albums written on it. Guess what’s written in the middle of the wall? That’s right, “Karma.” In fact, next to the word “Karma” is a sign that says “MISSING, IF FOUND, RETURN TO TAYLOR SWIFT.” Is it still just a coincidence?

Now let’s look at some old interviews. In a 2016 interview with Vogue, Taylor was asked about her favorite life lesson. She responded, “Karma is real.” Fans thought this was an allusion to Taylor’s album Karma, as it is very common for her to plant Easter eggs like that. More recently, in 2021, Taylor told Jimmy Fallon about how she started planting Easter eggs for her fans in her very first album. She said, “All I started thinking of was, ‘How do I hint at things, like how far is too far in advance? Can I hint at something three years in advance? Can I even plan things out that far? I think I’m going to try to do it.’”

Still don’t believe it? Well, the theory was confirmed by Taylor herself… sort of. After she announced that the 11th track on her album would be “Karma,” Taylor’s marketing team tweeted a GIF from the “The Man” music video showing the gratified wall with “Karma” on it. While this doesn’t directly confirm anything, it does suggest that there is some sort of connection between the karma graffiti in “The Man” and the song “Karma.”

Overall, you can’t really deny that there is something fishy going on with “Karma.” Is it a secret album? Is it just publicity for the album? Or are we overthinking this too much? Some might say all of this evidence is a coincidence. But nothing’s ever really a coincidence with Taylor Swift, is it?

By Julia M.

What is fast fashion? Fast fashion is a popular form of shopping which typically consists of cheap clothes that dominate online shopping. Most people partake in buying “fast fashion” clothes whether or not they know they do. Some people have heard of it, but don’t know how it started or the problems it causes in our environment. 

How did fast fashion come to light? During the 1960s and 1970s, fast fashion began to gain popularity because it made clothing production quicker, easier and much cheaper. Then in the 2000s, fast fashion really picked up popularity because of online shopping. Many online shops used this form of fashion in order to gain customers and money. This cheap fashion made it easier to produce trending clothes quickly, further helping the industry grow. 

What are the problems with fast fashion and how does it affect our environment? At first, fast fashion seems to be an efficient and affordable way of producing clothes. But if you dive a bit deeper, you’re soon to discover all the problems it causes. Firstly, the use of toxic dyes has led to pollution in our waters. According to the website Good On You, “Fast fashion’s negative impact includes its use of cheap, toxic textile dyes—making the fashion industry the one of the largest polluters of clean water globally, right up there with agriculture.” 

Polyester is cheap and can be found in almost every clothing item. The problem with polyester is that it is a synthetic fiber made from forms of plastic. This means that microfibers can shed off of our clothes and travel into our waterways, to the ocean, and add to the growing amount of plastic already there. As stated in Good On You, “According to some statistics, in Australia alone, more than 500 million kilos of unwanted clothing ends up in landfill every year.” This means with the mass production of clothes, people tend to wear items for only a few uses then throw them out. 

Overall, these are just a handful of the problems that fast fashion causes. With the growing rate of clothes and products made, the problems are piling up. We need to put an end to fast fashion in order to save our environment.

By Amelie S.

1904-1909

The first Gasparilla was in 1904 according to Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla (YMKG), and it was on horseback at the Tampa Bay Hotel. During this period, the first Coronation Ball took place. Also, in 1905 three cars were included in the parade. Then, from the years of 1906-1909, there wasn’t an invasion due to the lack of another big occasion like the May Day Festival.  

1910s

During this time, there wasn’t much happening, but YMKG’s first invasion on a ship was in 1911. Gasparilla also did not happen as a result of WWI. 

1920s

In 1923, the first Captain’s Ball, or “Pirate’s Ball” as they called it back then, was held. 

1930s

During this decade, for the first time, the invasion and parade were broadcast on national radios. In 1937, YMKG purchased their first ship called Jose Gasparilla I. 

1940s

There were a couple of years of missed Gasparilla invasions due to WWII, and nothing too drastic seems to have happened during the ’40s. 

1950s

1951 was the last usage of the Jose Gasparilla I since it was “unseaworthy,” but YMKG was gifted the Jose Gasparilla II to be used in 1954. Four borrowed ships, the Buccaneer’s Bride, Joseito, Sea Wolf, and Shark, were used in the 1953 invasion. 

1960s

YMKG started funding the parade without anyone else’s help. Another krewe, The Krewe of Venus, was also established in Tampa. 

1970s

The Tea Dance, which is typically held at Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club, began in this decade. A new krewe was established in Tampa. This new one was called the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago. Jose Gasparilla II’s last voyage was in 1975, and Gasparilla was moved to Bayshore Boulevard. 

1980s

In 1986, the tradition of throwing beads was started. The invasion was also switched from a Monday to a Saturday. 

1990s

This decade did not have much information marked down by the YMKG. 

2000s 

The first Gasparilla Children’s Parade was held on a Saturday on Bayshore. The Jose Gasparilla II started shooting fireworks and cannon fire at this time. 

By Zoey G. 

What the people expected:

Many people suspected that because the original Avatar was 2 hours and 42 minutes long, the sequel would be just as long and possibly longer. Something nobody expected was that it would be as long as it turned out to be. According to Statista, the average length of movies in 2021 was 2 hours and 10 minutes. The first Avatar is already 32 minutes past the average in 2021, and the first Avatar was released on December 18, 2009, according to the Avatar franchise on Wikipedia. 

Fans and Reports:

In “Avatar: The Way of Water,” many fans complained that the movie was too long. The new avatar movie is three hours long, and some clips are excessive. The Independent media from the UK reported that there was a rumor going around social media that “Avatar: The Way of Water” was longer than the original Avatar movie. People agreed on one thing about the film; it was way too long. 

What could have been cut:

There was a whole middle section of the movie that could have been cut. The beginning, middle, and end of the movie were each around 1 hour and 4 minutes long. It is crazy to think that one section of Avatar was that long because that is half the length of regular movies. As stated by one viewer, “The middle section of the movie lasted too long. I actually got bored.” Usually, movies leave you craving for more or wishing for the character to come back in some shape, way, or form. But in Avatar, the audience seemed to have gotten too much of these characters in one sitting. 

Advice for the Avatar franchise:

In the future, the Avatar franchise should keep a few key points in mind, during the filming and production of future Avatar movies (such as 3, 4, and 5). 

1. Keep the viewers hooked and wanting more. Don’t go overboard with the storyline.
2. Generally that the longer the movie is, the more boring it gets. 
3. People do not have time for a three-hour-long movie in their lives.
4. Keep the rising action at a modest pace so viewers don’t end up bored at the end and do not want to watch future movies.

By Abby N.

Betty Boop was a 9-year cartoon running from 1930 to 1939. Betty Boop is well known for being a feminist symbol. Unfortunately, she is also a symbol for racism and sex which we will discuss later. 

Through the 30s

Betty first appeared in the 1930 cartoon Dizzy Dishes. According to Betty’s Wikipedia page, she was first designed as a singing french poodle but later became human as she got more popular. Betty Boop was inspired by jazz singer Esther Jones, though because of racism, Betty’s skin tone was changed to white. 

NOT FOR KIDS

Betty Boop is a cartoon with music and cute animations. Or so you thought. Her constantly getting hit on, her suggestive body motions, the war propaganda, and the evident racism gives us evidence that Betty was strictly for adults. Her song “Ching Ling Choy” has racist words and lyrics.

Banned Episode

An episode of Betty Boop was banned for drug use. This episode was called “Ha, Ha, Ha!” and it was about Betty trying to pull out a tooth for her friend, Koko, but she ends up using WAYYY too much laughing gas causing everyone who smells it to laugh. T.V. executives were very strict about what they put on T.V. at that time, so the episode got banned immediately. 

Voice Actors

Margie Hines, Mae Questel, Bonnie Poe and Ann Little all have voice acted for Betty. The one who did it the longest was Mae who did it until the series ended. Mae was also the voice actor for Olive Oyl in Popeye and Buzzy Boop. Mae unfortunately died in 1998, but her legend still lives on.

Betty Boop is still very popular. You can watch her shorts on YouTube and can buy her merchandise in many places! 

By Duaa K.

One question that perplexes many kids, teens, and even adults around this time is, “What are the U.S Midterms?” Is it the Presidential Election? No, but it does get mixed up with the presidential elections quite often. So what are the midterms?

The midterms are notoriously known as “midterms” because they occur in between the Presidential elections. According to the BBC News, the midterms in a nutshell are elections for Congress. The U.S. Congress is made up of two parts – the House of Representatives and the Senate. To expand on that a bit more, Congress is in charge of making nationwide laws. The House and the Senate have different jobs; the House makes the decision about which laws can be created, and the Senate can accept or block those laws. The Senate has even more perks than the House of Representatives because it can approve people that the president appoints and can investigate the president.

Each state has two senators that represent it, and the senators serve for six-year terms. Representatives mainly speak for smaller districts within bigger states, and they sit for 2-year terms. The election in November had every member of the House of Representatives up for election while only one-third of the senate was up for election.

So, why does it matter? The midterms can give the citizens some type of idea of who will be running for the presidential candidacy. For example, Republican governor Ron DeSantis hopes that re-election will help him in the 2024 Presidential Election. According to NPR News, “If the Democrats can hold on to power in swing states such as Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that should give them some confidence as they build their 2024 campaign to get President Biden re-elected.” 

Voting in the midterms is also important because it can also determine the outcomes of some of the biggest issues going on in the state or country at the moment. 

By Gigi L.

A meme is difficult to explain. It is so abstract, yet so confined. According to Wikipedia, “A meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning.” In simpler terms, a meme is a popular, funny picture or video. Memes define our generation. They are art. They are masterpieces. If Leonardo DaVinci saw them, he would die a second time. However, some memes are superior to others. Please enjoy this ranking of my personal top-five favorite memes.

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5. Doge

Doge is a classic. He has been a part of our lives for so many years. Every time you see him, you can’t help but smile. They even made him into a currency. It would be a crime not to include him on this list.

4. Rickroll

This is arguably one of the most popular memes of all time. You know the feeling when you send someone a “very important document,” and it’s just a Rickroll. Rickroll wreaks havoc. It’s fantastic.

3. Get Krissed

Although this meme isn’t as classic as some of the others on this list, it is still amazing. I myself have used it many times. I’ll text my friends and say, “My lizard is in the hospital,” and they’ll say, “What?!” And then, I send them this absolute gem.

2. Woman yelling at confused cat

This one is beautiful. It is just so emotional. Not only is it funny, but there is a deep, underlying meaning. The woman is clearly quite dismayed, yet the cat is simply perplexed. I love this meme.

1. Crying Cat

And finally, in the number one spot, is the crying cat. This meme is dear to my heart. It has gotten me through some very difficult times. It is so versatile, yet every meme it is included in is just perfect. It is glorious. It is holy. It is the best meme of all time.

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I hope you thoroughly enjoyed this meme ranking. If you don’t agree, too bad. I’m obviously right.

By Duaa K.

Okay, let’s just admit Halloween is hands-down one of the BEST holidays there is. I mean free candy, getting to dress up, getting scared? What more could you ask for? But getting dressed up is probably the best part, so let’s see if these costumes are Halloween-worthy! 

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Cat Costume                               

You probably don’t care too much about Halloween, or you just made a last-minute costume because Halloween snuck up on you. Either way, this costume is pretty basic, but it still looks cute, so who cares? 6/10

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Donut Costume 

I mean you are what you eat. #Respect. But, I do think that this costume is used way too often, especially for its price of $40! No ma’am. There isn’t even a way that you can incorporate a donut costume in real life, so it’s a no for me. 5/10

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Superhero Costume

The superhero costume is a pretty basic, standard costume that you see kids, adults, and teens wear every year. You have a childlike fantasy of saving the world and a desire to fight evil and be the main character in life even if you aren’t. 7/10

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Stranger Things Costume

A “Stranger Things” costume is most likely going to be the most popular costume this year because everyone was obsessed with it this summer. It’s a look for sure. A great one? I don’t think so. The 80s fashion never really made sense to me. But some people can make it work! 6.5/10

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By Abby N.

If you don’t live under a rock, you might have heard of the new, AWFUL Pinocchio remake. In honor of the terrible movie, let’s review the original, animated version from 1940. Basically, the movie is about a puppet who comes to life and has to not give into temptations to become a real boy. This movie may have dark scenes such as being kidnapped, drinking, smoking, swearing and the iconic donkey scene but it is a harmless and meaningful movie. It offers a “scare them straight” kind of lesson. 

Being made in 1940, the animation is amazing and the voice acting is ON POINT. A cute little puppet, a comedic relief cricket and a good storyline makes this a very good children’s movie. This is a 10/10 film. 

Let’s look at the Common Sense Media reviews from adults and children. Chaka Connie, a female adult, says in her review, “Wow. This movie has not stood the test of time. Very inappropriate content. Child kidnapping and trafficking?! Does anyone care about the kids that were left in cages on Pleasure Island? The story is so peculiar. Wonder what hallucinogens the writers were using. I told our kids that I hadn’t seen this movie since I was a small child. Remembered why after watching it. Kids hated it.” 

Persi, an anonymous adult, tells us in her review, “Underage drinking and smoking. Disturbing scenes like a child being unwillingly transformed into a donkey while having a full-blown panic attack, kicking and screaming for help and for his mom. Children are transformed into donkeys and taken away to salt mines; this is portrayed as justified and what happens to ‘bad’ kids. They don’t get rescued and the adults are not punished. Every child is different but parents should be very cautious. I still can’t watch this movie as an adult and become distressed just thinking about it.” 

An anonymous 13-year-old student replied, “Disney’s masterpiece is darker than you may remember but has good messages.” Wow. This kid knows what they’re talking about.

This film may be outdated but still has its message. Always let your conscience be your guide. 

By Gigi L.

The Oscars took place on March 27, 2022 and were “a glittering Disney commercial, tarnished by one too-real moment,” according to The New York Times. Everyone is talking about Will Smith’s friendly little face high-five to Chris Rock. While that was a notable event, no one is talking about the outfits. So, because I want to be different, I’m going to do that. Please enjoy.

1. Jessica Chastain

I actually kind of like this dress. The ombre is beautiful, and the sequins are a nice touch. I would have loved it if it faded into gold, maybe a nice light rose color, but purple is fine. The only thing I’m not a fan of is the ruffles at the bottom. It reminds me of something the “Hunger Games” announcer would wear. Overall, Gigi approves. 7/10.

1. Timothée Chalamet

I see my boy Timmy is sporting the “vampire grunge band” aesthetic. In all honesty, I have no problem with his outfit. He usually goes for pretty simple, elegant looks. The lace bracelet-things are a little unnecessary, but it’s a free country. Gigi approves. 8.5/10.

3. Lupita Nyong’o

Look, I really hate to do this but…honey. Sweet pea. Really? Sis looks like a roll of tinsel. Christmas was four months ago. The diamonds, too. This looks like something 6-year old me would have made for one of my Barbies. Who picked this? Fire them, please. -3/10.

4. Megan Thee Stallion

Words cannot describe how much I love this dress. Probably my favorite outfit of the night. Meg PULLED THROUGH. The shape, the cut, the texture, just wow. Gigi approves and Gigi wants. 1000000000000/10.

5. Vanessa Hudgens

Okay Nessi, I see you. Sleek, simple, timeless, pretty good. I do feel like the necklace is a little much and the straps could be thicker, but I won’t be too nitpicky. Gigi approves. 8/10.

6. Ricky Thompson

No. Just no. I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry. Where do I even start? The cutout, the cape, the dangly whatcha-ma-doodles…bestie. He looks like a randomized Sims character. Burn this along with your stylist. -6000/10.

7. Saniyya Sidney

I don’t know how I feel about this one. It’s not completely atrocious, but my girl also looks like she’s going to Easter church service. Cut it shorter and it’s the dress my cousin wore to homecoming in 2013. It’s just not very appropriate for the Oscars, you know? 4/10.

8. Renate Reinsve

This one will be in my nightmares. Maybe it’s a statement, but I don’t like it. She looks like a pirate who fell into a paper shredder. This is what they made with all of the fabric scraps from the other dresses. Not a great Oscars outfit, but she has her Halloween costume down for this year. 0/10.

9. Jane Campion

Babe, this is a nightgown. You could have worn literally anything and you chose this. You look like Voldemort. These celebrity stylists need to be exiled. This is Dior, too. I could cut armholes into a bed sheet and get the exact same result. 2/10.

10. Rosie Perez

To end on a high note, I really like this dress. It’s not too flashy or complicated, however it’s still very pretty. Argue with me if you want, but red makes even the ugliest outfits gorgeous. Chef’s kisses. Gigi approves. 10/10.

In conclusion, the Oscars were filled with beautiful outfits, hideous outfits, and pretty average ones. I hope you enjoyed my review, and remember kids, violence is never the answer to your problems, unless you want to get banned from the Oscars.