Vocaloid and the effects of social media on music

Ryan Hu (11) | STAFF REPORTER

Civilisation’s switch to digital technology has represented one of the greatest technological leaps in human history, comparable to when humanity first decided to pursue agriculture. A result of the current “Information Age” is social media, which has allowed people to connect with each other and form communities through the Internet. Together with the accessibility of computers and digital audio software, it is now easier than ever to create and share information. read more

Passion on Paper: The Race to University Admission

Ayda Kulacoglu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

In the pursuit of higher education, the landscape of university applications has undergone a profound transformation, leaving behind the genuine pursuit of knowledge and passion. High school students, caught in the frenzy of impressing admission committees, are increasingly participating in and creating impressive-looking organizations, teams, and clubs, claiming to put time and effort into them all while juggling school, jobs, and all their other extracurriculars. Are young people capable of such an intense workload without being burnt out, or are they just adding impressive titles to pad their university applications? If so, are students really to blame?  read more

Parasocial Relationships: The Personification of Values and Ideals

Lilit Chilingaryan (11) | STAFF REPORTER

Biases, assumptions, and our own impressions compiled from experience are superimposed on the lens through which we view people. This perception changes based on if we know (or think we know) a person, have shared opinions, relate to their values, and other factors that would determine the level of intimacy. However, there is a certain type of relationship that depicts strangers as close friends and personifications of appealing values: parasocial relationships.  read more

The Climate Change Toolkit: Why Geoengineering is Beneficial

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

Luscious green grass, beautiful forests, and nature’s beauty can be found everywhere in our world. That’s what you would’ve seen in the past. However, just like humanity, the Earth has also gone through many significant changes, all because of humanity. When you look outside you might still see beautiful green grass and some wonderful trees, but now with the addition of someone’s half eaten piece of candy, some wrappers, smoke billowing out of factories and more. It’s true that we’ve started to recognize the effects of climate change on our beloved planet, shown through things like passing bills and even more notably the creation and meetings of the G20 summit. Clearly climate change is important to us, but what do we do when most of our efforts are futile? read more

Working for the Knife: Tipping Culture & the Minimum Wage in America

Sarah Morra (11) | STAFF REPORTER

15%, 18%, 20%, or other. For many of us in North America, we have the option to choose between various options of gratuity when being serviced. The societal expectations of what is a “respectable” amount to be tipped are continually increasing, causing dismay to many – consumers have the opportunity to choose between a variety of tipping options, including “other.” However, the grim reality is that many in the service industry have no “other” option. read more

To Be or Not to Be: The Evergoing Controversy of the Death Penalty

Ayda Kulacoglu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

The death penalty; arguably one of the most controversial topics in modern society– an unimaginable fate for most, and a reality for some. Formally known as capital punishment, the death penalty is a legal practice involving sentencing a person to death as a punishment for a serious crime, such as murder or treason. Existing since the 18th century B.C., the death penalty has been prevalent throughout history. It is only in recent decades that most countries have moved towards its abolishment, with ongoing discussions questioning its morality and effectiveness. read more

Freedom V.S. Truth: The Internet’s Battle Over Two Virtues

Liora Abrera Manoim (12) | STAFF REPORTER

As a Catholic school, St. Robert constantly affirms the importance of virtues. We learn about virtues in our religion classes, hear about them over the announcements, and even have a virtue assigned for each month. In Civics class, we learn about our rights and freedoms as citizens of Canada. We are taught that all virtues should be upheld no matter what and that we should have access to our rights and freedoms under any circumstance. What happens when two rights — two virtues — contradict one another? Which takes priority? read more

Social Media and the Future of Cameras

Ryan Hu (11) | STAFF REPORTER

As the photographer Chase Jarvis once said, “the best camera is the one that’s with you.” This phrase has since been used to describe smartphone photography, as the majority of people now carry phones capable of photography wherever they go. Digital camera sales dropped 87% between 2010 and 2020, owing precisely to this fact.  read more