10,000 Year Explosion Review – Part One

By Frank Remele I was reading the 10,000 Year Explosion by Greg Cochran and the late Henry Harpending. The thesis of the book, that culture accelerated evolution, was bewilderingly obvious to me. This is the case because of new selective pressures, or environments that a population needs to adapt to. I should clarify that I…

Our Walkout(s) and What’s Next for the Movement

By Gigi Hume This past Wednesday, March 14, our school stood not only with our brothers and sisters in Parkland, Florida, but those in Newtown, Littleton, Aurora, Orlando, Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, San Bernardino, Great Mills, and any other place affected by senseless tragedy at the hands of automatic weapons and/or bump stocks. Led by…

Florida Shooting Raises Questions of National Unity

By Alec Nunez The recent shooting that occured in Florida’s Parkland High School—that saw seventeen killed—has begun to stir the toxic waters that have flooded the country in recent years. Understandably, many are outraged that these events continue to occur without being detected or halted altogether. Recently, it seems the U.S. has devolved into a…

Activism in Journalism

By Kristina Ching Since its conception in 1851, the New York Times has been a prolific source of news for the American people. The Times holds a reputation, both domestically and abroad, for its thoroughness, and has been ranked as the #1 newspaper in the United States by more than one respected institution. Although, The…

The Watch Dogs of Twitter

By Alec Nunez Recently, an undercover video of an investigative journalist group was released to the public exposing social media giant Twitter for their sub rosa monitoring of users. It was revealed that every direct message sent by users are reviewed and cached on a server. No matter the message, Twitter employees can and will…

Gigi’s Declassified OC Politics Survival Guide

By Gigi Hume Disclaimer: This article displays *extreme* liberal bias As a progress-minded kid living in OC where political leanings are as red as the sunburnt cheeks of the white people who live here, I know it can seem like your liberal-leaning self is all alone in a sea of Trumpies. But as the estimated…

Today’s Teacher Crisis

By Alec Nunez This last Tuesday, a Louisiana teacher was arrested for her impedance on a school board meeting when she proposed a question about wages. This question stemmed from a frustrating lack of understanding as to why the superintendent was receiving an increase in pay to fatten his wallet while other educators and support…

Star Wars Battlefront II Crisis

By Andrew De Haro The recent release of Star Wars Battlefront 2 has left people to hate on the game and company EA. You’ve heard the news: after a widespread fan backlash over pay-to-win elements in Star Wars Battlefront 2 and what feels like a little push from Disney, EA and DICE are scrambling. In…

Breaking the Social Ideals and Stigmas of Modern Rap

By Alec Nunez The genre of rap, since its breakthrough into the mainstream during the late 1970s, hasThe genre of rap, since its breakthrough into the mainstream during the late 1970s, hasalways been shrouded in stigmas. The seemingly most prevalent of these stigmas being that rap is a violent outlet that promotes womanizing and drug use…

Thoughts on Feminism

By Ivette Barajas and Alena Tran First and second wave feminist movements are largely characterized by the right to vote, the right to equal pay, and sexual liberation. This integral beginning provided the platform for third wave feminism, which tends to be associated with more intersectionality and a reclamation and redefining of concepts such as…

Betsy DeVos Confirmation: Why She’s Stirring Up Controversy

By Gigi Hume and Jacob Rivas DISCLAIMER: This article displays a liberal bias and highlights the negatives of DeVos’ new position.  The opinions in this article do not represent the Pitchfork or Tustin High School as a whole. On February 7, 2017, the Senate confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos with a slim 51-50 vote as…

Everyone is Falling in La La Love with La La Land

By Gigi Hume Way back in ‘ye olden days, musicals were the norm at the box office scene, and a widely popular one in that. Tales of romance combined with light-hearted tunes of Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, and Debbie Reynolds harmonized into audiences’ hearts and created an uplifting energy, and in a time of war…

How To Get Better At Saving Money

By Kimberly Ayon Most students in high school are juggling work with their academics. But out of all these students, how many actually save up their money? Though admirable, setting aside parts of a paycheck can be a brutal chore to do. Personally, I struggle plenty with saving money. Despite being young and not having to…

Get Lit on Redhill Ave

By Karley Bailey and Nayeli Medina There’s no place like home for the holidays, there is no denying that. The warm, cozy embraces of distant relatives, that give us a nostalgic feeling of being a child in those same arms; The large, comfy, cable-knit sweaters, that are our savior from the shivering cold; And of…

The Waking Life- A Movie You Won’t Sleep Through

By Galilea Oregon Ever since my freshman honors English class studied philosophy last year, I have been extremely intrigued by intangible subjects such as time, space, love, and the very perception of reality. After we presented slideshows on philosophers and their theories on the intangible, we watched the film “Waking Life” directed by Richard Linklater,…

Forgive and Forget

By Adrian Ruiz Cheating, bad break ups, family and friend confrontations, almost all personal problems end in grudges or the typical “don’t talk to me ever again, just don’t” attitude. The person doesn’t want to be the one that admits they are wrong for what they’ve done, and hope you will come clean instead. Once…

On Not Fitting in and Why It’s Totally Okay

By Galilea Oregon I do not fit. Sometimes I feel like the wrong puzzle piece, too big and awkward to fit. I do not fit. I am stuck between learning to accept solitude and seeking validation and acceptance. I respond to text messages right away on some days, and on others I ignore every single…

Do You Understand or Do You Listen?

By Adrian Ruiz In a modern age where people are found constantly glued to their phones, ear buds in their ears, self centered, and completely unaware of their surroundings, random acts of kindness are found to be very rare, if not, non-existent. This generation is so poisoned that it is rare to run into a…

Top 10 Art Pieces

By Karimar Gatica Art has long since been a mode of cultural statements that have helped us navigate the aesthetic history, if you will, of different times and places. It has the ability to captivate the masses as it is a universal language of expression, but among the thousands upon thousands of art pieces created…

Obliterating Gender Norms

By Edwin Contreras When you enter a clothing store, the men’s section and the women’s section are separated. The gender norms of this generation suggest that a man should be wearing men’s clothing and a woman should be wearing women’s clothing. A fashion designer creates clothes for each of the sexes, male and female. Nowadays…

Top 15 Disney Foods

By: Ivette Barajas and Kim Aguilar Whenever someone recalls a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth, there is one thing that always stands out among the fun rides and tedious lines: the food. While some of it can tend to be pricey, it’s definitely worth it for a happy tummy, and for the Instagram…

Kim Kardashing Away from a Close Call with Jewel Thieves

By Adrian Ruiz and Vanessa Villegas From breaking the internet to modeling for Playboy the most famous Kardashian, Kim was robbed in Paris, France at gunpoint for 10 million dollars worth of jewelry. She was attending Fashion Week as she encountered a group of “police men” who then revealed themselves as robbers. The robbery could…

5-Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants

By Karley Bailey and Nayeli Medina Sutha Thai Kitchen Items Ordered: Pad Thai with Chicken and Pad-woon-sen Description: Asian type noodles, mixed with vegetables, and a hint of spice. Tips: If you order the lunch special at this restaurant you will receive a cup of delicious dumpling soup, along with two tasty wontons that add…

Colin Kaepernick and the Movement

By Edwin Contreras When you would sit down on a Sunday night and watch a football game what normally grabbed your attention before the game was the singer’s standout performance of the national anthem. However, Colin Kaepernick showcased a controversial performance of his own before the game had even started. It was on August 26,…

Genocide in Darfur – Another Op-Ed

By Hailey Symington Guest Writer from Mrs.Zechiel’s World History Class   Genocide in Darfur The conflict in Darfur and South Sudan should be considered a genocide. As seen in Darfur, people who lived in IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps were attacked, raped, and often, they were killed. The government claimed that these attacks were meant…

Restroom Rule

by Anthony Ybarra Earlier this month, my US History class discussed the Obama Administration’s request for schools to allow any student to use the restroom they are most comfortable with. However, many Conservatives are disturbed and even disgusted by this. Which makes me wonder, why does it matter? The fact that people are so disturbed,…

Writing Excuses Podcast

by Johnathon Froman Writing Excuses is a podcast hosted by four published authors: Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells. Each week, these hosts, who founded the podcast in 2008, help educate new writers and guide the experienced to improve their storytelling. Regardless of whether they write for hobby or for their…

Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Intro Part Two

by Johnathon Froman Link to Part One Here. Eras. Eras are segments of the game that change once your Civ reaches a certain milestone is technology. There are seven eras that your civ will progress through the game. In order: Ancient, Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Modern, Atomic, and Information. Starting in the Ancient Era, you will…