Author: William Sease, senior editor 2016-2017
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The Future and Covfefe
Almost four Covfefe ago, the Covfefe class of 2017 arrived on this campus unmolded young men and women. Today, we leave with our hearts full of Covfefe, and our minds finely tuned by…
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Blondie’s Pollinator Tires Out Quickly
Musical entities that endure for decades, age with the eras are always worth consideration. Artists who can’t hold back the drive to create throughout their whole life command a certain respectability. It’s been almost…
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Chess: The ultimate brain workout
Most people will tell you that they’re bad at chess. They’re probably right. Truly innate skill for such a complicated task is hard to come by. We, as a species, exist in awe…
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Father John Misty’s Pure Comedy can be off-putting, yet well done
On April 7, 2017, American folk artist Josh Tillman released his third album as Father John Misty, titled Pure Comedy, his first since 2015. Counting albums released under his real name, it is…
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Meet the “Trumpalikes”
The election of Donald Trump, much like the Brexit vote, rocked the world. Donald Trump’s candidacy, campaign and election were unprecedented in so many ways that many had written him off as a joke…
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The Feelies’ “In Between” is a Pleaser
The Feelies are a band with history. Birthed from the 70’s post-punk landscape, this group of New Jersey kids were active for 25 years before disbanding. They reformed in 2008 and have been active…
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Opinion: Can You Really Tell if You’re Reading Fake News?
Where were you when Hillary Clinton died in September? Or when Obama banned the pledge of Allegiance in December? How about when Lindsay Lohan joined ISIS to fight Donald Trump recently? Fake news, as…
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How Teachers Work With Struggling Students
The class rank is probably the most disheartening figure most of us read. While invaluable to colleges and universities, on the surface it reveals how many people our age, given objective evidence, are “doing…
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Japandroids’ “Into the Wild Heart of Life” Does Well
On January 27, 2017, Japandroids released their first full-length LP in five years, titled Into the Wild Heart of Life. Japandroids is a rock band from Vancouver. Their album debut, Post-Nothing, achieved critical acclaim…
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WCPSS Twitter Readies Itself for Another Winter Episode
In a tradition as timeless and predictable as the season itself, students turn their attention to the WCPSS Twitter account ahead of predictions of winter weather expected to come through this weekend. Students on…
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The Long Winter Ahead: How Does a Senior Succeed in Second Semester?
It is a prominent phenomenon that in the final semester of high school, a chunk of students see their grades fall from their previously-held standards. Despite the best efforts of the staff to warn…
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John Legend’s “Darkness and Light” is Just Right
On December 2, GOOD Music released John Legend’s latest album, Darkness and Light. Primarily a soul and R&B album, it borrows heavily from hip-hop, jazz, and reggae on certain tracks. The album is John…
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What does Peanuts mean to us?
2016 marked sixty-six years since the first Charles Shultz’s Peanuts strips ran in American newspapers, and sixteen years since new strips were inked. One of America’s top cultural icons, Peanuts embodied the innocence of…
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Opinion: Working is One of the Best Growing Experiences in High School
For most high school students, the only important “job” is making good grades– only 22.3% of high school students worked in 2014. Considering it’s only practical for juniors and seniors (who can drive)…
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The Air at a Trump Rally
I-95 northbound came to a complete stop Thursday night as cars one-by-one filed off the exit. The parking lot behind the Trump rally’s location was packed before 6 p.m., and people abandoned their cars…
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Big Baby D.R.A.M.– Fire Beats and few Memorable Tracks
October 1, 2016 saw the release of D.R.A.M.’s debut self-titled album, Big Baby D.R.A.M. D.R.A.M.’s real name is Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith. He was born in Germany and grew up in Virginia. Appearing on the…
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Wake County prepares to pull Blackboard Learn, will replace with better system
On June 30, 2016, Wake County will discontinue the use of the Blackboard Learn Virtual Learning Environment. The county will switch to a new online tool, Canvas, for the 2016-2017 school year. Chances are…
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Traffic in Raleigh and the United States is getting worse, and we can’t stop it
Every year, traffic only seems to get worse. It doesn’t seem like anyone can stop it. Trying to accommodate it takes so long, it has already outgrown the expansions before they are completed.…
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In defense of standardized tests
Since I took my first EOG a distant 8 years ago to when I took the SAT back in March, the point I’ve heard time and time again is that testing is unethical to…
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Moon Shaped Pool Review
On May 8, Radiohead released their ninth full length album, titled A Moon Shaped Pool. It is their first release in five years, following 2011’s The King of Limbs, and goes in a completely…
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Renaissance troupe comes to Leesville
On Friday, April 29, a historical reenactment troupe (site) came to Leesville and held a series of interactive presentations, each lasting a bit over an hour long, with students from various classes in attendance…
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I gave up earbuds–so should you
People seem to be divided into those who use personal listening devices sparingly and those who use them religiously. For about a year, I was one of those lads who took every opportunity to…
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Primaries: Has the media been biased?
For a 10-day period, The Mycenaean analyzed the home page of 4 different major news source and WRAL, a local news source. During that time, we counted how many times those news sources mentioned…
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Mrs. Bryant employs relaxed teaching style
Mrs. Bryant, formerly Ms. Howard, is a math teacher at Leesville. She graduated from Meredith University in 2012. Her teaching style involves treating students as though they are adults, placing the burden of paying…
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Free & open learning for the future through Online Education
Throughout the history of the United States and the world, access to education has been limited, traditionally, to those with the money, time, and credentials to enter. This has always been unfair, but for…
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Things you should know about the new SAT from someone who took it
On March 5, the College Board launched the first test day for the “new” SAT. Many people, like me, flew into the test fairly blind, as most SAT practice materials had become outdated. I…
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The Life of Pablo is a fine step for Kanye, but not nearly worth what it’ll sell
Kanye West is a star of a different class. Between hosting a fashion show, making bizarre posts on Twitter, performing on Saturday Night Live, and (supposedly) finishing an album 36 hours before releasing it,…
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Pine Hollow Middle: Interview and Information
To help inform the North Raleigh community, below is a Q and A with Mr. Livengood — the Pine Hollow Middle School Principal. And, beneath the question and answers is some specific information about the school.…
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What does coal ash in North Carolina’s water supply look like today, and in the future?
In March of 2015, Duke Energy blasted the government of North Carolina for what it criticized as “regulatory overreach” when the state levied a record 25 million dollar fine on the corporation for environmental…
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Tips for High Schoolers Looking for Jobs
High school is a time when people are expected to meet certain milestones in their path towards becoming an independent adult. One of these milestones, and perhaps one of the more important, is getting…
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Concussion has strong plot, but weak everything else
The phrase “based on a true story” is usually best taken with a grain of salt. Some people might perceive negative connotation around the claim given the amount of times it has been attached…
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Cut PowerSchool out of your life, it’s for the better
For many students, the thought of applying for college stirs up vague anxiety. Many dread that they will not be able to attend the university of their choice. A tool gifted to us by…
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MC Escher exhibit comes to Raleigh
The North Carolina Art Museum is currently hosting the works of Maurits Cornelis Escher, a world- famous illusionist and artist. MC Escher was born in the Netherlands in 1898. During his life, he traveled…
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Leesville Students Struggle with Sleep Deprivation
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that high school aged people sleep at least 8-10 hours a night. However, when a day is only 24 hours long, that can prove a challenging task. Sleep…
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Burger King’s Halloween Burger is a disappointing dare
Burger King has brought home a promotion it tested out in Japan last year– a hamburger with a pitch black bun. Sadly, they didn’t replicate the promotion exactly: Last year’s burgers also featured black…
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Recap of the Dixie Classic Fair in Winston-Salem
… Powered by Cincopa Video Hosting for Business solution.New Gallery 2015/10/15The arch marking the entrance to the fair, shining with blinding brilliance.width 5312cameramake samsungorientation 1height 2988camerasoftware G860PVPU2BOH1originaldate 10/11/2015 1:59:52 AMcameramodel SM-G860PCrowds flock to stands…
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The Realities of “Vaping”
Even today, it seems too futuristic to be true. Imagine if 7 years ago someone told you that they were going to make smoking electronic. Would you have really believed them? What would the…
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Review: Best Albums of 2015 so far
Tame Impala- Currents Tame Impala’s third album is their best work yet, using synths with guitars to implement a very unique set of ideas. While the rest of the album doesn’t seem very interesting…
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JDRF Collects Donations in preparation for a charity walk in Raleigh
The JDRF, also known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, has been collecting donations from Leesville students during the week of September 14th. JDRF’s mission is to find a cure for type 1 diabetes…
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Beach House’s “Depression Cherry” is a Good, Relaxing Album
Beach House, an indie rock band from Louisiana, released their latest album “Depression Cherry” with generally positive reviews. The album centers around a light, happy, almost psychedelic sound classified as “Dream Pop”. The…
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Wake County’s Temporary Budget Leaves Leesville Student Drivers in the Dust
Wake County’s funding for driver’s education has been eliminated in the face of a uncertainty in state funding, leaving many learning drivers in a sorry state. North Carolina’s state government, the General Assembly, has…
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Blur’s “The Magic Whip” is one of the best albums of this year
A band reuniting after 10 years and working on a new album is certainly an oddity. However, when a show in Japan was cancelled, British indie rock band, Blur, found themselves bored in…
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Leesville students plan for the long summer ahead
Wake County Public School attendees will enjoy 72 days of summer vacation in 2015. Some are faced with the struggle of occupying themselves with worthwhile adventures to make the most out of their time…
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Rock and Roll Marathon Series Comes to Raleigh, Teens Volunteer
The Rock and Roll Marathon series held its second annual race in Raleigh on April 12. It followed the Health & Fitness Expo presented by Sof Sole on April 10 and 11. A marathon…
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Education abroad
The United States of America currently enjoys the #2 seat in the rank of nations by adjusted GDP, directly behind China. These rankings, however, are in eternal motion. Nothing ever stays the same. GDP,…
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On Mogwai
The rock scene, both in North Carolina and abroad, is constantly changing. Rock, being one of the larger genres of music, has constant innovation that has kept it alive for more than 50 years.…
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Kendrick Lamar releases To Pimp a Butterfly
Rapper Kendrick Lamar released his new album, To Pimp a Butterfly, on March 16, 2015. It is the third album in his discography, and his first since Good Kid, M.A.D.D. City, in 2012. The…
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Modest Mouse “Strangers to Ourselves” Review
Indie rock band Modest Mouse can officially declare an end to their 5 year hiatus period with the release of their new album, Strangers to Ourselves, on March 17, 2015. Modest Mouse was formed…
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Low gas prices make Leesville drivers smile
On March 14, 2014, crude oil sat on the commodities market at about $100 a barrel. Average gas prices across the nation sat at about $3.40 per gallon. As of March 15, crude oil…
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Triangle Town Center ownership to change hands
The Triangle Town Center in North Raleigh is selling off a majority of its ownership in an effort to avoid foreclosure in a deal worth $181 Million. The mall was constructed in the early…