Category: opinion
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Block B’s sub group BASTARZ causes controversy before debut
On April 9, Block B released a teaser for their first subgroup BASTARZ. The teaser previewed the tracks for their upcoming mini-album “Conduct Zero.” The teaser for their title track, “Conduct Zero,” raised quite…
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Planet Fitness is the friendliest fitness center
As summer quickly approaches, students are working hard to get in shape for those long weekends at the beach. Due to its easy accessibility, Fitness 19 is usually the go-to fitness center for Leesville…
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Unfriended: revenge comes online
Unfriended made a startling first impression with its first trailer. Now, only a week remains before the movie makes its theater premiere next Friday, April 17. Heather Sossaman, Matthew Bohrer and Courtney Halverson star…
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Solutions needed for Leesville’s traffic woes
This time of year, traffic at Leesville becomes worse with each passing day. Teachers and students love speculating on what exactly causes the delays, but no one can quite find a resolution, and that’s…
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Enforce the dress code
As spring and summer rapidly approach, Leesville students are preparing to face the restrictions of dress code once again. As the editorial board of The Mycenaean, we wanted to weigh in with our opinion…
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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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Instead of the Hunger Games, watch the Grand Budapest Hotel
People love big action movies. Specifically, book to screen adaptations have gained a lot of popularity over the years with the successful Hunger Games and Divergent films. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 earned…
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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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Nothing disappoints in EXO’s “Call Me Baby”… except their outfits
This week, EXO released the MV for their new title track, “Call Me Baby” and the fans were not disappointed. There have been several preview tracks floating around YouTube, including a few snippets…
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Bo Burnham’s Make Happy Tour
Bo Burnham is a famous comedian and singer-songwriter who recently performed at the Carolina Theater in Durham. His “Make Happy Tour” in 2015 is wrapping up after he performed in multiple states and countries.…
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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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Trendy hangout spots around Raleigh
Of the late, I have discovered some new and rather underground places for entertainment that would appeal to young adults. Having lived in Raleigh for a decade I thought I had seen everything there…
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Are modern kids’ shows getting worse?
Like most nineties kids, from the age of two to twelve, TV consumed a majority of my life. Programs like the Rugrats, Kim Possible and Lizzie McGuire were new and exciting sitcoms with fresh…
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Dean Smith’s life of leadership a lesson to all
Last month, North Carolina was saddened and deeply affected by the loss of Dean Smith, dead at the age of 83. Throughout the week, more and more stories about his life and legacy came…
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“Kingsman: The Secret Service” is not like other spy movies
I walked into “Kingsman: The Secret Service” unsure of what I would think. I left feeling basically the same. “Kingsman” is based on a 2012 comic books series about spies. The movie is centered…
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Wake County students react to make-up days
Wake County students quickly took to Twitter to scold Wake County after they announced the decision to make three days of Spring Break into weather make-up days on Saturday March 7. Four days prior…
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5 apps every high school student should have
Twitter While the Mycenaean does not condone the use of social media in school, it’s hard to deny the benefits that having a Twitter account can have! Take someone like me: with…
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Miss Universe 2014
The 63rd Miss Universe pageant was held on January 25, 2015 in Doral, Florida. Contestants from 88 countries and territories around the world competed to hold the title of “Miss Universe 2014.” The winner…
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Boomerang by Michael Lewis
“The more complicated the times, the more crucial are those who demystify. These are really complicated times. So let’s acknowledge the endearing, enduring genius of Michael Lewis: the Explainer.” –Forbes Boomerang: Travels in…
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School report cards call for celebration, improvement
Dr. Anthony Muttillo does not consider Leesville a “test-prep” kind of school. He never wants Leesville to focus solely on standardized tests or even feel like it has to be an area of focus.…
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Musical styles converge in “FourFiveSeconds”
Collaborations between modern artists and musical “legends” always seem to produce some of the most interesting compositions. For example, take “FourFiveSeconds” by Rihanna ft. Kanye West and Paul McCartney. The artistry of each singer…
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Parks and Recreation is coming to a close
Parks and Recreation, a comedy series shown on NBC, is sadly on its seventh and final season. The show portrays the life of Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), the Regional Director of National Park Services…
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American Sniper, both fact and fiction
American Sniper, the film depicting record-breaking U.S. sniper Chris Kyle, has been attracting both critics and viewers. On its opening day, January 16, the movie raked in a whopping $30.5 million. Sniper also scored…
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“Pedestrian at Best” is far from pedestrian
“Put me on a pedestal, and I’ll only disappoint you,” belts Courtney Barnett in “Pedestrian at Best,” the first single off her long-awaited debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just…
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Je suis Charlie
Freedom of speech was never meant to protect the popular opinions. It’s not for vague or hazy points about weak subjects. It’s meant to protect any and all controversial topics, satires and commentaries. The…
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Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari has always been a band to cross genre lines. Although rooted in post-hardcore, the British group has utilized elements of electronica, and even spoken throughout their discography, to great effect; a duality…
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SNL’s take on Ferguson protests
In early December of 2014, SNL filmed a dress rehearsal for a skit called “Morning News” which poked fun at the events occurring in Furgeson. In this skit, Kenan Thompson (Kip) and Cecily Strong…
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Fall Out Boy’s “American Beauty/American Psycho” review
After releasing multiple new songs when fans least expected it, Fall Out Boy finally released their new album “American Beauty/American Psycho” on Jan 20. The highly anticipated album has 11 new songs including the…
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Deflate Gate: the world’s dumbest sports controversy
“The New England Patriots have cheated their way into Super Bowl XLIX.” Everyone’s been hearing about it for nearly two weeks now. Every news article, television channel, and internet homepage displays the next update…
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A very “popular” musical
The musical The New York Times called “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” traveled to the Durham Performing Arts Center. Wicked, the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, premiered at the DPAC January 7; showings…
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Amoeba Culture presents “The First Chapter” in the US
Korea’s hip-hop heavyweights are finally here! Korean record label Amoeba Culture has announced that they will be hosting two concerts in the United States, marking the labelmates’ first collective appearance in the US. The…
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Supernatural seasons 10 and 11
Supernatural is a fictional horror and drama show that has just been picked up again by the CW Network for an eleventh season. The show began in 2005 and was projected to end after…
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A case for cats
“A dog is a man’s best friend.” “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.” We’ve all grown up hearing these things about dogs. We all…
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Meghan Trainor releases predictable album
Meghan Trainor, the artist responsible for the overplayed “All About That Bass,” released her first album, Title, January 9 after hitting the top of the music charts with two singles. Both tracks, “All About…
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Mainstage takes a dark turn
On January 8 and 9, Leesville’s honors theatre class, Mainstage, put on an enthralling production of Before Juliet, a sharp contrast to last year’s more comedic Mean Girls. Before Juliet tells the story of…
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Analyzing Interstellar: The power of the visual medium
2014 was arguably one of the greatest years in terms of movies that has been seen for a long time, such as Boyhood, Birdman, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Nightcrawler to name a few.…
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The Colbert Report, a lasting legacy
On December 18, 2014, Stephen Colbert gave his last “word,” “Same to you, pal.” Stephen Colbert retired his persona and The Colbert Report to succeed David Letterman in hosting The Late Show. The show…
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Into the Woods has something for everyone
Movie, for example. It was only fitting that Into the Woods end the year with one last well-orchestrated bang. Into the Woods, based on the Stephen Sondheim musical of the same name, follows a…
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Agent Carter kicks
Marvel’s Agent Carter is the newest show on ABC, which aired January 6 as a two hour special. The show portrays the life of undercover agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) working for the Strategic…
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Frozen on Ice was nICE
For the first time in forever, Frozen came to Raleigh, much to the delight of little kids and their parents. Disney on Ice Presents Frozen was held in the PNC Arena for a week.…
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The Review: The Interview reviewed
2003 — photos of Barbara Streisand’s Malibu home are published on the internet. Streisand, through a lawsuit, attempted to suppress the images; however, ironically this led to the pictures gaining viral attention. This phenomenon…
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The Imitation Game’s brilliance is impossible to imitate
Every year, the Christmas season is met with a massive release of movies. The majority are nominated for Golden Globes and considered for Oscars. The shining star among them is the biopic of English…
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Making the disconnection with grade-based learning
Grades are a problem. Not to say that they aren’t necessary, but grades greatly affect the amount and direction of effort that students put into their education. Grades seem to be a paradox of…
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VH1’s “Sorority Sisters” causes unfair outrage
The National Pan-Hellenic Council, informally known as the Divine Nine, is a group of nine predominantly African-American sororities and fraternities. Founded in 1930 at Howard University, these nine Greek organizations bonded over the same…
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Anthology versus literary criticism
This year’s graduating class has been hard at work all semester on the famous senior year english project. However, instead of the typical senior anthology, this year Ms. Wilkerson and Ms. Dinkenor’s AP English…
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Who cares if Christmas comes early?
After October 31, malls and stores bring out the Christmas lights, songs and decorations. Then follows the constant grumbling that the holidays have been over run with consumerism. With commercials claiming to have the…
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Play Review: Ira David Wood III’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ 40th Anniversary
The 40th performance of Ira David Wood III’s “A Christmas Carol” opened Wednesday, December 10, at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts in Downtown Raleigh. Wood is the founder and Executive Director of…
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Why ‘Theory of Everything’ could take home an Oscar
As the Academy Awards race begins to heat up, more movies will be released well into the end of the month. Last week, the latest potential picture of the year, Theory of Everything, came…
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Students are not pies
High school and education isn’t about comparing yourself to others. The classes we take should help us excel in the fields of study that we are interested in. Students should enjoy the classes they…
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Leesville’s courtyard amenity neglected, underused
Perhaps the most unique aspects of Leesville’s campus lie enclosed within the main building, two natural escapes from the rows of monotonous classrooms that surround them. The courtyards of Leesville were clearly designed as…