THE KNIGHT TIMES - October 2017

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14 The Knight Times Opinion Analyzing the outcomes of a growing online consumer market LAUREN PORTER Editor-in-Chief It is no surprise online shopping has become very popular in recent years. The convenience of obtaining any object at a click of a button is very appealing to most people. However, as many retailers are forced out of business by online competition, what price are we going to pay for the reliance on massive, powerful corporations? For example, look at the case of Amazon. Amazon sprung up as a great online site to find cheaper alternatives to retail items such as books. However, over the past year, Amazon has been stepping into the retail market, which can be frightening for smaller businesses. With Amazon’s recent acquisition of Whole Foods and the number of Amazon retail stores popping up across the country, Amazon has become engrained in the majority of Americans’ lives. The Whole Foods purchase is a prime example of how major online corporations are invading the retail market. According to Business Insider, at select Whole Foods, the popular Amazon Echo will be sold, only furthering this major business’ presence in our lives. The Echo can do practically anything digital at your request, disabling the need for other devices. Point reward systems at Whole Foods are supposed to be in effect shortly to encourage more sales, and prices on items have already been reduced, as it has been one of the most expensive grocers in the past. Points for Amazon Prime members will also be available, which is meant to increase the total number of members. Whole Foods items will also be sold on the Amazon website, where one can purchase groceries directly online. With the development of incredibly fast shipping due to drones, it is entirely possible to see where the future of grocery shopping may be headed. The more dependent Amazon has recently opened retail spaces, which can be threatening to smaller businesses and the retail space in general. Photo courtesy of theverge.com. we become on big corporations instead of actually going outside to purchase goods, the fewer storefronts and small businesses there will be. With the overwhelming success of Amazon in the retail market, many other companies are trying to follow suit. Google is currently altering its brand as it transforms into more than just a search engine. As Google creates more products like the Google Home Mini, a device very similar to the Amazon Echo, it becomes a company designing for lifestyle and convenience. This shift from only being recognized as a search engine to a prominent tech company that produces phones and other gadgets proves the expansion of online businesses into the retail space. Even more frightening, Google has the capability to become even more powerful than Amazon. Google and Amazon similarly track what we buy online. The difference is the scale at which they can track it. Amazon, for the most part, is limited to the items a consumer buys from the site, and uses that information to suggest other products. Google, however, harbors information from all of the websites consumers search on the Google engine, and sells advertisements to them based on previous search history. Smaller retailers need to be aware of these growing powerhouses before the market is too competitive, and the profit margins of large corporations using offshore manufacturing become too great for smaller businesses to compete. I do not believe retail will ever completely disappear and the world will solely exist off of online business, however, it is entirely possible that the variety of retailers will become increasingly limited. Caffeine can be just as addictive as nicotine among teens CAMI PYNE Staff Writer Did you know that one of the most addictive drugs is completely legal for all ages to consume? You may have even partaken of this chemical before you came to class without even thinking about it. That morning cup of Joe has quite an impact on your brain. Caffeine, like other addictive chemicals, has the ability to rewire your brain to crave it, to need it to function, and can even trigger migraines. This intense concentrated psychoactive drug has almost all Americans under its spell. Apparently, coffee and caffeinated products keep most members of the EHS community on their toes, ready and alert; in a recent KT-survey, 80% of students that responded drink coffee or caffeinated products. About 21% of those students drink the products once a month, 20% once a week, 18% enjoy caffeine 2-4 times a week, 10% about 4-6 times a week, 11% once a day, and 19% consume caffeine more often than that. These numbers suggest that caffeine use in its many forms is somewhat common among Episcopal students. Shockingly, 30% of our student body says that they need a morning caffeine drink to function. The Episcopal student body has a shocking dependence on coffee and caffeinated beverages. Does it come with our culture? Is it the homework load or is it something else? I found that I didn’t start needing coffee until I was a junior, when I started taking harder classes and needed to stay up late to write essays and study while balancing my extracurriculars. Coffee became a means of staying alert and helped me function. Many people make this argument with nicotine addiction, that they can’t function without a buzz to calm them down. Nicotine works by constricting blood vessels and restricting the blood flow to the brain, giving the consumer a “buzz.” Coffee works by pumping blood faster through the body to the brain and gives the drinker bursts of energy. Generation Z, the present high schoolers’ generation, was supposed to be the generation that stopped chemical addictions like the dependence on coffee. Instead, we have 24% 20% 16% 12% 8% 4% 0 Once a month Once a week become overworked while attempting to keep up with rigorous extracurriculars and attaining scores worthy of colleges. Coffee has become a convenient necessity. 2-4 times a week 4-6 times a week Caffeinated products, whether coffee, soda, or energy drinks, have become a common option for many teens. It may be time to step back and reconsider. COFFEE CONSUMPTION FREQUENCY AMONG EHS STUDENTS Once a day More than once a day Eighty percent of the EHS student body indicated on a recent Episco-poll that they drink coffee. Above is a drink down of that frequency of consumption.
Opinion The Knight Times 15 Should athletes speak out on social and political issues? HUNTER MEGARITY Staff Writer An argument has recently taken the forefront in the sports world: should athletes speak out on social and political issues? In today’s society, everybody has the opportunity to speak out on what he or she stands for on social media. There are billions of people across the world who use social media as a platform to voice their thoughts on what is going on in the world, but they do not get nearly as much attention as famous athletes sometimes do. I believe that prominent athletes should take advantage of their position to speak out on political and social concerns. No matter what an individual may believe, athletes can bring attention to topics of social concern for spirited discussion. Athletes that are speaking out on social and political problems are not just doing it to hear themselves talk. They know the potential consequences of their actions and recognize that they are taking the risk of losing fans, money, and popularity to shed light on polarizing issues in America. In some cases, topics that athletes address don’t directly affect them, but they voice their opinions and concerns anyway because they acknowledge that others do not have a national platform from which to Colin Kaepernick is one of the most well-known spokesman for social issues. Photo courtesy of theundefeated.com. Understanding the Brexit basics FINTY MILTON Guest Writer Last year, Britain, comprised of Scotland, England, Whales, and Northern Ireland, voted to leave the European Union. The final referendum was a close vote, showing in a BBC pole that 51.9% of Brits voted to leave while 48.1% wanted to stay. England and Whales closely lead in leaving as Scotland and Ireland favored staying. What does this mean? How will it affect the nations? The BBC defines the European Union as an economic and political partnership of 28 European nations. It was instated after World War II to prevent war and help in economic cooperation. Citizens, goods, money, and services of any of the participating 28 nations are able to travel between member countries as though it were one country. This is the single market system, which the U.K. will be removing itself from. The nations also share a primary law, which will become secondary law in Great Britain. This act is called the “Great Repeal Bill” and states that overtime Parliament will decide which laws to keep and which ones they will no longer follow. The announcement of the Brexit was closely followed by the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron, who was against leaving. Theresa May took his place, although she was also against leaving; she managed to keep her views secondary to her position. The Brexit is still in the early stages as meetings between U.K. and E.U correspondents began on June 19, <strong>2017</strong>. There will be a meeting for one week every month. They are discussing issues such as what are the rights of U.K and E.U. citizens, and the “Divorce Bill” - how much should Britain pay to leave. Currently the estimated date of Great Britain being officially free of the European Union is March 29, 2019. As of now, the Brexit is having a negative effect on the United Kingdom. According to the BBC, the pound has gone down 10% compared to the dollar and 15% compared to the Euro. The people of Britain have made their bed; the only thing they and the rest of the world can do now is make a cup of tea and see what happens. speak. One of the most well known cases of whether or not athletes should speak out on issues is the case of Colin Kaepernick. I do not see how anyone can even argue the fact that the reason Kaepernick is not on an active NFL roster is because he stood up for something he believes in, knowing it could jeopardize his career. On the same thought, I believe Kaepernick and the rest of the NFL should keep their protest separate from the national anthem. The players are not protesting the national anthem, but their message of equality has been lost through all of the media about the national anthem. He is more than qualified to be a quarterback in the league, but he is a financial risk to franchises. The risk comes from sponsors not wanting to associate their brand with someone who takes a stand against racism in America. From a business standpoint, it makes sense that Kaepernick is a risk. From a moral standpoint, I think it is completely unfair that he is not on an NFL team. He took a knee to stand up for something that he believes in, and now he is paying the price. Although NFL teams are the ones not signing Kaepernick, other players can be blamed just the same. The main reason some players avoid answering questions about Kaepernick’s situation is to keep their endorsement deals safe. Powerhouse athletes like Tom Brady, who said, “[Kaepernick] came to our stadium and beat us and took his team to the Super Bowl… I hope he gets a shot,” should continue to voice their opinions on matters. When they speak, it opens the door a little wider for more and more people to take the risk. Lucy Brock wrote in The Guardian, “Many sportswomen are making themselves heard on issues covering race, gender, sexuality or religion – unlike their male counterparts, where race is often the catalyst.” A pressing concern in the sports world The Knight Times Head of School Ned Smith Assistant Head of School Nancy Laufe Eisenberg Dean of Arts Jay Berckley Visual Arts Chair Kate Philbrick Publications Coordinator David Framel Photojournalism Instructor Jaime Sonnier Photojournalism Editor Miranda Greenwalt Episcopal High School 4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, TX 77450 713-512-3400 is major female athletes speaking out in support of Planned Parenthood. The team owners of women’s basketball teams the Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm orchestrated a rally in support of Planned Parenthood, which is a nonprofit that provides reproductive healthcare. Recently, President Donald Trump and his administration tried to kill their funding. Other examples of female athletes standing up for what they believe can be found with the Minnesota Lynx basketball team protesting the shooting of two men by Dallas police officers and soccer sensation Megan Rapinoe standing up for LGBT rights. Some people believe that these women aren’t making a real difference, but look what Venus Williams accomplished for equal pay at Wimbledon. Again, it is important for athletes to continue to voice their opinions, because no matter whether you agree with them or not, it brings attention to social concerns. For example, before I saw the Planned Parenthood protests on SportsCenter and Instagram, I had never even heard of them. As long as athletes continue to voice their opinions in a peaceful manner, it will continue to shed light on some serious issues and oppression that is felt by many people in America. Because these athletes have a strong platform to speak on, they should continue to serve as mouthpieces for American citizens who can’t do it themselves. Star player for the Seattle Storm, Breanna Stewart, summed it up perfectly when she said, “I think it’s important to speak up because as I continue to gain success and followers in my sport, I also have a platform which I can speak (from), and I’m speaking for others who might not have the opportunity… I don’t care if people don’t like it because there’s going to be more people that do like it and appreciate it. I’m trying to make change, not just let things stay the way that they are.” Editor-in-Chief Lauren Porter Staff Writers Will Edens Sydney Hutchins Ellie Ragiel Isabel Young Isabella Goodman Hunter Megarity Angel Stringer Sophia Henry Cami Pyne Preston Witt Patrick Bayouth Annabelle Cokinos Elliott Jones Daniel Davis Gabrielle Ducote Photographers Teagan Ashworth, Chris Castro Janecki, Cara Kennedy, Lane McCool, Mason Morris, Parker Nickerson, Julia Toups, Trinity Watts, Hannah Windle, Rohan Asthana, Phoebe Crow, Layton Debes, Caroline Fertitta, Elliott Jones, Robert Mason, Taylor Ranucci, James Henry Ray, Stockton Shaffer, Madison Stanke, Sophie Thomas, Sasha Vermeil, Rachel Boeker, Sydney Bosarge, Kaveinga Davis, Will Davis, Spencer Donley, Cydne Harrell-Malveaux, Amber Hatfield, Alexandra Herrera, Sadie Jensen, Elliott Leathers, Chloe Masterson, Luke Pugh, Ethan Tuckwood, Luke White, Alan Ayanegui, Christina Betti, Isabel Frasier, Sophia Pamphilis, Margaret Runnels, Sophia Wayne, David Bebczuk, Sydney Cooper, Alex Deutsch, Elizabeth Anne Charbonnet, Sophia Haugh, Sadie Jensen, Lindsey Little, Anna McLauchlin, Julia Nasser, Chandler Onyekwelu, Kate Peterkin, Lexi Sagers, Madelyn Scholtes, Amelia Traylor, Celine Waxham Brexit is a hot topic issue both in Europe and Aermcia. Photo courtesy of nursebuddy. com. The Knight Times is a product of students in the Episcopal High School newspaper class, who are solely responsible for its creation and editorial content. The opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the Episcopal Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff. Published ten times a year, The Knight Times is a non-profit educational tool. The staff encourages the submission of letters, editorials, and story ideas from the community but reserves the right to edit and/or use said articles.
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THE KNIGHT TIMES - October 2017

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