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The Falconer

The Falconer

The Student News Site of Torrey Pines High School

The Falconer

Opinion

Sunglasses have tags with political ideologies. Brands like Oakley and New Balance were associated with ideologies such as racism.

Assuming brands’ political stances: bad for business, society

Sage Rosskopf, Staff Writer November 14, 2025

Today, it seems like politics creep into almost every aspect of life: no one is spared, even brands with no apparent connection to politics. Consumers carelessly label certain types of shoes as racist...

As political tensions rise, so does the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Gov. Gavin Newsom slandered President Donald Trump on X following a string of Democratic wins, mocking Trump’s social media style by posting several AI-generated images showing the president as a crying baby in a stroller, sucking on a pacifier, crying over spaghetti and another where Newsom feeds Trump a pacifier.

Artificial intelligence: No place in politics

Gabriela Morillo Dal Piccol and Isabel Ji November 10, 2025

Over a “No Kings” protest condemning President Donald Trump, a military fighter jet deploys manure on protesters. The pilot is the president himself. This generative video was one of many that Trump...

The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights states, "Congress shall make no law … prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech." This article examined the current state of free speech in the United States.

Staff Ed: How free is our speech?

Lana Weber, Feature Editor November 4, 2025

The year is 1791, and the First Amendment has been ratified with the following words: “Congress shall make no law … prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech.” In...

Clubs on campus start disappearing after Club Rush in September. This article examined what creates clubs that leave a lasting legacy.

Disappearing clubs: An epidemic

Shayna Dolin and Christopher Bacon November 3, 2025

Every fall semester, two days’ worth of lunch periods are reserved for students to showcase their clubs in the west quad for Club Rush. From the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), a business-focused...

California’s Proposition 50 serves to temporarily redraw the state’s current congressional district map with a new version to give Democrats more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The proposition was proposed to offset Texas's recent gerrymandering to favor Republicans.

Pro/Con: Proposition 50

Isabel Ji and Autumn Bowman October 29, 2025

California’s Proposition 50, also known as the “Election Rigging Response Act,” is a ballot for election on Nov. 4, temporarily changing the state’s congressional districts to counteract partisan...

With the rise of social media news consumption, consumers often look to influencers and celebrities for commentary on political issues. A 2025 update by Pew Research Center stated that 1 in 5 Americans regularly get news from TikTok. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

Entertainment meets politics: Influencers sway Generation Z politics

Autumn Bowman, Staff Writer October 23, 2025

With the constantly changing political climate of today’s society, Generation Z is looking more and more toward their role models to form views on current events. From overwhelming social media news...

Billionaires like Elon Musk, Bernie Madoff and even Taylor Swift hold immense power on account of their wealth. Many have noticed their negative impacts on the environment, the lower class and the democracy of entire nations.

Billionaires: Outlandish, excessive, abusive

Christopher Bacon, Staff Writer October 23, 2025

Billionaires range from pop stars Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift to controversial technology tycoons Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, from politicians Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un to criminals Bernie Madoff...

Columbus Day, sometimes known as Indigenous Peoples' Day, is a federal holiday on Oct. 13. This article examined whether or not the Italian explorer deserved a federal holiday.

Christopher Columbus: Hero or heretic?

Tylor Shin, Staff Writer October 14, 2025

Many historical figures shape the world to be what it is today, some for the better and some for the worse. Celebrating these people leads us down a slippery slope we should not go on. Christopher Columbus...

In the digital era, notifications pile up on lock screens and ring at every hour. This article explored the consequences of digital notifications on our attention, memory and energy.

Notifications: Affects on our attention, memory

Sarina Feng, Editor-in-Chief October 7, 2025

6 messages, 1 missed call. 81 degrees in San Diego, sunny. Due tomorrow: HW 10/7. The buzz of a phone is now the metronome that propels the rhythm of modern life. Notifications pile up at every hour: we...

Schools focus on the controversy of using artificial intelligence (AI) for academics, but studies find that romantic roleplay and venting problems is much more common for teens using chatbots. This article examined the ethics of having AI take on roles associated with human empathy.

Computers as companions: Dangers of AI in mental health

Jessie Chen, Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Workflow October 1, 2025

When 16 year old Adam Raine began texting the artificial-intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT, his parents believed that it was helping him with homework. Instead, according to a lawsuit filed earlier in...

Swapping the race of a character has grown increasing prominence in the film industry, especially in the making of live action movies. The Falconer staff discussed the controversy surrounding race swapping and its impact.

Staff Ed: Race swapping in media

Viktoria Kiss, Sports Editor September 29, 2025

Imagine hearing that your all-time favorite childhood fairy tale is finally being adapted into a live-action film. You are absolutely over the moon with excitement. As you eagerly open the cast list, ready...

Apple Watches are just one of the many wearable fitness trackers available on the market. Reporters debated the advantages and disadvantages of using this technology in daily life.

Pro/Con: Personal fitness trackers

Sage Rosskopf and Emily Chao September 24, 2025

Pro - by Sage Rosskopf Efficiency is vital in today’s fast-paced society, and nothing enables it better than personal wearable fitness trackers. Products such as Apple Watches or smart rings surged...

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