(Photo courtesy of Encyclopedia Britannica) “Baltimore, Maryland.” Collin Gallagher Connector Staff The engine grumbled as the Boston night swallowed us, Miguel and I, rolling southward on a $60 Hail Mary of a bus ride to D.C. We barely had time to settle in before the driver laid out the grim itinerary: Manhattan, Philly, Baltimore, then…
The celebrity double standard
(Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Enquirer) “Chappell Roan has reached new levels of fame with her recent musical output.” Jesse Nguyen Connector Editor It’s no secret celebrities receive hate. It’s basically part of the terms and conditions of becoming one, where under public scrutiny celebrities are bound to receive backlash, no matter what they do.…
Lowell’s quiet crisis
(Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell) “Lowell, Massachusetts is witnessing a demographic change as conditions shift” Collin Gallagher Connector Staff Lowell is a city that finds itself in a moment of transformation. At first glance, it looks like a city on the rise. New apartments have filled the old mills and factories, and an…
The most important issue of the 2024 election
(Photo courtesy of NewsNation) “The 2024 election cycle will conclude next month, in November.” Maxwell Valin Connector Editor The 2024 election cycle has been notably unpredictable and chaotic compared to expectations, which is quite impressive, as you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who anticipated the year to be anything short of tumultuous. From the…
The case for a new debate format
(Photo courtesy of NBC) “JD Vance and Tim Walz faced off on the first of October, in what was the final debate of this election cycle.” Maxwell Valin Connector Editor This year’s election cycle has almost passed, and with it came three debates—two of which were between presidential candidates, with the other as…
The streaming service paradox
(Photo courtesy of NPR) “Streaming services have simultaneously multiplied in numbers and gotten more expensive, leading to consumers having to make the choice of which ones to keep.” Maxwell Valin Connector Editor The rise in streaming services over the better last decade has completely changed how entertainment across film, television, and music is…
The Lindy Effect and the resilience of the bookstore
(Photo courtesy of Barnes & Noble) “Barnes & Noble has seen its first expansion in the 2020s after a rough 2010s.” Maxwell Valin Connector Editor If you’re a consumer of entertainment in any form, you’ve most certainly found yourself having to make less effort to access the content you want than you would’ve…
Confessions of an online student
(Photo courtesy of: Champlain College Online) “Online school offers a completely different view of college.” Elsie Netherton Connector Contributor My name is Elsie Netherton, and I am a graduating senior here at UMass Lowell. Since 2020, I have only taken online courses, mostly in English, for a variety of reasons. In the beginning, classes were…