The Monarch: October 2019

INSIDE:

Tik Tok: Hit or Miss?

Page 5

Serving the Archbishop Mitty Community Serving the Archbishop Mitty Community

Volume 29 Number 1

October 2019

PROTESTS & PANELS Protests

By Lauren T. Vu Staff Writer

How Mitty is Tackling Climate Change

“Exhilarating, exhausting, invigorating, inspiring” were the words senior Kristie Park used to describe her experience on September 20. On this day, a massive crowd raising posters and cardboard signs gathered outside of Diridon Station in downtown San Jose.

The Silicon Valley Climate Strike had begun.

Park was one of many Mitty Advocacy Project members who attended the strike: “I don’t think anything can replicate the thrill of chanting at the top of your lungs along with a couple hundred people—it really felt like our voices could hopefully stretch all the way to the White House. My arms got tired from braiding my hair, but they didn’t falter once during the hours I was holding up the huge ‘Silicon Valley Youth Climate Strike’ sign—I think that’s a testament to how invigorating the experience was.”

The strike was months in the making. Multiple contributors, including Mitty junior Helen Deng brought the movement to life. The Silicon Valley climate team organized a multitude of climate strikers to show politicians that their constituents support them, urging teens to contact their representatives, and addressing the complexity of the climate crisis in their speeches.

Although it may seem that the new wave of climate activists led by teenage Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg brought new life to an age-old problem, advocates have been around for much longer. They have just not received the same degree of media coverage.

According to Deng, “Indigenous activists have been doing this for so long, but they never got mainstream attention until now. We are fighting for their rights and for attention on how colonialism and capitalism have caused this crisis, and we have to decolonialize and participate in degrowth to end it.”

With Silicon Valley’s diverse community, many of the speakers were students of color.

Other than the topic of environmental racism, the most targeted subject in the strike speeches was capitalism. In front of hundreds of Jason Chen Chen and Ashir Ashir Raza, Raza, protestors at San Jose City Hall, seniors Jason the leaders of Mitty Advocacy Project’s Environmental Justice Team, spoke of the dangers of capitalistic enterprises and climate defeatism. Emphasizing that “the mindset of climate defeatism is just as bad as climate denialism,” Chen and Raza asserted that the perpetuation of capitalistic ideals that place money over humanity is “an assault on our generation.”

According to Deng, “Capitalism caused the climate crisis, evidenced by the fact that 100 companies have caused 71% of global emissions. I got involved in the worldwide climate strike movement because of the way that individual action can begin to make a difference. No matter how sustainable of a lifestyle we live, it will not end the climate crisis. That’s why striking is important, because only collective action can cause the systemic change that our society so badly needs.”

The evident passion and power of the protestors seeks to mobilize what they see as the desensitized masses and send a wake up call to the individuals in power. Standing still while the world is crushed under man-made destruction or worrying about the existence of a future instead of working towards one—that passivity is not an option for these strikers.

As Deng says, “Gen Z refuses to be the last generation. Rather, they are Gen GND: the generation of the Green New Deal, the generation that fights for economic equality and environmental justice. Call representatives, pre-register to vote, strike for the climate. It’s not too late—yet. It’s our turn to pave the way for a greener future.”

On the Inside

News.......................................1&16 Opinion.....................................2-4 Arts & Entertainment...........5-7

Panels

By Jenna Mollerus, Kristie Park, Kayla Riggs News Editors

“We are currently losing 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural extinction rate for species…. Over 50% of the animals that were around in 1900 will be gone by 2050…along with the rare earth materials that make devices like our smartphones…. Moreover, because of global climate change, sea levels are predicted to rise about a foot.”

On the first day of the 2019-2020 school year, Mr. Tim Wesmiller, the Director of CamWesmiller pus Ministry, shared these words with the entire school in Fien Gymnasium.

With the impending reality that the environment may soon be damaged to a point that is beyond repair—a wound that Mr. Wesmiller points out we have been challenged to heal—climate change has positioned itself at the forefront of our nationwide discussion.

Recognizing this, Archbishop Mitty has prioritized envi environmental stewardship, deploying solar panels as the campus’s newest innovation to address this issue. Over the past 11 years, the school ad administration has been planning, funding, and finalizing this two-million dollar installation. By fall 2019, this project was completed, and today, a birds-eye view of the school reveals more panel than roof.

Initiated in 2008, the idea for instituting solar panels underwent three major iterations for a decade before construction was permitted to begin.

According to Mitty’s newly-appointed Chief Financial Officer Ms. Cathie Cathie Whalen, Whalen, the building process was complex: “It was more than just a typical construction project. In order for the plan to be approved, AMHS endeavored to find partners who would agree to finance the project, to develop a design with the approval of the City of San Jose, and to ultimately bring this idea into fruition.”

Generating 60 percent of the energy Mitty uses, the current solar panels according to Ms. Whalen, “reduce Mitty’s electrical draw from the PG&E grid, provide shade over the East parking lot, and reduce the overall cost of energy to Mitty.”

To put that in context, Mitty utilizes roughly 1.3M kilowatt hours of energy per year. Ms. Whalen states that the “new solar array should produce right around 1.0M kilowatt hours.”

However, Mitty’s environmental agenda does not stop there. In addition to solar panels, 95% of both interior and exterior lights have been replaced with LCD fixtures and programmable thermostats have been installed at all locations. At the pool deck, solar water heaters have been installed, as well as a variable speed motor to replace the pool water pump.

And as many students are aware, there are multiple water stations that al allow refilling of reusable water bottles scattered throughout campus.

Installing solar panels is a significant step towards making Mitty a more environmentally-conscious campus, but it is just one of the many initiatives that Mitty will enact to do so. As Whalen states, “we are constantly looking for ways to make our school more eco-friendly.”

In the words of Mr. Wesmiller, “We are called to be people of change and hope. Your energy is limitless, and your potential is limitless. And when we reach beyond the narrow confines of self-interest, our hearts become filled with strength.”

Art and Comics...............8-9 Justice............................10-11 Sports............................12-13

Photography.....................14-15 Quality...................................1-16

OPINIONS

RAPPING FOR REVOLUTION

By Kayla Le Staff Writer “Rap music is terrible!” yells the baby boomer who’s heard “Mo Bamba” once while switching the radio station. “All it does is promote sex, drugs, greed, and violence! It’s ruining our country!”

While there are far too many examples of adults complaining about our generation’s music, this hatred of rap stands out. Even here at Mitty, there are people that criticize rap for its swearing, its assumed lack of substance, and its ‘bad’ message.

But how can we judge an entire genre by a few mainstream songs?

Are all country songs about riding on a tractor and drinking whiskey?

No? Then what makes rap any different? For every song about money, guns, and girls, there’s a song like “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar, which addresses police brutality against the black community. For every Soundcloud mumble rap, there’s a song like “No Halo” Rap is not my favorite style of music because I like to listen to the lyrics and actually be able to relate to or enjoy the message of the song.

Rap is definitely my favorite genre. However, I do listen to a variety of music, ranging from pop to soul.

That being said, I don’t dislike rap because there are a couple good rap songs scattered in the bunch of bad ones.

Adam Larson ‘21

Jade Murray ‘22

LIMITLESS LIES

By Maria Korolik Staff Writer Breaking news: President Trump has lied. Again. And again.

That’s not really breaking news at this point, now is it? In fact, Mr. Trump’s presidency has been one lie after another, and his dishonesty is not forecasted to stop any time soon.

The President’s relentless alterations to history cannot continue taking us by storm. The White House must stop making the indisputable truth a partisan issue.

It’s easy to forget that just a month ago, Pres. Trump’s lies jeopardized lives when he tweeted that Hurricane Dorian would hit Alabama, causing panic and confusion in the state. Immediately after Pres. Trump’s warning, Birmingham’s National Weather Service tweeted that Dorian’s trajectory had no true chance of reaching Alabama. After a number of angry, petulant tweets from @realDonaldTrump, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association released a statement that sided with the president and denounced the NWS. Shortly after, the White House held a press conference, in which the President showcased a map of Hurricane Dorian’s projected path in which Hurricane Dorian did, in fact, reach Alabama. However, there was an inconsistency in the map. The piece of Dorian’s path crossing Alabama was drawn in by hand with a black sharpie (our president’s favorite color and type of writing utensil).

Though it is unclear whether Pres. Trump made his erroneous tweet in confusion or on purpose, the central issue is his need to camouflage mistakes by any means necessary.

In this case, through his lies, Pres. Trump rejected the one thing that many define as truth: science. By forcing the NOAA to censor the NWS, Pres. Trump essentially told one of his agencies to deny the truth simply to increase his approval ratings.

This is nothing new, though. In the past three years, Pres. Trump has repeatedly proven that he will do whatever it takes to cover up his tracks. Misinforming the public in a tweet about a hurricane? Check. Censoring reports on environmentally-friendly energy sources?

Check. Manipulating facts to support his rejection of climate change? Check. Redacting a significant portion of a report concerning foreign interference in our elections, something that is absolutely fundamental to our core value of democracy? Check. What’s next?

Today when a war can be started and ended on Twitter over the course of a single day, any information coming from the president, has to be accurate. The least the people of the United States of America deserve is that.

A hurricane has never been, nor should it ever be, a partisan issue. The White House needs to convey one single thing: the truth.

by Brockhampton discussing uncertainties of life and issues with mental health; there’s a song like Queen Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y.” that tackles the issue of misogyny within organizations, homes, and the rap industry itself.

Even though these songs exist, rap is still frequently denounced in our society, perhaps because discrimination towards the Black experience is so deeply rooted in our nation. America fears giving black artists a more authentic and raw platform. More specifically, America fears reprimands for historical injustices towards the Black community, which persists today within the workplace, in schools, and in society as a whole.

Rap artists are too often rebuked for the mere mention of issues like drug abuse and gun violence, even when these songs reflect their reality—even when they are stories of affirmation and triumph against these institutional problems. When a rap song plays on your Spotify radio, don’t press that skip button. Instead, try to hear some unheard stories: there’s more than meets the eye—or ear.

I listen to R&B artist Jhené Aiko most. I love the lyrics and soul in her music.

Arohi Behara ‘23 Although I like rap, R&B is my favorite.

Kelly Choate ‘20

Everyone in my house listens to different types of music, and because of that, I began to like all genres of music. I don’t really have a favorite genre.

NOT A ROAD TO RECOVERY

By Priyanka Joshi Staff Writer The way we treat addiction in the United States is a royal mess. Granted, it’s a profitable mess, raking in $35 billion a year. But this profit comes with a sacrifice.

There is little regulation on who exactly is qualified to treat addiction. For-profit rehabilitation centers and sober homes consistently fail their patients and keep them suffering from addiction. To fix this epidemic, we need to refocus our efforts where they should have been on all along: the victims.

Take Florida, for example. You may know the state as the home of Disneyworld, but Florida also goes by another name: the sober home destination for recovering addicts—and it’s wrought with what the FBI calls “sober home fraud.” Owners often charge their patients’ insurance companies and families upwards of a million dollars a year, while concurrently keeping them addicted as they pay these fees. Ironically, 70% of drug overdose deaths in South Florida happen in or around a sober home.

But surely, this is an isolated phenomenon! You’d think patients at larger private rehab centers would be treated better; after all, they expect certain amenities—“professionalized, hospital-style campuses, and much nicer facilities,” according to CEO of American Addiction Centers, Michael Cartwright. Cartwright (annual income of $1.3 million) has a completely unbiased method to acquire such facilities: “You need capital,” he says.

And capital he gets. One would imagine that all that revenue would garner the AAC’s customers a high success rate and the best of facilities. Not according to the family of Shaun Reyna, diagnosed with depression and addicted to prescription pills, who bled out after being left alone in a room for twenty hours with razor blades, stripped of his personal possessions. Not according to Cody Arbuckle’s family either—he passed away after being left completely unmonitored during a severe withdrawal process that left him vomiting and seizing. And certainly not to the plaintiffs of the numerous abuse lawsuits pending against the AAC, nor to the untreated victims of addiction dying in these “treatment centers” because they’re simply seen as a profit of $800 per day per patient.

And don’t think this is just the AAC, or even just Florida. Given the incentives, it’s a widespread, systemic problem, because once treating addiction becomes a business, rehab centers stop prioritizing their customers and start prioritizing the price tag.

Money can buy a lot of things, but it can’t buy back the lives of the hundreds of people who are simply trying to get better.

Opinions • October 2019

Page 3

ONE SIZE FITS SMALL

THE PRICE ISN’T RIGHT

By Julia Fong Staff Writer “Is it normal to sweat this much while trying to squeeze into a skirt?” you think as you jiggle the strained zipper up your side. “It’s probably because I just ate.” Or maybe, you think, it’s because I’m too fat, too short, too muscular, or simply not worthy of these clothes. This shopping experience is quickly becoming the norm for most girls, regardless of their size or shape, due to the increasing popularity of “one size fits all” stores in trending fashion. But does one size really fit all?

Of course it doesn’t. Most one-size-fits-all merchandisers err on the side of fitting a small, carefully curated population rather than appealing to all their consumers. One of the most notorious “one-size-fits-all” retailers, Brandy Melville, has been selling cropped Vivian button downs with measurements of a 17” bust, or a size even traditional 00 size fails to shrink to. Their most popular skirt, the Cara style, also falls below the standard 00 measurement, measuring an astounding 24” natural waist. Some of the brand’s most famous clients, like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, stand at a height of 5’10” and weigh around 120 pounds, a body type that doesn’t reflect the average Brandy Melville consumer. Due supermodto the social media culture prominent today, these supermod and promoters for the brand—promoting an els become clients and unhealthy body image for its mainly teenaged and young adult consumer audiences.

Brandy promotes their girl as being The It Girl, effectively associating happiness, beauty, and confidence with an unhealthy, skinny build. Being held to such an unachievable standard excludes huge groups of consumers: athletic, tall, petite, curvy, and everyday women, effectively damaging our mental health and self-worth in a time when we pride ourselves on making huge strides forward.

But retailers like Brandy Melville only regress us further into an unhealthy past.

In reality, branching out into a more diverse sizing and marketing system would do nothing but help Brandy Melville’s profit. Including larger sizes would attract a whole new market of customers who had previously been unable to spend their cold hard cash on clothes purely because they didn’t fit. Moving away from one size fits all boutiques and towards a more inclusive sizing range would benefit both the brand and the consumer. The style and confidence of the brand would bring in a greater network of customers and increase their revenue due to a growing demand for their goods. Everybody in any body deserves to shop with confidence, despite living in a world that constantly tells us that size is the only thing that matters.

So, the next time you almost rip a seam while trying to shimmy into a shirt, remind yourself that you wear the clothes. Don’t let them wear you.

By Aalok Patwa Staff Writer $40,000 for option number one. $42,000 for option number two. Yearly tuition estimates for elite private universities? No. The monthly costs for treatments for hypercholesterolemia.

While the costs of other aspects of healthcare, like screening tests and surgeries, have either decreased or increased only slightly in the past ten years, the price of drugs in the United States has skyrocketed.

Americans now acccount for 50% of the world’s total prescription drug expenditure despite representing less than 5% of the population. The problem is not isolated to medication for rare, incurable tropical diseases; it extends to the most commonplace drugs. Insulin, a hormone more than thirty million diabetics in the US alone depend on, has doubled in cost since 2012. EpiPens, potential life-savers for people with severe allergies, can cost more than an iPhone. Exorbitant drug pricing is already affecting medical care in the United States, as more than a third of surveyed adults admit to skipping prescriptions due to high costs. As high drug prices have become an epidemic of their own, it becomes imperative to find the cure.

Comparing America’s drugs to other countries reveals the pathology of the problem.

Average drug costs in the United States are 50% greater than those of the second-place country. Remarkably, the US government does not negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies when a new drug comes to market. Other developed countries like Australia have regulatory committees that evaluate the benefit that a drug provides and decide a reasonable price for it. This difference is rooted in how drugs are classified. The US treats drugs as product. By granting pharmaceutical companies broad patents, the government stifles competition from other companies with cheaper solutions. In addition to patents, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) grants pharmaceutical companies up to seven years of market exclusivity for new drugs, during which no other company is allowed to market a competing drug. This sets the scene for extreme price gouging, as no company fears are being undercut — a classic case of a monopoly. Conversely, the government of Australia views prescription drugs as necessities, giving legislators the ability to intervene in the matter, just as a government would try to increase water quality or invest in renewables. This system is more logically sound; drugs are a matter of public health, and therefore the state’s responsibility.

Supporters of high drug pricing argue that pharma companies rely on large profits for reinvestment in research. Thus, decreasing prices would result in reduced profit and innovation. This assumption is unfounded. Pharmaceutical companies spend little of their own money on research. An analysis by PewTrusts found that Big Pharma spends more on promotional activities and samples for doctors than on research. Furthermore, companies frequently perform clinical trials in partnership with the National Institutes of Health — an institution funded with taxpayer dollars.

The US government has a responsibility to ensure that all of its citizens have access to drugs that they desperately need. By increasing oversight to negotiate affordable prices and incentivize competition, the government can ensure that companies still make a profit, without forcing Americans to choose between their wealth and well-being.

BUYING US OUT

By Connor Martin Staff Writer Welcome to the Silicon Valley. Yes, we do all drive Teslas. Yes, we only accept Apple Pay. Oh, and yes, we pray each night to our heroes: in the name of the Jobs, Woz, and Elon Musk. We’re all so happy here—it really is paradise. [Cue evil Pennywise laughter.]

The Bay Area is home to thousands of tech startups, claiming nearly half of the United States’ $99.5 billion of venture capital investments in 2018. Our home, the so-called “Cradle of Innovation,” has advanced almost every aspect of our lives, from how we communicate with each other to how we turn off our lights.

However, that innovation may become a victim of its own offspring, as tech giants suchs as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Apple monopolize the industry and kill off competition. These four tech behemoths, all with market caps hovering near $1 trillion, have jointly bought out close to 250 companies in the past five years, according to the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority. This has led to “a feeling among regulators that startups aren’t really being given the chance to grow and compete—they get bought as soon as they enter Big Tech’s ‘kill zone’ (where promising potential rivals are simply taken out),” as stated by Bloomberg’s Lionel Laurent.

This practice of buying out the competition is clear when looking at social media giant Facebook. In 2012, the company bought Instagram for $1 billion, and the acquisition was waved through by antitrust regulators.

The company justified the purchase by saying it would improve the Facebook mobile app (by adopting Instagram’s mobile technology), ultimately enhancing the experience for the nearly 1 billion Facebook users at the time. This did come to fruition: as of 2019, 96 percent of Facebook users access the site from the mobile app via tablet or smartphone. Even so, this does not explain the company’s slew of other acquisitions. In 2014, the company bought WhatsApp for $17 billion, making it one of the most expensive tech acquisitions in recent history. Regulators didn’t even raise a brow to stop it. Just curious, do you remember “tbh,” the app where you can anonymously tell people you like them by filling out surveys? Anyway, in 2017, Facebook bought that too...and then proceeded to shut it down. This has become the industry practice of big tech: buying out your competitors before they can pose a threat.

So, why haven’t regulators taken a tougher stance on the Big Four? Two reasons. First, under current antitrust law, prosecutors must prove that a company’s market dominance will actually hurt consumers. This has been difficult, especially since modern tech companies dominate multiple markets. For example, Amazon has strong positions in markets ranging from web-hosting to groceries. The Big Four are so large and diverse that most antitrust laws don’t apply.

Second is the immense lobbying power of big tech. Since 2005, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft spent a collective $582 million trying to influence Capitol Hill on issues ranging from privacy regulation to tax laws to antitrust. “Big tech companies such as Facebook and Google spend millions to convince us and lawmakers that it’s okay for them to use and exploit our data, or that this is just an inevitable conclusion of our online activity,” Ariel Hochstadt, the co-founder of vpnMentor, said.

Regulators need to do more to limit the ever-growing dominance and monopoly power of large tech companies. Monopolies are inherently bad for the economy—by eliminating competition, companies effectively eliminate their need to improve, to innovate. If they don’t have anyone to compete against, they don’t have the motivation to continually enhance the customer experience.

Our treasured Silicon Valley tech companies claim to be building the future, but make no mistake—they are also buying the future.

Volume 29 Number 1 Advisors Mr. Mick VanValkenburg & Mr. Craig Whitt

News Hannah Chang, Jenna Mollerus, Kristie Park, Kayla Riggs, Nathan Chou & Claire Kim (Apprentices)

Opinion Rania Awad, Natasha Lal, Chaelee Park, & Khanh Tran

Justice Awareness Akhilesh Balasingam, Sophia Kaltas, Joanne Park, & Irene Park

Arts & Entertainment Helen Deng, John Lee, & Lauren Vu

Sports Ronak Bhat & Kyle Nguyen

Photo Sophia Alggiametto, Erica Cardozo, & Alexa Richman

Art & Comics Jiyeon Han & Erin Larmore Archbishop Mitty High School 5000 Mitty Way, San Jose, CA 95129

Page 4

October 2019 • Opinions

POWER OVER PROTECTION

By Sophia Lehrbaum Staff Writer When elite Stanford swimmer Brock Turner was convicted of felony sexual assault of an intoxicated woman at a party, he was given a six-month sentence because, according to the judge, a life sentence is “too steep price… for just 20 minutes of action.” And when billionaire Jeffery Epstein was first convicted of sexually trafficking 40 underage girls, he served a mere 13-month sentence while still having the freedom to work and make more money for himself 12 hours a day.

In both of these cases, an alarming number of people—especially people in power—defended these privileged men. This is a familiar pattern: the accusations and then the defense of powerful men who have been accused of wrongdoing.

For example, Judge Aaron Persky in the Brock Turner case claimed that a lengthy prison sentence would have “a severe impact” and “adverse collateral consequences” on Turner.

But why did Persky fail to address the “impact” on Chanel Miller, the assault victim? The most powerful decision-makers in our country, from local law enforcement officials to members of our federal justice system, have bent the rules and granted immu-

DON’T BE A FUUL

By Mairi Shea Staff Writer The Elmo meme saying “To be cool, you gotta hit the Juul” best depicts the growing popularity of e-cigarettes. Juul was promoted as an attempt to resolve the health-related issues linked to the common cigarette. In fact, the company’s 2018 mission statement asserted that the e-cigarette was a “safer” and more “socially acceptable option” for users, Thus, even though cigarettes and e-cigarettes both fuel addiction and damage health, e-cigarettes haven’t carried the same negative connotation as traditional cigarettes for teenagers.

And why? Marketing. According to a study by Stanford University, big brand ecigarette company Juul has targeted advertisements specifically at teens. Juul’s ads often picture young people in trendy outfits laughing and dancing to depict their products as a positive addition to the adolescent experience. Sweet and fruity flavors such as mango were especially emphasized. A photo of Katy Perry holding a Juul at the Golden Globes was reposted on the company’s Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages. And this advertising has proven to be effective: in 2018, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 20.8% of American high school students use e-cigarettes.

While our parents’ generation had plenty of advocacy against cigarettes—like the cautionary commercials featuring former smokers speaking through holes in their throats (typical of those who have had their larynxes removed)—the Juul-ers of today do not receive nearly the same amount of push-back.

Thus, many are oblivious to the dangers the trending nicotine devices cause; almost 450 e-cigarette users developed lung disease across 33 states, with a majority of the cases affecting young adults and teens. Additionally, chemicals in e-cigarette aero aerosol have been proven to increase the risk of cancer.

With the spread of cigarettes came lung cancer, and with the spread of e-cigarettes comes what is known as popcorn lung—a vaping related illness damaging the lungs’ airways.

How will youth be able to comprehend the sincerity of Juul’s warning labels? In a step in the right direction, a movement has begun to ban all flavored e-cigarette vapors because of their appeal to youth. As a result, Juul last week announced it would be suspending sales of some of its flavored brands.

Vaping should not be considered a safer alternative to smoking: kids are being hooked onto an epidemic that destroys lungs–and lives. All they need to do is look at the numbers. Our generation does not believe that the warning labels on Juul carry the same weight as the ones that our parents once saw.

Remember, next time, don’t just read the warning label; understand the consequences.

nity to those in power who most certainly did not deserve it. Subconsciously (or not), we deem powerful men as deserving because they are part of an elite, whether due to fame, wealth, or athletics.

This failure to properly punish those in positions of power corrupts our justice system. Placing privileged men as above the law means that less victims come forward to report instances of assault due to a lack of hope for true justice. The normalization of sexual assault leads to the belief that the harm to the accused predators’ lives is more damaging than the harm caused to the victims.

So what can we do to solve this problem? For starters, it is crucial that we don’t allow significant members of our society to get away with immoral and unjust actions by being dismissive of their actions. The MeToo movement has pointed us in that direction and its spirit of holding those in power accountable must continue. It doesn’t matter if the accused is your favorite football player or a venerated movie producer, he cannot live above the law simply because of his power. Don’t give him support just because it’s easier than acknowledging the truth of his character. It’s more than locker room talk or 20 minutes of drunken behavior or innocent massages: it’s an invasion of all women’s security in our country.

LIKED BY NO ONE

By Ella Tillmann Staff Writer Posting a picture on Instagram is nerve-racking—very nerve-racking. The truth is, when we post photos, we enter into a competitive cycle. Our social status is dependent upon how many “likes” we receive.

Although it may feel like a boost of confidence to see that you’ve gotten more likes than your peers, the impacts of these constant comparisons are detrimental to our mental health. Because of this, Instagram is testing the idea of hiding the amount of likes that a user receives on a post.

As impressionable high schoolers, this new update will most likely affect us the most.

But are we ready to stop burdening ourselves with the concern of how many people approve of our posts?

According to Forbes, out of all existing social media platforms, Instagram has the most negative influence, contributing greatly to anxiety and depression. The public display of how many likes a post gets gives users a toxic, yet objective way to judge how “popular” or “well liked” they themselves and others are.

Although we may enjoy scrolling through social media, this constant comparison causes teenagers to validate themselves based on the attention they get online. According to The The Washington Washington Post,, teens spend up to nine hours a day on social media. There’s no avoiding these platforms since our communication revolves so heavily around them.

Though some argue that a tally of likes is necessary because influencers’ income depends on them, the health of its 700 million users outweighs the few who earn through Instagram.

Because the platform understands that this update will affect the income of many content creators, it has released the idea of Instagram Shopping, giving its clients the ability to earn money through sponsored posts or advertisement of their own products, while allowing the majority of its users to not be burdened by likes.

Hopefully, in due time, the Instagram double tap will be nothing but a thing of the past.

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

By Melissa Howell Staff Writer Activism: ”The doctrine that emphasizes direct vigorous action in support of or in opposition to one side of a controversial issue.”

Advocacy is, instead, defined as the actions themselves which work on behalf of the people, with the intent of a radical shift in societal structure.

They both work to change the world.

But when social media comes into play—when you are just re-sharing news articles—are you really doing anything at all? An effective social advocate both informs and provides tangible solutions.

Some may argue that any way of increasing awareness is one more victory won. However, there is a distinct line between merely creating meaningless posts and inspiring new and impactful actions. Posts will become archived and, later, forgotten. And, alarmingly, many are not even true.

Over the summer, a new wave of posts encouraged users to repost green graphics of trees with the promise that for every 10 likes, another tree would be planted. Unsurprisingly, this was done without knowing if the original post was valid. Nobody bothered to differentiate between new accounts looking for followers or actual companies who

have dedicated their values to helping the environment— companies like ecosia, 10tree, and many more.

A plethora of new hashtags have sprung out of the new tragedy in the Amazon, encouraging us to #savetheamazon or #prayfortheamazon. Simply saying “Repost for the Amazon!” offers no help for you or the destruction of the Amazon or anything else for that matter. People have a history of posting about using a metal straw to “save the turtles” or encouraging #MeatlessMondays.

Furthermore, humorous attempts to reinterpret #BYOB from beer to bag are not so effective in reality. Attempts to limit waste should not be trivialized or stripped of their validity—however, their ultimate inefficacy cannot be ignored.

Nonetheless, these actions are somewhat better than forgetting your reusable bag or buying a plastic water bottle with reckless abandon. Small steps toward change can satisfy our need to save the environment, but it is just as necessary—if not more—to understand how useful they actually are in the grander scheme of things.

Ultimately, low-effort advocacy has very little tangible impact. Corporations are far more to blame than any single consumer, and they are the ones who will have to change in order to save the earth. After all, according to The Guardian 20 companies can be traced back to ⅓ of all CO2 emissions

worldwide. In the United States alone, 24% of emissions traces back to just one industry: fossil fuel extraction on federal lands.

Instead of advocating for a repost, like, or comment, one must act on the newfound knowledge. Awareness posts carry some weight, but they fail to attack the root of the problems. For example, when discussing deforestation, you should suggest switching to the Ecosia search engine to help raise profits to plant trees.

If you want to support victims of natural disasters, you should encourage others to donate to local, regional, or national organizations dedicated to providing relief.

Considering the endless possibilities for individuals to help enact institutional change, it becomes a grave problem when people are blinded by the idea that they have done their part by doing very little; small, incremental actions by individuals are, unfortunately, no longer enough.

Posting about voting, striking, donating, and making small changes obviously plays a part in the early stages of a revolution. Small actions matter, but only in the context of a greater movement. Without a goal to change the flawed societal structures themselves, tangible solutions—the ideal world we envision each time we #prayfortheamazon—fail to come to fruition.

Arts & Entertainment : Hit or Miss? Staying Sustainably Stylish

By Mason Ng Staff Writer You know it, you love (or hate) it: it’s TikTok, the most downloaded app of 2019. From E-boys to VSCO girls to Peppa Pig (Peppa… what are you doing in my newspaper article?), TikTok is arguably the most influential app of this year.

The iconic social media platform for lighthearted, comedic videos has cultivated some of our most phenomenal memes, popular dances, and viral songs. Some even consider it a worthy successor to Vine.

Along with providing a daily source of entertainment for over a billion teens, middle-aged dads, and the occasional TikTok grandma, the app also provides an inventive space for its creators.

Many are attracted to TikTok because of the freedom and tools it offers.

Individuals enjoy the ability to make up sixty second videos using filters, editing techniques, and new or trending audios that the app has to offer.

Popular TikTok creators are constantly challenged with the task of rolling out new, view-deserving videos for their users, who are “itchin ’n burnin” for original content on their “For You” page—another name for your feed that page—another is based on popular content and videos you’ve liked. Others just enjoy fooling around with their friends. Either way, the environment within the TikTok app encourages creativity and sparks joy for both users and creators.

One of the aspects of the app that also sets it apart from other social platforms is its accepting and carefree community.

The negative aspects of other apps like Instagram’s cultivation of unrealistic lifestyles or YouTube’s extensive time commitment are seemingly absent in TikTok with its perfect blend of entertainment, self expression, and time limits.

The community encourages diversity in its users and its content; there always seems to be something for everyone.

Additionally, TikTok can connect creators and users with the same interests or sense of humor, as shown when individuals react to or duet the videos of others.

Of course, issues arises when content is taken from the app and posted on Twitter threads or as YouTube cringe compilations. TikToks viewed through other social media platforms might be harshly criticized, and viewers may harass and attack creators for their appearances.

However, this kind of hate is an pracongoing issue that is present on prac tically all all social platforms, not only TikTok. Working toward an interactive, lighthearted, and positive environment on social media should be a major objective for all its users.

On behalf of the entire TikTok community, I feel that the most important aspect of the iconic app is the joy, stress relief, and “ah-haha-haaa’s” TikTok brings into our lives.

Ultimately, the most positive element a social platform can offer is a laugh, and although it may still be young and “fresh off the runway,” TikTok has already started to leave a long-lasting legacy on social media, as well as pop culture itself.

By Jinny Kim Staff Writer If that $2 shirt at H&M seems a little too good to be true... it probably is. We’ve all fallen into that trap of unbelievably low-priced, trendy clothing items, but have you ever stepped back and questioned how such low prices are possible?

There’s a good chance that your closet is plagued by “fast fashion”—retailers such as Forever 21, Zara, Urban Outfitters, and many more that are known for their lower prices, but also their negative environmental impact and underpaid labor. The fashion industry is a major polluting industry in the world, with increasing levels of textile waste, water pollution, and the use of toxic chemicals. Additionally, some companies use child labor or sweatshops, where the wages are unfair, the environment hazardous, and the workers have few to no rights.

Knowing all this, what can you do? Here are 4 ways you can be a more conscious consumer.

1. Do your research. While the issue can seem daunting, there are plenty of resources online that can help you to understand the consequences of fast fashion and to find the brands to avoid. The app “Good On You” provides ratings on just about every clothing brand based on labor, environmental impact, and use of animal products. It analyzes the brand’s direct & indirect emissions, worker empowerment initiatives, animal welfare, and other factors. Many companies receive low ratings in sustainability because they

are not transparent about their impact on people, animals, and the planet.

2. Sell and buy used clothes. Not only is thrifting clothes a cheaper option, but it’s also more sustainable than buying new clothes because you are re-using resources. If you’d rather not go out and sift through hundreds of items at a store, consider getting apps like Depop or Poshmark. These online marketplaces help you buy both new and used clothes from other users, or even make a few bucks selling clothes or accessories you no longer wear.

If you’ve grown out of any old clothes, donate, sell, or give them to your younger sibling instead of throwing them away. It’s a huge waste of non-renewable resources, energy, chemicals, and water to manufacture these clothes, so give your fast fashion items the longest lifespan possible.

3. Buy sustainable. No one expects you to give up on your favorite brands overnight, but definitely stay away from ordering items from brands that exploit workers and aren’t transparent with working conditions. A few sustainable brands to consider buying are Patagonia and Reformation. These companies are transparent about their working conditions.

4. Invest. Dropping $200 on a dress from Reformation is a lot to ask of anyone. However, investing in one, high-quality, ethically made clothing item might be a better idea than buying 20 cheap shirts that you’ll only wear once.

Instead of bad quality items, try purchasing something that will last you a long time, even if it’s a bit more expensive. When buying anything, if you can’t see yourself getting good use out of it, the best option is to just not buy it.

Taking these extra steps may be more of a hassle for you, but making the effort to be more conscious with your closet is incredibly important. Simple actions, such as buying secondhand clothes or thrift shopping, can make a genuine difference.

By Paige Ashton Staff Writer Mitty’s very own Mellowood released its debut album Cotton Candy Skies this September. Over the past year and a half, Trent Lawson and Luca Filiz have spent countless hours in the studio writing, creating, and producing. In a recent interview, the two shared their stories of how the album came to be.

The creation of their album dates all the way back to their sophomore year. Pulling inspiration from the story behind the name of the band Brockhampton, the boys took “Mellowood,” both the name of Luca’s street and the home of their studio, as their own.

The two had long since dreamt of creating music, so they began collaborating on how to put their dreams into action.

The piano track used in their song “Intro” was created in the fall of 2017. Later, when they came up with their first song, the support they received from their friends helped encourage them to continue making music together.

Inspired by Bay Area sunsets of signature fluffy clouds dotting a purple and pink colored sky, the name Cotton Candy Skies was born. Luca describes this as a “beautiful complexity”: natural wonders combining to create a mesmerizing image that is ultimately more than one can ever understand. For many, the sky is an escape, somewhere to look to when one wants to get away from the rest of the world. It is this mindset that Lawson and Filiz hope to capture on their album.

They intentionally organized songs one through eleven in order to tell a story. Beginning with “Intro,” the album introduces listeners to the idea of being lost within your emotions.

With a majority of the production having taken place during their junior year, the album’s structure reflects the rollercoaster of emotions that accompany that time. Understanding how difficult a process high school can be, the fifth song, “Awk,” provides a break to the gravitas of the tracks so far. With a raw, unedited feel, “Awk” gives listeners a view into

the more authentic Mellowood, showing how, as Trent says, “Life is awkward sometimes.” The presence of this song adds balance to the album, and helps round out the experience of a full listen through. Mellowood wants to share a relatable story of how to express feelings, accept emotions, and realize that, as the final song says, “maybe I’ll be okay.”

This album, like many musical successes, was not a solo effort. Features from Mitty students Leah Lopez, John Lee, and James Vaughn; production support from Orange Label Records and Kingdom Voice Productions; further support from Mitty alums Chris Emond and Max Slade; assists from album art designer Miles Lawson and design marketing head Bradley Caldwell; and encouragement from countless others helped make Mellowood the album it is today.

One of the unique aspects of Cotton Candy Skies is how Mellowood has created a story that addresses struggle, but also helps resolve it. Songs like “Freddie Mercury” and “Second Chances” reveal how no one really suffers alone.

“Even with all the pain and pressures you may feel, you cannot allow yourself to run away from your problems, because in doing that, you turn your back on opportunity,” Luca explains.

Trent echoes this, saying that, “Life can be scary, but remember, the people that change the world are the ones that are crazy enough to do something about it. It is up to you to pursue your goals. Do not just be a dreamer, be a doer.”

This is the message that Mellowood hopes their album will spread. In their goal to inspire others, they hope to continue to make people feel and make them do. So in the spirit of Mellowood, go turn your dreams into actions — it is now or never.

Make sure you check out Mellowood’s Cotton Candy Skies, now on all platforms.

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October 2019 • Arts & Entertainment

Nintendo Switch Lite: Hot or Not?

Switch on for the “Lite”

By Shiv Gohil Staff Writer The Nintendo Switch has been an unparalleled success ever since its release in 2017, with its wide variety of games and versatility as both a handheld and home console having the ability to project video onto a larger T.V screen or onto the smaller inbuilt screen for portable usage.

However, the current price point of the Switch, $300, has prompted Nintendo to release a brand new handheld console called the Switch Lite, priced at $200. The $100 discount means the Switch Lite has a smaller screen, fixed controllers, and no docking capabilities, making it a purely handheld gaming console.

Some may argue that the $100 discount is not worth the loss of docking capabilities, or the ability to project the game onto a larger screen, but they fail to realize that new owners for a Switch will need to pay much more than $300 to fully enjoy their new console.

Most would buy three of the hottest games for their Switch (Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, $50; Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, $60; and Super Mario Odyssey, $50); more controllers to play with their friends ($67); and a case to protect it on the go ($15), bringing the cost to $542.

With those extra costs taken into account, the $100 discount from the base price of the Switch would appeal to many who may be strapped for cash.

In addition, Nintendo is not marketing the Lite as a replacement for the Switch as a home console, but rather solely as a handheld. Thus, it would be more appropriate to compare the Switch Lite to the Nintendo DS lineup.

The Switch Lite is the same price when compared to the recent 3DS: $200 dollars on release day. However, it comes with many more features than the tradi-

screen size 5.5

inches

tional DS. In fact, the Switch Lite is even superior to the Switch to a certain extent. While it may have a smaller screen and no docking capabilities, it has a longer battery life of 4-6 hours vs. the Switch’s 2.5-4 hours because of its enhanced processing unit and compact size.

The control scheme for the Switch Lite also surpasses that of the Switch, with an intuitive button d-pad control scheme vs. the Switch comes with a clunky four button layout. People criticize the Switch Lite for its “inferior” built-in screen size —5.5 inches—but the Switch Lite has a sharper image quality than the Switch as it possess the same resolution, 720p, but over a smaller area.

The Switch Lite also allows for more expression as it comes in three colours: teal, yellow, and gray, whereas the Switch comes only in a monotonous greyish-black.

Though the Switch Lite has some problems and shortcomings, this new handheld device is a worthy successor of the Nintendo Title and is a satisfying purchase for those who wish to receive the Nintendo Switch experience at a more affordable price.

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UPCOMING EVENTS • 10/25: Steve Lacy at The Fillmore, San Francisco • 10/27-28: Lizzo at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco • 10/31: Mxmtoon at Great American Music Hall • 11/3: Julia Michaels at The Fillmore, San Francisco • 11/4: Two Door Cinema Club at Fox Theater, Oakland • 11/8: Brockhampton at Frost Amphitheater, Stanford • 11/16: Frankie Cosmos at The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall, Berkeley • 11/20: Hippo Campus at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz

Too “Lite” on Features

By Anthony Zito Staff Writer Released in 2017, the Nintendo Switch revolutionized gaming by combining the gameplay quality of a full-sized console with the portability of a handheld device.

Recently, Nintendo introduced the Nintendo Switch Lite, a variation of the original Nintendo Switch that is more affordable and portable while still providing a comparable gameplay experience. However, upon closer examination, the new console’s advertised value may not hold up.

While the Lite certainly wins points for its $200 price tag, a far cry from the original’s $300, it certainly loses far more than $100 worth of value when one considers its lack of features that were key to the original’s success.

The most critical of these abandoned features is the docking system, which allowed the original Switch to either function as a handheld device or be projected onto a screen and used similarly to other standard consoles.

The Lite is restricted to handheld mode, robbing it of the original’s competitive edge over other consoles on the market and reducing it to a solely portable device comparable

TheLiteNintendo Switch in Numbers

to Nintendo’s 3DS. Yet, its limitations go beyond just solo play.

Even while undocked, the original can be played with detached controls, featuring a kickstand for easy group play in public places. However, the Lite is limited to arms reach, removing even more of the original’s versatility.

Simply put, the lack of docking undercuts the original’s role as a versatile, modular system, removing its unique flagship features—a critical fail from a company known for innovation.

The decision to bind the control pads to the body of the Lite (instead of making them removable like the original) creates even more issues. Because the control pads cannot be removed from the console, the entire system must be repaired or replaced if damaged.

This issue becomes even more problematic considering the fact that earlier this year, thousands of Switch controllers were revealed to contain a design error that broke the left control stick after extended use. If a similar error was ever revealed in the future, the Lite would suffer the hardest compared to the rest of the Switch series.

Even when compared to similar handheld platforms like the original 3DS, the Lite has flaws that detract from its utility.

Some of its major disadvantages are its inability to fold like other Nintendo handhelds, as well as its increased length and protruding joysticks that make it more difficult to transport and more vulnerable to damage.

While the Nintendo Switch Lite is a noble attempt at providing a cost-reduced version of a hit console in a portable form, it is simply too light on features to justify purchasing, even with the $100 decrease in price.

7 hrs

playing time msrp

Asian-American Representation in Comedy

With its 45th season in full swing, Saturday Night Live has welcomed three new cast members to its lineup, including comedian Bowen Yang.

A Chinese-American comedian from Brooklyn, Yang makes history as the first fully Asian-American cast member on the show. Last season, he was a member of the show’s writing staff, and played the hilarious role of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the episode “The Kremlin Meeting” alongside co-star Sandra Oh. Raised by Chinese immigrants in Denver, Colorado, Yang earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at NYU, and began garnering stardom by posting humorous lip-syncing videos on Twitter, as well as co-hosting a comedy podcast called Las Culturistas.

His casting is noteworthy because it will likely pave the way for more Asian-American representation in comedy. SNL has only cast a small number of Asian-Americans throughout its 40 years of airing, such as Rob Schneider and Fred Armisen (both of one-eighth Asian heritage).

However, Yang’s achievement was overshadowed when video emerged of another new cast member, Shane Gillis, making offensive remarks about Chinese immigrants. Gillis has been notorious for denigrating other minority groups, including Asian immigrants, Muslims, and the LGBTQ+ community. The SNL producers were

$200

By Charlotte Park Staff Writer

reportedly unaware of these comments before casting him, and he has since been fired from the show.

Gillis, who describes himself as a “comedian who pushes boundaries,” has utilized racist tropes in his comedy, which has generated controversy along with laughs on the comedy circuit—and yet, the show still made the decision of hiring him in the first place. Now that he is facing a backlash from both the Asian and comedy circuit communities, he appears to have cut short his opportunity for comedic fame.

The conflicting situations between Bowen Yang and Shane Gillis have helped shed light on the marginal roles that Asian-Americans have in the entertainment scene.

Because they are considered to be part of the “model minority myth,” Asians are too often limited to stereotypes that overshadow their talents, and the offensive comedy of those like Gillis only serves to amplify the discrimination perpetrated towards them.

The limited representation that Asians face in pop culture, especially with SNL’s failure to include a fully Asian cast member for over 40 years, indicates that our society has a long way to go before resolving its narrow diversity Still, the casting of Bowen Yang marks a milestone in Asian-American representation, one that should pave a path for others to follow.

Arts & Entertainment • October 2019

monarch critics

LATE

WITH

A LITTLE

By Riana By Riana Henry Henry As a popular YouTuber, drying their hair with towels Staff Writer comedian, actress, and now twisted on their heads, Lilly comtalk show host, Lilly Singh has repeatedly mented, “Don’t worry, it’s like my Punjabi proven her versatility and knack for success. friends.” Because Sikhs have often been In 2010, Lilly began her own YouTube harassed for their turbans, this cheap joke channel under the insulted many who stage name “iiSuhad been bullied for perwomanii.” The the same reason. channel included Furthermore, celebrities and as a fellow Sikh earned her broad Punjabi, Lilly has recognition. been called out for After multiple insensitivity toward years of success her own people. In on YouTube, this a lengthy response September Singh to this, Singh has made history as the apologized to her first queer woman fans stating, “I’m of color to host her incredibly sorry to own talk show.“I those I hurt with know you’re used that comparison to only Jimmys in and grateful to the your spotlight / but people who took I’m gonna throw some melanin in your late the time to bring this to my attention and night,” Lilly raps in a memorable opening educate me on the matter.” Singh may have to introduce her show. made a few mistakes, but many fans already As a woman with immigrant parents, expect that she will continue to improve her Singh aims to create a show with a variety already thriving show. of perspectives. Stressing the necessity for Although the show is new, Singh has diversity, she has built a writer’s room with proven her skills as an entertaining host with people of all races, with over fifty-percent a raw, fresh outlook on the world. Through being women. Lilly even jabbed at Hol- playing games with guests, having them lywood’s limited demographic when she perform live, and performing sketches, announced, “This is the new standard, so Lilly has taken the traditional aspects of a take notes, Hollywood!” late night show and infused her own unique Although the show has been received twist into them. positively, many viewers have criticized Challenging the conventional, Lilly Singh for not letting her guests speak un- Singh began with her “unconventional” interrupted and for making a handful of background, working her way up in show problematic jokes. business, and now she inspires other When Jessica Alba recounted how her young, innovative people to chase their kids were embarrassed when Lilly saw them own dreams.

Make Me A Summary

of the World

Exhibit

by Rina Banerjee

I’m not sure what I was By Katherine Anstett heavier side of the scale held a expecting from Rina Banermarbled red and white egg on Staff Writer jee’s exhibit at the San Jose an antique pedestal surrounded Museum of Art, but it definitely was not with feathers. Surprisingly, the lighter side what I saw. As soon as I walked upstairs, I held a bar of gold and another marbled egg was confronted by one of her creations: a encircled by a bronze nest. beautiful but ugly, welOn one hand, Bacoming yet terrifying nerjee seemed to be immixture of synthetic maplying that nature and terials, natural pieces, heritage are more valuand literal human hair. able than material items.

In this installation, However, with the egg Banerjee featured obon either side, it is more jects that varied from ambiguous and comAfrican tribal jewelry plex than just one single to South Asian antiques, meaning. along with pieces from Standing beside this where she grew up in India. All of her beautiful piece of art, I realized that I was creations seemed to suggest a connection looking at this little “world” from above, between different cultures, and the contrast from where the judgment was occurring. between nature and man-made pieces.

I was a spiritual being judging the world One of her creations in particular struck below, determining if it was worth saving me: “A World Lost.” It was an installation from the darkness and poison infecting it. of sand covering an area of the floor littered Banerjee’s art includes plays on tradiwith, well, litter, but also natural substances tional ideas, while celebrating the beauty of like rocks and coral. It seemed to me like a tradition and culture. Her art also questions misconfigured map, with boundaries created how people view other cultures and foreign by shells and little people walking the land. countries as exotic ornaments or as mere At the center of the piece was red yarn, decoration. The entire installation was a entangled and reaching out to the corners of perfect representation of Banerjee’s work: the “map,” consuming it. This red yarn, a complete contradictions meshed together to continuity through the installation, was drip- create an intellectually and visually stunning ping from a large chandelier-like structure masterpiece. hanging off-center from the ceiling. The Find Banerjee’s art online: rinabanerjee.com

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How’s the Weather Up There?

Yet another movie joins By Lauren T. Vu Fareeda gives Jodi a pep talk The Kissing Booth, Insatiable, outside of her bathroom stall, Staff Writer and Sierra Burgess is a Loser while her friend Jack Duncklas one of the worst Netflix originals tar- eman constantly tells her that she is perfect. geted towards teenagers to date: Tall Girl. However, once the “hot” German exchange Though movies like To All the Boys I’ve student, Stig, enters her life, Jodi casts aside Loved Before are the rare exception from everyone who actually cares about her to this umbrella categorization, most Netflix pursue a boy purely interested in popularity. originals are dull and problematic.

Although Tall Girl was poorly exWhat makes this movie especially ecuted, there was potential for a respectable unbearable, though, is its melodramatic, movie. There was a huge missed opportunity self-centered protagonist, Jodi. She believes for exploration of “unrealistic” dreams in her height is reason enough to victimize Fareeda’s character arc, who goes against herself, inducing the lines that have already her parents’ wishes and pursues fashion. transformed into memes and TikToks: “You More depth into Fareeda’s background think your life is hard? I’m a high school would have provided a valuable lesson for junior wearing size 13 Nikes. Men’s size teens that are not sure about their career 13 Nikes. Beat that.” pursuits due to parental expectations or the Today’s teens can’t help but make fun competitiveness of certain fields. of Jodi’s definition of a hard life, since a The movie could have also benefited person’s shoe size does not hinder or deter- from more creative bullies: the unoriginal mine their quality of life at all. One trend “How’s the weather up there?” tease gets started where Tiktokers would respond to even more annoying as the movie progresses.

Jodi’s shoe size with their own, legitimate Tall Girl barely includes enough comhardships, like cancer or racism; so people edy in it to call it a rom-com and is nowhere can, in fact, “beat that.” near as feel-good as the trailer claims it to In the film, this scene immediately cuts be. The plot is littered with uncomfortable to Jodi’s token black friend, Fareeda, seem- scenes that are desperate attempts to fit into ingly as clever satire--but no, it is complete- the nearly-impossible-to-achieve teenage ly serious. The movie never makes it clear niche so many films fail to find. that Jodi is a white, conventionally pretty, According to the movie, teens are supmiddle class, skinny girl (read: privileged in posedly into erotic pottery and awkward almost every way), instead focusing on her makeout sessions, which is entirely false tallness as an all-consuming adversity that and underestimates the sophistication of the excuses her lackluster personality and her critical teenage mind. irritating sense of self-importance.

The next time Netflix decides to posiThough Jodi can’t seem to go two tion a movie around an adversity, they had minutes without self-deprecation, her sup- better choose one that does not center around portive friends never fail to encourage her: a certain shoe size and one half-baked insult.

Hobbs & Shaw: Brilliant Buddy Film or Nonsensical Violence?

By Adarsh Krishnan being strength focused and Fast & Furious 7 introStaff Writer Shaw being technique based. duces Hobbs and Shaw as enemies, Shaw as the villain and Hobbs as These differences bring Hobbs and Shaw one of the protagonists. One of the most into conflict initially, their insults revolving prominent scenes in that film is their grue- around how Hobbs’ size often makes him look “stupid and conspicuous” and how some fight.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw’s stature makes him small.

While this dynamic is a strong point Shaw plays upon this previously established relationship by using the buddy trope to cre- for the movie, the film’s plot asks viewers ate a film filled with the violence that many to suspend disbelief as numerous deus ex fans of the franchise look for, but none of machina — devices suddenly introduced this excuses the poorly managed plot and that immediately resolve a previously imalmost nonsensical showdown in the Samoa. possible situation — conveniently allow The movie earns two stars out of five Hobbs and Shaw to escape any difficulty.

Two major weaknesses of the film are as it tries but fails to make a senseless plot and lackluster showdown worth watching, the botched plot and the flat showdown. The despite some riveting violence and good plot is a poorly sewn heap of catastrophes with illogical resolutions. For example, character dynamics.

The only obvious strength of the movie the inciting incident of the film is Shaw’s is how much it plays upon the adversarial newly introduced sister injecting herself with a virus that the villain, Idris Elba, chemistry of Hobbs and Shaw.

The movie immediately begins with a wants to procure to “remove the weak” split screen of the two waking up in their through extinction. But when escaping his respective beds. Both are going about headquarters, Hobbs and Shaw are saved their day and the similarities between the by a conveniently falling pillar that knocks two are highlighted, but their differences Elba off. Finally, the showdown in the Saare highlighted too. While they prepare moa lacks little reason and has less effect, breakfast, Hobbs is messier than the more making the film’s finale meaningless.

Though the shoddy plot and the inane precise Shaw.

The muted color in Shaw’s scenes showdown are hard to overlook, in the shows that he sees the world in a more sterile end, the well-executed character dynamic light than the warmer, more human colors and chemistry between the movie’s title used to depict Hobbs’ world. Even their characters make Hobbs and Shaw a movie fighting styles contrast the two — Hobbs that isn’t a total waste of time.

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Kai Gatlin

Angelina Pham

October 2019 • Art and Comics

Hannah Cheng

Art and Comics • October 2019

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Self-Portraits Erin Larmore

! e n o D

in real life Cailey Larmore

self portrait am i narcissistic?

Jiyeon Han

Justice Awareness

By Katie Anstett and Kristina Bleszynski Staff Writers In late August of this year, Johnson & Johnson became the first opioid manufacturer to be sued and made to pay damages for its part in the crisis that has plagued America for the past two decades.

Originally, the state of Oklahoma asked for a $17 billion to compensate for the deaths of more than 4,000 residents over the past 20 years, but the final settlement was $572 million. Although far less than what the prosecution had hoped for, this ruling has paved the way for nearly 2,000 other lawsuits to be filed across the country.

The opioid crisis has taken a toll on the nation’s economy, with health care costs totaling over $78.5 billion a year.

Over 215,000 people have died from opioid overdoses in the past twenty years, with 50,000 dying in 2017 alone.

Thus, in 2017 the US Department of Health and Human Services declared that the opioid crisis was a public health emergency that must be addressed.

A good deal of the blame for the opioid epidemic has been placed on large pharmaceutical companies, who originally marketed opioids as fairly safe and nonaddictive to consumers. Eighty percent of those who misuse opioids obtain the drug illegally, a statistic that many manufacturers use to their advantage when marketing their product.

They also claim that patients screened by doctors had a low risk of developing an addiction. However, most doctors have little to no training on screenings and often rely on the stereotypes that surround opioid addicts.

Physicians have known for years that everyday patients tend to fly under the radar in terms of addiction. This negligence becomes especially harmful when screening teens and young adults, who are twice as likely as adults to become addicts.

Companies like Johnson & Johnson that manufacture products for a younger audience have been accused of direct marketing towards this age group, knowing

that it would be more susceptible to develop an addiction. In these marketing campaigns, manufacturers insist that the low risk of addiction makes opioids safe.

While Johnson & Johnson continues to argue that it is not responsible for the crisis in Oklahoma, the actual state where the recent ruling took place saw spurred opioid sales due to direct marketing, quadrupling sales from 1994 to 2016.

Nationwide lawsuits have been filed in Ohio against opioid manufacturers such as Purdue Pharma and Johnson & Johnson.

These suits includes at least 1,600 other suits from various cities across the US. Many have compared such suits to settlements against tobacco companies during the 1990s. Yet, much of those funds failed to reach the families of the victims.

Similarly, settlements from earlier this year are being spent on court case costs instead of directly helping addicts.

Advocates for reform argue that the settlements must go toward medication and treatment for those with addictions

and toward improved screening training for doctors.

In the end, companies are being forced to acknowledge the ever-increasing death toll and support doctors in need of vital resources to care for addicts past, present, and future.

Palantir: On Thin ICE

By Gwendolyn Patwardhan Staff Writer

Arcenio, an undocumented father from New York, leaves for work every day terrified that he will never see his three American-born children again. Nevertheless, he goes to work to put food on the table and provide a roof over his family’s head. In L.A., Shannon Camacho, an employee with the city’s rapid immigrant response program, describes the fear in her community, “People are afraid to go outside, to go to church, to go to the grocery store, and that’s harmful.”

Palantir, a data systems company, has fueled ICE’s raids since 2014 by providing software that allows them to target undocumented immigrants across America. The software provides ICE with a method of collecting fingerprints and data from smartphones, allowing them to organize and build cases against undocumented immigrants. In 2017, ICE arrested 443 people using the software Palantir provided them. While Palantirians, as the company’s employees are called, are not directly involved in ICE raids, the software they develop combs through private phone records, emails, and text messages, searching for connections that human analytics would not find.

There have been numerous protests against Palantir’s involvement with deportation.

A petition signed by over 100,000 people called upon Palantir to remove itself from deportation activities, and in-person protests at Palantir headquarters in New York and in Palo Alto condemned the actions of the private company.

Yet Palantir decided, against such push back, to renew its contract with ICE in August 2019. The contract will allow ICE to use Palantir’s software until September 2020, with an annual renewal system that runs through 2022. The protests against Palantir raise greater questions on how the relatively nascent technology sector should interact with the government.

While some fully support Palantir’s involvement due to their status as a private company––something that protects them from greater public oversight––others find the influence large tech companies have disconcerting, considering the amount of data these companies store. Similar forms of pushback have occurred against a number of companies, such as the employee protests against Google in 2018. These protests were surprisingly effective: employees convinced Google to decline a potentially lucrative deal creating weapons for the military with its AI software.

Ultimately, a private company’s interactions with the government are influenced by the values it holds, not public opinion. As Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive states, “We recognize that such powerful technology raises equally powerful questions about its use. It will have a significant impact on society for many years to come.”

By Stella Park Staff Writer A controversial new California bill, AB5, is changing the status of “gig” workers.

The bill passed with little opposition through the State Senate and Assembly, and has been endorsed by Governor Gavin Newsom. With his signature, the bill will go into effect January 1st, 2020. Once in place, it will force companies to recognize “contract” workers as employees, thus providing them with workplace protections such as overtime pay, minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and the ability to unionize.

Ride-hailing drivers and food couriers are among the many types of contract workers that will be impacted. Contract labor allows workers to have flexibility in their shifts, as they are paid for a specific task, not hired for hourly wages. But workers fear that, while the bill would give them benefits and insurance, their independence would be severely restricted by enforced scheduling. However, nothing in the bill requires companies to implement such rigid work shifts.

Companies that rely heavily on gig labor such as such as Uber, Lyft, and the foodcourier service DoorDash have been outspoken in their stance against this bill. They criticized what they view as a missed opportunity to balance the flexibility offered by contract labor with the worker benefits that would be provided by the bill. Together, these companies have pledged $90 million to support a ballot initiative that would exempt them from recognizing contract workers as full employees, while still promising similar worker benefits.

Yet Democrats who support the bill remain firm in their position. Laura Gonzalez, a State Assemblywoman, told the New York Times that there is “nothing innovative about underpaying someone for their labor.”

AB5, when instituted, will create a new standard of work, one that will not only change the tone of the gig economy, but also transform legislation in other states, perhaps even at the federal level.

David Weil, a senior Labor Department official in the Obama administration remains optimistic about change on this scale, telling the Times that the monumental decision in California will “have major reverberations around the country.”

Justice Awareness • October 2019

Roll Backs on the Environment

By Rahul Ramarao, Nick Corral, and Irene Park Staff Writers and Justice Editor

Page 11 High levels of chemical pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S., have created fish-stressing “dead-zones” that are decimating ecologically important species such as blue crabs and oysters. The health of this bay is further jeopardized by the Trump Administration’s rollback of a 2015, Obama-era water rule that explicitly protected several types of water bodies—wetlands, rivers, and streams—from chemical pollution.

Repealing this rule fulfills the President’s central campaign pledge made to farmers who were outspoken in their opposition to the Obama-era water regulation.

Since the rule’s implementation, organizations like the Farm Bureau have lobbied against this legislation. However, the original law and Obama-regulation already provided farmers exemptions from parts of this rule.

During the EPA’s press conference on the rule, one environmentalist commented, “America’s waterways are an amazing resource that has been abused.”

And as the EPA continues to undermine the importance of climate change legislation, it is increasingly evident that their motives align with those of coal and mining industries.

The newly-relaxed rules allow coal-power plants and mining sites to dump wastewater contaminated with mercury, arsenic, and lead into nearby bodies of water. The goal of these rollbacks is to reinvigorate a dying coal industry, which continues, despite evidence showing its detrimental impact on the environment, to be an integral part of American politics out of proportion to its economic value or its longterm viability.

But many in America remain supportive of the EPA’s actions. They believe that the government should not encroach on their personal liberties and or the liberties of the marketplace.

Ultimately, the issue is not only one of environmental justice, but it is also a conflict between unencumbered capitalism and government oversight.

Yemen: Yet to Yield

By Anousha Athreya, Sarah Louie, Akhilesh Balasingam Staff Writers and Justice Editor Since the Yemen War began in 2015, more than 50,000 Yemenis have died. Around 80% of the population requires some form of humanitarian assistance, making the situation in Yemen the world’s largest humanitarian crisis as declared by the United Nations.

Tensions arose in the nation with the 2011 transfer of political power from Ali Abdullah Saleh to his deputy Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. Hadi was unable to assert political control, causing financial and political struggles.

From this rose the Houthi movement, a military rebel group that wanted to combat corruption in Yemen while seeking greater autonomy for Houthi-majority regions of the country. They charged Hadi, who readily welcomed both Saudi Arabian and American assistance, with betraying the Yemeni people and sacrificing Yemeni sovereignty.

The Rising Tide of Climate Refugees

By Ria Bavishi and Nikita Cardozo Staff Writers On August 21, the second strongest Atlantic hurricane on record directly hit the Bahamas, leaving at least 51 people dead and over half of the homes on the Great Abaco and Grand Bahamas destroyed. Caused by a category five storm, powerful winds, rains, and seawater destroyed the islands for three days, all the while inching closer to the United States.

The devastation in the Bahamas is part of a larger series of climate change disasters, displacing tens of thousands of inhabitants, who drift as refugees from nation to nation. The World Bank estimates that tens of millions of people could be considered climate refugees by 2050.

With homes in ruins and resources scarce, hundreds of Bahamians seeking refuge in the U.S. were denied boarding on a ferry bound for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, because they lacked an official U.S. visa, although entry visas have not been required in the past.

Acting Customs and Border Protection head Mark Morgan assured refugees “If your life is in jeopardy and you’re in the Bahamas … you’re going to be allowed to come to the United States, whether you have travel documents or not.”

President Trump disputed this statement,

declaring, “Everybody needs totally proper documentation. I don’t want to allow people that weren’t supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States—including some very bad people and very bad gang members.”

Given these conflicting responses from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and President Trump, climate refugees are left in a political and legal gray zone.

Furthermore, while the United States has granted temporary protected status to residents of Haiti and Nepal after earthquakes devastated those countries in 2010 and 2015, respectively, the Trump administration has decided not to extend the designation to Bahamas’ residents who were displaced by the storm.

Due to the federal government’s decision, the burden of caring for displaced Bahamians has fallen largely to charities and volunteers. The Bahamas Relief Cruise, for example, has been transporting volunteers to the island and bringing evacuees to temporary respite in Florida.

Lisa Benjamin, a Bahamian who teaches International Climate Change Law and Environmental Justice in Portland, Oregon, told the Tampa Bay Times, “We need action from large developing countries as well. Otherwise, this pattern will just replicate, intensify and worsen.”

In response, Houthi authorities have targeted civilians with snipers, recruited child soldiers, and inflicted siege warfare. Since March of 2015, Saudi Arabia has directed air strikes against the Houthis with support from the U.S., U.K., and France. These airstrikes have killed more than 5,200 civilians, threatened 17 million people with starvation, and ignited a mass exodus of 3.3 million Yemenis refugees.

In addition to these extreme human rights violations, the events in Yemen hold great importance in the Middle East. In recent years, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt have seized economic control of the Arabian peninsula, effectively controlling U.S. foreign policy in the region.

Their involvement in Yemen–although resulting in a high death toll–has implicit U.S. support. In May of 2019, Congress vetoed legislation attempting to end arms sales to the Saudi military campaigns in Yemen, a position that, as the war escalates, may implicate the US and several other Western nations in war crimes.

As of late September, the US military is sending roughly 200 troops, a surface-to-air missile battery, and several advanced radars to Saudi Arabia. The U.S. has faced public criticism from organizations such as the United Nations, who believe the escalation of tensions is unnecessary.

The prospects for diplomatic talks or a peace treaty seem distant, yet the UN Assistant-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ursula Mueller, expresses hope that a solution to “address the country’s enormous humanitarian crisis” can be found.

SPORTS Football: A Blue Collar Team

By Briana Meng Staff Writer Cue the Friday Night Lights because football season is back! This year, the Monarchs have looked to execute things a little differently.

The coaches have worked as hard as the players in preparing the team for the current season, each bound and determined to give it their all to reach the top.

Coming in hot this season, the Monarchs won two early non-conference games, and showed no desire to stop there. Though the Monarchs came up short against Marin Catholic High School, this setback will only proved to motivate them to work even harder and push themselves in order to reach new heights.

Commenting on changes for this season, Senior Zaccheus Ng-Posey states, “I think this season has been different from all the others because of the energy. For football, energy is defined as having a sense of presence where you overtly express your interest and love for the game.”

This energy translates into a strong sense of camaraderie, which their coaches continue to emphasize. Each player focuses not just on himself, but rather the development of the entire team.

Even within select positional groups, whether it be defensive backs or linemen, the ability to work cohesively as one unit only further contributes to the Monarchs’ success.

Senior Captain Davis Salom says, “The biggest theme of our team is that we are a blue collar team, meaning we have to work for everything that we get….One of our weekly themes was ‘Carry water, Chop wood’. This goes hand-in-hand with being blue collar because we have to do the little things every day.”

Ng-Posey affirms the crucial role the coaches play, explaining, “Since the beginning of the season, our coaches have motivated our team about leadership. Every single member of our team is capable of being a leader and I am glad to say that the number of leaders on our team has been getting bigger and bigger.”

The coaches are a constant source of inspiration for the players to dig deep and strive for excellence, and they will continue to fight relentlessly until the end.

A blowout 34-7 win over key rival Bellarmine along with another conference win against Archbishop Riordan signal the team is on the right track in its quest for a title.

Senior Davis Salom (55) leads the Monarchs onto the field against Archbishop Riordan.

Men’s Water Polo: “Everything”

Field Hockey: Juice the Mitty?

By Jack Smith Staff Writer Yes, you heard that right, “Juice the Mitty.” No, it’s not the name of Mitty’s imaginary smoothie bar, or a special Garden Club event, but instead the title of Field Hockey’s longtime pregame chant.

It may seem weird, but this cheer—which is enthusiastically performed before every game—does a tremendous job hyping up the team for each contest while simultaneously representing past members of the Field Hockey program. For the Field Hockey Team, this cheer is more than a mindless recitation of words; it prepares them for every match, unlocks the right mindset, and unites the team. Performing the cheer requires the entire team to circle up, rattle their sticks, and chant phrases like “Juice the Mitty,” “Go mighty Monarchs,” and “AMHS you know!”

Sophomore Kiara Dixon believes these cheers definitely have a positive impact, describing them as, “a way to pump up our team and hype each other up.” It may not be the seemingly random words that hype up the team, but instead the traditional value they hold. “Juice the Mitty” has been an important adage in the maintaining the legacy of the program, serving as a medium for team members to remember those who came before them; for upperclassmen, the cheer similarly lauds the remembrance of past teammates.

Among them is senior Olivia Diaz, who explains, “Being a senior, the ‘Juice the Mitty’ cheer means so much more to me than it has before, as I truly respect the girls who came before me.” To the seniors, this cheer is a way to continue an emotional bond with recently graduated teammates.

This cheer has complemented a stellar season for the Field Hockey program, but ultimately, one only has to look past this unusual title to see exactly what this cheer in fact is: a perfect vehicle to hype and unite Senior Olivia Diaz heads the a team. postgame handshakes against Presentation.

By Ronak Bhat Staff Editor Fresh off winning CCS last year, the Men’s Water Polo team is striving to repeat its success this year, although there is a good deal of pressure on the team to triumph. Aside from the competition, the team focuses on the mental aspect of the game, as they head into another exciting season. But what goes down in a typical water polo practice?

Team captain and senior Manato Yamamoto explains, “Our coach gives us a swim set for the day. After all the swimming, we usually use weight balls and weight belts for training.” Although this sounds daunting and, frankly exhausting for most, the varsity water polo team has no trouble completing these tasks, as they treat every practice for the important time it is.

Junior Dhruv Kanamury also provides an insight on the specific rituals conducted before every game, saying, “We get together and one person says the word ‘everything,’ and then we say it together as a team.” The team chants this word together to bolster their team’s confidence and objective before hopping into the pool to give “everything”: every ounce of energy that they have. These practices and pre-game rituals certainly will have an impact on the team throughout the season, as they look to continue to dominate in the water.

Senior Manato Yamamoto looks to score against Sacred Heart Prep.

Upcoming Games All Monarchs Should Watch Football

Field Hockey

Women’s Volleyball

When: Tuesday 10/29 @ 6 PM

When: Wednesday 10/30 @ 6 PM

When: Friday 11/1 @ 7 PM

Where: John Mise Park

Where: Mitty

Where: Foothill College

Why: Senior Day against Saint Francis

Why: Senior Night against St. Ignatius

Second to Last Game of Regular Season

Last Game of the Regular Season

Why: Senior Night against St. Ignatius Last Home Regular Season Game

Sports • October 2019

Page 13

Women’s Golf: Unbreakable Bonds

By Christine Barragan and Eric Brown Staff Writers This season, the Mitty women’s golf team has been shattering leaderboards with exciting wins over WCAL rivals Saint Francis and Presentation. The team is coached by Mr. John Mosunic, who outlines what sets Mitty golf apart from other schools: The girls truly have unadulterated fun playing this game and they consistently build off of each other’s energy.

Mr. Mosunic says that “The best golf teams work well together; they need to be able to communicate and enjoy one another’s company.” The importance of cohesion off the golf course proves critical to each player, since when they are playing oftentimes they tend to be by themselves.

All-WCAL Honorable Mention award winner senior Brooke Lentz, who has played all four years on varsity, mentioned that “I, as well as everyone else on the team, have very strong bonds. The van rides to and from matches, practices, and San Francisco games have created everlasting memories and friendships.”

They bond not just over the simple fact that Senior Maren Lopez tees up for a shot. they are all Monarchs but also over a shared passion for golf, as well as a dedication to the team’s success. These simple moments allow the golf team to form deep bonds with each other, resulting in their success on and off of the golf course.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR MONARCHS? 1) How many years has Mr. Mosunic been coaching the women’s golf team?

2) How many seniors are on the women’s varsity team this year?

3) Which school is Mitty’s biggest golf rival?

4) What is Mr. Mosunic’s coaching philosophy?

5) True or False: The Mitty golf teams have caddies.

Answers: 1) 27 | 2) 3| 3) Valley Christian | 4) Have Fun! | 5) False

Women’s Water Polo: Full of Pride

By Riley McNair Staff Writer On a 14-woman roster, having nine seniors dominate in the pool is a huge benefit for the women’s water polo team.

So what makes them come back for more every year? The simple answer: Pride. Pride in the team, pride in the program, and pride in each other.

Senior Emma Davis echoes this notion saying, “It has given me the confidence to try and do the impossible.”

This pride also causes the players to give 100% effort in everything they do.

Senior Annika Sy tracks down the loose ball As senior Arrington McGee states, against Saint Ignatius.

“We leave our blood, sweat, and tears in that water every game, giving it our all.”

Their dedication is shown through the incredible development of these players during their four years on the team, including players engaging in their first exposure to water polo. It takes hours of hard work for players to go from hardly being able to catch the ball to being able to fake, drive, and shoot. And, needless to say, they do all of this while treading water—a feat in itself.

Along those same lines, the team is proud of the community that they have developed over the past 4 years. When describing her team, senior Abi Rivers says that “every day they continuously make it worth the time it takes to play water polo.” Similarly, fellow senior teammate Annika Sy asserts that being on this team means that you learn “what it’s like to work hard together to bring each other back up.”

Being on a team means one thing, but being on an overtly supportive team like this is another. Whether it be in practice, a scrimmage, or a WCAL match, these young women continue to push each other, making themselves better players as a result. The women’s water polo program has been built on the support and the ideals of building people up rather than tearing them down. And to any newcomers to the program, heed the collective senior advice: Never give up and give it your all. Those two mindsets will no doubt carry on the legacy of the class of 2020.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! 1) How many BVAL titles do these Monarchs have? CCS? 2) How many players were named All-WCAL in 2017? 2018?

3) Which sport has the most similar rules to waterpolo?

4) How long are water polo quarters?

5) How many individual kickouts are allowed until a player is ejected?

Women’s Tennis: New Coach, New Approach

By Kyle Nguyen-Ngo Staff Editor The Archbishop Mitty women’s tennis team is currently enjoying a successful season, having had decisive wins over WCAL rivals, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Valley Christian, and Presentation. Much of their success can be attributed to Coach Katherine Limbach and her approach to the game off the court. She mentions that a pillar of their team is each player’s ability to go “into each match with confidence and determination.”

Senior Chaelee Park certainly reflects this ideal, as she approaches games “determined to set the tone for all matches,” since she often serves as a source of inspiration for her younger teammates.

Coach Katherine Limbach discusses Coach Limbach preaches the ability to strategy with sophomore Mai Tran. take each game as it comes, ignoring both your and your opponent’s record. She also teaches the importance of the unseen aspects of tennis, including mental strength, patience, and pattern development within points.

In order to dedicate themselves to these concepts, each practice begins with a huddle, where they outline their main focus of the day. Through these extended efforts, her players recognize that they “are capable of going toe to toe with the top teams in the league.”

Being able to uphold this tenacity and drive is crucial for the team’s success, which is why most practices have a “compete” portion. During these periods, each player maintains an area of focus they’ve honed during drills and makes the transition into applying these skills in much more intense matchplay.

Coach Limbach believes in both an offensive and defensive balance to the game, as she works on offensive skills including approach shots and overheads, as well as defensive skills like lobs and slices.

By developing these particular skills in this competitive atmosphere, players become more comfortable executing these shots when they matter the most.

Women’s Volleyball: Coaching the Mind

By Kaavya Narayan Staff Writer Fresh off a successful start to the season, including a win at the Las Vegas Nike Durango Tournament, and league wins against the Presentation Panthers, this year’s Mitty women’s volleyball team set the tone early for the rest of its season. Behind every great team is a passionate and driven coach, and this team is no different. With 11 state championships, it’s clear Coach Bret Almazan-Cezar knows how to win. This volleyball program has built its tradition of excellence around coaching philosophy, team culture, and game strategies.

This season, as in previous years, the team has emphasized the mental aspect of the game. Volleyball is often called a game of mistakes, and it is important to understand and grow from that adversity. As a part of practice, the coaches and players incorporate meditation and visualization sessions to enhance focus on the court. Tatum Korb, a senior setter, explains, “Volleyball is such a mental sport, so learning how to control how we react, calm our breath, and visualize helps us be better volleyball players.”

The team is focusing on running a quick offense, incorporating a diverse selection of plays, and staying activated throughout.

Julia Cabri, a senior middle blocker comments, “When we play activated, we’re not trying to play too energetically and we aren’t trying to be too calm; it’s a balance in the middle. When we’re activated, we play our best and we can move to the next point easily.”

One specific drill the team utilizes to speed up its offense is a “never ending drill” where the goal is to stay active throughout, but also continue to play transitional defense until the end. Maintaining a high level of competitiveness and activation during these practices is key for match preparation.

As this team prepares for the rest of the season, you can always catch them singing and dancing before each game to a playlist filled with songs by Queen, Beyoncé, and from Pitch Perfect.

This team is honing its mental game, speeding up its offense, fine-tuning its singing skills, and is ready to take on Senior Julia Cabri elevates to spike the ball the WCAL! against Saint Francis.

Answers: 1) 2, 1 | 2) 4, 4 | 3) Basketball | 4) 7 minutes | 5) 3

Page 14

Why are you passionate about photography?

Ever since I was exposed to it, photography has been an extremely useful outlet for me and my emotions. It serves as some kind of escape from everything else going on. When I have a camera in my hand, it seems as if the only thing that really exists is what I am seeing through the lens.

What gear do you use?

Most often I shoot with my Nikon D3200 with its 18-55mm lens, but when I’m able to, I like to switch to a larger lens (something like a 55-200mm or a 70-300mm). Sometimes I’ll shoot while using a tripod, reflectors, or lens filters, but more often than not, it’s just me. my camera, and my lens.

What editing software do you use?

Personally, I use Lightroom CC, mainly because it’s what I was taught on.

Describe your style in three words.

Subjective, fluid, & high-contrast.

Which photographers do you look up to and why?

Although I don’t particularly model my work after any other photographers, I would say I’ve learned a lot about photography through the works of Gordon Parks, Humza Deas, and a photographer that goes by the monicker, JR. These three helped me to see the compositional structuring within photos and to realize that photography needs to be treated as more than an art form. A lot of the works they create are focused around telling stories and bringing light to things that aren’t often looked at. They use their camera not as a tool but as a weapon in a war for equality—which is truly inspiring to me.

October 2019 • Photography

Photography • October 2019

Page 15

Editor’s Choice: Sophia Lehrbaum

“I like this picture because it represents the relaxed lifestyle of Europeans compared to Americans’ constant movement. When I turned around, I saw the sun hitting the water and making it look so blue, and I knew I wanted to capture the moment.”

Sophia’s photo of the coast of Cinque Terre in Italy was chosen for its vibrant colors, artful composition, and mastery of lighting. Check out more of Sophia’s photos on VSCO @sophiamartha.

Title: View from a Gondola Gear: iPhone XR Photographer: Emilee Gregory Location: Whistler, Canada

Title: Sunset Dream Gear: iPhone XR Photographer: Monica Gonzales Location: Cozumel, Mexico

Title: Golden Girl, Golden Hour, Golden Day Gear: iPhone 8+ Photographer: Helen Deng Location: Hanover, New Hampshire

By Erica Cardozo, Sophia Alloggiamento, Alexa Richman Photo Editors

Highway 1 at Big Sur: Looking for a place to cross off your California bucket list? Highway 1 runs along the Pacific Coastline, but every viewpoint provides a unique vista. Big Sur’s winding roads and seaside cliffs have two main vantage points: Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls.

Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco: Do you want to have a rockin’ good time at a funky intersection? Head on over to the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco! Between the colorful, ’80s style architecture and the eccentric shops and people, Haight-Ashbury is the ideal spot for urban photography.

San Jose Municipal Rose Garden: Looking to be the next bachelor or bachelorette? Start finding your angle among roses at the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden. A beautiful garden in the middle of an urban city, this is the perfect location for prom pictures, portraits, or landscapes. You’ll find the most roses throughout the April to November season. (Contact abc.com/casting for more information)!

Shark Fin Cove: Scared of sharks, but want to get the perfect shot? Located off of Highway 1 near Davenport, the Cove includes a beach that provides a beautiful landscape of the ocean with an appropriately named fin-shaped cliff. If you are feeling extra brave, take a hike through the deserted tunnel and endure just a few spider webs only o be rewarded with a beautiful garden.

News • October 2019

Life Skills: What You’re Missing

By Shefali By Shefali Bharadwaj Bharadwaj & & Alexander Alexander Richter Richter Staff Writers Time is flying by faster than ever before, and soon, you will be on your own in the real world. Schools aren’t required to teach life skills to students, so what better way to prepare yourself for the modern world than by joining the Life Skills Club? The Life Skills Club is a “low commitment club” that meets once every couple of weeks and is designed to equip Mitty students with the skills needed to be successful in modern society. The premise of this club is to teach “things that aren’t taught at school yet are vital to living in the real world.”

Sophomore Anish Bhadani, the club co-founder, took a life skills club in junior high, but that club primarily focused on cooking. Along with fellow sophomore Jay Gupta, Bhadani thought the idea of a Life Skills Club had a great amount of potential and wanted to form an organization that would teach skills such as managing finances, writing resumes, handling interviews, and paying taxes.

The club’s activities are intended “to prepare students, so they can face the real world with a sense of confidence and not feel overwhelmed with the prospect of being on their own,” says Bhadani.

The Life Skills club is also planning on collaborating with different clubs that “fall under the life skills umbrella: things like the baking club, stocks and finances, the business club,” Bhadani adds.

Ultimately, this club offers instruction aimed to make individuals successful in the real world.

By Nathan Elias & Oliver Chen Staff Writers \Every year, students band together and take a shot at making a difference through the clubs they form, and this year, co-presidents seniors Tanish Kumar and junior Ishir Vaidyanith have created something special to offer the Mitty community in the form of CIPHER. CIPHER (Contemporary International Politics Hitech and Economics Rotation) is a club that focuses on current events related to the topics that form its name, and its co-presidents hope to provide greater exposure to these subjects. “This is usually an area that is underrepresented, so we want to be able to allow people to have some experience with the topics,” says Vaidyanath.

The club goes into great depth in its meetings, using discussions paired with mass media such as The Terminator to discuss artificial intelligence. CIPHER is a hybrid club, and as the year progresses, its directors hope the knowledge gained from CIPHER will prove invaluable.

Celebrating Polynesian Culture

By Yixuan Qiao & Emily Vu Staff Writers When one thinks of the Pacific Islands, glittering blue water and breezy tropical weather usually comes to mind.

However, beyond the white-sand beaches and palm trees, the Polynesian people have a vibrant and beautiful culture they call their own.

The Polynesian Culture Club—a new addition to Mitty—is a group dedicated to raising awareness about the Polynesian lifestyle. The club is moderated by Mr. Sione Ta’ufo’ou and Mr. Mathew Ta’ufo’ou.

In the words of club founders junior Marley Langi and senior Sulia’anapesi Reed, “We wanted to create an environment that allows students to learn more about the Polynesian culture.”

The Polynesian islands consist of over 1,000 landmasses scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean. Langi and Reed hail from a number of them, including Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Hawai’i, Tahiti, and New Zealand. The club, however, is not restricted to those of Polynesian descent, accepting anyone who wants to learn about the culture. Marley states, “Everyone is welcome to join. We’re completely inclusive; you don’t have to be Polynesian to be a part.”

The club will also embrace and share the Polynesian culture through several activities this year. “We’re planning dances, rugby tag, and other cultural games. We are also going to perform at Multicultural Day this year,” Langi explains.

Page 16

By Cecelia Grassi Staff Writer It’s the thing that drives us all insane— students, teach teachers, counselors, and parents alike. It looms over us all throughout our high school career, becoming increasingly prominent as each year passes.

It is “The most important essay of your life,” and everyone’s favorite time of year: college applications!

Despite the hardships that may accompany the college process, Mitty’s faculty is here to make our lives easier by making the college application process much less daunting than it seems.

A key piece of advice from counselor Ms. Katie Benford is that students of all grades should get an early start on the college application journey.

According to Mrs. Benford, “Freshman should get involved in things that interest them. Don’t wait to start getting involved. Sophomores can start touring schools and/or adding to their resume in Naviance. Juniors can start organizing SAT/ACT test prep and even begin taking theses tests. Juniors should discuss with their counselors when it is right for them to take the test because it really depends on their math placement—we want to set you up for the best score possible.”

The essay section of the applications often takes the most amount of time and effort to complete, but Mitty offers multiple services to aid students.

By Chloe Powell & Maya Smestad Staff Writers Junior year can be associated with a more rigorous course load, standardized testing, and a heightened focus on life after high school. However, transitioning from a sophomore to an upperclassman certainly has its advantages, one of which is the opportunity to participate in an Ethics, Culture, and Justice (ECJ) class.

Each course is a year-long, immersive class that teaches students about the social justice issues specific to a particular region of the world. At the end of the year, students then visit that location to perform integral service that benefits the community. This year, a new ECJ course has been added to the curriculum: ECJ: Jamaica.

ECJ: Jamaica will replace the ECJ: Native America class that was formerly offered and will be led by Mr. Patrick Kennedy,, who has previously led trips like ECJ: South Africa.

ECJ: South Africa, the class that Mr. Kennedy used to teach, is in some ways similar to ECJ: Jamaica. As Mr. Kennedy explains, both Jamaica and South Africa have a long history of racism, which has impacted their culture and other aspects of the country.

Mr. Kennedy also notes a benefit of all such trips: “One of the things that I think I enjoy from these trips is seeing the students being able to encounter and work with people from a different culture. I think we’ll have a lot of meaningful service opportunities and cultural activities there.”

Associate Principal Mr. Keith Mathews has implemented a variety of resources to assist seniors in the application process.

Mitty now holds an essay-writing workshop over two days near the end of summer. At the workshop students get advice from admissions officers from local colleges and get help on their essays from Mitty teachers. Additionally, three essay-writing workshops are scattered throughout the fall on Saturdays to provide one-on-one time with teachers to polish up one’s essay. And finally, “no homework week for seniors” in October leaves time for students to complete the bulk of their applications and refine their essays with no other school work distractions.

As described by Ms. Benford, the college application process should be as follows: Draft your essay, finalize your college list, take care of letters of recommendation, turn in the recommendation form, continue working on the actual applications, finalize your application with your counselor, and after that, submit!

If that sounds easy enough, that’s because it can be. With a little direction from your counselor and a lot of organization, college applications don’t have to be so intimidating. They certainly demand an abundance of work, time, and thought to finalize, but if Ms. Benford believes that if seniors stay on top of the process and utilize all of Mitty’s resources, they won’t be left scrambling at the last minute.

During their time on the trip, students will have the opportunity to serve hospices, schools, orphanages, and more while working alongside the Diocese of Mandaville.

“One of the exciting things about this trip is that we’ll be working more closely with the Catholic Church,” Mr. Kennedy comments. “They provide a huge amount of social services in the country, so I think that’ll be interesting to see what the Catholic Church is doing there.”

Allison Swift Swift explains that although Junior Allison the first semester is just halfway over, they have already completed many intriguing assignments. One of these was a project regarding Jamaican national heroes, where the prestudents researched and pre sented on a significant historical figure from Jamaica.

Swift based her project on Mortimer Planno, Bob Marley’s teacher.

Learning not just about counthe culture surrounding the coun themtry but also about the people them selves and their influence on the world is an important part of any ECJ course.

Ultimately, this new trip hopes to offer a number of positive experiences and opportunities for hands-on learning.

To any student considering the class in the future, Allison offers the following advice: “I would definitely recommend this class or any ECJ because you get to meet and know people who otherwise you might not talk to.You also learn so many unique things you otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to.”

Prepping for PSAT

By Prisha Raj & Alinna Villaroman Staff Writer The PSAT and SAT have been consistent components of Mitty’s on-campus academics for years.

However, this past spring, the classes of 2020 and 2021 were informed of a new development regarding both standardized tests: an SAT testing opportunity during the school day, introduced by College Board.

Essentially, this means that all juniors and seniors are required to take the SAT on a designated day at school unless they have their parents’ approval to be exempt. Juniors must take the SAT on March 25, 2020, while for seniors, the assigned date was October 16, 2019.

While juniors are testing on March 25, freshmen, sophomores, and seniors will have a day off from school, and the staff will have an inservice day. The October 16 SAT testing date for seniors—which used to be a free day for seniors to visit colleges in the area—coincided with both Freshman Day of Service as well as

the mandatory PSAT testing for juniors and sophomores.

Ms. Tien Menor, the Counseling Department Chair, explains the purpose of the change: “High schools are not in charge of the SATs. We’re simply a host site, meaning any student can come to Mitty on Saturdays for testing. With this new opportunity, any high school can sign up to give the SAT to their students during the school day, and we’ve decided to do so. This guarantees all of our students can have some seats.”

Although the College Board will continue to offer SAT days on certain Saturdays, having a guaranteed spot at one’s school can be more accommodating for students since the testing day will not interfere with their extracurriculars or require them to travel a great distance.

The registration process remains the same for both the PSAT and SAT, with the students automatically registered for the exams and the parents subsequently receiving a $65 bill through SMART Tuition.