Cont ent s 3
Letter from the Editor
7
Visiting Author: Carlos Andres Gomez To the Class of 2020
4
W riting Announcement
8
Sustainability Action Team
16
W hy You Should Join ASD MUN
Community
22
Blast From the Past
28
W here are Seniors Going
29
Entertainment
34
The Oscars Rounded Up
35
Current Events
14
21
5
6
Student Life
10
The NHS Lock-In
18
Are You Egotistical?
Visiting Author: Afra Atiq
12
23
Spring Meals for Your Family
30
Top 3 Buddy Comedies
36
Mental Health of "Love Island"
40
How COVID-19 Betrays the Fallacies of the U.S.
School Events
20
Service Learning Mentorship
26
Spring Break Travel Destinations For Next Year
32
Daredevil: An Analysis
38
COVID-19 Timeline
42
A Term in Review
Let t er Fr om The Edit or Su Min Lee'20
Welcome back ASD! W ith the current Coronavirus pandemic, I hope you are all well and are taking care of yourselves. W hether we like it or not, virtual learning has started, and I think it is a great opportunity for us all to learn time management and self-care. For me personally, spring is truly an inspiring time of year. Some of you may be enjoying the time off while others may suffer through SAT and AP exams.
Freshmen, you are halfway through the year; let?s finish the year strong. Sophomores, enjoy your free time while it lasts. Juniors, this is the official start of your college admission process. You should start thinking about getting teacher recommendations and maintaining a high GPA. I understand that it may be a little challenging for you with the AP exam changing and the SATs getting postponed, but I believe that you will change this challenge into an opportunity to grow as a bigger person. Seniors, it is very unfortunate that our Senior year was taken away from us; but we are less than 100 days to graduating, so let?s try to keep up the good work! As always, I thank everyone for making The Akhbar a way to motivate, lead and celebrate all of the wonderful activities happening right here at ASD. Here is to the promise of spring.
EDITORIALSTAFF
beat edit or s
Repor t ing
Editor In Chief
Student Life
Ishan Das '21
Su Min Lee '20
Zoe McCuaig '20
Millie Grose '20
Copy Editor s
Community
Maheen Khan '21
Su Min Lee'20
Renee Garg '20
Ananya Prakash '21
Ferris Elaraby'20
Enter tainment
Hannah Reefay '23
Abril Zini '22
Ferris Elaraby '20
Lily Baltes ' 21
Layout Editor
Cur r ent Events
Archie Sergeant '20
Zoe McCuaig '20
Abril Zini '22
Daniella Ucen '22
Advisor
Alan Berzinji '22
Mrs. Bryant
Hana Jamal '20 Mia Safar '21
All cover images are from unsplash.com
want t o Guest wr it e an ar t icl e? Email us at akhbar @asdubai.or g
al l ar t icl es ar e due Apr il 23, 2020 and ar e subj ect t o edit or ial r ev iew 4
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Visit ing aut hor : Meet af r a at iq su min l ee'20 & l ily bal t es '21 Afra Atiq is an Emirati award-winning poet and Ph.D. candidate, having recently won the Special Achievement Award at the Arab W omen Awards and the 2017 ADMAF Creativity Award. Growing up in a multicultural environment under an Emirati father and a Japanese mother, Afra Atiq continues to inspire people around the world. We had the wonderful opportunity to interview her while she was visiting ASD in February. 1. W hen did you fir st l ear n that you w anted to pur sue this path? I feel like poetry chose me, I didn?t choose it. Literature has always been a part of my life, so I feel like it was a natural progression of how things went. Some artists say, ?I knew I wanted to become a poet when I was three!?but I didn?t really have that moment. 2. Can you descr ibe w hat ?spok en w or d poetr y?is to you? Spoken word poetry is something that is meant to be experienced. W hether you experience it live, whether you experience it through a video, whether you experience it in whatever way, it?s having that connection. That?s essentially what I loved about it. It?s about having an experience through poetry. Seeing it, hearing it, or feeling it, or however you choose to interpret it and however you choose to live that experience is what spoken word poetry is about. 3. W hat w er e your favor ite pieces to per for m? I have a poem about my grandfather about pearl-diving culture. It was one of the first poems I performed that was bilingual. W hat?s funny about that poem is that I wrote that poem years after his death and I wrote it in English and the poem wasn?t happening, and I wrote it in Arabic and the poem was still not happening. One day my friend told me, ?Afra, you need to write this poem in English and Arabic,?and I said, ?W hy,?and she said, ?Because that?s how you spoke to him.?I don?t think I fully grieved this death until I wrote this poem - it?s a very special one for me. I know it iscustomary tobegin letter with ?dear? But thereisnothing dear about you Therearenowarning signsor symptoms Therewasonly awkward silence But silencecan havedecibels Louder than thespeakerson theboom-box on theblock party thenext block over I?mnot sureif thedoctor washanding out a treatment plan Or a lifesentencetomy grandmother Every word a conviction Talking about oddsand optionslikewecan opt-out When weall know Cancer never really leaves. From?An Open Letter toCancer?
Afra Speaking at ASD - Lily Baltes
Visit ing aut hor : Car l os Andr es gomez Carlos Andres Gomez is a Columbian American poet, known widely for his slam poetry performances of ?W hat Latino Looks Like?and ?W here are you really from?? in addition to his bestselling book Hijito. His work often tackles difficult topics regarding race/ ethnicity. Additionally, he has previously worked with John Legend on Senior Orientation, a program that deals with both bullying and toxic masculinity in high school settings.
Maheen Khan '21 Fer r is El ar aby '20
Doyou relatetothestudentshere? ?This my second time in Dubai and I love it here. It?s very cool to come and visit your amazing school. My dad worked for the United Nations, so I went to international schools for a lot of my childhood. I don?t know if it?s the same as if I was in school but the atmosphere feels very similar. I lived in four countries growing up and went to 12 different schools. I moved constantly, so I was always the new kid. I was kind of always a little bit on the outside. So I bet there?s some overlap with the experiences.? Isthereoneplaceyou call home? ?Yea. The closest thing to home that I?ve ever known is New York. New York is the closest thing to home. I?ve lived in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The lower east side definitely has my heart. I came up as a poet performing in a cafe from 17 years old, almost 20 years ago. So it definitely holds a special place in my heart.? How did you decidetobecomea poet?Not a typical career choice. How did you choosethat? ?The short version of it is I think growing up, in high school, I think people were much more beholden to these deductive binaries about who you were supposed to be. I think my whole life I had been an athlete, and I didn?t think I could be an artist and an athlete. W hen I was 17, this incredible poet came to my school by the name of Martinez Parda and he read from his book ImaginetheAngelsof Bread, and it pretty much altered the trajectory of my life. It was the first time I had heard poetry that spoke so profoundly to me and heard work that I think that I saw myself in, which felt very different from the canonical poetry that I was forced to read in school that I didn?t resonate with. So I think that?s where I really first had poetry struck me like a bolt of lightning. And then it became something that I needed to survive, and I knew I wanted it in my life. I never, in a million years, did I think I would be a poet on a professional scale. Then when I was 23 at a time when I was working as a social worker and a public school teacher, a random series of unfortunate accidents lead me to get cast in the Spike Lee movie as one of the bank robbers, and the money from that and other opportunities that came from that, it gave me the opportunity to take the leap to be a full-time artist. You usually don?t have a buffer like that to become an artist. For a year or two, I didn?t have to worry about money. I think that gave me the opportunity to become a poet. So on June 1st, 2005 I made the full commitment to becoming a poet. 15 years later, I?m still an artist doing all sorts of things like voice over, performances, teaching, etc. all centering around being a poet and work focused on social issues. How wasworking asa publicschool teacher and social worker affected your poetry today? I think I worked with the most marginalized populations, people that are vilified with no resources, people who have been discarded from society. I worked with addicts, homeless, I think when you?re working with people like that, I had to have a real sense of who I was. It taught me to feel very rooted and grounded as well as variable and clear. Did you think your poemswould reach such a wideaudienceof people? It?s very encouraging that it has. W hen ?W hat Latino Looks Like? went viral, it touched a lot of people because it pushes back and challenges these one-dimensional, reductive, dehumanizing notions of any identity is the point of that piece. What advicewould you givetostudentsstarting theprocessof choosing what todowith their lives? W hen I was in high school, people always told me I needed to have a path, a structure. W hen your 17, 19, 22 and I personally believe that that is ridiculous. If you are any of those ages, don?t rush into something unless you feel drawn to a passion. If not, take a year off, give yourself space in order to experiment, fail, reflect, interrogate and you don?t have to figure out your life until your ready. Life is short, you are 17 and you have a right to not feel anxious about that. People don?t have a right to tell you something is wrong with you if you don?t have it figured out. I feel as though my success is possible because I gave myself permission to explore and reflect on what I really wanted to do and I let myself.
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How t o sav e t he pl anet Eat mor e pl ant-based It is widely known that going vegan or even vegetarian can reduce your carbon footprint as more people join the moo-vement, but how bad can meat really be?According to TheWater We Eat, it takes an average of three years to raise a cow and nearly 3,091,000 liters of water to produce only 200 kilos of boneless meat. That?s equivalent to about 15,400 liters for just one kilo of beef. Reducing your consumption of beef will not only reduce your water footprint, but it will also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and ocean pollution. A few months ago, the news lit up with stories about how the Amazon rainforest, the lungs of our Earth, was on fire. Many farmers were taking the Brazilian land so they had grazing land to feed their dairy and meat farms. Despite protests from around the world, these fires are still occurring on a smaller scale and will continue to destroy forests and habitats as the demand for meat and dairy products rises in developing and growing countries like India Imagecredit: FutureKind and China. In addition to reducing your consumption of red meat, the best option for your health and the planet is to eat more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains and limit the amount of highly processed food in your diet.
Eat more local and organic The farming of your food heavily affects the quality of the food you consume. Eating more organic means fewer pesticides, no artificial colors, no preservatives, no genetic modifications, and no usage of antibiotics. W ho wants to put any of those damaging chemicals in their body anyway?W ashing your fruits and vegetables isn?t a reliable option either as it won?t remove all of the pesticides. According to How ToSaveTheWorld For Free, almost 300 pesticides can be used in non-organic farming and have the ability to remain on your food despite all the cooking and washing. Not only will organic farming save your body, but it can also help to save bees and other insect populations from extinction as insecticides don?t discriminate against any group of bugs. Additionally, organic farms are more likely to have ethical boundaries when it comes to the treatment of animals, including fewer cages and more grass-feeding. But isn?t organic more expensive?Although some organic foods may be more pricey, organic farms tend to be smaller, local, and private businesses that don?t get the same government subsidies as other big corporations. They also tend to pay their workers better wages, especially companies involved in Fair Trade production. Moreover, the British Journal of Nutrition discovered that there are significant nutritional benefits to eating organic food than non-organic, which means you?re getting more worth out of every bite. Eating organic could even potentially save you money from future medical bills from the cancer-causing chemicals in non-organic food. Overall, organic considers the true cost of safe food production that industrial farming fails to report including the cost of environmental destruction, chronic health issues, and animal welfare. Similarly, buying certain seasonal foods from local farmers can help promote your local economy and support smaller businesses. In places like Dubai, where water and arable land are limited, local farming isn?t as sustainable due to the energy-intensive farming required to support these farms than just buying exported food.
t hr ough your diet and f ood However, different crops have the potential to thrive in different areas and require less energy to be produced, thus buying foods like olives, grapes, pomegranates, dates, figs, and goat cheese from local farmers can be more beneficial for the environment than buying the exported versions. According to How ToSave TheWorld For Free, on average, the meal you consume has traveled up to 1,200 km from farm to your plate. Knowing where your food comes from and its carbon footprint is one of the most important and beneficial options for saving the environment.
Kal ey bl ack '20
Imagecredit: Visual Capitalist
Reduce your plastic waste Your inner VSCO girl might be telling you to refuse that plastic straw and bring your own reusable water bottles everywhere you go, but this newfound trend may actually be saving a decent amount of plastic from polluting our landfills and oceans. On average, one reusable water bottle can save 83 plastic water bottles, and one straw can save up to about 295 plastic straws a year. Additionally, bringing your own reusable containers for taking out food from restaurants and a reusable mug for coffee and tea when going out to Starbucks can reduce your food container waste significantly. Materials like coffee cups, straws, food containers, and stirrers are typically made out of plastics or contain materials that make them unrecyclable and single-use. Thus, materials that only last us seconds end up staying on our planet and polluting oceans for thousands of years. According to How toSavetheWorld for Free, plastic isn?t biodegradable and nearly 12 million tonnes will end up in our oceans every year due to littering, leaks, and plastic-pellet spills due to us, the consumers, contributing to the manufacturing of the plastic industry, fish industry, and littering of our sewers and storm drains. Buying things in bulk can help to reduce plastic packaging from Imagecredit: Greenhat Studio food and some stores even allow you to bring your own containers and fill food from their bulk section. New stores around Dubai are offering this type of consumerism like Organic Foods and Cafe and Spinneys by encouraging reusable bags for fruits and veggies and having a bulk section within their stores. Furthermore, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium of California, nearly a million seabirds and thousands of sea animals die every year eating or being caught in plastic pollution. Moreover, microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic that can?t even be seen by the human eye, pollute not only our oceans but also the seafood we eat, sea salt, and over 90 percent of table salt brands. Currently, there is a giant mass of plastic waste with a surface area of about 1.6 kilometers, three times the size of France, sitting on our Pacific Ocean, and is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. In addition to our consumption of products containing plastics, the seafood we eat and how we eat it can help to reduce our plastic footprint. Many fishing practices used by the industry are highly unsustainable, using wide nets that capture any sort of marine life without discrimination and decimate healthy populations of marine ecosystems. These plastic nets, lines, and traps are known to break or even be abandoned by fishing companies in our oceans and leave 700,000 tonnes of pollution, 10 percent of overall ocean pollution, in our marine ecosystems. By buying seafood from sustainable fishing brands or even reducing your consumption of seafood products can help lessen plastic pollution and save your body from microplastics.
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The NHS Lock- IN Zoe McCuaig '20 The NHSlock-in was a successful school event, filled with sleep-deprived students and teachers. The night was full of entertaining activities like the dodgeball game, playing ping pong, singing at the open-mic, and so much more!
As a tradition, to start off the night: the pieing of teachers and students. This year Ms. Richards was pied along with Carl Myers ?21, Xander Smith ?22, and Markus Hagen ?23.
TheoGyra '20, Issam Humza '22, Karl Arora '22
Mr. Bryant got to relive his high school days by playing Dungeons and Dragons with a few students.
CallieWittmann '23, Simran Vora '21, Mr. Bryant, Anika Brawn '23, Amal Ramadan '23, Tatiana Arias'23
The Sustainability Action Team had an amazing idea to plant flowers in recycled candles and food jars at their booth on the tennis courts. The club?s goal was to help spread awareness of sustainability by showing that even the smallest little things can help the environment - and be pots of fun!
Dow Swart '20, Ariana Sanchez '20, Kaley Black '20 High Tide also hosted an open mic event on the tennis courts. Directrix, a band including drummer Daniel Duncko ?20, singer and bassist Hamza Jilani ?20, and guitarist Berk Ergoz ?20 played some of their rockin?hits along with a few other talented students. TVs shows such as Brooklyn 99 and Friends were playing on the roof while dodgeball, ping pong, and videogames were being played inside. And, of course, there were movies playing in the movie room. NHS supplied a falafel and shawarma dinner plus a free snack table with a variation of drinks from sodas, tea, coffee, and chocolate and strawberry milk. The table had a huge collection of ramen, popcorn, chips and Cinnabon!
The lock-in was a nice distraction to de-stress from school and stay up late by watching movies and TV shows, playing games, and just spending time with your friends! The lock-in was a chance to take the time for self-care. The school takes up so much of our free time that we can?t take a breath. It gave us an excuse to lay back, enjoy the moments, and make new memories.
Letty Ghosn '21,Eman Bundakji '22 , Aaliyah Ismail'21 All photostaken by Maheen Khan '21
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School ev ent s ananya pr akash'21 10 minute plays - The ten minutes plays took place in February, and they were a delight to watch. W ith every performance, the excitement was increasing, and it was absolutely amazing to watch the actors perform so well and with such perfection. Our actors could definitely beat professional actors around the world. All the plays were unique in their own way: plays that made you laugh, and most importantly, plays that gave us all important lessons and experiences. You could not possibly move your eyes away from the stage for even a single minute. There were 10 plays -La Moucheby Stephen Bittrich - A customer finds a fly in his soup. His French waiters try to "help". -TheFenceby James Hanson - Husbands and wives don't necessarily see things the same way. -Dispatch by Andrew Cooper - W hat is it like to be on the receiving end of an emergency call center line? -Whodunnit by Iobel Andemicael - The Diva's precious dog has disappeared! W ill the inspector be able to interpret the clues of the experimental theatre troupe? -Script 4: Waysby the cast - Same script: Four different interpretations. W hich one works best? -StatusUpdateby Bradley Hayward - A snapshot of this generation and how communication has evolved. -TwoCats, NoDogsby Terry Roeche - A woman and a man admire a painting at an art gallery, their passionate inner thoughts not matching their outward awkwardness. -Anger Management by Lindsay Price - Tragic Shakespearean women Juliet and Ophelia meet up in the after life at their therapist's office. -Sweet Dreamsby Wendy-Marie Martin - Overachieving HS student Jordan is paid a visit by her ever helpful BFF fairies. - TwoEggsby Stephen Bittrich - Jane doesn't know quite how to handle the changing personality of her neighbor Skip, who claims to need eggs for a cake. The magic created with these shows was something that can't be explained in words, and those who missed probably are at a great loss.
High School Pops Concert - Like every year, the Pops Concert 2020 was one amazing concert with the perfect lighting, musicians, and of course, the audience as well. The concert began with some really cool jazz music. W hat made it even more exciting were the pop songs; for example, the wind ensemble played ?Star W ars?. The concert had four parts: chamber orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz band, and symphonic band. Diala Abuhamdieh?20 who was one of the participants said, ?This year?s concert was amazing. It's my last concert, and I am going to miss the pops concert. The only thing I missed was having the concert out in the open just like every year - rest was all awesome. Our efforts and everyday early morning practices really paid off!!?
Unfortunately, some of the events had to be cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus. W ith all the excitement and joy all the kids had for the events, having them cancelled was truly disappointing. Here are some of the cancelled events. DIDI - The DIDI project was held and ASD participated in it along with over 100 schools. DIDI is a design based innovation project competition where young minds get to explore new experiences and have an opportunity to display their skills and creativity. Students were really excited for this as they were getting an opportunity to present their projects in front of professionals and big corporate companies. The deadline for this project was at the beginning of March. Unfortunately it was postponed, and the judges decided to have a virtual judging panel, thus encouraging all the students to submit their projects for which they had worked quite hard. Now that the students have submitted their projects, they are excitedly waiting for the result.
School Maker Faire - Another event that got cancelled was the School Maker Faire. This event encourages students at ASD to be innovators and makers. This event helps the students to make use of their skills and learning in the classroom in real life situations and projects and also encourages them to create something unique and innovative.
All imagesf romtheHighSchool Bulletin.
Headin gs
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To t he cl ass of 2020 Hana Jamal '20 Dear Class of 2020, I wanted to dedicate a page to all of you, and the hundreds and thousands of graduates this year. As a disclaimer, I don't want to take away from the importance of the Coronavirus, nor do I represent the situation at large. However, I would like to address the "elephant in the room" for our Class of 2020, and more importantly all seniors students, in both high school and university graduating this year. Our situation deserves recognition and empathy; however, I am by no means attempting to overshadow the larger issue that our world is facing, nor suggest that Covid-19 should be taken lightly. A pandemic calls for extreme measures to ensure the safety of ourselves and our loved ones.
W ith all that being said, I'd like to share a collective feeling of "what in the world is going on?" with all that is being thrown at us. One minute we were looking at jokes online about this unknown virus, all of it feeling far from our reality. We were ominously foreshadowed with news to come, though all of it appearing far fetched and somewhat impractical at the time. Seemingly overnight, school was canceled, and our routine and reality was rerouted indefinitely.
Not to over exaggerate, but it is definitely a feeling of grief. We lost a lot that was close to us. For some, a routine, a lifestyle, and what was always supposed to be.
We are allowed to mourn. Mourn all our senior traditions we will miss out on. Mourn our friendships we abruptly said goodbye to. Mourn our spring break. Mourn our last day of high school. Mourn our graduation, our senior walk, and our red letter tradition. Mourn all our expectations as small as they might seem to others. Despite the belittling of our situation by some, we did deserve it. Our situation is valid and very unfortunate.
Imagecredit: Gulf News
I want you all to remember how it felt freshman year: to be thrown into a new environment. We overcame new classroom and schedule formats, new grading systems, and most importantly, re imaging what our next four years would look like. I challenge us all to do that now in trying to understand our situation. This is new for all of us.
To all younger students, your frustration and disappointment is valid. We cannot compare grief, and everyone is facing their own unforeseen hardships due to this virus.
Stay informed, stay safe, take precautions, but never live your life in fear. As unfortunate as this all is, we are heading off to manage new independence, finding our place in society and pursuing our passions. W hether we go back to school or get these traditions in the end, I wish you all the best, Class of 2020.
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Why you shoul d j oin Have you ever thought of joining ASD?s MUN but aren?t sure exactly what it is or what the benefits are of joining?ASDMUN has a wide variety of benefits and reasons that you should join it but firstly, what is MUN? Model United Nations (MUN) is a forum for global interactions and debates. Here at ASD, the students take MUN very seriously. This school year, nine schools came from around the globe, including high schools from Dubai, Egypt and Congo, to attend ASD?s annual MUN conference. MUN is a portal for debating global issues that are affecting our world tremendously. Students have the Photoby Rebecca Marley opportunity to engage in fruitful debates with their peers and master in researching for these topics of Why you shoul d be a par t of MUN debate. next school y ear : Now that you understand what exactly MUN is, here are some valid reasons why you should join: -
Large variety of forums and different topics to debate
W hether you love debating conflicts in the Arab world or environmental issues, ASD MUN has it all. There are plenty of topics you can debate based on your personal preference and passions. There are currently 9 MUN forums: Arab Council, Economic and Social Council, Environmental Commission, General Assembly, Historical Security Council, Human Rights Commission, Security Council, Special Conference, and W orld Trade Organization. They each focus on one aspect of global issues and create a set of three topics to debate per forum.
Photoby Rebecca Marley
ASDMUN 2020- 2021 Hannah Reefay '23 -
The luxury of meeting students from around the world with different or similar views to you and finding common ground
One of the best features of MUN is the fact that you get the opportunity to meet with people your age from all around the world. You meet with them for the first time and immediately have to debate with them, which creates a bond and a connection. It?s also a great way to make new friends from other countries. Another reason why this factor is particularly amazing is that you can practice standing up in front of an audience and debate with people you?ve never met before and build confidence.
Photosby Rebecca Marley -
It?s impressive and looks good on applications
MUN is an opportunity and requires lots of dedication, time, and drive. If you say you did even a year of MUN as a delegate, it sounds great and impressive. Once you complete at least two consecutive years of MUN, you can try out for Chair and even President. Overall, it sounds very remarkable saying you did MUN, showing that you have that kind of drive and dedication. -
The goodies
Upon the first day of the three-day conference, delegates will receive a hoodie, a backpack filled with items such as a notebook, pencil, notepad, water bottle, stickers, and more. You also get food served to you. If this aspect alone won?t convince you to join MUN, I don?t know what else could.
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AREYOU
Have you ever witnessed an argument between two people and both parties were too prideful to apologize?Chances are, both people can be described as egotistical. Egotism is the act of being excessively conceited or absorbed in oneself as well as act in an exaggerated sense of self-interest to gain approval from others. Here is a list of the characteristics of an egotist to compare yourself to as well as a dive into the psychology behind an egotistical personality in society to show how egotists l ive for other s.
Imperia.
artist: recoverythehardway.
How doegotistical peopleact in society and why? Egotistical people trip over the fine line between self-confidence and narcissism. "I am the kind of person you should never mess with" is a common phrase that an egotistical person may use to describe themselves. An egotist believes that they are extremely important or high above others and generally have a desire to demonstrate this self-importance. There is no clear answer as to what molds the superiority complex in an egotists state of mind but some argue it is the addictive feeling of feeding off other?s validation. General actions that are demonstrated by egotists are loud speaking, narcissistic conversational skills, boastful differentiation, selective social lives, and overall materialistic and opinionated views. tvtime.com
theGuardian.
1. Characteristic 1: Boastful Differentiation If an egotist truly believes that they are above others, they will try to differentiate themselves from others. To gain the overall validation that egotists tend to crave, they must make it publicly known that they are different from everyone else. Strategies of an egotist used to fulfill that objective could be to; buy unique materialistic objects, dress distinctively, purposely take the underdog point of view on an issue, remind others of past achievements one too many times or constantly claim that they are different. An example of this is American rapper Kanye West, who once called his music a ?cure for cancer?, called himself ?the new Kurt Cobain?and ?the number one human being in music.? Not to say that Kanye is an egotist (as he has claimed to have grown from his old behaviors) but to show that boasting differentiation from others in conversation with others or, more recently, on social media, is how an egotist will satisfy their need to feel important and unique. Baller Watch. weheart it .
2. Characteristic 2: Two Common Views of an Egoist An egotist?s deepest fear is to be inferior, so egoists look for every way to be superior. Connecting back to differentiation, two common egotistical characteristics are extreme materialism and highly opinionated views. Egotists are generally grouped as materialistic thinkers who find value in Twitter. objects. The best car, the best gadgets, the best products and most importantly, the most likes. To show others that they are great is what an egotist desires, therefore, they will use glorification of consumption to define that and, once again, receive other?s praise. For example, social media influencers can show off lavish lifestyles to their audiences in order to receive praise in the form of likes and comments.
EGOTISTICAL?
MAHEEN KHAN'21
Another common characteristic is having strong opinionated views. Pride is important to imgur.com egotists as they refuse to show those around them that they are inferior in any way, therefore they will not back down during a disagreement. If an egoist believes that someone is threatening their pride or ego, they can have serious aggression and rage. Egotists tend to refuse to see the other side of an argument or refuse to apologize when they are wrong because they believe this will show weakness. For instance, when it was snowing in New York, The 45th President of the United States Donald Trump tweeted, ?W hat the hell is going on with Global W arming?Please come back fast, we need you!?in order to support his disbelief in global warming while failing to understand the argument that seasonal weather and climate change are different. pinterest.com
3. Characteristic 3: Selective Social Lives & Thirst for Approval Egotistical people enjoy spending their time with others just like them as similar people will reinforce their beliefs about themselves. They are generally selective and prefer a tight group in order to look superior to others. W hen choosing friends, egotists may not actually like the friend but may benefit from the image of that person and will keep them around. To others, an egotistical person will portray that they have it all, but in reality, they are psychologically never really satisfied with what they have and lack emotional connection. A lot of these characteristics stem from insecurity and the need for validation. Egotists do not seek achievement for themselves (as someone with self-confidence does) but they seek achievement for others. They constantly wonder what other people think about them and immensely care about how they are perceived by society. This means their strong ambition to be the best is driven by a hunger for approval.
Twitter.
DoesEgotism Effect ASD Students? After recounting these characteristics, if you saw yourself then chances are, you?re probably egotistical in away. Since uncovering the weakness of an egotist, essentially public approval, you can apply this to your life in how you deal with an egotistical friend or peer; don?t give them the approval they crave. As an ASD student, I don?t blame you if you saw yourself in these characteristics because while writing this, I felt hypocritical. I would call the environment that we have grown up in, the city, a recipe for an egotist. W atching flashy skyscrapers built before us and being exposed to extreme materialism, is it really our fault that we find large value in objects? Though materialism is one of the characteristics of an egoist that is largely experienced in our community, I think the largest would be the protection of pride. How many times have you done something only to impress your friends? School events have you missed? People that you pass in the halls and you don?t know?It?s no secret that our relatively small student body acts in a very socially selective divide. It makes it harder for us to be a community. Can you confidently say that you are able to talk to new people at school without experiences like inspire?Could you have built those close friendships with your teammates off the court? Our 4 years of high school are the years that we are meant to be learning everything about ourselves so take a moment to ask yourself, why you are wasting your time living for others? forbes.com
pinterest.com
St udent Lif e
Ser v ice Lear ning Ment or ship Isabel l a Bar ham'21 My name is Isabella Barham, and I am in a class called Service Learning Mentorship where students take on leadership roles and create their own project in an area they are passionate about for the purpose of impacting and bettering the community. Firstly I wanted to focus on the Global Goals which is basically 17 Goals that were made by world leaders in 2015 that are meant to be a blueprint to achieve a better and a more sustainable future for all. I decided that I wanted to use ?life below water?and ?climate action?as the Global Goals. I wanted to implement these Global Goals some way into my project but was unsure what way I would demonstrate them. I found that I am passionate about art and feel there is a lack of art on campus and a lot of empty space; therefore, I decided I would paint on the wall behind the choir room as it was very bland, and I wanted the choir kids to see something instead of a blank wall. Therefore, I implemented the Global Goals through creating an art mural. The message I want to send out is if we don't change our ways on the destruction of nature, climate change is just going to get worse for future generations, and we will never have the ocean demonstrated in my art mural. If we continue on the path we are going down, there will be no coral left, and the coral will then be replaced by plastic, leaving the fish to suffocate. Therefore, I want people to know that every little change you make, even if you think it might be insignificant, can really make a big change in the long run and maybe one day lead to the big goal of having oceans like this. As well, I chose the quote in the art mural because it?s simple and yet so powerful at the same time, as many people this day in age and in the past feel what isthepoint of not buying plasticif other peopleare going tobuy it. They feel their change would be so insignificant; therefore, they just don't do anything. But what many people don't know is if everyone did a small act to help the environment, we would be living in a completely different environment now - free from so many disastrous natural events. An example of a small step you can do is just deciding to reduce the amount of plastic you buy, as plastic is one of the biggest threats to the ocean This can be in the form of not using the plastic bags given at the grocery store and using your own reusable bag, or instead of buying plastic water bottles, you can opt for a reusable water bottle. I hope this mural helps you stop and think a little more about how beautiful our ecosystem really can be if we take action and take care of it. Through this project, I have become more consciously aware of our world and how crucial it is to really make a change NOW , so the future generations won't have to suffer the consequences of us not doing anything.
Thesemoviesstood out tousascontinuationsand adaptationsof our favoritemovies and booksfrom thepast. Wehopeyou enjoy thecomedy, thesuspense, and theaction that comeswith thesefilms. ReneeGarg '20 and MillieGrose?20
Emma - Feb. 20
Vox Cinemas
A Quiet Place: Part ll - March 19
A Quiet Place was and still is extremely popular with those who love horror movies. The film was
Emma is a brilliant and witty take on the acclaimed
positively received when it was first released, and
novel by Jane Austen. The film follows the life of a
everyone has been anticipating the second film. It is
young woman, Emma W oodhouse, as she plays
finally here! A Quiet Place: Part ll follows the
matchmaker and meddles in the lives of her family
Abbott family as they venture out into the world
and friends. In this satirical depiction of social class,
and fight for their lives in silence. The family soon
Emma must navigate her way through romantic
discovers that the frightening creatures are not the
mishaps in order to find love that has been there the
only things to be feared.
whole time.
Mulan - March 26
Vox Cinemas
TheNew Mutants- April 9
Vox Cinemas
Communit y
BLAST FROM THE PAST
We have all seen the live-action
This upcoming horror/ action film is a must see for Marvel
adaptations of Beauty and the Beast,
fans and teens. As the final installment of the X-men series,
Aladdin and The Lion King, and now
this movie follows the story of a group of young mutants
the live-action adaptation of Mulan is
who are held in a facility. They must fight to save
finally here! Follow Mulan?s journey as
themselves from being tested on and used by scientists.
she sacrifices herself and disguises as a
Starring Maisie W illiams, Charlie Heaton, Anya Taylor-Joy
man in order to go to the army in her
and more talented young actors, The New Mutants is
father's place.
bound to set a precedent for newer horror fantasy films.
Meals to Eat W ith Your Family in the Spring Thesearesomedeliciousmealstocook at homeand eat with your family during thespring thisyear. Enjoy a tasty Chicken Pot Pieand a sweet, easy tomakeStrawberry Cheesecake.
Herby SpringChicken Pot Pie Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 people Ingredients
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2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing over the pastry bunch spring onions, sliced into small pieces 250g frozen spinach 6 ready-cooked chicken thighs 350ml hot chicken stock ½ tbsp wholegrain mustard 200g frozen peas 200ml half-fat crème fraîche ½ small bunch tarragon (finely chopped) 270g pack filo pastry
Cooking Classy
Steps
1. Heat oven to 200/ 180 degrees celsius. 2. Heat the oil in a large, shallow casserole dish on medium heat. 3. Add the spring onions and fry them for 3 mins, then stir through the frozen spinach and cook for 2 mins or until it?s starting to wilt. 4. Remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Shred the chicken off the bone and into the pan and discard the bones. 5. Stir through the stock and mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 5-10 mins. 6. Stir in the peas, crème fraîche and herbs, then remove from the heat. Add the filo pastry sheets over the mixture, brush with a little oil and bake for 15-20 mins or until golden brown.
Communit y
NoBakeStrawberry Cheesecake Ingredients
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3 cups (9oz/ 255g) plain biscuits (graham crackers or digestive biscuits)
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3/ 4 cup (6oz/ 170g) butter, melted
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3 cups (15oz/ 426g) strawberries, hulled
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? Cup (2 ½ oz/ 71g) sugar
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1 ½ cup (12oz/ 340ml) whipping cream
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3 cups (24oz/ 675g) cream cheese
TheBlond Cook
Instructions
1. Blend the biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs ground. Combine crumbs with melted butter. 2. Cover the bottom of a 9 inch tin with the mixture and put in the fridge while preparing the filling. 3. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth in a food processor or blender 4. Pour in the cream and continue blending until your mix has thickened up well. 5. Pour batter over the prepared crust, cover with plastic wrap and fridge overnight. 6. Store the cheesecake for up to 3 days in the fridge. It also freezes well. W hen ready to serve, top the cheesecake with freshly cut strawberries slices.
Mexican Corn Salad Ingredients
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1/ 2 cups of corn Kosher salt 1/ 2 c.mayonnaise 1/ 4 c.cotija cheese or feta, plus more for garnish Juice of 2 limes 2 tbsp.chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish 1 tbsp.chili powder, plus more for garnish
Delish
Instructions
1. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut corn kernels off cob. Add about 1/ 2" water to a medium saucepan and salt well. Bring to a simmer. Add corn, cover, and cook until corn is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and pat dry
2. In a serving bowl, toss corn with mayonnaise, cotija, lime juice, cilantro, and chili powder. Season generously with salt.
3. Top with more cotija, cilantro, and a sprinkle of chili powder.
Communit y
Best Pl aces t o Visit For Lily Bal t es '21 This year spring break was a huge mess. First, due to Covid-19, we had to move it up to the beginning of March and extend it for two weeks. W hile I enjoyed the extra-long break, I know that some people had plans they had to cancel, or if you were lucky, move up to meet with the new break dates. So since most of us didn?t travel this break, here are some great places to visit next year.
Oman Just a short flight or even a day?s drive away, Oman is the perfect place to relax by the pool or explore a W adi. If your plans this year had to be canceled, Oman is perfect for a vacation next year. W ith perfect weather and food to die for, Oman will give you the best spring break experience before final exams start. You can start off with a hike around a W adi and end with a relaxing day by the pool. Camping is always a fun idea and will help us connect with nature once again. No matter what you crave, whether it's an adventure or being lazy all day
Lily Baltes
in the sun, Oman can give you exactly what you want.
Gr eece During the spring, Greece can get quite warm; however, this gives you the perfect opportunity to spend a day on the beach. Going to the main peninsula or to one of the islands is the perfect place to get away from the stress of final exams and spend your time basking in the sun. Another reason to visit Greece during April is that the prices are down, so no need to worry about spending too much, so go crazy with all the wonderful Greek pottery and food. By next year?s spring break, Europe Lily Baltes
will hopefully be back to business as normal and once again rake in tourists for the spring.
Mor occo Not many people visit Morocco in the spring, so not only will you have beaches to yourself, but you'll also have some of the best weather Morocco has to offer. W ith warm sunny days and cooler nights, it is the perfect time to chill. It is also the best time to hike the Atlas Mountains if you want to get in some exploring or photography.
NicoleBryant
Spr ing Br eak... Next Year Japan W hile one of the further countries on the list, the flight time is definitely worth it. The snow starts to melt away from the mountains, trees start to bloom, and of course, cherry blossoms are taking over. A quiet walk under the cherry blossoms can brighten your day. W hile it?s still quite chilly in most parts of Japan, it will be a nice change before the heat of the Dubai summer starts up again.
Piqsels
It aly Yes! Italy is struggling with the Covid-19 virus at this time, but by spring next year hopefully everything has been taken care of. Personally, Italy is one of my favorite places to visit. The food is amazing, the views are incomparable, and the weather always seems to be perfect. During spring, the weather is especially nice, flowers are blooming, and there aren?t as many tourists as there are in the summer. W hether you travel to Rome to see the Colosseum or to the mountains for the views, Italy can cater to whatever your needs may be.
Lily Baltes
Dubai There is always the option for a staycation. W hile we live in Dubai, many people would love to have the chance to come here for a visit. During April there are many things going on in Dubai, such as going to Kite Beach for boba tea, watching a movie with friends at Dubai Mall, or just chilling by the pool. Not everyone finds staying at home the most fun, but catching up on sleep, finishing up any work, and hanging out with friends is always a fun way to spend an entire week.
Alicia van 't Riet
Communit y
WHEREARESENIORS GOING Mia Safar '21 W ith graduation approaching fast, many are left feeling nostalgic having to soon say goodbye to their friends, teachers, and family. Despite the many challenges that have arisen with this years?graduating class, their high school journey the past four years will forever be remembered, not only as the year of the Corona virus, but as the first year of a new decade where they are flipping a new chapter of their lives and continuing on to the real world. Here are some of the Seniors of the class of 2020 and where they will be going in the fall. Best of luck Class of 2020!
Han a Jam al ?I?m going to be attending George W ashington University, and I?m going to major in International Affairs and Pre-Law. Excited to be in DC in the fall!?
Su sh aan Nat h
?I've decided to go to University College of London, and I?m majoring in Management Science. Can?t wait to attend in the fall!?
Soph ie Lee
"My name is Sophie Lee and I will be attending Cornell University next fall. At Cornell, I will be majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations, which focuses on different academic areas such as business, economics, government, history, international relations, labor relations, and law. Although I am a bit nervous, I am sure that the experiences I had in ASD will help me survive through college!"
Ent er t ainment
Ishan Das'21
Top 3 buddy comedies Since the start of this year, it seems as if we have run dry on the releases of comedy movies to help get us through the somber times or just give us a much needed laugh. If being a die-hard fan of comedy movies has taught me anything it is that the best type of comedy movies are the ones that tell you a story between friends. This discovery has led me to put together a list of three of the most underrated yet stellar buddy comedy movies released over the past decade.
Thehit man's bodyguar d(2017)
TheDailyCalifornian
Parade
Slasherfilms
Flickr
W hat would happen if you brought together two of the most iconic actors of our generation, great stunt choreographers, a comical script, and a big budget?Well, you get one of the best comedy films of the decade. The Hitman?sBodyguard is an action-comedy directed by Patrick Hughes, and it stars Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson as the main duo. The movie has a very high energy and kinetic pace to it, making it very difficult for people to fall asleep while watching it. The premise of the movie is that a former private bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) gets hired by his ex-girlfriend, Interpol Agent Amelia Roussel (Elodie Yung), to escort an incarcerated hitman, Darius Kincade (Samuel L. Jackson), who also happens to be Bryce?s nemesis, from London to Amsterdam so that he can testify against the ruthless dictator of Belarus at The International Criminal Court. Apart from the story, what really stands out about the film was the acting. Reynolds and Jackson had such great chemistry in the movie; they really bounced off each other's comedic talents often making audiences fall off their seats with laughter. The rest of the cast also did an incredible job. W ith Salma Hayek?s intense and over the top acting, which really worked in the comedic tone of the film, Gary Oldman's dark performance of the menacing dictator, and Elodie Yung's constant frustration and irritation with Reynolds' character gave us some really heartfelt, but nonetheless, funny dialogue. You could tell that the actors genuinely had a lot of fun filming the movie.
Duedat e(2010)
TheNational
CinemaBlend
DueDateis a comedic masterpiece created in the well of greatness which is Todd Philips?s mind, evident from his creation of other world-class films such as TheJoker, TheHangover and War Dogs. In this film, we follow Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr) who must reach Los Angeles in order to arrive in time for the birth of his child. On an aeroplane, he meets an aspiring actor, Ethan Trambley (Zach Galifianakis), who must journey to the Grand Canyon to scatter his father?s ashes. After Ethan?s misuse of the word Terrorist and Bomb, the pair ends up on the No Fly List; Peter then agrees to drive to L.A. with Ethan. The plot of the movie is quite generic. However, watching how hilarious and difficult Ethan makes the journey, and how Zach brings out the weird persona of his character to balance out with RDJ?s witty and easily irritated Peter, is certified comedy gold. We also get an ensemble of celebrity cameos in this movie such as Jamie Foxx, Danny McBride, RZA, Matt W alsh and Keegan-Micheal Key.
Booksmar t (2019)
IMDb
Vox
Booksmart is the second movie directed by actress Olivia W ilde. It is a coming-of-age film which showcases two childhood friends who struggle with the realization that they are not as smart as they think they are. Amy and Molly (played by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein), who are now in their final stages of their senior year of high school, realize that even though they shut themselves out from social groups to focus on getting into good colleges, many students who they considered to have slacked off performed just as well as them, if not better. One thing the movie does well is the de-bunking of many false high school stereotypes such as the ?popular kids?and ?jocks?being dumb. The main characters also grapple with the relationship they have with each other by hitting many bumps along the way that test their friendship.
Ent er t ainment
Ferris Elaraby '20
Daredevil:An Analysis
Netflix?s sleeper hit Daredevil took the world by storm when it premiered in 2015. The show follows Matt Murdock: blind lawyer by day, rough vigilante by night. Though its premise sounds simple and exhausted, Daredevil paints a very different picture than most typical superhero stories.
Cinematography Few films or shows have topped the jaw dropping cinematography that Daredevil provides. Even the most sedentary scenes are engaging through captivating staging and camera angles. The show is able to create an intense atmosphere with harsh lighting. The combination of stark yellows and reds paint Hell?s Kitchen as a hellish environment for its Devil to lurk in.
SlashFilm
ComicBook Movie
Fight Choreography Marvel
Esquire
Daredevil?s stellar fight choreography is what really put the show on the map during its first season. The show was able to prove itself to audiences just from its first two episodes. No time is wasted showing viewers the brutal combat, with the opening scene portraying Daredevil taking down multiple thugs. Unlike most films or shows, every opponent in Daredevil poses an actual threat and takes multiple hits just to stay down. The first season?s legendary 2-minute long take perfectly showcases this. W hen faced with multiple thugs in a hallway, Matt struggles to take down even a few of them. Though he still succeeds, he gets tired and takes multiple severe hits. Each punch has a rough impact, and characters are left beat and bloodied. Nothing about the fights in Daredevil are pretty.
Violence YouTube
Inverse
Daredevil portrays violence in a very different way than most superhero stories. Though they?re still considered necessary, the acts of violence in the show seldom give the audience the satisfaction of seeing the positive outcomes, but rather the chaos and anger. Thanks to the aforementioned fight choreography, the audience almost gets used to seeing Daredevil mercilessly beat on thugs when they?re down. He fuels his vigilantism through rage. However, he also gets seriously injured after every fight, and the show isn?t afraid to spend whole episodes focusing on his recoveries. Matt?s scars are physical manifestations of his penance for acts of violence born out of rage. Both Daredevil and W ilson Fisk, the show?s antagonist, struggle with violence through anger.
IGN
Marvel
Two Sides of the Same Coin At a young age, W ilson Fisk murdered his father in order to protect his mother. Matt Murdock saw his father get murdered by criminals. Both of these characters are molded by their experiences with their fathers. Fisk sees his criminal activities as necessary to protect New York, similar to how he protected his mother, while Daredevil, still angry over his father?s death, sees his vigilantism as a vehicle for his rage. These characters? actions on each other affect and change their outlooks. Since Matt failed to confront Fisk in a court of law and failed to kill him as Daredevil, he had to become a defender, using his abilities as a tool to protect rather than to beat. Conversely, since Fisk failed to kill Daredevil as a ?protector?of New York, he gave in to his anger and accepted the fact that he was evil.
Vanity Fair
Collider
Daredevil?s first season is a superhero story like no other. It?s evident that tremendous work, care and passion went into each shot of this show. However, though its third season was spectacular, Daredevil?s second season was a disappointment. Additionally, the planned fourth season was cancelled in late 2018. Despite all this, Netflix?s Daredevil stands as a testament that passion in what feels like a tired industry still exists.
Ent er t ainment
The Oscar s Rounded Up Ar chie Ser geant '20 Par asit e Clean s Up South Korean director Bong Joon Ho cleaned up the Oscars by sweeping up four wins for his film Parasite: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best International Feature Film. Parasitehad also been nominated for Best Production Design and Best Film Editing. On top of all of this, Parasitewas the first foreign film to have won the Best Picture award. W hat does this mean?It means there is actual potential for foreign films to compete against bigger Hollywood films, making way for more foreign filmmakers to show their work.
variety.com
gq.com
St an d Ou t Win n er s
Besides Parasite, there were many other standout winners. For more firsts, Taika W aititi was the first M?ori person to have been nominated for and win Best Adapted Screenplay. Joker had a great turn out, winning Best Actor and Best Original Music Score. This is the second time that an actor portraying the Joker has won an Oscar for Best Actor. Roger Deakins came back to the Oscars with the smash hit 1917, winning Best Cinematography again, previously having won for Blade Runner 2049.
Th e Sn u bbed In many people?s opinions, there are actors, directors, and movies that are snubbed or underappreciated every year at the Academy Awards. This year was no exception to that belief. For example, the director Greta Gerwig was clearly snubbed from a Best Director nomination for her film LittleWomen. On top of this, many people believe that the comedian Adam Sandler should have gotten a nomination for Best Actor for his performance in Uncut Gems. In the end, the Academy decided on nominations and wins for each category. More often than not, viewers feel upset with not being able to be heard.
vox.com
variety.com
No M or e Host Last year?s Academy Awards didn?t have a host for the first time since 1989. Kevin Hart was supposed to host but got fired from the opportunity after old homophobic tweets resurfaced. The way the Academy worked around this was to have multiple celebrities announce each topic and person. A celebrity would announce the announcer for an award and then that announcer would announce the said award. The reception to this idea was positive, causing it to continue into this year?s Academy Awards. Viewers enjoyed seeing their favorite celebrities come onto the stage to present and were relieved with the fact that the repetitive nature of having one host was gone.
Cur r ent Ev ent s
Ment al heal t h of "l ov eisl and"
Imagefrom ITV.
"Love Island,?a popular British dating-reality show, is in the midst of controversy: Is it mentally healthy? In the show, young and conventionally beautiful people come together with the hope that love will blossom. Each week, the public votes off their least favorite ?islanders,?as the contestants are known, until one couple remains, winning 50,000 pounds (about $63,000).
Former islanders have gone on to become TV presenters and internet celebrities with lucrative brand partnerships. Despite the fame and wealth that the show has promised to bring, it has raised issues about mental health. Two previous contestants died by suicide, Sophie Gradon in 2018 and Mike Thalassitis in 2019. Recently on February 15, Caroline Flack, former host of the ITV television series ?Love Island?died by suicide. Their deaths stirred a debate in Britain over the ethics of reality television and the duty that broadcasters have to care for contestants.
?It?s an instant fame machine,? Jonny Mitchell, who was on the show in 2017, said in a New York Times interview. ?But everyone also thinks they?re going to be rich and that life is going to be easy.? Instead, Mitchell said he received a torrent of abuse online after he broke up with one contestant and became involved with another -- although this is basically the premise of the show.
Imageof SophieGradon (left), Mike Thalassitis(middle), and CarolineFlack (right). ImagesfromTheIndependent, TheUnion Journal, and Gulf News
su min l ee'20
ITV released new guidelinesin May topromotecontestants' well-being. ImagefromITV.
Cur r ent Ev ent s
COVID- 19 December 31, 2019: Chinese authorities are treating cases of pneumonia in W uhan, China, from an unknown cause. January 1, 2020: The Huanan Seafood W holesale Market is closed by Chinese Health Authorities after the discovery that the source of the virus might be the wild animals sold there. January 7: Chinese authorities identify the virus as a new type of coronavirus. January 11: W uhan Municipal Health Commission reports the first death caused by the coronavirus. Source: CDC
January 17: Chinese health officials report the second death in China. As a result, the U.S.
begins to carry out screenings for symptoms of the coronavirus at airports in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. January 20: The National Institutes of Health declares that it is beginning to work on a vaccine for the coronavirus. South Korean authorities announce the first infection case caused by the coronavirus in South Korea. January 21: U.S. officials confirm the first case of the coronavirus in W ashington state. January 23: Chinese authorities close off W uhan by temporarily suspending its airport, railway stations, trains, and other forms of public transportation. The death toll rises to 17 and the number of infected to more than 570.
Source: NY Times
January 28: Chinese President Xi meets with the Director-General of W HO in Beijing to discuss sending a team of health experts from around the world, including the CDC, to examine the coronavirus outbreak. January 29: The W hite House states the creation of a new task force that will work to control and contain the spread of the virus to ensure that Americans have information on the latest developments of the virus and travel concerns. January 30: The W orld Health Organization declares the coronavirus a public health emergency as thousands of new cases in China arise. The U.S. announces its first ?confirmed case of person-to-person transmission.? January 31: The Trump Administration announces that it will deny entry to foreign nationals who have traveled to China in the past two weeks. February 2: A man in the Philippines dies from the coronavirus, the first death reported outside of China. February 4: The Japanese Health Ministry announces that ten passengers of the Diamond Princess Cruise ship are infected with the coronavirus. W ith more than 3,700 people, the ship has been placed under quarantine. February 7: Li Wenliang, a W uhan doctor, who was targeted by police for trying to warn Chinese officials about the coronavirus in December, dies from the virus. February 11: The coronavirus is named COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) by the W HO. February 13: Health officials in China report a substantial increase of 14,840 new cases in the Hubei Province alone, the largest daily increase recorded thus far. February 14: France confirms first death from the coronavirus in Europe. Egypt announces the first case of infection in Africa. February 19: The quarantine of the Diamond Princess cruise ship ends, and those tested negative for coronavirus begin to disembark. 621 people aboard the ship were infected by the coronavirus, so far. February 20: The number of coronavirus infection cases across the world rises to almost 76,000. February 21: The number of infection cases in South Korea skyrockets due to an outbreak
Source: CNN
in a church. Iran announces four new COVID-19 infection cases, two of whom have died. The source of the outbreak is unknown. February 21: Italy?s infection numbers dramatically rise; the Venice carnival is cut short. February 24: Italy initiates lockdowns in at least 10 towns. Markets across the world fall. The death toll in Iran rises to 12. The Trump administration asks Congress for $1.25 billion to aid in containing and preventing the coronavirus. February 25: A clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of the antiviral drug remdesivir in adults infected with COVID-19 has begun at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
t
at
Timel ine
Daniel l a Ucen '22
February 26: The virus is now threatening Europe as it begins to spread from Italy. The number of infection cases in South Korea reaches 1,261 (the largest outbreak outside of China). Stock markets across the world, and especially in Asia, decline. Brazil announces the first coronavirus infection case in Latin America. February 29: Large public gatherings are canceled to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. March 1: The U.S. declares travel restrictions to countries severely affected by the coronavirus. March 3: The number of infection cases proceeds to rise above 90,000 while the number of deaths reaches 3,000. Health officials across the world are working to
Source: NY Times
control the growing epidemic. March 4: The CDC officially stops constraints which restricted the coronavirus testing to those people who were in the hospitals and those who had close contact with confirmed coronavirus cases. March 5: The Grand Princess cruise ship is held off the coast of California, passengers are screened for the virus. March 6: Vice President Mike Pence announces that 21 people on the Grand Princess cruise ship have been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. March 7: A coronavirus quarantine hotel in China collapses, trapping 70 people under the rubble. No deaths have been reported in the collapse. March 8: Many countries begin to suspend travel with a list of countries heavily affected by the coronavirus. Italian PM Giuseppe Conte places strict travel restrictions on all of the Lombardi region and other nearby provinces, encompassing around 16 million people. March 9: Italy?s PM declares that the entire country is on lockdown. Canada announces its first death from the virus. DOW reports its greatest point drop in history as stocks in the U.S., and all over the world, begin to fall. In China, coronavirus infection cases are slowing down, and many schools and stores begin to reopen. However, COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly around the world, reaching a total of around 110,000 cases and almost 4,000 deaths. March 11: The W HO announces the COVID-19 outbreak to be a pandemic. President Trump declares a travel restriction from a total of 26 countries in Europe for 30 days to aid in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. March 13: President Trump declares a national emergency, allowing him to make $50 billion of federal resources available for combatting the coronavirus. March 15: The CDC advises Americans to avoid large gatherings of more than 50 people. As a result, many public schools, such as those in New York, close.
Source: NY Times
March 16: As the coronavirus begins to have a greater effect on Latin American countries, leaders announce lockdowns, quarantines, border closings, as well as restrictions on citizens. March 17: France forces a nationwide lockdown while forbidding gatherings and delaying the second round of its municipal elections. The European Union bans all non-essential travel outside of the bloc for 30 days. The first human trial of a coronavirus vaccine is tested in the U.S. More vaccines are being researched and developed. March 18: Trump signs into law a coronavirus relief package. March 19: China reports ?no new local infections?for March 18. March 22: The number of confirmed coronavirus infection cases reaches 307,280 with the number of deaths at 13,049. Italy reports its highest jump of 800 deaths in 24 hours. March 23, 2020: As a result of the rapid spread of the coronavirus, most government offices are closed, schools and universities are closed; hotels, malls, beaches, parks, sights, and restaurants are closed; people are ordered to stay at home; a majority of airlines have suspended flights around the world; and the global economy is declining as the stock markets keep plunging. Despite all of these measures, public officials warn that the struggle could potentially continue for months. Sources: NY Times and CNN
Cur r ent Ev ent s
How COVID- 19 Bet r ays
t he Fal l acies of t heUnit ed St at es Handmade masks sewn by healthcare workers who have run out / Jovelle Tamayo for The New York Times
Abr il Zini '22
As cases climb in the US, more people feel the effects of the global pandemic wrecking everyday lives. However, a great majority of the population feels it more drastically than fathomable.
The Labor Department reported a 30% increase in unemployment as of March 19th, and those who already struggled financially are bracing for the worst. In a feature published by the New York Times, Cindy Urena was forced to choose between continuing to work or staying home with her daughter after public schools statewide closed due to the pandemic. Earning a $15 per hour wage, her job as a home health aide for Sunnyside Community Services in Queens (NYT) left her, like half of New York City?s direct care workers, relying on food stamps. Amid the chaos of the virus, shortages of hand sanitizer and masks has forced workers such as Ms. Urena to continue working and riding the subways without either supply. Her decision came to choosing between her 7-year-old daughter and her epileptic patient; she chose her daughter, and lost all income.
Ms. Urena?s case is not an outlier; the New York Times article featuring her story features seven other similar stories of workers impacted by the virus. As those privileged enough to buy supplies in bulk cause mass panic and empty shelves, those who live paycheck to paycheck are left with no access to basic supplies and suffer the consequences of other?s absurdities. Many, like Lauren W hitney, took to social media to urge people to stop panic-buying. In a video uploaded to TikTok, the mother of four pleads to the camera through tears, ?So all you crazy people buying out all the diapers, how am I supposed to diaper my child if I can?t afford to buy 20 at a time like you can??The video resonated with the community, amassing 5.4 million views and 21.8k shares on the app. In a generation where reaching out and going viral is easier than ever, the nationwide effects of the virus highlights the stark difference between celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres?lighthearted videos uploaded from her multi-million dollar California mansion and the 58.3%of American workers earning minimum wage (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
W ith such deep rifts in the population being highlighted, many begin to question not only the handling of the outbreak, but the system which enabled deep divides in America today. W hich is to say a bit, because the POTUS has faced much criticism of his handling of the virus. This crisis has reminded many of the fact that in 2018, the global pandemic director for America?s National Security Council resigned, and Donald Trump?s adviser fired the rest of the team responsible for global pandemics. President Trump?s leadership skills have come under fire lately as well; mixed messages and a history of blatantly ignoring facts continues reemerging in the President?s addresses. At a W hite House Press Conference on March 21st, Erin Schaff/The New York Times Pres. Trump claimed, incorrectly, that the FDA had already approved an effective drug for combating Covid-19 and would ?make that drug available almost immediately.? In a follow-up question regarding the drug, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government?s senior immunologist, clarified that Pres. Trump?s claims were not true, and that the drug?s safety in the context of Covid-19 were unknown. W hen reporter Peter Alexander of NBC news pointed out Trump?s statement contradicted the doctor?s, Trump sarcastically avoided the question, instead ringing praises to his intellect. W hen Alexander inquired if the President was giving a ?false sense of hope? to Americans, then asking what the President would say to scared Americans, President Trump bit back, ?I say that you?re a terrible reporter, that?s what I say.? As the stocks continue plunging, the President continues lowering the bar for himself, and Americans continue ignoring the Center for Disease Control and Prevention?s (for which Trump?s administration proposed cutting funds) advice, it?s hard to continue believing that the current situation of the country is without fixable flaws. Especially when it comes to healthcare. Danni Askini fell ill with the virus in late February, and after three visits to the emergency room, she was finally tested for the virus. Not only did she receive positive virus results, she also received a bill of $34,927.43 for treatment and testing (The Independent). Ms. Askini is uninsured and will not receive any help with the payment. Although the payment fluctuates depending on factors such as hospital admission or health insurance, the Kaiser Family Foundation predicts that the cost of inpatient admissions for Covid-19 could ?top $20,000,?while those with employer coverage might end up paying an out-of-pocket cost of over $1,300 for being admitted for Covid-19. The article continues to explain why the actual cost will likely be higher than the estimated prediction. W ith more and more people getting sick in the US, Bernie Sanders?Medicare for All proposal seems to jump out at his supporters, who use Covid-19 as an example of how the current system needs to undergo drastic change.
Demetrius Freeman for The New York Times
As we undoubtedly live through a major historical event, the choices made today, not only by politicians and doctors, but by the human population as a whole, will pave the way for the future to come. Chaos reigns across the globe as we all witness a disaster on a scale our generation has never seen before, and it serves a good wake-up call to those who have failed to address the situation of the world today. Here?s to hoping humanity as we know it will persevere.
Cur r ent Ev ent s
A Ter m In Rev iew Al an Ber zinj i '22 President Donald Trump: 45th president. Probably the most divisive, controversial president to take office, and his term is coming close to an end. Since his term is coming to an end, and the two hopefuls B?s from the Democrats are running (Biden, Bernie), we will be taking a dive into all of Trump?s good and bad. The Bad The Lies: There is no doubt that President Trump has lied multiple times since taking office. Perhaps his most funny and most cringe-worthy lie is that his inauguration had ?the biggest audience in history?. He also made a false claim in regards to trade with China, stating that a $500 billion trade deficit means the U.S. is ?losing on trade?with China. Big yikes. The Hypocrisy: President Trump used an anti-Semitic trope to call out Rep. Ilhan Omar?s anti-Semitic trope. W hile Trump was correct in attacking the Representative?s statements that pro-Israel Americans are betraying the U.S and that 9/ 11 was ImageCredit: bbc.com just ?some people did some things,?Trump used the exact same trope to clap back. Trump stated that ?any Jewish person that votes democrat is showing great disloyalty,?using the same trope and anti-semitism. The Rude: There is no doubt that President Trump can be a bully. He calls people in the opposition ?stupid?, ?ugly?, and ?low IQ individuals?. This behaviour can be blamed on what he calls ?the media witch hunt?, but it is still unpresidential. He also asked the President of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden?s son, Hunter Biden. I guess those phone calls weren?t so clean after all. The Military:
ImageCredit: forbs.com
President Trump?s administration invited the Taliban to Camp David to discuss terms of surrender. Before they met and in retaliation, the Taliban executed a U.S. soldier. Many say that Trump should have gone through more precautions before meeting with the Taliban. But most probably, the most universally agreed wrong thing Trump has done was his decision to give a green light to Turkey to invade Syria and the Kurdish people. This brought together conservatives, liberals, and centrists alike because of the fact that it was the most ?un-American?course of action. The Kurdish people, for many years, had been sacrificing troops for the American military to battle ISIS. Countless Kurdish families and soldiers perished for America?s cause. W ith the Kurds, the U.S. was able to reduce ISIS to almost nothing, and the current administration allowed for the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish people. This was a clear act of war-mongering.
The Good The Economy: It is no secret that President Trump is constantly referred to as a racist. W hether that may be a media narrative or an actuality, there are many things Trump has done for minority communities. According to the U.S Labor Department?s job report, African-American, Hispanic-American, and Asian-American unemployment rates are the lowest they have ever been. Furthermore, according to the Washington Post, the number of job openings outnumber the number of unemployed people to do those jobs. Meaning there are fewer people who don?t have a job than jobs available. Fifty-seven percent of Americans state they are financially better thanks to Trump. By criticizing ?job-crushing regulations'' and appointing some regulators who fear government overreach, a shocking six million more ImageCredt: conexionmigrante.com Americans have been hired. Now, while it can be argued that unemployment dropped under Obama?s administration as well, Americans chose not to look for jobs. W hile former President Obama?s administration upheld a ?You?re victims of an unfair system! You need handouts!?sort of motto, President Trump?s held a ?You don?t need welfare, you can get a job?motto. The Military: President Trump has had a very controversial military history. One of his more controversial courses of action has been his constant pressure on NATO to give the U.S. more money. But it would be unjust to recognize the beneficial impact this has had on the U.S. Allies have increased defense spending by $130 billion since 2016, according to the Washington Post. One of the more universal positive things Trump has done was his decision to stick with the people of Hong Kong. This started with his warning to China not to use violent action on the pro-democracy protests. In turn, Hong Kong protestors were waving American flags and singing the U.S. national anthem throughout their protests. His withdrawal from the INF (Intermediate-Range Forces) treaty, as stated by the Washington Post, ?deliver[ed] China and North Korea a strategic setback.?He ordered the assassination of former ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. Things could have gone horribly wrong leaving the blame on Trump?s shoulders, which is the same reason former Vice President Biden advised against the assassination of Osama Bin Laden. Trump nevertheless saw a greater chance of success and gave the order. Immigration Policies: Most likely, the catalyst of the media hunt for Trump?s head is his immigration policy. But what may be shocking is that those very practices at the border were happening long before President Trump took office. President Clinton, Bush, and Obama did not have regulations against child separation at the border, which consequently allowed for it to happen. Infamously, CNN published a picture of ?Trump?s cages,?but fact-checkers soon discovered that those pictures were from 2014 under Obama?s administration. His attack on Democrats because of this may be a bit broad, but his claim on those pictures not being his is, nonetheless, true. On June 20th, 2018, Trump signed a bill ending child separation. This revelation seems to have gotten lost in the wind with no big media corporations talking about it.
So, as seniors are turning eighteen and becoming eligible to vote, it becomes even more important for people to consider both sides when voting. At the end of the day as a collective generation, we need to put aside partisan politics, stop staying it's us against them, and start saying it's all of us against the problem. There are always two sides to a story, even to President Trump?s.
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