December 2015 • Estd. 1892 • Vol. 123 #9 • Published Monthly • www.ihstattler.com Ithaca High School, 1401 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 • FREE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
UNAUTHORIZED
THE ART
FANTASY
page 9
page 22
page 25
IMMIGRANTS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
OF GIFT GIVING
FOOTBALL
One Person’s Developer Mode Is Another’s Hacked Chromebook By TRISTAN ENGST
“Things like Google being blocked, even just for a little, were not things I wanted to deal with.” This was said by an IHS student whom I’ll call Owen, describing why he hacked his school-provided Chromebook. Owen is almost the paragon of the computer nerd: glasses grace his brow, his clothes are anything but fashionable, and he’s been a member of several tech clubs. His grades are high. Owen takes computer programming classes and casually plays Magic: The Gathering, a fantasy card game. His goal is to become a video-game designer. This year, he’s already trying
his hand at it in an amateur video game design competition. Owen is also one of several IHS students who have booted their new Chromebooks into developer mode, something colloquially referred to as hacking. I asked him why he did it. “The restrictions were annoyingly restrictive,” he replied. “Oftentimes in class, the teacher would run into walls. In my own time, I couldn’t use my Chromebook, sometimes even for homework.” On a Chromebook, developer mode gives the user greater control over the computer, with both a terminal window and greater permissions to modify the Chromebook. It also enables the user to
install a form the Linux operating system, which means software such as Photoshop and Eclipse can be installed. Think of it as a variant of Chrome OS, the operating system your Chromebook runs; it looks and works almost exactly the same. On most Chromebooks, changing into developer mode is a simple process involving rebooting while holding down several keys, but on IHS student Chromebooks, it is more akin to brain surgery, though still completely and easily reversible in a few minutes. What ICSD finds alarming about developer mode is that it allows students like Owen to take away the school’s control of their Chromebook. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
OPINION
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
Editorial
Improving Student Internet Access Requires Better Policy and Discussion Please see our accompanying news article on the front page. At IHS, when students learned that Quizlet, a popular website that allows users to create and practice flashcard sets, was sometimes blocked on students’ Chromebooks, their reaction was typical. Huh? Why? It was the latest in a continuation of a long run of blocked websites—the BBC, WordReference, and according to some reports, Google itself. The root of all this overzealous Internet filtering is CIPA, the Children’s Internet Protection Act: a ten-year-old law that requires Web blocking as a condition of federal funding. The law stipulates that contents that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors be blocked on the computers of libraries and schools, including the ICSD, that receive discounts from the federal government. Because definitions of appropriate Internet access are not clearly defined in this law, ICSD administrators have had to interpret and determine what is “appropriate” and “harmful material” for students. Currently, the ICSD routinely and inexplicably blocks sites that clearly do not fall under the categories prescribed by this law. The district uses two means of filtering the content on students’ Chromebooks: GoGuardian, a Chrome extension that shows the dark grey screen with the blue lock, and Wi-Fi network filters, which show a light striped screen and the ICSD logo when triggered. Both filter content with too fine a mesh, as some blocked websites like Time Magazine and Quizlet contain material that is neither obscene nor pornographic. Protected, harmless, or innocent websites are accidentally or inappropriately blocked. It is not only unreasonable to block these websites, but also harmful to learning. One student told us, “Trying to do research for debate is a pain. With so many useful websites blocked, it feels impossible to do thorough research on my Chromebook, or even when I’m logged into my district account at home.” Other students complained that web pages and videos they were told to view were blocked. Moreover, it is difficult to file a request to unblock a site. The district has allowed teachers are allowed to flag certain videos to have the IT department unblock content,
but very few teachers know how to do so. This impedes student learning and achievement. Further, the seeming randomness that goes into what is and what isn’t blocked—and where—is peculiar. Why block Time Magazine but not The New York Times? And for that matter, why block Time Magazine in E-building but not in H-building? Imagine if various doors to the quad
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were randomly locked and unlocked, and you never knew which one to go through. There is even a case to be made for not blocking websites where there is a grey area regarding whether blocking is taking away a distraction or impeding student accomplishment. “Why is Facebook blocked when 90 percent of the clubs at IHS, including Student Council, use it as a main social media platform?” one exasperated student said. Simply put, while restricting all bad content and letting students view all good content is technologically impossible, the current “technology protection measures” could be better. However, while complying with CIPA, there is potential freedom and opportunity for administrators and students to collaborate on flexible Internet policies at the ICSD. The first step would be for the school to disseminate a clear procedure that would allow students to request a specific website, Chrome app, or Chrome extension to be quickly unblocked. Mr. Lisi, ICSD’s outgoing IT director, told The Tattler that “If a student would like access to a specific app, extension or website they should request this through a teacher or librarian.” The Tattler asked Mr. Heurich, the librarian, to unblock Gmail Offline, an CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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Deborah Lynn advisor@ihstattler.com The Tattler is the student-run newspaper of Ithaca High School. It was founded in 1892 and is published monthly. As an open forum, The Tattler invites opinion piece submissions and letters to the editor from all community members. Drop off submissions in E25, email them to editor@ihstattler.com, or mail letters to: The Tattler 1401 North Cayuga Street Ithaca, NY 14850 The Tattler reserves the right to edit all submissions. Submissions do not necessarily reflect the views of editorial staff.
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
NEWS
IHS Model UN Wins Delegation Award MATT PROKOSCH
By LIZ ROSEN
The Commons: the LongAwaited Final Product By MAX FINK
The members of IHS’s Model United Nations club won “Outstanding Delegation from a Large School” and 12 other awards at the Hilton Model United Nations Conference in Greece, NY on November 6 and 7. With only 19 delegates, the club took home the most prestigious award available to a club and took top awards in a number of categories. In their respective committees, Sarah Couillard ’17, club officer Bella Culotta ’17, Isabel Dawson ’18, club president Liz Rosen ’16, Francis Schickel ’16, Casey Wetherbee ’17 and Scott Williams ’16 took home the “Best Delegate” award. In their respective committees, Jonathon Hawthorne ’16, Alison Ke ’17, Ben Monaghan ’16, Charlotte Perri ’17, and Zak Stillman ’16 won “Outstanding Delegate” award. Other important accolades included Eva Bohn ’18 winning “Best New Delegate” and Alexandra Gibbons ’18 winning “Honorable Mention” in their respective committees. Although they did not win awards, excellent work was contributed by teammates Theo Jung ’18, Lindsay Fei ’16, and Ana-Luisa McCullough ’18. This is the strongest performance by the club in over five years. Although Model UN has grown in strength over the last three years, it has not received a delegation award in at least five years. With 14 out of 17 award-eligible attendees getting honors, the club’s win rate was a record 82 percent, considerably higher than its normal 30 to 40 percent win rate. In addition, two students, Max Fink ’17 and Abby Cooper ’16, acted as chairs of committees, a prestigious position at Model UN conferences. Traditionally, only one student has acted in this role per conference due to the amount of time spent commuting from Ithaca to Rochester, where chair meetings are held. Chairs are not eligible for “Best” or “Outstanding” awards, as they choose the students who receive these awards in their committee. This delegation award was particularly notable because it was the first time IHS has unseated longtime rival Brighton High School, from Rochester, NY,
As most every Ithacan is aware, the new Commons is finally finished. The final phase of its construction began in April 2013 and ended on August 28 this year. All said and done, the renovations cost approximately $12 million. There has been a slew of regular celebrations following the revival of the Commons, including the annual Apple Fest, Ithaca Oktoberfest, and Parents’ Weekend, which saw an influx of Cornellian families swarm onto the Commons. This year has seen the addition of a Diagon Alley Harry Potter celebration on Halloween, which coincided with Parents’ Weekend. With all of the recent exposure it’s been getting, now is surely the best time to reflect on the new Commons. What does the new Commons offer us that the old one did not? What are the reasons for its renovations? What do I miss about the old Commons? Lastly, what is the future of the great community center looking forward, and how can the city best utilize it? The greatest change for the experienced Commons stroller is undoubtedly the great openness the new Commons provides. Compared with the old battery of roofed-in concrete and wood structures that provided shade, the new Commons is open and unprotected, no longer holding pavilions but flower beds, parks,
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IHS delegates, chairs, and one advisor following the Hilton 2015 award ceremony
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NEWS
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
IHS MODEL UN WINS DELEGATION AWARD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3.
IMPROVING STUDENT INTERNET ACCESS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2.
in the “Outstanding School” category. This victory is well worth celebrating due to the enormous disparity in scale between the two clubs: Brighton Model UN has school support because it is a class at Brighton High School and brings more than 100 delegates to each conference, while the IHS Model UN is self-funded, meets after school, and has a membership of around 40. Model UN meets every Thursday in F4 after school and is advised by Mr. Reiff and Mr. Prokosch. The club is devoted to learning about current events and the development of vital problem-solving skills. The next conference will be on January 8. New members are welcome.
app that allows a greater degree of offline Gmail access, early in seventh period one day. By the end of the period, it was installed on his Chromebook. The library staff told him that “Students should make an appointment with Mr. Eckley or Mr. Heurich to have a Chrome app or extension unblocked.” However, websites could take longer to unblock, as the request must go through the Library and the IT department. A good way to increase students’ access to innocuous but blocked websites would be to allow any teacher, librarian, or any ICSD staff member to unblock a website by only typing the URL and pushing a button. Even with these ideas implemented, unblocking websites would still be irritating for students and teachers alike. Mr. Trumble said in an interview about what the The Tattler believes should be the second step: “How do we do this and empower you guys to be saying ‘let’s continue to build this.’ ” While actually blocking and unblocking apps, extensions, and websites isn’t terribly difficult, deciding which ones to block is. What keywords are actually concerning? What reasons for blocking websites are reasonable and which aren’t? And where is what blocking appropriate? Right alongside the access to technology in classrooms we have at our schools, there should always be a discussion between administrators and students about what students should be able to access. ICSD administrators can collaborate with students to engage in ongoing evaluations of appropriateness to ensure that the Internet policies are flexible and have the fewest possible restrictions on student searches and access while maintaining CIPA compliance. This way, educators can arm their students with Internet and media literacy and equip them to use online research in safe ways both in the classroom at at home.
THE COMMONS: THE LONG-AWAITED FINAL PROJECT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3.
and the occasional sapling. This renovation seems long overdue when you consider that the Commons in its previous form was built in 1975: a relic of the 1970s urban-renewal era. It was reported to have been one of thirty remaining “pedestrian malls” in the Northeast. Now, we are entering a new phase of urban renewal. The timing of the new Commons’ completion seems to coincide perfectly with a plethora of other downtown projects, such as the construction of a new hotel and the modification of the building currently housing Old Goat Gear Exchange. Downtown Ithaca seems to be lurching into the future. The task of renewal was multifaceted in its goals. Firstly, it sought to replace and modernize the ancient plumbing and utilities underneath the Commons. Secondly, it sought to replace the uneven paving of the Commons itself, which the city had concerns about as a dangerous tripping hazard. The modernizations allow for a clear line of sight through the Commons and provide a channel for fire trucks and safety vehicles to easily access the Commons in case of an emergency. They also allow for restaurants to have more open dining. City leaders point to the architectural minimalism of the Commons as a way to draw focus to Ithaca’s historical buildings and shops. Overall, it seems that those behind the renovations wish to present a new Ithaca, one that is growing and adapting to modern life. Perhaps there something lacking in all the renovation that is characteristic of the old Commons. Many of the Commons’ former sculptures have been moved away. The embedded trolley-car tracks are gone, replaced only by imprints in stone. Tangible memories have been wiped away. But what about the future? Since its recent unveiling, the Commons has seen heavy foot traffic with all the recent festivals. Soon to come is the Great Downtown Ithaca Chili Cook-off in early February. Do people come to the Commons for the new design? Or do they only come in search of chili? That is, can the Commons endure without the help of festivals? Is the new community space alluring enough on its own to bring the community together without the aid of a prearranged cause? Will the new Commons survive the test of time? Only the coming months can tell us.
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
NEWS
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ONE PERSON’S DEVELOPER MODE IS ANOTHER HACKED CHROMEBOOK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1.
A blocked-website message on an ICSD Chromebook.
Developer mode makes it so that the school cannot block sites, YouTube videos, and Chrome extensions. A proxy, which developer mode allows, gets rid of the network blocking sites. “I added my own account (non-ICSD) to my Chromebook so I could more easily access Gmail, Google Drive etc,” Owen said. “I added uBlock, which is my much-preferred adblocker, some extensions for classes such as Leo (a German-English dictionary), and Reddit.” An anonymous student told me she and a friend booted a Chromebook into developer mode because she “needed an alternate to the school MacBooks that wouldn’t connect to the Internet or log in. I didn’t want to spend half of my time in class waiting to log in to a computer!” A different student said she put her Chromebook into developer mode so she could use BlueJ and Eclipse to do programming assignments. “There was also rebelliousness,” said another. “They said it ‘couldn’t be done’ and I wanted to prove them wrong.” Mr. Dominick Lisi, the outgoing head of the district’s IT department, said that booting Chromebooks into developer mode is considered “hacking” and destruction of district property. “The time it takes to re-enroll and reconfigure a device varies, but in any case takes valuable technician time and district resources.” Part of the reason why the “hackers” booted their Chromebooks into developer mode seems to have been a different sense of what they were doing. Owen recollected that “When we first got our Chromebooks they said that we shouldn’t modify them in any way. I didn’t think they would find out, and didn’t think it was morally wrong because what I was doing wouldn’t have permanent or lasting effects on the Chromebook.” Owen was taken out of class when the school discovered what he had
done. “Basically, [they] asked to see it, [asked] why I had changed it, and told me it was wrong to have done so. They seemed like they were firm but not rude or mean.” However, some students who were accused of booting their Chromebooks into developer mode reported being questioned in a way that felt like an interrogation. “They started out by telling me they knew I did it, and that it didn’t matter if I tried to prove my innocence. This was scary. ... I later learned all the evidence against me was made up or exaggerated,” said one student. Another student recalled the experience of being caught: “The administrator took the Chromebook, flipped it over, and said that she could tell by the way the screws were set that I took it apart.” A quick look at several Chromebooks reveals that the configuration of screws on normal Chromebooks is quite variable. One student who had his Chromebook taken hadn’t modified it at all. “As some of you may know already I had my Chromebook confiscated because they ‘saw’ it was ‘disconnected from the network.’ Keep in mind that I did absolutely nothing to my Chromebook,” DoHyeong Pak ’18 said. “The person who took it away ... told me that until they give it back to me. And who knows how long it’ll be? I had to get a loaner from the library every day and return it at the end of the day.” Happily, DoHyeong’s Chromebook was quickly returned. Owen, however, hasn’t gotten his back and is miffed. I asked him what his overall takeaway from the whole thing was. “They’re new to this, but I don’t need to lose my Chromebook to see that,” he replied. Please see our related editorial on the inside cover.
OPINION OPINIONS
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
CBC: How Integrated into the School Should It Be? By ALEX RAGUSO IMAGE PROVIDED
CBC’s varsity and novice teams are made up of rowers from not just IHS, but LACS, Lansing, and New Roots.
Cascadilla Boat Club (CBC) was established in 1977 as a way to spread rowing outside the bubble of university and college, allowing any member of the community to get into the sport. The club today is a bustling center of rowing activity from before sunrise to after sunset, with members ranging from early teens to rowing veterans well into their later lives. It’s no wonder the club has become so interwoven with the Ithaca community. In the case of IHS, CBC is perhaps well-integrated enough to be considered a school sport. In the past, CBC has often been present during the school’s pep rallies, being cheered for by the crowd. And friendly games of capture the flag or ultimate frisbee between CBC and the IHS cross country team are always a blast. This year, however, CBC was awkwardly absent from the school team parade, and there was no representative for the boat club during the club section of the festivities. Some never noticed the change; others were noticeably irritated about the matter. This raises the question: should CBC be considered a school sport, or does non-affiliation, however awkward and upsetting it can be at times, have its decisive benefits? To answer this question, we have to look at CBC as a whole. CBC is an
organization that originally had no junior program and was meant to include all parts of the community, not just IHS students. The varsity and novice teams are made up of rowers from not just IHS, but LACS, Lansing, and New Roots. The modified team has members predominantly from Boynton and DeWitt, and as far as the masters part of the club is concerned, the only thing it has in common with IHS is general geographical location. To say that CBC is basically an IHS club, or is close enough to being one, is absolutely incorrect. It’s like if your extended family (aunts, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers, cousins, etc.) all lived in town and they all went to the same grocery store on a semi-regular basis to the point where your family members outnumbered the non-family members in the store on some days, and then you got the idea to proclaim that said grocery store was the “family grocery store.” You’d not only be wrong, you’d piss off everyone else who went to that store. Is it worth it to be wrong? A vocal group of CBC members were less than pleased about being excluded from the IHS pep rally. CBC being considered a school club would also make recruiting freshmen a lot easier, as representatives from CBC could be present at the
club fair during the first day of school. But the answer is, ultimately, no. In addition, the benefits we get from being considered a school club are a little double-edged themselves. As far as the pep rally goes, it’s a little exclusive for members of CBC who don’t attend IHS. Imagine if your sport was being represented in the Ithaca Parade, but you could only be part of the parade and thus represent your sport if you were a certain height or had a certain hair color (arguably equally uncontrollable factors as where you go to school during your high-school years). You would, understandably, feel a little put out. And with regards to freshman recruiting, the idea of actively sending representatives to some schools and not to others in terms of trying to find possible members kind of spits in the face of the reason CBC was founded in the first place—to allow equal opportunity for members of the larger community to access sport of rowing. There’s no reason the friendly games between sports teams should end, and CBC will always be a close part of the IHS community and student body, but maybe getting used to not being in the pep rally wouldn’t be a bad thing. In the best interests of both CBC and IHS, CBC’s would-be affiliation as a school club or sport is a bad idea.
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
OPINION
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Carly Fiorina: The Other (Better) Female Candidate By CHLOE CRAMER IMAGE PROVIDED
There’s a smart, strong, controversial harvesting of fetal tissues, albeit not and successful woman runfrom live, kicking babies, which Planned Parenthood ning for president, and she’s has been forced to acknowledge. nothing like Hillary Clinton. As she is from the business world, Carly knows Way back when she was a how to interact with people and negotiate importlittle girl she attended Caant deals with them. After graduating from Stanford yuga Heights Elementary University, she worked hard to get from secretary School for a few years. She to CEO. Along the way, she achieved two master’s was known then as Carleton degrees, including one from MIT’s Sloan School of Sneed—now, she is Carly Management. In 1998, Fortune Magazine named her Fiorina. She is poised, articthe “most powerful woman in American business.” ulate, smart, and calm under Recruiters, including some from Hewlett-Packard, pressure. It’s easier to critibegan calling her after the story in Fortune. In July cize her face than to criticize 1999, HP hired her as chief executive officer. her ideas. Recent polls show that Americans believe that When Donald Trump critithe biggest problem with America is our own govcized her looks: “Look at that ernment. Carly said, “More than 80 percent of Amerface! Would anyone vote for icans believe we have a professional political class that? Can you imagine that, that cares more about its position and privilege than the face of our next presisolving issues.” This political class isn’t made up of dent?!” Carly did not fire a people who really understand the needs of the averremark back about his own age American citizen. appearance (despite loads Carly’s experiences have given her an importof ammunition, for example, ant and unique experience with other cultures. She Carly Fiorina speaking at FITN in Nashua, New his toupee). Demonstrating has lived in an Islamic community in Africa, taught Hampshire in April, 2015. her poise, Carly turned the English in Italy, and while acting as a technoloremark around, later saying, gy advisor for the CIA, the “This is the face of a 61-year-old woman. I am proud Pentagon, and the National of every year and every wrinkle.” When asked to reSecurity Agency, Carly travspond to Trump in a debate about his remark, she eled around the world meetsaid, “I think women all over this country heard very ing the leaders of America’s clearly what Mr. Trump said.” allies and rivals. Carly has Even the liberal, female hosts on the talk show The a stronger grasp of foreign View attacked Carly’s appearance at a recent debate, policy than most candidates. saying that her smile looked “demented” and like a Carly believes that “Halloween mask.” When defending her comments the United States is not as “comedy,” Whoopi Goldberg asked Carly how she served by a president who would “get a thicker skin to accept some of the huprotects the status quo of morous things people say about” her. “Well, hey, if large government bureauyou meant your comment about my face being “decracy and crony capitalism mented” and a “Halloween mask” as humorous, so at the expense of its citizens. be it,” Carly coolly responded. But she recalled their Carly also understands that indignation at Trump’s sexist comments and added, freedom and prosperity do “I guess you misinterpreted Donald Trump’s comnot come from socialism but ments about my face and thought those weren’t hufrom the individual. Carly morous.” In sync, the hosts demonstrated their own doesn’t stoop to false prom“thick” skins and yelled a cacophony of defenses at ises such as “free college” to her. Not once did Carly lose her temper. If that is not attract the attention of the poise, I don’t know what is. debt-burdened millennials. Carly Fiorina speaking at the Southern Republican Carly has also been framed by the defenders of Instead, she relies on innovaLeadership Conference in Oklahoma City, OK, in Planned Parenthood as a liar when she misdescribed tive solutions that stem from May 2015. an image of a baby in an undercover expose of her diverse background in Planned Parenthood, saying, “Watch a fully formed the real world. This unique fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while some- method of problem solving makes Carly Fiorina a valuable 2016 one says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.” In this presidential candidate. case, Carly was misreferencing another video released by CBR and Gregg Cunningham in which that did happen. The most “Presidential Candidates” is a recurring column that anyone Carly can be accurately accused of is misspeaking. But as her can write. Please contact opinion@ihstattler.com if you are interdefenders point out, Carly did describe Planned Parenthood’s ested. IMAGE PROVIDED
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OPINION
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
Vote with Pride By ELEANOR PEREBOOM
There were only two bubbles to fill in. Just two little ovals next to two names, offering me a choice that I finally had the power to make with my newfound 18-year-old-ness. Penning them in with dark, black ink was exhilarating—in that moment, I opted to identify as someone’s constituent; I took responsibility for the people who represent me. Election Day, which happened on November 3, saw people across the nation exercise their right to select their public officials. In Tompkins County, we are divided into wards depending on where we live, and these wards determine the officials we can vote for. In my ward, I had the opportunity to vote for mayor and alderperson. My first vote, I must admit, was profoundly lacking in influence. Our fearless leader, Svante Myrick, was running unopposed for mayor of Ithaca, and the man running for alderperson in my ward was also running unopposed. Basically, I voted for people who couldn’t lose—perhaps not the ideal model of democracy. But in no way did this make me feel as if my vote was invalid or pointless,
because on a personal level it changed the way I fit into this community. I didn’t have to fill in either of those bubbles; I didn’t even have to go to the polling place. Just as much as it is my democratic right to cast my vote at age 18, it is also my right to not do so. But because I did, I made a statement. I said that I trusted these two people to
political system could function. Behind every leader must exist a force of voters whose chosen affiliation with them gives them a sense of shared duty—a sense that drives them to see their community thrive. Many seniors are at or are nearing the age at which they can cast their first vote. I urge you not to give up that vote or any vote thereafter; don’t let your voice get lost. It may feel as if your bubbles have no real purpose, like those first two I filled in—but they do. When you vote, you are deciding on an individual to speak for you and stand up for your needs. Imagine silently letting such an important decision pass you by. You’re stronger than that. Wear your “I Voted” sticker with pride.
define me in a political sense. As their constituent, I agreed to take some fragment of responsibility for the choices that they will make. In many ways, it’s a terrifying commitment. I’ve just signed my support onto two people who I’m merely hoping will keep the promises they’ve made. But without this sensation of sudden responsibility, I don’t think our
On Winter By JONATHON HAWTHORNE
If you’ve ever asked for my opinion on winter, you’ll most likely get this response: “It sucks, man.” Frankly, I’ve just never been a fan of the season, especially in Ithaca. There’s something daunting about winter mornings. An icy frost that sneaks up the cuffs of my jacket. I try to throw on as many layers as I can, but it always seems to find a way to touch my skin, reminding me that there’s no defense against the cold. And there’s always the challenge of walking into the school. As soon as I get past the carpeting and try to walk to my locker, there’s a field of slush; just enough to cause the occasional slip. I can spend as many seconds as I want finding my footing, but as soon as I least expect it, bam! I’m on the ground, looking up, my face red; doubly so because of the coldness on my cheeks and the burning embarrassment. This year I feel a bit different. Maybe it’s the creeping senioritis pulling at my psyche, telling me to keep it cool about everything. But there has to be something more to it. I definitely think that I’ve been subject to confirmation bias, a tendency to look for things that confirm existing beliefs. I really hate bias, so I’ve committed myself to finding reasons to love winter and I would
like you to share this sentiment. Winter is a time of halting. I think this spirit pervades everyone living in Ithaca. Things move slower, as if they are trapped in ice. During the winter, I feel as though I have a better perception of the world around me. It’s not often that I feel such slowness, but it provides a special opportunity to soak in the beauty of the world. Take the time to watch as snow falls onto the green grass of your yard. Flakes land ever so slowly, a relentless army of warriors against the earth. Some melt in the process, but as the horde continues, eventually snow overtakes the asphalt. A beautiful war, isn’t it? Okay, okay, I know I’m a sentimental person. So, here’s something more practical to enjoy: the heat! Upstairs G is infamous for being hot at all times. You can rush into school (be careful, you don’t want to slip) and find your way into a classroom. The warmth surrounds you and wavers against the previous chill on your skin. Your goosebumps fade away and you eventually find a middle ground after you have experienced the two extremes of warm and cold. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
OPINION
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Children of Unauthorized Immigrants Should Receive a Free Public Education By JULIA MILLER There are very few concepts that I support almost unreservedly, but universal access to basic education is one of them. The right of every American citizen to receive a “free” education through grade twelve is fairly uncontroversial. However, I believe that this right should be fully extended to the children of unauthorized immigrants as well, whether the children themselves were born in the United States or in another country. Unauthorized immigrants have legally been able to receive a free education since 1982. The Supreme Court ruled at that time in Plyler v. Doe that denying children an education is a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees all persons—not only citizens—equal protection under the law. This might sound like the end of the problem, but states have found ways to get around that decision. Alabama passed the Beason-Hammon Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act in 2011, which, among other things, required primary and secondary school students to disclose their immigration status. It did not directly prohibit unauthorized immigrants from attending schools, but the number of Latino students in public schools decreased by 13 percent in the following year. To be clear, I don’t have anything inherently against people who disagree with the Supreme Court’s decisions. Dissent is healthy. In the words of a poster hanging above the window in Steve Weissberg’s classroom, dissent is patriotic. But denying people basic rights and intentionally creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust is very much not, and I believe that education is one of the vital and unconditional rights of anyone living in the United States—not that it shouldn’t be in other countries, but we have the infrastructure and the resources to make it happen. Citizens opposed to free education for unauthorized immigrants will be quick to point out the enormous cost of educating students, and will mention that schools’ resources are already being stretched thin. They will likely point out that the parents of unauthorized immigrants don’t even pay taxes, and that their children do not deserve to benefit from an educational system supported by these taxes. These people have some valid points. Educating a child is expensive, and educating a child whose first language is not English is even more expensive. The Federation for American Immigration Reform estimated in 2014 that it cost the United States $761 million to educate immigrants who had arrived illegally that year. Other sources have estimated that it costs roughly $30 billion per year to educate the children of unauthorized immigrants. This sounds like a lot of money, but in the same year the United States spent a total of $621 billion on primary and second-
ary education. And the money it takes to educate unauthorized immigrants is money well spent. There is a clear correlation between one’s level of education and one’s income and unemployment rate; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers with a mere high-school diploma have an unemployment rate three percent lower than those without a high-school diploma and earn on average $180 more per week. By providing unauthorized immigrants with a basic education, we are increasing the likelihood that they will be able to support themselves. While uneducated unauthorized immigrants might be forced to rely on forms of social welfare, an education provides them the opportunity for higher earnings. This allows immigrants to spend more money and improve our economy, which in turn will allow more money to be spent on education. Unauthorized immigrants do not necessarily pay all of the taxes expected of United States citizens, but they are certainly not exempt from them altogether. Unauthorized immigrants were found to have paid over $11 billion in state and local taxes in 2012 and are especially likely to pay property taxes since citizenship is not a prerequisite to renting or buying a home. Property taxes make up a significant portion of money allotted to public schools. Unauthorized immigrants are, to some extent, contributing financially for the education of their children. Many opponents claim that unauthorized immigrants steal jobs from “real” Americans, but America has a clearly demonstrated shortage of skilled laborers, particularly in manufacturing. Far from dimming the employment prospects for citizens, educated immigrants can help stimulate American industry and fill a desperate need for skilled workers. It makes sense economically to educate unauthorized immigrants, but I believe there are even more compelling moral reasons to do so. Opponents of education for unauthorized immigrants claim that they have no right to receive an education in America, as though only the people who were lucky enough to be born in this country deserve an opportunity to learn in it. That might make sense if children in all countries received equal opportunities for education, but this is obviously not the case. Mexico is the source of about half of America’s unauthorized immigrants. However, corrupt and ineffective schools in Mexico combine with a weak economy to result in a high dropout rate and consistent ranking as one of the worst performers on standardized tests of all major countries. We are extraordinarily privileged to live in a country where decent public education is the norm, and we should have the decency to extend that privilege to others who were not as lucky but are just as eager to learn.
ON WINTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8.
Winter is a season locked between death and life. Autumn marks the fading of leaves into vibrant oranges, reds, and browns. However, autumn also signals that death is happening. Once autumn starts rolling forward, trees become bare and lackluster. Spring is, of course, the opposite. Vibrant hues bustling around cities. Flowers sprouting wherever they can. Brilliant yellows, greens, blues all colliding There is a spiritual quality to this. Winter is the essence of neutrality. Think about it.
Perhaps I am too optimistic. I can talk about hot chocolate, warm sweaters and good times enjoying the winter, but will it really happen? Am I just convincing myself of another lie? Maybe, but sometimes you have to lie to yourself to start moving forward. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, but do consider the following.
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OPINION
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
Computer Science for the City By JAMES PARK
Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City announced September that all public schools in the city will be required to offer Computer Science as a course within 10 years. The process will be difficult and frustrating. Costs will be enormous—the city is willing to spend almost $81 million as funding for this ambitious goal. Thousands of new teachers will need to be trained in a state that doesn’t provide a computer-science teaching certificate. Students with already-stressful school schedules will be further burdened with work. So what exactly does this new project provide? By placing Computer Science as an elective in all public schools, students—especially those from lower-class families— are given an opportunity to which they may have had little to no exposure before. Less than 10 percent of public schools in NYC currently have computer-science programs, and only one percent of all students take such classes, according to the NYC Department of Education. For many students, learning how to code is an experience that could very well change their lives. An individual interested in Computer Science can find many programs and events through which they could go to college, earn a bachelor’s degree, and go into fields such as software development, an occupation that draws in a median salary of $93,350 compared to the average salary of $51,371 in the United States. NYC is not the first locale to attempt such a feat. Earlier, Chicago had promised to make Computer Science a high-school graduation requirement by 2018. San Francisco voted in June to make the course mandatory for all students in elementary and middle school. But should such a regulation be enforced across
entire states, including our own? Well, perhaps. A point to consider is that large urban centers such as NYC and San Francisco are currently booming with technology companies. A myriad of startup companies is blossoming as local, independent venues, while the ever-present corporations of Google and Apple show no signs of stopping. It seems only natural that the required skills are taught to students growing up in the area. Outside of these technological hotspots, however, the demand for programmers is less evident. In many less-populated areas, the idea of teaching computer science may seem irrelevant or even pointless, given the lack of opportunity to go into related careers. Attempting to bring such electives into these locations would require immense dedication and effort from both residents and the state. At the moment, the best course of action is to focus on where computer-science courses would make the most impact: the city. Apart from jobs and cost, programming allows students to earn a level of respect for the computers that they use so frequently. It seems ironic that people can integrate laptops and phones so deeply into their everyday lives, yet still be completely clueless when it comes to why or how a program or app works. It may be that people are intimidated to an extent by computer science. After all, the thought of sitting for hours on end at a computer may not seem so fulfilling, especially when there’s actual work involved. But in a rapidly changing world of technology, a skill such as programming is not useless but increasingly essential for students who will soon enter a computer-driven world as adults.
What Dictates the Lives of Adolescents in Modern Society?
By EMILY HONG, Staff Writer
“I wish I could have at least 15 hours of sleep this week,” a freshman at IHS said. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), teenagers need, on average, eight to 10 hours of sleep a day. If it is necessary for teens to get so much rest to maintain a healthy and functional lifestyle, what obstructs them from getting it? Due to a heavy load of homework, adolescents such as myself lack sleep. We are victims of homework and its lethal doings. Sleep deprivation is common in this society, but students, of all people, need to sleep the most for a plethora of health-related reasons. Less sleep promotes depression, anxiety, and a tendency to dissipate concentration. If school is a place where students should feel comfortable learning, then why is it preventing them from actually being comfortable? Many teenagers participate in extracurricular activities such as sports and clubs, decreasing their time to do homework. Students fret about doing all their homework rather than maintaining a healthy sleep cycle, which deteriorates a productive lifestyle; homework obstructs us from sleep—something necessary for survival. If teenagers are given an excessive amount of homework that takes away the time they have for other activities, shouldn’t their workload be reduced? “We just have too much homework and it forces us to stay up all night to finish it, or we get bad grades,” said a student. Our education seems to put homework before health, setting
up an already stressful environment, so why worsen it by loading students’ backpacks? Students report that they live in a postmodern schedule: wake up, go to school, come home, do homework, possibly sleep, and repeat. They have no time to enjoy their youth, and struggle to excel in school by keeping up with their schoolwork and homework—this builds stress. When facing stress, our body prepares us to respond by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and hormones. According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, “The result is the development of healthy stress response systems. However, if the stress response is extreme and long-lasting ... the result can be damaged, weakened systems and brain architecture, with lifelong repercussions.” Of course, everyone copes with stressful situations during their lifetime, but students nowadays must complete an arduous journey of finishing homework, which contributes to the reduction of sleep time, leading to stress. By sleeping less, our stress level increases, and prolonged sleep deprivation builds more stress, which, with time, destroys our mental and physical health. Nevertheless, students still make the decision to put homework before sleep. Do students get too much homework, or is this the start of another era?
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
FEATURES FEATURES
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Breaking Bread By JULIA LUNA
Bread has been extremely important in the scope of history. Jesus placed his body in bread. Lenin promised “peace, land and bread.” Marie Antoinette’s legendary “Let them eat cake” was actually “Let them eat brioche,” which is really just a fancy type of bread. Let’s also not forget that bagels have pretty much created a cult. While many people try to avoid bread, generally for health reasons or convictions, it is undeniable that bread is still a central part of our diet, as it has been for thousands of years. When buying bread, most people only consider nutritional benefits, practicality, and price. We all live such busy lives that it is a relief to be able to go to a supermarket and grab some pre-sliced, ready-to-eat bread, enriched to contain essential vitamins and minerals. Despite this, how many of us actually ponder where that bread came from, who made it, how it was made, what is in it? So much presliced supermarket bread contains artificial colors, preservatives and dough conditioners, which can not only be detrimental to our health but also leaves the bread tasting
not quite as good. Even bread that is labeled “freshly baked” in the supermarket is often shipped frozen or pre-made and then placed in ovens just before being sold. These reasons may be why many people here in Ithaca prefer local bread, despite a slightly higher price. One of the obvious advantages of locally made bread is its freshness compared to shelved bread. Bread that has traveled shorter distances and is made in smaller batches does not require preservatives and additives in order to maintain its freshness. High fructose corn syrup, azodicarbonamide, BHA, and calcium propionate are among some of the various preservatives and additives used in shelved bread. While most of these are currently considered safe for consumption in the low amounts present in a slice of bread, some, such as azodicarbonamide, are controversial. In fact, the United States is one of the few countries that has not banned azodicarbonamide as a food additive because of its links to carcinogenic substances. Perhaps most importantly, the freshness of bread impacts its taste enormously.
Buying local strengthens the local economy, which is another reason many Ithacans prefer to buy from local bread sources such as Wide Awake Bakery and the Farmer’s Market. A Greenstar customer when asked why he was buying local bread, replied, “I choose local bread because it’s organic, locally milled and baked, and I support local products and local industry.” Buying local supports small businesses, returning wealth to the community and taking a smaller toll on the environment by requiring less transportation. Additionally, there is a tendency for small businesses from around here to choose more locally sourced ingredients, which ultimately means a more sustainable form of agriculture. Bread that is locally made and baked may be more expensive and only available at exclusive times and locations, but there are many benefits, such as freshness and sustainability, that encourage people to buy local bread. So grab some friends, some hummus, and some local bread, and spend some time breaking bread.
IHS ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST
The yearbook invites all students to enter our photo contest. Submit a photo of you and your friends at school or around town, as well as any artistic photography. Submit all photos to ithaca.yearbook@gmail. com by December 23.
Prices are rising to $65 in December, buy your book before prices rise further! ybpay.lifetouch.com
school code:12224516
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
ChemClub Feature By AJ STENSLAND, JACOB SILCOFF, and FREYA RYD In the weeks to come, the club is planning all sorts of exciting experiments, which include preparing liquid-nitrogen ice cream (which, of course, will be eaten), extracting bismuth from Pepto-Bismol (yes, you can do that!), burning magnesium in dry ice, and many more. Overall, the IHS ChemClub is the ultimate place to explore chemistry in a collaborative setting and perform experiments you might not have been able to otherwise. It’s a club that looks to explore the science for personal interest, but also aims to give back to the community. If you’re interested, come find us on Tuesdays in Mr. Slattery’s room! We’d love to have you. IMAGE PROVIDED
Let’s be honest. There’s some part of chemistry that everyone enjoys, whether it’s being able to mess with cool glassware, atomic theory, Lewis structures, or all of the above. But here’s not much time in school to be able to have fun with chemistry in the ways you want to. For the most part, classes limit you to whatever the day’s lab is, leaving your more personal interests behind. The new IHS ChemClub is here to change that by giving interested students an environment to experiment and explore nearly anything in chemistry. ChemClub has been meeting periodically in Mr. Slattery’s room on Tuesday afternoons since the beginning of the school year (really hit your neon that one, didn’t you?). In ChemClub, we perform experiments that range from the classic “elephant toothpaste” reaction to more extreme ones, like detonating thermite. We plan to bring in speakers from the local American Chemical Society (ACS) chapter to talk about what they study. The club also is scheduled to perform demonstrations at the local Sciencenter as well as at various elementary and middle schools in the district later in the year. We make up one of the many ACS ChemClubs across the country but are the first to reside in the Twin Tiers region. Integration with ACS gives the club access to many speakers from the local chapter and easier access to outreach opportunities, both of which are essential to the goals of the club. By the end of the year, we hope to take full advantage of all of the resources we get through this partnership, including a possible field trip to the Cornell chemistry labs.
UC Davis Engineering Students prepare Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream.
Blast From the Past: The Tattler Tattles By CHLOE WRAY, Staff Writer The Tattler has been in circulation since 1892. Over the summer, Tristan Engst ’17 took the time to archive every edition of The Tattler that has ever been published that the school has collected. Through these copies we can look back on the history of IHS, Ithaca, and the world at large through the eyes of the generations who once roamed these halls. Not only does this archive serve as a glimpse into how students viewed the world around them, but we can observe the trends and changes of The Tattler itself over time, from special editions such as The Tattlerette (written exclusively by females) and the Pigskin edition (with a special focus on football) to a popular segment during the 1920s entitled “Tattles.”“Tattles” showcased the jokes of student contributors, which were often very cheesy or punny, in a manner similar to that of today’s Backpage; however, they were typically situated as a center spread, serving as a quick reprieve from monthly articles. Several vintage Tattles are shown below alongside a modern-day revival. February 1926 He: “I want you to understand that I’m not two-faced.” She: “Certainly not, dear. If you had two, you wouldn’t wear that one.” May 1926 “Seniors were born for great things, Sophs were born for small, But it is not recorded Why Frosh were born at all.” November 1927 Hunter: There was a lion laying in front of me— English Prof.: “Lying,” old man, “lying.” Hunter: Well I swear on my oath that I’m telling the truth.
April 1927 “I hear a swimmer is suing his wife.” “I see—a bathing suit.” December 2015 Teacher: Please return this signed permission form to school with your child tomorrow. Concerned Parent: Please send me a list of any and all sun blocks you will be carrying with you on this outing as well as your mother’s phone number so that if the bus crashes she can call me if you call her, as well as a detailed menu incluing the farm where all carrots were grown and the type of cat you have in case my dear child inhales its hair off of your sweater. Regards, Mr. Blank Teacher: I’ll go ahead and hire a lawyer.
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
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The Future of Food By MAGDA KOSSOWSKA
By 2050, there will be about nine billion humans on Earth. That is two billion more mouths to feed than there are now. With shrinking resources of food and fertile land, the future of food becomes a more demanding issue. As our population grows and food supply is more important than ever, we may need to change the foods we consume. Part of the problem is the amount of arable land: only three percent of Earth’s surface area is arable. Erosion occurs incredibly quickly compared to the amount of time it takes to produce topsoil (about 100 versus 500 years). Soil is obviously crucial in that it allows for agriculture. Soil is packed with nutrients needed for plant growth. Healthy soil is essential for human health and can slow erosion and climate change. Crops can purposely be grown to cover and enrich soil, keeping it healthy when not being used: such crops are known as cover crops. Additionally, cover crops, as well as pasture land, are more plants that take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. In healthy soil, microorganisms act like a glue and protect it from erosion. Soil is the base for growing most food, so just a few inches of dirt, which we are losing quickly, could mean the difference between extinction and survival. As available resources and environments change, scientists have changed plants to be more suited for them. You may cringe at the words “genetically modified organism” (GMO), thinking of foods unnaturally evolved to stay fresh longer and resist diseases while having unknown long-term effects. However, after examining 1783 studies about the safety and environmental impacts of GMO foods, Italian scientists were not able to find a single source of proper scientific proof that GMOs pose a risk to humans or animals. 85 percent of food products in the U.S. contain some GMOs, all of which are thoroughly tested, and new research is coming out each day. GMOs will play a role in the future of food. 15 percent of plants for agricultural use are destroyed by diseases each year. New varieties of plants can be genetically modified in six months while conventional breeding can take 15 years; this is especially useful when dealing with sudden environmental and climate changes. More people would be fed if genetically modified plants are found to be safe and approved by governments. Global temperatures have risen by 0.8 degrees Celsius (1.4 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1880. This increase not only causes many detrimental environmental effects, but also affects food supplies, windows of time for harvest, and storage. The Gulf of Maine has been warming faster than most bodies of water, causing New England cod to reproduce less. Now, these fish, which are a big part of the fishing industry in New England, cannot be replaced as quickly as they are being harvested for food. Similarly, in northern Alaska, where the seal is a main source of food, ice is disappearing due to rising temperatures. This has caused the hunting season for seals to shorten from three weeks to less than one, as seals migrate north more early. Furthermore, some food that we consume may in turn
spread negative effects to the environment. Considering the amount of gasoline needed to raise cows for beef consumption—making fertilizer for the corn that feeds them, farming and transporting that corn, consumers transporting and preparing the beef—producing a pound of beef for human consumption emits more carbon dioxide than burning one gallon of gasoline. Livestock in general make up 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. If you aren’t ready to subsist on legumes and quinoa for amino acids, how about lab-grown meat? In the meat industry, animals are packed together in such unhealthy conditions that they must be given antibiotics to prevent the spread of disease. In turn, this affects the people who eat their meat. Crops grown to feed agricultural animals could instead be used to feed the human population directly. For these reasons, scientists at Maastricht University in the Netherlands have developed ways in which to grow beef from stem cells in calf serum. The muscle-specific stem cells, taken from the cow through a biopsy, divide to become muscle tissue. The meat is then ground up into burgers. This in vitro study creates meat that produces significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions and takes up far less land space than conventionally farmed meat. At first, the lab-grown burger cost $350,000. This price has now dropped by 80 percent. Most food critics agree that the in vitro meat does not taste so different from conventional meat, so the big problem we are left with is producing large amounts of in vitro meat. This would require artificial circulatory systems in order to distribute oxygen and nutrients to the muscle tissues. Still, with a growing demand for meat that cannot be met, meat grown in labs may play a great role in the future of food. Then again, conventional food may not play such a big role in feeding the world. In 2012, Rob Rhinehart developed a meal replacement he called Soylent in order to cut down on grocery costs. Soylent began as a mixture of 35 nutrients needed by humans. The idea behind Soylent is that instead of digesting food for the essential components needed for life functions, one needs only to consume the raw nutrients. A diet based solely on Soylent can therefore be more nutritious than a conventional diet. The standard formula for Soylent has come to consist mostly of common household foods—brown rice for protein, oat flour for carbohydrates, sunflower oil for lipids, plus mineral and vitamin supplements—so that Soylent can be easily made and bought at low prices. Though it is unlikely that Soylent will become more widely consumed than conventional food, it is a good solution to the problem of feeding billions of people. A number of factors, including a growing population, rising global temperatures, and disappearing resources are leading to a future in which feeding the human race will be an even bigger challenge. However, turning to unconventional methods could help. By accepting genetically modified organisms, slowing global climate change, and conserving Earth’s topsoil, we may be able to feed the expected population of nine billion in 2050.
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The University of Missouri (Mizzou) is already located in one of the most racially stagnant states in the U.S., but the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson only increased the racial tensions on campus. There has been a pervasive culture of racism at Mizzou and students have protested and gone on hunger strikes to encourage the college administrators to take action.
Mike Middleton, a previous civil rights attorney, replaced Wolfe as interim president of Mizzou.
Protestors urged the resignation of Mizzou President Tim Wolfe and Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin for the way they handled students’ complaints. Eventually, both resigned. The Mizzou football team boycotted on November 8, claiming that they wouldn’t play until Wolfe’s resignation.
A video was released in which fraternity members from the University of Oklahoma sang a racist chant. A protest was held in response.
At U.C.L.A., protestors swarmed into university offices, shouting “Black Bruins matter,” in response to a “Kanye Western” event at which students wore blackface.
At Yale University, many weeks of tension have detonated a series of protests that demanded the administration better meet the needs of minority students. They demanded that Yale be a place not just for intellectual growth, but also for safety and comfort.
Scan this QR code to see what President Barack Obama has to say.
On October 28, a committee on intercultural affairs at Yale University sent a campus-wide email pushing students to be racially sensitive in choosing their Halloween costumes. A few days later, Erika Christakis, a lecturer in early childhood education, objected and sent back an email emphasizing free speech and arguing that American universities are places for maturation and a “certain regressive, or even transgressive, experience.” In response, over 740 students signed an open letter criticizing Christakis and calling for her resignation.
YALE PRESIDENT University President Peter Salovey, who had been unresponsive to the open forums at which Yale students discussed the racial discrimination they’d experienced on campus, attended the protest and stated, “Last week was a reminder that we need to work harder ... [to] create an educational environment where everyone is respected, everyone is heard ... I’m inspired to create that kind of Yale.” A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS On Halloween weekend, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity turned away a black female student, saying the party was for “white girls only.” Also, one of Yale’s residential colleges is named after John C. Calhoun, a racist and secessionist from the 1800s who once considered slavery a “positive good.” These were some of many instances that Yale protestors demanded action and change for.
CRITICISM An op-ed called “Hurt at Home” was recently published on The Yale Herald, which discussed the importance of a safe learning environment and demanded action. The reactions to this article were mostly critical. One commented, “It blows my mind that people this emotionally fragile ... are in an institution of higher learning period, much less at Yale.”
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Center Spread
Racial Tension at colleges It is no joke that there are fervent racial tensions in colleges all over the United States. Although this issue has gotten significant media attention only in the past few months, it has been ongoing for many years. This is especially challenging for colleges to address because some urge colleges to play greater roles in creating and maintaining racially sensitive environments for students, while others argue that college is a place of learning, where students get exposed to societal issues like these and can learn to deal with them. All images provided.
Hundreds of Ithaca College students and faculty participated in a “solidarity walk-out” on November 11. They demanded the resignation of Ithaca College president Tom Rochon, who was unresponsive to student complaints.
The Student Government Association of Ithaca College passed a bill allowing a vote of “no confidence” in President Tom Rochon. He was voted “not confident” but did not resign. However, he took this as an opportunity to better his leadership. He thus created a position called “chief diversity officer,” hiring Roger Richardson as the interim.
On October 8, a panel called the Blue Sky Kickoff was held at Ithaca College. It featured Ithaca College alumna Tatiana Sky ’09 (right), who stated that she had a “savage hunger” for success. Afterwards, the panelists (who were both white men), repeatedly referred to Sky as “the savage”. This caused outrage among many people.
Ithaca College students and alumni voiced frustration on social media after an unaffiliated fraternity advertised a theme party called “Preps and Crooks.” There was a corresponding dresscode requirement that upsetted many, since it was racially charged. The party was cancelled.
People of Color at Ithaca College (POC@IC) was a group created to voice concerns about racial discrimination on campus. “I stand with #POC@IC” has been tagged by many colleges across the country.
So what? All of this is happening on college campuses. So why should high schoolers care about this issue? Here are two IHS graduates’ thoughts.
“This is an issue of feeling welcome in a community of people in which we are supposed to already be a part of. A person of color who is in high school can go through the exact same thing, but not voice it.” – April Carroll ’15 April wrote an article for The Guardian about this issue. Scan the QR code to read it.
“High-school students have the right and responsibility to be engaged with the issues that affect the greater nation. They should care about problems on college campuses because they will soon perhaps be in college and should be aware of how these problems may affect their own experience and formulate the best ways to respond should these problems come up. They should also know that college is a place to learn things and that even though injustice exists on college campuses, it can serve as a learning opportunity to display how our culture responds to students speaking up.” – Conor Coutts ’15
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Ilan Mizrachi ’17: “I accidentally slammed my little brother’s pinky with the bathroom door because I really needed to piss. I was five.”
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
Julian Perry ’19: “I once tried to hit my brother’s head with a mallet.”
Hall Monitor By DAVID SHENG, Staff Writer
What’s the worst thing you did as a little kid?
Silas Hoffstaetter ’16: “Maybe the worst thing I did was throwing a book at my father.”
Tristan Engst ’17: “Once I used Internet Explorer in sixth grade.”
Julius Stroock ’19: “I once got my dad to shave me a mohawk from an Afro, which kinda made me look like a rooster.”
Inbal Grossman ’17: “I stole candies from a store when I was five.”
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Annie Loucks ’17: “I pooped my pants when I was four.”
Joseph Yoon ’19: “I took a swig of dihydrogen monoxide when I was really young. Apparently it kills you after approximately 80 years.”
Aidan Peck ’17: “I did nothing bad as a little kid. I was a perfect child.”
Write!
Send submissions to editor@ihstattler.com
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ARTS
Percussion, Puppies, and Carly Rae Jepsen By EMMA KARNES
JULIA RUTHERFORD
I thought: what repelled by the chamore could I want out rade—my mom, a dieof a Sunday night? hard animal lover, has But apparently, most always told me that Cornell students had Cruella is the worst plenty of preferable Disney villain of them ideas. At 7:45 p.m., all—but soon her bubonly 15 minutes bebly personality set all fore the scheduled straight. Jepsen exstart of Jepsen’s show, plained that they had Barton Hall housed missed Halloween on an awkwardly small the plane the previous number of young famnight, and they were ilies, adolescent girls just “living Hallowin Carly Rae Jepsen– een.” Behind her, her tour T-shirts, and colbandmates nodded as Carly Rae Jepsen performs on November 1st, 2015 in Barton Hall at Cornell University. lege students dressed enthusiastically and The show was opened by indie-pop band, St Lucia. for clubbing. The alobediently as puppies. ready-floundering setWithout a doubt, ting only suffered further from the thick Jepsen’s new pop album Emotion is defog that drifted from the stage area and pressingly synthetic, relying on the same wandered around the room as lethargidance beat and artless lyrics to enthuse cally as the fans. I ran into Sveta Reddy large crowds. Without being familiar with ’18 and Zoe Wilkie-Tomasik ’18 around many of the songs, it was easy to fade this time, both of whom felt just as uninto the dancing waves of people around comfortable as I. “I feel so bad for [Carme and forget to appreciate the vivacily]!” Sveta exclaimed. “I hope more peoty of live music. Especially with popular ple come!” crowd favorites like “Good Time” and I’m not sure if significantly more “Call Me Maybe,” Jepsen’s familiar appeal people did show up or if the crowd’s as a look-good feel-good-singalong-star emaciation simply became less noticehit full force. If nothing else, she held her able when the lights turned off, but by stake as an entertainer fairly well. the time St. Lucia took the stage as the I maintain that Carly Rae Jepsen conopening act, the atmosphere felt much cert-goers don’t go to hear artful live more like that of an upbeat concert. performances of quality songs, but to An indie-pop band in geometric button feel the same brightly-lit, rhythmic thrill downs and colorful lights, St. Lucia got that be found in any closely-packed venright down to business with buoyant ue with loud dance music playing from tunes sounding like a mix between Walk an iPod. I don’t necessarily think there’s the Moon’s dance-rock and 1985’s “The anything wrong with this. I think it is Carly Rae Jepsen performs at Barton Hall. Breakfast Club” soundtrack. I mostly an attitude that has evolved with young Jepsen began the concert dressed as Cruella de enjoyed the percussion jams in the midpeople’s new tendencies to develop Vil, with the band dressed as dalmatians. dle of some of their songs, which, when physical rather than intellectual relationaccompanied by a dramatic sort of laser ships with music; I believe there is room light show, really helped hype the room’s collective energy. I for both. At this particular concert, my personal opinion of a was more impressed with the band’s stage presence than the song as a piece of art did not affect its ability to physically move quality of their music, though: lead singer Jean-Philip Grobler me: to manifest its beat in my chest and feet, to make me want used an enormous fan at his feet to keep his uncut hair dra- to sway and dance. Every piece of consumer art serves its own matically blowing, and at one point, laid flat on the ground and purpose. bicycled his feet to the rhythm. For the most part, the band was After the climactic rain of gold and silver streamers during having a blast, so everyone else was too. “I Really Like You,” lights abruptly flicked on and Jepsen and Finally, Carly Rae Jepsen walked out onto the stage to the her crew waved charismatically, strutting out of sight. I was chilling Cruella de Vil theme song, dressed like the exploitative left blinking, my ears ringing. Barton Hall emptied much more Disney villain in heels, long gloves, and a fur coat. Her band quickly than it had filled three hours before. members followed, dressed as dalmatians. At first I was a bit JULIA RUTHERFORD
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
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Binghamton Youth Symphony Orchestra By SHERRIE QIAN
SHERRIE QIAN
Jordan Lu ’18, Nicole Peters ’17, Sherrie Qian ’19, Robin Steuteville ’18, and Rowan Miller ’17.
"TUBAS! You call that swinging? You guys swing like a lead balloon!" Barry Peters, our conductor, teases. We're rehearsing "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town" for the TV-screened Binghamton Youth Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert coming up in 3 weeks. Along with Robin Steuteville ’18, Jordan Lu ’18, Rowan Miller ’17, and Nicole Peters ’17, I rehearse at Binghamton High School with the Binghamton Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO) every Sunday from 3:00–6:00. We leave Ithaca around 1:30 and get home around 7:30, pretty much giving up our entire Sunday to participate in this symphony orchestra. This is a huge commitment to make, given that we are all in high school. Every year, BYSO gives four amazing concerts, the first of which is the TV-screened Holiday Concert. We are videotaped playing holiday pieces, which include Christmas and Hanukkah pieces alongside songs such as “Sleigh Ride” that fulfill a wintery holiday spirit. This year, BYSO is playing Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Festive Sounds of Hanukkah arranged by Bill Holcombe, and The Most Wonderful Christmas arranged by Robert Sheldon. Over the rest of the year, there are three main concerts. One is the Winter Concert in January, where BYSO will perform The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas, The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Rimsky Korsakov, Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin, arranged by Chuck Sayre, Shepherd’s Hey by the one and only Percy Aldridge Grainger, and more. Then in March, we play at the Children’s Concert. Every year, over 2,000 elementary-school students from Binghamton and Vestal are invited to come to
hear us play so we can encourage young students to start playing an instrument. The Southern Tier Dance Academy, a dance group from the Binghamton area, performs alongside us for one of the pieces, providing an influence to start dance as well. The last concert of the year, and in my opinion one of the best and most exciting, is the Spring Concert in May. It almost always has a full house and offers refreshments at the end. If anyone is interested, they are always welcome to come to any of the concerts. The BYSO is guaranteed to have a wonderful performance, even though we are constantly reminded that we “have emotions of a fruit!” by our wonderful conductor Barry Peters. Auditions are held in August and January for new members who wish to join. Everyone is welcome, although oboes, cellos, and violas are greatly wanted in our orchestra. Much like NYSSMA, auditioning musician need to prepare scales and a piece, but luckily enough, there is no sight reading involved. Once you become a member, there is no need to audition for eligibility again. Of course, like every orchestra or band, there are seating auditions: one in September and one in February. Although playing in the orchestra is never tiring, we take time off during Thanksgiving and winter break. Naturally, if the orchestra does not seem very well-prepared and an extra rehearsal might be needed, Mr. Peters threatens us, saying, “You all sound suckiosso ... I'm not giving you a break next time.” Don’t worry, he’s always joking. If you’re interested in making music, or just want to spend your Sundays relaxing and playing in the orchestra while not having to feel guilty about not doing homework that is probably due Monday, join BYSO. Trust me, the last thing you will do is regret it.
A Fall ’40s Playlist By MAX FINK A brief playlist for those crisp and windblown fall evenings; dreaming perhaps of fairer weather, or of the faded 1940s (excellent also for any suiting occasion). 1. Ted Lewis and his Band: “My Little Dreamboat” 2. The Ink Spots: “The Gypsy” 3. Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra: “I Can’t Get Started” 4. The Artie Shaw Orchestra and Helen Forrest: “Deep Purple” 5. Ray Noble and Al Bowlly: “Midnight, the Stars and You” 6. Orrin Tucker and his Orchestra: “Drifting and Dreaming” 7. Rudi Schuricke: “Komm Zurück” 8. Benny Goodman: “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” 9. The Mills Brothers: “Smoke Rings” 10. Al Bowlly and Reginald Williams: “Small Town” 11. Harry James and Kitty Kallen: “It’s Been a Long, Long Time”
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
Wind-Up: Part 3 By JAMES PARK
Norberry Precinct isn’t what you’d call the high end of town. It looks innocuous at first glance, as full of noisy, bustling people as any other section of the city. Stay a little too long, however, and you’ll soon realize that every conversation around you revolves around the black market, murder, and human trafficking. Norberry itself is run by a coalition of gangs and drug lords, a group of ambitious individuals who rose to power during a three-year conflict with the city’s government. Heavy losses on both sides finally led to a tentative agreement that the government would turn a blind eye to most dealings, while Norberry agreed to, for the most part, keep its activities confined to the area. That was ten years ago. Somehow, a tenuous peace has been maintained, but it’s only a matter of time. For the rest of the morning, I examined previous cases of murder from the past few months. Given the size of the city, murder cases sprung up almost daily, but none had the brutality of last night’s killing. An unstable artist had gone on a murder spree a year back, leaving his violent “masterpieces” in public locations, but the method of killing was too different. This was no outcome of a drunken brawl; there was a deliberate intensity and thought behind the murder that hinted at something deeper. Afterwards, I headed back to the crime scene for a checkup, but nothing had really changed. Lieutenant Weir, if still rather distant, seemed friendlier with Winder not present, and agreed to update me on any new discoveries. As I talked, I noticed a man in a brown overcoat, similar to that of Winder, standing a short distance away. He seemed to glance at me when I mentioned Winder, but when I looked towards him a few minutes later he had vanished. A quick lunch later, I made my way to Norberry. As Winder hadn’t specified where to meet, I decided to stay on the Conway, a large road that cut straight through the pre-
cinct. I soon found him sitting in front of a shady-looking cafe. He looked up from a cup of coffee as I approached him. “Ah, Newt,” Winder said, gesturing for me to sit down across from him. “About time you got here. Anything new?” “Not much.” I gave a quick summary of what I’d found out. “I’ll be able to find out more once we get an update on the murder. But anyway,” I inquired curiously, “what brought you all the way to Norberry?” Winder took a sip from his cup. “Back at the body, you noticed how the entire upper arm was nearly hacked off? You could just attribute it to excessive violence, but that doesn’t seem right. That was the only major cut that wasn’t on the torso. The shape of the wound was also different for the arm, quicker and much more forceful than the rest of the injuries. Almost as an afterthought.” I frowned. “So you’re saying that the murderer was trying to hide something. Maybe trying to get rid of a distinguishing feature, like a birthmark or a tattoo?” The detective glanced at me approvingly. “That is my thought. In this case, I believe it’s the latter. Which is what brought me here. A tattoo on the right upper arm— remind you of any gang around here?” I thought for a bit. “There’s only two I can think of on the spot. It could be the Masakhs, but their tattoos are a lot more extensive than just the arm. So that would leave the Chain, but ...” I continued skeptically, “It’s a bit of a jump to link this murder with a gang, especially when it took place nearly a dozen precincts away.” Winder finished his coffee and shrugged. “What would the largest gang in the city be doing going around and killing people? Almost unimaginable, isn’t it?” He rose and put on his overcoat. “Well, luckily for you, I know someone who knows. Follow me.” We stepped off of the bright
Conway and onto a more secluded street, the atmosphere instantly changing from noisy to subdued. Small groups of people clung to the shade of buildings, taking part in furtive exchanges of handshakes and contraband. It was a relief that we weren’t in uniform; officers who found themselves in Norberry were not kindly received. Winder took no notice of this and continued on until we arrived at the entrance of what looked like an abandoned tenant building. The detective knocked three times and stood back. After a brief pause, a slot opened in the door. A gruff voice came from the darkness behind the door slot. “Winder, eh? Who’s the lady?” Winder sighed. “No one you need to care about, Gonzo. Let us in.” “Listen, pal, this isn’t a fucking walk-in clinic. If she’s with the force, she can’t come in. End of fucking story.” “Well, that’s a pity,” said Winder disappointedly. “I almost didn’t want to tell Linda about the drugs that you’ve been stealing from her personal supplier.” “How the fuck do you know that?” “Your profanity appalls me. Well, I’m sorry for wasting your time. I’ll see you later, Gonzo, unless you’ve been dumped in the sewers with your hands cut off by then.” Winder slowly turned around and began to nonchalantly walk away. “Alright, not so loud!” The door hastily swung open, revealing a brawny, scowling man, pulling on his greased hair with irritation. “Come inside. Linda’s meeting with another gang, but she’ll be finished soon. You better not say a fucking word about my dealings, Winder.” He ushered us into a small room and then ran off, closing the door behind him. I glanced at Winder with confusion. “Linda? As in the leader of the Chain? You know her personally?" Winder grinned. “Well, who wouldn’t know their own sister?”
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
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Concert Review: Emanuel Ax By DANIEL XU
IMAGE PROVIDED
The lights dimmed. The hubbub in the hall ceased. A voice announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, Emanuel Ax!” and without delay, in walked the man himself. He was short and somewhat corpulent, but despite his age had a powerful vigor about him evident in the way he moved. Cheers and applause erupted from the packed hall as Ax took a bow and seated himself at the piano. I expected a dramatic silence as he prepared, but got nothing of the sort as Ax immediately launched into Beethoven’s Sonata Pathetique. The concert had begun. Internationally-acclaimed pianist Emanuel Ax held a concert November 6 at Cornell’s Bailey Hall. I had some inkling of his reputation; IHS having several fans of his. I had never actually heard him play—live or otherwise. The location of the event made it a prime opportunity for any Ithacan fan of classical music to witness one of the greats in action, and I certainly wasn’t passing up on the chance. For a relatively modest $36, a friend was able to acquire tickets for both of us to attend the concert. The program consisted of Beethoven’s Pathetique, opus 34 Variations in F major, and Sonata No. 16 in G Major. After an intermission, Ax was scheduled to perform all four Chopin scherzi. I was familiar with the Pathetique, having played it myself, as well as the Scherzo No. 3, but everything else on the program was uncharted—unlistened—territory for me. It was with no small degree of anticipation that I arrived at Bailey Hall on that day, unsure of what to expect from Ax and fixated on the perpetual question: how good would he be? My takeaway from the concert? I guess he’s pretty OK. And by that, I mean I left thoroughly impressed after some initial misgivings and forgivings. I was initially almost underwhelmed by Ax’s performance of the Pathetique, probably in part due to my somewhat unrealistic expectations. The acoustics in Bailey Hall did not lend themselves to a very resonant sound, and so the crashing fortissimo chords that open the piece came out somewhat less than impressively—especially since I already knew they were coming. My acclimation to Daniel Barenboim’s interpretation of the piece also led me to think Ax was rushing, especially in the third movement (Rondo). This overly critical mindset is an unfortunate consequence of already knowing a lot about the piece. I was unconsciously focusing only on finding faults rather than appreciating the musicality, which is typically not the best way to fully enjoy a concert. Ax was met with thunderous applause after completing the piece with a furious cadenza. As is customary in this type of concert, he bowed and went offstage briefly before returning to even louder applause. This process was repeated two times.
Seeing the audience’s enthusiasm, I couldn’t help but join in; my perception of his playing at least didn’t daunt my appreciation of the piece itself. By that moment, I had mentally acknowledged his skill, but still thought I had heard better. Ax continued with the other two Beethoven pieces: the Variations in F and Sonata No. 16 in G. Since I didn’t know either of these pieces, I tried to concentrate on the sound of the piece itself over his touches as a performer, but found that I couldn’t get into either of them. The Variations seemed hopelessly academic to me, while I can barely remember any of the Sonata except for the staggered chords scattered as a motif through the first movement. I realized that I was getting bored, and decided to switch back to observing Ax’s technique. Ax’s attacks were always sharp and fast, hands lifting off the keys in a practiced, stiff motion. At the same time, though, he switched contexts with ease, transitioning from his stiff attacks into lyrical arpeggios and longer sequences of notes almost seamlessly. One thing I noticed at this point was the vibrating, almost perpetually pedaled sound that the piano produced. I honestly couldn’t tell whether Ax was half-pedaling the whole time through the Beethoven pieces or if the texture was just a side effect of the wonky acoustics in the hall. My seat in Orchestra Left, while excellent for watching Ax’s hands, left me blind to the movements of his feet, and I kept trying to lean over the annoyingly tall people seated in front of me to get a look. I never found out how much Ax was pedaling, so it would be great if someone could tell me. After the Sonata, the same applause routine that followed the Pathetique repeated itself before Ax actually left the stage. I had some time to gather my thoughts during the 15-minute intermission, as well as talk to classmates who were also attending the concert. I had to admit that I was a little disappointed with the actual pieces in the first half of the concert, but had resolved to stay for the Chopin, which turned out to be the right choice. Not only were the scherzi themselves beautiful and awe-inspiring at turns, but Ax performed them with a furor that made up for any boredom I had experienced in the first half and then some. Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1 is simply an amazing piano piece, and Ax brought it to life more than even the Horowitz recordings I listened to afterwards. Ax’s body language and aforementioned style of playing fit the piece, with all its chaotic strings of cadences and resonant melodic lines, like a glove. As he entered the coda I was literally sweating and on the edge of my seat. When the piece concluded with its final two chords, the audience gave him a standing ovation, and I stood wholeCONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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The Art of Gift Giving
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
the presence of said person each time. Soap Remember that time your best friend’s brother’s brother told you he was allergic to goat? Me neither, but you saw that really nice goat-milk soap at a Hanukkah sale and you knew it’d be perfect for anyone, ever, so you bought it for the brother, and the aunt, and the dog. But then the kid was allergic to goat! So he returned them all on overnight shipping with a regretful yet kind note and the soap was bequeathed unto you. Even though it was unintentional, you again came back around as the winner.
“The universe operates through dynamic exchange ... giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. And in our willingness to give that which we seek, we keep the abundance of the universe circulating in our lives.” —Deepak Chopra of The Chopra Center
A Notebook Short interlude: Please Grammy, I really don’t need another liger-print composition book, not even one made from 100 percent recycled materials (sorry Grammy), not even a decomposition book from Home Green Home. I just don’t. I’ve tried to record my dreams. I’ve tried to make lists. I’ve tried diaries. Sometimes I think my life may be worthy of a memoir and I try that. But all my attempts have filled only the first seven pages of the notebook you gave me for Solstice in 2004. However, for everyone besides my Grammy, who has really exhausted the whole thing, giving a notebook as a gift is the only way to ensure that a friend is meticulously documenting all of your successful jokes and kindhearted actions. The first entry can read as follows: “[your name here] bestowed upon me the gift of this wonderful notebook, which was a courteous, intellectual, and entirely selfless act.”
By CHLOE WRAY, Staff Writer
No one wants to be the friend who bestows a subpar present. Basically all of the sources, from the Bible to Deepak Chopra, spiritual leader extraordinaire, say that anything you give should be something you’d like to have re-gifted a few years down the line. Even better, you can get a gift back sooner than you’d think. There are several methods to ensure that you’ll benefit from more than just pride in giving the gift. If you adhere to these general premises, you will be guaranteed to have taken one step closer to truly understanding the art of gift giving. A few are as follows: Assorted Gift Basket I suggest a fair trade, hand-woven, river reed grass–infused basket from Greenstar. Of course, this suggestion can be substituted with any basket of your choice, but the aforementioned baskets are great for a collection of root vegetables or alpaca yarn. Fill the basket with goodies that the receiver hates, preferably perishable things, like beet-edamame-carrot-chipotle fat-free “hummus,” so they’ll have no choice but to give it back to you within a week. This way, there will be no guilt on either end, and you’ll get your favorite snack ... for “free.” We can only hope the receiver has no use for the basket either, and maybe in a few months they’ll give you a comparable assortment within said basket for your half-birthday. Your Mixtape Awww. Or just deprivatize your favorite Spotify playlist and let the giftee follow it. Despite how embarrassing it may be to you, it really comes from the heart, and that’s what counts. Sharing music is amazing on both ends; it may even be more gratifying on the giving end, which, again, is the best type of gift. This gift is timeless. You can forever brag about how it was YOU who exposed this person to Glen Campbell and the Eagles, and how irresistible that Eagles song sounds in between those two Glen Campbell songs. No matter how many times you listen to a song you first encountered somewhere with a certain person, you feel
CONCERT REVIEWL: EMANUEL AX CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
heartedly with them, clapping for all I was worth. Ax’s performance of the Scherzo No. 1 was the highlight of the evening and by itself justified the price of admission. And the second Scherzo was not far behind. I had a difficult time deciding whether I preferred the Scherzo No. 1 or the Scherzo No. 2 after Ax had performed both, and I ended up deciding that the virtuosity he displayed in the first one made it the more memorable performance. As a piece, though, I currently prefer the Scherzo No. 2. Its recurring motif is dark, yet catchy, and the subtler changes in texture throughout lend themselves to a more comprehensive whole. I applauded nearly as hard as I did for the first, although no one stood up this time around. The other two Scherzi were markedly less exciting, although both are good pieces. They just weren’t close to the level of the first and second Scherzi; the Scherzo No. 3 I had listened to many times already and the Scherzo No. 4 is in a major key. Talk about a mood-killer. Ax’s performance continued to impress me throughout after I began observing him more closely with the end of the first Scherzo, and I was converted by the end of the night. I think I prefer his performance of the Chopin Scherzi at Bailey to the Yundi Li recording on Youtube, which is saying a lot—although I’d have to rewatch a recording of the Ax concert to be sure. Ax’s body language is just so much more dynamic while being less exaggerated, and his playing I now recognize to be masterly. Needless to say, Ax received another standing ovation and was encored at the conclusion of the concert. He played a dainty little piece by Schumann whose name I still don’t know, providing the concert with a satisfying end. I left Bailey Hall that evening with a head spinning with melodies and a resolve to attend more classical concerts. I’ll see you at the next one.
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
SPORTS IMAGE PROVIDED
Luvelle’s Sports Predictions By MARLO ZORMAN, Staff Writer After last issue’s well-received sports predictions, I decided to talk with Dr. Luvelle Brown and get his insight on the upcoming sports seasons. As it turns out, the superintendent is just as biased as the rest of us when it comes to predicting which teams will do well. Marlo Zorman ’16: Who is your favorite NFL team? How are they doing this year and how do you feel about their performance? Luvelle Brown: Washington Redskins. They have been bad for several years, and that will continue for the foreseeable future. By all accounts, Brown is right. Washington hasn’t had a positive season in three years, and RGIII’s hyped-up career has been a disappointment after a series of injuries. MZ: Who do you think will play in the Super Bowl? And who do you think will win? Why? LB: The Pittsburgh Steelers will defeat the Carolina Panthers. The Steelers are built for the post-season, and their style of play will be beneficial during cold January playoff games. The head coach is also a fraternity brother that I root for. Brown may be onto something with this prediction regarding his fraternity brother, Mike Tomlin. Both teams made the playoffs last year and the Panthers are currently undefeated, so a Super Bowl from the two teams wouldn’t be out of this world.
Fire in the Hole!
Wacky Sport: Foot “Ball” By BENJAMIN SALOMON, Staff Writer Extreme, wacky, some might say crazy and thrilling; the name of the game is Fireball Soccer. Students in Indonesia decided to turn up the heat on the classic game of soccer by adding an extra special element to it: fire. Although the rules of the game stay the same in Fireball Soccer, the ball is replaced by a flaming coconut. CONTINUED ON PAGE 25
Underclassmen in Varsity Sports: The Tanner Scale By ANNIKA BROWNING
MZ: Which team do you think will dominate the NBA this season? Why?
IHS’s sports program has been lacking in participants this fall, to the point where whole teams have become missing. This wasn't caused by a failure of student athletes to participate, however, but actually their incapability to pass the state’s physical tests. Before the start of this year’s fall sports season, New York State passed testing regulations for middle-school students that changed necessary qualifications for them to participate in varsity sports. These tests, known as the Athletic Placement Process (APP), determine whether middle-school students are mentally, physically, and emotionally mature enough to participate in higher-level sports, a marked difference from determining qualification based on age and grade alone as has been done in the past. Most commonly used for contact sports where injuries are more common, the APP standards have been a little too severe in non-contact sports. Although the test is supposed to ensure athletes’ safety by raising the standards
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MZ: Who is your favorite NBA team? How do you think they'll do this year and why? LB: Whatever team Lebron James plays for. They will win the championship this year. While LeBron hasn’t been as dominant as usual lately, he is still regarded as one of the best players ever to play the game and could easily lead his team to another championship.
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
Bo Jackson is the Best Athlete Ever
NCAA Preseason Basketball Rankings
By ABE MESSING, Staff Writer
By LUCA GREENSPUN
In the increasingly competitive world of professional sports, specialized players that have mastered their sport often are labeled as terrific athletes, and they are. But what many people fail to realize is that these superstars have dedicated thousands of hours to the same motions, plays, and mechanics for only one sport, and that they can perform outstandingly in that one sport should not be a surprise. Athletes such as LeBron James, Usain Bolt, and Michael Phelps have been looked upon as the world's best; however, their accomplishments reflect only a limited selection of abilities. Granted, these athletes each are arguably the most impressive in their respective sport, but they should not be given the title of “greatest athlete.” Instead, a more well-versed athlete excelling in multiple sports is deserving of the title—Bo Jackson. Jackson was somewhat of an athletic prodigy from the start, but his career ended early due to an unfortunate injury. He was demonstrating superior talent from as early as eighth grade. In 30 for 30: You Don’t Know Bo, one of his junior-high classmates recounted Bo dunking an entire stick in a regulation basketball hoop. Straight out of high school, Jackson caught the eye of the New York Yankees and was recruited to play for them—although he promptly turned down this offer to pursue a career in a different sport, football, at the University of Alabama. During his collegiate career, Jackson led his baseball team to victory, became a football MVP as well as a Sugar Bowl champ, and also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field team. After college, Jackson shifted gears towards baseball. Jackson signed with the Royals, White Sox, and Angels, and consistently put up impressive numbers. With four 20–home run seasons, an all-star MVP award, and a record for most consecutive at-bat home runs, he was certainly a premier athlete in the MLB. Jackson’s career doesn't just include professional baseball, however. After winning the Heisman trophy at Auburn as well as numerous other awards, he decided to play football again. In 1987, he joined the NFL with the Raiders. Jackson ran sensationally in his first season, with accomplishments including a record-breaking 221-yard dash on Monday Night Football and the fastest 40-yard dash ever recorded, at 4:12. Sadly, Jackson’s impressive athletic career ended in 1991, a mere four years later, with a hip injury. Jackson’s raw statistics may not outweigh all those before or after him in baseball or football, but his accomplishments are unsurpassed. Jackson was a top competitor in not one, but two professional sports, which combined with his overall legacy warrants extreme praise. Bo Jackson is, without a doubt, the greatest athlete who ever lived.
Tattler Preseason Rankings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
Kentucky Duke North Carolina Kansas Maryland Virginia Wichita State Michigan State Iowa State Gonzaga Oklahoma Villanova Wisconsin Michigan Arizona Indiana California Utah UConn Oregon LSU NC State Miami (FL) Louisville Butler
Associated Press Preason Rankings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
North Carolina Kentucky Maryland Kansas Duke Virginia Iowa State Oklahoma Gonzaga Wichita State Villanova Arizona Michigan State California Indiana Utah Wisconsin Vanderbilt Notre Dame UConn LSU Baylor Purdue Butler Michigan
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
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Fantasy Football: Game of Skill? By MAX FINK You should all be familiar with fantasy football, and even if you’re not, you most definitely have heard the names Draftkings and FanDuel, the two largest online conglomerates for fantasy football. Draftkings is valued at around $1 billion and FanDuel is of comparable size. Over the past few years, the popularity and profits of large fantasy football leagues have shot up. These trends pose a marked change in the way fantasy football is played: contestants in smaller fantasy leagues have to wait out the football season to see how they do and what monetary rewards they may or may not receive. What sites such as Draftkings is for the expediting of this process. Draftkings offers daily cash pools for, say, picking a winning draft team based only on stats from a single match. It also allows a much larger body of players to play together, which generates thousands of dollars in cash prizes. Some weekly contests can pay up to a million dollars in prize money. Companies such as Draftkings
capitalize on the appeal of being able to collect such a large cash prize while taking away from the pursuit of the game. These companies also skim a hefty 10 percent off the top of the gambling pools as their payment. The recent controversy over this practice concerns whether or not all this should be considered gambling. Online Fantasy Football is declared federally legal by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The act generally outlaws gambling that deals with online bank transfers, but makes an allowance for fantasy sports, deeming them “a game of skill and not chance.” As is stands, regular-old fantasy football, whether online or not, is not defined as gambling. What the Attorney Generals of Nevada and New York have very recently determined, however, is that fantasy football websites such as FanDuel and Draftkings do constitute online gambling and are illegal in their respective states. This may come in part from the recent scandal in which a former Draftkings
LUVELLE’S SPORTS PREDICTIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23.
LB: The Golden State Warriors for one reason: Curry. Whereas Lebron hasn’t been dominating in the same way he once was, Steph Curry has been. Curry makes three-pointers almost half of the time and won MVP last year. The prediction that Curry will lead his team to dominate is an easy one to back up. MZ: How much college football and/or basketball do you watch? Which teams are you excited to see? LB: I watch college sports more than professional games. I am a huge fan of my alma mater: the University of Virginia Cavaliers. Go Hoos! MZ: Any other prediction pertaining to other sports? If you had to make one bold prediction for the upcoming sports seasons, what would it be? LB: Virginia Cavaliers will win the Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament, and the UVA Baseball team will repeat as National Champions. Go Hoos! Whether or not Brown’s predictions will pan out we’ll have to wait and see, but as of now it is clear that like the rest of us, the superintendent's predictions are probably a little bit skewed.
employee won $350,000 on FanDuel, which has been blamed on possession of insider knowledge or perhaps because of a class action suit against the two companies for their apparent violation of multiple state laws. Either way, these rulings have seemingly set a state precedent of establishing fantasy online sports as gambling. Now FanDuel and Draftkings have fired back, suing New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, but the question remains. There is no real way to measure the amount of chance and skill involved in fantasy football, or really any game. Can one really determine whether counting cards and the luck of the draw in blackjack is analogous to the statistical calculations and field play of a fantasy football team? I’m not sure where I would draw the line, but it will certainly be interesting to watch as the story unfolds. Sports gambling has been entrenched in America even before Arnold Rothstein rigged the World Series in 1919, and it will continue to stay that way.
WACKY SPORT: FOOT “BALL” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23.
Being such a dangerous game, pre-game rituals are vital to the success and well being of the players. The coconut can be soaked in kerosene for as few as 30 minutes, though some are soaked for an entire week to achieve a more vivid fireball effect. The coconuts are also rubbed and coated with salt and non-flammable spices, so they are at least semi-protected from the “ball.” The players fast before the game, believing that overcoming such a challenge will make them braver and thus allow them to play the game better. The people spectating the game show immense bravery as well, as the ball has the potential to light both the ground and the spectators on fire. Soccer is cool, fire is cool, and combining the two is the coolest. So next time you’re in Indonesia, be sure to check out this wacky sport, and make sure you take me with you.
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SPORTS
UNDERCLASSMEN IN VARISTY SPORTS: THE TANNER SCALE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23.
needed to pass it, its rigid standards make too many eligible students unable to play. The APP is affecting seventh and eighth graders under the age of 15 who are new to sports, but not eighth graders who are returning to their sports after last year’s season. Each athlete has to take the APP once and can participate in sports at their grade level if they pass, but has to take it again at higher standards to move up to the higher levels. There are nine requirements for the APP that school districts have to follow. First is parental consent and administrative approval, as children are put at higher risk of injury participating in sports with older students. Students have to be suitable for consideration and guaranteed to participate in at least 50 percent of games in a season, in addition to maintaining an appropriate academic level. Students must also be medically cleared and at the appropriate height, weight, and physical and mental level of maturity. If a student does not pass one step in being medically cleared, then the process stops. Next, there is a sport-skill evaluation which can be determined in a physical-education class. The athlete must have a physical-fitness test administered by a physical-education teacher who is not their coach.
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
They must reach the 85th percentile in four of the five requirements. The Director of Athletics ultimately decides if a student qualifies after passing these steps. All this still doesn’t guarantee them a spot, though: it just allows them to try out for a team. Medical clearance is the hardest step for middle-school students in ICSD. Acceptance is based on the Tanner Scale, which is used to determine physical maturity. The Tanner score needed to participate is different from sport to sport, but some of the more popular sports are scored very high and are difficult for athletes to pass. Soccer, swimming, cross country, football, volleyball, and cheerleading, all fall sports in Ithaca, have the highest required scores. For males, a score of 3 is required for eligibility in freshmen sports, 4 for JV and 5 for Varsity. Female sports have higher standards, with 4 for freshmen, 5 for JV, and 5 for Varsity. Female athletes also must be taller than 5’2”, weigh more than 110 pounds, and have started having their period. These requirements, especially for middle-school girls, are ridiculously high and have resulted in IHS’s lack of a JV girls’ soccer team. The district has a choice to relinquish the new APP policies for the spring sports season. If ICSD chooses to keep using the same standards, it is more than likely that the teams will continue to have low numbers of athletes.
THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
PENULTIMATE
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November in Pictures JULIA RUTHERFORD
CATHY SALOFF COSTE
Two fans hold up signs before the Carly Rae Jepsen concert at Barton Hall on November 1, 2015. CATHY SALOFF COSTE
The cast of “KIN” gestures, thanking the crew, after a performance at Ithaca High School. IMAGE PROVIDED
Claire Saloff-Coste ’16 performs in “KIN” at Ithaca High School. BRIDGET FETSKO
For the second year in a row, the Ithaca High Boys Soccer Team made the state semi-finals. After a dominant season in which the squad reached a ranking of #5 in the nation, the team looks to build on this success in the offseason. Congratulations boys soccer on 2nd straight final four appearance. ELEXUS AYIKA
A view of the Ithaca Falls.
IHS Choir Director, Kristin Zaryski, announces the name drawn from a snowman jar during a choir rehearsal. The student whose name is drawn each day gets to take one day off of the countdown to holiday break.
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THE TATTLER • DECEMBER 2015 • ihstattler.com
BACK PAGE
Horoscopes:
Board Game Edition By CLAIRE SALOFF-COSTE Aries (Mar. 21–Apr. 19): Good fortune is your way! Over the next week, you will find yourself in possession of two hotels, five houses, and Baltic Avenue. Make sure all that wealth doesn’t go to your head. Taurus (Apr. 20–May 20): Avoid the open water. Your battleship may be sunk before you even know what hit you. Gemini (May 21–June 20): Can’t think of anything for you. Sorry!
Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): “A game for those who seek to find ... a way to leave their world behind.” I know you think leaving high school behind would be great, but Jumanji is never the answer. Those CGI monkeys are scary as hell. Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Play Scrabble nightly. Eventually, you’ll find your vocabulary expanding ... I mean, aggrandizing (right?). I guess it doesn’t help you with definitions.
Cancer (June 21–July 22): If your friend makes the nose on the Operation Man beep more than, like, three times, don’t let them operate on you. You’ve been warned.
Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): If Halloween passed you by without dropping a single candy in your basket, have no fear: play Candy Land, because it’s basically the same thing, right?
Leo (July 23–Aug. 22): For future reference: Professor Plum with a candlestick in the study.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): Happy birthday Sagittarius! My advice to you: The game of world
domination requires a little Risk. But remember high school comes first. So don’t risk your grades and stuff. Capricorn (Dec. 22 –Jan. 19): Pictionary gifts are as good as real ones. Happy Birthday! (Don’t worry. You’ll friends will get you something more substantial.) Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): Life is hard for you this week. You climb up and up those ladders, but for every two ladders you climb, you slide down three chutes. Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20): If you play Life in the next 48 hours and win, then real life will be sweet as well. The same effect will come if you lose at Trouble.
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COOL Badminton birdies Fowl play The Wiz (Live) Excess gravy College notifications Waiting until May 2017 for the next Star Wars Double standards
9 5
6 8 4
The COOLNESS SPECTRUM
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Foul play
2 5
8 4
Breaking into the school
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2 7 5
3
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UNCOOL
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9 2
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