March 2017 • Estd. 1892 • Vol. 125 #1 • Published Monthly • www.ihstattler.com Ithaca High School, 1401 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 • FREE
DONALD TRUMP’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE IN WASHINGTON Page 10
Welcome back to school! Start your year on a good note by writing for The Tattler. Join us for our writers’ meeting on Monday, September 11 at 3:45 in H-Courtyard. Submit articles to editor@ihstattler.com.
A FLAG FOR EARTH? Page 13
AN OVERVIEW OF THE 2017–18
ICSD BUDGET Page 4
GRASSROOTS: THE ESSENCE OF ITHACA Page 19
Editorial ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO TATTLE
IT’S TIME FOR ICSD TO CHANGE ITS
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
E
ach year, when American students return to school after a two-month-long summer vacation, they find themselves having lost academic skills that they were expected to have mastered in previous years. As a result, far too many weeks that should be devoted to learning new topics end up being spent on relearning and reviewing content from previous courses. Many researchers and education specialists have analyzed this trend, and the consensus is that the prolonged duration of summer vacation is directly responsible for students falling behind when they re-enter school in the fall. In the 2016–17 school year, ICSD students spent about 180 days in school, with a summer vacation around ten weeks long. While American students spend about as much time in class compared to students around the world, the current structure of the academic calendar is a major factor that contributes to lower average test scores for American students. This is because students are deprived of the essential repetition and review that support knowledge retention while they are away on their long summer vacations. The leading expert on American summer learning problems, Harris Cooper of Duke University, first found in 1996 that the average American student loses about one month of in-school learning over the span of a ten-week long summer vacation. He went on to find that economically disadvantaged students lose almost three months’ worth of reading comprehension ability each summer, a testament to the fact that prolonged summer vacations most negatively impact students without access to out-of-school enriching experiences and academic practice. Studies since have only supported this trend, and it is time that school districts nationwide take action to ensure that students are prepared to continue learning when they re-enter schools in fall. One solution to this negative trend would be to implement the year-round calendar system used in most nations worldwide. In this system, schools operate on a trimester system with three roughly equal periods that total 180 to 200 days. In between these periods, there are two-week long breaks, allowing students longer and more frequent breaks during the school year. Additionally, a four- to six-week long summer break exists, allowing students to enjoy time off without having to worry about vast amounts of learning loss during any of their breaks in the year. If American school districts were to instate the year-round calendar, students would ultimately get as much time off during the year as in the current system, but would come back to school having retained much more of the content taught in the previous school year. 2
Despite the obvious merits of the year-round calendar, this system would be met with harsh criticism. Supporters of the current summer calendar argue that the existing calendar allows children “liberty” and the freedom to be themselves during the warmest season of the year. Additionally, they point to summer as a time to enjoy valuable experiences, such as travel, camps, and higher-learning classes. However, it is important to consider that most disadvantaged children do not have access to such experiences, and do not receive the mandatory academic stimulation over summer to return to school ready to learn. The most important benefit of the year-round calendar is that it allows students to have the same amount of vacation time to relax and focus on being children, while also significantly decreasing the amount of learning loss during summer. Opponents to the year-round calendar system have proposed a few less aggressive ways to promote summer learning and knowledge retention. Firstly, expanding offerings in summer school programs, advertising them further, and making summer school more accessible to all students would certainly help prevent learning loss. However, this course of action entails that many students would be deprived of their summer vacation, and it is unlikely that many would be motivated to spend their summers in school. Another proposal has been to implement homework assignments and take-home review materials over the summer. However, even with review assignments, many students would not have the in-home structure and environment to encourage their progress. The year-round calendar system is the ideal way to solve America’s summer learning loss problem. It would reduce the amount of time students spend out of school during summer, but would allow them to have the same number of vacation days throughout the year. Students without activities and in-home academic support would not face the heavy disadvantages that they currently do, and American students of all socioeconomic situations would return to school ready to learn.
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Table of Contents
Contents Editorial 2017–2018 ICSD Budget TSA Succeeds at National Conference Democratic Congressional Primary Race Cornell Receives $2.5 Million for Cybersecurity Looking Beyond Europe In Britain, Confusion is a Good Thing Donald Trump’s Uncertain Future
2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The National Society of High School Scholars: Worth It or Not?
11
The Problem of Bashar al-Assad
12
Should There Be a Flag for Earth? Restaurant Review: De Tasty Hot Pot CAR T-Cell Immunotherapy German Exchange Program Book Review: America’s Women by Gail Collins
13 14 15 16 18
19
How GrassRoots Embodies the Essence of Ithaca
20
Album Review: Triplicate by Bob Dylan
20
Back to School Playlist
21
A Recap of Some of the Summer’s (Good) Films
22
Drag Show Review: “Return to Grey Gardens”
22
Rock Climbing Ascends to New Heights
23
Student Athlete Feature: Asha Duhan
24
The New Look of the Oklahoma City Thunder
25
Bernstein’s Venture into History and Ithaca XC’s Promising Future
26
The Best NBA Players at Each Position
28 28 29 30 31 32
Driving on the Highway Only Just Jangly Jim Finding Strength Back to School Crossword and Mad-Libs Horoscopes
IMAGE 1 BY SAVANNA STHUR IMAGES 2–5 FROM UNSPLASH
3
News
IMAGE FROM PEXELS
AN OVERVIEW OF THE 2017–18 ICSD BUDGET By Vaynu Kadiyali
O
n May 17, 2017, all residents of Tompkins County had the chance to vote in the elections for their respective school districts. Candidates for the Board of Education, the 2017–18 ICSD budget, and the creation of a reserve fund for school expenditure, maintenance and upkeep projects were all on the ballot for Ithaca residents. All measures were approved by large margins, and the budget will signal some slight changes in district policy. While the overall budget grew by 4.7 percent from $119 million to about $125 million, the district has been able to reduce its tax rate by 1.1 percent thanks to greater state aid and other revenue. Additionally, Proposition 2 of the election, allowing the district greater financial freedom by utilizing capital that had been saved in a reserve fund in 2013, is intended to ease the financial burden on Ithaca residents. To counter the withdrawal from the fund, the successful Proposition 3 will create a capital reserve fund in 2018, available for use until the end of the 2023–24 school year. The district’s increased fiscal responsibility and tax decreases are positive signs. They are especially welcome following the substantial tax increases in 2014–15. The budget itself was significant in providing spending for a few important initiatives. A steady increase in the number of students enrolled in 4
the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, as well as a desire to reduce class sizes in elementary schools, resulted in a roughly 10 percent increase in the budget allocation for new teachers. Additionally, spending for district technology initiatives and for audio, visual, and media materials all increased, a result of the district’s commitment to engagement in the classroom. A source of controversy in the budget was the allotment for a large salary raise for Superintendent Luvelle Brown. His annual salary increased by over $44,000, an increase of almost 24 percent from his previous salary of $185,711. Many pointed out that this raise was more than the starting salary for new teachers at ICSD, and this raise will likely be a point of contention in budget talks for the 2018–19 budget. Overall, the budget’s approval is a positive sign for ICSD. In just a few years, they have gone from receiving a “susceptible to fiscal stress” designation by the Office of the Comptroller for New York in 2014, to now being fiscally stable and able to reduce taxes. ICSD continues to invest in technology, has plans to invest in renovations and infrastructure projects in the coming year, and will look to maintain a balanced budget while investing in the future of its students.
News
O
IMAGE PROVIDED
TSA
SUCCEEDS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE By Francesca Chu and Tilden Chao
The Technology Student Association had seven top-ten finishes at the national conference in Orlando in June.
n June 20, seventeen members of IHS’s Technology Student Association (TSA) traveled to Orlando, Florida to compete at the national conference. This conference—which involved almost 8,000 students from forty-nine states and several countries—was the culmination of months of work for TSA members. Since the start of the school year, TSA members had been working on various competitive events, including Engineering Design, Video Game Design, Music Production, Children’s Stories, and Fashion Design. At the national conference in Orlando, the students submitted their work to be judged against hundreds of other submissions. Students also competed in many on-site events, including building models of bridges, giving speeches, and filming videos. IHS’s team took home the third-place trophy in Computer Integrated Manufacturing, an event for which Tilden Chao ’19 and Jacob Silcoff ’17 invented and manufactured a smartphone projector. The device cost less than five dollars to manufacture and was capable of turning almost any room into a low-budget home theater. IHS also won second place in Music Production for the second straight year. Members Eli Zhang ’18, Matthew Guo ’18, Jenny Yoon ’18, and Francesca Chu ’18 wrote and produced a song called “Vision.” The team used different kinds of software to produce the song, which represented the theme of the conference, “Defining Your Future.” IHS had five additional top-ten finishes, in the events Structural Design and Engineering, Prepared Presentation, Future Technology Teacher, Technology Bowl Written, and Technology Bowl Oral. In addition to performing well in their events, TSA members were able to meet many other lovers of technology from different states and countries. During one of the meetings at the conference, they had the opportunity to play games and connect with teams from California, Germany, and Turkey. The trip was organized by Scott Breigle and Karen Kiechle, the advisors of the IHS TSA team, who made it possible for their students to attend the conference. Throughout the year, they assisted their students in purchasing materials, providing workshop time, and giving them feedback on their events. ICSD and the IthacaSTEM Advocates were also instrumental in making it possible for TSA members to attend the national conference.
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News
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARY RACE GETS AN EARLY START By Julian Perry
The candidates, from left to right, top to bottom: Tom Reed, Rick Gallant, Ian Golden, Eddie Sundquist, Max Della Pia, J.G. Hertzler.
T
om Reed, the US Representative for New York’s 23rd Congressional District which encompasses Ithaca, has won by comfortable margins in multiple elections in a row. He defeated his Democratic opponents by margins of more than 15 percent, both in 2014 and in 2016. Both of those years, his opposition was limited; neither Martha Robertson nor John Plumb—his opponents in 2014 and 2016, respectively—faced a single opponent in their primaries. However, the 2018 election has already shown itself to be different, with many contenders from a diverse set of backgrounds having already entered the race for the Democratic Party’s nomination. The first of the contenders to have entered the race for the nomination was Rick Gallant, a teacher and union activist from the Corning-Painted Post Area School District. As expected, he quickly gained support from various teachers’ groups in the district. However, despite having taught in New York for seventeen years, for most of that time he was living in Pennsylvania just south of the border with New York. Not until May of this year did he move to Painted Post, NY, a necessity for him to be eligible to actually run for office in New York. As a teacher, Gallant has made education a focus of his campaign, aiming to increase budgets for education while also opposing Betsy DeVos and her efforts to support charter schools. Also with a background in teaching is Eddie 6
IMAGES PROVIDED
Sundquist, a lawyer originally from Jamestown who was a middle school teacher in Pennsylvania before returning to New York to pursue a law degree. Sundquist, still in his twenties, is the youngest candidate in the race. He holds progressive views on a variety of issues, with strong support for single-payer healthcare, public schools, and action against climate change. He has already said that his main priority is the economic revitalization of areas like his hometown of Jamestown. The only Ithaca native to have joined the race so far is Ian Golden, owner of the Finger Lakes Running Company. Promising a “Golden Age of Politics,” Golden has made the focal point of his campaign his support for single payer healthcare and campaign finance reform. Golden hopes to use his experience as a small business owner to his advantage, and says he will implement policy in a manner favorable to small businesses in New York. Another candidate, Max Della Pia, claims to have been inspired to run after attending a town hall of Tom Reed’s, and has detailed that listening to his constituents is something that would be especially important to him. Della Pia, a former air force officer, has a background in law and economics. The most recent person to have joined the race, Della Pia is a self-described moderate on many issues. He has prioritized free trade, which he believes will be best for American industries. He also said he recognizes the
Second Amendment as a constitutional right which should not be infringed upon. However, most of his policies are still characterized by a staunch opposition to the Trump administration. The fifth person in the race is J.G. Hertzler, a former actor best known for playing the Klingon Martok on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Hertzler, now a member of the Ulysses Town Council, will be running his campaign partially in the persona of Mark Twain. That means that at some events, he will be dressed up as and acting in the persona of Mark Twain, a role he took when he announced his run. Hertzler has made the environment one of his highest priorities, and even has on his record an arrest from a protest of a development on Seneca Lake. The diversity in candidates who have entered the race so far in advance seems to demonstrate a greater level of activity among Democrats in New York’s 23rd Congressional District leading up to the 2018 midterms. Democrats certainly hope that through having an active primary campaign, they can select the best possible candidate to represent their party in the general election, and present a much more challenging election for Tom Reed than he’s seen in awhile. It remains unclear who will win the nomination, and between now and the primary in summer 2018, anything could happen. Turning 18? Register to vote!
News
By Fiona Botz
E
ven when the primary means of digital communication was email, parents warned, “Don’t click on any emails that look suspicious,” fearing the harm that could be caused by just one simple click. Today, cybersecurity remains a highly important issue. Many people have begun to doubt the soundness of cybersecurity. One may be checking emails and stop to wonder, “Are these really private?” The same could be questioned about text messages or pictures on Snapchat. At times, it may feel as though nothing on the Internet is private, and for good reason. Millions of cyberattacks, both small and large, target businesses and data centers each year; they jeopardize the information of billions of people, and generally contribute to the absence of privacy of anything shared over the internet. However, Cornell’s Computer and Information scientists believe there is potential for people to connect and share information safely over the Internet. Research needs money, and that is exactly what Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand discussed last spring before announcing the generous funding decision of $2.5 million to Cornell. The money is being federally funded by the National Science Foundation and is intended to support the research and development necessary to build a new software program to support the
advancement of national cybersecurity. Cornell is currently on a mission to develop a “high-level programming language” called Viaduct. According to Executive Gov, a news site with a focus on cybersecurity, “Viaduct is designed to convert collected protocols into primitive cryptographic building blocks that create machine-checkable security systems”. A Computer and Information Science researcher working on the plan said that, “The Viaduct system will automatically translate high-level code into provably secure implementations that use sophisticated cryptography.” The grant will be spent entirely on Cornell’s existing research into the field of cryptography. Cryptography, the use of complex encoding of data to secure data, remains a developing area of cybersecurity technology. Many believe that if enough research is done in the field, that an entirely new and improved method of data protection can be achieved. Senator Schumer expressed his excitement for the launch of the new technology, stating that the program will “stop hackers in their tracks”. So hopefully, in the upcoming years, we will gain access to greater cybersecurity for our daily use of the Internet and digital forms of communication.
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Opinion
LOOKING BEYOND EUROPE By Ryan Cunningham
Learning a language is often cited as something that can change your interactions, and even your life. While the latter might be exaggerated, there is no doubt that learning a language aside from your native tongue can be a highly challenging and immensely rewarding experience. Learning a new language opens opportunities to talk to people with whom you would not have been able to converse previously, and to read material that was previously inaccessible due to language barriers. Luckily for the language learners and enthusiasts here at IHS, we are offered the options of learning Latin, Spanish, French, and German. These four languages can all trace their roots back to Europe and have had an influence, in some form or another, on the English language. Although this selection of languages is certainly better than having none available, it does raise the question: Why don’t we have the option to take other languages, especially Asian languages, given IHS’s size and the importance of Asia in today’s world? As one might have learned in their world history class, Asia is a massive continent with a rich history and an array of languages. In a number of regions in Asia, you can observe how modern technology and traditional practices are becoming intertwined in cultures very different from the European tradition. I can’t vouch for all Asian languages, but as someone who knows a fair amount of Chinese and Japanese, I’d like to shed some light on the beauty of East Asian languages, the fun of learning them, and the doors of opportunity that are opened for those willing to try something different. Just as Latin came to influence many Euro8
pean spoken languages, the Chinese language has held a great deal of influence on other East Asian languages, some more obvious than others. With over 1.2 billion speakers worldwide, and over 1 billion Mandarin Chinese speakers, Chinese represents by far the largest language worldwide. To provide some basic information on Chinese, the language is entirely written with pictographic characters, called “hànzì,” or Han writing. Already we encounter an interesting tidbit on the origins of this term. Hànzì were widely used during the Chinese Han Dynasty, and hence are named after the Han Dynasty. The Chinese language has four tones that affect vowels, and, if mispronounced, they can completely change the meaning of a word. These tones are the flat tone, rising tone, dip tone, and the falling tone. Although the characters themselves don’t indicate the tone, the romanized form of Chinese, called pinyin, indicates the tone by using accents and diacritical marks. One language that has borrowed many characters and pronunciations from Chinese is the Japanese language. Japanese has three main character sets, which are hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Hiragana and katakana are phonetic systems that represent the variety of sounds that can be found in Japanese. Because of this, all Japanese words can be written in hiragana, although using it for everything creates ambiguity because so many words sound the same. The difference between hiragana and katakana lies not in pronunciation or number of sounds, but in usage. Katakana is primarily used to roughly capture the sounds of borrowed for-
eign words, whereas hiragana is used for standard Japanese words and particles in grammar. On the other hand, kanji, the Japanese way of saying “hànzì,” are basically Chinese characters directly borrowed from China. A Japanese learner will quickly learn that hiragana, katakana, and kanji can all be blended together into one sentence. The word for camera, カメラ (“kamera”), is in katakana, while the word for “thanks,” あり がとう (“arigatou”), is in hiragana. Kanji, such as the kanji for water, 水, (“sui” in Japanese), are shared with Chinese. The need to adhere to the “kana” sets can create awkward pronunciations of foreign words, including the addition of vowels to the end of words that would otherwise end with a consonant. Although I have not had the chance to study Korean yet, it is well-known that the Korean language has been influenced by Chinese. It is my belief that only offering European languages is a thing of the past and not enough for a school of reasonable size with a diverse student body like IHS. IHS used to have a Chinese language class a few years ago. My question is, why doesn’t our school still give students the option to learn Chinese or other Asian languages? Asian countries such as China and Japan are now among the world’s economic and military superpowers, with the second and third highest GDPs in the world, respectively; South Korea has also extended global influence through technology and culture. It is important that we learn these countries’ languages to be able to communicate with them, bridge gaps with them, and hopefully, avoid future conflicts.
Opinion
IN BRITAIN,
CONFUSION IS A GOOD THING By Justin Heitzman
I
t has been interesting, to say the least, to observe the political system work its magic in the United Kingdom over the last few months. Just when many thought the Conservative party was ready to begin negotiations with Europe, Prime Minister Theresa May chose to call a new election in order to consolidate her support as Brexit approached. However, the election ultimately had the opposite effect, in large part due to May’s negative appearance in the public eye. In many ways, May ran the antithesis of a winning campaign, as policies including increased regulation of the internet not only failed to gain the popular support she was hoping for, but rather pushed voters away from her party. Meanwhile, her opponent, Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour Party, energized many in Britain to take a stand against her. However, in the end, the efforts of his supporters made no change in leadership, as May remained Prime Minister by forming an alliance with the leading conservative party of Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Despite the fact that May remains in office, the shocking results of this election could very well change the way that Brexit is negotiated. This could result in major consequences, both positive and negative, for the global economy and the UK’s global reputation. May had hoped for what many called a “hard” Brexit, which would entail strong negotiation from the UK in hopes of striking a favorable deal across the board. Now, with the results of this election, it will become much more difficult for the Conservative Party to pass any legislation concerning Brexit, as they must rely on another party (the aforementioned DUP) to get anything done. For many in Europe, this creates more skepticism about whether a deal can actually be realized. For example, Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta, has stated that he is “starting to believe Brexit will not happen.” This is coming from someone very well-informed on the negotiations, as Malta held presidency of the EU from January until June of this year. The hopeful speculation by “remain” voters that Brexit would fall through is therefore starting to look like a possible reality. However, there will most likely not be any major action for quite a while due to the increasingly complex nature of negotiations, and thus neither side can currently declare a victory. If May had run a better campaign, or if she had never called an election in the first place, the UK would have had much more leverage to negotiate a strong Brexit. Instead, the future of Britain is in limbo. Many see these developments as a sign that the situation in the UK is worsening, but perhaps all the uncertainty isn’t so bad. After all, only about 52 percent of voters actually wanted Brexit in the first place. Had May’s Conservatives gained seats in the recent election, it would have been much easier for their supporters and party members to dictate the tone and concept of broader negotiations with Europe, thus essentially ignoring the desires of the other 48 percent. Instead, the absence of a Conservative majority means that a larger range of opinions must be taken into account within May’s own country; if the negotiations go the wrong way, it won’t take much for the whole thing to fall through. An approach to Brexit that is more considerate of the views of all citizens is the best way to go. Ultimately, this is a huge decision that will help direct the future of the UK for decades to come. If negotiations go badly, and if negotiations go against the will of the people, then Brexit could one day be looked back on as one of the biggest geopolitical mistakes of the century. Therefore, the result of the recent election was a good thing for the UK; not because May remained in power, but because it allows Britain’s government to step back, consider everything, and make the best decision for the future of their country.
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Opinion
DONALD TRUMP’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE IN WASHINGTON By Ned Carlson
O
ver the course of his presidency, Donald Trump has shown himself to have a lack of self-control, as well as a lack of control over his cabinet. We’ve seen this in his puerile tweets and public statements attacking foreign leaders, the press, the FBI, and a slew of other organizations and individuals. His lack of self-control is also displayed in his obsequious attention to TV news, and his lack of understanding of government, as seen among his staffing decisions. His presidency is severely impairing our country’s reputation worldwide. This behavior is clearly not acceptable for the leader of the free world, thus raising the question: Should Donald J. Trump be impeached? The answer to this simple yet profound question is far from straightforward. Impeachment is a difficult process. First of all, only two presidents have been successfully impeached at this point in the history of the United States—Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson. While both of these presidents were successfully impeached in the House of Representatives, neither impeachment succeeded in the Senate. In addition to these two cases, there was a close call with Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal, but he avoided hearings by resigning. It is clear that impeachment only occurs in rare occassions, and always generates political tension and controversy. It is not to be taken lightly, and the ramifications of going down this road are wide-ranging and unpredictable. In addition, the process itself is far from routine. The formal steps are written in the Constitution, but how and when such laws are relevant and enforced is highly political. Impeachment generally begins with a proposal of articles of impeachment by members the House of Representatives. If one of the articles gets a majority of votes, the president’s impeachment hearing begins. Next, proceedings move to the Senate, where they are overseen by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. If two-thirds of this legislative body find the president guilty, then he is convicted and removed from office, with the vice president taking his place. Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution 10
states that “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” This wording is especially important, as a president can not be randomly subjected to impeachment. However, the “high crimes and misdemeanors” segment has been the subject of some controversy over its meaning and applicability, and currently means that the impeachment process is often motivated by political will.
The fact that Trump hasn’t been impeached yet does not mean it’s not still a possibility. The second means to achieve impeachment is outlined in Section IV of the Twenty-fifth Amendment. It essentially states that if the president is unfit for office, they could be removed if “the Vice President and a majority of the cabinet informs the Congress that he is ‘unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office’ and (should the president contest his own removal) a two-thirds vote by Congress confirms the cabinet’s judgment.” However, neither option is currently likely. The Republican Party’s representatives and officials in the Executive and Legislative branches of government have all turned a blind eye to Trump’s antics, choosing not to react or respond to his frequent shenanigans. However, one way in which Donald Trump could be subjected to impeachment is if he was found to be directly aware of the Russian “hacking” of the 2016 election. Many members of Trump’s presidential campaign and his administration have had obvious ties to Russia. For example, Michael Flynn was paid by RT, a Russian network that is thinly veiled propaganda, and by the Turkish gov-
ernment to represent their interests during the presidential campaign. The list keeps growing as information is revealed, and now includes figures such as Paul Manafort, Jared Kushner, Jeff Sessions, Roger Stone, and Donald Trump Jr. This short list doesn’t even include the people that have business ties to Russia, the most notable of which would be Rex Tillerson and his connection to Exxon-Mobil’s ongoing stakes in the Russian economy. Donald Trump Jr.’s previously undisclosed meetings and probable collusion with Russian operatives also points to the fact that people in the Trump campaign were actively seeking the support of the Russian government. Although we only know of a few of these meetings, they signal the larger trend of foreign interference that we saw during the election. Whether due to ignorance or malice, the Trump campaign’s disregard for the law made it incredibly easy for powers such as Russia to influence the election. Because of this, Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Michael Flynn are all on the path to serious legal trouble, and at some point, it is inevitable that Donald Trump himself will be connected in some way to these wrongdoings. If Trump had known about the Russian meetings or Russia’s clear objective to sway the election in his favor during the election, that’s one thing. However, when he fired the former FBI Director James Comey, he did so largely to clear “the cloud” that he perceived Comey to represent; he wanted the Russian investigation by the FBI to go away. This may amount to obstruction of justice, an impeachable offense, and if new evidence emerges that solidifies this claim, our legislators will face immense pressure to act upon these wrongdoings. The fact that we are even discussing matters such as impeachment and the Twenty-fifth Amendment is troubling. The fact that Trump hasn’t been impeached yet does not mean it’s not still a possibility. Given the unstable nature of the president, his administration’s lack of political experience, and constant emerging scandals, impeachment could very likely become a reality.
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS:
Opinion
WORTH IT OR NOT? By Austin Lamb
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n June 14, I received a letter from LACS, the return address written by hand. Upon opening the envelope, I discovered that the sender was in fact the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), not the school at which I was concluding my junior year. I had seen this type of letter before. According to the NSHSS, I had displayed “outstanding academic achievement” at LACS. That doesn’t sound right. I’m not saying that this isn’t possible, because it is. While some might argue otherwise, LACS does provide the education and academic opportunities needed for a student to succeed in life. But, if you know anything about the school itself, you’d know that distinguishing select students with prestigious awards and honors is in direct contrast to LACS’ philosophy. In fact, LACS’ school newspaper, The Newsance, received criticism from the school’s administration two years ago when it featured a student as “middle schooler of the month.” The content of the letter I received made it blatantly clear that there was no communication between my school’s administration and the NSHSS as the two entities possess dichotomous ideologies. Communication was implied in the opening sentences, thus giving me immediate doubts about the legitimacy of the NSHSS as an organization. Yet, for many students who have not received such a letter before, it can be all too easy to be lured by the letter’s commending tone and assurance that the NSHSS is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Between the mailing that I was sent—which not only contained a letter, but a registration form and an NSHSS bumper sticker as well—and an email from the NSHSS exactly a month later, the language used in each implied that organization is very prestigious and academically elite. Membership in the NSHSS, which has a “tradition of excellence,” and spans over 160 nations, is by invitation only. It “provides a special opportunity for you to distinguish yourself based on outstanding scholastic achievement and academic excellence,” according to the envelope’s contents. Also, members allegedly receive “exclusive discounts on test prep programs, textbooks, conferences, and more,” and are able to “take advantage of unique opportunities” to help reach their “potential and pay for college, international study abroad, and summer programs.” Not only does membership in the NSHSS
supposedly advance one’s academic career, but it is an “an honor that will last a lifetime.” According to them, “NSHSS will continue to help you advance your goals and aspirations as you transition from high school to college and from college to career. . . . NSHSS also provides members with lifetime access to a variety of experiences and resources, including scholarships, leadership and study abroad programs, service activities, and exclusive discounts.” If all of the aforementioned benefits of NSHSS membership are, in fact, true, deciding whether to accept the invitation might seem like an easy decision, right? After all, such an honor surely would enhance one’s college application. Well, that might not be the case, because the NSHSS’s criteria for membership isn’t as exclusive or elite as its advertising makes it seem. According to its website, NSHSS membership requires meeting just one of the following criteria: a 3.5 or higher Cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale; a 1280 SAT score or higher (new exam 2016); an 1150 PSAT score or higher (new exam 2016); a 26 ACT score or higher; a score 4 or higher on any AP exam; a score 5 or higher on any IB exam; or being in the top 10 percent rank in the graduating class. Once a student accepts an invitation, the acclaimed scholarships still aren’t even a guarantee, as they cost money and require a separate application. Therefore, solely being a member of the NSHSS is not nearly as much of an honor as the organization purports it to be. Despite this, the NSHSS urged me to proudly display my personalized certificate of membership, which has the NSHSS crest and Mr. Nobel’s signature, as “a testament to your achievement.” Along with this “diploma-quality certificate,” there is also a personalized press release that students can be featured in for their local news. The main issue that I and many others have with the NSHSS is the lack of honesty and sincerity in the organization’s communication and advertising. One example of this was that the return address on the envelope I received was “Lehman Alternative Community School,” not “The National Society of High School Scholars.” And, oddly, it was hand-written in blue pen in the bottom left hand corner, not the top left, as is customary. Within the envelope, there was a list of quotes concerning the NSHSS from a variety of people. However, one of them was from Dr. Keith T. Miller, which the letter said
was currently the president of Virginia State University. The only problem with this is that Dr. Miller stepped down in December of 2014, almost three years ago. Was this just an organizational mishap, or was the NSHSS desperate for favorable quotes? While these might just be small issues, what’s really concerning about the supposed prestige of the organization is the fact that upon contacting ICSD superintendent Dr. Luvelle Brown, he admitted to having no knowledge of NSHSS or any other similar organizations. This is in no part due to a failure on Dr. Brown’s part, but rather a lack of success and influence from the NSHSS. The NSHSS is not the only organization out there with the alleged goal to honor academically advanced students and enrich their future. The Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC) is another popular name, and many people share the same concerns over it as they do the NSHSS. In a 2009 article in The New York Times, Diana Jean Schemo describes CYLC letters as “ticker-tape parades in an envelope,” much like the NSHSS. This past winter, I received an email in my inbox from the CYLC. As this was my first experience with such an organization, I was originally flattered by the language. But upon forwarding it to my guidance counselor, she, like Dr. Brown, was unfamiliar with the CYLC. In an academically conscious environment like ICSD, we would expect our administrators to be aware of the wide variety of opportunities that will propel our students’ learning. So, if the NSHSS, or any group like it, is foreign to our educators, the organization’s prestige or authenticity seems unfounded. While some of these types of organizations might provide some beneficial opportunities for students, it’s important to recognize that their top priorities are rarely the students themselves. Often, there are tuition fees; just becoming a member of the NSHSS costs $75, and as previously discussed, being a member has very limited benefits. Attendance at conferences that these organizations offer almost always costs over a thousand dollars, as detailed in Schemo’s article. Most importantly, a general lack of sincerity and real prestige in honoring students challenges their legitimacy. These organizations end up being solely an overpriced few words to put on a transcript rather than a life-changing and mentally-enriching experience. 11
Opinion
THE PROBLEM OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD By Ned Carlson
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lthough many people may think that they understand the seemingly perpetual conflict in the Middle East, it is far more complicated than it may seem at first glance. However, to any observer, it is clear that Syria has emerged as the focal point of the region’s turbulence. Syria has become a nation torn apart by a war, defined by shifting alliances with many combatants. Such a complex war requires America to develop a nuanced and sensible set of policies to promote peace in the Middle East, and to protect American interests. Sadly, the Trump administration does not seem to fully understand this, and is taking a simple-minded approach to the conflict. As a result, Syria’s brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad appears to be growing stronger each day. Assad is the second son of his father and predecessor, Hafez al-Assad. Once Bashar al-Assad consolidated power as the “president” of Syria, he continued his father’s authoritarian rule. Under the rule of Hafez al-Assad in the 90’s, Syria was by no means democratic. However, the nation was significantly more stable than it is today, kept in check by an iron fist. This was largely due to Hafez’s experienced rule. His son’s arrogance and inexperience have led to a destruction of the precarious balance that existed in the 1990s. The issue of Assad’s rule came to the forefront in US foreign policy in 2001 when President Bush labelled Syria, by then under Bashar al-Assad’s rule, as a country in the “axis of evil” following the attacks of September 11. The Obama administration, likewise, took a firm stance on issues with Syria, and sought to counter Assad through drone strikes and counterintelligence initiatives while supporting pro-democracy militants in the civil war. These policies have proved relatively ineffectual, and Assad grew more authoritarian and blunt in his use of force to silence opposition. All of these factors have led to the increasingly complex relations we have with the country. This relationship entered a new chapter in 2014 when Assad used chemical weapons on the town of Tell Mannas, and again in March 2015 on Sarmin. More recently, he appears to have used sarin gas in April 2017 on the innocent civilian population of Khan Shaykhun. This last move drew wide media attention because of its excessive, unprovoked maliciousness. All of these attacks were blatant breaches of the United Nations Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which specifically outlaws the production or usage of dangerous chemical weapons. Due to this disregard for a widely respected international law, Assad has been accused of a number of crimes, most notable of which has been committing crimes against humanity. In response to the April 2017 attacks by Assad, Donald Trump ordered the firing of fifty-nine Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian air base. The usage of missiles on Syrian forces is by no means a new phenomenon, as the United States has been planning and executing air strikes there for years. Despite this, it is still concerning that this even occurred, because Trump appears to have decided to attack simply based on television segments depicting the women and children that were killed by Assad. In other words, he seems to have used force without intelligence briefings, and rather on the spur of 12
IMAGE FROM CNN
the moment. This is clear evidence of the current administration’s lack of serious consideration about what to do about Syria. Instead of taking actions such as negotiating superfluous arms deals with the Saudis, Trump should focus his efforts in the Middle East on peace and restoration. In the case of Syria, he must take serious actions designed to remove Assad from power. He and his administration could do this by enforcing stronger sanctions on the Russian government, establishing a dialogue with key political operatives or entities in and around Syria, and building a stronger relationship with the United Nations. It is clear that developing such a foreign policy would be a tricky and difficult endeavor. However, it is also obvious that by being more forceful with Russia and Putin, we could begin to impact Assad’s grip on the country of Syria. In contrast to this, Trump recently ended the United State’s covert aid in backing Syrian rebels that could potentially take down Assad. This was a policy constructed during the Obama administration and was not terribly favored by Obama, but rather enthusiastically promoted by then Secretary of State John Kerry as a balance between direct military action and avoiding as much intervention as possible. In other words, while Obama took a rather removed approach to Syria, he at least had a concrete policy on the country. This was a policy that avoided potentially disastrous conflicts as seen in previous wars in the Middle East where the United States was involved. However, it also could be viewed as less than successful as it did not actually remove Assad from power. What is then very concerning is that President Trump’s recent actions fall far short of even Obama’s ineffective Syria policy, as he has shown a complete lack of understanding of the complexity of the current situation in Syria, as well as the US’s past relationship with Assad. This has been reflected in his lack of focus and sense of community when among other influential world leaders (such as when he was at the G20 summit, where he had little contact with others). This can also be seen in his haphazard and inconsistent manner of engaging in Middle East policy in general, and Syria more specifically. The problem here may have darker, deeper roots. It is entirely possible that Trump is more inclined to continue his inaction in regards to removing Assad from power due to his administration’s probable ties with the Kremlin. These connections are not an asset, but a limitation. If such ties exist, the president will be more inclined to make policy changes that benefit or aid Russia in its continued control over parts of the Middle East and Syria. The ultimate result of this would be the continuation of Assad as the dictator of Syria, a negative result for the people of Syria and for the entire international diplomatic community. In short, Trump’s Syria policy is a trainwreck, putting a country and an entire region at risk. We cannot simply ignore the issue and think that a few “retaliatory” missiles will solve anything. People’s lives are genuinely at risk under Assad, be it due to chemical attacks or other acts of violence; we must cement a legitimate policy to deal with this pressing global issue.
SHOULD THERE BE A FLAG FOR EARTH? By Zachary Foley
The Olympic flag is a good candidate, because it is already a well-known flag used to represent the nations of the world, lending its use to be an easy transition. The five rings on the Olympic flag represent the five continents that humans live on (considering Europe and Asia as one continent because they are not geographically separate). Also, there is at least one color from each flag of the world on the Olympic flag. This demonstrates a sense of unity between countries and represents all of us. Additionally, this flag is very simple, yet effectively demonstrates what it needs to.
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or many centuries, it has been a tradition to plant a flag, traditionally that of the country sponsoring the expedition, whenever a new frontier is explored. However, with no more land discoveries to be made, the new frontier of exploration is space. Between SpaceX and NASA, it is highly probable that we will have a human walk on Mars in the next thirty years. This brings up a number of questions: What flag should represent these astronauts? Should we approach this new frontier as separate countries or as a united world? One of the main questions, however, is whether we should approach this as individual countries seeking to plant our own flags, or as an entire species from the same planet united in our desire to explore. The easier of the two answers in terms of flags is to continue as individual nations, because we already have a distinctive flag for each country that the majority of the countries’ members are already happy with. An Earth flag would also be hard to vote on, because we would have to make everyone, across nations, agree. Also, countries already have their spacecrafts covered with their own flags, and countries have already planted their own flags on the moon. So why change now? The argument for a flag for Earth is that if we are going to explore other planets, we should do so not as many nations laying claims, but as one species united in its desire to learn and discover. Going to new planets is different from going to our moon; for one, our moon is not very habitable, while other planets that we explore may be. A flag for Earth would have to represent all of us and our planet, so there are many different ideas. Some people think that we should adopt the Olympic or United Nations flag, and others think that we should use an entirely new design. Here are some of the different ideas (although none have been endorsed by any governments representing the whole earth).
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Another flag that could be repurposed to be a flag that represents the Earth is the current United Nations flag. The United Nations flag is currently only being used to represent countries in the United Nations, but as it is widespread, it could easily be adopted to be a flag for the entire Earth. The map in the center provides an unconventional view of Earth (a view from the top), which represents world unity, and the olive leaves around the Earth represent peace. All of this is on a light blue background, which would show up nicely both against a white spacesuit or the dark of space. Another popular flag is the “International Flag of Planet Earth” by Oskar Pernefeldt. The blue background represents water, which is key in the existence of our species and the well-being of our planet. Blue also shows up well against both the white of space suits and the black of space. There are seven rings, which represent the seven continents of our planet; the circle in the middle represents the Earth; the flower shape in the middle of that central circle represents life on earth; and the other circles represent other places in space that are connected to Earth (such as the moon or Mars) through our exploration. If the circle representing Earth is taken away, the entire structure would fall apart, representing the importance of the preservation of Earth. A flag that meets both the simplicity criteria and shows earth is “Flag of Earth” by James Cadle. This flag shows the earth in its center as a blue circle and represents the moon with a gray circle and the sun with a partial yellow circle. This flag does a good job showing Earth with the sun and moon without adding too much complexity. This flag is popular with some SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) researchers and was flown at the Ohio State University Radio Observatory.
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There is a flag option for those who like the current flags of countries but want a more united approach. “World Flag” by Paul Carroll contains the flags of all current United Nations members and a map of Earth in the center. This flag represents the immense cultural diversity of our species and has a map of Earth in the center that reminds us of where we came from as we explore other planets. Although this flag is a nice mix of the two answers to the flag issue, it would be hard to use. It has so many flags that it would be hard to see what is going on if it were were scaled down to the size of a patch on an astronaut’s arm. Also, this flag goes against the general rule that an ordinary person should be able to draw the flag from memory.
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Features
RESTAURANT REVIEW
DE TASTY HOT POT By Vaynu Kadiyali
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uring my stay at Cornell’s Summer College in July, my Chinese roommate became homesick and wanted to eat real Chinese food. So, along with two other friends, my roommate and I scoured the Internet, looking for an Asian restaurant that was authentic, low-cost, and close to campus. As a vegetarian, I also wanted to make sure that there would be options available for me at the restaurant. Finally, we decided on De Tasty Hot Pot Restaurant, located on Eddy Street in Collegetown. I’d never heard of hot pot before, so I was excited to see what I was getting into. While the store’s location is somewhat inconspicuous, tucked in the basement under Sangam Indian Restaurant, the restaurant is lively and well-furnished, and was reasonably occupied despite it being lunchtime on a weekday. Upon entering, we were greeted by a warm hostess who led us to our seats and explained that we could either choose to eat hot pot or à la carte dishes. She was extremely accommodating of my dietary restriction, and pointed out what her favorite vegetarian items were on both menus. Hot pot is a unique East Asian dish that involves adding ingredients to a simmering communal pot of stock or broth. Hot pot restaurants have extensive menus, selling seafood, thinly sliced meat, vegetables or roots, and staples such as dumplings and noodles. Customers select items to boil, as well as the type of soup base to boil those items in. At De Tasty, individual pots of broth are brought to each customer and each is placed on a heated surface that is built into the table. The final part of hot pot is creating the mixing sauces for the boiled ingredients. A buffet with over a dozen sauces is located near the back of De Tasty, and customers mix their own dipping sauces according to their preference. The first item to come out was a complimentary hot and sour soup for my two friends who had ordered main dishes from the menu. The soup, made with vegetable broth, included generous servings of wood ear mushrooms and tofu, as well as small pieces of egg. Both friends commented that the appetizer was perfectly salty, well-seasoned, and had the perfect consistency. While my two friends ate their soups, my roommate and I went to the sauce station in the back to construct our dipping sauces. The first sauce consisted of two parts of peanut sauce, one part sesame sauce, a dash of sha cha (a traditional Chinese barbecue condiment), and equal portions of garlic and cilantro. This sauce was fairly mild, and was ideal for eating with meat, mushrooms, and tofu. The second sauce was far more flavorful, consisting primarily of soy sauce, with added red chili oil and cilantro for flavor. This sauce was very robust, and contrasted nicely with the milder vegetable ingredients. By the time we assembled our sauces, our pots had arrived. Before adding ingredients, we each sampled our broth. Mine was surprisingly aromatic and had a very bold flavor despite being vegetarian. My roommate was also impressed with his chicken broth, liking the fact that it was meaty but not overpowering. I began by adding the dried tofu skins, which I had been told would take the longest to cook fully, while my roommate added thinly sliced beef to his pot. The beef cooked within a matter of seconds, and he ate it quickly, noting later that the meat was of very high quality. Slowly, we added all of the ingredients and watched them simmer. My favorite ingredients were the rice cakes, which, when cooked, had a satisfying gelatinous texture and mild taste, and the potatoes, which turned a creamy and soft texture when completely cooked. My roommate, while 14
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The food at De Tasty Hot Pot is authentic and perfect to share with friends.
enjoying his meat and seafood, was more excited to eat bok choy and other leafy vegetables, noting that two weeks of eating cafeteria food had left him longing to eat greens. On the other hand, we both had a tough time cooking the tofu skins. They took nearly our entire stay to become soft, and unfortunately, we ate most of them when they were undercooked. The first main dish to come out was called fu qi fei pian. Known as a very traditional Sichuan dish, it consists of beef and beef tendon marinated in chili oil. My roommate, who had ordered it, recalled fond memories of eating this dish as a child. After trying the dish, he immediately noted that he loved the harsh spiciness of the dish, and he felt that all of the cuts of meat, even the tendons, were extremely tender. The second dish was kung pao chicken, a staple of American-Chinese cuisine. My friend who ordered it commented that the chicken was tender and cooked well, but also added that he was turned off slightly by the excessive amounts of peanuts and chilies that accompanied the chicken. Lastly, my friends who were eating menu items ordered a shared dish of mapo doufu, a common Sichuan food that consists of tofu in a oily, spicy meat sauce. Our expectations were very high before it came; however, once it arrived, my friends were slightly disappointed. The sauce that the tofu was suspended in had very little meat or flavor, the dish lacked the numbing spice that is needed in Sichuan dishes, and there was very little beef in the sauce. The mapo doufu was an underwhelming end to an otherwise fulfilling meal. Overall, I would recommend De Tasty to anybody looking to eat authentic Chinese food, whether with friends or alone. While I ended up having quite a pricey meal, hot pot is an especially good option for people going in large groups because the cost can be split. The experience of eating hot pot communally with friends is charming and gratifying, and one that I greatly enjoyed. Additionally, I would recommend De Tasty to anybody looking to explore Sichuan cuisine, as they offer numerous specialty dishes of quality that is unparalleled in Ithaca.
Features
CAR T-CELL IMMUNOTHERAPY By Sveta Reddy
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ancer is the second leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Defined as the condition in which the body’s cells divide uncontrollably, cancer remains infamous for being an aggressive disease to tackle. For decades, the core treatments for cancer have been chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted surgery. However, researchers recently began developing a novel method of fighting cancer known as immunotherapy. This method works by employing the power of a patient’s immune system, which can be suppressed or amplified depending on the given situation, to combat specific diseases. A more refined immunotherapy approach for fighting cancer is called adoptive cell transfer. Adoptive cell transfer is defined as the process in which a patient’s T-cells, which identify and chemically mark foreign substances, are engineered to recognize and attack tumors that are typically caused by cancer. CAR T-cell therapy gets its name from the chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which are produced on the T-cell via genetic engineering. These receptors are essentially the parts of the system that allow the cancer fighting mechanism to initiate, as they receive specific signals from the cancerous tumors, triggering the process. Utilizing chimeric antigen receptors for T-cells to fight cancer sparked excitement among the scientific community. The process begins when the T-cells are collected from the patient via apheresis, a procedure in which blood is withdrawn from the body and separated into its different components, including plasma, platelets, and white blood cells. The extracted T-cells are then sent to a laboratory where they are genetically engineered by scientists to produce chimeric antigen receptors on their surface. In order to produce these chimeric antigen receptors, viral vectors are used to incorporate the desired gene into the patient’s genome, and this DNA segment codes for its production. Next, the CAR T-Cells are multiplied until there are millions of them, and are finally infused back into the patient. When the CARs comes into contact with a cancerous tumor’s chemical trail, specific effec-
tors are activated, giving the T-cell the signal to attack the tumor cell. While normal immune cells would still be able to attack cancer cells on their own without CAR engineering, CAR T-cell engineering increases the efficiency and speed of the process as a whole. So far, CAR T-cell therapy has mostly only been used to treat patients with leukemia, or blood cancer. Several trials have been carried out in which this treatment approach was tested in several patients diagnosed with advanced acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and results show that their cancers had disappeared almost entirely after treatment. Furthermore, these same patients remained cancer-free for extended periods of time, showing that this form of therapy shows signs of remission, or diminished symptoms of cancer. Although CAR T-cell therapy seems scientifically legitimate and takes on a never-seen-before approach to treating cancer, it has so far strictly been used in clinical trials. This cancer treatment has been succeeding for the most part—initial tests for CAR T-cell therapy have produced sufficient positive results to foster optimism that it could become a real solution to cancer in the near future. However, the alarming side effects have deterred this therapy from becoming procedure in hospitals around the world; scientists are currently working to counterattack these effects. While this therapy is extremely promising, there are some issues about it that must be addressed before its wide implementation. The first issue with this therapy is that manufacturing is complicated. In order for the process to run smoothly, the extracted CAR T-cells must be multiplied and expanded to a population of at least one million. The manufacture of personalized T-cell therapies cannot be done on an industrial scale, as this specific process requires large amounts of equipment and attention to each individual case, and as such is extremely expensive. Cytokine release syndrome is another major complication of this procedure. When the engineered T-cells are infused back into the
CAR T-cell therapy seems scientifically legitimate and takes on a never-seen-before approach to treating cancer. patient, high amounts of cytokines, or chemical messengers, are released into the bloodstream all at once. This rush of chemicals results in symptoms including high fever, hypotension, fatigue, and neurotoxicity. In July of 2016, three patients in a Juno Therapeutics clinical trial died from the complications of neurotoxicity arising from CAR T-cell therapy. Not only does the CAR T-cell therapy cause the immune system to go haywire, it can in some cases act conversely by suppressing the immune response. When the body experiences the adoptive cell transfer, T-cells are engineered to attack tumors. One worrisome side effect of this therapy is that CAR T-cells could attack all immune cells, regardless of whether they are cancerous or healthy, resulting in a condition known as B-cell aplasia. This condition suppresses the immune response, making the body more susceptible to diseases. Although the process of CAR T-cell therapy has been successful for the most part, multiple side effects such as cytokine release syndrome and B cell aplasia occur as patients undergo this form of immunotherapy. Researchers are currently working to counterattack these side effects and to produce a superior T-cell defense mechanism. The positives of CAR T-cell therapy far outweigh any negatives, and researchers are pushing to reduce the cost and risk associated with the procedure in order to see it into mass use, where it will undoubtedly revolutionize the field of cancer treatment.
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JOSEPH Y O O N
German Exchange Program 2017 Image by PETRE TUMBAR
Image by ALI SÜKÜN
The Mercedez-Benz Museum
The Hirsch Brewery, in a neighboring town
Stuttgart The Freiburg Minster
Freiburg
Tuttlingen Konstanz
Munich
IT Paddleboating in Lake Constance
Image by FELIX SHI
Ice cream at Eiscafe Venezia
Image by KATHRYN CERNERA
The Otto-Hahn Gymnasium
CZ Marienplatz: the city center square Image by THEA CLARKBERG
Mike’s Bike Tour
The German-American Partnership Program (GAPP) is a student exchange program between Germany and the United States. IHS has taken part in this program every other year since 1988, allowing twenty-five rising juniors and seniors to partner with students from the Otto-Hahn Gymnasium (OHG), a selective school for grades 5 through 12 in Tuttlingen, a small town in southern Germany. Last October, IHS students welcomed their German partners into their families to introduce them to American culture. To complete the second half of the exchange, IHS students traveled to Germany from July 4 to 27, chaperoned by German teachers Mrs. Wintermute and Mr. Isley and English teacher Mrs. Cernera. After a warm welcome and a pleasant reunion with their partners, the German endeavor began as everyone drove away to the homes of their host families. The first twenty days were spent in Tuttlingen; IHS students were expected to follow their exchange partners around school, extracurricular activities, and leisure. At home, they acted as part of the family, doing chores and going to family events. There were occasional trips to various cities and attractions, which included organized group-wide trips as well as excursions planned by individual families. In the final three days, the American exchange students spent time in Munich with their partners before flying back to Ithaca. Two local companies, Aesculap and the Hirsch Brewery, offered tours of their facilities to show valued industries in Germany. Aesculap, a company based in Tuttlingen, showcased their processes in manufacturing surgical instruments and other medical tools, emphasizing the consistency and perfection expected from “German-quality” products. The Hirsch Brewery, founded in 1782, taught the history and the cultural importance of beer in Germany. The tour showed the meticulous process of storing, packaging, and fermenting beer. There were also trips to Stuttgart, Konstanz, Freiburg, and Munich, in which the students could learn about daily life in larger cities through direct experience. They could learn to talk to passersby, navigate through the bustling streets to shop, and find the best places to relax and eat great German food. It rained continually in Munich during the final three days, reflecting the somber emotions of the group as they bid farewell to their host partners, families, and friends. Most of the time was spent lightheartedly; IHS students enjoyed their final Döner Kebap or last scoop of ice cream in their final days in Germany. However, in contrast, their visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp taught them the darker but very important aspects of German history, and it represented the potential of rebirth and improvement after scarring events such as the Holocaust. In every city there was an entirely different story, and in every experience there was always something new to learn. This trip did not only serve as a tool to learn the rich history, beautiful language, and dynamic culture of Germany; it also allowed students across cultures to build connections and share great experiences.
The beer garden Chinese Tower
Image by KATHRYN CERNERA
A group photo with the mayor of Tuttlingen and a large loaf of bread
Features
BOOK REVIEW
AMERICA’S WOMEN BY GAIL COLLINS By Jenny Yoon
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merica’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines by Gail Collins is a historical nonfiction book that outlines the history of the United States from the perspective of women. America’s Women covers topics ranging from the effects of everyday conditions and major events on the lives of women to their stances on marriage, work, and equality. I already knew the general trends of the roles that women played throughout American history, but America’s Women expanded my knowledge on the topic by offering detailed stories of individuals that all added up to create a comprehensive picture of the American woman’s experience. Starting from the birth of Virginia Dare, the first English child to be born on American land, America’s Women takes readers through the story of our country from one woman to the next. The following lists just some of the interesting things I found in the book: During the seventeenth century, women largely suffered from back problems due to the exclusive use of benches and the limited availability of backed chairs. They also experienced great discomfort during the winter while sewing next to the cold window for sufficient light, due to the high prices of candles. Harriet Beecher Stowe had been hoping to buy a new dress after writing and selling Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but she ended up owning a mansion and an orange plantation, upsetting the less successful Nathaniel Hawthorne. Lanah Sawyer, a seventeen-year-old female rape victim, faced an all-male jury that took only fifteen minutes to agree on the acquittal of the accused rapist. Slave women were less likely to die in childbirth than their mistresses given that they did not wear corsets, got a lot of exercise from physical work, and were spared the harmful practices of nineteenth-century physicians. During the abolition movement, women organized antislavery fairs and made scarves and doilies with antislavery messages, such as pen wipers that urged their users to “wipe out the blot of slavery,” or embroidered linens that read, “May the points of our needles prick the slaveholders’ consciences,” During the rise of nativism in the late nineteenth century, Chinese immigrants were locked up until their interrogations as though they were in prison. They were then asked anywhere between several hundred to one thousand questions that were aimed at catching them in some minor lie or error that would disqualify them from entering the United States. Margaret Sanger was the first to evaluate all the available forms of birth control and disclose explanations of what each did and how they worked. She eventually fled to Europe to avoid criminal obscenity charges for her work. Tanned skin became fashionable for the first time in the twenties, and by 1927, half of American women wore rouge and 90 per18
cent wore face powder. Everyone from teenagers to middle-aged women carried compacts around to powder their noses. You may be wondering why such small details could be important or relevant. You may be asking yourself, “Why should I care about back pain? When will I ever have to know about Lanah Sawyer?” The truth is, it’s impossible for anyone to know all of the details of someone else’s life. Even those who are closest to us, such as our families or our friends, cope with elements of their lives that may seem insignificant or invisible to us but deeply affect them behind the scenes. The things that they choose to tell us about or show do not necessarily accurately reflect their actual experiences and emotions, which can inhibit empathy or lead to misunderstandings. In the same way, paying attention only to the biggest historical figures and events prevents a more profound, more comprehensive understanding of history. Ultimately, a tiny fraction of each generation ends up in future history books, and the United States from the start of the twenty-first century onwards is significantly different from past centuries in that the Internet has existed to serve as a record for the historical events, politics, language, popular America’s Women takes readers trends, and other phenomena of the time period. Tech- through the story of our country nology that allows for anyfrom one woman to the next. one to post memes on social media or for news websites to publicize global events didn’t exist before the past several decades. Because we don’t have nearly as much information about the lives of people from the past as we do about our own, the least we can do is read a little more about the lesser-known people, especially the half of the population that was consistently oppressed. History isn’t about memorizing the famous people that we need to know for the upcoming test; it’s about understanding the trends and sentiments of populations over time and how certain people, individually and holistically, have affected the course of events. Although its size and length may seem intimidating, not to mention the title (400 years sounds like a long time), America’s Women is interesting and surprisingly enjoyable to read; Collins’ clean and analytical language is refreshing, and it’s fun to learn about more obscure people. Above all, America’s Women succeeded in giving voices to women who worked behind the scenes, and effectively demonstrates why learning about American “herstory” beyond just the Seneca Falls Convention or the Nineteenth Amendment is important: to understand on a deeper level the struggles that American women have endured, and how the meaning of injustice for women has changed over time.
Arts
Taking on GrassRoots in true Ithaca style, with henna and kombucha. IMAGE BY SAVANNA STUHR
HOW GRASSROOTS EMBODIES THE ESSENCE OF ITHACA By Aurora Wulff
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thaca’s residents historically care immensely about sustainable growth, environmentalism, and social justice, likely resulting from the influence of the large college population. Additionally, Ithacans value community events, such as festivals, when they can celebrate the diversity and distinct culture of the city. The GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance, while taking place in nearby Trumansburg, perfectly defines and embodies this culture. Festivals with live music are not hard to find in Ithaca, whether it’s the new Reggae Fest, Porchfest, or summer concerts held on the Commons. GrassRoots surpasses all of them in both the variety of music offered, and the vast number of attendees. Bluegrass, folk, and rock are just a few of the genres represented by the seventy-plus bands performing at the venue’s four stages. The attendees of GrassRoots wholly embrace Ithacan culture. Free-spirited and music-loving people fill GrassRoots every year, sending messages of love, peace, and happiness, most notably represented by the GrassRoots
Annual Happiness Parade. Although the opening day of GrassRoots this year started with a large thunderstorm, the rain and muddy fields didn’t deter Ithacan spirit; instead, the festival-goers embraced them, dancing barefoot and splashing in the huge mud puddles. GrassRoots’ support for local businesses was shown by the large variety of food offered at the festival. Ithaca’s businesses, such as Diamond’s and Taste of Thai, were just a few among the Ithaca establishments offering food and merchandise to festival-goers. Located just several miles from Taughannock State Park, festival-goers could go to Taughannock Falls to witness their incredible beauty and take a break from the heat. Alternatively, they could take a dip in the Rabbit Run swimming hole, embracing the nature-loving aspect of Ithaca. True to Ithaca’s liberal nature and consciousness of social justice issues, this year, women went topless, chanting “Shine a light on rape” in order to raise awareness for sexual assault. Because women tend to dress particularly liberally at music festivals, performers were sure to bring notice to the new initiative called GrassRoots Cares, which aims to create a safer environment for all. Another social justice event was Sustainability Fair held at GrassRoots, which called attention to the efforts of local businesses focused on creating a greener environment. As part of this initiative, festival-goers were sure to be seen gathering around the Renovus station, which offered free solar power at a phone charging station. Evidently, the context of GrassRoots and the festival itself are built on Ithacan values. If you are looking to experience the essence of Ithaca, GrassRoots is without doubt the place to start. 19
Arts
ALBUM REVIEW
TRIPLICATE BY BOB DYLAN By Leland Xu
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sk any well-versed Bob Dylan admirer about why they think his legacy and his work have continued to be influential so long after their conception in 1962, and you may get a varied array of responses. Many may argue that it’s Dylan’s incredibly rough and gravelly voice, or his poetic songwriting. However, I personally believe that it’s his ability to constantly switch from performing and writing in one musical genre to another without any real explanation or context. Dylan has danced around musical genres, as seen in his infamous transition of folk to rock, and his incorporation of country and gospel, blues, rockabilly, jazz, and most recently, his drawing from the the Great American Songbook. This is where Dylan’s most recent album, 2017’s Triplicate, fits in the extensive tapestry of art that is Dylan’s career. Examining both the context and content of this three-disc album will allow one to better understand Dylan’s knowledge of American classics, and into possible directions for his musical future. Triplicate, Dylan’s thirty-eighth studio album, was released on March 31, 2017 in the form of a three-disc album with ten songs per disc. This is his third cover album in a row to feature only songs from the Great American Songbook, an unofficial collection of early twentieth-century popular classics that had already been covered by well-known singers. Singers including Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, and Frank Sinatra, who Dylan described as “the mountain he had to climb,” all have made prior renditions of the Great American Songbook . Triplicate produced three singles: “I Could Have Told You,” on January 30; “My One and Only Love,” on February 17; and “Stardust,” on March 10. When the album was officially released in March, Dylan released a ten-song sampler showing off the album’s highlights on YouTube, Spotify, and Soundcloud. So, is Triplicate even good? It mostly depends on the perspective from which you’re looking at this work. From a non-Dylan fan, it can sound atrocious, with Dylan’s unfamiliar and raspy version being an obvious downgrade compared to the silky covers of either Frank Sinatra or Chet Baker. However, when you judge only Dylan’s voice from an extrinsic point of view using previous albums like his 2012 album Tempest, his voice sounds much more coherent and professional in Triplicate, probably due to the very different themes these songs convey. It takes guts to sing songs that many icons have already sung before, especially with a voice that David Bowie once described as “sand and glue.” It was a pleasant experience to listen to “I Could Have Told You” for the first time without Dylan’s typical nasally voice that surely would have ruined the spirit and essence of the tune. Despite the dispute on whether Dylan’s voice helps add to or detract from the overall musical experience, the listener can definitely hear Dylan’s enthusiasm and emotion in lamentative songs such as “When the World Was Young,” or songs yearning for a once-loved one in “Once Upon a Time.” Both songs deal with personal sadness and depression, which Dylan rarely touches upon. However good Dylan’s performance was on the album, it’s truly Dylan’s band that makes the album. The band helps Dylan propel himself into mimicking and interpreting these old classics with such clarity, subtlety, and jazz-inspired instrumentation and technique that instantly evoke nostalgia for an earlier and whimsical time. When viewing Triplicate from a glance, it becomes confusing as to who exactly the album was made for. It seems unlikely that it would be for fans 20
of other renditions of the Great American Songbook, as they would find Dylan’s voice noticeably more harsh than in any other rendition. It also seems unlikely that it was made for Dylan fans, as the album is made up entirely of cover songs from a genre that has only been recently embraced by Dylan. Overall, Dylan characterizes the album as being for “the man on the street, the common man, the everyday person.” Even though Triplicate blew my low expectations out of the water, I personally hope that it is the end of the Great American Songbook trilogy, and that Dylan returns to creating original content.
BACK TO SCHOOL PLAYLIST By Sophie Wray
Happy back to school! This time of year may be sad for some of you, but for others, it’s quite exciting. Either way, listen to these songs, and as you bop about to them, maybe they’ll help you get back into the school year routine. Enjoy this playlist and enjoy your school year! “Kept Me Crying”: HAIM Hopefully, this school year won’t make you cry or keep you crying. “Supercut”: Lorde In my head, I do everything right, but sometimes it doesn’t come out too right on my essays. . . . “Daft Pretty Boys”: Bad Suns Daft pretty boys: every school has them. “Honey”: The Brinks Honey? You gotta get up for school! Oh, not that type of honey, okay? Honey! I made you some honey toast!
“Damage Done”: Kita Alexander Let’s talk about the good, not be cynical, and let’s enjoy the good in high school while it lasts! “Pork Soda”: Glass Animals Pineapples are in my head; maybe that’s why I didn’t do so hot on that test. “On + Off”: Maggie Rogers It’s okay, I’m okay, it’s okay, I’m alright . . . is what I tell myself halfway through the school year when it feels like it’ll never end! “Hungry Ghost”: Hurray for the Riff Raff Oh, but I’m ready for the world now! Oh oh oh the real world? Not so fast, but I’ll be ready soon enough. . . . Maybe a couple more years of school would do.
A RECAP OF SOME OF THE SUMMER’S (GOOD) FILMS
Arts
By Isaiah Gutman
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fter last year’s disappointing crop of summer movies, I wasn’t exactly hopeful for this summer. Unfortunately, as of writing this, this batch of movies has not stood out in any way. There have been a few very good films, but they have been outweighed by a swath of duds—for every Wonder Woman, there has been a Transformers: The Last Knight and a King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. That said, I have enjoyed a few movies so far, and have even been pleasantly surprised once or twice. Here are my thoughts on some of the summer’s films.
Baby Driver Edgar Wright’s newest work was brilliantly made, with beautiful film and sound editing. Jamie Foxx’s turn as Bats is my current personal pick for Supporting Actor from what I have seen so far this year. Jon Hamm and Jon Bernthal play complex and amusing characters, and Ansel Elgort is understated but solid in the title role. While the plot is nothing special, the action and soundtrack more than make up for the standard story. Wright’s attention to detail is as present as ever, utilizing strong yet subtle foreshadowing. Note that I have not by this point mentioned any female actors or characters, which is a shortcoming of the film. Lily James and Eiza Gonzalez are as good as their roles allow, but each is shoehorned by what is written for them, with James’ love interest for Elgort not getting much development besides just happening to be extremely similar to him. Gonzalez, similarly, is defined in her role as “Darling” as exactly that: she is the darling to Hamm’s Buddy and nothing more. Even with its flaws, I would say that, so far, Baby Driver is one of my favorites of the year.
Wonder Woman No doubt my biggest surprise film-wise, Wonder Woman was a solid, enjoyable film. I have had terrible experiences with DC Comics-based films, so my expectations were not sky-high going in despite excellent reviews. However, I now mostly agree with the consensus: Wonder Woman is a fun, though imperfect, movie. With good performances from most of the supporting cast, Gal Gadot does not have too much pressure on her. However, she certainly has the physicality and presence for the role and utilizes these well, grabbing attention easily and making the “out of place” gimmick land. Chris Pine shines as usual in the role of Steve Trevor and the film does not force the romantic subplot even as it clearly acknowledges its existence. The film generally did a good job with stereotypes and clichés, handling the first female-led superhero film in awhile quite well. I can only hope Marvel and Disney take some lessons from the movie to Captain Marvel and, to a lesser extent, Ant Man and the Wasp.
Obit The best (and only) documentary I saw this summer was on the topic of the Obituary section of The New York Times. While the pacing could certainly have been better, I thought the topic was handled with care, with most of the film consisting of interviews of the writers in the title section. The tales of circumstances surrounding the obituaries of both famous and rather obscure subjects made for a healthy amount of entertainment in a film that could easily have been downright depressing. Despite not being able to recognize nearly any name, I appreciated the effort of the journalists in giving important figures recognition for their life’s work. This film may have been slightly boring at times, but I appreciated the insight into a portion of journalism that does not get nearly as much attention or appreciation as it should.
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Spider-Man: Homecoming Far and away my favorite film of the summer so far, Homecoming is exactly the film that Spidey fans have been waiting for. With shoutouts to the comics but no heavy leaning on the source material, a new story is spun and new and old characters are fleshed out, some better than ever before. The new take on Liz Allan is especially fresh and is not too much of an affront to the character, although the actress is certainly a weak spot in an otherwise brilliantly acted film. Tom Holland is near-perfect as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man himself (spoilers!), Hannibal Buress and Donald Glover get small but funny roles, and most of the young actors do a fine job portraying the ins and outs of high school life in the twenty-first century. Additionally, Michael Keaton is intimidating and down-to-earth as Adrian Toomes, also known as the Vulture. Robert Downey Jr. has a mercifully short role as Tony Stark and, of course, stands out for his incredible charisma and acting ability. The film was clearly going for an 80’s vibe and hit it well, with a few great homages to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The film was a testament to all the great qualities of Spider-Man as a character, finally getting both Peter Parker and the friendly neighborhood hero right at the same time, with plenty of comedy as well. 21
Arts / Sports
DRAG SHOW REVIEW
“RETURN TO GREY GARDENS”
ROCK CLIMBING ASCENDS TO NEW HEIGHTS By Guthrie Kuckes
By Alex Gibbons Peaches Christ and Jinkx Monsoon performed in “Return to Grey Gardens.”
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hile in Provincetown, MA this summer, I was lucky enough to have the chance to attend my very first drag show, titled “Return to Grey Gardens,” featuring Peaches Christ and Jinkx Monsoon. Jinkx found fame when she won season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a popular reality TV show, while Peaches is not as well known, as she is more often is behind the scenes at drag productions. Going into the show, I had seen a few episodes of RuPaul’s, but still had absolutely no idea what to expect. The performance lasted about an hour and was filled with dancing cats who occasionally became raccoons, sexualized men in crop tops, and a lone cameraman. Of course, Jinkx and Peaches also performed numerous musical numbers and lip syncs. The show turned out to be based on a documentary about the drag industry called Grey Gardens. I’m sure if I had seen the documentary, everything would have made more sense, but regardless, I spent the majority of the show laughing along with my fellow audience members. Overall, I enjoyed the performance. Although at times it felt as though it was put together in a bit of a rush, it was thoroughly entertaining throughout. Jinkx Monsoon especially shone, filling the theatre with a surprisingly beautiful voice during her songs. If you are the kind of person to laugh along at fairly silly jokes, or need a distraction for the night, I would highly recommend trying out a drag show. 22
Rock climbing is not all it’s cracked up to be. In the last few years, the sport has experienced massive growth, particularly in its indoor form, in which climbers scale faux rock walls. This form of the sport has made gains in popularity due to its safety and convenience. In 2016 alone, the number of so called “climbing gyms” in the US grew 7 percent, according to the Climbing Business Journal. Growth rates were similar in each of the last five years. Thanks to this expansion, climbing is no longer the preserve of those with nearby natural heights, as gyms have been established throughout major metropolitan areas, even in flat regions of the country such as the Midwest. In total, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) states that 25 million people worldwide regularly take part in climbing, with an estimated 1,000 people experiencing it for the first time every day in the US. What’s up with the craze? The allure of the climbing lifestyle, as well as the attractive traditional association of danger with outdoor climbing, may be factors causing its popularity among America’s youth. The exploits of highly visible climbing stars such as Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, and Kevin Jorgeson also likely play a role. Caldwell and Jorgeson’s 2015 ascent of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall, considered the most technically difficult climb ever, achieved approximately 13 billion social media impressions.
Adding to climbing’s association with danger, Honnold, in June 2016, scaled a separate route up El Capitan using no ropes or safety equipment, accomplishing the epic day-long climb in a matter of hours. In an Instagram post, Caldwell himself called Honnold’s achievement “generation defining.” However, whether climbing will prove to be a fad remains to be seen. While the IFSC claims that it is a lifelong sport, with participants continuing into their sixties and beyond, the aforementioned stars of the climbing world are all in their thirties, and it is difficult to imagine that the risks of climbing (which seem attractive to a young person) would appeal into old age. In any case, expect the popularity of sport climbing to rise in the next few years. Due to popular demand, it has been added to the list of sports for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Now is a better time than ever to try out climbing here in Ithaca, as Cornell has recently renovated and enlarged its Lindseth climbing wall. Those new to climbing will need a two-hour lesson to learn basic technique and safety procedures ($35), which also includes vouchers for two additional days of climbing; after that, each day costs $10 at the student rate with an additional $4 per day to rent equipment for climbers who do not have their own. The 50-foot tall and 160-foot long wall is located in Bartels Hall.
Sports
STUDENT ATHLETE FEATURE
ASHA DUHAN By Vaynu Kadiyali
The IHS Girls’ Tennis Team had a very successful last season. Asha Duhan ’19 is pictured in the top left.
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fter a very successful campaign last season, the girls’ tennis team looks to replicate and build upon their performance. From August until late October, they will be training and competing to reach the top of the STAC and qualify players for States. Asha Duhan ’19, a member of the IHS Girls’ Tennis Team, has been playing competitive tennis since seventh grade. She manages not only to excel in tennis, but to perform at the highest level in her studies at the same time. I talked to her about her upcoming season and about what it takes to be a successful student athlete. Vaynu Kadiyali ’19: You’ve been on the varsity tennis team for four years now. How will this season be different than your previous ones? Asha Duhan: I think this season will be extremely competitive and fun for our team. We had a number of our seniors graduate this year, and we will have many new players on the team. I am looking forward to meeting the new teammates! VK: What are your personal and team goals for the upcoming season? AD: My main personal goal is to reach States in singles this year. Last year, I was not able to compete in Sectionals because I went to South Carolina to play in Nationals for my tennis league outside of school, Junior Team Tennis ( JTT). Also, I want to work on the consistency of my first serve. As a team, our goals are to do well in STAC. Last year, we finished second in the league. Also, our goals are to have fun playing competitively and refine our tennis skills on the court. VK: With your team having lost many skilled seniors, will the girls’ tennis team
be able to compete at the same level as last year? AD: Every year, we have a few senior teammates graduate, but we also have many new players coming in to the team. In that respect, this season will not be much different from past seasons. VK: How do you manage being both a committed student athlete and a strong student at the same time? Do you have any recommendations for anybody who is considering joining a team but worries that it would get in the way of their academics? AD: I think it is of the utmost importance for student athletes to learn how to manage their time. Usually, if I have an upcoming match, I try to get ahead on homework over the weekend or the previous day so that I can focus on the match rather than worrying about homework and school. Also, I think it’s very important to proactively communicate with your teachers, especially your eighth period teachers, when you have to miss their class for a game. Overall, I would highly recommend joining a sports team! Sports teams are a great medium for stress relief and having fun with your friends. I would suggest speaking with the coach ahead of the season about time commitments and about games. VK: Does your team have any pre-game rituals? AD: My team has lots of pre-game rituals. We usually stretch on the court for a while, and then talk to each other about our goals for the match and what we want to improve on from the last match. Before we go on the court to play our singles and doubles matches, we always perform our chant. 23
Sports Paul George, formerly a player for the Indiana Pacers, has the potential to transform the Oklahoma City Thunder this season.
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Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder ended their season with a quick fourto-one loss to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. Despite the fact that Russell Westbrook had a remarkable MVP season, the rest of the team was atrocious. Although the Thunder were a somewhat productive team when Westbrook was on the court, the team’s most glaring problem was that their net rating plummeted from a +4.0 to a -8.5 without their MVP. On June 30, however, all of the Thunder’s misery was alleviated with the biggest steal of the NBA offseason when they traded Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis for superstar Paul George of the Indiana Pacers. This move completely changes the Thunder’s standing in the Western Conference. Their roster was depleted after superstar Kevin Durant left to join the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 offseason; however, with another superstar small forward (SF) to pair alongside Russell Westbrook, the Thunder should be able to once again compete with the best teams in the Western Conference, both offensively and defensively. Paul George is one of the best wing players in the league, and has the ability to score from anywhere on the court. After averaging a career high of 23.7 points per game last season, he will be able to contribute tremendously to the Thunder’s offense. One of the main causes of futility while Russell Westbrook was off the floor was that the roster lacked a second playmaker to help players create shots. Without Westbrook, the Thunder’s offense was highly stagnant, which allowed other teams to easily outscore them. 24
THE NEW LOOK OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Paul George completely solves this problem because he is an excellent playmaker that can instantly boost the Thunder’s offense whether or not Westbrook is playing. Additionally, Paul George is quite a good floor spacer, shooting an excellent 39 percent from three-point range. This is extremely beneficial for inside scorers like Steven Adams and Enes Kanter, who will have more opportunities to work inside of the paint and have a pass-out shooting option. This will also give perimeter shooters on the roster, like Alex Abrines and Doug McDermott, a shooting threat who will attract defenders on the perimeter, creating open and less-defended shooting opportunities. While nowhere close to the caliber of Paul George, the Thunder made two great offensive signings in Patrick Patterson and Raymond Felton. Patterson is a stretch four (power forward) who will also help greatly with floor spacing. As a 37 percent three-point shooter last year, Patterson will most likely continue to be a threat behind the arc, and will bolster the Thunder’s three-point shooting abilities. Raymond Felton will be a major contributor to the Thunder’s bench by creating more plays and passing the ball to open shooters. Assuming that the rest of the roster will stay intact and that their younger players progress, the Thunder will be a formidable offensive threat next season. Besides the major improvements the Thunder made with their offense, the Thunder also
By Tony Yang
improved significantly in terms of defense. Paul George, standing at 6 feet 9 inches, is one of the taller wing players, and is an all-around defender who can defend a variety of positions. With his length, he is able to guard shooting guards, small forwards, and even some power forwards. His versatility allows the Thunder to have flexibility with their defensive matchups and can help create favorable mismatches. Alongside Paul George will be Andre Roberson, a gritty defender who was a 2017 All-Defensive Second Team selection, who will often be asked to guard the other team’s best player. These two players will inevitably help to prevent the opposing team from scoring, and will lead to more transition points. Hopefully, defensive liability Enes Kanter can learn to play some defense to avoid getting benched when other teams insert smaller lineups. Overall, the Thunder have revitalized their team to be one of the league’s top title contenders. The Thunder were already one of the top defensive teams in the league last year, but with the acquisition of Paul George, they will certainly be more dominant. The trade, as well as their other signings, will revolutionize their offensive game, and the Thunder will certainly be a topten offense in next year’s NBA. With the current MVP, a star player, and a viable bench, the Thunder should be able to strive for around fifty-five to sixty wins next year.
Sports
BERNSTEIN’S VENTURE INTO HISTORY AND ITHACA XC’S PROMISING FUTURE By Austin Lamb
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n over three decades of experience coaching high school cross country, with a group of Russian tourists. That was especially moving to me as a and many years with track and field as well, IHS graduation coach Rich Jew,” Bernstein explained, who felt as though he was touching ancient hisBernstein has seen it all . . . almost. From his departure on June 27 to tory while visiting the Western Wall, with its prayer strips tucked inside. his return on July 18, Bernstein had the honor of co-coaching the USA Representing the red, white, and blue was certainly an experience of a Juniors Track and Field Team at the World Maccabiah Games in Israel, lifetime for Bernstein, who was proud to wear “USA” on his clothing. He where it is hosted every four years. The Maccabiah Games is an interna- was also honored by the USA’s welcome reception not only by their Israeli tional athletic competition for Jewish and Israeli athletes. The event—the hosts, but by other nations as well. Once Bernstein returned to the United history of which dates back to 1932—follows an Olympic-style format, States, it was time to get back to doing what he’s worked towards to make with all twenty-eight current Olympic sports included, along with a few a name for himself: coaching cross country. others. In 2009, the Junior division was added, in which qualifying particThe Ithaca Lil’ Red concluded last season at the NXN New York Reipants range between ages 15 to 18. According to Bernstein, eighty coun- gional Meet, where the boys finished tenth, and the girls fifteenth. This tries were represented at the Games, with the United States’ delegation of year, the boys team will be led by senior captain Silas Derfel ’18, who will 1,100 athletes by far the largest. The Israeli and Canadian delegations were look to improve upon an already impressive 2016 season in which he placed second and third in size, respectively. sixtieth out of 195 runners. “Despite losing some top flight seniors, whose Bernstein, who hoped to be able to “bring a little bit of Lil’ Red knowl- leadership will be missed, we return some solid guys,” said Bernstein. Along edge” to his track and field squad, had a great experience with his athletes, with Derfel, the varsity team will feature seniors Noah Mattice ’18, Scott and personally connected with them. This Smith ’18, and co-captain Devon Finlay ’18, was apparent through his frequent updates Bernstein, who hoped to be able to as well as sophomore Xander Simpson ’20 on social media, and his thoughts on the and freshman Ben Supron ’21. The junior trip. “We spent basically every waking hour “bring a little bit of Lil’ Red knowl- varsity runners, who have been training all together—between meals, bus rides, touring, edge” to his track and field squad, had summer, will also look to push for a varsity and completion—so we all became close,” spot or two. a great experience with his athletes. Bernstein said. “I had numerous conversaUnlike the boys team, which graduated tions with distance runners about our trainfour of its top seven runners from last season, ing, and how push-ups are a regular consequence for lateness, cursing, and the girls team only graduated one, and will have relative depth. “The girls forgetting things.” can be as good as they want to, as long as injuries don’t derail us,” said BerFor his athletes, the desert climate required some acclimation. “The nstein. “Captain and all-state runner Lizzy Rayle ’18 is the leader of the temperature, ranging from 90 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, definitely ham- pack, followed by co-captain Zoe Wilkie-Tomasik ’18, Amy Milner ’18, pered training. We also had to travel an hour just to get to an outdated Grace Widercrantz ’18, and Ingrid Comella ’19, plus other veterans and track on a kibbutz. We did have our meets at 8:00 p.m. in Jerusalem, and newcomers that have been training well all summer.” With skilled, veteran it was a bit cooler then,” said Bernstein. Despite competing in heated tem- leadership, the girls team could be in for a successful season. peratures, the Maccabiah USA Juniors Track and Field team secured twenThe cross country team has a new assistant, Leanne Young. Young ran ty-three medals to defeat Israel, a competitive rival. Overall, though, USA in college, and is a school counselor at DeWitt Middle School. The team Juniors finished second in the medal count to Israel, 288 to 97. Still, the will also have the assistance of Rachael Waldrop, a former captain at IHS team “performed admirably,” commended Bernstein. and St. Lawrence University. For the Ithaca coach the trip was about more than just athletics. “My For those interested in attending meets, aside from two preseason time biggest takeaway was that this was an amazing cultural experience with trials (at Cass Park and Ithaca College), there are no plans for Lil’ Red to athletics thrown in, not the other way around!” he said. Bernstein, having have a home course again in the coming years. This means that families, never been to Israel before, described the Middle Eastern nation as a very friends, and fans will continue to trek through Upstate New York’s rolling complicated, emotional place. “Emotions run high on both sides, and the hills, oftentimes early in the morning, and in the company of freezing tempeace situation seems almost intractable,” Bernstein lamented. “Riding on peratures and occasional downpours. But that’s the nature of cross couna bus passing the Gaza Strip where walls, razor wire and guard towers are try: it’s away from the comfort of the gymnasiums, or the million-dollar along the highway made me feel sad and disappointed.” fields. It’s in the slippery mud, the freezing rain, and the daunting hills, in However, he also had a more personal connection. “Touring old Jeru- nature’s elements. It’s a competition between two things: the runner, and salem, the Dead Sea, and Masada were very special to me. At the Western the runner’s mind. It’s a sport unlike any other. Wall, I was asked to join a group to say Kaddish [a prayer for the Dead] 25
Sports
THE BEST NBA PLAYERS AT EACH POSITION By Isaiah Gutman
I
n about two months, basketball season will again be upon us. During the offseason, several major deals went down, including Jimmy Butler being dealt to the Timberwolves, Paul George being traded to the Thunder, and Chris Paul to the Rockets, all for seemingly lackluster returns. With these trades and the free agent signings of Paul Millsap and Blake Griffin, the Western Conference is considerably more talented than the East. Last year, Vaynu Kadiyali ’19 and I wrote somewhat contrasting lists naming our top fifteen NBA players. Looking back, I made some questionable decisions such as placing Steph Curry above LeBron as the best player, but overall, I believe I did well with the information we had after the 2015-16 season. Now, I present a new list, but this time, I decided I didn’t want to deal with the difficulty of comparing players who play wildly different roles. Instead, I ranked the top four players at each traditional position.
Point Guard
Stephen Curry remains a dominant point guard in the league.
Shooting Guard
IMAGE PROVIDED
1. Stephen Curry Despite a drop off that was to be expected after the signing of Kevin Durant, Curry had the second best three point shooting season of all time in 201617, and led the Warriors to a historic playoff run. Playing in Steve Kerr’s offense tends to limit assist numbers, but Curry put up great stats nonetheless. Curry also has an ability to attract defenders on the court, allowing others to get open shots because of his perimeter shooting prowess. 2. James Harden With an MVP caliber season, Harden showed that he is an elite point guard, leading all players in assists while keeping up an incredible scoring pace. Also, Harden made serious strides on defense, contesting a high number of shots, a welcome departure from his often apathetic play on that end. 3. Chris Paul CP3 was injured for part of the season, but still is one of the best point guards in the NBA, even at age 32. He is as good a playmaker as any, has a good shot, and can play better defense than any other point guard on this list. Paul may struggle to get far in the playoffs, but most of the blame belongs to the Clippers’ coaching and abysmal bench. 4. Russell Westbrook The reigning MVP may have the hardware, but he lacks the wins and the efficiency to be a top-three point guard. While there is no denying his historic performance this past year, he still needs to make strides in sharing the ball, which should be easier with Paul George next to him. Also, his usually decent defense took a hit this year, hurting his standing in my eyes. 26
1. DeMar DeRozan DeRozan has blossomed into a superstar alongside teammate Kyle Lowry on the Raptors. The two have been fortunate enough to play in an isolation-heavy system under Dwane Casey, even though the system may not be the most successful for the team. DeRozan has the best mid-range shot in the NBA, and has become more willing to take on the scoring load lately. 2. Bradley Beal Beal certainly benefits from playing alongside one of the best playmaking point guards in John Wall, but he has blossomed into an elite scoring guard under Wizards’ coach Scott Brooks. Able to score from anywhere on the court and create his own shot, Beal has tools that few other shooting guards possess, especially when his three-point shooting is considered. His defense is nothing special, but it isn’t bad by any stretch and does not seem to hinder the Wizards much. 3. Klay Thompson While only the fourth best player on Golden State, Thompson is one of the best shooting guards due to his deadly combo of shooting and defense. While he can be an incredibly streaky shooter, when he is on, he is among the best offensive players in the Association, shown by his sixty-point game (in three quarters!) this past year as well as his historic thirty-seven-point quarter on perfect shooting in 2015. Add to that his solid defense that helps the Warriors hide Curry against elite opposing point guards, and Thompson has carved out his position as by far the best “3&D” player in the league. 4. Avery Bradley While Bradley is possibly the best lockdown defender on this list, he is lacking in other defensive abilities and is limited on offense, warranting his lower spot. However, he has grown into a valuable shooter, helping the Celtics overcome the Cavs once in the past playoffs, and will no doubt be an improvement over Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on the Pistons.
Sports
Small Forward
Power Forward
Center
1. LeBron James There is not much to say here, as James has long been the obvious best player in the world (despite my previous assertion that Curry was better). Dominant on both offense and defense when he wants to be, LeBron has no match in athleticism or in Basketball IQ. He is a perfect floor general, and even has begun to act as the de facto on-floor coach for the Cavs. While he will have a tough time getting past the Warriors in the near future, he has still reached an incredible seven straight NBA Finals, proving that he is a winner. 2. Kawhi Leonard Leonard has added a formidable offensive game on to the best perimeter defensive game in the NBA. He has made a name for himself as the clear best two-way player in the NBA, becoming an offensive force after winning two Defensive Player of the Year (DPoY) awards. His late game heroics, both against the Rockets and Grizzlies, were on display in the postseason this year, and he nearly singlehandedly brought the Spurs to the Western Conference Finals. While coach Gregg Popovich deserves an enormous amount of credit, Leonard has shown an incredible work ethic and capacity for improvement that dwarfs most, if not all, in the Association. 3. Kevin Durant While he may be seen by many as disloyal and even evil, Durant’s skill cannot be denied. Like the next player on this list, he is a rarity as a 7-foot-tall player who can handle the ball extremely well, and, unlike the next player, has a great jump shot and is one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. His addition to the Warriors made them the best NBA team of all time by quite a bit, due in part to his defensive abilities. He has made great strides on that end, being able to block quite a few shots and play decent man-to-man defense now. 4. Giannis Antetokounmpo While still only 22, Antetokounmpo, or the “Greek Freak” as he is called, has all the tools to be the next NBA superstar. Not only does he have mind-boggling length and dunks, he is also an elite passer, defender, and scorer, leading the Bucks in all five major statistical categories in the past year. He also became the first player in NBA history to rank in the Top 20 in those five categories for the entire league in a single year. While he still lacks a decent jumper, Giannis will continue to benefit from good shooters around him as he leads an up-and-coming Bucks team that looks to play well in a depleted East.
1. Draymond Green It may be crazy to say that a player on Golden State is underrated, but Green very well may be. Since he plays for the juggernaut Warriors, Green is not asked to take up much of the scoring load unlike Davis, but he makes up for that by being the best defensive player in the NBA. Not only can he guard the perimeter nearly as well as Leonard, he can shut down opposing players the paint, although perhaps not as well as Rudy Gobert. However, he also contributes heavily on the offensive end as the primary facilitator for the Warriors, the cog that allows the other three stars to put up more than 20 points per game each. Green may get flak for his antics, but he helps his team win with his grit and competitive spirit. That, along with his singular talents, earn him his spot. 2. Anthony Davis In the modern NBA, a power forward needs to be able to do it all, and Davis personifies this. Not only can he unleash hell in the post with his rebounding and scoring, but he can stretch the floor like few other dominant bigs can. He also is a formidable inside presence on defense, blocking the second most shots per game in the past season. Alongside DeMarcus Cousins on the Pelicans, Davis will do his best to enter the Western Conference playoff fray next season. 3. Kevin Love Even playing alongside Kyrie Irving and James on the Cavs, Love has been able to carve out a niche for himself as a large impact player, even though he’s been forced to occupy the role of a spot up shooter. He has also been a dominant rebounder in Cleveland, helping Tristan Thompson when he went cold in the Finals. Also, many forget how dominant Love was on the Wolves before the trade that brought him to Cleveland. As the primary scoring option, Love proves that he could carry a team, earning him consideration for the MVP award. 4. Blake Griffin With Chris Paul gone to the Rockets, Griffin now leads the Clippers as long as he stays healthy. As a big man with a near complete game, Griffin can shoot, pass, rebound, and score prolifically down low. He also has a small load on defense with DeAndre Jordan clogging up the paint, so he isn’t a liability for the Clippers. Watch for Griffin to have a breakout year if he isn’t injured, as he tries to lead the Clippers through to the playoffs in the stacked West.
1. Rudy Gobert At only 25, Gobert is one of the most electrifying players in the Association, always a threat to block an opponent’s shot on any drive. He also is one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA, shooting 66 percent from the field this past season. Since he won’t have George Hill and Gordon Hayward to score from the outside this season, look for Gobert to take on more of the scoring load for the Jazz. 2. DeMarcus Cousins Cousins, while he may be a terrible locker room presence, possesses the best offensive game of all centers. He can score from deep, short, or mid-range; can post up; and is one of the better passing big men. He may not be an elite defender, but he can certainly hold his own on that end. Paired with Davis, his passing abilities and his shot making will be a boon for the Pelicans as he gets passes from the newly signed Rajon Rondo. 3. Marc Gasol With a similar offensive package to Cousins, Gasol is a bit below him on this list due to Cousins being a hair more athletic and large, being able to bully opposing defenders. Gasol, however, has one of the best defensive games of any center, being able to shut down prolific post scorers and winning a DPoY. He has also been the sole reason, along with Mike Conley, that the Grizzlies have been able to make and compete in the playoffs in the past few seasons. 4. Hassan Whiteside Whiteside lacks the post moves that the two above him utilize so well, but he is basically a poor man’s Gobert with more size. In the 2015-16 season, Whiteside had a mind-boggling 3.7 blocks a game, and while he dipped down this year, he is still one of the premier paint defenders. Add to that his rebounding prowess and his decent midrange shot, and Whiteside was one of the leaders of the Heat’s turnaround last season. 27
Literary
Driving on the Highway
Only Just
By Thea Clarkberg
By Thea Clarkberg
Mild-mannered peach sunset over colorless fields of grain. Trees are stark in intricate black. Black birds detach and fly away. Low angled light casts reflections on water, never still, ever moving, a painting.
I wake up. Dim lights. As I fell asleep The house cracked And ached And echoed . . . Awake, now, Only just. Something is different. A new breath. A little breath Almost the sigh of the house The home, It is layered above Unique And I recognize it.
Civilization clashes, red lights against soft pink. Our shapes don’t fit, solid blocks over filigree.
IMAGE BY SAVANNA STUHR
In the night, highways and cities glimmer, convincing enough. Not the same, though, as stars and snow in the moonlight pale and plain though they are.
28
Jangly Jim By Sophie Wray Jangly Jim came strolling down the way again today. I see, no, hear him all the time. Each time I hear him I look up, but always too late. Jim and his jangly keys are already long gone.
IMAGE BY GUTHRIE KUCKES
IMAGE BY SAVANNA STUHR
IMAGE BY SAVANNA STUHR
Literary
Finding Strength By Sveta Reddy He comes crashing through the door, breaking the glass I already feel it: the punch, the slap, the pain Hold your ground, I tell myself, you have the strength It is not enough, he breaks my wall, it is too weak Blood seeps through, down under, I feel the burn Yet, he only feels the satisfaction I don’t understand how he gets satisfaction While I scar my wrists with a shard of glass Crying, screaming, suffering the burn Thinking it’s the only way to cope with the pain I am small, I am worthless, I am weak There’s no point trying, I will never find strength One year later, closer to attaining strength From cutting, I no longer get satisfaction Yet I am still a victim, I am still weak For now I find joy in my drinking glass The alcohol now soothes my pain Nothing helps but vodka and its bitter burn At least it is a different kind of burn At least I changed my source of strength At least the poison can heal my pain At least I can receive some satisfaction At least I’m sipping instead of cutting with glass At least I can say I’m trying not to be weak One year later, I am far from weak I no longer depend on vodka’s burn My heart used to be shattered glass But I finally found my strength I finally found my satisfaction I finally found an end to my pain Realizing it is not eternal pain I feel confident instead of weak From self-love, self-esteem I get satisfaction Others cannot cause me to burn For now, I am my own source of strength My heart and mind are as clear as glass For years, he felt satisfaction, I felt pain The constant burn and abuse made me weak My heart is now solid as glass, full of strength
IMAGE BY GUTHRIE KUCKES
30
Back 2 Skool!
BACK 2 SKOOL!
Penultimate 1
By Sophie Wray
Across 3. Who will you sit next to on the first day of _____? 4. Autumn leaves will _____ and hopefully your grades won’t follow suit 5. Will cause minor/major back pain 7. You’ll find them wandering around looking for Upstairs K 10. Blue or black ink 11. Pray for a top one; get stuck with a bottom one 12. Comes in the mail just three days before school starts
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Down 1. Hallway _____ is sometimes worse than highway _____ 2. First football game of the season. There’s a dance, it happens, woohoo! School spirit! 3. After a long, hot _____, school’s back in sesh 6. First day: gotta dress to _____ 8. Exciting but sad trip to Staples for school _____ 9. Bring your own or eat the cafeteria’s _____ 13. “Take a deep breath as you walk through the doors; it’s the morning of your very first _____!
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Across
Down
3. Who will you sit next to on the first day of…
1. Hallway _____, sometimes worse than highway _____.
4. Autumn leaves will _____ hopefully your grades won't follow suit.
2. first football game of the season, there's a dance, it happens, woo hoo! School Spirit!
5. Will cause minor/major back pain.
3. After a long, hot, _____, school's back in sesh.
7. You'll find them wandering around looking for upstairs K.
6. First day, gotta dress to _____.
8. Exciting but sad trip to Staples for school _____.
10. Blue or black ink .
9. Bring your own or eat the Cafeteria's _____.
11. Pray for a top one, get stuck with a bottom one.
13. "Take a deep breath as you walk through the doors it's the morning of your very first
BACK TO SCHOOL MAD-LIBS By Sophie Wray
12. Comes in the mail just three days before school even starts.
1. ____________ will change but 2. _____________ will stay the same. This year, prepare to 3. ______________ as you try to successfully 4. ____________ all of your classes. Good luck! Hopefully, your year will be 5. _____________ and you will be 6. ___________. But who knows? Guess you’ll have to 7. _____________ to see! Think of every-
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
(plural noun) (noun) (verb) (verb) (positive adjective) (positive feeling) (verb) (noun) (noun)
10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
(verb) (noun) (noun) (same as #12) (noun) (adjective) (body part) (adverb)
thing that could happen—you could have a 8. ________________; you could go to a 9. ______________; you could 10. ______________ a 11. ________________. This year could go well or not; that depends on your word choice. Maybe you’ll see a(n) 12. ______________! Maybe that 13. _________________ will become something important in your life. Someday, you may come to realize that 14. __________________ is 15. _______________. But just remember to keep your 16. _____________ up high and try your 17. ______________! Who knows what’s to come?! 31
Back Page
YOUR SCHOOL YEAR’S FORTUNE TELLING By Sophie Wray
Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22)
Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19)
Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22)
Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)
Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21)
Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20)
Just because you think you understand it doesn’t mean you really do.
Scales are like teeter-totters. Your year may teeter; just don’t let it totter.
4.0? Oh no! Really? Oof.
Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Win (pass) a few, lose (fail) a few. Hopefully you’ll win more than you lose, but it’s not all written in the stars.
Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
This year’s going to be the same as last year, just a little bit different.
This could be your year of greatness. So, what are you gonna do about it?
Success is yours for the taking; are you gonna take it?
The Coolness Spectrum COOL
Showing up is the easiest part; try a little harder, and show up with bells on.
Cancer (Jun 21 - Jul 22)
Grades aren’t the only things that matter, unless you’re talking to your parents, or you want to go to a good college.
Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22)
Carpe diem until there ain’t no diem to carpe.
Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) It’s the effort that counts!
Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20)
Follow your intuition, unless that leads you to the sea. Maybe don’t go there. Head to the library and study.
Crisp fall air (literally) Seeing friends after summer break People who write for The Tattler! New kids at school Back to school (?!) Freshies Schedules in general Heavy backpacks
Welcome, new students and staff!
First-day-of-school ice breakers
UNCOOL