September 2018 • Est d. 1892 • Vol. 126 #1 • Published Monthly • www.ihstattler.com Ithaca High School, 1401 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 • FREE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
TSA FINDS SUCCESS AT NATIONALS
LETTER TO FRESHMEN
THE BEST WORLD CUP EVER?
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Welcome back to school! Start your year on a good note by writing for The Tattler. Join us for our writers’ meeting on Tuesday, September 11 at 3:45 in H-Courtyard. Submit articles to editor@ihstattler.com.
Editorial
Editorial: The Problem With Censorship
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n September 2017, Harvard announced that alongside Donald Trump staffers Corey Lewandowski and Sean Spicer, Chelsea Manning would become a visiting fellow. Manning, who had her 35 year sentence commuted by Barack Obama in one of his last Presidential acts, gained notoriety for disclosing military documents, many detailing airstrikes. Within days, after pushback from a former CIA deputy, Manning’s fellowship was revoked. The Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government maintained that Manning was disinvited because the school was wary of endorsing her views, but that Lewandowski and Spicer “[brought] something to the table.” Lewandowski is famous for assaulting a reporter as Campaign Manager for Donald Trump, and Spicer for indiscriminately lying to reporters as Press Secretary. What do they bring to the table that Manning did not? Simply put, they do not challenge the status quo. Harvard is a private institution, but lessons from their handling of this and other events can be learned by public schools like ours. Although there do exist legitimate concerns over allowing some forms of speech, IHS should strive to find a place for all speech, especially criticism and protest, to ensure a full and fair education for its students. Just like for any concept, there do exist advantages of censorship. As is often pointed out, certain ideas, statements, and words do tend to cause unnecessary harm. For example, when talking about the Holocaust or other atrocities, especially around younger children, it is prudent to watch one’s language and avoid upsetting anyone. Now, some would respond that getting upset is ‘part of life’ or that offended persons should simply ‘deal with it.’ What these attitudes tend to reflect is a general antipathy or at least apathy towards other humans and their feelings. If harm can be avoided, it follows that it should be, if no substantial value is lost. If topics can be discussed with care while still using the same precision and accuracy, the onus is on the speaker to do so, out of regard for others. As always, history is an excellent resource for learning about censorship. It can also be gleaned from history that there are different forms of censorship, each with perils. In the
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Soviet Union, China, and other past and present Communist nations, the state practiced or practices censorship by banning the release of certain books, covering up events, or changing records, as with Stalin’s practice of ‘erasing’ people, even from photographs. As the state censors speech and even assembly, it discourages dissent, which is an essential component of any society. Eventually, such continued and obvious censorship has the effect of revolutionary sentiment welling up. Unfortunately, these states are often willing to repress these rebellions, such as China’s crushing of the Tiananmen Square protests or the USSR’s intervention in Prague and Hungary. These state actions reinforce censorship’s relationship to violence and oppression. With marginalized people already facing problems in all societies, censoring voices supporting them serves simply to erase them further. In capitalist and other authoritarian societies, there is censorship too. Censorship in our country has ranged from banning books, regulating comic books, radio, and television, to denying permits for groups to gather that authority figures find unsavory. One could go as far as to say that programs that invade the privacy of public figures are forms of censorship, in that they discourage expression of ideas and attempt to stop such figures from having their ideas considered seriously. Clearly, no government, not even ours, is entirely innocent of censorship. So how, then, can IHS strive to not censor? The answer is not simple, but it is fairly straightforward. To avoid censorship, IHS must try to ensure that all valid viewpoints are represented, and that their critiques are also represented. That is not to say that all existing viewpoints must be explored, since it would be absurd to expect a class with limited time to cover all the world’s content. But in any particular subject, all reasonably popular topics should be at least mentioned, and hopefully given fair time and representation. In sciences and math, this is not generally applicable, since in most cases scientists are in a consensus about what theories are valid. In these cases, only when there are multiple possibly valid hypotheses should multiple viewpoints be presented. For a non-science example of how classes can avoid censorship, a history
class could present Nazi views and propaganda along with rebuttals and explanations of why they are generally seen as heinous. Now, it is important with this example and the general principle to stress that the teachers presenting and the views presented need not be neutral in presentation; rather, they must be fair, and in being fair, one must explain something with its faults. For Nazis, there would be more faults, but with any viewpoint, critiques that have popularity or validity among experts in a field should be presented. It is only in this way that our school can protect against ignorance and censorship. As a public institution, Ithaca High School not only has an obligation not to censor, but to call out censorship by the government and discuss censorship in all its forms. As discussed briefly earlier, the US government is no stranger to some light censorship, and all public schools have a responsibility to draw attention to this, as it is arguably a violation of our first amendment rights. Whether or not one agrees with activists or protests, all protests have a right to be heard, and schools should not ignore them just because the government has acted against them. There is plenty of literature and resources on various movements and ideas that have been censored or opposed by the government, so it would not be too hard to teach. To those who would say that this would undermine our government, doesn’t learning from the past often have the effect of strengthening the future? If current IHS students gain any sort of power in the country, we will know better and will be able to make informed decisions. Ultimately, better understanding is the goal of anti-censorship efforts. The adoption of policies or stances against censorship at IHS can have lasting positive effects. Students can learn a fuller picture of history. They can have the opportunity to comprehend and discuss viewpoints not always taught. But also, they can learn the important skills of critique. If students are presented less mainstream viewpoints, they can develop criticism of those views, in the process hopefully examining their own views and ideas. In this process, the absence of censorship can help them grow as students, and as people.
News
Staff 2018 – 2019
Mitrano to Take on Reed in November By JULIAN PERRY
Editor-in-Chief
Vaynu Kadiyali ’19 editor@ihstattler.com
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Julian Perry ’19 news@ihstattler.com
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Tony Yang ’19
Tom Reed (left) and Tracy Mitrano (right)
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oing into June’s congressional primary election, local Democrats had a decision to make. For the first time since 2012, the Democratic nomination in New York’s 23rd Congressional District was contested, with five candidates all vying for a chance to unseat Congressman Tom Reed, the incumbent who represents a district spanning from Ithaca all the way to Lake Erie. By the end of election night on June 26, the race was still too close to call. Retired Air Force officer Max Della Pia held a lead over cybersecurity expert Tracy Mitrano by just 26 votes of over 21,000 initially counted, leaving the outcome up to absentee ballots, which would not be counted for another week. The Reed campaign did not hesitate to dismiss the competitors in the Democratic primary as “Extreme Ithaca Liberals,” a label originally used against Reed’s 2014 opponent, Martha Robertson. “It’s no surprise that with a field of Extreme Ithaca Liberal options to choose from, the Democrats couldn’t make a definitive selection in their primary on Tuesday,” Tom Reed’s campaign manager Nicholas Weinstein said in a statement. “With their unanimous support for higher taxes, heroin injection sites in our neighborhoods, and government-run socialized medicine, these Extreme Ithaca Liberals have clearly demonstrated to the voters that they are out of touch with our values,” Weinstein con-
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Fiona Botz ’19 Karuna Prasad ’20 distribution@ihstattler.com
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COVER IMAGE BY MAX STEPHENSON The Tattler is the monthly student-run newspaper of Ithaca High School. All currently-enrolled students at Ithaca High School are welcome to submit writing and photographs. As an open forum, The Tattler invites opinion submissions and letters to the editor from all community members. Email submissions to editor@ihstattler.com or mail letters to: The Tattler 1401 North Cayuga Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Send submissions by September 18 to be included in the October issue. The Tattler reserves the right to edit all submissions. All articles, columns, and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of editorial staff. To read The Tattler online, visit our website at www.ihstattler.com.
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tinued. Neither Mitrano, of Penn Yan, nor Della Pia, of Owego, lives in Ithaca. The following week, Mitrano took a lead over Della Pia with the counting of absentee ballots. Della Pia conceded to and endorsed Mitrano on July 3, just days after the Buffalo News revealed that he had plagiarized parts of his campaign website. Della Pia, along with former candidates Ian Golden of Ithaca and Eddie Sundquist of Jamestown, showed support for Mitrano at a “unity rally” in the city of Olean on July 14. In addition to local political figures such as Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren have endorsed Mitrano’s campaign. Outside of the support from these senators, however, Mitrano’s campaign has received little national attention in a year where Democrats are looking at an opportunity to retake the House of Representatives. More national Democratic efforts have been dedicated to the nearby 19th and 22nd Congressional Districts, whose incumbent Republican representatives were elected by smaller margins in 2016 than Reed. Mitrano’s fundraising also lags significantly behind Reed’s. At the end of June, the Reed campaign had $1,274,707 cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission website. In comparison, Mitrano had only $7,874 cash on hand at that same point. Campaigning for the election in November, Mitrano has emphasized her support for universal healthcare while also touting her background in cybersecurity as the topic gains national attention. Reed, meanwhile, has made a point of his support for the GOP’s 2017 tax bill, which he voted for. Reed has also tried to demonstrate support for bipartisanship as co-chair of Congress’s Problem Solvers Caucus. To be eligible to vote in the general election on November 6, individuals must register to vote by October 12. Individuals under 18 years of age can register to vote as long as they will turn 18 by the day of the general election. 3
News
An Interview With New Associate Principal Corey Mitchell By VAYNU KADIYALI
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t the final Board of Education (BoE) meeting of the 2017-18 school year, Superintendent Luvelle Brown announced several administrative changes at IHS. Along with the departure of economics teacher Lauren Wright, now an associate principal at Boynton Middle School, former Associate Principals Keith Harrington and Crystal Sessoms moved on to become the principals of Enfield Elementary School and J.V. Forrestal Elementary School in Beacon Hill, NY, respectively. To fill the administrative vacancies at IHS, ICSD promoted Carlan Gray, a former biology teacher and science department leader at IHS, to become one of two associate principals for returning high school students. Additionally, Corey Mitchell, a longtime teacher at the North Syracuse Central School District (NSCSD), joined the IHS administrative team as the associate principal for freshmen. I spoke with Mr. Mitchell about his decision to come to Ithaca, and about his goals for the coming year. Vaynu Kadiyali ’19: Before you came to Ithaca High School, you worked at the NSCSD. What was your job there? Corey Mitchell: I worked at the Cicero-North Syracuse District for 19 years. For 18 of those years, I worked as a 6th grade teacher at Roxboro Road Middle School, which is in a suburb right outside of the city of Syracuse. I taught English and Social Studies, and I was very focused on building relationships with my students. I served on lots of committees, did a lot of work in developing curricula, and my passion during this time was connecting the community and the school. VK: Why did you decide to come to Ithaca? CM: Why not? This place is phenomenal! I applied online, had my interview, and got a tour of Ithaca, and the community blew me away with its focus on education on multiple levels, all the way from elementary school to higher education. Everyone here cares about education, and it’s a really progressive area where people are thinking for the future. I also studied up on some things that the district is doing under the leadership of Dr. Luvelle Brown, and I see lots of positive changes. Also, my wife fell in love with Ithaca. I think I can offer a lot to this school and district, and I feel like this is the perfect place to begin my administrative career. VK: What does your job as AP consist of? CM: My major role is to make sure that our 9th grade students are as 4
Mr. Mitchell in his office, G211
IMAGE BY VAYNU KADIYALI
ready as possible to handle the academic and social rigors of entering high school. This is a major transition year, and my background as a middle school teacher helps me in helping students. I am very much in tune with middle school students, and having taught sixth grade, a major transition year between the elementary and secondary education levels, I’m good at helping students cross those worlds and understand the things that they have to leave behind, fine-tune, and focus on to be successful. Working with young people and connecting with them has been a strength throughout my career, and helping 9th graders through their transition is something I’m very much looking forward to. VK: Based off your initial impressions, what are some differences between the community and student body at IHS and at your previous district? CM: The community here is much more diverse, and I really like that. I’ve seen that this town is education-oriented, progressive, laid-back during my time here so far. VK: In your opinion, what are some strengths and admirable characteristics of IHS and its community? What, if any, steps do you think educators, administrators and students can take to improve the IHS
News community? CM: I think our key strength is that we have a lot of adults who are committed to the success of young people. There are also so many opportunities for students, courses that they can take, and ways they can direct their energies and thoughts. It’s really almost like a junior college in a way with all of the offerings and opportunities. There’s so much here, and I want to help everyone tap into their potential through taking advantage of the opportunities they have access to. In this community, there’s great potential and a lot of great things going on, but I think it can be greater if we pull everyone together so we can access all of our strengths. I want to help teachers form better relationships with their students, and likewise, students with their teachers. I’m fascinated and impressed by the leadership team we have here, including our principal Mr. Trumble and our other two associate principals, Ms. Gray and Ms. Hardesty, as well as our three deans, and I think this structure will allow us to put our energy into helping young people achieve their dreams. VK: What are some goals that you have for this year? CM: To listen. That’s been my major focus over the last couple weeks since I started working here. I want to listen and hear what everyone has to say, and getting out into different communities, hearing from students, hearing from families and caregivers, business leaders, teachers and district administrators, is something I’m focusing on this year. I want to get everyone’s perspective and hear what their dreams are, what their fears are, and to try to use that, as well as the data I’ve been studying about this district and its students, to get as best an assessment about what truly makes up Ithaca. Ultimately I want to use that information to help me assess how I can help make it a better place. VK: Most ICSD administrators, including yourself, are working during the summer. What does this work consist of? CM: I’ve been busy! I’ve been studying the data, attending lots of meetings with my fellow administrators, learning about our program of studies, conducting staffing interviews, working on the master schedule, and most importantly, getting out into the community. Actually, this afternoon, I’m attending the Rashad Richardson event at GIAC with my family, and I hope to get around to Enfield, Southside, and other neighborhood communities to meet students and their families. I also want to connect with Cornell to learn more about what resources they offer. To me, getting out, meeting people, and introducing myself to students, like I did in June when I went to the two middle schools with Mr. Trumble and talked to incoming freshmen during their lunch periods, and even joked and talked a little smack with them, is important so that they know me as a friendly face who’s there to help them on their journey. VK: Is there something you wish students knew about you? CM: Number one, that I love helping young people. Number two, I have a great sense of humor and I have lots of jokes, so beware! I also love music, including hip-hop, rock, reggae, jazz, country. On top of that, I’m an avid sports fan, as you can see by the Pittsburgh Steelers poster on my wall and the logo on my cup, and I’m a huge Syracuse University basketball fan. I’ll have to start following some local teams now—go Big Red! I just love life and I love people. Stop by my office and say hello, follow me on Twitter (@9PrincMitchIHS), and never be afraid to approach me! I want to be in the halls and in classrooms so much that my secretary has to look for me to do paperwork, and I want to get to know what’s going on and to connect with the pulse of Ithaca High School.
TSA Finds Success at Nationals By TILDEN CHAO and JOSEPH YOON
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HS’s Technology Student Association (TSA) is a club of twenty-some members, and a chapter in a national organization of over 250,000 students interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In contrast with some other clubs, it’s difficult to define one academic focus for TSA’s activities. Of course, there is an overarching theme of technology, but TSA also places an emphasis on public speaking, design, and creativity. At the annual state and national conferences, students can compete in 65 competitive events. Most students choose about three or four as their focus each year. Debate, extemporaneous speech, and fashion design? Biotechnology, music production, video game design, and software design? Within TSA exists an impressive breadth of events. This year, the team traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to compete in the 40th annual National TSA Conference. Competition involved over 8,000 participants from 48 states and several countries. Throughout the conference, we made close friends. Our evening meetings included delegations from Connecticut, California, Montana, Germany, and Turkey. We conversed with students from Pennsylvania and Texas outside of our event holding rooms. And, for some of us, we’re still Instagramming and Snapchatting our friends across the country and abroad. This year’s conference was one of the most successful for IHS in recent memory. In each event, students typically square off against 50-100 other students, all of whom are the most dominant in their state. IHS TSA members left the conference with the following awards this year: 1st place in Prepared Presentation (Tilden Chao ’19) Competitors receive a presentation topic 24 hours prior to their presentation time. During this period, competitors prepare a PowerPoint slide deck and presentation about the given topic. This year’s topic: highlight significant events and people in Atlanta, Georgia over the past 40 years. 1st place in Technology Bowl (Andrei Tumbar ’19, Joseph Yoon ’19, Tilden Chao ’19) Teams of three compete in a quiz bowl similar to that of Brain Team. The one catch? Every question is STEM related. Which famous inventor appeared on the first Apple logo? What color denotes starboard on a sailing vessel? What does “LTE” stand for? Technology Bowl rewards students who know the answers to questions like these. 5th place in Computer Integrated Manufacturing (Andrei Tumbar ’19, Tilden Chao ’19) Teams of two create a product using only computer integratCONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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News/Opinion “TSA FINDS SUCCESS AT NATIONALS” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
The Real Threat of Artificial Intelligence to Humanity By JACOB YOON
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IHS TSA students and advisors after a successful conference.
IMAGE BY TILDEN CHAO
ed manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, laser cutting, and routing. All the while, students must keep production costs below five dollars per unit. This year, our team made a peachshaped stamp with the conference logo. 5th place in Webmaster (Andrei Tumbar ’19, Joseph Yoon ’19, Tilden Chao ’19, Felix Shi ’19) Teams produce a hand-coded and designed website about TSA and activities at the high school. The team’s website can be visited here: www.ihstsa.cf 6th place in Music Production (Eli Zhang ’18, Matthew Guo ’18, Francesca Chu ’18, Jenny Yoon ’18) Teams have all year to produce a song about the conference theme. This year, students sang, rapped, and composed to the theme, “A Celebration of Success.” 7th place in Extemporaneous Speech (Tilden Chao ’19) Competitors walk into a room and draw a speech topic. In 15 minutes, competitors are expected to give a cohesive five minute speech about the prompt with limited prepared notes. 9th place in Children’s Story (Eli Zhang ’18, Matthew Guo ’18, Francesca Chu ’18, Jenny Yoon ’18) Our Children’s Story team wrote and designed a book titled Eiji and the Kingfisher. The book made sounds and lit up to fully illustrate a young boy’s exploration of aerodynamics and the bullet train. Student activities in TSA are made possible through the efforts of teacher advisors. Ithaca High School’s Scott Breigle and Karen Kiechle, DeWitt’s David Buchner and Nathan Taylor, along with New York state advisor Evie Weinstein, dedicated long nights and many hours to the success of the students. 6
rtificial intelligence (AI) won’t be taking over the world any time soon, if ever. The theory that AI will become an existential threat to humanity have been popularized by many influential people including Elon Musk, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Stephen Hawking. While these possibilities are interesting to discuss, they concern situations that will almost certainly not occur. While AI and machine learning are progressing at a surprising rate, the future of AI isn’t the dystopian apocalypse that so many have come to fear. Simply put, AI is the concept of developing computers that are capable of mimicking human cognitive abilities, such as problem solving, planning, learning, and reasoning. Many applications of AI are now being implemented, including machine learning, a subset of AI that often uses statistical techniques to allow computers to learn from data without being explicitly programmed to do so. Computer scientists are using these concepts and techniques as well as others to create human-like computing systems to aid us in various forms, such as voice assistants, advanced search engines, and self-driving cars. The scary thing is that if AI finds itself in the wrong hands, people may use its immense power in devastating ways. Determining how much of a threat AI will be in the future is quite hard. It has already significantly affected the human species, but we have been exaggerating the potential harm that intelligent machines might have on the globe. If we ever become smart enough to be able to program machines with super-human capabilities, chances are, we will not be foolish enough to grant them the power to outthink us. In fact, we probably won’t be giving AI machines much power at all. Humans love power, and we’ll do all that we can to maintain control. Leaving an AI with all the big decisions is not something a manager wants to do. Additionally, AI systems will be designed with the primary intention of doing the dirty work that people don’t want to do, such as jobs that require repetitive tasks or exposure to dangerous situations. Machines will be aiding humans, so why would they turn against us? Also, if someone were to eventually build a generally-intelligent and dangerous AI system deliberately, others will be able to build a second, narrower, and therefore more efficient AI whose only purpose will be to eradicate the first one. If both have access to similar or identical computing resources, the second machine could be designed to be victorious and overcome the first in the
Opinion
IMAGE FROM UNSPLASH.COM
same way that a shark or a virus pose threats to humans despite their far inferior intelligence. This idea provides a safe way to deal with potential risks that might occur in the time ahead. Besides, intelligence isn’t correlated with a craving for power. Jealousy and greed are distinctly human qualities. Robots will almost certainly not gain these qualities, and even though they could have access to almost unlimited resources and information, and act according to lines of code, they will most likely never seek domination. Ultimately, only carelessness and stupidity will be the cause of our own demise. Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, and dozens of experts on artificial intelligence signed an open letter on January of 2015 calling for research on the societal impacts of AI, and further efforts will ensure that the theory of technological singularity doesn’t become a reality.
Although there are many reassuring signs, we still should worry about some aspects of AI. There are still real threats that already exist and need attention. AI is evolving rapidly and is radically transforming society. In the near future, expert systems will drastically alter jobs and wealth, inducing unexpected economic inequalities and even reshaping the global balance of power. Also, AI companies are building big data repositories that contain detailed information about us and the social relationships among us, raising concerns over privacy and about the ability to influence popular opinion and thought. This threat is imminent and is difficult to address because it is subtle and less visible than economic inequality. Equally important is that AI technologies could enable new forms of cybercrime, political disruption, and even physical attacks. AI has the potential to revolutionize the power of bad actors to threaten everyday life. Misuse of
this technology might lead to AI being used to create targeted and personalized ads or malicious links that would exercise the idea of algorithmic profiling to increase its effectiveness, or automate disinformation campaigns to influence people’s behavior targeting specific candidates in an election. It could also be used to efficiently find weak points or bugs in a security system for attacks or leaks. The possibilities and risks are real, and although AI could be heavily utilized for cybersecurity to defend against these threats, they still pose a huge risk. It is urgent that we turn the spotlight onto these inevitable challenges instead of ignorantly arguing about unlikely and unscientific theories. Machines probably won’t take over the world the way the sci-fi stories have it, so we need to look into the real threats that AI might have on mankind, because they will take shape in less time than we all may think.
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Opinion
Sarah Jeong and the Risks of Social Media By JUSTIN HEITZMAN In early August, the media was hit with yet another revelation of a public figure’s controversial social media activity. This time around, the subject of criticism was journalist and new New York Times hire Sarah Jeong, an Asian-American woman whose history of inflammatory tweets includes statements such as “White people are bullshit” and “Dumbass fucking white people marking up the internet with their opinions like dogs pissing on fire hydrants.” Shortly after Jeong was brought on as an editorial board member, this history surfaced and immediately caused a storm in the media. The main discussion boiled down to an argument over whether or not Jeong deserved to be fired in light of these statements. This debate, though, is particularly interesting, as it encapsulates several separate discussions within, including the questions of the true definition of racism and the importance of public opinion in hiring practices. Perhaps the most interesting discussion involved was the question of whether or not someone should face repercussions with their employer for controversial statements made on social media platforms. In this case, the New York Times was correct in not bowing down to public opinion and firing Jeong. However, they probably should not have hired her in the first place. Mainstream news organizations are in an increasingly precarious position, as they try to carefully navigate an extremely difficult political climate. As these organizations face more and more concern over their potential biases, the people that they employ are under heavy scrutiny regarding their own personal biases. Now that 8
the public use of social media by journalists has become commonplace, much of this scrutiny comes from other social media users. In the case of Jeong, it came pouring out after her worrying Twitter history was revealed, and many took it as proof that the New York Times has skewed too far to the political left. Much of the media reaction was supportive of the New York Times’ decisions, and writers at publications such as Vox characterize them as a victory against the causes of the alt-right. But that notion is questionable at best. This hiring decision will, in the end, most likely serve to only further embolden and empower the alt-right. After all, one of the most fiery and controversial discussions that has been sparked by this debacle is the issue of whether or not the content of Jeong’s tweets constitutes racism. But that discussion doesn’t really matter much when the tweets can easily be hurtful either way. It does not seem in any way unreasonable for a white man to read a tweet in which Jeong describes “how much joy” she derives out of “being cruel to old white men” and find it upsetting. So when a person like this goes to other websites to see if their outrage is shared by others and instead reads on those websites that those offended by the tweet must be a member of the alt-right, the potential is logically there for that person to start considering themselves a member of the alt-right. Writers at Vox and The Verge state that anger over the hiring is essentially unjustified due to the context of the tweet. Generally, the agreed-upon explanation is that Jeong was in fact using a sarcastic tone in an attempt to mock those on the internet who had harassed her. This “counter-trolling,” as Jeong referred
to it in an official statement, was a poor move. By stooping to the same level as those who harassed her online, Jeong conceded them all a victory. But most importantly, she made statements that can justifiably be viewed as hateful. For a news organization whose long-term stability essentially relies on convincing the public that their higher-ups are in no way out to get them, the New York Times has done a great job, by making this hire, of driving more people away. This one decision could have a considerably negative effect on the future of the New York Times. If it does, organizations such as the Times could very well end up reverting back to their practices of firing, or at least not hiring, journalists based on past statements they have made online. The relevance of all this for high schoolers, then, goes back to a lesson that we have undoubtedly all heard countless times throughout our teenage years. That lesson is to be careful on social media. Sarah Jeong’s “counter-trolling,” while a potential non-issue to those select few with a comprehensive understanding of Jeong’s tone and contextual position, was a major mistake on her part. After all, as we all know, it can be very difficult to understand the tone of what we read on the internet when there is no immediately clear context. It is very unfortunate that the divisive political system has reached a point where social media has a serious effect on the hireability of people, but for the time being, it appears as if our parents and teachers were right; we will have to be very conscious of what we post online, as it could potentially come back to bite.
Features
Promising Blood Test May Detect Risk of Alzheimer’s 30 Years Early By ANN WANG
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n 2017, it was estimated that over 5.5 million people in the United States were affected by Alzheimer’s disease, which ranks as the sixth-leading cause of death in the country. A new study observing the effects of a group of peptides called amyloid-β, closely linked to Alzheimer’s, suggests the potential of using a blood test to recognize high risks of developing the condition before noticeable symptoms appear—possibly up to 30 years before the condition develops. Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia, a category of diseases that are associated with memory loss and the deterioration of cognitive and motor skills. Its causes are unknown, but old age, lifestyle choices, and genetic predisposition are believed to be some factors that affect its onset. Before the aforementioned study was conducted, few ways of testing for Alzheimer’s before its onset were known. However, the monitoring of peptides, or small collections of amino acids that differ from proteins in size, may prove to be a breakthrough that aids medical professionals in detecting, and eventually finding a cure for, one of the world’s
most costly and devastating diseases. Early detection of Alzheimer’s is crucial for effective treatment, as the progression of the disease is irreversible. In healthy individuals, the amyloid-β peptide is digested and eliminated. However, in diseased brains, the amyloid-β can collect to form insoluble plaques on the brain 30 years before other symptoms appear. These plaques cause masses of neurons to be affected by the peptides, causing shrinkage of brain tissue, and over time, the gradual loss of vital functions of the brain. The currently-used method of detecting the protein fragments uses brain scans, which are notoriously expensive and impractical. Blood tests would provide a much more accessible way for individuals to assess their chances of developing the disease. The recent investigation involved the collaboration of researchers from universities in Japan and Australia, who observed evidence of amyloid flowing through the bloodstream by collecting blood samples from 373 individuals and using mass spectrometry to search for amino acids and peptides linked to the activity of the toxic peptide.
Through analysis of the results, the test was able to accurately predict plaque buildup in 90 percent of the observed cases. “From a tiny blood sample, our method can measure several amyloid-related proteins, even though their concentration is extremely low,” reported Koichi Tanaka, a researcher from the Shimadzu Corporation in Japan. Although the study is still in its early stages and no new Alzheimer’s treatment has yet been developed, the information collected could lead to more efficient and directed clinical trials in the future. “These data are very promising and may be incredibly useful in the future, in particular for choosing which people are suited for clinical trials and for measuring whether amyloid levels are changed by treatments in trials,” commented Professor Tara Spires-Jones from the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. The study was also the first to discover and demonstrate a strong association of blood plasma amyloid with brain and cerebrospinal fluid, another breakthrough that could also lead to potential treatment options in the future.
Transitioning to High School By ANNA WESTWIG
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ransitions of any kind are difficult, and the switch from middle school to high school can be an especially painful process. There are new halls to navigate, new teachers to understand, new classmates to meet, and a plethora of questions that need to be answered. Generally, everyone fends for themselves; sink or swim. However, there are a few tips and tricks that can help you survive the school year. First off, buy a planner. There are no buts or quibbling. Even if you think you have an eidetic memory, or if you did fine without a planner in middle school, you need one now. It can be any kind of planner—digital, pre-made, or a DIY-type situation—but you have to write your assignments down. You will forget your assignments unless you write them down in a place where you can look at them at a moment’s glance. Trust me, it’ll be the day before a paper is due and you’ll only hear about it the period before when someone’s complaining in the halls. Some apps I would suggest are MyHomework, The Homework App, or even the iPhone’s Reminders app. You can also get cheap physical planners at Staples or TJ Maxx. If you prefer a more creative and adaptable approach, you can create your own using a blank journal. Whatever the method, writing down assignments and due dates is critical. Secondly, have some system of organization. One of the worst things in life is the sinking feeling in your gut as you rifle through your backpack, pulling out sheets of crumpled papers, searching in vain for the homework assignment you know you did last night. Having a folder for each subject is
a tried and true method. Binders are a bit too bulky to ferry back and forth to school every day, so unless a teacher specifically requests one, don’t carry around extra weight for no reason. Keep the assignments you need to do and have finished separate from each other. Many English classes in particular require that you keep all your assignments for an end-of-year reflection. Finally, utilize the resources you have. IHS provides support labs and a library. The library has textbooks for practically every class, and there are printers, which you only need your student ID to access. It also provides an environment conducive to doing homework and studying. And don’t forget your fellow students. They are resources who can text you missed homework and classwork. This means that you should be friendly with at least one person in each class, so that you can help each other out if one of you missed that class the previous day. Teachers can also be incredibly helpful. If you’re struggling in a class, reach out to them instead of trying to push through it by yourself. The school guidance counselors are also there to guide you through your high school years. If you need them, take advantage of them. Of course, individuals should use these methods at their own discretion, but these are some guidelines that hold constant across almost everybody who adapts quickly to the high school environment. Planners, organization, and IHS’s resources will all be highly beneficial to your experience at IHS. Good luck freshmen! Remember: there is no upstairs K. 9
Features
Columbia University Hosts Summer Journalism Workshops By J.T. STONE AND KARUNA PRASAD
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olumbia University in New York City hosted its annual summer journalism workshops from June 23-29. We attended morning and afternoon classes, along with a one-on-one personal critique workshop, student networking sessions, and even a Broadway show to practice journalistic writing skills. During the week-long program, we reviewed common writing errors such as the misuse of punctuation, quotes, and grammar. We also completed assignments that encouraged us to pull from personal experiences and share them with other students, sometimes anonymously, which was intriguing because it provided diverse perspectives on different topics. Some of the rules of journalism, such as tips for interviewing, were new and unfamiliar to us, which made the workshops more challenging. Nevertheless, we were able to change bad habits in our writing and received individual feedback from our professors through the process. Being alone in a city of nine million is an adventure, and it is different from what one might imagine. Sometimes we would walk around with our new friends, while other times we would walk alone. It is hard at first to be responsible while living on your own, but there’s definitely freedom attached to such an experience. The Cathedral Church of St. John was situated merely a block away, and we were fascinated by
The iconic Columbia University library 10
its gothic architecture. There was also a Hamilton statue on campus along with the Columbia library, which we found monumental and very eye-catching. We enjoyed gazing at the buildings and statues while walking to class every day. Immediately outside of the campus there were bookshops, pastry shops, and interesting restaurants that caught our eyes as well. The Mill, which serves Korean dishes, was a place that we frequently visited because the pajun and kimchi were simply terrific. Also nearby is Tom’s Restaurant, recognizable to all Seinfeld fans, and last but not least, a Shake Shack that was almost always packed during lunch hours. Living in a dorm room was exciting for us, but it also created a problem. We no longer had parents waking us up and telling us when to get ready, so we had to set our own alarms, drag ourselves out of bed, take quick showers (without singing), and walk to the buildings where our different workshops took place. Although it wasn’t easy some mornings, we can say we successfully got to all of our classes on time. Along with morning and afternoon classes, we attended the musical Once on This Island on Broadway, which won the award for Best Musical Revival at this year’s Tony Awards. The show blew us away with the actors’ powerful vocals, especially in the power anthem “Momma Will Provide,” sung by Alex Newell, and pushed
us to tears with its heart-wrenching storyline. From the stage set-up to the unforgettable songs and the intense acting, this will go down as one of our all time favorite Broadway musicals, and as a highlight of our time in NYC. We also attended a press conference after the show, where we were able to ask the actors, stage crew, and writers questions we had about the show. We felt that this was perfect practice since real journalists usually attend press conferences to get more information for their stories or reviews. We asked about the rehearsal process, specifically what it was like dancing in the sand, while others wondered what the actors did to practice their Haitian accents. This was definitely one of our favorite parts of the week, because not only did we talk to talented actors and stage crew, but we also went behind the scenes and applied our new journalism skills to learn more about how this phenomenal production came to be. We learned about many nuances found in journalistic writing that we never saw clearly before while also enjoying the breathtaking aspects of the Big Apple. We highly recommend this program to any student who wishes to enhance their editorial and overall journalistic writing skills.
A view of the Columbia University quad
IMAGES PROVIDED
Features
Restaurant Review: Maru Ramen By JUSTIN HEITZMAN
Maru Ramen in Ithaca, NY
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espite the wealth of Asian food options around Ithaca, until recently, I had never tried any kind of ramen besides the classic pre-packaged chicken-flavor Top Ramen. So when I heard about the recent opening of Maru Ramen, a new ramen restaurant on State Street, I decided that it would be the perfect time to check it out. Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately impressed. The tables and chairs were sleek with bright colors, and the front counter combined traditional design elements with a modern edge. After a bit of deliberation, I decided to order the Tonkotsu Ramen, while my parents ordered the Chicken Ramen and the Spicy Seafood Ramen. After a relatively short wait, we were served steaming bowls by our waitress. The Tonkotsu Ramen, described on the menu as a “creamy pork broth� topped with egg, pork, and various vegetables, had a very appealing presentation. The flavor of it, though, proved to be even better. What impressed me the most about the taste of the ramen was the vast variety of flavors in the bowl and the way in which they all came together. The chashu pork and egg each had a nice savory flavor; the pork in partic-
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ular was very well-seasoned and tender. The vegetables added a bit of spice and variety to each bite, and the pickled radish provided on the side added a bit of sweetness to the bowl. These flavors all blended well against the pungent broth backdrop. While our meals proved to be very filling, my parents and I agreed that we would have liked it if there was more meat in the bowl, as it added a lot to the flavor of the dish. Besides this, though, none of us had much by way of criticism; like the pork broth, the chicken broth was very well-seasoned, and my dad was very happy with the fact that the level of spice matched up with the two hot peppers depicted on the menu. In general, the service at the restaurant was both efficient and hospitable; after seeing that my dad was taking home his leftovers despite having eaten all of the noodles, a waitress even brought him a small container of rice to put in the soup when he warmed it up at home. The pricing is a bit expensive overall, but is worth it for the high quality of ingredients and the filling portions. I left Maru Ramen very full and happy, and certainly recommend the restaurant to anyone. 11
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Interview with the
Executive Director of OAR By AURORA WULFF
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pportunities, Alternatives, and Resources (OAR) is a small nonprofit organization located on 910 West State Street whose mission is to provide support services to those who are incarcerated or were formerly incarcerated in Tompkins County Jail. These services include the Assigned Counsel Intakes program, the Bail Fund, the Phone Relay, and reentry assistance programs. In addition, OAR manages the College Initiative Upstate and the Endeavor House. Assigned Counsel Intakes is a program that provides high-quality legal representation for those who cannot afford it otherwise. The Bail Fund is a service that provides money to post bail for individuals pre-trial, effectively reducing the time that they spend behinds bars. By doing so, OAR works to correct the effects that a person’s economic status has on their sentencing. While in jail, the Phone Relay allows inmates to stay in touch with and send messages to loved ones and family members. College Initiative Upstate is a reentry education program to help individuals transition from life in jail back into society. Recently, OAR founded the Endeavor House, which provides a safe, sober environment for former inmates to successfully transition to independent living. Although many people drive past OAR everyday, very few are aware of this organization or its impact on the community. This interview is intended to highlight OAR and those who are working to address inequality in the justice system. Aurora Wulff: What is your position and what does that entail? Deborah Dietrich: I’m the executive director of OAR. My job involves working closely with the board and the staff to set the direction for the agency. I do strategic planning, raise funds, and collaborate with staff to make sure everything is running smoothly. I really see it as finding each staff member’s strengths and 12
trying to orchestrate a combination of those strengths. AW: How long have you been working at OAR? DD: I’ve been working here for twelve years. AW: What made you decide to get involved in this line of work? DD: I’ve been involved with social justice all my life. I came back to Ithaca to care for an aging parent. I had never done direct social justice service before, but I had been the Legislative Liaison to OAR back in the eighties when I was on the county legislature. So I knew the work that OAR did and so I applied for the job and was hired. AW: What is your favorite part of your job? DD: Coming up with new ideas is my favorite part. Implementing them is a little harder. Figuring out what works and doesn’t work and making adjustments to it fascinates me. The other part that I think is really important is working with legislators and other policy makers to address the barriers that face people returning home from incarceration. AW: What is your least favorite part of your job? DD: My least favorite is probably direct supervision. I’m not a micromanager. I don’t like to be micromanaged myself. But some staff need more direction than others and I struggle with that. I’ve got a great staff now though, it’s kind of a delight. AW: What do you believe the most important service you provide is? DD: Basically, I think the most important ser-
vice we all provide is treating each person as a human being with dignity. We operate from the perspective that everyone is entitled to be treated as we would want to be treated. In terms of the most important service, it’s hard to rank them because they are each important at different stages of a person’s life. OAR’s been providing almost 40 years of civil liberty protection through the work in the jail with assigned counsel. What’s more interesting to me is some of the reentry work so we can actually do something to break the cycle. AW: What do you wish people knew about OAR, the Tompkins County Jail, or the justice system in general? DD: That any one of us or our family members could end up being incarcerated. I wish everyone realized that it’s not a matter of right or wrong. Many of the people who are in the jail are only accused of a crime, and have never been convicted and we just want to allow people a due process and treat them with dignity. AW: What is first thing you would do with more funding? What programs or changes would you implement if you had more funding? DD: If we had more funding I would really like to expand the OAR Housing LLC (Endeavor House). That’s my passion because I don’t think anyone can make a sustainable life change with unstable housing. We definitely need more staff. Staff has taken on the work involved in managing the Endeavor House and it’s a real stretch, it’s a lot of extra work for everyone. AW: How can people be involved with OAR? DD: They can message us on Facebook, they can call the office, almost anyone here can figure out where their needs are. We are always
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accepting donations. Message relay is a critical piece, it’s very difficult work but we can use volunteers for that on occasion. We have drivers who volunteer. So they’re both time and money needs. AW: Is there anything else you’d like to add or would like people to know? DD: We really make good use of our interns. We like having interns because is really helps staff focus on the day to day work that they have to do. Some of the services provided by the interns are critical. It really helps maintain family connections for people who are pretty isolated in the jail. I’d like people to know we’ve been around for over 40 years, we hope to be around for another 40 unless the system is corrected and changed and our services are no longer needed. For more information, visit www.oartompkins.org or call (607)-272-7885.
Nunchucks Club By ASHA DUHAN If you venture into the dance studio next to Kulp Auditorium on Wednesdays after school, you’ll see several IHS students kicking, punching, breaking boards, and swinging around nunchucks. These students are a part of Nunchucks Club, a club formed by Taerim Eom ’19. Eom is a rising senior who moved to Ithaca from Korea during her sophomore year. She is a skilled martial artist, having practiced Taekwondo for over eight years and nunchucks for over five years. After her thrilling and memorable nunchucks performance at the fall Pep Rally last year, Eom was asked to form a club to teach her skills to IHS students. Nunchucks are a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected by a chain or rope, and are most often used in the martial arts form of karate. The origins of nunchucks are unknown, but it is widely accepted that they were originally adapted by Japanese farmers as a farming tool in order to thresh rice, and were not used as a weapon because they were largely ineffective compared to the samurai swords of the time. In the current age, nunchucks have been popularized in movies by martial artists such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Nunchucks are used in a variety of ways, depending on the martial arts style. In traditional Okinawan martial arts, nunchucks are used to grip and lock opponents, largely as a defensive weapon. In Korean martial arts, nunchucks are used both offensively and defensively, as locks and strikes are simultaneously used. In numerous countries, such as Norway, Canada, Russia, Poland, Chile, and Spain, nunchucks are illegal due to their status as a weapon. In the United States, the legality of nunchucks differs by state. The personal possession of real nunchucks is illegal in California, New York, Massachusetts and Arizona. Despite this, in 2015, police officers in California were trained to use nunchucks as a non-lethal weapon and are increasingly prefered over tasers because they can be used as a striking weapon and a control tool. However, the nunchucks used in nunchucks club are not real nunchucks, so there is no reason to worry! Nunchucks Club is a performanced based club that not only teaches various nunchucks skills, but also a wide range of martial arts skills. Members of Nunchucks Club learn a variety of routines to music to perform for the school. Last year, Nunchucks Club performed at Cabaret Night and Field Day. This coming school year, Nunchucks Club will be performing many more times and will have new fun routines to learn. The members of Nunchucks Club invite everyone to stop by and join Nunchucks Club!
“Why should you join Nunchucks Club?” I discussed this question with a few Nunchucks Club members: “It is fun to learn a skill I never thought I would need.” “Nunchucks club is a great stress-reliever and break from school!” “Don’t you want to look cool?!” Deborah Dietrich in front of the OAR building
IMAGE BY AURORA WULFF
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Features
From the Archives:
Excerpts from the Tattler Issues of Yesteryear By AURORA WULFF
There is a small handful of people at IHS who know about a very small, very pink room at the very end of the E-wing . Although small and unassuming, this room is the deepest one can go into the chronicles of IHS. In that room, there are four average-looking filing cabinets that contain annals of IHS Tattler history, dating back 125 years. Here follows a selection. Read more online at https://tattlerarchive.wordpress.com/ Note: The current Tattler does not necessarily endorse the opinions published in historical Tattlers.
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September 1947
Newcomers to I.H.S. Report First Impressions
You may have wondered what those slightly dazed looking students were thinking as they walked around the halls of Ithaca High School for the first time. Your roving reporter has collected these views: Nancy Card - I think it’s a swell school and lots of fun. Shirley Croft - It isn’t at all like Junior High but I like it. Johnny DeKay - My opinion of high school depends upon the teachers’ opinion towards the pupils. Jack Eaton - I think that Ithaca High School is a very nice school, and that the system is sound. Harry Haeger - It’s okay! Judy Hasbrook - Swell, except that there is too much homework and you have to stay up too late. David Lynch - I like it about the same as Junior High. It’s a lot different though. Anne Morter - My impression of Senior High is it’s a swell place. Noth-
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ing like Junior High, thank goodness. Janet Norton - Lovely! Lovely! Helen Painter - I think it’s a very nice place if you like school, but who likes school? It will do for a while. Joyce Randolph - My impression of Senior High is a looming, massive building for innocent little sophomores to get lost in. Jim Russell - Reeks. Barbara Shirley - Okay, but it’s one mad rush! Muzzy Showacre - It’s okay, but there’s too much homework. Pat Taylor - You all are just simply grand—even the teachers. Peg Taylor - Say!! You all, you sure have a swell school. But the homework- Oh!!!! Norman VanOrder - Swell school, not another like it. Alice Warren - I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Bert White - It’s better than nothin’.
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September 1946
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September 1947
50 Veterans Invade I.H.S. (Excerpted)
This year there are about 50 veterans enrolled in Ithaca High School. Most of them have come back either to finish school or take postgraduate courses. When asked if they thought school had changed, some thought the students seemed younger, others said the set-up was different. Most of them seemed glad to get back to school, whether it had changed or not. Lewis Solomon was a private stationed in Europe during the war. His reasons for coming back to school were (1) to graduate, and (2) he says, “You don’t miss it until you’re out of it.” Carl Janowski was a sergeant in the well-known First Division of the Marine Corps. His main objective is to finish school, but he hasn’t decided what to do after graduation. Lewis Jansen was a motor mechanic 3rd class in the Navy during the war. He was stationed at Great Lakes; Richmond, Virginia; Submarine
base, New London, Connecticut; and on the USS Peto in the Atlantic. He came back to school for a P.G. course because he likes chemistry and algebra. He plans to go to the Illinois Institute of Technology. Julian Syphax was a ship’s cook 2nd class in the Navy. During the war he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, at Guam, at Okinawa and in China. He is planning to graduate and go on to college. Another one of our P.G.’s is Ralph Bruce. An army technician 4th class, he was stationed in Germany. He plans to be a cabinet maker. Eddie Potter was an aviation machinist’s mate, 3rd class, stationed in Pensacola, Florida. After his post-graduate work he plans to go to Cornell. The Bortz twins, Jack and Harry, have been together all during the war. They both were seamen 1st class stationed in the ETO and the Mediterranean. They plan to go to college when they graduate.
Fads ‘n Fashions
By ELLEN DAKIN From the looks of things the first few days of school, the newest fashions seem to be in full swing. Cool and neat dresses are a must for the warm days we’ve been having. Some interesting examples are Mary Wilcox’s pearl gray dress with a low neckline and wide red belt, and Jean Hill’s beige dress with the long skirt, which is the rage with fashion designers now. Silk scarves have been very prominent about the halls of I.H.S. lately. Jo Reed’s gayly printed scarf with an all-white dress made a very nice outfit: Connie Floros’ royal blue scarf added the perfect touch to a blue ensemble: blue ballet slippers, sheer blue stockings, a navy blue skirt,
and a sparkling white blouse. For interesting footnotes, take a look at Betty Head’s soft red calfskin playshoes, and Ginny Gee’s black velvet ballet slippers. Have any of you gals gotten yourselves a new pinched-in-waist corset? And have you noticed how skirts have been lowered, despite the many protests? Miss Marsh takes the bows with her long suit skirt; Edie Stewart and Sally Gifft carried this style into their long and softly gathered dirndl skirts. Well, this is all till the next issue. Here’s hoping it cools off so we’ll be seeing those bright plaids and soft wools around the halls again.
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Where Our Cafeteria Food Comes From By ANNA WESTWIG Around 12,000 years ago, in the rich fertile ground between two rivers, a group of wandering nomads let some seeds tumble out of their hands and into the dark soil. The seeds sprouted into plants and the nomads realized wherever they dropped seeds, plants grew in their place. Soon, the humans settled down and became farmers, working the land instead of scouring it for scraps. This was a shift that changed the course of history, allowing for the rise of civilization. In the IHS Cafeteria, we don’t have to pick our own food from the soil. We don’t have to wash it or prepare it. We show up and we eat it. It’s easy to take for granted the time and distance that our food has passed, but it is an incredibly important thing to be aware of. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP), a program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is responsible for providing most of the cafeteria food. This food comes from all around the country and is chosen off of a list provided to IHS by NSLP. IHS also purchases local food off of a school bid, getting goods from Collegetown Bagels, Land O’ Lakes, Tyson, and Ithaca Tofu Supply, among many others. One way in which IHS excels at providing fresh food is that they prepare everything on-site, with the cooks starting their long days at five in the morning. Here, the chain of distribution is fairly short. Everything comes from within the U.S., and most comes from within New York State. It’s fairly easy to quantify the environmental impacts and the quality of the food. The longer it travels by truck or train, the less fresh it is and the more gas it guzzles. The patchwork of food that makes its way onto your plate at lunchtime is made up of foods from all these different areas.
Tyson® Chicken Sysco Distribution Sysco Distributors, most closely located in Warren, NY, is the largest North American food distributor and where IHS purchases much of its meats and grains off school bid. The food travels approximately one hundred miles from the distribution center to IHS.
Land O Lakes® Butter IMAGE FROM UNSPLASH 16
USDA
The USDA provides government-purchased food to schools. Commodities, as these foods are called, include cheese, vegetables, fruit, and grains. The USDA also reimburses the school for cafeteria meals as long as those meals include a ½ cup of fruit or vegetables, age-appropriate calorie sizes, fat-free milk, more whole grains, and less sodium. All of the food provided by USDA comes from within America’s borders.
NSLP The food purchased by USDA is provided through NSLP, which brings the food directly to IHS— no school trucks are needed for transportation.
Collegetown Bagels Like Ithaca Tofu, CTB, is a very close source to IHS at around 2 miles away. The school receives subs and bagels from CTB, comprising part of the grains.
Palmer Food Service As well as Sysco Distributors, meat and grains seen on cafeteria plates are also purchased through the Palmer Food Service of Rochester, which is just under a hundred miles away from IHS.
Ithaca Tofu Ithaca Tofu, an East Asian Market located near Triphammer mall, is a local source of tofu for IHS as it is only three miles away from the school itself. This is an example of the excellent job IHS does to source its foods locally. 17
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Summer Without Words Student Photo Gallery
Link to full colored gallery: https://goo.gl/Lfkbkt
Max Stephenson 18
Max Stephenson
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Dylan Myler
Max Stephenson
Dylan Myler
Dylan Myler
Dylan Myler
Dylan Myler 19
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Jeremy Sauer
Ned Carlson 20
Ned Carlson
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Jeremy Sauer
Jeremy Sauer
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Letter to Freshmen By FIONA BOTZ Dear freshmen, Welcome to high school! I know it may seem scary, different, and big, but soon enough you’ll see that high school is so, so much better than middle school. Trust me on this one. Once you get settled, which will only take about three weeks, you’ll realize that IHS is not that different than your old school, except that everything is bigger and better. More classes to choose from, more new people to meet, more clubs to join than ever before, and way nicer lockers. Seriously—everything is better than middle school. As a senior, I can say all of this with confidence. For three years, I’ve walked the IHS halls, listened to thousands of lectures, run on the IHS courts and fields, joined various clubs, and swum during the infamous swimming units. I’ve learned a few things, to say the least. I wish I could have done some things differently, but I am also proud of a lot of what I have done and how I have handled different situations. I advise you take all the information you can from me and other upperclassmen, so you can have your best four years of education yet. Here are three pieces of advice for freshmen: 1. Join at least one new club I know it sounds quite cliché, but joining a club is truly one of the best ways to make friends, meet new people, and learn about a topic you are interested in. I joined The Tattler during my sophomore year, but I wish I had joined during my freshman year! Clubs differ from sports in that you have more time to talk in an indoor setting. In other words, you’ll be able to hear the person better, make eye contact, and really get to converse with them. Sometimes in sports, it can be challenging to have meaningful conversations because coaches are yelling and you are constantly doing physical activity. In clubs, you have more of a chance to get one-on-one conversations that foster amazing friendships. Not to mention, when you meet the club members, you automatically have something in common: your interest in the club and what it has to offer. 2. Go to all the dances! IHS hosts great dances. However, they do not come around often; there are only two dances a year for all grades: Homecoming and Winter Formal. I encourage you to attend as many dances as you can during the school year because you get to dance with your friends, eat free food, and of course get all dressed up (hello, ladies!). Really, they are a fabulous way to socialize and have a blast with your pals. 22
3. Learn about you Freshman year is an amazing time to focus on yourself and your brand new high school life. Yes, you should definitely focus on your grades (this will impact you when you apply to colleges), but freshman year is equally about learning what makes you happy, what makes you interested, what leaves you inspired, and what leaves you itching to know more. You can find out all about yourself when you join clubs, sports, and other extracurriculars because you will be put in situations you have never been put in before. Through gaining new experiences, you will learn how you handle these circumstances and therefore learn who you are as a person. You will also find out what you like and don’t like. Make freshman year your discovery year. I hope this brief letter helped you in some way. I want you to know that you are not alone in anything you are feeling right now; if you are scared, nervous, or worried, know that the person next to you during your first day is probably feeling the same way. Also know that upperclassmen are here to help you, and you can always ask us for help in the hallways if you need help finding a classroom or a bathroom, or whatever you need! We, and the entire IHS community, are here for you. Reach out to teachers, upperclassmen, or other staff when you need help or just somebody to talk to. Let’s make your freshman year your best yet, together! Sincerely, Fiona Botz
Arts
Movie Review:Uncle Drew By VAYNU KADIYALI
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n the long-running tradition of the NBA’s stars branching out into different entertainment arenas, All-Star Kyrie Irving acted as the title character in Uncle Drew, a sports comedy that was released in late-June. Most fans of the NBA are already familiar with the Uncle Drew character—since 2012, Kyrie Irving has acted in a series of Pepsi Max commercials, playing the role of Uncle Drew, an elderly man who challenges and humiliates amateur basketball players in pick-up games. I was doubtful that the transition of Uncle Drew from minute-long commercials to a feature-length film would be successful, but as an avid fan of the NBA, I couldn’t resist going to see the movie on opening night. The plot of Uncle Drew intertwines two stories. One is of Dax, played by Lil Rel Howery, who is a manager for a team competing in the Rucker Tournament, an annual streetball tournament held in Harlem’s Rucker Park. After his team dissolves days before the tournament, Dax has to reassemble his roster. His prospects appear bleak until, one day, he encounters Uncle Drew in a basketball court. Uncle Drew, a now-retired Ruckers Park legend, has no intention to join Dax’s team, but eventually joins under the condition that his teammates from his heyday get to join the team too. Uncle Drew’s story is woven into Dax’s need to win the tournament prize, and the majority of the movie consists of their hilarious quest to find these teammates, played by former NBA players Nate Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, and Reggie Miller, and their gameplay in the tournament. The main reason for my initial apprehension about the movie was the intense branding behind the Uncle Drew persona. After all, Uncle Drew had previously only appeared in the context of commercials for Pepsi, and one of the production companies behind the movie was Pepsi Productions, who made it clear that the goal of the movie was to “extend the equity” of the Pepsi brand. As a result, I was expecting this movie to be a
two-hour commercial with an underdeveloped plot as the result of the focus on marketing. This movie did prove to be chock-full of advertisements—the villain, played by Nick Kroll, literally gave a shout-out to Pepsi in a TV segment during the movie—and at points in the movie, it was painfully obvious that references to brands like Nike were intentional. However, even if the movie was ultimately just a 110 minute-long branding opportunity, at no point did I feel like the advertisements took away from the story or the emotions of the movie. This movie was filled with lighthearted moments, and the theater roared with raucous laughter at many instances, especially when Shaquille O’Neal’s character exposed his naked backside. Surprisingly, the movie also had sentimental, borderline tear-jerking moments as well, which was completely unexpected and a testament to the fact that this movie managed to be a creative, artistic film despite its commercial context.
Each of the characters were developed well, especially that of the villain, Mookie, who was the childhood rival of Dax. Mookie is a complete jerk, stealing Dax’s best player (who is played by rising NBA star Aaron Gordon), and his over-the-top swagger and bravado is hysterical. Dax’s character is also very well-developed, and exhibits and elicits a surprisingly complex set of emotions given the movie’s light theme. Of course, any movie wouldn’t be complete without a love story, and the romantic interlude in Uncle Drew ended up being unexpectedly tender. So, while Uncle Drew did not shy away from its commercial origins, it maintained a sense of artistry, and it ended up being one of the better movies I saw over summer. Its characters were endearing, and the plot was more complex than I expected. While the movie was far from perfect, it is a must-see for basketball fans and sports fans in general.
Uncle Drew outperformed box office expectations, earning $15.5 million in its first weekend.
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Arts
Movie Review: Three Identical Strangers By SOPHIE WRAY
T
hree Identical Strangers is a whirlwind of a tale, telling the true story of a set of triplets that had been separated at birth only to reunite 19 years later. The story is told through a documentary-style film, with dialogue from the triplets themselves intertwined with snippets of actors recreating scenes. While documentaries can often be boring and artistically lacking, Three Identical Strangers is one of the best films of the year due to its compelling storyline and excellent artistic choices. Three Identical Strangers is based on the real-life story of three identical triplets; Bobby Shafran, Eddy Garland, and David Kellman. The film starts with Bobby on a stool with a picture day background set up behind him. He starts to talk about his life when he was younger. He reminisces on the beat up junk car that he would ride in, lovingly named “The Old Bitch.” With this endearing snippet of backstory, the audience is able to laugh at and familiarize themselves with Bobby, which is important to the rest of the film in that it forms an emotional connection between the characters and the viewers. Bobby then begins to recount the story of how he found his brothers. Filming picks up the pace and reenactments of the events are layered with Bobby sitting down telling the story. The alternation between Bobby and the reenacted scene gives the audience a feeling of excitement and anticipation. This style of filming was picked very carefully, and it succeeded in eliciting the type of response that it was intended to. Bobby was mistaken for Eddy one day, and he had no idea what was going on until his confusing experiences were debunked when he ran into one of 24
Eddy’s friends who realized that Bobby wasn’t Eddy. He asked Bobby if he was adopted. Yes. He asked Bobby when his birthday was. July 12, 1961. Then this friend told Bobby that he knew a boy named Eddy who he thought might be his twin. The two of them hopped into “The Old Bitch” and drove for two hours to Long Island in order to find Bobby’s double. The minute the two long lost brothers met, they knew that they were one and the same. A story was sent to a newspaper about the boys’ reunion and then newspapers from all over the country began to pick up this phenomenon and plaster it on the front page. After seeing the front page of the newspaper one day, David Kellman noticed an eerie similarity between himself and the other two boys. What made him believe that he was the third brother was the similarity between all of their hands: big meaty hands were a part of each of the boys’ identities. He made a phone call and the three of them met. From that point on they were inseparable and they were filled with love for each other from the second they met even though they were just strangers. The addition of recreated moments sparks exhilaration within the audience because the events that are being described in interviews with the brothers are occurring at a fast pace in the reenacted scenes. This tactic allowed the film to stray from the stereotypical yawn-inducing character that many documentaries have. Three Identical Strangers was not just someone sitting down telling a story about an event with a dry monotonous voice; instead, it had life and spirit in every minute. The perfect amount of humor was thrown into this film, which was made apparent by the laugh-
ter heard by the audience every so often. This film was created with the intent of bringing light to a serious situation and the effects it had on the triplets for the rest of their lives, and it did so in a manner that was clear and concise to the audience. Three Identical Strangers is also a film filled with colorful images both visually and mentally, sparking interest within every mind watching it. This film was made to made the audience think. Three Identical Strangers could have been a blockbuster movie with a much more lighthearted mood, but instead the directors knew that it should be a documentary and that it should be a personal retelling of the story by the triplets themselves. This stylistic decision is one of the small but powerful details that made this movie a success. These events all happened quickly and the documentary was moving fast until everything started to slow down with the mention of something much darker about the reality of the triplets. Everything came to a halt when a shocking revelation, which I will not spoil, was uncovered. There were gasps throughout the audience, and this happened on more than one occasion throughout the documentary, proving how the directors did an incredible job of pitching the story to the viewers and appealing to their emotions. At this point the film had taken on a much more frantic mood than it previously had. An interesting factor that was explored throughout the movie was the mental health of the three triplets and other sets of separated twins that were interviewed in this movie. One set of twins that was featured in the documentary stated that they had each been diagnosed with depression during their lives.
They later explained how their biological parents had health issues too. Each of the triplets had at one point in their lives suffered from some form of health issue, at one time or the other having each been institutionalized. While they were babies, the parents of the triplets said that each of them would bang their heads against their cribs. Separation anxiety fueled these actions because the triplets were separated a few months after they were born, and in the time that they were together they developed an incredible bond as expected. What’s more is that
the triplets’ family had a history of mental illness, and these ailments appeared in each of the triplets independently, cruelly proving the nature versus nurture hypothesis. All in all, this documentary was an extremely fascinating film and one of the best of the year. The emotions, particularly the mixture of happy emotions associated with the reunion of the siblings with the desperation and sadness that surrounded their separation, were conveyed in a way that tugged at the heart of all members of the audience. The documentary also showed the desperation of the triplets
and their families to find some truth to grasp onto. Perhaps most interesting and relevant was the discussion of mental health issues in this film. While informative, this aspect was not boring or overly factual in an otherwise fun movie, but rather an interesting and compelling take on the plight of these siblings. This documentary tied everything together seamlessly, providing as much detail as possible and leaving little to be questioned other than personal wonderings and thoughts.
Album Review: The Now Now By JUSTIN HEITZMAN
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nly a year removed from Damon Albarn’s previous album under the Gorillaz name, Humanz, a new album, The Now Now, was released in late June. Gorillaz, a “virtual band” of cartoon characters founded by Albarn and Jamie Hewlett at the turn of the millenium, has been through many changes. The transition from Humanz to The Now Now is no exception. In stark contrast to Humanz and its extensive tracklist of fourteen songs and six interludes, The Now Now is made up of eleven songs. Another notable contrast between the two albums is the comparative prevalence of Albarn’s voice on The Now Now; while only one song on The Now Now features guest vocals, there was only one song on the entire Humanz tracklist that did not have guest vocals of some kind. The Now Now opens on a bright note with “Humility,” a fun, beachy jam that features funky guitar backgrounds from jazz legend George Benson. The album then immediately takes a turn toward the dark with “Tranz,” a lively track with sparkly yet foreboding instrumentals. Following “Tranz” is “Hollywood,” a unique song on the album in that, as mentioned earlier, it is the only track with guest vocals. Featuring Jamie Principle and Snoop Dogg, each of whom have previously contributed to a Gorillaz album, “Hollywood” is a welcome deviation from the standard of much of the album. Principle’s unique voice helps create a funky feel, and Snoop Dogg’s verse is a great component, even if it’s pretty medio-
cre by his standards. Unfortunately, the album drops straight from this point into one of its lowest points. Both “Kansas” and “Sorcererz,” while being rather catchy, are lacking in anything really interesting. At this point, the lack of diversity due to the absence of guest vocalists begin to show. However, the following track, “Idaho,” is a nice change in pace; a slow, atmospheric ballad, it acts as a fitting centerpiece for the album. After this comes a big change in musical style, with “Lake Zurich.” This track is primarily instrumental, and is full of sizzling sounds reminiscent of disco music. A drum fill leads into “Magic City,” which is a very enjoyable song, even if it sounds a bit generic. “Magic City” is followed by “Fire Flies,” which sadly turned out not to be a cover of the 2009 hit by Owl City. While “Fire Flies” does shake it up a bit with an interesting hybrid time signature, as a slow song, it is easily upstaged by “Idaho.” The penultimate track on the album, “One Percent,” is a complete letdown. The song goes nowhere, and has rather ambiguous lyrics. The album does end on a good note, though; the closing track, “Souk Eye,” is a compelling fade into silence. Overall, despite being mostly made up of good songs, The Now Now turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. While it’s nice that Damon Albarn’s voice is in the spotlight more often than in past Gorillaz albums, the lack of guest vocalists throughout the album causes it to feel overly monotonous. In addition, while the album’s songs cover a wide va-
riety of musical styles, The Now Now lacks the fun quirks of prior Gorillaz albums. This too can likely be partially explained by the lack of guest vocalists. Ultimately, though, the most glaring problem with this album was the absence of a clear, original vision. The past few major Gorillaz albums each had an overarching concept tying the songs together; Demon Days was about the world in the aftermath of 9/11, Plastic Beach was about the relationship between nature and technology, and Humanz was a comparison of current politics to an apocalyptic event. In contrast, the closest thing The Now Now has to a concept is the idea of isolation and loneliness. This concept would potentially be interesting if it had not already been addressed by Albarn under the Gorillaz name; 2010 release The Fall took a more experimental look at this idea. The Now Now, in a way, feels like a blander copy of The Fall. The similarities are uncanny. Both albums have multiple songs named after U.S. states and cities (“Phoner to Arizona” and “Detroit” in The Fall, “Kansas” and “Hollywood” in The Now Now); The guitar background in “One Percent” is taken directly from The Fall’s “California and the Slipping of the Sun;” and they are even the only two Gorillaz albums to begin with the word “The.” This lack of originality in concept is the largest shortcoming of The Now Now. All in all, the album includes some quality songs worth listening to, but is rather disappointing as an overall listening experience. 25
Sports
Top 5 NBA Team Rankings By TONY YANG
A
fter an eventful NBA off-season, the balance of power in the NBA has shifted with the signings and tradings of several key free agents.The 2018-19 NBA season will showcase the rigorous competition for playoff seeding in the Western Conference in recent memory, and a highly competitive race for Most Valuable Player. Here are my rankings of the top five teams in the NBA this upcoming season.
1. Golden State Warriors The defending champions enter the 2018-19 NBA season while retaining the majority of their roster from last season. The signing of AllStar Demarcus Cousins for the mid-level exception not only bolsters their roster with the addition of a top five center, but also enables the Warriors to utilize a variety of lineups that create matchup nightmares for their opponents. The development of both Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney will be crucial for the Warriors’ success during the first half of the regular season as Cousins recovers from his achilles tendon injury. Nevertheless, with arguably the most talented roster ever assembled in the history of the modern NBA, the Warriors will be the overwhelming favorites to obtain the best record in the league and win their third consecutive title.
2. Boston Celtics After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season despite the season-ending injuries to All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, the Boston Celtics will start the season with their extremely talented roster at full strength for the first time since opening night of the 2017-18 season. Under Brad Stevens’ exceptional coaching, both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will continue to progress on both sides of the floor and will be in contention for spots on the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Complementing the Celtics’ dominant starting lineup is their deep bench of quality role players, which includes talented guards Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart. The Celtics will be the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference and reach their first NBA Finals since 2010.
3. Houston Rockets Last season, the Rockets were the only team that legitimately threatened the Golden State Warriors, but their lackluster activity during free agency has weakened them. The loss of Houston’s two best perimeter de26
fenders, Luc Mbah a Moute and Trevor Ariza, will hurt the team’s overall ability to guard elite teams. Also, while the likely acquisition of Carmelo Anthony could potentially give the Rockets another dominant scorer, he will detract from their ability to guard opponents. Nevertheless, the combination of James Harden, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela will prove once again to be one of the league’s most potent offensive juggernauts. Additionally, Houston retains some of its most important spot-up shooters in Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker, and Ryan Anderson, which will ensure that the Rockets will once again have one of the best offensive seasons in NBA history. Without significant injuries to Chris Paul or James Harden, the Rockets should still be able to contend for a championship this season.
4. Toronto Raptors Lebron James’ departure from the Eastern Conference has finally removed the Raptors’ greatest obstacle to title contention, and the massive overhaul of the Raptors’ roster will mean they will have their first real chance at an NBA Finals appearance this season. The Raptors’ recent acquisition of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green will vastly improve their three point shooting, movement-centered offense, and defense. Additionally, young players such as Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Fred Van Vleet will continue to improve and help the Raptors on both sides of the floor. The biggest concern for the Raptors will be the quality of coaching from Nick Nurse, a rookie NBA coach. Otherwise, the Raptors will be a very well-rounded team that will compete with Boston for the Eastern Conference title.
5. Philadelphia 76ers Despite a disappointing playoff series against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season, the Sixers’ young core enter the 2018-19 NBA season with more experience and with few changes to their roster. The Sixers managed to draft Zhaire Smith, a very athletic guard with immense defensive potential, and re-sign sharpshooter J.J. Redick this off-season. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will continue to improve as rising stars in the league and will be the driving force of the Sixers’ success this season. Additionally, if Markelle Fultz develops a consistent jumpshot, the Sixers will be a very formidable offensive team. You can expect the Sixers to win over fifty games again this season and become a legitimate title contender.
Sports
IMAGE PROVIDED
Student Athlete Feature: Ingrid Comella By ASHA DUHAN
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ith many successful seasons in recent years, the Ithaca Cross Country team hopes to build upon its legacy in the upcoming fall season. Ingrid Comella ’19 is a committed student athlete, and a member of both the cross country team and the track team. I recently met with Ingrid to discuss the upcoming cross country season and the team’s prospects. Asha Duhan ’19: Why did you choose to run cross country? Ingrid Comella ’19: My parents are both avid runners, so growing up, I saw them wake up early to go on training runs and eventually, after all of those training runs, complete marathons. My dad and I would go on runs when I was in elementary school and he would pretend like we were on a radio show to distract me from feeling tired. I think my love for running really began then. In 7th grade, when I saw that there was a modified cross country team, it was a no brainer for me to be a part of the team. AD: What are your goals for this season, individually and as a team? IC: Individually, I’d love to improve not only my personal record, but my running form as well. As a team, this year it would be amazing to make it to Federations, or Feds as we call it.
Feds is similar to States because it highlights the best teams in the New York, but it is even more selective. Last year, were selected to race at Feds, and I know we are very motivated to make it back again. Even though we have a really young team this year, I have high hopes for our season together. AD: How do you manage your time between sports and academics? Do you have any tips for keeping up with sports and school? IC: My cross country coach says that we are student-athletes, not athlete-students. He likes to remind us that school always comes first, because if we do poorly in school, we cannot participate in cross country. Last year, I realized that it is okay to be late to a few practices if it means I can meet with teachers for extra help to reach my academic goals. I also love to take advantage of the bus rides to meets by doing homework so I don’t have to do as much work when I get home late after meets. AD: Given that running is a largely individual sport, how does the cross country team stay close and united as a team? IC: I know it sounds cheesy, but this team really feels like a second family to me, and to many other kids. Since our season is so long (from June to November), we spend copious amounts
of time together. Most of that time is during our summer training runs and after-school practices, in which we meet six days a week for about an hour and a half. During these practices, we endure so much pain together, through hot temperatures, challenging hills, and long runs. The night before races, we have team dinners, where everyone brings a dish to pass and we eat and play games at a teammate’s house. These team dinners help us collectively to prepare mentally and physically for the meet the next day. The culture surrounding Ithaca Cross Country has grown over the years and consists of many traditions which unify us as a team. AD: What is the recruitment process like for cross country? IC: For cross country, during junior year, colleges usually send recruitment letters, which explain how you could add value to their team. Since I’m not getting recruited at a Division I level, I also reached out to schools I was interested in by filling out a recruitment form on their websites. I’ve been in touch with a few coaches so far about doing official visits of their schools, where you spend 24 hours with a member of their team. I’m very excited to keep in touch with coaches throughout this cross country season and during college application season. 27
Sports
The Best World Cup Ever? By NED CARLSON
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n June 14, the 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off in Russia with a stunning 5-0 win by the host nation over Saudi Arabia. One by one, the goals flew into the back of the net while Vladimir Putin, sitting in the audience, applauded and shrugged his shoulders at Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin-Salman. This was a fitting start to what was one of the oddest and most thrilling World Cups of modern history due to its historic matchups, political connotations, and gripping final. For those of you who don’t follow the World Cup closely, it breaks down as follows. The competition starts with a number of groups, each of which consists of four teams. Although these groups are supposedly chosen randomly, it is sometimes questionable as to whether this is truly the case, as host nation Russia was miraculously placed in what is recognized as the easiest group in recent World Cup history with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Some other groups were more competitive with traditionally strong and favored teams, such as Group F, with Germany, Mexico, South Korea, and Sweden. These teams all play each other once in a round-robin format, aiming to be at the top of their group with the most points, earning
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points for games won or tied, and not earning points for games lost. After the group stage, the top two teams from each group go to the round of 16, in which the loser of a match is immediately eliminated from the World Cup. The winners of the round of 16 then go on to the quarterfinals, where the winners then go to the semifinals. The losers of the semifinals play each other for third place, and the winners play each other in the final. This World Cup had many favored teams, including Spain, Germany, France, Portugal, Argentina. However, reigning World Champions, Germany, failed to even advance through the group stage. In their first match, they lost to 0-1 to Mexico in an enormous upset that set the tone for the rest of the tournament. In their last game in the group stage, Germany was knocked out by South Korea in a shocking 0-2 loss. Germany’s woes were mirrored in Argentina’s 0-3 loss to Croatia, a country with a fraction of its population and one that has never won the World Cup. One of the more notable upsets of the tournament was Russia’s win over Spain in penalty kicks. After playing a full game and finishing extra time tied, Russia shocked the world by
knocking Spain, a favorite to win the World Cup, out of the competition. All of this is to say that this World Cup was unpredictable and saw many underdogs advance to later rounds of the competition. Just as many favored teams fell to underdogs and dark horses, so too did the stars of this competition. Players such as Lionel Messi of Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, and Mohamed Salah of Egypt all failed to lead their teams to glory. Ronaldo had an amazing tournament but later faltered in Portugal’s knockout stage game against Uruguay. Salah also had a number of goals, but in the end could not carry his team to glory in Egypt’s first ever World Cup appearance. Lastly, the soccer savant Messi was largely absent on the scoreboard and ultimately was unable to bring Argentina through the knockout stage alone. In all of these cases, despite the enormous talent of each individual star, it was evident that this was a World Cup of teams, not just players. All of the countries that went the farthest into the tournament had the strongest connection amongst their teammates and coach. This was seen in teams such as France and Belgium, both of which had very strong coaches and whose players bought into a single, cohesive style of playing. The Men in Blazers podcast said of France’s success that, “It was only possible because Deschamps [the French National Team Coach] had gotten all of the French star players to buy into the collective.” Despite these star player’s falterings, this World Cup certainly had its stars. Luka Modrić of Croatia, who also plays for Real Madrid in La Liga, won the Ballon D’Or of the World Cup, or the best player award. This was more than deserved, as Modric played with discipline and consistently disturbed the ball as a creative and reliable center midfielder for Croatia. He was essential to their success in the tournament and was one of the reasons why Croatia made it all the way to the final. Another star worthy of the Ballon D’Or was France’s Kylian Mbappé, who showed enormous maturity and talent on the field, scoring multiple goals, including the topping fourth goal for France in the final match. He is the youngest player to have won a World Cup since the legendary Pelé.
Sports Although this was a World Cup of success, failure, and drama, it was also a World Cup of political protests, symbolism, and more importantly, an attempt by Vladimir Putin to legitimize and normalize his oppressive regime on the world stage. Not everyone agreed with the World Cup being held in Russia. This was exemplified by a number of high ranking diplomats from the European Union who refused to attend over ethical breaches by Russia, specifically citing the Putin regime’s suppression of free speech and controversies regarding Russia’s annexation of Crimea. There were also demonstrations during the actual final of the World Cup when several members of the Pussy Riot collective, a band and group of activists, rushed the field. This was done with the intent of “releasing political prisoners, putting an end to fabricated criminal accusations to keep people imprisoned, and allow-
ing political competition in the country,” according to New York Times writers Ivan Nechepurenko and Melissa Gomez. Pussy Riot often stages such demonstrations in the presence of Vladimir Putin, who watched from high in the stands. This was yet another blip on the artificially smoothened veneer of the World Cup. By doing this, Pussy Riot reminded viewers of the injustices that the Russian government has committed and how it is important to address these injustices on a global stage. Often, World Cups consist of a mix of romanticism and reality. And although over the course of this World Cup we were reminded of the misdeeds of FIFA, the Russian government, and other social issues plaguing the host nation, we also witnessed records broken, the fall of Goliaths, and the players of the next generation. Above all, we were reminded of why soccer is called ‘The Beautiful Game.’
An Anticlimactic Wimbledon By ASHA DUHAN
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his year’s Championships at Wimbledon took place between July 2 and July 15 in London, England. Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, and has been accredited as the most prestigious tennis tournament for professional tennis players. The tournament was filled with surprise upsets and thrilling matches. On the men’s side, Roger Federer, the top seed in the tournament, was defending his Wimbledon title from last year and hoping to win an unprecedented ninth Wimbledon. He ultimately fell short of this goal, bowing out to South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in a spectacular five-set thriller in the quarterfinals. On the women’s side, top-seeded Simona Halep was hoping to follow up her first Grand Slam win in the French Open with another Grand Slam title, but fell in the third round to Taiwanese Hsieh Su-wei. Early upsets proved to be a common theme on the women’s side, as eight of the top ten players were out by the third round. This year’s victors, Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber, both represented a resurgence of players that had a significant decrease in their level of play in the last two years. The men’s semifinals made for exceptional entertainment at this year’s Wimbledon. John Isner faced Kevin Anderson in the semifinals, and their match was a clash of extremely tall men with huge serves and forehands. The match served to be the longest semi-final in Wimbledon history, and the longest match in Wimbledon second to only the marathon, three day match between Isner and Nicolas Mahut in the first round of Wimbledon in 2010. This
semifinal brought up a contentious debate at Wimbledon: the absence of a tiebreak in the last set. Not having a tiebreak in the fifth set has been a tradition for Wimbledon since the introduction of tiebreaks to professional tennis in 1970. However, this rule has become increasingly problematic due to the rise of big servers in professional tennis. Kevin Anderson won his semifinal match against John Isner 26-24 in the fifth set. This match lasted longer than six hours, and essentially crushed Anderson’s chances of winning the final due to the sheer exhaustion and fatigue from his semifinal match. In a BBC interview, Anderson stated that, “I personally don’t see the added value or benefit compared to, say, at the U.S. Open where we’re playing tiebreaks in the fifth set.” Isner voiced similar opinions, adding that “I personally think a sensible option would be [to start the tiebreaker] at 12-all. If one person can’t finish the other off before 12-all, then do a tiebreaker there. I think it’s long overdue. I’m a big part of this discussion, of course.” Numerous other players voiced displeasure over this rule, due to its unfair and archaic founding in an era of a different type of tennis. In the other men’s semifinal, Rafael Nadal faced Novak Djokovic, and this match epitomized the high quality of play in present-day men’s tennis. In a dramatic match that finished 12-10 in the fifth set, Djokovic narrowly defeated Nadal and went on to win the title in the final against Anderson. The final was very anticlimactic compared to the two semifinal matches, and served to be a disappointment for tennis fans around the world. Nadal and
Federer were the early favorites to win this tournament, and personally, I would never have expected Djokovic to come back and win this tournament due to his history of injuries and his recent lackluster performances. On the women’s side, the tournament was marked with unexpected upsets early on, and the rise of Angelique Kerber. Garbiñe Muguruza, the defending champion and a favorite for this tournament, fell in the second round to Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium. Kerber’s defensive game style lent her the upper hand against the 21-year-old French Open champion Jeļena Ostapenko in the semifinals, and against 23time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams. Wimbledon was Williams’ first Grand Slam after having a baby and facing severe complications while giving birth, which included a surgery for blood clots in her lung. While Williams did not appear to be in top form, and although her movement appeared to be sluggish compared to her previous Wimbledon performances, it was astonishing to see her sheer athleticism and champion mentality, both of which allowed her to advance all the way to the finals of a Grand Slam. Overall, this year’s Wimbledon was characterized by upsets of high ranked players on the women’s side, and the dominance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal being overshadowed by the resurgence of Novak Djokovic on the men’s side. As the US Open approaches, Djokovic’s performance begs the question of whether he is really back in top form, or if his performance was merely the lucky result of extraneous circumstances. 29
Literary
Outdoor Showers By ELEANOR RANDL
What is Summer to You?
Pull the silver valve towards you marked with a tiny H barely legible it’s been worn and leathered fingers repeating the same motions year after year granddaughter after granddaughter
By ETHAN MERRYFIELD
wait
To me, a day of summer goes something like this:
half a second stretches long as the water will carry you
I wake up late, forgetting to eat breakfast almost all of the time. Well rested, I get dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. I put on my birks and leave the house, never forgetting my three essentials: keys, wallet, and phone. I drive into town and gradually pick each of my friends up one by one. Perhaps we decide to go swimming, now the question is: East Shore? Or First Dam? It varies each time. Lying in the sun I feel the heat drying my skin, only getting in the water to cool off. We eat fruit and drink lots of water to replenish ourselves. Next step is lunch, like always we struggle to decide where to eat. Gotta be somewhere cheap and honestly probably unhealthy, usually resulting in a mixture of Taco Bell/McDonald’s. We sit to eat in the parking lot of whatever chain restaurant we choose. With windows down and the car off, nothing but light hearted conversations and laughter fill the air. The cool feeling of a breeze through the car and the icy cold Baja Blast in hand. This, this is summer. It’s later now, we watch the sunset as the colors illuminate the sky. Oranges, pinks, and blues reflect in windows and onto our beloved lake. Sitting at Sunset Park or East Shore we are peaceful. After the sun goes down we will drive, not always sure where to, not always sure why we’re going. Music blasts in the car, my poor old speakers get fuzzy and can barely keep up. One hand out the window, I feel the wind between my fingertips as we drive. Ending up at bubble tea we get our daily doses. Drinking the sweet drink of summer, we sit for hours, over-caffeinated and late into the night. Breaking curfew and staying out too late, this, this is my summer. 30
a moment a few moments a thousand moments how long is the time between when your hands turn on the shower and the water gushes out raining thunderstorms on your forehead a hesitation cool at first sweeter by the minute drip drip drip down your nose stay quiet so you don’t scare the deer maybe they’ll think it’s raining in your little corner of the night
Penultimate
Surrealio By ETHAN CARLSON
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Back Page
The Signs as Feelings on the First Day of School
The Coolness Spectrum Cool
By SOPHIE WRAY
Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22):
Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20):
Pure disbelief when seeing how much some people have changed in just a few months over the summer.
Feeling nervous and a little anxious in a huge wave of students flooding into the building like a school of fish on the first day.
Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22):
Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19):
That strange feeling you get in your gut when you walk into one of your new classrooms not knowing what to expect...
Feeling relieved that you finally know your schedule after impatiently awaiting its arrival, which usually happens to be the day before school starts.
Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21): A happy, silly, giddy feeling picking out your outfit for the first day of school, because sometimes you want it to be just a little special.
Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21): Looking at your schedule every five seconds trying to remember what room your next class is in and then somehow getting slightly lost, wondering why and how because you’ve been roaming the halls for long enough that you should probably know where almost every room is.
Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19): Wondering why you still have to do icebreakers in high school and then rethinking because it’s actually kind of interesting getting a nice little scoop into other people’s personalities.
Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18): Thinking you were well prepared with the school supplies you had already bought but then realizing that what your teachers are asking for is way more than you expected, and also a bit over the top and unnecessary.
Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20): Finding out that you got one of the best teachers in the school for a class and being grateful that you won’t have to suffer through a year with a teacher that’s not the greatest.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20): Seeing your friends that you don’t usually hang out with outside of school for the first time and being so happy to see them again.
Cancer (June 21 - Jul 22): Being one of the first people in the room and then sitting and watching all of your soon-to-be classmates trickle in one by one, imagining what that class is going to be like for the rest of the year with all of these characters.
Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22): That weird combination of dread and excitement on the morning of your first day of school. On one hand you can’t wait to see what this school year will be like, and on the other, you would really just prefer if summer would last forever.
IHS ENL Cool breezy September mornings For the Seniors: all the new fun nights and senior privileges you get Fall is almost here Going back to school :( but also :) Telling freshman their class is in upstairs K (hehehe) Being plagued with a scheduling issue about your classes Stressing about applying to college The lead water saga continuing into this school year
Uncool