Tuskan Times Volume 9 Issue 3

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 3 | FEBRUARY ISSUE

TUSKAN TIMES

F R A G I L E

IN THIS ISSUE DONALD TRUMP BECOMES FIRST PRESIDENT TO EVER BE IMPEACHED TWICE THE GRAMMYS STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS

CULTURE

SCIENCE

ISF

POLITICS

IN THIS ISSUE

EDOARDO CARRIATI

1

NELSON MATOS

4

CAROLINA HOHAGEN

6

HOW TRUMP WORSENED US REPUTATION

KATHERINE DICK

8

MEDIA COMPANIES SILENCING POLITICAL FIGURES

JACK BACH

11

PETER WOOD

13

NEREO LORETO

17

2021 > 2020?

A DISPLAY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BIAS BLM VS CAPITOL RIOTS DONALD TRUMP BECOMES FIRST PRESIDENT TO BE IMPEACHED TWICE

THE FAILURE OF THE NEO-LIBERAL ESTABLISHMENT AND THE RISE OF THE FAR-RIGHT HOW IT FEELS TO BE BACK

MUSKAN BÖNINGER

18

COVID VACCINE

RILEY LAMANTEER

23

PERMAFROST

ALISIYA ERMOLENKO

24

WHAT TO WATCH ON NETFLIX

CAMELIA PALLANTI

27

QUEEN'S GAMBIT

GIUSEPPINA LOPEZ

HOW COVID CHANGED OUR SOCIAL LIFE STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS

THE GRAMMYS

AVERY FERNIE

ON THE COVERS THE COVER SHOWS THE CAPITOL BUILDING INSIDE A GLASS DOME WITH A SLIGHT CRACK IN IT. I WANTED TO SHOW THAT IN THE CURRENT STATE OF THE US DEMOCRACY IS VERY FRAGILE AND RELATE THE COVER TO SOME OF THE FEATURE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE. I DECIDED ON THE CAPITOL BUILDING DUE TO THE SURGE THAT HAPPENED DURING THE CONFIRMATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS.

LUISA REGO

THE BACK COVER SHOWS THE WINNERS OF THE ISF GRAMMYS. IT DEPICTS THE AWARD SURROUNDED BY THE DIFFERENT ABLUM AND SINGLE COVERS, EACH ON THIER OWN PODIUM.

ANNA PAPINI

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The Tuskan Times is excited to be back with the first edition of 2021 !

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Dear readers,

Our community has risen commendably to the challenges posed by the alternation of virtual and in-person learning, and we are very excited about this coming year, as we strive to improve and develop the paper. Edoardo Cariati has been working tirelessly on creating a website for the Tuskan Times, which will be released soon. In addition, we have refreshed the layout, thanks to the fantastic work of Greta Fischer and the her team.

Katherine and I have both been passionate about journalism and have been involved with the paper since entering high school, and are thrilled to be able to carry on the torch which has been led so eloquently by Peter, Omid, and Greta.

We cannot thank them enough for their trust and guidance in the past years, and could not have asked for better role models. Finally, we have to thank Mr. Pitonzo, for being a catalyst of discussion, and the heart of the Tuskan Times.

Hopefully, we can all put 2020 behind us, and look towards a happier, healthier, and Covid-free future.

Enjoy the issue!

Sincerely, Bernardo Petochi and Katherine Dick BERNARDO PETOCHI '22

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EDITORS BERNARDO PETOCHI KATHERINE DICK PETER WOOD OMID SHEIKH MATHIAS VOLKAI AVERY FERNIE JACK BACH

LAYOUT GRETA FISCHER MATTEO MASTRANGELO GIUSSEPINA LOPEZ ANNA PAPINI SOPHIA LOVALVO ZEYNEP PENCABLIGIL ANNA SVERCHEVSKY

KATHERINE DICK '23

ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADVISOR JOHN PITONZO

June, Black Lives Matter Protest in Florence 2020 Greta Fischer

POLITICS

In this issue, we will be mentioning a range of political topics that our writers were interested in: Donald Trump and his second impeachment; the storming of the capitol, and how it compares to the black lives matter protests; media censorship, and how politics are shifting to the right

POLITICS 2021>2020

2021>2020

BY EDOARDO CARIATI '21 2020, a year many of us would not likely want to revisit. It is said by many that 2020 is the worst year anyone alive could remember. Some rough competitors for the worst year in history would be 1914-19, 1929 for Americans mostly, and 1939-45.

But, if you are reading this article, likely, you will not be 85 or older and hence will not likely have any remembrance of any of these years. In 2020, we saw the spread of a global pandemic, a rise in AfricanAmerican discrimination, killings, and subsequent revolts and protests, and the death of over 2 million people worldwide to name a few.

Is 2021 going to be better than what has been defined by TIME magazine as “THE WORST YEAR EVER”? In many aspects, the general conditions are already improving quickly. There are not and it is expected that there will not be any lockdown, the vaccine has arrived and people are doing it. If so, does 2021 look promising? It depends on who you ask that question to.

If you are a strong believer in prophecies hold onto your chairs because you might be scared. Nostradamus, a famous french physicist and astronomer in 16th century France, had most of his prophecies for the year 2021. In 1955 he published a list of predictions for years to come of which 70% have been right so far - although a zombie apocalypse seems unlikely, other things - such as an immense earthquake or the fact that a comet or asteroid will come extremely close to the earth do not seem impossible scenarios...

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But, if you are like me and do not believe in those absurdities, here is what experts predict to happen to each sector of public life:

POLITICS

Although Politics Worldwide is currently in a state of crisis due to an overly tenuous situation to handle, there are some great positives for democracy in 2021. Just considering Biden’s elections seems like a stepping stone towards advancement, freedom, and democracy. Globally though, as soon as the immediate threat is gone, politicians will have to face one of today’s most concerning issues: Climate change.

Although overshadowed by the current pandemic pollution and its consequences have taken their toll. In November, leaders will meet in Glasgow, Scotland to discuss future steps towards peaceful cooperation towards a greener future. Working towards a greener future seems like one of the new president’s goals - at the same time, however, he will need to seek peaceful coexistence amongst Americans as the US is at its peak of social tensions and political divide.

On the other side of the globe, with ongoing vaccinations, Brexit, and a more friendly US President to cooperate with, 2021 seems like an easier year than 2020.

Nonetheless, similar to other parts of the world, the EU has had its several internal splits too. The gap between countries such as Poland and Hungary continues to widen both culturally, socially, and politically.

Germany will need to find a successor as chancellor, with elections due in September and possibly months of coalition talks thereafter. Looking at foreign relationships with other countries, Turkey and Russia seem to be less friendly than ever towards the EU and they are not trying to take a softer approach to their anti-EU stance. Overall, with recovery, cooperation, and plans for a green future in mind, 2021 does not seem, politically, like a much easier year than 2021.

ECONOMY How will the economy change?

Unfortunately, for the most part, the economy does not reflect the stock market (or vice versa). Global GDP has suffered its biggest decline since WWII. China is already growing fast, but many countries in the Western world are predicted to not fully recover until as late as 2022. However, the most concerning issue economically would be social and economic inequality.

Billionaires have on average increased their net worth by over 30% in 2020 alone whilst up to half of the global workforce have temporarily lost their jobs and consequently their main source of income.

Here is a representation of the difference in percentage in GDP between what has been predicted for 2021 and the 2019 GDP of the same country.

Although not shown in the graph above, the biggest losers in 2021 will be developing countries who, in 2020, lack both the economic resources to acquire enough vaccines, and the public health systems to treat large numbers of COVID patients.

The main growing country of the BRICS (Brazil - Russia - India - China - South Africa) block is China with a sharp growth in GDP, whilst Brazil and India, who had in the past years grown extremely fast economically are now facing more difficult times seeing how badly they have been hit by the pandemic. Russia has on the other hand been hit moderately more subtly, however it is now experiencing a steady but slow increase in its GDP. South Africa might look promising as they are now part of the COVAX cooperation aiming to maximize vaccinations in short periods.

Storming of the Capitol The World has been hit, but it is slowly Tasos Katopodis| Getty Images advancing economically.

A lot still might happen but it looks like it’s going downhill from here.

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POLITICS 2021>2020

2021 will likely soon become a continuation of what the past summer has been. Fewer restrictions, no curfew, and people hanging out together but in the safest way possible. However, still, no night clubs are going to be open in the near future. But 2021 will be an ascending climax towards positive improvements in our daily lives. Just the countless ideas on how we could implement nightlife in 2021 show the need for change and will catalyze improvements in the near future.

A new app promises to collect all information from test centres and hospitals so that if you had the vaccine or you took a swab in the 72 hours previous to the night you want to go out you will be allowed to enter night clubs. The idea seems incredible but does not seem to have a promising future and that is why many entrepreneurs are not interested in taking the risk. However, whether it be signing up through an app or having to wear a mask all the time, it seems like fun will not completely die in 2021. Teenagers will soon have the opportunity to do what they have not been able to do for a long time, but at least 2020 has reminded us that you can still have lots of fun without going to nightclubs.

TRAVEL Imagine yourself in 2022, on the beach with a drink and some snacks. There aren’t any masks and everyone seems happy.

What a world that would be! Unfortunately, 2022 sounds still far, What will happen in the middle, what about this summer? Is it still too soon to return to what we see as “normality”?

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People want to have fun and politicians know it. Policymaking and restrictions will be aimed in favour of the people so that they will, in one way or the other, be able to travel and take a glimpse of what used to be normality. Vaccines are not likely going to be the holy grail of immunity as most of the population will not have access to vaccines by the summer of this year. Nevertheless, what seems to be the key to freedom this year will be swabs and fast testing, allowing people to travel safely without having to go through an endless process.

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Policymaking and restrictions will be aimed in favour of the people so that they will, in one way or the other, be able to travel and take a glimpse of what used to be normality.

WILL WE SEE A GLIMPSE OF NORMALITY?

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SOCIALLY

Yes, 2021 looks promising. We will likely see a slight return of sports, travel, and even a slight economic rise. Although continuously threatened by the virus, our lives will go on and will soon start Storming of the Capitol returning to life pre-COVID. The true question would only be: when will masks fade out? And: How will our habits change permanently? Be safe and patient - 2021 has just started.

POLITICS BLM VS CAPITOL RIOT

A DISPLAY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BIAS BLM VS CAPITOL RIOTS

BY NELSON MATOS, '21

The year beginning with the attack on the United States Capitol building was one of the most appalling displays by Trump supporters. But even more worrisome is the response by law enforcement between this riot and the Black Lives Matter protests — which continues to reveal how disproportionate the racial bias is with the police force in the U.S.

BLM Protesters in Detroit pepper sprayed by police Junfu Han | Detroit Free Press

The Black Lives Matter protests rose significantly in numbers after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer, which incited the call for an end to racial injustice and police brutality.

Throughout June and in the months of BLM protests thereafter, the calls of protestors were met with rubber bullets and tear gas. The law enforcement leading the attack in the initial Lafayette Park protests consisted of D.C. national guard, park police, and secret service. The Washington Post pointed out that law enforcement preemptively put on gas masks and deployed tear gas in response to protestors throwing candy bars and water bottles, not the bricks and caustic liquids that the authorities alleged had been thrown at them.

In contrast, the single Capitol riot that took place on the 6th of January involved Trump supporters violently infiltrating the Capitol building in defiance of the U.S election turnout. Among those who participated in the raid are far-right groups such as the white supremacy group Proud Boys and QAnon conspirators, most notable being the man with a horned helmet and fur hat known as the QAnon shaman.

In contrast to the multi-organizational mobilizations against peaceful protesters with BLM, the rioters of Capitol were handled by a few hundred officers from the Capitol and D.C. forces. These officers were quickly overwhelmed by the thousands of rioters who made their way into the building with relatively low resistance. During the riots, a total of 5 people were killed, including a Capitol guard, while several more were injured.

Despite all of these circumstances, the National Guard took a few hours to arrive whereas they were already prepared when the BLM protests were underway.

It is easy to associate the Black Lives Matter protests with the level of violence seen with the Capitol riots, fraught with looting and brutal clashes with police officers. However, Time magazine reported that, during the height of the BLM protests in September, 93% of protests were peaceful.

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The other 7% included occasions where even a single individual would vandalize, loot or fight someone amongst all the other protestors. This indicates that the single Capitol riot had a higher proportion of violent demonstrators and rate of death than the entirety of the BLM movement.

Despite this, the FBI were prepared to fund an investigation to those associating themselves with BLM, along with a new category of terrorists known as Black Identity Terrorists (BIEs) to go along with it. Meanwhile, the FBI didn’t take direct action against those participating in the riot until after they faced backlash, all the while still debating on whether to call these rioters “terrorists”.

All in all, the difference between the Capitol Riot and the BLM movement is a clear display of the racial bias in the United States. The demands of justice for marginalized communities were met with a heavy, militaristic response by law enforcement, while the same law enforcers let rioters with a message of violent insurrection trample the Capitol building. As current U.S president Joe Biden points out, “No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting yesterday, they wouldn’t have been treated very, very differently from the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol”.

Storming of the Capitol Tasos Katopodis| Getty Images

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POLITICS

TRUMP

DONALD TRUMP BECOMES FIRST PRESIDENT TO EVER BE IMPEACHED TWICE

BY CAROLINA HOHAGEN, '23

On Wednesday, January 13, President Trump made history as the first American President to ever be impeached twice. This comes almost a year after his first impeachment when he was charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The President’s more recent impeachment was announced exactly one week after the deadly storming of the Capitol Building. Prior to the attack, Mr. Trump had held a rally in Washington D.C. where he made comments to thousands of his supporters such as ‘We will stop the steal’, ‘We are going to the Capitol’ and ‘If you don't fight like hell you're not going to have a country anymore.’ Trump was charged with “incitement of insurrection” after the House of Representatives accused him of encouraging violence with his false allegations of a fraudulent election.

The House voted to impeach President Trump in a quick bipartisan conviction. The vote measured 232 to 197, with ten republicans voting in favor of impeachment. Although the majority of republicans chose not to impeach Trump, many offered him some criticism. During Wednesday the 13th’s debate, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said that Trump “bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters," and urges the President to "quell the brewing unrest."

Further, most Republicans did not attempt to defend the President’s actions but rather called on the Democrats not to impeach as they believed it would further divide the country. This division within the Republican Party considerably contrasts Trump’s impeachment in 2020, when the republican vote was unanimous in opposition. This impeachment has been the most bipartisan in American history and it is evident that there have been deep splits within the Republican Party.

President Trump’s second impeachment still will not remove him from office and the process will be different this time.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has stated that the impeachment trial will only take place after Biden has taken office on January 20. After he is impeached, Mr. Trump will face a Senate trial. This year, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is determined to accelerate the impeachment process.

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Jamie Raskin and House impeachment managers delvering the impeachment Melina Mara | AFP | Getty Images

In addition to this, democrats wish to split the days of the trial, conducting a trial part of the day and also working on business.

However, the most significant difference this year is that Trump will likely face much greater consequences than he did in last year’s trial. If President Trump is condemned, additional Senate votes could prevent him from running for office in future elections and also eliminate any post-presidential perks and advantages.

Given the fact that he was recently banned from several social media platforms, the President was unable to vent his reaction to the news of his second impeachment. He did release a video on January 14 ‘calling for calm’ as new riot threats arise with the nearing of Biden’s 7 TUSKAN TIMES

inauguration. The video, however, had no mention of his impeachment.

The events of the past month have cast a harrowing shadow over the United States. As this impeachment marks a dramatic end to Donald Trump’s presidency, Americans await the next chapter of democracy under the BidenHarris administration.

POLITICS | REPUTATION

'THE TRUMP EFFECT' ON UNITED STATES REPUTATION ABROAD

BY KATHERINE DICK, '23

Historically, the United States of America has been seen as a respected and powerful nation with a great economy, a society offering unique liberties, and a country led by a transparent government.

It has also been admired for the possibilities and opportunities it presents to its citizens. However, over the past few decades, the “American Dream” has begun to fade with conflicts in the Middle East, the financial crisis, and, most of all, social and political divisions. Over the last four years, that fading has accelerated. Fewer people seem to see America as a political utopia, and many highlight its flaws. The four years that President Donald J. Trump has been in office have very negatively affected the world’s views of this once revered country.

The president or leader of a country represents the people and the nation as a whole. If one does not know anyone from that country personally, one’s opinions are formed through observations of the leader of its people. In this case, during his time in office, President Trump represented America. The source of many opinions formed about Trump, and therefore the United States, originates from his excessive use of social media. Over the years, Trump has tweeted and said vile things that no person, let alone a president, should feel comfortable putting out into the public. In the process, Trump has changed the world’s view of the United States. As President Biden steps into office, will he be able to slow the fade?

Trump at a comeback speech in Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Some of the things Donald Trump has done over his presidency have left parts of the world appalled and concerned, so most have been led to think less of the United States. Let’s recount a few of these events: On June 1st, 2017, President Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.

America has released more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other country since the start of the industrial era. By leaving the agreement, the president put the planet at risk. One hundred eighty-nine countries remain in the Paris Climate Agreement while the world’s largest economy has left.

President Trump’s exit from this agreement in the beginning of his presidency left a negative impression on the world from the start. President Biden has announced that he will promptly rejoin it.

As soon as COVID-19 hit the world, Trump blamed China. He called it the “Chinese virus” on several occasions. In the process, the president of the United States has caused more harm by promoting the racist associations between COVID-19 and Chinese people. He also claimed, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” Trump’s fight with China might be something Biden will change, probably starting with words alone.

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In addition to his denial of climate change and blame of China for COVID-19, Donald Trump did not wear a mask for three months after the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommended masks be worn in public. This led many Americans to believe that masks are unnecessary, leading to the formation of a much larger group of anti-maskers in America when compared to other countries where masks are accepted. As the mask-wearing citizens of the world looked at the U.S. with scrutiny, their understanding and respect for the country continued to decline. In comparison, Biden has been wearing a mask since the day it was recommended.

The administration’s tactical response to COVID-19 has definitely sped up the decline of the nation’s reputation. On September 15th of last year, Pew Research Center conducted a survey to display the international view of the United States in regards to its response to COVID-19. The U.S. was ranked as the worst country in its handling of the virus. Only about 16% of those surveyed had confidence in Donald Trump. He was less trusted to do the right thing regarding international affairs than any of the leaders of Germany, France, U.K., China, and Russia, and the majority (approximately 61%) of the people surveyed had an unfavorable view of the United States in 2020. In comparison, when Barack Obama was president, only 29% of those surveyed had an unfavorable view of the country. That is more than doubling the world’s negative opinions on the U.S.

POLITICS | REPUTATION

On November 7th, 2020, it was announced that Joe Biden won the elections, denying Trump a second term. In response, Trump made numerous claims that the election was rigged and even tweeted, “Stop the count [of the ballots]!” while the world watched a great democracy question the validity of its own elections. Already confused by Trump, the rest of the world’s opinions of the U.S. were also impacted by the fact that 74 million Americans voted for Trump. Many must have wondered why so many people wanted this man to be president for another four years, even after knowing who he is and what he stands for.

On January 13th, 2021, we watched history be made again as President Trump became the first U.S. president to be impeached twice. His impeachment was founded on charges that he incited a riot and an attempted coup at the Capitol building. Once again, this is not something the world would have expected from the U.S. 30 or 40 years ago. The global community watched and saw how divided and broken this once united nation has become. Biden has a chance to bring Americans back together.

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Patriotism means to stand by the country.

It does not mean to stand with the president.

Recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger reminded us of President Theodore Roosevelt’s words: “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand with the president.” Donald Trump and his extremist supporters have threatened the democracy of the United States, and therefore the integrity and perception of the country, not to mention the death and destruction that occurred in the process. The inauguration of Joe Biden and the start of his presidency may be a chance to give the world great hope.

There is an opportunity for the negatives to be left in the past and move on – to fix a broken nation and reunite its people. It won’t be easy, but for the sake of the United States and the rest of the world, we wait with great optimism for Joe Biden to lead strongly and do great things for the country and the planet in the next four years. The world hopes that he will use his power and position wisely and that he may restore the reputation of the United States of America.

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POLITICS | SOCIAL MEDIA BAN

DONALD TRUMP BANNED FROM TWITTER - NECESSARY OR AN ABUSE OF POWER?

BY JACK BACH, '22

On January 9th, two billionaires from Silicon Valley did something that millions of people around the world wished they could do, and brigades of prosecutors and politicians have tried to do: they silenced ex-President Donald Trump.

Facebook and Twitter heads Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg decided that in light of the Capitol storming on January 6th, necessary action needed to be taken to prevent the risk of any further incitement of violence. So in the wake of the deadly Capitol riot, Zuckerberg and Dorsey suspended our ex-president Trump from their respected platforms, Facebook and Twitter, and then followed up with a permanent ban. Donald Trump was blacklisted from our worlds two most prominent social media sites.

Now let’s make something clear: it’s seriously doubtful that anyone within the ISF community is unhappy with Trump’s permanent and forced resignation from Twitter. In fact, I would go as far as to say the world is just a little bit brighter now that it’s forever rid of America’s expresident’s childish, vulgar, and occasionally misspelled tweets. And at the time of the Capitol riot, such an action was most likely necessary to stop the further incitement of a violent mob. Yet while certain reliefs may be in order, other concerns must be raised, considering it only took two private citizens to ban the ex-leader of America from his main source of public outreach.

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Such a suppression of our old president illuminates exactly where power rests in our digital society; neither Zuckerberg nor Dorsey were ever voted into their positions, yet they now have the power to directly silence the leaders of our world something which world leaders themselves don’t even have. Ironic, don’t you think?

Their platforms, intended as networking apps, have now evolved into hubs for political discourse in an intention to broaden the global and continuous conversation. In a perfect world, it means the public can read their public representatives’ day by day intentions unscathed from left and right leaning media outlets. But in a quite imperfect world… well… we’ve all seen what happens.

Donald Trump's twitter Andre M Chang | ZUMA Wire | Rex | Shutterstock

Twitter’s head Jack Dorsey gave his two cents on the subject via a chain on his site.

He stated that he “does not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realdonaldtrump from twitter, or how we got here… we made a decision with the best information we had based on threats to physical safety both on and off Twitter.”

Dorsey goes on in the same chain to say that “having to ban an account has real and significant ramifications. While there are clear and obvious exceptions, I feel a ban is a failure of ours to promote a healthy conversation… These actions fragment the public conversation [and] divides us… [it] sets a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power and individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation."

This chain from Dorsey makes it clear that he feels banning Donald Trump’s Twitter account was neither healthy, nor commemorated. However, the truth of the matter is that at the moment, the political environment of America’s democracy is neither healthy, nor commemorated. We’re living in a time of uncharted territory; a time of hostile division between opposing political parties; a time where certain politicians (and ex politicians) have glorified terrorism and falsely declared insurrection as a form of free speach; and a time where private citizens of the digital age are more effective at stopping America’s ex-president in his tracks than dozens of lawyers and politicians. Perhaps the heads of the world’s largest big-tech companies, un-elected and unchecked, are a necessary force in the promotion of peaceful free speech today.

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POLITICS

POLITICAL SHIFT TO THE RIGHT

Protest in Poland Agencja Gazeta | Reuters

THE FAILURE OF NEO-LIBERALISM AND THE RISE OF THE FAR-RIGHT

BY PETER WOOD, '21 Reading the title of this article with no context might lead you to believe that this is an article about pre-WW2 history, however, you couldn’t be more mistaken.

In actuality, the issue of the rise in popularity of the far-right is one that is currently ongoing throughout much of western Europe and Northern America – the so-called “first world countries.” One of the most starch examples of this rise in popularity of right-wing populist politics is the now-former president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, or, for Italians, the rise in popularity of figures like Matteo Salvini or Giorgia Meloni.

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However, these aren’t the only incidents of right-wing populist groups taking power across Europe: the Polish United right coalition takes up 234 out of 460 seats in the Sejm (the lower house of the Polish parliament and highest governing body), 10 seats more than the entire opposition put together (from the liberal party to the socialist party); and, in Hungary, the Fidesz and KDNP parties hold together 133 out of the 199 seats in the Hungarian national assembly, an overwhelming majority compared to the united opposition’s 65 seats. Overseas instead, in South America, figures like Jair Bolsonaro are heads of government, and, in India, right-wing populist Narendra Modi is the prime minister.

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The rise in far-right and even fascist parties is simply a reaction by the declining conditions of the petitebourgeoisie

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These are just a few examples across the world of right-wing populists taking power, followed by a subsequent increase in attacks on minority groups or political opponents, whether it be the LGBTQ+ community, Muslims, immigrants, etc. So the question we must ask ourselves is: why is this happening? Why is the far-right gaining popularity? The answer isn’t “immigration” or “different cultural values''. A likely explanation for this occurrence is the decaying state capitalism is currently in. The rise in farright and even fascist parties is simply a reaction to the declining conditions of the petite-bourgeoisie; for example, in the US, living standards have been declining over the years for the middle class, partially because starting a business has become an almost impossible due to monopolies taking complete control of markets, to the point where a company will either buy their competition outright or force them into selling their business by lowering prices and finding cheaper labour elsewhere. This has caused many to lose their jobs, forcing them to work more hours for a lower salary, or try their luck elsewhere – often to no avail. This crisis has been made worse by neo-liberal opposition and the repealing of any reforms that could help members of this declining class. Consequently, at this point, people are starting to notice they can no longer take advantage of the privileges and benefits they used to have beforehand, and are longing for how easy life used to be in the past, leading to slogans like “Make America Great Again''.

These people fail to recognize the real cause of all their problems, and instead seek to blame it on other issues, such as immigration, diversity, or the emancipation of LGBTQ+ people. They seek to blame the failures of liberal economics on social groups which have only recently been granted more rights, an explanation to why many Trump supporters are either openly or more subtly homophobic, transphobic, racist, or sexist. Some people are prepared to throw others “under the bus” in the hopes of maintaining a declining system which once benefitted them, instead of working to change the very system which put them in that situation, to begin with. This phenomenon of course doesn’t develop in the same way in every country, but it follows a similar progression.

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Jamie Raskin and House impeachment managers delvering the impeachment POLITICS

POLITICAL SHIFT TO THE RIGHT

The rise in extremism is also caused by its relative organisation and better funding, an aspect which is almost nonexistent in today’s left-wing parties; all it takes to see this is looking at modern Italy: the far left is divided into about 15 different parties, which at their very core all want a fairer and more just society but disagree on how to reach that model, culminating in a disorganized and almost useless resistance to the better-funded right-wing and fascist groups. Compare the Italian left to parties like Forza Italia, Lega Salvini, and Fratelli d’Italia, who are all on relatively friendly terms with one another and agree on most issues, and the difference becomes as clear as daylight.

Ever since the fall of the Berlin wall and the dissolution of many left-wing parties across the world, the American empire has had the opportunity to expand its influence, destroying any leftist opposition, and funding right-wing extremism in the process.

However, another group responsible for this discussion is composed of the liberal and centrist parties which haven’t taken any measures to stop this from happening, for example avoiding a ban on the use of far-right imagery like the swastika, or the banning of certain extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, the Proud Boys in the US, or Casapound in Italy – groups which are openly racist, or even fascist for that matter, and which have been involved in the death or injury of people they deemed “impure”.

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The KKK in Georgia in 2016 AP photo | John Bazemore Fascism also becomes very popular thanks to its use of more left-leaning techniques which appeal more to the general public, For example, we’ve seen Mussolini preach more left-wing policies in his rise to power only to double down on those promises later on, and this can also be seen in figures such as Trump who is seen by Republicans as some kind of working-class hero despite doing little to nothing for them and serving the interests of industrialists and Multinational corporations alike. Fascism likes to take the very Marxian idea of class struggle and turn it upside down to preach class unity, Michael Parenti in his book Blackshirts and Reds does an excellent job at explaining this phenomenon when analysing Hitler and Mussolini: “Fascist doctrine stresses monistic values: Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuehrer (one people, one rule, one leader).

The people are no longer to be concerned with class divisions but must see themselves as part of a harmonious whole, rich and poor as one, a view that supports the economic status quo by cloaking the ongoing system of class exploitation”

Salvini and his supporters in Rome 2019 Reuters

This article may not be the best analysis of the current political climate around the world, and it shouldn’t be treated as such.

The aim is to bring to light these kinds of issues in an environment like our school, where many people don’t bother too much with politics because they don’t care enough, and end up living their lives completely politically illiterate, not understanding why they should go vote.

This disregard for politics is exactly a sign of our privilege: we live well enough that we don’t need to care about politics because it will never affect us. After all, the system works for us. This sometimes involuntary ignorance obscures the fact that a lot more people are living in poverty and conditions far worse than ours, conditions that even donating to charity can’t fix for good. Have you ever wondered why there is still a need for homeless shelters or charities to stop world hunger if the system works so well?

That is not to say that these charities are useless, but rather that they are only short-term solutions to what in reality is a long-term problem, and this problem isn’t going to solve itself. People need to take action and inform themselves to ultimately achieve the dream of living in a world where people don’t need to die of starvation or work three different jobs just to get past the week, a world where we can all have equal opportunities and where we don’t need to work like slaves only to be paid ridiculously low wages. The aim of the right is to preserve this unjust establishment and to make life worse for the people who are already suffering the most. It’s time to take action and fight.

TUSKAN TIMES 16

ISF

In this section of the issue, our writers explore topics related to ISF and our community

Senior first day of school assembly Greta Fischer

ISF

BACK TO SCHOOL

HOW IT FEELS TO BE BACK

BY NEREO LORETO, '21

Villa di Gattaia is now almost a mere shell of a building. Silent hallways, dark classrooms, just a handful of students…

This is not the International School of Florence we know. Because of the coronavirus, only fifty per cent of students are allowed to attend in-person classes, the rest have to spend the day at home, at their desks, listening to a virtual lesson. At least we get to go to school some days.

The 11th of January was the first day we got to see our teachers since mid-October!

It was a weird feeling coming back to ISF. No more waking up at 8:10, no more wearing the same outfit for weeks.

I sent out a survey to all of high school to get other people’s opinions on the COVID-19 situation at school. The pie chart below shows that the vast majority of students are happy to be back at school with only a few people admitting that they prefer learning from home. Everyone had pretty much the same reasons for which they prefer in-person school over online learning. At home you feel secluded, when the class ends, you just press a button and go lie down. There is a complete lack of human interaction. At school we are able to have normal conversations without hurricanes of static cutting out words, we can ask questions to teachers without the whole class overhearing, and we can actually follow presentations. In fact, almost all of the students who answered my survey said they prefer in-person school instead of online learning because they “get to see friends”, “reach their full capabilities and to strive for excellence “ and “learn better” 17 TUSKAN TIMES

Unfortunately, there is no information about this statement.

Are you happy to be back in school? Why? Online better” What is the school doing right/wrong?

“Online better” I guess that is that.

ISF has implemented quite strict anticovid regulations. Grades cannot mix, masks must also be worn outside, even stairs can only be used in one direction.

According to almost all students, ISF is doing a good job of keeping the school as safe as possible without compromising learning. Spending some days at home and some days in class is vexatious, but it is better than spending every day in an overcrowded hospital.

ISF

COVID INTERVIEW

HOW COVID-19 CHANGED OUR LIVES

BY MUSKAN BÖNINGER, '23

In this last year, there has been one thing that has affected all of our lives.

Something that connects us as nothing else has ever connected humanity before.

Covid has that power. It enters our lives creeping out of the dark. It’s taking away toddlers' childhood, teenagers' freedom and adults' lives. If someone told me one year ago that I wouldn't be able to attend school, leave my house without permission from the government, or travel because of a pandemic, I would have laughed in their face. Instead, everything that we thought was once normal, is now our biggest desire. Last year I was taking aeroplanes as if they were busses. I travelled from one place to another, meeting friends and family members all around the world. I've always taken travelling, meeting friends, family members, partying, going to concerts and restaurants for granted. Only now I see how with one virus all of this gets banned in a matter of seconds. As a teenager, I want to be able to attend school, leave my house when I want, hug and kiss my friends, and see my family members, yet it has been one whole year since I last saw them. Is this fair? No, it's not, but we must follow all the rules to keep us and the people around us healthy.

COVID-19 not only has affected us by imprisoning us in our houses, but it also affects our mental health. I asked some of my peers and students from other grades how covid has affected their social lives.

ANTHONY LAMANTEER How was your social life before covid and how is it now?

“My social life before COVID wasn’t as focused on social media, I only focused on talking in-person and not on the phone.

Now that COVID has started I am forced to talk on the phone more.”

What did you do in your free time before covid and what do you do now?

“Before COVID I didn’t do much. I was mostly on my phone and didn’t see going out as a fun thing to do. But since COVID, I’ve started going out with friends more often, biking, and I even picked up a basketball.”

How many family members have you not physically seen after covid? ”All of my family lives in America, so I haven’t seen them all in a long time.”

TUSKAN TIMES 18

GEMMA LIBERATORE How was her social life before covid and how is it now?

“Before my week schedule was very intense I did six hours a week of synchronized swimming, one hour and a half of theatre then I had piano lessons, while now the six hours have turned into four and the weekend I tend to go out more if possible because I try to take advantage of every moment when we are in a yellow zone.”

Now my social life is okay but I do sometimes find it harder to come up with topics to talk about.”

What did you do Before covid during summer and what do you do now?

“I used to travel a lot while now I spent the whole summer in Tonfano, Tuscany."

Before covid what did you do during summer, and now?

“In previous summers I would take a vacation to see my family and spend time at the beach. Last summer during the pandemic I was still able to at least go to the beach but most of the time was spent indoors.

How many parties have you attended this year compared to last year?

“Last year I attended multiple social events but now I haven’t been to any.

How many parties have you attended this year compared to last year?

“Probably half the amount as last year.

ALISA TILLMAN How was your social life before covid and how is it now?

“Before covid, my social life was improving, I was getting out more and having fun.

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Were you more fit before covid or after covid?

“Before covid, I was very active but as covid progressed I found myself losing motivation to take care of myself.”

Storming of the Capitol How many family members have u not physically seen after covid?

“I haven’t been able to see any family besides my mom, dad, and sister for over a year.”

ISF

COVID INTERVIEW

SARAH RIJVERS

STELLA FRANCESCHI How was your social life before covid and how is it now?

“It hasn’t altered that much as now we are in zona gialla, except during the night. I used to always go out for dinner with my friends and stay out late, at least later than 22:00. I also used to go clubbing with my friends but obviously, I can’t do that either. When it comes to the day since we are in zona gialla now, I can still go get a coffee after school or in the afternoon with my friends as I used to before, and for that I am thankful.”

How was her social life before covid and how is it now?

“I was way more outgoing and active before covid, now I'm lazier and I can't go out.”

What did you do in your free time before covid?

"In my free time, I used to hang out with friends A LOT. I play the piano as well as I play soccer.”

How many parties have you attended this year compared to last year?“ "This year 3. last year like 10 or something, maybe more.”

Were you more fit before covid or after covid?

"I’m also fit during covid but I have to say that I'm less active. So I think I was more fit before covid.”

What did u do in your free time before covid and what do you do now?

“When it comes to my free time I spend it in a very similar way, just taking extra COVID precautions. I still see my friends, but I try to limit that to a smaller group. What changed the most for me is dance, as now I do it online instead of in person.”

Storming of the Capitol

TUSKAN TIMES 20

How many family members have you not physically seen after covid?

"I haven’t seen four of my family members since COVID, and while I am aware that isn’t a big number, I am part of a small family and that equates to half of them, so I’ve seen four but haven’t seen the other four. This includes cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.”

ARIANNA MARRA

TOMMASO PASQUAL How was your social life before covid and how is it now?

“Before covid, I was used to seeing my friends practically every day, even if it was just for a catch-up. We always found a way to see each other because we have a large group and there were always some of us out in the afternoon. I was therefore used to spending a lot of time with them but covid has changed a lot of things. Especially the curfew affects us by not being able to stay out after 10 pm, by doing so you lose the ability to organize any type of dinner or night event. I was used to going out almost every night, even on the days when I worked out I used to meet my friends before going home while now I haven't been able to go out after dinner for months. My social life is now extremely limited, but fortunately, at work I have the opportunity to meet and spend time with colleagues and students which makes work even more pleasant, being able to see and talk to different people. As soon as the work hours are over, my social relationships are minimized. I talk to friends via chat or on the phone, and see someone now and then but not with the same frequency and amount of friends I used to hang out with before covid.”

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How was your social life before covid and how is it now?

“My social life has changed. I would spend a lot of time with friends and family. After covid, due to fear and the many restrictions, parties, and dinners are not part of normality anymore.”What did you do in your free time before covid and what do you do now?“I would mostly spend my free time outside. Going for walks, out for lunch, grabbing coffee. Now, I am obliged to stay home. However, it did help me bring attention to little things that maybe I would overlook.”How many family members have Storming of the Capitol you not physically seen after covid?“I haven’t been able to see many of my family members due to this pandemic. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins... I miss family quality time so much”

ISF

COVID INTERVIEW

What did you do in your free time before covid and what do u do now?

"Before covid in my free time not only did I hang out with my friends but I also trained a lot, I did basketball training, and I was often in the gym or doing other types of outdoor sports, but since we are stuck in this situation, I could not keep on playing basketball so it felt as if the energy and desire that I had to do also other things has decreased and I am therefore doing many fewer things than before. I try to continue training alone at home but it is not the same thing and above all, it is much more difficult to be consistent in such a situation. Now I spend most of my free time at home, watching movies or TV series, reading or listening to music. I usually really like being at home on my own doing these things, but now that I've spent almost a year doing the same thing over and over again, it gets very boring.”

How many family members have you not physically seen after covid?

"My family, apart from my parents and my sister, all live in cities far from Florence, so I'm used to not seeing them that much. Covid hasn't impacted me much for this aspect.

Living on my own, I see my father a bit less because he lives far from my home, while my mom and sister live close by so I see them often. When it comes to family members covid hasn't affected me much, but it prevents me from seeing my friends who are my second family and I can't wait for it to be over! Despite everything I don't want to see only the bad side and I try to stay positive, I'm sure we will soon be back to normal.These very simple questions were repeatedly asked to people of different ages so that each one could give us their opinion and share with us how they have lived through all of this. We all now understand that we shouldn't take anything for granted.

Let's start the new year with a positive outlook towards everything. Once the school was something that no one could take away from you, and we did everything possible to be able not to attend it. Now, we pray to be able to go back. We, humans, are really strange creatures. Let's bring everything slowly back to normal and enjoy what we have now! Let’s live in the present and make the best out of it!"

These very simple questions were repeatedly asked to people of different ages so that each one could give us their opinion and share with us how they have lived through all of this. We all now understand that we shouldn't take anything for granted.

Let's start the new year with a positive outlook towards everything. Once the school was something that no one could Storming of the Capitol take away from you, and we did everything possible to be able not to attend it. Now, we pray to be able to go back. We, humans, are really strange creatures. Let's bring everything slowly back to normal and enjoy what we have now! Let’s live in the present and make the best out of it!

TUSKAN TIMES 22

ISF

STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS

2020 Student Council Election Results

Grade 9 Representatives Anthony Lamanteer and Victoria Magherini

57 % -- 24 votes

Grade 10 Representatives Luca Caramani and Weronika Wieczerzak

80% -- 35 votes

Grade 11 Representative Thomas Accatatis

Head of Public Relations Sasha Wilcox

Voter Turnout Total:

84%

165 votes

Grade 9:

100%

42 votes

Grade 10:

81%

47 votes

Grade 11:

75%

36 votes

Grade 12:

82%

40 votes @ISFSTUDENTCOUNCIL

Vice President

President

Pieter Verbanck '23

Ardalan tAYEBI '22

51% -- 75 votes

52% -- 80 votes

"

I ran because I love ISF, that being said there are a few things that I would like to improve regarding our school to overall make school life more enjoyable and less stressful. In regards to my approach as president, the first thing I would like to do once I am elected is to see what is working and what is not, and address the things that are not working. For example, I have noticed that a lot of students are concerned about the tutor group therefore one of the first things I want to do is examine the tutor group system and see if it is really benefiting students, and if it is not, then I will work to either modify the system or get rid of it entirely.

Some other important objectives I have in regards to ISF community life is adding a Student Support Group, having designated meeting times with teachers, allowing students to check their grades at any moment, and many more. Thank you so much and I look forward to representing your voice.

"

"

I consider myself to be a kind, honest, open-minded, and very approachable person, all characteristics I find necessary to be a vice president. I speak multiple languages and would love to put my Italian to good practice by reaching out to the Italian speaking students and also the Florentine community. I love being part of the Student Council and working side-byside with the student body and the administration, to ensure successful student events throughout the year. As VP, I will ensure that you have a memorable year. I intend to leave a positive impact and be a listening ear to all the students, making sure all the student voices are heard. This is a key component for a good school environment, and I can assure you that I will try my best to make this happen. One of the reasons I'm running for Vice President for the student council is because I want to empower the high school experience. I want to be that friendly face for new students coming in and a defender for students already here. The main goals that I want to complete as student council vice president are to create more local fundraising and volunteering opportunities, reintroduce a structured homework schedule, earlier engagement of IB preparation, create a sustainability agenda, expand the RSS curriculum and reintroduce a system to check your grades.

Taken from the candidate's campaign speeches

"

ISF

STUDENT COUNCIL

Succession of the

Sasha Wilcox

PR Director Luca Caramani Weronika Wieczerzak

Grade 10 Representative

Giacomo Mezzogori Carlo Vitale

Co-Treasurers

Grade 9 Representative

Pieter Verbanck

President

Vice President

Thomas accatatis

Grade 11 Representative

Camilla Ruini

PR Director

Matteo Mastrangelo

President

Fleur Huijsman

Vice President

First Public Elections

91-8102

Victoria grella

Treasurer

Elections used to be held internally within student council

Jaqueline Obert

PR Director

Giulia Oosterwijk

81-7102

Ashelsha Evans

Anthony Lamanteer vICTORIA mAGHERINI

ArDALAN TAYEBI

02-9102

Clare Kelly

12-0202

Catherine McPhilemy

student Council

President

Greta Fischer

Vice President

Alma Karavan cohen

PR Director

Sebastian Arora

PR Director

Grace Ihle

Co-President

Emily volpe

Leo Consumi

Co-President

Vice President

61-5102

John Pitonzo

71-6102

Micheal Chen

President

Emily volpe

Vice President

Update on Career's day Previously did not include parents

Brighton

Micheal Chen

Nina Podolsky

Steinburg

Vice President

Vice President

President

51-4102

marta pagliuca

Brooke Green

pelacani

Vice President

President

41-3102

Jasmine anouna

President

Vitorrio ---

Vice President

It has been an honor being Student Council President for the year. Despite the pandemic the Student Council has managed to remain active and involved in the community, culminating in our very own 2020 Election. The election, for me as the previous president, has been a great time of reflection: seeing these new candidates with their new ideas and fresh perspectives, and the transition of power had me looking back on my accomplishments as president and what my legacy would be.

I have not been in Student Council for quite as long as other members, but I remember the difference between each president, and every term bring forward a new person with a distinct style of leadership, and all of the hard work that the presidents have put into student council can be honored, even just by acknowledging their presidency.

Matteo Mastrangelo '21, former Student Council President

BY MATTEO MASTRANGELO, '21 AND GRETA FISCHER, '21

Science IAs lab days International School of Florence

SCIENCE

In this section our writers explore topics related to science such as the problems global warming causing and the coronavirus.

SCIENCE

COVID-VACCINE

THE COVID VACCINE AND ITS EFFECTS BY: RILEY LAMANTEER, ‘21

As COVID-19 continues to infect more and more people everyday, scientists have worked hard to come up with a solution to this monstrous and global problem.

In November 2020, BioNTech, a company based in Germany that creates active immunotherapies specifically for certain illnesses/diseases, launched the first ever effective COVID-19 vaccine in cooperation with Pfizer (an American pharmaceutical company). Trails for this vaccine began in April 2020, and by November of that same year, the vaccination had been tested on more than 40,000 people. In early December, the United Kingdom approved the distribution of this vaccine throughout it’s union and after about two weeks, many countries such as Bahrain, the United States, and several others all approved distribution as well.

As the shot was distributed all over America, the American Military Installations here in Italy were no exception. The group of first responders on Camp Darby got their first shot in early January 2021. About two weeks after their first shot, I was able to interview 16 people; 10 females and six males, all ranging between the ages of early 20s to early 50s with the exception of a 73 year old male. I asked each person a series of questions regarding the pain level, any symptoms they experienced, if they have any medical conditions, etc.

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FIt is important to note that my sample of 16 people is nowhere near as accurate as the sample of 40,000 done but this information can give a good insight for adults looking to get the vaccine.

When looking at the results from people who have any sort of medical condition, it seems as if their condition had no interference with the results of the shot.

Three of the people had medical conditions, one with chronic UTI’s and kidney infections, one with a past of cancer, and the other with heart disease.

None of these patients had any different or unusual results when compared to the other candidates with no medical conditions. Another thing that did not affect the results was the biological sex of each canidate, both the men and women had similar results.

When asked to rate the pain from the shot, 10 being the worst pain they have felt and 1 being no pain at all, the average result was 2.8. Seven of the candidates rated the pain a one and four rated it a zero.

After the shot, almost every candidate had felt some sort of symptom. 12 people had felt soreness at the injection spot that ranged between one and four days, five people noted they had a headache the first day, two felt fatigued, three felt itchiness at the injection spot for about a day or two, and three candidates noted their body had no reaction at all. A few of the candidates compared their reaction to that of a mosquito bite. It’s important to note as well, that 14 of the candidates said that with previous vaccines, such as the flu shot or chicken pox, they experienced no reaction at all. The other two candidates felt a bit of soreness at the site of the injection.

After getting either shot, the CDCOut of the 16 people, four have already received their second shot. From the data I have collected it seems that the second shot symptoms come off worse than the first but again, my sample is too small to be 100% accurate.

One man reported his symptoms for both shots were the same (soreness at injection site, headache, and fatigue), one person reported nausea, chills/hot flashes, and excruciating body aches/headaches, another reported a mild headache, and mild soreness/fatigue, the last person said they experienced mild soreness at the injection site and slight muscle pain.

According to Vox.com and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), almost half of all people that get the shot experience these same reactions. recommends making sure to drink water, use and exercise your arm, and apply a cool, wet towel over the injection site.

Doing these things should reduce pain and discomfort at the injection site and reduce discomfort from a fever. Every candidate 100% recommends getting the vaccine not only for yourself but for others as well.

Anyone under the age of 16 is currently not able to receive the vaccine and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding should discuss the vaccine with their healthcare provider before making a decision, as the vaccine has not been tested for them yet. Anyone looking to get the vaccine should consult medical experts with any concerns.

TUSKAN TIMES 24

SCIENCE

PERMAFROST

MELTDOWN: THE PERMAFROST PROBLEM

BY ALISIYA ERMOLENKO, '23 Permafrost can be defined as any subsurface ground that stays frozen (0 degrees Celsius or lower) all year for a minimum of two years. Currently, around 9 million square miles of permafrost cover the northern hemisphere which, in reality, is the size of Russia and Australia combined.

The current issue is that now, due to global warming, the Arctic's temperature is rising double the amount compared to other parts of the world. In the past 3 million years the Arctic has never warmed up as quickly, which leads to many problems.

Climate change brings numerous northern villages to ruins as they are built on top of permafrost. This happens because of the thaw of underground ice. As a result, the ground contracts and leads to cracking and caving in on the surface.

The second problem is the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that have been stored inside permafrost for thousands of years, going back as far as when mammoths still existed. These greenhouse gases are created because of the decomposition of dead plants and animals, but due to the cold, the gases have been trapped inside.

"Indeed, permafrost in the Arctic alone is estimated to hold nearly twice as much carbon as exists in the atmosphere now, as well as a sizable amount of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas that traps more than 80 times more heat on the planet than carbon does." (nrdc.org).

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Permafrost in Norway melting Jeff Vanuga | Getty Images According to the estimate of a study done in 2018, between then and 2100, the atmosphere will gain an additional 92 billion tons of carbon which is equivalent to "nearly 20 percent of all global carbon emissions since the start of the Industrial Revolution." (nrdc.org).

Another problem with thawing permafrost is how it damages its natural surroundings.

Permafrost causes thermokarsts – sagging areas with shallow ponds– to appear and affect aquatic life and give rise to soil erosion and landslides.

These lead to poor quality water because of the sediment that enters the water.

The last major problem with the thaw of permafrost is the hundred year old or older pathogens that it contains. There was already a case in 2016 in the Yamal Peninsula, Siberia where over 2,300 or so reindeer died from anthrax. One boy even died from the disease along with several other people who were infected. Russian Officials declared that the outbreak was caused by the anthrax pathogens that were released from the melted permafrost which managed to contaminate the food and water supply.

Melting Permafrost NASA

The danger is that there are other equally-dangerous pathogens hidden in the permafrost. Examples of this are the 1918 Spanish Flu corpses concealed somewhere in Alaska's tundra and the smallpox and the bubonic plague corpses in Siberia. What we can do as responsible human beings to help prevent further thawing of permafrost is to put our best efforts in limiting the amount of transport we use, buying energy-efficient products, recycling and reusing items, and sometimes even investing in businesses whose aim is to help the environment.

Tram in Florence Greta Fischer

TUSKAN TIMES 26

CULTURE

New media and how it inspires people. As well as ISF's own grammy's awards voted by the student body.

ISF's got talent 2018 Luca Stefanon

CULTURE

NETFLIX

WHAT TO WATCH ON NETFLIX ITALIA

BY CAMELIA PALLENTI, '23

BRIDGERTON The British TV Series Bridgeton, adapted from the homonymous series of novels written by Julia Quinn, follows the lives of the Bridgeton family members as they find love in the regency era. The series is advertised as a regency era gossip girl; what sets this series apart from the romance genre is its more modern race and gender attitudes. Like the 1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, the cast is very racially diverse, although the cast's ethnicities and races have no overall bearing on the plot. Bridgeton has been both criticized and praised for its racially diverse cast. Some say the racial representation should be commended for bringing more people of color to the small screen. Others say the overall "colorblind" casting was a loophole not to tackle race whatsoever. Overall, if you're into period dramas and orchestral covers of the billboard top 100, this show is for you.

The series has found critical acclaim with mystery thriller enthusiasts and sneakerheads alike. The series is one of the many collaborations between jordans and Netflix; through the show, you can catch Lupin sporting Jordan 1 and Jordan 2 mids.

LUPIN

Cobra kai is a continuation of the beloved Karate Kid Franchise that joined Netflix in 2017, originally a youtube red series.

Watching the series prior knowledge on the Karate Kid is not necessary since the series follows a different cast. Still, the recurring characters are explained in the first season, and the show doesn't play too much on the nostalgia factor. The show follows the events after the infamous 1984 karate tournament, as Johnny Laurence reopens the cobra kai dojo reigniting his feud with Daniel la Russo.

The french mystery thriller series Lupin created by George Kay and François Uzan joined Netflix in early 2021. Lupin is inspired by Arsène Lupin, the literary character from the Je Sais Tout short stories series. The series is the first French original series to hit the top 10 in the U.S. Without giving too much away, Lupin follows the professional thief, Assaine Diop, as he seeks revenge against the Pellegrini family for wrongdoing involving Assaine Diop's father.

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LA CASA DEL PAPEL This next show has been on Netflix for a while and is a new fan favorite. La casa de Papel joined Netflix in early 2017; the series follows a criminal mastermind named the "professor" as he leads eight people to pull off the greatest heist in history. The series is beloved by many because of its ensemble cast; each has varied flaws and good traits that help audiences empathize and see themselves within the characters.

COBRA KAI

CULTURE

QUEEN'S GAMBIT

THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT

BY GIUSEPPINA LOPEZ, '22

As many TV-viewers are aware, new TV series’ and movies hit Netflix’s “Top 10 Hits” list which stops many in their tracks for a new visual masterpiece to watch. One of Netflix's newest additions to such list is titled the “Queen's Gambit”, a series that has caught the attention of those who have said “I’ll just watch one episode” and end up bingeing all seven within the series.

For anyone who hasn’t logged onto their Netflix account recently or heard the word “the new chess show on Netflix”, I will be one of many to tell you that this show takes you on a journey about a young, female prodigy that was found in an orphanage on route to becoming one of the few Americans to make it to attempting the title of “Grandmaster”.

Since the creation of the “Queen's Gambit”, it has influenced a wide range of individuals to bring back the popularity of chess or entice newcomers to learn the rules and simple strategies that the TV show elegantly exhibits.

I myself have noticed a handful of students pick up a chessboard saying that they’ve been inspired by the show and would like to learn the “way of the board”. However, since this show is a limited series on Netflix, it will not remain on their viewing list for long, nor will it normally end seasons on cliffhangers, giving viewers the hope of a second season. So, as I and many others may have recommended to those who haven’t seen this show, grab yourself a bowl of popcorn and relax as you enjoy the story of a young orphan unfold her passion for chess, guiding her to the biggest accomplishment you can achieve on the chessboard; beating and becoming the Grandmaster.

TUSKAN TIMES 28

CULTURE

MUSIC

GRAMMYS 2021

BY AVERY FERNIE, '22

Since 1958, the Grammys have undoubtedly been the most important awards show in the music industry. With eighty four categories, the yearly event is hosted and attended by some of the biggest names in music history. Each winner is awarded a golden gramophone.

Though the Grammys are celebrated at the end of January every year, this years’ 64th Annual event has been postponed to midMarch due to the coronavirus.

Along with this years’ Grammy Award nominations have come concerns of racism and corruption within the organization. The Weekend’s “Blinding Lights'' broke multiple records throughout the year, staying for the longest span in history in the Top 10 . 40 weeks, four of which #1, yet despite this, the 30-year-old artist was not nominated for a single award.

Upon the announcement, he quickly took to Twitter saying “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency...”

Furthermore, Justin Bieber, nominated for pop duo/ group performance, pop vocal album, and pop solo performance, announced on Instagram that he intended to make an R&B album and that the announcement of his nomination as a pop album came as a surprise. In his post, he stated, “I set out to make an R&B album… for this not to be put in that category feels weird considering from the chords to the melodies to the vocal styles all the way down to the hip hop drums that were chosen it is undeniably, unmistakably an R&B Album!”

29 TUSKAN TIMES

He ended it by acknowledging his appreciation and his gratefulness for the recognition.

The Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammys, has been called out for their ideologies on race and gender on multiple occasions. Alicia Keys, the 2018 host, addressed the Grammy’s for their lack of gender diversity. The 15-time Grammy winner told Billboard that it was unbelievable that she was the first female host in 14 years, stating that “there is not enough balance of power”. Meanwhile, Tyler the Creator discussed the racist attributes of the word “urban” (a category which has since been changed from Best Urban Contemporary Album to Best Progressive R&B Album) saying “Whenever we — and I mean guys that look like me — do anything that’s genre-bending, they always put it in a Rap or Urban category. I don’t like that Urban word, it’s just a politically correct way to say the N-word to me.” Here, the artist addressed one of the most pressing issues facing the Grammys: Black artists who are not entirely excluded from the Grammys but typically only win in categories that are considered “black music” such as rap or R&B. The top four categories, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist are typically reserved for White artists.

The world-renowned Aretha Franklin won 18 Grammys yet was never nominated in the top four categories. In the entire history of the Grammys, only 10 black artists have won Album of the Year.

In 2018, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow stated that women in the industry had to “step it up” to win, highlighting the Grammys lack of both racial and gender diversity. The 2020 awards finally saw improvement when Billie Eilish, a woman, became the first artist to win all four top categories.

The Grammys have always been a corrupt, controversial, and nontransparent organization and throughout the years, many artists have refused to attend. A former worker at the Academy stated that on many occasions, Ken Ehrlich, who was the producer of the show since 1980, manipulated the nomination process so that any artist he wanted to see perform would receive a nomination.

He eventually stepped down in 2020 after numerous clashes with artists. Hopefully, his successor will bring the Grammys a more fair and hospitable environment for all future artists, in addition to providing an enjoyable evening to its spectators.

Grammys at ISF Record Of The Year: “Everything I Wanted”, Billie Eilish Album Of The Year: “Folklore”, Taylor Swift Song Of The Year: Best New Artist:

“The Box”, Roddy Ricch Megan Thee Stallion

Best Solo Performance: “Watermelon Sugar”, Harry Styles Best Pop Vocal Album: “Fine Line”, Harry Styles Best Rap Song: “Savage”, Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé Best Rap Album: “BLACK HABITS”, D SMOKE