Tuskan Times Volume 11 Issue 4

TUSKANTIMES

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 4

T H I S I S S U E

MY SAFE HAVEN

JOURNEY OF LOVE (PART 2)

THE KEY

BOAT CARRYING MIGRANTS CRASHES NEAR CALABRIA

THE UNSEEN TRAGEDIES IN TURKEY AND SYRIA

CURRENT INCIVILITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS

RELIVING PIVOTAL MOMENTS OF THE RUSSO-UKRANIAN WAR

THE AMERICAN DOLLAR

CHAT-GPT: NEW FRIEND OR ENEMY?

THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO GAMES

THE UNIQUE JAPANESE FESTIVALS

WHAT IS NETFLIX DOING WITH THEIR NEW UPDATES?

AWARDS SEASON

COLLEEN HOOVER

BOOK REVIEW: THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LA RUE

THIS PIECE REPRESENTS ONE OF THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE FESTIVALS, THE KANAMARA MATSURI, THAT I FOUND PARTICULARLY BEAUTIFUL

DearReaders,

Here is our fourth issue of the school year! The team is so excited for you to read some oftheamazingarticleswehavethisedition

Just like last issue, keep an eye out for the Junior School Nook, and the wonderful work of Grade 3 student Elizabeth Rodolico Jeanes. The ‘Appreciating ISF Art’ section isalsofilledwithselfportraitsbythetalentedseventhgraders!

This edition’s ‘Politics’ section is filled with poignant pieces about recent events in the political world; be sure to take a look at Julius Gutbrod’s article reflecting on the Russo-Ukrainian war in light of its first anniversary, as well as Michael Garfinkel’s article on the current incivilty in American politics. Also, make sure to check out Alisiya Ermolenko’s article on ChatGPT in ‘Science & Tech’, as well as the amazing stories in the‘CreativeWriting’section!

Once again, I would like to thank the hardworking team at the Tuskan Times whose contributions and dedication, along with the guidance of our supervisor Ms. Hitchcock, havemadetheprocessofcreatingandpublishingtheissuesextremelyenjoyable

Thankyouforreading!

DevakiMenon

Editor-in-Chief

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DEVAKI MENON

ASSISTANT

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

OLIVIA DICK

ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI

HEADOFLAYOUT

LEELA MENON

SUPERVISOR

TESS HITCHCOCK

MIDDLESCHOOL COORDINATOR

ALLEGRA DIFLORIO

LAYOUT EDITORS

KATHERINE DICK

ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI

DEVAKI MENON

LEELA MENON

RAYA GUPTA

OLIVIA DICK

CRISTIAN ARGENTO

SIMON KARÁCSONYI

ALISIYA ERMOLENKO

ART

EVALIN GOULDER

EZRA PAVONCELLI

LEELA MENON

OLIVIA DICK

DEVAKI MENON

LYRA PIRES

ELIOT RICHARDS

AMELIA WINKLER

ELENA SOFIA UZIELLI

E E T T H E T E A M

L O C A L

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

APPRECIATINGISFART

This issue, we are spotlighting some of the talented grade 7 students, and their amazing self portraits!

PATRICK

XIN-YI

CHIARA

PAOLO

MIRKO

MICHELLE

LUCA GAIA

FIRE FIRE && SNOW SNOW

BYELIZABETHRODOLICO JEANES, 8YEARSOLD.

Fire dancing to the rhythm. Looking fragile but incredibly powerful

We all start as oil, a liquid. We seem unimportant, Yes, we are small, Yes, we are still learning, But no oil, no fire.

Give us things that seem a waste But helps us to figure, to climb and explore. We gradually grow into fire

Don’t touch, we are very powerful!!

All happy lives must come to an end, As we slowly die down, We turn into dust, ash, We remember all the good memories we’ve had as fire

Snow majestically placed among a perfectly white page

awaiting a new story, a new title, a new beginning. We await a new day, a new excitement, a new life.

Take your elements to seize the moments of your falling before coming to your components.

Don’t expect the best, we are not perfect, we are not exactly the same, we are all different and might meet your expectations or surprise you.

But be careful, we are not as hardy as you think. We may look that way but we are still figuring out the world

And waiting for a new horizon!

INTERVIEWWITHMS.REBECCA WOOLCOCK

By Leela Menon '25 & Alisiya Ermolenko '24

“I want to further discover the diversity of the musical talent here at ISF, '' says Ms. Rebecca Woolcock, when asked about her main goals and incentives for this academic year Ms Woolcock is the latest addition to the ISF community, taking on the role of music teacher for grades 6 to 12. As a talented pianist, Ms Woolcock has experienced the music world in many different countries, travelling to see and perform solo concerts in places such as India and Saudi Arabia. These experiences therefore acquainted her with many different cultures and talented people Ms Woolcock has taught piano for many years, which is what stemmed her interest in becoming a full-time music teacher, starting out at schools in London such as Alleyn’s School, St. Paul's Cathedral School, and Wycombe Abbey School. In 2005, Ms. Woolcock moved from the UK to Italy, and taught at the International School of Siena for 11 years prior to her move to Florence. Regarding her move, she stated “Well, I feel more Fiorentina than Sienese. My husband works in Florence at the Maggio Musicale Opera Theatre and I live kind of in the Provincia of Firenze. I always wanted to be more in Florence”.

Having joined ISF in the middle of the academic year, Ms. Woolcock has some very clear ideas about her intentions for students this year Her main goal is to discover the diversity of the musical talent at ISF, with the establishment of a curriculum that supports not only the understanding of music, but also helps students develop their musical skills on a variety of levels and instruments Additionally, she would like to incorporate digital platforms, and collaborate with the other subject teachers to make relevant links with other classes and also establish an extracurricular activity at some point that will give individual tuition to students.

Concerning her hopes for students in music class, Ms. Woolcock’s primary objective is to help them gain confidence in their music skills, stating “I have heard that many students have stopped playing instruments during the pandemic so I would really like to change that. I think post-Covid it became hard for people to express themselves and I would really like them to help get over that I want everyone to feel like they belong in music.” Lastly, Ms. Woolcock adds that for her, the most important values when teaching music are being open minded, always listening and differentiating people's needs, along with making music all-inclusive.

Please join us in welcoming Ms. Woolcock to the ISF community!

FLOMUN2023:ISF'SOWNMODEL UNITEDNATIONSCONFERENCE

By Liam Danilo Barbieri '25

Florence Model United Nations (FloMUN) is a 2 day conference hosted by the International School of Florence where students from a variety of different schools across the world are able to enhance their interpersonal skills whilst debating on global issues. It is an extremely diverse event that gives participants the opportunity to build friendships with people from all over the world as well as to open their eyes to many perspectives. At FloMUN, students are able to become much more connected to the problems the international community is facing, and progress to becoming global citizens. There are fiery moments and lighter ones, but no matter what country a student is representing and the seriousness of their experience, the bond shared between members of a specific committee is a special one that extends beyond the room of debate, and allows everyone to enjoy their time during the conference.

A few words from our honorable mention, the Best Delegate of the SPECPOL committee last year, Raya Nepal Gupta: “FloMUN was an amazing experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. I will never forget the electricity of a heated debate, or the solemn silence as a resolution is voted on. What I love about MUN is the ability to see world issues from different perspectives and understand the viewpoints and difficulties of each nation facing a common problem. The most beautiful part, however, is how we are able to come together to fix those problems, a bunch of kids with the momentary power of countries in their hands working together to make the world a better place. The communication and relationship skills we build at MUN will carry throughout the rest of our lives and, maybe, into our own diplomatic careers ”

ISFSTUDENTSANDHOMEWORK

By Jamey Snipes '26

As students, we attend school for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week However, when we finally get home from focusing on a variety of subjects intensively we must continue for more hours to come. Homework has always been a disagreement from many different viewpoints, and I wanted to record the opinions of the students on the ISF campus. I decided to interview some students of different grade levels and ask them the same questions about homework and their work-life balance, therefore I could compare the answers I received There were a plethora of different results. In grades 11 and 12 students participate in the IB Diploma Programme which is considered a very rigorous system It is a common belief that IB students have more homework than those in other classes, resulting in them needing to take more time to complete all the work. However, is this true? Those in the IB as well as the younger grades assumed this was correct, yet when I asked each individual student around how long it took them each night to complete their homework, it turns out that this belief is incorrect. Depending on the student, subject, or even the week, no matter what grade you are in Some IB students use around the same amount of time, less, or more time, than those not participating in the program. However, a common claim each student stated was that it took them hours to complete their homework Around 1 to 3 hours was the least amount of time calculated. Considering students have to take so much time out of their day, does that leave them any room to do anything else?

ECAs are fun and enriching to participate in your spare time, but if you don't have any extra time then it can cause more burden than enjoyment Those students who did ECAs or sports after school all said the same thing: it can be stressful to balance both. Worrying about trying to complete your homework that may be due that night and getting home late from your activity often means you don't focus on the present This can lead to students falling ill, becoming tired, anxious, and not being able to focus in class.

"Consideringstudents havetotakesomuch timeoutoftheirday, doesthatleavethemany roomtodoanything else?"

Another reason for this is that some teachers assign big projects or tests all during the same week and students are forced to study or complete their tasks with these stressful expectations. Therefore, they aren’t able to put all the effort into the work and can become disappointed in themselves This leads to the question: should there be homework or not?

Thisleadstothe question:shouldtherebe homeworkornot?

There will always be different beliefs on the subject, everyone will have their own opinion and even if you have a certain one now, it may change in the future. It's a heavily debated concept that depends on you and your situation.

Even after all of those responses, the most common answer was yes Students do believe that homework is important because it helps you understand what you have learned, you can learn from your mistakes without it affecting your grade, you can prepare for your future by learning to sit still and building up to a good study habit, and it helps you to remember things that could be on a test in the future. However, some students told me that it feels as though teachers give homework out to teach a whole lesson, which can be confusing since no one is there to answer your questions Those who said yes, around half of them, also wanted homework to only be reduced instead of deserting the idea of it completely.

"Therewillalwaysbe differentbeliefsonthe subject,everyonewillhave theirownopinionand evenifyouhaveacertain onenow,itmaychangein thefuture.

C R E A T I V E W R I T I N G

MYSAFEHAVEN

By Theo Di Florio '29

Up in the sky my island floats and the clouds swirl around me. The bright green grass and my luscious willow tree glisten under the bright shining moon. There I sit listening to music. My head floating away in all of its thoughts. There are mountains around me covered in snow but where I sit it’s warm and cuddly. My skateboard leans against the ramp in the skatepark The skatepark is attached to a beach where the waves could swallow the world in one fell swoop

My cars rumble near the track my uncle Dennis built. He used to laugh with me and tell me about sports all the years that I visited him. A room stands near the mountains with a drum set inside… uncle Dennis's drum set. My thoughts drift away and the music gets louder but softer at the same time. My eyes flutter shut and the light disappears I can sense that I'm traveling Traveling to somewhere new “Hello? Is anyone there? Anyone?”

Chapter

I scurry by him. He reminds me of myself, but not only by looks. The way his hair flops when he walks and his worried face when he calls for someone It all seems so familiar

Chapter

3 - Me

I see something scurry by. It’s a dark figure. I see his floppy hair. It looks like mine. “Hello?” I still don't get an answer. I’m cold and scared and I don't know what to do. Until I see it scurry by again. The dark figure. It’s like a shadow. I feel around checking if there is something around me I can grab onto to defend myself from whatever that creature is My head spins with worry and my shirt feels damp with sweat against my back I see him scurry once more before he comes out of the dark and shows his face

Chapter 4 - Shadow

I watch as he flails his arms as if he’s looking for something. I run by him again this time to try to get a better look at his face My heart pounds as I realize I have to confront him to make sure my theory is correct I slowly drag my feet while walking up to him I walk and eventually realize that he is me

Chapter 5 - Me

My eyes widened at the sight of his face (or should I say mine). I can’t tell if this is real or if it’s a dream. His characteristics are the exact same as mine The way his hair flops down, his eyes are shaped thin and snake like just like mine But all of these features are shadows he is a shadow My shadow

Chapter 6 - Shadow

I look deeply into his eyes as he analyzes me just like I am to him. We are identical but he has color on his body, his skin is olive and his dark navy blue cargo pants are colored his baggy green hoodie and his dark blue eyes are a splash to my colorless chamber He has sharp white gleaming teeth (am I his shadow or is he mine, my colorful shadow?)

2 - Shadow

Chapter

7 - Me

I try to grasp the concept of me seeing my own shadow as an actual alternate being, but I can't. “Hi” I say, my heart racing “Hi” he says just like I do I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out My back is cold from the dried sweat I release a big breath and as I do so my shoulders drop with relief. “So where am I?” I ask, trying to break the tension.

Chapter

8 - Shadow

“You’re in the chamber of shadows ” I say trying not to make things more terrifying than they probably are for him “The what?” he says confused I try to comfort him by reassuring that there is nothing to be afraid of, but he’s freaking out.

Chapter

9 - Me

“What do you mean the chamber of shadows! That’s a lie you are a lie!” this isn’t real I need to get out of here!” I squeeze my fists as tight as I can with anger until I do it My fist hits his cheek with a thud but he isn’t the only one who falls to the ground. I feel the same blow on my cheek that I gave him. Then I realize that your shadow is attached to you.

Chapter

10 - Shadow

I sit up dazed with the fact that he did that to me I look over where I see him running towards me He has a bloody nose but he isn’t paying attention to it. I sit there ready for the next blow to come until I realize he isn’t running to hit me again but to help me up. “Here” he says whilst picking me up. He continually apologizes and is trying to tell me that he didn’t know what came over him to do that.

Chapter

11- Me

For hours we talk, trying to understand how this works. If I'm his shadow or if he’s mine. But eventually we fall asleep.

I wake up startled and sit up immediately. I don’t feel well and my head is spinning but I don’t wake him

“I need to get out of here” I tell myself To

JOURNEYOFLOVE(PT.2)

By Georgia Dick '29

“Good morning, your highness,” Clara, my lady in waiting, says. My mind was still entangled in Thomas’s some sort of a ‘kiss’. I kept drifting to his blue eyes and how they made me feel warm, safe, and cherished.

“NO!” I exclaim.

“Yes, your highness. Is there something wrong? Is it the dress? Oh I am so-”

“No. No no. So sorry, I was thinking of something else. Pardon me.”

“Oh, alright then. I will leave you to it.”

This was strange. The clothes Clara had put on the bed were nice and elegant. Usually I wear one of my more comfortable outfits.

“Oh well,” I say to myself, thinking nothing of it. I step out of my room and see Thomas. I shove him to the side and walk past him rolling my eyes. He is nothing other than a piece of trash… that weird tingle comes back to me though. I try to make it go away but it won’t.

As soon as I get to breakfast I see my mom and my dad sitting across from each other, looking at me with a death stare. I don't feel hungry at all.

During breakfast no one breaks the silence other than when one of the maids trips. All the plates fall to the ground. My parents would correct this immediately but they didn’t. Something is off…Why was Thomas here? The silence….

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”

To be continued…

(The last part can be found in Volume 11 Issue 3)

THEKEY

By Victoria Magherini '24

The moon hung heavily in the dark sky, illuminated by the stars which were far too many to count that night. It was tranquil, peaceful, yet the silence whispered a cry in her ear. She lay, perfectly in harmony with the stillness and amity which circled her Her long, unbrushed, bristly hair formed perfect waves which framed her sweet face. Her bare feet dug into the moist soil, as the girl turned over and over to find a comfortable position in which she could finally rest She continued to turn and turn, messing the soil under her, humid and damp, until suddenly she again lay still The moon was watching her from above, gazing intensely at the secret that was soon to be discovered. She reached up attentively, inspecting the soil, in search of the tiny sharp object which seemed to leave a small imprint on the bottom of her foot The gentle warmth of the night suddenly became crisp and bitter, seeping inside of her, through her naked skin The moonlight gently beamed upon the girl's face, as she dug deeply into the soil, urgently in search of the small object. The full moon glistened, allowing the girl to see clearly again, and there it was lying right in front of her, a tiny rusty gold key. The girl examined the object in awe, brushing every corner and edge before holding it tightly close to her chest. She was caught and trapped in the gift of time. Suddenly, a gentle ticking noise seemed to haunt her as she rushed to stand up and hurry towards the foreboding woods Her step was determined as she marched through the dark pine trees towering above, her eyes focused on the pale moon hiding at the end of the path, hanging high above the trees, awaiting what would happen next. The girl's pace became faster and faster as the narrow path grew longer and darker Running, panting through the neverending woods, which cast shadows above her head, the girl suddenly lost sight of the moon while the ticking became louder, ringing in her ears as her trembling hand held up the small delicate key. She shivered as the key slowly dissolved into the air leaving behind small flakes of dust which swirled around her before gently meeting the ground. Her eyes focused on the pale moon which slowly took fire, a pale milky moon turning to flame and sizzle, flickering as small burnt pieces graciously danced in the sky The moon had transformed into a round sphere of fire, a hot glowing ball, glistening, blinding the girl’s sight The day soon dawned, crisp and clear, as the dark sky brightened and the ringing turned into the soft melody of birds humming. The light of dawn seeped into the girl's skin, casting a warm tone and color onto her pale delicate skin The sunlight poured into the shadowy woods, opening the path and clearing away the tall pine trees which seemed to tower over the girl. She carefully stood up, head high and fists clenched, and started walking towards the bright path which had opened up before her She stopped a second to glance one more time at the small imprint under her foot, then she smiled to herself, raised her head up to the bright blue sky, and told herself that it was finally over.

P O L I T I C S

In this section, our writers explore topics relating to politics around the world.

BOATCARRYINGMIGRANTS CRASHESOFFTHECOASTOF CALABRIA

By Olivia Dick '25

Early morning on the 26 of February, a boat carrying around 200 migrants from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Somalia crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey crashed against the rocks of Calabria’s coast.

Bodies of the victims were found on the beach at a seaside resort in the area. The Italian Coast Guard reports 80 people to have survived the crash, one of which was already arrested for human trafficking allegations Jet skis, ships, and helicopters are continuously looking for anywhere up to 30 remaining survivors.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed “deep sorrow” and blamed the crash on traffickers Elected with a partial pledge to stem the flow of immigration, Meloni stated, "It is inhumane to exchange the lives of men, women and children for the price of the 'ticket' they paid in the false perspective of a safe journey " She continued, "The government is committed to preventing departures, and with them the unfolding of these tragedies, and will continue to do so."

The boat crash and subsequent deaths and suffering of 200 migrants off the coast of Calabria has brought attention to immigration

Leaders of Italy and other organizations addressed the situation and what the event means and signals for the future of immigrants.

"Atleast59ofthepassengers drownedatsea,including12 childrenandanewbornbaby."

"Inthewakeofthis unfortunateevent, Meloni’sgovernmenthas tightenedimmigration rescuerulesand simultaneouslyvowedto preventanymigrants fromreachingtheItalian shores."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was “deeply saddened” by the situation, and “the loss of life of innocent migrants is a tragedy.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was “deeply saddened” by the situation and “the loss of life of innocent migrants is a tragedy.”

Former economy minister, Carlo Calenda, has also communicated his views on the situation at hand, explaining that any survivors should be rescued “whatever the cost” but that, “illegal immigration routes must be closed ”

Pope Francis has openly stated that he prayed for the migrants involved in the situation, either dead, missing, or alive “I pray for them For those who are lost, and those who have survived.”

"Leyenaddressedthe necessityoftackling Europeanmigration challenges,andasylum ruleswithintheEU."

THEUNSEENTRAGEDIESIN TURKEYANDSYRIA

By Ezra Pavoncelli '25

The recent earthquakes have afflicted a great deal of suffering in Turkey for the past month, leaving debris scattered across the ground and a high number of victims There are people who face another struggle in addition to the already apparent disaster.

Various ethnic, racial, and religious minorities living within the country face both institutional and interpersonal discrimination and oppression. There is a historical basis for Kurdish people migrating to Turkey and Iran after the fall of the Kurdish and Shi’ite resistance and the 1991 Iraqi uprising against Saddam Hussein There are territorial disputes between Turkey and Kurdistan, so the tensions between these groups of people are already a noticeable issue.

The anti-Syrian and anti-Kurdish discrimination not only lingers but is also endorsed and fueled by Turkey’s Victory Party This is a far-right political party led by Ümit Özdağ, and it is said that he has a map of Turkey in his office illustrating the areas in which there is a Kurdish or Syrian majority He warns the Turkish population of a so-called “Silent Invasion,” believing that these areas of Turkey will align themselves with alternate political parties in the country and cause a civil war.

The case is similar for Syrian refugees in Turkey, though their migration is often due to the Syrian conflict and humanitarian crisis This new influx of immigrants within these countries did not come without prejudices against them In fact, the hate crimes committed against these minorities are increasing. Syrian and Kurdish citizens have even reportedly been denied aid in the wake of the disaster, occurring in early February One man reported that he and other Syrian people seeking aid were escorted out of an emergency shelter operated by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD)

"Thisnewinfluxofimmigrants withinthesecountriesdidnot comewithoutprejudicesagainst them."

"Theanti-Syrianand anti-Kurdish discriminationnotonly lingersbutisalso endorsedandfueledby Turkey’sVictoryParty."

The systematic discrimination also meant that the number of victims in these Kurdish or Syrian majority areas was likely higher than the number reported This misrepresentation is inexcusable The Co-Chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Parvin Bulden, states that the death toll in the majority Kurdish town of Urfa is higher than the reported figure An additional consequence of these decisions that is often overlooked is that minority groups gain an increased distrust of governmental services. This also creates a further saturation of Syrian and Kurdish people within certain areas Furthermore, the aforementioned situation makes it easier for governments to exclude these minoritysaturated areas from various systems that could benefit them In the case of Turkey, it was places like Urfa that suffered the restriction of aid

A disaster like the February earthquakes severely impacts countries like Turkey and Syria, and the rush to provide aid to as many people as possible is a necessity But those services are withheld from people. In times of crisis and suffering, we must put aside our disputes in order to provide appropriate aid to those who need it To be denied access to emergency services and assistance is to be denied a basic right. No human should endure this added pain. When we exclude people from their most fundamental rights, we strip them of their humanity

"Minoritygroupsgainan increaseddistrustof governmentalservices."

"Intimesofcrisisand suffering,wemustput asideourdisputesinorder toprovideappropriateaid tothosewhoneedit."

"Whenweexcludepeople fromtheirmost fundamentalrights,we stripthemoftheir humanity."

THECURRENTINCIVILITYOF AMERICANPOLITICS

By Michael Garfinkel '29

Why are American politics today so uncivil? We have seen outrageous incivility in US politics that seems to only be getting worse This behavior has been increasing especially since 2016, when Donald J. Trump was elected President. Look at what has happened in this year’s State of the Union addresses, for instance. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congresswoman from Georgia, shouted “Liar!” multiple times to President Joe Biden when he mentioned something she didn’t agree with. After Donald Trump finished his State of the Union in 2019, Nancy Pelosi ripped up a copy of his speech while she was right behind him These incidents happened in front of the entire Congress and millions of people watching live on TV.

These are all examples of pure political incivility. This has become a growing pattern in American politics Do we want this incivility to become a standard, not just in politics, but in regular life and in schools as well? This kind of behavior has the power to influence many people in the wrong way.

Incivility is not just in public speeches, though. Someone broke into Nancy Pelosi’s house in October 2022, aiming to attack her, but she wasn’t there, so they attacked her husband instead and badly injured him. And, of course, there was the January 6th insurrection, when rioters were basically destroying the Capitol and trying to hurt people, including Congressmen and Congresswomen, because they refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

It is astonishing just how respectful presidential candidates were to each other in the past when there were debates. When John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon debated in 1960, they treated each other with profound respect They never cut each other off, they always had a calm and professional tone of voice, and they never staged personal attacks against the other person At one point, Nixon said, “Do I disagree with Senator Kennedy? Of course I disagree” And he went on to explain why he disagreed and why he thought his own argument was better.

"Dowewantthis incivilitytobecomea standard,notjustin politics,butinregularlife andinschoolsaswell?"

When you look at the first presidential debate of 2020, in contrast, Donald Trump is constantly directing personal attacks against Joe Biden, interrupting both him and the moderator, and often not making real arguments. By comparison, Kennedy and Nixon respected the fact that each had an argument; they just thought that their own argument was superior to the other’s

In 2008, Republican Senator John McCain showed a great example of respect in politics. When he was running for president against Barack Obama, at a town hall, someone in the audience said they couldn’t trust Obama because he was an “Arab”. In response to that, McCain told the woman, “He is a decent family man that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues” McCain also defended Obama when another person said “Frankly, we’re scared of an Obama presidency”. McCain said back to him “But I have to tell you, I have to tell you, he is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared [of] as President of the United States.” Here, McCain was defending his opponent from personal attacks based on false claims He was separating Obama as a person from his political beliefs With these comments, McCain teaches us a great lesson in respect and truth.

For nearly 20 years, journalists Mark Shields and David Brooks showed a great example of civility in politics in PBS NewsHour shows Every Friday, they had a segment for a part of the show where they would discuss politics. They didn’t agree politically, but they were friendly, civil, and listened to each other They even had a sense of humor Because of their peacefulness and civility, they were able to have a deeper understanding of one another. Shields and Brooks show that you can become friends with people even if you don’t agree on politics

Politicians need to get to know each other and achieve civility so they can form a bond. Because of that bond, they would be less likely to have a huge fight if they disagreed on something Instead, they can have a peaceful disagreement where they get to know and understand each other a lot better. Senators and congressmen and congresswomen need to eat lunch together. If they are friends, not enemies, they will be more willing to listen to one another and work to achieve compromise. When that is the case, politics works a lot better because a lot more gets done. Even into the 1990s, Republicans and Democrats would sit down and have meals together, and that led to them being able to discuss politics peacefully These relationships are truly crucial for a democratic government.

What I find hard to understand is why some politicians think it’s bad to sit down and negotiate with people of the opposite party A lot of them now think this way because they think that their holding onto power is all that matters. However, political power is not just getting everything you want; it is meant to be used for working with and compromising with your opponents and to represent the people. Many American politicians also think that the people in the opposite party are bad because they disagree on certain issues and believe different things However, disagreements are okay in politics and they should be taken for granted. There would be a dictatorship if everyone agreed on everything.

Presidential debates have unfortunately become entertainment shows so people need to reconsider what debates really should be about. Debates are supposed to be discussions about issues that you take a stance on where you are hoping to appeal to the people and dispute your opponent’s stance peacefully. They have great importance because they help some people decide their political views and who they want to vote for They are not meant to make you laugh; they are meant to make you think about what the candidates are saying. Presidential candidates need to go into debates with a planned argument and with respect for their opponent and the moderator The audiences need to listen closely and think about what the candidates are saying.

Getting civility back into American politics will not be the easiest thing to do, but it will be worth it The examples I have used give me hope that American politicians can become respectful to one another once more

"Iftheyarefriends,not enemies,theywillbemore willingtolistentoone anotherandworktoachieve compromise"

"Politicalpowerisnotjust gettingeverythingyouwant; itismeanttobeusedfor workingwithand compromisingwithyour opponentsandtorepresent thepeople"

THEHEART-WRENCHINGTALE OFATRAGEDY:RELIVINGTHE PIVOTALMOMENTS

By Julius Gutbrod '25

It has been over one year since, on February 24 2022, the Russian government declared that they would conduct special military operations in Ukraine to "denazify and demilitarize" the Ukrainian government and safeguard the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, which Russia had recognized as legitimate states three days prior As a result, unnecessary human bloodshed has once again shaken Europe despite its hopes to never experience war again. The conflict, which has been simmering since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, has escalated As of March 5, 2023, it is estimated that upwards of 21 580 thousand civilians have been killed or injured, an estimated 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers are injured or dead, and upwards of 180.000 Russian soldiers have died or are injured And it seems that there is no end in sight This article will cover the timeline of the Russo-Ukrainian war and contain a small analysis of the current state, especially around Bakhmut.

24February-March2022:

On February 24, 2022, Russia declared it would conduct “special military operations” in Ukraine. On the same day, Putin demanded that all Ukrainian forces surrender They would be rewarded with leniency if they complied: “All servicemen of the Ukrainian army who comply with this requirement will be able to freely leave the combat zone and return to their families " "All responsibility for possible bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the ruling regime on the territory of Ukraine.”

What Putin did not expect was for all of Ukraine to defy him and come closer together as a nation than ever before. A symbol of such defiance was the Snake Islands, which were approached by a Russian warship that demanded their surrender The response of the 13 soldiers stationed at the islands was, “Russian warship, go f*** yourself.” This quickly spread not just in Ukraine but around the world; it became a symbol of defiance against the Russian government On the same day, the Anotov airport battle took place, which marked Russia's first major success. However, this came at a cost; Anotov Airport was virtually destroyed, and Russia was unable to use it as a base of operations to drill further into the Ukrainian lines. Quickly, the Russian army started to gain ground in the north, south, and east of the country, with Kherson being besieged and taken on March 2, 2022 In the direction of Kyiv, Russia also made progress, but Ukrainian positions stopped them. Russia shelled Kyiv and sent multiple expeditionary forces inside the city. President Zelensky then armed civilians, asking them to “neutralize” the enemy In total, the Ukrainian military distributed an estimate of 18.000 guns. As fighting continued, the United States offered to exfiltrate President Zelensky; however, Zelensky responded with an iconic phrase: “I need ammunition, not a ride”

"WhatPutindidnotexpectwas forallofUkrainetodefyhimand comeclosertogetherasanation thaneverbefore."

Russia had also started to bomb civilian institutions such as children's hospitals and schools, with one report stating that when artillery fire struck the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, a six-year-old kid was killed and several others were injured.

A kind of foreshadowing for the brutality and atrocities that were going to be committed and are still being committed by Russia during this war. By the end of February, it had become abundantly clear that Russia had failed to encircle Kyiv and quickly bring down the Ukrainian regime The Ukrainian government declared that it would sell war bonds to pay the armed forces, and the Ukrainian parliament declared that the Military Forces of Belarus had joined Russia's invasion and were stationed in Chernihiv Oblast, northeast of Kyiv. The US firmly refuted this, claiming that there is no evidence that Belarus is actively involved in the fighting. Russian bombardments continued for several days, and rockets targeted Kyiv's major television and radio transmitter infrastructure, destroying TV networks. On March 2, they pushed on Horlivka, seizing Makarov. Russia and Ukraine agreed to construct humanitarian

Additionally, the Russian Defense Ministry had announced the establishment of six humanitarian corridors, although the Ukrainian government slammed the announcement as many of the corridors led into Russia itself. Russia had deployed almost all of its forces prior to the invasion, and it had fired over 625 missiles The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported the assassination of Russian Major General Vitaly Gerasimov near Kharkiv, but he was discovered alive when he received the Order of Alexander Nevsky on May 23 Meanwhile, Turkey hosted a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers in Antalya. On the ground, Russian troops had moved west of Kyiv, with a column moving east 40 kilometers away. The Russian military had kidnapped Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of Melitopol, while Maj Gen Andrei Kolesnikov, a top Russian commander, had been reported killed in action. Putin had authorized the deployment of up to 16,000 Middle Eastern volunteers to Ukraine, with the Wagner Group recruiting almost 4,000 Syrians Russian forces used more than 30 missiles to attack the Yavoriv International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, a military facility that the Ukrainian military used for the majority of its NATO drills Moscow also had launched its most western strike since the beginning of the war. During the day, heavy fighting had been reported on multiple fronts, with Ukraine counter-attacking in Kharkiv Oblast and around Mykolaiv The UK Ministry of Defense had stated that Russian forces were attempting to isolate Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine, and the Russian Navy had established an effective blockade around Ukraine's Black Sea coastline Despite the violence and devastation of war there were

The humanitarian corridor arrangement resulted in the evacuation of nearly 125,000 civilians, while Russian and Ukrainian diplomats had reported progress in peace talks On March 26th, Ukraine launched a series of small counterattacks, retaking villages and strategic positions around Kharkiv Meanwhile, the Zelensky government stated that it was willing to accept a neutral, non-nuclear status as part of a peace deal with Russia. However, any agreement would need to be approved in a statewide referendum

Between February 24th and March 2022 the Ukrainians banded together to oppose Russia’s attack and protect their country's sovereignty. Despite being a smaller and weaker country, Ukraine's military put up a fierce fight And Russia, which thought it could topple Ukraine in three days, needed to brace itself for a longer and more protracted conflict.

April2022-September2022:

One of the most gruesome incidents occurred on April 1 when the Bucha Massacre film was uncovered after Russian soldiers had left the city Over 458 bodies were discovered, including nine children under the age of 18. According to local officials, 419 of the 458 people were shot, while 39 appeared to have died naturally The exact death toll remains unknown due to the vast number of mass graves at Bucha. On April 2, the Kyiv offensive failed, and Russian soldiers retreated to Chernobyl. Meanwhile, on April 8, a Russian missile strike on a train station in Kramatorsk resulted in at least 57 deaths and more than 109 wounded. The Russian defense ministry denied the news, calling it a "provocation" and totally incorrect. In the following days, more graves containing dozens of Ukrainian citizens were uncovered in Buzova, and Putin appointed Russian Army General Aleksandr Dvornikov as the new commander of Russia's military action in Ukraine. On April 13, Ukraine sank the Russian cruiser Moskva after two missiles fired at the ship ignited a fire that spread to its ammunition. Russia denies that an accident-caused fire occurred and claims that Ukraine sank the Moskva.

The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and

"Oneofthemostgruesome incidentsoccurredonApril1when theBuchaMassacrefilmwas uncoveredafterRussiansoldiers hadleftthecity.Over458bodies werediscovered,includingnine childrenundertheageof18."

As the conflict continued, casualties on both sides mounted On April 16, Major General Vladimir Petrovich Frolov was reported killed in action, and many Ukrainian personnel were also lost. By this date, over 23,677 people had lost their lives in the conflict. On May 7, Russia allegedly dropped a bomb on a school in the village of Bilohorivka, killing two people and leaving another 60 feared dead. Additionally, a house in the village of Shypilovo was shelled, with 11 people left buried beneath the debris. The siege of Mariupol ended on May 17 after the plant's defenders withstood a weeks-long Russian assault before surrendering in May. Ukrainian forces were evacuated from the Azovstal plant and surrendered to Russian and Donetsk People’s Republic forces, bringing the Siege of Mariupol to a close

In July, the United States announced an aid package of $820 million to help Ukraine. However, on July 3, President Zelensky also accepted the fall of the Luhansk Oblast

Russian forces in the Kharkiv region were shifted to the east bank of the Oskol river, and the Russian Ministry of Defense declared the formal withdrawal of Russian forces from virtually the whole Kharkiv Oblast by late afternoon, alleging that a "operation to limit and transfer troops" was underway

10September-9November2022:

On July 26, Ukraine and Russia agreed to allow grain shipment across the Black Sea, which would help alleviate the worldwide food crisis and bring temporary relief to millions of people. Despite occasional attempts at peace talks, the conflict continued to rage on Putin directed that 137 000 soldiers be called up for deployment in

12 September: Ukraine claimed it had reached the Russia–Ukraine border Zelensky said Ukraine announced on September 12 that its forces had reached the Russian border. According to President Zelensky, the Ukrainian military had reclaimed a significant amount of territory in the south and east, covering 6,000 square kilometers (2,300 square miles), but the BBC was unable to verify these claims. The Russian military was reported to have left Kiselyovka, a town located 15 kilometers outside Kherson, on September 13 The Ukrainian military reported on September 15 that it had advanced by 12 kilometers, reclaimed 500 square kilometers (190 square miles), and taken control of 13 settlements in the Kherson region The United States announced another $600 million aid package for Ukraine on the same day. On September 20, looting and voluntary surrender were both prohibited in Russia Breaking either of these prohibitions during mobilization or martial law was punishable, and refusing to carry out a command or participate in a military operation was also considered illegal. Failure to report for duty or leave without authorization resulted in increased penalties

"OnJuly26,UkraineandRussia agreedtoallowgrainshipment acrosstheBlackSea,whichwould helpalleviatetheworldwidefood crisisandbringtemporaryreliefto millionsofpeople."

Although Kyiv and its Western backers were unwilling to negotiate peace, President Putin stated that Moscow is willing to do so Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, accused the West of inciting the situation in Ukraine rather than settling it. Zelenskyy departed for the United States, his first official journey outside of Russia since the beginning of the war In the face of mounting political pressure, Germany eventually agreed to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 battle tanks, paving the way for the US and other NATO nations to follow suit. Others questioned if the number of tanks was sufficient and whether Ukraine would be able to properly use them on the battlefield. Some hailed the decision as a significant boost to Kyiv's military effort, which might pave the way for additional offensives Russia and Belarus have begun joint exercises, sparking fears that Moscow may use its ally to launch a new ground offensive in the spring. The Russian Military announced that it occupied Soledar, while Ukraine Defense minister Oleksii Reznikov denied that the city had been captured and that the combat was "very difficult." According to senior Ukrainian authorities, roughly 100 Leopard 2 tanks from a dozen different countries are on their way to Ukraine German Chancellor Olaf Scholz decided to provide 14 Leopard 2A6 tanks to Ukraine, while the US plans to send 31 M1 Abrams tanks. These tanks, along with contributions from other countries, will total approximately 88 Leopard tanks These tanks, along with contributions from other countries, will total approximately 88 Leopard tanks. The governments of Australia and France have reached an agreement on Ukraine, with "France and Australia will jointly furnish Ukraine with 155mm ammunition " In

While in Kiev, US Vice President Joseph Biden vowed additional military and financial assistance

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki paid a visit to Kiev to deliver "concrete and measurable evidence of continuing support" as Germanmade Leopard tanks from Warsaw landed. Together with increased sanctions and tariffs on Russia, the US approved $2 billion in aid for Ukraine China has proposed a peace strategy that includes a cease-fire and other initiatives that would lead to direct discussions. Russia announced the formation of the Bohdan Khmelnytsky Brigade, which is mostly composed of Ukrainian POWs, a violation of the Geneva Conventions In March, Ukrainian troops began leaving Bakhmut, and there were reports of a large number of citizens fleeing the city. According to rumors, Rheinmetall, a German business that manufactures military vehicles and munitions, is in talks with the Ukrainian government about establishing a tank plant there. Two Ukrainian pilots are currently in the nation to estimate how long it would take them to learn to operate assault aircraft like the F-16

On September 21, Vladimir Putin announced in a prepared address that partial mobilization would begin immediately. The official decree allowed any citizen to be conscripted, except for those who were too old, sick, or in prison It was reported that anti-war protesters who had been arrested were being conscripted, despite Putin's address specifying that only reservists with military experience would be called According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, 300,000 reserve members would be activated. The Ukrainian Army Forces retook the village of KupianskVuzlovyi in the Kharkiv area on September 27. As of that date, approximately 6% of the Kharkiv region's area remained occupied by Russian forces. Referendum results showed that all of the Russian-occupied areas - Donetsk (99.23% in favor), Luhansk (98.42% in favor), and Kherson (87 05% in favor) favored annexation to Russia

It is necessary to note that none of these referendums were fair and/or under international standards. On September 28, the Ukrainian police documented at least 582 war crimes committed by Russia in the previously occupied Kharkiv Oblast The United States announced a $1.15 billion relief package. Russia admitted on October 1 that it had lost control of Lyman that afternoon. According to Zelensky, the Ukrainian army retook Yampil; a town near Lyman On October 2, a Ukrainian armored onslaught broke Russian lines in the south, capturing many villages near the Dnieper River. This was the largest Ukrainian onslaught in the south since the start of the war Russia declared that its partial mobilization was complete on November 1. On November 9, Ukrainian soldiers seized Snihurivka, while Russian troops reported

Russian forces in the Kharkiv region were shifted to the east bank of the Oskol river, and the Russian Ministry of Defense declared the formal withdrawal of Russian forces from virtually the whole Kharkiv Oblast by late afternoon, alleging that a "operation to limit and transfer troops" was underway.

10November-Present:

In November 2022, the United States announced a $400 million aid package, and Ukraine effectively liberated Kherson.

The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution holding Russia liable for any damage caused by the invasion, and the European Parliament branded Russia as a "state supporter of terrorism," resulting in additional sanctions In December, President Putin announced that the "special military operation" was taking longer than expected. The Russian military reduced Bakhmut to "burned ruins," according to Ukrainian President Zelensky The US aid package was estimated to total $1 8 billion, and the Netherlands pledged to help Ukraine with 2.5 billion euros by 2023.

"TheUnitedNationsGeneral Assemblypassedaresolution holdingRussialiableforany damagecausedbytheinvasion"

Conclusion:

Ukraine's conflict has been ongoing for several years, with no apparent end in sight. Ukraine and the global community have been impacted tremendously Through this conflict, many will and are facing food insecurity, and the quality of life is dramatically plummeting. The ongoing loss of life, relocation of residents, and devastation of infrastructure in Ukraine have produced a sense of panic, grief, and urgency

The conflict has caused enormous human misery and has aggravated Ukraine's already precarious humanitarian situation Furthermore, the ongoing crisis in Ukraine has had far-reaching geopolitical consequences. It has damaged Russia's relations with the West, particularly with the United States and Europe The war has also prompted questions about Russia's aims in the region, as well as its willingness to use military force to achieve its goals. As a result, the crisis in Ukraine has become a major source of friction between the West and Russia, with both accusing the other of aggravating the situation. Because of the gravity of the situation in Ukraine, all parties concerned must maintain diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution

Such a solution would necessitate compromises from all parties involved, which will be difficult to obtain The alternative, though, is more bloodshed, misery, and instability in the region, and that is currently the unfortunate truth. It seems that neither Russia nor Ukraine will back down So all we can expect from this war is what we all hoped would never happen again It seems as though humanity is bound to repeat the mistakes we have previously made, over and over again.

"Theconflicthascaused enormoushumanmiseryandhas aggravatedUkraine'salready precarioushumanitarian situation."

"Theemphasismustbeon decreasingtensions,deescalatingthecrisis,andsecuring along-termpoliticalsettlement thatrespectsUkraine's sovereigntyandterritorial integrity."

THEAMERICANDOLLAR

By Liam Barbieri '25

The US Dollar (USD) has coiled itself tightly around the global economy and is slowly trying to strangle it into submission Officially, it’s the world’s “reserve” currency, as almost all central banks use it for a major part of their transactions and invest large amounts of their equity into the Dollar However, that is merely the tip of the iceberg known as the US Dollar

The dominance of the US Dollar in the currency market initially began in 1914, the exact year when the first dollar was printed At the time, countries would tie their currency to the gold standard, in a measure to stabilize foreign exchange and maintain a relatively uniform price movement. Moreover, due to the British Empire’s vast international influence at the time, the British pound held the throne as a common currency which most nations were comfortable using.

This allowed for the USA to receive an influx of payments from the European powerhouses which allowed its economy to boom during the war, causing it to ascend as the largest economy in the world, surpassing Britain. A similar situation occurred during World War 2, and at that point the USA had amassed a gargantuan gold reserve which became problematic for the rest of the world, as they were not able to return to the previous goldcurrency system Therefore, the Allied powers met in 1944 to formulate a solution where no country would be disadvantaged due to the fragile currency markets. At the conference, it was decided that the best possible solutions would be to use the US Dollar as the world reserve currency as per its coupling with the gold standard, and its prevalent stability.

Nevertheless, during World War 1, Britain, alongside many of its European compatriots, found itself having to borrow money for the first time, and opted to buy the greenback, since the USA was their main supplier of military materials. Furthermore, due to the hefty military costs incurred by the nations, they unbinded their currencies from the gold standard, as to allow for more spending and printing more money without being constrained by the latter.

Subsequently, the USA’s control over the world’s economy only continued to grow, as various agreements between the US and OPEC were signed in 1971 and 1973, which declared that the large majority of oil buying and selling would be quoted in Dollars. This decision gave birth to the petrodollar system, where countries would be forced to pay for imported oil with the dollar, hence allowing the dollar to become even more indispensable for the global economy.

"ThedominanceoftheUS Dollarinthecurrency marketinitiallybeganin 1914,theexactyearwhen thefirstdollarwasprinted"

On a more recent note, the US Dollar has become a wrecking ball in the currency market, as global inflation has caused central banks to hike rates, and the US Dollar became a safe haven for foreign investments which scrambled to buy US Dollars.

Moreover, with the freefall of the British Pound caused by Liz Truss’ policies, the greenback was able to consolidate its hold over the other currencies, which in some cases even forced central banks to intervene in a buy-back operation to save their respective currencies from losing almost all of their value in comparison to the US Dollar The most obvious example is the Nippon Ginkō (Bank of Japan), which had to intervene in the USD:JPY exchange due to the severe lack of confidence in the yen in front of the USD, marking its first intervention in the foreign exchange market since 1998.

Furthermore, the People’s Bank of China has been taking similar measures to stop the yuan from weakening too extensively, as China direly needs to not lose financial ground to the US, especially during such a tense political period, where the USA’s foreign policy in regards to Taiwan and the technology sector has created several rifts in their bilateral relations

As long as the US Dollar remains the world’s reserve currency, the USA will be an unbeatable financial presence, as its influence is so deeply rooted in the global economy that by weeding it out, we would be causing irreparable damage to the financial state of the world Furthermore, no possible substitute for the US Dollar has been found, as other currencies aren’t as stable or liquidated as the dollar, and options such as cryptocurrencies are still much too undeveloped for them to be a viable solution due to their extreme volatility Hence, the US Dollar is going to remain the king of currencies, and no one is going to challenge its throne.

"Globalinflationhas causedcentralbanksto hikerates,andtheUS Dollarbecameasafe havenforforeign investmentswhich scrambledtobuyUS Dollars

S C I E N C E & T E C H

Our writers provide fascinating insight on all things science-related.

CHATGPT:ANEWFRIENDOR ENEMY?

By Alisiya Ermolenko '24

I am sure you are familiar with the following scenario: it is 11 o'clock in the evening, you have been working the entire day, and yet the pile of work seems to be never ending. Your tired eyes are starting to shut and your head is ready to explode. But wait, not all hope is lost. Suddenly, you remember a name you heard a classmate mention in a hushed tone during break: ChatGPT You think, "Well, I might just as well take a look at it. It couldn't hurt, right?" And so you enter the strange and unfamiliar name into the Google search engine Bam There it is: the solution to all your school-related problems Or is it?

As students, we have all at least once or twice fantasised about what life would be like without the constant stress of the hundreds of assignments we have to deal with on a daily basis. And now, OpenAI, the San Francisco startup created by a group of entrepreneurs including Reid Hoffman, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Jessica Livingston, and others, has made that fantasy into reality. However, it would be wrong to say that the software was created solely for aiding lazy students with schoolwork.

According to its creators, ChatGPT is a language-based model that should be used as a foundation to better one's understanding and to create a serviceable artificial intelligence system It provides quick and convenient responses to user queries, is available 24/7, and has access to a vast amount of information. ChatGPT can be personalised to suit the needs of individual users and is consistent in its responses, ensuring accurate and reliable information every time It can be scaled up to handle large volumes of queries, making it a useful tool for businesses and organisations that need to provide support to a large customer base Additionally, ChatGPT can provide a cost-effective way for businesses to provide customer support and reduce the workload of human support agents.

Depending on how familiar you are with the chatbot, it is possible to recognize that the latter paragraph was written by ChatGPT Although machine learning is a complicated process, it is possible to explain it briefly.

"Asstudents,wehaveallatleast onceortwicefantasisedabout whatlifewouldbelikewithout theconstantstressofthe hundredsofassignmentswe havetodealwithonadaily basis."

To put it simply, the emergent AI is trained to predict, connect, and form patterns and relationships between words, also known as tokens, that tend to contain three to four characters. Through programming, it is possible to establish a few rules you want the machine to follow while at the same time building its capacity to form coherent text by training it using a large database. This large database provided by articles, books, pdfs, and other files found on the internet enables ChatGPT to have the capacity to answer a variety of prompts on any given topic

ChatGPT's response is supported by many educators. In fact, it has been known for a while that the International Baccalaureate Programme will formally acknowledge ChatGPT as a candid source in a student's bibliography in an attempt to encourage the "ethical and effective" use of the new advancements in artificial intelligence language models. However, on its website the IB stresses the importance of using such tools responsibly due to their growing popularity and availability.

Even though the aim is to develop a deep learning neural network, it is important to highlight that ChatGPT isn't able to "understand" things the way humans do and that its information isn't necessarily factual because of its algorithm, which simply helps it connect words together using probability from other texts. As shown above, ChatGPT lacks selfawareness to know that due to the fact that its information comes from a wide range of sources, it cannot provide 'accurate and reliable information every time'.

On a related note, if you have happened to play around with it, after a while it is visible how its sentence structure is fairly limited due to most of the sentences starting with the name of the subject you asked it to address. However, in the foreseeable future, ChatGPT will be able to provide better responses with increased practice via reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF) that engineers use to compare the perfect responses.

To see what teachers at ISF thought, a survey was sent out last week to which many have responded with thoughtful and insightful comments Although opinions varied on on the extent to which ChatGPT can be seen as a reliable resource and on whether or not ChatGPT will have a negative impact on the students' education, with the majority agreeing about its harmful aspects, the general consensus was that it is essential to teach students about academic honesty and the ethics of using chatbots to ensure that they are able to think critically and independently It was highlighted quite frequently that for the main IB assignments it is quite difficult to hand in a ChatGPT-written assignment due to the amount of evidence of the progress that the student has to demonstrate Moreover, many teachers pointed out the inability of ChatGPT to provide responses worthy of a 7 according to the IB markscheme creating a sense of hope that this is simply a short-term trend.

All in all, it is important to take responsible decisions regarding the use of such technology and to comprehend its positive and negative repercussions.

"Eventhoughtheaimistodevelop adeeplearningneuralnetwork,it isimportanttohighlightthat ChatGPTisn'tableto"understand" thingsthewayhumansdoand thatitsinformationisn't necessarilyfactualbecauseofits algorithm,whichsimplyhelpsit connectwordstogetherusing probabilityfromothertexts."

C U L T U R E

Our writers provide new takes on anything cultural!

THEIMPORTANCEOFVIDEO GAMES

By Stamatios Alexios Baltos '25

Many people say it's just a game, “It's not going to benefit you It's not going to help you It shouldn't mean anything ” These are the people that have no idea what a video game actually means.

The amount of struggles and hardships that people find themselves in today’s society are impossible to measure, leading to sadness, depression, melancholy, loneliness, and countless others. Video games bring those people joy through various characteristics: The challenge some creators bring to their video games, be it completing a boss fight in “Elden Ring” or building a house in “Minecraft”; this accomplishment brings satisfaction and pride to any player.

A video game means so much to a multitude of people From the moment that when we were kids playing our first video game, whether it be “Pokemon,” “Tetris,” “Pacman,” “Crash Bandicoot,” “Ratchet and Clank,” “Doom,” “Legend of Zelda,” “Super Mario,” and so many more These were the games that established lives as gamers, and these are the games that gave and meant so much to some. Whether it be the soundtrack, the story, the characterisation, the environment, or even the excitement of the game itself Video games bring excitement, joy, happiness, a means of escape, or simply a great impact on an individual.

But accomplishment isn’t always necessarily achieved by a single player. A common form of gameplay today is multiplayer, found in games like, “Call of Duty,” “Overwatch,” “Apex Legends,” etc , in which players communicate and socialize with each other to defeat an enemy, complete a dungeon, or whatever their challenge may be. These interactions could be with complete strangers from around the world or with a friend right beside you, building a sense of community, as well as one of belonging in the player.

"Thesearethepeoplethathave noideawhatavideogame actuallymeans."

The excitement and joy video games give to someone can mean so much more than it seems To some, video games are a form of escapism, a diversion from unpleasant, depressing, or unsatisfying situations in their day-to-day lives. For most, these hardships are, to say the least, tough to face directly, meaning video games are one of their few ways of feeling adventure, excitement, and accomplishment. Immersing themselves, becoming their character, and leaving their real world to take a couple hours rest

Be it yelling the word ‘boy’ in “God of War,” to making absurd and foul statements in a “Call of Duty” lobby; all games bring people emotions of accomplishment, joy, and pride. And for some, these emotions can only be experienced in games due to the person’s necessity for escapism; whose origin of happiness can only be achieved by playing these games.

"Gamesmeanmuchmore topeoplethanmeetsthe eye. "

"Theseinteractionscouldbewith completestrangersfromaround theworldorwithafriendright besideyou,buildingasenseof community,aswellasoneof belongingintheplayer."

THEUNIQUEJAPANESE FESTIVALS

By Ming Hao Dai '25

On Earth there are almost 200 countries Every country has its own population and its own traditions! As one of Earth’s many countries, Japan is an archipelago known for its unique blend of ancient traditions, sushi, manga and animations!

Now let's move on to our unique festivals.

In this 400 year old tradition that takes place on May 5, two sumo wrestler competitors are required to each hold a baby. They then attempt to make the baby cry by putting on scary masks. After successfully making the babies cry, the sumo wrestlers have to raise the baby up in the air as high as they can, so that the blessing granted on the baby can be enhanced and the evil spirits can be warded off! In the end, whichever baby cries first, wins However, if they cry at the same time, the baby with the longest and loudest cry shall win the competition!

The

First is the Naki Sumo Misturi, or The crying baby festival in English As some may already realize, it is related to Sumo wrestlers and crying babies. Even if you do know such a fact, after having understood the bizarreness of this competition, everyone will be shocked!

This festival held on the first Sunday of April, is officially known as The Iron Phallus Festival, or vernacularly known as the “penis festival”. Despite its funny name, this special event was developed from painful roots during the Edo period (1603-1868). During this time, it was thought that working women such as prostitutes and servants prayed at the Kanayama shrine to obtain resistance against misfortunes and diseases, especially for sexually transmitted diseases.

"Japanisanarchipelago knownforitsuniqueblend ofancienttraditions,sushi, mangaandanimations!"

Naki Sumo Misturi 1.

"Inthis400yearold traditionthattakesplace onMay5,twosumo wrestlercompetitorsare requiredtoeachholda baby.Theythenattempt tomakethebabycryby puttingonscarymasks."

2. The Kanamara Matsuri

On the day of the festival, Japanese delicacies such as mochis and lollipops designed in the shape of male and female genitals are sold in food stalls along the shrine As the people buy the specialities, three Mikoshis (sacred religious palanquin) each carrying a giant penis of different appearance (wood, black and iron, or pink) march across the roads, as the main attraction of the day.

In the end, whoever can fling the plastic food on the plate the furthest, wins the contest!

In this contest, the competitors are required to yell out whatever their heart desires For example, a few competitors have once said: “I deserve a job raise!” Using this method, they can easily vent their anger for their job, school, and stress in general

Fun Fact: During the 12th Chabudai-Gaeshi competition, a dark horse called Shinya Chiba, flung the plastic fish a shocking 8.29 meters!

The Chabudai-Gaeshi, also called “Upending the tea table” in English, is a rather recent competition compared to the previous two. First, the competitor has to stand behind a small tea table with a plate and numerous plastic food items on top Then, the competitor accumulates ire in their heart as they wait for the signal from the judge. Just as the judge gives a signal, the competitor is required to yell out what their heart desires and forcefully flip the table! In the end, whoever can fling the plastic food on the plate the furthest, wins the contest!

There are many more bizarre events in Japan. However, I have only mentioned three of hundreds The rest is for you to find out and participate in by yourself in Japan!

"Justasthejudgegivesa signal,thecompetitoris requiredtoyelloutwhat theirheartdesiresand forcefullyflipthetable!"

WHATISNETFLIXDOINGWITH THEIRNEWUPDATES?

By Coco Ferrari Ross '25

At the beginning of 2023, Netflix changed their password sharing conditions. Before this change, most Netflix users shared their account and password with extended family and friends. This meant that multiple people from multiple households could use and log into one Netflix account. This also meant that you rarely had to login to your Netflix account – a feature that made the app popular as it was so convenient and family friendly Netflix went as far as posting a tweet stating that “Love is sharing a password”.

However, as of 2023, Netflix changed their terms and conditions on their login and password sharing Now only immediate family members can use the same account, and they can only do so if they are living in the same household, using the same Wi-Fi. They also made it so that you have to login to your account every month on every device that you use the app on This is confusing as Netflix is usually advertised as a service of convenience and this update quite obviously, is very inconvenient. In fact, when Netflix first came out in 1998, their main selling point was that it was easier to go online and log in than it was to go to a dvd store and rent a movie. This selling point is no longer as effective or true as it has become a lot less convenient to be a monthly user of Netflix

Though logging into your account on every device every month may not sound so drastic, a majority of the Netflix users are of older generations and struggle with technology remembering passwords Netflix is competing in an extremely different environment and field than it was when it first came out. Now there are hundreds of other streaming apps that do not have these policies and are cheaper with possibly better movie selections You could understand why a person who can't remember their password or is struggling to use the app would just swipe to another streaming app such as Hulu or Disney plus

You also have to take into account the fact that many families live in separate households, for example divorced families, college students who do not live at home, and even traveling families These families cannot share the same account because they use different Wi-Fi routers. This means that these families must now pay an additional 6 euro for every account member that does not use the same Wi-Fi or lives in a different household for a “sub account”

"Nowonlyimmediate familymemberscan usethesameaccount, andtheycanonlydoso iftheyarelivinginthe samehousehold,using thesameWi-Fi"

On top of the password sharing, Netflix has also added advertisements prior to viewing certain content. This is strange due to the fact that when Netflix was first introduced, its main concept was that it was unlike regular TV You could choose the content you watch and since you already paid for the films, there were no advertisements. Another reason as to why this was surprising is that Netflix actually increased their membership prices by 1 5 euro on top of the 15 euro monthly payment. Why should netflix membership owners be paying more for adverts?

In most countries, Netflix has gone as far as making it illegal to share passwords Meaning password sharing in many countries such as the UK, United states of America and Italy is a punishable offense

This is also the same with the Netflix original sequel of “Full House” called “Fuller House” that made little profit with viewership falling by 52% from season one to season two in their first month of release, according to Jumpshot. Even though this sequel made very little compared to the original “Full House,” the original series was taken off of Netflix EU This quite obviously has aggravated many Netflix users.

With all of these new policies that Netflix has added, it is not as if the movie and series selection has gotten any better. In fact Netflix has gotten rid of many of their most popular titles such as “Minions” and “Little Women” They have also made Netflix original sequels to TV shows without keeping the original series. Two examples of this would be the recent “That 90s show” which came out January 19th but then removing the original “That 70s show” which had more yearly and monthly views.

Though it is understandable that Netflix would rather keep their originals and take off movies and TV shows due to licensing agreements, it is still confusing as to why a company that makes money off of being comforting and convenient would make so many sudden changes in policies and licensing agreements Netflix is still run by the same person who founded the company in 1997, Reed Hastings. "Whywouldyouuse

This raises the question: Why would you use Netflix if there are other better, cheaper streaming services? And if this is only the supposed beginning, according to the CEO Sed Tarandos, what is going to be next?

"Inmostcountries, Netflixhasgoneasfar asmakingitillegalto sharepasswords."

AWARDSSEASON

By Lyra Pires '25

Once again, the awards season has come between the months of January, February, and March From the most nominated movies to the best artists of the year overall, this article will explore everything you need to know about Awards Season this year!

“Everywhere Everything All at Once” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” won the majority of best picture awards; “Everywhere Everything All at Once” follows the story of a disoriented mother in the multiverse, while “The Banshees of Inisherin” is a historical drama/comedy about life during the Irish Civil war in 1923 in a small isolated villlage

Out of all the major film industry awards, the following movies have been nominated for Best Picture the most: All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Everywhere Everything All at Once, The Fablemans, Tar, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, Babylon, Women Talking, and finally, Elvis

Now on to music!

The Record of the Year award was most commonly awarded to “About Damn Time” by American musician Lizzo Some of the most nominated songs were: “Don't Shut Me Down” by ABBA, “Easy On me” by Adele, and “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé.

Additionally, the Album of the Year award was mostly won by the infamous Harry Styles with “Harry’s House”, along with some nominations for: “Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)” by Mary J. Blige, “In These Silent Days” by Brandi Carlile, and “Music Of The Spheres” by Coldplay.

Furthermore, the Song of the Year was most often awarded to “Just Like That” by Bonnie Rait, with the Best New Artist often going to Samara Joy, and the best solo performance going to Adele, with “Easy On Me.”

And with this we shall close off the Awards season. Until next year!

O P I N I O N

Our writers provide fresh insight on any aspect of culture, politics, or trends!

COLLEENHOOVER’SROMANTICIZATION OFDOMESTICABUSE

By Coco Ferrari-Ross '26

If you’ve been on “BookTok”, a subcommunity on the app TikTok, or walked into your local bookstore recently, you have probably heard or read the name Colleen Hoover. The author of multiple bestselling books such as “It Ends With Us”, “Ugly Love” or “Verity”, who sold more books than the Bible last year, has been facing more criticism than appreciation lately in the media Although her books are usually some of the most recommended throughout America and Europe, readers have been looking harder at what is in front of them

Fans are finally realizing that her books may not just be badly written, they might even be harmful.

It takes a lot of time and patience and releases dopamine a lot slower than scrolling through Instagram. Many people find it difficult to find books that are entertaining and easy to read. You can't expect to pick up Dostoevsky and Kafka and understand everything Hoover’s appeal is that her books are meant to be read by today's generation; they are books that people of today's society enjoy reading Though it is certainly positive that reading is slowly becoming popular again, the books that got us to this point are causes for concern. Firstly, her books send morally wrong and useless messages For example, “It Ends With Us” romanticizes toxic relationships and glorifies an abuser who is charming, magnetic, and “misunderstood” (“It's not his fault his mother didn't love him!”) and it ultimately delivers a decidedly anti-feminist message that we should sympathize with an abuser because he had a “rough” upbringing.

In today's society reading is not a hobby that is very popular, especially amongst young people With social media, video games, movies, TV shows, and other instantly gratifying activities, reading is losing its place as a widelyappreciated form of entertainment.

Yet Hoover claims to be a feminist?

Due to her books being mostly popular during quarantine on TikTok, the main readers of her books are young, impressionable girls. Though she is not necessarily the one to blame for this, she should still recognize the effect that romanticizing abuse has on young people who are starting their first relationships.

"Fansarefinallyrealizing thatherbooksmaynot justbebadlywritten,they mightevenbeharmful."

It blurs the line of consent and confuses dangerous, toxic relationships with healthy ones. Girl meets guy, the guy is an attractive liar and they fall in love, they each have one chapter of trauma that they “process” together then it never resurfaces again.

She uses abuse as a plot and punch line instead of educating readers on real life abuse

"Sheusesabuseasaplot andpunchlineinsteadof educatingreadersonreal lifeabuse."

The range of Hoover’s platform and the age of her readers makes her books fair game for honest critique, and “It Ends With Us” is continually praised.

In addition to the criticisms of her writing, it was revealed around last year that Hoover's son, Levi, was accused of sexually assaulting and raping a 16-year-old girl. According to a statement published to Hoover's Facebook, she claimed that the two had never met even though leaked evidence showed multiple pictures of the girl and Levi together Though this may seem irrelevant to Hoover, her number one best selling book “It Ends With Us”’s main theme is abuse. The victim of the alleged sexual abuse perpetrated by her Hoover's son went to Twitter to say “she aired me and blocked me when I spoke up about it to her”. Despite Hoover claiming she supports victims of abuse and victims of sexual assault this is evidently not true She has no issue glorifying and romanticizing abuse, yet she obviously has issues dealing with those same issues in real life, seeing as she harshly ignored and blocked a victim who was most definitely dealing with a lot of trauma and reached out to her for support Though she may live in denial about what current and real life abuse actually is, the media will not.

lifeabuse."

Hoover’s books should not be so widely appreciated. They should not be the books of the decade If you are a fan of Colleen Hoover, there are so many more books out there that accurately/correctly portray sensitive topics and are more entertaining. Though it may not seem so dangerous, reading is a powerful source of knowledge and understanding Choose to surround yourself with all the perspectives you can.

Problematic characters, plots, messages and writers should not be celebrated.

BOOKREVIEW:THEINVISIBLE LIFEOFADDIELARUEBYV.E. SCHWAB

By Allegra Di Florio '27.

I love to read. Of the many books that I was considering to review, this one is by far my favorite. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a fictional stand alone novel written by V E Schwab, a prolific American author who is known for the books Vicious, Gallant, and The Shades of Magic series.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is set in France in the 1700s and in Boston in 2014 The book is structured in a way that chapters jump between time periods and locations.

She pleads for her freedom and he agrees, giving her immortality as well, with the condition that she give him her soul when she is done with life Little did Addie know that the deal she struck with Luc included two major twists: she is unable to be remembered and she can no longer leave a trace of herself Against Luc’s expectations, Addie endures these circumstances for 300 years, surviving through art. She is the muse for countless artists over time, finding a way to leave her mark through the hole in Luc’s plan. Finally in 2014, Addie meets Henry who is the first person to have ever remembered her other than Luc. When she finally tells Henry her secret, he tells her that he has one too. They develop an important relationship.

The book is structured in a way that chapters jump between time periods and locations. The novel begins in Villon-Sur-Sarthe, France, in the early 1700s with Addie LaRue, the protagonist, being set up to marry a man in her town On her wedding night, she goes against her elderly friend Estelle’s advice, and prays to the gods that answer at night, getting an answer from Luc, who is portrayed as the equivalent of the devil

"Thenovelismainly characterdrivenandthey areallslightlyflawed; thereisn’tthe stereotypicalgoodversus evil,makingV.E.Schwab’s charactersrelatableand interesting."

On top of this, Schwab’s writing style is incredibly poetic and she uses very descriptive words in her novels, creating a magical atmosphere. Another aspect I loved about this book is the artwork exhibited throughout the novel and how it's intertwined with Addie’s story Each piece of art has a picture and a brief description, making it seem like a real piece of art.

I loved this book and would give it five out of five stars. I would definitely recommend it to those who like fiction with some mystical aspects and to those who would enjoy being sucked into a heartbreaking, powerful story This book stands out as one of my favourites for its writing, its story, its characters, and the way it made me feel

I loved this book and would give it five out of five stars I would definitely recommend it to those who like fiction with some mystical aspects and to those who would enjoy being sucked into a heartbreaking, powerful story.

"Inmyopinion,thenovel isalsoacommentaryon thehumanneedtoleavea markandtobe remembered.

"