Wednesday’s Cast Full of Woe: The World Loses Wednesday
Lisa Loring, best known as Wednesday Addams in the 1960s adaptation of ‘The Addams Family’, has died at age 64 – pg. 8
The
Race
One Teen, One Phone, and Seven Arrests
The story of the mobile phones that unlocked a trafficking gang
2023 Edition #9
THE NEWS CANON Monday 6th February
AI
New AI technology is taking over – the AI race is just beginning –
pg. 2
Interest Rates: Will They Ever Stop Rising?
By Siya S
The rate is at its highest level for 14 years.
What are interest rates?
Interest rates tell you how high the cost is for borrowing money, or how high the rewards are for saving.
If you are a borrower, you are required to pay a percentage of charge - essentially the cost of borrowing the money. The higher the interest, the more money you have to pay back.
If you save, the savings rate tells you what percentage of your savings will be paid into your account.
Why are they going up?
The Bank of England is increasing interest rates to tackle higher inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
Because of the Russia-Ukraine war, both countries (which produce oil, gas, wheat etc) have been exporting less. There are less products to buy, so higher inflation. The same thing has happened with China, a big manufacturer, whose exports have been affected by Covid-19.
Why do they matter?
This Thursday, 2nd February, the Bank of England increased interest rates to 4 % for the tenth consecutive time. Unless your interest rates are fixed, this means that the cost of borrowing money will go up.
The Bank of England says up to four million households face a higher monthly mortgage bill this year. Compared with pre-December 2021, average mortgage customers are paying £382 more a month.
To combat inflation, the Bank of England is raising interest rates as people tend to save more and spend less. This means that there will be less demand for products, so inflation will go down.
However, because people will be spending less as there are higher interest rates, this can also put the economy into recession (a period of decline in the economy). So the bank have to maintain a balance between the two
Sources:BBCNews
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By Leila
The AI Race
ChatGPT is a new AI technology which can answer questions and prompts in natural language which sounds just like a human. It really brings the whole idea of an invisible friend to life!
Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022 by OpenAI, many other large companies have given the world an insight into their current AI developments.
On 26th January, Google published explaining that they are developing AI technology which can create new music just from a text description of a song.
This rise of AI has changed the landscape of technology once again. It means that startup companies will also be making their own models alongside big corporations. One startup called StabilityAI has created a model that converts image to text and has become popular. However, due to funding and computer power, big corporations are usually the ones to have the majority of breakthroughs.
The AI race has recently heated up due to the popularity of ChatGPT. Within 5 days of being released to the public, ChatGPT had 1 million users. This made it one of the fastest consumerproduct launches in history. Just last month, Microsoft made a huge investment of $10 billion in OpenAI (creators of ChatGPT).
However, the question is who is currently leading the race?
Expert opinions vary on who is ahead. When it comes to generative AI (AI that can create new content) the biggest battle is between Microsoft and Alphabet (Google’s parent company). Since the launch of ChatGPT (which Microsoft heavily invests in), Google has hinted at the release of their own chatbot. On Thursday, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai announced that “very soon, people will be able to interact directly with our newest, most powerful language model as a companion to Search.” Back in December, Google’s management reportedly issued a “code red” due to the launch and popularity of ChatGPT. [New York Times]. When asked about the AI race Chief AI scientist of Meta, Yann LeCun, stated
“Nobody is ahead of anybody else by more than two to six months”. It looks like the AI race is just getting started.
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Holocaust Memorial Day: Shooting at Synagogue
Warning: this article may contain distressing content for some readers
By Anya
Unfortunately, in recent years it has become almost normal to hear of attacks on the general public that appear to be motivated by religious differences. In the past two weeks, there has been a sharp increase of attacks in Israel, specifically Jerusalem.
On the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the January 27, seven people were killed with three more injured in a shooting outside a synagogue in East Jerusalem in the evening. This part of the city has been the subject of many disputes regarding its status as the capital of Israel, with Palestinians claiming it to be the destined capital of a long anticipated independent Palestinian State. The shooting on Shabbat was conducted by a 21-year-old Palestinian man, whom the police believe worked alone. Local officers described the gunman as a “terrorist”.
He was shot dead by police shortly after opening fire.
The Israeli police arrested forty-two people who had connections to the gunman, including family members, but this was not the only attack the police had to cope with. The following day, on Saturday the 28th of January, shots were fired just outside of Jerusalem’s Old City, injuring two people. The gunman was identified as a 13-yearold Palestinian boy, and his age is a fact of high concern especially due to the nature of his attack resulting in the severe wounding of a father and son. Police say that he has been “neutralised and injured” but failed to make a further comment.
In response to the attacks on Israeli citizens, the far-right National Security Minister, Itamar BenGvir, has stated that he is aiming to introduce new measures to lift restrictions that hinder Israeli citizens carrying guns with them, claiming
“When civilians have guns, they can defend themselves.” At the same time, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has urged civilians “not to take the law into their own hands”.
This pair of shootings comes following the killing of nine Palestinians by Israeli commandos during a raid on the Jenin refugee camp on the 26th. It is said that this raid was the deadliest one that this camp has seen in the past two decades, while the shooting the following day proved to be the deadliest one in the Holy City since 2008. It is clear that both sides in this ongoing dispute have suffered immensely, with 31 Israelis and 190 Palestinians being killed last year alone.
While the consequences in the aftermath of these shootings are still uncertain, if there is anything these two events have indicated it is that there is no respite. The attacks that have taken place in Israel and Palestine from both sides have been ongoing and intense, and unfortunately appear to be the reality of the near future.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, visiting the synagogue where the shooting took place
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Truth or Treason?
Warning: this article may contain distressing content for some readers
By Antara R
From the destruction of major cities to the death and displacement of innocent civilians, the war between Russia and Ukraine has undoubtedly been one of devastation.
Alongside this damage, “Unfortunately, we’ve found there is torture and ill-treatment of prisoners of war happening on both sides,” said Matilda Bogner, who heads the UN team based in Ukraine.
Most recently, a former Russian military officer, Konstantin Yefremov, has accused Russia of torturing Ukrainian prisoners. Behind the Brutality
Mr Yefremov is Russia’s most senior officer to speak out about this to the BBC.
He describes the looting he witnessed, in the city of Melitopol where “soldiers and officers grabbed everything they could. They climbed all over the planes and went through all the buildings.”
He tells the story of a blindfolded Ukrainian prisoner. “The colonel put a pistol to the prisoner's forehead and said, ‘I'm going to count to three and then shoot you in the head.’ He counted and then fired just to the side of his head, on both sides. The colonel started shouting at him. I said: ‘Comrade colonel! He can't hear you; you've deafened him!’”
Many believe that the Kremlin is feeding Russians the false narrative that they are fighting fascists, radical neo-Nazis, and nationalists in order to justify this level of dehumanisation.
A Russian “Traitor”?
Mr Yefremov arrived in Crimea, on February 24th of last year and was involved in clearing mines. When he came to know of the Kremlin’s “special military operation”, he decided he wanted nothing to do with it and tried to resign.
However, it was not nearly as easy as this. He was called a “traitor” and a “coward” by a senior officer and was threatened with 10 years of prison time for desertion. He says he regrets not following through, but he was “afraid of being put in jail”.
So, he remained in the army and witnessed the horrifying, inhumane treatment of Ukrainian prisoners. He says he tried to do whatever little good he could, such as giving prisoners forbidden hot tea and cigarettes and hay so they wouldn’t have to sleep on bare ground.
At the end of May, he wrote a letter of resignation. He was accused of “shirking his duties” and this was described as a “serious breach of discipline”.
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An Apology
Mr Yefremov clarifies that he is anti-war and was not involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea or the violence in Eastern Ukraine. He ended his interview with the BBC with an apology to the Ukrainian people.
“I apologise to the entire Ukrainian nation for coming to their home as an uninvited guest with a weapon in my hands…but I can't forgive myself, so I can't expect them to forgive me.”
Tinder Tracker?
By Kishana
Egypt is a crucial country in the Middle East to the Western allies and receives billions of dollars from the US and EU. The UK trains Egyptian police forces via the UN. So, the real question is, should Egypt receive this support after how it has treated its citizens, notably the LGBTQI Society? Read on to find out more.
All around the world, many countries are adapting their society and laws to include all genders; however, some are doing the exact opposite. In Egypt, homosexuality is highly stigmatised, and those who express themselves in the LGBTQIA+ society can be convicted for breaching laws on public decency” and “abnormal sexual relations.”. Police in Egypt are now using Tinder to find LGBTQIA+ people looking for dates online.
The text below shows a small messaging conversation initiated by the police with their targets.
Police:Haveyousleptwithmenbefore?
Appuser:Yes
Police:Howaboutwemeet?
Appuser:ButIlivewithmumanddad
Like this example, there have been many more examples that are too explicit to publish. This particular app user was arrested after being pressured into meeting with the undercover officer.
So, we arrive at the question: Should Egypt receive support from the West after it has treated its citizens, particularly the LGBTQI+ Society? Only time will tell.
Police:Comeondear,don’tbeshy,wecanmeetinpublicandthengotomyflat
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One Teen, One Phone, and Seven Arrests
by Imani K
Six members of a gang have been jailed for exploiting and trafficking a teenage drug runner. Instead of arresting the child, which is usually the norm in these cases as he is over 12, authorities have decided to pursue investigation of the adults surrounding the case.
What happened?
It started in February 2021, when a 14-year-old boy texted the ‘Main Man’ contact in his phone, asking for a new job. The immediate reply led to the boy getting more work, and a Nokia 105 phone. This brick phone was the first sign that the job wasn’t high-end, or legal for that matter, and by the time he was arrested 2 weeks later for dealing to an undercover cop, he had hundreds of heroin and cocaine wraps, valued at £2500. What the teen didn’t realise at the time was that he was dealing for one of the largest county-line gangs in England, known as TJ Line, and that the ‘Main man’ contact in his phone was Wesley Hankin, a man in his late twenties. Throughout all their exchanges, Hankin was messaging from a prison cell in Dorset.
The boy, unnamed for identity protection, unsurprisingly refused to cooperate when arrested. However, somewhat controversially, the police and prosecutors decided to treat the boy as a victim, rather than a convict. The authorities seized his phones when he refused to talk, and these phones ended up being the most insightful piece of evidence in the case.
What was on the phones?
The phones turned out to be a cornucopia of information for the police.
They first found that the boy, who was living in care, had advertised on social media his availability to be a drug dealer.
Correspondence showed that on the same day that he ran away from his care home, Wesley Hankin messaged him, asking for his services as a dealer. The boy ended up in Wigan, and started living ‘trap-houses’, used for stashing and dealing drugs. When he ran out of drugs to sell, he was sent to Liverpool.
Messages then showed a series of disturbing events over 10 days. Following orders from various adults, including Vicky Bannister who lived in one of the trap-houses, he travelled to Liverpool, Bedford, and back to Liverpool, before being sent to north Wales. He was stationed near Rhys, under orders from TJ Line, and most of these adults seemed to know he was a child.
On 25th February, he was arrested for selling to an undercover officer.
What happened after the arrest?
The boy had been eager to involve himself with Class A drug dealing, and videoed himself living a glorified life, but the police defended their decision to treat him as a victim.
DSI Simon Williams, the police officer in charge of the case, said that “It was more important that we safeguarded him as a victim, and went after those that were profiting from that criminality. We see it as child abuse.”1
As the evidence presented itself, seven gang members admitted to being guilty of drug dealing, and child trafficking and abuse. Three more were convicted later on, including Michael Hill and Vicky Bannister. Wesley Hankin was given a 10-year sentence, but prosecutors couldn’t charge him with child abuse because there was no indication of Hankin knowing he was messaging an underage person.
At the boy’s arrest, police alerted the Home Office that he could bel victim of modern slavery. He was one of 1,729 children that year who were suspected of being exploited by county lines gangs.
DSI Williams says that the boy “will need ongoing safeguarding”, but is receiving the support he needs.
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Wednesday’s Cast Full of Woe: The World Loses Wednesday
By Ilora D
Lisa Loring, best known as Wednesday Addams in the 1960s adaptation of ‘The Addams Family’, has died at age 64
If, like me, you have watched the recent Netflix adaptation of the well-loved “The Addams Family” directed by Tim Burton and entitled “Wednesday”, you have probably heard the phrase “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” Well, that now rings true for the cast of all “The Addams Family” adaptations.
Perhaps, again like me, you also loved the 1991 movie “The Addams Family” and its 1993 sequel “Addams Family Values.” Maybe, this time unlike me, you even enjoyed the 2019 cartoon.
Whatever your opinions are on these adaptations, the truth of the matter is that they could not have been created without the original adaptation of Charles Addams’ New Yorker Cartoons which ran from 1964 to 1966 on ABC, starring Lisa Loring. Her death aged 64 has wrenched the hearts of many who followed in her footsteps.
What happened?
On 28th January 2023 the world lost the original Wednesday Addams. Her daughter Vanessa Foumberg revealed that she died of a stroke caused by high blood pressure. According to a friend, Laurie Jacobson, the actress had been on life support for three days.
“She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands,” Foumberg said.
Lisa’s Life
Originally born Lisa Ann DeCinces, in the Marshall Islands, she started using a stage name at age 3 when she started modelling. As well as her starring role in the Addams family, Loring also appeared in the soap opera “As the World Turns” and the sitcom “The Pruitts of Southampton”. Her work was inspiration for later versions of Wednesday’s character such as Christina Ricci’s portrayal of Wednesday in the “The Addams Family” and its sequel “Addams Family Values”.
Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday Addams in “Wednesday”, the most recent adaptation of “The Addams Family”, told Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show that she “paid homage to Lisa Loring, the first Wednesday Addams” by “doing a little bit of her shuffle that she does.” “Wednesday” is one of the most watched Netflix shows of all time.
Reactions and Responses
Laurie Jacobson said in a Facebook post that “[Lisa] is embedded in the tapestry that is pop culture and in our hearts always as Wednesday Addams”. Christina Ricci shared a post announcing the actress’ death on her Instagram story alongside a ‘broken-heart’ emoji. Jenna Ortega took to her Instagram story, sharing two black and white photos of the actress as a child and wrote “Absolutely devastated. Thank you for everything”. John Astin, who played Gomez Adams is now the only cast member left of the original show.
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Lisa Loring and Ken Weatherwax as Wednesday and Pugsley
Dominic Raab – The Workplace Bully?
By: Dara A
Dominic Raab, the deputy Prime Minister and justice secretary, is facing an in-depth bulling investigation following numerous complaints about his behaviour.
Throughout his time as an MP, Raab has amassed 8 formal complaints about his behaviour, with the earliest dating back his time at the Ministry of Justice in 2017-18. So far, around 24 civil servants are involved in these complaints (The Guardian) and at least three senior civil servants who worked with Raab have given evidence to the inquiry (BBC). Most recently, pro-remain campaigner and leader of the True and Fair party, Gina Miller, came forward and said that Raab “bullied and demeaned” her, calling her “stupid” during an aggressive encounter at the BBC (Independent). Some of the charges that have surfaced include people becoming physically ill before meetings, crying frequently, and, in more than one instance, feeling suicidal as a result of Raab’s alleged behaviour.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, Raab remains confident that he has done nothing wrong, telling the BBC last week that he has “behaved professionally throughout” his career. PM Sunak has chosen to wait for the outcome of the investigation before taking any action, leading to widespread criticism both within and
outside of his party. Some, including Labour leader Keir Starmer, have accused Sunak of appointing Raab to cabinet (the PM’s closest advisors) despite prior knowledge of the allegations against him.
It is highly improbable that Raab survives this scandal, especially considering Sunak’s promise to bring “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level” to the government. However, his likely sacking will probably be a last-ditch attempt from Rishi to protect his image rather than the result of a fruitful investigation.
According to the civil servants’ union (FDA), confidence in the complaints system was practically destroyed when former home secretary Priti Patel kept her job despite being under investigation for bullying. The FDA thinks that some of its members are reluctant to file complaints or provide evidence as a result. Additionally, it is customary for an investigation not to accept testimony from unnamed sources. Some suggest this is a key reason why those who may have been affected by Raab’s behaviour choose to keep quiet instead. If Raab keeps his position and finds out they complained, who knows what he might do?
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Iran Blames Israel for Isfahan Drone Attack
By Aryn L
On Saturday 28th January there was a drone attack on a military facility in the city of Isfahan. Iran’s defense ministry said three drones were used in the attackone was destroyed by air defense systems, and two were caught by “defense traps”. This was said to have caused minor damage and no casualties, though this has not been independently verified.
The Wall Street Journal and New York Times have quoted unnamed “US officials and people familiar with the operation” as saying Israel had carried out the attack. The New York Times said it was the work of the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service.
Israel
Previously, Israel has admitted to carrying out hundreds of strikes against Iranian targets in Syria. Iran does not recognise Israel’s right to exist and has been accused by Israel of attacking Israeli and Jewish targets and people.
In recent years, there have been numerous explosions, fires and cyber-attack on Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein AmirAbdollahian believed the “cowardly” incident was an effort to destabilise the country. This attack comes amidst tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and its aid to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In recent months, Iran has been wracked by inner turmoil caused by the Islamic Republic’s morality policemass nationwide protests began after the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, for allegedly violating strict hijab rules.
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Mahsa Amini
has neither confirmed nor denied if it was behind the attack.
In a letter to the UN secretary general, the Iranian ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani blamed Israel of “an attempt…to launch a terrorist attack against a workshop complex”
Nicola Sturgeon: No Apologies Over Prison Controversies
By Aryn L
This article is a follow up on last week’s, focusing on the case of double rapist Isla Bryson. She was moved from Cornton Vale women’s prison to HMP Edinburgh, which prompted an outcry
On a BBC interview, Sturgeon explained that the government is “acting in a way that is challenging the notion that trans people generally pose threats to women or anybody else.”
At the time, Scottish Conservative MSP Russell Findlay stated, “After much dithering and flipflopping, the SNP (Scottish National Party) government has finally been shamed into doing the right thing”.
On Saturday 28th January, it was reported that Tiffany Scott, another trans woman, was convicted of stalking a 13-year-old-girl and was due to be moved to the female prison estate.
On Sunday 29th January, Justice Secretary Keith Brown announced a “pause” on the relocation
of trans inmates with a history of violence against women, to women’s prisons. A review of the Bryson case is taking place, as well as an ongoing review by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) of its transgender policy.
Nicola Sturgeon stated that her government has nothing to apologise for in its handling of the recent dispute. However, opposition parties say the government’s management of the row has been “botched”, and characterised by “chaos, confusion and U-turns”.
Ms. Sturgeon stressed there were very few transgender prisoners in Scotland, making up only 0.2% of the overall prison population, and that she had confidence in how the SPS was handling the situation.
All quotes are from the BBC.
Sturgeon explained that “it's not so important what gender they are, it's the crimes that they have committed”.
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Isla Bryson
Shell Reports Soaring Profits Amidst a Financial Crisis
By Kavya
$40 billion. $40 billion in profits, the highest in its 115-year history. While the UK faces a cost-of-living crisis, oil and gas giant Shell seems to be in an alternate universe as its annual profits reached a record high, and double of what the company made in 2021.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine saw oil prices considerably increase across the globe. This led to the many European governments, including the British government, introducing a windfall tax - the UK government called it the Energy Profits Levy. In the case of Shell, the windfall tax is imposed upon profits generated from the extraction of oil and gas in the UK.
The price of Brent crude oil hit a peak of $128 a barrel after the outbreak of war in Europe, almost double of its average price of $87 a barrel.
It would be thought that with a tax rate originally set at 25% - now increased to 35% - Shell’s profits would not be at such a high. However, as a firm operating in the North Sea, it is taxed differently to others. Shell has to pay 40% in corporate tax on its profits but can decommission North Sea oil platforms and factor in its losses to reduce the tax it has to pay. Thus, Shell has been able to pay little tax in the UK, if any, and has increased its profits.
Last week, Shell announced that it would pay the UK windfall tax this year. This is the first time the British firm has paid tax in the UK since 2017.
CELEBRITY NEWS:
After ‘soft launching’ his new bf and tweeting a picture of their clasped hands on a private jet, people everywhere are trying to pass their time by researching plane measurements, shoe sizes and people’s birthmarks to try and figure which NFL player Jeffree star is dating.
Kylie Jenner is currently facing backlash for having an ‘Astroworld’ themed joint birthday party for her children. Fans have been calling the decorations used as ‘tasteless’ due to the 10 victims of the fatal crowd crush as Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival.
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Panic in Pakistan: Suicide Bombing in Mosque Kills
101 People
By Rhiya
Peaceful prayers, Perpetual pain.
84% of the global population affiliates with a religious group. No matter what beliefs one holds, all believers are unified by the sense of comfort their religion provides them. Places of worship help to evoke a sense of community and support from everyone who attends. This peace and tranquillity in a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan was shattered by a suicide bombing on Monday 30th January.
101 fatalities. 217 injured.
The attack occurred at approximately 13:30 during afternoon prayers. All peace lost.
The bombing was apparently targeted at policemen praying inside the mosque. Peshawar police chief Muhammad Ijaz Khan told local media that there were between 300 and 400 police officers in the area at the time. This mosque is in the most secure and heavily controlled area of Peshawar, surrounded by police headquarters and intelligence and counter-terrorism bureaus. This attack shook all of Pakistan, as well as the whole world. Not only was this an infringement on the right to practice religion freely and safely, but also targeted policemen carrying out their duty to their country. The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, ‘Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan’.
Critical Conditions
After the devastating blast from the bomb, half of a wall in the mosque caved in, and the entire mosque was filled with bricks and debris, which people desperately clambered over to find their loved ones. Victims were left in excruciating pain with burns from the explosion and broken bones from being hit by rubble. One victim stated that he still cannot hear because of the sound from the blast.
Not The First Time
This is not the first time that a targeted attack on police officers has occurred. The Pakistani Taliban recently ended a ceasefire in November, and violence has been increasing ever since, as they targeted a police station in December killing 33 militants. Last march, another bombing occurred in a Shia Muslim Mosque in Peshawar. When will this end? When will Pakistan be safe? These are the questions that are soaring through the minds of civilians in Pakistan. Nowhere is safe. Police officers have one of the most honourable duties of protecting these civilians from any present danger, yet they themselves are frightened of the danger that awaits them at work.
Common Misconceptions
It is an inaccurate assumption that these attacks are motivated by religion, as the Prime minister himself stated that those behind the attack had ‘nothing to do with Islam’ He went on to say, ‘The entire nation is standing united against the menace of terrorism’. No matter what religion or beliefs people hold, everyone is united by the sense of shock and compassion evoked by this attack. No words can express the horror that has unfolded in Pakistan, and all our prayers are with the families of the victims of this incident
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Warning: this article may contain distressing content for some readers
Teacher Interviews
This week, we asked teachers about their opinions on zodiac signs and astrology
Interviews by Daksha, Ai Yi, Sophia and Vanya
When asking teachers for their star signs, Miss Scourdoullis has been strongly nominated by many teachers to share her opinion. An avid fan of astrology, she is a cancer sun and a Sagittarius rising, with a surprising amount of Gemini thrown in. Miss Scourdoullis loves the way it can unite people in their identities and loves looking at the history of astrology and seeing parallels with the scientific method. ‘The fact that humans were observing systems (the stars) and producing hypotheses (on human behaviour an events) as early as the 3rd millennium BCE is astounding!’
When interviewed on her thoughts about star signs, Ms Brock admitted that, despite horoscopes being rooted in ancient history, she is very sceptical as she believes that zodiac traits are always very generalised. ‘If you look hard enough you will eventually find someone that matches the description’, she said, and declared that the more she looked into it, the more it seems like rubbish. Ms Brock is a Taurus.
‘Guess what I am’, Mr Bryers requested when he was asked. He is in fact a Virgo and believes that its great fun when not taken seriously, but when people are really into it, they can be a bit crazy. Controversially, he believes the Myers-Briggs test is the horoscope of the 21st century, as how can you really categorise people into 16 letters?
Mr James-Williams is a Pisces, and when asked, recommended a passage from Martin Amis about astrology. He appreciates the way that astrology has been developed, in the aestheticization of it but prefers astronomy. To him, astronomy shows us how the universe tells is how we are a part of something enormous, cosmic, and incomprehensible. However, he does think that astrology is a means of making everything about us (‘not that we’re not!’)!
When interviewing Dr Linscott (after a slight confusion on whether the topic was using the stars to determine when to sow crops) he stated that ‘astrology is useful in terms of the terminology it’s created for and the methods its created for astronomy and has provided us with a really good data set in terms of its predicative power. It has genuine predictive power in telling us what season it is, and what time of year it is or where you are. But it stops there, and my theory is that lots of people have seen it is very reliable for those things and then extrapolated beyond that.’ While he did go on to firmly confirm that he does not keep up with horoscopes, when asked his star sign, he very quickly said ‘Sagittarius’ with a lot of pride.
Dr Van Reyk is a Virgo, and does not believe in horoscopes as they are so vague that they could apply to everyone. Despite their vague, general predictions, he finds it interesting that some people do chose to believe in them.
In Mr Dave’s opinion, astronomy and horoscopes are like religion, and that people are entitled to believe whatever they want. He himself does not believe in them and finds it quite surprising how everyone in the world can be summed into 12 personality traits.
Miss Timm is a Sagittarius, but she doesn’t believe in star signs. She, as well as Mr HudsonReeve recommended that we interview Miss Scourdoullis!
‘I think they are a waste of time but I’m an Aries so I’m impulsive and arrogant’
– Dr Aherne, February, 2023
Mr Galton is also a sceptic and does not associate much with his star sign which says that he hates routine.
Here are a few teachers and their star signs:
Mr Galton – Aquarius
Miss Haridas – Aquarius
Dr Aherne – Aries
Miss Timm – Sagittarius
Dr Linscott - Sagittarius
Mr Manivannan – Scorpio
Ms Brock – Taurus
Ms May – Taurus
Mr Dave - Taurus
Dr Van Reyk – Virgo
The Team:
Executive editor and layout editor: Zarah
Head editor: Ai Yi
Head reporter: Dakshka
Head re-searcher: Lana L
Sub editors: Alana, Amber, Antara, Aryn, Dakshka, Dara, Fran, Imani, Karina, Lina, Mahi, Sania, Sophia M, Sophia P
Journalists: Siya S, Kishana, Leila, Anya, Antara, Imani, Ilora, Dara, Aryn, Kavya, Rhiya
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