November 2012 Aspire by Renée Bélec

STANDARDIZED TESTS:

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

Welcome Back to ASP! By Sara Venkatraman The Upper School has reached a new milestone this year in terms of its population, as it is now comprised of 412 students â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the most it has ever had. With this increase in size comes an expansion of the diversity of backgrounds, interests and talents, and the Upper School has a wide range of ways to become involved with the ASP community and take part in the equally diverse array of opportunities that our school offers. Here are some ways you can take full advantage of these opportunities this year:

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DO THEY ACCURATELY PREDICT HOW WELL YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL DO IN COLLEGE?

aspire ALUMNI

FAST FOOD INFILTRATION:

ASP-REPORTER GOES UNDECOVER AS A tRAINEE AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT

ASP PUBLICATIONS | NOVEMBER 2012 | VOLUME 5. ISSUE 1.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

STUDENT LIFE

By Ex-Aspire Editor Paul Le Ster ‘11 and ASP-legend Sietse Goffard ‘11

The Best Years of Your Life Dear Class of 2012, Sietse: Soon, being called to Mr. Green’s office for skipping class will be but a painful memory of the past. In college, your professors will be far more concerned about the book they’re writing, the research they’re doing, or simply engrossed in their lectures that when you stumble in 20 minutes late after two weeks of absences, they won’t bat an eyelid. However, be warned. You will fall behind and find yourself legendarily unprepared at midterms. (Oh yeah, did we mention that your final grade will be composed of 2-3 exams/papers and nothing else?) Welcome to the world of college, where work gets crazy and dorm parties get crazier. Paul: Since when did you become an expert on dorm parties, Soon you’ll enter a vicious spiral of missing Sietse? As you can see, college is a time of extreme change. class, catching up on work, losing more sleep, Who knew Sietse would turn into the party monster he is now? and eventually having to explain everything Anyone else see those incriminating pictures on his facebook? - to an unforgiving professor. It’s true that I jest, I jest. many lectures are recorded, but trust us: getting sick isn’t worth it. Plus, your parents Moving on to university is a big adjustment for everyone. Having won’t be there to monitor your well-being or made it successfully through our first years at college, we want- bring you hot soup in bed. If you stay healthy ed to share a few words of wisdom that we would have appreci- and take care of yourself (including getting ated as graduating seniors. enough rest and eating well), we promise you’ll enjoy college life a whole lot more. Sietse: You’re Already Well Prepared! First, some good news -- being at ASP, you’re already several Paul: Sleep is completely overrated. Cafsteps ahead. The rigorous and demanding AP and IB programs feine isn’t. Doing stuff at night is fun. Pro honestly offer you a terrific head start. Compared to classes like Tip: Don’t pull all-nighters alone. If it comes APUSH and HL English, university courses will seem surprising- to it, pull them with your other procrastinator ly manageable. So don’t stress too much! 100 pages of reading friends. There’s nothing as bonding as going a week? --You’ll have seen it! 3-hour midterms? --Nothing more to get breakfast together at 6:30 am after havthan your typical IB/AP exams! 4,000-word papers?—Just anoth- ing stayed up all night. er extended essay; except in college you’ll have maybe 2 weeks Pro Tip 2: Take afternoon naps with reckless to do it. insouciance. Never again in your life will you be able to. Paul: Take risks. Make bad decisions. Learn from your mistakes. College is an amazing place to try new things, to push Sietse: On Partying. Hmmm. yourself and to make mistakes. Do your best to remain a lawful citizen and try to draw yourself a line. Make use of the buddy Sietse: Practice Memorizing Names. Making system (basically go out with a group of friends and try and stick so many new friends -- in your dorm, at partogether) to keep yourself out of too much trouble. It probably ties, over your first meals in the dining hall -won’t help you understand the finer points behind your course- is one of the most rewarding and exhilarating work, but you’ll learn a lot about life, people, and yourself. experiences of college. Treasure it. Honestly, the random classmates you meet during the first few months often become your closest companions; so be open to others and don’t be afraid to reach out. Try and remember their names, people will be impressed if you can recall them on the first try instead of asking 3 or 4 times. It’s a tough skill to develop, but it definitely pays off. Sietse: Get Enough Sleep. Think you’re busy now? We felt that way too...but wait until college. Between work, social life, and sleep, you can only choose 2. Our advice: don’t compromise on sleep. College is always demanding, and you’ll need your energy to focus in class, participate in extracurricular, and party it up like Snooki. Miss out on sleep, and you’ll fall prey to all sorts of college illnesses.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 | By Lazare Demontille

En la comparant à quelques représentations actuelles de la Comédie Française, cette pièce était plutôt très intéressante. Une chose qui nous a frappée, était les ballets utilises comme intermezzo entre les scènes. Le premier étaient une danse d'Arlequins accompagnée des mandolines derrière un grand drap blanc. Les danseurs était cachés derrière un drap blanc éclairé de face afin qu’on puisse voir les ombres des Arlequins qui grandissaient t et rapetissaient. Ces intermèdes enrichissent la mise en scène visuelle, ils divertissent et introduisent d'autres idées théâtrales dans la pièce. Je recommande à tous les élèves de l'école américaine d’aller voir une pièce à la Comédie Française. C'est un lieu mythique qu'il faut connaître pour apprécier l'histoire du théâtre dans la vie intellectuelle Française. C'est finalement là que l'on écoute les plus grands textes de ce qu'on appelle "la langue de Molière. "

Le dimanche, dix-huit mars, cinq élèves de bilingue 2 ont rejoint leurs professeurs ; Mme Tames, Mme Hoizey et Mme Duclos pour assister à la pièce de théâtre “Le malade imaginaire” mise en scène par Claude Stratz, dans la salle Richelieu du Théâtre Ephémère de la Comédie Française. La pièce était magnifiquement représentée par la troupe de la Comédie française. Ceci étant dit, la pièce avait tout de même ses défauts. Quelquesuns des personnages n'étaient pas représentés comme l’avait décrit Molière dans sa pièce originale. Par exemple, Toinette, la servante malicieuse et provocatrice, n'était pas aussi présente dans la représentation qu'elle ne l'est dans la pièce écrite. Beline, belle-mère d'Angélique et de Louison, femme méchante et vicieuse, n’était pas aussi méchante sur scène que dans la pièce écrite. A part ces deux adaptation du texte original, adaptation tout de même assez grande, la pièce n'a pas été ruinée. Au contraire, elle a pris un caractère plus léger peut-être.

Photo Sources:

Article Sources:

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/856f97e0-d7f011e1-9980-00144feabdc0.html#axzz27VF4RAG6: http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

JUMBLE

ALEX GOFFARD - ASPIRE GAMES

ASP’s

Inspired by Henri Arnold & Mike Argirion Recreated by ALEX GOFFARD

25/09/2012 “ERE THE GOD SNIFFED THE LOG

S OF Y EXISTENCE”

HOW THE BACKWARDS POET WROTE

Directions: Unscramble these jumbles, one letter to each square to form four ordinary words

E O R Y

WS T I

S I U E S

YG N V I

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon

ANSWER:

GAMES

Answers: YORE, WITS, ISSUE, VYING --> IN-VERSE

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

STUDENT LIFE

Paul: Choose your friends carefully. Sietse: Ask Questions. Be curious. Professors might Your friends will become your family. You will eat have big egos, but don’t let that intimidate you; feel with them. You will go to class with them. You will free to challenge what they say. Just when you thought share your victories and your failures with them. In TOK was obsolete, stand up in class and audaciously fact, it is likely that your college experience will be demand, “But professor, how do you know??”. That’ll completely defined by who you hang out with. So make Mr. Reshef proud. When you’re not sure about ask yourself who you want to be, and choose wisely. which classes to take, talk with them. If you don’t know where your lecture hall is, ask for directions. Never feel Sietse: Do activities you love, but don’t be afraid to embarrassed. explore. At ASP people try to do everything, as evidenced by some peoples’ (Sietse) long-winded PAC And as proud alumni and members of the ASP family, announcements about five different clubs at once. In we’re always happy to help you out with college stuff, college, tempting as it is, it’s just not physically pos- too. We love hearing from you, because nothing would sible to get involved in every one of the 400+ student please us more than to pass on our newfound college organizations on campus. Activities like mock trial wisdom. So talk to us. Send us a message. Or call us, and debate are huge time commitments. A cappella maybe. groups sing so much that they could tire out even the most indefatigable. (True story, a cappella audi- Paul: Go to office hours and hang with your profestions at Harvard can last up to 7 hours each night sor. during the first week of tryouts.) Rather than spread- Although many college professors will be obsessed ing yourself too thinly, find a few activities you real- with their research, or just plain boring, there are a ly love and get super involved with them. surprising amount of amazing personalities out there. They can become your mentors, friends, or spirit guides. No, they probably won’t raise your grade, but they might just get you a job. Pro Tip: Don’t date your T.A. Especially if your T.A. is an undergrad with the power to change your grade. That said, don’t be afraid to experiment or push your comfort zone. College is the best time to see what else you might like! Your university years are a wonderful opportunity to explore. Take advantage of it. You’ll learn more about yourself in the process, and you might run into a few surprises along the way.

Paul: Also a few more that require little explanation: Shower. Do your laundry. Don’t waste time watching TV. Get a summer job . GPA does matter - sorry kids. But then again, don’t die. Play Hard, Work hard - in that order. Call me maybe.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

STUDENT LIFE This is our house. This is Paris. This is ASP. This is RebelNation.

A Note From Spirit Liaison Gabe By Gabe Dorit-Kendall Dear fellow Rebels: While certain people spearhead the It is no longer just talk. It is no longer initiative to increase the spirit at school, a forgotten promise made in a Student it takes involvement from every single Government election. It is no longer a one of you to truly achieve the goal. couple good ideas that are brought up, but So when you wake up on a Friday and never acted on. It is no longer enough to there are home games that weekend, all ask people to come to games as the PAC you have to do is put in that tiny extra empties. bit of effort. Throw on that blue shirt for the day. Make plans to meet your This year, ASP has spirit. friends at the game. Toss that bongo drum that has been laying in the corner of your room into your bag. But don’t do this for me. Become spirited for yourself, because it allows you to have fun and do something new. Become spirited for your friend, because I know they would love to see you at their game. Be spirited for the school, because we truly are one big family. In return for your spirit, I can promise you one thing: long after the stands have cleared and the scores have been forgotten, you will look back on those ASP home weekends fondly, glad that you got involved. Spirit is about something much bigger than any game winning goal, buzzer beating basket, or fifth set comeback. Spirit is about supporting those around you, while simultaneously giving yourself an experience you won’t soon forget. Being spirited doesn’t mean you have to be the guy with your body painted screaming your head off from the first row of every game. It can be as simple as wearing a certain color on a Friday, or making a sign for your favorite player. Spirit allows you to have a good time with your friends as you make memories you will still be talking about at your 20th reunion. But most importantly, spirit lets you be part of something big.

A boy with a vision.

Side note to readers: We are releasing this print on the day of Logan’s 18th birthday. So if you see him in the hallway, don’t hesitate to shout out to him, whisper at him or even sing to him. He also accepts late birthday gifts and likes scarves *hint*.

hearing Logan’s name, people mention “reliable”, “funny”, “strong”, “happy”, even “birthday”, “black jeans” and “lemurs” make the occasional remark. So hereby we gift you with the month of October Logan – keep up the good work. Stay golden. Enjoy senior year. Carpe diem etc.

Person of the Month: Logan Hunter By Editors Lily Rivkin and Ana Simen We are commemorating Logan as the person of November because of his outstanding contribution to the ASP community. Congrats Lo! For those of you who don’t know Logan – which is unlikely to be many of you considering he has the entire cafeteria sing for him on EVERY birthday – Logan is a dedicated soccer player (captain to be more precise – but don’t go looking for him on the field because he’s injured), avid scientist (he is into molecular physics – keep your eyes open for his article in our next issue on valence electrons) as well as passionate in lemur studies (plans on studying them in college). This young chap is not just a bystander in our world, but he is a hands-on leader. On varsity soccer in his sophomore year, his team announced him ‘Man of the Match’ after one of his ISSTs games. Evidently, even from an early age onwards, Logan took an important role as a team worker and inspired his teammates. Go Lo! We would also like to commemorate him for his black jeans – no one wears those jeans like you do. But on a more serious note, Logan is a caring and loyal friend. When asked what comes to mind when

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

TIA: Nourishment for the Soul and Our Perceptions

By Alex Nino

There’s a pleasant way of handling business here as well. Those involved always take their work seriously but not themselves. One day as we patiently waited for our archaic car to be fixed for the umpteenth time, a young man strutted up to us with swank I had never seen before. After introducing himself and giving us cool “hip” handshakes, he proceeded to roll out some paintings to try and sell to us. Suddenly, the whole “gangster “ attitude disappeared as he carefully explained the subjects of his works and the various differences in color, style and paint used. The professionalism was both surprising and impressive, except for one lapse when he showed us the “African Woman with Big Butt” masterpiece, which we all found quite amusing. But the friendly nature of doing business with Ghanaians doesn’t stop there. On a separate occasion, we went car shopping and one caught our eye. Luckily, the dealer offered to drive us around so we could see how it handled. We got out onto the road, merged onto a fairly large highway, and put the radio on. Loud. And there we were, some white boys and some African guys, all enjoying a nice ride with some Tupac blasting out of the windows. This is what Martin Luther King Jr. must have been dreaming of. There isn’t adequate enough praise I could give to the way people approach life here. But it wouldn’t matter to them anyway and that demonstrates precisely what I’m trying to explain. As opposed to stressing about the bills and troubles to come, there is an appreciation for the intrinsic value of present life experiences that is unparalleled. On the night we were to arrive at our host home, our car broke down (again). It was midnight and we found ourselves stranded a few kilometers away from our destination. As the car feebly sputtered to a halt I couldn’t help but mutter, “Ugh. Not again.” Simon turned around from the driver’s seat and said with his signature smile, “We are going to have to poosh”. And we did. And Simon laughed the whole way. And as Simon laughed, I started laughing. We pushed the car for two hours before getting to the house, and it might be the most fun I’ve ever had.

Alex Nino tells us of his experiences on an expedition to Ghana this summer

I turned left off the main road and started walking down a small alleyway. Suddenly, I found myself face to face with a boy about 12-years-old. Crouching down in a kung-fu pose he threatened me with an invisible samurai sword. “Ching chang chong!” he exclaimed. I smiled and thought to myself, “Anywhere else in the world and I would find this disturbingly racist.” But then again, T.I.A. Anyone who has been to Africa or seen the movie Blood Diamond would know what I’m talking about. T.I.A. = This Is Africa. As my Ghanaian friend and guide, Simon, laughingly explained to me many times, things have a different, lighter feel to them here. And when you come across those things, that’s what you say. This Is Africa. I’m writing this on the last night of my twoand-a-half weeks here. I wanted to make sure it was all fresh in my mind. When I first arrived, I was determined to blend in and not attract too much attention. I failed. Like a half-white/half-Asian button in a sea of black buttons, I stuck out like a sore thumb. Granted, that’s a terrible simile but I think I got the point across. I learned that there are engrained practices here in Ghana. One of them seems to be that if you go walking anywhere, from the largest boulevard to the smallest alley, there will be a small child there to yell “YAVU GAIBA!”. It actually just means “WHITE PERSON WITH A BLACK BEARD!” I was comforted to know they weren’t angry but I was definitely still confused. “I don’t even have a beard” I asked Simon “so why are they saying that?” I think he knew that this wouldn’t help me understand but he still replied with a big smile “I don’t know. It’s just a thing”. At first I assumed them to be a bit racist, but then I realized it’s not racism, it’s just a knee-jerk reaction. The people here, especially the kids, think of foreigners as pseudo celebrities, a fun bump in their relatively routine life. After calling me “Yavu” (white person) for a few days, the kids in the neighborhood where I stayed actually made an effort to learn my name. They were unsuccessful and I ended up being “Isaac” for the rest of the week but still, it’s the thought that counts.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

DISCOVERY INVESTIGATION By Julie Cumin

During the month of July, an ASPire reporter infiltrated a popular fast-food restaurant. All names have been changed. The locker rooms are tiny, albeit clean and equipped with a sound system blasting Nicki Minaj. With my red polo and polyester pants in hand, I hastily change in order to begin my 11am shift on time. The uniform is not as bad as I anticipated. It is tailored and thankfully does not involve those gaudy caps or visors. In the windowless, stuffy administration office, I am handed a “trainee” name tag, or a plea for customers to be extra-patient and understanding. I am introduced to Leyla, who will be my guiding light for the next 2 days, until I am given the honor of sporting a proper nametag. To say she is a perfectionist would be an understatement. Leyla points out at least 2 or 3 errors with everything I do. Don’t cap off your drink in front of the client. Fries go on the right hand side of the tray. Offer desserts. “Do not think you are merely serving the client. Your goal is to subtly encourage consumption”. The restaurant tries to give its employees incentives to be fast and efficient. Daily challenges, such as selling 20 kids’ menus in one 4-hour shift, are posted on the notice board, with prizes such as iPod shuffles to be won. I do not know if this is what Leyla has her eyes set on, but when we empty our till after 2 hours (a regular procedure to limit losses in case of a stick up) I notice that her gains are about twice as high as anybody else’s. Clearly hers is a system that works. Normal training period lasts 2 weeks, but due to the busiest period of the year approaching, the summer sales, mine lasted 2 days. The touch screen of the till is the source of numerous frustrations by freezing up at least twice every hour usually resulting in embarrassed smiles to the customer. Amongst other irritations, are customers who, after queuing for 15mn, still do not know what they want to order, the manager who treats me like an idiot, using short words and enunciating as much as possible (as a full IB student who speaks three languages, this had me gritting my teeth) or the incredibly serious, yet incredibly absurd questions I get asked that make me wonder if I am being Punk’d: “Is your bacon made of beef?”, “Can I buy one of your uniforms?” and even “Are your fries cold?”. I try to keep a straight face as I run around collecting burgers, fries and drinks. While handling the order, I may occasionally drop a ketchup packet. Anything that falls onto the floor is automatically classified as a loss and thrown away, even canned drinks and cardboard take-out boxes. Hygiene is a serious issue here, especially after an incident last year in which a customer mysteriously died after eating from the chain. Vast quantities of food are therefore wasted due to strict rules on “use by” dates. Fries must be served within 4 minutes after being fried or they are thrown away. Pictures of starving children cross my mind as I shovel perfectly good fries into a trash bag. Despite this slightly depressing experience, I get back to work, always with a smile. One of the greatest things about working in a fast food restaurant is the sense of solidarity between employees. Who, by the way, are not stupid. This stereotype of the jaded, good-for-nothing fast food cashier is greatly unfounded. Sophie, to my right, is in her second year of medical school. Deborah, to my left, is majoring in sociology. The way we treat people who work in less-than-glamorous positions is appalling and you would be shocked to learn what college students put up with in order to get through school. Back to my point though. With any high pressure job, team work is essential and I am pleasantly surprised to find that colleagues will often glance at my screen and bring back part of my order if it is on their way. Likewise, I gladly help them out with English-speaking customers. We exchange looks of sympathy when a customer changes his order three times or returns his “Ocean Salad” saying he was not aware it contained fish (did they think we dipped the salad leaves into sea water?). This support means the world when getting through a tough day and even the guys working at the grill do their best to help us out. One of them, a 50-something Asian man who reminds me of a Kung Fu master with his intense expressions and faster than lightning burger-packaging abilities, is my accomplice. All my burger orders are followed by a “Merci Alain” and a smile, so Alain gradually makes my orders a priority and hands them directly to me so that other people do not take them. No one is insensitive to being treated with respect. The month flies by, with some days bringing laughs (such as the male customer dressed as a woman, complete with makeup, feather boa and high heels, but also sporting a magnificent beard) and others nearly tears (being accused of racism by a customer who did not appreciate standard procedure of screening 50 euro bills to make sure they are real). On my last day, I find it hard to leave these people who have been a part of the important experience that is a first job. As Leyla points out while we eat lunch together for the last time “It’s strange how attached you can get to the person who serves fries next to you”.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

GLOBAL ISSUES

The Urgent Need to Address the Sub-Saharan African Population Explosion OP-ED by Sabrine Keane

Countries with dominant economic power are often seen as those who will determine future progress. This perspective emanates from recent history: Great Britain during the industrial revolution, or the United States during the age of the military industrial complex. Today this premise means that all eyes are on Asia: Will China overtake America? Will India become one of the next super powers? However, in our lifetime, an important group of countries with weak economies may have just as much if not more of an impact on our world: the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. A New York Times article published April 15, 2012 warns that Sub-Saharan Africa, currently 12 percent of the world’s total population, is increasing exponentially and is projected to reach over one third by 2100. This population explosion results from ongoing poverty that, in turn, creates a vicious cycle that is difficult to break. No factors perpetuate this cycle more than the deficit of female education and contraceptives. In addition, the lack of comprehensive health care in sub-Saharan Africa creates high infant mortality, causing families to have numerous children in hopes of assuring a better future through the efforts of those family members who survive childhood. Unfortunately this excessive procreation has the opposite effect. Populations are subject to high unemployment, which in turn leads to continued poverty, corruption, political instability, and high crime rates. In the above article, Dr. Eloundou-Enyegue, a professor of development sociology at Cornell University, eloquently describes the logic behind high birth rates: “When you have a system with a large degree of corruption and inequality, it’s hard not to be playing the lottery because it increases the chances that one child will succeed.”

The resulting population explosion was unimaginable for most of our human existence. According to Worldometers, it took from the beginning of human history until the year 1800 for the world to reach 1 billion in population. By 1930 it had reached 2 billion. In less than another 30 years, it reached 3 billion and only 15 years later, 4 billion. Twelve years later, by 1987, it had risen to 5 billion. From then until today, the world population has exploded to over 7 billion! Yet the rate of future population growth is something we can control. The improvements resulting from more girls being educated and having access to contraception, lead to seemingly small changes in fertility rates that in fact have major differences in population growth. Mr. Guengant, director of research at the Research Institute for Development in Paris, puts this in perspective. He indicates that the UN estimate for the global population stabilizing at 10 billion in the year 2100 is based on projections of an average birthrate of 2.1 children per woman. However, just a 0.5 increase would cause the global population to reach almost 16 billion within our lifetime! The consequences of such uncontrolled population growth would be devastating. Carter Roberts, head of WWF USA, explains that the biggest concern to the environment is not global warming, but the environmental damage associated with feeding increasing populations. Water would become an extremely scarce resource. Schools and universities would become overcrowded, exacerbating the issue of lack of education. Hospitals and health care professionals would be over extended, precisely at a time when the risks of contagious diseases runs so high. Mass migration, as people desperately search for work opportunities, would create extremely dangerous political instability. In this light one sees why, despite the rise of economic power in Asia, the unmitigated rise of poverty-stricken populations in sub-Saharan Africa represents the greatest challenge of our age. There is however, hope. The New York Times indicates: “Elsewhere in the developing world, in Asia and Latin America, fertility rates have fallen sharply in recent generations and now resemble those in the United States - just above two children per woman. That transformation was driven in each country by a mix of educational and employment opportunities for women, access to contraception, urbanization and an evolving middle class.” We share this planet and therefore we must share the burden of addressing Sub-Saharan Africa’s poverty induced population growth.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

GLOBAL ISSUES

Although nationalism can be good within a country, it may also be harmful, causing many major foreign problems leading to wars and discrimination towards members of different national groups. Analyzing World War I, this form of nationalism was a significantly important cause. In the late nineteenth century, countries all over Europe aspired to be on top politically and economically. Germany, one of the many countries, went as far as to say they wanted “their rightful place in the sun”. Their need to be on top and their belief that they deserve all the power is what led all their actions, many of which led to the war. Nationalism usually ends in the exploitation of groups. This is well illustrated in the Holocaust or the Armenian genocide. In conclusion nationalism benefits societies when it is not over done. But that’s the issue, most of the time it is overdone. Nationalism tends to create the existence of opposing forces, those who are “a threat to the nation”. Yet these, whether they are people or concepts, are not really a threat at all but are perceived so because they do not conform. In today’s world many things are considered wrong through the means of nationalism. Although many consider themselves free and equal, certain religions, ethnic groups, nationalities, and gender preferences still seem to be frowned upon. The idea of nationalism also creates issues and confusion in today’s society. An example would be the attack on the US Consulate by a Libyan terrorist group. An automatic response is that Libya attacked the United States. But this is wrong, only a group of people who were Libyan attacked the United States, not the nation itself. Thus, the misunderstanding between nationalists and extremists lead to many conflicts all over the world. Despite the optimism of its origins and its early role in overthrowing some of the most archaically oppressive rulers of the 19th century, nationalism has since evolved into a dangerous and uncontrollable force.

Nationalism in Our World OP-ED by Tamara Ezzat

“Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first” - Charles De Gaulle Nationalism is a political ideal that dominated much of the 19th and 20th centuries. As devotion to the interest or culture of one nation, it certainly has the ability to powerfully unite people. However, in examination of the role it has played in history, we can see that despite its value as a social “glue” nationalism can also be a detriment to a society—causing conflicts, establishing barriers, and crippling international understanding Nationalism ties people from different ideologies and classes. It links our past to our present and gives people an identity, whether it’s ethnic or national identity; it can unite a group of people, enabling them to make political, economic, and social progress. In 1789, nationalism served as a tool to unite the French citizens and start a revolution against the unjust ways of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Through this, France reached freedom, equality, and fraternity. This revolution also influenced other revolutions such as the Latin Revolutions, resulting in the same manner. Presidents by definition are nationalist; they are devoted to protecting their nation no matter what. John F Kennedy’s famous quote encourages nationalism to improve civic pride and development: “Think not what your country can do for you, think what you can do for your country”. Without nationalism, no nation would work toward a better country using freedom and equality. But many people confuse nationalism with patriotism, the pride in one’s state and citizenship. Patriotism is seeing a flag and saying ‘I am proud to be from this country’. Nationalism is seeing the same flag and saying ‘I would do anything for this country’. So to what extent do human beings act this out with positive effect?

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

By Alison Mai

GLOBAL ISSUES

Chicken and Politics- Good Combination?

With the US elections coming up, the subject of gay rights is highly debated. Not only does this topic affect the candidates and the elections, it also affects businesses and firms. Chick-Fil-A, a fast food restaurant in America owned privately by the Cathy family, shared over the summer their opposition to gay marriage. Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-Fil-A, stated ““I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,’”, The WinShape Foundation, also founded by the Cathy family, announced its stand against gay marriage rights by prohibiting same-sex couples on marriage retreats and donating millions of dollars via this organization to groups that oppose same-sex marriage. These statements provoked a huge social reaction. Student organizations from universities throughout the United States signed petitions opposing Chick-Fil-A’s restaurants on campus. The Mayor of Boston did not allow Chick-Fil-A to open restaurants unless they opened up their policies because they don’t want to be affiliated with Chick-Fil-A’s political views. Partnerships, such as the Jim Henson Company, ended their relationships with Chick-Fil-A. Chick-Fil-A maximizes its business by keeping more than half of their restaurants in socially conservative states where they know their views will affect the population but also help their sales.

Despite the negative reactions from more liberal states, Chick-Fil-A still hit record-breaking sales on “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day”. But even with these high sales percentages, studies show that the restaurant’s approval ratings are currently at an all-time low. And all too recently, Chick-Fil-A has been reported to be “re-evaluating” its statements against gay marriage. Chick-Fil-A has confirmed that they have installed protection programs for their gay employees who are subject to discrimination, but still states that they are continuing donations to anti-gay groups. Yet, the statement could have a long-term effect on the business due to its tainting of their reputation. Chick-Fil-A’s statement on their political and religious views have raised many questions on how, or even if, companies should express their views. Many claim that Chick-Fil-A’s decision to associate religion and their business was their right to free speech, while others believe that the restaurant’s mere presence could be insulting to communities due to its public political views. Some opponents argue that states that oppose the business’ attempt to expand and install more restaurants due to its political preferences, are obstructing the business’ freedom of speech and can only say that they are not affiliated with the business or with their views.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 | OP-ED

subjective. One student might do better on the SAT, while another might pass the ACT with flying colors. But do these tests tell you how well you will do in college? Somewhat. They predict your fate in university because they show universities your general scholastic ability, put you under immense amounts of pressure, and are timed similarly to college tests. They aren’t as accurate in regards to what the results say about the students’ personality, study skills, and overall perserverance. For example, if you were to study for an AP biology test, you would have all of the criteria and information to go by, but standardized tests are more general. You could study for months on end and still not do as well as expected. In addition, a recent study shows that the longer your SAT essay is, the higher your chance of getting a better score is. This supports the idea that the SAT doesn’t measure all of your potential. Nontheless, don’t worry too much about standardized tests, they don’t predict your entire future!

OP-ED by Dooby Adeeb

Do Standardized Tests Accurately Predict How Someone Will Do In Univesity? At one point or another, each one of us will have to take a standardized test of some sort, in order to help our chances of getting accepted to the college of our dreams. Whether it be the SAT, SAT 2 or ACT test, we always wonder: what’s the point? What do these tests measure? Does my performance on these tests have any relevence to how I’ll fare in univeristy? The SAT, for example, tests only how well you do on the SAT, with no real indication of how good your raw verbal and math skills are. It helps colleges assess which applicant is a good choice and which applicant isn’t, due to the fact that the SAT has relatively tight time constraints like a university level exam does. However, this test is flawed because it doesn’t reveal anything about the individual’s study habits, and specific knowledge of a subject. The SAT is more or less for students who work fast under pressure rather than students who are accademically smart, yet slow. The ACT on the other hand, asks more straightforward questions than the SAT. Yet, it has even tighter time constraints than the SAT. This makes you ask yourself the question: “Which test is better for me”? The answer to this question is utterly

Far, Far Away By Laura Bishai

Well, it’s not that far. Just a four-hour plane ride. Not too long. Across the Mediterranean. I’m talking about Egypt, by the way.

That’s where I’m from and where I flew from about a month ago. It seems like just yesterday, yet like last year. I’m sure you’re thinking: “Egypt? Oh yeah, camels, pyramids, the Egyptian dance” (which we never do, ever). Someone once asked me if I lived in a pyramid -no comment-, I hope I don’t have to answer that question again. When I think of home, I think of the hot, loud, crowded city of Cairo and my favorite place on Earth, the beaches by the Red Sea. A small town by the name of El Gouna. I’ve been to many beautiful beaches but nothing beats these shores… If you ever have the opportunity to go to Egypt, these beaches are a must-see. Don’t get me wrong, I love Paris so much and France too. There are so many great and interesting things to do and see, but Cairo -and Egypt in general-, is special. My home is laid back and the people are incredibly friendly, wherever you go you are treated like family. It’s far from perfect but each and every person has their place within their community. And sure, things are unstable at the moment and there are problems but every country has some of those. To me, Egypt remains one of the most beautiful places in the world. You’re probably thinking to yourself: “Who cares? It’s your country, obviously you have great things to say about it!” However, to be honest, I am well aware the country I love so much has more flaws than I can count. For example, ASP is like something out of a movie for me. It seems way too good to be true… I used to go the French school in Cairo, so academically the school was great, but the school facilities were nothing compared to the school here. If I was still back home, I wouldn’t be able to write this article, because there’s no such thing as a school newspaper. On the other hand, living in Egypt taught me so much. For instance, I got to visit so many different people who aren’t as fortunate as I am, which taught me to be grateful for what I have. Another thing I’d like to mention in order to conclude; there are so many beautiful things about Egypt that no one knows about, which neither the news about Egypt nor the people talk about enough.

ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 | One of the other central issues surrounding aid today is whether or not, in the case of development, aid is really the most efficient way to help and advance developing nations. In the case of food aid, for example, local farmers are unable to compete with the free food offered by foreign aid organizations. Indeed it would seem that more often than not, aid works to pour money into an issue, rather than to develop the infrastructure to properly address the problem. Sometimes it can be conditional, requiring the closure of local markets and full engagement with that of the donor country. All this does is increase dependence on foreign aid and hamper advancement. All of this is not to say that aid as an entity is a useless tool for big countries to dominate the world—useful aid exists, we just have to be smart at identifying it. In 1970, rich countries of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) agreed at the United Nations to give 0.7% of their GNP (gross national product, now GNI, gross national income) to aid the developing countries. This is not a margin that has been met by any of these countries, but some, such as the USA, have contributed through indi-

GLOBAL ISSUES ASPIRE | NOVEMBER 2012 |

sort of neo-imperialism, instead of all the right ones. It can look nice and altruistic, while stagnating the economic growth of one nation for the betterment of another. One study published in Action Aid showed that in 2004 only 53% of official development assistance funds actually were used as “real aid” while the rest were lost in one way or another. The use of funds declared “aid money” is often tightly regulated, and although this may prevent misuse in some areas, it may also limit its productivity. A 2004 UN study of African economies showed that aid that came “with strings attached” lost between 25-40% of its value, because it limited the ways funds could be used by making the purchase of goods from countries other than the donor a cumbersome and expensive process. Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary General noted to the General Assembly in 2003 that "even taking all subtlety and nuance into account", developing countries were responsible for the sixth and largest ever transfer of funds to "other countries" in 2002, a sum totalling "almost $200 billion". Annan urged the assembly to recognize the flaw in the system, explaining that “funds should be moving from developed countries to developing countries, but these numbers tell us the opposite is happening".

An Exploration of the Role of Aid In the World Today OP-ED by Chandler Sterling

“Aid” as a word has altruistic implications. It brings to mind the idea of sharing to benefit the lives of others, helping those in a worse situation than yours, and working overall to make the world a better place. It exists on the large scale moving from country to country, or from NGOs to whole populations. It also exists on the small scale with branches of larger organizations, such as those popular at ASP. Aid as an idea comes in many shapes and sizes; from food aid, to humanitarian aid, to military aid; it generally exists to help fix a problem, be it development as a whole or a more targeted response to a catastrophe. While there are many instances where these ideas hold true, this is unfortunately not always the case. Indeed, while “aid” as a word may seem unequivocally selfless, there are many situations where we can see other motivations behind its provision, or where we must realize that even though it is given with good intentions, aid can do more harm than good. What we must assess more closely is where aid goes wrong, because despite what we may wish to believe, this is often the case. Aid can be squandered by corrupt officials, misused, or even just get lost. It can be given for all the wrong reasons as a

GLOBAL ISSUES

viduals. Based on estimates in 2002, Americans privately gave at least $34 billion to overseas aid, while the official US foreign aid was at $15 billion. Another positive aspect worth highlighting is the question of humanitarian aid. Humanitarian aid reacts to conflict and natural disasters, and is thus a crucial instrument in bettering today’s world. Through humanitarian aid, we have been able to curtail the damage caused by such events as the earthquake in Japan and Hurricane Katrina in the USA. So, within the global community, is it not safe to say that this type of aid is still hugely important and that it plays a considerable role in our reaction to the less than controllable disasters of today’s world? In conclusion, aid is a quickly evolving issue that cannot be addressed simply. At the end of the day, we do not want the pessimism brought about by the statistics of aid to become a self fulfilling prophesy and result in a complete absence of it. What I would argue that we must try to do instead is look at aid in terms of longevity and immediacy, and try to provide some immediate assistance for a dire situation, while creating programs that will foster autonomy and growth in the years to come.