Tiger Times Volume 48 Issue 3

s e o u l i n t e r nat i o na l s c h o o l

Tiger Times October 2016

VO L U M E X LV I I I

ISSUE 3

TT O N L . O RG

BOYS Varsity TENNIS: @YIS

AISA Champions 15W:9L GIRLS Varsity TENNIS: @YIS

building friendship across court lines

AISA Champions 21W:4L BOYS Varsity Volleyball: @GSIS

by Junie Kah

KAIAC Tournament Champions 2W:0L girls Varsity Volleyball: @apis

KAIAC Tournament Champions 2W:0L On Oct. 13 the tennis and volleyball teams travelled to one of six international schools to participate in the annual Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) tournament. This year, SIS hosted its very own tournament for the varsity boys volleyball team, while other teams travelled to various locations between Busan and Yokohama.

“AISA is a chance for athletes to develop new friendships and also experience inter-cultural unity present throughout other Asian international schools,” said Ivan Atanaskovic, head-coordinator for athletics and activities “However, at the end of the day it is still a competition so students have to try their best and win!”

Looking to win the AISA tournament, the varsity boys and girls tennis team travelled to Yokohama International School (YIS) and returned to Korea on Oct. 17. According to Joshua Kim (12), co-captain of the varsity boys tennis team, the team showed great results for both singles and doubles. Six singles players and three doubles pairs were able to place in the top three. In addition, Cinji Lee (11) and Alex Kim (11) both won first place for their respective singles divisions. With their many wins, the varsity

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Viewpoint

tennis teams defended their tournament win from the previous year.

“Overall, the team did really well this year, bringing the AISA plaque back to SIS,” Joshua said. “Through AISA, each and every one of us improved and showed great skills on court. Being with each other at almost every moment helped us build personal bonds, which allowed our teamwork become even better.”

Likewise, the varsity girls volleyball team went to Busan International Foreign School (BIFS), a new addition to the AISA league. The girls volleyball team started powerfully by winning the first game against Jeju-Korea International School with a set score of 3:2. However, the team lost to Senri Osaka International School (SOIS) by one set point in their second game. The following day the team beat BIFS by two set points but lost two other games against SOIS and Korea International School (KIS), both with a set score of 3:1, and ranked fourth in the entire tournament.

“AISA this year was an unforgettable experience both on and off the court,” said Hannah Kim (10), varsity girls volleyball player. “On court I gained a lot of confidence, and off court I made count-

Commies to Clowns: the Polka Dot Scare

less memories and friendships. Playing lots of games throughout the course of a few days helped me improve not only skill-wise, but also helped me build experiences by playing competitively with various different teams. Most importantly, I was glad to be able to get so much closer with my teammates throughout the trip, which helped me feel more comfortable on court. AISA helped me learn what it is like to be part of a team and to play as a team. While our results did not exactly match our goals, I have no regrets, and I’m really glad and honored to have been part of this tournament.”

Meanwhile, the varsity boys volleyball tournament was hosted at SIS for the first time in two years. According to Nick Yeo (12), captain of the boys varsity tennis team, all matches were intense, and all team members tried their best. The team managed to win the first game against SOIS with a set score of 3:2 and the second game against BIFS with a set score of 3:1. However, the team was unable to place, as they lost with a set score of 3 to 1 at the quarterfinals against KIS. The boys volleyball team also placed fourth overall, losing to YIS by one set point.

Although they were competing against

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Lifestyle

each other, all team members had to host one home-stay student from BIFS, YIS or SOIS off the court, which helped developed bonds between different schools as well as different cultures.

“The homestay system in general serves as a good opportunity to build new relationships,” said Brian Kim (12), varsity boys volleyball player. “Since the SIS community is relatively small, you don’t have many opportunities to develop new friendships. Hosting a home stay member gave me the opportunity to make friends outside of our school community.”

With two days of experience and excitement behind them, athletes returned home on Oct. 16 with memories and newfound international friendships. Although they have achieved much, as they do every year, according to Mr. A, they have many more goals to meet and milestones to reach. All teams have quickly transitioned into their post-tournament regiments and have set their sights on the upcoming KAIAC tournament, which will be hosted on Oct. 29. Until then, the coaches and players of both teams will work together and do their best to hone and perfect their skills.

Highlights from the API Guam Trip

Editorial

The Politics of Politics

By Jaeha Kim and Ariel Lee Co-Editors-in-Chief

“I am a Donald Trump supporter.” Boom. All respect is gone. Within moments, the whole school knows; now you have to embrace your identity as that kid.

While Trump is not exactly the ideal Republican candidate or the epitome of the party’s values, the unfortunate consequences of being a Trump supporter gives insight into the depth of liberalism at SIS. At SIS, we tend to believe we are “liberal.” It’s the “cool” thing to do. So what does being liberal even mean? We tend to associate being liberal with being open-minded, educated, and generally not random racist or chauvinist. Students assume teachers who travel this far out into the East are, you know, not racist or sexist, and that they won’t be against immigration, as they themselves are immigrants. Teachers assume students are pro-taxation, pro-choice, proLGBTQ-rights left-wingers, since Asian Americans tend to be generally liberal. Which is kind of strange if you think about it, because a lot of students are, to be blunt, rich, and rich people tend to support less taxes and all of that. Abortion, LGBTQ rights, and other controversial liberal platforms remain controversial in Korea as well.

But are we actually that liberal? Surveys conducted amongst SIS students have demonstrated that we have a wide distribution of students on a political spectrum. Amongst students enrolled in the Mr. Stanton’s United States History class last year, most students were “moderate” with slight leanings towards either the liberal or conservative perspectives.

Even if SIS students were all very liberal, it would be wrong to assume that they all have the exact same political leanings; although many issues define the liberal party, not all of them are accepted by its supporters.

SIS students may be unaware that they are less liberal than they think. But they may also be unable to express their opinions because of what is perceived as a massive majority supporting the liberal cause.

Anti-gay rights? Boom you’re an intolerant Asian redneck (if that is even a thing). Anti-progressive taxation? Boom you’re just another rich kid paranoid about the government. Anti-women’s rights? Boom you’re the type of guy who’ll ask for sandwiches and insist that women stay in the kitchen. We all want to avoid drama and being socially ostracized—and possibly even academically affected, when you go all right wing on an obviously liberal teacher—so some of us stay quiet or hide in our political closets, possibly even forming a silent majority of sorts.

It is true that teachers and peers can, to a certain extent, be guiding figures in the classroom. However, when it comes to political beliefs, the line between political correctness and absolute instruction must remain clear. Teachers and peers should aim to correct factually incorrect beliefs that peers hold, but they must not aim to further their own political agenda by discriminating against those who believe otherwise. In such a society, debate and discussion would only exist at a superficial level, undermining the very crux of democracy. So the next time you meet a Donald Trump supporter, don’t immediately proceed making judgment calls. Listen to what he has to say, voice your opinion, and quietly walk away (either with a different perspective or absolute disgust).

Let yourself be heard. If you have any responses to articles published in the Tiger Times or original contributions, please send them to tigertimes@gmail.com

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VIEWPOINT

Why we need political correctness, ugly and all

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n the year of police brutality, hate-mongering against Muslims, and general xenophobia, it may seem presumptuous to talk about discrimination against Asian Americans. Even the term seems oxymoronic to whites and blacks locked in raging conflict over more “serious” issues; aren’t Asians happy enough in their Chinatowns and Los Angeles suburbs? To White Americans, we’re the model minority: successful, yes, and therefore quiet. To African Americans, our problems are trivial—at least our stereotypes are “positive,” right? What’s there to complain about? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot.

Jesse Watters’ segment for the O’Reilly Factor on Fox News is a perfect example of this discrimination. In the controversial video, the humorist claims that he wishes to learn what Asians’ political views are and travels to the so authentically Asian community of—Chinatown. This is only the beginning; Watters continues to make Chinese jokes about karate (a Japanese martial art) while in a taekwondo studio (Korean) and referencing Bruce Lee (American). The worst, however, was when he ran down random Asian seniors on the street, put

them on the spot with questions in a language they couldn’t understand, and made fun of them for failing to respond.

“My...interviews are meant to be taken as tongue-in-cheek, and I regret if anyone found offense...,” read Watters’ apology after the inevitable, and righteous, outrage.

In other words: I’m not sorry about doing it, I’m just sorry that you didn’t like it. How can accosting Asian senior citizens on the street and putting them in a spotlight

Often, being “politically correct” is just being correct, no politics involved. The simple difference is that being polite and correct can be annoying. be taken as “tongue-in-cheek” by those who experience this brand of racism daily? This half-hearted apology is the attitude of a person who, frankly, couldn’t care less about whatever “pretentious political correctness” that has limited the freedom he had to offend anybody he wanted to in the past.

Political correctness has been roundly whipped, beaten, and

dragged through the dirt this past year. As an American citizen, I have watched the people who might be my neighbors in the future tell the world that they are tired of being respectful to the different groups of people who (surprise) live in the same country as them. They believe people are too easily offended by everything in today’s society—the problem with that view, however, is that it draws its support from an over-reliance on extreme views.

Most political correctness does not involve middle-class, suburban kids who’ve spent too much time on the Internet protesting ridiculous things. Often, being “politically correct” is just being correct, no politics involved; the simple difference is that being polite and correct can be annoying.

This does not mean in any way that we should go back to the time when painting one’s face black or treating women as sexual objects was acceptable because it was “tongue-in-cheek” fun for those who were never subject to that same disparaging culture. It is far better for some to be annoyed than for others to be discriminated.

By Andrew Ham Junior, Managing Editor

Referendums: Does majority always rule?

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n a society where an ideal government is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, it is evident that democracy is paralleled to freedom and justice. An accurate definition of democracy lies in its use of “majority rule,” where your opinions are ruled by the majority. Misunderstandings of its definition lead to a more relevant issue: Referendums.

A referendum is the vote of a population on a particular issue in order to gain the opinion of the public.

The concept itself is a fundamental of Democracy, the results based on a majority in which every citizen (who participates) has a voice. In a modern republican, representative-democracy, referendums are rare, and citizens usually rely on their representatives.

However, recent national referendums have taken place all over the democratic world from Britain’s “Brexit” to Colombia’s “peace deal.”

Yet each result presented to the voters and the global community outcomes that shocked and dismayed.

Take Brexit, for instance. According to The Telegraph, politicians for UK’s exit from the EU made false comments on the financial benefits of the country’s withdrawal from the union. Although, to be fair, the Brexit’s referendum results have not been corrupted, such false hope for economical progress coupled with blinding optimism bought votes from citizens who were unaware of the real repercussions of their decision.

An emotional factor also played a role in the result of the referendums,

where people of different races, backgrounds, and financial status participated to decide on an issue.

Particularly in the case of Colombia, the fight between the guerilla forces of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government progressed too far for peace to be established. Thus the conflict between the FARC guerillas and the Colombian government continues, and the people of Colombia must deal with the ramifications of the rejection of the peace deal.

Aside from lack of awareness on the issue, some modern political concerns are far too complicated to be solved with a simple yes or no vote. Even the UK and Columbian referendums were far too complicated for a simple, black and white answer through an Athenian direct democracy. Particularly in Thailand, citizens voted for its new constitution, which is against the ideals of democracy,

through the means of a pure democracy. In such a case the results of a referendum can also come into question: even when citizens approve a particular issue, are they approving all of the changes proposed, some, or simply misunderstanding the issue?

Referendums seem to come up every now and then when politicians either lack viable ideas or when they don’t want to take the blame for potential consequences.

But in reality, democracy can only function when citizens are educated and politically active, especially in a referendum. How can this happen when politicians and the media itself are constantly trying to influence people rather than simply inform?

When complex problems are watered down and polarized into either bad or good?

By Andrea Kwon Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times October 2016

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Extended Viewpoint: Are media panic attacks justified? Should the media tone down their frenzy?

In light of the recent “clown attacks,” the counter effective consequences of fear-mongering must be brought to attention.

Cartoon by April Kim

From commies to clowns: The polka-dot scare

By Jeremy Nam

W

atching all the chaos that has ensued in the past couple months, I really thought America’s 2016 could not get any more bizarre. Cue the Killer Clowns: in something straight out of a Batman storyline or a Stephen Hawking reboot, criminals in gaudy clown costumes have started terrorizing the streets of America.

These literal circus freaks have reportedly brandished knives and chainsaws, chased people down streets, lured children into forests––other times they simply stood by the highway and gave people the willies.

Bozo is back in business, and this time he’s sick and sadistic.

Just as initial reports hit the media, news outlets and tabloid magazines pounced on the story faster than you can say “Ronald McDonald,” effectively dispersing news of the machete-wielding maniacs to millions throughout the nation. Suddenly, the once docile crooks and nannies of suburbs were clown-gang hotspots, and the ever-melodramatic America responded radically: parents locked their kids up, students started arming themselves (guns are very anti-clown), and entire schools started shutting down one by one. In the blink of an eye, psychopaths in greasepaint have taken control of our streets, rendering society immobile. Or have they?

Yes and no. Unfortunately for the schadenfreude cynics of society, these

clowns aren’t actually physically harming anyone. Dozens of cases have been reported, and all have been discovered to be either fabricated or perpetrated by prankster teens without malicious intent, making the urban legend more pre-Halloween mischief than serial assault. Of course, the clowns aren’t innocent of charges; after all they are terrorizing quiet suburban neighborhoods with intent to alarm, if not harm. People have the right to be mad, however, right now they’re upset for the wrong reasons.

The reality is far from the myth that the clowns are actively assaulting, molesting, and murdering, especially when that reality involves plastic toys in lieu of actual weapons.

So why is America still unable to free itself from Bozo’s gloved grip? If there hasn’t been a single case to verify the legitimacy of the murderous myth, why are people panicking as if the country were on a one-track road to Clownageddon? Well, either our society is composed entirely of coulrophobics, or––and this is more likely––this is yet another case of overblown fear mongering executed by both the media and society.

All it takes is a few unverified reports of mysterious activity for the to media gleefully morph and regurgitate the terror to the American public, effectively pressing the red button for nationwide panic. The news spreads like wildfire (as revenue for news stations skyrockets proportionally), and soon enough the nation has melted down into a state of panicked delirium. Paranoiacs demand police to investigate into this fantastical phenomenon, and when they re-

Tiger Times Tiger Times exercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation, and world. We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services, is obscene, libelous, or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.

fuse, they take the law into their own hands.

Next thing you know, Joe the local party clown is shot dead while making balloon animals at a birthday party.

That last part isn’t far from the truth.

Vigilante groups in universities all over America have just started going on collective “clown hunts” to locate and bring justice to the Bozos (by brutalizing them).

These groups are beating relatively harmless teenagers within an inch of their life, and proceeding to champion themselves as the justice messiahs. This reaction isn’t just disproportionate to the threat––it’s downright anarchistic. The Joker would be proud.

To be honest, the bloated hysteria used to be comical. No more. It’s a societal shtick that got old a long time ago. It happened with communism, it happened with Ebola, it happened with fake gangs, it continues with Islamophobia; people seem to love to be paranoid about threats that aren’t as prevalent as they think. Ironically, this is why people become so paranoid: the more threats are invisible or hidden from plain sight, like microbes and ideologies tend to be, the more pandemonium is heightened.

Ignorant citizens guzzling down inaccurate news material is tolerable. You want to live your life in constant fear of urban legends with big red noses, that’s fine by me. But as soon as real individuals start to get misjudged, persecuted, and/or harassed based on false pretenses because of an overblown rumor––that’s when the problem truly manifests itself. These rumors perpetuate fear and uneasiness, and suddenly

suspicion starts overtaking the minds of the citizen, making hasty and fear-fueled decisions.

We humans look back and scoff at history, deploring the days of the Spanish Inquisition and McCarthyism with scorn and bewilderment, when fervent accusations is the norm more than ever in today’s world.

The problematic habit of bloated reporting on both the media and citizens’ part is not just an America-exclusive issue in the status quo either, it’s been a norm everywhere for a long time. Seoulites have experienced fear mongering from false media reports and exaggerated gossip almost daily. We all remember the MERS scare that grasped our country not too long ago. News sources labeled the disease a pandemic, yet it never even came close to being one. Even just a few months ago, (false) news of Kim Jong Un’s death swept every Korean household after being released on a fake news website.

Just like any other farcical fad perpetuated by imbeciles, however, in a month or so the whole thing will die down, and this mania will be just one of those things that made 2016 so bizarre. Slowly but surely, Bozo will leave the streets for good, and America will collectively look back to more important issues plaguing their nation–– notably the actual clowns campaigning to be the leader of the nation. That being said, if you are one of the idiots currently loitering the streets scaring people in your knockoff Pennywise costume, don’t be so surprised when someone hits you upside the head with a baseball bat. Or shoots you in the face. This is America, after all.

Tiger Times Staff Paper Editors-In-Chief Jaeha Kim Ariel Lee Website Editors-in-Chief Claire Kim Eric Song Paper Managing Editor Andrew Ham

Website Managing Editor Nicholas Kim Production Editor Grace Lee Graphics Editor Rachel Kang Photo Editor Daniel Shin

Copy Editors Sarah Kim Diana Nakyoung Lee Soomin Chun Alice Lee Graphics Copy-Editor April Kim Layout Artists Joyce Lee Soomin Lee Amy Jungmin Kim

Dawn Kim Yejune Park Graphics Artists Jina Kim Michelle Cho Youngseo Jhe Photographers Ryan Jang Angela Choe

Reporters Junie Kah Michelle Lee Jeremy Nam Marie Park Grace Yang Justin Chang Andrea Kwon Adviser Mr. David Coleman

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NEWS

Ambassadors perform at Bangkok International Choral Festival On Oct. 6, members of the SIS Ambassadors Choir traveled to Thailand to participate in the Bangkok International Choral Festival (BICF) held by the International School of Bangkok (ISB).

Led by choral director Kallina Chin, this excursion was the choir’s first trip in many years.

“The moment Ms. Chin first suggested the trip, I knew that I wanted to go because I had never participated in an international choir festival before,” said Ashley Lee (11), Ambassadors member. “During the festival, the SIS Ambassadors performed for of other schools and also listened to them perform. Through such experiences, I mastered various vocal techniques and built new friendships with people all around the world.”

Nine school choirs, including the SIS Ambassadors, assembled at the choir festival, which was attended by nearly 200 students. The students were also introduced to the Men Ensemble Northwest (MEN), a male a cappella group composed of 14 directors, at the festival. According to Ms. Chin, the opportunity to be directed by MEN allowed the Ambassadors to bolster their previously learned skills and observe what goes into a professional performance.

“The main purpose of this trip was to get [the SIS Ambassadors] outside of their own comfort zone and to be with other singers who enjoy doing what they do at another level,” Ms. Chin said. “We also wanted to bring the fun back to choir, because just simply attending class becomes a little more academic than fun even though we try to make the learning process of music more interesting.”

Traditionally, the SIS music departments have not engaged in many overseas trips, but changes have ensued over the past few years. Last year, the high school band travelled to Hong Kong, collaborating with local schools at the Hong Kong Disney Winter Festival. While some voice concern on the necessity and productivity of such trips, others appreciate the intangible benefits students can gain, as many profess after these trips that they were able to enjoy various opportunities never possible in Korea.

“When we participate in local festivals like the Korea International Music Educators Association (KIMEA) and KAIAC, we are still, for the most part, Korean,” said Michael Ganus, head of music department.

“What is nice [about these trips] is that our students get to associate with students from other countries and have an overall multicultural experience. Several of the schools that came to the choir festival at Bangkok had kids from different countries, so the experience our students had was very different from what they get from local events. We have another trip coming up; auditioned members of the band, strings and orchestra will be traveling to Luxembourg in March. I think that now we have a history of going on trips, which I definitely think is a good thing to get started.”

By Amy Jungmin Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

Railway workers clash with government

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n Sep. 27, members of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU) walked off their jobs in a simultaneously coordinated strike, in opposition to the South Korean government’s adoption of a performancebased payment policy and termination system for public institution employees.

The ongoing national strike, involving over 60,000 workers or 40% of the railway staff and 16 KPTU affiliates, is the longest in a series of strikes by public and financial industry unions against the government’s policy.

The government’s plan to push for a merit-based salary system is called performance-related pay (PRP). PRP is a salary structure that includes rewards for achievement of specific performance targets as opposed to one based on years of service or job qualification. The system that the South Korean government is looking to implement involves a quota system, which makes it mandatory for employers to categorize some employees as low-performers, who will then face possible termination. However, according to the railroad

optimal use of land, labor, and physical and human capital after liberalization,” said Morgan Miller, AP Economics teacher. “However privatization may also hurt consumers and the direct employment of workers.”

Zoom in Korea, a news organization dedicated to reporting on social issues within the Korean peninsula, has stated that striking workers understand the conflict between the government and KPTU as more a struggle against government’s attempt to solve the current recession by protecting business interests through liberalization and privatization of the public sector.

Furthermore, they plan to execute reform of the labor market in order to lower wages, allow more non-regular workers, and

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American businessmen construct the Seoul-Chemulpo Railroad

subcommittee of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) the plan is tied to a larger goal of expanding labor flexibility with the intention of expanding the railway industry from public to private sector.

“It is true that local industries focus on

News Briefs

By Jina Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

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of a high-paid labor aristocracy and the strike as illegal on the grounds that the introduction of the PRP system is not directly related to workers’ conditions and therefore outside the scope of issues that can legally be the subject of industrial action in to Korean law. The government has by c stated they are seeking i h a meaningful ap Kim r G a resolution Jin between the

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638 stations, spanning 3249.6 km

KTX begins service

Government nationalizes railways jobs with relaxed safety conditions. The International Transport Workers’ Federation compared the strikes in South Korea with past examples in Europe, stating the current actions of the South Korean government were a definite preliminary step toward privatization.

“Whenever a government proposes a specific policy, there will always be opposition from groups within the population,” said Michael Silber, world history teacher. “It is up to the government on how they will fulfill the needs of the citizens.”

According to the Korea Herald, the government and conservative media have labeled the striking workers as part

KPTU, but have made contradictory statements against their previous promises. The KPTU on the other hand has kept its preference for a compromise rather than legal action. The KPTU emphasized the goal of the strike stating it is not about getting more pay, but about keeping the public sector in public hands for public interest.

The KPTU will be joined by KPTUmember owner-operator truck drivers on the issue of government deregulation of the trucking transport market. Recently, the Southern Initiative on Globalization and Trade Rights released a statement saying deregulation will drive transport rates down and stimulate fiercer competition between truck drivers, ultimately resulting in practices that threaten public safety. According to the Korea Times, further solidification of labor unions will increase pressure on the South Korean government to halt deregulation practices.

By Michelle Cho Sophomore, Staff Writer

HFH Habitat Day spreads awareness More than 30 years ago, the United Nations designated the first Monday of every October as World Habitat Day. Promoting the idea that everybody is entitled the right to have decent housing, Habitat for Humanity (HFH) volunteers around the world have since built more than 90 homes for families around the world.

This year, the HFH club in SIS continued the promotion of housing rights during World Habitat Day by spreading

awareness through on and off-line campaigning. Members wore special crewnecks to advertise their cause, and passed out wristbands to the school students.

“Unfortunately, many students only had a vague idea of what HFH does. ” Stephanie Koo (11), HFH member, said.

“Therefore, through World Habitat Day, club members aimed to clarify exactly what HFH does apart from our annual fashion show.”

Tiger Times October 2016

5

The More You Know Was “The Wall” really that revolutionary?

With the presidential election just next month, I’d like to revisit Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policy, which is what started his whirlwind candidacy in the first place, and determine how crazy—or not—the Wall was.

I will not offer a rebuttal of Trump’s proposed policy here; instead, I will attempt to show that his ideas are not so extreme when considering the Republican Party’s stance on this issue. To do this, let us go down the checklist, established by the New York Times, one by one.

Build the wall; This isn’t such an alien policy as it seems. Fences or walls, their basic functions are the same, and the Secure Fence Act of 2006 under President Bush’s administration serves as a prime example. Republicans have consistently called for an expansion of this program, even if it has not been effective End the catch and release policy for undocumented immigrants and instead return them to their country of origin;

This is a classic Republican view on undocumented immigrants residing in the US. The catch-and-release policy, in fact, was ended by President Bush in 2006 before President Obama restored it with similar policies.

Have zero tolerance for undocumented immigrants who have committed a crime, and deport them; Admittedly, no candidate has really thought to propose such a policy that is so impractical, but that’s Trump for you.

During the 2016 campaign, Republican candidates eventually endorsed mass deportation measures and began a race to the bottom to be tough on immigrants.

Repeal President Obama’s executive orders that temporarily protected undocumented immigrants from deportation and authorized them to receive work permit; This one’s easy—26 states in 2014 filed lawsuits against the executive branch attempting to obstruct President Obama’s said executive orders. In fact, the Supreme Court got in on the fun and

By Andrew Ham

essentially froze DAPA (Deferred Action for Parental Accountability), one of President Obama’s proposals.

Stop issuing visas to any country where “adequate screening cannot occur” that might endanger national security; This year, Senator Chuck Grassley appealed to the Obama administration to stop issuing immigrant and non-immigrant visas to 23 countries, and the Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans asked that visas be revoked for “Ebola nations.”

Ensure foreign countries take back deported immigrants from the United States; This one’s interesting; both Democrats and Republicans pressured the Obama administration earlier this year to punish countries that refused to take back deported immigrants.

Complete a biometric entry and exit visa tracking system under development “on land, on sea, in the air.”

The biometric entry and exit visa tracking system has technically been the law for decades, signed into the legal

code by President Clinton, although it has not been well-enforced by subsequent presidents.

As you can see, Trump is no revolutionary. Republicans (and Democrats, at times) have been exhorting his policies for years; only when he began his racist rhetoric did these politicians realized the negative publicity they would receive and began painting him as a party outcast.

This is in no way a defense of Trump, but more an indictment of the politicians who somehow believe that they can pretend like he never happened once this election is over. Without renouncing his policies, which they have supported historically, the Republican Party cannot legitimately distance itself from Trump.

Therefore, it seems as if the only discernible difference between Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s immigration policy is racist rhetoric, which is overtly common in Trump’s speeches yet seems to be merely an implied asterisk in the latter’s.

Presidential debates shed light on differences between candidates With the final presidential debate completed, a widely-discussed issue was the amount of controverisal and negative statements made by both candidates, who invested significant time into undermining each other’s positions during the event. Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of State, and Donald Trump, billionaire real-estate developer, endlessly criticized each other on the issues that the moderator, Chris Wallace, brought up. Over the past three confrontations, the two candidates have displayed starkly differing stances on the economic and social policies along with both domestic and foreign affairs.

With 33 years of experience in domestic and international policy trenches, Clinton promised to gradually reform Wall Street, tighten gun laws, expand university scholarships, and change immigration policies. On the other hand, Trump, with no previous experience in politics, proposed to build a wall on the Mexican border to prevent illegal immigration, impose potentially large tariffs on goods from Mexico and China, and enact large tax cuts in order to “make America great again.”

“Compared to Clinton’s methodical manner of approaching sensitive topics such as illegal immigration, Trump’s response to

questions asked in the presidential debates were extremely impractical and unspecific,” said Sophia Song (11), MUN delegate.

“Specifically, while Clinton outlined the exact steps she is going to take in order to simplify the immigration process for illegal immigrants, Trump simply said that he is going to build a wall between the US and Mexico, which is impossible to carry out and would essentially turn out to be useless. Such exaggerated claims from Trump made the presidential debates sound like a reality television show meant to further Clinton’s cause, rather than the usual presidential debates, which feature two qualified presidential candidates discussing controversial issues.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Clinton and Trump also held contrasting viewpoints von several issues regarding international affairs. While Clinton continues to describe the relationship between the US and Russia as “complicated” due to heightened tensions that formed when Russian hackers penetrated networks of the highest levels of the US government, Trump considers President Putin as a “good friend,” suggesting that the US needs President Putin’s help to ease tensions in Syria.

The two candidates also clash when dealing

“Goat man” wins Ig Nobel Prize Tom Thwaites won this year’s Ig Biology Nobel Prize, an awards system established in 1991 as a parody of the official Nobel prizes. Goat Man, as Thwaites is nicknamed, wore custom prosthetics that enabled him to walk on four legs amongst a herd of goats, wore a helmet for butting heads, and even grazed on grass. According to the BBC, Thwaites initially undertook this project to escape the stress of living in contemporary

society but slowly became engaged in his newfound passion.

“When I saw the video of Goat Man grazing on the grass, I was initially shocked,” Mimi Yoo (12) said. “I felt as though his action was an extreme manifestation of his curiosity on the behavior of goats. Because this is an undertaking not many would ever consider doing, the Goat Man truly exemplifies the spirit of exploration in science.”

with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as Clinton believes that the US should continue to work with NATO in terms of going against Russian aggression, while Trump threatened to make the US leave the alliance if NATO does not shift its attention away from Russian deterrence.

“Of course, Clinton has done a better job of explaining the policies she supports during the presidential debates when compared to Trump,” said Andrew Kim (12), MUN chair. “However, at the same time, Clinton, who is most likely to become the next US president, should have provided a more detailed foreign policy on the situation in the Middle East that goes beyond some abstract multilateral approach and offer an actual way to alleviate the situation for suffering people in Syria, Iraq, and nearby regions by bringing lasting regional stability and prosperity.”

According to the New York Times, the past three presidential debates have convinced Americans to favor Clinton by 91 percent and have decreased Trump’s probability of winning the election to a mere 9 percent.

By Alice Lee Junior, Copy-Editor

Hillary Clinton

VS

Donald Trump

26 Sept.

“I’m going to be blamed for everything that’s ever happened.”

Hofstra University “Look, she doesn’t have the stamina.”

9 Oct.

Washington University

“I respect his children... able and devoted.”

Graphic by Grace Lee

“She doesn’t give up.

I respect that.”

19 Oct.

University of Nevada

GIN hosts annual Halloween Carnival On Oct. 21, Global Issues Network (GIN) hosted the annual afterschool Halloween Carnival. One main attraction was the “apple bobbing” booth, in which students dunked their face into a bucket filled with water in an attempt to bite the apples inside. GIN has collaborated on this project with other clubs such as Aperture, National Honour Society, D$Q , and Bluenote in order to create an immersive, exciting experience for

students of all grade levels.

“This year’s carnival was different from last year’s because now we had a live performance by D$Q , along with live jazz music played by Bluenote,” Yoobin Lee (10), GIN member, said. “Not only that, but we also changed up the theme for the haunted house, so that students were attracted to come back to the haunted house even if they attended last year’s carnival.”

Room For Debate: what are the repercussions of inaction on climate change?

Layout by Amy Jungmin Kim

The Real Reason for inaction on climate change

By Ryan Jang

W

e have all heard the facts numerous times, and continue to hear them in our lives. Sea levels will rise four feet by the end of the century, 35 percent of all animal species will go extinct, and global temperatures will rise exponentially.

All of these effects are a result of climate change—specifically, that of global warming. Despite the seemingly convincing evidence, nothing seems to be changing in our approach to saving the environment.

It is true that some alterations have been made in an attempt to reduce human impact on the Earth’s environment. However, according to The Guardian, it seems that many of these changes are superficial. Undeterred by countless scientific studies proving otherwise, many continue to believe that the effects of climate change are illogical and illegitimate. But why is it that our governments, which should know better, have not done enough to mitigate the impacts of climate change? After digging deeper, there are two reasons why: one, voting blocs determine politicians’ actions in office; and two, the reverse action determines voters’ beliefs.

In order to become elected democratically as a leader in the 21st century, a candidate needs to garner votes. Consequently, many office-seekers appeal to their patrons—that is, candidates say what their patrons want to hear. The thing is, the average blue collar, middle class worker’s best interest is to disregard climate change even if they may believe it is the reality. According to Scientific American, the reason is because new forms of electricity and climate conservation methods eliminate many of the jobs these people possess; if serious action against climate change is taken, a majority of blue collar occupations are at risk of being cast aside. Accordingly, in order to secure the necessary votes, candidates adopt viewpoints parallel to those of their congregation. The result? Nothing is done about climate change, because people place themselves—and their situation in the present—above anything else.

According to the Scientific American, the flipped side of the issue stems from politicians and politics influencing voters’ beliefs. Instead of using science to inform their views, a significant number of people allow political orientation and ideology to sway their opinions regarding

the effects of climate change. Although most Americans believe in the importance of science and scientists, when it comes to climate change a significant number of people dismiss hard facts and believe what they are told by many politicians: climate change is a hoax. As a result, in 2014, compared to the 77 percent of scientists who thought climate change is a serious problem, only 33 percent of the general American public held the same view. Although this discrepancy could be interpreted as a failure of scientists to communicate effectively with the public, it is also an effect of efforts by nonrenewable energy industries and politicians to push for inaction on climate change for their own interests.

According to the scientific community, unless we act in the next few years, humanity will reach a point of no return—and maybe we’re already too late. Despite this, various politicians are adamant about inaction. Consequently, a significant minority of the public, influenced by these leaders, spurn the effects of climate change, and in this way a vicious cycle where politicians and their constituents build on existing scientific ignorance is created.

The Present and future consequences of climate change

By MARIE PARK

B

y now, the dangers of global warming are widespread enough that scientists are not the only ones worried; the global phenomenon has been and continues to be an increasingly controversial and popular topic of discussion. The number of scientific reports showing the rise in temperatures, cases of extreme weather, and sea levels is increasing, demonstrating the undeniable existence of climate change and global warming.

Although multiple factors can cause global temperatures to rise, the extent of global warming that the Earth is experiencing right now can be mainly attributed to one phenomenon: greenhouse gas emissions done by humans.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (an international body established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program) in its Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history” and “since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia.” The IPCC also named anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions due to economic and population growth “extremely likely” as the main force behind causing climate change.

Climate change is very real, and human actions are the reason it is occurring. Additionally, it is not a subject of

theoretical discussion or a problem looming in the distant future: climate change is happening now, and the environment is already greatly affected by it.

One of the many alarming consequences of global warming is the melting of polar ice caps, and, in turn, the rising of sea levels. The 2014 National Climate Assessment (NCA) reported that “minimum Arctic sea extent has decreased by more than 40%” from 2.59 million square miles to 1.32 million square miles. This phenomenon affects not only the Alaska native coastal communities and many marine mammals in the immediate Arctic area that depend on sea ice, but also the many countries that may be submerged in the near future, such as the Maldives. One Dutch sea level expert even predicted in the Miami New Times that Miami would become “a city in the sea” sooner or later, while National Geographic proposed that “a complete meltdown of the Greenland ice sheet [could be] enough to submerge London.”

According to NCA, climate change al aso causes more cases of extreme weather such as heat waves (the number of which has been tripled), drought (which, coupled with soaring temperatures, “contributed to more than $10 billion in direct losses to agriculture alone”), heavy downpours and floods (which have caused “more than 500,000 deaths and affected more than 2.8 billion people”),

and hurricanes (such as the recent Hurricane Matthew that took more than 30 lives).

If greenhouse gas emissions are not cut drastically, the world will see areas such as technology, marine life, agriculture, water, energy, and transportation affected negatively. However, and perhaps more frighteningly, human health will be directly impacted by climate change.

The NCA shows that the increasing level of ground-level ozone can cause health problems such as diminished lung function and ailments associated with smoke exposure, as warmer and drier conditions create favorable environments for wildfires. Not only that, allergies and asthma could worsen due to the increased production of plantbased allergens, caused by longer pollen seasons and increased carbon dioxide levels, and the worsening of indoor air quality caused by mold’s tendency to grow in warm, humid places. Food and waterborne diarrheal disease is also a rising issue; diarrheal diseases are known to be more common in places with higher temperatures and unusually high or low precipitation.

Global warming is not just some faraway notion written on environmentalist pamphlets and mentioned in academic papers. Global warming is happening (and worsening) with real consequences, both for this generation and for the future ones to come.

taking a deeper look at energy sources

By Gwanyeong Lee The following article is transcribed from an interview held at Koryo University on Friday, Oct. 28.

C

ontrary to popular belief, energy sources are not a black and white matter; in other words, they cannot be categorized as simply good or evil.

Though many believe that renewable resources far outweigh nonrenewable ones in terms of benefits, there are countless factors that go into determining how useful or detrimental they are. As a result, it is important for the human race to explore different options of energy. One potential source of energy is biofuel, a renewable resource derived from organic matter. If this energy source—along with a few others—is developed for future use, the world will be well-equipped to combat climate change for generations to come.

Biofuels and fossil fuels both have their benefits and drawbacks, but ultimately, biofuels, when used with other renewable resources, are much more environmentally

friendly than the latter. Though both types of energy are derived from essentially the same sources, fossil fuels do not allow a cycle through which plants can reabsorb the carbon dioxide emissions from burning said fuels, while biofuels allow a cycle in which plants absorb the carbon dioxide emissions and are then used as biomass. Biofuels, therefore, as truly renewable resources, help reduce the high carbon dioxide surplus that is a leading cause of climate change. But why is such a seemingly perfect resource not being utilized already? This is most likely because biomass cannot generate the immense amount of energy humans require. External energy must be used to prepare biofuels, which means that producing energy solely through biofuels would be counterproductive. Despite this, biofuels are a huge asset when they are used as raw materials for manufactured goods. In order to be turned into synthetic

fibers and plastic, fossil fuels must be supplemented with oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, but biomass already contains those elements, making the manufacturing process more efficient.

The world must pursue ways to draw energy from various resources. However, many seem to be indifferent toward the current usage of fossil fuels. The reason behind this is because the world is reluctant to fix the efficiency problems of renewable energy sources like biofuel. Many spurn the thought of using renewable resources because it is simply not profitable, as it is not an efficient form of energy. However, as life expectancy grows and as medicine advances, it will be necessary to find sources of energy that never run out and are efficient—fossil fuels, though easy to use and plentiful now, will not be a viable option in the years to come.

8 LIFESTYLE

99

complaints

Jenny Lee

#reboot

against the world

By Ye Joon Kah

I look to my left and see couples kissing each other on the cheeks. I look to my right and see couples hugging each other. Soon enough, I realize that I am surrounded by couples. In the center of a crowd of love and very apparent actions of joy, a sudden rage flows through my veins. Especially in Korea, it is nearly impossible to walk through the streets without seeing at least one couple. While it is almost considered “taboo” to say that you are single in Korea, that still does not justify public-displays of affection (PDA).

It may sound a bit conservative to disapprove of PDA, but there are a few reasons why lovebirds should restrict such actions in public. Some might react indignantly, claiming that they have the “freedom of expression.”

While it is true that lovers have the right to show their affection for each other, that “right” is restricted when there is a third-party being harmed.

When there are couples hugging each other in public, bystanders are forced to become an audience with no choice but to view this gruesome sight.

Couples may not understand, but for singles, seeing happy couples in general can be a painful experience.

People may be inclined to look away, but the moment they do so, there is a high possibility of seeing yet another display of public affection. Although they intend no harm (allegedly), such disregard for others in a public space makes some feel that couples are mocking the partner-less people of society.

There is a reason why “private places,” such as one’s house exist. So why do people choose to display their love in front of the whole world? At that point, the actions explain it all: they just want attention. This is the main reason why people post relationship statuses on Facebook or share pictures of gifts that their partner bought them. The truth is, the world doesn’t care. Rather, whenever I see someone flaunting his or her happiness, it creates a sense of unsettling disgust in the pit of my stomach that stays throughout the entire day.

It is understandable that humans are attention-seeking creatures; thus, we should try to restrain from this urge as much as possible, instead of submitting to it. If you truly love your boyfriend or girlfriend, you can and will continue expressing your love for one another, even at a private place where you won’t get any attention.

I get it. You have a partner and I don’t. Oh, and a note to lovers: if you realize that I’m walking alone, please refrain from displaying your affection toward your partner publicly. Until I get a boyfriend myself, I’ll have fun hugging my stuffed animal.

sis creARTions O

ut of the many artists who use their artwork in an attempt to portray deeper themes in life, Jenny Lee (12) takes a unique step by using a sixth sense to display the significance of “perspective.” Not only is she part of AP Drawing and AP 2D Design, but Jenny also enjoys the presence of art within her daily life either through viewing inspirational pieces or creating her very own.

Derived from an abstract interpretation of the surroundings around us, Illusion and Harmony consists of four avant-garde artworks that convey the artist’s theme of perspective. By providing the unique angles often unforeseen, the collection takes ordinary objects to a completely different level. As exemplified with many of the pieces of the collection, the vivid colors and realistic strokes display the combination of realism and surrealism to create the perfect balance of compelling

art. Some of the artwork portrays the happier aspects of life like youth, while some capture the unfortunate ironies of aging.

Such a realistic approach is what creates the stronger relationship between herself and the viewer, a common characteristic evident in all of her art.

“Through this collection, I wanted viewers to be able to connect emotionally to whatever memory they could personally recall,” Jenny said. “For my collection, I chose aspects that I could best express such as my best memories of youth or symbolic objects part of my life. This is not limited to my experiences, however, as I hope viewers can build their own stories with imagination [stimulated by the artwork].”

The selected artwork from the collection showcases a blue chair drawn with chalk and conte pastel. Inspired by David Hockney and his cubistic approach, the artwork shows a chair from various

angles and viewpoints that each represent unique ideas. Instead of approaching cubism as abstract expressionism (i.e. like breaking images into multiple geometric shapes), this artwork employs the use of diverse angles of a subject to better represent how people have distinct standpoints. The color of the chair, a subtle pale blue, has several meanings: as a color that seeks tranquility and peace above everything else, it promotes both physical and mental relaxation while implying a sense of fantasticality. Moreover, the underlying message indicates that one can rely on a certain perspective to take control and do the right thing at particular times. In essence, the artwork is intended to be sincere, reserved, and quiet, as the chair appears to be somewhat isolated and reluctant to confront anything.

By Michelle Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

Tiger Times October 2016

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” blurs line between fantasy and reality

B

ased on a New York Times best-seller that showcases the limitless potential of imagination, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” was completely transformed into a fragment of reality with the magical touch of Tim Burton, the wizard of odd.

The movie started off strong, earning an estimated $28.5 million on the first weekend since its release on Sept. 29, marking Burton’s first opening-weekend win since the 2010 hit, “Alice in Wonderland.”

Opening with eerie background music along with flashes of black and white vintage pictures of peculiar children, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” sets an intriguing yet enigmatic mood.

The story starts off with Abraham, once a peculiar child, instructing his grandson, Jacob Portman, also a peculiar child, to go to Wales to join Miss Peregrine’s orphanage in order to be safe from monsters that eat

the eyes of peculiar children. In Wales, Jacob discovers the magical orphanage where he meets other peculiar children such as Emma Bloom, a girl who can levitate, and Millard Nullings, the invisible boy. After staying at the orphanage for a while, Portman notices that he also has a special power: to see such monsters that no other peculiar child could see, an ability that could save everyone in the orphanage.

Of course, it is easy to dismiss such a fantasy novel as too unrealistic and nonsensical. In other words, a floating girl, a boy who can see monsters, twins who can turn people into stones, an invisible boy, and a small girl with two mouths can be too much to take in at once. However, an idealistic cast of children who precisely fit each peculiar child and the vivid setting of all scenes according to specific time periods make up for such delusional aspects.

Among all actors, Eva Green, who plays

“You’ve got that James Dean daydream look in your eye, and I got that red lip classic thing that you like, and when we go crashing down, we come back every time, [because] we never go out of style, we never go out of style.”

–“Style” by Taylor Swift Debuting at age 16, the quintessential country-turned-pop princess is perhaps one of the most notable stars to grow up on-screen, gracing the spotlight of Hollywood for a solid ten years and counting.

Although Swift nowadays describes herself as the “laid-back queen bee next door,” the prolonged spotlight on her has gradually changed to display a “well-camouflaged businesswoman” standing in the place of a once “fresh-faced teen” through a series of deliberate fashion choices.

Swift made her first red carpet appearance at the 41st Academy of Country Music awards back in May 2006. Five months before her self-titled album was released, Swift showed up in a bright Boho handkerchief hem frock, dangly hoop earrings, a classic studded clutch, light blue eyeshadow, and cowboy boots to complete her look. From her messy blond ringlets to the classic boots, Swift took the “country” part of the event close to heart as she chose her wardrobe – two elements of her image that would stay constant for another two albums to come.

As Swift began to deviate from country to pop music, her taste in outfits transformed as well. Specifically, with the debut of her fourth studio album “Red,” Swift geared a style revolution, foregoing the flapper dresses and ball gowns from her previous albums “Fearless” and “Speak Now” for lace blouses, high-waisted shorts, red lipstick and sun dresses pertinent to “Red.” In addition, Swift changed her hairstyle, abandoning her curly hair, and opting for a sleek straight ponytail with bangs at the 2012 American Music Awards.

The wardrobe change elicited a “preppy”

new look on the songstress, shedding her image of a damsel in love to a protagonist in a teen soap opera.

But nothing could have prepared Swift’s audience for the transformation that took place in her newest album, “1989.” The singer switched out her “Red-inspired looks” for two-pieces, bodysuits, and plenty of sequins. In addition, Swift did away with her long blond hair earlier this year by cutting her extensions to a blunt bob just in time for the 2016 Grammy awards. According to SPIN Media, an American music magazine, Swift morphed into a Popular Girl with an impenetrable veneer, documenting herself in the “Who’s Who,” a compilation of brief biographical sketches of the fashion, film, and music realms.

Like good wine, fashion should improve over time. Sure, a daring new style is in order to spice things up and retain a celebrity’s “relevance”–assuming that it is not too bizarre. Perhaps Swift’s near complete bleaching and the ensuing elevation of her celebrity status is what set even some of her oldest fans against her new style.

In essence, according to the Harvard Political Review, while the style evolution helped Swift find unprecedented confidence and independence, Swift still underwent criticism from people who longed to see the “country-style fresh-faced teen” again. Nevertheless, whether Swift is a ditzy, defenseless Daisy Buchanan bound by wealth or a masterfully fabricated Katniss Everdeen bound by a survival instinct is up to the reader’s discretion.

By Dawn Kim Sophomore, Staff Writer

Miss. Peregrine, stood out from the movie with her charismatic Gothic charm mixed in with her stiff British accent, establishing herself as a genuinely experienced actress who can take on drastic transformations to fit the needs of each screenplay. Besides Eva Green, Asa Butterfield also demonstrated thorough understanding of his character as Portman, providing a semblance of Harry Potter in terms of having a curious and intelligent mindset.

Putting the idealistic casting aside, the movie was enhanced even further through the eloquent use of colors in the settings, which caught the eye right away. Specifically, drab shades of grey were used when depicting the houses and clothes of people on the abandoned island in Wales in year 2016, establishing a gloomy yet cryptic mood. However, the atmosphere changed quite remarkably when the scene changed to Miss. Peregrine’s orphanage, with lush

9

green forests and bright red flowers along with the flashy colored clothes and makeup of people in 1945. Such adept use of colors bolstered the storyline further, so that the audience would not get confused as the story transitioned back and forth from modern times to World War II through Ms. Peregrine’s use of time loops.

Worthy of being appraised as one of Mr. Burton’s greatest works, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” introduces an unprecedented aspect of fantasy that is brought to real life with lively colors and accomplished actors. To sum up in one sentence, as the Los Angles Times said: the sense of film craft is so delicate and assured that, even at its most razzle dazzle-prone moments, the movie never seems to be straining for effect.

By Alice Lee Junior, Copy Editor

10 SPORTS Running toward something great: Kevin Keebum Kim If you walk off the school campus past Bokjeong station, 75 minutes and three subway stations later, you will still be one kilometer short of the five kilometer distance cross-country runners push through every race. Of all the cross-country runners who manage to pull off this feat, Kevin Keebum Kim (10) has been able to come out on top, rewriting SIS athletic history by being the fastest runner among all SIS runners in every single race. With a personal record (PR) of 18 minutes and 55 seconds, Kevin often places first from all the runners in KAIAC schools combined as well.

From this, you would think Kevin is an experienced runner. But this it is actually his first year in cross-country, making his achievements all the more remarkable.

Kevin initially joined the cross-country team simply due to the lack of other sports at SIS as well as the desire to stay fit and grounded in the basics, as running serves as the basis for any other sport or athletic prowess. However, through time cross-country has bore many more fruits than Kevin had ever expected or hoped for, becoming an integral part of his high school career.

For Kevin, cross-country let off a closeknit family vibe from the very beginning.

As a new sophomore student, he was caught in the middle of an awkward and uncomfortable period. However, during the cross-country tryouts in the beginning of the year, the runners came up to him and introduced themselves first, making an effort to engage with Kevin.

That first move by the runners led him to continue with cross-country even after

trying out for volleyball because he knew his teammates would be friendly and supportive.

“Even though running is categorized as an individual sport, the team aspect of [running] is the most attractive point for me,” Kevin said. “When I am running alone, [it] can get quite boring, as it is just a repetitive motion with nothing else much going on. However, when I am running with my team, we are all breathing hard together and driving each other to exceed our limits.”

Even though it is Kevin’s first year at SIS, he retains a laid-back positive atmosphere, even in classes with upperclassmen like Pre-Calculus and AP Chinese. This attitude translates to great sportsmanship during sports and easy adjustments in social situations. “[Kevin] sat at my math table on the very first day of Pre-Calculus.” Jay Hailey Ahn (11) said. “I would have never guessed he was a new student or even an underclassmen until he mentioned it, because he seemed very open, social, and completely comfortable.”

Part of the reason for Kevin’s smooth transition is his frequent moving between Korea and Massachusetts, two places that are very different in culture and athletics.

During his life time, Kevin has participated in soccer, basketball, swimming, football, indoor track, and rowing during his lifetime, but all for only short periods of time due to his frequent relocations.

Now that he plans to stay at SIS, Kevin is turning his attention to a sport he’d always wanted to try—climbing, which he now does several times a week in addition

By Soomin Chun

to his cross-country practices and competitions—instead of lamenting the lack of sports he enjoyed in the US. “Kevin is a significant member of the team not only because of his excellent running abilities, but also because of his great enthusiasm and passion for cross-country,” said Jenny Lee (12), varsity cross-country co-captain. “I personally think Kevin is the mood-maker of the team because he is always so active, engaging in some activity like taking daily photos with teammates at every race, caring for his teammates, and working to set a new PR. He is the source of energy for our team.”

Although he has already reached the top within his own school, Kevin stays humble, denying the magnitude of his achievements. Not only that, Kevin never stays still; he is always aiming higher, stating he has set new goals for himself to beat his current PR as well as students from schools outside of SIS’s league. Exercise, which has always helped Kevin stay fit, relieve stress, socialize, and grow internally, is and always will be a central part of Kevin’s life no matter where he goes.

ead Sprinting ah ent, on p op of his 0) (1 im K in ev K a in partakes t friendly mee and IS K n ee tw be ly al SIS, eventu h in finishing fift first d an ce ra the r he ot among all s. er n SIS run

Photos by Daniel Shin (12)

Korean player Heungmin Son plays exceptionally for Tottenham F.C.

Many considered Heungmin Son’s first season at White Hart Lane a disaster.

Though his pinpoint passes and occasional goals for Bundesliga sides Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburger SV were vital, the South Korean forward did not meet English side Tottenham Hotspur’s expectations, netting only four goals in 28 games during the 20152016 season. Discouraged by his dwindling performance, Son had asked manager Mauricio Pochettino if he could leave the club; Pochettino promptly denied. That decision would soon bear fruit.

Son started the 2016-2017 season in form,

finding the back of the next four times after just four games, putting Tottenham in second in the league. In comparison, the Hotspur’s English star striker Harry Kane has scored only two goals in five games, while highly praised midfielder Delle Alli lags with a mere two goals in seven games.

Son’s exceptional start to the season marks victory for Tottenham: the team is currently enjoying their best start in 51 years.

“When I first saw Heungmin Son last year, I thought he was decent. This year, I think he has become a significantly better player,” said Steven Cho (11), football fan.

“He really has made an impact on Tottenham, and if Son keeps up his performance, he can easily become part of the starting 11 and win many trophies for both club and country.”

Records and awards show that Asia historically fell behind. Football “legends” came almost exclusively from Europe and South America, while Asians like Jisung Park, currently the most decorated Asian player in history, generally do not receive the same amount of respect from the media. Recently, however, the football community is noticing Asian players like Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa as well as Son performing exceedingly well in their respective clubs.

“It was sad to see not just Korea but Asia as a whole struggling in the world of football, but I believe Asia can get better,” said Jane Han (11), varsity girls soccer player. “Currently, other countries attend the World Cup to win, and are often disappointed when they lose in the finals; many Asian teams celebrate qualifying for the knockout stages. I hope that Asia, especially Korea, can soon fight for the international title become renowned in the world of football in the coming years.”

Despite Asia’s steady rise in the world of football, the continent still lurks in the shadows. According to the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings, the current best Asian

country, Iran, ranks 32nd, while South Korea trails at 47th. The 31 nations before Iran include an assortment of European and South American nations, with Argentina, led by Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero, in first and Belgium, represented by Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, in second.

Even the US, widely ridiculed by Europe for being terrible at football, ranks 25 places above South Korea. Is the World Cup title only a dream for Asia?

“All of my favorite players are not Korean, my favorite national teams are not from Korea, and my favorite football clubs do not play in Korea,” said Elliot Nam (11), a fervent Manchester United fan. “Korean players are not as skillful as players from other nations.

Even if there are a few good Asian players, none can beat the likes of Pogba, Rooney, and De Gea.” Still, Heungmin Son is currently lighting up the Premier League (and probably enraging Arsenal fans all around the globe).

Fellow Korean players and fans hold high expectations for Son, reminiscing the 2002 World Cup, when South Korea beat Italy and Spain and finished fourth, the highest they have ever reached in that tournament.

For them, Son’s achievements hint at a long-awaited brighter future.

By Justin Chang Junior, Staff Writer

11

Tiger Times October 2016

SPORTS PHOTO OF THE MONTH

News Briefs

by Youngseo Jhe

Maria Sharapova’s ban from tennis reduced KATE LEE (9): INDIVIDUAL SCORE

8:3

Varsity girls OVERALL score

21:4

Tossing the ball up for a serve, Kate Lee (9) takes an 8-3 lead in the AISA tournament hosted at Yokohama International School. The team would go on to claim first place with a score of 21-4.

Photo Courtesy of Margot Franchot

Cross-country attends Asia Pacific Invitational Guam trip Oct. 12th, 2 A.M. For some of the members, this trip is their first encounter with a tropical island. The air is much more humid and heavy than Seoul, reminding the team that this is not a dream but really Guam. In the silent midnight hours, the 14 runners trudge across the airport floors, suitcases dragging behind them, and wait for the hotel pickup with halfclosed eyes. Everyone is barely trying to process the arrival, much less express their excitement.

Fortunately, the hotel is not far, and about a half-hour later the team spies the familiar sight of Pacific Star Hotel and Resorts. The athletes, packed in a tight elevator, go up to the seventh floor to get assigned the temporary home where they will stay for the next three days. In a blink of time, the clock is already showing 3:30 A.M., and everyone falls fast asleep with hurried goodnights.

Oct. 13th, 9 A.M. The coaches wake everyone up with a reminder that morning practice will start soon. The morning air is still hot but less humid, and the large window in the hotel room allows the runners to take a glimpse at the picture perfect turquoise ocean. At a moderate pace, the team jogs out to the nearest beachside, but the ideal “morning jog” on this picturesque landscape turns out to be an irritating sweaty obstacle course, shoes sinking in the hot sand. The team

agrees to meet up back in an hour for lunch, and meanwhile the members race upstairs to hit the showers and change into a fresh set of clothes. At a nearby restaurant all the athletes fill their famished stomachs with plentiful seafood and barbeque, and then walk together to the school where local members of the varsity team are scheduled to introduce the course. The course is located mainly at the school, but the last portion rails into a close mountain, and all of the runners tense up at the thought of having to run this race early the next morning.

Oct. 14th, 4:45 A.M. The sun has not yet risen, but the team eats a light meal to prepare for the day’s run and heads out to the school in uniform. Upon arrival at the school everyone anxiously takes off their jackets to start a warm-up of slow jogs and dynamic stretches. With 40 minutes left until the boys start running, the sun begins to rise, shedding light upon the landscape. After an opening ceremony consisting of the national anthem and a march led by US soldiers, all the male athletes are called to the start line and line up by ranking based on previous season records. The rest of the team begins to cheer, as the starter’s pistol officially starts the race and a rampage of runners sprint across the field. About 15 minutes in, the top male runners begin to finish their races while the girls line up for their part in the five-kilom-

In January, Maria Sharapova, the first female Russian tennis player to rank world No. 1, received a two-year ban from competing in international tournaments after testing positive for meldonium, a heart medicine prohibited by the World Antidoping Agency in 2016. Sharapova subsequently defended herself by claiming that she had not been informed of the ban. On Oct. 4, the Court of Arbitration for Sport decided to reduce her penalty by nine months, stating that it was too severe of a punishment for an unintentional violation.

Still, according to the New York Times, Sharapova expressed sour feelings toward the International Tennis Federation (ITF), saying other federations were much better at informing their players of rule changes.

With her reduced ban, the player is to return onto the tennis court on Apr. 26, 2017.

eter race. The sun rays pierce the skin of those waiting while rain begins to fall, but the race carries on and the female division also ends successfully.

With no major injuries, everyone feels a sense of accomplishment as the first race comes to an end. After the course walk, the members have the rest of the day to themselves and most decide to indulge in beach-side activities, such as kayaking, swimming, and sand-castle building.

Oct. 15th, 4:45 A.M. The same time, the team assembles again to get ready for the relay races on the beach. Everyone is fatigued, but walks over to the starting line determined to finish the last race with as much energy as they started the first.

Each male runner is paired with a female runner of the same ranking to run a total of ten kilometers together. By the time the team arrives, organizers are handing out batons and slapping bracelets on runners for the relay while the boys prepare to start the race. The starter’s pistol fires into the sky, signaling the start of the long-awaited relay where cooperation between the two runners is imperative. The paired runners begin to reach the finish line about 30 minutes into the race, and as soon as the race is over, everyone rushes over to jump into the ocean, full of pride.

By Michelle Lee Sophomore, Staff Writer

American major leaguer Jose Fernandez dies Miami Marlins star pitcher Jose Fernandez was killed on Sept. 25 in a boating accident. He was on board with two other men at night when their speeding boat slammed straight into a rocky jetty off Miami Beach, capsizing the boat and leaving only fragments behind. The exact cause of the crash is yet to be confirmed, including whether intoxication played a part. Fernandez’s untimely death is being deeply mourned by both Major League Baseball (MLB) players and fans.

“When I heard about Fernandez’s death, I was stunned by the fact that such a young pitcher with great potential is now gone,” said Alexander Cha (10), avid MLB fan. “It took me some time to fully grasp the fact that I will never be able to see him pitch again.”

UFC fighters enraged at their company Top-earning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Conor McGregor and the UFC are under fire by fellow UFC fighters for being overly concerned about moneymaking. When McGregor was informed of his opponent Eddie Alvarez’s contract information before the match, he criticized Alvarez for not putting up a better money deal for their fight. Alvarez remarked that he didn’t understand why McGregor was so angry and why he had access to his contract in the first place.

In addition to Alvarez’s disapproval of the money-grubbing sportsman, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo also expressed his exasperation in an interview with Brazilian media site Combate. Aldo, after seeing the UFC allow McGregor to arrange his own fights, asked that he be released from the promotion. Several company decisions to put money before the fighters’ interests are spreading discontent among the UFC fighters.

12

SMALL TALK

Idealog: Cosmopolitanism A New York City apartment dweller pulls out her Samsung phone as she settles into her “boho” style woven chair. In just a couple of minutes, steaming Thai tom yung gung is delivered to her doorstep, with a Chinese-American fortune cookie tucked into the napkins. On her coffee table is a copy of Cosmo magazine.

In the past decade or two, globalization has redefined cross-cultural exchange. Many of us in the developed world can now interact with foreign and diverse cultures in the comfort of our couches. But have we really become a cosmopolitan society? In his heatedly debated article “The Myth of Cosmopolitanism,” New York Times columnist Ross Douthat argues that many of us live in a bubble that allows us consider ourselves cosmopolites without actually adhering to the ideology. To understand why he would make such a claim, we must go back to the origin of cosmopolitanism: to ancient Greece.

It really all started with circles: Greek philosopher and leader of the Stoic movement Hierocles proposed that concentric circles of different sizes could represent a person and his or her communities. The smallest circle, closest to the center, would represent the person. The second smallest

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circle would represent the person’s immediate family. And from there, the circles would stretch outward—and one could walk, from one’s extended family, to one’s townspeople, to one’s citizenry, and so on and so forth—until one reached the edge of the edge, the biggest community, the most expansive circle: humanity.

A true cosmopolitan lives in this final frontier.

Philosophical cosmopolites argue that the love, respect, and affinity we normally reserve for ourselves (or our closest family and friends) should be extended to all people across any cultural boundaries. They believe that we are all members of one community, regardless of religion, race, gender, sexuality, income level, or nationality. We are all, in essence, citizens of the cosmos; we are cosmopolitan.

Ever since the Greek ages, cosmopolitanism has remained a key part of international philosophy.

But the concept has also taken on many different subtle changes over the years, reincarnated each time to reflect the zeitgeist of the times. The Greeks, for example, often considered themselves the epitome of cultural achievement. Naturally, according to the Journal of Political Philosophy, Greek cosmopolites wanted to “draw the circles

SWAT team dispatched to school after cupcake sightings

Fair and Balanced Following an anonymous tip on an unusual cupcake sighting, the South Korean government deployed a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to the Baker School, a private school located on the outskirts of Seoul, on Nov. 11. The owner of the cupcake was discovered to be a schoolteacher currently employed by the Baker School.

Subsequent police investigations found that the cupcake had originated from a birthday party that had not been approved by the school administration. The school had recently adopted a hardline no-baked-goods policy following the passage of the South Korean anti-Giving, Receiving, and Food Taking (GRAFT) law. The policy outlines how faculty members are forbidden from accepting, eating, taking, drooling over, ogling, or salivating any confectionary of any kind.

“We are absolutely mortified that such a scandal happened here at the Baker School, a school where we pride ourselves on the moral innocence of our students and faculty,” said Sam Baker, headmaster, at a press conference held the day after the incident occurred. “We apologize on behalf of the parties involved, and will take necessary precautions to ensure that no cupcake will see the inside of a classroom in the future.”

The administration at the Baker School, however, has expressed concerns about future funding of the school. The school currently funds itself through investments in multiple bakeries owned by the Board of Bak-

By Diana Nakyoung Lee

ers. Many board members are worried that with the establishment of the new law, people will stop buying treats for school birthday parties, driving the bakeries into bankruptcy.

“It’s sad that our country had to design a law to prevent this kind of corruptive and immoral behavior,” said Bob Dough, a member of the Board of Bakers. “After the law was passed, our bakery lost almost 80 percent profit. I never knew that such a big part of our income was based on the moral corruption of teachers eating cupcakes and sharing cookies.

And here I was, thinking that the only sin I’ve ever committed was making people fatter!”

The school has not expressed concerns regarding growing government influence. In fact, the school administration hopes to continue to weed out individuals illegally consuming baked goods through active cooperation with government agencies. However, some students have expressed their opposition towards the new legislature, citing concern for possible personal repercussions.

“To be frank, this new rule scares me,” said Dia “Sodium” Crystal, an active consumer of brownies from a local bakery and student at the Baker School. “I don’t know whether I’ll be reported for eating this brownie in class by a hungry teacher or someone who thinks that I’m going to give it to a hungry teacher. Hopefully this whole issue of baked goods in school can be resolved soon, so I can go back to eating my brownies in class.”

BY JOYCE LEE

somehow towards the center, making all human beings more like [their] fellow city dwellers.”

Modern cosmopolites are slightly different. In 2008, for example, cultural theorist Kwame Appiah coined a phrase that would come to symbolize modern cosmopolitanism: “universality plus difference.” Appalled by post-9/11 Islamophobia, Appiah reasoned that we must respect cultural differences—even if we were to be citizens of a single global community—because culture is so central to the lives of many humans, the one entity that has universal value. In essence, he argued that universal, mutual respect must be the key of any one human circle.

In pointillist art, painters use tiny dots instead of broad brushstrokes to create a scene. The specks of paint, strewn across the canvas, are meant to blend together into one big landscape.

Perhaps, in the dreams of a cosmopolite, we could resemble that: equally valuable points on one big picture, infinitesimal specks on one infinite canvas, tiny contributions to one big Earth. Maybe in that world, cosmopolitanism could be more than a myth. Because then, the cosmos would be home to all of us. And we would all be home to each other.

OWEEN CARNI L L A VAL H N I G October 21, 2016

Photo by Angela Choe

Angel Tak (9), Rin Kishimoto (9), and Rui Colaianni (7) wait in line to sign up to enter the haunted house.