Ha In ppy t W ernat om en ional ’s D ay !
2020
Moving Forward
Independent Women
EDITOR’S WELCOME
CONTENTS PROCRASTINATION TO PRODUCTIVITY page 2
Welcome to the new decade, and first IW issue of the 20s! In this issue, we’re looking back to look forward and reflecting on the past decade. With a review of school lunches both new and old, a summary of the past ten years and a guide on one of the most contested topics of this century, this IW issue has something for everyone. With advice on productivity, hobbies, and post mock care, as well as pieces covering recent headlines, we hope you find something in this issue that you enjoy. Best wishes, Georgia xx
DANCE page 3 POST MOCK SELF-CARE page 4 FILM RECOMMENDATIONS page 5 IS INEQUALITY IN HOLLYWOOD GETTING ANY BETTER? page 6 LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH page 7 HUAWEI WHAT?! page 11 HOROSCOPES page 12 BREXIT: WHAT HAPPENS NOW? page 13 LOOKING BACK TO LOOK FORWARDS page 17 CORONA-QUESTION TIME! page 21
COVER FEATURING: REB (U6) SHOT AND EDITED BY: IMMY (U6) 1
Procrastinatiо to Productivity Productivity is the concept of using time effectively and getting things done. To lead a
productive lifestyle is to be constantly on top of work, to be getting the most out of each day, to be doing tasks that generate progression and value. A productive person can achieve their goals and strive to be the best version of themselves. This 2020, I urge you to be more productive. Not only will this make you more organised, but it will make you happier and improve your mental health. So, how can you be more productive? Avoid addictive time wasting activities that fuel procrastination. Time is precious and our smart phones snatch it away from us; they plague us with temptation to look at social media. I am ashamed to look at my screen time which exposes my harmful habits. How many of us flop onto our beds after school and start scrolling until you lose track of time? Suddenly, it is an hour later and you still haven’t moved. So, your first step towards being productive is to limit your screen time. This will allow you to focus on the things you need to do. You can do this my setting a limit on your phone and it will remind you that you should stop using it. Less screen time creates a fresher more productive mind. Furthermore, to channel productivity you should aim to start early. Take a weekend day, for example. If you get up early and get some tasks done, like tidying your room or a piece of homework then you will have a sense of accomplishment for the rest of the day. This feeling sets you up for a productive day. A to-do-list will help you with this; I am lost without one! Once you have completed your list, you could reward yourself with spending some time on your phone. The root to being unproductive is avoidance- we avoid the things we would rather not do, this is procrastination. The longer we procrastinate the worse it gets. Starting the things that we need to do early gives us less time to procrastinate.
Once you are leading a productive lifestyle you will have more time to relax and spend spare time on things you want to do, without having to think about anything else. You could use this time to get more sleep or more exercise. Many studies show that more exercise will boost your self-confidence and reduce stress. More sleep will improve your health and mood. Being able to fit more of these things into your life will impact you in many positive ways and that is why it is important that you get productive this 2020!
BY Naomi, L6 2
Dance Kathryn, U6
I started dancing at the age of two, which I’m sure was the same as most little girls. I would wear my ballet tutu everywhere swirling about the kitchen. Looking back now, I think I only started dance because my mother wanted to ‘tire me out’ so I would take naps and give her a break. But as the years went by, it was clear that dance was not just a bit of time out for my mum, but my passion. The reason I woke up in the morning was to dance. This passion didn’t die down as I got older, and I ended up training between 8-14 hours a week with different rehearsals and classes. Coming home with my feet numb, bruised and blistered from being on pointe for hours became the new normal. But this new norm came with sacrifices. While my friends got new phones and jewellery for birthdays and Christmases, my present was the ballet mirror in the spare room. It was what I wanted, even if others didn’t always understand. Socials, parties and free time with friends were traded in for rehearsals, classes and strength conditioning. But it was my time to escape all the hurdles of teenage life. Exam stress, friendship and boy drama all felt slightly easier knowing I could let go and forget when I was in the dance studio. Dance is my medicine. My way of coping. A hobby, be it dance, a sport, an instrument, can really calm you down and focus your mind when things get too much. Doing something creative and active can feel a lot better than curling up to watch your favourite Netflix show (even though it’s often very tempting). As I progressed through my school years, conversation turned to life after school, and I had to figure out my future. Was my passion something that I should take forward? The physical and mental toll of dance in an incredibly competitive industry was a risk, and for some time I was willing to take it. In my last year, I was balancing UCAS applications and three subjects with hours of intense training each week. But I didn't question it. Ever since that first baby ballet class, it was undoubtedly my set future. But after many heavy and heart-breaking conversations, I realised that for me, going with my head rather than my heart was a more sensible decision. Dance could always remain my passion and my hobby, just not my career. I couldn’t tell you how broken I first felt when my set plan crumbled and my future looked uncertain; but sometimes taking that leap is important. It has since made me realise that plans can change- dance is still my escape, but no longer my dream like it was when I was little. But dreams don't always come true, and some get altered, and that’s okay. I wouldn’t change my years of dance for the world. It has nurtured my creative mind and given me many lifelong friendships. It has given me grit and determination, while keeping me healthy and strong. Everything happens for a reason, and I think the path you pick will always be the right one in the end. It may seem hard at first but one day you will look back knowing you made the right decision. This year I encourage all of you to find something that you can really lose yourself in, something that challenges you, and something that you enjoy. I can’t express how good it feels! 3
Self-care. A phrase we hear constantly. But what does it really mean? Everyone thinks face masks, having baths, doing your nails, and candles. Practicing self-care doesn’t have to be anything expensive or complicated, it’s just a little nudge to make sure we’re truly looking after ourselves. After exams, everyone can be a little on edge- moods are often all over the place and you may find yourself snapping more easily than usual. After being used to revising (or knowing that you should be revising), it can be hard knowing what to do in truly free time. But, this time is the perfect opportunity to practice some self-care, something that can be shaped into your daily routine to help ease the stress that life can throw at you. By learning of these techniques now, when it comes to the real exams, which may already be stressing you out, you will have the skills to better deal with your anxiety.
Put yourself first. Sleep is the first step to taking care of yourself. It’s something we all take for granted, but missing out on 8 hours can have a huge effect on your emotional and physical health, resulting in a lack of concentration and motivation. By setting an alarm to remind you to go to bed early while making sure your bedroom is free of distractions and too much light are the first steps to ensuring you get those precious eight hours. Another common step, although perhaps unpopular, is exercise. But some small movement goes a long way. Selfcare is all about you, so exercise in a way you enjoy and look forward to, whether that’s walking, swimming or going to the gym. By implementing this a few times a week your mental and physical health will be boosted and the endorphins released are sure to improve your mood.
Here are some feel good watches to de-stress post 2020 exams: • The Parent Trap • Forrest Gump • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off • Matilda • When Harry Met Sally • Fifty First Dates • Sleepless in Seattle • 10 Things I Hate About You • Uncle Buck • Brooklyn Nine-Nine • Jack Whitehall’s Travels With My Father
BY TILLY M, U6
Another vital part of taking good care of yourself is taking care of your gut. Gut health can significantly impact on your health, wellbeing and comfort, so eating certain foods that make you feel physically better also make you feel mentally better. Foods that nourish you are different for everyone, but those high in fibre such as wholemeal products, beans, oats, fruit and veg are all good foods to keep your gut happy. Drinking lots of water also helps to aid digestions, helping to absorb fibre as well as preventing headaches and dehydration.
post mock self-care
Learn to say no.
The most important aspect of self-care is saying no to others, and yes to self-care. We all feel obliged to say yes to things, especially if a friend asks for our time- naturally we think it’s what we should do. But this actually highlights the failure in many of us, instead of doing what we feel we should do, we should do what we actually want to do. If that means staying at home watching a film in our own company rather than going out for dinner with friends, that is completely ok, and is actually a form of selfcare. Doing something when you would rather be doing something else can be overwhelming and contribute to a burnout, which is not good before exams! This is the most important, but most difficult step which takes a bit of practice. Eventually, when you learn to say no, self-care will become much more of a priority as you finally begin to find time for yourself.
If there is only one thing to take away from this article, it’s that at the end of the day, exams and grades should never take priority over your wellbeing; they’re not worth ruining your mental health for. Instead, learn to sleep, eat and exercise in the way that works best for you. 4
Film Recommendations ‘Parasite’ made history this year when it won best picture at the Oscar; the first foreign language film to do so. Because of this, I decided to go and see the film. I went in with interest and trepidation-I didn’t want to have my hopes too high in case it didn’t meet them; but it did. I was refreshingly surprised by the humour and satire that was in the piece. As the chaos unfolded, I found myself getting dragged farther and farther in to the mayhem and insanity. It had the suspense of a thriller and the hilarity of a comedy, blended so that no one element overpowered the rest. I found it took a while to get going but when it did it never took the foot off the metaphorical pedal and I found myself unable to guess what would happen next. Though it was not my favourite of the nominees for best picture (that’s still Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood), it is easily the most interesting for this moment in history and is well worth a watch. By Helena, U6
EMMA A new take on one of the first rom coms in literature, ‘Emma’ is a light-hearted story which will leave you laughing and crying at the same time. Often, the protagonist Emma is a tad too relatable, but her change in heart throughout the film leaves us inspired. With epic plot twists, this film will certainly keep you on your toes. Iconic actors make the film, with legends Miranda Hart (Such fun!) and some familiar faces from Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’, there's no reason not to take a few hours out and enjoy this classic story on the big screen. By Anna C and Niamh S, U6 5
Is the inequality in Hollywood getting any better? BY GRACE, U6
Each awards season we hear countless speeches about the lack of diversity, but are we starting to see a real change?
It’s awards season in the film industry, the most well-known being the Oscars and the BAFTAs- both taking place in February. I’ll admit that I'm not the type to follow these awards, but around this time I often see posts about the films and their hype floods my Instagram feed. However, there is something darker surrounding the awards and the industry. One that caught my attention was the anger regarding the lack of nominations for female directors and people of colour. One example is black British actress Cynthia Erivo, the only person of colour who has been nominated across 20 acting categories. Moreover, the director for Parasite, South Korean Bong Joonho, is the only person of colour compared to the other four all white nominees for best director. But out of the five directing categories, all the nominations are male. It's also been found that although there has been a rise in the percentage in female nominates, it is still only at 30%, compared to 70% of male nominates. This is further shown by the shockingly low 20% of nominates who were people of colour compared to
the 80% of white nominations. Due to the lack of representation of people of colour and female directors, it raises the question of whether the Oscars has a more serious problem with those who they choose to nominate. This could have worringly harmful effect on not only young actors of colour but female directors as well. If there is a lack of opportunitites for people of colour or women to get into directing and acting, how can we expect to see a change when nominees for all these awards are announced? However, there have been a few positives. This is thanks to the SAGs which took place in the middle of January. Parasite won their single nomination for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. This is encouraging because Parasite, which is in Korean, is gaining attention and is very successful in the USA. It's also won the Golden Globe for best foreign film. After winning best 6
picture at the Oscars, there has been a huge interest around it, as it the first Korean film which has received this amount of successes within the USA. Although it is only one film, it is a symbolic one. It gives hope that there could be more nominations for more foreign films, more actors of colour and for more female directors.
LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH BY TILLY M, U6
I think we can all admit that the school lunches have taken a turn for the better in the recent years, with the salad bar attracting many a teacher and the daily pasta bar providing for those who are picky to say the least. Alongside the self-serving vegetables, different vegetarian options, meat dishes and potatoes, pasta, rolls and yoghurt, you would think we are at a hotel buffet. St George's is spoiled for choice when it comes to food, but what happens when your favourite meal is no longer found at the centre? While I do love a good ol’ fish and chips, I am not a big fan of the newly christened “Fish Friday”, so I decided to ask around on other’s opinions of the best St George's lunches, both past and present. In writing this article I hope to shed some light on those original dishes many of us seem to have forgotten about due the pasta bar saving us in times of need, while also commemorating a traditional pudding I hope to bring back to the dessert bar.
Get ready for the top three St G’s lunches of all time to be revealed; some are classics while others are new additions. So, hold onto your seats and get ready...
3 2 1
St George's favourite school dinner, coming in at number 3, is pizza. Many students are in love with this classic dish, especially with the new toppings additions, including pepperoni. If only they could come in bigger slices!! Coming in at number 2 is the famous Chicken burger. If you have been struggling through a GCSE maths lesson and are in need of a pick me up, a chicken burger is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Don’t worry vegetarians, the vegetable burger is just as nice! The only downside to this meal is the messy ketchup station- no matter how hard you try, you are guaranteed to end up with ketchup somewhere on your body! And the clear winner of St George’s favourite school dinner is the one, the only, panini. This new addition has only been in circulation for a year or so but the comfort of having a ham or cheese, or both, footlong panini is overwhelming. And you mustn’t forget to get a hash brown with that, those are a necessary addition to the meal, no arguments.
While some of you may feel disappointed that your favourite meal did not make it into the top 3, don’t worry, there were many close contenders. Notably the traditional steak pie with a crispy crust, no more of a random piece of pastry plonked on top. Another popular participant was spaghetti bolognaise, served with some cheese and a side of garlic bread, what more could you want? 7
19% 56%
25%
Pizza Chicken burger Panini
And teachers, don’t fret, I'm not forgetting the salad bar. While it may be like sitting in a queue of traffic at rush hour, the salad bar is one of the best changes made to school dinners. With a fresh selection of self-serve leaves, vegetables, proteins, pulses and leftovers alongside infused olive oils and homemade dressings, I think we can all agree St George's have changed their lunches for the better. Even though the queue is filled with teachers piling their plates with every type of salad, when you do reach the bar the variety is amazing, but be aware, your friends may have long gone by the time you reach the end of it! You may feel as though I'm missing something.
School dinners are not complete without... DESSERT! Now, I like my puddings, so I've been a little disappointed with the decreasing variety over the past few years. Remember artic roll, banoffee pie, syrup sponge and custard, flapjacks, ice cream cones, chocolate sponge... the list goes on. But tragically, it has been shortened recently, and while I do like having sticky toffee pudding every now and then, my fellow students, teachers and I all wish to see a wider range of puddings for 2020.
3 2 1
Let’s get onto the main event, which desserts placed top 3 for St George's? In a surprising turn of events, number 3 was nearly tied between two contenders... In the third place was the chocolate crispy. While we haven’t seen this one in a while, when it’s there you are likely to take 2 or 3 for later in the day to get you through your lessons. These crispys have been a classic at St George's but make a lot of mess everywhere so if your stashing them, make sure to wrap them up- I have made this mistake one too many times!
The second being sponge and custard. St George's should be known for the best variety of sponges in Scotland: chocolate, syrup, lemon, iced and jam sponge all play a vital role in the school lunches. Served with custard and your day is sorted. A few teacher and students have been missing syrup sponge though, me included... (hint hint).
Coming in at number 2 is a new addition and a bit unusual for the current stormy season but who could resist the beloved choc ice. You need to eat these quick and fast but they are a great treat that the whole school enjoys, almost as much as the ice cream cones in summer... Almost- I'm sorry but nothing beats them!
Finally, the top contender in this category as expected, begins with a B and ends with an E, the elite St George's chocolate brownie. I know students on exam leave that would come into school simply to eat the chocolate brownie- it is that amazing. The gooey centre and crispy outside is the perfect treat for the middle of the day so sorry Dr De Ville, but sometimes we have no choice but to take them out of the lunch hall as they are too good to rush.
33%
Sponge and Custard Chocolate Crispy Choc Ice Brownie
26%
18% 23% 8
7
However, I don’t know about you but while the school brownie is a strong contender, there seems to be a better dessert missing from this list. This is because it is missing from school lunches and has been for a few years now. I am writing this article to appreciate the classic favourites at St George's, and while 2020 is a new year, it’s always good to have a few picks from years ago. If you do not know quite what I'm talking about yet, you may have not been here to experience the privilege that is
St George’s tiffin.
Every student and teacher should be able to experience this. You may think I'm overreacting about a school dessert, but numbers don’t lie, with an overwhelming
281 students and teachers
agreeing that the school tiffin should be
brought back. So it’s only right that I mention it here.
“I am never happier than when I am eating tiffin.” -Dr Daubenspeck. Fellow teachers have had their say on this matter, with Dr De Ville commenting that tiffin should “definitely” be brought back, “at least every day” showing just how much this dessert means to us. Surely it’s only right to bring back the dessert we all miss so dearly. Ultimately, at St George's, we are very lucky to have access to such a wide variety of nutritious foods and scrumptious desserts. However, while 2020 is all about the new, we must still celebrate the old, and in order to celebrate the old, the school tiffin needs to be brought back! 9
The Role of the Media: What Can Be Done? Following the recent death of Caroline Flack, I couldn’t help but question the impact of the media in her situation. Immediately after any information concerning the incident with Flack was leaked, the media blasted her with headlines such as; Caroline Whack and Flack Attack. Many people, including her management branded the action being taken as a show trial. Which leads to the question of whether celebrity status does play any role in the legal process? A show trial involves influencing or satisfying the public opinion in a legal proceeding rather than ensuring justice. Today, celebrity trials are largely held within the public eye, with media outlets often covering the publicly known information about the case. However, the information provided by the media is rarely unbiased, and can have the aim of influencing the public opinion to cater to a particular viewpoint. The issue with this is that it can place pressure onto the courts to make a decision based on public opinion, rather than based on the evidence presented, and so allows the media to trial the celebrity rather than the court. The issue with show trials is that they aren’t fair, and they are often not treated in the same way as a ‘normal’ case. As suggested by Legal Cheek, if the case of Caroline Flack were to be a normal case with an ordinary person, the trial would last about two hours, rather than the suspected day and a half. This suggests that a celebrity case is not treated in the same way as a normal one. But why? When the case is being displayed in such a public way, it gives the authorities a chance to make a statement about the issue being presented. The CPS has been under pressure to not drop cases of domestic violence even when the complainants withdraw their allegations. This situation mirrors that of Caroline Flack, where her boyfriend did not support the trial. By proceeding with the case, the 10
CPS were setting a precedent that they would not drop domestic violence charges, regardless of the victims' opinion. Although this may be an effective way for the authorities to get a message across, it can have a significant effect on those being tried. Without a fair trial, people begin to feel hopeless about their situation and lose faith in the legal system. Equally people will begin to lose trust in the government, especially in very public cases such as this one. When everybody is not treated equally by the law, then people begin to lose respect for the law. But what can we do about this situation? Unfortunately, it seems like very little can be done. Calls are being made to put laws in place to prevent the media from publishing ‘nasty’ articles, however due to the ambiguity of the wording, this could restrict freedom of speech. Many criminal barristers have called for more help for those facing mental health issues, which will ultimately be exacerbated during a trial. Following this tragic news, I believe the best way to ensure a fair trial for all, regardless of celebrity status, is to question everything that we read, and think before we post anything, because we don’t know the person behind the stories. BY SOPHIE, U6.
Are We Being Tracked, Listened To And Spied On?
HUAWEI WHAT!? Many people have come to terms with the dangers of the growing technological world. So what if a mobile device or network knows important information, search histories, contacts, preferences, envies? What is someone going to do with that? The answer is probably not much, but the fact is we may be under control of powerful networks and leaders of companies that hold the key to this- the modern-day technology.
advertisers know one’s browsing history across the web on any sites that contain their ads. Zombies are a type of third party cookie that are extremely difficult to remove and can even reappear after being deleted. This begs the question: how much power do these small cookies have? Evidence has shown that in some cases cookies have helped to control the opinions of people by showing them only one side of a situation. This has been seen in Brexit and the Trump election to name a few. People are influenced by advertisements, videos, articles and campaigns that appear on their screens. Say for example one searches why Brexit should happen- after this third party cookies would be used to ultimately provide media, to the user, that are in favour of Brexit and that means power.
Most people have noticed them, some may have ignored them - cookies. Choc-chip, melt in your mouth, Cookies. Puissant, manipulative. Cookies. Website trackers, invasion of privacy. A tracking cookie is a file used on websites that has the ability to record activities online to enable user-specific features. Some of these cookies use one’s personal information and share it with other platforms, namely social media. This personal information is then used for targeted advertisement. Has a notification asking to accept the cookies ever popped up on the screen? Yes … but just accept it right? Wrong. Although cookies themselves are not harmful to the computer or site, they can pose an unethical infringement on privacy and the safety of the individual.
This may seem scary – not only are our devices watching and tracking, they are also listening… This example puts the intelligence of our devices into perspective. When living in South Africa, The Bachelorette, had become a craze. My friend and I were talking about the latest episode – our phones in our pockets.
There are a few types of cookies, some more dangerous than others. Session cookies are used when navigating a website and are never written onto the hard drive. When the session ends the cookies are automatically deleted. Persistent cookies are eternally on a computer (to the exception of cookies with expiration dates). They are used for authentication and tracking. These cookies are there to help make the website experience more enjoyable by remembering passwords and logins and building a profile on interests of the user. Trouble comes with third party and zombie cookies. Third party cookies let 11
SPOILER ALERT: the next day the winner of the Bachelorette popped up on our search engines. This is crazy as we would never have searched the result before watching the show. It is also strange how one can say ‘hey Siri’ and automatically the phones will respond with, “dan dan, what can I help you with?” It is shocking to know that the microphones in our devices have the ability to listen to thousands of trigger words and send them off to a server or an app in encrypted form, giving information regarding which adverts and articles should pop up on our screens. Power. There is certainly concern about the influence of the ears and eyes of our phones, and even more concerning is the people who control them. If cookies could be a major factor of influence in national elections that kept the entire world on its toes, imagine the potential that these cookies, microphones and their owners have over our opinions, whether it be of war, racism, fashion, education, leadership. Think about how a few technological leaders can control billions of minds everyday: Evan Spiegal, Snapchat; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; Mark Zuckerberg, owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. How about Ren Zhengfei, CEO and founder of Huawei? Power. Recently, the US Justice Department unveiled new charges against Huawei, including racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to steal trade secrets (such as source code and robot technology) from US companies for over two decades. Huawei is one of the world’s biggest mobile phone makers and is building the next generation of phone networks. Fifth Generation (5G) is said to have downloading speeds ten times faster than today’s Fourth Generation (4G). It will change how people work, stream and communicate. Power. The concern is how systems and data will be handled and who will be in control. Huawei denies the charges against them and say the US are targeting the firm because of its expansion and 12
threat to American business interests. Despite the pressure of the US to ban Huawei technology, the UK have announced that it will continue using Huawei technology in its growing 5G networks – but with restrictions. These include the utilisation of Huawei’s systems being excluded from military bases and nuclear sites; Huawei will be allowed to account for thirty five percent of the kit in a network’s periphery (base stations, antennas and radio masts which link individual mobile devices to the core) and will be banned from supplying kit to the core (high capacity communication facilities – the core is said to be the ‘brain’ and ‘heart’ of a network). Although restrictions are in place, some worry that the boundary between the core and periphery will disappear in the future as more operations are starting to take place closer to the users. Thus, it may not be possible to keep Huawei out of the network’s most sensitive areas. Power. Choosing to stick with Huawei may have been a strategic move by the UK as it will prevent Chinese commercial retaliation and save considerable amounts of money. The UK has not outright banned Huawei, as Beijing warned that “substantial” consequences to trade and investment plans could be incurred if the Chinese firm were disposed of. Three out of four of the UK’s mobile networks had already decided to use Huawei’s 5G products outside the core and in the periphery. If the UK had discarded of Huawei it would be a financial loss to remove the existing 4G infrastructures, as well as delay 5G implementation for years. It seems as though Huawei has definite underlying power. Whether it be frightening cookies, zombies, Bachelorette spoilers, microphones, Fifth Generation or the ongoing Huawei saga – technology is evidently moving forward and as a result is becoming more capable. The question must be asked: are you being influenced by power?
BY AMY U, U5
It’s written in the stars ...
Mystic Meg provides some insight into the near future.
Aires:
Watch out Aries, danger is around the corner, be extra cautious about who you trust this month.
Taurus:
Academic success is coming your way! Keep working hard and those A's will be yours for the taking.
Gemini:
You feel like you're being fake to those around you. Be yourself and tell the truth about what is worrying you.
Cancer:
Cough, Cough. Oh no, stress is on the horizon. Kick back and take it easy for a while.
Leo:
Don’t let anything dull your shine Leo! Don’t let others words hurt you, and remember if you can be anything, be kind.
Virgo:
You’re a social butterfly this month virgo. New friends are on the horizon, make extra effort to have a chat with new people.
Libra:
Get back in touch with nature. Spend some time outdoors or go on a dog walk to reconnect with yourself.
Scorpio:
Gordon Ramsey who? This is your time to regain your creative flow in the kitchen, Cook away!
Sagittarius: You’ve been focusing on friendships for the past while, re-kindle your family bond by having a cup of tea with your mum or playing a board game with your brother.
Capricorn:
You’ve just come off a high, and are now feeling in a bit of a slump. Take some time for you, and don’t be too hard on yourself if things aren’t going perfectly.
Aquarius:
Oooo, who's that secret admirer? Valentine's day may have passed, but for you, love is just around the corner!
Pisces:
You party animal, Pisces! Take a break from the wild nights out and have a chill weekend accompanied by Netflix. 13
Brexit: What happens now? As the new decade begins, we have now left the European Union, but what does this mean and what is going to change? First, we have entered an 11-month transition period where we can negotiate new trade deals. During this period the UK effectively remains in the EU's customs union and single market and will continue to obey EU rules. However, it is no longer part of the political institutions. So, for example, all the British MEPs have left the European parliament.
Brexit Timeline: 31st January 2020 – trade talks can begin within weeks 30th June – deadline for extending the transition period passes (the government has ruled out extending the transition period though)df
31 December 2020 – has a trade deal been agreed and passed? If yes, we will start out new relationship with the EU If no, we will exit the transition period without a trade deal
Future trade deals? The government has made clear that the UK must leave the customs union, single market and end the overall jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Time is short. The EU could take weeks to agree a formal negotiating mandate- all thee remaining 27 member states and the European Parliament have to be in agreement. It's not just a trade deal that needs to be sorted out. The UK must agree how it is going to co-operate with the EU on security and law enforcement. The UK is set to leave the European Arrest Warrant scheme and will have to agree a replacement. 14
So, what is Boris Johnson's preferred deal, and what will change?
How will Brexit affect my holidays to Europe? In 2020, travelling will remain the same as before. After the transition period, tourists from the UK will be able to visit EU countries for up to 90 days in every 180 days without a visa but are not allowed to work or study in the EU. You are also able to use the EU gates until the end of 2020. You also will not need a new passport, but after the 1st of January 2021, you will need to have at last 6 months left on an adult or child passport to be able to travel. Ferries, Eurostar and coaches will remain the same. Much of Theresa May’s deal has remained, but the new deal has addressed the controversial Irish backstop plan in May’s deal. The customs plan that Boris Johnson has laid out has addressed goods that are leaving Britain and going to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland will also be able to have different VAT rates (a tax added when you make purchases) to the rest of the UK, so Northern Ireland can have the same VAT rates as the republic of Ireland. Some things haven’t changed though, A political declaration has outlined what both sides need to discuss to work towards a future EU/UK relationship. A free trade agreement will be discussed in June 2020, they will also discuss the degree to which the UK will stick to EU regulations in the future. The declaration says that both sides should keep the same high standards on state aid, competition, social and employment standards, the environment, climate change, and “relevant tax matters”. Some things will stay the same though, European health insurance cards (EHIC) will still be able to be used in any EU county, until the transition period ends. UK nationals will still be able to live and work in the EU and the same goes for EU nationals working in the UK, they will also be able to apply for ‘settled status’. UK nationals living in the EU will also till receive state pensions and will also receive the annual increase.
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Guide Guide to to Brexit Brexit jargon: jargon: Brexit day: Brexit happened at 23:00 on 31st January 2020 Customs plan: Under this plan, some goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain will have to pay EU import taxes. Taxes will only be paid if goods that are entering Northern Ireland are deemed to be ‘at risk’ of entering the Republic of Ireland. A committee of EU and UK representatives will decide at a later date what goods are deemed ‘at risk’, if the ‘at risk’ goods don’t enter the republic of Ireland, the UK would be able to decide if they refund the money.
Divorce bill: The money the UK will pay the EU to be able to leave. It will be paid over a number of years. Theresa mays deal was expected to cost £39billion. Now, the office for budget responsibility (OBR) estimates that it will be around £30billion.
Settled status: EU citizens who have been living in the UK can apply for ‘settled status’ to allow them to continue living in the UK for as long as they wish. Any child born to a mother with a settled status will get British citizenship. Settled status means you can work in the UK, use the NHS, will have access to pensions and benefits and travel outside the UK. Applications can be rejected if the applicant poses a security concern or they have a serious criminal conviction.
WTO rules: If countries don’t have free trade agreements, they usually trade with each other under rules set by the world trade organisation (WTO). Each country sets tariffs (taxes) on goods entering.
By Tyler, U6
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“The Last word” with Helena, Senior Correspondent, U6
Looking Back to Look Forwards.
As we move into the new year and the new decade it is important to look back and reflect on the last 10 years. What happened? Where have we come from? What embarrassing mistakes have we made and what choices have shaped the world as we know it?
2010 Eyjafjallajökull erupted in December 2009 but its impact wasn’t felt until the next year. We all remember hearing that planes couldn’t fly, that clouds of ash had filled the sky and the world was grounded. It was a struggle pronouncing the name and we all watched as the world floundered. What a way to start the decade. 2010 was also the year that an internet site called Wikileaks published thousands of classified US government documentation. In March 2010, they published documents that showed that the US government had considered the website a major threat since as early as 2008 but it didn’t stop there. They also leaked documents regarding the war in Iraq that stated that the then-Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfield and his top commanders repeatedly and knowingly lied to the American public. They heightened sectarian violence in Iraq beginning in 2006 in order to garner support for the war effort. This changed the way that information was spread. Suddenly even the most secret government documents were no longer guaranteed to be keep secret. It proved the power of hacking and the power of the internet in spreading political information. This power was to characterise the decade as a whole.
On May 2nd, Osama Bin Laden the founder of Al-Qaeda was killed shortly after 1 am by US Navy SEALS in Pakistan. This was a momentous occasion, as it demonstrated both the US military power and that the overwhelming majority of western nations were glad to be rid of him as over 90% of the US public supported it. However, it didn’t stop terrorism the way that people hoped that this would. It continued throughout the decade but Bin Laden’s death sent shockwaves throughout the world that are still felt to this day. Who would have thought that Will and Kate got married in 2011? Well, they did. On 29th April to be exact. It was a time of joyous celebration throughout the entire United Kingdom. We came together and watched as two people in love married each other in front of the nation and guaranteed the Royal Family would increase in size. Not only was this the case, but at the time Kate became a style icon and everybody wanted the dress she wore on that occasion. It was a magical moment that we didn’t fully appreciate at the time. 17
2011
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2012 In the Summer of 2012, London held the Olympics. It was a momentous occasion. The world’s eyes were on the United Kingdom. For a few short weeks we were transfixed. Televisions were constantly on and we watched every event from Athletics and Basketball through to the more obscure sports like Synchronised Swimming and Shooting. And who can forget the opening ceremony with the Queen parachuting into the stadium and Mr Bean playing Chariots of Fire. It was an occasion in which the country came together like never before and may never come together again.
The 2012 Academy Awards were also an occasion to be noted. It had been just under 100 years since a silent film had won Best Picture. That film was ‘Wings’. 2012 saw the end of this with L’Artiste, a fantastic, moving portrait of two film stars as silent films fell out of popularity. This French masterpiece broke my heart when I saw as a thirteen-year-old but I left the cinema with an unknowing sense of gravity as if I had been witness to a significant event, one that changed my outlook on life. This film is not only crucial to the development of the themes that cinema tackles, but could be argued to be Parasite’s forerunner and to have facilitated its claiming of the 2020 Academy Award for Best Picture.
2013 The Iron Lady died in 2013. The first female PM of the UK, Margaret Thatcher was a formidable woman that was loved and hated in equal measure, but nobody could say that her death was not a huge occasion. When the news was released about her death on 8th April after suffering a stroke, everybody knew and everybody had some sort of feeling about it. The Queen attended her funeral which made Thatcher only the second PM after Winston Churchill to be given this honour, as well as receiving a ceremonial funeral with full military honours with a church service at St Paul’s on 17th April.
The year was one of sorrow as tragedies befell many. This was exemplified as 38 people were killed in the Christmas Day bombings in Iran. It seemed in 2013 that we were getting a glimpse of a hellish future where no day is sacred, and death would find a way to pervade every aspect of society with no regard for when it came. This event was a shocking reminder of the way that humanity can be stripped away from anybody and how in war zones nobody is ever safe.
2014
Whilst we’re stuck in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak, it’s hard to remember that it was this recently that we had another epidemic. An ebola epidemic. Starting in West Africa, the world was terrified by it. Planes were stopped, quarantining was in place and people were dying. This was a disease that led to worldwide fear and the response was in many ways the predecessor of the response to our current epidemic. This was also the year that Scotland turned down the chance for independence with 55.3% of the country voting against independence. This was a pivotal event in which people from all across Scotland banded together in order to vocally support their opinion. It was both a time of division and time of union within the country. 18
2018
2015
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It seems sort of shocking that it took until 2015 for a state to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote, but, that was the case. The country responsible for this milestone was the Republic of Ireland. It occurred when they voted on May 23rd in a referendum on the thirtyfourth amendment of the Constitution of Ireland. It was a historic occasion and its outcome was celebrated across not only the country but also as a victory for equality across the world. This was not solely a year of positive change however. It was also the year that Greece became the first developed country to fail to make an IMF loan repayment on time when they failed to do so on 30th June. This was the result of a long lasting debt crisis that the Greek government had fallen into in early 2008 and thereafter spiralled into something worse and worse but this was the year that the crisis reached its peak.
20192016 2016 was a year of heartbreak, especially throughout the summer months. On June 12th the Pulse nightclub shooting was a horrific attack where 49 people were killed and 53 others were wounded when a gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando. The attack caused immediate backlash towards the gunman and caused thousands of people across the world to band together to attempt to prevent anything like that from happening again. But that was not to be, just over a month later, on July 14th in Nice, 86 people were killed and more than 400 others injured in a terrorist attack in Nice when a truck was driven into a crowd who had assembled to celebrate Bastille Day. It was another moment of horror and shock in which sorrow consumed the world and people brought together in mourning, united against terror. And who could forget the Rio Olympics? Billions of dollars of debt,a green diving pool and sudden outbreak of Zika virus all caused quite a stir. But with Britain coming 2nd overall on the medal table, it was not one we’re likely to forget.
2017
On January 20th Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. He was the first person to be elected POTUS without having ever held a political office or a military general. He has been a very divisive President but it cannot be denied that he has been a memorable one and his inauguration is one which is unlikely to be forgotten due to the media frenzy that surrounded it.
This was also the year that Article 50 was triggered and the Brexit process was officially started. Having recently officially finished this process, it feels like it has been going on forever, but in reality, it was just 3 years ago. 19
February 9–25 – The 2018 Winter Olympics are held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It was the first time that they had been held in South Korea which had only held one summer Olympics until this point. They were fantastic games which highlighted a new variety of sports such as Slalom Snowboarding and Nordic Combined to people who had never seen them before. For me, personally, they were the games which led me to fall in love with Freestyle Snowboarding.
2018
February 2018, was not solely a month of happiness as yet another mass shooting occurred. This time it was the Parkland shooting as 17 people were killed and 17 injured at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It again led to protests again gun ownership and for something to be done so that children, particularly in the USA, never had to live in fear of another school shooting. On March 15th, there was yet another terrorist attack; this time in Christchurch, New Zealand. 51 people were killed and 50 more injured in terrorist attacks on two mosques. This was a heinous attack based on hatred and bigotry and was the deadliest mass shooting and terrorist attack in the history of New Zealand.
2019
Another tragic event in 2019 was the fire that engulfed the Notre-Dame Cathedral on April 15th during Holy Week. The fire resulted in the roof and main spire collapsing as well as most of the interior being burnt down. It was a shock of great proportions that saddened everybody. People from around the world came together and raised millions for the restoration efforts. This coming together in the face of trauma and pain was an important facet of this year and the decade as a whole.
Whilst the decade was not necessarily one of complete happiness, it was one which saw people come together both to celebrate and to protest. This is a spirit which we will need going forwards, as it looks like the hardships faced in the last decade will not disappear. We know that we are able to come together in the face of this hardship to support each other and to have good times. The past decade was one of human interaction and triumph. So let’s learn from this and triumph even more. Now that we’ve reflected on the last decade we can confidently look to the next one, having learnt from the past, we’ve looked back to move forwards. 20
By Sive, U5
IT’S CORONA-QUESTION TIME! With the global escalation of coronavirus, fake news is rife and it is hard to know what to believe. Hopefully, this Q&A will correct a few misconceptions you may have and put your mind at ease.
Q: Q:
What is the impact of coronavirus on our school exams? A: SQA have released an official statement, assuring that there are no changes at the current time to our summer examination schedule. The exam board and school have our best interests at heart, so don’t worry! If you want more reassurance about the upcoming exams, check your emails for an update from Mrs Edwards.
Q:
Do I need a mask?
A: At the moment, travel is only restricted to certain places, so most destinations are still safe. Make sure to take necessary health precautions and stay updated on the Government travel advice website.
Don’t Panic!
A: Generally, the masks are not hugely effective nor needed in the UK. Instead the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands regularly and cover your coughs and sneezes.
Q:
Can I still go on holiday this year?
How do I keep myself and my family safe?
A: The NHS recommends washing your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with hot water and soap. When you are finished, turn the tap off with a paper towel and put it in the bin Carry hand sanitiser (although don’t stock buy!) on your person, although soap and water are more effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands. Catch all your sneezes with a tissue or in the crook of your elbow to avoid spreading your germs, before immediately binning your tissue. 21
And remember, the best advice for now is….