CURRENT AFFAIRS IN A WAY YOU'LL LOVE
SEPTEMBER 2020
VOL 1 // ISSUE 3
Sahithi Lingampalli
Shivanshi Sharma
Pahel Srivastava
founder tech co-director
vice executive politics director
vice executive art co-director
Vrinda Gandhi
Sanjna Mootakoduru
vice executive layout co-director
vice executive tech co-director
Claire Sakurauchi public relations director
Arushi Patil
Harvi Karatha
Kavya Gurunath
editing co-director
editing co-director
science co-director
Shabdika Gubba
Cindy Zhang
Alison Ye
science director podcast director
opinions co-director
layout co-director
Samita Pandit lifestyle co-director
Taruni Manam lifestyle co-director
WRITERS: Arabi Mahanujam Inchara J Kavya Gurunath Maya Krolik Neve Walker Riona Carrington Sahithi Lingampalli Samita Pandit Sanjna Mootakoduru Shabdika Gubba Shivanshi Sharma Yaj Jhajhria
EDITORS: Arushi Patil Elizabeth Wu Harvi Karatha Kavya Gurunath Manushri Bapat Riona Carrington Sahithi Lingampalli Samita Pandit Shabdika Gubba Shivanshi Sharma Taruni Manam
LAYOUT DESIGNERS:
ARTISTS: Sanjna Mootakoduru
Aathmika Radhachandran Alison Ye Claire Sakurauchi Inchara J Nivi Chozhan Sahithi Lingampalli Tristan Castro Vrinda Gandhi
Riona Carrington opinions co-director
meet the staff Manushri Bapat art co-director
@theaffairmag theaffairmag@gmail.com Published monthly by The Affair. All Rights Reserved. COVER PC ~ JENNA KIESER, CLEVELAND.COM
CONTENTS
02
MEET THE STAFF
04
EDITOR'S NOTE
05
POLITICS AND WORLD EVENTS
15
TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
23
SCIENCE
33
LIFESTYLE
43
G4M3 P14N35
45
ORGANIZATIONS
staff's note
Yaj Jhajhria Co-Director (Podcast), Writer
Hi. I’m Yaj Jhajhria, a writer and co-director of the podcast team here at The Affair Magazine. I’m pretty new in the crew, though, and joined after a friend recommended that I read the second issue. Not only was I blown away by the quality and organization of this student-run operation, but I began to think about how though this was created as more or less a recreational activity, it and publications like it are incredibly important in today’s world. The information we receive from the media is primarily dominated by reliable facts presented by established organizations created to inform adults and people already well-versed in the subject matter, and notorious social media users posting often factually inaccurate and misleading lies to generate ad revenue. Notwithstanding the fact that overall trust in the media is at an
all-time low (perhaps for good reason), few neglect how this affects the knowledge that is given to the youth. Because the former option is seen as unreachable and overly sophisticated, social media is often the only way these people learn about the world’s happenings. An algorithm tells them what to believe, who to like, who to hate, and who to vote for when they turn 18. Outlets like what you’re about to read are part of how to change this. Not only are students intelligent and capable enough to observe and believe things about the world they live in, their voices should be seen as not inferior or unimportant, but an equally educated and reasonable piece of the greater conversation. That is why I joined. That is why what you’re reading right now matters.
Yaj Jhajhria
4
POLITICS AND WORLD EVENTS cover story: us postal service
pages 7-8
affirmative action
pp. 9-10 ten percent of us elections failed, blame the electoral college
pp. 11-12
women in politics
pp. 13-14
THE UNITED STATE the history of the usps
by Shrawan
edited by Taruni Manam & Manushri
T
he United States Postal Service has a long and rich history. During colonial times, mail was typically delivered by friends, merchants, and Native Americans. The power struggle between the colonies and the British government stirred up tensions in the postal service. The Boston riots in 1774 prompted the creation of the Continental Congress, which appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general in charge of the new, what was then called the Post Office Department in 1775. The system expanded greatly over the past 245 years and played a huge part in uniting the country by making long-distance communication more accessible. This helped hundreds of private businesses grow and flourish. They gave contracts to stagecoach lines, making delivery faster, and as time passed, they began to give contracts to steamboats, trains, and now, aircrafts. Experimentation with home delivery began in 1863 and parcel delivery was available in 1913. The Post Office Department created countless job opportunities for Americans. The mail carriers have always been extremely dedicated to their job. At the time, however, they weren’t paid the salary they deserved. The Post Office Department was not receiving enough funds. As a result, several protests and strikes took place. To deal with the deficit and improve management, the U.S Congress approved the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970. The Post Office Department was now a governmentowned company. The United States Postal Service expected to build revenue in order to pay for itself.
7
The Post Office Department u taxpayers, but today, USPS re and relies on the sale of its po deliveries. Despite the COVID-19 outb mail and packages with the ut this very pandemic is what pu a predicament. In the light of the 2020 pre November, millions of America in their voting ballots via mail circumstances. Republicans w would increase the rate of vot There are concerns that the D receive an unfair advantage. The Democratic party argu help decrease the risk of peop show that mail-in voting would People will have time to stay i any events regarding the two an educating decision. Despit opposition, many states will m accessible to voters. Accordin states and Washington D.C ha mail ballots for the general ele been deemed as the safest op crisis. The United States Postal servi connected for over 200 years major role in democracy. The challenges and crisises and w
S POSTAL SERVICE and its situation today
ni Pradhan
i Bapat • layout by Claire Sakurauchi
used to be funded by ceives no money from tax ostages, products, and
break, mail carriers deliver tmost precaution. However, ut the mail delivery service in
esidential elections this ans are considering sending this year due to obvious worry that mail-in ballots ter fraud and missing ballots. Democratic party would
es that voting by mail would ple getting sick. Studies even d increase voter turnout. nformed and keep up with opposing parties, and make e President Trump’s make mail-in ballots more ng to the New York Times, 27 ave increased accessibility to ection. Mail-in voting has ption during this global health
REFERENCES Holmes K, and Cohen M. August 21, 2020. The Postal Service controversy, explained. New York City, New York, U.S: WarnerMedia. https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/21/politics/usps-fundingcontroversy-explained/index.html Love J, Stevens M, and Gamio L. August 14, 2020. Where Americans Can Vote by Mail in the 2020 Elections. New York City, New York, U.S: © 2020 The New York Times Company https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/11/us/politics/vote-by-mailus-states.html Brix A.C. July 6, 1999. Postal Systems. Chicago, Illinois, U.S: Encyclopædia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/topic/postal-system/National-postalsystems#ref367114 Upholt B. May 18, 2020. The tumultuous history of the U.S. Postal Service—and its constant fight for survival. Washington D.C, U.S: © 2015-2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/05/tumultuous-historyunited-states-postal-service-con stant-fight-survival/#close Obringer L.A. 26 October 2007. How the U.S Postal Service Works. Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.: © 2020 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. https://people.howstuffworks.com/usps3.htm\ Phillips A. May 20, 2020. Examining the arguments against voting by mail: Does it really lead to fraud or benefit only Democrats? Washington D.C, U.S: © 1996-2020 The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/05/20/what-arearguments-against-voting-by-mail/ Top Thirteen Things You Should Know About The U.S. Postal Service. Washington D.C, U.S: © 2016-2020 United States Postal Service. https://facts.usps.com/top-facts/#nav
ice has kept Americans s, and this year, it will play a service that overcame many ill continue to do so.
8
Affirmative
By: Arabi Mahanujam Edited By: Harvi Kara
Affirmative action in the United States is defined as the active effort to improve employment or educational opp dismantle the long-standing discriminatory policies against those groups. The policy was developed in order to enforc in college admissions, businesses, and scholarships/grants for higher education. There have been arguments made fo to the low percentages of diversity and representation in higher education, media, positions of authority and more. Th less qualified minorities to take the jobs of those who are more qualified. There has also been minimal change to the st these arguments allow for a broad outlook on the basis of discrimination.
In the beginning, affirmative action used racial quotas until the Supreme Court mandated more constitutional met minorities and other groups, who have been discriminated against in the past, to get equal opportunities. Currently, e Michigan, Nebraska, Arizona, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Idaho. What does it mean for minorities? According to Th also want to understand the struggles of those facing racial and gender biases from a social perspective. As for the goo shown the benefits. Between 1974 and 1980, the rate of minority employment in businesses rose by 20%, and the fe Poverty rates were also decreasing, as it went from 22% in 1959 to 12% in 1975. tttttIn terms of college admissions, schools with race and gender conscious admissions policies saw an increase in diversity. Between 1976 and 2016, the percentage of Black and Latinx graduates and enrolled students had increased significantly. This proves that affirmative action did have a positive impact on eliminating racial bias. However, what are the disadvantages? Some say that affirmative action discriminates against other minority groups such as Asians. According to Vox, many Asian-American professors have spoken out about the issue and how they would not link the Asian community to affirmative action and that Asians should not be used to deny opportunities to the less privileged/disadvantaged. In fact, many people had considered this to be “racial mascotting� or using one minority group to undermine another. A lawsuit was filed against Harvard in 2014 by Edward Blum, a political strategist who used Asian Americans to accuse top universities of discrimination. The Court ruled in favour of Harvard to dismiss the claims. The struggles of Asians and other minority groups alike should not be used at the time of focusing on university bias against black and Latinx students. tttttAnother major statistic that people point to when discussing affirmative action is test scores, specifically standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. In fact a 2009 book written by two Princeton sociologists showed data on how well each race would need to score in order to have an equal chance at admissions. It implies that a black student who scores 1000 on their SATs would have an equal chance of admission as a white student who scores 1310 or an Asian-American who scores 1450. This data has since been disputed among those who are in favour of affirmative action and those who are not. Nowadays, admissions is based on a holistic view of many different factors such as grades, test scores, extra-curriculars, leadership, athletics, essays, and more. This generally eliminates the ability of schools to discriminate based on gender or race.
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tttttIn conclusion, affirmative action has benefitted minority students in the 1900s when gender and race based discriminations were heavily prevalent. It has also allowed for students with economic and educational disadvantage to get the same opportunities and resources as their peers. It has also fostered a more diverse environment in jobs, leadership positions, and more. Although there are advantages and disadvantages, the system is not perfect, and policies are working towards a more accommodating future for everyone.
Action
atha, Riona Carrington
Layout By: Tristan Castro
portunities for women and minorities. It began as a way to ce the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nowadays, they can be seen or and against affirmative action. For example, people point hose who are against it argue that affirmative action allows atus quo after decades of efforts against discrimination. All
thods. Now, it tends to use targeted goals in order to allow eight states have banned it: California, Washington, Florida, e New Yorker, the system should legally be color-blind. We od that affirmative action has done, numerous studies have emale employment rate rose by 15.2% (New Yorker 2000).
References
Chang, A. (2018, March 28). Asians are being used to make the case against affirmative action. Again. Retrieved September 07, 2020, from https://www.vox.com/2018/3/28/17031460/affirmativeaction-asian-discrimination-admissions Joshi, Yuvraj (2019). "Racial Indirection". UC Davis Law Review. 52 (5): 74. SSRN 3312518. Kenton, W. (2020, August 28). Affirmative Action. Retrieved September 07, 2020, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/affirmative-action.asp Menand, L., Hsu, H., & Sanneh, K. (2020, January 13). The Changing Meaning of Affirmative Action. Retrieved September 07, 2020, from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/01/20/havewe-outgrown-the-need-for-affirmative-action
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TEN PERCENT OF U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS FAILED. by Yaj Jhajhria
The United States Presidency is a role transcending the boundaries of its name. While the office maintains its purpose of directing the executive branch of the United States, the nation’s recent escalation to being the world’s one true superpower grants the choice of the American people the greatest power vested in any U.S. public official, along with a level of military and cultural influence around the globe to the likes of no other individual. Currently, Forbes lists Donald Trump, the incumbent U.S. president, as the third most powerful person on Earth, higher than Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, or the Pope.[1] The responsibility to select a leader lies in the hands of the citizens of America. At least, it should. But of the 58 presidential elections conducted, at least five of them (almost ten percent) have featured a winner who more Americans voted against than for.[2] This inherent lapse in our democracy can be attributed to the electoral college, the body of electors that choose the president.
11
E H T E M A BL L A R O T C E EL . E G E L L CO Your State Probably Doesn’t Matter In a democracy, equality should be something to take for granted. With 538 electoral votes, an even distribution of electoral votes would make each represent 574,000 Americans, according to 2010 census data.[3] Yet this is not the case. The electoral college distributes votes by giving each state two to begin with, then adds more proportionately, giving smaller states like Wyoming and Delaware two more than they should have, while Texas and California are missing six and ten votes, respectively. As a result, someone in Wyoming’s vote counts four times as much as a Californian’s
. This is intentional: when the Constitution was created, rural voters were generally much poorer than urban ones, and they intended to prevent the upper class from gaining too much influence. That generalization, however, is outdated. Data from the United States Census Bureau shows that with its large populations of every minority in the United States, California has a higher poverty rate than Wyoming, yet its citizens are worth one-fourth the average Wyomingite.[4][5] This all leads to the worstcase scenario in an election, where a candidate wins the electoral vote by getting just over half of the votes in the forty smallest states, thus securing the presidency despite 78 percent of the nation voting against them. While this is the most extreme scenario, it demonstrates the terrifyingly low minimum popularity to succeed. This is partially because winners in a state take all of the votes.
You Probably Don’t Matter In the previous example, the other half of the people who didn’t vote for the winning candidate were simply not represented. This is problematic for the opposition in states controlled by one party. Anyone living in a safe state for their opposing party is out of luck because their vote no longer counts. This leads to lower voter turnouts, continuing the cycle further. With most states already guaranteed to vote one way, however, this means that every time, the election comes down to a handful of swing states. Candidates then adjust their policies to appeal to these voters, leaving the rest of the country underrepresented in the Oval Office.[6]
That’s Barely Even Half of the Problems In addition to all of this, more issues remain. Even if one party wins the election in a state, that state can distribute the votes however they please. Then, those votes do not automatically go to a party, but to selected people who go to a convention to cast their vote officially, even though nothing prevents them from voting for literally any person. This has occurred in the past and could potentially change the victor months after the election, during inauguration preparations. Additionally, gerrymandering is a frequently used practice of redrawing district lines to give more representation to white voters and fewer votes to people of color. In 2018, this caused Democrats in North Carolina to win 48 percent of the vote but only 23 percent of Congressional seats. Plus, the distortion of governance, disadvantage for third parties, and the very real possibility of a tie (where each state then gets one vote to break the tie) are all enormous monkey wrenches that are thrown into the strained engine that is democracy. This has caused the election results to wildly misrepresent the wishes of the American people, and for power to be granted to the wrong hands. Right now, it does not feel like the people choose politicians – because they do not. The politicians choose the people.
References Forbes. (2018). The World's Most Powerful People. Retrieved September 2, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/list/ History. (2020, July 23). 5 Presidents Who Lost the Popular Vote But Won the Election. Retrieved September 2, 2020, from https://www.history.com/news/presidents-electoral-college-popularvote -20
United States Census Bureau. (2010). Decennial Census by Decades. Retrieved September 3, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html United States Census Bureau. (2019). U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: California. Retrieved September 4, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/CA United States Census Bureau. (2019). U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Wyoming. Retrieved September 4, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/WY Prokop, A. (2016, December 19). Why the Electoral College is the absolute worst, explained. Vox. Retrieved September 8, 2020, from https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/7/12315574/electoral-college-explained-presidentialelections-2016
Edited by: Shivanshi Sharma, Arushi Patil, Taruni Manam, Layout by: Alison Ye
12
women in politics:
alexandria ocasio-cortez
Throughout American history, women have been oppressed and have not had as many opportunities as men have had. The first woman's rights convention took place in New York in 1848. During this convention, the declaration of sentiments was created. This declaration was modeled after the Declaration of Independence and fought for women's rights, like suffrage. The women that put together this convention set a precedent for women in the future that would have a rightful place in America, and we deserve for our voices to be heard. An example of a modern woman that fights for what she believes in, and fights for humanity, is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC. AOC was elected for New York’s 14th congressional district on June 26, 2018. She was 29 at the time, becoming the youngest congresswoman ever voted in. She has had many accomplishments during her time in office. During the government shutdown, AOC worked with a Youtuber during a livestream to support and raise money for Mermaids, an organization that supports trans youth. From this, she raised over $300,000 for the organization. Also during the government shutdown, she spoke on the floor of the senate highlighting that government workers were not being paid at this time. She spoke of her constituent, an air traffic controller at JFK international airport.
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During this speech, we were able to see how AOC can connect to the public and fight for their rights. One of her most famous accomplishments is introducing the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal addresses environmental concerns and a solution to fix them, while also creating new jobs and boosting the economy. Although many people oppose the Green New Deal because of how drastic it is, sometimes it is important to make big changes for the better long term.
AOC has connected to the public, through speeches on the Senate floor, and live streams of Instagram. She makes politics approachable and is a great role model for young women. She sets the floor for women in the future to make a stand in governments and have a say in the world. We are at a time in America where women don’t have to rely on men to make the decisions for us, we have as much as a right to work in politics as men, and AOC is a brilliant example of how a woman doesn't have to be passive. Although men have verbally assaulted her, she has bounced back, and she teaches us that we shouldn't take abuse from men.
written by: Neve Walker edited by: Arushi Patil and Taruni Manam layout by: Inchara J.
references Milestones for Women in American Politics. (2019, May 03). Retrieved September 09, 2020, from https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/milestones-forwomen Mercado, A. (1969, April 01). A Look Back at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Momentous First Year in Congress. Retrieved September 09, 2020, from https://remezcla.com/lists/culture/alexandriaocasio-cortezs-historic-first-year-congress/ image of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez from ocasiocortez house. Retrieved on September 15, 2020 from https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/about/biography
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tech & design Cover story: Dr. ROBOT - machine vs human, pp. 17-18
TikTok vs Trump, pp. 19-20 Basic Ciphers & Codes, pp. 21-22
DR. ROBOT: Machine vs. Human By: Sanjna Mootakoduru Edited by: Taruni Manam & Kavya Gurunath
tttttIt’s been long imagined that one day, when
These robots monitor a patient’s vital statistics, alert
humanity becomes advanced enough, robots will be
the nurses, and automatically enter information into a
doing our tasks for us. From everyday chores, to
patient’s digital health record. This is efficient
driving us in our cars, to attending to our ailments in a
because it allows nurses to track the needs and
hospital setting, I’m sure everyone’s imagined some
progress of several patients at once. Some robots
sort of utopia of eternal relaxation and robots to tend
also carry equipment around hospitals.
to our every need. But robots are becoming more and more developed over time, and this mere science
tttttThe more popular, and debatably more exciting,
fiction dream is becoming more and more of a reality.
type of robots are those that can perform surgery.
Now, unlike ever before, there really are robots out
Many people think that the robot itself is making the
there, doing things like making sure people are
incisions but this is not the case: the robot is being
following social distancing guidelines in Singapore, or
controlled by a human surgeon. The benefits of a
an AI writing an entire article for the Guardian. The
robot surgeon are the fact that the incisions made
medical world has seen its fair share of advancements
can be extremely controlled, as seen in the infamous
as well. With all of this evolution, just how close are we
“surgery on a grape” video that the internet has
to having full-fledged robot doctors?
trolled for quite a while now. This video shows how intricate and efficient robotic surgery can be; the
tttttYou’ve already heard of, seen, and may even have
robotic scalpel is able to remove the skin off of the
some of this new and advanced technology in the
grape and then put it back together. This also means
form of devices linked with the Internet of Medical
surgery can be done from across the world with 5G
Things for short. These include devices like Fitbit and
up and coming.
other smartwatches, remote vitals trackers, and other devices that keep clinicians connected to patients
tttttIn addition to robotic surgeons and assistants,
from far away, but these don’t exactly count as
there are robots that sanitize hospitals and can help
robots. How about the cool sci-fi humanoid machines
patients that are immuno-compromised to minimize
we love to dream up? Where are those? Well, the first
contact with hospital personnel for their own safety.
kind of robot we will discuss is the robotic assistant.
There are also robots that can transport, analyze, and
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store laboratory samples. Ever had a medical professional have trouble finding your “good vein”? A robot can help locate this vein more readily so the
medical
professional
can
perform their procedures quickly and with less fright from the patient. tttttSo this is great, but when are we getting to the robot DOCTORS? Well, the truth is, we aren’t. Medicine is a very hands on field that requires a lot of, both physical and meta-phorical, human touch. Sometimes a machine can’t offer the comfort of another human being; can’t offer sympathy or empathy for our experiences and worries. Many people are actually put off by the idea of robotic doctors and would much rather have a human primarily caring for them. In reality, we may never truly have a completely robotic doctor, and if we do, they’d have to have many human characteristics, and they may even have to resemble a human.
References Coronavirus: Robot dog enforces social distancing in Singapore park. (2020, May 11). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-52619568 G.P.T.-. (2020, September 10). A robot wrote this entire article. Are you scared yet, human? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/08/robot-wrote-thisarticle-gpt-3 How are Robots Changing Healthcare? (2019, August 7). Healthcare Administration Degree Programs. https://www.healthcare-administration-degree.net/faq/how-are-robotschanginghealthcare/#:%7E:text=Robots%20in%20medicine%20help%20by,places%20and%20transp ort%20dangerous%20substances
Art by: Sanjna Mootakoduru · Layout by: Tristan Castro & Sahithi Lingampalli
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by by Inchara Inchara JJ & & Arabi Arabi Mahanujam Mahanujam edited edited by by Taruni Taruni Manam Manam & & Harvi Harvi Karatha Karatha
TikTok is the app that nearly swept the USA off its feet. With everything from comedy skits, musical performances, memes, and dancing, TikTok was the ideal social media app for teens and young adults. However, where did it go wrong? Why did the incumbent U.S. President, Donald J. Trump, decide to ban TikTok from the United States? Luckily, TikTok has not been banned yet. Although this is good for stars such as the Lopez Brothers, Charlie D’Amelio, and the SwayBoys, many are left to wonder why this event nearly happened. Let’s start at the basics. Tiktok is a social media platform owned by the Chinese Company ByteDance. The United States has been understandably scared of China ‘stealing’ their information through the use of social media: is this fear rational? Compared to other sites, such as Facebook, Reddit, and LinkedIn, TikTok’s data collection appears to be quite restrained. Similar to Reddit, TikTok copies information to a clipboard and stores it there. It watches things you see to generate your feed.
vs vs
Additionally, TikTok does not have any Chinese employees. The obvious reason for this is that countries such as India and the U.S. would accuse them of relaying information from one country to China. Regardless of these restrictions, Donald J. Trump, the 45th and current president of the U.S.A., has expressed a desire to ban TikTok. However, due to the strong objections from users and influencers, he backed down. He suggested that if Microsoft bought TikTok, he would reconsider the ban.
Although the security issue is one major speculation as to why Trump intends on banning TikTok, there seems to be another matter at hand. According to Forbes, it is possible that Trump’s decision was affected by what happened at the Trump rally on June 19 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Due to the rally coinciding with Juneteenth, many people were angered and decided to form a campaign on TikTok and Twitter advising people to flood reservations with fake names, emails, and phone numbers.
References Brown, A. (2020, August 02). Is This The Real Reason Why Trump Wants To Ban TikTok? R https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2020/08/01/is-this-the-real-reason-why-tr Leskin, P. (2020, August 05). No, Donald Trump can't 'ban' TikTok. Retrieved September 0 experts-cfius-alternative-options-2020-7
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[1] PolyMatter (YouTube Channel), (August 4, 2020), The TikTok Ban, youtube.com, YouTu v=34qpwtU9uoI&feature=youtu.be
Layout Layout by by Sahithi Sahithi Lingampalli Lingampalli
s.. Trump Trump Subsequently, many people globally bought tickets to the rally with no intention of attending to give false hope to the Trump administration. Two weeks later, the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, spoke publicly about a TikTok ban. This caused many to speculate if the ban could somehow be related to the rally. Though this is merely a theory, several people think it could be true, considering that Trump did not speak about or mention TikTok being a potential security threat before the incident. There are several potential reasons as to why Trump would choose to ban TikTok. Regardless, the more fundamental question remains unanswered. Can Trump legally ban an online application? Would it violate the First Amendment? According to Business Insider, it’s not as simple as you would think. However, there are certain workarounds that the administration can pursue. Even on a technical level, removing the app from Google Play or the App Store would prevent new downloads and updates, but it wouldn’t affect the millions of users already on the app.
If Trump were to ban TikTok, he could either stop its parent company, ByteDance, from conducting business with U.S. entities, or he could impose an executive order that would require federal review. As stated earlier, Microsoft confirmed that they were seriously considering buying TikTok’s US operations. If TikTok does not Americanize soon, Trump has insisted that his administration would take appropriate action to ban TikTok. Until then, however, TikTok can be enjoyed by verified creators, teens, and young adults in search of amusement. * TikTok has been bought by Oracle, which, unfortunately, overthrew the bid for TikTok by Microsoft, causing the app to be banned on Sunday, September 20th. Unless, however, they manage to appease the president, which is a slim chance of course.
etrieved September 07, 2020, from ump-wants-to-ban-tiktok/ 07, 2020, from https://www.businessinsider.com/can-trump-ban-tiktok-no-legal-
be. Retrieved September 6th, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
20
Edited By: Taruni Manam and Kavya Gurunath
Morse
Codes and Cip
By: Sahithi Lingamp
Out of all known codes, morse code is notably the most famous and well known, but it has fallen out of use with the invention of phones and the internet. It was developed by Samuel Morse who used it to revolutionise the use of the telegram, which was already invented nearly 20 years earlier in 1816 by Francis Ronals. What made Morse code special is that unlike prior ideas of using 26 separate wires for each letter, Morse developed an alphabet that allowed for quicker and more efficient communication (see the chart attached for the breakdown of how exactly Morse code works). Morse Code has been used for the last 160 years, and continues to be relevant not only in games, but also in aviation and in guiding boats.
Code breaking: it is a thing of o based action movies in which a c random symbols, letters, or num of the secrets. And while this fa are some codes out there that h have been used by the small ha four different codes for the ave FBI agent, a
Caesar When you hear “Caesar� the first thing, rather, person, you think of, would be Julius Caesar. Contrary to popular belief, Julius Caesar did not invent the Caesar cipher, but he did inspire the creation. According to history, Caesar used a shift of 3 letters in all his military documents, to protect his messages. For example, the letter A would be D, B would be E, and C would be F! Back when Caesar used the cipher, it was thought to be reasonably secure since only a few of his enemies were literate, and even less would consider that the message might have been encrypted! Nowadays, it is one of the easiest ciphers to crack, considering there are only 25 possibilities for what the message can be, and only one of them will make sense!
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Refere What Is Braille? (n.d.). Retrieved September 09, 2020, from http The History of Braille [Your Braille Resource]. (2019, June 27). Retrieved Septemb Morse code. (2020, August 27). Retrieved September 0 Electrical telegraph. (2020, September 04). Retrieved September Caesar Cipher. (n.d.). Retrieved September 09, 2020, from https://w Pigpen cipher. (2020, July 22). Retrieved September 09, Batt, S. (2017, October 01). Pigpen Ciphers. Retrieved Septembe
phers Decoded
palli and Maya Krolik
our childhood dreams and warcharacter skims a whole page of mbers and immediately knows all ntasy is far from realistic, there have seen their rise and fall and andful that were fluent. Here are rage lock-picker, spy, assassin, and reader.
Layout By: Aathmika Radhachandran
Pigpen Other names of this old cipher include masonic cipher, napoleonic cipher, and tic-tac-toe cipher. This code system is thought to have been created by secret religious cults in the middle ages. Some even claim that the Knights Templair used this elusive code. It does not have many modern uses other than being a point of interest for code geeks and has appeared in some video games, including Assassin’s Creed II. Here is how it works: take the letter “A,” look at the key and trace the border of the box/triangle around the letter and add a dot or not depending on if there is one in the box. N becomes a box with a dot and t becomes a “greater than” sign without a dot (see example for ANT below).
Braille Braille is a system of raised dots, with each cell representing one letter. It is intended for visually impaired or blind people, to use their fingers to read. Non-visually-impaired people can also read braille, with their eyes! Braille was invented by Louis Braille, a blind person. In that time, printing books with raised text was a very expensive and laborious process, and Braille wanted to find an easier way to read the books that he loved. Thus, braille was born! It was a lot cheaper to print books, and braille started becoming more widespread in the world! Now, it used almost everywhere to help as many visually-impaired people as possible.
Now that you have learned these codes, try to decode the following phrases. For Solutions Check Page 44! Code: ⠼⠓⠼⠁⠏⠏⠽ ⠝⠼⠑⠺ ⠎⠼⠉⠼⠓⠕⠕⠇ ⠽⠼⠑⠼⠁⠗ Decode: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Code: -- --- - - - --- Decode: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Code: Decode: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Code: dffhvv judqwhg Decode: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ences ps://www.afb.org/blindness-and-low-vision/braille/what-braille ber 09, 2020, from https://brailleworks.com/braille-resources/history-of-braille/ 9, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_code r 09, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_telegraph www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/c/Caesar_cipher.htm , 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigpen_cipher r 09, 2020, from https://www.kidscodecs.com/pigpen-ciphers/
・ ・ ・・・ ・ ・ ・
・・ ・
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SCIENCE COVER STORY: COVID-19 MYTHBUSTERS, pp. 25-26
THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND BACK-TOSCHOOL STRESS, pp. 27-28 FLORIDA RELEASES 750 MILLION GENETICALLY MODIFIED MOSQUITOES, pp. 29-30 THE "DENT" IN EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD, pp. 31-32
FACT OR FICTION? COVID-19 has changed the world as we know it, and it is important to know what information is real, and what information is wrong. Staying educated is one of the first steps to making sure this pandemic doesn’t go on for any longer.
MYTH: Thermal scanners can detect COVID-19. While thermal scanners are very useful, they can only detect your temperature: this can be useful for detecting fevers. Fevers are one of the symptoms of COVID, but fevers have many causes. If you have a fever, it does NOT necessarily mean you have COVID-19 and does not indicate that you don't have COVID-19.
MYTH: Antibiotics can protect and cure COVID-19. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus: hence, its name is coronavirus. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections: they won’t protect you against COVID-19. Don’t use antibiotics unless prescribed to you by a doctor. Antivirals are used against viruses
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written by: Shabdika Gubba edited by: Riona Carringtion, Harvi Karatha layout by: Inchara J.
breaking down COVID-19 myths MYTH: Adding pepper to your food can prevent and cure COVID-19. People sometimes use pepper to treat cold symptoms because it has Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an immunity booster and has antibacterial properties. While I personally love pepper and spicy food, COVID-19 is a virus, and the antibacterial properties won’t protect you. There is no scientific evidence to support that pepper can help against COVID-19.
MYTH: All masks are effective. There are many different masks out there, from bandanas to surgical masks. A common misconception is that all masks are helpful. However, there are some masks which can make the problem worse. According to a study done by Duke University, bandanas, scarves, and neck fleeces actually spread more droplets than having no mask at all, which increases the risk of spread and infection. This is because larger droplets are split apart through the mask, and these smaller droplets can go farther than the normal droplets. On the other hand, N95 masks are the most effective, but most public health officials urge that you do not buy these because they are reserved for medical professionals. COVID-19 is still a very big issue, and as the pandemic goes on, more and more false information can be spread. It is important to stay informed and use your critical thinking skills to stay safe.
references https://www.wbrc.com/2020/08/10/your-face-covering-maybe-doing-more-harm-thangood/#:~:text=But%20he%20said%20not%20all,doing%20mor e%20harm%20than%20good.&text=Surgical%20masks%2C%2 0and%20homemade%20cotton,don't%20do%20much%20goo d. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novelcoronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters
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PSCHOLOGY OF BACK-TOSCHOOL STRESS BIGGEST TRIGGERS Your heart starts poundi ng, your pal ms become sweaty, your mouth becomes dry, your thoughts start swi rl i ng i n your brai n. Stress. Whether you have to present your proj ect i n front of a crowd, you have an i mportant day i n your l i fe comi ng up, you are worri ed about your grades, we have al l been stressed at some poi nt i n our l i ves. School i s the bi ggest tri gger of stress for teenagers nowadays (Smi th, 2020). I n thi s arti cl e, we wi l l focus on the physi ol ogy of back-to-school stress. Revvi ng the engi ne The stress response starts i n the brai n. When you experi ence a stressful si tuati on, your amygdal a (the brai n’ s center of emoti onal processi ng) sends a di stress si gnal to the hypothal amus. The hypothal amus “communi cates wi th the rest of the body, through the autonomi c nervous system” (Harvard, 2020). The autonomous nervous system i s i n charge of i nvol untary responses of the body, such as bl ood pressure, breathi ng, heartbeat, etc. The autonomous nervous system consi sts of the sympatheti c and parasympatheti c nervous system. The sympatheti c nervous system i s “l i ke a gas pedal ” (Harvard, 2020), tri ggeri ng the stress response. The
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parasympathetic nervous system is “like a brake” (Harvard, 2020), slowing and ending the stress response. It calms the body after stress (Harvard, 2020). The Gas Pedal and The Brake The hypothalamus alerts the sympathetic nervous, which, in turn, activates the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands pump adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones cause the heart to beat faster, which pushes blood to muscles and vital organs. Small airways in the lungs open up, causing the person to breathe rapidly, and take in more oxygen. The extra oxygen is sent to the brain, which causes your sight and hearing to become more alert. More glucose (blood sugar) and fat are released, increasing your energy. The hypothalamus and other glands pass hormonal signals to keep the stress response going. Once the stressful situation is over, the parasympathetic system kicks in, decreases the cortisol levels, and calms the body down (Harvard, 2020). Fight or Flight Now we know how you get stressed. But, why do you get stressed? When you are put in a high-pressure situation, your body releases a set of stress hormones that cause your blood pressure to increase, your breathing to quicken, and your muscles to tense. This is known as a “fight or flight” response. This response to high-pressure
REFERENCES ctually a survival mechanism. It is meant to get your adrenaline pumping and help you escape or flee from a threat. It can actually help save your life when you are in danger because you become more alert. Unfortunately, your body reacts to having to speak in public and fleeing for your life in the same way. It can’t differentiate between a stressful situation and a life-threatening one, causing it to overreact when you are worried about something. This “fight or flight”, caused by your overreacting body is called stress (Harvard, 2020). Chaotic Abyss School manages to stress teens out in many ways. The most common sources of stress for people, in general, are change, deadlines, social interaction, fear of failure, etc. (MayoClinic, 2020). School is a combination of everything on that list. Changing from a calm summer to a hectic school schedule causes stress. Having too much homework due on a certain day causes stress. Worrying about an oral presentation or participating in class causes stress. Being worried about failing your classes causes stress (Oxford Learning, 2018). The shift from a relaxed summer break to the chaotic abyss that is school is the reason going back to school stresses us out. School can be stressful, especially now, but stress is manageable. Common ways to manage stress are exercise, meditation, painting, or doing something you love. For more information on how to manage stress, check out our article in the first issue of this magazine: How Stress Sucks, and How to Make it Suck Less.
Harvard. (2020, July 6). Understanding the Stress Response. Harvard Health Publishing https://www.health.harvard.edu/stayinghealthy/understanding-the-stressresponse MayoClinic. (2020). Stress Management: Know your triggers. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthylifestyle/stress-management/indepth/stress-management/art-20044151 Oxford Learning. (2018, May 28). Common Causes of School Stress for Students. https://www.oxfordlearning.com/causesof-schoolstress/#:~:text=New%20classes%2C%20ne w%20teachers%2C%20and,take%20time%2 0to%20adjust%20to.&text=As%20they%20 progress%20through%20school,entering%2 0their%20high%20school%20years Smith, K. (2020). 6 Common Triggers of Teen Stress. PSYCOM. https://www.psycom.net/commontriggers-teenstress/#:~:text=For%20teens%2C%20the% 20most%20commonly,their%20family%20( 65%20percent)
Written by: Kavya Gurunath edited by: Taruni, Riona Layout by: Nivi Chozhan
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FLORIDA JUST RELE GMO'ED MO
… TO ERADICAT
MOSQUITOES. YOU EITHER LOVE THEM, OR YOU HATE THEM.
If you are the former, then you’re probably someone who understands ecology because mosquitoes are essential to the ecosystem in many ways. However, they are also the deadliest animal in the world, surpassing every stereotypical ‘predator’. Between 720,000 and a million people die of mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and zika virus annually. Local outbreaks of dengue and yellow fever have been becoming increasingly frequent in the Keys region in Florida. According to CNN, the Floridian government spends over $1 million every year to fight one specific type of mosquito.[1] At least, until now. Local governments have approved a plan to eliminate the use of insecticides by releasing 750 genetically modified mosquitoes throughout 2021 and 2022. The operation is intended to be a pilot to determine whether the practice is effective or not. Here is how it’s supposed to work.
IN 2010, U.S. HEALTH EXPERTS BEGAN TO NOTICE SOMETHING STRANGE TRANSPIRING.
The Florida Keys, a prime tourist destination at the bottom tip of the Florida Peninsula, was experiencing an outbreak of Dengue Fever.[2] It had begun in August of the previous year, and since then, more cases had been observed by locals and tourists. The outbreak was unusual because until recently, Dengue had only been observed in Central and South America. However, the Keys were a perfect place for the disease to thrive. It was soon found that the region had its own strain of Dengue spread by a specific mosquito, the Aedes aegypti. The next few years brought with it one of Florida’s greatest challenges yet: it struggled to combat the novel threat of mosquitos and their illnesses. The millions that were spent on various insecticides, sprays, and even mosquito-eating fish were going nowhere, considering the issue was as bad as it had been in 2009. So, the government reached out to an establishment by the name of Oxitec.
LaMotte, S. (2020, August 20). 750 million genetically engineered mosquitoes approved for release in Florida Keys. Cable News Network. Retrieved September 4, 2020, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/19/health/gmo-mosquitoes-approved-florida-scn-wellness/index.html Song, S. (2010, May 24). Dengue fever appears in the Florida Keys. Time. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://healthland.time.com/2010/05/24/dengue-fever-appears-in-the-florida-keys/ Leftwich, P. T.; Koukidou, M.; Rempoulakis, P.; Gong, H.; Zacharopoulou, A.; Fu, G.; Chapman, T.; Economopoulos, A.; Vontas, J.; Alphey, L. (2010, October 7). Genetic elimination of field-cage populations of Mediterranean fruit flies. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4150327/ BBC News. (2020, August 20). Florida mosquitoes: 750 million genetically modified insects to be released. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53856776
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OXITEC, A BRIT COMPANY FOUN OXFORD ALUMNI IN CREATING GE MODIFIED CREA INSECT CONTRO
Having had suc in the Mediterrani their next challen mosquito crisis.[3 their work was genetically modifi aegypti to be ca million males of th be released in intention of eventu aegypti from the 750 million of an slightly different a counterintuitive, b the DNA. OX513A that ensures th offspring of the cri they become m OX513A mosquito only females bite, modified mosquit wild A. aegypti s mosquitoes die, a live on to pollinate female-killing prot the female populat and the males wou
BY YAJ J EDITED BY HAR RIONA CAR LAYOUT BY SAHIT
EASED 750 MILLION OSQUITOES
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cess with fruit flies ian and elsewhere, nge was Florida’s 3] The product of soon revealed: a ied version of A. alled OX513A. 750 his creature would Florida with the ually eradicating A. region. Releasing n animal to kill a animal might seem but the trick is in contains a protein hat any female itter will die before mature. Since all oes are male and the plan is for the oes to mate with so that all female and male offspring e and carry on the tein.[4] Eventually, tion should die out uld follow shortly.
THE DECISION TO APPROVE THE RELEASE OF OX513A HAS BEEN MET WITH MIXED REACTIONS.
Jaydee Hanson of the International Center for Technology Assessment and Center for Food Safety released a statement declaring that Oxitex’s plan was “a Jurassic Park experiment”.[5] Local residents of Florida, in a Change.org petition, have expressed bitter disapproval of Oxitec’s use of the U.S. "as a testing ground for these mutant bugs".[6] However, Oxitec claims that they have successfully tested OX513A in Brazil, and their CEO, Gray Frandsen, stated that the deployment is “an exciting development because it represents the ground-breaking work of hundreds of passionate people over more than a decade in multiple countries, all of whom want to protect communities from Dengue, Zika, Yellow Fever, and other vectorborne diseases”.
JHAJHRIA RVI KARATHA & RRINGTON THI LINGAMPALLI
CONCLUSION
This event and the controversy surrounding it are just another of the growing number of situations where biotechnology and genetic modifications are affecting everyday life. It isn’t the first, and it certainly won’t be the last. In a rapidly modernizing world, ethical questions like this are only going to become more prevalent, and citizens of this society will need to learn to live in a place where the decisions of men in suits thousands of miles away can affect what happens in their backyard.
Center for Food Safety Media. (2020, August 19). 750 Million Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Approved for Release in Florida Keys. Center for Food Safety. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/6126/750-million-genetically-engineeredmosquitoes-approved-for-release-in-florida-keys de Mier, Mila. (2012, April 3). Tell the EPA NO Genetically Modified Mosquitoes!. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://www.change.org/p/tell-the-epa-no-to-gmo-mosquitoes Oxitec. (2020, May 1). Oxitec’s Friendly™ Mosquito Technology Receives U.S. EPA Approval for Pilot Projects in U.S. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://www.oxitec.com/en/news/oxitecs-friendly-mosquito-technology-receives-us-epa-approval-forpilot-projects-in-us
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THE INTRIGUING AN EARTH’S MAGNETIC BY: INCHARA J
BY: TARUNI MANAM, AR
tttttFor the past 5 years, there’s been a small dent in the Earth’s magnetic field. Recently, however, this small depression in the field has become deeper and has been spreading – making it all the more intriguing, baffling, and mildly terrifying. What is this and what does it mean for the world? tttttThis ‘dent’ is known as the South Atlantic Anomaly, or SAA for short. True to its name, the SAA is right above the Southern Atlantic Ocean and is confusing scientists everywhere. Though it’s remained benign where life is concerned, scientists are still worried about this everexpanding concavity in the magnetic field and its possible implications. tttttTo understand the significance of the SAA, it is crucial to understand what the Earth’s magnetic field is and how it serves an essential role in keeping the planet suitable for life. The outer core, the liquid metal layer near the center of the Earth, is constantly moving, creating electromagnetic charges. Once the Earth’s rotation is thrown into the mix, these charges form an enormous magnetic field surrounding the planet.[1] This protects the planet from extremely harmful particles cast out by the Sun called ‘solar wind’. On top of that, this aberration is affecting all the low-Earth orbit satellites by exposing them to the solar wind. This could potentially cause the satellite to short-circuit, meaning that all the data that is processed by these satellites will most likely be corrupted. This is why satellites passing over the SAA are constantly monitored. Moreover, the ISS (International Space Station) travels in low-Earth orbit. While the astronauts are well-protected, other technology in the ISS is being heavily affected by the SAA. According to Bryan Blair, the deputy principal investigator of this mission, “The SAA causes “blips” on GEDI’s [Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation] detectors and resets the instrument’s power boards
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about once a month,”[2] which isn’t great for the data scientists use. tttttThe SAA also lets scientists know about what’s happening deep inside this planet humans call ‘home. After all, Earth is essentially a magnet with the standard north and south poles, just like bar magnets, which anyone who has ever stepped in a science class knows. Unlike those perfect rectangular prisms, though, the Earth’s core is not perfectly aligned with its field. Also, the field isn’t always stable since the outer core is always moving, making the SAA an indicator of “complex geodynamic conditions within the core and at the boundary with the solid mantle”[3]. tttttCurrently, the SAA is splitting into two lobes. This is unfortunate, not only for the bamboozled scientists but also for the low-orbit satellites. Assuming this continues, the SAA will continue to spread its abnormal symptoms over a wider range. Scientists predict that, by 2025, the SAA will fully be split into two lobes. Research shows that down in the outer core, one can see that the magnetic variations are prominent, thus proving that the SAA is caused by changes in the outer core. tttttThe SAA is incredibly intriguing, but it’s also potentially dangerous. If the Earth’s magnetic field becomes weak and doesn’t protect the planet from radiation, then Earth — and the life forms on it — will most likely die. This isn’t to say that humankind is doomed and the world will be baked by excessive radiation; the planet will be alright. Fortunately, in this day and age when more technology is helping with more complex and puzzling problems such as the SAA, scientists are doing everything they can to try and understand these situations. Yet this example just goes to show how much of the universe humanity has yet to discover. Every single time people discover something,
NOMALY IN C FIELD
LAYOUT BY: TRISTAN CASTRO
R U S H I P A T IL
another thing comes their way, revealing more of the infinitely long corridor of knowledge left to unveil. tttttThe SAA also lets scientists know about what’s happening deep inside this planet humans call ‘home. After all, Earth is essentially a magnet with the standard north and south poles, just like bar magnets, which anyone who has ever stepped in a science class knows. Unlike those perfect rectangular prisms, though, the Earth’s core is not perfectly aligned with its field. Also, the field isn’t always stable since the outer core is always moving, making the SAA an indicator of “complex geodynamic conditions within the core and at the boundary with the solid mantle”[3]. tttttCurrently, the SAA is splitting into two lobes. This is unfortunate, not only for the bamboozled scientists but also for the low-orbit satellites. Assuming this continues, the SAA will continue to spread its abnormal symptoms over a wider range. Scientists predict that, by 2025, the SAA will fully be split into two lobes. Research shows that down in the outer core, one can see that the magnetic variations are prominent, thus proving that the SAA is caused by changes in the outer core. tttttThe SAA is incredibly intriguing, but it’s also potentially dangerous. If the Earth’s magnetic field becomes weak and doesn’t protect the planet from radiation, then Earth — and the life forms on it — will most likely die. This isn’t to say that humankind is doomed and the world will be baked by excessive radiation; the planet will be alright. Fortunately, in this day and age when more technology is helping with more complex and puzzling problems such as the SAA, scientists are doing everything they can to try and understand these situations. Yet this example just goes to show how much of the universe humanity has yet to discover. Every single time people discover something, another thing comes their way, revealing more of the infinitely long corridor of knowledge left to unveil.
References [1] Vejayan, Vishnu Varma R. (2017, May 1). What Creates Earth’s Magnetic Field? Cosmos: The Science of Everything. Retrieved September 3, 2020, from https://cosmosmagazine.com/geoscience /what-creates-earth-s-magneticfield/#:~:text=On%20Earth%2C%20flowin g%20of%20liquid,to%20sustaining%20life %20on%20Earth. [2], [3] Jhonson-Groph, Mara (2020, Aug 19). NASA Researchers Track ‘Dent’ in Earth’s Magnetic Field. nasa.gov. Retrieved September 2, 2020, from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasaresearchers-track-slowly-splitting-dentin-earth-s-magnetic-field Perez, Jason (2019, Oct 18). Why Space Radiation Matters. Nasa.gov. Retrieved September 2, 2020, from https://www.nasa.gov/analogs/nsrl/whyspace-radiation-matters
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LIFESTYLE cover story: living zero-waste, pp. 35-36
Creating your own destiny, pp. 37-38
women in the workplace, pp. 39-40
mini pumpkin cheesecake cups, pp. 41-42
Everyone knows that plastic pollution and pollution, in general, is a serious problem, but everyone thinks that there isn’t much they can do in their daily lives to combat this issue directly. Everything we purchase in our daily lives is packaged in some form of plastic, styrofoam, or similar material, but we need those items, right? We need toothpaste that comes in unrecyclable tubes, groceries in thin plastic bags, and skincare that comes in plastic bottles, right? Wrong! A zero-waste lifestyle could help you keep all of the necessities in your life, without the pesky, plastic packaging that comes with it. What is a Zero-Waste Lifestyle?
WHAT IS IT
LIVING ZERO-
AND HOW YOU CAN GET STARTED
WASTE by Sanjna
MootaKODURU
Edited by Harvi
Karatha, Kavya
Gurunath
Layout by: Alison Ye
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Living zero-waste means that you send no waste to landfills, especially not plastic. People who live zero-waste lifestyles minimize their purchase of single-use plastics, like plastic utensils, plastic Starbucks cups, and more to maximize their usage of handmade products, completely recyclable products, and products that aren’t packaged in plastic. Lauren Singer, one of the most notable pioneers of the zerowaste lifestyle, has collected years and years worth of her own trash in a single mason jar!
How Can You Get Started? If you’re looking to go zero-waste, a great place to start is with food waste. In the United States alone, 80 billion pounds of food waste is discarded: the equivalent of 1,000 Empire State buildings. The average American wastes 219 pounds of food annually. A great way to put this wasted food to use is to compost it. Through composting, you are gathering useless scraps, and things you would have thrown away to turn them into an excellent additive to soil to help your plants flourish. Another important step you can take to minimize your plastic waste is to stop purchasing items that come in or with single-use plastic items. These include plastic bags, cups, cutlery, straws, water bottles, and more. When shopping for produce at the grocery store, take your own bags made of cloth with you instead of using the plastic bags they offer. When getting a drink like coffee or boba tea, bring your own reusable water bottle or cup: most stores will still serve you. When eating out, take reusable cutlery from a travel set or silverware with you, and use metal or bamboo straws instead of plastic disposable ones. Buy yourself a sturdy glass or metal water bottle that you can use at home or on the go!
Living zero-waste can seem daunting at first, but people who have this lifestyle say that it isn’t all that difficult! It saves them time and money and even helps them feel more confident that their actions help the planet, no matter how miniscule. To know that you have the power to minimize the amount of waste you create is incredibly empowering, and though living completely devoid of waste is impractical for everyone, we really encourage you to pick up at least some of these habits to make a big difference!
Now here’s the (arguably) most important part: clothes, make-up, and skin care! If you want to live a truly zero-waste life, instead of shopping for clothes, thrift for them! Thrifting ensures that you are renewing the life cycle of a perfectly good article of clothing and keeping out of fast fashion. As for make-up and skincare, try to purchase products that come in recyclable packaging.
References RTS. (n.d.). Food Waste in America in 2020: Statistics & Facts: RTS. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.rts.com/resources/guides/food -waste-america/ Why I live a zero waste life [Video file]. (2015, May 27). Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://youtu.be/pF72px2R3Hg
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BY RIONA EDITED BY ARUSHI HARVI LAYOUT BY SAHITHI
CREATIN
1
2
4
5
In today’s world, normal is something that everyone wishes we could go back to, but the truth is, cultivating a forlorn state of mind will only make this period harder for you. Everyone is thinking of travelling and making new memories after quarantine. How about we make new memories during quarantine? This period of hoping and stillness should be embraced. To achieve anything in life, we need to learn to have patience: some would say it is a virtue. Therefore, let us take this opportunity to reflect, learn, improve, and be disciplined.
After you have reflected and learned all about yourself, your friends, and more you can now improve on them. All that is left to do is to take the first steps and set realistic goals to help you achieve your desires. Creating and following through on your plans will give you a catalytic jolt to push you towards your goals. You first need to know what you want. Then, set the goals on how to get there. Then, go for it. Never let fear result in you not taking chances.
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The truth is, you need to be disciplined to get to where you want to be. You need to be consistent and that takes conditioning of the mind. You need to be organized and intentional with your time or else procrastination will take over and leave you in a hole of self pity, regret, and stress.
We have a lot of time on our hands, even commitments to school and acurriculars. Some spend that time lling through Instagram, Twitter, and tube; even I have been guilty of this. ever, the important thing is that we d to recognize where we waste our time, well as the energy we invest in toxic ts. Quarantine is the time to work on rself. This time is given to you to use in worst possible circumstance, but it is choice whether to come out of it as a er, more enlightened person.
Lastly, be disciplined. Nobody wants to ociate themselves with someone who is respectable and trustworthy. You can e all the money in the world, but it not hide who you really are.
There are so many sites on the internet dedicated to learning new things. Explore new hobbies and continue to work on your previous ones. Learn about yourself: this will help you in every following aspect of your life. If you learn about the things that make you special, you can become your best self. You can point out things you like and dislike, cultivate the ideals and morals which are important to you, and in doing so, you will create your own destiny. Your destiny is the series of fortunate events that you set into motion. Hence, if you do bad things more often than not, those things will create a negative ripple in your life: remember to be mindful of that.
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So, take the time to reflect, learn, improve, and be disciplined to achieve your goals!
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and care for the children. Women just won
to work, not have kids,
the right to vote in 2015 in Saudi Arabia.
much as women deser
men
orkplace
e Walker Pati • layout by Claire Sakurauchil
ages were banned in
kids and take care of them. Pro-Choice isn't
cts between the
Pro-Abortion, it is about the choice to
her can still be written,
decide what is right for you and for your
the matter.
body instead of being forced to go through
fight for women in the
with something you don't want. Women
g to normalize working
deserve the right to work and provide for
eally fighting for the
themselves and their family as much as men
minist to be a stay at
do. Women should not have to fear working
not to work, you are
for the societal judgement and the fear of
tay home instead of
sexual harassment and discrimination.
anti-feminist to wear
Women should have as much of a choice as
your choice to wear it.
men do, because we are all human.
esty as well as showing
be a feminist, it is your
and you can practice it
men deserve the right and stay single as
ve the right to have
references https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender equality/women-in-the-workplace-2019# https://www.dw.com/en/womens-rights-in-theislamic-world/a-40714427
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mini pumpkin cheesecake cups RECIPE BY: SAMITA PANDIT
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EDITED BY: ELIZABETH WU, HARVI KARATHA LAYOUT BY: NIVI CHOZHAN
ingredients For the Crust: One frozen puff pastry sheet For the Filling/Topping: 4oz
cream
cheese,
softened
to
room
temperature (use full fat block) 1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature ½ cup canned pumpkin puree ½
-
¾
cup
light
brown
sugar
(adjust
according to taste) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice Whipped
cream
and
extra
cinnamon
(optional)
directions Cut circles of puff pastry. Grease muffin pan. Line cavities with puff pastry circles. Bake according to package instructions. Cream
together
softened
cream,
cheese,
butter, and pumpkin puree using a hand beater or stand mixer until light and fluffy, which takes about 5 minutes Add
in
brown
sugar,
vanilla
extract,
cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Whip for another 3 to 4 minutes. Dollop the filling in the baked and cooled puff pastry cups. Decorate with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy!
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g4m3 p14n35 by Maya Krolik, Layout by Sahithi Lingampalli
cr055w0rd
Use the clues below to fill out the cr055w0rd puzzle! Answers for the puzzle can be found throughout the magazine in the corresponding article, printable PDF on our website!
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Across 5. The idea of having a predetermined path or goal in your life that in some theories, you have no control over 7. The company that ended up buying TikTok 8. Popularly misunderstood to also treat viral infections, originally derived from penicillin 11. An alphabet used by millions of the visually impared 14. A lifestyle in which one reduces or even illuminates all unwanted consumer byproducts by avoiding them to begin with 15. South Antlantic ___ 19. A movement that empowers women to have the choices equal to those of men in society
Down 1. A Chinese company of a social media app that has been in the news recently 2. “A” in DNA 3. Alexandria ____-Cortez 4. The center of stress and adrenaline control in the brain 6. The “P” in USPS 9. The provision of medical attention in the form of prevention, diagnosis and treatment 10. The specific species of mosquitoes known to transmit Dengue 11. The paper on which you cast your vote: may be through mail 12. Electoral ____ 13. tsp. 16. The act of accepting a person into an organization, such as a college or university 17. _____ action - based on empowering minorities1 8. Masonic cypher
Answers to Ciphers! Happy new school year Morse codeC ertified code breaker Access granted
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Project Teens Teach is an innovative, not-forprofit initiative focused on helping students of all ages explore their interests in STEAM and excel academically. Since our launch in June, we have hosted 60+ STEAM sessions for our 6-week virtual summer program, receiving 1,100+ student sign-ups worldwide. We offered a wide range of classes, from Scratch coding to science experiments to cooking! We are now expanding our mission to provide educational opportunities and support for elementary through high school students through tutoring, homework help, and STEAM workshops.
Tutoring and homework help will take place Mondays through Thursdays and STEAM workshops on Fridays! We offer tutoring in a large amount of subjects ranging from elementary to high school level coursework! Our STEAM workshops are intended for a younger audience, with preschool and elementary students being our focus. Sign ups for our Fall Programs are now open! Visit projectteensteach.org to sign up today! Email: projectteensteach@gmail.com
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