April 5, 2023 Issue

The

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 942 SAN JOSE, CA

Leland High School 6677 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120

CHARGER ACCOUNT Vol. U No. 5 Wednesday, April 5, 2023 Leland High School 6677 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120

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Andrew Duval

Sticking to stay-in: Seniors compete in Spoons

Staff Writer

Starting on Feb. 27, dozens of seniors faced off in a competitive, monthlong game of tag-or-be-tagged known as Senior Spoons. Wielding neon stickers as their weapons and yellow plastic spoons as shields, all players were focused on the grand prize: a VIP Prom Package consisting of a cut-in-line prom pass and a free ticket to the senior graduation night cruise.

The primary objective of Senior Spoons is to eliminate an assigned target and become the last player standing, or rather, the last sticker-free player. In order to eliminate a target, students place a neon-colored sticker on their target’s body or clothing, while they are not visibly holding their yellow spoon. Participants were granted immunity during class hours and in safe zones—locations where tagging a target could be disruptive or dangerous, such as bathrooms, locker rooms, the parking lot and inside players’ houses. After eliminating their target, participants confirmed their tag by taking the other player’s assignment card; their target becomes the student’s new target. Additionally, both players notified Seniors Jodie Chen and Claire McCulloch—the Associated Student Body (ASB) officers responsible for running Senior Spoons—by text message, assuring that they were in agreement regarding the tag.

Staying in the game also entailed keeping up-to-date on Special Immunity Days, days in which regular rules for retaining immunity were disregarded, through announcements posted on the Spoons Instagram account. ASB announced various Special Immunity Days throughout the month, including spirit days like Match With Your Spoon and Tie-Dye Tuesday, where players needed to wear a specified prop or costume—in addition to carrying their spoon—to stay in the game. The game also featured purge days, where spoons were rendered useless, forcing players to rely on their wits to avoid being tagged.

Additionally, on these special days, players were required to get a fellow player out, or face elimination.

“Devising strategies to get my target out or avoid others during purges was fun. I hope the tradition continues and that future classes can also experience participating in spoons or just simply getting to watch their classmates run around trying to tag others,” Senior Maggie Liu said.

Students employed a variety of creative measures to Courtesy of Associa ted Student Body

sneak up on their targets and avoid being spotted. They altered defining aspects of their appearances, struck truces with fellow players and equipped themselves with makeshift shields for protection. Some players also involved their teachers in the game, utilizing their classrooms as a hiding spot at lunch or asking to leave class at the bell to get a good start running to a safe zone.

“Although I was eliminated in the second to last week, I enjoyed the game while it lasted. After a certain point, it definitely became stressful, but it was fun to sneak around, trying not to get tagged out. I wore a total of five different disguises to stay concealed: two wigs, four hoodies, three pairs of shoes, three backpacks and lots of stress,” Senior Alexander Lee said.

Four weeks of covert planning and purging culminated in a final “Spoon Off” on March 30. The three surviving players, Seniors Kylie Duong, Brian Jackson and Ash Sanjeev, each stood on a corner of the outdoor stage in the quad and waited for the ASB officers to give the signal to begin the match. After a few close shaves, Duong and Jackson tagged each other simultaneously and Sanjeev emerged as the victorious winner of Senior Spoons.

The game was organized by the senior class officers, who prepared materials, created a document with rules, assigned targets, maintained communication with players and actively posted updates on social media regarding the names of remaining players and details for Special Immunity Days. They shared that the biggest challenge in running the activity was resolving disputes over tag-outs while maintaining student satisfaction.

“We cannot come up with rules for every single situation that will happen; people are creative and capable of finding loopholes. Unfortunately, we were not present to witness exactly what happened if two students disagreed over a tagout, so their honesty was integral to the game’s success,” Chen said.

Senior Spoons served simultaneously as a bonding activity and a fundraiser; the five dollar fee will be utilized in covering the costs of prom and the upcoming Senior Sunset for the senior class.

Many seniors who participated shared that they enjoyed the game, especially the competitive and creative aspects of it, and consider it to be a memorable experience in their last year of high school.

Poll: Did you participate in Senior Spoons?

Compiled by Ella Polak, Lauren Wilson and Lia Yereslove Staff Writers

Yes 51%

No 49%

AND HOI ART C L U IE DAN AILEY H K 100 people polled

Courtesy of Brian Jackson

HSI LOK CHAN PHOTO

From left to right: Top left: Seniors Taylor Hunter and Bella Campbell smile with their spoons. Top right: Seniors Maria Forester, Lee and Jackson give a thumbs up to the camera with one hand while holding their spoon in the other. Bottom left: Seniors Marcin Witanis, Brandon Shoji, Jackson and Nolan Ching pose with their homemade shields. Bottom right: Seniors Lee and Amanda Bui demonstrate how to correctly tag a target in Senior Spoons.

Residents trip over trail patrols

Charger entrepreneurs: Student-owned businesses on page 2

1 NEWS

on page 11

Internet slang: An ever-evolving lexicon

LYN KANG ART on page 16

3 INVESTIGATIVE REPORT 4 OPINIONS 6 ENTERTAINMENT 11 FEATURES 14 SPORTS 16 LAST WORD

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COMMUNITY NEWS

DESIGN BY IMRAN SHAIKH

Residents trip over trail patrols

Kelsey Friedt: Microbiologist Gwen Carroll

Staff Writer

ELLIE KIM ART

Imran Shaikh Community News & Feature World Editor

Since 1929, Valley Water has provided Santa Clara county residents with clean water, flood protection and stream supervision. As a microbiologist for Valley Water, Kelsey Friedt tests source and drinking water for microbes, parasites and invasive species, ensuring that the water is clean and safe for the community.

Friedt has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry.

She started out working in multiple different laboratories, including environmental and wastewater plant laboratories, which—although she describes them as gross—helped her gain the experience she needed to land many of her jobs, including her current job at Valley Water.

“There is no real ‘normal’ day for me. In the mornings, I usually work on paperwork, validate data or work on tests which take longer to conduct.

Afternoons are geared towards setting up new tests and reading back any tests that were already set up. We are also assigned a lot of special projects, and we work on them whenever sampling plans and staff availability permit,” Friedt said.

Since her routine varies every day, Friedt explains that it is hard to get bored of her job, which is made more enjoyable by the people she works with.

However, not every part of the job is entertaining; Friedt’s least favorite assignment is writing Standard Operating Procedures— step-by-step instructions meant to help workers carry out routine operations—which involves extensive knowledge about standards and methods.

Friedt has learned a lot through her career. She says it is of the utmost importance to always step outside of your comfort zone and put your full effort in everything you do, even if you struggle at first. Friedt also explains that it is crucial to never stop learning since the more knowledgeable you are, the more comfortable you will feel in anything you do.

“I would recommend this job not only because it helps protect the environment and the community, but also for the versatility it offers as a science career. Additionally, working for the government is rewarding because they allow for a good work-life balance, which not all private companies offer.

When you first start out, you should take advantage of every opportunity; apply to everything since you never know what you might learn and what new roles you might like to pursue as a job,” Friedt said.

APRIL 5, 2023

On the sides of roads and under bridges, camps of homeless people dot local San Jose trails. Residents had given one such camp on the Coyote Creek Trail, dubbed the “Jungle,” a wide berth for years.

As a result, the Coyote Creek Trail fell out of use, allowing the homeless population there to grow to several hundred.

Intending to regain residents’ faith in the trail system, San Jose has introduced the Trail Safety Plan, which installed two police officers on a three mile stretch between William Street and Tully Road. The officers bike along this segment of the Coyote Creek trail for 10 hours every day, looking out for hikers’ safety.

The city had implemented this program once before on the Guadalupe River Trail, which saw a 48% drop in usage between 2019 and 2022, as reported by San Jose Spotlight.

Residents felt unsafe, in part due to the high homeless population— several hundred homeless people had pitched tents near the trail.

After the camp was cleared out last year, the trail exploded in popularity. However, not every trail user agrees with the decision;

homeless advocates and students are protesting the treatment of the homeless people in the area that was cleared out.

“Clearing out homeless camps is only a temporary solution.

Without designating an alternative place for the homeless people to stay, the city is only prolonging the issue of homelessness,” Junior Justin Lai said.

While more hikers are frequenting the Guadalupe River Trail, it provides far more than just a course for nature lovers.

Having safe and clean public spaces allows people to congregate outside and become more active in community discussions, according to San Jose Spotlight.

The San Jose City Council voted unanimously to spend $400,000 to have police officers permanently monitor the Coyote Creek Trail. Coupled with another $400,000 from Valley Water— which hopes to lower illegal dumping rates after 931 tons of trash were rumored to have been cleared from homeless encampments in 2022—the Coyote Creek Trail has shown similar results to the Guadalupe River Trail; residents have expressed their appreciation for the police patrols since their introduction.

“Not only would the police be able to respond to emergencies faster, their presence alone decreases crime

on trails. This would also help inexperienced hikers, since they would be less hesitant to use the trails. I would feel much safer while hiking knowing that there are police nearby,” Senior Brandon Shoji, hiking club member, said.

Although many residents are fond of the changes trail patrols have brought, the story is different for the previous occupants of homeless camps. Many homeless people have been put into contact with housing assistance or introduced to the few tiny homes throughout California—singleroom, double-bunk buildings meant to serve as temporary housing for the homeless. However, as per the Mercury News, only 43% of tiny home residents in Santa Clara County were able to acquire permanent housing through the program in 2022.

Others were simply swept out of the camp and forced to migrate and wait until their next camp was cleared out.

The city’s trail program is a double-edged sword. To the public, it seems that the homeless are being taken care of, when in reality, their situations rarely improve. Although local trails are returning to their initial popularity, their success may come at the expense of disrupting the lives of the homeless people that live along the routes.

WILLIAM HUANG PHOTO A

biker

rides

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THE CHARGER ACCOUNT DESIGN BY ISAAC ANG

Bertina Fan

3

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: Gender in Sports Gender inequality in high school game attendance Lifestyle & Feature School Editor

Every year, the school’s most popular sports games— including football and boys’ basketball—attract hundreds of students.

This reflects a drastic gender disparity in game attendance— male sports tend to be very popular, while only a few parents and friends show up to girls’ sports. Despite advances in gender equality, the attendance rates at high school girls’ sports games continue to lag behind those of boys’ sports, which can heavily impact the self-esteem of participating athletes since attendance at sports games often reflects the school’s attitude towards the sport.

This disparity can be attributed to various factors, including differences in spirit and overall team performance. Male sports often involve more physical contact and aggression, while girls’ sports may be perceived as less exciting. These factors affect crowd feedback and enthusiasm, a crucial aspect supporting game performance. In studies conducted by Michigan State University, students who believed that their school did not value their sport often lacked confidence in their abilities, even if they had won tournaments or championships. Self-confidence— increased by positive crowd

Lia Yereslove

feedback—was shown to enhance performance in sports and make the sport more enjoyable for participants.

“I watch men’s games because there are not a lot of women’s sports that are exciting for me to watch. I enjoy watching football with my dad and sometimes basketball with my grandparents. However, they only watch men’s games because of their older traditional values, which are more misogynistic,” Junior Lauren Clarke said.

The inequality between genders continues beyond attendance at high school games and into professional sports. Even though remarkable advancements have been made toward achieving gender equality in sports, male athletes continue to earn more than

their female counterparts in the vast majority of sports, as stated by Forbes. The pay gap between men and women athletes has become a longstanding issue, with female athletes earning significantly less sponsorship deals, prize money and media coverage—only 5% of sports media cover women’s sports, according to a study conducted by Purdue University and the University of Southern California.

NBC Sports reveals that the average salary in the Women’s National Basketball Association is $100,000, a meager 1.5% of the average in the National Basketball Association—$7 million. The higher interest and popularity of male sports attracts more sponsorships and viewers than women’s sports. Fewer attendees means less revenue,

QUINCY HAN ART

translating into lower salaries for female athletes.

“I have played basketball since first grade and keep track of both female and male basketball games and tournaments. The gender disparity in sports game attendance is stark, and we should definitely be working towards more equality in both schools and leagues,” Senior Kayla Shimada said.

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the gender pay gap in various professions, including sports. Current efforts are attempting to balance this gap out; the United States Women’s National Soccer Team and United States Men’s National Soccer Team announced last year that they would equalize pay between the two teams.

The issue of lower attendance at girls’ sports games is a complex matter. Incorporating more diverse and inclusive marketing tactics can help balance the disparities in sports viewership between male and female sports games, closing the pay gap. Additionally, sports media can draw more people to women’s sports by increasing coverage of their games.

Altogether, acknowledging and valuing all gender sports equally is crucial to providing equal opportunities and resources for all athletes.

Bridging the gender disparity in sports Staff Writer

Across the nation, football games are popular events for high school students to attend—and the school is no exception. At each game, boys play aggressively on the field, crashing into each other and sprinting across the pitch.

Meanwhile, girls are confined to the sidelines, dancing and cheering. This stereotypical structure may sound unequal, but is rarely questioned.

As per the National Federation of State High School Associations, 2,404 girls participated in high school football in the U.S. during the 2020 to 2021 school year, representing approximately 0.1% of all high school football participants.

The low participation can be attributed to the fact that very few schools offer female football teams—undoubtedly connected to the lack of demand for such teams.

The school has not created a female football team due to a lack of requests. However, in February, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) approved flag football as a girls’ high school sport amid the soaring popularity of the game, as reported

by NBC Bay Area. The new sport will give many high school girls in California the opportunity to participate in the sport.

The idea that girls cannot play football can perpetuate the stereotype that boys are physically stronger and therefore more qualified to play on the field.

According to the Washington University School of Law, sex

segregation reinforces a binary view of sex and gender unsupported by science, communicating that women are physically unable to compete against men. However, research reveals that attributes other than sex are often more important determinants of athletic ability. As such, there is much lost potential for female athletes if they are not allowed access to the full range of sports.

To combat inequality in opportunity between genders, Title IX was established in 1972 to prohibit sex-based discrimination at public schools and programs across the nation. Thus, both cheerleading and football teams are now co-ed sports. While tradition may establish the opposite, these views have not deterred those who wish to participate— over the years, the school has had multiple male cheerleaders and female football players. Last year, Sophomore Aurora Giammona joined the junior varsity football team as a wide receiver, defense back, safety and kicker.

“I have received immense support from the guys on my team and my tryouts and practices have been equal with the boys. Having the opportunity to play with guys

on the team has been a great experience,” Giammona said.

Although it may seem that some sports receive more funding than others, the school’s sports teams are fully self-funded according to Mike Sparrer, Athletic Director.

The only school funding each team receives is coaching stipends for the varsity and junior varsity head coaches. The rest of the needs of each team vary; thus, events are planned accordingly to obtain the funds for equipment and transportation through fundraisers, donations and parent club contributions, similar to clubs.

“At the beginning of the year, we anticipate the needs of each team and come up with a budget. We try to predict what the parent contribution is—which varies from sport to sport—and attempt to make that cover the bulk of their needs for the year,” Sparrer said.

JANE HONG ART

Research has shown that the separation of sexes within sports can be illogical and may take away opportunities for many.

According to The Atlantic, though biological differences in sports may show advantages for men, researchers today are still unable to determine whether to attribute these differences to gender or the lack of support provided to women athletes. On the other hand, CIF has set guidelines that the school follows on which sports and events are separated by gender due to the differences in physicality between the sports.

“It is good that boys and girls don’t compete together because guys have a different set of skills compared to girls. I am going to be a kicker in varsity next year, and even though I will be on a guy’s team, it keeps us both safer in games when I am in my position as a kicker because I lack certain skills guys have due to biological differences,” Giammona said.

Although there are many instances of gender disparity throughout high school sports across the nation, gender inclusivity in sports such as flag football can offer more opportunities in sports and combat the set standards of which sports boys and girls can participate in. More awareness about sports being co-ed can also encourage boys and girls to join sports that they may typically avoid such as football or cheerleading, helping to combat gender stereotypes.

APRIL 5, 2023

4

FEATURE: WORLD

OPINIONS

DESIGN BY SUVIA LI

Reagan Liu

Big rail negligence poisons Americans Entertainment & Student Spotlight Editor

The Charger Account Leland High School 6677 Camden Ave. Principal Peter Park San Jose Unified School District San Jose, CA 95120-2142 (408) 535-6290 thechargeraccount.com

EDITORS IN CHIEF Keirah Chen, Raymond Dai, Miranda Lu, Larry Ye ART AND PHOTO DIRECTORS Kailey Hu, Ellie Kim, Julia Nakanishi NEWS EDITORS Sophia Qin, Imran Shaikh OPINIONS EDITOR Suvia Li SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR Sophia Qin FEATURE EDITORS Bertina Fan, Inseo Kim, Imran Shaikh VIEWPOINT AND LAST WORD EDITORS Isaac Ang, Daniel Lin ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE EDITORS Bertina Fan, Reagan Liu INVESTIGATIVE REPORT EDITOR Isaac Ang SPORTS EDITOR Breanna Lu STUDENT SPOTLIGHT EDITOR Reagan Liu AD MANAGER Breanna Lu MEDIA MANAGER Jeehee Kim, Claire Pham MANAGING EDITOR Manasa Sriraj ADVISOR Elaine Ngo COMMUNITY CIRCULATION Parent Club and Leland Bridge

The murky waters of a small Ohio runoff polluted the groundwater, community flow in agony, littered making it unsuitable for drinking. with the corpses of fish, frogs and Following the crash, a handful of other marine animals. About 3,500 East Palestine locals were briefly fish were found evacuated but dead as floods quickly returned, of poison incorrectly told seeped into by the response the water supply— team that conditions this is the effect of were safe. Yet, the water a disastrous supply remained contaminated freighter train and residents were derailment on advised to strictly Feb. 3, which drink bottled water. spilled 11 “Accidents like cars worth this are often of toxic, brought on by flammable chemicals into the outdated or small town of East Palestine. One of the JANE HONG ART malfunctioning rails, train’s wheel bearings overheated and trains, and equipment. the damage caused the train to crash, Disasters like East Palestine can severely damaging the surrounding be avoided by investing in rail ecosystem and affecting the town’s infrastructure modernization 4,800 residents. and maintenance.

Rail At around 9 p.m. that night, locals companies also must develop were hit with waves of poisonous comprehensive emergency fumes as fires from the accident response plans that can be ignited the chemicals. The crisis team quickly executed in the sent to manage this spill allowed the event of an accident,” Junior fires to burn, wrongly believing that Adrian Ho said. this would eradicate the chemicals.

The cause of this According to NPR, residents were disaster has become shortly engulfed by black clouds of a blame game among carcinogens, critically damaging politicians.

Democrats their health. accuse former president As reported by BBC, 20 of the train Donald Trump for cars were carrying vinyl chloride, a removing regulations toxic chemical used in synthesizing requiring faster braking plastics that can cause acute liver systems, which some cancer and damage human nervous believe could have and respiratory systems. During the prevented the crash. cleanup, the chemical’s combustion However, Republicans point fingers caused even more toxic fumes to spread at the Democrats’ inept federal throughout the town. The chemical response in handling the situation

and lack of prevention measures.

Despite their attempts to find fault in one another, in reality it was both the incompetence and negligence of all officials, Democratic and Republican, that had allowed railroad operations to become careless and greedy. To cut costs, these corporations disregarded preparation, allowing structural integrity to be compromised and for flawed crisis management.

“Tightening regulations for railroad maintenance on transporting hazardous materials would be a good start. Overall, there should be more oversight on safety by government or other official bodies,” Senior Ethan Chen said.

Norfolk Southern Corporation, the railroad company responsible for the infrastructure that was involved with the derailment, took the brunt of the blame and was fined $3.4 million by the Environmental Protection Agency.

However, many residents believe that this amount is insufficient for the damage done. The fines also solely scapegoated the company for this incident, while other responsible parties such as lawmakers avoided blame. While railroad corporations hold some responsibility for the failures, a combination of lack of oversight from officials and the inattentiveness of the corporations towards safety resulted in this devastating accident.

Roaring Inflation vs Federal Reserve

January-February issue corrections

Student submission

Sophomore Ameya Kiwalkar

STAFF WRITERS Gwen Carroll Andrew Duval Antara Gangwal Jay Li Tammy Newman

Ella Polak Gilina Voon Kyan Wang Lauren Wilson Lia Yereslove

ARTISTS Daniel Choi Kayla Choi Quincy Han Jane Hong Harry Kang

Lyn Kang Dana Lim Jude Tantawy Kenneth Yang

PHOTOGRAPHERS Hsi Lok Chan William Huang

Gilina Voon

MEDIA TEAM Diya Boyapati Our mission in the community is to inform, educate and investigate the events occurring within Leland’s community and beyond.

The ideas and opinions expressed in our articles represent over half of The Charger Account staff but do not represent the views and beliefs of any particular staff member.

The Charger Account invites submissions of signed letters of opinion. We reserve the right to edit submissions and pieces will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff.

Readers can notify The Charger Account to any errors in print by emailing us at lelandchargeraccount@gmail.com. We will acknowledge our mistakes in our next issue.

For advertising information and pricing, please check out our website at thechargeraccount.com/advertise-with-us.

The Charger Account is distributed to the Leland community free of cost.

The Charger Account April 5 | Vol. U No. 5

If I asked you which item shot up the most in price in 2022, what would you guess? If you guessed Bitcoin or gold, you guessed wrong! Believe it or not, it was eggs. Eggs caused a run on the bank at Costco and other grocery stores in December. If 2020 was about toilet paper, 2022 became about eggs.

So why did egg prices increase?

One word—Inflation, or the increase in prices. Unfortunately, inflation hurts households since wages or income don’t increase proportionately. Every dollar now buys you less of everything.

Inflation also has a chain reaction effect on the supply chain. For instance, chicken feed prices increased in the past couple of years, leading farmers to produce fewer chickens. Coupled with a surge in Avian Flu, this caused record inflation in egg prices!

Additionally, inflation is impacting homeownership. Today, houses are twice as expensive as last year with mortgage rates nearly doubling. But why, and what does that have to do with inflation? This is where the Federal Reserve, or the Fed, steps in. It monitors monetary policy, regulates the financial system, and tackles economic

threats like inflation. To tackle inflation, the Fed increased the Federal Funds Rate, which determines all interest rates (savings and loans). By increasing the Federal Rate, it aims to increase the cost of borrowing money, declining the demand for goods. With demand and consumer affordability decreasing, prices decrease as businesses must lower prices—creating deflation. But, turning the Federal Rate knob too much risks unemployment. With increased borrowing costs and decreased demand, businesses cut costs—resulting in layoffs. Thus, the Fed must tread carefully between balancing inflation and unemployment.

Let’s see how this is playing out with used cars. Cars have always depreciated; however, with the pandemic’s disruption on the global supply chain, supply dwindled and demand skyrocketed. For the first time ever, used cars were more expensive than their original listing price in 2022.

Fast forward to the increasing Federal Funds Rate in the past few weeks. Auto loan rates increased dramatically and one can buy just half the price of the same car today versus last year! Thus, fewer people are buying cars, causing manufacturers to slash prices. In the first week of January, Tesla slashed the prices of all its models by 10-15%.

We’re in the midst of the Fed’s “war” on inflation as it expects to increase the Federal Rate for the rest of 2023. Only time will tell whether or not the economy can weather the storm.

School News: “The toll of China’s Zero-COVID policy”: • “Policy” was misspelled as “plicy.”

Investigative Report: “Maintaining a balance: The powerful influence of friends”: • Juhi Khetawat’s name was misspelled as “Juhi Ketawat” Opinions: • Header says 2022 instead of 2023.

“An unfair trade: The Brittney Griner prisoner swap”: • Sofia DeRollo’s name was misspelled as “Sophia Derollo.”

Lifestyle: “All-terrain wheelchairs blaze new trails at state parks”: • All-terrain was incorrectly written as “All Terrain.”

Science & Tech: “The future of 3D printing”: • Quincy Han’s art credit was missing.

Last Word: • Isaac Ang’s page credit was missing.

“Cracking the code: Applications of secret communication”: • “of” should be removed before “to ensure greater security.”

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

OPINIONS

DESIGN BY SUVIA LI

Antara Gangwal

5

Politics pervade the College Board

“Age of Vice” Staff Writer

With the contentious addition helped develop critical race theory, was of AP African American Studies to removed, as well as material on Black its arsenal, the College Board is now feminism and queer studies. facing accusations of being unfit to be As Tiffany Barber, assistant a staple of high school education. While professor of African American the course was initially promising, Studies at UCLA, the College Board has since bowed told the Los to politics and changed the course Angeles Times, content, significantly degrading its these exclusions educational value and the organization’s hinder the course overall credibility. from representing The College Board began piloting the entire scope of AP African American Studies in African American 2022 at 60 U.S. high schools. Through studies.

Many evidence-based units that examine conservatives believe primary sources and historical events, that critical race the course explores the experiences and theory divides racial roles of African Americans not covered groups by categorizing in standard social studies classes. all white individuals “I am always more engaged when I as oppressors and learn about my own culture in school. all people of color as oppressed.

Due to the Eurocentric perspective However, critical race theory is an of typical history classes, integral part of U.S. history—the Black marginalized voices are American experience cannot be silenced, perpetuating completely understood without stereotypes about addressing the these groups,” systemic racism that Sophomore Abrakae has existed in the U.S. Assefa said. since its founding.

However, AP The College Board’s original African American vision for AP classes was to Studies received backlash promote academic freedom and from conservatives such as excellence, as described by The Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Chronicle of Higher Education. who banned the course Yet, bending to political beliefs in Florida schools due to and omitting critical content from concerns regarding course AP African American Studies DANA LIM ART topics including the represents quite the opposite. This is Black Lives Matter movement, Black not the first time that the College Board feminism and critical race theory, has swayed to politics; in 2015, the as per CNN. Following DeSantis’s organization altered the framework for statement, the College Board revised its AP United States History class after the course curriculum. The work of the state of Oklahoma attempted to scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, who ban the course when the Republican

Ella Polak

National Committee accused the College Board of exhibiting radical views contradicts their purpose.

“AP classes have allowed me to learn more about the world and gain skills that can be used in different aspects of my life. However, I was surprised to hear that the College Board is heavily influenced by politics—the purpose of higher education is to inform students to make their own political decisions,” Junior Nele Hofmann said.

Had AP African American Studies represented the full scope of African American history, it would have been a progressive step for the College Board. Yet a topic as inherently tied to politics as race may not be best to teach in the format of an AP class associated with an organization that easily sways to politics; rather, focusing on people of color in core history classes not affiliated with the College Board could be more conducive. The College Board’s deteriorating validity is concerning, especially considering that the organization influences over 6000 educational institutions worldwide. As for AP African American studies in particular, the College Board must prioritize accurate education over appeasing politicians— only by recognizing racial inequality in American society can education about American history be effective in paving the way for a better future.

Google and ISIS’ link

It only takes a single click to shift a website’s suggested content feed from harmless to dangerous.

While most online content does not promote violence, some can spread extremism and encourage terrorism.

In 2015, American national Nohemi Gonzalez was killed in a terror attack in Paris by agents of the Islamic State group (IS), better known as ISIS. Now, in the Gonzalez v. Google Supreme Court case, her family claims that YouTube’s algorithm helped spread IS content, directly leading to the terrorist attack.

YouTube’s algorithm suggests content based on what the user is interested in— for example, suggesting videos from the same genre as the user’s liked videos. While this system increases engagement, it can also repeatedly suggest harmful content, per the Counter Extremism Project.

Gonzalez’s family claims that YouTube, which is owned by Google, frequently promoted terrorist content to users based on prior interest in similar subjects.

“Since social media algorithms show related content to what users have previously seen, websites like YouTube can easily radicalize people. These algorithms likely helped IS recruit more members,” Junior Grace Leonard said.

The Gonzalez family wants the Supreme Court to strike down Section 230, a 1996 law that protects websites from liability for content posted on their sites. Gonzalez’s lawyers argue that because Section 230’s protections do not cover content actively promoted by a website’s algorithm, sites should be held responsible for harmful recommendations.

Critically, there are also arguments against narrowing Section 230’s protections. The Supreme Court justices’ primary concern is that social media companies

Staff Writer

online, the internet is still a place for people to express diverse views.

If social media companies restrict content because it might be harmful, they will also be limiting free speech,” Sophomore Anagha Koganty said.

The Supreme Court needs to consider the broader implications of a ruling in favor of Gonzalez that would restrict speech on the internet. From Reason Magazine, a libertarian publication, analysts contend that the most likely result of the case will be a partial rollback of Section 230, which will hurt both sides of the case since social media companies may face new JUDE TANTAWY ART restrictions, but they will not be would face a strict enough to combat terrorist litany of lawsuits content. Rather than a place to once they are held responsible spread new ideas and independent for content on their sites, CNN opinions, the internet will become Business reports. Justice Elena Kagan a tightly regulated domain where pointed out that companies may ban a only widely acceptable content majority of potentially objectionable will be accessible. Since tech content to avoid expensive lawsuits, companies decide what content to drastically reducing free speech on ban, social media also runs the the internet. Beyond its effects on risk of becoming partisan based YouTube’s recommendations, on company executives’ political overturning Section 230 would set a affiliations. Although Gonzalez v. standard for all tech companies that Google seeks to initiate positive could lead to search engines like social change, overturning Section Google stifling controversial websites 230 will smother minority from appearing in its results, making perspectives, restrict internet access content on independent websites to a worldview directly tailored nearly impossible to find. by corporations and dangerously “Even though terrorists must jeopardize the internet’s character be stopped from spreading content of free expression.

Antara Gangwal Staff Writer

Five people lay dead on Delhi’s Inner Ring Road, murdered by a speeding Mercedes in the frigid winter. So begins “Age of Vice,” with the prologue instantly setting the novel’s tone—one doused in opulence. In this debut thriller, Deepti Kapoor attempts to chronicle the intricate entanglements of the main characters and the vices that burden them, yet the novel itself is burdened by stylistic choices that inhibit its potential.

“Age of Vice” opens with the story of Ajay, a boy born in poverty in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

After his father is killed and his mother sells him to work for a wealthy family, Ajay climbs the ranks of society and secures a job working as the personal servant of Sunny Wadia—the son of the infamous and affluent Bunty Wadia. Soon, Ajay is enmeshed in the grand monopoly that the Wadias hold. Yet, the family’s grandeur conceals a web of corruption, one that ties together countless other characters.

The scope of the novel is immense, and new characters and subplots are frequently introduced.

So many events are packed in under 600 pages that they all blur into one another, failing to produce a compelling storyline. The muddled plot is exacerbated by Kapoor’s choppy writing style—sentences attempting to have depth instead seem abrupt. Conversely, irrelevant subplots are often described in exalting detail, detracting from significant plot points. The character development is so lacking that I could not bring myself to care for any of the characters’ ambitions or feelings throughout the novel.

What is truly disappointing is that beneath the muddled surface of “Age of Vice” lies the tendrils of a powerful story. The atmospheric setting of Delhi, the stark differences between the elite and the working class in Indian society, the exploration of the irrevocable consequences of the characters’ choices and the pervasive grip of westernization—Kapoor attempts to address all of these themes, but her sloppy execution leaves “Age of Vice” falling short of its promising potential.

By the time I turned the novel’s final page, I was left both utterly confused and thankful that it was over. “Age of Vice” could have been as glittering gold as its cover is deeply dark, but it is unfortunately encumbered by many shortcomings.

“Age of Vice” (2/5) worth the read?

+ promising themes - frustrating stylistic choices - lack of character development

6

ENTERTAINMENT “Cocaine Bear”

APRIL 5, 2023 DESIGN BY REAGAN LIU

Praise or prey: Lewd portrayal of young stars

Lauren Wilson

Staff Writer

Daniel Lin Viewpoint Editor

Cocaine. Bear. That is all you need to know about this movie. But for the sake of a proper review, I will elaborate.

“Cocaine Bear” is a wild and bizarre adventure that is centered around a true story of a bear that stumbled upon a stash of cocaine dropped from a plane in 1985.

The film follows the journey of various characters who are all connected to this event in some way and the chaos and mayhem that ensues. It is a dark comedy that leans into its absurd premise with glee.

However, “Cocaine Bear” does not accurately represent the true story it is based on.

While the movie depicts the bear becoming aggressive and violent after consuming cocaine, the real Cocaine Bear, also referred to as Pablo Escobear or Cokey the Bear, was a 175-pound American black bear that fatally overdosed on nearly 75 pounds of cocaine.

No murderous rampage leading to several human casualties; instead, sadly, one dead bear.

“Cocaine Bear” reached its peak during the comically violent confrontations with the bear, but even among the action sequences, many were not as entertaining as they could have been—there was a noticeable tendency to use predictable jump-scares to replace engaging action.

Additionally, many parts attempted to be more meaningful and sentimental, but this only dragged out the pacing.

On the bright side, the CGI was surprisingly smooth, given the movie’s relatively low budget of $30 million to $35 million. The bear’s movement appeared unnatural sometimes, but did not break the illusion.

Overall, “Cocaine Bear” is neither an amazing nor terrible movie. Yes, there is cocaine. Yes, there is a bear. But no, there is not much else. It definitely falls short of expectations to be a captivating retelling of an unusual and fascinating true story. Despite a few promising moments of humor and absurdity, the film fails to fully explore the potential of its premise and instead relies on predictable cliches and unremarkable storytelling.

Unless you are a die-hard fan of bizarre true stories or are curious about the infamous Cocaine Bear, this movie may not be worth the watch.

“Cocaine Bear” (3/5) how movie-ing was it?

+ comically violent - lack of consistent pacing - unremarkable storytelling

In 2008, Emma Watson recieved unwanted attention from photographers outside a London nightclub, who laid down on the pavement to get pictures under her skirt as she celebrated her 18th birthday. Watson states that her first day of adulthood was a turning point for her public image, as she felt violated and objectified when the photographs were published the next day. Watson is only one of the many young female celebrities subjected to unwelcome sexualization; several newgeneration stars speaking out against the discomfort they

LYN KANG ART

experienced from the media and paparazzi.

After starring in the Netflix original series “Stranger Things,” Emmy-nominated actress Millie Bobby Brown gained fame at the age of 12, resulting in the majority of her adolescence being spent in the spotlight. USA Today states that when Brown was just 13, she was featured on W Magazine’s list “Why TV is sexier than ever.” On her 16th birthday, Brown revealed in an Instagram caption that the last few years had been mentally draining because of inappropriate comments and sexualization she

Andrew Duval

faced throughout her childhood, which made her feel dehumanized and insecure.

Singer-songwriter Billie Eilish is yet another one of the many female celebrities to suffer from sexualization as a minor—after the release of her viral song “Ocean Eyes” in 2015 at 14 years old. Wary of the public eye, Eilish chose to wear baggy clothing, stating that her intention was to hide her body and avoid judgment and sexualization in the media. In spite of her efforts, a photo of Eilish wearing a tank top circulated on many social media platforms including Twitter, where many people commented on her body.

Some users zoomed in on her chest, making sexual comments regarding her body. Eilish was 17 at the time.

“People should respect young female celebrities’ privacy by reporting predators online.

Everyone needs to remember that these celebrities are underaged.

Furthermore, sexualizing young women may make them feel uncomfortable and unprofessional, as it suggests that people only appreciate their looks rather than their craft,” Senior Matthew Long said.

The reality for many celebrities is that sexualization only worsens once they turn 18 and are deemed “legal.”

Many people engage in “countdowns” dedicated towards counting down the days, months and hours until young female celebrities reach adulthood. Actress Natalie Portman addressed the invasion of privacy

she endured after hearing a countdown on her local radio that was waiting for her to turn 18.

She spoke at the 2019 Women’s March, stating how this experience made her more aware and frustrated over the objectification of her body.

“The sexualization of these celebrities is almost completely avoidable, and spreading awareness of its negative effect is the most beneficial option for people to take. Young women’s mental health suffers when they are sexualized,” Sophomore Saanvi Deb said.

Ultimately, the young female victims of sexualization are susceptible to lasting physical and mental scarring. A study by The American Psychological Association reports that sexualization of high school and college-aged women may result in low self-esteem, body insecurities, eating disorders and depression. According to Juliet Williams, a University of California gender studies professor, constant objectification becomes normalized at a young age. and consequently fortifies the harmful stereotype that women are sexual objects.

It is extremely common for young women in the spotlight to undergo internal struggles because of sexualization.

Despite platforms’ community guidlines, sexual comments about young female celebrities continue to proliferate online— facilitated by easy access to social media profiles.

The tainted legacy of cancelled creators Staff Writer

USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and the Cleveland Plain Dealer are just a few newspapers in the nation that have made the executive decision to drop the comic strip “Dilbert” after the creator, Scott Adams, made several racist and prejudiced comments.

Although the comic strip mainly focuses on satire and workplace comedy, during a live stream on Feb. 23, Adams made many white supremacist statements such as “the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people.”

In his rant, Adams claimed that Black Americans are a hate group citing a Rasmussen poll found that a significant portion of Black Americans did not agree with the statement “it’s okay to be white.”

Previously, Adams had posted several YouTube videos that contained far-right political messages.

The Adams incident reflects how content and media are judged today based on the creator—a phenomenon that has become more prevalent in recent years as cancel culture becomes increasingly influential. When creators are deemed controversial, their work is often boycotted, and the dropping of the Dilbert comic is a stark example of content being negatively impacted due to the unrelated actions of its creator.

“While Adams’ statements are highly offensive, the comic strip should not suffer for the actions of its creator. So long as Adams’ views do not affect the material of the comic, the comic’s publication should be held separate from Adams,” Freshman Saanvi Gunukula said.

Another example of content being judged based on its creator’s actions is the video game Hogwarts Legacy,

INSEO KIM ART

which fans have boycotted due to J.K. Rowling’s transphobic views, as well as accusations of hidden anti-Semitic imagery.

Although Rowling did not have a significant influence on the creation of the game, she owns the Wizarding World franchise’s intellectual property, meaning she will receive a part of the profit that the game makes.

Rowling’s reputation took a plunge in the

past years, with a stream of transphobia that dates back to 2014 as stated by Vox. Most recently, Rowling called trans people “violent, duplicitous rapists.”

Despite the efforts of many fans to boycott Hogwarts Legacy, it has become one of the fastest selling video games ever, nearing one billion dollars in sales.

Hogwarts Legacy is a roleplaying game that includes dozens of playable characters inspired by the Harry Potter series. This game takes place in the universe created

by Rowling.

“I would not judge content significantly differently if its creator made statements I find offensive. Whenever I see the content, I might think of the statements that the creator made, but aside from that, I do not think it would have a significant impact on how I view the content,” Freshman Advitha Patil said.

In the case of Dilbert, judging content by its creator has effectively erased a beloved comic, which goes to show that this kind of judgment can have a negative impact on art and culture. Nonetheless, in the age of cancel culture, many people hold creators’ personal values as a standard for judgment of materials, reinforcing the cultural prevalence of the practice.

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

7

LIFESTYLE

DESIGN BY BERTINA FAN

Sad-beige parenting: Aesthetic minimalism for babies

Tammy Newman

Sad-beige parenting—coined

by Hayley DeRoche, an author and a mother on Tiktok—has risen in popularity over the past few months.

The trend refers to the parenting practice of favoring neutral-colored environments in place of bright and colorful bedrooms; traditional colors associated with babies, like blue and pink, have been replaced with shades of beige throughout baby showers and nursing homes, colorful toys have been substituted for simplistic wooden decor.

Per The Guardian, the beige aesthetic began as a marketing trend on DeRoche’s TikTok account and e-commerce platform Etsy, which advertised achromatic items and targeted parents. While sad-beige parenting is still a relatively niche practice, it has seen a massive increase in popularity— internet searches for beige childrens clothing jumped 67% in 2022 alone.

A driving force behind the sadbeige movement is the idea that children should not grow up in an environment that subconsciously encourages gender stereotypes.

The University of Missouri-Kansas Women’s Center explains how assigning certain colors to a gender— such as blue for boys and pink for girls—indicates that the child will have a specific role they must grow into

in their future. This is where beige comes in; as a neutral color, it is free from gender stereotypes and can help reduce harmful expectations.

However, growing up in a setting devoid of color can limit and discourage a child’s brain development and their creativity.

Science Daily reports that toys with high contrast and colors like red and blue can spur lateral thinking and DANA LIM ART

enhance attention to detail, which are important cognitive skills for developing children.

“If my parents did not provide me with the colorful childhood they did, I would definitely not be as creative as I am today. I believe the bright pink walls of my childhood room are what prompted me to develop an interest in art, which is something I still love doing,” Senior Corinne Thelen said.

Despite the purported negative side effects, neutral-toned clothing

Staff Writer

has become relatively popular due to the trend. Prices for the minimalist clothing are steep; a simple top can cost around $45 while a plain smock can reach over $130, The Guardian reports. These high prices are a barrier for those who wish to partake in sadbeige parenting; the trend is more prevalent among wealthier families.

While sad-beige parenting has its supporters, who claim that it is imperative that kids grow up in a gender-neutral home, the practice has received backlash. Opponents claim that it is a waste of money and does more harm to the child than good. Krista Boehem, a mother who owns an online kids’ clothing store, explains that children should be able to express themselves through their clothing— which is not achievable if they are restricted to neutral colors.

“Kids should be able to be kids, and children love loads of colors. Depriving kids of bright, fun colors will only make them unhappy, especially if the only color they see in their house is beige,” Junior Yunnah Moon said.

In an effort to expose their children to more vibrant colors, many parents have openly voiced opposition to the trend. It is uncertain whether this practice will continue, but its advent has shown the outsized influence social media can have on parenting.

Tripping on faith: Psychedelic churches proliferate in the US Andrew Duval Staff Writer

In a tent in the rural town of Hillsdale, Utah, a group of two dozen lay face down on patterned, blanket-covered air mattresses, braving the frigid air to experience a mind-altering, psychedelic-induced trip. Business executives, military veterans, middleaged suburban parents and former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS)—this mixed congregation has traveled hundreds of miles for a pricey retreat with Hummingbird Church, which utilizes the psychedelic ayahuasca as it sacrament. In recent years, churches like this have proliferated across the United States, reflecting a growing interest in psychedelics as a medium for spiritual enlightenment and healing from past trauma.

Psychedelics and religion are by no means a new combination. According to The Associated Press (AP), ayahuasca has played an integral part in the religious rituals of Indigenous groups in the Amazon for hundreds of years. Its popularization in the West can partially be accredited to celebrity testimonials; high-profile stars including Aaron Rodgers and Will Smith have publicized their experiences with using psilocybin recreationally, describing them as lifechanging. Many who have struggled with various forms of addiction and trauma, including eating disorders, physical abuse, depression and alcoholism, have also reported positive experiences. Maeleene Jessop, a participant in a Hummingbird

Karimi Restaurant

Church retreat, grew up experiencing effects such as providing relief for sexual abuse within the FLDS church people who are struggling mentally and reported that magic mushroom and need external help. However, ceremonies eased her depression. everything comes with its downsides— Despite its positive reception, in this case, people abusing the drugs psychedelic churches have largely offered—so psychedelic churches remained underground as and ceremonies should be closely many of the substances are monitored, with proper precautions in illegal under federal law place like background checks,” Senior and stigma surrounding Tejas Shah said. recreational use of According to Rolling Stone psilocybin persists. Los magazine, many psilocybin users Angeles Times reports are ex-Mormons who left the church, that on Aug. 13, 2020, the Zide seeking freedom from the restrictive, Door Church of Entheogenic antiquated views of the FLDS. Now, Plants in Oakland was raided by as leaders of psychedelic churches, police after a anonymous complaint many stay away from strict hierarchy that the church was a dispensary for and organization in their ceremonies, cannabis and psychedelics. The church weary from past experience. responded by filing a lawsuit, claiming Partaking in the ceremonies that the seizure violated their First can be risky; the AP states that and Fourteenth Amendment rights. people have been sexually assaulted, Churches, activists, robbed or left without the government officials and usual support of space for psychedelic users across communal reflection. the country are actively “I am worried about pushing for acceptance the potential risks of and legalization of engaging in psychedelic psychedelics for rituals; I personally do not therapy and believe that they are worth T AR spiritual healing. participating in,” Sophomore N A Some churches have Jay Penner said.

YH C N I invoked the Religious Magic mushroom QU Freedom Restoration churches are a rapidly growing Act, which prohibits the phenomenon, raising important federal government “from questions about the intersection substantially burdening a person’s of religion, spirituality and drug exercise of religion.” Additionally, per use. While some critics have AP, an Arizona church filed a lawsuit raised concerns about the safety against the federal government for and legality of practices involving confiscating an ayahuasca shipment psilocybin, advocates argue that originating from Peru. they have the potential to offer “Psychedelic churches should be profound experiences of personal legalized; there are a lot of positive transformation and spiritual insight.

Ella Polak Staff Writer

While perusing through Yelp for a noodle restaurant, my dad and I discovered Karimi Restaurant, located in downtown San Jose. The restaurant serves a variety of Indo-Pakistani fusion dishes such as hakka noodles and Sichuan fried rice. When I stepped inside the diner, I was immediately drawn toward the interior decorations—metal ornaments suspended on green, red and gray walls—reminiscent of the Indian flag. The large space had plenty of open tables, and I ordered food from a counter on the side.

I found it difficult to decide on just one out of the vast array of vegetarian and meat-based dishes, so I ordered a spread that included a lamb seekh kebab, basmati rice, garlic naan and a mango lassi—a sweet Punjabi yogurt drink traditionally consumed in the summer. However, my main focus was the chicken hakka noodles, an Indo-Chinese concoction that fuses chow mein with chilies and South Asian spices.

After a few minutes the kebab, rice and naan arrived, and I dove right in. I was pleasantly surprised by the chewy, pillowlike texture of the naan and its subtle taste of char. The chopped garlic on top provided a spicy and flavorful kick. I found the taste of the lamb in the seekh kebab exceptionally rich, but a bit too salty. I had no complaints about the rice’s flavor, but the quantity was barely enough for one person.

Soon after, my noodle dish arrived, garnished with scarlet red peppers and sliced green onions. As I worked through the substantial serving, I detected spices such as cumin in the aftertaste of the noodles. The hakka noodles were too greasy and similar to traditional chow mein; the South Asian influence was almost unnoticeable. I also found the chicken substandard as it seemed to be precooked and had a very mild flavor.

Overall, the restaurant’s dishes to be underwhelming. Still, there were some standout orders, the mango lassi was a refreshing palate cleanser and the tender garlic naan was one of the best I have ever tried. I also found myself craving some of their side dishes after I left. Although the hakka noodles were disappointing, Karimi Restaurant is worth giving a try for its other selections.

Karimi Restaurant (3/5) deal or noo-dle?

+ fast service + vegetarian options - low quality entrees

DESIGN BY DANIEL LIN

The hope and hype of utopia Jay Li Staff Writer The term “utopia” was first coined in 1516 by Thomas More in his novel of the same name, meaning “good place” or “no place” in Greek—already alluding to the ambiguous nature of utopian societies and thinking. The novel is centered around a single question: Can such an ideal world ever be achieved? Centuries later, this question has maintained its grip on the human imagination.

Often when one thinks of a utopian world, the image of a technologically advanced society where all violence, disease and hatred has been replaced with social equality and abundance comes to mind—a seemingly unattainable paradise in stark contrast to the world we live in.

While a true utopia has never existed, utopian stories are often found in literature—a trend that was started by More’s “Utopia”—and the prevalence of utopian thinking can reveal much about modern society. In contrast to More’s more hypothetical interpretation of a utopia, H.G. Wells’s “A Modern Utopia” promotes the idea that a perfect society is assuredly attainable through human effort, political reform and technology.

On the other side of the spectrum, many authors utilize utopian stories to criticize existing conditions rather than offer solutions.

George Orwell’s “1984” depicts a totalitarian government that controls every aspect of its citizens’ lives—including thoughts and emotions—under the guise of creating a perfect society. Orwell argues that a utopian society is fundamentally impossible to achieve as its actualization requires suppressing individual rights and the use of violence to uphold state power.

“Governments and policymakers should shy away from utopian thought and stick to a more rational, moderate form of thinking.

Instead of aiming for extreme perfection, policymakers should instead work for incremental improvement, as unrealistic goals can often be unproductive and often come with massive material costs,” Senior Amy Wang said.

The prevalence and popularity of utopian stories in literature and media suggests an intrinsic desire for a better world and dissatisfaction with current sociopolitical conditions, which could include disillusionment with capitalism and consumerism or a general feeling of disconnect from one’s community. Utopian stories promise a vision of a more equitable and harmonious society, appealing to people’s desire for change.

Technology exists at the core of most if not all utopias, as innovations in science and technology often act as a catalyst toward bringing about utopian conditions. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence have demonstrated their ability to automate jobs and potentially eliminate the need for human labor. In medicine, biotechnology has already made significant contributions by developing vaccines, gene therapies and diagnostic tools. For example, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats—more commonly known as CRISPR gene-editing—has begun to vastly transform the field by editing human DNA to prevent genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease, HIV or cancer.

“A true utopian world can never be fully realized—even when considering rapid advances in technology. Tangible issues such as climate change or disease can be remedied through innovation and political reform, but more abstract issues like racism or violence are much more difficult to eliminate as they are deeply rooted in our population’s ideology,” Sophomore Nick Shojaei said.

However, the concept of utopia is not limited to the realm of fiction, as several political figures have pursued it. Utopian political ideologies such as communism have inspired leaders like Mao and Lenin to pursue a communist state—an idealized world free of all social inequality based on the assumption that humans are innately altruistic and willing to sacrifice personal wants to work towards a common goal. While communism led to tyranny in the Soviet Union, utopian thinking has also inspired more well-meaning political initiatives. This can include universal basic income and universal health coverage—which are often seen as policies that move society closer to a utopia and have been promoted by various utopian thinkers including H. G. Wells.

While utopian thinking and impulse has spurred innovation and inspired political initiatives, it is certainly not without its critics. Many argue that fixation on unattainable and unrealistic paradise is both irrational and enables the government to infringe on basic democratic rights under the guise of working towards “a perfect society” that was impossible to achieve in the first place. In a world where hopelessness is not uncommon, even the existence of utopian ideals can serve as a reminder that humanity can strive for a better tomorrow—or risk descending into utopia’s darker counterpart—dystopia.

Poll: a utopia society achieva Yes: No 34% 66%

Compiled by Gilina Voon Staff Writer 100 students polled

DESIGN BY DANIEL LIN

The hope and hype of utopia Jay Li Staff Writer The term “utopia” was first coined in 1516 by Thomas More in his novel of the same name, meaning “good place” or “no place” in Greek—already alluding to the ambiguous nature of utopian societies and thinking. The novel is centered around a single question: Can such an ideal world ever be achieved? Centuries later, this question has maintained its grip on the human imagination.

Often when one thinks of a utopian world, the image of a technologically advanced society where all violence, disease and hatred has been replaced with social equality and abundance comes to mind—a seemingly unattainable paradise in stark contrast to the world we live in.

While a true utopia has never existed, utopian stories are often found in literature—a trend that was started by More’s “Utopia”—and the prevalence of utopian thinking can reveal much about modern society. In contrast to More’s more hypothetical interpretation of a utopia, H.G. Wells’s “A Modern Utopia” promotes the idea that a perfect society is assuredly attainable through human effort, political reform and technology.

On the other side of the spectrum, many authors utilize utopian stories to criticize existing conditions rather than offer solutions.

George Orwell’s “1984” depicts a totalitarian government that controls every aspect of its citizens’ lives—including thoughts and emotions—under the guise of creating a perfect society. Orwell argues that a utopian society is fundamentally impossible to achieve as its actualization requires suppressing individual rights and the use of violence to uphold state power.

“Governments and policymakers should shy away from utopian thought and stick to a more rational, moderate form of thinking.

Instead of aiming for extreme perfection, policymakers should instead work for incremental improvement, as unrealistic goals can often be unproductive and often come with massive material costs,” Senior Amy Wang said.

The prevalence and popularity of utopian stories in literature and media suggests an intrinsic desire for a better world and dissatisfaction with current sociopolitical conditions, which could include disillusionment with capitalism and consumerism or a general feeling of disconnect from one’s community. Utopian stories promise a vision of a more equitable and harmonious society, appealing to people’s desire for change.

Technology exists at the core of most if not all utopias, as innovations in science and technology often act as a catalyst toward bringing about utopian conditions. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence have demonstrated their ability to automate jobs and potentially eliminate the need for human labor. In medicine, biotechnology has already made significant contributions by developing vaccines, gene therapies and diagnostic tools. For example, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats—more commonly known as CRISPR gene-editing—has begun to vastly transform the field by editing human DNA to prevent genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease, HIV or cancer.

“A true utopian world can never be fully realized—even when considering rapid advances in technology. Tangible issues such as climate change or disease can be remedied through innovation and political reform, but more abstract issues like racism or violence are much more difficult to eliminate as they are deeply rooted in our population’s ideology,” Sophomore Nick Shojaei said.

However, the concept of utopia is not limited to the realm of fiction, as several political figures have pursued it. Utopian political ideologies such as communism have inspired leaders like Mao and Lenin to pursue a communist state—an idealized world free of all social inequality based on the assumption that humans are innately altruistic and willing to sacrifice personal wants to work towards a common goal. While communism led to tyranny in the Soviet Union, utopian thinking has also inspired more well-meaning political initiatives. This can include universal basic income and universal health coverage—which are often seen as policies that move society closer to a utopia and have been promoted by various utopian thinkers including H. G. Wells.

While utopian thinking and impulse has spurred innovation and inspired political initiatives, it is certainly not without its critics. Many argue that fixation on unattainable and unrealistic paradise is both irrational and enables the government to infringe on basic democratic rights under the guise of working towards “a perfect society” that was impossible to achieve in the first place. In a world where hopelessness is not uncommon, even the existence of utopian ideals can serve as a reminder that humanity can strive for a better tomorrow—or risk descending into utopia’s darker counterpart—dystopia.

Poll: Is a utopian society achievable?

Yes: No: 34% 66% Compiled by Gilina Voon Staff Writer 100 students polled

Dystopia: A bleak future ahead Kyan Wang Staff Writer A cruel, all-seeing government. A future on the brink of extinction. A world devoid of meaning. Dystopias—defined by the Oxford Dictionary as an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice—have taken many of these forms in literature and philosophy, but at its core, dystopias are a representation of the loss of selfagency at the hands of an oppressive force. Dystopian societies are most often characterized by scarcity, oppression and fear. Scarcity is portrayed by a lack of necessities, such as the scramble for food and shelter in a radioactive wasteland. Oppression is often shown as an authoritarian regime where the individual is crushed under the boot of the state and fear is commonly represented by an all-seeing government that watches for every transgression.

Dystopian media has found its place among the post-apocalypse, alternate history, science-fiction and fantasy worlds. The poster-child for the modern dystopia—Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games”—has spanned both a book and film series, showing the immense impact dystopian fiction has had on popular culture. The series portrays a totalitarian government ruling over a post-apocalyptic America; after climate disasters wreak havoc across the world, citizens starve while working backbreaking jobs for the tyrannical ruling class—a textbook example of the genre.

Although dystopias are defined as imaginary, many of their characteristics are present in real world societies. The totalitarian state of North Korea checks several of the boxes ascribed to a dystopia: Its government silences dissent, and conformity to the regime is rigorously enforced through an extensive network of informants. North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-Un, as with his predecessors, has groomed a cult of personality based on Juche, the state ideology of the country that emphasizes self-reliance. Because of the isolationism Juche fosters, the country cannot even meet its citizens’ basic food demands. CNN states South Korea has claimed that starvation deaths are occurring as North Korea enters its largest food crisis since the 1994 famine, which killed hundreds of thousands to millions of people.

“When the government begins to levy unfair taxes on the populace for selfish reasons, a foundation for a dystopian state is born. A government that works against its people will gradually worsen and could result in a country like North Korea, where 60% of the country lives in poverty,” Junior Matthew Namba said.

A striking parallel can be drawn with George Orwell’s famous dystopian novel “1984,” in which an all-seeing “Big Brother” figure rules supreme. “1984” reflects the fictional ideology of English Socialism, or Ingsoc, a political system that distorts information with deceitful intent. By perpetually lying to its citizens, Oceania—the setting of 1984—keeps its population subjugated and clueless to the country’s poverty and suffering.

Most dystopias begin with the rise of an authoritarian government, often as a result of societal collapse, which itself stems from political or environmental catastrophes. In the power vacuum left after a governmental collapse, a scramble for control over the remaining citizenry ensues, and the most manipulative—and often most cruel—become the new rulers. The literary magazine The Paris Review explains that tyrants often use totalitarian methods such as mass surveillance to instill fear and complacency in the population in an attempt to stabilize their newly acquired positions. After the successful establishment of an effectively repressive system, the average person has little agency in escaping their poor conditions.

“A dystopian society would be nearly impossible for its citizens to overthrow, as its systems of oppression force its citizens to primarily focus on basic survival. In such a society, opposition to the government would be very weak, as the poor would not have the skills or social awareness to effectively organize and resist their oppressors,” Sophomore Ian Marshall said.

The modern world has stood steadfast amidst many tests and survived countless events that could have resulted in a global dystopia, such as those during World War II and the Cold War. Dystopian media and literature are cautionary tales that illuminate existing, real world elements that have the potential to precipitate widespread calamity.

Society could fall victim to the same traps explored in these works if it fails to recognize and address systemic issues before it is too late.

HARRY KANG ART

10

SCIENCE & TECH Capybara Rush

APRIL 5, 2023 DESIGN BY SOPHIA QIN

Take it Down: Ensuring user security in online platforms

Gilina Voon

Staff Writer

Suvia Li Opinions Editor

While scrolling through TikTok, I came across an intriguing video: a game developer adding a capybara riding an alligator to a dynamic digital street environment. The clip included snippets of the game, Capybara Rush, and the peaceful capybaras instantly piqued my interest.

With a 4.8 star rating on the App Store, Capybara Rush features adventurous capybaras known for their calm spirit and their nonchalant facial expressions.

When I first downloaded the game, only the classic level mode was available—in which players run forward as a capybara, collecting other capybaras and tangerines while avoiding traffic obstacles. Collision results in the loss of capybaras, and if enough capybaras are lost, players are demoted to a lower level. The game has simple controls: tapping the screen to jump, swiping left or right to change lanes and holding down to slide under obstacles.

This makes the game effortless for anyone of any age to pick up.

I enjoyed the features of the classic mode, but I was pleasantly surprised when the app began releasing new modes. The capybaras can now drive, swim, stack and fly, each mode presents its own unique challenges. I personally like swim mode the most because swimming capybaras have an untouchable aesthetic. Aside from tangerines, capybaras are now able to acquire watermelons and bananas which are exchanged for capybara skins, adding a fun and personal touch to the game. My all time favorite is the Shrek skin, which gives the capybara a green and gray coloring with Shrek ears.

The game’s design is charming and fascinating, featuring adorable brown capybaras with placid smiles­—set against colorful and whimsical environments— such as a jungle and the deep sea. The background music is upbeat and lively, enhancing the engaging atmopshere.

After I discovered Capybara Rush, I shared it my friends.

Everyone I know who has played it loves it; there is something about capybaras that makes people happy. From its-evolving gameplay to its playful design, Capybara Rush is a marvelous and captivating game that is definitely worth downloading.

Capybara Rush (5/5) how app-ealing was it?

+ attractive premise + riveting gameplay - excessive ads

Many teenagers and young adults have sent intimate photos to their romantic partners and had those photos shared or spread online without their consent. For many people, having explicit images of themselves posted on the internet can be a traumatic experience. To help teens regain control of their digital footprint, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) created Take It Down, a free platform that enables teens to remove explicit images and videos of themselves from the internet.

Meta Platforms provided the initial funding for the website, facilitating its launch in December 2022.

Adults who appeared in explicit photos when they were 19 or younger can access the tool as well.

According to AP News, cases of online child exploitation continue to proliferate, with NCMEC receiving 29.3 million reports of online exploitation of children in 2021, 35% more

than 2020.

In 2017, Meta attempted to create a similar tool for adults. However, users were required to send in the original image, causing the tool to quickly dwindle.

Take It Down allows users to anonymously remove pictures without having to upload the original file. In addition, it assigns a unique

digital fingerprint, or hash value, to specific pictures and videos, blocking these images from appearing in other online platform. Companies utilize these hash values to detect, locate and then remove the target media.

AP News says that many people prefer using the website because it is anonymous, while reporting to law enforcement is not.

However, the site has certain limitations—only participating platforms, which currently include Facebook, Instagram, OnlyFans, Pornhub and Yubo, can take down images. Other social media platforms like Twitter and Tiktok have not committed to the project.

If certain images are uploaded onto another site or sent in an encrypted platform, the photos cannot be taken down. Additionally, if the original image is altered—such as being cropped or overlaid with emojis—then it needs a new hash. Similar images, like those with Instagram filters, also need new hashes—even if the hash only differs by one letter or number.

“With time, the website will likely be utilized on all media platforms and picture heavy-websites. With the continual rise in the use of social media, Take It Down will be necessary to ensure user security,” Sophomore Jonathan Li said.

In 2021, Meta launched a tool called Stop Nonconsensual Intimate Images (StopNCII) in collaboration

with UK Revenge Porn Helpline to detect explicit photos and support victims. Within the first year, StopNCII helped 12,000 adults create cases to stop images and videos, per The Wall Street Journal.

JUDE TANAWAY ART Nevertheless, media platforms have been consistently failing to protect minors from media exploitation. In 2015, Snapchat set an age limit and Youtube added YouTube Kids in hopes to combat user insecurity.

Despite these precautions, children have found ways to circumvent the rules.

Thus, Meta funded Take It Down and added new privacy features, such as applying stricter privacy settings for Facebook users under 16. It also encourages teens to report suspicious adult accounts after blocking them.

Meta anticipates that Take it Down will help combat online child exploitation making social media platforms more secure. They hope that other online platforms will be willing to participate in the project.

The Willow Project threatens Biden’s climate missions

Isaac Ang

Investigative Report & Last Word Editor

President Joe Biden has repeatedly emphasized that climate change cannot be ignored any longer. Yet, his administration approved of the Willow Project—a plan that entails drilling massive amounts of oil in Alaska’s North Slope and critics are beginning to question his sincerity.

Per the Alaska Business Magazine, the Willow Project is predicted to produce 180,000 barrels of oil daily— about 1.5% of total U.S. production—as well as 2,500 jobs for local Alaskans.

Generating between $8 billion and $17 billion of government revenue, the project could boost the Alaskan economy and help secure U.S. energy independence. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Mary Peltola have endorsed the project, purportedly advocating on behalf of local Alaskan natives, many of whom support the project due to its economic benefits.

Despite the economic revitalization the Willow Project promises, environmental groups have voiced fierce opposition against it. #StopWillow has swept across social media, with TikTok videos commenting on the project surpassing 50 million views, according to CNN. Three-quarters of Nuiqsut residents rely

on wildlife for sustenance, yet oil development has driven the animals away. Consequently, local Indigenous groups have sent protesting petitions to the White House.

According to the Washington Post, the Biden administration conducted an environmental review last year concluding that the project would release 9.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of gas exhaust from almost two million cars. Additionally, clearing ground for oil development would destroy key habitats for migrating birds and caribou.

“The Willow Project intends to generate energy and jobs, but those can also be produced through more eco-friendly actions such as investing in nuclear energy,” Senior Siddh Saxena said.

The Willow Project was originally approved for five drilling pads under Trump’s review in 2020.

Although one of Biden’s key campaign goals was to halt oil drilling on U.S. territory and cut U.S.

emissions in half by 2030, ConocoPhillips, Alaska’s largest crude oil producer had a strong legal basis to defend the project’s continuation.

Seeking to find a middle ground, Biden offered to reduce the number of drilling pads from five to two, which would shrink total oil output by 30%. When ConocoPhillips deemed that economically unviable, the surmounting legal constraints compelled Biden to approve the project with three drilling pads.

However, CNN reports that Biden also protected about 16 million acres of land in the National Petroleum Reserve. Still, environmental legal groups such as Earth Justice plan to challenge the project in court.

“I was not surprised to hear that the Willow Project was ultimately approved.

Leaders must carefully listen to arguments from both sides, and as long as they do—which I believe Biden did—I will ultimately trust their judgment,” Freshman Bella Corie said.

Weighing the considerations of multiple interests, Biden’s approval of the Willow Project has recieved criticism but has also benefited the Alaskans who wished to boost economic profit and wealth.

KAILEY HU ART

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT

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FEATURE: SCHOOL

DESIGN BY BERTINA FAN

Charger entrepreneurs: Student-owned businesses

Teaching Abroad

Sophia Qin

School News & Science & Tech Editor

The aroma of lemon meringue pie interlaced with the sharp fragrance of cinnamon sugar doodle cookies gently wafts through the air as Freshman Bella Luu packs another customer order.

Luu manages her own homeoperated bakery, B.E.L. Bakes, making all customer orders from scratch. Crowned second in the nation by the National Kids Baking Competition, Luu utilizes the skills she gained on the reality show and incorporates them into her pastries and treats. Baking for anniversaries, birthday parties, weddings and other events, some of Luu’s desserts take several days to complete.

Luu makes sure to take proper care when crafting each order, ensuring that her customers will receive the highest quality and most satisfactory pastries.

“Everything is made up to my standard; there are even times when I force myself to start over and remake entire desserts.

Despite the large amounts of time and preparation running that my business takes, it is always worth it.

When customers choose me to be a part of their special day, that itself is priceless and more than I can ever ask for,” Luu said.

on showcasing her selection of mini desserts such as macarons, soufflés, cookies and cupcakes. She caters mainly for local events. Two things make Mocha and Macs particularly stand out from other baking businesses. Duong focuses on experimenting with distinctive flavors, creating unique treats such as tiramisu cookies and strawberry lilikoi cupcakes. Furthermore, all her treats are fairly small, acting more as single-serve finger foods.

“Mocha and Mac’s mission is to help prevent food waste at events by serving smaller ‘mini’ portions of dessert rather than the larger portions that I find mostly go to waste,” Duong said.

In order to balance school and her side business, Duong prioritizes her assignments at school, doing those first and then baking during the downtime she has. For now, the business will remain small, but Duong is excited to see where it will bring her in the future.

Opening small businesses comes with a plethora of risks. Unlike large corporations, small businesses are unable to sell bonds or issue new stocks for public customers.

The inability to sustain frequent customer sales could easily result in financial instability and bankruptcy.

Additionally, acquiring enough

WILLIAM HUANG PHOTOS Luu hopes to expand B.E.L. Bakes and continue adding to her online profile, selling merchandise, recipe books and other items on top of the baked goods.

Small student-owned businesses have been gradually emerging at the school, with many utilizing social media platforms for outreach and advertising. Social media has made it easier for these businesses to gain attention and interest.

Since each post can be shared and reposted, information spreads rapidly, efficiently reaching the intended audience. From selling handcrafted jewelry to homemade slime, small businesses rely heavily on social media to increase sales.

Mocha and Macs is another baking business owned by Senior Kylie Duong who sells her products through Instagram. Duong created a separate Instagram account focused Top

to

bottom:

Freshman

Bella

money to start up small businesses can be difficult. As reported by Fundera, a financial advice website, around 20% of small businesses fail within their first year of being established. The difficulty of recieving bank loans is a major contributor to this. Because of inflation, the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates, causing an increase in the cost of taking out loans. Letha Pugh, a cofounder of a small baking business in Ohio called Bake Me Happy, found the loan process to be long and tedious.

She told the Associated Press how oftentimes, no process would be made on her loan due to bureaucracy and rules surrounding business loans.

Despite the unforeseeable risks of managing an independent business can bring, many will still choose this path to pursue their interests.

Luu

decorates

a

cake,

packages

Senior Jeffrey Zheng operates Andeff Apparels, a clothing company that prints attire with

Gwen Carroll Staff Writer

customer-requested designs and is available on Shopify and eBay. Zheng collaborates with many in-state and national artists who send their finished work to him two weeks after a design is input.

Although Zheng is not directly involved in the manufacturing process, he often draws orders by himself and

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frequently contacts the manufacturing company for updates.

Zheng admits that the first few months of starting the small business were rough because at the time, no customer sources or companies were willing to partner with him.

However, through the support of the community, Zheng is able to continue running his business and he remains optimistic.

“I take pride in customer satisfaction. All I want is for the buyers to feel comfortable and confident in their clothing and to be proud of themselves out in public,” Zheng said.

All three high school entrepreneurs have faith in their individual growing businesses, inspiring others to pursue their own passions and interests.

orders

and

assembles

baked

goods.

Alumnus of the school and its current economics teacher, Rob Miller, Social Studies Department, did not get his start teaching at the school. Rather, his career began at The American School located in Switzerland, and he has taught at schools in England, Switzerland and Greece.

Miller’s post-graduation plans had never included teaching until his experience abroad—in fact, teaching as a career had not even occurred to him until he received an offer from his cousin to come to the school overseas.

He had not had many chances to travel internationally as a child.

As such, he greatly enjoyed his teaching experience in Europe— for instance, small classes of less than 15 students meant he could teach on a more personal level than at a public school.

Nevertheless, the job could be taxing at times.

“I taught at boarding schools, so not only did the students live in campus dormitories, but so did I. It was a lot of fun, but it meant I always had to be the adult in the room, which could get very suffocating,” Miller said.

As the schools were all Anglophone workplaces, he never struggled with language barriers during work hours. Miller was able to navigate England without trouble, though in Switzerland and Greece, he began to encounter some difficulty. Simply navigating the countries outside the school was troublesome because Miller spoke none of the local languages. However, the locals helped him out where they could, and after a few years of teaching in Greece, he began to pick up a bit of Greek while off the job.

After over a decade abroad, Miller returned to San Jose and taught at several schools in the area before settling back down at the school. He even spent a year in a corporate job, but decided that teaching was his best option. His experience abroad was a great help to his teaching now—Miller maintains that despite the differences between the student bodies, teaching abroad and at the school were not extremely different.

Although the income difference between the student bodies is vast, he explained that at the end of the day, his students are mostly the same.

“In the end, kids are kids, and they all have hobbies and problems, no matter what school they go to. Returning here for me feels like returning to some sort of mothership; I enjoy the familiarity of teaching at the school I used to attend. As a teacher, there are not many places that are much better than here,” Miller said.

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APRIL 5, 2023

FEATURE: WORLD Chatbots

DESIGN BY INSEO KIM

Unexpected disaster strikes Turkey and Syria

Lauren Wilson

Staff Writer

Kyan Wang Staff Writer

Through its incredibly human writing, the chatbot ChatGPT has taken the world by storm.

Students are clamoring to use it for academic purposes, writers are using it to proofread–but others have more ambiguous intentions for ChatGPT’s use.

Many predictions have been made of its future roles, from Google’s proclamation that chatbots may replace the internet search engine to former U.S. Secretary Henry Kissinger’s prediction that artificial intelligence (AI) will “change the fabric of reality.”

ChatGPT is a generative AI model, designed to produce various types of data in response to any prompt. By processing millions of human writing samples, ChatGPT has created an elaborate system to predict the most likely word a human would use to respond, mimicking human speech.

OpenAI, the research institute behind ChatGPT, has been developing the for years. GPT (Generative Pre-Trained) can be traced back to a 2018 paper by researcher Alec Redford. The paper introduced a model, then called GPT, which would be able to interpret and mimic human language. The next model, GPT2, seemed to display a basic understanding of the English language. Afterwards, OpenAI developed GPT-3, the model from which ChatGPT derives its language processing capabilities.

ChatGPT has already made strides in previously nonautomatable human tasks. For example, programmers are utilizing it to write simple code. OpenAI continues to make progress in AI development, recently releasing its newest version, GPT-4.

Although the technology has only been released in November 2022, ChatGPT has sparked a race between companies to build the superior chatbot. However, these AI projects have faced setbacks, at times to hilarious or destructive results. The New York Times wrote about Bing’s chatbot’s “emotional meltdown,” declaring its love and attachment of the user. Similarly, Google Bard instantly wiped out $100 billion from Google’s market cap when it answered a question in an official demonstration.

Moral concerns are erupting over ChatGPT’s usage, as educators are already observing a crisis in academic integrity with students using ChatGPT for schoolwork; the development of ChatGPT detection software provides little relief. VentureBeat reports that OpenAI’s own software mistook Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” as AI-generated, demonstrating the difficulty in distinguishing AI writing. Regardless, with its diverse range of functions, ChatGPT’s versatility and intelligence make it an exciting and indispensable tool for the future.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6, resulting in the destruction of entire cities, over 50,000 confirmed deaths and homelessness of 1.5 million people in Turkey alone.

According to the World Health Organization, the earthquake was the most damaging natural disaster in the region over the last century.

Roughly 1 million more people now inhabit makeshift shelters, and the homeless population has risen to 5 million—many people in the region were already displaced prior to the earthquakes. In Syria, over two-thirds of the population were already in need of aid due to a 12-year long civil war. However, tensions between the Syrian government and bordering Arab countries have lessened because of the mutual needs for survival for the time being. Several health concerns arose shortly after the earthquake, such as low temperatures, poor sanitation, lack of access to food and water and infectious diseases such as cholera and COVID-19.

As a result of the disaster, over 160,000 buildings collapsed or

suffered irreversible damage, which raised concerns that deficient construction may have exacerbated the earthquake’s impact. According to BBC, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration was accused of ignoring building codes and permitting unqualified contractors to disregard regulations.

During a recent visit to the region, Edrogan attributed the disaster’s severity to “destiny’s plan.”

“The earthquake’s destruction will leave scarring economic effects on Turkey and Syria for years. Proper building safety regulations are vital.

Many people have unnecessarily lost their lives because of the Turkish government’s lack of strict building regulations,” Freshman Beni Yagubyan said.

Since the 1999 Izmit earthquake, Turkish citizens have been subject to the “Special Communication Tax,” a tax meant for disaster relief and prevention. Through this tax, the Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP) has collected a total of about $38 billion.

However, Mehmet Imsek, the Turkish Finance Minister, stated that the funds have not been used for natural disaster prevention, but to build highways, railways and other infrastructure following earthquakes in the region. To improve the quality of life for survivors, the U.N. donated $1.25 billion and provided Syrian refugees with money for meals, medicine, insulation for tents, thermal

blankets and winter clothes as well as stoves and fuel. They also offered protection services and psychosocial assistance to the displaced refugees.

Additionally, The Associated Press reports that the U.K. has sent an emergency medical team to aid injured victims.

“Many organizations such as the U.N. donated to improve the situation in Turkey and sent rescue teams to Syria, which will hopefully lead to a strong recovery for affected regions,” Sophomore Alon Vals said.

As the earthquake’s aftermath transpires, millions of people are left in devastation. Turkey and Syria will need time to recover from the damage caused by both nature and the lack of enforced state policies.

DANIEL CHOI ART

An iron-fisted approach to El Salvador’s gangs

Imran Shaikh

Community News & Feature World Editor

Stripped down to shorts and with shaved heads, thousands of men are packed into a room, bodies pressed against each other. Their wrists and ankles are shackled. They sit on the floor until ready to be moved, while armed guards watch over them. These are the conditions those being sent to El Salvador’s new mega prison, the Center for Confining Terrorism (CECOT), must endure.

According to Vox, CECOT is a response to gang activity in the country, which has been prevalent since the Salvadoran Civil War. The conflict prompted many to flee to the U.S., where the gangs MS-13 and Barrio 18 were born. Upon returning to El Salvador after the war, these gangs made use of leftover weapons to engage in murder, extortion, human trafficking and drug trading.

In 2022, prior to CECOT’s opening in January, El Salvador underwent a gang crackdown after a surge in violence, and President Nayib Bukele declared a temporary state of emergency, suspending certain constitutional rights. Over 60,000 arrests had been made, and by mid 2022, almost 2% of El Salvador’s adult population had been imprisoned.

In February, Bukele released a video of hundreds of men being transferred to CECOT, which can hold 40,000 inmates, making it the largest prison in the Americas. The video was released a day after the U.S. leveled an indictment against El Salvador, accusing government officials of secretly holding talks with

MS-13 members. While Bukele denies Bukele and conservative American these accusations, the U.S. maintains commentators like The Daily Wire’s that the Salvadoran government Michael Knowles have also praised offered shorter sentences and CECOT. However, the prison has its better conditions in exchange for share of opponents. Human Rights a reduction of murders within the Watch America’s Acting Director country, according to CNN. Tamara Taraciuk claims that the high “Bukele’s video of CECOT shows inmate density will allow gangs to the success of his gang crackdowns easily contact and recruit people. while instilling fear into criminals. It Plus, many were arrested solely for was a good idea to release the video SUVIA LI ART having tattoos in after the American indictment since areas known for gang the Salvadoran government should behavior. Without not feel intimidated by another judicial guarantee, foreign nation’s accusations,” Junior it is difficult for Jordan Cutaran said. inmates to prove CECOT consists of eight their innocence. buildings, each of which “While CECOT contain 32 rooms designed seems to have been to house 100 inmates an effective way of each. There are only reducing the murder two sinks and two rate, having prisons with toilets per room, large inmate populations and 80 metal can worsen already poor bunks for every conditions. If Bukele had 100 prisoners. created smaller, more spread Inmates are out prisons, they would only able to better ensure the safety of leave these cells for Salvadorans as there would be virtual legal hearings smaller areas for guards to patrol,” and for punishment in Sophomore Hannah Sutton said. unlit, windowless isolation Though opinion on CECOT may cells. Security is provided by vary, it is indisputable that Bukele’s 600 soldiers and 250 police officers, gang crackdown has yielded results. and those in cell blocks are armed.

In 2022, the country’s murder rate Many Salvadorans view CECOT as dropped by 56.8%, according to the realization of Bukele’s “iron-fisted” Reuters. While this change is welcome approach to crime, with La Prensa in a nation ravaged by gang violence, Gráfica, a Salvadoran newspaper, many are still unsure if CECOT’s claiming that 89% of Salvadorans benefits are worth the unfounded support the president. Foreign fans of imprisonments that came with it.

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT DESIGN BY IMRAN SHAIKH

Jay Li

13

FEATURE: WORLD The Russo-Ukrainian War: One year later Staff Writer

After one year of brutal conflict, Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty and peace continues.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s takeover of Ukraine, expected to take three days, has been met with over 400 days of fierce resistance, culminating in the largest European conflict since World War II. Russia now occupies around 62,000 square miles, or 27%, of Ukraine’s territory. Putin has justified his “special military operation” by claiming it is meant to “demilitarize and de-Nazify” Ukraine, in reference to Ukrainian neo-Nazi groups.

The ongoing battle at Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine, has become one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war. Western officials report that the total

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number of Russian casualties is approaching 200,000, while the Ukrainian death count hovers around 100,000. However, both countries are known to exaggerate the other’s death count; thus, establishing precise statistics is extremely difficult. Nonetheless, the United Nations considers the conflict the largest refugee crisis in the last century, with over eight million Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring countries.

Throughout the conflict, Russian forces have committed atrocities including civlian massacres, bombings of civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools, and the torture and rape of women and children. Most notably, in the city of Bucha, the Human Rights Watch uncovered evidence of Russian troops massacring civilians, using torture chambers and creating mass graves. Over 8,000 civilian deaths have been documented, although the true death toll is suspected to be much higher.

Instead of sending troops to fight in Ukraine, the West has launched an economic war against Russia in the form of punitive sanctions designed to weaken its military. In retaliation, Russia halted European crude oil and gas exports, instigating a continent-wide energy crisis as Europe had been receiving 60% of its gas supplies from Russia.

On March 2, the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution for Russia to immediately withdraw their forces.

Additionally, Ukraine has received a steady stream of financial, humanitarian and military aid such as weapons, ammunition and training from the U.S. and its European allies from NATO.

The U.S. alone has sent Ukraine over $75 billion in financial, humanitarian and military aid.

“The U.S. must maintain its aid to Ukraine until the very end of the war because America is a country that stands for freedom both within its own borders and internationally.

By continuing our aid, we would be sustaining our commitment to supporting Ukraine’s independence,” Freshman James Yu said.

NATO is the world’s largest military alliance, comprising of 30 countries and operating on the concept of mutual defense. Founded in 1949, Article V is the alliance’s cornerstone, which outlines that an armed attack against a single member would constitute an assault on all 30 nations, hence all member nations are obligated to come to that member’s defense.

Ukraine is currently not a NATO member, but part of Putin’s rationale behind invading Ukraine may be to prevent it from ever joining NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applied for accelerated accession to NATO in September 2022 in response to Russia’s annexation of four regions of Ukraine.

However, only nine members backed the accession— many fear escalating a conflict with Russia. Another roadblock to Ukraine’s membership is the requirement to “uphold democracy,” which Ukraine has yet to meet as corruption is widespread within the government.

“Ukraine’s NATO membership would place the largest and most powerful military organization right

by Russian borders, which makes Russia feel threatened. Western debates over this issue may have contributed to the war,” Junior Claire Tsai said.

The roots of the conflict can be traced to the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991, when Ukraine gained independence. RussoUkrainian relations quickly turned sour as Ukraine sought closer ties to

Infographic: RussoUkraine War timeline Compiled by Gwen Carroll and Kyan Wang Staff Writers

Feb. 24, 2022: Russia invades Ukraine Russian troops attacked the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv and the second largest city, Kharkiv.

the EU and NATO, moving away from Russia’s sphere of influence.

The 2014 Revolution of Dignity resulted in the overthrow of proRussian President Yanukovych, driving a further schism between the two nations.

When Ukraine gave up control of Soviet nuclear weapons in 1994, Russia promised to never invade Ukraine in an agreement known as the Budapest Memorandum, but violated this agreement with the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion. Following the annexation of Crimea, Russianbacked Ukrainian separatists began battling Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region.

Zelenskyy has played an integral role in garnering support for Ukraine. Despite an evacuation offer from the U.S. at the beginning of the war, Zelenskyy insisted on remaining in his country—which reinforced many Ukrainian citizens’ determination to defend their nation. Zelenskyy has gained rare bipartisan support from U.S. lawmakers and pledges of unwavering support from countless world leaders.

On the other side of the conflict, a recent poll conducted by the Kremlin’s Federal Guard Service and confirmed by the U.K. Ministry of Defense found that around 57% of Russians support entering peace talks with Ukraine.

Putin’s forced conscription and nearly hundreds of thousands of Russian casualties have led to waning enthusiasm among his countrymen. In the first seven days of the war, 6,500 Russians were arrested for protesting the war, and Putin has since outlawed the use of the word “war” to describe his “special military operation.”

The war in Ukraine has prompted several nations— including Switzerland, Sweden and Finland— to reconsider their longstanding policies of neutrality. As the conflict rages on, it continues to test democratic nations’ commitment to upholding their values abroad against the threat of a world power.

Aug. 1, 2022: The Battle of Bakhmut

This battle has led to the most casualties in the war and fighting over the city still remains a stalemate.

April 14, 2022: The Moskova sinks

Ukraine fired two missiles at the largest ship in the Russian fleet, the Moskova, making it the largest Russian warship to be sunk since World War II.

October 2022: Russian infrastructure strikes

Russian missile strikes targeting critical energy infrastructure hit major cities, constituting a war crime, and leaving millions of civilians without heat in the brutally cold winter.

Sept. 12, 2022: Ukrainian counteroffensive

Ukraine struck into eastern lands controlled by Russia and reclaimed over 500 cities, inluding Kharkiv, totaling 500,000 square miles of land.

Feb. 24, 2023: One-year anniversary of the war

Ukraine claims 10,000 to 13,000 Ukrainians have died while Russia has suffered 145,580 casualties; Russia claims that only 6,000 Russians have died and 157,000 Ukrainians have died.

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SPORTS Lia Yereslove

APRIL 5, 2023 DESIGN BY BREANNA LU

Sports violence: High tensions on and off the field Staff Writer

In 2014 the Giants won the World Series in the city of San Francisco.

Rather than run in the streets in celebration, Giants fans did what some sports fans do after a win or loss—they started a riot. With buildings vandalized, fires sparked, many injured and over 40 fans arrested, the 2014 victory for San Francisco turned into one of several infamous incidents of violence following sports games. These events include but are not limited to the NBA championships, World Series championships, Super Bowl championships, The Stanley Cup and more.

Violence after a loss is a common occurrence. According to Worldpress, one deadly instance occurred in 2011 in Vancouver, Canada. After the Vancouver Canucks lost 0-4 in the last game of seven to the Boston Bruins, a violent riot ensued shortly after. Many fell victim to the riots, including Bruins fans, and several flags and jerseys of both teams were set on fire.

When the riot ended after nearly five hours of destruction, 140 people were injured including nine police officers and 117 arrests were made.

Although the town was eventually cleaned up due to the efforts of 15,000 volunteers who fixed the many vandalized and destroyed buildings and cars, the effects of the riot were not unrecognized by the public and the media.

Michael Jordan, considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, joined the Chicago Bulls in 1984, winning multiple championships during his time on the team. As the number of winning games for the Bulls went up, so did the violence that occurred after. For instance, violence by Bulls fans ensued shortly after the Bulls won 1991, 1992 and 1993 NBA championships. Metro states that

the worst celebration of those three occurred in June 1993 when two people were killed and more than 700 Bulls fans were arrested. To create a safer environment after these infamous 1993 riots, the city added more police during times of championship games, and after the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, fans celebrated peacefully without rioting or looting.

“Sport-related riots can occur because fans are extremely passionate, and there’s a lot of disappointment and emotion when a team loses. Furthermore, fan rivalries promote a hostile environment which can contribute to chaos and anger when the game result is not desired,” Junior Rhiannon Waldschmidt said.

Cases of sports-based violence can extend beyond the actual games. During the 2023 Super Bowl commercials, a commercial from the streaming service Tubi sparked angry reactions from viewers.

Tubi live-streamed a 15-second commercial that tricked viewers into thinking they had switched their channel from watching the Super Bowl to clicking on the Tubi app and selecting a movie. Vanity Fair stated, “The jarring ad left many viewers confused—and angry.”

Others online also complained that the Tubi advertisement created arguments between couples and families. Pro softball player Haley Cruse Mitchell commented, “That Tubi commercial definitely made me start a fight with my husband.”

ELLIE KIM ART

There are several potential explanations as to why violence increases after major sporting events. According to the Washington Post, fans’ testosterone levels increase after their team wins, which could be a cause behind rioting after a win. In addition, research has shown that domestic violence often increases after high-intensity sporting events including football, soccer and basketball, due to increased emotional intensity and alcohol consumption. For one, sporting events can cause fans to become overly excited and agitated. A 2011 study published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics found that unexpected or “upset losses”—for example, defeats when a home team is predicted to win by a large margin—are correlated with increased emotional intensity and a 10% growth in domestic violence. The Economist finds that alcohol consumption is often associated with sports games as well. Excessive drinking during games can impair judgment and lead to aggressive behavior, which can increase the likelihood of domestic violence occurring after the game.

While one may expect the media to respond negatively against sportsbased violence, this is not always the case. Although the media often discusses sports violence in a newslike manner, the retelling of the events can sometimes be biased. In

2018, Eagles fans rioted and looted Philadelphia following the 2018 NFL championship after winning against the New England Patriots.

Despite public outrage, media outlets downplayed this destruction.

According to Daily Trojan, on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” former NFL player and GMA co-host Michael Strahan simply called the fans “rowdy,” disregarding the extent of the damage the rioters had caused to the city.

“Seeing violence being downplayed by the media is deeply upsetting. Bias in the media has the potential to skew viewers’ opinions and exacerbate feelings of acceptance towards the violence ensuing sports games. The media can counter this bias by showcasing a variety of different opinions,” Junior Ameya Ganesh said.

Although many may suspect fan riots to only follow losses, there have been many instances of violence after a victory. Several times, a team win results in a loss for a city due to looting, vandalization and rioting.

The implications of sports violence are further exemplified in the media through biases that downplay violence following sporting events.

Evidenced through a multitude of examples, sports-related violence is a common occurrence around the world that calls for additional measures to ensure safety ensuing major games.

THE CHARGER ACCOUNT DESIGN BY REAGAN LIU

15

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Like Flowers of Summer

By Senior Nicholas Yen

In life you know the days may fade with shame, There’s much of beauty fading in regret, But there is time to catch that golden flame.

Most people don’t believe, their lives are tame, They carefully ink their canvas dripped with sweat, Contorting in corners down edges with shame.

But life is like one youthful summer’s dame, On far horizon blazing without regret, Go paint before it wilts that golden flame.

I came and brightly burned through this dread game, I wish I’d never have to numb and set, I wish to splash and dazzle without shame.

Will you distort and then evade the blame?

Like a thousand thousand others who forget To grasp this flame and then renounce their name.

What is your name, my dear, what is your name?

When faced with cruel and cold unfeeling threat, Do not let any second fade with shame.

The time is now, will you embrace the flame

“Lens Flare” by Tulip

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Humanizing Communication

DESIGN BY ISAAC ANG

- Connecting through Communication Diya Boyapati

Internet slang: An ever-evolving lexicon

omg 6.1%

phi gra Info

lol 10.0%

lmao 10.0%

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Media Staff

Compiled by Antara Gangwal and Jay Li Staff Writers 100 people polled

During the past decade, the rise of digital communication has led to a gradual humanization of internet language, which is now salient to fostering meaningful connections in online interactions. Employing different forms of humanized digital communication, people can make their online messages more personalized and impactful.

The process of humanization has manifested as unique styles of online communication, including text slang, abbreviations, emoticons and GIFs. These forms enable individuals to convey empathy and personality through the screen. In particular, text slang, from abbreviations like “cya” for “see you later” to acronyms like “omg” for “oh my God,” has saturated media platforms.

According to The Atlantic, the popular text slang LOL has evolved from merely conveying laughter to easing tensions, acknowledging a mistake and adding sarcasm. It is now an integral part of digital grammar.

Misspelling words and repeating letters are also popular practices that can lighten conversations and maximize typing efficiency and speed.

“Depending on the way you write text slang, your message can carry vastly different connotations. Sending ‘lol’ is not equivalent to its literal meaning of ‘laughing out loud.’ Furthermore, I capitalize each acronym intentionally; unless they are meant to be sarcastically funny, acronyms like ‘lol’, ‘lmao’ and ‘idk’ are usually lowercase,” Junior Gauri Khandelwal said.

KAYLA CHOI ART Yet the keyboard has limitations in its ability to display emotions, sometimes resulting in miscommunication or leaving conversations feeling incomplete. As found in a study by Václav Cvrcek, a linguist at Brown University, online communication may be interpreted differently depending on an individual’s background, culture and personal experiences.

Additionally, there are instances where people may prefer to communicate something in-person, especially when a topic is complex or emotionally charged. In these cases, the presence of non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, tone of voice and body language can enable more accurate interpretations.

“Since having a conversation in-person allows you to see the other person’s emotions first-hand and interpret them yourself, emotionally significant conversations should be held in person to minimize any confusion,” Sophomore Suhani Mehta said.

Online, humanizing communication benefits both the sender and receiver. As per the Society for Human Resource Management, humanizing communication in professional settings builds rapport and trust between employers, colleagues and clients. Furthermore, the American Psychology Association states that humanizing communication fosters closeness and support in personal relationships. Often, brands humanize their promotions through storytelling, humor or other forms of emotional engagement to better connect with consumers. For example, fast food chain Wendy’s engages in banter with customers and other fast food restaurants on social media, which enables them to build trust and loyalty with their audience.

As new lifestyles and ideas arise, language adapts to accommodate changing human needs—whether this means the creation of new words or the evolution of existing ones.