Emporio Magazine Volume 3

Issue III

EMPORIO.

Editors: Celine Ebert: CEO, Editor In Chief Elle Myers: Design Manager Elizabeth Truelove: Managing Editor Writers: Alyssa Cuban Dithyae Devesh Siena Ebert Khushi Gohel Varsha Jagarlamudi Rayna Li Yolanda Pan Shreya Vijay Erin Yuan

ABOUT EMPORIO Motivated by our passion for business, we created a publication covering news, information, and inspirational stories about women leaders in the global world of business and nonprofit organizations. With this inclusive publication platform, we will build a community that will explore issues exchange ideas and share voices.

I

A LOOK INSIDE

01 Programming and perception 03 The Income of influencers 04 Ad to cart 05 Is girl math sexist?

06 A littleBit at a time 07 KOCH paving the way 09 Beyoncé 11 Greta 13 Taylor 15 The psychology of marketing 16 What the H-E-Double hockey sticks 17 Life skills in the classroom 18 Dummies’s guide to stock market 19 Think before you drink 20 Universal in Frisco II

Programming an

The Unveiling of Embedded Biases in Artificial Intelligence Celine Ebert “Men should run the world: they are inherently stronger, more ambitious and more courageous than women.”

“Women should be helpful, subservient, and submissive.”

These are the cultural norms hard-wired into male-designed technology like artificial intelligence (AI). The long-standing tradition of restricting women to service positions and secretarial jobs as “assistants” to men has perpetrated itself even in modern technology. Despite wins for equality in powerful positions, such as Kamala Harris’s first female vice presidency or Judge Kalanidhi Brown’s recent installation as the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, technology continues to lag in promoting gender equality – most notably AI gender characterization. Every day, you use AI products that hinder the growth of gender equality and reinforce existing gender-based biases in our society.

Microsoft’s Cortona. Apple’s Siri. Amazon’s Alexa. What do they all have in common? These technological assistants all have default feminine voices to create submissive personalities that reinforce feminine stereotypes of women being only seen as “helpful, intelligent and intuitive.” Imagine as you drive down the highway, a female navigation system soothes you as you worry about making the next exit. Would your reaction to the situation differ if the voice was male? Are you intrinsically biased towards one voice over another?

The gendering of artificial intelligence reinforces the structural hierarchies and stereotypes in society by classifying a piece of technology as female or male based on its voice, appearance and pronouns. A 2012 research study conducted by Anda Keacy at the University of Sydney reviewed 1,200 names used in official robotic competitions around the world. The robots created for social needs were given female names, while the robots with male names were generally tasked with jobs that required “more strength and perseverance.” In a research project studying IBM’s AI assistant Watson, male voices were used for tasks that involved teaching and instruction because the designers considered them more authoritarian and assertive than female voices.

But who cares, right? AI isn’t a real person, so it cannot really impact our perception of the world… or can it? In fact, the gendering of artificial intelligence reinforces the traditional occupational role divisions between men and women. This practice implies that certain roles or characteristics are inherently linked to a particular gender. The gendering of artificial intelligence reflects broader societal issues related to gender stereotypes, prompting us to consider, as technology develops, the implications of such gendering and whether it serves any meaningful purpose.

Google “powerful businessperson” on your phone. You’ll find

1

pictures of tall, assertive men dressed in classic male business suits. Do you consider the image of a man in an Armani suit as the only authentic version of a powerful businessperson?

This phenomenon is not merely coincidental but is rooted in the underlying patterns within AI algorithms that shape the way information is presented and interpreted in our digital age. A research team from the Federal University of Minas in

“Even if one company does have a moral backbone to refrain from doing ethically dangerous things, hoping that most companies want to do this is a terrible strategy at scale.”

- Reid Blackman

Brazil explored algorithmic notions of web searches to study searches’ reflections of biases. The team concluded that online categorization reflects prejudices that exist in the real world, perpetuating gender discrimination. In the case cited above, the default representation of men as powerful businesspeople can perpetuate harmful stereotypes such as the association of power and authority exclusively with one gender.

In a recent article, professors at the University of Oxford expressed their concerns with how a set of specific discriminatory codes manifests itself through a lack of diversity in data sets.

“Like a data vacuum sucking it all in, looking for a pattern, spitting out a replication of the pattern,” professors at Oxford said, describing artificial intelligence.

Once a program releases information based on a stereotype, users continue to feed into associating certain information with the specific stereotype. The reinforcement creates a selfperpetuating cycle of discriminatory attitudes. The images that AI-driven platforms release engrain stereotypes and influence the way that people perceive their roles and aspirations within society. Consistently associating the concept of powerful individuals in business with males may discourage women from pursuing business career paths and may undermine their confidence in doing so.

nd Perception Critics of changing AI stereotypical norms argue that neutralizing the gender-biased way that AI functions is highly impractical. Businesses will not be motivated to spend their money on eliminating gender bias in the use of artificial intelligence unless they are ethically committed to equality between the sexes.

“Even if one company does have a moral backbone to refrain from doing ethically dangerous things, hoping that most companies want to do this is a terrible strategy at scale,” said Reid Blackman, the author of the digital ethics book “Ethical Machines.”

Government regulation and funding are crucial for widespread implementation. Therefore, we need the government to change the gender-biased practices of corporations by developing new processes and policies and encouraging new technological advancements in artificial intelligence.

Recognizing and addressing biases with AI algorithms is essential to promoting a more equitable digital landscape, encouraging an environment with more diverse perspectives and representation. As younger generations grow and their reliance on technology increases, they won’t be able to differentiate embedded programming bias from reality. If you don’t want your daughter to be suffocated by the lack of job opportunities presented for women in the media, we should push for the implementation of gender-neutral artificial intelligence.

PHOTO GENERATED BY AI:GENCRAFT

2

The Income of Influencers

How social media influencers make their money through ads and partnerships

Siena Ebert Influencers make a living off their social media platforms by sponsored posts, brand deals and selling products or services. More than 18 million posts have the hashtag #ad on Instagram, and over 4 million other posts have #sponsored.

Instagram’s new creator-brand marketplace allows influencers and brands to connect through DMs and strike partnership deals. Some influencers prefer to use a third-party influencer marketing platform or talent managers or agents, who pitch, negotiate and score sponsorships for them. On the other hand, some use other apps, like LinkedIn, to find ways to get on the brand’s radar.

A common misconception about being an influencer is that you need to have a big following to collaborate with brands.

Many “nano” influencers start building their social media community by enrolling as brand ambassadors and sharing affiliate links to demonstrate that they can attract clientele to a brand. Businesses like Dunkin Donuts or the jewelry brand Mejuri have found success in patterning with microinfluencers. Influencers not only make a living off sponsored posts or brand deals, but also by selling merchandise like t-shirts, sweatshirts or hats.

Additionally, influencers benefit from engaging on multiple platforms as it increases their visibility and exposure, eventually leading to more opportunities for brand partnerships, collaborations

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEVIANT ART

3

and other business ventures. By engaging on multiple platforms, creators also build a community of followers who have common interests and interact with one another through comments and messages.

There are also various financial gains from building a following on different social media platforms. Global music tech company Epidemic Sound’s research of 1500 monetizing creators revealed that 30% of respondents stated that TikTok generated the most income for creators, followed closely behind by YouTube and Instagram.

TikTok payments are not absolute and rather depend on the number of views a video receives. The average salary of a TikTok influencer is $121,765, however this number does not offer an accurate representation of the income of most influencers because mega influencers pull over seven-figure salaries. NeoReach’s 2023 Creator Earnings and Insights Industry Report revealed that 48% of influencers earned less than $15,000 a year while only 7% earned more than $200,000 a year. Influencers partnered with the TikTok Creator Fund earn between 2 and 4 cents for every 1,000 views on TikTok, translating to $20 to $40 for one million views. In addition, TikTokers can engage with their fanbase over TikTok live, where followers can

donate between 1 cent and $500.

Views are not the only source of income TikTokers receive through the platform; 7.8% of content creators stated that they made the most money through affiliate marketing on TikTok. Influencers utilize affiliate marketing by promoting products and posting links to purchase the products in a video’s caption or in their profile.

Influencers also use other devices like LTK (Like to Known it), Etsy Affiliates and Amazon Associates to become brand affiliates.

On the other hand, YouTube offers a different financial gain where YouTubers can receive around 2 cents per ad view, which is about $18 for every 1,000 ad views on a video. On average, a Youtuber makes $1,154 weekly, which (compiles) to about $4,616 monthly.

Influencers generate revenue through sponsored posts, brand deals, and product sales, demonstrating the variety of income opportunities available. Despite misconceptions about needing a large following, even “nano” influencers find success by cultivating engaged communities across multiple platforms like Tiktok, Youtube, and Instagram, highlighting the versatility of influencer marketing in today’s digital landscape.

Ad to Cart Unveiling the Psychology of Marketing Khushi Gohel Have you ever found yourself humming a catchy advertisement jingle or reaching for a familiar logo on the shelf without a second thought? Welcome to the captivating world of the psychology of marketing, where brands wield powerful tools to captivate audiences and create a standing in the market.

Think of brand identity like a fingerprint.

Just as every person has distinct traits and characteristics, brands have their own personalities. For example, Nike’s empowering “Just Do It” mantra or Coca-Cola’s sense of connection. Some products, like Kleenex and Xerox ,have become so popular they have become analogous to the brand. These personalities connect us to the brand – leaving a lasting impression.

But how do brands make such strong connections? It starts with the human mind.

Our brains crave familiarity and consistency, which is why marketers use repetition to ingrain their brand into our heads. Using catchy slogans all the way to memorable visuals, marketers ensure their brand is top of mind when consumers think of a particular product or service.

Also, brands leverage psychological triggers to influence our behavior. For example the concept of social proof if we see others doing a behavior we are more likely to do it as well.

When we see others endorsing a product, we’re

more likely to perceive it positively and follow suit. Testimonials and user reviews provide reassurance, convincing us to buy the product.

Storytelling is another powerful tool.

Humans love stories that resonate with ourselves and our experiences, which is why brands craft compelling stories around their products.

Emotional manipulation plays a pivotal role in decision-making. Emotions can often outweigh rational thought. Advertisers tap into a range of emotions – from joy to fear – to create impactful campaigns that leave a lasting impression.

By understanding the motivations and behaviors of consumers, brands can craft tailored strategies that resonate with their target audience, driving engagement, loyalty and ultimately, business success. Whether it’s the tech-savvy aura of Apple or the individualism of Ford, these associations become a part of our lives.

The psychology of marketing is a captivating blend of art and science. Brands leverage insights into human behavior to create compelling narratives, evoke emotions, and shape our sense of identity. So, the next time you find yourself drawn to a familiar logo or slogan, remember – it’s not just a product; it’s a piece of your story. And therein lies the magic of marketing.

4

Is girl math sexist?

Unveiling the new social media finance trend

Pro

Rayna Li

What people don’t know however is in translation, Girl Math is just embracing the economic concept of sunk cost in real time.

The concept of sunk cost has to do with the fact that once you spend money it’s ‘gone’ and you shouldn’t be making economic decisions based on resources you already spent. Let’s say you bought a ticket to a movie and you went but you absolutely hate it. The sunk cost fallacy would state that you stay for this movie, even though it’s making you miserable, because you bought a ticket.

In a world of girl math, you could stay for thirty minutes and leave that movie because the ticket money was bought and spent in the past, and you’d rather treat yourself to an ice cream; money spent in the past does not influence future decisions.

In other words, Girl Math really just references a cost that has already been paid and cannot be recovered regardless of any future actions. Therefore, when girls are buying a forty dollar concealer and then

5

“When I return items, I’m making money.”

“When I pay in cash, the purchase is free.”

“If I pay extra to get free shipping, I’m really just saving money.”

These thought processes are all examples of “girl math,” a recent social media trend which started as a set of “rules” that girls on platforms including Twitter (X) and TikTok came up with and shared to justify impulse spending and everyday financial transactions. Soon, other girls and female content creators hopped onto the trend, adding on their own takes to the trend and fostering this unifying idea of “girl math.” When these “girl math” videos first showed up on my TikTok For You Page, I immediately related to many of their “rules,” and it felt reassuring to know that other girls share similar spending habits as me. However, in reality, these fictitious takes on spending and the economy portray

exchange it for a better shade and buy a twenty dollar blush, they’ve really only spent twenty dollars because the forty dollar concealer was sunk cost. Whether or not the concealer was exchanged, the money would still be spent, therefore it doesn’t influence the overall cost of the purchase made when the blush was bought too.

Or, if you go back to the Starbucks example, or any fast food for that matter, when you replenish your card, you’ve already spent that money, you’ve already paid the restaurant, therefore even if it is four weeks later, any drink you buy with that card is free, because the money is already spent.

So no, Girl Math is not sexist, women in fact understand the economy so deeply that they’ve intuitively known how to process their spending habits and its impact on their personal finances. Maybe it’s just difficult for the men to comprehend Econ 101 in simpler terms.

our gender as less competent in decisionmaking and being financially responsible.

This portrayal not only allows companies to take advantage of the mental accounting tactics that go on in a girl’s mind, but also depicts our gender as having a shallow understanding of economical and financial matters. Furthermore, just as girls began to find a safe space in sharing these similarities, “boy math” arose and has escalated to pose misogynistic and much more inappropriate views than “girl math.”

What started as a light-hearted joke and a way for girls to connect has ascended to a never-ending competition between the two genders and their respective ways of life. I believe that instead of empowering females and creating a safe space for girls to share their experiences, “girl math” has painted an inaccurate picture of girls and once again deemed us the weaker gender of the two, proving the trend sexist.

Con

Dithyae Devesh

Siena Ebert

Closing the Gender Gap

A LittleBit at a Time

Ayah Bdeir, born in 1982 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was raised in Beirut, where her love of STEAM influenced her to become a social activist, inventor, and entrepreneur.

Raised by her father, Saadi Bdeir, an entrepreneur, and her mother, Randa Bdeir, a banker, Ayah Bdeir was exposed to all areas of science, technology, math, and design. Her parents didn’t believe in gender differences, encouraging Bdeir to pursue her passions in the field of STEAM. At an early age, Bdeir dismantled things, breaking them open to see what was inside.

When she was 12, Bdeir began taking programming lessons on Commodore64 and experimenting with chemistry sets.

After high school, Bdeir attended the American University of Beirut, where she earned an undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering and Sociology.

Later, Bdeir graduated from the MIT Media Lab with a Masters of Science in Media Arts and Sciences.

She continued to teach graduate classes at Parsons, The New School for Design, and NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program. In 2008, Bdeir received a fellowship in New York City at Eyebeam, a not-for-profit art and technology center.

A year later, she co-founded the Open Hardware Summit, which became one of the leading open-source hardware PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLICKR

enthusiasts in the world.

During September of 2011, Bdeir founded littleBits Electronics, inventing the electronic building block, which became a fundamental, leading step in the growth of education and science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM).

LittleBits empowers and gives everyone, regardless of gender, technical ability, age, or discipline, the opportunity to be innovative with electronics. The company focuses on the representation of women in STEAM and encourages them to become the next generation’s changemakers and reinvent the world.

Raising over $70 million from investors in Silicon Valley and New York, Bdeir was able to spread littleBits worldwide, having more than 20 million littleBits in over 70 countries.

LittleBits proudly recognizes that 40% of their company’s user base is girls, which is four times the average in STEAM. In 2012, she was awarded the TED Fellowship in Long Beach, where she gave a talk called “Building Blocks That Blink, Beep, and Teach”. Two years later, Bdeir was featured in MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35, Popular Mechanics 25 Makers Who Are Reinventing the American Dream, and Inc.’s 35 Under 35

Coolest Entrepreneurs list.

In 2016, littleBits enrolled in the 2016 Disney Accelerator program called Snap the Gap, which strives to help close the gender gap in all areas of science. LittleBits also partnered with Savvas, the New York Department of Education, and Pearson.

Over the span of a decade, littleBits won over 150 awards, including the Toy of the Year, while highlighting the success of Bdeir’s accomplishments.

During her career, Bdeir received numerous awards, including the 2018 Inc Magazine Top 100 Female Founders and Top 5 Women to Watch in Robotics list, the 2019 BBC 100 Most Influential Women, and the 2019 New York Times Groundbreaker. In addition, she made an appearance on the cover of the 2011 New York Times Magazine.

When a revolution erupted in Lebanon in 2019, Bdeir sprang into action, returning to Beirut and co-founding Daleel Thawra to help political and civic activists utilize technology to promote democracy. Bdeir’s Daleel Thawra helped 45,000 people in Lebanon connect and it became the primary reference for the revolution.

Bdeir continues to inspire girls today, empowering them to aspire to become the next leader in STEAM world.

6

KOCH paving the way A look inside the company with founder Nicole Musselman Elle Myers

“We are on a mission to get girls to make their mark on the world by being joymakers and risk takers.” This is the mission of KOCH (pronounced cook), a clothing company for women, founded by Nicole Musselman. Musselman and her company live up to their mission everyday as they empower young women with their clothes.

Musselman’s interest in pursuing a business started at a young age. With her father being a basketball coach, she moved around a lot; however, California was considered home. At home, her parents fostered an entrepreneurial spirit.

“A lot of my upbringing was about both of my parents telling my brother and me that we can achieve anything and be anything in the world, if you work hard enough,” Musselman said.

While growing up, her mother lived in Thailand for a while which sparked her interest in textiles. She was fascinated with Jim Thompson’s collection, a designer from New York that revived the textile industry in Bangkok. Thompson’s textiles eventually became inspiration for Koch.

“The basis of Koch is that we design prints in every collection we do,” she said.

“I started with a textile company which was inspired by my trip.”

7

Working with textiles is something that Musselman enjoys doing today. Each collection usually begins with prints.

Currently, they are working on the fall collection which is described as “country club ranch.” The collection is inspired by east coast prepiness that meets the ranches of the west. They included little horseshoes for the western part and silver shakers for the east coast preppy part.

In addition to the coasts being used as inspiration, she also draws ideas from the media.

“We usually find our inspiration from art, music or literature,” she said.

One element of Koch that Musselman is proud of is that the brand is American

made mostly in Texas. If she was to work with companies overseas, there would be higher minimums, meaning that she would have to make 1000 skirts even if she only had 100 customers. Working with American manufacturing companies also allows her to do smaller runs of items as well as feel connected with the community.

Some aspects of the manufacturing have to be done overseas and in L.A. because they don’t have the capability in Texas to do shearing however 97% is American made.

“I think it is important to keep this alive for people so they can build something close to home,” she said.

Musselman’s brand names were drawn from her family. Koch is her mother’s

maiden name. Musselman’s grandmother, Anna Louis Koch, and her mother, Kris Koch, were very inspirational to her and they always believed in women’s accomplishments.

“They were strong, independent and smart women so they were an inspiration to me,” Musselman said.

Also, Musselman still has her first note she wrote her mom in pencil, promising to pay her back $2,500 she was given to start her company.

In addition to Koch, 33.9, Musselman’s shoe company, was inspired by her father, Bill Musselman. Her father was an NBA and college basketball coach that sadly passed away from cancer at age 58. He wrote a book called 33.9 in 1969 because opposing teams could only average 33.9 points per game, making the team hold the NCAA record for the nation’s number one defense.

“He talked to his players about no matter where you come from but if you believe you can achieve whatever you want despite the odds,” she said.

Musselman tries to stick to the vision of the company when designing clothing.

When designing new pieces they keep one thing in mind: “the girl in the clothing is more important than the clothing.”

Musselman’s hope is that customers are able to walk through life in something casual and what they can feel good in.

One of Musselman’s favorite items from the brand is the Erica skirt because it has shorts and can be worn to her son’s PHOTOS COURTESY OF KOCH

lacrosse games.

“I didn’t want it blowing up on the sidelines,” she said. “I wanted to be comfortable so you can walk through your life feeling good in what you’re wearing and feeling connected with the brand.”

One of the most important things to Musselman is the brand mission.

“I don’t care if anyone buys anything, I want them to feel food when they walk in here,” she said. “I want them to feel good about the creative process, feel good when they walk in their life and feel they can achieve something.”

Musselman admits that it is hard being a working mom juggling with the demands of her business as well as being there for her son, Henry, who plays lacrosse on the east coast in college. She collaborates with her son on 33.9.

“He got to work alongside me and see my building something and understand that we are working and trying to build a company that has a passion, a mission and a purpose,” she said.

When asked about what advice she would give to young girls, Musselman said this: “Do your research, be true to who you are, believe in yourself and go for it! I think there need to be more women out there, more women entrepreneurs who believe it’s possible for girls to achieve whatever they want and to build companies.

The risk taking is really to get girls to not be afraid of failure and understand failure is getting you a step closer to your dreams and realizing it’s going to happen and I always say life is working for you not against you. If you have a failure, never think of it as a failure. Think of it as life is just trying to tell me don’t do it this way, do it another way. It’s pushing girls to dream big. Really take risks and don’t be afraid of failure.”

8

BeyoncÉ BeyoncÉ BeyoncÉ

9

Elle Myers

“Who run the world? Girls.”

This is one of Beyoncè’s most famous lyrics from her song “Run the World (Girls)” which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Aside from her world renowned songs, Beyoncé also wears another crown: businesswoman.

Born in Houston, Texas in 1981, Beyoncè began singing with girl group Destiny’s Child at nine years old. In the late 90’s the group quickly rose to fame with their hit single “No, No, No Part 2.”

Within the group, Beyoncè quickly became a leader and wrote one of the group’s most famous songs, “Bootylicious.” Eventually the group split, however Beyoncè showed her undeniable talent with her first solo album “Dangerously in Love” which was released in 2003. “Dangerously in Love” became an international success selling 317,000 copies its first week and at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncè took home five awards including Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Named after her street in Houston, Beyoncè founded Parkwood Entertainment in 2010. Parkwood Entertainment works

OFFICIAL HOMECOMING POSTER

with music, film, video, live performances and much more. She hit the ground running with a multi-year Pepsi deal in 2012 reportedly worth more than $50 million.

On July 29, 2022, Beyoncé released her album Act I: Renaissance which was a global sensation. The album received a certified platinum as it debuted number one on US Billboard 200. Beyoncé soon went on a world tour for the album the following year in May with 56 dates in 39 cities and an attendance of 2.78 million.

With $579 million from the box office, The Renaissance World Tour became the seventh highest-grossing concert tour of all time and the highest-grossing tour ever by a female artist. In addition to the tour, Beyoncé released Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé on December 1, 2023. The movie grossed $33.9 million in the U.S. and Canada and another $10.5 million in other countries for a total of $44.4 million.

Beyoncé has paved the way with her business decisions for other aspiring women entrepreneurs and performers as she dominates the world stage.

10

Celine Ebert 11

“Greta Gerwig snubbed at Oscar nominations as director.” Greta Gerwig, the director of “Barbie,” failed to be nominated as best director at the Oscars, while Ryan Gosling, Ken in the film, received a nomination as supporting actor, causing a flood of outrage on the internet and from their colleagues.

Greta Gerwig, world renowned actress, writer and director, began working on mumblecore film and has since expanded from acting in and co-writing independent films to directing in major studios films. Recognized as a member of Time 100’s most influential people in the world in 2018, Greta Gerwig who was known for the radiant artlessness of her performances in small independent movies before embarking on a successful career as a filmmaker. Flashforward to 2023, Greta Gerwig has acted and directed numerous award winning movies, one of them being “Barbie.”

While the movie is about a doll, it highlights a spiritual connection between women of different generations, passing down their hopes and dreams for a better world for those who come after them.

The movie puts emphasis on being true

to one’s self and empowering others around you. Despite touching the hearts of millions of viewers around the world and the nomination for best picture, Oscar voters refused to take the toy-based film seriously, completely dismissing the intentional, subversive cultural statement behind the film. Oscar voters were unable to look past the surface of the pink, buoyant film to really understand how skilfully Gerwig put it together. While Barbie can do anything in her world, the reality is that women face underlying sexism in the workplace.

While the lack of nomination undermines Gerwig’s proven talents, Gerwig has much to be celebrated for.

Besides her record-breaking box-office returns, she is now the first filmmaker in history to have her first three solo features- “Lady Bird,” “Little Women” and “Barbie”- nominated for best picture.

Despite the snub, Gerwig’s impact as a versatile artist and filmmaker continues to resonate with her audience, highlighting the need for a more nuanced appreciation of films that challenge traditional narratives and convey profound cultural messages.

greta greta

OFFICIAL MOVIE POSTERS

12

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

13

TAYLOR TAYLOR TAYLOR Elizabeth Truelove

“If you’re screaming at Taylor Swift, saying she ruined [football], you’re just a loser,” said ESPN Sports Analyst Charles Barkley. “Or a jacka**.”

Over the past year, pop icon Taylor Swift has ruled the world. Whether it’s supporting her new beau Travis Kelce or selling out at countless stadiums on her “Era’s Tour,” Taylor Swift is consistently on the minds of Americans. However, despite her 12 Grammy Awards, being one of the best-selling female artists of all time and having an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion dollars, the “Dads, Brads and Chads” believe she has committed the ultimate crime: ruining the National Football League.

This claim began to increase in popularity after Swift attended her first Chief ’s game in Sep. 2023 against the Bears. However, despite the millions of new Taylor-haters, Swift has remained at the top of the entertainment industry food chain. Earning an estimated 1.04 billion in sales from the “Eras Tour” tickets, Swift has sold an estimated 4.35 million tickets from 60 of her shows. Additionally, according to Pollstar, Swift will bring in another billion in sales from the next year of shows, due to her recent addition of both U.S. and international shows.

While Swift is a lyrical genius, her true “Mastermind” abilities lie in marketing.

Ever since she was 15 years old, Swift has included “easter eggs” in her songs, music videos, interviews and more, alluding to future projects and albums.

“When I was 15 and putting together my first album, […] I decided to encode the lyrics with hidden messages using capital letters,” Swift said to “The Washington Post.” “That’s how it started, and my fans and I have since descended into color coding, numerology, word searches, elaborate hints and Easter eggs.”

Most recently, Swift announced her upcoming album “The Tortured Poets Department” after winning her 13th Grammy (13 being well-known as her lucky number). While most Swifties, including myself, believe that we have become wellaccustomed to Swift’s mind games, this one definitely tricked us. Due to numerous clues prior to the announcement, most relating to the color scheme of “Reputation,” majority of fans believed Swift was going to announce “Reputation (Taylor’s Version).” Obviously, this did not happen, shocking many fans and serving as a reminder that Swift laid the groundwork and watched the dominoes cascade in line because SHE is the mastermind.

14

The Pyschology of Marketing How algorithms personalize everyone’s feed Yolanda Pan Believe it or not, your feed on social platforms is not a random set of posts put together, but rather a collection of content specifically curated for you. Hidden behind your screen is an algorithm that silently listens to you every day, making guesses on what posts you’ll click on and engage with. This method is what makes us like scrolling so much, and it has made social media a powerful marketing tool.

But first, what are social media algorithms and how do they work?

An algorithm is a set of mathematical rules that govern how the social media platform functions. It creates user profiles through using machine learning to determine and filter content based on how likely the user will interact with it. No two user profiles are exactly alike, even if you and your friend have similar interests and follow the exact same people!

Every social media platform uses a different algorithm that caters specifically to its user base. For example, the Tiktok algorithm takes into consideration a wide variety of ranking

15

signals, such as accounts and videos you’ve previously engaged with, captions and sounds, hashtags and your age and location.

Then, the relevant content is pushed out into an endless void of videos, also known as your For You Page. What’s unique about Tiktok is that follower count does not factor into the ranking signal at all, making it an excellent platform to discover new trends and creators. Tiktok’s algorithm excels at retaining user engagement, because let’s be honest, once you start, you can never stop scrolling, Not only do algorithms help with the platform’s own business through user retention, they are also a key factor to shaping business strategies for other companies. The data the algorithms collect allow advertisements to reach their target audiences, transforming social media into a dominant tool for outreach.

Additionally, algorithms open up opportunities for influencer marketing, supporting them with monetization opportunities, partnerships and content visibility.

What the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks The power of curse words in the workplace Alyssa Cuban

This is an American standard. Many countries have researched the good in swearing and benefit from the normality of it; however, profanity’s rude connotation will take a long time to completely eradicate.

Nevertheless, I believe the normalization of cursing is the best usage of profanity in society; exactly where you do not think profanity belongs, is exactly where it can help the most.

In the workplace, a company or team can create a proper, orderly environment by allowing curse words. “Swearing and jocular abuse allow people to talk about things like race, sex, and other types of difference in a way that is – or at least can be – a sign of solidarity,” author Emma Bryne said in her book, “Swearing is Good for You,” which focuses on the effects in a business setting.

Using vulgar language forms bonds and releases tension; both affects are beneficial to a team or work force that is under constant pressure.

When women began joining the workforce in greater numbers in the 1960s, the use of profanity in the office decreased.

Creating an unnecessary barrier between genders in the office, cursing was deemed impolite to subject a lady to such vulgarity.

Women now fight to be seen as manly – part of which may occur through swearing – but are simultaneously shunned for any profanity. The negative connotation of swear words harms equality as it forms a double standard for working women as well as a reason for men to view women as out-ofplace and burdensome.

Delving into curses’ effectiveness, professionals like physical therapists,

activists, and politicians are all aided by swearing through its emotional and casual association. In the article “Frankly, we do give a damn: improving patient outcomes with swearing,” the authors begin by saying “like drugs, words have an ability to change the way another person thinks, feels and performs.” Detailing the ‘how’ of this statement, Brynes references Steven Pinker’s research on curse words and the brain: “swearing comes from the subcortex – the part of the brain responsible for movement, emotions, and bodily functions.”

Physical therapists, utilizing the response of swearing in a private setting, reach new, valuable results by cursing with patients to create a more comfortable, individual circumstance that allows patients to be more open; this process helps build a therapeutic alliance which is proven to improve musculoskeletal pain.

Not limiting the benefits to one profession, curse words in work and formal settings can have positive outcomes.

Swearing helps actions, speeches and research be better remembered, assisting anyone arguing a point such as students, politicians and activists.

“A sizable body of experimental studies have shown that swear words command more attention and lead to stronger memory recall when compared to other non-taboo items,” said authors of “The Power of Swearing.”

Scientifically proven to help society, yet societal standards oppose casual swearing.

There are multiple instances of presidents swearing in speeches and on social media; if the face of a country swears, – even though it

is seen as unprofessional – then there should be an individual choice to use swearing if appropriate in the circumstance.

A misconception is the association of slurs with curse words. With the separation of the two, swear words can be used more freely with a less frequent assumption of an offensive intent. In a world where cursing is not censored, people should remain respectful and mindful of when its usage is not appropriate and of their acquaintances’ perspectives on the topic.

Though everyone may not perform speeches and need swear words to help them be more memorable and persuasive, everyone can use swear words to increase their pain threshold. Two studies were done using swear words and the painful experience of putting someone’s hand into ice water; both prove that swear words allow a person to better tolerate pain.

The negative connotation of swear words has been reinforced in society through a variety of things: the Parental Music Research Center, radio edits of songs, consequences for swearing in front of authority figures, television and movie ratings, and many more. Those that experience jobs, physical therapy, speeches, music, pain and research – the vast majority of the population – have the opportunity to benefit from the effects of cursing.

Yet, society withholds these because of old connotations that force people to face unnecessary consequences for verbally expressing their emotions. So, what the hell society?

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF CARYS BRAUN

16

Life skills in the classroom

Ursuline Academy features senior semester course on finance Elizabeth Truelove

Preparing for her class project, Ursuline senior Libby Payne forms a futuristic budget based upon her anticipated career path, where in the country she hopes to live and specific estimated expenses.

“It was really helpful to get a realistic sense of what it is like to budget and think about saving for retirement, Payne said.

Payne, alongside other Ursuline seniors, participated in a semester course at their school named “Personal Finance.” In the class, students learn about checking and saving, budgeting, credit, investing and insurance. For each unit, the students are given a broad introduction then later dive into how it applies to their personal lives.

“During the class, we created budgets, looked at examples of pay stubs, checking accounts, credit card statements and other documents to get a real-life understanding of these topics,” Payne said.

Unlike standard math courses, the Personal Finance class provides a variety in the type of homework and assessments the

17

students complete.

“Some [assignments] were interpreting documents like pay stubs and credit card statements, and other were reading articles and researching specific information, like how best to pay off debt,” Payne said.

Additionally, the class reads the book “I Will Teach You to be Rich” by Ramit Sethi and are tested upon their readings. Sethi’s book was written for the 20 to 35-year-old demographic with the hope of increasing the knowledge about personal finance and entrepreneurship. Due to the decline of financial wisdom in younger generations, classes such as Ursuline’s Personal Finance have been created to ensure these skills are acquired for students at the high school level.

While her school requires all students to take a “Life Skills” class, Payne illustrates how beneficial the experience has been, not only because she is interested in pursuing accounting, but also how the skills she learns apply outside of school.

“For example, [the class] has really

shaped the way I view saving for retirement and investing,” Payne said.

“There are lots of low-risk options out there, and starting young means your investments will only grow more over time.”

After taking the class, Payne learned the importance of taking specialized class, such as Personal Finance, in high school.

“It gives students the opportunity to personalize their own learning experience and dive into what they care about, which will inevitably lead students to be more engaged and invested in their learning experience,” Payne said.

While Payne believes this class has provided a great foundation for her to continue pursuing accounting in college, she also feels that her class gave all students a set of skills that will be realistically applicable to their real lives.

“Financial literacy is an important skill to have, no matter what career path someone wants to go down,” Payne said.

Dummie’s guide to the Stock Market Learn the basics before talking to your typical “finance bro” Erin Yuan What’s the stock market?

The stock market is essentially a big marketplace where companies can sell pieces of ownership, or shares. In turn, people buy and trade these shares (otherwise known as stocks) in hopes that they will grow in value over time. Think of a company as a giant piece of pizza, and each slice, a share.

Can any company just enter the stock market then?

In order for a company to even enter the stock market, they must go public. This means that they must issue an IPO (initial public offering). In doing so, companies basically announce that they want to become a publicly traded company. After this, they can start selling pieces of their company (stocks) to the public that investors can buy and trade them. There are many reasons why companies would want to enter the stock market: the most obvious is to raise capital, or raising money to expand and grow.

How does it work?

Companies sell their shares on stock exchanges- think of them as large shops within the greater stock market. Some well known stock exchanges that you may have heard of include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ. Put simply, if you buy shares in a company and the company does well, the value of your shares will probably go up and you can sell them for profit. Some

companies also pay their investors dividends which are kind of like bonus payments for stockholders.

What type of stocks should I buy?

To simplify it, there are two major types of stocks you can buy. Blue chip stocks, which are shares of large, well established companies with a reliable history, and penny stocks, riskier, less well established and lower priced stocks. While penny stocks are much riskier compared to blue chip stocks, if you’re lucky enough, your investor’s intuition could make you hit the jackpot!

What dictates stock price?

The stock market is controlled by supply and demand. Simple as that. The more people that want to buy shares of a company, the higher the share price- same goes for the opposite. A “bull market” is a term for when the stocks are rising and investors are happy. On the flip side, a “bear market” is used to describe when stocks are falling and investors are upset.

Though the stock market can be scary and complicated to navigate, we recommend you to dip your toe in the water of investing and give it a try. We hope that this intro to the stock market demystified some of the intimidation of the stock market and wish you all happy investing!

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

18

Think Before You Drink

Are paper straws truly helpful to our enviroment?

Shreya Vijay Welcome to the end of an era. The age of plastic straws dominating the beverage market has ended. I present paper straws, an “innovative” replacement.

Now, what makes these straws so special? Well, paper straws help the environment because they decompose quickly. They also taste like cardboard and become soggy two seconds after sitting in your drink—what every customer wants.

So why are companies like Starbucks suddenly interested in paper straws? After all, they are losing money purchasing this costlier product.

Gen-Z environmentalists, including myself, are struggling with whether the benefits of paper straws outweigh their drawbacks. It’s time for an educational perspective into why paper straws are not the solution to plastic’s problems.

In an article published by US News, researchers found high concentrations of PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated substances) in paper straws. According to the CDC, Center for Disease Control, PFAS substances affect all age groups and can cause multiple cancers. Think about it this way - each time you order Starbucks and use a paper straw, you ingest some PFAS. Little by little, day by day, it accumulates in your body, silently attacking your organs.

To avoid this situation, there’s a simple solution: stop using paper

19

straws.

Every day in the US, 175 million plastic straws are tossed into our oceans, and plastic straw manufacturers have done nothing to reduce waste. Remember those pictures of the sea turtles with straws lodged in their nose, preventing them from breathing? Unfortunately, paper straws won’t solve that problem either. Discovered by John Bowden at the University of Florida, these straws take years (thanks again, PFAS) to biodegrade. Not only are these straws bad for your body, but they also don’t help the environment; paper straws seem to be a lose-lose proposition.

Perhaps we were a bit too harsh to paper straws.

It’s not like everyone hates these straws: a survey found that 67% of US adults support companies banning plastic straws, implying people would rather use paper straws than continue to use plastic.

Paper straws also decompose rapidly compared to the 300 years plastic straws take. Paper straw initiatives are popular, and organizations like the WWF, World Wildlife Fund, have endorsed efforts from companies like Starbucks.

However, comparing paper and plastic straws isn’t fair since both have different goals. It’s simple - plastic straws aren’t supposed to save the environment. Paper straws were created to eliminate single-use waste—but they failed to do so. How is it logical that the solution to single-waste plastic is singlewaste paper?

I conducted an “online study” via Walmart.com and found that a 100- pack of paper straws costs $8.00, yet a 500- pack of plastic straws costs $3.99. This price difference is huge for companies purchasing millions of these straws, which affects their profits and employee salaries, hurting our economy in the long run.

Don’t worry, though. There is a solution out there that checks all the boxes. Steel/metal straws are reusable and safe for humans, making them the perfect alternative to paper and plastic straws.

I encourage you to read Celeste Ng’s “Our Missing Hearts,” a novel about a family who deals with the impacts of harmful government policies. The novel’s protagonist, Bird, learns about PACT, a law promoting Americanism in society.

Despite PACT’s intention to revive American culture, it does the opposite, negatively impacting Bird’s family. “Our Missing Hearts” is an example of good intentions backfiring, mirroring the current paper straw situation.

I hope you are inspired to learn more about reusable straws and create solutions that actually benefit the world.

So, welcome to a new era, an era of sustainability with purpose.

Say goodbye to paper straws.

Say goodbye to paper straws.

Universal in Frisco

Plans to create a new theme park in Texas Varsha Jagarlamudi

Rollercoasters and Harry Potter are the main attraction of one of Frisco’s newest projects. Universal at Frisco, a theme park, has brought excitement to many residents at Frisco. Bringing in more desirability to the city with an already growing population, it has especially affected the economy of the city.

Universal at Frisco will boost Frisco’s economy, bringing millions of people into the city. It will bring in “tourism, economic development” and will be an asset to the community financially.

It will help businesses surrounding universal to grow, especially hotels, restaurants, and other businesses heavily relying on tourism.

Also, it will bring in tens of thousands of more because of the growing population. The more people coming in Frisco the more the labor force grows. That will cause there to be more stores and businesses and there will be more than enough people to take on

take on the roles that come with each.

And though there are many benefits to adding to this theme park, a few people argue that its cons outweigh the economic pros.

Some homeowners in the nearby Cob Hill neighborhood share worrying concerns that their homes will turn into short-term rentals for incoming vacationers wanting to go to universal. As well as that, the housing prices in that area will go up in general. The suburban city of Frisco’s dynamic will certainly be altered as well into becoming much more urban, which to some removing the city from its slightly anonymous name is a major con. People in the Frisco community also shared ongoing concerns about traffic and crime that were quickly comforted by the park’s road plans creating a smooth

traffic system.

As Frisco grows its economy and progresses as a city, its residents will have more access to new opportunities and activities.

People will get to reap new economic benefits. And while there are of course some cons and challenges to living right by a Themepark, it must be said that the pros outweigh the cons and that the capital boost this new addition to the city will expand its reaches on the world and improve life with in it. It will certainly become more urban and possibly a tourist attraction, straying away from the suburban city it is known to be. But it will undoubtably grow the popularity, impact, and economy of Frisco for the better.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRISCOTEXAS.GOV

20