Ed. 98 - How In The World Do You

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Published monthly, The Talon strives to be an innovative student magazine that is entertaining, intellectually provocative, and visually engaging. We are conscious of the responsibility of writing and publishing, and we seek to create a dynamic magazine that is worthy of its readers. We show respect for our readers by exposing them to a variety of perspectives.

Ultimately, The Talon seeks to bring Graded to the world and the world to Graded.

The Talon wants to hear from you! We encourage submissions and ideas for articles and themes from all members of the Graded community. We publish in English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and not necessarily of The Talon. For this reason, we do not accept anonymous submissions. Send submissions, ideas, and themes to talon@graded.br.

TALON STAFF 2013-2014

About the Cover

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Adam Hunt & Mariana Lepecki LAYOUT: Nicole Vladimirschi (Editor), Fernanda Fiszner COLUMNISTS: Daniel Almeida, Fernão Mesquita, Julia Abreu, Lucas Zuccolo, Luiza Gundim, Mendel Schwarz NEWS: Andrea Ferreira (Editor), Annie Groth (Assistant Editor), Paula Schulman, Faria Nasruddin, Pedro Werebe FEATURES: Clara Bezerra (Editor), Pooja Singhi (Assistant Editor), Karen Kandelman, Sylvia Yang ENTERTAINMENT: Kevin Bengtsson (Editor), Felipe Marquez (Assistant Editor), Bella Shim, MC Otani, Michael Borger BLOGGERS: Paty Kim, Carol von Mutius, Catu Berretta COVER ARTIST: Alejandro Torres PHOTOGRAPHER: Rafaela Goldlust ▪ ▪ ▪ TEACHER ADVISORS: Josh Berg & Mary Pfeiffer PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE CONSULTANT: Maggie Moraes SPANISH LANGUAGE CONSULTANT: Guillermo Loyola Ruiz ▪ ▪ ▪ E-mail: talon@graded.br

At first it was challenging to visually represent this month’s theme, “How in the World Do You...?” Inspired by Google search, which allows immediate answers to such queries, I created Graded’s own Talon search engine, with our home, Mother Earth, as the background. I included autocomplete, a feature that predicts and displays searches for users to choose from, which Google says reflect past search activity. These predicted-searches reveals much about human nature (just try “do you ever look at yours,” or “how to raise your IQ”).

The Talon search engine yields information and pictures from inside this edition, as portrayed on the back cover (complete with some odd URL’s). Because of copyright issues and, being that it’s just paper, this local search engine won’t be available to the public any time soon. So for now, enjoy this edition of The Talon.

—Alejandro Torres

Close, but No Cigar In Talon history, this is the Theme That Wouldn’t Die. It has fallen short in the theme-voting for years (fittingly), but finally, for the next edition, Edition 99, it was chosen (fittingly).

Here’s what the phrase means: To fall just short of a successful outcome and get nothing for your efforts.

The phrase, and its variant “nice try, but no cigar,” are of US origin and date from the mid-20th century. Fairground stalls gave out cigars as prizes, and this is the most likely source, although there’s no definitive evidence to prove that. It is first recorded in print in Sayre and Twist’s publishing of the script of the 1935 film version of Annie Oakley: “Close, Colonel, but no cigar!” It appears in American newspapers widely from around 1949 onwards; for example, a story from The Lima News, Lima, Ohio, November 1949, where The Lima House Cigar and Sporting Goods Store narrowly avoided being burned down in a fire, was titled “Close But No Cigar.” [Gary Martin, The Phrase Finder, thephrasefinder.org.uk] We invite readers to contribute to each edition, and you do not need to write on this theme, Articles are due by Monday, 9 September, 16:00; send them to talon@graded.br. Length is between 700-900 words.

A green magazine, six years and counting! Since August 2007, The Talon has been printed on recycled paper.

editors-in-chief

Tomatoes Out of Thin Air Where science is intertwined with spirituality Mariana Lepecki

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ow in the world did tomatoes sprout up from a patch of dry land that has never borne fruit? Well, obviously someone must have planted some seeds and forgotten to inform the rest of the family. Perhaps it was my garden-loving grandfather and his green thumb? Wait, no, he’s just as stumped as the rest of us—it can’t be him. Maybe if I just look around I’ll catch the culprit smiling. Nothing. Everyone seems guiltless. If this was not the result of a mischievous prank… then where did these tomatoes come from? The rest of my family was undoubtedly asking the same question as we stared down at the 20 luscious and abnormally large tomatoes that had turned up in our garden, seemingly out of nowhere. Actually, “nowhere” isn’t the right word.

Nearly 15 years ago, at a typical Brazilian churrasco celebrating the construction of our new mountain home, my parents received a small tree as a gift from one of their guests.

Since the garden was running out of space, my parents decided to plant it in a small patch of grass beside our veranda. Since it had been planted in such a remote corner of the property, not many members of my family paid attention to it—even the gardeners forgot to water it most of the time. It was my greatgrandmother who finally decided to take charge, coming out every morning wrapped in her pink robe to water the tree.

It was her patch of land and her baby tree. And it was because of her that they survived as long as they did.

Unfortunately, last year, long after my great-grandmother had passed, the tree suddenly dried up and life never sprouted there again. Until this year, that is.

So you see, that patch of land wasn’t a “nowhere.”

Those uncanny green tomatoes could not have risen from a more symbolic place in the house. Not only that, their appearance was accompanied by the re-sprouting of the same old tree by their side. So was science responsible for this mystery, or something beyond that? As someone who loves biology and Sherlock Holmes, I started to try to reason through all of the facts using what I learned in class. Though my gardening

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knowledge is basic at best, this is what I came up with after discussing with my family: the tomatoes can most likely be explained by referring to interspecific relationships, or—as biologists like to call it—symbiosis.

Scientists have so far distinguished three types of symbiotic relationships. The first, parasitism, occurs when one species, referred to as “parasite,” feeds on or lives off of another, known as “host.” Classic examples of this are ticks sucking a dog’s blood and tapeworms living in a human’s stomach. The second type, commensalism, takes place when only one species benefits from the interaction while the other remains unharmed. For example, when a bird builds a nest on a tree, it is able to prevent its eggs from being preyed on by land predators; the tree, on the other hand, is not benefited or harmed by that nest. The third type of interaction, mutualism, where both species benefit from each other, is what I think is at play in this tomato enigma. Cue the Sherlock Holmes deduction montage.

One of the ways that plants pollinate other plants or spread their seeds to other locations is through their interaction with insects and birds. My family and I believe that one of the birds in our garden could have migrated to another area, Mariana Lepecki eaten a bit of tomato, returned carrying some seeds and deposited them on the patch of grass beside my veranda.

I don’t know how to explain the details or the mechanisms involved in this process, but my rational side is satisfied with this explanation. However, my other side, which I haven’t yet figured what to call, can’t help but wonder whether this was just my great-grandmother reclaiming her rightful piece of the house through 20 abnormally large green tomatoes. Judging from the anecdotes my family tells about her, this sounds like one of her pranks. Or perhaps it’s a gift that she granted to the family. I mean, how else could such a lifeless little corner of the house suddenly become so fertile?

While scientists may know the exact answer to this question, I’d rather not know. The truth is, I’d rather think of the answer just as I explained it to you: part logic, part spirituality, part uncertainty, and part wonder.

editors-in-chief

Interlochen Issues How in the world do you survive as an artist?

Adam Hunt Fertig

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his summer I attended an arts camp in Northern Michigan called Interlochen. I spent three weeks there, learning about drawing, metal fabrication and piano. It was an incredible experience, and I learned a lot, but it got me thinking about a few things. It began when a fellow camper asked me “how I made art.” I shrugged. I had never seriously thought about where creativity came from. It turns out that there are two different schools of thought here.

Some would say that art isn’t “made” at all, just reframed. The filmmaker Kirby Ferguson, in his video series Everything is a Remix, claims that there are no new ideas in art, and that artists just piece together pre-existing concepts to synthesize something different. Others, though, believe that art is actually the creation of something out of nothing, and that a writer or composer conjures up an idea from the void of nothingness and through sheer willpower births it into this world as a creative, unique thought. Hemingway, for instance, once said that “there is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

So does art just naturally lead to more, remixed art, or do artists act as anguished mediums to a realm of inspiration? The former seems pessimistic, the latter seems melodramatic, and the truth likely lies somewhere between the two. When I’m making art, I definitely make a conscious effort to create something original. Yet at the same time, I can’t help but rely on the work of other artists for guidance.

If I didn’t research these artists, my art wouldn’t look good or make sense. If I didn’t develop my own style, my art would be unexciting plagiarism.

As I entered deeper into my stay at Interlochen, my confusion intensified. Before considering how I made art, I had to consider if I wanted to make art at all. I take IB Visual Art and Film, and play piano, but those aren’t my only passions.

I wasn’t prepared to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to that world. I was surrounded by people who were determined to pursue the arts as careers. I had always been more of an art enthusiast. When I told people I was at arts camp, I was often asked another, harsher question: “How are you going to use art in real life?” Fair enough. After all, it’s no secret that working as a full-time artist isn’t exactly easy money and there are definitely more starving artists than starving stockbrokers. Sure, art might be more emotionally fulfilling, but moral awareness, social activism and self-expression aren’t going to pay the mortgage. It’s a cruel perspective, but one that many art school graduates have painfully had to

come to terms with.

Campers, teachers and college reps would all ask me if I was considering applying to art school. I usually said no, commenting that I’d rather be able to eat three meals a day and live under a stable roof. The comment was only partially sarcastic. One afternoon, Liz Nielsen, a photographer from New York City, gave a presentation on living as an artist. She was frank when it came to discussing money, saying that while people had recently begun to appreciate her work, she had struggled for a long time to make a profit. As a tragically humorous coping mechanism, she created art in which she pretended she was more successful than she really was, placing herself in advertisements for her work in galleries she had never shown at. One illustration, for example, was captioned “I’m so grateful for my exhibit at the MOMA.” While she may have been on the brink of making it big, I couldn’t help but think that many artists are condemned to wishful thinking and working at Wendy’s.

Later that day, as ambitious teenagers across the world rushed to get a head start on the Common App, I attempted to make a metal sculpture float on Interlochen’s lake. It obviously sank, serving as a fitting analogy for my financial success if I pursued art. Then I remembered a quote that Nielsen had cited in her presentation, from the German writer Rainer Maria Rilke: “Ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple ‘I must,’ then build your life in accordance with this necessity; your whole life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse.” Personally, I think that’s excessive. It’s not like I have this insatiable urge to dedicate every moment of my waking life to art. My mouth does not water at the sight of acrylic paint. But when I posed myself the question “must I do art?” I decided I must, at least some.

Interlochen’s slogan, “I am an artist,” is littered across the campus, but I honestly don’t identify with that. I am not an artist. I don’t intend to become one. I did, however, realize that making art is an integral part of my being. So what if some of it sank? I had a need to create. There was a world outside just waiting to be observed… I decided to leave the worrying for another time. I had a sculpture to finish.

Sources: everythingisaremix.info, gypsyscarlett.wordpress. com, goodreads.com

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news

How Does One Get Away with Murder?

Exploring the Trayvon Martin case

Andrea Ferreira

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ccording to juror B-29, the only one of the panel of six to find George Zimmerman guilty of second-degree murder during the preliminary rounds of the trial, “George Zimmerman got away with murder.” The juror, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that she felt conflicted because the law seemed to provide a loophole against her moral belief that murder is wrong. “If a person kills someone, then you get charged for it. But as the law was read to me, if you have no proof that he killed him intentionally, then you can’t say he’s guilty,” she explained in a recent interview with ABC News. Due to this question of intent, Zimmerman was able to walk free under the Florida law of “Stand Your Ground.”

Let’s rewind. On February 26, 2012, 17-year-old student Trayvon Martin was walking back to his home in The Retreat, a gated housing community in Sanford, Florida, when he caught the neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman’s attention. Since the beginning of 2011, the neighborhood had experienced a number of crimes: eight burglaries, nine thefts, and one shooting in over 400 calls from residents to local police reporting suspicious behavior. The residents had then created the Neighborhood Watch system, which Zimmerman was a member of. Prior to that February night, while on duty, Zimmerman had called the police seven times reporting suspicious behavior. On the night of the murder, Zimmerman was not on duty, but noticed the teen walking home. Zimmerman called 911 to report a “really suspicious person” that “[looked] up to no good or [on] drugs or something.” The dispatcher then asked if Zimmerman, who frequently called to report suspicious people in the neighborhood, if he was pursuing the man.

The dispatcher then explicitly stated that Zimmerman was not to follow the teenage boy, for someone was being sent to the neighborhood to investigate.

Nevertheless, after hanging up the phone, Zimmerman continued to pursue Martin. The only two witnesses to the entire crime scene from start to finish were Martin and Zimmerman, which complicated the case. During the time between the phone call and when the police officer dispatched to investigate Zimmerman’s call pronounced Martin dead after trying to resuscitate the teen, there were only a few witnesses who heard different moments of the attack. Later that night, Zimmerman was taken into custody after admitting to shooting Martin in self defense. The police report states Zimmerman suffered a broken nose and had wounds at the back of his head, which suggests that he had taken part in some sort of struggle that night.

Despite Zimmerman’s confession to killing Martin, on July 13 he was found not guilty of second-degree murder under

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the Florida state “Stand Your Ground” law. This law grants citizens the right to use arms or weapons in self-defense if the user has reasonable cause to believe that he or she is in immediate danger. Many jurors, including juror B-29, expressed frustration over this law, as the evidence (or lack thereof) that was used in the trial gave reasonable doubt that Zimmerman could have been acting in self-defense. Zimmerman was also found “not guilty” of manslaughter and he walked free. After the verdict was read, many people were outraged, questioning amongst other things how the immediate aggressor, Zimmerman, could plea self-defense. Many angered prosecutors that took part in the case argued that Zimmerman continued to pursue Martin, even after the police told him not to do so, which points to him being the aggressor. However, since the events that occurred during that night could not be determined from the various witness accounts and Zimmerman’s injuries suggested that there was some kind of brawl, the majority of the jurors believed that this was enough evidence to prove that Zimmerman might have felt in danger when he pulled the trigger. This reasonable doubt was what made it impossible for Zimmerman to be convicted of second-degree murder.

The reaction of the general public to the verdict has been mixed, though many are outraged and some have even called for the end of the “Stand Your Ground” law. Among these is Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mother, who states that her main goal for advocating this cause is to prevent what occurred with her son from “happening to someone else’s child.” She is backed by Benjamin Crump, an attorney who said the law “allows the initial aggressor to start a fight, kill someone, and then claim self-defense,” in an interview with the Huffington Post.

Beyond this legal discussion is an issue of race that played a key role in the Martin case. Many people were outraged by Zimmerman, as they said that he “racially profiled” Martin when he decided to follow the teen and to call him “suspicious.” While his motive for following Martin may never be revealed, there are records of Zimmerman calling the police to report suspicious behavior, each time identifying the subject as a suspicious black male. Amongst the people to address the possible role of racial profiling was President Barack Obama.

He recounted the time when he was a victim of racial profiling, years ago when he was followed in a department store.

Whatever the motive Zimmerman held following Martin that night, many people are hoping that this tragedy will mark the start of a new era that is free of racial profiling.

Sources: huffingtonpost.com, cnn.com

news

How in the World do You Save the Earth?

What federal environmental work really means in Brazil

Annie Groth

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or some people the idea of saving the environment often means taking individual responsibility and performing tasks such as turning off lights in unused rooms, taking shorter showers, or recycling plastic water bottles. Though small actions can amount to great results, larger actions have to be taken in order to fully preserve the environment. In Brazil, areas called conservation units were made by law in order to ensure the flora and fauna of these places can flourish. But what exactly is the difference between different conservation units, and what kind of problems do each of them encounter?

Biological Reservations, perhaps the most easily defined conservation unit, are areas which cannot have any habitation occupancy and are not open to the general public. This means that the only building in a reservation is the headquarters where people work. Visitation is only granted to researchers and others for educational resources.

Though people are not a cause for destruction in the protected areas, one of the main issues in these reservations is forest fires. Because some biological reservations have few or no roads, they are relatively hard to penetrate.

Each year parts of these areas are burned down because firemen cannot reach fires quickly enough. Working in a biological reservation in Brazil would mean dealing with natural occurrences as well as overseeing research done there.

Natural Parks are very similar to biological reservations but have one key difference: they are open to visitation.

Anyone and everyone can go to a natural park in Brazil, an idea that came from the world’s first national park, Yellowstone National Park in the United States, created in 1872. Just like reservations, no one is allowed to live in a park and the area’s resources cannot be explored. However, people are a big concern for park managers. A lot of visitors litter the area, walk through the forest and not the trails, or camp in places that are not allowed, eventually cutting through vegetation. While natural parks are great recreational and educational spots, many visitors should be more aware that their small acts of carelessness could contribute to the destruction of these areas.

APAs, or areas of environmental protection (“Areas de Proteção Ambiental”) are more complex conservation units. Different from parks and reservations, many people live in areas of environmental protection in Brazil. That is the unit’s main difficulty. People who work in APAs have to be able to preserve

the area while still allowing human intervention. One way this is done is through granting permission for any kind of construction in the area though technically constructing is allowed.

Sounds complex? It can be depending on the individual’s case.

For example, if someone wants to build a house inside a more secluded area in an APA, officials have to make sure there is no water tampering, no large-scale deforestation, and that the house is not built near a river, among other things. This means that government agents in APAs are either analyzing each case or driving out to these areas to identify problems. Each APA also deals with unique cases, though they mostly concern human destruction. The APA Guapimirim in Rio de Janeiro, for example, recently gained a new neighbor: the petro-chemical complex in Rio built by Petrobrás (Brazil’s oil company). Not only is the APA subject to contamination of chemicals carried by the many rivers in the area but also more people will come live nearby. An investment of that importance will attract other industries, consequently creating more jobs so that more people will occupy the area.

ESECs, or ecological stations, Rafaela Goldlust are very similar to biological reservations. Visitation is granted for research or educational purposes and any private property in it has to be expropriated. Ecological stations, however, usually encompass a more specific ecosystem, whereas reservations can have many in them. For example, the ESEC Guanabara, which is actually inside the APA Guapimirim, protects the area’s manguezais, or Brazilian wetlands. This doesn’t necessarily mean these areas are small, but simply that they are less encompassing. Also, two combined conservation units such as the APA Guapimirim and the ESEC Guanabara are given the name of a conservation nucleus. The administrative portion of these areas works together in order to better preserve both units.

Working with government preservation of the environment in Brazil usually involves conservation units. While some places like the ESEC and biological reservations do it by isolating areas to protect them, other units like the APA have to develop sustainable solutions to help both the people and place. Though these areas have different characteristics, they share the common goal of caring for the vegetation and animals in our country and world.

Source: uc.socioambiental.org

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news

Big Brother is Watching, Listening, Reading...

How the American government is snooping all over the world Paula Schulman

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n June 2013, details of several top-secret United States and British government mass surveillance programs were leaked to the press by Edward Snowden, former technical contractor and employee of consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton for the United States National Security Agency (NSA). On June 5, London’s The Guardian published its first exclusive feature based on the leak, which revealed a court order stating that the U.S. government had forced Verizon, one of America’s largest telecom providers, to hand over phone records of millions of Americans. The order, which was issued in April, required Verizon to supply the NSA with information on all telephone calls in its systems, both in and out of the U.S. The court order demanded that Verizon hand over electronic copies of call detail records created by Verizon for “communications between the United States and abroad” or “wholly within the United States, including local telephone calls,” to the NSA. The order barred Verizon from revealing information about the request for its customers’ records and about the court order itself. It specifies that the records must include information such as the duration of each call and originating and terminating number. Although the order itself did not require information about the contents of messages or personal data of any cell phone subscriber, it would basically allow the NSA to build an image of who any individual contacts, how, when, and possibly where.

The Guardian then revealed that the NSA claimed to have “direct access,” through a program called Prism, to systems of many major Internet companies including Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple and Yahoo. Since the existence of this program was publicized, the companies have denied knowledge of the program, insisting that the intelligence agencies do not have back doors into their systems. While those such as Microsoft and Skype have promised in their slogans and privacy policies that “privacy is [their] priority,” internal NSA newsletters show that the collaboration with these companies is profound and ongoing.

Furthermore, it was reported that Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the UK equivalent of the NSA, is also able to see user communication data from these American companies, for it also has access to Prism.

Awareness about another program utilized by the NSA, called XKeyscore, was also raised. This covert program makes everything one has ever done on the Internet, such as browsing history, searches, content of emails, and online chats, accessible. As per NSA internal documents, XKeyscore is its “widest

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reaching system for developing intelligence from the Internet.”

It can allow analysts to search through the entire database of any person’s information without authorization such as a warrant or court clearance. Snowden said in a video interview that, from his desk, he had the ability to “wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant, to a federal judge or even the president, if [he] had a personal email.”

On June 7, President Barack Obama stated his defense of the programs, saying that they are overseen by the courts and Congress. Top secret documents were then published showing how U.S. judges signed off on a policy granting the NSA permission to make use of information “inadvertently” gathered from domestic U.S. communications without warrants. President Obama insisted that there was a “right balance” between security and privacy, and that “you can’t have 100% security, and also then have 100% privacy and zero inconvenience.” According to NSA’s training materials, by 2008, XKeyscore assisted in capturing 300 terrorists.

Also, Brazilian newspaper Globo revealed in July, that, through a programme called Fairview, U.S. intelligence agencies had monitored communications such as emails and phone calls from citizens of many countries, Brazil included.

Snowden went public on June 10, when he revealed himself in a video interview from Hong Kong saying, “I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong.” Eleven days later, the U.S. filed espionage charges against him and requested that Hong Kong detain him for extradition. Snowden flew from Hong Kong to Moscow after the Hong Kong government released a statement that the documents submitted by the U.S. had no “legal basis to prevent him from leaving.” WikiLeaks stated that it was providing Snowden assistance and that he was headed to a democratic country “via a safe route.”

On June 23, Snowden landed in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow and remained in the transit area. After noting that he had not committed any crimes on Russian land, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that he was free to enter the country. On August 1, Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia for one year and finally left the airport. According to his attorney, the asylum could be extended on an annual basis, and Snowden is currently in an undisclosed location for security reasons. The only other three countries to offer him asylum were Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

Sources: bbc.co.uk, cnn.com, globo.com, theguardian.com

news

The Pink Panther Cannes Film Fest heist Faria Nasruddin

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ver the decades, society had a troubling fascination with crime, which can be seen through all kinds of media: movies, television, books, and magazines. The latest and greatest of the crimes that have caught attention was a jewelry heist in Cannes, France. Cannes is not new to the scene of jewelry heists—only this year about four high-end heists took place, two at the watch store Kronometry, with a total loss estimated at about 1.5 million dollars. In May, a hotel safe was broken into where about 1 million dollars in jewels were taken. The last big robbery of this year happened during a hotel party where a necklace estimated at about 2.6 million dollars was snatched. The Carlton Intercontinental hotel is the victim of the most recent publicized heist and said to the be the biggest haul, of about US$ 136 million. The robber’s face was covered by a hat and scarf; he had a semiautomatic pistol and threatened to shoot the guests and exhibitors.

The robber walked into the Carlton in broad daylight and walked out the front door with the jewels in hand. The security at the Carlton was unarmed, but no one at the scene was injured.

“It was definitely a professional heist … It’s definitely not a lone man, it was too coordinated. They went in and within five minutes they knew exactly where to go,” said Larry Lawton, writer and former jewel thief. The current investigation’s main suspect is the notorious Pink Panther gang, whose members normally come from the former Yugoslavia. The gang has been at large since 1993 and has collected in total about US$ 300 million. The gang is linked to the case is not only because this particular heist looks like their work, but prior to the robbery two known Pink Panther associates were broken out of a prison in Switzerland. The organized crime network’s robberies commonly target rich jewelers with simple, precise work.

The Pink Panther organized crime network first came to the public’s attention and gained their nickname after the theft of £500,000 worth of diamonds from jewelers in the

Mayfair area of central London. They duplicated an act seen in the film Return of the Pink Panther when they hid the diamonds in containers holding face cream. Havana Marking tackles the subject of international jewel trade and dives into the world of the Pink Panthers in her documentary Smash & Grab. Marking had the chance to chat with two members and many associates of the Panther gang who explained the Pink Panthers’ lifestyle and crimes. Jonathan Sazonoff, U.S. editor for the Museum Security Network website and an authority on high-value crime stated, “It’s a huge theft. Anytime you talk about a heist with many millions of dollars it turns the heads and feeds the imagination.” But why does society have such a fascination with high-profile crimes?

According to Michael Mantell, San Diego police chief psychologist, it originates from our fascination with the conflict between good and evil, as old as Cain and Abel.

He also states that “Our fasnymag.com cination with crime is equaled by our fear of crime, it’s two sides of the same story.” Since the media has glamorized criminal life, This interests people not only in the victim, but sometimes in the perpetrator. “The fact is I think our interest in crime serves a number of different healthy psychological purposes,” Says Mantell. “But first, is the sense of ‘not me’.” However much crime interests us, we distance ourselves from the fact that is has actually happened, and can happen to anyone.

In 2008, a crime spree that targeted the houses of the rich and famous in the Hollywood Hills was heavily covered by the media and committed by a group of young adults, nicknamed The Bling Ring. As with The Pink Panthers, the crimes were exploited by the media.

High-profile crimes like the Cannes heists are highly publicized, and our interest in them only grows stronger. We do seem to be intrigued by the eternal conflict between good and evil.

Sources: cnn.com, npr.org

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news

Around the World in Under 24 Hours Back to the Future may become reality

Pedro Werebe

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ave you ever watched the movie Back to the Future and thought, when will those frictionless cars that move at super speed exist? If you’re a sci-fi fanatic your question has been answered. Elon Musk, the founder of PayPal, one of the most successful money transferring businesses in the world, and the founder of Tesla Motors, one of the most successful electriccar industries in the world, is now financing a revolutionary way of long-distance transportation. Hyperloop is the potential transportation of the near future. The idea is to have a series of tubes that will shoot people across the world in super speed.

It promises to offer transportation from China to New York in 2 hours, and across the United States in 45 minutes. Despite the basis for this idea sounding complex, a miniature model of the Hyperloop already exists.

Have you ever been to the bank and passed through the drive-through and seen tubes that you place your money in and it sucks it into the bank? That’s a concrete example of what the Hyperloop is, only of course much larger and faster, and instead of wanting to press the button that makes the suction possible you will be able to ride this tube. Not only does this concept sound amazing and revolutionary, but it is also going to be economically friendly, environmentally friendly, and people friendly. The Hyperloop could be built for one-tenth the cost of a high speed rail and one-fourth the cost of a freeway. Magnets power the whole ride, meaning fossil fuels are not required. The idea behind powering this tube is much like the movie Back to the Future, where magnets are carefully placed in precise locations and, if they are all correctly aligned, allows the tube to lift from the ground. Once this happens the wires on the tracks will allow the tube to move with electromagnetic power, making the tube move at immense speed. However air resistance is a problem as it makes these tubes slow down, so the plan is

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to create a vacuum so no air resistance can seep in. Humans cannot be exposed to a vacuum so the tube will go through a pressurized chamber so that it can pick up passengers. Due to the fact that the Hyperloop does not pollute, it will help cut down automobile and aircraft pollution. In fact it would help honor the Kyoto Protocol and eliminate 90% of fossil energy for transportation. It would also be frictionless as it is a vacuum, with no vibration during the ride unlike trains. Also the risk of collisions would be eliminated, since the tubes are sealed and no human or animal would be at risk.

The idea of the Hyperloop is a cross between a Concorde, a rail gun, and an air-hockey table. Six passengers could ride in each 400-pound tube. The speed of the tube would vary from 350 mph, for closer locations, to 4,000 mph for international businessinsider.com use—5 times the speed of sound. This would allow you to go around the world and back in less than 24 hours!

The Hyperloop is speculated to offer the the safest transportation in the world. Nowadays, aircrafts are the fastest and safest means of transportation; however, accidents occur due to human error, a risk that is eliminated in the Hyperloop.

In addition, the price to ride a Hyperloop would be cheaper compared to airfares, as less maintenance would be required.

Billions of dollars have already been invested in making this possible. If the trials prove to be successful, the means of transportation would change as we know it, and the idea of super speed transportation depicted in Back To The Future, will come to life. With this discovery, people might be able to say that the crazy inventions made possible through computer technology are now part of real life.

Sources: wired.com, forbes.com

news

Welcome to Graded!

A brief introduction of new teachers The News Team

W

hat’s an interesting fact about you?

Ocki Fernandes (Assistant Principal): “I was the South African National Coach of Gymnastics and Tumbling for twelve years. I play the guitar, and I used to play in a pop band in South Africa.

Now I play in a band with my daughter.”

Carinn Mariani (IB Coordinator and English Teacher): “I was in the New York Yankees locker room after they won the World Series. My friend was working for ESPN, and I was there to help him run the video tapes back and forth to the truck!”

What’s one thing students can do to get on your good side?

Ocki Fernandes: “Do not skip class and be on time. Also, be honest if you are sent to my office for any reason.”

Carinn Mariani: “Meet your due dates! Turn things in on time!

Cite your sources! And be an IB cultist—talk about how good the IB program is.”

Erin Copeland: “Always try. It’s not about the grade; it’s about the effort and the attitude.

Chocolate also helps...”

S h a n e H a r d w i c k e : “ Yo u shouldn’t want to be on my good side, you should only desire to be good with yourself. Being honest, genuine and compassionate can help make that happen.”

Erin Copeland (Science): “I can recite the entire Sound of Music movie, including all song and dance numbers. Don’t ask why.”

Shane Hardwicke (Social Studies): “I lived on a boat on different river systems in the United States. It was only 17 feet long, and I traveled from Minnesota all the way to the Florida Keys on it.”

Michael Collins: “Students are already on my good side. It’s one of the reasons I love what I do.

They can stay there by not dousing themselves with cologne or perfume like it’s bodywash.”

Michael Collins (Social Studies): “I married the smartest person I know.”

BethAnn Baumgarten (English): “I used to be a journalist, and I worked for a golf magazine.”

BethAnn Baumgarten: “They can bring chocolate and talk to me about what books they are reading (cheesy English teacher response, I know).”

photo of new Assistant HS Principal, Mr. Fernandes by Rafaela Goldlust

Susan Keenan (Counselor): “I’m married to my high-school sweetheart (after both of us married others and met again many years down the road).”

Susan Keenan: “Be courteous and thoughtful of others.”

Claire Arcenas: “Give genuine effort each time you participate in PE. The more you try and take risks, the more confident you will become in your skills and knowledge development.”

Claire Arcenas (MS/HS PE): “When traveling in Cape Town, South Africa, I shark-cave dove, paraglided, and ran a half marathon all in one week.”

the talon • 9

point of view

The Problem Behind Economics Unfounded fears, or rational doubt?

Daniel Almeida

O

nce upon a time, economists argued about economics with other economists, safe from the judgment of outsiders, and all was relatively well. But, at some point around the 1970s, the same way early 20th century French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau remarked that war is too important to be left to generals, the world deemed economics too important to be left to professors at esteemed schools of economics. Yet, as our understanding on other sciences advanced, our grasp on economics seemed to lag behind. Over time, the reasons as to why economics lacked the predictive capacity of all other hard sciences became an obsession among theorists, philosophers and scientists alike.

To be fair, it’s not hard to understand why some might mistake economics for a science. Economists use the same quantitative expressions you might find in mathematics, the same theorems derived from previously established axioms and the same methodology that we know as the scientific method.

But some people would argue that economics lacks the single most important trait that sciences like physics or chemistry have: a track record of improvement in its predictive range and accuracy.

While some would say that this fundamental difference comes from the inaccurate assumptions economists make in their calculations, this really doesn’t seem to be the case. As much as we’d like to argue about the validity of assumptions like the rational maximizing economic agents, or the perfect information in society, this theory fails to explain why physicists get to do it with models like their ideal gas, the frictionless plane or the center of gravity. Assumptions are a necessary part of all sciences, whether they’re social or natural. The same way assumptions allow physicists to calculate the acceleration of a rocket when it lifts off, they also allow economists to make detailed calculations when making predictions about markets and industries. While claims that few economists can predict the coming of a crisis are true, scientific modeling has very little to do with that. If anything, the last five years has shown that once a crisis strikes, basic macroeconomic models work well as tools to remedy the market failure.

In recent decades a promising new school of thought has developed that seems to explain why economics and other human sciences fail to reach the same level of accuracy in predicting phenomena as the hard sciences. This school of thought, advocating for complexity theory, is built on relatively straightforward foundations.

The first is that complex systems are not designed all at once: Instead, they grow through evolution or the interac-

4 • the talon

tion of a variety of autonomous parts. The second principle is that complex systems have “emergent properties,” meaning that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and as such, the system is bound to behave in ways that cannot be inferred from looking at the individual pieces. The third principle is that complex systems run on exponentially greater amounts of energy, and so the moment that you increase the system scale by a factor of ten, you increase the energy requirements by a factor of a thousand. This leads to the fourth principle that states that complex systems are prone to catastrophic collapse because the exponential relationship between scale and inputs exhausts the available resources.

In a nutshell, complex systems can be said to arise spontaneously, behave unpredictably, exhaust resources and collapse catastrophically. While this might seem like an easy way out of addressing the problem behind economics’ predictive capacity, complexity theory has a strong empirical foundation and has wide application in a variety of natural and man-made settings such as climate, seismology, nuclear physics and the Internet. Given this, if we were to characterize the market as a complex system, then it would be virtually impossible for any science to predict with certainty an outcome given a set of inputs.

But that’s not a problem. Working within the frameworks of complexity theory, the human sciences don’t have to aim for perfect predictive power. Economists aren’t troubled when they make predictions that go wrong because they understand that their science is a tool used to understand a wide range of social constructions–objects like markets, currencies or stock shares–that even when idealized don’t behave in a uniform way. The answer to why economics is so close but so incapable of reaching the same predictive accuracy as, say Chemistry or Physics, lies not in an alleged unsuitability of economics to take after scientific thinking (since, as we’ve seen, that isn’t the case), but in the very nature of complex systems.

And yet the question remains: the next time we hear an economist making a prediction, should we be worried or hopeful? Should we be confident in their ability to use economics as a tool, or worry about past failures in correctly predicting an outcome? As with most things, I’d personally say the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Not too helpful? Welcome to economics.

Sources; nytimes.com, “Currency Wars,” by James Rickards, “Keynes Hayek,” by Nicholas Wapshott

point of view

Going Meta Trying to turn writer’s block around Lucas Zuccolo

T

he great beast rose out of the water with graceful serenity, causing barely a ripple in spite of its sheer size and considerable speed. As it cleared the river’s surface, it spread its awesome wings, their massive length commensurate with the rest of its body, yet no less impressive. Rivulets of water streamed off its scales, an impressive array of priceless sapphires, glittering under the bright midday sun, whose blue depths seemed to dwarf the river, so profound were their endless swirls and reflections. Its claws were shadow solidified, dark and shapeless. Its leathery wings, deceptively thin membranes that diffused the passing sunlight like parchment, were the least threatening part of this feral creature, yet still possessed of this rugged ferocity that left no doubt as to why it was the stuff of legends and fables.

But for all its flowing scales and rippling muscles, it was its head that infallibly drew your gaze. The massive jaw was lined with rows of vicious white teeth, each wider than a man’s fist, razor sharp, no doubt capable of piercing flesh and bone in a single crunch, befitting of this hunter of the skies.

In sharp contrast to this intimidating countenance were its eyes; large, infinite blue pools, the same majestic shade as its scales, reflecting the observer’s very soul, amidst a galaxy of ever-twirling stars. The eyes were not that of a mere beast, but that of... of a...

“A... timeless entity...? No, that sounds like trash.

Maybe a... an ageless wisdom? No, that’s way too clichéd... ah, goddammit, it’s a freaking dragon,” I give in. “The entire description is a shameless ripoff of all the other medieval fantasy-type stories. How the hell can I write about dragons without being completely unoriginal? Maybe if I give it my own twist... like maybe... I could give it a luxurious fur coat...” I close my eyes for a few seconds, trying to picture it. When I finally see it in my mind’s eye, I gag on the sheer ridiculousness.

“God no, it’s a giant, fire-breathing lizard, not a flying unicorn on steroids.” I shudder, trying to dispel the image.

“Well, if I can’t think of my own way to tell it, maybe I should try to write something else, start...” The words catch in my throat as I eye the couple hundred words I had already written.

It would be so much easier to just see this idea through; just a few more minutes... who knows, it might even turn out okay... maybe I could...

“Never mind, it’s hopeless,” I firmly stop myself. “Let’s just...”

I let out a deep sigh. “Let’s start from scratch, see if I can’t think of something decent.”

I stood still a moment to collect my thoughts. As soon as an idea materialized from the fog, I started typing.

I took another huff from my pipe and looked up again, scanning the early morning city street. He still was nowhere to be found, and my pocket watch told me it was already half past eight. I dropped my watch back into my inside coat pocket, only to have it fall on my lap an instant later. Oh, right, this isn’t my usual coat, I berated myself; I was afraid the kid might have caught a glimpse of me yesterday, so I was forced to ditch my coat and hat. It pained me to do so, but I couldn’t risk him recognizing me from afar. I lifted the newspaper up to just below eye level, allowing me to maintain the illusion that I was reading it (which wasn’t entirely untrue, I’d gone over the day’s comics already) while continuing to keep an eye on the sidewalk I was sure he’d come from.

After a few more minutes of waiting, I spotted him, bustling along like any other morning commuter. His gait was confident, unstrained... a bit too natural in fact, to the trained eye. He was making a conscious effort to blend in, and he was good at it. Not as good as me, of course.

I instinctively reached up to pull my hat further down over my eyes, but quickly put my hand down again. What can I say, I felt incomplete without it. It was part... “...no, I wrote a detective story last time. I can’t write another right after without continuing the character,” I berated myself. “Okay, next idea. How about... oh, didn’t I have a stub I never got around to expanding? Let me see...”

I wandered through my files, didn’t come up with anything, tried and failed again, and then finally gave in and ran a search for it. “Here we go.”

Oh, I don’t care if he misses a form here, or cuts a few corners there, but that scum is an absolute menace. Skimming off drug busts, taking bribes – I’m pretty inclined to believe that...

“Oh, no, this one’s not nearly ready to be reworked into something usable,” I stopped myself. “This scene is borderline P.I. stuff. Come on, think. What else, what else...” I closed my eyes and threw my head back, hoping inspiration would strike.

It didn’t.

“Well, I could always do some, ah... research...” I miraculously kept a straight face as I said that, then rushed out to get the DVDs. Cradling his severed stump, Luke crawled along the beam, inching further and further from the imposing black-clad figure...

the talon • 5

point of view

In Plain Sight Putting the eye in P.I. Lucas Zuccolo

T

he... bookshelf? The order of them, maybe?”

“Bzz! Wrong again! Three strikes, my friend. Care to step off the plate and let me explain?”

“No, no, I’ve got this. Just give me another minute to look around.”

Of course, I’d already looked the room over fifteen times. Whatever Simmons had seen, I just couldn’t seem to find it. The study was a perfect mess, the window wide open, the net slit. Door locked, rug pushed to the side, papers all over the desk. The bookshelf was a bit empty, and the painting on the wall was hanging askew. Someone had broken in through the window, upturned the room in the search for something. Or maybe they weren’t even looking for something in particular, just searching for whatever valuables would fit in their pocket.

Or they even could have been planning to attack whoever came in, but left before for whatever reason. How would I know?

There was no blood or shoe or anything obvious like that, and Simmons couldn’t have done any fingerprint dusting or DNA analysis in the few moments I was out of the room. Whatever had tipped him off was sitting right under my nose, and judging by his smug grim, it was obvious. Then again, to an arrogant self-titled Private I, everything would be obvious.

“You haven’t talked to any other witnesses or vics?”

“Except for Tyler and Waters, which you were there for.”

“Yeah, yeah, other than them. No other background info? You haven’t been here before?”

“I’m telling you, Connor, it’s right here.”

So he says. Well, let’s take a different approach.

Simmons didn’t say what was taken, or what the motive was, only that the culprit was one of the four tenants. But why? They could’ve just strolled in if that were the case, no need to break in through the window. They had the key, after all. If it had been one of them, there would be no reason to go through the window—which would have been the perfect alibi. Huh. There might be something here after all. But still, that doesn’t explain how Simmons knew it straight away. I mean, yes, it could have been one of them, but from what I see here, it could very well have been someone else, too. How did he know?

I decide to retrace my steps and make my way over to the window. The windowsill is clean, no scratch marks or anything. The recent snowfall has been mostly cleared, though whether by the culprit or a resident remains unclear. The net has two gashes in an X, and is separating slightly, the edges curving outwards where the slash was made. The glass pane is unmarked, if a bit dusty, and the shades are completely up.

I can’t glean anything useful from that. Onwards to the

6 • the talon

door. The lock is perfectly fine, though somewhat rusty; the frame has some paint chipped away, but no telltale scratches or markings. No attempts at forced entry; the window had been the plan all along. If there was one. The bulk of the search seems to have occurred around the desk and the bookshelf behind it, anyway.

The desk is fairly old, though not particularly ornate.

Two drawers, neither with a lock, with no room for false bottoms or anything of the sort. Their awkward angle belies the impatience of the search. Loose papers cover every inch of the desk, with the odd book popping up here and there; the mess spills over onto the floor, a thin but noticeable trail of failed tosses leading to a waste paper basket across the room.

More than a few near misses lie about its base. To be fair, it seems the culprit didn’t make much more of a mess than there already was.

The bookcase is slightly more in order, but that’s just because there’s not much to mess with. According to Tyler, there wasn’t really any special book worth a second glance. Most you could get in ten business days, and the two or three odd special editions there wouldn’t go for much more than three hundred quid—they’d cleaned it out a bit a week ago, leaving only thirty or so volumes. All in all, the bookshelf really isn’t anything to meticulously analyze.

Well... fat good that did. I still don’t have anything.

The more I stare at this room, the less I seem to see. I head over to the window; maybe some cold air will give me some clairvoyance.

“Getting warm.”

I glance over my back and see Simmons watching me expectantly, arms crossed, grinning from ear to ear. I’d been so engrossed in my investigation I’d almost forgotten he’s the reason I’m still looking. I turn back and crouch in front of the window to take a closer examination. Wooden frame, painted off white, two windowpanes, bottom one slid up to open it... shades to keep unwanted light out, unwanted visitors not so much. Light snow buildup on the roof shingles, bit of dust on the outside sill. Glass isn’t exactly squeaky clean, but not too bad. There’s... wait a second.

A smile touches my lips as I get up and look back at him.

“Found it?”

“From the inside.”

“Exactly.”

“Well then, we’ve got some suspects to question while forensics takes a sweep. Let’s go.”

point of view

What’s the Big Idea?

The growing issue of paternalism in modern-day society Daniel Almeida

F

or what it’s worth, the nine justices of America’s Supreme Court should count themselves lucky that they don’t have to campaign for reelection. The judicial body’s popularity hasn’t exactly been stellar recently, but while some might criticize its latest rulings for apparent inconsistency, we tend to forget that, as with most things, a greater message can be extracted from the turmoil.

Following the last days of its session, the Supreme Court was bombarded by Republicans for striking down federal restrictions on the rights of same-sex married couples, while being denounced by Democrats for a ruling on affirmative action, which resulted in a stricter definition of a 1965 law against racist barriers to voting. Having been accused by John Lewis, a black Democrat, for “sticking a dagger through the heart” of the Voting Rights Act, while being denounced by Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) for trying to tear apart marriage—a creation from “the hand of God”—some might fail to see any consistency in the justices’ rulings.

The first case dealt with the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996, intended to bar the federal government from recognizing gay nuptials. Having been ruled to violate fifthamendment rights of equal protection under the law, the court found DOMA unconstitutional in a 5-4 decision. Having shut down an cct that had imposed, for many, insurmountable barriers to gay marriage, the justices could come to expect a certain degree of backlash. Dissenting judge Antonin Scalia chastised the majority for ignoring the will of Congress—hypocritical for some, given that he himself voted to invalidate part of the Voting Rights Act (which Congress had re-authorized in2006), just the day before.

In terms of the second case, there had been a misguided fear that the Supreme Court was ready to strike down measures that protected racial preferences at public universities and gut the Voting Rights Act (VRA). They did neither. The backlash came, however, from their decision to impose stricter limits on racial preferences as well as demand that Congress update the VRA. In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court found the coverage formula in Section 4 of the VRA, which outlines which jurisdictions are covered—“any that once used some form of barrier to bar minorities from voting, a formula that had been last updated in 1975”—to be “unconstitutional in light of current conditions.” In turn, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal known for her combative nature, accused her colleagues of “hubris” in suggesting that racism no longer posed a threat, particularly

in the Deep South.

Clearly, this is a highly polarized court. Yet, try as we might, partisan labels and ideologies do nothing to help us easily characterize these justices or the barrage of rulings that the court handed down. One theme, however, ties together the seemingly inconsistent rulings. Plainly put, these rulings show that the justices have a growing suspicion of attempts to use the law as a way to place a particular group or institution on a pedestal, as a way to single them out from all else, usually as a form of protection.

What these rulings proved is that the Supreme Court is rejecting the idea of accepting paternalism as a way of organizing American society. Hardly a new facet of American politics, paternalism exists on both sides of the political spectrum. The justices’ ruling on such a prominent case involving race sought to challenge long-standing, often liberal-minded beliefs that African-Americans and other oppressed minorities require unequal protections. The implication of the ruling is that these justices aren’t ready to place one race at a level above others, even if it’s supposedly for the sake of broader equality. The majority of the justices agreed that there was an evident disparity between how America has evolved since the brutal days of 1960s, and the rules kept in place by Congress.

On the other hand, by striking down DOMA, the Supreme Court took a stab at the right’s own form of hidden paternalism.

Anthony Kennedy chastised Congress for attempting to protect “the traditional moral teachings reflected in heterosexual-only marriage laws,” by placing heterosexual marriage on a pedestal.

The Supreme Court indicated that they weren’t about to allow Congress to ignore the constitution’s stress on a form of equality that understands that different communities have different values that aren’t set in stone, and as such usually evolve.

Deep down, this suspicion towards paternalism can be traced back as a national tradition—America was founded on the ideals of self-government and equality. To place one ideology, belief, or group of people above all others is to deny the same level of equality to all others. Now, is this the last instance that the Supreme Court will be fighting against the tendrils of paternalism? Probably not, but for a culture to evolve, the first step is acknowledging that the fight for equality starts not with singling out groups, but with understanding that no one should be singled out.

Sources: economist.com, nytimes.com

the talon • 7

point of view

A Break From the Catholic Church’s Past Pope Francis and his promising election Julia Abreu

J

orge Mario Bergoglio, most recently known as Pope Francis, now is the 266th elected sovereign of the Vatican City. Some see him as religious savior, but the Argentinean Francis carries much more than Catholicism in his luggage. After all, is the new Pope in office to spread Catholicism, or does he advocate for something bigger?

The Catholic Church is a highly influential organization.

The dominant power during the Middle Ages, worked with European kingdoms to kill millions of people who went against its beliefs, all in the name of Christ. The Church has a life of its own, an unimaginable persuasive power, and a strict bureaucracy under, to which its followers have learned to succumb. This is certainly the case with other religions, but the Catholic Church has historically held tremendious power.

Catholic Popes have always stood for everything the Church has enforced, which also means that he would stand behind religious scandals and suppress their importance beyond the Vatican walls. The Pope has also been the image of Catholic extravagance, which is why choosing the right leader for the Catholic Church is very difficult and extremely important.

From the moment he stepped foot into the Vatican Papal apartment, Francis refused to sleep under such a luxurious roof. “I don’t need all this,” said the Francis, as he asked to be relocated to a much humbler place to live in while he fulfills his duty. That first act came as a shock, much more so than his quicker-than-usual election as the first South American Pope, among several other candidates. For those who have always avidly praised the Papal image as the true savior under God, a man who shows humility does not exactly fit that idealized image. In a similar fashion to electing a nation’s first black president, electing a seemingly liberal, South-American Pope, is not only a cultural progress, but also sends a greater message to the world: that barriers can and will be broken with time.

Does it bother many people? It most certainly does, because we are afraid of what we don’t really know. But if change can bring improvement, then let change come, and let it keep coming.

Francis’s recent visit to Brazil brought along curiosity, but it also strengthened the faithful in different ways. He broke security protocols and walked amongst rowdy crowds of followers without fear, all while wearing a big smile on his face. His speeches, especially dedicated to young adults, moved people in such a powerful, positive way that even those who do not follow the Catholic faith tuned in to listen. The other day, a friend told me he was impressed at the fact that his

8 • the talon

Jewish friend knew more about the Pope and his trip to Brazil than he did. It really is impressive, and it shows the extent to which this man can bring about a new way of looking at faith.

Pope Francis seems to know his mission on this planet is to advocate faith, not necessarily in a single religion; to bring together communities in a world that is rapidly advancing into the unknown. Faith can limit an individual’s perspective, like it did in the Middle Ages, but faith can also mean strength to trust others and follow instincts, no matter how insignificant they may seem. As today’s youth, we are the pioneers of a new generation of interaction, and Pope Francis wanted us to see that with open minds and open hearts, so that we are prepared to deal with global issues, such as the lack of food, in the near future. Greed is still overpowering in many instances around the world, and while some die of hunger, others die of obesity.

We live in a selfish world, and I don’t exclude myself from that, because it is inevitable amongst the human race.

The new Pope, therefore, is on the verge of awakening a dormant volcano, figuratively speaking. He is the key to world union, despite his affiliation with the Catholic Church.

When asked about homosexuals, Pope Francis responded: “Who am I to judge?” That is the answer the world needs to hear, especially coming from such an influential religious figure, as homosexuals are frequently shunned or formented in the name of religion. A Pope isn’t supposed to judge, like a lawyer defending a criminal, or a medical doctor treating a patient with a sexually transmitted disease should not.

Life is made of preferences, some received as good and some are bad, but the seemignly bad choices can be guided towards better routes through the moving words of someone such as Pope Francis. I might not be a very religious person, for there are many things I don’t necessarily agree with, but when I see someone competent and humble be given such great responsibility as the Pope, it interests me very much. Religion should free, not trap individuals into strict guidelines, and as soon as the new Pope settles in and begins his journey I will be glad to watch him succeed. Will he bring discontent and criticism? No doubt. But brave, good-natured individuals like him push the masses forward, into more respectful, liberal ways of thinking.

ponto de vista

É Preciso Consertar o Cano A restauração dos princípios democráticos é o primerio passo para um país mais justo Fernão Mesquita

N

a maioria das vezes prefiro observar situações cautelosamente, antes de tirar conclusões precipitadas. Foi o que fiz quando observei, mais à distância do que envolto na euforia generalizada, as várias manifestações de Junho e Julho de 2013 em várias cidades do Brasil. Por isso mesmo, resolvi deixar as coisas esfriarem um pouco para formar minha própria opinião sobre os protestos.

Primeiro, deixo claro que os apoio totalmente. Num país politicamente desinteressado e tão acomodado como o nosso, manifestações como as que ocorreram são belos exemplos de como nós podemos, sim, fazer reivindicações pacíficas e democráticas.

Uma das coisas que mais me incomoda, entretanto, é a inevitável conclusão a qual cheguei: somos rebeldes com causa de sobra, mas sem nenhuma estratégia, sem qualquer ideologia em comum, ou proposta efetiva de mudança. Era pelos vinte centavos, deixou de ser, voltou a ser; conseguimos o que queríamos. E agora? É aí que entra um artigo do sociólogo português Boaventura de Souza Santos que li recentemente, no site “Carta Maior”. Primeiramente, foi interessante observar uma perspectiva estrangeira sobre as manifestações que ocorrem no país, mas o mais interessante foi ver como Souza Santos explica o que leva o brasileiro a se manifestar. Ele faz um retrato efetivo, mas talvez equivocado, de um Brasil dos últimos trinta anos, dividindo-o em três “narrativas” distintas.

Não nego que “as três narrativas” que o autor usa para descrever-nos têm sua relevância. Concordo com a primeira, que o autor descreve como uma narrativa de exclusão social baseada na história do país. Temos um histórico de exclusão social, caciquismo, coronelismo e injustiça, que até hoje permeia os âmbitos socioeconômicos e políticos.

A segunda, que Souza Santos descreve como “uma reivindicação de democracia participativa que remonta aos últimos 25 anos”, apesar de menos convincente, também está correta. Reivindicamos uma democracia participativa desde o fim do regime militar. Mas aí começam os equívocos do sociólogo. O que foi feito depois da ditadura não chega nem perto de uma real democracia, apesar da reivindicação de um estado democrático pleno.

A prova disso está na terceira narrativa: “as várias políticas de inclusão social adotadas pelo governo Lula, a partir de 2003”. Democracia plena só existe quando direitos iguais são garantidos a todas as camadas da população. Quando Souza

Santos menciona “as vastas políticas de inclusão social iniciadas no Governo Lula”, ele mostra o quão não democrático nosso país continua a ser.

Não sei se concordo com as políticas sociais do expresidente Lula, apesar de reconhecer seus méritos. Mas sei que, se elas precisam existir, não estamos vivendo um estado democrático efetivo. Minha impressão é que muitas dessas políticas “tapam o vazamento, mas não consertam o cano”.

São, em teoria, medidas provisórias, que geram resultado a curto prazo; mas não passam disso.

E é aí que vem o próximo passo na questão das manifestações.

Quando falam de reforma política, penso em reforma das instituições democráticas. Quando falam em fim da corrupção, penso novamente em reforma das instituições democráticas. Quero é cortar o mal pela raiz, não tapar buraco, mas como fazer isso exatamente?

Pode até soar pessimista, mas acredito que um dos primeiros passos é uma reforma no judiciário. Essa história de impunidade só acontece aqui porque todo juiz dá uma sentença personalizada, acabando com a igualdade perante a lei, um dos princípios básicos da democracia. Se um político e um morador de rua estão roubando, que sofram as mesmas consequências.

Exagerado? Talvez. Mas o que quero dizer é que duas pessoas que cometeram o mesmo crime não podem receber penas diferentes.

Acabemos também com a forma estúpida pela qual elegemos o poder legislativo, com a prática absurda de votos acumulados que vão para o partido, e não para o candidato.

Acabemos com o voto secreto de legisladores que, vergonhosamente, não representam o desejo dos eleitores.

Se há algo realmente positivo nas manifestações é que elas mostram que o Brasil está fazendo barulho e, mesmo com o esfriamento natural do movimento, continuamos a chamar atenção no exterior.

E o que fazer a partir de agora? Só mesmo por meio de uma reforma política verdadeira é que as outras diversas questões que tanto nos incomodam poderão se resolver, a começar pela corrupção e descaso do governo perante a educação, a saúde pública e a infraestrutura.

Fonte: cartamaior.com.br

the talon • 9

point of view

Snowden Says Surveillance State Stalks Privacy takes another hit Bella Shim

R

ecently, news about the hacktivist Edward Snowden, a figure ambivalently received by the public, has been rampant. The former intelligence analyst was responsible for a rather large scandal: one of the most substantial thefts of highly classified information that disclosed details about the mass-surveillance programs conducted by the US intelligence organization, the National Security Agency. Essentially, he proved that deranged conspiracy theorists were right after all. They were watching us. Snowden’s revelations outline how the NSA was collecting metadata of phone calls, e-mails, reservations, Internet searches, and a multitude of other activities in order to monitor and track our behaviors.

Sound familiar? The NSA’s agenda is parallel to George Orwell’s novel, 1984, a novel that has not so coincidentally risen 6000% in sales after Snowden’s data leak. The citizens in the story are strictly monitored by Big Brother, a figure that serves as a representative figure for the ruling party. The NSA is like Big Brother. Isn’t that terrifying? Not only would the government track your obsessive love for Lolcats, but it may also arrest you if you display any criminal behavior. As the government tracks and observes behaviors that precede illicit activities, it uses big data to predict future criminal acts. As a result, it’s not an exaggeration to assume that the police will begin to arrest people before they commit bad actions. The NSA pinpoints suspicious behavior to prevent terrorist attacks, supposedly.

This isn’t too far off from the Hobbesian state of nature, in which people attack others before they are assaulted. This is extremely barbaric, especially today, where we’re supposed to have human rights, laws, social contracts, and all that jazz. Hobbes believed that we must sacrifice liberty to the authority for security. Was he right? Must we also hand over privacy for safety from terrorists?

US President Obama preached that the government should be transparent, open, and collaborative, stating that “my Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use.” We haven’t been seeing much of that lately. And yet it’s ironic how the President labels Snowden as a traitor for revealing the government’s secrets. It’s also interesting how the government lacks trans-

10 • the talon

parency, yet endeavors to force openness onto the people by peeking into their virtual lives. The White House has not yet released an official statement about creepily spying on Internet users, and it has tried to divert attention away from this revelation by blaming Snowden for messing with them. Like a playground bully, the U.S. government has merely pointed a finger at Snowden, saying that none of this would have ever happened if it weren’t for him.

To be fair though, I don’t think it really matters whether Snowden is a hero or a villain. What matters is the fact that there is a glaring lack of privacy.

Gone are the days that only social media was messing with our digital lives. Today, we should be worried that some NSA agent is unnervingly listening in on our phone calls, reading our e-mails, and Internet searches (do you really want them to go through your embarrassing Google history?).

Snowden affirmatively stated, “The public needs to decide whether these programs and policies are right or wrong.” eff.org But allow me to qualify my opinions about the NSA by stating that this really isn’t a big deal at all. I’m sorry to rain on your parade, Mr. Snowden, but many companies have already been using metadata to stockpile information. What I really want to say is, conspiracy theorists were correct all along. It wasn’t just the NSA snooping through our stuff; large Internet industries have been the biggest snoopers of all time, customizing web experiences to be more appealing to us. For example, they have been using cookies to track our IP addresses, which are linked to our names, home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and whatnot. When you use Twitter, there is a multitude of metadata about your tweets, which indicates your Twitter ID, the location, program and device that you used to send that tweet. Our favorite search engine, Google, is a keen information collector. It tracks searches, and the links you click on to contribute to Ad Serving, a program that devises alluring advertisements designed for each person.

Privacy-wise, maybe we’re not so safe after all. We weren’t surfing the Internet; the Internet was surfing us.

Sources: whitehouse.gov; scmp.com; time.com; ibtimes. co.uk; itworld.com

section title all lowercase features

Failure Behind Success How can justice and negligence coexist?

Clara Bezerra

T

wo months ago, a wave of protests and demand for change hit Brazil. Although sparked by a 20 centavo increase in bus fare, this response to perceived injustice expanded until it became a nationwide movement against governmental indifference and incompetence. However, the government has done little to change its ways.

As the protests grew in numbers and impact, two political figures, seemingly unaware of the battle for change occurring around them, relied on government expenditures to engage in leisure activities. Henrique Eduardo Alves, president of the Chamber of Deputies, violated the Brazilian Air Force’s decree that says aircraft can only be used for medical, security, and political purposes, and took an official jet to travel with relatives to watch the Confederations Cup. The deputy’s press office, to justify Alves’ behavior, stated he had scheduled a meeting with Eduardo Paes, mayor of Rio de Janeiro. However, when the Folha de São Paulo gained access to the Chamber president’s agenda, they released a statement confirming no official encounters had been registered.

Similarly, Sérgio Cabral, governor of Rio de Janeiro, used a helicopter owned by the Air Force for private purposes, costing the Brazilian government around U.S. $ 137,000 a month. In a country where 20 centavos makes a difference, such examples of corruption and waste are not being tolerated.

Less sporadic and more worrying are political issues at the core of government that hinder the population’s hopes for a more just system. The number of ministries in the Brazilian government grew from 24 under Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s presidency (1999-2002) to 37 under Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s (2003-2008), to 39 under current president Dilma Rousseff’s.

To keep these functioning according to the law, the number of civil servants also had to increase.

In 2002, 810,000 officials were part of the government. This number grew over a period of ten years to 985,000, denoting a 22 percent increase. This overcrowding led to an inevitable increase in the amount of money needed from public funds, from 26 to 60 billion dollars. This money, however, is being lost in the corrupt and beaurocratic civil system. A shocking 40 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product is collected but not effectively directed towards meeting the needs of the population, particularly education, security, and transport. Despite obvious flaws, throughout the period of protests President Rousseff continued to defend the government’s

structure, stating that reducing the number of ministries would make fixing social and economic inequality more difficult. In response to critics of the Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega, who claim that his policies have failed by sacrificing economic growth for stability, she asserted that “he will stay where he’s always been: at the finance ministry.”

Surprisingly, the protesters were able to overcome the government’s stubbornness and achieve some visible goals. On June 19, the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro announced the reduction of the new transport tariffs back to the original price, followed soon after by Cuiabá, Porto Alegre, Recife, and João Pessoa. A week later, the Senate approved legislation that makes corruption a more grievous offense, which is still to be voted on by the Chamber of Deputies. Furthermore, on July 10, a proposal created by federal deputy André Figueiredo to direct 75 percent of income from oil royalties to education and 25 percent to health was approved by the government’s Chamber. The Chamber will reconvene this month to vote on four of the project’s highlights. Although these changes are still very far from meeting the population’s needs and solving all issues the protests were centered around, they are definitely the first steps to improvement, this time driven by the people. globalpost.com So it appears that the government has taken a contradictory stance: they allow the public some victories, but at the same time perpetuate actions that the same public is fighting against. In trying to understand this contrast, I have started to see the protests and the resulting policy changes as anomalies, as deviations from the common order. That, however, does not mean our country is dominated by failures, ruled by a government that is completely dishonest. There are positive aspects to the current social structure.

It just means that political changes for the better are not yet the norm. I’m not really qualified to make an educated prediction about the future, but I can’t help but wonder what would happen if these movements against negligence stopped being anomalies and became standard operating procedure. Would the old stagnant framework still have the strength to counter progress?

Sources: noticias.r7.com, zerohora.clicrbs.com.br; monitormercantil.com.br,andrefigueiredo.net, veja.abril.com.br, otempo.com.br, economist.com, reuters.com, monitormercantil.com.br, dw.de

the talon • 17

features

How in the World do You Use a Pipette?

Should doctors also be scientists?

Pooja Singhi

M

.D. Doctor of Medicine. High salary, elite education, and, all in all, “smart”—or so it would seem. I once believed that doctors knew just about everything there was to know about biological science. So, when Dr. Mark Fritz walked into the lab that I was working in this summer, clueless about even the most basic research protocols, I was surprised and even a little unnerved.

Doctors are not necessarily researchers or scientists. As explained by Richard Smith, “Some doctors are scientists—just as some politicians are scientists—but most are not.” They may not know how to use a polymerase chain reaction machine or how to stain the cells on a slide or how to inject antibodies into a rat. More importantly, they do not know how to fill the holes in our scientific knowledge base. Researchers think about how to prevent the formation of cancerous legions, how to detect an earlier onset of pre-eclampsia, how to make sclerosis patients walk again. On the other hand, medical students spend more time memorizing the intricate mechanics of the heart than imagining the design of a more effective artery stent. Doctors are not innovators or creators. They do not usually advance scientific discovery; they merely execute the advancements.

Many argue that medicine has become a trade, with doctors diagnosing illnesses and prescribing treatments as routinely as a handyman fixes water pipes. Meanwhile, researchers are discovering illnesses and designing treatments. That is the distinction. So, why has this happened? And is it a problem?

As with many career choices, the most compelling factor is, perhaps, money. Doctors compose one of the wealthiest tiers in society. In the U.S., for example, cardiologists and neurosurgeons can have starting salaries of half a million dollars and even pediatricians, who Time magazine dubs the “poorest doctors,” make an average of 156,000 dollars per year, over 100,000 dollars more than the average household income in the United States. Meanwhile, money is undeniably the most significant barrier in modern research. Machinery, samples, and bench space are all expensive, requiring millions if not billions of dollars. Senior scientists spend the majority of their time writing grants to the National Institutes of Health, only to be disappointed 92 percent of the time. And, with regard to individual income, researchers make an average of 79,000 dollars a year. Therefore, the most scientifically advanced high school and undergraduate students have veered towards medicine and, over time, these minds have moved closer to clinical practice and farther away from the laboratory. Thus, it is not difficult to understand why doctors would rather conduct a cardiac surgery that can provide enough money to pay for their child’s Ivy League education rather than write a multipage research grant that has only an 8 percent change of being approved.

18 • the talon

But, is it a problem that doctors are not scientists?

Should they know to use a pipette?

In clinical practice, we see a movement away from analytical thinking as memorization and routine become key.

Stuffy nose, fever, body aches: influenza. Longer periods of sleep, enlarged thyroid gland, weight gain: hypothyroidism. A series of symptoms code for a disease and, within a 15-minute appointment, the patient is handed a prescription. Meanwhile, researchers continuously encounter and adjust to unexpected outcomes, innovating and creating. Perhaps by teaching doctors how to be researchers, this analytical thinking can be used in the clinic to deal with a wider range of people, a wider range of medical circumstances and, most importantly, allow doctors to adapt to forthcoming advancements in a dynamic and flexible way.

However, others argue that since the majority of ailments can be treated through routine and methodology, research would be a needless distraction for medical doctors.

Why must a connection be drawn between research and medicine if all that unites them is these general topics of biological science? These principles rest upon the notion that medicine is a trade. Just as a handy man does not understand how engineers developed the drill he is using, a podiatrist does not need to understand how researchers developed the medicine he is prescribing. If we as a society are willing to except this redefining of what it means to be a doctor, if we are willing to abolish the notion that doctors are the forefront of medical pioneers, then we can readily construct this permanent barrier between scientists and medical doctors.

Although not directly pertinent to scientific principles, we must ultimately consider the relationship between the scientific community and the rest of society. The doctorresearcher would instill much more confidence in the patients they treat. Knowing the methodology for performing pancreatic surgery as well as understanding how to develop treatments for pancreatitis could keep patients more at ease and solidify the crucial line of trust between a medical practitioners and the individuals that they help. Finally, the realm of scientific research is tragically suffering: little money, little community interest, little prestige. Perhaps affiliating doctors, arguably one of the most revered professions, could press to increase the funding, the attention, the respect attributed to the pioneers of discovery. Maybe the next Dr. House or Dr. Meredith Grey would spend a little more time on the bench rather than the operating room.

Sources: blog.soliant.com; healthland.time.com; rport.nih. gov; quickfacts.census.gov

features

Is it Really a Man’s World?

The world of drag queens Karen Kandelman

D

rag queens are female impersonators who perform a variety of acts, such as dancing, acting, and stand-up comedy.

Most are purely entertainers, who have no desire to live as women or become them, which differs from transvestites or transsexuals. Transvestites are people who habitually adopt a style or manner traditionally related to the other sex, and transsexuals are men or women who go as far as changing their sexual organs to convert their gender. Even though the majority of drag queens are part of the homosexual demographic, straight men and women also participate. Writer and expert Tom Bartolomei expresses this fact is surprising but makes sense since “drag is an art form, not a way of life.”

The following information has been assembled from a research paper of the University of North Texas, titled Gender Performativity and Self-Perception: Drag as Masquerade. Dr. Jessica Strübel-Scheiner, published in the International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, analyzed the blog responses of drag queens from around the United States and personal interviews she had with female impersonators in the Dallas, Texas area to come to the conclusions below: 1. Gender Identity: Drag queens are a “middle-ground” group of people who are confused about their sexuality and/or want to challenge the established boundaries between existent gender roles.

In essence, drag queens merge two genders, combining, for example, masculine features with feminine behavior and attire. This different take on gender identity has even started a movement on Tumblr to celebrate “a-gender.” Drag queens have been increasingly able to share their message and ideals with the world, especially due to the support they have been receiving from the gay and straight communities alike. David Harris, author of Diary of a Drag Queen, explains that drag queens are relatively more accepted in society than gay men since they are (unfortunately) seen as “an endearing object of amused pity.” Hollywood has included drag queens in major productions and with this exposure comes tolerance; perhaps further inclusion of homosexual characters in movies and TV shows will promote the reduction of stereotypes and discrimination. Unfortunately, however, society sometimes perceives drag queens as “freaks,” marginalizing them by promoting an inflexible code of conduct.

2. Masquerade: Gender roles are prescribed by society; femininity and masculinity can be seen as societal creations. Perhaps it is

because in the past males needed competitiveness, strength, independence, courage, and aggression for survival that these characteristics became perceived as ideal by a portion of society. Drag queens step out of the social pressures that come along with being men, and allow themselves to break these boundaries, which may be a reason why drag queens are erroneously described as “rude and crude.”

3. Body Image: The interviews conducted by Strübel-Scheiner and her team revealed that some men who become drag queens are not entirely pleased with their body types and therefore dress up in costumes and perform to call attention to them. Jenna Skyy, a Dallas drag queen who was interviewed for the study, referred to the low self-esteem that some drag queens may have by saying, “take a whole lotta ugly to get to pretty.”

The North Texas University research attempted to prove that drag queens had low self-esteem, were hyperfeminine and were unsatisfied with their bodies by applying the following psychological tests: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (self-esteem measure), the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (categorize people by their self-image particularly related to gender acceptance), and the Body–Esteem Scale. However, the data showed that the drag queens interviewed and those who answered the questionnaire had high self-esteem and no self-image issues; the personal conversations that the researchers had with them revealed they did. A universal reason for why drag queens become who they are was not proposed, but the effects of a macho society are evident.

In “Dragqueens” featuring Raja Gemini and Vicky Vox—a video in the series “Subcultures” within the YouTube channel SoulPancake—Gemini explains how he hid his drag queen existence from his parents because he thought, “What if they are going to disown me? What if they are not going to love me anymore?” Vox reflects on what his grandmother said when he was thirteen: “You are going to piss people off in this world, and people are not going to like you; that is not your problem.

All you have to do is be yourself.” Vox also mentions that the drag queen community is extremely united because everyone understands that all of them have had to “fight” to be who they want to be. The overall message conveyed by both is “live your life authentically…you have to learn to not care about what other people think… and you are going to mess it up a whole bunch… but you will be yourself eventually.”

Sources: ijhssnet.com, youtube.com, about.com

the talon • 19

features

Stop Olympus from Falling How do you save the President by yourself?

Sylvia Yang

D

uring my 25-hour journey from Seoul to São Paulo (yes, it actually does take that long), I had more than enough free time to do whatever I wanted, but limited options of things to actually do. Even after having traveled this same route so many times, I was still not quite sure of how to take advantage of it. When I try reading in an airplane, I start feeling nauseous, so that certainly wasn’t an option. Out of the limited things to do, which really came down to sleeping or watching a movie, I chose the latter. One movie stood out the most to me, mostly because of its tense scenes that included what I felt were unbelievable accomplishments. This action thriller got me to forget, even if for just a moment, the uncomfortable conditions of the airplane.

In the movie Olympus Has Fallen, the character Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is a Secret Service agent assigned to President Asher of the United States of America (Aaron Eckhart). While the President and his wife are going to a Christmas party, strong snowstorms veer their car off course, making it shift to the edge of the bridge they are driving on. Banning, who is in another car escorting the family, has the immediate reaction to save the President first. When he does so, the car becomes unbalanced and falls of the bridge, while the First Lady is still inside it. As a result, Asher is completely overcome with grief, and reassigns Banning to a desk job. Although the President’s action is understandable, I continue to question whether or not it is necessary—the accident wasn’t Banning’s fault.

Eighteen months later, the President gets ready to meet the South Korean Prime Minister to talk about the conflict between North and South Korea, which had recently become more publicly violent. As a South Korean, I began to become more interested at this point in the movie. Soon after the South Korean delegation arrives, an unidentified plane flies across Washington, D.C. This plane, after attacking an American aircraft, crashes into the White House, signaling the start of complete chaos. Ordinary-looking people in the crowd turn out to be violent terrorists, and begin to charge towards the White House, shooting security guards and civilians in the process. Once the Secret Service agents protecting the President hear about the turmoil outside of the building, they urgently escort the President and the South Korean delegation.

They enter a bunker, which once closed can only be opened from the inside.

The Secret Service director as well as other gener-

20 • the talon

als and agents meet at the Pentagon to discuss the situation.

Suddenly (spoiler alert!) a video is broadcast from the bunker, and the most unexpected thing happens: the Korean Prime Minister’s aide murders the Prime Minister himself. Although it is unclear, and a bit unbelievable, the murderer is able to take the US President as hostage. This aide, who cannot be identified by agents through facial recognition, demands things from the US government, such as the immediate retreat of the Seventh Fleet Korean unit. He does not, however, reveal the original purpose of this attack. It soon becomes clear that the assaults on the White House are interconnected as part of a secret scheme planned out by the Prime Minister’s aide, whose identity is later revealed. One thing that really bugs me about this part of the movie is how terrible the terrorists and the aide speak Korean, when they are both supposed to be (spoiler alert!) North Koreans. You would think that a terrorist would be fluent in his or her language, but this movie suggests otherwise. I couldn’t help but giggle at how these scary, strong-looking men spoke as if they were elementaryschool students.

Meanwhile, Banning is just sitting in his office, which is not far from the White House, and looking pretty miserable, when he witnesses the airplane crash and destruction. While others desperately try to run as far away from the pandemonium as possible, Banning runs to the White House to help the President and his son, whose whereabouts are unknown.

Standing ovation to him for running to the rescue! Banning, being a former Secret Service agent, shows impressive combat skills, and is able to infiltrate the building by killing off the enemies with a little too much ease. Because all of the secret service agents and security guards have died, the only person inside the building the Secret Service can rely on is Banning. It is up to him to find the President, and stop the terrorists from (spoiler alert, yet again!) activating Cerberus, a program that controls all the nuclear weaponry.

To be quite honest, the movie’s plot seems quite unrealistic. After watching it I kept thinking: “how in the world do you save the President by yourself while the White House is under attack by terrorists?” Somehow, however, Banning is able to discover and accomplish very difficult things, even though he is placed in a disadvantageous situation. If anyone is looking for an amusing action movie, devoid of high quality or realistic content, I suggest Olympus has Fallen.

section title all lowercase features

How in the World...?

Explanations for those brain-tickling questions that keep you up at night Features Team

H

ow in the world did Berg and Pfeiffer meet?

Ms. Pfeiffer: “We met two decades ago at Columbia University’s Teachers College, at the Klingenstein Program, a summer program for young teachers in American independent schools. We were teaching at schools in San Francisco [Pfeiffer] and in Honolulu [Berg], so we were lucky to have spent our first month together in NYC.” In their English-teacher group sessions, Ms. Pfeiffer remembers how impressed she was with Berg’s cool confidence and his ideas about Sylvia Plath’s poem “Blackberrying.” Mr. Berg remembers that Pfeiffer “had a high IQ and a low-cut dress.”

How in the world do spiders walk on ceilings?

Spiders have thousands of tiny hairs on their legs, called scopulae, which act as an adhesive between the spiders and the ceilings. “Van der Waals forces” bond each of these points of contact with the wall at a molecular level, allowing the spider to carry up to 170 times its body weight while fearlessly attached to your ceiling. Interestingly, this discovery was made only a few years ago using a scanning electron microscope.

How in the world does Santa Claus visit every child’s house on Christmas night?

Santa Claus solves this predicament quite easily, thanks to the Earth’s orbit around the sun and its result: time zones. Santa Claus starts at the eastern edge of Siberia and works his way to the western edge of Alaska, placing those eagerly awaited presents under every Christmas tree on the way. Therefore, rather than just a seven hour night, Mr. Claus gets a whole 24 hours to complete his journey and still make it back to the North Pole on time.

How in the world did Ms. Pfeiffer get into both University of Chicago and Stanford?

Ms. Pfeiffer: “An accurate answer lies in their admissions archives, but I did indeed work hard in high school to get into those schools. Yet I also know that to be accepted into schools like Chicago and Stanford, applicants need an element of sheer luck (I know that this gives no comfort to those of you who will apply to elite universities…sorry). One quality that may have made me stand out was that I came from a Wisconsin village of just 199 people and a small public rural high school with no IB or AP classes, so Chicago and Stanford may have been intrigued by my provincialism. I am sure they thought, ‘Boy, does SHE have a lot to learn!’ And they were right.”

How in the world does Adam Hunt Fertig survive 5 Higher Level classes?

When pressed for comment, Adam responded, “I don’t actually survive it. The Adam you used to know has vacated this body.

One day you will all serve me under my satanic dominion.”

How in the world are plants carnivores?

We all know that insects eat plants, but who would have thought that plants also eat insects? Carnivorous plants still photosynthesize; however, since the soil in the areas they reside does not have sufficient nutrients, they feed on insects to fill this dietary hole. Each carnivorous plant consumes insects in a different way, but here are a few examples: the Venus Fly Trap has lobes that snap shut when an insect lands on the plant and stimulates special hairs. After thorn-like cilia stop prey from escaping, the lobe tightly encloses the insect and becomes a “stomach” in which digestion occurs. In the Bladderwort, a negative pressure bladder has a trap door that is stimulated by hairs to open and suck in an insect within ten thousandths of a second. Finally, the Cobra Lily has dense hairs that grow inwards, allowing insects to walk farther into the digestive cavity but not walk backwards and escape.

How in the world did the Kardashians become so famous?

Consider the following situation: in an interview, someone asks one of the Kardashians what her occupation is. We can only imagine that a likely response would be, “Well, I am famous.”

But, famous for what? Celebrities generally attain this status from another profession, whether acting, singing, scientific researching, or other. However, the Kardashians appear to be famous for nothing. Kris Jenner, the mother of Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian, seems to have weaved her way into the “A-list.” Her first husband was Robert Kardashian, one of O.J. Simpson’s lawyers, her second husband is Bruce Jenner, the Olympic decathlon gold-medalist, and her step-son is Brody Jenner, boyfriend of singer Avril Lavigne and actor on The Hills. Her daughter seems to have followed suit by befriending Paris Hilton and dating numerous Hollywood celebrities.

Now, with multiple reality TV shows, the Kardashian seem to be proving that there isn’t always a reason for fame.

Sources: yahoo.com; listverse.com; camptwo.com; cultofmac. com; aeromuseum.org; earthsky.org.

the talon • 21

entertainment

Amoeba Music Hippies and their huge record stores Kevin Shimba Bengtsson

T

his past vacation, I had the opportunity to visit San Francisco, a city recognized as one of the main birthplaces of the American hippie movement of the mid-1960s. During my stay there, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit the Haight-Ashbury district, the place where colorful busloads of hippies congregated around five decades ago. I was surprised to see that the place seemed like it was frozen in time: vintage clothing stores (with apparel dating back to the late 1800s) dominated the area, weird psychedelic patterns were still the rage, and the smell of weed was everywhere. They might not be the real deal, but the occupants of that neighborhood are probably the closest living things to hippies I’ll ever see.

Hippies are perhaps more inextricably linked with music than any other aspect of their culture, and the current residents of Haight-Ashbury still clearly take that to heart, given the mammoth record store which lies in the heart of the neighborhood: Amoeba Music. After walking in, every record store I had ever been in paled in comparison in terms of size, atmosphere, and range of selection. This is a music lover’s paradise: its shelves hold hundreds of thousands of vinyl records, CDs, audio cassettes (I guess people still buy those), DVDs, and other goodies. It’s truly a sight to behold. The collection that the store had to offer was so tremendous that my brother was even able to find an obscure Japanese CD that he couldn’t even find online. I, too, was able to find (and purchase) several albums I couldn’t find anywhere else. How in the world do you satisfy a community of eclectic music lovers? By making a really, really, really big record store. Duh. A store of such size and renown is bound to make an impact on culture, and I felt that impact not too long after leaving the store. As we walked into a local coffee shop to sit down and take a break, a woman, spotting the distinct yellow Amoeba bag, asked to see what we had bought and commended us on our purchase. That’s the vibe in the area around the store: people like good music and like to know that others enjoy good music, too.

22 • the talon

Interestingly enough, though, the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury store isn’t the only one of its kind, or even the first. The Amoeba chain began in 1990 with a store in nearby Berkeley, founded by some former employees of another record store chain, Rasputin Records. Nowadays, it is the smallest of the three stores that bear the Amoeba name. The massive, 24,000 square foot (2,200 m2) San Francisco location I visited was opened in 1997 and, much to my surprise, isn’t the biggest store. At my next stop in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to visit Amoeba’s Hollywood location, inaugurated in 2001.

The massive, two-story behemoth of a store contains literally millions of titles for sale. The San Francisco store suddenly seemed quaint in comparison. In awe of this mighty beast, I figured I had to make a few more purchases, as if to pay tribute to the almighty Amoeba god.

Along with being a record store, the Hollywood location in particular attracts artists to bluntmag.com play free concerts for Amoeba clients. One of the biggest names to grace the store was Paul McCartney, who played an unannounced show on 27 July 2007, which would later turn into a live EP entitled Amoeba’s Secret, as well as an album, Live in Los Angeles. Others who have joined the roster of Amoeba guests include Ellie Goulding, Flight of the Conchords, Flying Lotus, Herbie Hancock, Miguel, Patti Smith, Pretty Lights, Vampire Weekend and Yo La Tengo. The sheer power of the store’s name brings artists to perform and be a part of the awesome atmosphere. Amoeba Music is a playable venue in the Guitar Hero games, which just goes to show the ubiquity of the store in the music world.

Record stores make me happy. I’m used to being told that buying music is stupid (“who buys music nowadays anyway?”) and being met with stares whenever I told someone that I bought a CD (gasp!). Places like Amoeba Records are comforting because they show me that there are still people out there who like doing the same.

Source: amoeba.com

entertainment

Let Me Tell You About...

Explaining and reviewing the phenomenon that is plain text Felipe Marques

T

he odd title prefacing this article can be easily explained: “let me tell you about Homestuck” is a phrase typically used by fans of the webcomic in order to explain it to the uninitiated—much like I am doing now. But how in the world can one “tell you about Homestuck”? If I were to stick to the proper way of defining it, Homestuck is a webcomic by Andrew Hussie, which started on April 13, 2009, about the misadventures of John, Rose, Dave and Jade as they play an online game with a mysterious purpose. Putting it this way, Homestuck seems like just another webcomic, but it can be safely called an Internet phenomenon: whether it be on YouTube, DeviantArt or Tumblr, you’re bound to find videos, fan-art and ask-blogs dedicated to Homestuck. But what made it such a successful comic among the thousands out there on the Internet?

First, the sheer length of the series could contribute to its success. With over seven thousand pages and over seven hundred thousand words (more than any translated version of War and Peace), and considering Hussie updates about five or six pages a day, it is supposedly one of the longest written works of the English language.

Even classifying it as a “written work” doesn’t do justice to the immensity of the webcomic, mostly because it isn’t just a written work.. While the typical page would be an image accompanied by dialog in the form of a collapsible “pesterlog” or “diaglog” (in which the dialog is presented as an Internet chat room complete with odd typing quirks), there are also longer flash animations (such as the magnificent “[S] Cascade,” done by multiple artists in conjunction with Hussie), and, more importantly, interactive portions that play out much like one of those 16-bit fantasy video games from the late Nineties.

Speaking of which, it is important to mention that the comic “plays” out like an old, text-based adventure game, with panel transitions being marked by the now-iconic “[NAME]: do the action” button underneath each image/pesterlog/animation/ interactive game. As such, Hussie originally asked readers to send in suggestions as to what the characters should do next, which brings up another highly important point.

After Act 1 of 6, Andrew Hussie just couldn’t use fan-

submitted interactions anymore, not because of quality, but because of sheer quantity. The highly important point mentioned earlier is that Homestuck has a huge fandom (internet-slang for a group of fans of a particular series). And when I say huge, I mean it: there is no official number pertaining to just how many Homestuck readers exist but fan theories on the site’s forum estimate it to be around one million. An exaggeration, perhaps, but not unlikely, considering the masses of people cosplaying the comic’s myriad characters at conventions creating the demand, sometimes, to separate halls and rooms exclusively for the mob of Homestucks (as the fandom is called).

Homestuck’s cast is gargantuan: there are about 95 recurring characters throughout the whole story, with sixty of them being “controllable/playable” (as in, those whose story you follow). Here are some of the largest playable rosters in video games to date for comparison: Super Smash Bros. Brawl has 35 playable characters; Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition has 39; Tekken Tag Tournament 2 loses to Homestuck by mspaintadventure.com one. The size of the cast isn’t its only remarkable attribute, however, in a way, anyone could relate to any of the 32 protagonists of the comic (8 human kids [“Alpha” universe +“Beta” universe] + 24 “Trolls” [again, “Alpha “+”Beta”]), whether it be the nonchalant Dave Strider, the emotionally desperate Eridan Ampora, the nonconformist Meenah Peixes, or even the happy-go-lucky and always hopeful John Egbert, featured in this article’s image.

All this just goes to show how Homestuck is more than just a comic, and closer to the “multimedia experience” I mentioned earlier. It is an ongoing journey of complex character and plot development, tons of text and hours of videos and interactive segments, all forming what could be considered one of the greatest Internet followings in the history of the medium. Nothing I can say though, can’t replace actually reading Homestuck. In conclusion, if you have (quite a lot of) time to spare and are in need of an adventure, go ahead and read Homestuck. At the very least, you won’t see puppets the same way ever again.

the talon • 23

entertainment

A New Boot to the Face?

Dystopia is in MC Otani

C

atching Fire. I can still hear the cries of excitement as the newest trailer was released at Comic Con. Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy has become immensely popular among teenagers and young adults ever since the first book was released in 2008. Do I even need to explain the plot? We are all familiar with the story of a girl’s fight for survival and rebellion in a not too distant future.

Everyone loves a good dystopian adventure: a pretty hero/heroine facing the hardships of living in a damaged world ruled by an evil dictator, a society that lives in constant fear of its oppressive government, a world in which toxic waste has destroyed the planet, a future in which robots have taken over. But here’s the catch—dystopian novels always arise for a reason. Or should, at least. As such, books always need a setting in which to begin, that is, a historical context that allows for a particular criticism of society, incorporating the problems governments and countries face.

Novels such as Brave New World, 1984, and The Handmaid’s Tale show us writers’ and thinkers’ fears of what society could soon become during their times. Published in 1932, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World was written in response to the rapid growth of industries after the Industrial Revolution and the social changes occurring during the Russian Revolution and WWI. Envisioning a capitalist, industry-based society, Huxley successfully predicted issues we deal with today as a result of the changes and progresses of his time, such as drugs, promiscuity and materialism.

Orwell’s 1984, published in 1939—the height of Stalin’s dictatorship in Russia and when the buzzes of revolution and social change were reaching their summit—was written anticipating a horrific totalitarian and oppressive government ruling the world if communism were ever to become the central form of government. In spite of a much darker and more radical and depressive approach, 1984 brought to light the harmful nature of censorship and controlling governments.

Like Orwell’s dystopia, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale illustrated the growing fear in the ‘80s of destroying the world with toxic waste, the repercussions of the Cold War, and the backlash against feminist movements.

Those times seemed bleak and ripe for change, and thus, The Handmaid’s Tale represented Atwood’s hopes and fears penned down on paper.

In spite of its poor writing, pre-teenager appeal, and melodramatic love triangles, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games provides a powerful critique to our 21st century society. This

24 • the talon

is a society where the rich and the poor live in two separate worlds, where super filialities brought to us by the media occupy most of our thoughts and where those in power manipulate the majority. Panem—Collins’ fictional dystopian nation—is nothing but a reflection of the first world countries we live in.

Although Collins’ depiction of 21st century Western society is strong and hauntingly relatable, the Hunger Games mega sensation isn’t enough to fully incorporate what is truly happening. Not only do we live in a capitalist, materialistic and superficial world, but lately, it seems like things are heading on a darker path.

The world is more Orwellian than we ever thought it could be. Edward Snowden’s shocking revelation of the NSA’s plans to rule the world with cameras and supercomputers has opened our eyes to a reality we never knew existed. The most powerful government on Earth has been spying on its fellow countries for the past decade, and it is clear that it has no intentions whatsoever to stop. Snowden, a criminal for telling his country (and consequently, the world) of his government’s illegal affairs is currently on the run as the American government does everything in its power to catch up with him. Bradley Manning, a soldier who sent numerous secret US army files to Wikileaks has just been sentenced to 100+ years in prison. An upcoming movie based on Julian Assange, The Fifth Estate, has just released a trailer that leaves us with a tingling of both fear and outrage. As if that wasn’t enough, dissatisfied people in all parts of the world are taking to the streets in protest. We have all seen more than enough of the protests that shook Brazil in early July, where hundreds of thousands went out to the streets to fight against the corruption, exploitation, and the ineffectiveness of the government. The death toll of Egypt’s riots are rising day by day as the army struggles to regain control.

Now we question. We are setting up the building blocks for yet another dystopia. So what will the next dystopian novel be about? Capitalism, exploitation, mass manipulation, the demise of privacy, censorship, the removal of freedoms in the name of protection, an Orwellian take on a Panemesque society? Will we be seeing others’ interpretations and haunting predictions for the future as the protests in Brazil, riots in Egypt, war in Syria, and privacy-breaching issues in America continue to unravel? I can’t wait to see.

Sources: wikipedia.com; huffingtonpost.com

entertainment

Rest in Peace, Pop Music Anyone can write a number-one hit nowadays Michael Borger

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usic’s essence has changed and evolved over the years, poetic lyrics by the Beatles replaced by Ke$ha’s mumbling. Of course there are different opinions about whether or not music has bettered or worsened over the years, with many listeners leaning towards the latter. However, I’ll admit that there are some great pop artists out there that really know how to get the dance floor going. Some of these great pop artists, though, end up spewing out profanity-laden and rhythmically counterintuitive singles that emphasize the importance of self-objectification. This year’s pop music, or at least the mainstream songs, is reminiscent of all of Nickelback’s discography; almost all the songs are identical and meaningless. So, let’s take a moment to reflect on this year’s most popular, but lyrically ambiguous and unoriginal songs: “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke (featuring T. I. and Pharrell) “Okay now he was close, tried to domesticate you, but you’re an animal. Baby, it’s in your nature. Just let me liberate you.” When Robin Thicke “liberates” you, it’s that type of elation you feel when you’ve graduated the third grade and realize absolutely nothing has changed.

“We Can’t Stop,” Miley Cyrus “So la da di da di, we like to party, dancing with Miley” Wow, this is so enlightening.

“We like to party”. No, you didn’t say? I couldn’t tell. “Dancing with Miley,” that’s nice to know—I don’t care, though.

“Made in the USA,” Demi Lovato “Our love runs deep like a chevy. If you fall I’ll fall with you baby ‘cause that’s the way we like to do it, that’s the way we like” We like falling together. There’s nothing wrong with that. Don’t judge us.

“Treasure,”BrunoMars “Treasure, that is what you are. Honey, you’re my golden star. You know you could make my wish come true if you let me treasure you.” I’ll admit, at first glance these lyrics don’t seem to be horrible. But come on, Bruno, you can do better than resort to using the passive voice in the first line of the chorus. Oh, and did I mention the whole objectifying women part? Yeah, let’s not do that.

“Best Song Ever,” One Direction “And we danced all night to the best song ever. We knew every line now I can’t remember how it goes, but I know that I won’t forget her cause we danced all night to the best song ever!” If it’s actually the “best song ever,” at least one of the guys should remember the lyrics. For next time, let’s try actually writing a song with

a chorus, okay, guys?

“Holy Grail,” Jay-Z (featuring Justin Timberlake) “Living the life, Vanilla Wafers in a villa.” I couldn’t include most of the song because there was the N-word in almost every single line, except for this one where Jay-Z mentions a famous sweet treat. Thank you, Jay-Z, for telling me that a healthy snack consists of Vanilla Wafers and a “Holy Grail.”

I’ll be sure to remember that the next time I go to a supermarket.

“Can’t Hold Us,” Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (featuring Ray Dalton) “Can we go back, this is the moment. Tonight is the night, we’ll fight ‘til it’s over, so we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us, like the ceiling can’t hold us.”

I’m guessing nobody’s raising the roof tonight? Okay, that joke was absolutely horrible. The only thing that bothers me about this song is that I don’t know who they’re fighting? I mean, is there an enemy here or are they just fighting anyone that comes in their way? It’s like, “Hey, I’m here for the party!” *Bam in the face* “Come and Get It,” Selena Gomez “When you’re ready come and get it, na na na” What am I coming to get, again?

It’s not like you left that part out.

“The Way” by Ariana Grande Featuring Mac Miller “You give me that kind of something, want it all the time, need it every day. On a scale of one to ten, I’m at a hundred. Never get enough, I can’t stay away.” First off, you’re welcome.

Second off, one hundred is not a number between one and ten, sorry.

These are a few songs that have assaulted radios this year, but I will admit that there are plenty of songs out there at the moment that are both written in intelligible language and lyrically profound. So instead of doing what I just did, analyzing vapid song lyrics, try searching for some great pop songs. It’s not about whether or not they’re from this decade, but whether or not the lyrics pull at the audience’s heartstrings. Pop is not about objectifying women, nor a contest of who can drop the N-bomb the most times in one minute and especially not about “wooping” and “ughing,” but about expressing and addressing relatable and frequently controversial topics simply and elegantly. After reading this article, if you realize that I have some lingering or newfound skepticism towards this year’s music based on it’s lyrics, you’re welcome.

the talon • 25

entertainment

ArduWhat?

Graded in space MC Otani and Bruno Riguzzi

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t all began in A9. The classroom was packed with excited students who signed up for an after-school activity they all thought would be a training program for aspiring astronauts.

Once the meeting was over, many left the classroom feeling slightly confused and overwhelmed, while others left feeling confident and slightly over-enthusiastic for the future of this project. It was made clear that a great amount of time, dedication, tears, and hard work would be necessary for the ArduSat project, but the results would reward us with experience and knowledge that would help us for the rest of our lives. And so a few brave students embarked on this journey, and on August 3, a space shuttle was launched into space, where we were able to collect data, take pictures, and marvel at the Earth from above. Upon the shuttle’s return, their efforts proved worth it, for not only did they have an amazing trip, the data collected helped them crack an algorithm that predicted the intensities of solar flares, not to mention the 1000+ Likes that the pictures of Earth and the sun taken from the International Space Station (ISS) received on the students’ Instagrams.

Well... sort of.

The Graded ArduSat team didn’t really go to space.

Not physically. Duh. And the supply rocket hasn’t returned.

Yet. Now, what is ArduSat? Designed to give students access to research and learn more about outer space by giving them direct contact with actual satellites and the ISS, the Graded ArduSat project, directed by a few students from the 10th and 11th grade has recently reached its first milestone: the launch of the spacecraft holding our experiment (a satellite containing 25 sensors) into the mysteries of outer space. ArduSat refers to the open-source Nanosatellite (a 10x10x10 cm3 satellite) which has 25 sensors, all controlled by an Arduino brain, which in turn is controlled by the Graded ArduSat team. The Arduino is a flexible micro controller which serves basically as a medium which allows us to control the sensors and access the data collected by them. This Arduino is even capable of doing backflips (literally), for it also controls the gyroscope, which moves the satellite and makes it change direction. The programming, done by the tech bosses at Graded, is based on the Arduino language, an implementation of Wiring, which is based on Processing and takes some characteristics of C/C++.

Now with all the technicalities explained, what has the Graded ArduSat team done with these resources? Since the first meeting, it was made clear that no one was going to really visit space (to the dismay of many). Our mission was

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presented to us, in which we were to write a script in the Arduino language, which would conduct an experiment of our choosing. This script would then be uploaded to ArduSats found on the ISS, where it would run for one week and then send us back the data collected. In other words, what really was to be done was an experiment with (almost) no limitations, where anything about space, from microgravity to orbits to the ionosphere, could be investigated. The members were split into two teams, one which decided to research on stars and their orbits, and another which focused on solar flares and their effects on Earth. And so the research began. What made this ArduSat project such a dynamic and demanding one was the fact that this wasn’t your ordinary classroom.

With basically no one to tell us exactly what to do and what not to do, the brainstorming, organizing and researching was up to us. It was painful to realize all the obstacles in our way, such as when we found out that due to the precision and sophisticated equipment that would be necessary to measure stars light years away, our orbit project wouldn’t be possible with what we had available. However, this project still provided us with hands-on experience, where we were able to work independently and learn to organize, analyze, collaborate, and as Brazilians would say, correr atrás.

After some research was done and the feasibility of the solar flare experiment was confirmed, we chose our experiment, where we were to measure the intensities of solar flares (based on the level of ionization caused and the radiation released by them) and how their peaks and depressions caused disturbances in the magnetic field. The sensors were chosen, and the programming was done along with tons of research on the magnetosphere, the sensors, their units, and solar flares.

This work happened in a time span of approximately four months, from April until August, and now that all this hard work has been done, the Graded ArduSat team is proud to announce that the Graded ArduSat is up and running miles above our heads, collecting data from its sensors as it orbits Earth. With this information, we hope to further understand the direct effects of solar flares on earth, hopefully come up with an algorithm that will help us predict the intensities of these winds, and use the pictures of space taken directly from our ArduSat for our iPhone wallpapers and Facebook cover photos! Being the first school in Latin America to work on the ArduSat project, this is a first step for Brazil in the democratic usage of space, entirely led by students. In other words, this is some pretty cool stuff.

entertainment

TalonToon From the mind of Felipe Marques Felipe Marques

Monthly Update The ups and downs of Graded

Adam Hunt Fertig New students now walk the halls of Graded. For those of you who don’t know yet, what you’re reading now is the best part of the magazine.

Welcome to the new PE teacher, Ms. Arcenas. And yet, the school seems to have lost a pillar with Ney gone. Like, really, I saw a pillar collapse the other day.

The computer lab A3, a safe haven for academicallyinclined upperclassmen, has been turned into a useless classroom.

the talon • 27

clawsure

Final Thoughts & Random Musings Clawsure, from an eagle, get it? Talon? Well, aren’t we (Annie) clever Talon Sunday Crew verheard at Planet Earth. A compilation of observation by aliens who had visted Ms. Hunt’s senior TOK class:

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“One cannot leave the light and the air conditioner on because a human doesn’t own the electricity company.”

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“The classroom is a large box-like structure where smaller, less bulky members of the species (called “teenagers”) sit down and engage in conversation with a single, large entity known as the ‘teacher.’ He is not allowed to sit.”

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“One can’t go into steam rooms while a human is inside the wet glass box because it invades his or her personal bubble.”

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“The classroom is a large box-like structure where smaller, less bulky members of the species (called ‘teenagers’) sit down and engage in conversation with a single, large entity known as the ‘teacher.’ He is not allowed to sit.”

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“I was taught that Instagramming a picture without the use of a ‘filter’ is discouraged, and in certain sects possibly even looked down upon, by the social circles of the humans.”

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“Factories are humorous concepts. It is a thing built to make things. Humans really like things. There are more things than humans. In some cultures, the apparent leaders express the importance of things on primitive digital recordings called Tele-Visions and the viewers show great respect and obedience by following everything said on the primitive moving picture recorder.”

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“They also have pieces of colored things that they use to acquire more things. These are called ‘money.’ People who don’t have money don’t have things.”

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“After arriving at specimen 1996-03-21’s ‘house’ (a larger box with many divisions where the ancestral unit is assembled), it became evident that teenagers are intellectually superior to the bigger humans—I found out they were called “adults.” Whenever adults say something, teenagers reply with ‘no, you’re wrong’ or the more aggressive ‘you don’t know anything!’ which suggests that teenagers are more intelligent and know more than adults do.”

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“Showers are not essential for humans, but brushing teeth is.”

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“Humans cannot sit on the table to eat, they sit at the table, but really they sit on chairs.”

C

ongrats to the Graded students that participates in the ArduSat project. You guys even made it to the pages of other fine publications. (Front page of Sunday’s Estadao de SP!)

estadao.com.br

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F

inal thoughts:

Credits to Annie Groth for coming up with the wonderfully punny heading for this last page—clawsure. Here, the editors-in-chief will provide snippets of information, updates and anything else that wasn’t addressed in the magazine.

As we enter deeper into the 2013-2014 school year, we’d like to offer some advice to the members of each grade level. Freshmen, get ready for four more years. Sophomores, not much has changed, sorry. Juniors, try not to die. Seniors, let’s make the class of 2014 be the most majestic one yet. Enjoy September, everybody.