editors-in-chief news
Completely Missing the Point The poverty of our grade-based mentality
Martin Shores
P
it, there’s your answer.
icture this: a patient is diagnosed with heart problems at a relatively early age. The doctors are baffled; the victim
Furthermore, Graded doesn’t operate on a letter
enjoys a carefree lifestyle, his medical history and ancestry
basis. Its honors system is based purely on the numbers, not
show no signs of predisposition towards heart conditions, and
the letters. A 90 isn’t an A, neither is an 80 a B. And yet, next
yet he still has the health problems of a person 10 years his
time we’re handed back an evaluation, we will groan at the 89,
senior. After running all tests imaginable, the doctor confronts
thinking “I was so close to a 90!”, as if it really had an impact.
the patient and asks “Did you undergo any particularly stressful
The difference between an 89 and a 90 is the same as that of
periods in your life?” “Not more than anyone else,” is the reply.
an 87 to an 88. Nothing changes at any point and if anyone still
“What about your childhood?” At this, the patient’s eyes widen
isn’t convinced of the insignificance of that single percentage
in understanding. “Yes,
point, I suggest they
I was a…”
reread the previous
A
typical
paragraph.
Graded student has the
And now, in a
tendency of obsessing
final burst of spirit for
over the craziest little
the theme, I give my
things. What should im-
advice to all Graded
mediately spring into
students: don’t worry
the minds of teach-
so much! Needless
ers and students alike
disturbances have a
are grades. Rightly so,
funny way of shav-
as we students place
ing away the precious
an exorbitantly large
years of our lives, and
value on the numerical
I don’t mean in the
values assigned to our
colorful way described
performance in school.
in the beginning of
Both teachers and stu-
this article. Our high
dents know that the
school years are sup-
latter will argue and
Nicole Fergie posed to be the very
plead for an extra one point on any given test or assignment,
best of our lives, and we burn them away with all-nighters
pulling out all the stops in that last ditch effort to increase
and unnecessary stress. The weekend isn’t the only time we
their grades. It’s an activity that I myself have participated in
can enjoy ourselves. We need to make the best of the over-
the past, but now condemn as futile for multiple reasons.
whelming amount of time we spend in this institution. Let’s
As much as this may shock some people, they have to
not befoul the hours by trying our absolute hardest to hate
realize that a 1% increase doesn’t mean anything, especially
every second of it. Grades are by no means the only things we
not in the grand scheme of things. Even if you do manage to pry
students overreact to. They are, however, at the root of most
that extra point from a teacher, what did you really accomplish?
of our concerns and unhappiness, and wrongly so. Contrary to
Is an 84 that much better than an 83? And consider this: tests
popular belief, we aren’t at school to receive grades. Yet, I’m
correspond to only a fraction of the quarter grade, which is
not advocating slacking off or taking school any less seriously,
in turn only half of the semester grade, and again only half
but rather making the best out of our time here at Graded
of the year grade, without considering the final exams. Plus,
without compromising our adolescence and our future health.
there are usually multiple tests per quarter. What’s become of
I’m simply suggesting that people stop missing the point of our
your precious 1% then? If anyone wants to do the math behind
high school education.
the talon • 1
editors-in-chief
The Welfare of Optimism
How simply being happy can increase your chance of success Andrew Shim
L
workplace, during sport activities, and even sex. ately, while rummaging through my previous articles for Nevertheless, that does not mean that students should the Talon, I realized a serious trend in my writing that I had stop studying and watch the chronically-ecstatic Dora the not noticed. Quite frequently, whether the topic was biofuels Explorer all day. But what must be realized is that optimism or the Great Depression, my articles have consistently been and fine academic performance are not mutually exclusive; concluded with a remark or reference to a “bleak future”. rather the latter can essentially be the result of the former. Of course, I was merely considering the implications of such A while back in TOK class, many of us juniors had a possibility, and was not labeling the future as dystopian, an online Emotional Intelligence assessment whose purpose but I noticed that I was more was essentially to evaluate to pessimistic than I have ever conwhat extent we could “properly” sidered. Not surprisingly, many convey and control our emotions. Graded students share the same Interestingly, the test cited, “For difficulty at various times in their various reasons and thanks to a academic and social lives. Stress, wide range of abilities, people with it seems, is chronically endemic high emotional intelligence tend to our beloved school. to be more successful in life than Professors from the those with lower EIQ even if their University of Pennsylvania conclassical IQ is average.” In truth, ducted research back in 1997 this means more than “be happy concerning the implications of and you shall succeed”, but like all stress upon our health and menthese statistics and trivialities out tal status. The overwhelming there, it exhibits the trends among conclusion was that the pessimismentesbrilhantes.files.wordpress the triumphant, who, according to tic group not only performed at a this research, might not always be the nerds. lower average than the others, they were also likely to be less What is markedly true is that a lot of the pressures in healthy both physically and mentally. The basis for this was the “Graded experience” simply provide a lot of stress that the scientific fact that the adrenaline release due to stress reduces our day-by-day optimism as the years pass by. Truly, brings about the weakening of our immune system through the when one has an Extended Essay to complete, two books to exhaustion of our disease fighting T-cells. annotate, CAS journals to fill, and the classic tests to study for, Of course, results could have changed in twelve years, it is certainly difficult to acknowledge the fact that happiness especially with the advent of “extraordinary” technologies and is another necessary factor for our welfare. In this manner, forms of entertainment (Facebook?); but what this essentially it almost seems as though optimism would be something of a demonstrates is the amazing capacity of the human mind and burden, but it should be quite the contrary. These academic the extent of its limitations regarding emotion. In essence, elements that we have to complete to gain the IB diploma depression, pessimism and stress, while seemingly temporary (what seems to be a summa cum laude in Graded) or to gain and reserved, can affect your long term goals, while simple that A in Physics are unfortunately the reality, and since the optimism will increase your chances of success. work is unavoidable in a sense, why should it be despised? Quite so, as the hackneyed existentialist motto goes, To conclude in a positive light for once, what one must “S—expletive deleted—happens.” Why fret over a project that realize is that nothing is gained from stress; it is a natural is worth 50% of your grade (borrowed from AJ Churchill’s witty factor that seems to limit the human capacity to cope and musical) when you can spend your day relaxed and happy. As progress. Although it would be frightening to see everyone outrageous as this may seem, studies have shown that among smiling ecstatically all the time, what will ultimately aid us students, those that perform better in tests are the ones that would be an endemic and infectious joy throughout the halls lack what is known as “test anxiety.” Not only regarding tests, and classrooms. but people who are optimistic have better performance in the
2 • the talon
point of news view
To Change the Subject… Fitting the Graded mold
Isabella Freyre or seventeen years, the grand scheme of my life has not
F
others through community service, and we challenge largely
imitated an intriguing Sherlock Holmes mystery. School
accepted ideas. We are never satisfied with grades, especially
has always been the pattern, unfolding from days to weeks to
when an 89 begins to differ greatly from a 90. We pack our
months to years. But amidst those streams of routine—those
bags, file into airplanes, and head towards distinct corners of
endless days of walking in the same long halls, those noisy
Brazil for our high school trips (we then return with dreadful
lunches and quick chats before class—a stronger force was at
stomachaches, but the incredible experiences are worth it).
work. Graded was molding me, was whittling me into a unique
We crowd into the auditorium for Flex and listen to speeches
shape. Graded was creating Isabella Freyre.
as one immense body. And although we deny it, we even begin
Dismissing how that last sentence eerily resembles the Frankenstein tale, Graded is hugely significant in forming our
to harbor fond sentiments towards the enormous orange tent that hangs in our yard.
identities. After all, where did I learn to become so dependent
I have never been a person of simple brief words (you
on schedules? Where did I begin fostering a natural tendency
can ask my teachers, they have read my prose while grading
to float towards the snack bar after every class, following an
all those papers). I feel ambivalent: satisfaction tangled with
irrepressible instinct? Where did I pick up the habit of editing
doubts. Regrets? None. Simply the curiosity surrounding the details that truly make us, us. And Graded’s role in this. How would I have been different if I had not marched into Mr. Lewis’s class in sixth grade, a proud little girl, and discovered my passion for writing? Would such passion be directed at something else? Would I be an avid math student? Would I even be writing this article for the Talon? And what if I had not decided to concentrate and study hard? Would homework hold any importance to me? Would I be lying down on the couch at this very moment, watching TV while eating a delicious sandwich? Hmm, slightly tempting. Rambling questions, infinite answers. Who knows? My point is not to provide a concrete answer, but to emphasize those possibilities. They are out there, drifting just within reach. All we have to do is stretch. During my experience at Graded, I have both been guided and have made choices independently. Some of these
Nicole Fergie
were not quite right. But the complex people we become are not solely molded out of triumphs. Receiving an essay
and re-editing my essays or using my TI-84 calculator correctly?
overwhelmed with red marks, sitting blankly before a physics
Where did I subscribe to the religion of frantically annotating
test, rushing to print a project two minutes before class—all
any piece of text thrust into my hands? Yes, after scribbles and
are essential to the blend that becomes us. Only through such
amends, I have become Graded’s final draft.
obstacles do we find our strengths, learn, and realize that we
But what does the Graded identity embody? We have become a united mass of ambitious yet overly stressed
cannot manipulate our way out of situations. And thus Graded leaves a distinct mark on each of us.
students, each seeking our own twinkle of glory. We have
I know I, for one, will feel incredibly disoriented when
set ourselves apart by even creating our own type of com-
I graduate next year. How will I possibly be able to organize my
munication, which defies all rules of grammar and creatively
life without A days or B days?!
switches languages mid sentence. We have the urge to help
the talon • 3
point of view
Love those Drama Queens The necessity of vicarious experience Sae Bom Choi
A
n MTV reality show star declared, “I am so over drama.” Tabloids woo people in the street with “Boy drama!” Drama is a favorite word in popular culture, which always seeks any type of conflict. Although people generally criticize the vulgarity of clichéd scenarios, dramatic subjects still intrigue a large audience; their popularity explains our social environment and our desire for something different. Drama is not simply a source of gossip for teenage girls; it is indispensable in everyone’s life. That means, yes, boys: you too need drama. We often refer to extreme, somewhat exaggerated situations—and maybe some complex relationships—as drama. Although drama relates to the theater, we can easily connect drama to the human environment because of its emotional qualities. People have a long history of seeking satisfaction through vicarious experiences in theatre arts. According to the introductory course of drama and speech communication department at the University of Waterloo, most audiences go to the theatre expecting the familiar, but also look forward to novel experiences. The human desire for savoring extraordinary lives explains how drama has survived since the classical Greek period. Drama’s unrealistic qualities entertains us by allowing us to experience the characters’ lives, which are often set in other worlds. People delight in laughing at English upper-class society in The Importance of Being Earnest, and from vicariously experiencing immortal love in Romeo and Juliet. Hence, what do comedies and tragedies in our real lives provide us? Human dramas make feel better, ironically; talking and observing those of others reduces our stress. Without our ups and downs, we would struggle to build better relationships with others, not having learned from our own mistakes. Even from the stress coming out of these dramas, we learn how to deal with conflicts, realizing how we forget to appreciate people who care about us. Moreover, psychologists argue that gossiping about drama is essential to our social growth. Raph Rosnow, a professor of psychology at Temple University says, “If people aren’t talking about other people, it’s a signal that something is wrong—that we feel socially alienated or indifferent.” Gossiping is an important tool not only for social interaction, but also for blurring our own problems. Jack Levin, a professor of sociology and criminology at Boston’s Northeastern University explains, “Its primary function is to help us make social comparisons. For example, if we read bad news about celebrities in the tabloids, or get into the gruesome
4 • the talon
details of our neighbor’s misery over a cup of coffee, our own problems begin to pale in comparison.” We create and dispense drama in every day. The research by Jeffrey G. Parker, a University of Michigan assistant professor in psychology reveals that teenagers gossip 18 times an hour, sometimes taking up as much as 50 percent of their time. However, we do not have to feel so uptight about such high school dramas. We need to learn this process, something that makes our lives more interesting, just like plays. Remember though, social dramas are real, and honesty is important. Still cannot get over your dramatic life? Go and read some tabloids. You will find people whose lives are much more miserable than yours. So let’s not hate the drama queens.
cattyfeline.files.wordpress
point of view
“My Life is Soooo Unfair!” When the drama becomes a little too much
Amanda Rudzit
L
et’s face it: students love complaining. On Mondays, it’s
ager. Or it is just a way we have found to try to release some
usually about how short the weekends are or how late
of the stress, because even though I hate to admit it, it does
we stayed up on Sunday trying to finish some assignment
feel good when you allow yourself to wallow in how “unfair”
(exacerbated through procrastination). During the rest of the
life is. Ironic as it is, a Graded student should have no reasons
week, the topics of complaint vary. Some of us whine about
to complain (compare your life to one of a child in popverty).
having practice, others about
Nevertheless, being a Graded
sleep depravation, the food in
student may give you thousands
the cafeteria, the smell in the
of other reasons to be irritable
bathrooms, the line in the snack
(a common example cited by
bar, the amount of homework,
students is the lack of sleep).
the unfairness of the math test,
Therefore, to ease some of the
and so on. I admit it, I do it too,
frustration that inevitably piles
and if I were sincere, very often.
up, complaints are necessary.
As shameful as it may sound and
The problem, though, is when the
as hard as it may be to recognize
drama becomes too much.
or admit this, students are con-
Our lives are too “dra-
stantly whining about something
matic” as they are; filling them
supposedly wrong with their
up with complaints just intensi-
lives.
fies our problems, making them This phenomenon is ex-
all worse. Protesting is surely eas-
pressed in several levels of inten-
ier than making a decision to not
sity and occurs in diverse forms
complain and take action against
for different students. Some of us
what is bothering us, which
just start off the day grumbling
may also be the reason why this
and don’t stop until nighttime.
phenomenon is so widespread.
Others whine while in class but
However, it just proves how being
are jubilant in their free time.
proactive is the key to success.
Most complaints are expressed
The next time you catch yourself
verbally and angrily, but some
winona.edu complaining, ask yourself if it is
students prefer to suffer in silence and still others actually
really necessary. Talking about how “life sucks” just tricks you
shed tears in times of desperation. What worries me the most
into believing it when this is not necessarily true.
is when competition arises in terms of who has “more reasons
A very wise lady (my mother) once told me that if I
to complain.” More than once, when I was too overwhelmed
spent half the time I wasted complaining, I would finish things
and started compulsively whining to a friend about the amount
much more quickly and perhaps become a generally happier
of things I had to get done, some other person stopped me,
person. She was trying to teach me to be positive. Believe me,
affirming that they were worse off and began stating their
it is a hard lesson to learn. Sometimes it is just impossible,
to-do list complete with exaggerated details and hyperbolic
and you have to give in to the whining, but at times I feel it is
melancholy to win over my sympathy.
a necessity. Perhaps if you are successful, life will seem less
If students are always complaining, it is important to try to understand why. Maybe it is just part of being a teen-
“unfair” and, it is hoped, you will soon find you have less to complain about as well.
the talon • 5
point of view
In Praise of the Imagination Why we should keep dreaming and creating
Karen Hime
C
lose your eyes and try to imagine what it would be like to live in a world devoid of imagination. Where would humans be today had not someone in eons past had a visual impression of the wheel? Of a house? Of talking with someone over time and space? When, in the scope of history, did that first spark of fire translate into cooked food? Everything we have and know today stemmed from someone’s imagination. It is the power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before perceived in reality. It is a creative ability or mental capacity for experiencing, constructing and manipulating mental images. Imagination is responsible for the entire range of fantasy, original and insightful thought, and sometimes for a much wider range of mental activities, activities dealing with supposition and parallel worlds. It lies buried deep in the human mind, waiting for the proper time to surface, providing ideas that will benefit humankind. Imagination? Without imagination man would probably not have been able to survive the pre-historic ages, being unable to make up creative strategies to run away from predators or to retrieve food. Especially in contemporary times, we believe the cliché “if you can dream it, you can be it”. This is our imagination at work, once we have a picture in our minds about what we want, we can plan for it. When I was a child I had quite an expansive imagination, as most children do. From playing sword fights with my brother pretending to be a pirate, to wanting to be a Jedi so badly that I believed a plastic cone was actually a light-saber. It is extremely common for children to expand their horizons beyond reality and reach; in simple day-to-day activities, objects and sensations transform through imagination into something absolutely inconceivable to anybody else. Imagination is a strange thing. Sometimes it is almost like a universal language, and at other times it is totally unique. If you were to gather ten people from every country and show them different images, then ask them to write down what each each means to them, the general idea would probably be the same. However, if you asked them to write a short story based on one of the images, they would be different. Some of the world’s greatest storytellers write about things the no other would not even think about. Stephen King, James Patterson, J.K Rowling, J.R.R Tolkien. They all have brilliant imaginations, expressing them to the world through their unique mindsets. Through
6 • the talon
the use of characterization, setting, plot, imagery and mood, these writers are able to stimulate the imagination of others. This, for me, is the purpose of any writer of fiction. As our world becomes more fast-paced, children are flowing along in this current of school, homework, music, TV, games and Internet. It sometimes seems like every minute is taken up with an activity, sometimes just sitting still, looking into the distance, and letting imagination take over and create something beautiful can be much more rewarding. Did someone take away that imagination from within us from when we were young? Did we ever really stop dreaming? How are some people able to keep their imaginations running wild as they get older? Well, without a dream, our futures look bleak. By bringing our imaginations back out, it is possible to drown ourselves in our own thoughts. What would the world be like without imagination? What colors would be left? We would be living in a black and white world with no dreams. Children would be living like adults, and adults would probably be wishing they had never seen the first light of day. It is morbid to think so, but essential in order to realize the importance that this other side of the world actually has in the imaginative time of our world. We would not be able to write, since we would have nothing to write about. Imagination is vital to anyone who aims to develop. The loss of imagination is due to the restrictions of our reality; however, in the subconscious these limits are nonexistent. One is free to wander, stroll, meander, and roam for thoughts are infinite. •
•
•
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. —From the movie Coach Carter
point of view
All the World’s a Stage The theatre of life
W
Danielle Bryant
illiam Shakespeare said that “All the world is a stage, and
other times we are completely alone on stage, with nothing
the men and women merely players.” This is truth.
but our characters.
Being a drama student, I have learned what it is to act,
It is at these moments where we really realize and
how to role play, and who to be on stage. Actors play countless
experience who we are, and how powerful that knowledge is.
different characters, each with individual personas and charac-
It is when we are faced with a challenge that we learn the
teristics. Is that what makes individuals? We are all characters
most about ourselves and our characters. As I have been told
in the play of life; each of us has individual aspects that make
repeatedly by my drama teachers, acting is all about taking
us unique, make us who we are. Every day we grow and change,
risks, and every one of us takes risks every day whether we
influencing those around us and in turn, being influenced by
intentionally think about it or not. Simply getting out of bed
them. With every slight
in the morning is a risk, but
change, we add another
it is a risk we all must take.
layer to the intrinsically
We are constantly putting
profound beings that are
ourselves in the world, a
our characters. Each day,
world fraught with poten-
we experience new feel-
tial for failure, ridicule and
ings and new emotions
embarrassment. So why
than we had the previous
then do we continue to do
day. One day we may wake
this? It is because there is
up and feel unjustly angry,
nothing more pleasing than
and the next day we may
a successful performance,
wake up and feel quetly
one that the audience truly
introspective, and we have
enjoys.
a right to be these things, to feel whatever we want,
The scariest thing shakespearepost
about these everyday risks
to do whatever we want and to be whoever we want. This is
is not the potential for failure; it is the fact that you only have
the same liberty that actors have when they perform on stage.
one chance. In real life, there is no director to yell “CUT!”;
For those moments they spend on stage, they are not simply
there is no script to rely on; there are no “take-twos” or
playing a role or pretending to be a character, they are that
“redos.” In life, not only are we the actors of our play, we
character and everything about that is completely real. There
are the directors, the script writers, and the stage designers.
is no pretend. You are only you and who you choose to be at
We are the costume designers, the light designers and the
that moment.
backstage crew. In real life, we play all the parts, and we
Not only are we all actors and characters in our in-
play them well. Sometimes, things don’t always work out the
terwoven lives, but, as Shakespeare so insightfully stated, the
way we want them to: people mess up lines, curtains fall at
world is a stage. More importantly, it is our stage. The world
the wrong time, and the spotlight isn’t always on us. But we
is our space, our plain to create and develop our character
persevere, and we continue on to the next scene. Some days,
and act our stories and lives. Every day is a new act for us,
we are acting in a tragedy, other days our play is a comedy.
a new scene and a different setting. Sometimes the setting
Every scene is different, every character is different and every
change is drastic, like a new school or new country, other
story is different. That is how we live, how we act.
times it is simply a new desk at school. And as actors, it is
We continue to write our marvelous scripts and act
our duty to adapt to the stage, to use what we our given and
out our lives in this great shared stage. We are all players. So
make it wonderful. Sometimes we are given props and other
stand up and take a bow. Bravo!
characters to help guide us and give us stage directions, and
the talon • 7
point of view
The Midnight Club
What really happens during an all-nighter
S
ome of the best conversations that I have ever had took place in the wee hours of the morning, in the midst of assignments, projects, and endless homework. It seems like Graded students have a knack for all-nighters. Whether it is due to our addiction to procrastination or simply desire to feel like we are going to break down because of pressure, it has become obvious that we never do, in fact, learn. I can affirm that every night before any major assignment is due, my MSN is bombarded with questions, concerns and encouragements. The ones I like best, however, are the enraged remarks with regard to the nature of the “system” and how we are slaves to society. Brilliant anarchic thoughts are developed, and a wave of utter rebellion is created. The best part of it all is that despite the anger and the revolt, we continue doing our homework or, as we might say in the height of our despair, we continue to “feed the system.” I love that no matter how horrid a place I find myself in, I can always count on Facebook statuses and MSN nicknames to make me feel better. I like to call this invisible support group the Midnight Club, and just like high school, it is filled with a never-ending supply of drama. One particular conversation struck me as perfect to illustrate thE phenomenon THIS club. It all started when our counselor, Mr. Pagenkoff pointed out in one of our meetings that a junior had complained that we had been “sleep deprived since the beginning of August.” One of my colleagues decided to adopt that as HIS Facebook status giving rise to a highly comical (and very public) manifestation that went like this: Student One: I agree with the person that said we’ve been sleep deprived since school started. Student Two: Hey! I was the one who made that comment! Please, I require parenthetical citations… Isn’t it so true, though? Midnight Club all the way! Student One: Well, first, as a form of protest against school, I refuse to do a citation. Second, in my case it wouldn’t be Midnight Club, but more like the DAWN SOCIETY! Student Two: I couldn’t agree more. I wish that I could sleep like a normal person. I’m starting to get scared because of that flex presentation; do you think I’m that I’m going to end up with diabetes? Student Three: School is so hypocritical! They keep saying that we have to sleep seven hours or more per day and they give us tons of homework every night!
8 • the talon
Victoria Steinbruch
Student Four: Student Three, always so rebellious! But I couldn’t agree more. Let’s start a revolution! Student Two: Let’s abolish the system! Down with repression! Let’s go people! United students shall never be defeated! Student Three: Gregor Samsa (Kafka’s character from Metamorphosis) is every day The New Yorker more present in our lives. Since we read that book we can only speak of alienation and the system! I have decided to rebel against everything; and I will go to bed today really early. Good night to all. (The next day) Student Five: What?!?!?! It is important to note that this conversation occured in the middle of the night through Facebook and is only one of the many insurgencies of its kind that have taken place throughout this hellish year. When I read it over, I couldn’t help but laugh. Teenagers tend to get furious whenever they are considered to be “dramatic.” But how can we expect to be taken seriously when every little thing can be the perfect excuse for some drama? Most of us are so extreme in our convictions and feelings that we can be dismissed as naïve. It seems like we lack a buffer that is yet to be created by life that helps ease the transitions of our emotions. However, I guess that it is fundamental for us to be able to vent all our angers and frustrations. High school is the first taste that we have of real life, the first real taste of pressure and responsibilities, the first time our personalities and character are really put to test. How we deal with it shows us a great deal of who we are and how we should improve. If a little bit of drama is necessary to hyperbolize our distresses, then so be it. We are still learning the rules of the game, and it is hoped that time will refine our skills and make us fierce players. Until then, you are all welcome to join us in the Midnight Club, open every day from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., through Facebook, Skype or MSN. Our only requirement? Drama, lots and lots of it.
point of view
We Should All Take the Stairs Racial relations in Brazil
M
ost people do not enjoy moving. It is by far one of the most painful, tiring, challenging things to do. I have done it three times already, and soon will be my fourth time and final. Because I have done it three times, one may assume that I am used to this process. And that is quite true. The problem is that repeating the process does not make it any less difficult. It is interesting though, the lessons one learns by carrying boxes that weigh the weight of an elephant up the service elevator. Up to this point in my life the service (“serviço”) elevator seemed merely for the convenient use of those residents in the building who wished to carry materials in a manner that will not lead to the destruction of the social elevator. I had never thought of it as the “inferior’s elevator.” In Venezuela, the service elevator was the most commonly used elevator by everyone. Whether you lived in the building or not, the service elevator was the one of choice. The social one was merely for the amusement of us children trying to pry open its doors and using it to bother the neighbors. It was only in Brazil that I started using social elevators as the means of transportation to my own apartment. There was one particular incident that sparked my curiosity about the service elevator. First of all, the service elevator was painted grey (and now orange) and had no mirror. It smelled “funny” and was not pleasant to ride. The social elevator on the other hand had a mirror, smelled like roses, and was not wearing that hideous orange outfit. Why such a discrepancy in the image of these elevators? Why should one look better than the other? Another little detail was that the service elevator sometimes malfunctioned to the point where one commonly got stuck inside of it for 10-15 minutes. It was not a pleasant experience. The names of the elevators themselves were strange to me at the beginning. In Venezuela, there was really no name for the elevators, they were just elevators. Here they are separated by (not their use) but by some other form of classification. What is “service” meant to imply? That if you are doing some sort of service you are forced to use that one? Perhaps people who do some sort of service are forced to that elevator in particular? This is indeed true since most maids, plumbers, and other workers use this elevator. The
Jesús Cervantes
other one, “social”, makes little sense as well. What is social? If one is hosting a social activity then it is most likely that that elevator is used, correct? But what if no party is going on? When I arrive from school, I use that elevator to get to my apartment. The problem is I am not hosting a party every time I use it. So what does the name mean? There is a reason to discus these two elevators; they are a symbol of what occurs in many countries. Eugene Robinson, author of the book Coal to Cream, is an African American who lived in Brazil for ten years. He once went to visit his friends (who were white) at their building, but the Afro-Brazilian guard at the gate stopped him, and led him to the side entrance leading to the service elevator. It was only when Robinson spoke that the guard understood why he was there and then led him to the social elevator. Why is it that Robinson was about to be shown to the service elevator? Because he was black. It was Robdornob inson’s American accent that raised his position in the mindset of the guard. Robinson was seen as physically inferior by the guard because he was black, wearing casual clothing (Havaianas, shorts, T-shirt) in Rio de Janeiro’s hot weather. But it was his accent that set him apart. His American accent led him to be thought of as superior in the eyes of the guard. No longer was he a black bum coming to see some white American residents in the building, but an African-American looking for his friends in the building. The service elevator is used by workers, and is their ethnic background that immediately places the assumption, for example, that they are a baba. At the same time though, the problem is social. Or is it? Is Brazil a racist nation? Or is the discrimination based on class? Does one affect the other? Indeed, they do. It is the fact that these workers are the descendents of African slaves that leads them to those positions. Afther the abolition of slavery, nothing was done to integrate the African slaves, and so their lives have been negatively affected. So is the service elevator a synonym for the working class? Is the social elevator a reflection of the upper class? Does race play a role in these matters? I suggest that the only way for this society to be equal is if we all take the stairs. They would be a great equalizer.
the talon • 9
point of view
We are, like, SO Dramatic Seriously? Not.
O
Andrea Estrada
h my God! Wasn’t Vicky’s poetry recitation like, so, like, oh my God… amazing?! Now, did that sentence totally give you a sense of
drama? Of excitement? Doesn’t your heart jump and your ears widen every time you hear an “Oh my God” down the hallway? Don’t you want to know what’s being said because—like, oh my God!—what little scrap of gossip could you possibly get out of the conversation to make your day a little bit more interesting? Yes. You felt absorbed by that sentence. You heard the exclamation and you wanted to know immediately what was going on. Had you heard, “Wasn’t Vicky’s poetry recitation amazing?!” you wouldn’t have turned your head. Our generation has become a mindless animal feeding off of repetitive expressions such as “OMG,” “like, totally,” and “seriously,” expressions that fool us into thinking that the information being shared is a little bit more exciting than it actually is. In the end, all we’re searching for is drama. Because we have a fixed idea in our minds, partly inflicted by the media, that our lives are boring, ordinary, and nothing like Hollywood, somewhere along the way we decided to enhance our language with “OMGs” and “totallys.” The problem is that the great majority of us are now programmed to add those expressions to every single sentence. Yes, the expressions vary, even creating a different meaning when you change your tone or add a few “likes” and “you knows?”, but the intention does not. In fact, we simply have nothing else to say. We may have thousands of feelings stirring inside us, craving to be expressed in a few elegant words, but our vocabulary is blocked by those insidious words that now represent so many emotions. Around half of Graded’s high school students admit to use the expressions “like” and “you know?” ranging from two to six times in a one-minute conversation. Forty percent admit that they often use the word “whatever” when they feel misunderstood or incapable of expressing themselves. But if you listen closely, we are fooling ourselves. Some people actually use the word “like” closer to ten times in a one-minute-long conversation. Sure, we may believe we are dramatic. We may believe we hold all the attention we ever needed when heads turn to listen to our totally, like, seriously, coolest conversations ever. But when you strip our phrases of those trendy and contagious expressions, we have not said anything worthwhile. Whatever happened to the phrase “I love you” carrying any meaning whatsoever? Do you really love the person who lent you a pen
10 • the talon
Lika Kishino
that day you forgot one for the test? Were you like, “OMG, I love you! You saved my day,” but had you ever talked to that person before? When
something
tragic
happens,
“devastated,”
“overwhelmed,” “confounded,” and “miserable” have all gone down the drain and are replaced by the marvelous “Oh my God that is SO sad.” When we’re taken by surprise or scared, “terrified,” “horrified,” “dismayed,” and “bewildered” are replaced by the inspiring “You totally FREAKED ME OUT!” And when sharing our opinions, it is not enough to just state them anymore, they must be followed by an uncertain “you know?” in order to be cordially respectful of the other person’s opinions. The worst part is, every time you hear “you know?” don’t you feel like you actually know? But where did your opinion go if you’re agreeing with everything the other person is saying? We have become an inarticulate people, unable to express ourselves in an original manner. We may still be somewhat talented at maintaining a sophisticated language when we write, but our speech has become worse as the years progress. We have to change that. As the poem by Taylor Mali, “Totally Like Whatever, You Know?” recently recited by Victoria Guijarro says: “I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you, I challenge you: To speak with conviction. To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks the determination with which you believe it. Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker, it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY. You have to speak with it, too.”
news
How Far Until Rock Bottom? Unemployment rises as financial situation worsens Danielle Aguilar
U
nless you have been living under a rock for the last year
would have previously deemed necessary and by searching
or so, you are probably aware of the huge economic crisis
for deals. Companies have been playing off of this need for
going on in the United States and in reality, across the world.
savings to facilitate their need for a profit. This can be done
This crisis has contributed to issues such as unemployment, bad
with the illusion of a bargain. For example, many restaurants
housing markets, and the search for a bargain. In the attempt
are releasing “mini” versions of their normal-sized meals.
to keep the economy afloat, the United States has, in some
Although these meals are smaller, they are not necessarily
ways, had to cut back on the aid it is giving to its citizens.
cheaper. People have to order twice as many of these “mini”
There are approximately 13.2 million unemployed people in the United States, and of these, only 5.8 million people
meals to satisfy their appetites and in the end, are paying just as much as they would have for the regular-sized meal.
are collecting unemployment
The effects of this crisis are so vast that traces of
benefits. Less than half of
it can be seen in a sudden
the unemployed people are
change in adolescent behav-
collecting benefits, while
ior. Teens now have to deal
the rest seem to have been
with their parents’ unstable
left to fend for themselves,
financial situations while
without the help of a govern-
also trying to maintain their
ment whose said purpose is to
usual lifestyles on a lower
protect its citizens.
budget. For American teens,
The way that unem-
“cheap is the new cool,” says
ployment benefits function is
retail stock analyst Jennifer
that the government provides
Black. Teens are ditching the
unemployed people with a
expensive and overpriced
weekly payment for a certain
stores and brands for bar-
amount of weeks while the
gains and cheaper alterna-
person searches for a new
tives. This shift in taste and
job. The amount of money
style has already been felt.
and the number of weeks
justnewlistings Notoriously overpriced in
varies with each state. Even
comparison to the spending
though the benefits are different in every state, one question
budget of the average American teen, Abercrombie & Fitch
remains relevant across the board: with unemployment con-
has seen a drop of 33% in their sales for the month of March,
stantly rising, how long can the government continue to give
after they seemingly refused to lower their prices to follow
these benefits? To help answer these questions for itself, the
suit with other brand names. Cheaper, more cost-effective
government has now implemented criteria to discern who is
stores have become more popular because they emulate the
most deserving of governmental help in the form of unemploy-
same styles of more expensive brands. This has become very
ment benefits. The new policy generally disqualifies people in
important for some teens because unlike most adults, teenag-
part-time jobs or who had not held a job for a long period of
ers feel the need to comply with social standards and even
time. This strictness concerning eligibility has greatly affected
in the face of financial hardships, they would rarely stoop so
women, low-income workers, and seasonal workers.
low as to shop their closets. As the economic crisis deepens,
Due to the fact that job opportunities in the United
so do the consequences. There is no way of telling how deep
States are becoming scarce, most people run out of unemploy-
the rabbit hole goes. We simply must wait and see what hap-
ment benefits before they can actually find a new job. With no
pens. So many people have been affected by the crisis, that
other options left, people are forced to get by on what they
the only thing that we can do know is hope for the situation to
can. Part of how they do this is by cutting back on what they
be contained as soon as possible.
the talon • 11
news
New Developments in an Old Drama Possible improvements to U.S.–Cuba relations
Eduardo Estrada
A
fter the Cuban Revolution overthrew the Batista regime, the new communist government began seizing lands and industries, many of which were U.S. owned. This and other events, such as the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, led to the current embargo against Cuba imposed by the U.S. government. In addition to the prohibition of trade, travel to Cuba has also been banned along with sending remittances, which means that Cuban Americans were not allowed to send money to their families or friends in Cuba. However, U.S. congressmen recently visited the island and met with both Fidel and Raul Castro (Fidel’s brother and the current leader of Cuba) to improve relations between both nations. The congressmen came out of the meetings with a positive attitude and expressed that it was time for the U.S. to resume conversations with Cuba. As a product of this meeting and a subsequent bill to allow travel to Cuba, the White House recently announced that many of the longstanding restrictions against Cuba will be lifted. Cubans residing in the U.S. and Cuban Americans are now allowed to visit family members (within three degrees of family relationship, in other words, second cousins) in Cuba without frequency or duration restrictions. The government believes that re-establishing these relationships will “strengthen contacts and promote American goodwill.” Additionally, the government will now allow remittances to be sent from the U.S. to Cuba, which means that Cubans who live in the U.S. can now send money to their family members still living in Cuba, which may have a positive impact on the Cuban economy. The U.S. will also allow greater telecommunications links with Cuba by giving American companies permission to provide their services on the island. In Cuba, access to the Internet is highly restricted and controlled by the government. Only a few people that have special permission are allowed to have computers and everyone else must use Internet cafés where they have to pay incredibly high prices to access e-mail services that are provided for and monitored by the government. Surfing the web is virtually out of the question due to
12 • the talon
the ridiculous prices that must be paid. By allowing phone, Internet, and satellite TV companies to operate in Cuba, the White House seeks to increase communication between Cubans and the rest of the world, which the government hopes will help lead Cuba towards becoming a democracy. Nevertheless, there is still much speculation about how receptive the Cuban government will be to American telecommunications companies. Thus far, it has shown itself against the idea of their people having access to the Internet and other services which we take for granted. Although these are minor moves by the White House, and the trade embargo has not yet been lifted, these policies are revolutionary in the U.S. approach to Cuba which had been, up until this point, limited to expanding the reach of the embargo. It remains to be seen how the Cuban government will react to these new policies; after all, the main goal of the U.S. is to foster democracy in this country along with “American goodwill.” This is a phrase that many would consider elpais.com imperialistic and would make most Cubans very skeptical because, up until recently, the U.S. government has shown anything but “good will.” Regardless, these measures, along with the fact that the Castro brothers have repeatedly stated that they are willing to talk with the U.S. government, may very well pave the road for more serious measures to be taken by President Obama, who recently came under pressure from the Latin American community at the Summit of the Americas (April 17th – 19th) to put an end to the long-standing embargo. The president reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving relations with Cuba. He stated, “Over the past two years, I have indicated...and I repeat today...that I am prepared to have my administration engage with the Cuban government on a wide range of issues...from human rights, free speech, and democratic reform to drugs, migration, and economic issues.” The effectiveness of this approach may be questionable since it is unlikely for an absolutist government to engage in talks about democratic reform and free speech. Nonetheless, the White House’s new approach on Cuba is, without a doubt, a huge step forward in Cuban-American relations.
news
The Conflict in the Straight of Aden The precarious piracy problem in Somalia
Felipe Fagundes
A
n 18-foot boat matched against a giant sea vessel: that
latest operations by the American government. Throughout
was the situation after a pirate raid failed because the
the years the pirates had captured many ships, but they had
crew of the vessel was able to re-gain control. Even though
not used force against the crews, they simply had asked for
this sounds like the sixteenth century when Queen Elizabeth
money. However, now that the American military had killed
would encourage British pirates to steal from the Spanish, this
some of the pirates it might lead them to retaliate and grow
event happened in 2009.
more aggressive.
Once the raid had failed, four pirates attempted to
While the decision to kill the pirates made by President
escape in a raft with the captain of the ship as hostage; how-
Obama might seem small in relation to his other problems, like
ever, the pirates ran out of fuel midway. Eventually, the crew
the Afghanistan war, it has the potential of taking astronomical
of the Maersk Alabama
dimensions. In the
contacted the Ameri-
case that the pirates
can military and they
start to retaliate and
sent their ships to the
become more offen-
region. For the follow-
sive, it could force
ing five days, a drama
companies to no
developed between
longer afford to go
the Americans, the
through the Straight
most powerful military
without escorts, in-
in the world, and the
creasing the costs
small raft with pirates.
of operations. Since
After many agencies of
many products like
the American govern-
oil from Saudi Ara-
ment were mobilized,
islamicnews.org
including negotiators
bia go through the Strait, it could mean
from the FBI, the pirates gave the price for the captain: two
that the prices of such products would increase. Considering
million dollars. The situation worsened once the captain
the world is going through a recession, the increase in prices
jumped in the water in an unsuccessful attempt to escape.
could have a devastating impact on the world’s economy. An-
At that moment the American government started to worry
other potential problem is that Obama might be forced to send
for the safety of the captain. Therefore, President Obama
more American ships to the region as a way of stopping the
authorized, for the first time since he came into office, the
aggressions. In this case the United States would be engaging
use of lethal force in a specific situation. Consequently, after
in another war apart from the current ones in Afghanistan and
one of the pirates had surrendered three shots were fired by
Iraq.
Navy Seals killing the pirates on board and freeing the American captain.
Mr. Obama took the decision to authorize the killing probably with the intention of showing the pirates that
This event was simply the latest episode in the saga of
he would not tolerate their actions. However, as a global
Somali pirates capturing ships going through the Strait of Aden
superpower, the U.S. is expected to be more diplomatic and
and later demanding ransoms for them. Prior to this event,
leave the brutality to the pirates. The effects of the killings
most of the shipping companies had been urging governments
are unknown apart from the fact the captain is now safe and
to protect the strait, and were willing to pay the amounts re-
the pirates have promised to retaliate. Unquestionably, the
quested. The reason why companies were willing to cooperate
situation in the straight will not be the same; however, it is
was because the price charged by insurance companies and
important to remain hopeful that the international community
escorts was greater than the one requested by the pirates on
will tackle the situation before this drama escalates into a
average. However, the situation might have changed after the
tragedy.
the talon • 13
news
Seals Among Sharks?
Reflections on the Extended Essay presentation experience IB Diploma Juniors
E
very year the IB diploma juniors present the findings of their Extended Essay research to a panel of three teachers and one student presentations are formal, and require spontaneous interaction, often with an audience. The following are comments about their experiences. All photos by Fergie.
W
hile I was talking, I looked at Mr. Sweetman a lot because he was showing a positive reaction. When I looked at Mr. Hanna, I could not continue fluently because his poker face made me nervous and I forgot what I just said.” “I was confident that I knew my subject and my essay. After seven months of researching it is hard not to understand your topic. What made me more secure was the fact that I knew what I had to say and I didn’t have to memorize it.”
“I felt the Extended Essay presentations were interesting, yet what they needed was more time. Although amazingly helpful, I wanted some more feedback that could not be given due to time constraints.”
“If I were to give advice to next year’s juniors I would tell them not to be as nervous as I was. After all, you spend the entire year researching and writing the essay, so you should feel confident when answering the panel’s questions. Another piece of advice I would give is to remember that the panel’s criticism or suggestions are not a personal attack against you. Rather, they are only helping you make your essay the best it can be for when you send it to the IB.” “I’d say my presentation played out much the same way as a shark eating a seal, with me as the seal. My paper and I were ripped apart with a brutality I hadn’t expected.” “Once my forty minutes were over, I was pleased with my performance. I now felt equipped to improve my essay. Since my presentation occurred in the morning, I had the rest of the day to watch other presentations. I was amazed at the interesting topics and excellent displays. I only wish I had more time to be able to see them all.”
“My experience of the Extended Essay presentation was something I don’t want to remember.”
14 • the talon
“I was really scared and nervous to start; I felt that I was extremely unprepared. However, once I started talking I relaxed, and it felt a lot more like a conversation than anything else. The panel was really relaxed, so that helped me relax, and it ended up being a great experience. The panelists gave me many good ideas that I will incorporate into my paper.”
features news
The Birth of Drama Where art and life meet
Cássia Di Roberto
T
he word drama is used today in many aspects of life, be it school drama, girl drama, or the genre we see in movies. Behind all of these meanings though, is the origin of the word. Where did drama arise and how did it become such a vivid part of our daily lives? Exploring its roots enables us to achieve a greater understanding of why our lives are sometimes surrounded by drama. The emotional part of drama comes from where it all began, in the theater. As a form of art, theater provokes emotion, conflicts, and intensity. Drama was created with theater, however there is no beginning and there will certainly be no end. There are three main epochs to consider the study of the birth of drama and its history, and they would be ancient theater, Renaissance/ Shakespearian theater, and the aftermath of Shakespeare. This great work of expression, as mentioned before, was seen first in Greece. Greek theater took place in large amphitheaters, which fit up to a thousand people. The actors included the chorus, and the leads. The chorus performed in the orchestra, and usually provided some sort of morality to the story, symbolizing the voice of the people. The main actors generally wore masks to represent their characters and their emotion. The concept of “actors” was not originally a part of Greek theater, but was developed as a consequence of certain playwrights. Greek drama was dominated by the works of 5 playwrights over the 200 years following its origin in 534 B.C. Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were known as the tragedians (those who create tragedies), while Aristophanes and Menander were authors of comedies. With the decline of Greek government and society, a new empire came about known as the Roman Republic. The Romans were influenced greatly by Greek theater. Although their performances weren’t as grand as the Greeks’, some of
the words used today were inherited from them, such as the word play. There were two forms of theater: the Fabula Palliata, which were primarily translations of Greek plays into Latin, and the Fabula Togata, which was of native origin and was based on more broadly farcical situations and physical humor. Certain aspects of this type of performance are still present today, made famous by modern Hollywood productions such as The Gladiator. Some like to claim that written theater died with the fall of the Roman empire, however there were troops who kept alive the tradition of theatrical art. The church was a big part of this preservation of theater; it even went as far as to linking some of its religious holidays with jpatokal.iki.fi these performances. Using dramatic form to illustrate the stories, reinforced religious messages, and better communicated the stories to the illiterate population. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, European society was hit by a wave of rebirth and rediscovery, a movement called the Renaissance. This led to a sudden gust of new art forms, and new ways of living. It was in this time that William Shakespeare wrote and acted. He wrote plays that are considered timeless for their understanding of human nature and character. He encouraged a more naturalistic style of acting and performing. In the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, theater went through various phases. Plays began dealing with ordinary people at this time, as a result of philosophers such as Voltaire and the growing desire for freedom. During the Industrial Revolution, gas lighting was introduced, and the necessity of controlling lighting effects made it imperative that the scenery would stand out. The twentieth century then finally saw the two greatest wars in history, which altered the way art was viewed in society.
the talon • 15
features
Too Much High School Drama Our need to know “who, what, when, where, why, and how?” Olivia Dupasquier
N
owadays, it’s hard to find a new teen movie that doesn’t follow a familiar dramatic storyline. This includes of course, the popular cheerleader, the gorgeous jock and the various conflicts, which we all know too well, that shape the movie and change it only subtly from the one made previously. And although we classify these exaggerated conflicts as stereotypical and unrealistic, is it possible that there is some truth behind it at each high school? Of course, Hollywood glamorizes it and the guys at our school don’t seem quite as cute as those in the movies, yet is it possible that Hollywood has it right; are our schools really that dramatic? The term “Graded Bubble” has various implications among students; one is a bubble created by the Graded community in which the students know each other and each other’s business all too well. It seems hard to share stories about your wild weekend with a friend without the entire grade finding out by the next break. I have had people I don’t even know come up to ask me if something they had heard about my personal life was true. So, although Hollywood might overstress it, and we might laugh at how very cliché all those movies are, it is undeniable that somewhere, the roots lie at our very high school. Because although we might not be as blunt, we all love gossiping about who, what, when, where and why. So how did we all get so addicted to drama? It seems we find it fascinating to swap stories about who hooked up with whom, and who was caught doing what. And as someone who commonly practices this act of “exchanging information,” my only real explanation as to why we do this, is just that it is extremely fun. Although it is hard to admit, all
16 • the talon
of us take some sort of pleasure in knowing personal details of other people’s lives. It seems we feel that other people’s mistakes diminish our own, which in turn, makes our interest in their slip-ups skyrocket. And after all, no matter how horrible it sounds, sometimes it’s comforting to know that someone else’s life is a bit more complicated than our own. However, it seems that our generation has taken things too far. Movies and television shows like Gossip Girl, have led to websites being generated in our own high schools with the sole purpose of sharing people’s personal lives with the rest of the world. Relationships, as well as friendships, have ended, reputations have been ruined and people have been humiliated, all due to the need of some to entertain themselves and others with some drama that often is not even completely true. But now there is the question of when is enough, enough. What is the difference between harmless gossiping and gossiping with the intention of harming someone else? Is there such a thing as harmless drama? Though answers kapitidancehall to these questions may vary, we must all stop to think of why we gossip the way we do, because although it might not seem detrimental, the root of most gossip is in fact immoral, since we hardly ever use it to say something good about someone. So although we love to think that those Hollywood high school movies are distant and have nothing to do with our lives, perhaps they’re simply exaggerated versions of our own high school. Perhaps we have a need to always have something interesting going on, or something juicy to talk about. But one thing is for certain, as a friend once said, “If drama was vodka, our school would be wasted.”
features
With the World in Mind Our tragic, comic lives
Ashton (Kwan Yeong) Kim
P
eople, or at least the people around me, generally find the word drama as something hard to approach or understand. After we hear the word, our mental images are quite simple and limited. We know that it is related to aspects of theater or, in other words, things that we act out. The meaning of the word itself originates from the Greek word meaning action. The format of drama itself, at least for the western world, also started in Greece, marking the beginning of theater. Anyone who has had the chance to study in school would have already had at least some contact with drama. Whether as an actor in a school play, a student studying the works of Shakespeare, or as a clapper in an audience, drama
is, to a certain extent, a part of your school life. We see it every day, through movies, plays, and even our own lives. Drama is an interpretation and reenactment of our lives, so we can always relate to it through characters and different tragic and comic storylines. There is no need to think that it is a media from another dimension. In just my first months at Graded, the chance to taste some drama in action has been given to me. Sophomores have been assigned an interesting English project for the fourth quarter of the school year; a short tragedy formed from our
own ideas. After completing the well known tragedy of Oedipus Rex, the story of Oedipus and his inevitable fate, it is now our turn to walk among the ranks of writers like Sophocles and Shakespeare, writing a short play of our own design. This will be a good opportunity for worn-out student minds. Drama, as distant as it may seem, is closer to our lives than we realize. Starting from history’s earliest years, people have enacted different situations in front of others to show the events of our lives through different kinds of characters. Generally, drama is divided into two kinds: tragedy and comedy. One is serious, while the other amusing. Tragedy, by its nature, is created from the flaws of ordinary human beings that results in catastrophic consequences. We all pitied the dreadful fate of Oedipus and Odysseus, and wept as we connected to Shakespeare’s heros. Comedy shows us the joyful and amusing aspects of our lives with clever wit and twists. These genres reflect what we have or could possibly go through in our lives. However, they are not the only strands of it. Drama shows the different emotions that various individuals will feel. It shows the audience the incidents in life that they can easily connect to, and contains the many different kinds of humans that we interact with in everyday life. We laugh, weep, show rage and pity as we see the news.bbc.co.uk situations come to life and connect with us. Musician George P. Baker, said, “Sensitive, responsive, eagerly welcomed everywhere, the drama, holding the mirror up to nature, by laughter and by tears reveals to mankind the world of men.” Drama is but a mirror, showing us through actors, our stories of life through the script, and the world within the stage itself. So I ask you to try watching a play, go to the movies, or take part in school productions. Not for study, not as an academic subject, but simply to look into the reflection of our lives and the people around us. You will soon be able to see something quite familiar.
the talon • 17
features
Swine Flu Fears
The hysteria created by the media Paula Martinez
D
rama plays a dangerous role in our lives. It can affect people’s feelings, it can sway opinions, and it can get to an extreme where often people do not think for themselves. This, I found, was what happened on April 29, when drama seeped into the media and frightened me unnecessarily. Average teenagers follows a basic routine after they get home from school. They turn on their laptop, sign into their instant messenger, start cruising through YouTube, and most likely log in to Facebook (unless they are like so many of us who have it set to open up automatically). Many teenagers, myself included, couldn’t even name one hedline from yesterday. But on this particular day, like many before it, I went
to hug my mother, who was working diligently on her laptop, when I got home from school. I looked over her shoulder a second, scanning the writing on the screen, and froze when I saw the words “WHO Raises Pandemic Alert to Second-Highest Level.” I began to worry. I’d heard about swine flu and couldn’t help but be terrified that the sorts of drastic events often described in science fiction novels and futuristic movies were within reach. Catastrophe for the entire human race as it tried in vain to fight an unbeatable pandemic that brought about the end of civilization as we knew it. Clearly the CNN headline was not exactly written with a comforting tone ei-
18 • the talon
ther, and the combination of the anxious title with my avid imagination led me to think the worst. However, when I sat down at the computer to do my homework, I chanced a peek at the CNN website and searched for the article. I read it, and realized that something wasn’t adding up. Later the same day, a link came up to another article on CNN, questioning whether or not the surgical masks that were causing a frenzy in Mexico actually worked. The report quoted Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “We would not recommend that people generally wear masks in their workplace as a precautionary measure.” The article cited Besser’s opinion that there was not strong supporting evidence that the masks did much good for disease protection for the common person wearing it. The mask’s use, he believed, was likely to contain the disease within someone who was already infected, preventing the 2,500 people confirmed for having the H1N1 virus from spreading it. So why were people in Mexico trying to get their hands on the few surgical masks available? My guess is the drama created by the headlines. If I had not read further into the second article, titled “Masks The Guardian Keep You From Spreading Illness,” I would’ve been as afraid as those who were scrambling for masks. I was deeply troubled for a long time about whether this sort of journalism was helpful to the people they were trying to “inform,” or would only cause widespread worry for no reason. A fact that should be brought up: thousands die of the normal, typical flu every year. The numbers seem a little disproportional for the amount of distress caused to the general public. I am not trying to belittle the situation in Mexico and those who have been suffering from the disease, but my question is whether the mass hysteria that was provoked by the media was truly necessary. The media is known for spinning things, changing them in a way that will sell more advertising. But is it going too far?
features
The More the Merrier... Really? The dilemma we create in our everyday lives
Isabella Zevallos
L
ife is really like a drama. At least our everyday lives are. We have a full schedule, extra-curricular activities, and we still have to balance it all out with our social life, which is just as important as the rest. What I mean is that we complicate our lives so much and get so caught up in so many activities that seemingly simple tasks, such as homework, are what make us stay up way past our bedtime hours. We then complain about the amount of homework we have instead of the number of activities we do. We create this entire world of overly-dramatized repetitive complaints, but yet, when we stop to think about it, it really is our fault. Or is it? Think of it in this way:Homework. Homework, grades, friends. Homework, grades, friends, family, dates, community service, plays, music, art, sports, final exams, Talon, MUN, HACIA, even more homework, more grades, friends, family, community service, plays … how can we handle all of this and yet still find time for ourselves? How can we balance out our socialacademic life at this stage? I mean, we all want to do well and have a guaranteed future. We all know how all this looks good in our applications… but how can we handle 17 different things simultaneously and still be expected to do well in all of them? Trying to juggle around multiple activities can be impossible and sometimes, soon enough, your goal becomes to try not drop the ball rather than to keep it high … yet, all those around you (parents, teachers and friends) have so many high expectations. There are outside influences, such as college applications, that practically oblige you to do multiple activities at once if you want your spot guaranteed. The teachers are also aware of our demanding obligations, and yet, some don’t seem to really stop to think or care about our state of
well-being for a second before giving us a five foot pile of homework to do over the weekend. I do understand it is not their fault we chose to do all of these things, and that they don’t ask too much of us, but can’t they give us a little, tiny break? I’m just asking for a bit of compassion. It bugs me that we stay up all night trying to finish everything up, which means we give up on our sleep, which means we sleep in class instead the next day, which then means geting a zero for participation. Is it all worth it? It is, isn’t it? Thinking about everything we have done until then suddenly becomes valuable because we’ll have so many memories from these teams, bands and the groups we have become part of, it has now all become part of our identities. And for some weird reason we don’t want to leave it all behind and concentrate on one course or activity only, even if we know we are struggling to handle it all. There is something inside us that urges us to continue doing all those things all together, all at once. And you know what is Isabella Zevallos worse? We think to ourselves: “You know what? I want to join that other group next year, it sounds nice…” It is the drama of it all that makes us strive for more. I don’t know if I will be able to do as much as I want, though. But someday that might happen… I mean, miracles do sometimes spontaneously occur out of the blue. But there is still homework, grades, friends, family, dates, community service, plays, music, art, sports, final exams, Talon, MUN, HACIA, even more homework, more grades, friends, family, community service, plays. You don’t reckon I’m being too dramatic, do you?
the talon • 19
features
Three cartoons on this month’s theme by Nina Kim
20 • the talon
news entertainment
Blithe Spirit
It was the ghost of a time... Cássia Di Roberto and David Birmann
L
ast Month the Graded community had the opportunity
and I died twice and got to reappear! It’s like acting out my
to enjoy the play Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward. The play
favorite horror movies.”
marked Ms. Blackburn’s debut as a director for the Graded The-
ater department, and was performed by our very own Andrea Cutler, Roberta Jafet, Katherine
Bianca Ioschpe: “This was definitely one of the best productions I have ever been in. We all had a ton of work apart from the play, but we all put the
Waddell, Thomaz Paes, Luiza Justus,
play before anything else, and
Bianca Ioschpe, David Kern and Cás-
worked together to make it what
sia Di Roberto. Making it all possible
it was. I am so grateful to have had
and working back stage were Luiza
such an amazing cast and crew. I
Calabrese, Enrique Calvo, Yana
made awesome new friends, and
Ahlden, Andrea Estrada, Miguel
got closer to friends I already had.
Gonzalez and Nicole Fergie.
I would do it all over again!”
The play breathed fresh-
Andrea Estrada: “It was a great
ness and was brilliantly interpreted.
experience in every way. Follow-
It culminated into a very enjoyable
ing the script as the cast per-
event and made what would other-
formed and trying not to laugh too
wise be a long evening, pass quickly
loud. I made new friends and got
among laughter and spirituality.
to know people I usually never talk to. There were hilarious moments
Katherine Waddel: “I think the
such as the opening: ‘turn off your
cast got along really, really well.
electronic devices so that they
I always ALWAYS had so much fun
don’t interfere with our electronic
when I came to play practice.”
devices’. I will never forget it.”
David Kern: “I got to work with
Luiza Justus: “I absolutely LOVED
awesome people. I had fun. I
working with everyone, our ‘blithe
learned how to make a martini,
spirit’ and ‘merda’ hand thing
and I got to spit Guaraná all over the BBT floor. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it.” Cássia Di Roberto: “These last few months have been unforgettable. From memorizing lines, to the closing show it was non-stop, hard-working fun. I met amazing people, grew closer to others, and just had a ‘jolly good time’. I will never forget our warm-ups before the shows, and the spirit we had as a cast.” Nicole Fergie: “I will never forget Bianca’s Arcadi dance, or the beauty parlor moments in the girls’ dressing room”
before every show, backstage moNicole Fergie ments, and simply everything that
happened during these past few months. I made so many new friends and got closer to lots of people I already knew. I’m sad it’s over.” Thomaz Paes: “It was three months ago on a Monday that Cassia grabbed me in the hall and asked, ‘Hey, you want to be part of a play that Ms. Blackburn is directing?’ And so she escorted me to the dancing room behind the Black Box Theater, where I proceeded to be part of some crazy audition with juniors bad eyeing me (Bianca and Jafet,)—Yet to learn
Roberta Jafet: “I had so much fun with everyone from the
that these were all hilarious, great-to-be-onstage-and-back-
cast, the unforgettable moments we spent during rehearsals.
stage-people. I realized this was a stupefying experience.
I got to scream my heart out when I was yelling at Charles,
And I can’t wait to work again with you guys next year.”
the talon • 21
entertainment
Fiction versus Reality
Obsession with fictional characters may become a problem Luiza Justus
T
he intricate and sometimes delusional stories displayed to
this can become a problem for a lot of women, because if
us in filsm and plays are usually not true. For some reason
it happens in a high degree it may damage their relation-
it is extremely entertaining to follow the life stories of fictional
ships in real life. Their expectations become too high and
characters. Sometimes these stories are based on true facts
their dependence on men may increase as well. Idealization
but usually are taken completely from the creative minds of
begins to happen, making women desire romances they read
storytellers who transform their ideas into screenplays and
about or see in movies, therefore developing an extremely
storyboards.
unrealistic idea about what is real love. In some cases, the
The daily life of a person is even more complicated and detailed than those of the characters onscreen. In fact, I
person might actually develop depression because their ideal partner does not exist.
know there are 6,697,229,900 completely different life stories
This is a perfect example of how fictitious drama over-
in this world. The daily drama of a fourteen-year-old studious
laps with reality. It can become a serious problem in a few
child may be the low grade she got on her quiz while halfway
cases but as long as this “obsession” with a fictional char-
across the world another person of the exact same age is suf-
acter does not get in the way of the person’s daily life, it is
fering from a serious disease. Each person has his or her own
perfectly normal.
type of daily drama, some more serious than others, but drama nevertheless.
Among teenagers it is very common to have crushes on characters they see on films or television shows, as well as characters from books. They are portrayed as ideal individu-
As long as this “obsession” with a fictional character does not get in the way of the person’s daily life, it is perfectly normal.
als, making more and more people fall in love with them. A perfect example of this, as mentioned previously, is the latest drama in the teen movie world : Edward Cullen, the vampire portrayed as a mystical and perfect creature. Imagine to what extent this current obsession will expand, and how many more girls will succumb to this artificial love affair.
Distinguishing fantasy from reality seems to be the easiest job in the world; however, it may not be as banal a job as some might think. It is evident that there is a fine line between life onscreen and real life.yet some people find themselves subconsciously (or even consciously) attached to things that do not exist. Some people get obsessed with fictional characters, definitely crossing the line between reality and fiction. One woman even stated her case and asked for help online to whoever may read it; she claims to be obsessed with the character of Edward Cullen, from the popular book series (now a major motion picture) Twilight: “But you know the character Edward Cullen, well, for some reason I feel attached.” She asked questions in desperation in order to find out if this is normal and why this is happening to her. Author Mary-Lou Galician highlighted this issue in a book, Research and Theories of Mass Media Effects on Individuals and Society. In this book she writes, “Obsession with fictional characters can cause emotionally disabling attachments filled with anxiety, fantasy and over-dependence.” Galician states
22 • the talon
femalefirst.co.uk
entertainment
TV Drama in Korea
The past, present and future of the twisted plots Ho Jun Yang
D
rama has a long history, ranging from ancient dramas all
as a police officer and at his death, the police officer reveals
the way up to the dramas shown on TV. Drama has accom-
their secret relationship.
panied TV ever since its birth. From December 17, 1953, the
A Korean drama that has currently caused an uproar
first successful color TV system began broadcasting some of the
and rapidly gained interest also includes a warped plot. It
most vivid forms of entertainment. The most popular Ameri-
tells the story of a woman who’s cheated on by her best
can dramas for each decade from the 1950s until now are
friend (who happens to be her brother’s ex). The woman tries
the following. In the 1950s: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955 – 1962), 1960s: Columbo (1968 – 2003), 1970s: Three for the Road (1975 – 1975), 1980s: Little House on the Prairie (1974 – 1983), 1990s: The West Wing (1999 – 2006), Veronica Mars (2004 – 2007). According to “tv. com,” the highest rated drama of current times are House (2004 – present) and Dexter (2006 – present) All of these dramas have one thing in common; they are all about mystery, suspense and solving a problem. TV dramas, however, are present all around ABS-CBN network
the world. Korean dramas for example, involve twisted plotlines just like traditional soap
to desperately hang on to her husband, but is abandoned by
operas. In the hospital right after birth, a nurse misplaced two
him and ends up divorcing. Filled with rage, she decides to
babies in the cribs of different families. Later, after the chil-
get revenge on him by getting plastic surgery and pretending
dren have grown up and graduated college, they find out that
to be somebody else from a rich family. A daughter of a really
in fact, they belong to the other family and are traumatized
rich family had recently died and the woman who was cheated
by learning that their families are not their real families. One
on goes and impersonates that dead daughter.
grew up in a very rich family while the other in a poor shop
These Korean dramas, crazy as they may be, are always
keepers family. Due to the change of families the lives of the
are so addictive once you start watching them. Not only Korean
two people change completely with a tragic twist.
dramas, but dramas in general are always filled situations that
Two siblings that were sent to separate orphanages
exemplifies the “what ifs” in our lives. Interestingly enough,
as children, only to grow up with completely different back-
all the ideas for the dramas come from real life. Even though
grounds. As adults, they meet again, one of the twins being a
these Korean dramas seem to have exhausted all possible
police officer and the other being a gangster. The police officer
ideas for a new drama, they always keep inventing more fresh
finds out about his brother who he thought had died and goes
ideas I definitely look forward and expect many more great
to tell him about their relationship. Tragically, the twin who is
dramas, and hope the culture of Korean dramas will spread
a gangster ends up shooting his brother, thinking of him only
out more.
the talon • 23
entertainment
Lies, Rumors and Gossip Girl There’s always room for more drama
Julia Greenwald
Y
ou know you love me, xoxo, Gossip Girl. My heart skips a beat. My palms are sweating. My breathing unsteady. Are Dan and Serena going to break up again? Will Blair get her spot at Yale back? What’s Chuck up to; there are some nasty rumors about him going around. The truth is, I love drama—Gossip Girl to be more exact. I know it’s silly and embarrassing, I know people’s lives are nothing like the show portrays them to be, and I know I could be spending my time doing something useful instead of obsessing over this TV show; but I can’t stop watching it. I’m not the only one either; there are many Gossip Girl fanatics at Graded, not to mention around the world. What is Gossip Girl anyway? For those of you who have given up on TV in general and for you boys who think you’re too cool for girls and gossip, it is a TV show on Warner Channel on Wednesdays starting at 9 pm about the lives of the privileged teenagers of the Upper East Side in New York City. Their lives not only revolve around blackberries, fancy cars and masquerade balls, but gossip. Lots of it. Supplied by no other than Gossip Girl, the faceless source behind the rumors. But is Gossip Girl a friend or foe? I asked myself this very question about a year ago and noticed that this show changed something. It changed the teenagers at my previous school in Ecuador, the 100 high schoolers I saw everyday. For a small school, there sure was a lot of gossip. Hookups, breakups, breakups caused by hookups, some drug abuse, the usual. Before the show began to air in Quito, this schoolwide drama was the only thing people ever talked about. For a month the field trip alcohol fiasco was the hottest gossip.
24 • the talon
The next month no one could get over the group of freshman caught smoking in the girl’s bathroom. The next month Gossip Girl premiered. That’s when it happened. My world was turned upside down. At lunch my friends didn’t talk about what had happened at the party on Saturday, they were talking about what had happened on the pilot episode. A week later, my lab partner wasn’t talking about the couple that had just broken up after three years together; she was talking about Blair and Nate. What could this possibly mean? What was happening? It took a while, but it finally hit me—Gossip Girl took over our school’s drama. It was almost as if we were living through the gossip that escalated every episode. Dan, Serena, Blair, Nate and Chuck weren’t just characters played by actors, they were real people that we knew by first name basis and talked about endlessly. Can we then say that Gossip Girl is that bad? If its drama replaces the terrible rumors that spread throughout our school like wildfires, should viciadosemseries.wordpress we not celebrate it? I guess the other side of the argument is that it’s not considered healthy or sane to obsess over a TV show and its Hollywood-produced drama, but at least it’s entertaining. The truth is, Gossip Girl is just a TV show, based around drama. It can never replace reality and like any other fad, it will one day die out and be quickly replaced by another hipper, newer TV show. But for now, it makes high school a little less unbearable, girls a little less vicious, and Wednesday nights a little more exciting. “Spotted: N getting fitted for his best man suit at Bergdorf’s (FYI his cousin Trip is getting married).” Sorry guys, but commercial break is over, and I have some drama to catch up on.
entertainment
Addicted to Drama
Does the media have us hooked to it? Marina Oliveira
A
s I sat with my best friend just a few weeks ago, having
how many people I know, both male and female, who follow
one of those perfectly tedious movie and brigadeiro ses-
closely each and every break up and make up, argument
sions only best friends can have on cloudy Sunday afternoons,
and gossip, in shows like Gossip Girl and, until recently, The
I watched her come to a sudden realization,:“I need more
O.C., that happen with such speed and frequency that it even
drama in my life. We need more drama in our lives.”
becomes difficult to follow the complex plot of a seemingly
Being someone that runs away from drama in every
brainless show. These characters lead fabulous lives in their
way I can possibly imagine, this seemed quite an erroneous
exclusive, wealthy world where they go to the coolest clubs,
statement to me. I have always been skeptical of the actual
wear the coolest clothes, and have the world at their feet, all
benefits drama can bring to our lives. Tears, yelling, hair pull-
with a good dose of...drama.
ing, broken hearts… all among the not so cheerful side effects of drama. Though only fifteen, I have lived long enough to know, not only from personal experience but also from other’s blubbering accounts of their lives that it does not go well. However, I cannot say I don’t understand what led my best friend, someone with whom I generally share opinions, to the realization that we need drama in our lives.
But if you stop and think about it, is the way the media depicts the lives of these individuals realistic?
The movie we watched was The Notebook. It begins with Allie and Noah, both seventeen in 1940. He likes her,
Even in reality shows, supposedly depictions of the “real lives”
she does not like him, but he does not give up until he takes
of individuals “just like us,” we are faced with nothing but
her out on a date. They fall madly in love and have a perfect
drama. In The Hills, Lauren is never bored at home or doing
summer, until her family decides they cannot be together
homework like any other college student. She is always fighting
because of their difference in social classes. Noah and Allie
with someone or another, having relationship problems. Her
fight, there is hitting and yelling and crying, and… drama. All
life is never tedious, always replete with red carpet parties,
this leads to a break up and a life apart for seven years, until
a gigantic wardrobe, her dream job and...drama.
they meet again, find out they are still in love, discover that
Everywhere we look, be it movies or magazines or
her mother sabotaged their relationship, and Allie must choose
television series or even reality shows, we are faced with the
between Noah and her fiancée. After all the twists and turns
message that our regular, ordinary lives with both good and
of the plot, all the drama, they end up happily ever after.
bad times, neither very extreme, are not enough to fulfill us.
With this in mind, wanting drama in our lives seems
We are told by media that what we really need is more drama
so obvious. Its ups and downs, its extreme emotions and con-
in our lives. Then we can be truly happy. All this information
flicts, all lead to perfect happiness. It’s fun, it’s engaging, it’s
is simply accepted, no questions asked. But if you stop and
alluring. All around us, media has led us to believe that drama
think about it, is the way the media depicts the lives of these
is the instant solution everyone needs in their lives.
individuals realistic? Can you be happy when your life is mov-
The covers of magazines like People or US Weekly
ing like a yo-yo, one minute ecstatic and the next miserable?
don’t headline news such as “Nick Jonas sleeps early on a
How glamorous would it really be, as opposed, to sort through
Saturday night” or “Gisele Bündchen watches old episodes of
problem after problem after problem?
Friends,” but drama-filled fights between Lauren Conrad and
So, after all, do we really need more drama in our lives? I can
Heidi Montag or Britney Spear’s nervous breakdowns. They are
only answer for myself and say that I will remain on my couch,
rich, they are famous, they are gorgeous and glamorous, de-
perfectly happy and content with my brigadeiro, my cloudy
signer-wearing gods and goddesses, and they have...drama.
Sunday afternoon, my ordinary best friend, and my unexciting
In the television shows we are addicted to, it’s all
life and leave the drama on the screen.
about the drama, the emotion. I cannot even begin to count
the talon • 25
entertainment
Trivialities
More useless information to share during the holiday Luiza Justus
O
prah Winfrey’s first name should have been the Biblical name Orpah, from the Book of Ruth, except the midwife made a mistake in spelling it when she filled out the birth certificate.
• An iguana can hold its breath for twenty-eight minutes. • Armadillos have four babies at a time and they are always the same sex.
• If you told someone he was “one in a million,” you would be saying it to about two thousand people in China.
• We are about one centimeter taller in the morning than in the evening. Layers of cartilage in the joints get compressed during the day.
• New Zealand is the only country that contains every type of climate in the world.
• Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second!
• Bob Dylan’s real name is Robert Zimmerman.
• The average human produces 10,000 gallons of saliva in a lifetime.
• Shirley Temple always had fifty-six curls in her hair. • Attila the Hun died of a nosebleed on his wedding night in 453 AD.
• After eating too much, your hearing is less sharp.
• Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
• The colder the room you sleep in, the better the chances are that you’ll have a bad dream.
• The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
• A baby is born every seven seconds.
• The typical person goes to the bathroom six times a day.
• Polar bears are left-handed.
• Humans were first infected with the HIV virus in the 1930s.
• A cockroach will live nine days without its head, before it starves to death.
• A hair is 70 percent easier to cut when soaked in warm water for two minutes.
• In a deck of cards, the king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.
• The most sensitive finger on the human hand is the index finger.
• Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.
• The largest galaxies contain a million, million stars.
• Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.
• The universe contains over 100 billion galaxies.
• Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined. • On average, people fear spiders more than they do death. • It is possible to lead a cow upstairs,but not downstairs. • Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
• More germs are transferred shaking hands than kissing. • Without its lining of mucus your stomach would digest itself. • Human saliva has a boiling point three times that of regular water.
• The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
• Coca-Cola was the favored drink of Pharaoh Ramses. An inscription found in his tomb, when translated, was found to be almost identical to the recipe used today.
• If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-2333, she would stand seven feet, two inches tall.
• Urine from male cape water buffaloes is so flammable that some tribes use it for lantern fuel.
• According to the Bible, King Solomon had seven hundred wives.
• Chef George Crum concocted the perfect sandwich complement in 1853 when—to spite a customer who complained that his fries were cut too thick—he sliced a potato paper-thin and fried it to a crisp. Needless to say, the diner couldn’t eat just one.
• Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
• Half the world’s population has seen at least one James Bond movie. • Owls are the only birds that can see the color blue. • Scientists in Canada discover during tests that chickens increase their egg output when pop music is being played.
26 • the talon
All facts found at dysan.net and in The Ultimate Book of Useless Information by Noel Botham
viva voice
Of Hotdogs and Values A short story
David Birmann
T
he traditional metaphor of the steady hourglass is alien to
tinue. So the following morning he approached the other vendor
Time on Wall Street. There, the grains of Time cascade to the
and engaged in friendly small talk. Juarez, typically unfriendly
abyss, as desperate men and women try to hold on to as much sand
and not receptive, seemed to have changed. After such a long
as possible with their sieves. The rushed lives of those New York-
time of working on that street corner, it seemed he had finally
ers make them good at one thing: prioritizing. And either because
gained an appreciation for others. And in no time, he befriended
of procrastination or a simple mistake, they end up having to cut
Carlos.
some things from
“Tell me Carlos,”
their
hard-pressed
said Juarez, “Do you
agendas. They moan
ever miss our ‘jugo
and groan silently
de pina’ from Mexi-
and
co?”
work
during
their lunch break,
Carlos closed his
knowing that the
eyes as he tried to
only thing that will
imagine the deli-
be compatible with
cious
their schedule and
juice from his home-
that will also pla-
town, and declared,
cate their hunger,
“Oh, do I! What I
as it rumbles nois-
wouldn’t give for a
ily within them, is
sip.”
a tasty hot dog. The
Juarez
hot dog vendors,
“Lucky
all too aware of
friend. Here, take
the fact, establish
this one.” He tossed
themselves at 11:00
a bottle of yellow
to get the delicious
daylife
aroma to expand to
pineapple
smiled, day
my
homemade juice to Carlos. Carlos drank
a large radius centered at their carts. The vendors watch, with a
the entire bottle, and thirty minutes later he bent his posture
smile, at the internal conflict of the healty and fit, and the sense
slightly, contracted his face, and put a hand on his stomach as he
of urgency of the not-so-fit. They love to see the money roll in, as
sensed something inevitable and unavoidable.
indecisive customers pay for their food, and then bring their wallets out again for seconds.
He said, “Wow! I must be already unaccustomed, ‘cuz my belly is killing me.”
This street corner was Juarez’s, who had been there for
“Really? That happens to me sometimes, the best cure
the past six months. However, one busy day, a new vendor brought
is to do as your body commands. There is a public bathroom two
his hot dog cart to the same street corner on the sidewalk parallel
blocks down.”
to Juarez’s. “Hey, you, what do you think you are doing? This is my corner,” blurted Juarez. The other vendor responded, “Sorry man, I don’t decide where to sell. It is ‘la compania’ who makes the decision.” Juarez let it rest; he felt it wiser to observe rather than act. Three days passed, and he counted a forty-percent drop in his daily revenue. No, he thought, I cannot allow this situation to con-
Carlos’ face contracted even further as he muttered, “Amigo will you look over my cart for a few minutes?” Juarez nodded in an of-course-my-friend way, and Carlos left. Shortly after, Juarez pulled a plastic bag with several dead cockroaches inside, walked to Carlos’ cart and dropped the bugs into the hot dog bin He then walked back to his own cart, took out his phone and dialed. “Yes, Sanitation Commission please…”
the talon • 27
sports
Só há UM Ronaldo!
The ups and downs of the three-time World Player of the Year Christopher Thomas
S
ince this month’s theme is Drama, I’ve decided to write a piece on Ronaldo Luiz Nazário de Lima, or Ronaldo, as we know him. No, not the greasy Portuguese guy, but the true Brazilian legend. He has played for clubs such as Barcelona, Internazionale, Real Madrid, and AC Milan. At the age of 32, he is now playing with Corinthians. With this article I hope to summarize the career of this absolute Brazilian legend who, in my opinion, could be compared to the greats like Pelé and Maradona. Ronaldo was born in Rio de Janeiro, and began his professional career for Brazilian side Cruzeiro. In his first and only year there, he scored 12 goals in 14 appearances, an impressive goalscoring record. Soon after this, he was scouted by PSV and bought for approx £3 million (US$6m). It was to prove a very worthy investment, as Ronaldo scored an astounding 42 goals in 46 league games, which ran his total tally to 54 goals in 57 official competitive appearances. His obvious talent attracted Spanish giants FC Barcelona, who acquired him in the summer of 1996. His only season at Barça, at the tender age of 20, was certainly one of the best seasons for any player in modern times. Amassing 34 league goals in 37 league games, and a yet unmatched record of 47 goals in 49 total appearances, Ronaldo proved to the whole world that he could recreate his magic in a big league. So exceptional was his playing, that it seemed like the defenders he was playing against did not exist. They could not find an answer to his magic, to put it simply. Pace and trickery helped his cause as he blitzed past helpless defenders who could only stare at amazement as he tore them to shreds. It was certainly enough to win him two World Player of the Year awards, in 1996 and 1997. The following year, Internazionale signed the talismanic striker, and Ronaldo helped them win the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, in which he scored their third goal in the final.
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Shortly after, he went off to play in the 1998 World Cup for Brazil, where he performed brilliantly. Until the final, that is. The night before the final against the hosts, France, Ronaldo had a convulsive fit. Ronaldo was removed from the starting line-up but before the game began, he requested to play and was thus put back on the team by Mario Zagallo, the coach. The decision proved to be disastrous; Ronaldo missed scores of chances and played horribly overall, as France ran away 3-0 victors, courtesy of Brazil’s very own Kryptonite, Zinedine Zidane. However, Ronaldo was to return to Inter in good condition. Independent News Despite this, on November 21st, 1999, one of the worst moments of Ronaldo’s career took place. During the match on this date against Lecce, Ronaldo felt his knee buckle under him and limped off the pitch. Medical examinations discovered that he had ruptured the tendon in his right knee and he would have to face surgery. When he was finally rushed back by Inter on April 12th, 2000 (a date that was much too early for an injury of the magnitude he had suffered) he injured the same knee once again, only seven minutes into the match.
His only season at Barça... was certainly one of the best seasons for any player in modern times. Two surgeries and 36 months later, though, Ronaldo was back in style for the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan. Since his knee injury had made him lose much of his pace, Ronaldo had to adapt to a new playing style, relying more on
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the quickness of his feet rather than overall speed. Scoring eight goals, two being in the final against Germany, he led the national team to their fifth World Cup, a record that still stands today. What was amazing was that he scored against every single opponent in the run up to the final, save for in the quarter finals against England. His performance in the World Cup guaranteed him his third World Player of the Year award. Soon after this, he was transferred to Real Madrid as part of their “Galácticos” policy. Although injured until October of that year, Ronaldo was continuously cheered by the Real Madrid supporters. On his debut, he scored twice, much to the delight of the Real Madrid fans. He finished the season with 23 goals, and a La Liga Championship (which he had failed to win in 96-97 with Barcelona despite his impressive form). Ronaldo ended his Real Madrid career with 128 games played and 83 goals scored, and to this date is the last player to ever score more than 30 goals a season in the Spanish League. His World Cup in 2006 was very unlike the one in 2002. Despite this competition sealing his fate as the record goalscorer in the Cup, beating Gerd Müller’s previous record, most Brazilians felt Ronaldo should not have played. Having gained a lot of weight and being considerably slower, he was repeatedly jeered for this fact, and never really hit good form in the competition, as Brazil crashed out in the quarterfinals, losing 1-0 to, you guessed it, Les François.
Scoring eight goals, 2 being in the final against Germany, he led the national team to their fifth World Cup Ronaldo signed for AC Milan in the January transfer window of 2007, for a sum of €7.5m, with the remainder of his contract paid off by him. The transfer was completed on the 30th of January and he was given the number 99 shirt. His second game against Siena was where he weaved his magic for Milan, scoring twice and assisting once to seal a 4-3 victory for Milan. On the 13th of February, 2008, however, Ronaldo was once again felled by a terrible incident. While jumping for a cross in a game against Livorno, Ronaldo ruptured his kneecap ligament in his left knee. He was stretchered off and taken to the hospital, never to play again for Milan, who had decided
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to release him. During rehabilitation, Ronaldo suffered immense criticism from the press for having put on a lot of weight. Indeed, he was noticeably overweight and there was much speculation that he would retire due to this and his injuries. Not one to give up, as his recovery progressed he joined Flamengo, his childhood club, and trained with them, with the Club Chairman stating that he was welcome to join. On December 9th, 2008, it was announced that he would sign a one year deal with Corinthians. The news was shocking and caused many Flamengo supporters to burn pictures and effigies of the great player in confused anger. After losing several kilos in weight during training, Ronaldo finally starred in a Copa do Brasil match against Itumbiara. He scored his first goal against Palmeiras in the next match, a crucial header in the last minutes of the heated derby match which equalised the score for Corinthians. It was clear to everyone that this was an emotional time for him, as he celebrated by climbing onto a fence. Certainly, Ronaldo’s career has been a roller coaster ride of amazing seasons and media controversy. It is up to him to show us if he can re-attain the heights he once achieved.
the talon • 29
sports
You’ve Gotta be Kiddin’ Me World’s weirdest sports
Isabella Zevallos
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ome of us don’t seem to understand the essence of soccer, basketball, softball, or other common sports simply due to lack of interest. Yet, there are some sports around the world that not only make no sense and have no true value, but are just plain awkward and make you think over again about how grateful you are that you are a sane person. Voted the Top 10 Weirdest Sports by “inventors.com” and other related sites, bizarre activities, including official “toe wrestling” and “cheese rolling races” are listed as actual sports. Adding to those previously stated “games” are the “man versus horse race”, “wife carrying”, Bog Snorkeling, fistball, octopush, Chess Boxing, World Beard and Mustache Championships amongst others Toe Wrestling is a peculiar sport has had official Championships for more than 10 years. This two-player game was first invented in a pub in Derbyshire, UK. It even applied, in 1997, for the Olympics, hoping for inclusion in the most important sporting competition in the world. The process of the match is to lock both the player’s and the opponent’s feet together by interlocking the toes, and trying to push the entire foot downwards to reach the defined line or board. The winner is the one who manages to force the other’s foot down first. Cheese Rolling has become a famous sport in some areas. Competition occurs as follows: a Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down the hill, with competitors chasing after it in the attempt of reaching the bottom of the hill first, or if possible, to catch the cheese while it is still rolling (though highly unlikely since the cheese has a head-start of 1 second and may reach the speed of 112 km/h). There have been many accidents in these races, most involving competitors that land head-over-heels and even spectators who get hit by the cheese. Man vs. horse race takes in a tiny Welsh town. Although it is almost physically impossible to beat a horse at a race, this sport has been around officially for more than 25 years. It was created by a landlord when he heard a discussion between two of his servants about whether or not a man could beat a horse at a race. Competing against mounted horse contestants for a generous amount of money as prize, competitors race through a 22-mile course, sometimes even going through streams of water, “galloping” their way to the coveted victory. Until today, only one man, against the odds
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of 16 to 1, won the race, achieving first place with a record time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 19 seconds. Wife carrying is an official sport in Finland. Deriving from a Finnish brigand’s idea of making people carry heavy sacks through the forest, the idea of carrying one’s spouse on his back began to prosper. The idea of the sport is for the male partner to carry the female, hanging upside down with her legs around his neck, alaskatravelgram through various obstacles, such as streams, with the objective of reaching the destination in the smallest amount of time possible. Bog snorkeling takes place exclusively in Llanwryt Wells in Wales. Competitors race to end using only their flippers and nothing else, not even other swimming techniques, to move their way through the swamp with nothing but a snorkeling mask and bathing suit. Fistball was first created in Estonia by college students. It is very much like the combination of volleyball with tennis. This game’s purpose is to hit the ball, with closed fists, at the opponent’s court where they can’t get it. The opponent then has only three touches (including bounces and passes to the other team players) to send the ball back to the other court. Octopush is an awkward sport in which team players compete in getting the puck inside a goal. Only this time the puck is heavy and sinks and…oh, it’s all underwater. It is played in the bottom of swimming pools and has become an official sport represented by the BOA (British Octopush Association). Chess boxing still manages to pull weird faces from sporting fans. With an alternating combination of chess and boxing, thus requiring strength and mental skills, the match between two players consists of six rounds of chess and five rounds of boxing. Opponents play three minutes of chess and two minutes of boxing per round. If the chess game ends in a tie, the boxer with the highest points wins and if it is still tied, the player with the most black pieces wins. World Beard and Mustache Championship has become a world phenomenon. Males (it is hoped) can enter multiple categories when applying, with mustache grouping ranging from the extremely thin Dali style all the way to the gigantic Alaskan Whaler style. Held twice a year, this event is hosted in multiple places.
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The Revolutionary Inspiration How one woman started an epidemic Yana Ahlden
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efore and after. Before, it was nothing at all. After, it was a disease that never let go. Before, it was simply a sport. After, it was a hope. Before, it was weakness. After, it was strength. Before was without her. After is with her. Before the World Cup win of German National Women’s Soccer team, no serious recognition of women’s soccer existed in Germany. That was before they knew her. Birgit Prinz has played soccer ever since was a little child. Her father coached her for a while, which she says influenced her decision to pursue the sport. In her early life, soccer wasn’t Birgit’s only hobby. She also swam and did track and field. But then the time came that she had too many competitions at once, and Prinz had to decide which sport to make her life. Soccer was the one. Her accuracy and never-ending hunger for both goals and victories is what makes her one of the best female soccer players of all times. She never plays for herself, but always with and for the team. She is reluctant to take the credit, but always praises her teammates. Never letting anyone call her the star player of any team she plays in, Prinz shows us all what the game of soccer is truly about: teamwork. She explains: “It’s a fact that there are eleven people on the pitch. You can still win even if the superstar has a bad game. But a superstar is nothing without the team.” This modest woman is the reason why nowadays you will find an equal amount of girls and boys attending soccer practices in the cubs of their cities in Germany. She is the reason why nowadays, Germany is proud to be hosting the Women’s Soccer World Cup in June/July of 2011. She is the reason why girls and women alike are soccer fanatics. She is the reason
why girls attend soccer practices and play on the streets and backyards. Not only do these players of the future want to be able to acquire the skill that Prinz shows off during league games for the top ranked FFC Frankfurt or the national team, but they also want to give back. Give back to those that work behind the scenes. Give back to those we usually don’t give back to. Currently, Prinz is working with FIFA on their campaign against racism. She does this because, “All footballers have the opportunity to influence people. We can make a contribution towards eradicating racism in the world.” She also spent five days in Afghanistan as a patron of the ‘Learn and Play Project’ supported by FIFA, the National Olympic Committee and Afghanistan Aid. “You only had to look at the children to know that it was the right thing to do,” said Prinz of her Afghan experience. The Age Unlike most other heroes children are given to idolize today, Prinz is worthy of the credit she receives. AC Perugia certainly thought so when they made Prinz an offer to join them in August of 2005. If she had not declined, she would have been the first woman to play in a professional men’s soccer league, the Italian Serie A. The decision not to go down in history as a novelty act, shows Prinz’s true will to make a difference in the world. What she probably doesn’t know yet is that she has already made a difference. She has given hope to girls and women around the world to pursue their dreams. She has opened doors for all those out there who want to play soccer. She will go down in history. For what? for starting an epidemic that will, I hope, never end. She has started the epidemic of Women’s soccer. And that is a true accomplishment.
the talon • 31
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La Vita è Cosi A canarinho 2006
Fernando Lima futebol sempre foi e sempre será característica mar-
O
A falta de ajustes pontuais no time causou a sua queda.
cante do povo Brasileiro. Quando se fala em Brasil em
Desde a estréia, esse mundial não parecia tão promissor quanto
qualquer lugar do mundo, três coisas vêm à mente: Ronaldo
os outros. A seleção, graças a Kaká, o bambino d’oro, venceu
(às vezes Pelé), samba (ou Rio de Janeiro) e, é claro, as nos-
a (em renovação) Croácia, no seu único momento de brilhan-
sas mulatas. Mas nada como o futebol foi produto de tamanha
tismo no torneio. No segundo jogo, a defesa sofreu com a bola
comercialização. Esse processo tem raízes nos anos 30, quando
aérea (problema crônico), porém venceu por 2x0 com um gol
Filó, atacante do Corinthians, se naturalizou italiano e ganhou
do reserva (artilheiro do campeonato francês) Fred. Na terceira
a copa de 34. Nos anos 50, o nosso Mazzola, o Altafini deles
partida, a canarinho saiu perdendo do Japão (gol de Kenji
(mesmo homem e jogador), foi jogar
Tamada), mas com Juninho Pernambucano
na Internazionale e inscreveu seu
(melhor jogador do campeonato francês
nome na história do clube. O processo
havia quase 10 edições) e suas cobranças
se intensificou nos anos 80, após o tri-
de faltas, a seleção sapecou 4x1. Neste
campeonato mundial no México, em
ponto, caro leitor, você achava que está-
1970. As idas de Zico para a Udinese,
vamos caminhando com passadas largas,
Paulo César Caju para o Olympique
rumo a outro campeonato, não é?
de Marseille, Falcão para a Roma e
Nas oitavas-de-final, a ilusão final-
Careca para o Napoli (formando dupla
mente se estabeleceu e ganhou uma força
de ataque com Dieguito) são alguns
descomunal, tanto que quase envolveu
exemplos dos primeiros craques a ir desbravar a Europa. Como o leitor
Geocities Brasil
todos na nação tupiniquim. A nossa amarelinha havia dado uma surra na briosa
percebe, todos os nomes citados são de atacantes ou meio-
seleção de Gana. O jogo foi muito fácil para um mata-mata
campistas. Com o tetra de 1994, o futebol brasileiro se escan-
de Copa do Mundo. Os africanos não ofereceram resistência
carou para a venda de “pé-de-obra”, para conseguir dinheiro
nenhuma às investidas brasileiras e, ainda por cima, não
para sustentar seus clubes já doentes. Nos anos 90, saíram
atacavam freqüentemente. Dos três ataques que o Brasil se
daqui nomes como: Romário e Ronaldo para o PSV Eindhoven,
esforçou, três gols foram marcados. Ai veio o fatídico jogo
Roberto Carlos para o Real Madrid, Aldair para a Roma (ex-time
contra a França. Toda a falta de preparação se mostrou nessa
de Mussolini) e Edmundo para a Fiorentina.
partida. O filme de Weggis volta à mente. Todos os flashes,
Se o leitor lembrar, a esquadra brasileira da Copa de
microfones e entrevistas podiam ser trocados por apenas
2006 contava com, nada mais nada menos, do que dois – por
um treino de jogadas ensaiadas. Uma falha na marcação e
incrível que pareça – dois jogadores que jogavam no seu país
o sonho do hexa acabou. No 29º minuto do primeiro tempo,
de origem na época. Mineiro e Rogério Ceni eram os corajosos.
a falta cobrada pelo Ribery (rascunho de satã), cruza a bola
Isso fez uma seleção cada vez mais badalada. Com jogadores
no alto. Dida sai catando borboletas, como sempre. Roberto
ganhando prêmios as pencas nos melhores campeonatos do
Carlos, o marcador de Thierry Henry pula e completa para o
mundo, a seleção (que defendia o seu titulo) cedeu aos desejos
gol. O desespero se instala. Parreira troca Cafu por Cicinho e
do dono da bola brasileira, o Sr. Excelentíssimo Magnânimo
põe Robinho. Nada acontece. Ligações diretas da defesa para
Benemérito Ricardo Teixeira A preparação foi uma verdadeira
o ataque viram o único meio de articulação. Apita o árbitro e
pelada. Enquanto a federação angolana não tinha dinheiro
o sonho acaba.
para mandar tênis de corrida para seus atletas, a canarinho
O futebol tão deformado da seleção brasileira, cheio
cobrava ingressos numa cidadezinha mequetrefe na Suíça, a
de craques nos principais clubes da Europa, não deu conta de
maldita Weggis (não por culpa deles). Com a imprensa filmando
vencer uma França, pela segunda vez multirracial, muito mais
cada passo dos atletas, não havia treinamentos secretos para
senegalesa do que francesa. Coisas desse tipo acontecem com
acertar minúcias necessárias para a vitória.
times cheio de estrelas de egos inflados. La vita è cosi.
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