Vol. 48, Issue #3

Vol. 48, Issue #3

The

December 9, 2022

Knightly News

p. 4 Seasonal Affective Disorder is on the Rise

p. 6 The Results are in After the Nov. 8 Election

p. 11 Year in Review

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

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Pace News

December 9, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 2

New A ff init y Group Joins the Pace Communit y “Identity is so much more expansive than what we once defined it as,” said Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Joanne Brown.

Finding a space in the larger Pace community to celebrate these different components of identity has always been a goal

of the affinity groups within our institution, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team is excited to introduce a new addition to the Pace community: the neurodivergent affinity group.

The word ‘neurodivergent’ might be an unfamiliar term to some, but it is simply an umbrella label for those whose brain might process, learn or behave differently from the neurotypical person.

This label constitutes those with learning differences, such as dyslexia or dyscalculia, at-

tention deficit disorders, those on the spectrum and many more.

This affinity group looks to welcome people with this shared identity, in order to provide a safe space for sharing and collaboration. Led in conjunction

by ARC Learning Specialists, Erin McNicolas and Michael Callahan, as well as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion Nirvana Scott, this group began after a request prompted its arrival.

“A student approached us,”

shared Callahan “it’s something that’s been on our mind, but it was truly the student who propelled it to make it happen. I think the fact that it was studentdriven is really special, that’s what the affinity groups are all about, it’s for people to get together, share their experiences, and help each other be successful.”

This student-led theme also continues into the group meetings. “This is really just a space for students to be, so it’s not really anything that has an agenda,

or a specific framework,” said McNicholas, “we’re simply there to facilitate the group and bring snacks.

It’s my first experience with any affinity group, and it’s been very cool to see students who I’ve worked with come together to open up.”

The neurodivergent affinity group meets once a month during break. Anyone looking to join can check for an email or an announcement in assembly with further details on specific dates and times!

Trovon Baugh Takes the Spotlight On and Off the Field

this school.” At Pace, being an academic weapon, Baugh takes AP Environmental Science and Comparative Politics, challenging his mind both on and off the football field.

Along with dominating in the classroom, Baugh’s true talent lies within football. On October 14, a ceremony was held at Pace in honor of Baugh’s selection for the 2023 Under

weather?

KN: Windy, Overcast.

BE: I actually don’t know.

I’ve been wearing the same vest since I was 18 years old and I don’t know who makes it. I’ll go with Fleece Vest.

KN: Where is your dream destination?

BE: New Zealand. Perfect vest weather year-round on the south island.

KN: If you and Mr. McCallum were to fight who would win?

BE: Mr. McCallum definitely. He’s scrappy.

KN: What are your thoughts on the quote, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one?”

BE: I appreciate it because it

validates the idea that you don’t have to be great at something in order to enjoy doing it.

KN: Do you think this reflects your gardening skills?

BE: Absolutely!

KN: Some may say you have the second-best facial hair amongst the faculty, with Mr. Ballard in first. Do you accept second place or challenge his greatness?

BE: I can never do what Mr. Ballard does. I accept second place.

KN: Does that mean you’ve tried?

BE: No comment.

KN: Well that’s all the time we have. Thank you for sitting down for this thoughtful discussion.

BE: Good day, godspeed.

Photo: @trovon on Instagram

Coming to Pace in the 9th grade, senior Trovon Baugh has been a vital member of the Pace community for four years. Being on the varsity football team since his freshman year and serving as a captain for two, Baugh’s career as a student-athlete has been extremely impressive.

Playing offensive line while also dabbling on the defensive line, the football team heavily relies on Baugh’s performance. Now, receiving countless praise and having committed to a Divison I college, Pace football will grieve in his absence.

On May 28, Baugh took to social media, announcing his official commitment to the University of South Carolina to play Division I football, after choosing from countless other Division I offers such as Auburn, LSU, UNC and Tennesse. Going into his senior year of high school as a Game Cock, Baugh

Armour Next All-American football game. Only 100 athletes are selected each year by ESPN recruiters, Baugh’s selection was largely celebrated. Baugh says, “The Under Armour All-American selection meant a lot to me as it was one of my biggest goals going into my senior year.”

Baugh will play in the football game in 2023, and anticipation grows for the outcome of the game! As the 2022 football season has come to an end, Baugh reflects on his favorite moments. Baugh says that “beating Westminster for the first time in school history was my favorite memory.” As the past two seasons have been played in honor of Jordan Sloan, Baugh feels extra sentimental surrounding the Westminster victory stating, “we got the win for Jordan.”

Baugh’s football career at Pace has concluded, but he still has a lot to look forward to. He anxiously awaits graduating in May and preps to become a Game Cock in August of 2023.

To stay up to date on Baugh’s life, check out his Instagram @tr0von or his Twitter @ BaughTrovon!

Baugh tours the University of South Carolina before officially committing. had a spotlight upon him all season. Clearly having to make a tough decision in terms of which school to choose, Baugh says, “The main reason I chose South Carolina is because their staff and I connected very well.”

Baugh instantly felt comfortable among the South Carolina family, especially knowing “that Coach Beamer and Coach AD could make me into not only

a better person but a better player.”

Aside from playing football at the University of South Carolina, Baugh hopes to major in Pharmaceutical studies.

His interest in this field also influenced his decision, saying “The University of South Carolina has a tremendous Pharmaceutical major which was a huge reason in choosing

Five Minutes with Mr. Ben Ewing Photo: Fred Assaf

The Knightly News: Hello Mr. Ewing.

Ben Ewing: Hello Mr. Swann.

KN: How do you feel about being the dean of the Class of 2026?

BE: I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this new crew.

KN: Glad to hear that. Is it emotional to move on from such an amazing class, to take over a new one?

BE: It’s always emotional to watch students graduate, but that’s part of teaching. If they don’t graduate, you haven’t done

Mr. Ewing gives back to his former lacrosse team. your job.

KN: As you stepped away from lacrosse coaching due to becoming a dean, what do you plan to pursue in your occasional free time?

BE: I plan to spend more time gardening.

KN: Do you consider your-

self to have a green thumb?

BE: I do not. I am a quite lousy gardener.

KN: What is your spirit animal?

BE: Undecided.

KN: What is your favorite vest brand?

BE: (long pause) What’s the

Pace News

Vol. 48, Issue #3

The Knightly News - Page 3

Pace Delegates Flourish at Princeton MUN

answer urgent problems that are unknown before the conference, sometimes requiring students to be woken up at midnight to respond to a pressing update.

“Personally, I think the sense of urgency and the different communication that comes from crises is much more realistic and fun,” said senior Kate Webb.

“And despite what people may think, the midnight crises are always the most fun part.”

Students gave persuasive speeches, passed notes to share ideas, and then worked with others to craft written solutions.

“PMUNC was a very fun way to learn more about other countries around the world while with

Pace Debate has had a successful season so far this year on both the varsity and novice levels. Various Pace teams have debated almost every weekend, traveling to cities all over the country, including Chicago, Lexington and Las Vegas.

The year began with a nationwide tournament, the Season Opener at the University of Kentucky, where partners junior Will Cannaday and sophomore Stephen Yang made it to the semifinals. Sophomores Aalia Mirza and Kaitlyn Goldberg also competed, as well as sophomore Megan Klingler and senior Kabir Singh, and freshmen Zaki George and Arnav Maddineni.

Additionally, Cannaday and Yang made it to the quarter-finals at the Meadows Invitational in Las Vegas, and Singh and Klingler made it to the octofinals.

Pace has also debated at local tournaments, including the Marist and the Peach State Classic tournaments. Additionally, Pace continues successfully on the novice level, including sophomore Abigail Richman getting the top speaker at the John’s Creek Tournament.

Pace has a long history of success in debate and was long known as a debate powerhouse.

Established in 1971, Pace Debate has since won 37 state championships and three national championships in 2002, 2013 and 2015.

However, readers may be surprised to learn that for six years up until now, it has been

less competitive. Pace Debate stopped winning state championships, and even took the banner listing victories down from where it was hanging from the track in Inman.

But new debate coach and public speaking teacher Mr. Eric Forslund has been working to reverse that. Mr. Forslund explained some of the problems were that there were fewer middle school students participating in debate as well as a decrease in enthusiasm.

However, recently, Mr. Forslund says Pace “has been lucky enough to get a new coach in middle school, Whit Whitmore” who’s been increasing interest in the activity. Since then, Pace Debate has had great retention.

Pace Academy still has a very young team, mostly comprised of freshmen and

Exam week is approaching, and as teachers are preparing, students are beginning to stress.

But fear not! This article will cover strategies and tips for each subject’s exams.

One of the biggest questions students have around exam season is when they should start studying. Upper school math teacher Jason Smith recommends “organizing the material you’ve already had during the semester” after coming back from Thanksgiving break. “That might vary from class to class, but for mine, it means making sure you have all your old tests, [and looking at] the practice exam packet.”

As far as taking the exam goes,

Mr. Smith recommends avoiding becoming “too wrapped up in one problem.” He encourages students to “jump around,” and “do all the things that seem really obvious first and then go back and look at some tougher questions.”

The night before a math exam, Mr. Smith says his students should “go through individual chapters” and leave the practice exam for last “because that will give you … a good idea of timing.” Mr. Smith also gives his students the age-old advice of reading directions. “It’s annoying to lose points because you didn’t read [the directions fully].”

Upper school English teacher Emily Washburn has an important distinction regarding when to start studying for an English exam. “If the exam is skill based, then I don’t think you

need to start studying very early, because you’ve been building those skills since fifth grade.”

However, “if the exam is content based, I would start as soon as you know exactly what’s on the exam.” As far as doing well on an English exam goes, Ms. Washburn advises her students to outline, and to integrate quotes if possible. “Do not write the essay you want to write, write the essay your teacher wants you to write.”

Ms. Washburn’s next instruction is applicable to every subject: “wear your own non-Apple watch [and do] not trust the clock at the front of the gym.” Time management is key, especially on English and history exams where writing plays a prominent role.

In addition to all of this, Ms. Washburn says that “people who read for pleasure tend to do bet-

Photo: Anonymous

Just before Thanksgiving, Pace Academy Model United Nations traveled to East Brunswick, NJ with Model UN sponsor Helen Smith, upper school history teacher Christine Carter, upper school Latin teacher Michelle Yancich and librarian Marty Hamburger for the Princeton Model United Nations Conference (PMUNC).

In committee sessions, some students represented countries in General Assembly committees of almost 100 other delegates, simulating the real United Nations and formulating solutions to relevant topics such as nuclear weapons and Ukrainian refugees.

Others, however, represented individual people or entities in smaller crisis committees, which

Delegates, chaperones, and alumni celebrate their hard work on the last day of the conference.

my friends,” said junior Henry Gaudet.

Webb, senior Emma Beth Neville and sophomore Van Muller all received honorable mentions for their work in committee, and sophomore Claire Jiang received a verbal commendation award.

Students also reunited with Pace Academy alumni and current Princeton students India Behl, who was one of the two Secretaries-General running the conference, Kargil Behl, who staffed a crisis committee, and Paul-Louis Biondi, who chaired another committee.

Delegates remained dedicated to the task at hand, with some not even going outside for three days. However, the conference did not end just at committee.

Students then ventured to the Grand Ballroom for the Delegate Dance, an event fully equipped with bouncers who escorted out rowdy delegates, where students from all committees came

together.

“My favorite part was the delegate dance because it was really fun to see my new friends outside of committee,” said junior Claire Easterling.

For the last day, students also participated in “FunMUN,” ranging from superlatives to kidnapping high-ranking political leaders from other committee rooms. The conference experience was widely regarded as a positive one for all involved.

“I loved PMUNC this year,” said senior David Grice. “The delegate dance was a life changing experience!” The conference also carried significance as many seniors’ last model of their upper school experience.

The Model UN program later plans to attend Model Arab League in Atlanta this January and the North American Invitational Model UN Conference in Washington, D.C. this February.

The Triumphant Return of Pace Debate

Photo: Megan Klingler

Pace Debate competes in Lexington, KY for the season opener. sophomores, but things look hopeful for Pace Debate in the future. This year, Mr. Forslund simply wants to keep people in

debate and interested. But in the coming years, he hopes “we’re competing for national championships.”

ter on English exams.” So, if you want to try a new hobby over winter break, consider picking up a new book.

“Students who have been successful on exams, in my experience, are highly organized and have a system that allows them to see what they do and do not know,” said Dean of the Class of 2026 and biology teacher Ben Ewing. Mr. Ewing also discourages students from “relying really heavily on whiteboards. What I love about whiteboards is they allow you to get all the information up on a board.”

However, he dislikes “that all the information gets erased.

So when students don’t do well on an exam and we’re trying to figure out how they can improve, that information is really valuable.”

Thankfully, this problem

has an easy fix: make sure to take pictures of any whiteboard spreads you might make, and revisit them every once and a while. Mr. Ewing believes that the most effective study strategies are ones that “focus on the recall of facts from memory.” He explains that “students on tests are required to recall facts and if you can’t recall them while you’re studying, you won’t be able to recall them on a test.”

Dean of the class of 2024 and history teacher Caitlin Terry encourages students to check in with their teachers in the weeks leading up to exams. “Just checking in on a weekly basis prevents … the messy build-up of pressure before an exam.” In addition, she says that “from a teaching perspective, exams are an opportunity to sum up or make big connections across the semester.”

Exam Sea son Approaches Rapidly

Current Affairs

December 9, 2022

Seasonal Affective Disorder is on the Rise

The Knightly News 966 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 (404) 262-1345 knightlynews@paceacademy.org Co-Editors-in-Chief: Emmy Mininberg Jack Wagreich Mary Amelia Weiss Managing Editor: Marley Venturi Current Affairs Editor David Fu Multimedia Editor: Stella Nelson Opinion Editor: Andrew Swann Pace News Editor: Alice Gash

Sports Editor: Harrison Leusink Photos Editor: Zachary Meyerowitz Lifestyle Editor: Reed Millner Social Media Editor: Bianca Vaneri Visuals Editor: Ellie Siskin Layout Editor: Kaci McCray Web Content Creator: Caitlyn Pinsker

Staff Writers: Etan Gerber, Julia Goode, Megan Klingler, Sydney Lettes, Corey Lochan, Hannah Much, Harrison Silver Faculty Adviser: Tamara Neiley Tech Adviser: Matt Walker

Editorial Policy The Knightly News is the student-run newspaper of Pace Academy. For over 40 years it has reported the news that affects Pace, as well as the opinions of students.

The Knightly News is published by the students of Pace Academy, and approximately 600 copies are printed by School Publications Company.

The Knightly News welcomes letters to the editor and guest opinions, which may be edited for spelling and grammar, as well as space constraints.

Neither Knightly News-generated opinion pieces nor guest opinions are reflective of the official policy of Pace Academy.

Every effort is made to publish accurate facts, but if you recognize an error or omission, please email knightlynews@paceacademy.org.

Photo: Getty Images

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of seasonal depression, lying dormant for almost three quarters of the year. According to Cleveland Clinic, SAD is triggered by a change in seasons, most commonly beginning in late fall. Symptoms can include lack of energy, loss of interest in usual activities, oversleeping, sensitivity to rejection, social withdrawal and decreased ability to focus or concentrate.

As stated by Johns Hopkins Medicine, winter’s shorter days and therefore less daylight, triggers a chemical change in the brain leading to symptoms of depression.

This change creates an environment that elicits individuals to stay inside and isolate themselves. Melatonin, a sleep related hormone, also acts as a plausible cause or trigger for SAD. The body naturally produces more melatonin with darkness, which causes one to oversleep and establishes a constant feeling of drowsiness. Stated in The New York Times, with SAD, melatonin peaks later, increasing the difficulty to wake up. Because one cannot reach full “awakeness” until later in the day, falling asleep also becomes more challenging, leading to insomnia and inadequate sleep. Dr. Kathryn Roecklein, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, also suggests that the negative anticipation of shorter days can combine with biological effects to create a self fulfilling prophecy. As a whole, scientific evidence suggests that in the winter, levels of light fall so far below a relative threshold that it can lead to emotional imbalance, acting as the major root to the disorder.

According to University of Utah Healthcare, SAD affects an estimated ten million people living in the U.S, almost four times more common in women than men. With this, The New York Times indicates that this percentage of people affected lies greatly within the barriers of geography, stating that location can facilitate SAD. For example, a person living in Connecticut may be more susceptible to SAD than someone living in Florida. Connecticut undergoes a drastic change from sunny to gloomy whereas Florida maintains its humid and warm climate year round. Yale University, located in Connecticut, exists as a prime example of a SAD inflicted community. As stated by the Yale Daily News, Dr. Paul Desan, director of the Winter Depression Research Clinic at the Yale School of Medicine, studies SAD with a research group every year. “[SAD is] a big public health problem,” Dr. Desan told the News. “People have seasonal mood changes relatively commonly, other symptoms as well, and there’s not much understanding or information that is out there.” Contrastingly, Jewel Moore, who serves as a first-year counselor in Trumbull College, attributes SAD to ‘midterm season,’ claiming that the stress behind exams facilitates this type of seasonal depression.

In reference to Moore’s comment, SAD does target a specific age group: young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 years old. According to director of communications at Albany Medical College Sue Ford, medical students are experiencing, “...reduced energy, sleep disturbances, and depressed mood. Called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or more commonly known as

“winter blues,” this subtype of depression is relatively common among those in their 20s, including busy medical students who are already facing the rigors of academic and professional obligations.” However, professor of psychological science and a clinical psychologist at the University of Vermont Kelly Rohan states that, “one big, common misconception about SAD is that it’s just the ‘winter blues.’ ” Rohan goes on to say SAD is much more serious, a form of clinical depression that can linger with a change in seasons.

The underlying question remains the same: How does one “cure” SAD? While SAD treatments can consist of antidepressants and cognitive behavior therapy, commonly used to treat major depression, Dr. Desan recognizes the succuss found in light box therapy. According to Dr. Desan and his research group at Yale, their research suggests that about 80 percent of people will see benefits from doing daily bright light therapy for about half an hour before 8 a.m. “People are getting outside less and are less exposed to natural light,” Dr. Desan said. “Exposure to bright light early in the morning is the most important factor in affecting the circadian rhythm system. … Our homes tend to be dimmer than offices, and offices of course are dimmer than outside.”

Despite this research, according to Dr. Desan, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not set standards for lights treating SAD, potentially leading to many consumers pursuing ineffective therapies. Medical student Mac Perlman continues to promote light therapy saying that, “Studies have shown that bright light therapy (BLT) is effective in treating mild to moderate symptoms of SAD,” said Perlman. “At $25-35, BLT lamps are an affordable, high value, low risk and efficient means to treat these symptoms. We think it would be beneficial for all medical schools to provide access to BLT to students.”

With COVID-19, SAD has become an even larger problem than before, according to Dr. Desan. “We’re seeing across all of our patient mental health clinics an increase in distress and number of visits.” Dr. Desan said lifestyle changes brought on by COVID-19 might also be a factor. “The other thing that we’re noticing is when people are home a lot, they don’t get up in the morning and get exposed to bright light. Consequently, I think seasonal factors are stronger,” he said.

The Knightly News - Page 4

Millions of individuals in the Untied States suffer with SAD every year.

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Current Affairs

Vol. 48, Issue #3

The Knightly News - Page 5

If you or your family plan to travel this winter break, make sure to prepare for longer airport security lines than you have seen in the past. But the question is: why are lines suddenly so long?

Security lines have been delayed since 2016, bringing the TSA to fire Kelly Hogan, their top security official.

Predictably, COVID-19 brought air travel down, so its recent resurgence has made security lines increasingly long, in addition to an inept TSA. American cryptographer and computer security and privacy specialist Bruce Schneier adds onto this: “my feeling is that the TSA hasn’t been doing the right things for a long time.” He believes that airport security is reactive as opposed to proactive. “The goal isn’t to protect what the terrorists did last week,

but to anticipate what they do next week.” In an ABC News experiment, the TSA failed to recognize weapons and explosives 95% of the time. So, if the TSA is really so ineffective, why aren’t planes being destroyed more often? Schneier believes that “there’s nothing to detect.”

He proposes that security levels be brought back “down to pre9/11 levels.”

CBS News says that “the TSA has blamed the long waits at security on a shortage of screeners, due to federal budget cuts. The agency also has said airlines are seeing record travel volume, meaning more passengers in lines.”

This offers insight as to why the TSA has been so inefficient as of late: budget cuts. Congress funds the TSA, and in April 2016, the House of Representatives weren’t able to pass a budget. Because of this, the TSA was left without funding until the next budget, and was never able to fully recover.

According to Takeaway, over

Photo: Andy Cross, Denver Post Via Getty Images

Air Travel Resumes After COVID-19 With Passengers Seeing Security Lines Climb to an All-Time High

Security lines snake around an airport. the past nine years the TSA has decreased its number of employees by ten percent while air travel rose by twelve percent.

American Airlines spokesperson Leslie Scott says that they “had to delay 30 flights, and about 450 passengers missed their flights due to the security lines.”

But all of this raises the ques-

tion: how do you skip the lines?

The most obvious answer is TSA precheck, which is a $78 fiveyear subscription that allows for efficient and stress-free screening.

In addition to this, TSA spokeswoman Lara Uselding highlights the importance of timing. “Mornings on a Monday,

evenings on a Monday, mornings and evenings on Fridays, that’s when you have business travelers going out.” Another idea is to scout for lines that may be shorter. “Often if you see a long security line, there will be a much shorter line just a walk away,” says Frommer’s Travel Guide.

been settled, it exemplifies the battle between the department stores and the online retailers replacing them. If that deal had gone through, this year’s parade would have ended in front of a large Amazon logo. To take over that billboard would be to take over the mantle of the symbol of American consumerism.

Amazon, however, will not give up on its quest to take control of the holidays, their

traditions and American culture as a whole.

Macy’s did not respond to a request for comment regarding the future of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, but while the former world’s largest store has held on to its billboard, it may soon lose the helm of the world’s largest parade, and we may see an Amazon Thanksgiving Day Parade sooner rather than later.

Will the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Come to an End?

Photo: Spectrum News NY

After the 98th year of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, there’s a question that needs to be asked: will it live to be 100? The New York based department store spends an estimated $13M to put on the world’s largest parade every year, going towards everything from property taxes to helium— never mind the growing concern of a global helium shortage that could complicate medical procedures.

The problem for Macy’s is that its sale of special parade NFTs does not cancel out the declining sales of department stores in the past two decades.

With the rise of online shopping and shifting consumer habits, the fall of department stores will continue, especially after their struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Macy’s has been following a plan to close a fifth of its stores this year, Sears has exited bankruptcy with just 22 stores left, down from 700, and JCPenney had a similar situation as well.

Department stores are not all created equal, as several are not as much on the verge of death as Sears, but inevitably even those which still stand strong will fall as well.

The holiday season accounts for up to 30% of a department store’s annual sales, but more and more of those sales are moving away from these types of stores and toward online retailers. Combine that with ongoing supply chain complications that could lead to empty shelves for everything from clothes to homeware, and these stores will

Floats arrive at Macy’s Herald Square to end the Thanksgiving Parade. be in for a rough season. Shoppers already are less inclined to visit a department store, but if they know the item they seek is out of stock, they will not even think of going.

Online retailers like Amazon are fighting hard to take over, both in sales and in culture. At the Macy’s flagship store in New York City, a neighboring building has held a large Macy’s billboard reading “World’s Largest

Store” for 60 years by contract.

The billboard serves as the final backdrop for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Last year, upon the expiration of that contract, Macy’s was forced to sue to stop a deal between the billboard’s owner and Amazon, who was seeking to advertise their brand right on the corner of the iconic store.

Even though the lawsuit between Macy’s and Amazon has

Current Affairs

December 9, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 6

R ishi Sunak Appointed Nex t Pr ime Minister of the UK Photo: CNBC News

On Oct. 25. Rishi Sunak was appointed to become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom. He is the first person of color in the role and the youngest since the 1900s at the age of 42.

When former prime minister Boris Johnson was forced out of office due to a long history of scandals, the UK Conservative Party was forced to find a replacement. The two frontrunners were Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. The AP News says “Truss was the second choice of party lawmakers,” however “she won 57% of votes among party members, making her party leader and prime minister.”

But Liz Truss was not prime minister for long, since after 44 days she was forced to resign

Rishi Sunak makes his first speech as Prime Minister. because her financial policies caused an economic disaster, making her the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.

Truss and her former Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister), Kwasi Kwarteng proposed a

series of tax cuts aimed at reducing inflation and revitalizing the economy.

However, Truss did not provide any budget cuts to fund these tax cuts. In fact, she promoted more government spend-

ing. This included subsidizing household energy bills in fear of a spike in energy prices due to the Ukraine conflict. Because of this, global investors were panicked by what they saw as a reckless unfunded policy and

pulled their money out of British stocks, causing a collapse in the pound.

While running against Truss, Sunak warned the public that her policies were unreasonable and could cause a financial meltdown, calling them “fairytale economics,” reports The Guardian. He was proven correct, and after Liz Truss’s resignation, he was appointed prime minister.

Sunak was elected to become a Member of Parliament in 2014, and in 2019 he was appointed chief secretary of the Treasury.

During the recession, Sunak created a popular government relief program to support businesses and workers.

Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, have an estimated net worth of $844 million, which is almost double that of King Charles III, reports CNBC News. Sunak has had to fight claims that he will not be able to relate to the British public due to his fortune.

The Results are in After the Nov. 8 Election

Gov. Kemp is Re-Elected, and the Senate Goes to Runoff

Photo: CNN

With Election Day over and results in, Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp is re-elected, defeating Democrat Stacey Abrams. These two also faced off in the previous governor election in 2018 with the same result. This win was not unexpected as Gov. Kemp had been ahead in the polls according to NBC News.

With his re-election, his initiative and priorities are clear: to make Georgia #1 for small businesses, reform the state government, strengthen rural Georgia and overall put Georgia citizens first.

Gov. Kemp is ready for the next four years and said “come January 2023, we’re going to send another billion dollars

back to the taxpayers. We’re also going to give you relief on your property taxes as well.”

Because of the emphasis on his efforts to boost the economy and also bring down crime rates, Gov. Kemp’s overall agenda is packed.

There was a run-off in the Georgia Senate race between Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. According to Politico, in the Nov. 8 election, Warnock led by 35,000 votes, but both candidates failed to get at least 50% majority. The run-off will take place on Dec. 6. Both campaigns are gearing up for the next couple weeks to win over the voters.

This election is extremely important to which party ultimately has control of the Senate.

As of right now, the Democrats hold control of the Senate. The election will determine whether the Democrat has control of the

Gov. Brian Kemp gets off the campaign bus after he is re-elected.

Senate or if the Senate is split at 50-50. Also, it will be critical for the Democrats in the next election cycle.

Both candidates are back on the campaign trails rallying

Photo: Deadline.com

Raphael Warnock (L) and Herschel Walker (R) face-off in the Georgia Senate Runoff

support for the Dec. 6 election.

During a campaign speech, Warnock said, “I came really to ask you one question: Are you ready to do this one more time?” Warnock mainly advocates for the expansion of healthcare coverage along with increasing the living wage for all Georgia citizens.

“The choice between me and Herschel Walker is clear. Some things in life are complicated.

This ain’t one of them. This is not a math test.”

Walker said, “We are in overtime. We got a runoff. I was built for this. God prepared me for this moment right here.”

He bases his campaign on his four-part plan that will work to unite and restore Georgia. This plan includes “bringing people together by rebuilding our economy, strengthening our national security, making Georgia communities safer and keeping the American Dream alive for everyone.”

Some members of the Republican Party recognized Walker’s lack of votes in the election, but others are hopeful for the runoff.

The runoff is getting very heated as there is now a lawsuit that could affect the voter turnout. According to APNews, Sen. Raphael Warnock’s campaign and other Democratic groups are suing the state of Georgia. The lawsuit works to overturn guidance from Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. He does not want Saturday voting to be offered for the Senate runoff election.

Warnock claims that the holding of early voting on Nov. 26 will hurt him more than Walker. According to Deputy Secretary of State Gabriel Sterling, officials researched and declared that it would be illegal to have early voting the day after a major holiday.

Current Affairs

Vol. 48, Issue #3

The Knightly News - Page 7

The Costs of Fast Fashion Hidden Behind the Low Price Tag

Photo: ILO Asia-Pacific

Fast fashion has taken over the world in the past 20 years with 400% more clothes being produced now compared to the early 2000s. Ranging from companies like Shein to Forever 21 to H&M, these stores manufacture trendy, cheap, mass-produced clothes for high consumer demands at the expense of our climate. The fashion industry is the third largest polluter in the world; the oil industry comes in second. In many textile factories, toxic substances used to clean and dye fabrics, like alkylphenol ethoxylates, are dumped in bodies of water, causing 20% of the industrial water pollution to be derived from textile treatment and dyes. These toxic substances are harmful to organisms and ecosystems living in water and impact the health of humans as well. Cotton is a major consumption of water in the fashion

Workers in Vietnam at a garment factory get paid low wages with long working hours. industry with roughly 2,500 gallons of water needed to produce just two pounds of cotton. The cotton industry is just one influence to the 5 trillion liters of water used each year by fashion companies.

Where is all of this massproduced clothing being stored?

Well, consumers on average only wear a clothing item about seven times before throwing it away. Since the quality of clothing has declined with fast fashion, clothes become faded and shapeless after a few wears.

These disregarded clothing items end up in landfills, contribut-

1977 in Douglasville, Georgia.

When he was three years old, his parents divorced and he moved to Chicago with his mother, Donda West, where she raised him alone. Donda nurtured Ye’s creativity and was his biggest supporter, providing emotional and financial support. “My mother was my everything,” West told MTV News in 2005.

Donda died from complications following cosmetic surgery on Nov. 10, 2007. Ye took her death extremely hard because he lived to make Donda proud.

He dedicated two albums, Donda and Donda 2, to honor his mother’s memory. On July 22, 2021, Kanye had a release for his album at Mercedes Benz stadium, but he was not happy with how it sounded and he wanted it to be better because it was for his mother. Ye ended up living in the stadium for about two weeks, paying a million dollars per day in order to perfect his album before officially releasing it. In Netflix’s jeen-yuhs: A Kanye trilogy, it is evident that Ye lost a sense of purpose after his mother’s death and he never stopped to grieve so he had a lot of emotion built up inside of him. After Donda died there was a shift in his discography from being bright to becoming darker.

Many critics of the documentary believe that this period in his life marked his breaking point.

One reason for his erratic behavior was the death of his mother, as well as his struggles with mental health. Ye often speaks out about his experience with bipolar disorder. On his album Ye, the cover is a picture of a mountain with green writing that says “I hate being

Bi-Polar it’s awesome,” also on this album he described being bipolar as his “superpower”. Ye often exhibited erratic behaviors before he revealed his diagnosis, for example when he interrupted Taylor Swift at the 2009 Video Music Awards. More of this behavior was seen throughout his unhinged social media rampages, recently one that was targeted at Pete Davidson, who was at the time dating his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Ye threatened Davidson and wrote an extremely harsh song about him. In the documentary, Ye discusses how he has often felt suicidal and that he faces many negative side effects from his medication. When he is on his medications he feels like he is numb and that he loses his artistic abilities. “I already had the house and the wife and the kids and the plaques… but still have moments where I felt, like, suicidal, still have moments where I’m addicted to Percocet without even realizing it,” said Ye in jeen-yuhs. He also spoke about his negative experiences in psychiatric hospitals in the docuseries: “Have you guys ever been, like, locked up in handcuffs and put into a hospital because your brain was too big for your skull?” asked Ye. An example of Ye’s erratic behavior was seen in his 2020 presidential campaign. He gave an emotional speech saying “I almost killed my daughter,” discussing how he and his thenwife Kim Kardashian considered having an abortion. During his campaign he made some radical comments, for example, he said that slavery was “a choice” and he said that “Harriet Tubman never actually freed slaves.” His

ing to the percentage of textile waste in the United States being 85%. More than 60% of garment fabric fibers are synthetic from fossil fuels, and these synthetic fibers do not decay and release harmful microfibers into water.

Zara has about 840 million garments ending up in landfills

each year, leading consumers to buy new clothes and contributing to the cycle of production and lack of progress within environmental action.

Shein has prided itself on their low-priced products, but there is a dark side behind the affordable price tag that catches the eye of a consumer. The fast fashion company Shein, exploits their workers in China by paying them meager wages and giving them long 18-hour work days.

A typical worker gets paid just $556 per month to make 500 pieces of clothing per day. At another factory, workers were getting paid just four cents per item. Shein only gives their workers one day off per month, and women were found in one factory to be washing their hair during short lunch breaks. Along with low wages and long working hours, workers are exposed to harsh working conditions with high levels of toxic chemicals being released into the air with no ventilation systems.

To reduce the impact of fast fashion on the environment, one can buy less, shop from sustainable brands, buy better quality clothes that will last longer or buy clothes second-hand.

What Led to Ye’s Downfall?

Photo: The Voyager

Recently, musical artist Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been in the news with numerous scandals. First, Ye wore a controversial “White Lives Matter” shirt during Paris Fashion Week, which was considered hate speech by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Shortly after, Ye made antisemitic comments on Instagram and Twitter that got him banned from both platforms, in which he said that he will go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE”. This was ignorant because “death con” is not a real thing, he was referring to Def. Con. which is the United States military state of alert.

This was a horrible thing to say and it inspired other antisemitic people to make dangerous comments, for example, an antisemitic hate group hung a banner over a California highway that said “Kanye is right about the Jews.” A few days later on an episode of the “Drink Champs” podcast, Ye incorrectly said that George Floyd died because of a fentanyl overdose rather than by the cop who brutally suffocated him. Throughout the month of October, Ye lost major brand deals and partnerships, which included Adidas, Balenciaga and GAP. Ending all of these partnerships led to Ye losing his billionaire status. Ye is losing everything but when did his downfall truly start?

Kanye West was born June 8,

Kanye West at Paris Fashion Week not long before he lost his partnership with Balenciaga. campaign was not successful and he ended up having the most luck in Utah where he got just a little less than 0.5% of the vote.

Ye’s erratic behavior was also seen in opening up a school, which had to be closed after his racist and antisemitic comments.

Earlier in 2022, Ye opened up a Christian private school called Donda Academy in California.

The school was never accredited, but still had 100 students enrolled, and all of them had to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Some of the classes taught included choir and parkour.

The website mentioned nothing about the academics or the facilities, but the tuition was still $15,000 a year. The school had an elite basketball program that included three of the top fifty recruits in the class of 2023, but they began to be uninvited from many showcases. On Oct. 27, the school announced that it would shut down for the year due to Ye’s recent scandals, but it would restart the following year in September. Top eight-ranked basketball player in the class of 2023 and Kentucky commit Rob Dillingham left Donda Academy

and switched over to play at Overtime Elite Basketball after the school was shut down.

Although Ye is now feeling the consequences of his hateful speech, his antisemitic behavior is not just a recent thing. Ye has often told people that he is fascinated with Adolf Hitler and that he was considering naming an album after him. After his antisemitic comments from this year, the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles, California, invited him to visit on a private tour, but he rejected the offer “to understand just how words can incite horrific violence and genocides.”

West publicly rejected the offer during an episode of “Drink Champs,” and said Planned Parenthoods were “our [Black people’s] Holocaust museum.”

Since Ye rejected the invitation, the museum said in a series of tweets that it had received a large number of hateful and threatening messages on social media.

Most recently, on Dec. 2, Ye was officially banned from Twitter after another antisemitic post where he praised Nazis and admired Adolf Hitler.

Current Affairs

December 9, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 8

Social Media Revolutionizes the Publishing Industry for Modern-Day Authors

Colleen Hoover’s announcement of her newest release receives over 500K likes on her Instagram account.

Authors also can easily engage with their audience through their platforms, in addition to promoting their own novels.

By doing so, they are able to develop a following of devoted readers from all over the world, giving the author a number of people who are likely to always buy and read their books. Additionally, writers who are active online can quickly receive feedback on their work from readers

who are interested in reading their books to come.

Other forms of book internet culture have emerged in recent years, such as BookTok, a wellliked side of the video-sharing app TikTok, where users discuss their favorite books in brief narrative snippets. According to The New York Times, TikTok has “made the transition from a novelty to a real anchor for the market,” said Kristen McLean,

executive director of business development at NPD Books. “The whole idea of dominating supermarket shelves, dominating airport stores, dominating the front tables at bookstores, it’s just not really where it’s at in the same way.”

The most popular videos do not generally offer information about the book’s author, the writing or even the plot, the way a traditional review does. Instead, readers speak plainly about the emotional jour-

With the sudden rise of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), COVID-19 and flu cases, some experts are calling this season a ‘Tripledemic.’ While these illnesses have been around for a couple years, this winter is the worst it has been. “With increased RSV infections, a rising number of flu cases and the ongoing burden of COVID-19 in our communities, there’s no doubt we will face some challenges this winter,” said Dawn O’Connell, Assistant Health and Human Service Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

Last year, the practice of wearing masks and social distancing ensured a decrease in the spread of these illnesses, but this year, the effect of these strong

variants of diseases are being felt by the public. Jose Romero, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease said, “We’re seeing the highest influenza hospital admission rates for a decade.”

RSV is a respiratory infection that typically affects children younger than two suffering flu and COVID-19 symptoms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it also is not abnormal for RSV to be followed by other severe infections like bronchiolitis and pneumonia. RSV is one of the leading causes of hospitalization for young children, along with senior citizens. RSV has affected the South and the Rocky Mountains area so far, but cases are rising globally.

According to The New York Times, in the recent months, COVID-19 has been flat nationally, until the past few weeks. The cases are slowly rising, which experts think indicates increases

Photo: Northeastern University College of Science

The ‘Tripledemic’ Hits Americans This Winter

Photo: @Colleenhoover on Instagram

The modern way of consuming and marketing books has changed over the years. Today, everyone with a dream and access to the internet has a chance to become a New York Times bestselling author. The process of writing, purchasing and reading books has undergone significant changes, particularly with the intensification of social media’s presence in the common person’s daily life. It has revolutionized the way modern-day authors sell their books to the public.

Due to their significant contribution to the promotion and marketing of books, social media is profitable for authors. A novel will receive a lot of attention and has a higher chance of becoming a bestseller if, for instance, it is discussed on a well-known talk show.

Additionally, authors today have a social media presence and frequently advertise their publications to their thousands of followers. For example, Colleen Hoover, a well-known New York Times bestselling romance author, posts consistently to her 1.9 million followers on Instagram, notifying them of any new releases and has the ability to keep their interest in her work.

ney a book will offer. As it turns out, this has appealed to readers in the way that marketing professionals would have never been able to guess.

During the pandemic, BookTok’s popularity on the app began to increase.

Self-published, independent authors were suddenly able to go viral once more and experience explosive book sales. According to sales tracking service NPD BookScan, book sales increased by over 30% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.

Adult fiction sales, like those of the books written

by BookTok staple Colleen Hoover, managed to keep rising long after the book market began to balance out.

Book sales soar when they become popular on BookTok. Deals for movie adaptions are made. An author who self-publishes could become famous overnight as a result. The influence of BookTok has impacted popular bookstores as well, such as Barnes & Noble. Now, the store has an entire section dedicated to BookTok where they display books that have blown up on the app. The tag #BookTok has over 89 billion views on the app and is now a fullfledged community with a real impact on publishing.

Doctors craft vaccines to help prevent illness this winter. are coming soon. Cases are also the season. rising because of the different In order to help prevent evolving sub-variillness, the CDC ants of Omicron.

“With increased recommends, “to Influenza is RSV infections, a risstay up to date not a new disease, ing number of flu cases on your vaccinabut it is the worst and the ongoing burden tions. Both the it has been in 13 of COVID-19 in our yearly influenza years. Accordcommunities, there’s no vaccine and uping to the CDC, doubt we will face some dated COVID-19 there have been an challenges this winter.” vaccine are estimated 880,000 essential to make lab-confirmed cases and about sure you and your family are 6,900 hospitalizations so far in protected.”

Additionally with the upcoming holiday season, it is recommended to be especially careful by doing small things, such as washing your hands and wearing a mask if traveling.

If a person is sick, it is urged that they stay home in order to protect those surrounding them.

As more people get vaccinated, doctors hope for the cases to decrease, but they know it is only the beginning of the season.

Lifestyle

Vol. 48, Issue #3

The Knightly News - Page 9

Tay lor Sw i f t Re t u r n s , Re de f i ne s t he Mo de r n Pop St a r Photo: @rollingstone on Instagram

Taylor Swift’s fans refer to the 32-year-old singer as “the music industry.” According to Rolling Stone, during the past few months, Swift “may be as close to that moniker as she’s ever been.”

Frankly, Swift has been at the forefront of everyone’s minds lately, at least those who pay any attention to the music scene.

With the release of her tenth studio album “Midnights,” Swift continued her streak of backto-back hits. In addition, Swift hinted at a visual concept album, where each “Midnights” track will get its own visuals, most definitely chock-full of “easter eggs,” or hints at Swift’s next announcement or exciting career move.

Swift emphasized that “Midnights,” an album with a nighttime, sparkly and moody aesthetic with 1970s-esque promotional photos, follows “13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [her] life.” In reality, it featured 20, as the extended edition released three hours after the standard on the night of Oct. 21.

Swift has reinvented the

modern pop star. From her debut in 2006 to her fifth studio album “1989,” in 2015, Swift worked on a two-year album cycle, releasing a new project every other year, with tours in between. In 2016, however, Swift’s life took a turn for the worse…and then the better.

After a public falling out with rapper Kanye West, Swift became the target of cancel culture, perhaps beginning the trend of “canceling” celebrities when they misstep or make small mistakes. From 2016 to mid-2017, Swift went on hiatus, a period that her fans refer to as “the drought.” But Swift came back stronger than ever, releasing 2017’s “Reputation” which follows the events of the preceding year, where she lived as the target of negative public opinion and hate.

Since “Reputation,” Swift has truly not stopped creating, setting her apart from her pop counterparts. In 2019, Swift released “Lover,” another successful pop project, followed by pandemic-era sister albums “Folklore” and “Evermore.”

These two projects served as turning points in Swift’s sound; she entered the world of folk and alternative music with massive success, the projects especially impressive because of the short production time. They featured

Taylor Swift poses at the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Swift’s writing at the top of its game: poignant, completely imaginative, and for the first time not autobiographical. “I’ve found that the more I write, the more I keep writing,” Swift said to “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon. “I don’t know what’s been going on but in the last six or seven years I’ve just been constantly making things, and the more things I make, the happier I am.”

Among these commerciallysuccessful and widely enjoyed albums, Swift began to re-record her previous works after losing the rights to her albums to

entertainment executive Scooter Braun. While initially devastating, Swift turned this situation into a way to strengthen her connection with her fans; now, she releases songs “From the Vault,” or previously unreleased songs alongside the re-recorded pieces. One could argue no other major singer today possesses the popularity or sheer amount of notable projects to make the re-recordings a worthwhile task.

Most recently, Swift released “Red (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021.

Swift’s ability to produce complex writing with such frequency makes her unique.

She had managed to reinvent the modern pop star; just last year, she created an entire short film to tell the story of her song “All Too Well,” with the inventive medium receiving considerable awards recognition at the 2022 Video Music Awards. Finally, Swift’s career has set unprecedented records in the music industry; this year, she became the first artist in history to occupy all ten spots on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles list, making it the first time the top ten artists were solely female. Her “Midnights’’ release sold 1.5 million copies in its first week, a monumental number for the streaming era, and the record only beats the one Swift set herself in 2017 with “Reputation.” “Midnights” became the fastest album to hit 1 billion streams on Spotify, shattering many other streaming records along the way. According to Rolling Stone, “as Taylor Swift often does, she has once again moved the goalposts regarding what the music industry can see as possible from a major pop star.” Fans at Pace can find Swift in Atlanta on April 28, 29 and 30 for her upcoming 2023 stadium tour. Not shockingly, this tour has already set records on Ticketmaster, prompting the site to crash multiple times during the November sale due to “historic demand.”

Wi nt e r Tr e n d s a n d Gi f t Gu ide Rou n d O ut 2 0 2 2 Leather Tr e n d s :

Gi f t s:

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Photo: Byrdie

JBL Speake

Cargo Pants

Photo: LEGO

Photo: Us Weekly As the temperature starts dropping, UG Tasman slippers ar G e the perfect shoe choice to stay war m. Lined with the signature sheepskin lining and ad or ned with an embr oidered border, these have been some of the tre ndiest fashion picks of th e past couple mon ths.

LEGO Set

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Stemming from the viral charcuterie boards, a new board emerged, the “butter board.” Seen on Tik Tok and spreading to other platforms, a butter board is exactly what it seems. It is a wooden board that has been perfectly spread with butter and topped with certain seasonings or edible decor. These boards are served with bread and allow people to graze about, dipping their bread into the spread as desired. Savory and sweet butter boards have trended this winter, seeming to be popular amongst family gatherings.

Another transitional piece of clothing, the cargo pant, has gained lots of popularity this winter. Coming in an abundance of fabrics such as denim, cotton and even athletic material, cargo pants have been seen as the extremely functional pant option this year. Once again, with the ability to be turned casual or classy, cargo pants are a unisex fashion phenomenon, meaning not only women’s winter fashion tops the trends.

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JBL Portable, waterproof and durable, the ker spea h toot Blue best the Clip Speaker is its deal on the market this winter. Despite life ery batt of rs hou 10 has compact size, it vecon a to ched atta all lity, and rich audio qua r you on you with take to k nient carabiner hoo next adventure.

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winter amongst all A new staple een leather. is year has b wardrobes th ieces of s to skir ts, p From jacket be vital in ing seem to leather cloth g as a fabric utf it. Ser vin any winter o down, ressed up or that can be d appear s an outf it to leather allow es an addether and giv more put tog basics. An paired with ed flare when material, leather onal easy transiti to winter ctly from fall rs and fe er works p lo its var ying co ons. wardrobe as seas ge with both textures mer

Lifestyle

December 9, 2022

2022: A Year in Recap

JAN

The start of 2022 continued a trend seen all throughout 2021: COVID-19. January saw the peak number of daily cases for the entire pandemic, amounting to over 700,000 cases a day towards the end of the month. The Omicron variant provided a new challenge to the newly approved

booster vaccines, which were being given to US citizens in an attempt to slow the spread.

Also in January, Elizabeth Holmes was tried and found guilty for her California company, Theranos. Holmes claimed that her newly made machines could collect various types of data from one drop of blood were found to be false, and she was charged with fraud for giving out incorrect information on her company. Her long process of trials proved as a warning for other Silicon Valley companies.

February 2022 began with the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which was won overall by Norway, finishing with a record of 16 gold medals.

The United States also

FEB

witnessed some recordmaking performances, with figure skater Nathan Chen winning his first ever medal and setting the Olympic record for men’s short program, and Chloe

Kim becoming the first athlete ever to win back to back half pipe golds.

In late February a new and turbulent world conflict arose, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24. The Russians had shown signs of wanting Ukrainian territory, especially since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and officially invaded Kyiv and Kharkiv this year.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky encouraged his country to fight back for their own territory, and supporters from all over the world urged for help and change in Ukraine.

The conflict in Ukraine continued on into March 2022, as Russia began to bomb and signifigantly harm civilian areas.

The United Nations (UN) reported that 847 Ukrainians had been killed by the end of the month, giving them no option but to seek safety. On Mar. 28, Florida

MAR

governor Ron DeSantis passed the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill, more commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. With this law in place, the Florida school system is very limited by their

government in teaching topics such as sexual orientation and gender identity to students. The law faced backlash all over the United States, with walkouts and protests in support of the LGTBQ+ community. Also famously in March, Will Smith made the headlines after slapping Chris Rock on stage during the Academy Awards, when he believed that Rock had insulted his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Twitter faced great changes in April 2022, as Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk bought nine percent of the company, the largest share, then later offered 43 billion dollars for the whole company.

Twitter was hesitant to give up its company to an already very influential person, while Musk felt that the company could “unlock extraordinary potential” by changing

APR

its free speech platform.

The final agreement was for Musk to buy it for 44 billion dollars, bringing about concerns of billionaires ruling the world.

Governer DeSantis was in the headlines again during April, when Florida and other US states like Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama passes laws banning abortion past 6-15 weeks. The national decision on the topic progressed, and it was decided that a Supreme Court decision would be made

in June 2022 to decide the fate of Roe v Wade, the law in place protecting abortion rights.

The Knightly News - Page 10

May 2022 was known for a tragic event, when a school shooting occurred on May 24 at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. An 18 year old student from a local high school entered the premises, killing 19 children, 2 adults and also injuring a dozen more. This event sparked gun law protests and controversy all throughout the country as Texas had recently loosened gun restrictions prior to the deadly event.

Ukraine also faced extreme violence in Mariu-

MAY

pol, where Russian troops held a siege on the port city and targeted specific civilian areas. The bombing of a maternity hospital left almost 30 people injured or dead, many of them being women and children. The siege also created a shortage of food and water, leaving Ukrainians with terrible conditions to live in. Ukrainian immigration continued to increase as citizens found ways to flee the violence, however many refugee camps and foreign “humanitarian corridors” were de-

stroyed due to Russian shelling.

In June 2022 the US Supreme Court , made a monumental decision when Roe v. Wade was officially overturned, a law that had remained since its creation in 1973. This meant each state could control their own laws surrounding abortions, without nationally ensuring legal abortions for everyone like it had remained in the past. More than 20 states completely banned abortion, while only 12 left abortion rights remaining how they had been.

This event created massive backlash in the United States, as many protesters were angered by the new prospects of unsafe abor-

JUN

tions, many chanting “my body, my choice.” Also in June 2022, the hearings around the Jan. 6 2021 capital insurrection made their way to the House of Representatives. Key figures from the event, like Donald Trump and Mike Pence were asked questions, with many house members blaming Trump for the chaotic event.

The hearings continued on for months, as many sides to the story were un-

covered with a process of interviews.

2022 Through the Lens of Pace Academy

Lifestyle

Vol. 48, Issue #3

July 2022 began with Ketanji Brown Jackson being officially confirmed as the 116th US Su-

preme Court justice. After a long and complicated process, involving questioning and voting in many sections of the US government and the help of a Senate Judiciary Committee, President Biden’s selection was allowed

JUL

into the Supreme Court.

Jackson is the first black woman to be a justice, the first justice to have a background as a federal public defender, and plans to inspire many more generations to come. WNBA star Britney Griner began her trials in Russia in July 2022. After being discovered with medicinal cannabis in her bag in a Russian airport, Griner was arrested because of the substance’s illegal status in Russia. The accomplished basketball player was in Russia to play for a foreign league in her offseason, and many people believed that holding her hostage was a political move from Russia, who wanted a prisoner swap. Defender Sheila Jackson Lee represented Griner throughout her trials.

While the COVID-19 pandemic had been decreasing progressively throughout 2022 and starting to die out, a new

disease, Monkeypox, caused the US government to call for another public health emergency. Monkeypox spread less quickly than COVID-19 had, however given the rise of cases throughout the country, the government became concerned for public health. The mon-

AUG

keypox vaccine became available towards the end of August, and helped the disease simmer down into less of a public issue. In August 2022 the US Senate also passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which gave 370 billion dollars to climate related issues in the US. The money helped invest into clean and more sustainable energy sources that will benefit the growing climate change issue in the future. This law was monumental in the fight against climate change in the US, and helped to raise awareness to the issue and find a solution.

In September 2022, the 70-year long reign of Queen Elizabeth II was put to an end when she died peacefully in Balmoral Castle. Queen Elizabeth II had a very accomplished and long reign, being

the longest in British history, and even worked with 15 different prime ministers over her career. The country expressed their gratitude for her and celebrated her life, while leaders from all over the world paid tribute to her. Her family held her funeral on Sep. 19, 2022, at Westminster Abbey in London. Her son, King Charles III, took over the throne directly after her death. Also in September 2022, Serena Williams received support from all

SEP

over the country, as she announced that the 2022 US Open would be her last time playing professional tennis. Williams had an enormous career with 23 grand slam wins, and is a role model for millions of Americans. However, since her last game when she lost to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, she announced publicly that the chances of her returning are “very high,” meaning her career may not quite be over.

After Charles III took the throne in England, the Prime Minister role also

underwent changes.

Liz Truss replaced Boris Johnson in September 2022, then resigned her role a short six weeks later because of chaos among her Conservative Party Government. Charles then filled the role with Rishi Sunak, another member of the Conservative party. Sunak had a past in finance, and became the first British-Asian PM

OCT

ever in office. On Oct. 21 2022, Taylor Swift broke records by releasing her long awaited album “Midnights.” The album was streamed 185 million times on the first day alone, shattering a record in the music industry. Swift was also the first artist to sweep the entire Billboard Top Ten List, taking all ten spots with songs from her new album.

The Knightly News - Page 11

The 2022 Midterm elections made some pivotal changes in the control of the US government. In the Senate election, the Democrats remained with the majority and control, but were still dependent on the Georgia Runoff election between Rafael Warnock and Hershel Walker, in which neither candidate reached over

50 percent.

Nevada Democrat Catherine Cortez Mastro won by around 5,000 votes, making it a very slim margin, while Illinois and Kansas both reelected their incumbent Democrats. In the House, the Republican party gained the majority, giving a check to President Biden and changing the Speaker of the House from Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

Key flipped seats came from California, Virginia, and Iowa. November also faced the controversy of Ticketmaster, after the tech company caused

NOV

mass chaos when selling tickets to Taylor Swift’s new concert. Customers were forced to wait in long queues, while many did not even get the opportunity to purchase a ticket. The event left the government to question whether the company was a monopoly, and continues searching for ways to fix it.

The 2022 Men’s World Cup was an important event in December, with millions of fans around the world watching. The event was hosted in Qatar, which faced many controversies after the poor conditions of their workers were spread.

The US Men’s team had a very successful start, after tying 0-0 with soccer powerhouse England and beating Iran to move on to the next round. Star player Christian Pulisic scored the only goal in the match against Iran, and notched the assist to the only

goal in the opening match against Wales. Brazil is the favorite to win, with Germany and France shortly behind. Brazil has won the World Cup five times, and is coming back in good shape with key players Casemiro and Neymar. At the time of

DEC

print, the competition was only at the round of 16, but check back online @ The Knightly News website for the final results!

Lifestyle

December 9, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 12

Best of 2022: From Rivaling TV Spinoffs to Psychological Thriller Films

Photo: @onlymurdershulu on Instagram

Not only was 2022 a year of new fan favorites for television, it also saw the return of popular hits for their newest seasons.

Think back to early 2022. On what became known as “Euphoria” Sunday nights, fans would tune in every Sunday and share their thoughts on social media on the second season of writer and director Sam Levinson’s drama series. While the second season was met with less favorable reviews than its first season, the acting remained top tier, earning lead actress Zendaya her second Emmy award.

This past spring, “The Dropout” premiered on Hulu, telling the story of Elizabeth Holmes and her disastrous healthcare technology. Starring Amanda Seyfried as Holmes, The Guardian called the series “another mind-blowing portrait of a great American fraudster.”

Over the summer, fans saw the return of Regency-era romance “Bridgerton,” a show that originally gained popularity during the pandemic. Similarly, Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” a passion project from Steve Martin and Martin Short, returned in June for another successful season. The show follows the murder podcasting endeavors and antics of three strangers who live in the same New York City apartment building.

Portrayed by Short, Martin and Selena Gomez, the trio works to solve a murder case in their building, hence the title. Known for its “amiable, low-key wit” according to Variety, for many,

the whodunnit comedy was a hallmark of summer 2022.

While the topic is up for debate, the fourth season of “Stranger Things” was perhaps the most triumphant release of the year. “Stranger Things” became a viral topic of discussion on TikTok and sparked the return of Kate Bush’s 1985 hit single “Running Up That Hill” to the Billboard charts, a testament to the power of social media. On Netflix, the show broke the record for the largest opening weekend for an English language show. It’s safe to say that “Stranger Things” occupied the minds and screens of many this past year.

“House of the Dragon,” the “Game of Thrones” spinoff has occupied the small screen this fall, along with “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” The shows bring with them significant fan debate over which show is the better spinoff. To round out 2022, “The Crown’’ returned to Netflix for Season Five. The season featured an entirely new ensemble cast in order to age the characters, and focused on the latter years of Princess Diana’s life and the relevance of the monarchy to British society in the 1990s.

2022: the year of film set drama. Specifically, Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling” was perhaps the most talkedabout film of the year, but more so for its offscreen drama than anything viewed in the 2 hour runtime. The psychological thriller stars Florence Pugh and Harry Styles as perfect, idealized couple Alice and Jack Chambers, but of course, the characters live in a world that is not what it seems. In short, the promotion of the film

Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez star in “Only Murders in the Building.” completely spiraled, including an offscreen romance between Styles and Wilde, Pugh’s refusal to promote the film, a fight with Shia Labeuf and an extremely awkward premiere at Venice Film Festival.

On the topic of psychological thrillers, Jordan Peele’s “Nope,” starring Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya, was met with relatively solid success after its summer release. The story follows two siblings living on a horse ranch

who discover an unearthly phenomenon. After 2017’s “Get Out” and 2019’s “Us,” this film continues a fantastic run for Peele.

“Top Gun: Maverick” debuted with $160.5 million in the box office, becoming a bestselling blockbuster of 2022. The film brought a sense of nostalgia to older viewers for its 1986 first installment, and the presence of lead actors Tom Cruise and Miles Teller was definitely a

Photo: @dontworrydarling on Instragram

The cast of “Don’t Worry Darling” poses at the film’s premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

draw for younger audiences. The film gained attention particularly for its cinematography in the flight scenes. Cruise portrays Maverick, the protagonist, as he leads a group of Top Gun aviator students in completing a nearimpossible mission.

At the same time as “Top Gun: Maverick,” the Elvis Presley biopic “Elvis” hit the big screen. The film stars Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, featuring a more artistic spin on the traditional biopic format, courtesy of director Baz Luhrmann, who is also known for his adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” in 2013.

Butler’s popularity skyrocketed, and fans will catch him at the 2023 Academy Awards and in “Dune: Part Two” next year.

This past fall, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” debuted, honoring the late Chadwick Boseman, the previous star of the series. The film saw generally positive reviews and follows a massively successful first installment in 2018. While Boseman’s performance is hard to follow, the film wrote Boseman’s character’s death into the sequel and follows its aftermath.

Finally, fans can look forward to the release of Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” before Christmas. “Babylon” takes place in 1920s Hollywood, and the drama features outrageous costumes and sets. Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and Tobey Maguire lead the film, which is already generating Oscar buzz.

Opinion

Vol. 48, Issue #3

The Knightly News - Page 13

Nothing Compares to Thanksgiving Food

Photo: Food Network

Thanksgiving is undoubtedly one of, if not the best holiday celebrated in America. This day is best characterized by 4 F’s.

Fall, family, football and most importantly, food. On the fourth Thursday of every November, family and friends gather to feast on foods rarely consumed during the rest of the year. However, these dishes characterize this season and give meaning to the end of the year.

The biggest and most important dish of this holiday is the meat, sorry vegans. Furthermore, there is simply only one choice: turkey. Anyone who prefers ham should seriously reconsider their priorities. Just simply look at the facts. Does the President pardon a pig? Is it called Pig Day? No and no. Eat turkey!

Possibly one of the most underrated sides of all time is stuffing. This dish is flawless.

Sweet, salty, bready goodness, what isn’t there to like? This food is a staple of the day and should be on every table come Nov. 24.

The sidekick to a perfectly basted, golden turkey, is mashed potatoes. Even when mediocrely prepared, this light, fluffy dish can still be delicious. That’s how versatile they are. Topped with some hot, homemade gravy, there is nothing that symbolizes fall more than mashed potatoes.

Arguably more polarizing

Delicious Thanksgiving staples line the dinner table. than brainwashed, unintelligent, intense family political debates is cranberry sauce. This is the best dish to bless this incredible holiday. Grow up, it’s just fruit jello with a distinct, immaculate taste. Just because it isn’t loaded with sugar to satisfy the average American’s sweet tooth doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of respect.

Although an incredible dish, mac-n-cheese shouldn’t be on

the Thanksgiving table. This might be one of the best meals to ever bless mankind, however, its comfort food not Thanksgiving food. Did the pilgrims and Native Americans eat macaroni and cheese on the first Thanksgiving? Probably not. Therefore, save this dish for the next day, perhaps even a good post-Black Friday shopping spree meal.

Another recipe that doesn’t

need to be opened on this day is candied yams. For what reason does anyone need to eat a yam?

What even is a yam? This mix between a carrot, potato and sweet potato, simply has no point to be on a Thanksgiving plate, just to be outshined by mashed potatoes. Leave the yams, and instead, make some corn and rolls.

To put the crown on a fantas-

tic meal, there is only one way to go with dessert. Pumpkin pie.

Keep it traditional as they did in Jamestown in 1621 and leave the blondies and chocolate chip cookies in the cabinet. Pie is simply another staple and key ingredient in a successful Thanksgiving feast. Don’t be lazy, buy some pumpkin pie filling, spices, pie crust and end this sacred day correctly.

Artificial Trees are Killing Christmas

Photo: Colorado Parent

There seems to be shortages of everything recently, from food items to car chips, all linking back to a supply chain crisis.

There is one shortage, however, that is completely unrelated: Christmas trees. Christmas tree growth has declined for a multitude of reasons, including an increase in artificial tree sales and natural barriers like wildfires and droughts. The problem with tree sales is that they take around 10 years to grow, meaning that it is impossible to predict the demand when the trees are mature. During the COVID-19 pandemic, tree demand surged because more people remained at home over the holidays, meaning many trees were cut down that normally would have continued to grow until this year. The American Christmas Tree Association, which represents tree farmers across the country, predicts an average 15% increase in cost and a decrease in options this year.

However, Christmas tree buyers must remain resilient.

A boy cuts down a carefully selected Christmas tree with his family.

Allowing the plastic tree sellers to win is a defeat for society as a whole. There are two options

here: one can go the day after Thanksgiving to a tree farm and lot to cut down, choose a real

tree or pull out the same lifeless, artificial tree from their basement. It is obvious which

choice is correct. Part of the joy of choosing a tree is its imperfections, giving proof that this year’s tree is different from the last. First comes hiding the inevitable bald spot, then trying to get it to stand up straight because the trunk bends. Then come the burdens of a real tree: the tree needles spilling all over the floor, the daily watering, and eventually the weakening of branches that makes precious ornaments fall off and shatter— Christmas cannot be Christmas without them. One should be close to hating their Christmas tree by the time it is fully set up with the hassle it caused. Once a family opts for an artificial tree, what used to be their festive living room turns into what could be a store in a mall. Somehow, this green plastic manages to revert a home back into a house.

There is a reason the most prominent Christmas tree in the country, the 82-foot-tall one at Rockefeller Center, New York, is a real tree. Even though branches always have to be added to it to improve its imperfections, it is still a living, breathing tree. If they won’t abandon a longstanding tradition and switch to an artificial tree, why would you?

Opinion

December 9, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 14

Fu’s Food Review: Is Prime Any Good?

Photo: Twitter @LoganPauln

Nothing can make your day better quite like a McFlurry.

Coming from McDonalds, one of the biggest fast food chains in the world, with over 38,000 locations in 100 countries, the McFlurry is an exceptional treat.

Along with their Hot Fudge Sundaes and Milkshakes, the desserts are a must get. Unfortunately for people all over the world, acquiring a delicious McDonalds treat can be a difficult because McDonalds soft serve machines are often broken.

This problem is so pervasive that software engineer Rashiq Zahid created a website that tracks the status of McDonalds ice cream machines across the world. This website, called McBroken, uses bots to place mobile orders of ice cream to see what locations can fulfill its request. The groundbreaking results of the McBroken studies were a shock to the McDonalds community.

The rates vary widely from place to place. Across New York over a quarter of machines are not working, whereas in San Jose only under four percent of machines are broken. Fortunately, the number of working machines in Atlanta is promising with around 95 percent of machines churning out the frozen, creamy delight.

The reason for the malfunctions in the machines is their daily self wash. If there is an error following the wash, the machine will display an unclear sign on their screen that employees don’t understand. In order to fix these Taylor Co. machines, a Taylor employee must be hired to fix the problem. This costly process is time consuming.

Fortunately, solutions to this problem have come up. A device called a Kytch was developed to send instructions for repair directly to an owner or manager’s smartphone allowing for quicker repairs. In response to the Kytch, McDonalds told its franchisees to pull the Kytch device, claiming that it was dangerous. Now Kytch founders Melissa Nelson and Jeremy O’Sullivan are suing

Photo: Twitter @LoganPaul

Last January, famous internet celebrities KSI “Knowledge Strength and Integrity” and Logan Paul announced their new product: Prime. With both creators having millions of followers, their ambitious venture became an instant success.

Being a sports drink, the main appeal of Prime is its nutritional value. It contains 10 percent coconut water and is marketed as a healthier alternative to other market options like Body Armor and Gatorade.

Since its launch, the product has seen incredible success. Over 10 million drinks were sold within the first two months of launch, and as of this past August, the company was evaluated at $37.6 million in retail sales, making it the sixth-largest sports drink brand in the world.

The drink has been sold out for months on the official Prime website, so the only way to get it is through local grocery stores like Walmart and Target.

However, the beverage is almost always out of stock, so acquiring it becomes difficult. Thus, many people have resorted to buying it through a third-party source like eBay. The scarcity of this drink has jacked up the price on online markets, with prices ranging from $2.50 per bottle to an egregious $12 per bottle. The tedious task of obtaining the beverage raises an important question: is prime worth all the hype?

Currently, there are seven flavors available: meta moon, blue raspberry, grape, ice pop, orange, lemon-lime and tropical

punch. Meta moon is the newest addition, being announced this past September. Unfortunately, none of the stores near me were selling this flavor, and I could not obtain this drink.

The lemon-lime tastes like a watered-down lemonade Gatorade. It has noticeably less sugar and artificial flavoring than the lemon Gatorade, making it more stomachable after three or four sips. It has more of a lemon flavor than I expected, which I enjoyed. Overall, a respectable 7.4/10.

The blue raspberry drink is by far the best flavor. It isn’t overly sweet and doesn’t have a strong aftertaste. It has a simple, sweet flavor that works really well. I could easily chug one of these bottles if I’m not careful.

Overall: 9.4/10.

The grape has a strong artificial flavor and leaves behind a noticeable aftertaste. I’ve never been much of a fan of grape-flavored candy or drinks, and this drink follows the same pattern.

This one is definitely my least favorite: 6/10.

The ice pop flavor lives up to its name: it tastes like a bomb pop you would find at an ice cream truck. Unlike the bomb pop, this beverage isn’t overly sweet and is quite a nice drink.

This would be very refreshing on a hot summer day or after a hard workout at the gym. Overall: 8.4/10.

The orange flavor can only be described with one word: diluted. It has a barely noticeable hint of citrus and does not have a very loud or strong flavor. This one barely leaves an aftertaste, and it would be the easiest to down three or four in one sitting.

The drink is not inherently bad, but is definitely lower on the list.

Prime founders KSI (left) and Logan Paul (right) enjoying their drinks.

Overall: 6.7/10.

The tropical punch flavor reminds me a lot of Hi-C fruit punch. Both drinks have an eerily similar aftertaste, and this beverage definitely has similar sugar. This drink lands above the average, middle-of-the-road drinks but below the really good

ones you actively seek. Overall: 7.7/10.

Is prime good? Yes. There is no doubt that the taste is great, though there aren’t any groundbreaking new flavors. Although some flavors are definitely better than others, I would drink all of them if given the chance.

Is it worth all the hassle? No, definitely not. I would not recommend driving to the store to specifically get Prime, especially because of the high chance the beverage is out of stock. Prime is a quality product, but the hype has overblown the drink quite a bit.

McDonald’s Malfunction Causes Heartbreak

Photo: The New York Times

The McDonalds Ice Cream Machine functions properly.

McDonalds for 900 million dollars on the basis of defamation.

So when you are craving a

McDonalds treat, use McBroken to make sure that your nearest McDonalds location has a work-

ing ice cream machine in order to avoid wasting your time and disappointment.

Sports

Vol. 48, Issue #3

The Knightly News - Page 15

Concu s sion s a nd Ch ron ic Tr au mat ic Enc e pha lopathy Cau s e Ser iou s Da m a g e

Photo: CNN

The brain is vital to one’s life, but brains are sensitive pieces of machinery and can be easily damaged. Blows to the body or head can cause a concussion, where the brain shakes in the skull, tearing and breaking brain cells. This erosion of cells can change how the brain works for a short or long period of time. Concussions and concussion symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, feeling sluggish and sensitivity to light as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), usually last about ten days.

However, multiple concussions can have long term effects called CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is similar to having a permanent concussion. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, aggression, parkinsonism, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. Many athletes leave their sport with CTE, especially football and boxing where a player repeatedly takes blows to the body and head. The average life expectancy for people with CTE is 51 years, wheras the the average life expectancy in

America is 77 years, according to the CDC. Sophomore Lena Levings suffered from a concussion.

“During my concussion, I immediately became dizzy and my head hurt throughout the day, not just in the spot that I hit it.

I was unable to focus on things and through the week felt super tired.” Sophomore Gabby Haviv has also had a concussion from cheer. “Having a concussion made me feel separated from the world. It felt like I was spinning and the light was painful.

When I stepped outside and the sun was barely out it felt like my eyes were melting. I was also so nauseated I could not keep my head upright,” Haviv said.

Even a minor concussion can make everyday activities such as reading and surfing the internet extremely difficult.

CTE and concussions maintain the ability to cause long term effects, but some sports are not taking it seriously enough.

According to a study done by Military Times, 99 percent of brains that were tested in the NFL have CTE, 91 percent of college football players have CTE and 21 percent of high school players have CTE. An NFL player’s large salary often clouds focus on their well being, making them play with a concus-

Tua Tagovailoa injured after a serious hit against the Bengals. sion or an injury. Even at the collegiate level this can happen, as coaches and players are trying to increase their draft stock and get new NFL deals.

The concussion protocols for NFL players is as follows: first, they come off the field. After the concussion is identified, they examine the player and look at the play where the injury took place.

There is a five step process to deal with concussions. Most importantly, a concussion-inflicted athlete should engage in little activity. Aerobic exercises and football specific exercises are

also beneficial ways to treat a concussion. The player should engage in football drills with no contact and receive full play clearance. The average time a player is out from a concussion in the NFL is nine days. However, many players rush the process so that they can play in the next game.

The NFL currently attempts to protect its players from concussions by making new helmets with sensors that can detect concussions. They are trying to eliminate dangerous hits by adding a new targeting penalty. The

penalty does not allow a player to lead with the crown of his helmet into a tackle. Most of these calls have been about trying to protect the quarterback. Some of these rule changes have made spectators call football “soft,” and some of the calls have been game changing. Senior Connor Phelan said, “The rule changes are good, but I do believe they are kinda soft. The concussions rules can also be better, and the coaches should be pulling players out sooner.”

The problem of NFL concussions recently came to light with an incident that happened with the Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa was concussed the week prior to his accident, but did not miss any games. He was tackled hard and landed on his head. When he hit the ground he rolled over and his hands were in a rigid shape over his head, signaling brain damage.

This horrible incident is what sparked all of the concussion talks in the NFL. However, the NFL should have been actively trying to keep players safe, not just when the media talks about it. Concussions and CTE need to be studied further. Player safety should be the number one priority of the NFL and protocols must be improved.

The essence of a rivalry in college football unites all fan bases across the nation. This past weekend, rivalry week was in full swing as numerous different rivalries sparked tension across teams and fans. Some of the headliner games include #3 Michigan vs #2 Ohio State, #1 Georgia vs Georgia Tech, #15 Oregon vs #16 Oregon State and #6 Alabama vs Auburn. Many of these games had a major effect on who would make it in the College Football Playoff. For example, the winner of Ohio State vs Michigan will most likely be the #2 seed in the college football playoffs.

The Ohio State and Michigan rivalry is the most heated rivalry in all of sports. The first meeting between the two dates all the way back to 1897.

The all time series favors the Michigan Wolverines as they lead the series 60-51-6 and the Wolverines are currently on a two year win streak. This game is the highlight of both teams’ seasons as both teams focus on prepping for the game the whole year. Back in 2020, Ohio State

Photo: wolverineswire.usatoday.com

C ol le g e Fo ot b a l l R i v a l r y We ek C on s u me s t he Me d ia

Michigan and Ohio State players square off. coach Ryan Day said, “Michigan better hope for a mercy rule this year because we are going to hang 100 on them.” These comments came after an altercation between Jim Harbaugh, Michigan’s coach, and Day. Since this comment, Ohio State is yet to beat Michigan. Both teams have put up posters and signs in their facilities asking players what they will do to beat the opposition. One big tradition in the weeks leading up to the game, is that the Michigan fan base crosses out all the Os they see, and the Ohio State fan base does the same with Ms. The winning team gets to have the last laugh as they can remove the

tape blocking their team’s letter.

This year Michigan won 45-23.

The first half highlighted some flaws in both team’s defenses.

Michigan could hit the deep ball at will, while Ohio State’s offense was having long methodic drives. At half, the score was 20-17 with Ohio State leading and dominating statistically. The second half could not be farther from the first. Michigan ended the second half having outscored Ohio State 28-3. Michigan will move on to the Big Ten Championship and the college football playoff.

Another heated rivalry is the Iron bowl. This rivalry features Alabama vs Auburn. Starting

in 1893, the Iron bowl is always a game circled on both teams’ schedules. Alabama leads the series 49-37-1, but the games are typically close and come down to the wire. This rivalry has featured the famous kick six where Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a 100 yard missed field goal for the win.

The name Iron bowl comes from the heavy presence of the Iron industry in Birmingham.

The games were first played in Birmingham, so the name Iron bowl was very fitting. A tradition within the rivalry is the Foy-ODK trophy. This trophy is presented to the winning school at the next basketball match be-

tween the two. The losing SGA president is forced to sing the fight song of the other school.

This year Alabama won easily, with a score of 49-27. This domination is not common and this game provides viewers and fans a thrilling experience.

Oregon vs Oregon State is one of the biggest rivalries in sports. This rivalry is called the “Civil War” and it dates all the way back to 1894. Oregon has the all time record at 67-49-10.

This year, Oregon State came out on top with a score of 38-34.

This storied rivalry battles over the rights to the Platypus trophy and the title of the best team in Oregon. This 1957 rivalry is fierce. When played in Eugene, Oregon at Oregon’s stadium, the crowd noise bounces, causing the stadium to be extremely loud. It has been labeled one of the hardest places to play.

With all these rivalries, college football fans have a fun last week of the season. The whole season most fan bases look forward to the one rivalry game and hope their teams come out on top.

Regardless of the playoff implications or conference implications, teams and fans know that the rivalry game is the one to win.

Sports

December 9, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 16

Volleyball and Cross Country Win State… Again!

Photo: Instagram @paceacademy

Pace varsity volleyball defeats Lovett for the state title on Nov. 5.

Photo: Instagram @pace.xc.girls

The Pace volleyball and cross country teams have continued to dominate their competition, even after moving up to the 4A division. Nov. 5 was an exciting day for the Pace Knights, as both the girls volleyball and cross country teams brought home state championships, and the boys cross country team earned fourth-place in the state.

The girls varsity volleyball team defeated Lovett 3-0 at Lakepoint Sports Complex in Cartersville, earning their sixth consecutive state title. The Knights won the matches 25-11, 25-23 and 25-20. “We worked super hard and overcame so many different adversities. Before the big game, we got in a big circle and gave the younger girls advice and helped them with the nerves. On game day, we just tried to focus on our side of the net and build each other up! It’s truly a family!” said junior team captain Grace Agolli.

Agolli, senior team captain Briea Craft, junior Dhru Lalaji and junior Ellie Siskin were all named to the 4A All-State team.

Craft was invited to participate

Pace girls varsity cross country earns their third consecutive state title at Carrollton High School. in the Senior All-Star Match and was named an AVCA AllAmerican player, and Agolli received Player of the Year. The team ended their regular season with an impressive record of

42-1. “Sweeping our rival was not only the best way to end the season, but also the best way to end my Pace volleyball career,” said Craft.

The girls varsity cross

country team also ended their season with a strong finish, earning their third straight state championship at Carrollton High School. “Coming off a back-toback win, I was excited to see

our team pull it off again.

Missing most of the season and not being with the team, state made it worth it,”

“We talked all season about needing to control the controllables and then let everything else go. The team that does that will be on the podium.” said junior Caroline Hood. Four girls finished in the top ten, with Hood placing second in the state, sophomore Zahara Bernal placing fourth, freshman Harriet Blaha placing fifth and sophomore Olivia Resnick placing tenth. Freshman Eva Swales and senior team captains Kate Webb and Elizabeth Feagin also performed well in their races.

Hood and Bernal were both named to the Power Eight All-Metro team. “We talked all season about needing to control the controllables and then let everything else go. The team that does that will be on the podium. The girls did just that at the state meet and walked out of there as back to back to back state champions,” said Coach Jolie Cunningham.

Pace Winter Sports Start off Strong

solid start including wins in two dual meets.” The team has started off hot and looks to continue their dominance throughout the rest of the season.

Women’s Basketball: The women’s team is led by two seniors this year: Ella Berman and Cele Camp. Regarding the upcoming season, Berman said, “I’m so excited for this season. It’s a super young team and all of the sophomores and freshmen have already proven themselves to be great players.

Photo: Fred Assaf

Men’s Basketball: After losing in the state tournament last year, the men’s basketball team, led by Coach Sharman White, hopes to reestablish their previous dominance and lead the team to another state championship. The loss of key players senior Josh Reed to the Cincinnati Bearcats, and freshman Bryson Tiller to OTE Cold Hearts, from their 2022 team has given new players new opportunities. The team is led by four seniors: Ben Leach, Davis Rice, Kendall Evans and CJ Thomas.

The team has a great opportunity this year to play in a tournament in London, England. Rice said, “I’m looking forward to getting a new perspective on Basketball through the eyes of London. I think it will be interesting seeing how the game is conducted in Europe.” Along with London the team will be playing in five other tournaments this year.

The season started off strong for the team with a 63-54 win in a scrimmage over Mays High School.

Junior Kyle Green drives in the paint We played really well in our scrimmage against Mays, which has made us all super excited about future games and we seem to have great team chemistry.”

The team also began the season with a scrimmage against Mays High School, where they defeated Mays 60-41. Camp said, “I’m really excited to see how far we can go and I am looking forward

to being a leader on the team.”

Men’s Swimming and Diving: The men’s swimming and diving team strive to accomplish an overall team state championship this year. Led by Coach John Ague as well as seniors Carter Freudenstein, Barrett Hight, Corey Lochan and Jordan Loughran, the swimmers have

broken many individual records as well as had individual state champions, however, they look to accomplish something that has not been completed in Pace history. Junior Lane Canova said “After a third-place finish for the boys last year at state, we are all excited to get back in the pool and make a run for the state title this year. So far we are off to a

Women’s Swimming and Diving: The women’s swimming and diving team is also coached

by Ague and student led by two seniors: Anna Zinman and Marisa Sapre. They hope to lead the team to a successful season including a strong appearance at the state championship. “I’m looking forward to the girl’s team filled with new underclassmen, whose talent can really make an impact. I’m also really excited to be a senior leader and make new connections with the team” said Senior Anna Zinman.

The swimmers began the season with a split start, going 1-1, however, there are bright things in the future of the team.

Wrestling: The wrestling team is the only senior-less team this year, however, the team is not small in size. Composed of sixteen athletes and three coaches, the team looks to have another successful year in the state tournament.

Junior Will Moore said, “We’re looking forward to seeing what our young team can do this year and in the next couple of years.

Hopefully we can continue the wrestling culture that has been established over the past few years.” The team had a successful meet against Mclntosh High School and will continue their hard work in order to capitalize on their young team.