The Quill Volume 2 Issue 3

Quill The

SUCCESS IN THE

FIRST YEAR

CROSS COUNTRY TEAM BY

KOCH KASEMSANTITHAM

The

Quill

Volume 3 Issue 2 November 2014 merica Divided 18 A B G W

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4 Carnival 2014

20 Ebola Vaccine in

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6 It’s Okay, I’ll Buy

22 The Spread of

AROUNDICS Bigger and Better

Later...

8 Senior Session & Eagle Eye

The Weimers

ATHLETICS

12 Success in the First Year

Cross Country Team

14 Swim to the Other Horrizon

AROUND WORLD the

16 The Bright Side

racing for

round

ar

Progress

Ebola... Costumes

LIFESTYLE

23 The Apple

Redundancy

25 Spread Love, Not

14

Hate

Stop FCKH8

OUROPINION

28 College Anxiety 30 Waikay’s Corner Morality and Stuff

Putin, Polar Bears, and Peace

12 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LAYOUT DESIGNER

Will Leelamanthep

Pann Sermchaiwong Surawut Withayarukson

ADVISOR Ms. Lissa Scott

SECRETARY Poom Sethabutr

PHOTOGRAPHERS Pann Sermchaiwong Surawut Withayarukson Time Chaiteerath

EDITORS

Young Kwang Shin Poom Sethabutr Prim Thientanakij Khem Somsak

WRITERS Keshav Garg Fayfay Prasutchai

Poon Vorapanyaskul Kitty Rodchareon Grace Hsieh Tom Choi Poom Sethabutr Young Kwang Shin Gid Jiranuntarat John Kim PunPun Chaiyakiturajai Koch Kasemsantitham

September 2014

Contents

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by FayFay

Prasutchai

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Carnival 2014 Bigger and Better

As a long practiced tradition of ICS, Carnival has always been under the glistening spotlight among the highly anticipated school events. This year, as usual, the Seniors from Class of 2015 are hosting this exciting schoolwide fair. With a group of brilliant organizers, this year’s Carnival, taking place on the 29th of November, promises with most excitement,

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so? Because this year’s line of attractive and seductive prizes include an iPhone 6, iPad Mini, a Fujifilm Instax, concert tickets, hotel vouchers, and many other great prizes who await you to be their owners.

So why are you hesitating? On 29th November 2014, the Quill assures you that once you step into the Carnival, you will wish the day would never end.

Quill

yourselves with even more booths. Whether it is henna or glitter tattoos, they are all there to make you look bright and brilliant on the memorable day of Carnival.

Not only that they make people look better, there is also a photobooth of skilled photographers to let you live the Carnival experience even after the day.

Of course, no Carnivals would be complete without raffles tickets. Costing no more than 100 baht per ticket, one of this could potentially make you the trendiest and undoubtedly, the luckiest person around in ICS. How

The

entertainment, and more good vibes than ever.

This year’s carnival will involve the most popular activities, such as the maze and the bouncy castle However, with this year’s motto of going bigger and better, the organizers have gone beyond the precedents set by previous years’ seniors by adding even more exciting games and activities. This year features a never-done-before rodeo bull. With that, we cannot anticipate anything but an endless queue to it.

In addition to games, the Carnival is here for you to glitter and glisten

ICS CARNIVAL! BE THERE! 29th November, 10:00 – 17:00

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Keshav Garg

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The Battle of the Clubs

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EAGLES

EYE with

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The Weimers

Poon Vorapanyasakul

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BY

SENIOR SESSION

Many people in the school know you for your arts/filming skills.

Would you agree that that is a form of artistic expression you are most comfortable with or identify with?

Asia: I have found art to be a great way for me to express my ideas and thoughts. Drawing and painting are perfect for displaying concepts I think are beautiful or I think are important for others to see.

When I have the time, I also enjoy reading and writing short essays and poems

about important life stuff.

Sharing real-life stories and discussing purpose, identity, and eternity are so needed and so powerful.

Coleman: Film is definitely the artistic medium that I connect with. Through film, I can express myself more naturally.

Why do you do what you do?

Asia: As a little kid, I always loved creating things: coloring pictures in coloring books, playing with play-dough, sewing little pillows, and cutting

out paper dolls. My parents always encouraged my young creativity and helped me with projects I couldn’t do on my own. Both grandmothers on either side of my family always had crafts for me to do at their houses and encouraged my independence no matter how goofy my ideas were. As I have grown older, mentors in my life have helped me focus my creativity and have pointed me towards fine arts: drawing, painting, writing, and violin. They have helped me with technique and continue to give me

How has your practice changed over time?

Asia: When I was younger I wasn’t very good at drawing, so I didn’t really have a process. I would work on projects randomly and without much thoughtful consideration. But, now as I continue to learn better technique, I plan out my pieces better and focus more on the quality of the works I produce.

Coleman: When I started making videos, I used my parents old Flip video camera. I would make stopmotion videos with my Lego figures (my favorite creation was a Lego zombie movie).

My process, since then, has become more refined and particular. My subject matter is no longer Lego figures punching and kicking each other. I also have improved my skills and general knowledge since then.

What themes do you pursue?

Asia: I love to work with flowers and plants because their colors and shapes are so unique and beautiful.

I like to explore concepts surrounding life, growth, and struggles. This year, a lot of my AP pieces depict mothers, babies, and pregnancy with floral elements and organic influence.

Coleman: I love showcasing subjects that are often overlooked by giving beauty to ordinary things. I believe it helps people see the world differently and appreciate it more. I’m also heavily inspired by nature and love to capture its gorgeous scenery.

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How do you work? What is the process of your creation?

Asia: Whether I am painting or drawing, I always draft out my pictures in pencil first. Usually, if I am working in pen/watercolor style, I go over my lines with black ink, drawing in most of my details. Then I use color pencils to bring some life into the black and white picture and paint over the colors with water to bring out their intensity. I like to work with my favorite music playing (usually Josh Garrels or Jack Johnson) in my room with lots of light from my window.

Coleman: I love working in my room while listening to music and drinking coffee!

My work consists of filming, color correcting, and editing.

I shoot all of my films off of my DSLR camera.

It’s nothing special, but it takes quality video. I then transfer the footage into my

color editing software. This step takes up a lot of time, because I have to go through each clip and correct the contrast, shadows, color, etc. I then export the clips into my editing software. As I piece the clips together, I make sure to sync the clipping with the music I’ve chosen. Once I finish, I export the final product!

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feedback and help me grow in my work. I hope be an art teacher some day so I can help other people find joy in creating!

Coleman: With a camera in-hand, I’m given the power to transport others back in time, while also telling a story. Every human can connect with film.

What’s your favourite work so far?

Asia: Hmm, this is a difficult one to answer. My favorite would probably have to be a piece I did about the community and environment that will influence how a baby grows once it is born.

The colors are very light and the line movement reminds me of peaceful water.

Coleman: My most recent video, “The Island,” is probably my favorite work so far. I went on a short kayaking trip to an island and filmed the whole event.

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Describe a real-life situation that inspired you?

Asia: I don’t think I can pick just one situation. I feel inspired when I read a really good book, when my family and I drink coffee and chat, when I listen to good music with friends, when I get to worship God alongside my classmates at Wii Worship and FNF, when I get out in nature, and when I work alongside my art class towards an approaching AP deadline.

Coleman: Much of my inspiration comes from nature. Whether it’s hiking, camping, or just driving

through forests, I’ve always been fascinated by creation.

During my Freshman SALT Trip, we went hiking Khao Yai, and it was awesome!

What do you dislike about your work?

Asia: I dislike how timeconsuming my artwork can be sometimes. Making a really great piece can take a lot of time and effort.

That being said, I think effort and time is also a big part of what makes art so meaningful. Big investments usually result in a strong outcome: meaningful art.

Coleman: really dislike the technical imperfections in my videos. Sometimes

Coleman Weimer 1 0

shaky footage, bad sound, or unfocused shots end up in the final video, which drives me nuts.

What do you like about your work?

Asia: I love that art allows me to be constantly learning. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I still have to learn!

I am always practicing and experimenting with how to do what I do in the best way possible. I get to explore new concepts, techniques and styles knowing that there is no right or wrong in art, as long as everything has a purpose.

Asia Weimer

Name three artists you’d like to work with.

Asia: I would have loved to paint alongside Claude Monet. His style and stroke is so signature. I would be so excited if I got to write and illustrate a children’s book with Patricia Polacco. I grew up reading her books that are so beautifully influenced

by her Russian heritage.

It looks like I will need to collaborate with Alisha and use her fashion expertise for my dress dream project some day!

Coleman: I would love to work with the musician, Josh Garrels. His music is very earthy and mellow, which would perfectly combine with my videos.

I’d also want to work with Christopher Nolan (director of Inception) and Roger Deakins (world renown cinematographer).

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What is your dream project?

Asia: I would love to design and create a dress someday.

Since most of my artwork is 2-D, I don’t have much experience with fashion design, but I find it very interesting. How cool would it be to wear my own design to a fancy event or party some day?!

Coleman: My dream projects would be a documentary based in the rural mountains of Thailand.

There are so many cool stories we don’t know about!

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Coleman: I like the overall mood of my videos. I always try to make them encouraging.

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Koch Kasemsantitham

ATHLETICS

Success in the First Year

Becoming a new addition to the ICS sports selections, the Cross Country team was a success for the past few, exciting months.

During this year’s first season of sports, ICS students had the opportunity to join the Cross Country team. The team was led by Middle School teacher Mr. Manny Low, who has had previous marathon experiences

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(U13, U15, and U17) went on October 11th. The players weren’t able to take home any medals, but it was a great experience for the members.

“Even though we didn’t receive any awards at BISAC, our school did a great job. Most of us had improved throughout the season and was faster in BISAC than the first race we had. We had 3 runs including BISAC throughout our season, and each was very difficult in its own way!” states Bambam Linmaneechote, a member of the U15 Cross Country side.

Lots of fun and dedication was given by the members of the ICS Cross Country team this year, and it will hopefully be even better next year.

Quill

varsity race as well as the younger race. Tanapoom Sermchaiwong and Vorapon Kachapornkul from were able to acquire first place and second medals, respectively. In the older races, Moriah Gentry and Poon Vorapanyasakul were able to take the silver and bronze.

“It was a great first year. I thought I wouldn’t make it during practices, but they were great. The races were tiring but fun. We grew together as a team.

I like the team a lot,” said Mark Lertmankha, a 9th grade member of the Cross Country team.

The last race of the season, the BISAC, was held at ISB once again on two separate dates. The varsity team competed on October 4th, and the younger competitors

The

and is an active runner as well.

Members of the Cross Country team start off with various types of stretching as a team as well as running exercises. The athletes run at moderate distances; 3 kilometers for middle school students, and 5 kilometers for the high school members.

This year the ICS team went to compete in three separate tournaments. Starting off early in the season, the team went to compete at ISB for an informal run, where the runners had the chance to taste what Cross Country was like.

A few weeks later the team travelled to Ancient City to compete in the annual ‘Panther Run’, hosted by the Bangkok Patana School (BPS). This race saw the Eagles earn gold, both in the

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Swim to the Other Horizon

Rodchareon

week. Joining either swim team requires that you swim at least one stroke at a certain qualifying time. Any interested student can set up a tryout time with Mr. Joel by appointment any time throughout the school year.”

All in all, let’s hope the swimming team will be able to make the most of what the team has at the moment; nevertheless, the more people, the merrier it will be. Maybe you, reader, can make that difference.

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event is taking place at International School Bangkok (ISB) on the 15th – 16th of November, whose proximity will be a prime motivator for the swimmers’ determination and diligence.

However, the swimming team is still in need of more athletes. According to Aquatics Coordinator, Mr. Joel Grosjean, “Swim practice is available to all members of both swim teams 5 days a week and swim team members are required to come to at least 2 practices a

Kitty

ATHLEICS

The ICS Swimming team is off to a great start this year. Ranging from middle schoolers to high schoolers, the swimmers are all working sedulously for upcoming tournaments.

Although the team has yet to reach its full potential, its athletes have not only been exercising their strokes but also practicing advanced swimming techniques such as flip turns, according to sophomore swimmer Tommy Withayaruksorn. Most importantly, a forthcoming

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AROUNDTHEWORLD

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DISCLAIMER: This article is a work of satire, fiction, and/or half-truths. The purpose of this article and the intentions of the writer is strictly for the sake of humour. The writer does not hold the views presented in this article, and those who may be offended are advised to shield their delicate eyes and move on to the next column.

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When it comes to nononsense people groups and governments with concealed motives, nobody comes to mind as readily as Russians.

From the enemies in Modern Warfare to the bad guys in literally every 90’s film ever, we often assume that Russians often care very little about petty sentiments, the environment, or the American Dream. Even after the motherland’s communist phase had passed and the country pulled into recovery, the rest of the world still

continues to regard the Russian government as an oppressive group that blurs the media and propagate a strong central authority figure, whom we know as the great and glourious Vladimir Putin. Little did we know that we had severely misjudged the actions of this misunderstood macho-man.

In mid-October, President Vladimir Putin addressed the ecological concerns of Greenpeace after the installation of a new Russian military base deep

into the Arctic territories of Siberia. Environmentalists were concerned about the effects of regular military exercises and weapon discharges on the native polar bear population on Wrengel Island. Putin, in his wonderful, masculine excellence, vowed to protect the polar bears’ natural habitats… well, he actually just said that there used to be a Soviet base there anyways and it had never affected the bears before.

But come one! The man

Russia; he must hurt them because he loves them so and do not wish to see them run themselves aground.

Yet the dissidents still reject his kindness while America continues to paint him as a monster and a dictator. But he continues to persevere through the torrent of criticism, for he alone knows what is best for the people of the world. Eventually, western media will forget the advance into Ukraine in favor of continually reporting on a disease, some terrorist group, or the like, and then, our great Putin can finally put his plan in action. Finally, can there be true peace in the world.

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decisions are made with the same subtle reasoning. Mass mobilization of troops into a bordering territory that is in great need of his excellent leadership but is shown to be a rash and imperialistic action by western media?

Hello, Ukraine. Yes, all signs point to the love that the President has for all his brethren, whether they know they want it or not.

Despite insisting on breaking away from the Motherland like a disobedient child, the Ukrainians are still beneficiaries of lord Putin’s excellence - which will no doubt illuminate them and lead them back into the right path. But such a titan of a man cannot beg and plead that the Ukrainians rejoin

The

hugged a polar bear once in 2010! Evidently President Putin deeply cares about the fuzzy, white critters, but must act tough in order to protect his image as a spearhead in the resurgence of mother Russia as a strong political powerhouse once again. The President has touched the hearts of people everywhere, due to both his admirable compassion for wildlife and his leadership of the nation to utilize the frigid, uncivilized territories in northern Siberia. Scholars wonder whether Putin’s true motivation in selecting this region to militarize was to indirectly create a safe haven for polar bears to procreate.

Many also speculate that another of his similar

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America Divided Bracing For A Ground War

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What people thought to be another short-lived Middle Eastern calamity saw its sixth month of action this November. When the Islamic State began advancing in Northern Iraq this June and July, the world saw no problem in leaving the situation unattended, occasionally gawking at news of genocide and military destruction in the ever-so-far Middle East.

In August, however, things took a turn--when the United States formed another coalition against IS, with President Obama proclaiming that the

Tom Choi

intervention is “going to be a long-term project,” the world’s populace realized that this IS threat just might be worthy of popular attention. Three months later, with the Islamic State having beheaded many and with coalition srikes having only a moderate effect, it is only natural that the population loses faith.

Americans still strongly support airstrikes against ISIS -- but they’re losing confidence that the strikes will wipe out the group’s military capability.

The air strikes already ordered

by President Barack Obama

are supported by 76% of the public, but only 48% of those polled say the U.S. effort is going well -- while 54% say they’re confident the strikes will degrade and destroy the military capability of ISIS. That figure is down from 61% last month.

As the public loses confidence in air strikes’ effectiveness, Americans are increasingly supportive of sending U.S. ground troops to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The poll found 45% support for such a move -- up from 38% in September.

A majority still oppose it,

difficult.

As the IS advances, these numbers will change. As the IS advances, more nations may join the fray, additional Kurdish fighters, Pershgama, etc. But amidst all the confusion and the chaos that is warzone-Iraq, one thing remains clear. IS is not, and never had been, the passing threat many thought it would be.

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could change in a hurry if the situation worsens in Iraq.”

The poll also found a warweary public with little faith in Obama, high confidence that a terrorist attack on U.S. soil will happen again soon and expectations that fighting ISIS will be a drawn-out engagement. Those surveyed said they aren’t expecting to see ISIS quickly defeated.

More than four in five said U.S. military action against the group will be long and

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however. If ISIS were to attack the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, that number would shift much more dramatically, with 72% saying they’d then support sending ground troops to the region.

“Support for sending U.S. ground troops into combat operations against ISIS forces is growing, although a majority continues to oppose ‘boots on the ground’ in Iraq or Syria,” said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. “But that

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Ebola Vaccine in Progress by

The prolonged search for an Ebola vaccine will yield data soon about whether the two experimental vaccines are safe and could lead to extensive medical trials in West Africa by January, a top World Health Organization (WHO) official said Tuesday, October 21st.

Dr. Marie Paule Kieny,

the assistant director general for WHO, confirmed clinical trials in Europe, Africa, and the U.S. are expected to produce preliminary data by December.

In the meantime, she said, governments especially in Ebola-stricken West Africa are pushing for immediate “realworld use� of an approved

John Kim

Ebola vaccine.

The assistant director told reporters in Geneva there are two leading candidates for a vaccine. If the vaccines are deemed safe after scrupulous medical trials, tens of thousands of doses will be used in West Africa beginning in January to test their potency.

by the United Nations health agency amongst volunteers at the University Hospital of Geneva and additional staff from Germany, Gabon, and Kenya.

At a separate press conference, WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib promised a thorough public audit of the agency’s early missteps in responding to the Ebola outbreak that has already resulted in over the deaths of 4,500 people.

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the United States Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Maryland for testing on healthy volunteers, with results expected by December.

Canada has also donated approximately 800 vials of the experimental vaccine to the World Health Organization, but the shipment process encountered complications due to a Lufthansa pilot strike.

The vaccines are expected to arrive in Switzerland on the 22nd of October for further medical testing coordinated

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One of those vaccines, developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and GlaxoSmithKline from a modified chimpanzee cold virus and an Ebola protein, is in clinical trials in the United Kingdom and in Mali. It will be used in clinical trials in Lausanne, Switzerland, by the beginning of February.

The second frontrunner, developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and known as VSVEBOV, has been transported to

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The Spread of Ebola…Costumes by

PunPun

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Chaiyakiturajai

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The Ebola virus disease, formerly known as the Ebola hemorrhagic fever, has been spreading throughout West Africa since March 2014.

It has been hitting on the world’s poorest countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. The disease’s fatality rate is 50%, with symptoms that include fever, headache, diarrhea, and even internal and external bleeding Conjointly, with its outburst and the upcoming Halloween event, costume companies surely have been attempting to profit from it.

It is a conjecture

that Pteropodidae family’s fruit bats are Ebola virus’s innate hosts. The virus is then introduced to human group through close contact involving blood, secretions, and organs. As of now, there is no FDA-approved vaccine or medicine available for Ebola, so its victims are treated with basic interventions as their symptoms appear. Though the chances of Ebola spreading to North America are very slim, people from the region have already been speculating on possible protective wears, especially for the coming Halloween night on October

31st. There are two sides to it: controversy over the world ‘costume’ and the inclination to entertainment. Authentically, Ebola containment suits are for trained medical staff fighting the Ebola virus, but have been adapted for the purpose of Halloween costumes. With that being thought of, some mentions the sensitivity of victims and their families; however, arguments also support the idea of the community just wanting to have fun. Which is the legitimate response to it?

There isn’t one. Happy early Halloween, folks!

LIFESTYLE

Garg

Heartfelt Greetings, Fellow Readers! As you may have heard, on October 16th, technology giant Apple released 3 new products.

However, in reality, Apple really hasn’t released anything novel. The keynote featured the launch of the Ipad Mini 3, the Ipad Air 2, and a 5k Display IMac. Yet again Apple has liberated its monstrous marketing chicaneries in order to seduce customers into buying aged technology.

Stay rest assured that by the end of this article you readers will save at least $499 as well as a galore of research time.

Let us begin with the Ipad Mini 3. The Ipad Mini 3 ranges from the price of $399 to $729, from the most minimal of

hardware upgrade, to the highest level of memory and networking. Well, how is the device different from its predecessors? Although, I would like to juxtapose it to the Ipad Mini 2, the only difference happens to be a touch ID fingerprint scanner. In terms of design, the product merely features a reciprocal pattern of the newly released Iphone 6 and Iphone 6 Plus. In all, the product is an addition to the numerous products Apple has recently involved in their so called ‘innovation’ scheme.

Now, allow me to give you an insight to a very similar product, perhaps the elder sibling of the Ipad Mini, the Ipad Air 2.

The prices for this rather fancy named technology

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Keshav

Quill

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The

TheApple Redundancy

range from $499 to $829.

This product varies only slightly from the Ipad Air 1, and it features a fully laminated display (whatever that means), antireflective coating, less bulk, an A8X chip, an improved camera, and a touch ID fingerprint scanner. It seems that Apple is trying to tie all its products together, leaving no space for idiosyncrasies in their once ‘different’ devices.

There is no doubt that Apple is trying their best to live up to their ‘Bigger Than Bigger’ slogan, especially through their 5k Display IMac. The computer is exorbitantly priced at $2499 and barely lives up to its price. Despite the strong desire to explain more about this piece of technology wrapped in

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LIFESTLYE

aluminum, I see no reason to further embarrass this poorly marketed device.

Despite its fancy page on the Apple website, the computer features nothing more than a lack lustrous reflection of its previous models.

Along with all these devices, Apple has also launched the OS X Yosemite as well as IOS 8. OS X Yosemite is second, after the previously launched OS X Mavericks, to be named not after an animal but rather after a natural zone. OS X Yosemite

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features nothing more than an upgraded design and a cleaner feel to the software. iOS 8 features bug fixes, and few augments to iOS 7, with few major changes in design.

Both updates are available for free, proving that the changes are far too subtle to be charged for. Honestly, however, it would have been proved more lucrative for Apple to keep the previous software designs, given their recent expenditure.

Although I would further elaborate my opinions on

these devices, I frankly find it a waste of time to criticize a company that has no hope.

It can be related trying to salvage a ship when it is more than 95% sunk. The only direct suggestions I have for you readers is to send that money you were, perhaps, to spend with a “Rest In Peace” note to Apple’s headquarters, or to smack the heads of the engineers and researchers at Apple so they realize that they are blindly heading into deadly seas. God Bless.

Spread Love Not Hate Stop FCKH8

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great and shouldn’t be a problem, but the way FCKH8 goes about their crusade for social justice definitely is. FCKH8 markets to the younger demographic, so they generally employ shock and awe campaigns when advertising their products.

The most severe complaints FCKH8 receive deal with the exploitative nature of their ads.

The most recent video released by FCKH8 is arguably the most controversial one they

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but that’s not what this article is about. This is about FCKH8.com’s knack for angering and offending the very communities they’re supporting, their dismal customer service, and their incorrigible habit of stealing product ideas from the internet and other charity organizations.

FCKH8.com is a for-profit apparel company owned

by Synergy Media that sells clothing and accessories that promote feminism, antiracism, and LGBT equality.

All of that is positive and

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Hate FCKH8. Actually don’t. Just ignore them.

Because even dignifying them with negative attention would be more than the parasitic exploitative organization deserves.

The problem with FCKH8. com is not their messages.

Well, at least not the messages in their feminism campaigns. Their pro-LGBT campaigns are a whole other can of worms that could be labeled “Doesn’t Properly Advocate Anything After the ‘L’ and the ‘G’ Because They Just Aren’t As Important”,

Grace Hsieh

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have made yet. Titled ‘Potty Mouthed Princesses Drop F-Bombs for Feminism’, it’s exactly what it sounds like.

Little girls, ages six to 12 little, scream out facts that denote the sexual inequality in our society, all the while dropping four lettered words that would have gotten their mouth thoroughly soaped had it not been for the dough their mommies were raking in, ‘for the greater good’ of course.

Again, there was nothing wrong in the message of the video. Women should be empowered. There shouldn’t be wage inequality. Boys should be taught not to rape.

But children who can’t even comprehend the meaning

of the words ‘sexual assault’ shouldn’t be going on tirades about such tender issues.

These kids serve no purpose acting like that in the video except as a marketing gimmick utilized by FCKH8 to draw in more viewers so they could sell their products. The controversial nature of the ad didn’t direct attention to the true problem, sexism; rather, it distracted from the issue and just made the whole message seem cheap and tawdry, further perpetuating the stereotype the feminism movement has for being over-aggressive and tasteless.

FCKH8 doesn’t just exclusively use little girls to satiate their corporate

appetites though. They also capitalize on tragedy and heartbreak too. Following the Ferguson shooting of Mike Brown, FCKH8 launched a new series of shirt against racism and a video decrying racism, both of which were received with outrage and disgust. Prior to all the media sensation surrounding the shooting of the unarmed teenager, they offered no videos about anti-racism, no shirts, and definitely no wristbands.

But suddenly, now that there was a market for such products, a well-written wellshot video about Ferguson has been released and FCKH8.com offers a line of ‘anti-racism gear’. Mike

original poster, or they just blatantly copy ideas and pass them off as their own.

FCKH8 is a business that looks out for itself more than the causes they hawk their products for.

For each shirt sold for Ferguson, shirts that cost about $15 to $37, five whole dollars were gifted to the Mike Brown Memorial Fund or the NAACP. Their feminist videos do more harm than good for feminism, and others have been putting out for years what they are now calling fresh. If one wants to incite genuine social change, one should not look towards FCKH8. Because seriously, you suck, mate.

November 2014

and attempts to contact personnel are often made in vain. Products also arrive in sizes not matching what patrons have specified, and also in different styles.

One of FCKH8. com’s most popular feminist tees reads as follows: This Is What A Feminist Looks Like. Simple. Attractive.

And also not theirs. A feminist charity organization has been printing those shirts since 2003, whereas FCKH8 was found in 2010. They’ve also been proven to have stolen from organizations like Stonewall, and Revel & Riot, as well as numerous Tumblr posts.

They passively steal ideas by asking for submissions online and then never crediting the

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Brown supporters and the community of Ferguson have spoken out about their disappointment in the company’s vulture-like policy of ripping into meat as soon as they can.

Whenever FCKH8 is confronted about their questionable practices on social media, they respond with immaturity and uncalled-for negativity that is both off-putting and offensive. Comments mentioning their less than stellar behavior are deleted and often customers with complaints about their messages or the service they’ve paid for are also silenced. Shirts that have been ordered often don’t come for months at a time,

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OUROPINION 2 8

College Anxiety by

Gid Jiranuntarat

There comes a time in every senior’s life in which he must face the reality that high school is ending soon. For some this may mean freedom from the oppression of their parents, while for others, this may mean forsaking the comfort of familiarity. However for me, the end of high school means only one thing: University. The prospect of going to university scares me, to say the least. I have grown accustomed to the relaxed atmosphere of high school, as well as the

security that I find in going to a place that I consider to be a pseudo-home. And of course this also opens a whole new can of worms in which a whole new set of anxiety sets in. The questions of which university do I want to attend, whether I will get accepted into a university I want, and the whole dilemma of my future occupation arise.

All these worries coupled with my neurotic behavior makes this whole situation quite a pickle. My unstable moods can severely

impact whether I would feel like I can conquer the world or feel as if the world is stamping its feet over my cold lifeless body. This also affects my attitude towards university as well. Some days I feel like university is no big thing, just another step in life. But other days university seems like a giant; an unconquerable obstacle that I would fail to surmount.

Honestly I am terrified of graduating from high school.

The uncertainty of the future is contrasted by the certainty of the present, and in my

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me. The disappointment in my choice of career, the disappointment in my scores, the disappointment in my work ethics, the list goes on.

The fear of the unknown is a common fear amongst many people, and I’m no different. I’m afraid of things that I have no knowledge about and no ability to predict what will happen. College and university for me is just one big unknown. It’s an abyss of work, emotion, alcohol, and drugs that I would honestly prefer not to be sucked into.

After thirteen years here at ICS, my adventure is coming to a close and a new one is about to begin.

Except this new adventure I’m not adequately prepared for, nor do I wish to partake in it. The stark contrast between the attitudes of the start of my journey here at ICS and the start of my journey into college is startling.

From the fun happy-golucky kindergartener to this weary neurotic senior, time has not been kind to me.

Nonetheless, time marches forward and the show must go on and I’m here along for the proverbial ride of life.

Quill

an inkling of what I want to do in life. I want to be a teacher, but that’s a big nono to my parents. Thus here I am applying for chemical engineering. Even though chemistry and mathematics in general comes easier for me than it does for other people, I am not at all certain that it’s what I want to do in life. The problems of my monetary future play a big role as well.

If I want to pursue my dreams of becoming a teacher, I would be faced with the fact that I will be making absolutely crap pay.

I won’t have the necessary funds to send any potential children to expensive colleges in the states without sacrificing an indescribable amount of my life. Even then the money that I would save doesn’t even guarantee that I will be able to afford college tuition.

Personal strains come into play as well when talking about prospective future and the anxiety surrounding college. Just failing to meet the minimum requirements in the SAT that was set by my father has left me guilt-ridden since the time I saw the extreme disappointment in his eyes.

Of course it isn’t that I’m not used to disappointment.

It’s the frequency of disappointments that worry

The

current state of mind I prefer the certainty of now. At this very moment I know that I would have to go to school, my schedule is fixed, my classes aren’t too hard, and I know the majority of the people here.

Speaking of which, going to university means a fresh batch of friends and I am horrible at making friends and even worse at keeping them.

I’m not a very pleasant person to be around, and this in turn makes the prospects of friendship quite low. Although I’m not complaining because I prefer the silence of solitude, but occasionally one does feel the need for human contact.

At the time of writing this, due to the immense procrastination and numerous delays, I have already handed in a couple of my college applications.

This means that the load of application deadlines are finally off my back.

However this is but a brief respite before the inevitable deadlines be once again thrust upon my back as a burden to bear.

Furthermore I got to thinking about my prospective future and I realized that my future is not secure in the least. I have no backup job at home, no large inheritance, nor

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Waikay’s Corner Morality and Stuff

Young Kwang by

OUROPINION November 2014

Shin

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To be honest, this past several weeks have been the absolute worst in terms of coming up with material to write. The problem wasn’t passion: I do love seeing my fingers dance on the keyboard; it was a simple exhaustion of inspiration.

The titular Waikay has searched for quite some time for some light material to serve as thought fodder, but the Common App has been a little greedy twat and

sucked up all his creativity.

Then, emerging from the counselor’s office with his application sent, he realized he had already written about the end of all meaning (at last year’s graduation, no less…and no, I don’t take meds for depression) and decided to just let loose on another heavy topic in mind.

Hence the title.

A bizarre idea seems to be in circulation with regards to morality.

DISCLAIMER: I might still be drunk over the vibes I got when I was in middle school, so this idea might not be relevant to our school anymore. But it still is a uncomfortably prevalent idea throughout the world, so here goes: ‘Morality is subjective.’ More uncomfortably, ‘Morality exists for social efficiency.’

Personally, I find it pretty clear that morality isn’t subjective (though we have

else. In other words, I become aware of my chains, but that doesn’t mean I am free. Or else I’ll have to say things like “Look at ISIS beheading children and their parents crying over their bodies.

What a sociologically ineffective procedure. I am seriously offended.” with a complete straight face. That seems like an absurd world I’d rather not partake in.

In all seriousness though, I don’t think moral skeptics are entirely amoral scumbags. Many of them are well-meaning and morally conscientious people. Even still, I find their thinking severely misguided and not at all in line with their noble intentions. I still have many questions unanswered.

I don’t know why and how morality exists objectively, what actions or thoughts ought to be considered moral under certain situations and why.

Even worse, I have no clue whether anyone can have the answer to these questions. But for now I have to take the first step toward that answer, and moral objectivism seems to be it. And from where I stand, it is a sturdy step indeed.

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Well, for me the reason why I believe right and wrong go beyond opinion is the fact of moral experience: I feel the ‘wrong’ when I see children abused by their parents and when hard working salarymen are cheated of their money.

Now someone can raise the thoughtful objection that these could all be biopsycho-socially conditioned into me to make me into a member of functioning society. That may very well be true. The problem is, it destroys basically any modicum of belief I have in anything. After all, any and every one of my beliefs could exist only because it favors my survival and is genetically encoded or socially engineered to be a part of me. This sort of super-determinism appears to be an insane belief as it undercuts the very thought process that leads to it. It’s self-refuting, and it become the sole alternative to moral objectivism.

What’s more, even if objectivism was wrong, my intellectual integrity, or anything the skeptic 3 paragraphs ago tried attacked to ruin my day, is compromised. After all, I have emotions and perceptions that go against what I believe and must act as if I believe something

OUROPINION

our fallible opinions about its contents), but advocates of these ideas claim that there is no evidence that morality is anything objective. Here I have to scratch my head (metaphorically, of course.

Can’t risk the occasional dandruff). What kind of evidence are these people looking for? Certainly it can’t be empirical. No rational being (I’d hate to generalize, but still) observes the night sky to see the stars arranged in a way that spells out humanity’s commandments (they still would look clearer than Greek constellations, mind you). Nor do they expect to see the clouds swirl and twirl to ensure the idea of not killing your neighbor stands on firm grounds. In short, we can’t expect to find the world externally any different due to the objectivity/subjectivity of right and wrong. So then, where do we search?

Here the moral skeptic can object, asking for my own arguments. Actually, I got none, so I say so. Then the skeptic (a stubborn one, presumably) attacks my intellectual integrity or whatever that needs be attacked to ruin my day.

Joke’s on him/her.

My day is and will remain perfectly fine. Thanks to objective morality.

What do I mean?

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