Sports VS. STEM - An insider's scoop into Western’s most known teams Bring Back the Airship Politics of Hunger
Fall 2023
Fall Issue
Page 2
Preface
Letter From the Editor
Masthead Editorial Team Editors-In-Chief Kai Smolin Theodore Boyce Managing Editors Ciel Nduka Mae Lai Copy Editor Rhys Backus Arts & Culture Editors Anna Gordon Oliver Principe-Beer School Culture Editor Aiden Hunter Sports Editor Quinn Oliver Comics & Illustrations Editors Benny Gworke-Wong Liz Cowan Advice Column & Polls Julia Story Puzzlemasters Olivia Figueiredo Ramona McCoy-Cooke Promotions Leads Brody Rapkowski Cody Parise-Davis Junior Editors Cas Dallas Eli Lin
H
ello readers! And welcome to the fall 2023 issue of The Horseshoe. Year 2 is in full swing, and we’re super pleased with this issue. A lot has changed—the process, the team, and the paper itself—so I’d like to take you all through these last few months. First of all, if you have a copy of either of our last issues with you, or you just really like to memorize the texture of paper for some reason, you’d notice that the feel of the paper is different. This is because we are now officially printing in-house. Taking this route means we can print more copies at lower expense, and catch errors before we print 250 copies of an article that’s credited to the wrong person. Not that that would ever happen, of course. The only downside of printing in-house is that there’s no machine to staple it for us. That’s right, the paper you’re holding now was painstakingly stapled by unpaid, underage workers on an assembly line. You monster. In that same vein, you may notice a new position on our masthead. For even more quality control, we’ve brought in a talented copy editor. Along with leading review circles and building an escape room, Rhys has also had the painstaking job of going through every article and checking for grammatical errors that our section editors missed, and he’s done a fantastic job. We’ve also begun to train the next generation of The Horseshoe, with our fantastic junior editors Cas and Eli. They’re learning quickly, and we’re excited to see what they can do. I’d also like to thank our new design team member Ava, who despite being in possession of the most opportune “these people are crazy I’m getting out of here” angle in history, stuck with us and is now a close part of our team. Finally, there are a lot of people who this issue and The Horseshoe as a whole just aren’t possible without. Obviously our forever benevolent Mr. Berube comes first: the whole reason this club exists, and the strongest pillar that it lies upon. I’d also like to thank Melanie Morassutti from the West End Phoenix for coming into the school and answering all of our questions. Finally, props to Mr. Tremblay for joining the team as our second staff supervisor this year, to Mr. Wang and the tech department for letting us use their printers and ink, and to all the teachers who reviewed the many pieces that lie within this issue. In any case, thank you for picking up this issue, and please enjoy the fall 2023 edition of The Horseshoe. Kai Smolin Co-Editor in Chief
Design Team Design Leads Henry Hagens Zophine Saitua-Rippell Design Team Ava Malik
Please send submissions to: westerntechhorseshoe@gmail.com
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Opinion
Underground Cheese Caves, Corporate Greed, and the Politics of Hunger Zophine Saitua-Rippell
Hunger: an insidious and persistent issue that plagues the United States, a nation known for its economic prowess and vast resources. Many have the notion that the United States is food secure, but in reality it struggles with hunger to an alarming degree. The USDA estimates that over 10% of American households deal with food insecurity and hunger. Feeding America, a food advocacy group, claims that it may be closer to 13%. This amounts to approximately 34 million Americans every single day who are experiencing hunger, many of them children.
US Government cheese cave
One might ask, is it possible to end hunger in the United States? The answer is a resounding "yes," and it is much more affordable than one might imagine. Experts estimate that the cost to end hunger in the United States is $25 billion. To put this figure in perspective, it's equivalent to less than 0.0039% of the U.S. federal budget in the 2021 fiscal year, a minuscule fraction of the country's immense economic capacity. In 2021, the United States' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) exceeded $22 trillion, making it the world's largest economy by a considerable margin. Given such wealth, it is perplexing and morally reprehensible that hunger remains a persistent problem. The country could realistically end hunger without altering anyone's lifestyle. The ultra-rich in all likelihood would not lose that much wealth, and many would not lose any at all.
This $25 billion annual investment could be allocated towards a multipronged approach, including expanding existing government programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), increasing support for school meal programs, and investing in community-based initiatives to tackle hunger at its roots. The economic benefits of such an investment would be substantial, including better public health, increased workforce productivity, and reduced healthcare costs. Many people operate as though there is a scarcity of resources in the world, and objectives such as ending hunger cannot be achieved because we don’t have the capability to produce the levels required to meet demand. Nothing could be further from the truth. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, approximately 30-40% of the total food supply is food waste. This is wholesome food that could help feed those in need, but is instead sent to landfills. Because of a significant production surplus, the government stores 1.4 billion pounds of cheese, 322 million pounds of butter, 377 million pounds of frozen strawberries, 1.31 billion pounds of frozen blueberries, and 1.5 billion pounds of frozen poultry, in underground caves. Despite this shocking quantity of stored food surplus, only 2% of it is donated to other countries. With an abundance of wasted and unused food, the government has no
Reagan holding government cheese
excuse to not utilize it to its advantage and feed all its starving citizens. Despite the many means of combating this issue, politicians tend to talk about it as if it’s inevitable. As if they aren't the ones who contribute to the policy decisions that lead to poverty and hunger to begin with. Major studies have shown that government policy can have a dramatic impact on levels of poverty. Cambodia successfully reduced its poverty rate by 47% over a ten-year period. Whenever a nation attempts to seriously tackle poverty, they actually are able to reduce it dramatically. But a lot of people profit from having people think there aren’t enough resources to go around. They want to ensure people are in constant competition with those around them for the very things that they
“Experts estimate that the cost to end hunger in the United States is $25 billion.” need to live. It prevents one from holding those in power accountable because if everyone thinks there is nothing that could be done then, there's nothing they could possibly do to solve this issue. The fact that the government is not adequately distributing the very things we need to stay alive is a policy decision. The United States has the means and the food. They are choosing not to give it to hungry people. The United States has the money and resources to make significant strides toward ending hunger. The abundance of excess food highlights the paradoxical nature of the problem, with food waste coexisting alongside food insecurity. While ending hunger will never be easy, there are clearly things within the government's control that could be done to vastly improve the situation for many of its citizens. The need for systemic change is undeniable.
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Opinion
Bring Back the Airship Henry Hagens
Over the last century, aeroplanes have become synonymous with human flight. They are the linchpin of global travel, the primary weapon of modern warfare, and responsible for the transportation of 35% of global cargo. However, they are also killing our planet with their exorbitant emissions. Most people don’t consider there to be a realistic alternative. The general public is even under the impression that Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first humans to fly. In fact, the first controlled flight was made by Henri Giffard in 1852, a half-century previously. What Giffard invented was the lighterthan-air ship, commonly known as an airship or dirigible. Although airships lack the speed of planes, their fuel efficiency, versatility, and comfort made them vastly preferable for everyday use. They would likely still be the go-to method of travel for many people today, if it wasn’t for the public relations crisis which doomed the technology in the 1930s. Should we give them a chance, airships can still be an invaluable asset in the modern world. The global dependence on planes accounts for a significant portion of the emissions which are killing our planet. In fact, the aviation industry is responsible for more carbon dioxide emissions than all but six of the world's countries. This is something largely ignored due to the fact that people don’t see an alternative that doesn’t severely inconvenience them. Airships, on the other hand, are lifted into the sky by the gases they contain. It has been estimated that an airship could circumnavigate the globe using less fuel than a jet airliner needs to get itself off the tarmac. They can even utilise the already present power of the wind given favourable conditions, operating like a sailing ship. Airships are a largely untapped vehicle for the transportation of cargo. As well as for their fuel efficiency, they would be an important asset in this department because of the potential for increased cargo space,
An airship floating over New York City in 1933
and the combination of these could allow far more goods to be shipped costeffectively by air. A blimp can also carry supplies almost anywhere, as they can hover and lower their cargo to the ground. There wouldn’t even need to be refuelling facilities at most destinations. That is in great contrast to planes, which require significant infrastructure including a pre-built runway on flat ground, to be at all useful. The one thing that everyone says when airships are brought up as a form of travel, is that they are just too slow for the modern world. In making this argument, people often fail to consider why exactly the speed of aeroplanes is so important to them. It’s a lot more than just wanting to get to one’s destination in a hurry. Planes are cramped, crowded spaces with small windows, where passengers are confined to their seats and often squished between strangers. Food service is such a hassle that they only do
crammed into a claustrophobic metal tube for the sake of aerodynamics. Cabins can be spacious and comfortable, more like an ocean liner than a jet. The nature of an airship’s movement means that not only would passengers not be strapped into seats all of the time, but there could be actual restaurants and bars. A world of possibilities opens up when you can change altitude without having the entire cabin tip one way or the other. Imagine being able to get actual food, on a plate and with utensils that aren’t made of cheap plastic, and enjoying that as you
“In fact, the aviation industry is responsible for more carbon dioxide emissions than all but six of the world's countries.”
watch the world go by through a large bay window. The fact that airships can fly at much lower altitudes means that you’d also have an amazing view the entire time. I’ve been on a lot of planes, and like anyone else who has, I can attest to the fact that observing the landscape is only worth doing when the plane is taking off or getting ready to land. With blimp travel, there would be no more tiny portholes, looking out over a landscape so distant and indiscernible that it might
it on the longest flights, and even then it consists of highly processed, microwave meals because they need to be able to keep it all in a tiny cabin. The whole thing is an ordeal which few enjoy. On an airship, everything need not be
Commercial airship concept design
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Opinion
energy was completed when it was grounded by a mooring line while preparing to dock. Already leaking hydrogen from holes in the hull of dubious and possibly even nefarious origin, the resulting sparks almost instantaneously turned the Hindenburg into a cataclysmic ball of fire. The ridiculous series of events was akin to the sinking of the RMS Titanic, a far more famous disaster which would be impossible today due to modern safety standards. In the weeks following the Hindenburg disaster, newspapers around the world were plastered with a photograph
dozens of hours to slowly deflate, and while a power failure on an aeroplane would result in a plummet to certain death, the same issue on an airship could at worst lead to a loss in steering ability. Any further safety concerns would be correctable through investment in the technology, the likes of which was afforded to planes in the 1940s and 50s. Although airships have been relegated to the past in many people’s minds, there are companies today that are working on modernising them. The push for an environment less polluted by fossil fuels means that we could once again live in a world where blimps rule the skies. They just need to be given a chance.
The airship’s abundant favourable characteristics may lead many to question why, if it is truly such a superior method of travel, it has been so utterly discarded for almost a century. The answer is unrelated to the deficit in speed, which is actually incidental. I would answer that question with one of my own. What comes to mind when you hear the words The final moments of the Hindenburg “airship” or “blimp”? Almost everyone is likely to answer that the same way: The capturing the end of the metal behemoth, Hindenburg. Few actually know anything falling to the ground in a ghastly inferno. The public was terrified by that image, about it. The 245-metre long Zeppelin, named one of the first times that they had been rather inauspiciously after one of the able to see a disaster like this for German generals who had lost the first themselves, and the backlash against all world war and then facilitated the rise of dirigibles was instantaneous. It mattered the Nazis, went up in flames on its voyage not that aeroplanes at the time were far across the Atlantic in May of 1937. The more dangerous, or that unlike with story of the Hindenburg was almost the almost all plane crashes more than half of antithesis of an ideal representation of the the people aboard the Hindenburg technology. It was originally designed to survived. The imagery was enough. be filled with helium, which was swapped Blimps never had the chance to out for hydrogen because of restrictive sanctions on Nazi Germany. Hydrogen is “The story of the Hindenburg extremely flammable, while helium isn’t, was almost the antithesis of an making them entirely nonideal representation of the interchangeable. Upon reaching its technology.” destination of New Jersey, the Zeppelin had to wait for a lightning storm to pass modernise and gain the trust of the public before it could land, but was electrically like their counterparts. In actuality, there is far less that can go wrong in an airship. charged in the process. This transfer of Even shot through with holes, they take
I Fell In Love with a Digital Boy
as well be a green carpet. A commercial airship would be enjoyable enough, not just for the wealthy but for the general public as well, that a significantly longer voyage would present no problem for all but the most impatient of travellers.
Illustration by Grace Hernandez
Callachan McNulty
I loved a boy with a glass eye. He didn’t see quite the same way as me, but he always recognized my face. I loved a boy with a rainstick voice. When he spoke, a thousand cicadas sang in unison, like night-time in the country. I loved a boy with an archival mind. He kept all my secrets safe for me. I loved a boy with a silicon heart. He neither cried nor raised his voice, even when he should have. I loved a boy with a fragile body. He slipped so easily from my grasp, shattered, and was gone.
Fall Issue
Opinion
Page 6
Neuralink: A Glimpse into the Future? Stella Crossley Luengo
Illustration by Liz Cowan
Neuralink, a company founded by Elon Musk in 2016, is at the forefront of developing a brain–computer interface. Neuralink's goal is to enhance cognitive abilities as well as offer new treatments for various neurological disorders. Even though it has great potential to revolutionize the medical field, there are still pressing concerns regarding its safety and ethical implications. Neuralink’s design consists of a chip meant to be surgically implanted by a precision robot on the surface of your brain. This chip is embedded with 64 thin threads called the "neural lace". The neural lace contains over 1000 electrodes responsible for detecting and stimulating neural activity. These threads are then inserted into specific brain regions, allowing them to connect with our neurons and gather data. This information then goes to a computer, which uses AI to interpret the signals. The computer can then send messages or instructions back to the brain through the neural lace. It's almost as if your brain is having a conversation with a computer. In the future, Neuralink wishes to use this technology to restore capabilities such as speech, motor function (as with Parkinson's disease), paralysis, and even potentially vision to those born blind.
Despite the fact that Neuralink could change so many lives, the company has received a lot of criticism regarding ethical concerns. Between 2018 and 2022, Neuralink has reportedly killed around 1500 animals, ranging from mice and rats to larger animals like monkeys, sheep, and pigs. It’s actually standard procedure for animals to be killed after experiments for post-mortem research, and an animal's death does not necessarily violate an regulations; however, Neuralink employees say that a large number of these deaths are not intentional, but are instead the result of human error and botched experiments. According to the employees, this is the result of Neuralink's stressful work environment, as Musk is constantly rushing experiments. As stated by Reuters, Musk has frequently told employees to “pretend they have a bomb strapped to their heads”
Musk standing next to surgical robot
in an attempt to make them work quicker. In addition to the concerns about animals, there are also many questions about how Neuralink might impact human health and privacy. There are many risks that come with getting the chip implanted. For example, the electrodes in Neuralink’s chip could migrate to different parts of the brain, possibly causing ruptured blood vessels and inflammation. There are also many concerns regarding privacy. With Neuralink having the capability to directly interface with someone's brain, it would be theoretically possible to bypass the security system—even if it would be extremely difficult—potentially exposing a user’s thoughts and memories, or worse, allowing for their manipulation. Therefore it's crucial that Neuralink invests in robust security measures to prevent malicious activity.
“The electrodes in Neuralink’s chip could migrate to different parts of the brain, possibly causing ruptured blood vessels and inflammation.” As of 2023, Neuralink has recently received FDA approval to start human trials. They are currently recruiting their first experimental subjects, focusing on people who have quadriplegia (paralysis below the neck). They will be signing up for a six-year initial trial, called “the PRIME study”, which stands for Precise Robotically IMplanted Brain-Computer interfacE. The PRIME study marks the beginning of what many believe could be a transformative era. As Neuralink ventures into these new frontiers, the hope remains high for a breakthrough that could redefine life for those battling neurological conditions, offering them a renewed chance at independence and a brighter future.
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School Culture
TTC Station Reviews: Runnymede Tunir Maity and Daniel To
Runnymede Station is on the West end of line 2, between Jane and High Park Station, reached above ground through the Clendenan Portal. It’s the station that nearly everyone uses to get to Western, whether it be using Line 2 or the 3 bus routes that run through it: the 71 and 79 that run north or the 77 that runs south. Runnymede Station contains public art in the form of murals created by the artist Elicser Elliot that are titled Anonymous Somebody, which depicts people in Bloor West Village going about their daily lives. These murals are seen throughout the station at the concourse level. Given the fact that the station has a daily ridership of around 20,000 people, it manages to stay fairly clean most of the time. There are parts of the building, though, that seem to be in decay, such as the ceilings and parts of the exterior. The building actually underwent a massive concrete rehabilitation project in 2010, as it was previously falling apart.
Runnymede Station
The station is situated in Bloor West Village, a vibrant community that has historically been populated by Ukrainian immigrants. Near the station at the intersection, there is the historic Runnymede Theatre (now a Shopper’s Drug Mart), a Popeye’s, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and various other local businesses. Just north of the station is the historic Western Technical Commercial School and the less historic Ursula Franklin Academy. Overall, Runnymede Station is a pretty small station servicing a moderate
amount of commuters that mostly consists of students. Though it’s quite efficient and does its job well, it doesn’t stand out, blending into the mass of TTC Subway stations. We would say that Runnymede is your archetype TTC Subway Station, the average TTC Station, what we will compare all other stations to, and that’s why we think it’s a 2.5/5.
Horseshoe Food Reviews: Shadi Shawarma Izara Fofana
When you step into this shawarma shop, you immediately feel welcome, getting a warm greeting from the cooks. My friends and I ordered the chicken poutine from the Student Combo for 10.99, and we all agreed it was sublime. Other items on the menu were shawarma wraps, platters, and sandwiches, with beef, chicken, and falafel options. If you're not into that, they also have veggie samosas. The portion of food was huge, and the service was quick, which is great for when you’re in a rush. But the food-to-sauce ratio was off: it felt like my fries were drowned in an excessive amount of sauce. Another issue I had with the meal was that it wasn't seasoned very well.
It had a bit too much salt. So make sure to get that free drink that comes with the combo. Overall, while the meal was quality, the portion of food was a little bit too much for me, and I had to put it away for later. Still, the service and quality were awesome. I will come back to this place to try out more of their menu, and I would recommend this restaurant to any student looking to grab a quick bite during lunchtime.
Shadi Shawarma - 2209 Bloor St W, Toronto
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School Culture
Sports VS. STEM - An insider's scoop into Western’s most known teams Amelia Beeser
What comes to mind when you hear the name “Western Tech”? Do you think of our SHSM programs or our satisfying yet criminally overpriced cafeteria food? Maybe it's our overfilled hallways during those 5 minute windows to get to class, or hearing the sentence “Stay classy Western!” every morning? For those unfamiliar to us, Western Tech may simply be a name confused with Ursula Franklin, Humberside and the several other schools in our area. I say this excluding the daycare, as that might take a blow to all of our self esteems. Despite these unique quirks, whether you're a teacher, student, or volunteer, you understand that Western Tech is primarily celebrated for two distinct aspects: our football and robotics teams. This raises an intriguing question and one that had initially piqued my curiosity in the subject: Why is that the case? How could two entities, robotics and football, differ so significantly? How much do we really know about them? And in what ways might they share similarities?
“Western Tech is primarily celebrated for two distinct aspects: our football and robotics teams.” To begin this investigation, I needed to interview students on both teams and ask them the same set of questions, ranging from their own personal goals to the advice they would give to new students. I quickly noticed that regardless of who I interviewed or what questions I asked, each conversation I had consistently revolved around the idea of teamwork. It’s a term we're all familiar with, but what does it signify to two entirely different teams? Well, for Grade 11 receiver Tyler Mandel, teamwork on the football team means grit and skill. As he explained, “You don't want to be the guy who, when we’re doing suicides, can't go
WARP7 Robotics team and WTCS Football team
down to the floor, you need to work and work hard.” This idea of adopting a mindset centered on drive and selfdiscipline is what sets football apart from robotics. Unlike football, robotics does not confine itself to a single skillset or frame of mind; it's expansive and tailored to the skills of the students involved. To be on the robotics team means to be dependable, and as the Head of Strategy Elliot Tam states, means to simply show up. He said, "If you're not interested in programming, you can contribute by handling media and promoting the team through social media posts." This diversity in dynamics is what makes both teams so intriguing. While success in football relies heavily on the coordination and chemistry among team members, it primarily comes down to the individual skill level of each player. Whereas, robotics excels when individuals with varying skills and strengths collaborate to achieve their common goals. While their differences were a notable part of this article, I also noticed several misconceptions associated with both teams. No thanks to long-standing clichés
in the media, football players and techinterested students are constantly painted as opposites who perpetually misunderstand each other. And yet the students in our school have continually proven that this stigma is merely that: a cliché. To fully understand this perception, I brought up the topic of the opposing team to see how each participant would react, and to my surprise, every single response I got was overwhelmingly positive. The football players expressed their curiosity about the details of building robots, while, in a
“Football players and techinterested students are constantly painted as opposites who perpetually misunderstand each other.” similar vein, the members of the robotics team were eager to talk about our football program and the recent football edits made on their social media site. As an example, Chadley Charles, a Grade 12 football player, shared that he was an active member of the Robotics SHSM program and had the opportunity to use
Fall Issue
his intellectual and physical skills in both worlds. Despite both teams being known for their competitive nature, it's remarkable to see no hints of rivalry or conflict; instead, there’s only a prevailing sense of mutual support and positivity. On this note of stereotypes and rumors, I must confess that prior to the interviews, I, too, had mistakenly believed in a misinterpretation of these teams. In other words, I had wrongly assumed that these two areas were given the highest priority in our school's budget, potentially hindering the growth of our other teams and clubs. But although it is true that both teams receive some money from the school budget, the vast majority of their operating costs are covered by their own fundraising efforts. Robotics raises thousands of dollars each year from a long list of corporate and community sponsors, while football collects a fee from each player that covers equipment and gear. And finally, we're brought to the most challenging aspect of my research: identifying commonalities between the two teams. And the answer to this question lies in the very beginning, during freshman year. As a Grade 9, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the new school environment, unfamiliar faces, and programs. Yet, this stage is also the most crucial for getting involved. Members on both teams have acknowledged that their individual roles evolved gradually and could be confusing at times. Grade 12
Voyager Mae Lai
The last living child of humanity drifts 10,000 years into the void; with half-closed eyes, humming faintly a melody swallowed by the deafening expanse, it holds a golden record. Concealed carefully inside: a selection of 100 images to remember a world by. (We are not dead Robotics hijinks
member Evan Beeser of the robotics team offers valuable advice, emphasizing the importance of viewing it as a fouryear journey rather than just one. He points out that during Grade 9, you'll feel like you don't know anything, but this starting point is exactly what you need to thrive and grow. Similarly, Grade 11 football player Hayden McIsaac stresses that although it may seem overwhelming, confidence is key. As he puts it, “There will be guys bigger than you, but don't let it scare you.” The unfamiliar can be intimidating, but the robotics and football team teach you to value early participation and engagement, and it’s this emphasis on progress and community that truly brings them together.
“As a Grade 9, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the new school environment, unfamiliar faces, and programs.”
Photo taken from the WTCS Football Instagram account
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School Culture
In conclusion, the WTCS robotics and football team stem from two completely different worlds of competition. They both offer unique opportunities for teamwork, skill development and the chance for students to get involved early.
until we are forgotten.) The last living child of humanity drifts 10,000 years into the dark; lost inside the yawning maw of infinity, humming uselessly into the silent night, it clutches a golden record. Scratched into it: a cacophony of desperate dreams like an ark set to sail in a cosmic sea. (Is it enough?) The last living child of humanity drifts 10,000 years into the sky; reaching for the warmth of distant stars, it embraces a golden record. Scrawled hastily onto the surface, like a last gasp of air: WE WERE ONCE ALIVE. The last living child of humanity hums softly, a song of remembrance. The stars are as silent as they’ve ever been.
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Arts and Culture
Anna’s Book Picks Anna Gordon
“It's impossible to understand the world of today until today has become tomorrow.” In his prospective work, But What if We’re Wrong?, we are led on a path forged by Chuck Klosterman’s stream of consciousness as he attempts to consider the scope of time and our understanding of the world. Because if our ancestors were wrong about the origin of the universe, or what stars are made of, or where we go when we die, could we be wrong too? Time is a delicate subject, especially when it comes to fictional novels in which it can be stretched, manipulated, and revisited as much as an author sees fit. So if you’re craving something along these lines, consult the following books that utilise this power with subtlety and, in some cases, mastery.
Everything is Illuminated Jonathan Safran Foer
by
How close can we really get to understanding those who came before us? This is the question Jonathan Safran Foer attempts to answer in his novel Everything is Illuminated. Two narratives are told interchangeably: one set in the present, in which our protagonist is guided across rural Ukraine in hopes of finding the woman who likely saved his grandfather from the Nazis, and one set centuries earlier and written by Jonathan from the perspective of his distant relatives. Within those two time periods, other stories within stories slowly start to emerge until past and present are still distinguishable, but captivatingly tangled all the same. Foer brings magical realism and subtle humour to new heights, until the ridiculousness of it all is overshadowed by his compelling storytelling and you don’t even feel like you’re reading a book anymore. Instead it feels like peeking through a keyhole to watch each character’s lives unravel as they appear, and what you see on the other side of the door is puzzling, emotional, and masterfully written.
Emily St. John Mandel, Johnathan Safran Foer, Kurt Vonnegut (left to right)
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Survival is insufficient; and so, it seems, is Shakespeare. Scene 1 Act 1: famed actor Arthur Leander collapses and dies onstage during a performance of King Lear in Toronto, a death fittingly as dramatic as his life was. Hours later, the world is overcome by the deadly Georgia Flu, changing the course of human history forever. Similar to Everything is Illuminated, we are again met with two timelines, before and after the apocalyptic collapse, told by a large cast of interconnected characters. But what makes this story uniquely compelling is each one is given an equal amount of attention, so that the world of Station Eleven can truly be viewed through every possible lens. This respect for her characters and distinct theatrical storytelling allows Emily St. John Mandel to weave a tragic narrative web that kept me trapped the whole way through. Station Eleven is an exploration of humanity, the art of perseverance, and how sometimes our world isn’t as lonely as it seems.
Slaughterhouse Vonnegut
Five
by
Kurt
A lot has to be said about Slaughterhouse Five in order to do it proper justice, in part because a lot is said in the novel itself, about love, hate, life, death, time-travelling aliens… but most significantly, war. Kurt Vonnegut’s telling of main character Billy Pilgrim’s experiences are pulled from his real-life
time as a prisoner of war in Dresden, with the addition of his unique science fiction quirks. Vonnegut was aware of the possibility of unintentional mockery or glamorization because of this, and he begins with this exact sentiment: “... there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre… everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, except for the birds.” So it goes in Slaughterhouse Five. The aliens in question, the Trafalmadorians, teach Billy that all he knew about linear time is wrong; that in fact past, present, and future all exist at the same time. This results in frequent jumps between his memories as we, the reader, are left to dissect and put together the fragments Vonnegut leaves us with, which speaks to the misplaced memories veterans of war so often hold. This book is simultaneously fantastic, absurd, and poignant, and above all one of my favourites. Ultimately, time is a difficult thing to wrap one’s head around, and certainly an even harder thing to write a good book about. All stories have a beginning, middle, and an end, but if what’s written sheds at least a little light on what’s important, the idea of it can exist forever. In the words of the great Trafalmadorians, “what we love in our books are the depths of many marvellous moments seen all at one time.” So if you’re interested in the art of all things past, present, and future, these three should have you covered, at least for a little while.
Fall Issue
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Arts and Culture
Nadia
Kai Smolin
Nadia-2241 wasn’t in the belts anymore, that was for sure. The golden planet lay before her like a massive eye. Her new life. Olympus. Planet of the free and the wealthy. Her transport, The Golden Crown, had entered its orbit less than two days ago and was due to connect with its spaceport in mere hours. She stood frozen in front of the transparent wall of her small room, marvelling at the planet. A lifetime working in the belts, endless days and endless hours, had finally brought her here. Olympus was massive, orders of magnitude larger than Earth—the planet that humanity had evolved on—and several times larger than WBG-443C, the only planet that 2241 had ever seen. The only planet that Nadia had ever seen. Nadia. They would call her Nadia. She’d be the only Nadia they’d ever know! She desperately hoped no one else from her clutch had also been offered this job, although she was sure she’d had the best metrics by a large margin. She jolted herself out of her thoughts and ran back to the bathroom to triplecheck her appearance, nearly tripping over her brand-new legs. Standing in front of the mirror, she checked the seams between her fleshy torso and shimmering limbs, wiping them down for the second time in the hour. She checked her hair, combing through it thoroughly.
Olympus
Most belters didn’t even have hair, it was removed after incubation, but everyone she’d ever seen from her clutch did, and hers had manifested into dark waves that wove all the way down to the small of her back. She stuck each of her hands out one at a time, carefully stretching each finger through its entire range of motion. She’d had arms before—she’d been awarded them by the corp after uncovering that osmium megavein back in the Anatasian sector—but she’d never found much use for them out in the belts. There was just nothing that arms could do that her cerebral interface couldn’t. She tried typing with them once, but her miner didn’t really have the room for it.
Illustration by Grace Hernandez
Her miner, that was definitely something she wouldn’t miss. Less than ten feet tall and five on either side, she’d spent every moment of her postincubation life in its capsule. Nine and a half years. She wasn’t sure how old that made her—different corps ended incubation at different times. Remembering the conditions of her miner, Nadia left the bathroom and walked back out into the other room, grinning ear to ear as she surveyed it. A bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. None touching each other. She stretched her arms out all the way, enjoying the sensation, and then slowly began to spin, moving around her room like a top. She stopped in front of the lamp, which had a switch on it. Gingerly reaching out her hand, she flicked the switch and the lamp came to life. Nadia leapt back. She giggled softly before approaching and turning the lamp off. She carefully folded up her legs and lowered herself on the floor next to the lamp, and began to intently flick the switch on and off repeatedly. On. Off. On. Off. On. Off. On. She remained this way until the iridescent blue of the braking thrusters erupted past her window, and with a shaky breath and the help of a nearby table, Nadia got to her feet.
Fall Issue
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Arts and Culture
Falling Apart Olivia de Souza
Claire crept down the dark hallway. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears as the floor creaked under her weight. The candle she was holding barely produced light and did little to warn her of the ratty old carpet on the ground in front of her before she stumbled on it. She could feel the dust and grime under her bare feet. Her cottony summer pajamas failed to keep out the sudden cold, and she shivered. Where was she? She had gone to sleep that night in her own room, in her own bed, under her own sheets, only to wake up on a bare mattress, and with the room around her crumbling apart. She had made her way into the hallway to look for her parents, only to discover that all the windows were gone and the hallway seemingly had no end. This didn’t feel like the home she knew, but there was no way that it wasn’t. As she made her way through the hallway, a familiar framed family picture hung on the wall, now shattered and crooked. She had passed it five times now. This hallway didn’t curve, and it definitely wasn’t a circle, so how was it repeating itself? She stopped walking. This felt hopeless. She didn’t know where she was, what was happening, or what to do. Her candle wasn’t going to last much longer. She needed to get out. As she stood there, watching the candle stub slowly melt into a puddle of wax in the holder, she heard a loud crash behind her. She swung around to see that the hallway behind her was lit up by moonlight. The house was violently crumbling and falling apart. She broke out into a panicked run as the walls behind her gave out and the ceiling fell in on itself. She felt awfully slow. Where were her parents? Were they okay? What was happening? She ran and ran, her candle forgotten and her bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor. She tripped on something and fell to the
Illustration by Mae Lai
ground. It was the same carpet she had stumbled on earlier, the corner now flipped over beneath her. She looked up at the wall to see the familiar shattered family portrait. Why couldn’t she get out? Tears pricked her eyes in frustration. She wanted this to end. She got up again and kept running before the crumbling walls could catch her. “Mom!” she screamed into the dark void ahead of her. “Dad! Where are you?” As if on cue, she heard voices. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they were loud. She kept running towards them, hoping her parents would find her and be able to help. Just then she saw it: her parents bedroom door, the familiar crack running through the white painted wood down to the old bronze handle. She smiled with relief, and ran even faster. “Mom! Dad!” she yelled again, throwing the door open and running through.
Her smile fell. Behind the door wasn’t her parents room, there wasn’t any room at all. Dusty gravel poked her bare feet, the wind blew her hair into her face. She turned around to look back through the door into the house, but there was nothing but a lonely door frame. The door frame fell to the ground, she stood by herself in an endless field of gravel under a grey sky. The voices were louder now, clearer. Where were her parents? She knew those were their voices. The sky grew darker, and her vision became blurry. She woke up, in her own room, in her own bed, under her own sheets. The bright morning light poured through her sheer white curtains. She didn’t move, just stared at the white ceiling as if it would start to crumble any second. She heard the sound of glass shattering down the hallway, in the kitchen. Her parents' voices were completely clear now. They were arguing, as usual. Claire sighed, and pulled the covers over her head.
Fall Issue
Page 13
Arts and Culture
Danger, Darkness, Dwarves: a Retrospective on Deep Rock Galactic Luc Cook
Danger. Darkness. Dwarves. These are the words shown to you upon booting up Deep Rock Galactic, a co-op horde shooter made by Ghost Ship Games. The game garnered an exceptional amount of attention for excellent gameplay and game design. Even now, 5 years after its release, the game still has a reverent fanbase, averaging around 13,000 people playing at any given time. Deep Rock Galactic, or DRG, focuses on mining operations on an alien planet. Players play as dwarves—the bearded, gold-loving, subterranean type—sent into Hoxxes IV, a hostile and dangerous world that is rich with natural resources. There are four varieties of dwarves to choose from: Scouts, Gunners, Engineers, and Drillers. All have different abilities and weapons, some of which can synergize with one another. For example, an Engineer can place a platform in a hardto-reach area so that a Scout has somewhere to land after using their grappling hook. The entire game is balanced to ensure that working together yields better results, and as such, players learn to work together or die alone. The
Screenshot from Deep Rock Galactic
Man Is Five Liam Staig
There are some things I know I’ll cherish for the rest of my life and my Man is Five t-shirt is one of those things. It reminds me of every second spent loving this band. Every show, standing or throwing myself into others in awe and amazement. Every hook and wail from
Cover art for Deep Rock Galactic
players land in a procedurally-generated cave system with an objective. These objectives can range from stealing eggs, harvesting ores, escorting a drilldozer, or salvaging a failed mission. As they complete the objectives set by the mission, the players must defend themselves from a variety of alien foes that attack and hinder their operations on Hoxxes. After completing the objectives, an escape pod arrives, which they must travel to while being overrun with enemies. If the dwarves get to the escape pod, they successfully complete the mission. Left 4 Dead and Minecraft were the primary inspirations of Deep Rock Galactic. The combination works in unexpected ways, allowing you to grant
your team advantages against the hordes of Glyphids. Players have found many different and interesting ways to use this system, from tunneling straight to the objective to building choke points and ramshackle battlements. The atmosphere of the game is unparalleled. The caves themselves are varied and unique, from glacial caverns to subterranean bogs, and contain natural phenomena that add a feeling like this is a living, breathing world that you’re mining for profit. The sound design contributes to this, creating a rich and atmospheric experience. The soundtrack is one of the best that I’ve ever heard, creating a dark and industrial sound, which makes it feel like danger is just around the corner.
Seb and the painful power of Chris’s guitar. The work I’ve witnessed them put in to achieve their steady ascension to greatness. Now dear reader, I do not care whether you yourself buy a t-shirt. But I do hope you can take the opportunity you’ve been presented with to grow to love this band as I have. Go to a show sometime, spend $10, and lose yourself.
Liam in his Man is Five T-shirt
Fall Issue
Page 14
Club Spotlights
Western Tech Polled
63.6%
36.4%
Club Spotlights By Aiden Hunter
Mock Trial Thursdays at lunch Teachers: S. Kasurak
I don’t want to hear any of this about superman being impervious to everything but krypotonite. That’s simply not true.
Superman’s the goat!
Goku: he has more fighting experience. In any sparring match, he would win.
Mock Trial is a club where students are given real criminal cases and are tasked with analyzing both sides of the case to come up with their case theory. Once they come up with this case theory, students take positions in the court (for example, witness or lawyer) and practice these positions with lawyer coaches until they are ready to argue in court. Once competition arrives, students travel to a real courthouse to argue their case before real lawyers and judges against other schools in Ontario.
Room: 236
DECA is an international competition where students are given a social, economic, or political problem and have to present a solution. There are 3 types of events: roleplays, written events, and virtual events. In roleplays you are given a case study and you have to quickly improvise and present a solution. In written events you are given months to prepare and have to present a 10 - 20 page essay.
DECA Tuesdays at lunch Teachers: J. Nguyen, B. MacRae
Room: 385
Superman wouldn’t take 19 EPISODES TO DEFEAT GOKU. Goku is just a fancy showman . Goku outperforms him in every single field. There is no way in hell Goku loses.
Goku is based!!
Equity
Asian Student Alliance
Mondays at lunch
Fridays at lunch
Teachers: M. Stewart
Teachers: E. Jahangrivand
Room: 252
Room: 252
Fall Issue
Page 15
Sports
Girls and Sports: ‘Why Play?’... Why Not? Grace Ceriz
In this day and age I think most people would agree that our society is getting better at addressing the problem of gender inequality, so why is it still so hard for girls to play sports? Don't get me wrong, girls have been playing sports for a long time, but there seems to be a time during their teenage years where every girl decides they want to quit sports. The Women’s Sports Foundation says that by age 14, girls quit sports twice as often as boys. There are so few girls that continue their sport competitively because of the lack of support & funding. The Foundation of Girls Sports reports that girls have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than boys do.
“Women and girls should never have to get used to being criticized for something they have every right to do.” There are some sports that girls really thrive in and pursue later in life, like running, swimming, gymnastics, and figure skating. But the issue becomes much more pronounced when we start analyzing team sports. The main reason for this is because of the need to create many teams at the same level as those of mens in order to form a league for these girls, which seems unnecessary to many people. For girls and women who do play team sports competitively, like soccer, baseball, hockey, and more, it’s also much harder to be taken seriously in the sports environment. I had the opportunity to talk to Mena Florio, a professional baseball player on the Canadian women’s national baseball team. She told me that she always gets asked “Why do you do [baseball]? You’re not going to make money off of it.” or gets told “You’re not supposed to be playing this sport, this is for men.” In response, she told me, “We
Women’s Baseball World Cup
just play because we love to play, we love the sport and representing your country is an honour, it’s always an honour. Every time I would get on the field I would either be questioned or laughed at and at some point I just got used to it.” Women and girls should never have to get used to being criticized for something they have every right to do. Mena started playing baseball when she was 8 years old, and now at the age of 27, she is still playing. Mena is a hard worker and competitor. She is currently working with Baseball Canada to promote women's baseball and provide more opportunities to push the sport forward to young girls. When asked what advice she has for girls who want to pursue their sport further, she told me “Keep grinding. Don’t get discouraged if you don't make the team one year, or if there are setbacks. Setbacks are always going to happen. Don't give up on your dreams and just keep working hard to get there. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask your coaches and your teammates— the more help you can get the better. That was something I had to learn.”
It's the Nineties Again at Western Quinn Oliver
If you're feeling an unusual sense of déja vu lately, I don't blame you, because for the first time in thirty years, the Colts junior football team made the playoffs! To celebrate, I thought we should examine what life was like the last time the Junior Colts were playing for more than just pride. For starters, the average home price around Western was under $250,000 a year. Mr. Franzen hadn’t graduated from teachers’ college yet, our wonderful hall monitor Peter hadn’t even been born yet, and R.G. Putnam was the principal. I've never even heard of him! Despite coming up short against Northern in the semifinals, the Junior Colts should be proud that they brought the nineties back to Western.
A football
Fall Issue
Page 16
Sports
Western Tech Sports Pictured
The girls' basketball team celebrates their win over Weston
Kai Gagnon (20) and Nathan Whyte (88) tackle a Richview player. Also seen: Ben Currie (92)
Andreas Carneiro (19) catches a pass
The girls' ultimate team poses with their medals
The junior boys’ volleyball team celebrates their win in the city championships
Fall Issue
Page 17
Hot Takes & Advice
Hot Takes! With Brody Rapkowski DISCLAIMER: The views expressed herein are those of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of The Horseshoe, its editorial team, the staff and administration of Western Technical-Commercial School, or anyone, really. Read on at your own discretion.
TTC: A Tremendously Thoughtful Company
People really love to complain about the TTC, but why? The TTC is a well run organization that serves the people of Toronto well. It brings you from one place to another, and has a minimal cost compared to other modes of transportation. No, it doesn’t have heated seats or a radio, but it also doesn’t get rear ended. What people don’t like about it is the fact that it’s public. It’s busy, I get it, but that just supports my case. It’s busy because people use it, and people use it because it’s good. Sure, there are cancellations and breakdowns, but that’s perfectly reasonable for a city of 5 million people. Could you imagine chaperoning that many people everyday? Not without a clown car you can’t. Additionally, it’s the people on the TTC that most have a problem with. People who lean as far as possible over the yellow tape or play frisbee across the tracks. The trains function and work on most days, and when they don’t, you walk or take an Uber. Plus, think of how cool it is that our city had the chutzpah to dig a giant underground maze for a metal centipede. The TTC is an unappreciated and unrightfully hated organization. If you hate it so much, then good luck to you, and I hope you don’t get t-boned on your way to work.
Banana: Bah! Nah, nah. We all know the famous expression: give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime. Give a man a banana, he’ll throw up in his tackle box. I really cannot, for the life of me, understand the appeal of a banana. For whatever reason, it seems that bananas do whatever they can to be unappealing. They feel as awful as they taste, they taste as awful as they look, and they look like misshapen… uh… fingers. The enjoyable thing about fruits is that they’re juicy and fresh. Bananas are neither of those things. The only enjoyable thing you can do with bananas is crush them in anti-banana induced rage. For having such a cool name, bananas really subvert your expectations and just slap you in the face with flavourless mush. Bananas are a bunch of disappointments (ha! See what I did there?).
have a problem with procrastinating on important Q: Iassignments and tests. How can I stop procrastinating?
alarms or having a friend remind you to complete A: Setting your assignments could be a good solution. If you work on the assignment in chunks by making a list of all the small steps, it may also seem like a lot less work.
have a small crush on a girl and I want to talk to her Q: Imore, but I don't know what to say. How do I start a conversation with her?
questions! Asking people about themselves is one of A: Ask the easiest ways to get closer because you get to learn more about them and you show you care. You might even have something in common!
insecure about my body type and I’m worried Q: I'm that people are always judging me for my appearance. How can I stop worrying about judgment?
first step is the hardest: learning to appreciate yourself A: The and your body. Once you’ve built up that compassion, you’ll start to realize your body is wonderful no matter what anyone thinks. When we’re insecure, we tend to project our worries onto others and assume they think the same, which makes us even more insecure. Selfappreciation is the first step in real confidence.
think my friend likes me, but I’m not sure how to Q: Itell. How can I bring it up without being obvious, or how can I find out and not offend him?
like this, it’s often the best decision to just wait it A: Inout.cases If a person is interested in you, it’s likely they’ll eventually confess. If not, then that either means they aren’t ready, or they aren’t interested like that. Having patience is difficult, but if your friend needs time, give them plenty.
Edited by Julia Story
Scan here to ask Colton
Fall Issue
Page 18
Art
ART SHOWCASE
Kymora Messam
Grace Hernandez
Zophine Saitua-Rippell
Erik Herrmann
Zophine Saitua-Rippell
Fall Issue
Page 19
Art
ART SHOWCASE
Grace Hernandez
Liz Cowan
Ciel Nduka
Mae Lai
Fall Issue
Page 20
Puzzles
CROSSWORD Across 1. Prickly plant that lives in the desert 5. Outlaw's chosen weapon 7. Equestrian sport mainly attended by cowboys 9. Someone who herds cattle 10. Person who keeps the peace 12. A horse’s garment 13. Rules of the land
Down 2. Young male horse 3. Large group of horses 4. A bar from the old west 6. Dry plant that rolls through the desert 8. An old term for fugitives 11 Young horses
SUDOKU
MAZE Start here
Scan the QR code for the Horseshoe's website! featuring exclusive articles, past issues, and puzzle solutions
Fall Issue
Page 20
Online Exclusive
CROSSWORD Across 1. Prickly plant that lives in the desert 5. Outlaw's chosen weapon 7. Equestrian sport mainly attended by cowboys 9. Someone who herds cattle 10. Person who keeps the peace 12. A horse’s garment 13. Rules of the land
Down 2. Young male horse 3. Large group of horses 4. A bar from the old west 6. Dry plant that rolls through the desert 8. An old term for fugitives 11 Young horses
SUDOKU
MAZE Start here
Scan the QR code for the Horseshoe's website! featuring exclusive articles, past issues, and puzzle solutions