Why Does Leap Year Exist?
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We Are Part of the Problem
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HISTORIC NEWS! On Thursday, April 7th, 2022, history was made on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The Senate voted 53 - 47 to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court. The 53 senators were all fifty Democrats and three Republicans. The other forty-seven Republicans voted no to her confirmation.
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Judge Jackson is the first Black woman to be confirmed for the Supreme Court. Also, she is going to be the first Supreme Court Justice to have experience as a public defender. She is going to be the 116th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Because of this nomination, there will be four women on the bench.
Judge Jackson is expected to start at the end of June or early July, following Justice Steven Breyer’s retirement from the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson has previously worked with Justice Breyer.
Judge Jackson’s nomination, hearings, and confirmation have impacted tons of people throughout the country. Young girls have written to her directly saying how much this means to them. Even in Bank Street, celebrations are happening. Here are just a few words and phrases that folks in Bank Street have shared for what this means to them:
Lots of women of color were outside where the Judge’s confirmation hearings were happening, chanting in support of her confirmation.
Judge Jackson has come before the Senate Judiciary Committee three times before to be confirmed for the U.S Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit, the United States District Court for D.C., and the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held a celebration on April 8th to officially introduce her as the 116th Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court.
Judge Jackson is expected to start at the end of June or early July, following Justice Steven Breyer’s retirement from the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson has previously worked with Justice Breyer.
Judge Jackson’s nomination, hearings, and confirmation have impacted tons of people throughout the country. Young girls have written to her directly saying how much this means to them. Even in Bank Street, celebrations are happening. Here are just a few words and phrases that folks in Bank Street have shared for what this means to them:
- Inspiring
- Finally
- Black girl magic
- Tears of joy
- It’s about time
- It feels impossible, but it actually happened
- Amazing
- She looks like me
- Equality
- Progress
Lots of women of color were outside where the Judge’s confirmation hearings were happening, chanting in support of her confirmation.
Judge Jackson has come before the Senate Judiciary Committee three times before to be confirmed for the U.S Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit, the United States District Court for D.C., and the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held a celebration on April 8th to officially introduce her as the 116th Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court.
Philosophy the Fun Way, Lara 10/11s
Okay . . . we’ve come to this point. Talking about philosophy is the next thing. Philosophy will change your life. This article will change your life. Be curious and broaden your horizons! Ask a question, dumb or sophisticated, and incorrectly answer it. Think and think. Do what you want with it! Do some project with people who care about it. I’ll bet your life will be a bit more enjoyable after that. Once you do one thing, you can do more! You can now change the world. Okay this does sound corny, but it will start you off on the life path of philosophy. Now, meet the 5th grade philosophers!
First, Emberlynn V.!
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’m nice. (I hope.)
If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound?
Yes, but you can only hear it if you are there.
Any advice you’d give a beginning philosopher?
Always question the mystery, but always have an unexplainable answer.
And now, Nora M.:
If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound?
We don’t know
Any advice you’d give a beginning philosopher?
Always question your answers
These two 10/11s have a clear passion for philosophy! So that’s it for now, see you next time!
First, Emberlynn V.!
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’m nice. (I hope.)
If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound?
Yes, but you can only hear it if you are there.
Any advice you’d give a beginning philosopher?
Always question the mystery, but always have an unexplainable answer.
And now, Nora M.:
If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound?
We don’t know
Any advice you’d give a beginning philosopher?
Always question your answers
These two 10/11s have a clear passion for philosophy! So that’s it for now, see you next time!
"Don't Say Gay" Bill Threatens LGBTQ+ Youth
Katharine, 12/13s
The Parental Rights in Education Bill dubbed the ¨Don´t Say Gay” Bill has been in the news quite a bit lately. The House Education and Employment Committee has accepted the bill and it has moved on the Judiciary Committee. The bill would make it impossible for teachers to teach their students about topics such as sexual orientation and gender identity. It is one of many Anti-LGBTQ+ laws that have been passed in the last year. This bill is especially important because it will cause the erasure of LGBTQ+ history in Florida schools.
This bill will also affect LGBTQ+ students in Florida, especially those with families who do not accept them. A national survey done by the Trevor Project shows that 42% of LGBTQ+ youth considered attempted suicide last year. The survey also stated that those with access to gender and sexuality affirming spaces had a lower likelihood of committing suicide. The ¨Don´t Say Gay” Bill would make it so that student who did not have other affirming spaces may be more likely to harm themselves.
However, this bill has not gone without challenge. A couple of weeks ago Chasten Buttigieg tweeted ¨This will kill kids, @RonDeSantisFL. You are purposefully making your state a harder place for LGBTQ kids to survive in. In a national survey (@TrevorProject), 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide last year. Now they can't talk to their teachers.” This opposition to the law is incredibly important. Without this opposition, laws like this one will continue to pass. With anti-LGBTQ+ legislation becoming more common it is crucial that activists, and government officials fight back against this oppression.
This bill will also affect LGBTQ+ students in Florida, especially those with families who do not accept them. A national survey done by the Trevor Project shows that 42% of LGBTQ+ youth considered attempted suicide last year. The survey also stated that those with access to gender and sexuality affirming spaces had a lower likelihood of committing suicide. The ¨Don´t Say Gay” Bill would make it so that student who did not have other affirming spaces may be more likely to harm themselves.
However, this bill has not gone without challenge. A couple of weeks ago Chasten Buttigieg tweeted ¨This will kill kids, @RonDeSantisFL. You are purposefully making your state a harder place for LGBTQ kids to survive in. In a national survey (@TrevorProject), 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide last year. Now they can't talk to their teachers.” This opposition to the law is incredibly important. Without this opposition, laws like this one will continue to pass. With anti-LGBTQ+ legislation becoming more common it is crucial that activists, and government officials fight back against this oppression.
Special Report on Presidential Deportation
Lucia MC, 13/14s
Obama is widely regarded as a groundbreaking democratic president and while it would be misguided to disregard the important changes he made for the U.S., we all know the detrimental consequences that can come when we erase the problematic parts of history. The “deporter in chief” served from 2008-2016. Before we get into the details of Obama’s deportation rates, there is some vocabulary that is essential to understanding what exactly happened in those iconic eight years.
Our idea of “deportation” is technically divided into two seperate categories; returns and removals. Removals require formal court orders and forbid those who have been removed to enter the country legally afterwards. Returns are turn-arounds at the border.
The first way to look at Obama’s deportation rates is comparing his returns to the ones throughout George W. Bush and Clinton’s terms. Obama did have fewer returns than the each of them. However, during their terms in office, there were significantly fewer people trying to get into the country in the first place. The economic situation in Mexico was improving, so there were considerably less people at the Mexico-U.S. border. Not to mention, there was higher security at the border and the U.S. was recovering from the recession, making it less appealing to immigrate here. So, sure, Obama returned fewer people than the two previous administrations, but how much does that really dictate his reputation in terms of deportation?
It makes sense to consider removals to be more severe than returns since returns add a permanent record and usually disrupt an established life in the country. Obama removed more people than Bush. Starting in 2008, removal rates continued to increase as they had been since 2002. In 2013, removals reached over 400,000, an all-time high since 2000 and until 2016. That same year, Secure Community, an ICE (Immigration Control and Enforcement) led program, began working in all U.S. jails and prisons. This made it possible for undocumented felons throughout the country to be deported as well. In 2012, congressional funding towards immigration enforcement almost reached $18 billion. All of this happened under Obama’s administration.
That’s the data you need to understand the situation. However, it’s unrealistic to claim that you have the full picture after simply looking at statistics for a couple of years. At the end of the day, deportation is a moral issue, possibly even more than it is a legal one. Because of this, it’s necessary to examine the other immigration-related actions Obama took throughout his term. For example, in 2012, the Obama administration proposed the DREAM Act, but it wasn’t passed. Yet that same administration did manage to pass Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA managed to allow some undocumented immigrants who arrived to the U.S. as children to basically an extended period of time. Clearly, few things are black and white.
It’s fair to say that removals and returns are complicated. Simply put, Obama deported an absurd amount of people. Nevertheless, he tried to balance that out with some, genuinely important, immigration policies. So what does this mean in terms of his legacy? In my opinion, it’s undeniable that Obama was a pioneer, not only for the democratic party, but for the country. Still, we have the power to prevent misinformation, and that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The Obama Record on Deportations: Deporter in Chief or Not?
Removals vs returns: how to think about Obama's deportation record
Our idea of “deportation” is technically divided into two seperate categories; returns and removals. Removals require formal court orders and forbid those who have been removed to enter the country legally afterwards. Returns are turn-arounds at the border.
The first way to look at Obama’s deportation rates is comparing his returns to the ones throughout George W. Bush and Clinton’s terms. Obama did have fewer returns than the each of them. However, during their terms in office, there were significantly fewer people trying to get into the country in the first place. The economic situation in Mexico was improving, so there were considerably less people at the Mexico-U.S. border. Not to mention, there was higher security at the border and the U.S. was recovering from the recession, making it less appealing to immigrate here. So, sure, Obama returned fewer people than the two previous administrations, but how much does that really dictate his reputation in terms of deportation?
It makes sense to consider removals to be more severe than returns since returns add a permanent record and usually disrupt an established life in the country. Obama removed more people than Bush. Starting in 2008, removal rates continued to increase as they had been since 2002. In 2013, removals reached over 400,000, an all-time high since 2000 and until 2016. That same year, Secure Community, an ICE (Immigration Control and Enforcement) led program, began working in all U.S. jails and prisons. This made it possible for undocumented felons throughout the country to be deported as well. In 2012, congressional funding towards immigration enforcement almost reached $18 billion. All of this happened under Obama’s administration.
That’s the data you need to understand the situation. However, it’s unrealistic to claim that you have the full picture after simply looking at statistics for a couple of years. At the end of the day, deportation is a moral issue, possibly even more than it is a legal one. Because of this, it’s necessary to examine the other immigration-related actions Obama took throughout his term. For example, in 2012, the Obama administration proposed the DREAM Act, but it wasn’t passed. Yet that same administration did manage to pass Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA managed to allow some undocumented immigrants who arrived to the U.S. as children to basically an extended period of time. Clearly, few things are black and white.
It’s fair to say that removals and returns are complicated. Simply put, Obama deported an absurd amount of people. Nevertheless, he tried to balance that out with some, genuinely important, immigration policies. So what does this mean in terms of his legacy? In my opinion, it’s undeniable that Obama was a pioneer, not only for the democratic party, but for the country. Still, we have the power to prevent misinformation, and that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The Obama Record on Deportations: Deporter in Chief or Not?
Removals vs returns: how to think about Obama's deportation record
Covid-19 in Animals, Reena 11/12s
Animal vaccines have been widely distributed across many types of animals - from great apes to boars. But as Covid progresses, animals are also getting covid from their owners. So, will animals get a vaccine?
“Common household pets should get vaccinated,” said Ela “Chad McCool Dude” Schimmel, a Bank Street student (who is not a medical expert).
When asked about other animals getting vaccinated, Ela Schimmel said “I think animals at zoos should also be vaccinated, because they could spread the virus to visitors and get covid themselves.” Actual scientists, however, disagree.
In a recent covid case scientists found that a dog had gotten an early version of covid, called B.1.575. Although not much is known about animals getting covid, some animals can only get certain types of covid. For example, there are canine and feline types of covid that only dogs and cats can get, and some types of covid people can get, but not certain types of animals. Across Denmark and other parts of the world, minks have been dying of covidMost pets don’t have any symptoms of the virus, but some get mild symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and diarrhea. Several drug companies say that they’re developing cat and dog vaccines, although scientists believe it is unnecessary for animals to get vaccines because they don’t get severe symptoms and so far there hasn’t been any case where an animal transmitted the virus to a person. According to scientists, cats are more likely to get covid than dogs are, but the reason for this is unknown. Does this mean cats should get a vaccine before dogs if there will be one?
“I don’t think cats should get a vaccine before dogs because dogs generally go outside more and are in closer contact with people than cats are. Dogs also have to take daily walks, while cats spend most of their time indoors,” said Ela.
Sources: CDC, New York Times, FDA
“Common household pets should get vaccinated,” said Ela “Chad McCool Dude” Schimmel, a Bank Street student (who is not a medical expert).
When asked about other animals getting vaccinated, Ela Schimmel said “I think animals at zoos should also be vaccinated, because they could spread the virus to visitors and get covid themselves.” Actual scientists, however, disagree.
In a recent covid case scientists found that a dog had gotten an early version of covid, called B.1.575. Although not much is known about animals getting covid, some animals can only get certain types of covid. For example, there are canine and feline types of covid that only dogs and cats can get, and some types of covid people can get, but not certain types of animals. Across Denmark and other parts of the world, minks have been dying of covidMost pets don’t have any symptoms of the virus, but some get mild symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and diarrhea. Several drug companies say that they’re developing cat and dog vaccines, although scientists believe it is unnecessary for animals to get vaccines because they don’t get severe symptoms and so far there hasn’t been any case where an animal transmitted the virus to a person. According to scientists, cats are more likely to get covid than dogs are, but the reason for this is unknown. Does this mean cats should get a vaccine before dogs if there will be one?
“I don’t think cats should get a vaccine before dogs because dogs generally go outside more and are in closer contact with people than cats are. Dogs also have to take daily walks, while cats spend most of their time indoors,” said Ela.
Sources: CDC, New York Times, FDA
Do you have Instagram? Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps to ever be created. It is an app that allows users to post pictures publicly (or privately) and follow other users. The Connecticut Senator’s team wanted to test out Instagram’s security features to verify that it was safe for minors. They registered an account as a 13-year-old as an experiment. They later found that there were several pro-dieting and weight loss accounts that had been created by 13-year-olds in real life.
I think that Instagram and all forms of social media were intended to keep people engaged in community and updated on each other’s lives. Platforms such as social media were created to check in with friends and family instead of calling or texting. Now, I think that social media has started to have more harmful impacts on people rather than positive impacts. Social media is no longer used as a tool that may come in handy when they have a few minutes. People are absorbed in other people’s lives and comparing them to their own. Celebrities' lives are not going to be the same as students' lives. This is where social media becomes negative.
Instagram algorithms are programmed to show users more of what they want to see. If they view an account about food, Instagram will advertise more accounts related to cuisine because that is what a user has shown interest in. In certain cases, this algorithm is flawed. If any teen finds an account where that promotes dieting or extreme fitness/weightloss, it can have major consequences. Not only will that teen be influenced by these accounts, it can cause serious mental health problems.
Many teens are aware that social media is bad for them yet they are compelled to continue to spend time on it in fear of missing out on trends. Teens say that Instagram pressures them to fit into stereotypes. It also makes them feel that they should have the same body types, amount of money, and lavish lifestyles as influencers. The views, likes, follows, and shares, on this platform lead to the addiction of validation. What is the point of Instagram if it has harmful long lasting effects? And has social media taken a turn for the worse?
I think that Instagram and all forms of social media were intended to keep people engaged in community and updated on each other’s lives. Platforms such as social media were created to check in with friends and family instead of calling or texting. Now, I think that social media has started to have more harmful impacts on people rather than positive impacts. Social media is no longer used as a tool that may come in handy when they have a few minutes. People are absorbed in other people’s lives and comparing them to their own. Celebrities' lives are not going to be the same as students' lives. This is where social media becomes negative.
Instagram algorithms are programmed to show users more of what they want to see. If they view an account about food, Instagram will advertise more accounts related to cuisine because that is what a user has shown interest in. In certain cases, this algorithm is flawed. If any teen finds an account where that promotes dieting or extreme fitness/weightloss, it can have major consequences. Not only will that teen be influenced by these accounts, it can cause serious mental health problems.
Many teens are aware that social media is bad for them yet they are compelled to continue to spend time on it in fear of missing out on trends. Teens say that Instagram pressures them to fit into stereotypes. It also makes them feel that they should have the same body types, amount of money, and lavish lifestyles as influencers. The views, likes, follows, and shares, on this platform lead to the addiction of validation. What is the point of Instagram if it has harmful long lasting effects? And has social media taken a turn for the worse?
Freeland vs. Leaderland
Micah, 13/14s
In eighth grade, one of the first activities we did was a prompt called Leaderland vs. Freeland. This hypothetical posed the question of whether you would prefer to live in a land with no laws whatsoever or a land that was ruled with an iron fist. Freeland: People are free to do whatever they want. They don't have to go to school, they can watch Youtube all day, sleep all day, eat anything they want. Sounds like the best life right? But with all this freedom comes uncontrolled disarray. No rules prohibiting murder, theft, arson. You can imagine.
On the other hand, (in my opinion the worse of the two) we have Leaderland. In Leaderland, there are many laws. But they are all made by one person, The Leader. Dun dun dunnnnn. Dramatic, right? The people of Leaderland are held completely in the Leader’s hands. Their jobs, their residences, what jobs they have, what newspapers to read, and who they vote for. That last one is important because if the Leader commands the population who to vote for, they can just perpetuate their “leadership.”
Personally, I would wholeheartedly vote for Freeland. I’m not saying that either of these options are ideal, in fact, quite the opposite. Out of the two though, I’d vote Freeland. If I were to live in Leaderland, I would have no life. Not that I have one now... :/ No individuality, no uniqueness. Nothing to differentiate you from anyone else. In addition to that, the suicide rates would be off the charts. There would be no happiness, no time to relax. I can’t imagine there wouldn’t be any revolts. The people would try to forcefully seize power from the Leader. That would cause a lot of chaos and chaos usually comes with violence, so in the end, people would inevitably get hurt. How does that sound? And after this, it would just turn into a worse version of Freeland. I say worse because different people or groups of people would all be vying for the throne. Each group would want to become the new leader, and would emulate to some extent all the Leader’s ideals if they reached that point.
On the other hand, if I could be the Leader of Leaderland, I would choose that. As most people would, I assume. I’d choose this position because then I could try to change things up. If I had absolute power I would be able to change the regulations and give people their individuality, as well as establish a fair and equitable democracy.
Now, which would you choose?
On the other hand, (in my opinion the worse of the two) we have Leaderland. In Leaderland, there are many laws. But they are all made by one person, The Leader. Dun dun dunnnnn. Dramatic, right? The people of Leaderland are held completely in the Leader’s hands. Their jobs, their residences, what jobs they have, what newspapers to read, and who they vote for. That last one is important because if the Leader commands the population who to vote for, they can just perpetuate their “leadership.”
Personally, I would wholeheartedly vote for Freeland. I’m not saying that either of these options are ideal, in fact, quite the opposite. Out of the two though, I’d vote Freeland. If I were to live in Leaderland, I would have no life. Not that I have one now... :/ No individuality, no uniqueness. Nothing to differentiate you from anyone else. In addition to that, the suicide rates would be off the charts. There would be no happiness, no time to relax. I can’t imagine there wouldn’t be any revolts. The people would try to forcefully seize power from the Leader. That would cause a lot of chaos and chaos usually comes with violence, so in the end, people would inevitably get hurt. How does that sound? And after this, it would just turn into a worse version of Freeland. I say worse because different people or groups of people would all be vying for the throne. Each group would want to become the new leader, and would emulate to some extent all the Leader’s ideals if they reached that point.
On the other hand, if I could be the Leader of Leaderland, I would choose that. As most people would, I assume. I’d choose this position because then I could try to change things up. If I had absolute power I would be able to change the regulations and give people their individuality, as well as establish a fair and equitable democracy.
Now, which would you choose?
Case Challenging Roe v. Wade Comes Before The Supreme Court, Madeline T. 13/14s
Roe v. Wade was the verdict of a case that came before the Supreme Court, which challenged the constitutionality of a Texas statute that restricted access to abortion. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court issued its decision, striking the law, and essentially allowing abortion across the United States. Prior to this case, from the late 19th century forward, the procedure had been illegal for most of the country. In the 7-2 opinion, the court stated that under the 14th Amendment, a woman’s right to an abortion was guaranteed by the right to privacy. The court established that in the first trimester, it was completely up to the woman to choose if she wanted an abortion, in the second trimester, the government could be involved to protect the woman’s health, though they couldn’t forbid it, and in the third trimester, states can proscribe abortion.
The Supreme Court has now accepted a case that challenges Roe v. Wade. The case involves a Mississippi law that aims to ban the majority of abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Currently, Roe v. Wade establishes that states are not allowed to prevent abortions before fetal viability, which is at roughly 23 or 24 weeks in the pregnancy, when a fetus can live independently outside the womb. In the spring or the beginning of summer next year, the justices are expected to give a verdict. Already, the looming case has caused some states to enact strict prohibitions on abortions as well as multiple partisan divides.
Democrats and Republicans have continued to draw strict lines about where they stand as they debate and dispute abortion among themselves. Democrats have stated that the protections provided under Roe v. Wade are on the line since the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this case, they will fight for reproductive justice, and that removing Roe would create instrumental inadvertent results. Republicans have attempted to minimize possible repercussions of the verdict and have said that as refuters of abortion, they welcome the Supreme Court taking on this case. Additionally, since the Supreme Court has accepted this case, it has also brought up the question of what should happen to the Supreme Court. Some support the expansion of the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, others think we should focus on jurisdiction adjustments or necessitating a particular number of justices to remove past precedents.
The stakes of this case are high, to say the least. Limitations to abortions over the last decade have inordinately affected women of color, poor women, and rural women - this suggests that these patterns could continue if the Supreme Court upholds the Mississippi law. Abortion availability is also currently dependent on where you live, so if the Mississippi law is maintained, women who aren’t able to afford an abortion or travel for extended periods of time - in other words, the majority of women who will be susceptible to such a verdict will be those who are the most defenseless. This case also has the potential to change how states restrict access to abortions - Roe v. Wade allows abortions pre-viability - the Supreme Court is will reevaluate that protection. It could lead to granting states permission to ban abortions without considering fetal viability and the prohibition of abortions as a whole.
Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/womens-rights/roe-v-wade
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/us/supreme-court-abortion.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/20/us/politics/abortion-2022-midterm-elections.html
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/554843-democrats-roe-v-wade-blow-would-fuel-expanding-supreme-court
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-are-the-stakes-of-the-supreme-courts-decision-to-hear-a-case-that-challenges-roe-v-wade/
https://www.npr.org/2021/05/18/997783426/u-s-supreme-court-to-review-mississippi-abortion-law
The Supreme Court has now accepted a case that challenges Roe v. Wade. The case involves a Mississippi law that aims to ban the majority of abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Currently, Roe v. Wade establishes that states are not allowed to prevent abortions before fetal viability, which is at roughly 23 or 24 weeks in the pregnancy, when a fetus can live independently outside the womb. In the spring or the beginning of summer next year, the justices are expected to give a verdict. Already, the looming case has caused some states to enact strict prohibitions on abortions as well as multiple partisan divides.
Democrats and Republicans have continued to draw strict lines about where they stand as they debate and dispute abortion among themselves. Democrats have stated that the protections provided under Roe v. Wade are on the line since the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this case, they will fight for reproductive justice, and that removing Roe would create instrumental inadvertent results. Republicans have attempted to minimize possible repercussions of the verdict and have said that as refuters of abortion, they welcome the Supreme Court taking on this case. Additionally, since the Supreme Court has accepted this case, it has also brought up the question of what should happen to the Supreme Court. Some support the expansion of the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, others think we should focus on jurisdiction adjustments or necessitating a particular number of justices to remove past precedents.
The stakes of this case are high, to say the least. Limitations to abortions over the last decade have inordinately affected women of color, poor women, and rural women - this suggests that these patterns could continue if the Supreme Court upholds the Mississippi law. Abortion availability is also currently dependent on where you live, so if the Mississippi law is maintained, women who aren’t able to afford an abortion or travel for extended periods of time - in other words, the majority of women who will be susceptible to such a verdict will be those who are the most defenseless. This case also has the potential to change how states restrict access to abortions - Roe v. Wade allows abortions pre-viability - the Supreme Court is will reevaluate that protection. It could lead to granting states permission to ban abortions without considering fetal viability and the prohibition of abortions as a whole.
Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/womens-rights/roe-v-wade
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/us/supreme-court-abortion.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/20/us/politics/abortion-2022-midterm-elections.html
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/554843-democrats-roe-v-wade-blow-would-fuel-expanding-supreme-court
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-are-the-stakes-of-the-supreme-courts-decision-to-hear-a-case-that-challenges-roe-v-wade/
https://www.npr.org/2021/05/18/997783426/u-s-supreme-court-to-review-mississippi-abortion-law
Women Come Forward With Allegations Against Andrew Cuomo
Madeline T, 13/14s
Governor Cuomo has faced mounting allegations of sexual misconduct. Some people have called for his resignation. The New York Attorney General Letitia James is conducting an investigation into the claims against Cuomo and the New York State Assembly is overseeing an impeachment inquiry. Most people in Congress representing New York are calling for him to resign. Multiple people within the state Senate and Assembly have also made calls for him to resign. Cuomo has released a statement essentially saying that he’s sorry if his actions have been taken in the wrong way, but he’s denying that the claims are true. He has not spoken specifically about the claims and is imploring that people wait for the Attorney General’s investigation to come to a close.
Multiple women have come forward with allegations against him. Jessica Bakeman has said that Cuomo had touched her inappropriately while posing for a photograph. A former aide claimed he groped her in the governor’s residence. Lindsey Boylan said he would go out of his way to touch her, compared her to ex-girlfriends, and said they should play strip poker. Charlotte Bennett said that he asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life. Anna Ruch said that Cuomo placed his hand on her lower back, grabbed her face, and asked if he could kiss her. Anna Liss said Cuomo asked her if she had a boyfriend, called her sweetheart, touched her on her lower back, and kissed her once she got up from her desk one time. Karen Hinton said that he had hugged her in a very “inappropriate” and “unethical” way in a hotel room. Valerie Bauman made claims that there were many men in Albany, including Cuomo, who made her feel uncomfortable. She added that there was blunt sexism and sexual harassment present within the environment. Alyssa McGrath, a current employee of Cuomo’s has also made allegations that he made indecent statements, and looked at her body inappropriately. Additionally, Sherry Vill has made accusations that Cuomo touched and kissed her without consent. Six of the accusers, Bennett, Boylan, Liss, Hinton, McGrath and the anonymous accuser had worked for the governor or currently work for the governor. Ruch said she met Cuomo at a friend’s wedding, and one other, Vill, met him when he was touring flood damage. Two people used Twitter to make their allegations. The majority of them shared information through newspapers.
I spoke to some students about their thoughts and this is what they said:
“Yes, I do think he should resign. I think if it was one person I’d be skeptical of the accusation, just because it could be legitimate, but there could be someone who doesn’t agree with his views, who is trying to slander him. However, seeing as there are so many people that are claiming instances of his inappropriate behavior, they seem to be accurate, which is why I support his resignation.”
“He should resign. If only one person made an accusation there wouldn’t be much to go on, and if there was a court case, I think there wouldn’t be a high chance he would be convicted because he’s a political figure, but I think it’s more likely to be true since there are multiple allegations that have been made.”
“I think that he should resign. But I think resigning now is trying to escape the verdict because I think he will probably be charged with these allegations. For him, it’s better that he resigns now than if he actually is proclaimed guilty. But I think it is important for the world to hear if he’s charged guilty of sexual misconduct so that people see that this is an important issue that needs to be dealt with.”
Personally, I, like many of the people whom I talked to, think given the number of accusations and due to the details of the accounts, they are likely to be true. I observed that most people’s opinions also noted that because of the multitude of accusations, they were more likely to believe that the allegations were truthful. In part, I would guess this is on the basis that with more claims, there’s a higher likelihood of testimony and evidence, with a reduction in the chances that the contentions would be slander. But I think we have to alter our perspectives in regards to if only one person had come forward so that people feel comfortable saying something if anything has happened to them. Additionally, I believe that if Cuomo resigns now, that would be due in large part to pressure and public opinion, rather than to how our government operates. Though it seems unlikely that these claims are false, our country considers someone innocent until they are proven guilty. As one of the opinions above states, I believe it could have a greater effect if he was pronounced guilty than if he resigned.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/nyregion/cuomo-sex-harassment-investigation.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/02/nyregion/cuomo-resign-zeldin-fallout.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/13/opinion/andrew-cuomo.html?searchResultPosition=2
https://www.rochesterfirst.com/cuomo-investigation/heres-what-we-know-about-cuomos-accusers
https://abc7ny.com/andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-accuser-jessica-bakeman/10413402/
https://www.nytimes.com/article/cuomo-sexual-harassment-nursing-homes-covid-19.html?name=styln-cuomo®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&variant=show&is_new=false
https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-accusations-york-gov-andrew-cuomo-calls-resignation/story?id=76207242
Multiple women have come forward with allegations against him. Jessica Bakeman has said that Cuomo had touched her inappropriately while posing for a photograph. A former aide claimed he groped her in the governor’s residence. Lindsey Boylan said he would go out of his way to touch her, compared her to ex-girlfriends, and said they should play strip poker. Charlotte Bennett said that he asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life. Anna Ruch said that Cuomo placed his hand on her lower back, grabbed her face, and asked if he could kiss her. Anna Liss said Cuomo asked her if she had a boyfriend, called her sweetheart, touched her on her lower back, and kissed her once she got up from her desk one time. Karen Hinton said that he had hugged her in a very “inappropriate” and “unethical” way in a hotel room. Valerie Bauman made claims that there were many men in Albany, including Cuomo, who made her feel uncomfortable. She added that there was blunt sexism and sexual harassment present within the environment. Alyssa McGrath, a current employee of Cuomo’s has also made allegations that he made indecent statements, and looked at her body inappropriately. Additionally, Sherry Vill has made accusations that Cuomo touched and kissed her without consent. Six of the accusers, Bennett, Boylan, Liss, Hinton, McGrath and the anonymous accuser had worked for the governor or currently work for the governor. Ruch said she met Cuomo at a friend’s wedding, and one other, Vill, met him when he was touring flood damage. Two people used Twitter to make their allegations. The majority of them shared information through newspapers.
I spoke to some students about their thoughts and this is what they said:
“Yes, I do think he should resign. I think if it was one person I’d be skeptical of the accusation, just because it could be legitimate, but there could be someone who doesn’t agree with his views, who is trying to slander him. However, seeing as there are so many people that are claiming instances of his inappropriate behavior, they seem to be accurate, which is why I support his resignation.”
“He should resign. If only one person made an accusation there wouldn’t be much to go on, and if there was a court case, I think there wouldn’t be a high chance he would be convicted because he’s a political figure, but I think it’s more likely to be true since there are multiple allegations that have been made.”
“I think that he should resign. But I think resigning now is trying to escape the verdict because I think he will probably be charged with these allegations. For him, it’s better that he resigns now than if he actually is proclaimed guilty. But I think it is important for the world to hear if he’s charged guilty of sexual misconduct so that people see that this is an important issue that needs to be dealt with.”
Personally, I, like many of the people whom I talked to, think given the number of accusations and due to the details of the accounts, they are likely to be true. I observed that most people’s opinions also noted that because of the multitude of accusations, they were more likely to believe that the allegations were truthful. In part, I would guess this is on the basis that with more claims, there’s a higher likelihood of testimony and evidence, with a reduction in the chances that the contentions would be slander. But I think we have to alter our perspectives in regards to if only one person had come forward so that people feel comfortable saying something if anything has happened to them. Additionally, I believe that if Cuomo resigns now, that would be due in large part to pressure and public opinion, rather than to how our government operates. Though it seems unlikely that these claims are false, our country considers someone innocent until they are proven guilty. As one of the opinions above states, I believe it could have a greater effect if he was pronounced guilty than if he resigned.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/nyregion/cuomo-sex-harassment-investigation.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/02/nyregion/cuomo-resign-zeldin-fallout.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/13/opinion/andrew-cuomo.html?searchResultPosition=2
https://www.rochesterfirst.com/cuomo-investigation/heres-what-we-know-about-cuomos-accusers
https://abc7ny.com/andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-accuser-jessica-bakeman/10413402/
https://www.nytimes.com/article/cuomo-sexual-harassment-nursing-homes-covid-19.html?name=styln-cuomo®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&variant=show&is_new=false
https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-accusations-york-gov-andrew-cuomo-calls-resignation/story?id=76207242
The Trial in the Senate Has Acquitted Trump
Madeline, 13/14s
After the Insurrection on January 6th at the Capitol, the Senate has voted to acquit Trump from the charge of inciting the Insurrection. 50 Democrats and seven Republicans voted to convict Trump, while 43 Republicans voted to acquit Trump. The seven Republicans who voted to convict were Richard Burr (North Carolina), Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Mitt Romney (Utah), Ben Sasse (Nebraska), and Patrick J. Toomey (Pennsylvania). The vote was ten short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection. Some Republicans took refuge in the idea that the trial itself was not lawful because Trump is no longer in office. For example, Mitch McConnell vehemently argued that Trump was responsible for inciting the insurrection after the vote, yet he voted to acquit Trump, stating that the trial isn’t credible as Trump is no longer in office.
Trump continued to make false claims about the election and when all of his other options ran out, he resorted to instigating violence against the U.S. Capitol, against democracy. He was attempting to place as much pressure upon Congress and the Vice President as he could to reverse the election, so he could stay in power. In all of United States history, there have been attacks on democracy, yet none were started by a President, until now. House Impeachment Managers presented a multitude of evidence of Trump’s guilt, images and videos of rioters overwhelming security and the Capitol itself, many carrying signs, slogans, or flags, and impeachment managers also particularly pointed to what Trump said to supporters in his speech, to “fight like hell”. Senators appeared to be struck by the proof, but it was apparently not enough, as many voted to acquit. Though Trump was not found guilty by the Senate, people will remember the lasting effects of his presidency, and history will speak for itself when others look back and see Trump’s actions.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/us/politics/trump-impeachment.html?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=LegacyCollection&impression_id=&variant=1_Show
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/history-will-find-trump-guilty
Trump continued to make false claims about the election and when all of his other options ran out, he resorted to instigating violence against the U.S. Capitol, against democracy. He was attempting to place as much pressure upon Congress and the Vice President as he could to reverse the election, so he could stay in power. In all of United States history, there have been attacks on democracy, yet none were started by a President, until now. House Impeachment Managers presented a multitude of evidence of Trump’s guilt, images and videos of rioters overwhelming security and the Capitol itself, many carrying signs, slogans, or flags, and impeachment managers also particularly pointed to what Trump said to supporters in his speech, to “fight like hell”. Senators appeared to be struck by the proof, but it was apparently not enough, as many voted to acquit. Though Trump was not found guilty by the Senate, people will remember the lasting effects of his presidency, and history will speak for itself when others look back and see Trump’s actions.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/us/politics/trump-impeachment.html?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=LegacyCollection&impression_id=&variant=1_Show
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/history-will-find-trump-guilty
How the Government Has Handled the Insurrection in the Capital, Madeline T 13/14s
On January 6th, 2021, there was an insurrection in the Capitol. Trump had held a rally, continuing to spread the baseless claims that there was election fraud. He told supporters to walk down to the Capitol, which they did. The Capitol had temporary fences surrounding it, which the supporters easily overthrew. The rioters then proceeded to break into the Capitol building, causing members of Congress to pause confirming election results. The Capitol building wasn’t secure until three hours later.
One road that the government attempted to go down as a reaction to the insurrection was using Section 4 of the 25th Amendment. The 25th Amendment to the Constitution instructs the government on what to do in any case where the President is unable to act as the President. Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, states that if the Vice President and a majority of the heads of federal departments or another group, convey to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate that the current President is not fit to carry out the duties of the office, the Vice President will take on the duties of the President. Following this, if the President provides a written statement saying he has no issues that stand in the way of him acting as President, he will resume acting as President, unless the Vice President and a majority of the heads of federal departments or another body supplied by Congress submits within four days another statement that the current President cannot carry out his duties. If they submit another statement within four days, then Congress will decide the outcome. A two-thirds majority is required for the Vice President to continue acting as President, otherwise, the current President resumes office. Using Section 4 of the 25th Amendment is one course of action that the government considered taking after the insurrection in the Capitol. However, the Former Vice President, Mike Pence, did not think it was the best course of action.
The course that was taken instead was impeachment. Impeachment is another way of removing a President from office through Congress. Congress can impeach a President if an adequate number of members vote that the President has engaged in “treason, bribery, or other high crimes, and misdemeanors.” A “high crime” is not a specific term, so it allows some license. A committee within the House of Representatives can introduce the articles of impeachment, or they can be voted on by the House of Representatives without a committee. A majority of the House of Representatives voting in favor of the articles of impeachment is needed to impeach the President. If a majority does vote to impeach, then the articles of impeachment are sent to the Senate. A trial is held in the Senate and if at least two-thirds of the Senate vote to convict, the President is removed from office. There are no set rules for the trial in the Senate, so the rules are essentially made by the Senate as the process continues. The House of Representatives voted 232-197 to impeach (but not yet to indict) Trump for “incitement of insurrection”. Trump is the first President in the history of the United States to be impeached twice. The first time, he had an impeachment trial but was acquitted. The article of impeachment in the second trial alleges that Trump “engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors” through his continuous statements that the election had been manipulated which led to the insurrection and by a phone call he made to Brad Raffensperger (Georgia Secretary of State) to pull out ‘votes’, which didn’t exist, which would, in turn, give him the win in Georgia. The Constitution also allows the Senate to ban Trump from holding “any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States” ever again. As the Constitution has no rules in place for the permanent removal of an official, using precedent cases, the Senate would hold a majority vote, which would be sufficient for permanent removal. This majority vote can only happen after the Senate has convicted the official through the articles of impeachment.
The Senate trial began today, February 9th. There will be oral arguments for both sides and the Senators can question both sides. There can be other proposals to dismiss the trial and if they fail the trial continues on and if they succeed then the trial is dismissed. Then evidence is investigated and there are closing arguments. After this, the Senate will then vote on whether or not to convict Trump. If Trump gets convicted, then the Senate can vote on whether or not he will be permanently removed from office.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/us/politics/what-is-the-25th-amendment-and-how-does-it-work.html
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/25th-amendment-what-it-is-why-it-wasnt-invoked-to-remove-trump-from-office/
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xxv
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/us/politics/impeachment-trump-explained.html
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/13/us/politics/trump-second-impeachment-vote.html
https://www.npr.org/sections/trump-impeachment-effort-live-updates/2021/01/11/955631105/impeachment-resolution-cites-trumps-incitement-of-capitol-insurrection
https://www.vox.com/22220495/impeachment-trump-2024-election-bar-from-office
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-impeachment-explainer/explainer-trump-is-heading-for-second-impeachment-heres-how-it-could-play-out-idUSKBN29D2QG
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/25/us/politics/senate-impeachment-whip-count.html?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&impression_id=dbedcf30-6a52-11eb-b135-03f36295178e&variant=1_Show
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/02/08/us/trump-impeachment?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&impression_id=b60eb140-6a56-11eb-9b84-21b200e99ad2&variant=show
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/08/us/politics/trump-second-impeachment-timeline.html?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=LegacyCollection&impression_id=cb2efd20-6a59-11eb-9ecd-6d4946047bf8&variant=show
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/12/us/capitol-mob-timeline.html?name=styln-capitol-mob®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&impression_id=f0e71170-6a5d-11eb-98ec-61fa98fba8bd&variant=1_Show
One road that the government attempted to go down as a reaction to the insurrection was using Section 4 of the 25th Amendment. The 25th Amendment to the Constitution instructs the government on what to do in any case where the President is unable to act as the President. Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, states that if the Vice President and a majority of the heads of federal departments or another group, convey to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate that the current President is not fit to carry out the duties of the office, the Vice President will take on the duties of the President. Following this, if the President provides a written statement saying he has no issues that stand in the way of him acting as President, he will resume acting as President, unless the Vice President and a majority of the heads of federal departments or another body supplied by Congress submits within four days another statement that the current President cannot carry out his duties. If they submit another statement within four days, then Congress will decide the outcome. A two-thirds majority is required for the Vice President to continue acting as President, otherwise, the current President resumes office. Using Section 4 of the 25th Amendment is one course of action that the government considered taking after the insurrection in the Capitol. However, the Former Vice President, Mike Pence, did not think it was the best course of action.
The course that was taken instead was impeachment. Impeachment is another way of removing a President from office through Congress. Congress can impeach a President if an adequate number of members vote that the President has engaged in “treason, bribery, or other high crimes, and misdemeanors.” A “high crime” is not a specific term, so it allows some license. A committee within the House of Representatives can introduce the articles of impeachment, or they can be voted on by the House of Representatives without a committee. A majority of the House of Representatives voting in favor of the articles of impeachment is needed to impeach the President. If a majority does vote to impeach, then the articles of impeachment are sent to the Senate. A trial is held in the Senate and if at least two-thirds of the Senate vote to convict, the President is removed from office. There are no set rules for the trial in the Senate, so the rules are essentially made by the Senate as the process continues. The House of Representatives voted 232-197 to impeach (but not yet to indict) Trump for “incitement of insurrection”. Trump is the first President in the history of the United States to be impeached twice. The first time, he had an impeachment trial but was acquitted. The article of impeachment in the second trial alleges that Trump “engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors” through his continuous statements that the election had been manipulated which led to the insurrection and by a phone call he made to Brad Raffensperger (Georgia Secretary of State) to pull out ‘votes’, which didn’t exist, which would, in turn, give him the win in Georgia. The Constitution also allows the Senate to ban Trump from holding “any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States” ever again. As the Constitution has no rules in place for the permanent removal of an official, using precedent cases, the Senate would hold a majority vote, which would be sufficient for permanent removal. This majority vote can only happen after the Senate has convicted the official through the articles of impeachment.
The Senate trial began today, February 9th. There will be oral arguments for both sides and the Senators can question both sides. There can be other proposals to dismiss the trial and if they fail the trial continues on and if they succeed then the trial is dismissed. Then evidence is investigated and there are closing arguments. After this, the Senate will then vote on whether or not to convict Trump. If Trump gets convicted, then the Senate can vote on whether or not he will be permanently removed from office.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/us/politics/what-is-the-25th-amendment-and-how-does-it-work.html
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/25th-amendment-what-it-is-why-it-wasnt-invoked-to-remove-trump-from-office/
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xxv
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/us/politics/impeachment-trump-explained.html
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/13/us/politics/trump-second-impeachment-vote.html
https://www.npr.org/sections/trump-impeachment-effort-live-updates/2021/01/11/955631105/impeachment-resolution-cites-trumps-incitement-of-capitol-insurrection
https://www.vox.com/22220495/impeachment-trump-2024-election-bar-from-office
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-impeachment-explainer/explainer-trump-is-heading-for-second-impeachment-heres-how-it-could-play-out-idUSKBN29D2QG
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/25/us/politics/senate-impeachment-whip-count.html?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&impression_id=dbedcf30-6a52-11eb-b135-03f36295178e&variant=1_Show
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/02/08/us/trump-impeachment?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&impression_id=b60eb140-6a56-11eb-9b84-21b200e99ad2&variant=show
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/08/us/politics/trump-second-impeachment-timeline.html?name=styln-impeachment2®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=LegacyCollection&impression_id=cb2efd20-6a59-11eb-9ecd-6d4946047bf8&variant=show
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/12/us/capitol-mob-timeline.html?name=styln-capitol-mob®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=Article&impression_id=f0e71170-6a5d-11eb-98ec-61fa98fba8bd&variant=1_Show
Recent News from NASA says that there is Water on the Moon, Katharine 11/12s
NASA has recently announced that water has been found on the sunlit part of the moon. This is very important information because the sunlit part of the moon was previously thought to be too hot to hold any water. It is directly open to the sun, and any water should evaporate from that surface. Although water had not been found on this particular part of the moon before, there has been water found on the moon, water has been found on the north pole of the moon.
NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), an aircraft designed to observe the infrared universe, was the spacecraft that found the water. The water that had been found previously in the poles of the moon had been frozen. However, the water molecules that were found on the sunlit surface of the moon were too far apart to form a substance. The water found in lunar soil by SOFIA is about 100 times less than is in the Sahara.
The reason the moon water is so important is because this changes scientists’ understanding of the moon itself. This tiny bit of water creates many questions about the moon’s surface. The director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Paul Hertz, has said “Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.”
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-sofia-discovers-water-on-sunlit-surface-of-moon/
https://newsela.com/read/water-on-moon-NASA/id/2001015450/?search_id=191ef272-0b49-4678-9001-e05648084f4c
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/overview/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_water#:~:text=Lunar%20water%20is%20water%20that,NASA's%20SOFIA%20observatory%20in%202020.&text=Scientists%20have%20also%20confirmed%20that,craters%20at%20the%20Moon's%20poles.
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/space-astronomy/nasa-sofia-water-on-moon
https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/927869069/water-on-the-moon-nasa-confirms-water-molecules-on-our-neighbors-sunny-surface?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=nprtopicsscience
The reason the moon water is so important is because this changes scientists’ understanding of the moon itself. This tiny bit of water creates many questions about the moon’s surface. The director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Paul Hertz, has said “Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.”
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-sofia-discovers-water-on-sunlit-surface-of-moon/
https://newsela.com/read/water-on-moon-NASA/id/2001015450/?search_id=191ef272-0b49-4678-9001-e05648084f4c
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/overview/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_water#:~:text=Lunar%20water%20is%20water%20that,NASA's%20SOFIA%20observatory%20in%202020.&text=Scientists%20have%20also%20confirmed%20that,craters%20at%20the%20Moon's%20poles.
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/space-astronomy/nasa-sofia-water-on-moon
https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/927869069/water-on-the-moon-nasa-confirms-water-molecules-on-our-neighbors-sunny-surface?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=nprtopicsscience
Quarantine Cheer Up: Week 1
Sean, 13/14s
“Great moments are born from great opportunity”
Herb Brooks 1980
Today is day 60 of quarantine, which must feel much longer to most of us since so many kids are so active in school. For many of us quarantine feels like such a foreign language, but as humans tend to do, we have started to adapt. Many of us have begun to come to peace with this new reality, and people are bonding together to keep everyone safe by staying home. All of us are aware of the struggles this can bring, from struggling to get food and other accessories, to purell, the Covid 19 virus can affect us very differently. It is critical however that we find things to make us happy and peaceful during this strange time. We have to make the most of this opportunity, which leads me into this week’s inspirational quote: “great moments are born from great opportunity.”
This quote comes from Herb Brooks, the head hockey coach of a 1980 team of college kids from the USA who beat the Soviet Union to win the gold medal in men’s ice hockey in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. It is one of the biggest upsets in the history of sports. Even though this quote is now forty years old, it still bears great relevance to where we find ourselves today. Haven’t we all woken up on some dreary morning and said “ugh I really don’t feel like leaving my house today”? Well now you have that opportunity Yes, it may not feel as great as it once sounded but it’s still an opportunity to find something positive from this disaster. In these past five weeks of transitioning to online learning, I have read more than I ever did before, I spent more time with family, and tried things at home I never had time to try before. This time at home has opened up opportunities and we just have to see them. So I would like to encourage everyone this week to be happy, smile, call or text a friend or family member, take a walk while wearing a mask, read, exercise, and pray for everyone who has been hit by the Covid Virus. Have a great week and stay positive.
Herb Brooks 1980
Today is day 60 of quarantine, which must feel much longer to most of us since so many kids are so active in school. For many of us quarantine feels like such a foreign language, but as humans tend to do, we have started to adapt. Many of us have begun to come to peace with this new reality, and people are bonding together to keep everyone safe by staying home. All of us are aware of the struggles this can bring, from struggling to get food and other accessories, to purell, the Covid 19 virus can affect us very differently. It is critical however that we find things to make us happy and peaceful during this strange time. We have to make the most of this opportunity, which leads me into this week’s inspirational quote: “great moments are born from great opportunity.”
This quote comes from Herb Brooks, the head hockey coach of a 1980 team of college kids from the USA who beat the Soviet Union to win the gold medal in men’s ice hockey in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. It is one of the biggest upsets in the history of sports. Even though this quote is now forty years old, it still bears great relevance to where we find ourselves today. Haven’t we all woken up on some dreary morning and said “ugh I really don’t feel like leaving my house today”? Well now you have that opportunity Yes, it may not feel as great as it once sounded but it’s still an opportunity to find something positive from this disaster. In these past five weeks of transitioning to online learning, I have read more than I ever did before, I spent more time with family, and tried things at home I never had time to try before. This time at home has opened up opportunities and we just have to see them. So I would like to encourage everyone this week to be happy, smile, call or text a friend or family member, take a walk while wearing a mask, read, exercise, and pray for everyone who has been hit by the Covid Virus. Have a great week and stay positive.
On February 27, 2017 SpaceX announced that they were going to fly two tourists around the moon. We now know that one of those tourists is Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese billionaire. Yusaku Maezawa made his money off of a company he founded called, Zozotown. Zozotown is one of Japan's biggest online retail businesses. The website contains 7,300 brands and has both Japanese and western apparel. Mr. Maezawa has an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion and is among the richest people in Japan.
On the week of january 6, He announced on a Japanese dating website called AbemaTV, that he was looking for a partner to go with him to space. The website also stated that it was going to run a documentary on his search to find love. He then wrote this on the dating website; “I’m sure I’ve been able to acquire my share of money, social status, and fame along the way,” “But now I’m restarting my life. I’m 44 now. As feelings of loneliness and emptiness slowly begin to surge upon me, there’s one thing that I think about: Continuing to love one woman. I want to find a ‘life partner.’ With that future partner of mine, I want to shout our love and world peace from outer space.” The requirements to apply were; you must be over 20, have a “bright and positive” personality and an interest in space travel.
A final decision was supposed to be made at the end of March, but it never happened. On Jan 29, 2020, Mr. Maezawa decided to scrap his plan to find a girlfriend online to bring to space. Even though there was a reality T.V. show about his hunt, he finally came to his senses and cancelled the search. He stated that he ended his campaign to find a girlfriend for personal reasons. He said; “Despite my genuine and honest determination toward the show, there was a part of me that still had mixed feelings about my participation, To think that 27,722 women, with earnest intentions and courage, had used their precious time to apply makes me feel extremely remorseful to conclude and inform everyone with this selfish decision of mine.” He then later wrote; “I understand that I have disappointed many people — the applicants and all the staff from AbemaTV who were involved in the production — and I apologize to everyone for my unfavorable actions. I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.”
It is not the first time Mr. Maezawa has ended a ridiculous plan. In 2017, Zozotown, released a free skin suit that would measure your body so that they could sell you clothes that fit perfectly. This plan as well flunked and Zozotown was forced to end their sales in the United States and Europe, losing a reported 25 million dollars. I think Mr. Maezawa should have tried to find a partner that he could have a long term relationship with by meeting someone who he felt was a good person on the inside and outside and then asking them out, not just trying to buy love. Overall this campaign was not very well thought out and slightly strange. Hopefully Mr. Maezawa can find a partner in more conventional ways.
Sources: nytimes.com, theverge.com
On the week of january 6, He announced on a Japanese dating website called AbemaTV, that he was looking for a partner to go with him to space. The website also stated that it was going to run a documentary on his search to find love. He then wrote this on the dating website; “I’m sure I’ve been able to acquire my share of money, social status, and fame along the way,” “But now I’m restarting my life. I’m 44 now. As feelings of loneliness and emptiness slowly begin to surge upon me, there’s one thing that I think about: Continuing to love one woman. I want to find a ‘life partner.’ With that future partner of mine, I want to shout our love and world peace from outer space.” The requirements to apply were; you must be over 20, have a “bright and positive” personality and an interest in space travel.
A final decision was supposed to be made at the end of March, but it never happened. On Jan 29, 2020, Mr. Maezawa decided to scrap his plan to find a girlfriend online to bring to space. Even though there was a reality T.V. show about his hunt, he finally came to his senses and cancelled the search. He stated that he ended his campaign to find a girlfriend for personal reasons. He said; “Despite my genuine and honest determination toward the show, there was a part of me that still had mixed feelings about my participation, To think that 27,722 women, with earnest intentions and courage, had used their precious time to apply makes me feel extremely remorseful to conclude and inform everyone with this selfish decision of mine.” He then later wrote; “I understand that I have disappointed many people — the applicants and all the staff from AbemaTV who were involved in the production — and I apologize to everyone for my unfavorable actions. I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.”
It is not the first time Mr. Maezawa has ended a ridiculous plan. In 2017, Zozotown, released a free skin suit that would measure your body so that they could sell you clothes that fit perfectly. This plan as well flunked and Zozotown was forced to end their sales in the United States and Europe, losing a reported 25 million dollars. I think Mr. Maezawa should have tried to find a partner that he could have a long term relationship with by meeting someone who he felt was a good person on the inside and outside and then asking them out, not just trying to buy love. Overall this campaign was not very well thought out and slightly strange. Hopefully Mr. Maezawa can find a partner in more conventional ways.
Sources: nytimes.com, theverge.com
They did it to manage profit conveniently and efficiently but this was more problematic than expected. Many working class families do not have access to the resources needed to purchase these items. Only some middle and upper class citizens can purchase and acquire these items. This creates segregation in the retail environment. Besides these stores, in many places in our advancing society we see technology being used in a way that excludes many who are unable to afford this digital economy.
Last year Philadelphia was the first city to ban these cashless stores. Recently, the New York City Council voted to pass a legislation banning this form of discrimination. Now if a store refuses service to a customer due to payment of cash they must pay a fine of $1000 for the first violation and $1,500 after that. These businesses have nine months to change their profit system before the legislation is implemented. This legislation also bans retail stores charging greater prices for cash paying customers.
A supporter of this legislation, city councilman Richie Torres said, “When you open a dollar bill, it reads ‘this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private.” Torres speaks of the country-wide acceptance of this dollar bill and how it must stay universal. A democratic councilman from Brooklyn, Kalman Yeger, who voted against this legislation said, “we are inserting ourselves in the business of business in a way we don’t have the right to.” He believes that the government and business should be separated. While businesses do deserve to make their own unique choices, when these choices get in the way of many civilian customer’s ability to access the retail environment, they no longer can make infinite choices.
Last year Philadelphia was the first city to ban these cashless stores. Recently, the New York City Council voted to pass a legislation banning this form of discrimination. Now if a store refuses service to a customer due to payment of cash they must pay a fine of $1000 for the first violation and $1,500 after that. These businesses have nine months to change their profit system before the legislation is implemented. This legislation also bans retail stores charging greater prices for cash paying customers.
A supporter of this legislation, city councilman Richie Torres said, “When you open a dollar bill, it reads ‘this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private.” Torres speaks of the country-wide acceptance of this dollar bill and how it must stay universal. A democratic councilman from Brooklyn, Kalman Yeger, who voted against this legislation said, “we are inserting ourselves in the business of business in a way we don’t have the right to.” He believes that the government and business should be separated. While businesses do deserve to make their own unique choices, when these choices get in the way of many civilian customer’s ability to access the retail environment, they no longer can make infinite choices.
The History of Thanksgiving, Darien 10/11s
When someone says Thanksgiving, you probably think of turkey, more turkey, and then that other turkey that nobody wants that ends up being left in the fridge for ages. But Thanksgiving has a very important history that many don’t know about. In 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England carrying 102 passengers. After a long and treacherous sixty six days of sailing, the ship anchored near the tip of Cape Cod, the home of the Wampanoag Native Americans for about 12,000 years. But sadly, it was much too far north of the planned destination: the mouth of the Hudson River. About a month later, the Mayflower crossed the Massachusetts Bay, where the passengers, who called themselves Puritans but are currently known as Pilgrims, got to work making a village. Throughout the first vicious winter, most of the Puritans stayed on the ship, where they suffered from contagious diseases and exposure. Only half of the Mayflower passengers and crew survived.
The survivors moved ashore, where they were met and astonished by an Abenaki Native American who greeted them in English. Several days later, the Native American returned with a Wampanoag Native American named Tisquantum, now more commonly known as Squanto. Tisquantum was a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who was kidnapped by an English sailor and ripped away from his family and home and sold into slavery. He then escaped to London where he learned English and returned home on an exploratory expedition of America, only to find that his tribe had died from smallpox.
Tisquantum taught the ill and malnutritioned Puritans how to grow corn, get sap from maple trees, fish, fertilize their fields with fish, and avoid poisonous plants. He also, after many meetings helped the Puritans create an alliance with the Wampanoag Native Americans, a local tribe. This alliance between the Puritans and the Native Americans was made official in March 1621 and lasted fifty years and is still one of the sole examples of consensus between Europeans and Native Americans. But, like all things, this alliance ended because Native Americans and the Puritans did not share a popular reverence for traditional New England Thanksgiving. Many Native Americans were murdered. Now, Thanksgiving is just a reminder of betrayal and bloodshed for many Native Americans across the country.
Then in November 1621, the Puritans’ first corn harvest proved successful. Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and a group of the colony’s Native American allies, as well as the Wampanoag chief Massasoit were there. It is not known how they got there, because there is no record of an invitation. This feast is now remembered as America’s “first Thanksgiving” although this is not an accurate term because both cultures have celebrated successful harvests before. The festival lasted for three whole days. This holiday was actually not made official until Abraham Lincoln declared it so in 1863, even though people had what is now known as a Thanksgiving feast many other times. The meal consisted of deer, lobster, seal, corn, shellfish, swan and roasted meat. It also may have included cornmeal, pumpkin, succotash and cranberries. Strangely enough, there was no actual record of turkey, pies or sweet potatoes being served.
Many Americans think that Thanksgiving is fine as it is. They say that it is an amazing holiday for many reasons. Many people love to spend the day with their families being thankful for what they have. Many Americans also love the food. In one article from LindenLink, the author says “Let’s be honest here. We all love our family and friends, but we’re really here for the one time a year when it’s socially acceptable to gorge yourself with delicious food. Not to mention that oftentimes, those Thanksgiving delicacies only show up on that one day a year.”
But others say that Thanksgiving is just a cover for how Europeans came to America and murdered Native Americans and should be changed. A strong argument is that Native Americans helped the Pilgrims survive through the winter, and then the Pilgrims killed them, which is very unfair and should not be honored. Many people believe in this argument. Native Americans have started their own holiday called National Day of Mourning to honor the Native Americans killed. The National Day of Mourning is held on Thanksgiving to protest the way the holiday’s history is being taught and the way the holiday is being celebrated.
This is worth discussing because it is important for people to know the real history and be able to talk about it. So start a discussion with your classmates or go home and talk to your grownup about it because it is important for people to talk about the history of Thanksgiving.
Sources:
https://ideas.hallmark.com/articles/thanksgiving-ideas/history-of-thanksgiving/
https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/first-thanksgiving/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/us/thanksgiving-myths-fact-check.html
https://lindenlink.com/151509/voices/opinion-thanksgiving-best-holiday/
The survivors moved ashore, where they were met and astonished by an Abenaki Native American who greeted them in English. Several days later, the Native American returned with a Wampanoag Native American named Tisquantum, now more commonly known as Squanto. Tisquantum was a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who was kidnapped by an English sailor and ripped away from his family and home and sold into slavery. He then escaped to London where he learned English and returned home on an exploratory expedition of America, only to find that his tribe had died from smallpox.
Tisquantum taught the ill and malnutritioned Puritans how to grow corn, get sap from maple trees, fish, fertilize their fields with fish, and avoid poisonous plants. He also, after many meetings helped the Puritans create an alliance with the Wampanoag Native Americans, a local tribe. This alliance between the Puritans and the Native Americans was made official in March 1621 and lasted fifty years and is still one of the sole examples of consensus between Europeans and Native Americans. But, like all things, this alliance ended because Native Americans and the Puritans did not share a popular reverence for traditional New England Thanksgiving. Many Native Americans were murdered. Now, Thanksgiving is just a reminder of betrayal and bloodshed for many Native Americans across the country.
Then in November 1621, the Puritans’ first corn harvest proved successful. Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and a group of the colony’s Native American allies, as well as the Wampanoag chief Massasoit were there. It is not known how they got there, because there is no record of an invitation. This feast is now remembered as America’s “first Thanksgiving” although this is not an accurate term because both cultures have celebrated successful harvests before. The festival lasted for three whole days. This holiday was actually not made official until Abraham Lincoln declared it so in 1863, even though people had what is now known as a Thanksgiving feast many other times. The meal consisted of deer, lobster, seal, corn, shellfish, swan and roasted meat. It also may have included cornmeal, pumpkin, succotash and cranberries. Strangely enough, there was no actual record of turkey, pies or sweet potatoes being served.
Many Americans think that Thanksgiving is fine as it is. They say that it is an amazing holiday for many reasons. Many people love to spend the day with their families being thankful for what they have. Many Americans also love the food. In one article from LindenLink, the author says “Let’s be honest here. We all love our family and friends, but we’re really here for the one time a year when it’s socially acceptable to gorge yourself with delicious food. Not to mention that oftentimes, those Thanksgiving delicacies only show up on that one day a year.”
But others say that Thanksgiving is just a cover for how Europeans came to America and murdered Native Americans and should be changed. A strong argument is that Native Americans helped the Pilgrims survive through the winter, and then the Pilgrims killed them, which is very unfair and should not be honored. Many people believe in this argument. Native Americans have started their own holiday called National Day of Mourning to honor the Native Americans killed. The National Day of Mourning is held on Thanksgiving to protest the way the holiday’s history is being taught and the way the holiday is being celebrated.
This is worth discussing because it is important for people to know the real history and be able to talk about it. So start a discussion with your classmates or go home and talk to your grownup about it because it is important for people to talk about the history of Thanksgiving.
Sources:
https://ideas.hallmark.com/articles/thanksgiving-ideas/history-of-thanksgiving/
https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/first-thanksgiving/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/us/thanksgiving-myths-fact-check.html
https://lindenlink.com/151509/voices/opinion-thanksgiving-best-holiday/
Zombie Flies: Maybe the Flies in Your Kitchen Aren’t That Ordinary...
Lucia, 11/12s
What if the idea of the living dead wasn’t totally fictional? What if, maybe, our planet was actually full of fungus-invaded, brain-controlled, and slightly dead zombie insects? I’m here to tell you that as terrifying as it might sound, our planet has zombies. And just a warning, this article will probably cause extreme paranoia about those pesky little insects that live in your kitchen. I won’t explain everything as graphically as National Geographic did, but the idea alone is pretty creepy.
This nightmare insect is called a fly...well, more specifically, zombie flies. Zombie flies start off as normal flies, discovering ll the mysteries your kitchen holds. But then, this fungus nicknamed the “insect killer” spreads and invades the vulnerable fruit flies blood. What freaks me out the most about this entire concept, is that we don’t even know where this fungus started off! Eventually, the “infection” will conquer the flies’ brain and will begin to actually control it. The fungus will command the fly to climb on a surface nearby and to then stick out its proboscis, which is a straw-like tongue that allows the fly to drink (because it can’t eat solid food). A proboscis has constant suction, so when a fly sticks it out, it becomes stuck to its surface. Now that the fly is stuck, the fungus takes the opportunity to shoot out of the body. It comes out at a speed of twenty miles per hour! Therefore, it’ll probably reach other flies...this means more zombies!
This doesn’t only affect flies, though. The infection can spread to bees, and as painful as their stings are, we need bees! It doesn’t seem like scientists have been able to find a way to stop the fungus from spreading but looking at how advanced our technology and knowledge is, they are sure to find one soon. Overall, the situation shouldn’t petrify us too much. Just know, we’re not sure that this can’t spread to humans...
Sources: National Geographic
This nightmare insect is called a fly...well, more specifically, zombie flies. Zombie flies start off as normal flies, discovering ll the mysteries your kitchen holds. But then, this fungus nicknamed the “insect killer” spreads and invades the vulnerable fruit flies blood. What freaks me out the most about this entire concept, is that we don’t even know where this fungus started off! Eventually, the “infection” will conquer the flies’ brain and will begin to actually control it. The fungus will command the fly to climb on a surface nearby and to then stick out its proboscis, which is a straw-like tongue that allows the fly to drink (because it can’t eat solid food). A proboscis has constant suction, so when a fly sticks it out, it becomes stuck to its surface. Now that the fly is stuck, the fungus takes the opportunity to shoot out of the body. It comes out at a speed of twenty miles per hour! Therefore, it’ll probably reach other flies...this means more zombies!
This doesn’t only affect flies, though. The infection can spread to bees, and as painful as their stings are, we need bees! It doesn’t seem like scientists have been able to find a way to stop the fungus from spreading but looking at how advanced our technology and knowledge is, they are sure to find one soon. Overall, the situation shouldn’t petrify us too much. Just know, we’re not sure that this can’t spread to humans...
Sources: National Geographic
2019 Climate Strike Recap
Julian, 13/14s
Image credits; Curbed, the Verge
Greta Thunberg, a 16 year-old Swedish environmental activist created a worldwide strike where she had all students gather in their neighborhoods. All of this, to attempt to fix a chronic issue, climate change. In New York, elementary school students, high schoolers, college kids, adults and seniors gathered in Manhattan’s Foley Square to fight for their rights and to show that they were proving a point by not being in school.
Greta Thunberg, a 16 year-old Swedish environmental activist created a worldwide strike where she had all students gather in their neighborhoods. All of this, to attempt to fix a chronic issue, climate change. In New York, elementary school students, high schoolers, college kids, adults and seniors gathered in Manhattan’s Foley Square to fight for their rights and to show that they were proving a point by not being in school.
I went with my friends Alex and JP. We began by filing into Foley Square. We walked around and saw how everyone was doing things. We saw some other friends but then stocked up on water. We kept walking around and made it to the middle lawn where people were getting excited by creating chants and enjoying the turnout. That’s where it was the hottest and we had to move out of the way so a boy could get to EMS as he was on the verge of fainting. It was a little nerve wracking but we kept drinking water and pushed through the heat. The NYPD was letting people in at 5 minute intervals. It was a bit confusing why people weren’t moving because at the time we couldn’t see the police barricades. We were filed in and started marching. It cooled down a lot because we weren’t in a packed crowd anymore. Everything moved much faster, so fast that we easily stepped off Broadway, got some apples to munch on and kept marching. We wanted to find some time in AC so we stepped out of the crowd to go to the Oculus, the new mall near One World Trade Center. That was a bust because there was no AC. We marched down to Battery Park, continuing our chants and cheering for the amazing drum band that there was.
Once we got there we ran into a bunch of other friends and we walked around a bit to explore the park. We tried to find a good spot so we could see the stage without shoving people out of the way. After a bit of arguing about where to go, long story short, we didn’t end up being able to see. We heard interesting stories of many people from all around the world. Later, my friend we saw the Smith siblings, Willow and Jaden who performed their top hits but also some songs to advocate for this crisis. People (including us) began to get a bit restless in anticipation of the grand and great Greta Thunberg. Finally, it was time for her to come out. We were beyond excited! Hearing her voice and her astonishing words was quite a delight. Suddenly, the crowd fell silent. It turns out someone had fainted in the middle of the crowd and the greater part of 250,000 people had to make way for EMTs. We listened to Thunberg and the people organizing the event and moved out of the way. If you happen to be concerned about our safety, we were in the shade, so don’t worry. After a long 5 minutes, everything was good. Thunberg continued to talk and everything was back to normal. Another 5-10 minutes, and all I heard was “Oh. We have another situation,” from Thunberg. Suddenly, everything was back to how it was before. Everyone making room for EMT. I find it quite interesting that through the two hours of speeches, nothing happened but when Greta Thunberg spoke for 15 minutes, two people fainted. Well, I hope they’re okay. After it was over, we rushed to the 1 train station to avoid crowds. We relaxed our bodies on the 1 and headed home.
We were so excited to be a part of such a monumental event and if there are any more opportunities we would be more than excited to head out and support this cause which matters so much that our lives truly depend on it.
Once we got there we ran into a bunch of other friends and we walked around a bit to explore the park. We tried to find a good spot so we could see the stage without shoving people out of the way. After a bit of arguing about where to go, long story short, we didn’t end up being able to see. We heard interesting stories of many people from all around the world. Later, my friend we saw the Smith siblings, Willow and Jaden who performed their top hits but also some songs to advocate for this crisis. People (including us) began to get a bit restless in anticipation of the grand and great Greta Thunberg. Finally, it was time for her to come out. We were beyond excited! Hearing her voice and her astonishing words was quite a delight. Suddenly, the crowd fell silent. It turns out someone had fainted in the middle of the crowd and the greater part of 250,000 people had to make way for EMTs. We listened to Thunberg and the people organizing the event and moved out of the way. If you happen to be concerned about our safety, we were in the shade, so don’t worry. After a long 5 minutes, everything was good. Thunberg continued to talk and everything was back to normal. Another 5-10 minutes, and all I heard was “Oh. We have another situation,” from Thunberg. Suddenly, everything was back to how it was before. Everyone making room for EMT. I find it quite interesting that through the two hours of speeches, nothing happened but when Greta Thunberg spoke for 15 minutes, two people fainted. Well, I hope they’re okay. After it was over, we rushed to the 1 train station to avoid crowds. We relaxed our bodies on the 1 and headed home.
We were so excited to be a part of such a monumental event and if there are any more opportunities we would be more than excited to head out and support this cause which matters so much that our lives truly depend on it.
Riley's Curry Sneakers
Darien and Katharine 10/11s
I don’t know much about basketball, but I do know this: everyone deserves the same treatment when playing. 9 year-old Riley Morrison thought the same thing. It all started when Riley and her dad were looking to buy Under Armour Curry 5 basketball sneakers online for the upcoming basketball season. But she couldn’t find any in the girls section, but they were in the boys section. Riley saw the injustice in the situation, so she decided to write a letter to Stephen Curry. See her letter below:
In an interview with Teen Vogue, Riley told the magazine her reasons for writing the letter. She told them it seemed unfair that the shoes were only in the boys section, not the girls section. “I wanted to help make things equal for girls because girls play basketball too.”
Riley’s dad posted her letter online and there was a very positive response from children and adults alike. Curry wrote back saying,“I appreciate your concern. I have spent the last two days talking to Under Armour about how we can fix this issue unfortunately we have labeled the smaller sizes as ‘boys’ on the website. We are correcting this now.”
Stephen Curry also said that he would make sure to have Under Armour Curry 5 sneakers in the girl’s section, he gave her sneakers, promised her that she would be one of the first kids to get the Currie 6 shoes, and invited her to celebrate National Women's Day with him.
The pair of letters went viral. Comments talking about people's similar experiences were posted everywhere. People were practically giving them “virtual high fives.” The response on the internet was huge. “All I have to say is BRAVO!” Perri Konecky wrote for POPSUGAR magazine.
Society has improved a lot since this article was written, but we still have a long way to go . The most important thing is that we keep standing up for what is right and what we believe in, like Riley.
Riley’s dad posted her letter online and there was a very positive response from children and adults alike. Curry wrote back saying,“I appreciate your concern. I have spent the last two days talking to Under Armour about how we can fix this issue unfortunately we have labeled the smaller sizes as ‘boys’ on the website. We are correcting this now.”
Stephen Curry also said that he would make sure to have Under Armour Curry 5 sneakers in the girl’s section, he gave her sneakers, promised her that she would be one of the first kids to get the Currie 6 shoes, and invited her to celebrate National Women's Day with him.
The pair of letters went viral. Comments talking about people's similar experiences were posted everywhere. People were practically giving them “virtual high fives.” The response on the internet was huge. “All I have to say is BRAVO!” Perri Konecky wrote for POPSUGAR magazine.
Society has improved a lot since this article was written, but we still have a long way to go . The most important thing is that we keep standing up for what is right and what we believe in, like Riley.
Update: My search for the Mandarin duck was successful, Alex 12/13s
Manhattan - weeks ago, I wrote an article on the Mandarin duck of Central Park, which has recently become somewhat of a superstar. Tourists and New Yorkers alike flock to the park and camera-bearing birders scramble from one pond to another, all collectively in search of the ‘hot duck’ of New York City. And I, weeks ago, was one of them.
A photo taken during my second expedition.
Two days before my article on the duck was published, I decided to do a bit of investigative journalism - on November 10th, with a good friend of mine at my side, I embarked towards the southeast corner of the park where the duck was rumoured to reside. We trekked from the North Woods, down East Drive, stopping at the Reservoir for a minute, ate, and then finally arrived at the southeast pond after a 2-hour long excursion. Upon our arrival, we examined the pond, and saw a large crowd of phone-wielding civilians clustered near a shore. Cries of wonder could be heard almost 50 meters away. My friend and I sauntered over to the throng, eager to see the duck.
“It’s the duck!”
“Have you seen it?”
“I’ll be damned. It’s that duck.”
“It’s the duck?”
“Yep, that’s it!”
“Where’d it come from?”
Anticipation swelled inside of me as we approached the crowd and wedged our way to the front.
It was a wood duck. My friend and I, when comparing the two on a phone, clearly spotted the difference as people cheered on, proclaiming it to be the famed Mandarin duck. We consulted a birder to make sure.
“It’s a wood duck,” the man said with a rueful grimace, “not a Mandarin one.”
My first expedition was fruitless, and I therefore published none of my findings.
But, on my second excursion, almost a month later, I found it.
On a cold, bright day, my father and I set out to take a walk, and on a whim, we decided to venture back down to the southeast pond. We walked down winding roads, sunny clearings, and 5th avenue, and once again arrived at the pond, to again, a clamouring crowd. I sighed, as I saw no duck. However, the park-goers were not simply shouting over a wood duck. People thronged the bridge over the pond, and exclaimed excitedly, pointing down to the water. Birders, some lain down, their eyes pressed to their cameras, silently snapped photos of the supposed bird.
The legend lived. The duck existed, in all its vibrant, glorious plumage, and elegant grace. It sat on a rock, obstructed by tree branches from my angle. I was in awe once I saw it. I then watched the duck for approximately 20 minutes, eagerly awaiting it to jump into the water or give a flap of its wings to the birders’ delight. But it simply sat, occasionally swiveling its head.
After those 20 minutes, the duck finally plunged into the water, making a sizable splash to gasps from fellow New Yorkers. It resurfaced, and the shores of the pond were crowded with children, men, and women, all fascinated by the creature. It then, in a proud manner, proceeded to lead the crowds from one edge of the crowd to another for about half an hour. By that time, I had taken the photo above. This continued for about 45 minutes. At one point, a tour guide entered and criticized our photography of the creature.
“It’s from east Asia?” he asked, exaggerating his bewilderment, “This is duck trafficking, and we’re all accomplices!”
Finally, after an hour and a half of capturing the duck’s stoll through the pond, my father and I decided to leave. Upon analyzing my remaining phone storage, I discovered that my second expedition had costed me nearly a gigabyte of data.
In the end, despite the claims, the duck wasn’t the perfect role model. He clumsily splashed about, extensively preened himself in public, and, in my opinion, was a bit self-important.
But I’ll admit it. The duck is fabulous.
Two days before my article on the duck was published, I decided to do a bit of investigative journalism - on November 10th, with a good friend of mine at my side, I embarked towards the southeast corner of the park where the duck was rumoured to reside. We trekked from the North Woods, down East Drive, stopping at the Reservoir for a minute, ate, and then finally arrived at the southeast pond after a 2-hour long excursion. Upon our arrival, we examined the pond, and saw a large crowd of phone-wielding civilians clustered near a shore. Cries of wonder could be heard almost 50 meters away. My friend and I sauntered over to the throng, eager to see the duck.
“It’s the duck!”
“Have you seen it?”
“I’ll be damned. It’s that duck.”
“It’s the duck?”
“Yep, that’s it!”
“Where’d it come from?”
Anticipation swelled inside of me as we approached the crowd and wedged our way to the front.
It was a wood duck. My friend and I, when comparing the two on a phone, clearly spotted the difference as people cheered on, proclaiming it to be the famed Mandarin duck. We consulted a birder to make sure.
“It’s a wood duck,” the man said with a rueful grimace, “not a Mandarin one.”
My first expedition was fruitless, and I therefore published none of my findings.
But, on my second excursion, almost a month later, I found it.
On a cold, bright day, my father and I set out to take a walk, and on a whim, we decided to venture back down to the southeast pond. We walked down winding roads, sunny clearings, and 5th avenue, and once again arrived at the pond, to again, a clamouring crowd. I sighed, as I saw no duck. However, the park-goers were not simply shouting over a wood duck. People thronged the bridge over the pond, and exclaimed excitedly, pointing down to the water. Birders, some lain down, their eyes pressed to their cameras, silently snapped photos of the supposed bird.
The legend lived. The duck existed, in all its vibrant, glorious plumage, and elegant grace. It sat on a rock, obstructed by tree branches from my angle. I was in awe once I saw it. I then watched the duck for approximately 20 minutes, eagerly awaiting it to jump into the water or give a flap of its wings to the birders’ delight. But it simply sat, occasionally swiveling its head.
After those 20 minutes, the duck finally plunged into the water, making a sizable splash to gasps from fellow New Yorkers. It resurfaced, and the shores of the pond were crowded with children, men, and women, all fascinated by the creature. It then, in a proud manner, proceeded to lead the crowds from one edge of the crowd to another for about half an hour. By that time, I had taken the photo above. This continued for about 45 minutes. At one point, a tour guide entered and criticized our photography of the creature.
“It’s from east Asia?” he asked, exaggerating his bewilderment, “This is duck trafficking, and we’re all accomplices!”
Finally, after an hour and a half of capturing the duck’s stoll through the pond, my father and I decided to leave. Upon analyzing my remaining phone storage, I discovered that my second expedition had costed me nearly a gigabyte of data.
In the end, despite the claims, the duck wasn’t the perfect role model. He clumsily splashed about, extensively preened himself in public, and, in my opinion, was a bit self-important.
But I’ll admit it. The duck is fabulous.
New York City - On October 10th, Manhattan Bird Alert, a twitter group that tracks and showcases the diverse bird population of New York City, posted a video showing a vibrantly colored duck perched upon a rock in Central Park. Dubbed the ‘prettiest duck in the park,’ the bird was identified as a male mandarin duck, a bird native to eastern Asia. Immediately, the bird caused a ruckus in the city. Lacking an explanation for the bird’s existence in the park more than 5,000 miles away from its native land, New Yorkers became captivated by the creature. Crowds flocked to the park in search of a photograph of the celebrity, and local birders scoured through the pools and ponds, wielding binoculars and notepads.
Theories began to form. Some proclaimed the duck a runaway. They believed the bird had flown from a zoo in New York, as well as from the nearby zoos of New Jersey. More radical thinkers thought the duck to be a pawn of a massive poaching intrigue, like another mandarin duck spotted in Burnaby Lake of Vancouver. However, partly disproving the first theory, the Wildlife Conservatory released a statement which confirmed that the duck was not an inhabitant of any of New York’s four major zoos. In addition, The Central Park Zoo, which, in their tropical exhibit, houses a mandarin duck, reported no missing birds, falsifying the speculation that the bird flew from the zoo to the adjacent pond by the southeast corner.
Days after its discovery, the duck went missing for almost two weeks. Several birders pronounced the duck deceased, most likely eaten by a raptor. However, the bird emerged from its hiding to the city’s reassurance. Birders now predict that the duck may be a permanent resident to the park, as it seems to be in good health and have a decent food source. It will also indisputably excel in mating, and has already been sighted mingling with other ducks.
Since the duck’s surge of popularity and renown, it has been adopted as an icon of the city. Despite its mystifying origins, the webbed-foot friend has been recognized as the glamorous face of Central Park by the internet - on Twitter, where a user created an account for the Mandarin duck, (which has been personified as a handsome, modest duck basking in the cool waters of the park) the bird has been collectively proclaimed ‘New York’s most eligible bachelor.’
Image source: Archy News
News sources: The New York Times, CBC, Wikipedia
Theories began to form. Some proclaimed the duck a runaway. They believed the bird had flown from a zoo in New York, as well as from the nearby zoos of New Jersey. More radical thinkers thought the duck to be a pawn of a massive poaching intrigue, like another mandarin duck spotted in Burnaby Lake of Vancouver. However, partly disproving the first theory, the Wildlife Conservatory released a statement which confirmed that the duck was not an inhabitant of any of New York’s four major zoos. In addition, The Central Park Zoo, which, in their tropical exhibit, houses a mandarin duck, reported no missing birds, falsifying the speculation that the bird flew from the zoo to the adjacent pond by the southeast corner.
Days after its discovery, the duck went missing for almost two weeks. Several birders pronounced the duck deceased, most likely eaten by a raptor. However, the bird emerged from its hiding to the city’s reassurance. Birders now predict that the duck may be a permanent resident to the park, as it seems to be in good health and have a decent food source. It will also indisputably excel in mating, and has already been sighted mingling with other ducks.
Since the duck’s surge of popularity and renown, it has been adopted as an icon of the city. Despite its mystifying origins, the webbed-foot friend has been recognized as the glamorous face of Central Park by the internet - on Twitter, where a user created an account for the Mandarin duck, (which has been personified as a handsome, modest duck basking in the cool waters of the park) the bird has been collectively proclaimed ‘New York’s most eligible bachelor.’
Image source: Archy News
News sources: The New York Times, CBC, Wikipedia