“Love is All Around”

By the TMI Journalism Club

This month, we are highlighting the end of Winter Sports, including the TMI Swim team winning state for the fourth year in a row. Read and learn more about the history behind Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, and 2024 fashion trends!

A Single Girl’s Guide to Celebrating Valentine’s Day

By Bernice Gitiche

Flowers. Sweet Treats. Love letters. Positive affirmations. The bundle of Valentine’s Day gifts and treatments seems like a pleasant reward- at least for those with a Valentine. But relationships often come to an end, people change or lie, and sometimes, the idea of Valentine’s Day can turn into a bitter, pointless fantasy.

However, the importance of Valentine’s Day can be based on something more profound than romantic relationships. It’s a day celebrating love, which comes in all shapes and sizes. So, below are a few ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a single individual. Although the holiday has passed, consider this as a guideline for 2025. 

1. Spend time with yourself. Aristotle once said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” People often mistake being alone for loneliness, but alone time is your opportunity to understand yourself and get to know what you like. You cannot build sustainable relationships with others if you can’t even build a relationship with yourself. 

2. Foster your friendships. Friendships can be one of the most beautiful types of relationships. Plan events with your friends, and make sure they know how much you love them. Building long-lasting friendships not only makes your life more fun but also allows you to grow as an individual.

3. Spread love to others. Whether it’s through volunteering, reaching out to distant family, or mentoring people younger than you, you can spread love to others in various ways.

4. Take yourself out to eat. Who says you must be in a relationship to enjoy a good restaurant? Tale yourself to your favorite place and enjoy some food by yourself or with your loved ones. 

Relationship or no relationship, Valentine’s Day is still a beautiful holiday to recognize the love all around us. As the season rolls around once again next year, take time to notice the love in the air. 

Celebrating Black History Month

By Bernice Gitiche

Black history is a significant part of American history, and this month, we wanted to highlight some of the significant contributions Black people have made on our society. 

1. Music.

Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson; the list goes on and on. There is no doubt that the music we listen to today is a result of Black culture. From the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance to the creation of RRap, Afrobeats, and R&B, Black people have completely elevated the music industry.

2. Fashion.

Many of the accessories and clothing we wear today are contributions of Black artists. Y2K style, nail fashion, and excessive gold jewelry are a few fashion statements introduced by Black culture.

3. Writing and Intellectual Thought.

Black literature has inspired many Americans and encouraged intellectual thought. Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, and Maya Angelou are just to name a few. 

Love Language Quiz 

By Carolina Meneses and Chance Walker

Since it is the month of love, what better thing to talk about than the languages of love? The concept of there being five “love languages” has been around since 1992 after Baptist minister Gary Chapman wrote a book on them. He defined them as ways that romantic partners express and experience love. According to Chapman and many sources online, the five are Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. Most people have one primary and one secondary love language so it’s good to know yours and anyone who you’re interested in, so you can express how you feel most loved and you know how to express your love to them best. 

Words of Affirmation are really just words of encouragement or compliments to your partner, especially when they are going through difficult events. Quality time can be spending time with your partner doing their favorite things and hobbies, or it can be doing something fun for a night. Gifts are pretty self-explanatory, but keep in mind they don’t need to be something you only do on special days with big, expensive gifts. You can give small, meaningful gifts occasionally that will probably be more appreciated because of their genuine nature. Acts of Service is similar to Quality Time, but instead of spending time with them, you spend time by yourself working on something that will give your partner or even both of you time to do more things together or spend time relaxing. This can include helping them with work they are behind or even helping them with chores. Physical Touch is largely what it sounds like. Some people are touch-starved or just want to be constantly reminded and comforted physically, but some people despise physical touch, so knowing where your partner lies is very important. Sometimes, a hug or an arm around the shoulder is just what someone needs. 

Now that you know what they are, go below and take this quiz to find out what you are. Since you have a primary and secondary love language, it is a good idea to understand yourself fully. Have fun!

Love Language Test

Military Ball 2024

By Chance Walker

This month, the Corps had the 2nd biggest event that TMI has, the Military Ball. The Military Ball is a time-honored tradition that the corps has held every year since its founding in 1893. The Ball honors the Seniors who have devoted so much of their time to the program over the years. There were 700 guests in attendance who were comprised of family members, friends, and students. All of the guests had the opportunity to get professional photos done with an amazing photography setup. After that, the dinner started with some videos of baby pictures of both staff and Seniors while Victoria Hughes ‘25 and Thomas Skelly ‘25 MC’d the evening with many hilarious jokes. The Battalion Commander from last year, Carson Moore ‘23, gave a rousing speech to the Seniors. The Seniors were all issued their long-awaited sabers, and Coach Palomo was gifted his very own saber for his years of service to TMI and his accommodating nature with TMI Cadets. The dancing started with a Senior Waltz and a daughter/son father/mother dance after it. Madeline Robles ‘29, then hopped on the turntables as she was the DJ for the night and really brought the house down. It was an amazing night and one of the best Military Balls that I have ever seen.

Sports

Swim Wins State! 

By Mara Flores and Katie Hendrick

On February 13th, the TMI girls’ and boys’ swim teams made waves–for the second year in a row, both teams won TAPPS state championships! The boys won for the third time in school history, and the girls won for the fourth time in school history and the fourth time in a row! The entire team worked incredibly hard for their state win this year, especially senior Emily Kitayama (‘24), who won both of her individual events and has now been an eight-time individual state champion. Additionally, the girls’ 200 medley and 400 free relays brought home championships: the medley relay consisted of Sofia Gonzalez Tabares (‘24), Kitayama, Mara Flores (‘25), and Calista Kelner (‘24), and the free relay consisted of Kitayama, Isabel Gonzalez Tabares (‘25), Kelner, and Audrey Rasco (‘26). Calista Kelner was also an individual state champion for the first time in the girls’ 50 freestyle. On the boys’ side, Aubrey Robbins (‘25) was the state champion in the 100 free and the 400 free relays of Calvin Walls (‘24), Matthew Castaing (‘27), Krish Puri (‘24), and Robbins finished the meet in stellar fashion by also bringing home the gold. Both of these races were new TMI team records, as well as the medley relay consisting of Robbins, Puri, Nick Fritz (‘24), and Walls, which finished second.

It was most definitely a bittersweet ending to the season. Junior Mara Flores shares: “We couldn’t have asked for a better way to close the season, but it’s especially sad this year to see all the seniors go.” The TMI swim seniors will be greatly missed, but the rest of the team knows they will continue to accomplish great things, whether in the pool or beyond.  Congratulations to the entire team and coaches, and good luck to the seniors on their next big journey!   

Golf Team Places in Tournament

By Bernice Gitiche

On Monday, February 5th, the Boys and Girls Golf Teams attended the Regents Invitational and left with nothing but wins. The girls’ team placed 2nd place, the boys placed 1st, and both teams showed significant amounts of discipline and talent.

We sat down with two seniors from the boy’s team, Andrew Fera ’24 and Ryan Erdos ’24, who shared quotes that resonated with the team.

“Success hits different when no one believes in you.” -Ryan Erdos

“Hard work beats talent, but we got a squad that has both.” – Andrew Fera

Great job to both teams and we know they will continue to thrive!

Club Spotlight

World Cultures Club Celebrates Lunar New Year

By Lily Warr

On February 10th, people from all over the world celebrated the Lunar New Year with feasts and family. Our most recent trip around the sun marks the Year of the Dragon, symbolizing power and good luck. The celebrations start on a different day each year, but are always brought in by the second new moon after the Winter Solstice. Every culture has its own traditions, but most families prepare for the festivities by cleaning the home of spirits, which is said to open up space for good fortune.

At TMI, the World Cultures Club shared some Lunar New Year traditions with the community. You might have noticed the red pieces of paper on all the classroom doors. People usually hang them on the entrances to their homes as a symbol of good luck.

You also might have spotted one of the many red envelopes hidden around campus. Those who were fortunate enough to come across one were allowed to trade it in for a traditional Asian treat. The envelopes are usually given to children as a blessing from an older generation of family members.

I spoke with Zerui Gao ‘25, the president of the World Cultures Club, about how it felt to be able to celebrate the Lunar New Year with TMI. Here’s what she had to say:

“It’s really cool! There’s a very big population of international students here who will get to celebrate the holiday. Since Lunar New Year is normally a time for family and friends, it’s nice to be able to bring that sense of home to the dorms.”

Happy Lunar New Year, everybody!

Catching Up with the Cadets

By Chance Walker

For the past two months, the Corps has been preparing for its annual BDI or Best Drilled Individual competition every day in formation. Each Company sent up four individuals to compete, wherein they underwent rigorous testing under the watchful eyes of the S-2, Hannah Jackson ‘24. The runner-up of the Middle School BDI was Romy Kountz ‘29, and the winner of the Middle School BDI was Kissan Ramzan ‘28. The runner-up of Upper School BDI was Austin Thompson ‘26, and the winner of Upper School BDI was Patrick Jaramillo ‘26. This is the single most competitive and highest honor that can be bestowed upon a cadet, so if you see any of these cadets around school, please congratulate them.

Bravo Company Cadet Kisaan Ramzan ‘28 won Cadet of the Month for the middle school, while Charlie Company Cadet Tharun Cheruku ‘27 won the upper school competition.

The TMI Corps Orienteering Team competed in the St. Mary’s University Orienteering Meet at Camp Bullis this month. They were divided into teams in both categories of Novice and Expert and did very well. A special shout out to Cadet Private First Class Andres Santoscoy ‘28, who came in 1st Place as a solo competitor in the advanced category, beating out all the other high school competitors in his category. There was also an all-middle school team that also competed today for the first time in TMI and possibly JROTC history. They will no doubt be a team to beat in the near future.

Looking Ahead 

By Chance Walker

Overview of events happening this Spring! 

• Spring Break – Saturday, March 9 to Sunday, March 17
• Founder’s Day – Wednesday, March 20
• Star’s Over TMI – Friday, April 5
• Prom – Saturday, April 20
• Spring Musical – Thursday-Saturday, May 2-4 – the TMI Theater Program will be presenting a production of Mean Girls

What’s Poppin’
A Dive into Pop Culture

Celebrating Mardi Gras

By Margo Delmer

“The Bacchagator ”

Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a celebration that emerged in the mid-1800s as a party before the beginning of Lent, a forty-day period of austerity in preparation for the Easter holiday in the Catholic Church and other Christian religions. Mardi Gras is commonly associated with the colors purple, gold, and green, representing justice, power, and faith, as seen in the ubiquitous Mardi Gras Flag. These colors are displayed all over the city during the season, running from January 6th, the Epiphany, until Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.

Giant floats, all almost larger than an eighteen-wheeler and brilliantly decorated with giant flowers, lights, painted images, and figures depicting themes of historical and current events in a witty fashion, make their way down the streets. Initially, they were pulled by horses, but today, they are guided by large green tractors to greet immense masses of people who line the streets to watch the Mardi Gras parades. Those who ride in Mardi Gras floats wear crazy costumes, including masks, to hide the riders’ identities and uphold the tradition of secrecy. Riders throw beaded necklaces and an ever-growing array of fun and specific parade-themed items for onlookers to catch, wear, and keep. These throws, as they are known, become a sport to catch. Onlookers will yell, dance, desperately try to make eye contact with, and frantically wave at the float riders when trying to get their hands on anything they can. One parade in particular, Muses, an all-women parade, handmakes bedazzled shoes to throw into the masses. Although the shoes are not to be worn, catching a Muses Shoe is one of the most sought-after prized catches of the Carnival season. Bands from local and surrounding area high schools also march in the parades and are a highlight for the parade watchers, bobbing their heads and dancing as the bands pass by. 

It is a city-wide celebration, the parades being free events allowing all to participate. The ability to create a fantastic atmosphere for celebrants is something that Mardi Gras remarkably accomplishes each year better than the last. Amidst all the havoc Mardi Gras presents, the people have a good time; perhaps that’s why they come back to crowd the streets, line the sidewalks, and cluster on the median year after year. 

Upcoming Concerts in 2024!

By Carolina Meneses

Featured Venues: Moody Center in Austin          Frost Bank Center in San Antonio 

San Antonio Overview, Summer 2024

• Marc Anthony, March 2nd @ Frost Bank Center
• Drake with J. Cole and Lil Durk, March 14-15 @ Frost Bank Center
• Juanes, March 22, @ Aztec Theatre
•  Luke Combs, May 10-11 @ Alamodome
• Luis Miguel, May 11, @ Frost Bank Center
• Stevie Nicks, May 18, @ Frost Bank Center
• Justin Timberlake, May 29, @ Frost Bank Center
• Blink-182 with Pierce the Veil, June 24, @ Frost Bank Center
• Jennifer Lopez, July 5, @ Frost Bank Center
• Peso Pluma, July 17, @ Frost Bank Center
• Zach Bryan, July 30-31, @ Frost Bank Center
• Def Leppard and Journey with Steve Miller Band, August 16, @ Frost Bank Center

Austin List Overview, Summer 2024

• Olivia Rodrigo with Chappell Roan, February 28, @ Moody Center
• Dan + Shay, March 7 @ Moody Center
• PartyNextDoor, March 14 @ Moody Amphitheater 
• Vampire Weekend, April 8 @ Moody Amphitheater 
• Tyler Childers, April 10 @ Moody Amphitheater 
• Bad Bunny, April 26 & 27 @ Moody Center
• Nicki Minaj, May 12 @  Moody Center
• Noah Kahan, June 14 & 15 @  Moody Center
• Tate McCrae, July 17 @ Moody Amphitheater
• Niall Horan, August 3 @ Moody Center
• Kings of Leon, August 14 @  Moody Center

A Not-so-super Bowl: Real or Scripted?

By Mara Flores and Chance Walker

This year, Super Bowl LVIII saw what many viewers deemed the most predictable, disappointing match-up yet: the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. Throughout the first half, many were optimistic as they surely thought the night would end with a 49ers victory, yet the Chiefs caught up in the game’s final quarter, barely securing the last few points they needed to go into overtime. Ultimately, in a last-second turn of events, the Chiefs brought home the win, earning their third Super Bowl title in the last five years. The game ended with Patrick Mahomes cementing his already dominant position in the sport–still sharing his anticipation for yet another win in 2025–and, of course, the couple that seems to be the NFL’s pride and joy, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, sharing a passionate hug and rejoicing in Kelce’s victory together. With all this, the ending of football’s biggest game seems so straight from a storybook (but not the storybook Purdy fans wanted) that it simply cannot be true, causing us to delve into the hot-button question that has been all over social media: Was the Super Bowl indeed scripted?

Scripted – This game was so obviously scripted it was laughable. Simply the fact that the Chiefs even made it to the match the year that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce started dating was in no way a coincidence. NFL players have dated celebrities before; however, this amount of coverage for a couple is something beyond what we’ve ever seen. Furthermore, for their level of fame, they could at least act a little bit better, too. The awkward back pats after the game said all we needed to know: their chemistry is nonexistent. I’ll confess, I was definitely buying into the buzz initially, but the more Instagram posts and Tiktoks I saw of them, the more I felt something was off. After seeing the video of them dancing to Swift’s “Love Story” after the game, though, I was convinced: him turning to her, whispering something along the lines of “babe, the cameras,” attempting to smoothly put on his sunglasses and immediately showering the photographers with PDA…all signs point to PR, and the Super Bowl is just the culmination of that. I mean, the Chiefs clinching their overtime spot AND winning with mere seconds to spare? I think we’ve seen this film before, and we definitely didn’t like the ending. I mean, I’m definitely not a hater: short cameos of Swift should not be what enrages viewers over their Sunday night football. If anything, I’ll leave you with this: Kelce’s jersey sales going up 400% immediately after their relationship was launched just proves one thing–the NFL knows what they’re doing.

Not Scripted – Of course, the game was not scripted. Anyone with half a brain could have written a better script than that game. Everyone knows the underdogs always win; that’s the story of America itself. If the 49ers had won, we would have known America was dead. Another obvious way to tell it was not scripted is by Kelce’s post-game speech. Travis legitimately got up in front of the biggest television audience since THE MOON LANDING and began screaming “Viva Las Vegas,” of all things. The camera, of course, panned to Taylor Swift’s face during this, and the embarrassment was strong on her face. If Taylor Swift is really a government psyop and in control of the NFL, here is what would have happened. Chiefs are down 0-50 at the half, and the camera follows them into the locker room. Kelce gathers the team and tells them that the score doesn’t matter; as long as they play the game the hardest they can and have fun, they can’t lose. The Chiefs come running back onto the field and bring the score up to 44-50 by the last minute of the 4th quarter. Travis Kelce gets an amazing 50-yard pass by Mahomes and runs it another 50 yards while dodging every single member of the 49ers. He scores, and the team storms the field, and crowd surfs Kelce and Mahomes all the way to the stage where Taylor Swift is waiting with the trophy. She goes up to him and lightly slaps him and says, “That’s for almost losing,” and then kisses him and says, “And that’s for winning.” Kelce proceeds to get down on one knee and proposes to her with the Super Bowl ring itself. The scene closes with Mahomes announcing that the Chiefs will go on to win the next 10 Super Bowls in a row. If this terrible, yet still better than the actual game, script was able to be thought up in about 10 seconds, surely the brilliant minds of the NFL could come up with something better than either one. Nope, you can’t convince me that that game was scripted; I simply won’t have it.

The Cop Shop

By Lily Warr

Panther Voices:
Highlighting TMI Opinions and Spotlights

Student Spotlight: Breana Toohey

By Kiara Dwivedi 

Q.  Were you surprised when you won Panther of the Month?
A: Yes, I was definitely very surprised. I wasn’t expecting it. I just came back from pizza announcements, and they started talking about Panther of the Month. Then they say Breana Toohey, and I was like, “Oh my God, that’s me!” Then I started walking up. 

Q. How is the planning for prom going?
A: It is definitely on its way; there’s a lot to do, especially since the venue is very big and we have a lot to plan. But we have a great team of people who are working on that!

Q. Are you excited about the track season this year? 
A: It’s definitely going to be quite a season! This year, we’ve kind of had a small turnout right now, but we’ll get a bigger turnout when winter sports come to a close. We’re gonna have a great year!

Cafe 18 Interview

We interviewed Alma who works at the Cafe, check out what she has to say!

By Soifa Kock and Carolina Meneses

Q: What is the least ordered item?
A: The least ordered item at the cafe is the potato and egg tacos, they don’t order that. 

Q: Do you have any favorite students?
A: I don’t have any favorite students, because they are all the same to me. 

Q: What day of the week is the cafe the fullest?
A:The fullest day is on Monday usually, but other than that it varies, it depends, on Wednesdays is another full day because they sell pizza outside. 

Q: How do you deal with the cafe line?
A: There’s nothing to do but to have patience to just keep telling them to move on and move on, get out of the way, and cool down a minute.  It’s only me working so I have to deal with all of them. 

Q: Are there any new cafe items coming soon? 
A: There’s supposed to be some new stuff coming up I cannot say yet though, but there is some new stuff coming up when we come back from spring break

Walker’s Worldviews:

By Chance Walker

Penny for Your Thoughts

“If shoeshine boys are giving stock tips, then it’s time to get out of the market” is a quote by John Kennedy in 1929 that still applies to this day. 

There have been multiple crashes similar to the Great Depression that affected specific areas of the economy. The 2008 Housing Crisis, the NFT Craze, the Beanie Baby Craze, the Dot Com Bubble, and even the Dutch Tulip Mania of the 1630s are all examples of “Bubbles” in an economy. A bubble is when a large margin overvalues a product or an item of some value. It is sold for prices that are far higher than it is worth. Take the Beanie Babies as an example; they were only little stuffed animals. They could not have been worth more than $2 a piece, and yet the most expensive Beanie Baby, Princess Bear, sold for more than $500,000, an incredible overvaluation of 250,000%. Even the most marked-up product today, text messages that cost the consumer around 20 cents if they don’t have an unlimited plan, is marked up only 6,000%. These bubbles, while almost always temporary, can thus be very dangerous for those who buy into them at the wrong time and very profitable for those who buy in at the right time. 

The company Nvidia, an American semiconductor company that produces 80% of the world’s semiconductor chips, was thought to have been experiencing a bubble in recent months. Recently, Nvidia’s business has shifted from manufacturing gaming chips for laptops to making 70% of the world’s high-end chips used in data-hungry artificial intelligence that every company wants to get its hands on. With the recent AI craze fueled by ChatGPT and OpenAI – which might prove to be an economic bubble in its own right – Nvidia’s stock has climbed by more than 250% in the last year. 

While some of its recent increases can be attributed to similar events in which defense contractors’ stocks similarly rose, like President Xi Jinping’s visit to America in November of 2023 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine back in February 2022, its overall rise began to spark fear and doubt in itself. Many began worrying that its bubble was soon going to “pop.” This became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts when the price began to fall in late February after many began declaring that it would go from $750 a share to an absurd $1000. This fear led to an almost $100 drop in price that led many to begin spreading doom and gloom, but Nvidia released its recent earnings the day after and shocked the world; Nvidia’s AI business earnings had boomed 265%. 

Not only had the worries about Nvidia being overvalued been proven false, but one could argue it was undervalued, especially at the price it fell to. While only time will tell if Nvidia will fall again, the power of AI seems to grow and grow, especially with the insane ask from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. He asked for a $7 Trillion investment in AI chips, which, to put it in perspective, is more than the United States Federal budget. It is also worth more than a trillion dollars than the entire value of Apple and Microsoft, the two most prominent companies in the world, combined. Who knows if OpenAI will live up to the hype, but I do know one thing: if OpenAI goes public, I am buying stock.

Porch Politics

By Chance Walker

These days, it takes an extremely outrageous headline to shock me, and I found just that back in February when I read something along the lines of, “Former President Donald Trump releases $399 Sneakers to pay for legal fees.” Only possible in the insane political scene of 2024, Trump has had such an innumerable number of felony charges and court cases that he has racked up quite a number of legal fees. Not only has he spent $76 million on lawyers for these court cases, but he has also been charged to pay $83 million to writer E. Jean Carroll for sexual abuse and defamation and $355 million in fines after a recent New York court case. In total, this “billionaire” owes more than $514 million to many sources. 

One has to wonder how he will pay for these charges since his billionaire status has grown less and less credible over the years. We saw some early warning signs of this in the Trump NFTs that were being sold almost two years after the peak of the NFT craze, a terrible business move. With this in mind, no wonder this seemingly crazy and Onion-esque headline begins to make at least a little more sense. Trump’s “billions” have been slowly seeping away through his terrible practices as a self-proclaimed businessman. 

He is in such a tight spot financially that he had to sell 1000 limited edition high-top, gold-colored sneakers aptly named the “never surrender” sneakers. Trump also offers a variety of other shoes with the option to buy either perfume or cologne, whose containers are an elegant white dress-shaped bottle with an hourglass figure and a gold cylinder with a gold visage of Trump as the cap respectively. 

Taking all of these factors into account, the fragility of Trump’s campaign is clearly evident. How he will pay his legal fees, other than the million he got from sneaker sales, should be a very concerning question to Trump. Some diehard MAGA Republicans advocate for the Republican National Committee, the organization that helps fundraise for all registered Republicans, to pay Trump’s legal fees, something that would not only bankrupt the RNC but also lead to an immediate and long-lasting decline in Republican power. It remains to be seen whether this will actually occur, but something must be done because every day Trump does not pay his fees, he gains an additional $112,000 in fines. 

How long will Trump be able to dodge the justice system, and how will it hamper his ability to campaign later in the election cycle?

Porch Politics

By Chance Walker

These days, it takes an extremely outrageous headline to shock me, and I found just that back in February when I read something along the lines of, “Former President Donald Trump releases $399 Sneakers to pay for legal fees.” Only possible in the insane political scene of 2024, Trump has had such an innumerable number of felony charges and court cases that he has racked up quite a number of legal fees. Not only has he spent $76 million on lawyers for these court cases, but he has also been charged to pay $83 million to writer E. Jean Carroll for sexual abuse and defamation and $355 million in fines after a recent New York court case. In total, this “billionaire” owes more than $514 million to many sources. 

One has to wonder how he will pay for these charges since his billionaire status has grown less and less credible over the years. We saw some early warning signs of this in the Trump NFTs that were being sold almost two years after the peak of the NFT craze, a terrible business move. With this in mind, no wonder this seemingly crazy and Onion-esque headline begins to make at least a little more sense. Trump’s “billions” have been slowly seeping away through his terrible practices as a self-proclaimed businessman. 

He is in such a tight spot financially that he had to sell 1000 limited edition high-top, gold-colored sneakers aptly named the “never surrender” sneakers. Trump also offers a variety of other shoes with the option to buy either perfume or cologne, whose containers are an elegant white dress-shaped bottle with an hourglass figure and a gold cylinder with a gold visage of Trump as the cap respectively. 

Taking all of these factors into account, the fragility of Trump’s campaign is clearly evident. How he will pay his legal fees, other than the million he got from sneaker sales, should be a very concerning question to Trump. Some diehard MAGA Republicans advocate for the Republican National Committee, the organization that helps fundraise for all registered Republicans, to pay Trump’s legal fees, something that would not only bankrupt the RNC but also lead to an immediate and long-lasting decline in Republican power. It remains to be seen whether this will actually occur, but something must be done because every day Trump does not pay his fees, he gains an additional $112,000 in fines. 

How long will Trump be able to dodge the justice system, and how will it hamper his ability to campaign later in the election cycle?

Storms on the Horizon

By Chance Walker

Nvidia has had not only recent developments in the financial world but also in the political future of the world. As mentioned earlier, Nvidia manufactures 80% of the world’s semiconductor chips, allowing today’s technologically based society to continue functioning and progressing. Having that much control over such an important industry is already a terrifying idea, but it is worse than it seems. One would hope that Nvidia would spread out these epically important factories in only the safest areas to prevent any potential hazards, and yet 90% of ALL semiconductor factories are in Taiwan. 

Yes, you heard that right. Taiwan. The country that is in as tenuous of a situation as Ukraine was before Russia’s invasion. This nation of 23 million people that claims sovereignty apart from China has been an incredibly tense issue since the governmental body of the Republic of China fled to the island during the civil war in 1949 with the Chinese Communist Party. Ever since, Taiwan has claimed it is a country and independent in its own right. At the same time, China has tried to eliminate this narrative by claiming sovereignty over the island, but with mixed results. While only 11 of the 193 UN member states recognize Taiwan, many others, like the US, have unofficial recognition and ties to the country. 

With Taiwan’s surge in economic power through being the world’s leading manufacturer and developer of semiconductor chips, many countries have to approach this David and Goliath geopolitical situation very carefully. While few countries want to fall behind in technological progress, many are wary of risking China’s ire. The US finds itself leaning toward the pro-Taiwan side of this spectrum, which serves as one of the sole reasons China has not undertaken a military operation to retake the island. Even though Taiwan is only 100 miles away from the coast of China, basically right in China’s backyard, the United States’s supreme military might on water keep China back for now. China’s extremely unpopular “nine-dash” line proclamation in 2009 asserted that China has complete ownership of the islands and waters in the South China Sea, which has made many countries in South Asia wary of China and even soiled many relationships. These countries could also come to Taiwan’s aid if invaded, especially the Philippines, South Korea, and Japan, three strong allies of the United States. 

With the fuel behind the Technological and AI Revolution we are experiencing hanging in the balance, everyone has reason to worry. Whether or not China decides to attack in the coming years, tensions are bound to increase as semiconductor chips are vital for AI, whose importance is only growing exponentially. Many in the US, primarily the Biden Administration, have attempted to decrease reliance on Taiwan for these chips by constructing more factories domestically. Still, these factories will certainly never be able to produce the high-end chips made in Taiwan since the developments and inventions are made almost entirely in Taiwan. Only time will tell how powerful AI becomes and how much Taiwan needs protection.

Storms on the Porch

By Chance Walker

One of the scariest and yet most amazing things I have seen recently has been the completely AI-generated videos by OpenAI’s new Sora tool. This tool is insanely powerful, and I recommend anyone reading this to take a few minutes and watch a few videos of what it can do on OpenAI’s website. Not only is it able to generate intricately detailed and amazingly realistic videos that I am unable to differentiate from real life, but Sora can also make videos in any style that exists. 

This development should interest or worry everyone, especially graphic designers and animators. With this tool, the long and arduous animation process can be completed in a fraction of the time by someone with far less training. This could be used by big animation makers like Illumination and Disney to cut costs by laying off employees and instead focus on quantity. 

This, however, is only the least troubling of its applications. Sora could be used to incriminate anyone by making a video of them committing nearly any crime. With no ability to distinguish between reality and fiction, alibis and witnesses become increasingly important. Applications that are perhaps less worrying for criminal issues but still terrifying are their potential to remove all privacy. 

One small example of this was the Taylor Swift deep fakes that were being created and posted on Twitter last month. Since Taylor Swift has a fanbase of more than 270 million followers, within a few days, all content was removed, but not everyone is Taylor Swift. In Egypt, a teenage girl took her life after two individuals generated images of her and sent them to her classmates. Now, it is only time before Sora is released to the public, and anyone can make compromising videos of individuals. No doubt we will see a similar string of tragedies before something gives. Any regulation passed by the government will likely see lukewarm success at best; a total breakdown of privacy and the social order will likely occur to some degree. 

Even worse, with the upcoming 2024 election, one has to wonder where this kind of technology will be. Not only will audio for videos surely have been invented as the field of AI voices has been developing for a while now, but the AI will get so good there might not be a way to tell what is true on our screens anymore. With “fake news” and photoshopped images already straining democracy in our country, what will happen when a dictator gains access to these tools and uses them to justify ethnic cleansing, lie to its citizens, and get away with anything he wants to? 

Where the internet once stood as a beacon of hope and information as well as a way for news to spread instantly, I can easily see it becoming the opposite, with everything we see becoming purely for entertainment as anything might be able to be verified. Every government and social media platform should be dedicating all of their time right now on how to try to minimize the damage from this technology. Perhaps OpenAI is developing a detector for their own videos made through Sora and is waiting for it to be finished before releasing Sora to the public. Still, now that the concept and information on how to do this are out there, it is only a matter of time before a series of bad actors make their own Sora. 

The Social Spectrum

By Chance Walker

By now, most of y’all will have heard of the concept of “brain rot.” For those fortunate enough to be unaware of the term, it is described as “a state of mental fogginess and cognitive decline that results from excessive screen engagement.” It is basically a feeling that the short-form content, whether on TkTok, Insta Reels, or Youtube Shorts, is slowly worsening and causing watchers’ brains to “rot.” This phenomenon, while not medically verified yet, is real and felt by millions of people. It falls alongside similar feelings about “iPad kids” and despairing Generation Alpha and their Millennial parents for their excessive tech use at such a young age. 

There is some danger to youth’s attention spans if all they see online are short clips. How these children will be able to keep an interest in things that take lots of time, like relationships, is an open question. Combining this with the scarily poor quality of reading and general intelligence that many teachers have been reporting about Generation Alpha has led me to start to worry. Many teachers have reported how their students are reading at much lower levels than normal if they can read, that is. How these people will be successful in high school, college, and generally in life is left to be seen. 

In reaction to this, many Gen Z influencers have proclaimed the need for the children we raise to have near-zero access to technology. While a bold claim, it is a sentiment shared among many of the Gen Zers of today, especially as we have to interact with more and more of Gen Alpha. How well our generation will do at this is impossible to know, especially since we have our problems with excessive technology use.

If you are concerned about brain rot, I do have a few solutions. One thing you can do is physically set limits on your phone, whether through ScreenTime on Apple devices, Insta and TikTok internal settings, or through various 3rd party apps on your phone. Some apps will prevent you from opening social media for however long you set it, and there is no way to open it again until the day has ended. You must have enough self-control to set limits for yourself and actually follow through. 

It is okay if you slip and stumble along the slope to self-improvement just so long as you are slowly improving. As one of my favorite characters, Dalinar from the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson was told, “The most important step a man can take. It’s not the first one, is it? It’s the next one. Always the next step, Dalinar.”

Cinema Scope

By Chance Walker

Pacific Rim (2013)

Now, this movie might not have the best CGI in the world, but it is still passable. This movie takes an interesting angle at the classic Kaiju story, like Godzilla or King Kong. It goes with quantity over quality in this aspect, as almost every single Kaiju is indistinguishable from the next. These Kaiju wake from their slumber and start coming from the core of the earth to the surface world through a breach in the ground. Humans have to quickly adapt to these unkillable monsters by creating killing machines. These machines, called jaegers, are enormous and are only pilotable by two people who share a neural link. The strain that it takes to pilot such a massive vehicle with one’s mind would kill most people. The jaegers proved successful at fighting off the Kaiju until a scientist found out that the Kaiju were coming through the breach at a number that is increasing exponentially. He figures out that eventually, bigger and more powerful Kaiju will come through as well and that eventually, a Kaiju will be coming through every minute. A group of jaeger pilots and scientists came together to stop the breach and had to face off against 4 Kaiju as well as a level 5, the largest Kaiju ever seen. After many tough fights, one Jaeger can detonate a nuclear explosion, sealing the breach. This movie is a fantastic piece in the Kaiju vs Mech universe. The Jaegers are really cool machines that have some of the best weapons I have seen in any movie. I recommend watching this movie not only to see how far we have come in CGI but also because it is a great example of humanity’s indomitable spirit. 7.2/10

Ready Player One (2018)

For a movie made in 2018 and set in 2045, this movie seems almost scarily real these days. With the Apple Vision Pro release earlier this year, which look almost identical to the VR goggles seen in this movie, and the Disney HoloTile Floor, our world slowly comes closer and closer to reaching the Oasis, the VR world that the character of this beloved movie live in most of the time. The main character, Wade Watts, escapes his poverty-filled life by stepping onto his omnidirectional treadmill, putting on his haptic gloves, and finally placing his goggles on his head. In the Oasis, anyone can become anything they want to be and do anything they want to do. Wade, along with a crew of devoted Gunters, people who study the incredibly famous inventor of the Oasis, James Halliday, to find three easter eggs and win the challenge, band together against the big, evil corporation, IOI, to let the Oasis exist for everyone. This film is a wonderful glimpse into our future with warnings we would be wise to follow. With surprisingly little in the way of AI, this movie is a fun one to watch, especially if you know anything about tech, the 80s, or video games. Every time I watch this movie, we get closer and closer to its technological level. Other than having amazing ideas and then amazing execution of said ideas, this movie will make you excited for the future and even teach you a little about the history of technology. It is a classic that people will point to in the future as ahead of its time. 10/10

Seedlings of Wisdom: A Visit to the Orchard of Mirth

By Chance Walker and Luke Martinez

Greetings to all at the Orchard of Mirth! Today, we’re showcasing an enchanting rare variety, the Black Diamond shining with its jet-black flesh found only on the windswept Tibetan stepp. We hope you will take these seeds of wisdom and water them with thought, discussion, and meditation to cultivate them into the wisdom you seek. Here are this month’s aforementioned seeds:

1. What exactly is a tool? Are words and actions tools? People? Think about it.
2. How long will it be until humans willingly plug into a Matrix-like entertainment center? What does it mean if humanity willingly goes into the dark night this way? Is it good? Ponder on it.
3. What is war? Is it ever ethical to go to war? Can outside observers ever truly understand what it’s like? Consider it.
4. Cybernetic implants are already available, so how long will humans be trapped in a flesh form? Are people with cybernetic implants still human? Where do you draw the line? Mull it over.
5. If we can no longer distinguish between reality and fiction, what is reality? Who determines reality? Does it even matter? Reflect on it.

Advice Column:
You Ask, We Answer!

Q: Ugh, can someone please tell me why I need to care about calculus? Like, when am I ever gonna use this stuff in real life? Help a sister out; I’m struggling to stay motivated here.
A: No

Q: Hey, um, so, like, what’s the best way to study for finals? I always end up cramming last minute, and it’s kinda not working out for me. Any tips?
A: Cramming is one of the worst ways you can study for finals, as you aren’t actually likely to retain the necessary knowledge and information you want. Starting early is one of the most important steps to studying effectively for finals. It doesn’t have to be a month before, but starting a week, maybe even two weeks before, is best. Next, you want to create a study schedule and study with active learning techniques like flashcards. Using past quizzes and tests is one of my favorite ways to refresh myself on what I need to know, as well as what I struggled with previously. Maintain a positive attitude and have confidence on the day of the exam. Stress and anxiety can negatively affect your performance so practice deep breathing before the exam; you got this!

Q: Could someone explain how to balance schoolwork with a part-time job? It’s becoming quite overwhelming, and I’m struggling to find a middle ground. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
A: Prioritizing tasks and understanding what needs to be done and when is vitally important to finding the balance you seek. Creating a schedule where you can make said list is even more important. Make sure you use your time wisely in school and at work, so if you have time to work on something else during a moment of reprieve, do it! Be okay with saying no. I struggle with this one a lot because if someone asks me to do something or my boss asks me to come in for extra shifts; I have a hard time refusing. Recognizing your limits so you don’t overextend yourself is so important, so try saying no next time. In the end, it is important to remember your goals, whether they be academic success, money, or work experience, and modify your schedule and priorities accordingly.

Q: Dear Advice Column, I’m contemplating joining several clubs next year but am unsure if I’ll overextend myself. How do I choose what’s best for me without missing out on what high school has to offer?
A: Great question! As someone who has fallen into the trap of signing up for 10-plus clubs every year, I know it can be hard to figure out what you want to do. One of the main things I wish I had done was to find out how much they actually meet and do. For some people, joining clubs and sports teams is all about having fun, while others prioritize resume and skill building. Either way, if a club only meets once every three months and never actually does anything other than sitting around and yapping for 20 minutes, it probably is not worth your time. Talking to students who have joined the clubs you are interested in is a great way to find out how much they do; just avoid talking to the leadership, as they usually have a vested interest in exaggerating their club. The most active and prolific club on campus is the Journalism Club; not only do they meet 1-2 times a week, but they also make a whole newspaper every month. If you join the club, you can do as much as you want in terms of writing. Another active club is the Stock Market Club, which meets every week and even goes to competitions. The Spanish Club and the World Cultures Club are both clubs that meet at least once a month and plan large celebrations, usually with food involved. Talk to people to learn more about the clubs you’re interested in, as many fade away after the first few weeks of school.