Global Warming

ddemartino February 2025

By Jack Sullivan

Global warming… Where do I even begin? Is it even a surprise that we are dealing with it? For decades, humans have polluted and laid waste to the earth, did we think there would be zero consequences?

Factories blow smoke from their chimneys, machines corrupt the atmosphere, companies that would rather make profit than show mercy on the very planet they were brought up upon. Not only do we deposit enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, but we also deforest areas at an unprecedented rate. Without trees, there is no way to remove the excess from our atmosphere, which would not be there in the first place if it were not for us.

A common argument people make in opposition to global warming is that it does not really make a difference if the earth is slightly warmer. This statement is completely wrong for many reasons, the main being that global warming has already devastated certain parts of the world, specifically the North and South Poles. Polar bear populations are dropping, and they are dying in a terribly sad way. Due to the rise in temperatures and the ice in the Arctic is melting, literally reducing the polar bears’ habitat and making it harder for them to hunt.

Despite all this, companies still try to shift the blame onto individuals, making people feel as though they are the sole reason for global warming. They tell people that they can make a major difference by choosing not to drive gas-powered cars, when in reality, the companies themselves contribute to a large majority of the carbon dioxide emissions.

Cryptic Visits

ddemartino February 2025

By Alexa Nieves

’I can’t do this, I can’t do this,’ I thought to myself as I anxiously paced back and forth. So many ideas ricocheted off the walls of my mind. Any second now he would walk through those doors. My head pounded as if I was at a rock concert. It took all the strength in me to keep my eyelids from shutting. I finally calmed down long enough to sit in the intimidating chair being advertised in front of me. I attempted to sit up straight, but that quickly became impossible as I melted into the lush chair. The cushions molded to the shape of my body. The seat perfectly caressed me as if I was lying on a cloud. The once dim light now turned into a beautiful part of this ambience. The room slowly went black.

Trump’s Tariffs

ddemartino February 2025

By Lucia O’Dowd

Why is Trump implementing tariffs for China, Mexico, and Canada, and what are their responses?

A tariff is a tax implemented by the government on the import or export of goods and a way for governments to regulate foreign trade and protect American businesses. Often, tariffs are used to advance foreign policy goals and as leverage to negotiate with other countries (Congressional Research Service). President Trump has decided to implement a 25% additional tariff on imports from both Canada and Mexico, and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China. This additional 10% is expected to affect over $450 billion worth of imports. President Trump’s reason behind doing this is to hold the countries accountable for their promise to halt illegal immigration, as well as to stop the importation of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the United States (White House).

The tariffs that the U.S. has implemented have caused other countries to implement tariffs in retaliation. Already, China has responded by implementing a 15% tariff on American coal, and a 10% tariff on crude oil, farm equipment, and certain other vehicles, which took effect on February 10th. Analysts have predicted that there will be a 6% increase to the average U.S. vehicle price as a result of these tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China (NPR).

Tariffs additionally may affect the raw materials of an item, so while consumers may not initially see an increase in the price of an item, overtime the product will likely get more expensive. It can also affect the individual parts of a whole product, and if U.S. businesses purchase certain parts from China to make a product, the price of the item will increase despite it being an American product. Over time, consumers will see an increase in product and a decrease in choices of products to purchase becuase items will become too expensive to import (UC Davis).

Sources

“Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Imposes Tariffs on Imports from Canada, Mexico and China.” The White House, The United States Government, 2 Feb. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-mexico-and-china/.
Wamsley, Laurel. “Here’s How Trump’s Tariffs Could Impact You and Your Wallet.” NPR, NPR, 5 Feb. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/02/05/nx-s1-5284991/trump-tariffs-higher-prices-inflation-mexico-canada-china.
Thebaud, Russell L. “How Could Tariffs Affect Consumers, Business and the Economy?” UC Davis, 18 Feb. 2025, www.ucdavis.edu/magazine/how-could-tariffs-affect-consumers-business-and-economy.
Casey, Christopher. “Congress.” Congressional Research Service, Jan. 2025, crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11030/3.

The Problem With Emilia Pérez

ddemartino February 2025

By Marina Barbarisi

Emilia Pérez is a newly released movie that has made headlines for its’ interesting take on what a movie musical is. The controversial film has been making headlines for its plot, songs, and even cast. A pivotal part of the movie is that it is set in Mexico, and many people said it was not an accurate representation of the culture.  I watched the movie myself—that’s two and a half hours I’m never getting back—and I have to agree.  There were lots of very stereotypical scenes of Mexican culture that seemed out of place.  Also, it did not portray any positive aspects of the culture, especially as the main character was a cartel leader.  With my thoughts seeming to align with most others who watched this movie, I decided to talk to our school’s Spanish teacher, Señorita A, to get the perspective of someone from Central America.  Below are the quotes from our conversation.

In the first part of the movie, the camera zooms in on a mariachi band and they never appear again. Why do you think that is?

I feel that it doesn’t make sense because, as you say, it only approached the mariachi because they are Mexicans and that’s it.  It’s just because they are Mexican and there is a mariachi.  It doesn’t make sense in the context of the movie or it doesn’t have relevant importance.  You only do it because the mariachis are Mexican and the movie is Mexican.

In the end Emilia Pérez used her cartel to help others, so do you think that the story with the cartel was romanticized in the movie or that the movie made it seem good?

I think the film was about romanticizing and trying to see the good points of the cartels because they have money and they can do whatever they want because they are rude.  I think that they wanted to show that whoever is in a cartel has power and power brings money and happiness, but this has nothing to do with Mexico because really if you are in a cartel, you are not happy.  I have seen many cartels in my country and they are always with very strict rules you have to follow.  Even if you don’t have any kind of power, you have to do it, and in the end, you are only the servant of the leader of the cartel.  They are trying to romanticize it by having them say “I have the power so I have money, I’m happy,” but that is not true.

Her overall thoughts:

I think that it is not a good representation because although I’m not Mexican, I’m Guatemalan, I live very close to Mexico and we share a lot of culture.  I think it represents Mexicans as dangerous or dirty people, or in some very grotesque point.  It doesn’t have the good points of Latin America, they just make it look like something bad like most French or American movies that don’t show the culture that Latin America has.  For example, in one of the songs it says she [Emilia] has a bad smell because she smells like the boy’s Mexican dad.  I think it’s not a good representation.

Winter One Act

ddemartino January 2025

By Kaitlyn Benacchio, Isabella Garcia, and Kaitlyn Guevarra

This year’s Winter One Act is Order Up!, which consists of a few stories about what goes on in a restaurant. Auditions were held on January 14th, and the cast list is yet to be announced. There are two performances: March 13th at 7pm and March 15th at 2pm.

What It Was Like to Audition

Hello! I’m Kaitlyn Guevarra and I will be performing in Order Up! I auditioned for the role of Charlotte, a renowned romance novelist who went on a date with someone who sadly is not what he seemed online. As I am currently writing this, I am not sure if I was casted for the role, however I am still excited nonetheless! Auditioning was fine. I went into the Kpac and gave it my all auditioning for the Theatre Studies 3 & 4 classes.

A Brief Mention of Some of the Characters

First off, the main character in Order Up! is Sammy. She is a long time waitress at the restaurant.
Next is Charlie. He is a new trainee, and he always tries his best in the restaurant.
Steven is next. He is the manager of the restaurant.
Then, Jordan. She is the daughter of Gordon Ramsey.
Next are Leonardo and Ricardo. These two brothers cook at the restaurant together. Although being a comedic duo, the two fight over Susan, the head chef at the restaurant.
Then is Claire. Claire is a college student who wants to drop out of school because she wants to be with her friends. Her mother is very fashionable. She only wants what is best for her children.
Brian is Claire’s brother. He is also a college student who plays baseball. He, however, truly wants to be an actor, but his father wants him to have the same experience he had.
Then is Charlotte. She is an award-winning romance writer. She meets Jerold through online dating, but Jerold is not exactly what he looks like in real life compared to his profile.
Finally, Hudson and David are a duo that call themselves the “Worst People Ever”. Together they complain about food.

Wicked

ddemartino January 2025

By Kylie Blackwell

Wicked took to the big screen on November 22, 2024. With lead actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the movie quickly became a hit. It sold over $527 million in the box office. Clearly the movie is a success, but is it good? As a fan of the original Broadway show, I am ready to answer.

The movie took my breath away. The $150 million budget truly brought all of Oz to life. The costumes particularly fascinated me because of the detail and care dedicated to the clothing. The costumes are an important part of Wicked because of everything they represent. For example, Elphaba’s hat represents her losing her insecurities and breaking out of her shell. Specifically the dress that Glinda wears to the Ozdust Ballroom was simply breathtakingly beautiful. The movie perfectly adapted the costumes as well as the settings. From the university of Shiz to the Emerald City, everything was made intentionally and beautifully.

The casting also helped bring Oz to life. Cynthia Erivo’s voice and Ariana Grande’s acting truly brought the show to life. It is evident that the people cast in this movie poured their hearts into these roles. The original Broadway cast of Wicked are some of the most talented people in the world, and it couldn’t have been easy for them to live up to that. Personally when I heart that Ariana Grande was cast as Glinda, I was skeptical, but she ended up being my favorite in the film. Despite the mental and physical strains that likely came with this filming process, the cast was amazing and certainly lived up to the expectations.

Now what I didn’t like was the length of the movie. I appreciated going into more depth on the relationships and characters, but it was the songs that bothered me. In almost every song, they would break for a scene. Dancing Through Life took 13 minutes which ruined a bit of the enjoyment of the song. The worst case of this was the last song, Defying Gravity. This song is originally meant to build until the big finish. This was always such a beautiful song with so much built on it, but they interrupted the song to add mostly unnecessary scenes. At the very end of the song, Elphaba sings her big finish, but in the movie they added in more lyrics that were slow. This ruined the flow of the song and made her big finish less impactful.

I genuinely enjoyed this movie, and I think it’s a wonderful adaptation of such a beloved musical. I wish they changed a few things, but overall I enjoyed it. I’m extremely happy with how it came out. If you haven’t seen it, I would greatly recommend giving it a watch.

S.A.D.

ddemartino January 2025

By Ana Haggerty

A lot of people find that there is this sort of slump we get into that starts a little bit into fall and ends around when winter ends. Well, it’s not uncommon. It’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or S.A.D. It is a type of depression that is also known as seasonal depression.

The most known factor contributing to this sudden change of mood is less daylight. A lot of people simply brush it off and ignore it. We just think “Oh, maybe it’s just a funk” or “Ehh, it’s whatever.” When in reality it shouldn’t be brushed off so easily. You should notice when your mood changes and find ways to feel better than you would otherwise. Light therapy and antidepressants are two things people do, but doing things that make you genuinely happy are also great steps.

Why do we get it around this time of year? The reason for that is simple; the days are getting shorter and there is less sunlight. There is a link to the shorter days and a chemical change in the brain that causes that sort of sadness we feel. When it gets dark out, our bodies just naturally make melatonin, so when we have more melatonin at an earlier time, we start to feel really tired. This tiredness is like a snowball, and it grows and changes as it goes along.

Another factor to S.A.D. is your own circadian rhythm. With the change in amount of daylight in the days, your circadian rhythms gets messed up. Your body’s internal clock needs a reset. This off inner clock can cause you to feel off. Sleeping enough and at the right time is a good way to help yourself.

A big cause is having other forms of depression and mental illness as well as family history of it. Location and where you live can also affect you. The farther from the equator you are, the more people tend to have it. Vitamin D intake impacts it too, most don’t have enough during the winter which makes sense because of the less sunlight. S.A.D. can also lead to some other not so fun issues such as problems at work or school, suicidal thoughts and/or behavior, social withdrawal of retracting into your little bubble, and lastly other mental illnesses (including eating disorders, anxiety, and other forms of depression).

Notice if your friends aren’t acting how they usually do. See if something is off with them. Talk to them, communication and understanding help. Even if it’s just asking them how they are, it can help them not go to extreme measures.

Mental health and physical health are connected. Stay healthy and do what is best for you!

Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-melatonin/art-20363071

The Golden Globes 2025

ddemartino January 2025

By Alexa Nieves

The Golden Globes is an annual award show which honors excellence in film and television. The winners are revealed during a live telecast. The first ceremony was hosted in January 1943, so it has now been going on for 82 years! This year was especially interesting though because it was hosted by Nikki Glaser who was officially the first female to host the show alone! There were also a number of incredibly talented actors and singers who won.

The trophy is a golden globe statue wrapped in a film strip. It costs $800 to make! This award show is know for its light and convivial atmosphere, usually featuring memorable orations and milestones from celebrities. This often includes drinks and more spontaneous moments. One powerful speaker that really stood out was Demi Moore. She delivered an emotional, impactful speech to express her gratitude for her win for The Substance. This was the first time she has won anything major as an actor, so it was definelty a monumental moment for her. She encouraged young women to never give up and always keep trying when it comes to their dreams.

In contrast to other award shows, the Golden Globes has a few unique aspects. Specifically, unlike the Oscars, this ceremony commemorates both television and film successes. This honored event combines different elects to make it a remarkable event for the entertainment industry.

The biggest piece of news revealed at this event was probably Zendaya astonishingly showing up to the Golden Globes with a huge diamond on her left ring finger. Reporters and fans have been conspiring that Tom Holland proposed to her! This was a very big deal for the supporters; however, the couple have always kept their relationship private so nothing has yet been confirmed. They have been dating for nearly five years though so it is a very big possibility.

This award ceremony has given so many celebrities their moment to shine and get the recognition they deserve! The Golden Globes is known for acknowledging international and domestic film productions. It is portrayed as glamorous and luxurious. The trophies given out help change so many celebrities’ lives!