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The importance of self-appreciation

Shraavni Patankar
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Last year was tough. But despite it all, you survived it! Over the past two years, we have been through so much that has truly affected both our mental and physical well-being. Therefore, to begin the new year, I wanted to make a blog that focused on prioritizing ourselves. There are countless things that can be appreciated on a daily basis. For example, the clothes on your back or the friends and family with which you surround yourself. However, one aspect that is often overlooked is ourselves. While it is important to be grateful for everything that we have, it is also important to show appreciation towards ourselves and all the things we are capable of doing. Therefore, in this blog, let’s talk about some ways that you can truly appreciate and reward yourself.

Why is self-appreciation crucial?

Self-appreciation allows us to improve the perception we have of ourselves. By doing so, we can increase our confidence, self-esteem and so much more. However, appreciating and respecting ourselves doesn’t just affect our view of ourselves, it can drastically impact our lives. It gives us the ability to hold ourselves taller, to achieve better results in all aspects of our lives and most importantly, to be a better friend, sibling, cousin and more! Therefore, taking the steps to appreciate yourself can truly make a difference in all aspects of your life. Now, let’s cover some ways that you can appreciate yourself more!

1. Be accepting

I have covered this in a previous blog. However, acceptance is an important skill to learn. There will always be a time where we may feel pressure to succeed or to meet the standards that somebody has set out for us. However, acknowledging and accepting ourselves and the work that we have done is crucial. Oftentimes, if we cannot accept ourselves and our accomplishments, we will begin to seek acceptance from others. This will almost always lead to disappointment, frustration and more due to the unattainable standards that someone else predetermines for you. Therefore, accepting yourselves and the version of yourself staring back at you in the mirror is crucial for self-appreciation.

2. Surround yourself with the right people

I cannot stress this enough, but surrounding yourself with people who motivate you and inspire you to be your best self is crucial. The people you surround yourself with truly have an impact on your thoughts, your actions and so much more. Therefore, finding the right people is vital in changing the way you perceive yourself.

3. Invest in yourself

Another important aspect of appreciating yourself is investing time into your health and well being. Eating foods that nourish not only your body, but your soul and working out in any way that you like, is crucial. Putting time into these things will build the appreciation and respect you have for your body and all of the things it allows you to do.

4. Be positive

Whether you are faced with adversity or simply trying to motivate yourself, it is crucial to remain optimistic. One part of appreciating yourself is being your greatest supporter. Therefore, no matter the situation, you have to encourage yourself and practice positive self-talk. By doing so, you will have a positive outlook and will only grow your self-confidence. 

5. Take breaks

Life can be stressful or frustrating at times. Therefore, it is important to give yourself a break. While it is important to push yourself, it is just as important to give your body time to rest. This can mean giving yourself a self care day or simply getting a full night’s sleep. Regardless, these breaks will allow you to appreciate yourself and ultimately, improve your performance in many aspects of your life. 

6. Reward yourself

Another significant part of self-appreciation is rewarding yourself. Whether it is a big achievement or a smaller one, rewarding yourself will help you acknowledge the hard work you have done and motivate you to keep going. Rewarding yourself can be done in countless ways. For example, my favorite way is to buy a new book that I can enjoy reading! Regardless of the way you choose, rewarding yourself is a crucial aspect of self-appreciation. 

 

That’s it! These were a few tips that you can utilize this new year to build your self-appreciation. I truly hope that these tips helped remind you to appreciate yourself and all that you care capable of!

 

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An Entertainment Recap Of 2021

Daniyal Sait
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Like any other year in history, 2021 wasn’t ideal. But I’m not here to talk about everything that may have been rough – in fact, this article does quite the opposite. Despite everything, 2021 created many great memories that will stay with our generation in particular for a very long time. Even in suboptimal times, entertainment has a way of bringing light into people’s lives, whether through movies, TV shows, music, sports and beyond. These contributions to pop culture often turn out to be the things that stay with people for decades. Every year has its “iconic” moments and productions, and 2021 was no exception.

Movies

When comparing both the earnings and ratings of certain movies, there is often some conflict. In fact, the respective lists for 2021’s highest-grossing movies and highest-rated films have significant differences. So, rather than ranking the “best” movies of the year, here are some of the most notable movies of 2021, in no order:

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Dune

Encanto

Tick, Tick…Boom!

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Black Widow

No Time To Die

Don’t Look Up

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Jungle Cruise

TV Shows

Similar to the above list for movies, here are some of the most notable TV Shows that either came out in 2021 or released new seasons sometime during the year:

Squid Game

Outer Banks

WandaVision

Maid

Loki

Cobra Kai

Hawkeye

Panic

Ginny & Georgia

Big Shot

Music

It’s an arduous task to summarize an entire year of music into a brief list of songs, artists, or albums—personally, I don’t know where I’d start. With that being said, here are the top 10 Songs of 2021 based on Billboard’s 2021 Hot 100:

  1. Levitating – Dua Lipa

  2. Save Your Tears – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande

  3. Blinding Lights – The Weeknd

  4. Mood – 24kGoldn Featuring iann dior

  5. Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo

  6. Kiss Me More – Doja Cat Featuring SZA

  7. Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)

  8. Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo

  9. Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X

  10. Peaches – Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon

Sports

In comparison to the lists above, the information below is much more fact-based. While evaluating the best of movies, TV shows, and music often relies on opinion, the sports outcomes of any given year are pretty definite. Unless you’re talking about 2004, because in that case, the puck did in fact cross the line and contrary to popular belief, the Calgary Flames were the 2004 Stanley Cup Champions. But that’s a story for another day—here are the 2021 champions of the sports world:

2021 Stanley Cup Champions: Tampa Bay Lightning

2021 NBA Champions: Milwaukee Bucks

2021 WNBA Champions: Chicago Sky

2021 Super Bowl Champions (Super Bowl LV): Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2021 World Series Champions: Atlanta Braves

UEFA Euro 2020 Champions (Took place in 2021): Italy

2021 Grey Cup Champions (108th Grey Cup): Winnipeg Blue Bombers

All in all, 2021 was an amazing year in terms of entertainment. It’s impossible to capture everything in one article, but I hope this reminded you of some nice memories created this year. If 2022 has a similar level of entertainment in store for us, then we’re in for a treat.

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Cyanide’s Probably Not That Bad For You

Laiba Nasir
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There’s a culture that exists, especially in a place like Canada, that you need to be consistently active in social justice. You must be working constantly to try and make the world a better place, or you’ll be labeled as a “bad person”. Whether that to yourself, peers, or colleagues. The biggest issue I find with this is the amount at which you’re supposed to be helping. There’s a very simple saying I learnt in my 9th grade science class.

Nothing is harmful to you in small quantities.

By itself, this sounds incorrect, the first instinct I had was to question my teacher, with something like “won’t a little bit of cyanide or rat poison kill you”. All she had to respond was that there’s a quantity of those things that also won’t kill you. She then went on a tangent about being careful with what we consume. The lesson does stand true though, but I find it applies more to the humanities aspect of things, instead of science. 

The more and more we try to advocate and change the world, the more of a toll it takes on our mental health.

To prove this, we can look at someone like Greta Thunberg, who is a solid activist, being bullied by people over and over about her beliefs, her policies, even the way she looks or dresses. She can’t escape this because she’s a public figure. But even she takes mental health days, to step back from activism and lives her life as a teenager.

Sometimes, we try to save the world, but we destroy ourselves in the process.

I’m pleading with you here, even if you’re not that involved in things like advocating, an overdose of anything hurts your system, take mental health days, take time off, and live your life in the balance that’s best for you. Society will always have very high expectations, but there is absolutely no requirement for you to fulfill them.

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Lying with Statistics

David Shao
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Lying with Statistics

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.

Mark Twain wrote that in 1907. And over a hundred years later, it still seemingly holds true.

There’s something disarming about numbers—something irrefutable. Statistics: “the most objective, analytical form of evidence anyone can give”—so people say.

Statistical evidence can make for compelling arguments. Yet it’s also, consequently, a type of evidence that many frequently abuse—in attempts to portray a situation in a skewed light.

Not all statistical findings matter. And when statistics are used improperly, statistical lies emerge. Here are just a few key factors to consider when approaching a statistical finding:

Procedure

The fundamental methodology used by researchers has to first be valid for any statistical finding to matter. More generally, however, this can be linked to the credibility of the research. Results that have been peer-reviewed and published, for example, are less liable to errors in methodology. This is a first check on any research finding: the reliability of the source of the information.

Statistical Significance

Perhaps more valuable is the statistical significance of a result.

The use of statistics in any type of research, whether it be sociological surveys or microbiology experimentation, is done in order to generalize some statistical finding to a broader population.

Researchers may choose a random group of individuals to survey in order to test a hypothesis. This could be, for example, an opinion poll before an election. The sampled voters are surveyed and the results are extrapolated to the entire population.

Due to random chance, however, the sample may poorly reflect the population, leading to an inaccurate statistic. Therefore, statistical significance can only be confirmed if some pattern in the data is unlikely to be due to random chance. A conclusion can only then be drawn, and even then, any findings are probabilistic in nature. Statistics is unable to prove a given conclusion; it can only support it.

Thus, in certain cases, particularly in informal research, the results may simply not be accurate to the population and the conclusion may not actually hold true in a more general setting.

Effect Size & Presentation

Effect size has a lot to do with how researchers and others ultimately present the results to an audience. In many cases, even if a result is statistically significant, it may not matter much on a larger scale. A small effect size could still be presented in a way that exaggerates the importance of that finding.

What’s important is to place the results in their proper context and evaluate a statistic based on external information. A 1% difference could either be worthy of note or not important  at all depending on the context. Similarly, the selective presentation of certain statistics and the exclusion of others can also impact how something is perceived.

These potential places for statistical lies arise fundamentally due to a limited scope of information. It’s clear that a singular figure or set of data is not enough alone to draw conclusions, whether personal or academic.

In the end, it might be apt to tell people to distrust statistics. After all, it is quite sneaky. But that would be a disservice to a tool useful in almost every field imaginable.

The best advice overall, perhaps, is to just avoid taking whatever we see as fact—even when it comes in the form of numbers.

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Sugar Cookies: An Amazing Holiday Treat!

Pareen Cheema
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Have you ever wanted to bake some delicious cookies? Every holiday season, it seems customary for many people to spend time doing fun activities, such as baking. As you can see, the holiday season is the perfect time to prepare desserts with friends and family. But if you are like me, baking can be a difficult task. Therefore, if you want to try baking this holiday season, try this quick and easy sugar cookie recipe!

Ingredients:

I have baked these cookies with my family a couple of times. But, after many moments of trial and error, I think I’ve finally figured out the perfect recipe. Not to forget that when I used this recipe, I was able to make around two batches of cookies. Before I get to the instructions, listed below are the ingredients you will need.

  • 1 egg  (make sure it is beaten so the cookies don’t crumble afterwards)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup of unsalted butter ( I microwaved it for 30 seconds to soften it beforehand)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar (You can increase/decrease the amount of sugar depending on your liking)
  • 2 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
  • Extras: Sprinkles, colored sugar, or icing

Preparation:

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 190 degrees C. After that, take a large bowl and stir together your dry ingredients, which is flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Then, set aside that bowl.

Step 2: Once again, take another large bowl and mix the butter and sugar. I highly suggest that you first soften your unsalted butter to create a liquid consistency. Then, gradually mix in the sugar until the mixture is smooth. After you are done, mix in the egg and vanilla extract into the same bowl. Once you are done, mix these ingredients with the dry ingredients from step one. Remember to mix carefully while slowly putting in the separate ingredients to maintain consistency. Your final dough should not look chunky.

Step 3: After you’ve mixed the ingredients properly, for which you may use a blender, scoop the teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Then place them onto cookie sheets. I put some oil on my silicone cookie sheets beforehand so that the cookies don’t stick, but that is up to you. Remember that the dough will significantly expand in the oven, so at times less is more.

Step 4: Finally, bake the cookies for 10 minutes in the preheated oven or until they are golden. I had to bake mine for a little over 10 minutes, so the time may vary. You can then garnish the cookies with sprinkles, icing, or any other toppings you choose. Enjoy!

Conclusion:

In the end, you should have delicious sugar cookies that are slightly crisp on the outside and chewy inside. These sugar cookies are perfect when watching movies, spending time with friends or family, or just something to keep you occupied. Maybe try them out before the New Year or whenever you feel like escaping the cold weather outside. I hope you found this recipe quick and easy to make and attempt it for the holiday season! Have fun baking!

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Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You.

Bhavani Potdar
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While in high school, you may be faced with the decision of choosing your career or finding your so-called “passion.” But when you are so young and naive, it is hard for society to expect you to make such a hard decision.
While struggling with this myself, I came across a book called ‘Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You.’ You might have come across this book before as I had briefly mentioned it in my list of book recommendations. But the book offers such insightful information that it’s worthy to dedicate one full blog post to this book.
Be So Good they Can’t Ignore You is a book by Cal Newport that talks about passion and how to choose a career. He debunks the well-known advice of ‘following your passion’ and interviews a lot of people who are satisfied with their job and tries to find the reason that they are happy or found the work they love. Turns out, it is not their passion that leads them to be satisfied but rather the notion that these people worked hard in their jobs, and have become so capable in the career they are pursuing that they become happy. In other words, they have become so good that individuals can’t ignore them and that in turn leads to job satisfaction and success  (skills trump passion).
Over the course of the books he introduces 4 key rules for you to follow:
1) Don’t Follow Your Passion
2) Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You
3) Importance of Control.
4) Think Small, Act Big. (Importance of Mission).
So the next time you feel stuck with the hard choice of picking a career, always remember that not everyone has one set passion and can have many different hobbies and passions. But in the end, the amount of effort and work you put into the career you’re pursuing becomes the criteria of job satisfaction.
Sources 1/2/3/4

A Train’s End

Sally Wang
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Short Descriptive Story

The ear-piercing sound of the explosion shattered the universe and shook the Earth’s ground. The fire tore the train to pieces and blasted all parts of the engine in different directions. The train let out screams as if it was slowly drowning in pain, almost as if the fire was seeping away its life and energy, slowly torturing it. The raucous, metallic shriek echoed across the flourishing landscape, birds fluttered their wings unsteadily and covered the snowy sky with their silhouette. The snowstorm hit the echo with its icy howl and each snowflake worked together to melt the fire sparks. 

A big wave of white smoke came rustling out of the broken down vehicle and painted the landscape behind it a cloudy white color. Seconds slipped away, the train slowly shrunk down like a deflating balloon and eventually collapsed. The atmosphere grew silent and all you could hear was the sound of oil dripping from the train’s engine like a raindrop on a window. The railway no longer carried the familiar train, only pieces of metal and burnt waste were present. 

Mist swirled around the broken train, covering it up like a comfortable blanket. The chilly mist began to spread, the train was now hidden beneath it like an untold secret, as it completely disappeared into the cloudiness. As minutes passed, the mist began to rise, reaching towards the night sky and stars. It spiraled away from the gleaming structure and the moon shot down its silver glow. 

The train was now different.

The once tarnished train glimmered under the moonlight, its various dark colors flickered in the dark sky. Everything went quiet, time had stopped just for the world to envy its beauty. Seconds passed and life started to move again. The drizzling sound of the dripping oil mixed in with the squeaks of the small animals, the light sound they produced serenaded the late-night atmosphere. 

Tiny snowflakes began to glitter in the starry night sky like the millions of stars up in the unknown universe. Snowflakes danced in the wind like professional ballet dancers as they slowly started to pile up and cover the train. The train swiftly hid under the carpet of snowflakes like a hibernating animal and completely disappeared from the outside world.

The train was now at rest. 

How Khan Academy introduced a new way of Educating

Iman Alvi
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Chances are if you are a high school student living in Canada, or really anywhere in North America, you have at least once heard about Khan Academy. Whether it was because you were fruitlessly trying to understand the recent lesson on organic chemistry, or simply reviewing (or cramming) for a math test the day after, Khan Academy’s collection of videos can come in handy for anyone. 

For anyone who does not know about Khan Academy, or simply wishes to learn more, it is a non-profit organization focused on accessible education for everyone. It provides free video tutorials and interactive exercises for a wide range of subjects, ranging from simple addition to an in-depth look into the carbon cycle. The organization even declared its mission was “changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education to anyone anywhere.”. To this day, they have not disappointed. 

Originally a hedge fund manager, Salman Khan created his first video to help his young cousin with her math. With three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard, Khan found he was able to create short, informal lessons very quickly using something as simple as the Yahoo Doodle notepad. He quickly amassed a large following on Youtube and started to even receive financial support from Bill Gates’s charitable foundation, once the man found out Khan’s videos were helping his son learn. In the present day, Khan Academy has a dedicated professional staff headed by the founder with contributions coming from Google as well as the Elon Musk Foundation. It has a growing number of volunteers who lend their expertise to create lessons in new subject areas, continuously improving and updating their videos and website. 

Salman Amin Khan, known as Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy

Khan Academy now has thousands of videos posted so internet users can fill in almost any of their “gaps” with the content on this site. While the lessons were conceived primarily for distance learning, they are also suitable for use in the classroom. The tutorials themselves are informal in style and simply organized for building knowledge on one concept at a time. Many of the lessons are even delivered as electronic backboard talks by someone who has a definite passion for their topic. The topics are made in easily-digestible 10-20 minute chunks, specially made for the purpose of learning by a computer rather than being a longer video of a conventional “physical” lecture. The videos have a conversational style of teaching that serves as such an antithesis to what is typically associated with math and science instructions. Not only that but because of this style of teaching, students can learn at their own pace from anywhere with internet, as opposed to strictly a classroom setting. These slight distinctions are what make Khan Academy such a precious resource to so many students. 

If my own word is not enough, there have been multiple studies that have discovered that Khan Academy produces a higher positive effect on student math performance (which is the subject that the organization first created videos for) than other comparison groups. The Academy is even associated with increased Accuplacer algebra test scores and higher course pass rates. 

This is a style of teaching that has only recently been explored upon during the lockdowns, in which schools across the world shut down, and learning was moved online. Despite this, Khan Academy has been popular for years and has been helping students for even longer. The mission of the organization is a noble one, and it is one that I and many other students across the country are grateful for. 

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

– Nelson Mandela

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Sources: [1]/[2]/[3]/[4]/[5]

3 must-watch studio ghibli movies

Lucy Choi
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If you want to watch movies considered aesthetic, dreamy, and beautiful artistry, I recommend the Ghibli Studio movies. Studio Ghibli is known for the high quality of its film-making and classical soundtracks. It helps the audience empathize with the film better. Here are 3 Studio Ghibli movies that I highly recommend.

1. Spirited Away (2001)

It is a story about Chihiro, who tries to save her parents with her friend named Haku. It’s an adventure with Haku by changing her identity to Sen. There is no boundary of creativeness through the movie. It shows the high quality of art and helps audiences immerse themselves in the mythical story. Experts said, “Spirited Away shattered preconceived notions about the art form, and also the film created a connection between Japanese culture that resonated deeply with audiences around the world.”

As proof of this film quality, it won “Best Feature Film” at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival and won the 2002 Academy award for a best-animated feature film. Also, it ranked 2nd for highest-grossing anime films worldwide. 

The OST of Spirited Away called “Always With Me” is very popular with its melodic and calm sounds. It is originally a song sung by Youmi Kimura, but the piano version of the song is more popular as it has a beautiful melody.

 

2. Howl’s Moving Castle

It is about a love story between an 18-year-old girl named Sophie, cursed by a witch into an old woman’s body, and a magician named Howl. Through the adventure, Sophie learned how to love being herself and taught audiences moral lessons. This movie also has a well-known popular OST called “Merry Go Round Of Life.” This lyrical song makes the audience immerse themselves in the film. It is one of the most commercially successful Japanese films in history. “Howl’s Moving Castle is not only a kid’s animation. It is a film for any age that can pull heartstrings and teach essential life lessons.

3. Kiki’s Delivery Service

It is about Kiki, a young witch who has flying ability. She moves to a new town, and the film shows her adventure with her loved ones. Anime director Miyazaki said this movie portrays a gulf between independence and reliance on teenage Japanese girls. It also teaches you lessons that failure is the inevitable part of the creative process and shows the importance of having fun in life.

The movie review site called “common sense media” says, “Kiki’s Delivery Service is an ideal film for the entire family. Unlike some of his other movies that feature some potentially frightening characters or disturbing scenes, this film is a sweet coming-of-age adventure.”

A classic soundtrack of Kiki’s Delivery Service called “A town with an ocean view” is famous for its melodic and mystical sounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4LrW5f4dyc

Other than these movies, Ghibli films are well known for their soundtrack. As celebrating the 25th anniversary of Studio Ghibli, Joe Hisaishi and his orchestra performed famous soundtracks of Ghibli films. It is wonderful, so I highly recommend you to listen to it.

Ghibli movies aren’t just for kids, and they can resonate with all ages of people and teach all ages of people life lessons. I would say Disney is a movie that gives you a chance to see the future in the fantasy world as a child, and Ghibli is a movie that gives you a chance to be in warm old memories as a grown-up. So I hope you enjoy your winter with warm Ghibli films.

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image sources: (1) (2) (3)

 

Euthanasia: The Right To Die

Sally Wang
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Euthanasia, originally came from the Greek word “well/good death,” became a complex topic ever since it was first brought into this world. Many debate the topic of “the right to live” vs “the right to die. ” But what exactly is Euthanasia and how does it affect the basic rights of an individual?

Euthanasia: What Is It?

When a individual is constantly suffering from great pain, doctors or a third party may choose to perform Euthanasia. This requires the injection of a lethal drug into the blood streams to stop the heart from beating. Euthanasia is a complex process and includes several types depending on a variety of factors (e.g. level of consciousness, illness).

Two Types of Euthanasia:

Active: Directly bringing someone’s life to an end without the permission of a witness

Passive: Described as withholding treatments of the patient. Has an existing intention that death will occur sooner or later. 

Legalization of Euthanasia?

In past few years, much talking of Euthanasia has been surrounding our world and many controversies has been formed. Some may argue that every human being has control over their own body, even when it comes to ending their life to eliminate the unbearable pain. While others conclude that having a third party end your life is considered a murder crime, therefore, its not legal. 

 

Pros and Cons of Euthanasia:

Pros:

  • Gives every person the right to die with dignity

Euthanasia allows the individual to decide their final life destination and gives them the right to shorten their lifespan to step away from the pain. 

  • Reduce pain and suffering

It’s not inhuman to make individuals endure their pain from the illness. Euthanasia will help them feel revealed by ending their life. 

  • Healthcare equipment’s and costs

As the population of this world increases day by day, healthcare services will always be limited. Instead of suffering for weeks or months in the hospital, Euthanasia is able to help the individual die in peace. The equipment and space will also be able to be transferred elsewhere to a patient that really requires it. 

Cons:

  • Religious beliefs may not be respectively valued

The world is filled with various perspectives that are born from various religions and cultures. Certain religions have strict values with life and death theories. It may be viewed as an ultimate sin against God or the creator of this world. Even without the factor of religion, taking your own life is greatly disagreed upon across many parts of the world. 

  • Euthanasia gives the third party too much power

Allowing a third party to physically kill a individual gives them great power which may be misused during some occasions. Expending this mistake will mistaken Euthanasia as a dangerous murder tool.

  • Euthanasia has a risk of not delivering the desired result 

An experiment stated that out of the 1,857 people who chose to take Euthanasia, only  1,179 received a positive experience. 7 people regained consciousness afterwards and 1 person survived while still fighting the pain of their disease. 

Case of Euthanasia:

“No Evil In His Act”

Carson City District Attorney, Jason Woodbury, dismissed a murder charge against William Dresser, a elderly man who shot his paralyzed wife in the hospital. 

“I didn’t view there being any component of evil to his act of killing,” Woodbury said. 

Jason Woodbury showed evidence that William Dresser’s wife begged to be killed in order to escape the pain and suffering she was going through. After two weeks of her hospitalization, her husband bought a gun from a nearby  pawn shop. During her sleep, William Dresser gave her a kiss and shot her on the chest. He tried to take his own life afterwards, but the gun was jammed and he couldn’t perform the act. 

“William Lyle Dresser killed his wife, but he is not a murderer,” Woodbury wrote. “He saw his wife suffering with no hope of improvement, facing a short existence not remotely resembling a life she cared to live. So he ended that life. And he ended that suffering.”

In Conclusion:

Every individual has their own personal beliefs and ideas, and every situation is unique. Giving people the right to choose their final destiny should be taken into consideration. But the laws within this world should still not be forgotten. Some may hope to end the pain while others choose to hope for a miracle. Euthanasia is all about the opinion of a certain individual and how they decide their chosen path. 

Sources:

http://Euthanasia: Right to life vs right to die (nih.gov)

http://Pros and Cons of Euthanasia: Learn Everything! – HealthMed.org

http://7 Important Euthanasia Pros and Cons | Flow Psychology

https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2015/06/19/evil-act-da-seeks-drop-mercy-killing-murder-charge/29006263/

http://Don’t say euthanasia: Supreme Court judgment is more about giving people the power to stop futile treatment (indiatimes.com)

The Study of International Relations: A Crash Course pt. 2

Lara Mylde
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Without ado, let’s get into the second instalment of this international relations crash course. Click here for part one – you’ll probably want to give that a read first.

Marxism, aka “Hey Guys? I Think We’re Being Exploited Question Mark? We Should Probably Do Something About That Question Mark? Gee I Sure Hope We Don’t Do Something Drastic.”

For all the attention this one gets from the media etc., you’d think that good ol’ Marxism deserves a blog post of its own. Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: Marxism is not the same as communism. It’s the basis for it, and is the reason why Marxism has had such a profound effect on our society, but Marxism as an IR theory runs much deeper than that.

As you probably know or have surmised, Marxism was pioneered by a guy named Karl Marx, a 19th century German philosopher. If I had a nickel for every time Karl Marx was kicked out of a European country in some shape or form, I’d have three nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened thrice.

Maybe less weird, however, if one considers the incendiary nature of his thoughts. Marx was not alone in these; he made many friends among other exiled socialists he met along his path to what may at this stage be tantamount to immortality as a historical figure.

So what exactly did he believe? Marxism is the idea that history is driven on a fundamental level by class conflicts, and that this never changes. It was a reaction to the deepening disparity between classes during the Industrial Revolution (grade 10 social studies, anyone) and a criticism of the emergence of capitalism at the time. The rich (the bourgeoisie) get richer; the poor (the proletariat working class) get poorer.

In terms of international relations, Marxism does not primarily concern itself with nations or states; rather, it advocates a view of the world where class conflict is the only thing which matters. Marxism believes in open borders between nations, and collaboration between the proletariat of each individual state to overthrow the rich. If the primary mode of interaction between actors with realism is conflict, and that for liberalism is cooperation, then that of Marxism is exploitation. That exploitation is the problem Marxism seeks to solve.

Another important aspect that one should examine with regards to Marxism and international relations is historical materialism, which argues that historical changes in social structure stem from material and technological conditions rather than ideals. This is the basis for how he wishes to solve the problem of exploitation. After all, the ultimate goal of Marxism—an aspect which differentiates it from other IR theories—is not solely to interpret the world, but to change it. Marx’s central idea was a battle cry; a call for a revolutionary approach, for the workers of the world to unite and rise up.

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I said I would do a few theories today, but according to the consensus of my classmates in the IR course I took this semester, the final three theories this series will cover kind of all go together, so I’ve decided to group them together for structure’s sake. I guess Marxism really did get its own post!

Tune in next time for the third and final part of this series, featuring constructivism, aka “The DIY/Self-Help Book Of IR Theories,” and a couple of theories focused on popular social justice issues. This was one of my favourite units of the course, so I hope you’ll join me in wrapping it all up!

A House of Gucci Review

Hannah Kuipers
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I recently watched a movie in a movie theatre for the first time in two years. Yes, it’s been two years. When I was on my exchange in Europe I lived in a small town where none of the movies had English subtitles, and when I got back everything was closed due to the pandemic. So before everything shuts down again due to the new variant, I watched House of Gucci at Landmark Cinemas. This movie is based on the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, by Sara Gay Forden. It depicts the story of the Gucci family, and the events leading up to the murder of Maurizio Gucci. 

The movie has an exceptionally famous cast, which includes people like Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci, Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci, Salma Hayek as Giuseppina “Pina” Auriemma, and Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci. In spite of this, there have been mixed reviews. Its run time is 2 hours and 38 minutes, so let’s dive in. 

The Actual Story

The Gucci fashion house began as a luxury luggage brand founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci. He opened his first shop in Florence in 1921, where he sold fine leather luggage and accessories. It soon turned into a family business when his three biological sons, Vasco, Aldo, and Rodolfo, and his one adopted stepson, Ugo, began working with him. When he died in 1953, shares of the business were left to his biological sons. This created high tension and full blown rivalries between the brothers. Rodolfo Gucci died in 1983, leaving his son Maurizio a majority stake in the company. He thought Aldo’s approach of championing the mass production of Gucci products cheapened Gucci’s identity as a luxury brand, so he spent the majority of the 80s trying to push him out of the family business through legal battles. By 1989, Maurizio had succeeded in taking control of the company, however, by 1993, Maurizio’s excessive spending and the company’s outstanding debts forced him to sell his 50% percent stake to the business’ investors, ending the Gucci family’s ownership and control of the brand.

Throughout this time, Maurizio Gucci also had many personal problems, which were unraveling in the public eye. Maurizio and Patrizia got married in 1972, after two years of knowing each other. This caused a rift between him and his father, Rodolfo, as he thought Patrizia only wanted him for his money due to her low social standing. Later, when their daughter Alessandra was born, they all reconciled. The couple also had another daughter, Allegra, who was born in 1982, but despite that they had numerous issues. In 1985 Maurizio announced he wanted a divorce from his wife, and in 1994 it finalized. He still paid his ex-wife 1.5 million dollars per year in alimony. He also planned to remarry to his girlfriend Paola Franchi, but he never got the chance as he was murdered by a hitman at age 46. 3 years later Patrizia was convicted of hiring the hitman to carry out the murder, and she spent 16 years in prison.  

How the Movie Portrayed the Story 

“Father, Son, and House of Gucci”

Lady Gaga’s famous quote from the movie, which blew up on multiple different social media platforms. This introduced people to the new film, and before it even came out, people had many different opinions. In an article written by the New York Post, it criticizes the accent of Jared Leto, especially when he says “Does an elephant s–t in the jungle?” Writers say “he might as well have said, “It’s-a me, Mario!” because his performance is a stereotypical joke.” They also disapprove of Gaga’s and Hayek’s performance, and overall say that “The abysmal Gucci would get a better grade, perhaps, if it were a term paper titled How to Make the Assassination of a Famous Person Boring.” The Gucci family also came out with a statement about this movie, saying “The production of the film did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci — president of the company for 30 years — and the members of the Gucci family as thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them. This is extremely painful from a human point of view and an insult to the legacy on which the brand is built today.”

There are also many good reviews about this movie, like the one by Roger Ebert, where he says “If “The Godfather” and “Succession” had an ostentatious lovechild, it would look something like Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci,” the master’s sweeping yet wildly imbalanced rendering of the titular and celebrated fashion empire’s scandalous history, full of backstabbing, betrayal, greed, and even murder.” Personally, I enjoyed the film. Maybe it was the excitement of being back in a movie theater, but it’s definitely not the worst movie I’ve ever watched. I did think it might be a bit boring, considering how long it is, but surprisingly, it kept my interest through most of the movie. There was a great balance between suspense and action, with a passionate love story thrown in between. The only things I will critique are the ending, and the character of Maurizio Gucci. Adam Driver is a great actor, but I feel his character is written much too nicely. Yes, he did suffer an awful early death, but most of the blame is placed on Gaga’s character Patrizia. I thought Maurizio was a nice guy sucked in by love, but in the film he did betray his family, cheat on his wife, and forcefully take the company from the others, following the advice of Patrizia even though he divorced her because of it. The ending also felt like a cop-out. It is understandable that the directors would not want to make the movie any longer than it already was, but it was almost a let down from the built up suspense of the movie. Maybe it’s just me, as I’ve never liked movies ending in an explanation of the characters life, but as someone who did not know the story going in, I barely had time to process the murder of Maurizio before Patrizia sat on the stand and received her sentence. 

Overall, I do think it is worth the time to watch this movie, especially because the actual story is super interesting, and with writing this I learned something that I didn’t know before. 

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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Shraavni Patankar
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Like every family during the holidays, my family has certain traditions that make the holidays feel complete! One of these traditions is baking cinnamon rolls while watching holiday movies. As a result, I have practiced and developed my cinnamon roll making skills over several years. Today, I want to share this recipe with you so you can make it for your loved ones. The recipe that I use was developed by Tasty and can be watched by clicking this link. Otherwise, continue reading!

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups warm whole milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

5 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp kosher salt

Filling: 

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup softened unsalted butter

2 tbsp cinnamon powder

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese

2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

4 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

  1. Mix together the warm milk, granulated sugar, melted butter in a large bowl. (Important: make sure that the milk is warm, close to body temperature. Otherwise, you will kill the yeast). Give this a mix before adding in the yeast. Let the yeast activate for 10 minutes.
  2. Add in 4 cups of the flour and incorporate it using a spatula until a wet, sticky dough has been formed. There might be some lumps in this batter, however, that is not a problem. Cover the bowl with a wet kitchen towel and proof this dough for 1 hour until is has almost doubled in size.
  3. To make the filling, mix the softened butter, cinnamon and brown sugar into a bowl until well combined.
  4. Butter 2 9-inch pans or any other pans that will be used to bake the cinnamon rolls.
  5. Once proofed, remove the covering from the dough and add the remaining cup of flour, baking powder and salt. Dust your hands and a clean surface with some flour and begin kneading the dough. Knead for approximately 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and bounces back when poked.
  6. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 1 cm thick. Note: make sure the edges and corners are sharp to aid in the rolling process.
  7. Using a spatula, spread the filling onto the dough in an even layer.
  8. Starting from the shorter side of the rectangle, roll the dough. Making sure to close the seam by pinching it. Place the roll so the seam faces down.
  9. Using some dental floss, begin cutting 8 cm thick rolls. After all rolls have been cut, place in the buttered pans and cover. Leave in a warm place for 35-45 minutes until doubled in size.
  10. Place in a 350˚F (180˚C) oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
  11. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting. Using a whisk, mix together cream cheese, vanilla extract, milk and melted butter until combined. Slowly begin adding in the powdered sugar until a smooth consistency is achieved.
  12. Once the rolls are golden-brown, take them out of the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes.
  13. While warm, drizzle the frosting over all of the rolls, making sure to coat all surfaces.
  14. Enjoy!

That’s it! I have been using this recipe for years now and every year, I always get some amazing cinnamon rolls! I hope that you try this recipe out and love it as much as my family and I do!

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Sources: 1

Barbados Bades Bye-Bye!

Laiba Nasir
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On November 30th, Barbados celebrated its independence. Not from a dictatorial governmental unit, but rather, from the monarchy. After 400 years of being under English rule, Barbados is now a free state. It was finally able to elect a president instead of having the Queen as their head of state, making Barbados a republic of its own. These actions are incredibly similar to the United States in 1776, but with less bloodshed. However, this sparks an intriguing question: why did it take so long for Barbados to get its independence?

 

The first piece of history we need to note is that there were a lot of people who were enslaved and taken from Barbados. These people were forcibly ripped away from their environments to work in the cotton industry, or served as servants and maids all without pay. They were all treated as work animals. These injustices plagued the population of Barbados for years, meaning the country’s population was greatly reduced. The more people involved in something, the bigger change you are able to make. This is the first deciding factor of why it took longer for them to gain independence.

 

The second factor is what we’ve been discussing throughout “The Tempest”. The idea of colonialism through two lenses. The first being about the people. We dehumanize the people who are native in order to look superior or feel superior to the residents of the land that we are not a part of. This “us vs them” mentality often forces us into actively trying to colonize and convert these states. The second lens being how we value land in terms of power. The bigger and more impactful your area of rule is, the more powerful you are. When the British were doing their conquests to the New World right before they massacred the people there, they were looking for power. The wealth that came from beyond was what fueled their economy for decades. The fact that Barbados was aggressively colonized for these factors is the second reason they weren’t able to gain independence until now.

 

The island’s relationship with monarchy to this point had been about slavery. It was the relationship between the oppressed and the oppressor. When the citizens of Barbados were celebrating, and Prince Charles made an appearance, there were major calls for him to be uninvited because of what the royal family had done. This highlights a major part of colonization, the urge to continue to be nice to the oppressor. This is nothing short of Stockholm Syndrome on a higher skill. These smaller nations were forced to be nice to Britain for the last 400 years, and they actively can’t stray from that model because they don’t know how. Pleasing Britain was a major part of their society, and they continue to perpetuate that in their norms.

 

This reveals something major: the effects of colonization last longer than just the period of colonization. The fear of British rule continues to exist in Barbados, the fear of the government continues to exist between the Indigenous people and Canada’s government. The role of the oppressor versus the oppressed will always continue to be a relationship in which the oppressor benefits because of the deep rooted effects of colonization.

 

When speaking about my own opinion, I strongly believe Barbados needs to take a harder stance against the monarchy for the time being. Even if they continue to be in the commonwealth, they need to distance themselves from the royal family to try and repair the relationship between the government and its citizens after years of abuse. The harder the stance, the more that Barbados is able to show that it no longer tolerates the monarchy.

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My Top 6 Must-Watch Holiday Movies

Shraavni Patankar
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Like every family, mine has certain traditions that we complete every year. One of those traditions is gathering around the TV and watching Christmas movies while the smell of cinnamon buns fills our home every December. As Christmas comes to a close this year, I wanted to share some of our favorite holiday movies to keep you and your family in the holiday spirit all month long. While many of these are classics, each one of these movies holds a special place in my heart.

1. Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch

The Grinch (2018) - IMDb

This movie follows the Grinch and his loyal dog, Max who plan to steal Christmas from their neighbors in Whoville to finally put a stop to their cheers and holiday celebration. While there are many remakings of this movie, including the 1966, 2000 and 2018 versions, my favorite will always be the 2018 version. The comedy, music and most importantly, animation are completed beautifully. Therefore, this Christmas classic is my favorite holiday movie and a must-watch!

2. Elf

Elf - Rotten Tomatoes

Who could forget the iconic spaghetti breakfast scene in this movie? This heartwarming tale is about a boy who sets off to New York City to find his real father after being a misfit amongst the elves in the North Pole. This Christmas movie is a true comedy that the entire family can enjoy and definitely one that should be at the top of your list.

3.  The Legend of Frosty the Snowman

Legend of Frosty the Snowman (2005) - | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie

This Christmas classic is a truly wonderful movie to watch with the family at this time of year. Following a snowman who has sprung to life and the children that have made him, this movie is a tale of magic as the children race to save their new friend from melting! This movie is one that I have grown up watching and one that instantly gets me in the holiday spirit!

4. Home Alone

Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (TV Movie 2012) - IMDb

The Home Alone movies are some of my family’s favorite movies to watch at this time of year. While there have been 6 Home Alone movies that have been released so far, the 2012 Home Alone: The Holiday Heist is my favorite. This movie never fails to make me laugh and is truly one that encompasses comedy, family and the holiday spirit in a wonderful manner! This movie is a must watch for this holiday season!

5. The Princess Switch

The Princess Switch (2018) - IMDb

These 3 movies starring Vanessa Hudgens are another one of my favorite holiday movies. While the plot of each movie is different, my favorite will always be the very first Princess Switch. This Christmas rom-com follows the story of a duchess and her doppelganger who switch places and get a glimpse into each other’s lives. Thanks to the comedy, the setting and of course, the charming characters, this movie is one of my favorites!

6. Christmas with the Kranks

Christmas with the Kranks Bilingual: Amazon.ca: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, M. Emmet Walsh: Movies & TV Shows

Initially, I watched this movie by myself as a way to pass time during my winter break. However, this movie was one that had me in tears after laughing so hard. This movie follows the experiences of a couple who decide to spend their Christmas on a cruise rather than completing their usual Christmas traditions. Not only does it make you truly laugh, but it is one that can bring the entire family together!

That’s it! These were 6 of my favorite holiday movies that you must watch this December! Please share some of your family’s favorite holiday movies in the comments and have a great winter break!

 

Sources: 1|2|3|4|5|6

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