Political Cartoon

Agony Aunt

Dear Aunt Tim Yan,

I have many close friends in my school. We all have unlocked lockers in our PE locker room. My friends feel quite comfortable to take things from my locker—my school uniform shirt, my coat, my deodorant—and use them. I don’t mind, but I wish they would put the things back where they found them. I have received two discipline slips because I cannot find my uniform shirt. What can I do to get them to respect my property and my need for “boundaries?”

–Frustrated in Ferikoy

Dear Frustrated,

It sounds like you are in a very aggravating situation. A lack of respect seems to be going around amongst your friends, and you are being punished for the irresponsibility their actions. My advice would be to tell your friends how you feel regarding the borrowing of clothes and such. Be honest with them and give them “boundaries”. You might even try putting a note on your locker just to remind them, for it seems like it has become a habit for your friends to just leave your personal items lying around. If this does ot work try talking to some teachers about it and get them to make some rules regarding this issue.

Dear Aunt Tim Yan,

I recently moved to Turkey. I feel isolated because there are few American families here, and I do not speak Turkish. I home-school my kids, so we don’t have many opportunities to meet other foreigners. It has been five months, and I still can't get over the culture shock. I spend my days cooped up with my kids, unable to do the simplest things. I can't seem to live up to my husband's expectations, and he has become quite critical. This is hurting our marriage. Please help me before I go crazy.

— Agonizing in Ankara

Dear Agonized,

It sounds like you are carrying a large burden. You feel very isolated and secluded from the society you know and incapable of accomplishing anything. To add onto that your husband has not been encouraging you. You might want to send your children to an international school so you can get to know more American families and learn and be encouraged by them. I would also advise you to consider going to language school and also try to associate with your Turkish neighbors, this way your language skills will grow and you will be able to accomplish tasks more effectively. Also talk with your husband. Be open with him and share your struggles with him. As husband and wife you need to stick together and help one another. If your marriage continues to deteriorate then you should go see a marriage counselor.

Dear Aunt Tim Yan,

My husband and I are raising four beautiful children. Our oldest daughter, age 15, has admitted to us that she has been drinking alcohol at parties on weekends. She says she never gets drunk but always has one drink because "everyone else is doing it" and she doesn't want to look "weird."

My husband and I never drink. Alcohol is not served in our home. Our daughter is an honor student and never has caused us any trouble. She says we should appreciate her honesty and not be angry with her. How should we handle this?

— Beside Ourselves in Bebek

Dear Beside Ourselves,

Your situation is a challenging one. Raising a teenager has always been difficult requiring patience and great wisdom. Your daughter is definitely going through peer pressure and is struggling to feel accepted. However what she is doing is against your beliefs and is not actually legal. It is damaging to her health and can possibly affect negatively in her future. You need to deal with this situation calmly and understandingly. You really should appreciate her honesty and tell her so, but some measures must be taken to discourage her from drinking. It would help if you educated her on this subject and showed her how detrimental drinking can be to her health. Do not aggravate her, just show her how much you care.

A utopian novel

A structured society, a culture where secrets cannot be harbored, a civilization where perfectionism counts, where sameness is pursued, where choices are limited, this is a utopia. This world takes place in the futuristic setting in Lois Lowry’s enchanting novel: “The Giver”. This fantasy explores the importance of individuality and the value of experiencing both pain and pleasure.

"The Giver” is a story of an eleven year old boy, named Jonas who lives in this utopian society. As he enters the twelfth year of his life he is assigned the job as the Receiver of Memories, a very rare and respected job within the community. The Receiver of Memories holds all memories of the past so the people do not need to experience pain, suffering, and other feelings. The occupation involves the former Receiver of Memory, The Giver, to transfer memories to Jonas. This gives him a new awareness of his community; he finds that the utopia he lives in is actually a dystopia. As a result it leads to an internal conflict within him as he struggles to accept the rules and customs which have been implanted in his world. He finds the inability to share his newfound knowledge with his community very frustrating. As the novel progresses he tries to the best of his ability to present his realizations to those around him.

"The Giver” is a very interesting and memorable story. It has a very unique storyline which investigates society and its downfall. Lowry published this book in 1993 in the height of political controversy over ethical and social family issues and discrimination versus identicalness. The expression of such controversial yet very important ideas caused many to react in outrage and ban this novel. Parents did not want their children to be exposed to such realistic issues, reflecting the protective streak in the dystopian community. Lowry has woven a story revealing the downside of our society; she has also emphasized the importance of individuality, memories, and the relationship between pain and pleasure. These themes which Lowry highlights to readers are ones which all can learn from.

Lowry’s novel “The Giver” is definitely a book no one should miss out on reading. This is a book classified as science fiction and a fantasy but those who are interested in society will also enjoy this story. Despite the fact that this novel has been censored, it is a work of art in the literary world which is interesting and a novel which all can learn from.

Fantastic Facts From Facebook Feedback Form

81% of the people we surveyed at the school have a facebook account. This global phenomenon is addicting and time consuming yet continuously growing. Facebook is greatly used around our school despite the numerous disadvantages. From the data we gathered we saw some very interesting trends.

From the data collected from the survey, a correlation was seen with age and the usage of facebook. Everyone surveyed in tenth grade had a facebook account. The people who spent the most time of facebook were 8th-10th graders. This may be due to the fact that those in the higher grades are starting to have to make school more of a priority. Some teachers seem to think so. 1/3 of the teachers surveyed did not have facebook. One staff member even wrote “NEVER” on their survey. The fact that the middle age group spends so much time on facebook may also be due to the fact that this age group uses it for both the social network and other functions on facebook such as games. It also seems as though the main reason people use this social network is for the one on one chatting and convenient conversation. When asked what one would use if facebook did not exist the majority choose texting /chatting/MSN. Overall the features most used in facebook were to write on peoples’ wall and to look at and post photos. This seems to show that the main reason people got facebook is to keep in touch with others. Under the list of advantages, contacting people whom you lost touch with and keeping connecting with people came up the most. The reason why such a large number of people from our school have a facebook account may be due to the fact all of us lives overseas and have the need to keep in touch with others.

Overall one would think that facebook is a very advantageous phenomenon, but from the data we collected, the list of advantages only outweighed the list of disadvantages by five. One of the greatest disadvantages of facebook is the time consuming aspect of it. Many feel addicted to it and feel that facebook is a distraction. It consumes a lot of their time, especially when the computer freezes. One comment was "I believe kids can do better in school and sleep earlier if there's no Facebook!" This poses the question if grades will actually go up if facebook did not exist. It is also very possible kids will find a substitute for facebook. One of the advantages people listed the most was the fact that it provided a convenient way of communication, keeping in touch with those overseas for free and see what everyone is up to.

This world-wide phenomenon has so many disadvantages and advantages. Does one outweigh the other? Which should be the priority, socializing with those around us or school?

Facebook

Facebook is a network which is used by everyone around the world. Some love it and some hate it, but most people hold mixed feelings. Like everything, facebook also has its advantages and disadvantages.

The positive side of using facebook is the fact that one can keep in touch with friends who live somewhere else, this is especially useful for those who live overseas and have friends from all over the world. This free network enables you to know what is going on in their lives in a very general way.

Some people may dislike how non personal facebook can get. They feel as the “friends” they have on facebook do not actually care enough to personally write to them. Some may argue that this is now the culture of the world where everything is quick and short. A short status or comment can fully explain something. Is facebook encouraging this culture which some have come to detest?

Facebook has also been seen in a bad light over the years. One of the greatest disadvantages people find in using facebook is that they face the risk of exposing their personal details to others. Experts who support facebook argue that there are numerous privacy settings. Some dislike the exposure they face to things they do not necessarily want to know or see. But the greatest argument is the addictiveness of using facebook. Many realize that using facebook is a great waste of time, but they feel that they cannot stop due to their addiction.

Facebook is a great network which has served to keep many people in touch and it has also served to provide a large range of information. But this great amount of information has also caused many to waste their time in front of a computer.

Lucky Save

Two boys nearly drowned by the pier yesterday, before they were rescued by a passer-by.


A group of young boys were fishing by the pier when, a great wave swept over them. “Tony lost his balance and just got dragged into the sea.” said Tony Slater’s friend who tried to rescue him. Alan Boyd then recounted what he did.

“I didn’t think; I just jumped in to try to help him.” Unfortunately the current was very strong, and pulled the fifteen year old boys under the water. The boys were good swimmers but could not compete with the strong wave.

What was meant to be a rescue, turned out to be an additional accident. “When Alan jumped in, he grabbed hold of me, but I could soon tell he was in trouble too.” commented Slater.

Thankfully, another lad, Mark Stebbings, saved the two boys. He was just passing by when he saw the two lads in trouble. As a trained lifeguard working at the local swimming pool, his instincts kicked in and he "didn’t think twice” about saving them.

"It was just sheer chance that I happened to be there at the time I don’t normally go to the beach at this time of the year,” said Stebbings. The two young boys are indeed very grateful that their lives were saved, even if it was “chance”. "I owe him my life,” said Slater

This accident attracted great attention. There were many eyewitnesses, who recalled the situation as "frightening." Joy Revel added, “My boyfriend ran to phone for help.” Shortly after the call arrived, the ambulance and police arrived on the scene. The boys were taken to the St Margaret Hospital to be treated for injuries.

“We do not suspect any foul play” commented the officer, after questioning a few eye-witnesses. However some are still worried about the safety of the pier. Mrs. Slater insists, “It’s time the council did something about the pier. It is not safe for fishing. There should be a sign to tell people it is dangerous” The police are now investigating whether the pier is actually a safe place to fish.

SAT 3

The sweets in the candy jar sitting on the shelf looked very inviting. Reaching out he took one piece from the jar. Meanwhile a small voice inside him urged him to put the piece of candy down. He ignored it. He saw that no one was looking, and ran for the door and out the shop. As he ran the voice seemed to grow louder and more accusing, his feeling of guilt increased.


Our conscience is a very powerful thing. It is shocking how much the small inner voice inside of us can create such a great impact upon ourselves. Nonetheless, I do not believe the conscience is a more powerful motivator than money fame or power.

When one looks around the world today, hunger, hopelessness, poverty and pain are constantly seen. All these things result from corruption and selfishness concerning money or power. Yet throughout this, our conscience always tells us what to do, what is right, what is pleasing to God and beneficial to others.

Fame is yet another huge motivator, much more powerful than our conscience. Many people would much rather be famous even if it means living an immoral lifestyle.

Our conscience, the soft voice which leads us to do what is right, is often not heeded, due to our worldly, selfish desires.

Even on a personal level. Not just looking at world leaders and famous stars. I realize the conscience plays a large part in our lives and motivates us to a particular choice as we make decisions. Unfortunately, very often we push this inner voice away, making it quieter and quieter, so quiet one can ignore it without feeling uneasy.

Fame, money and power are definitely more influential in the choices we make, than our conscience. Worldly pleasures seem so much more desirable at the time, than going without it even at the cost of feeling guilty.

Murphy's Law ruins holiday

When we go on trips for a holiday, we want everything to go smoothly. But as Murphy's Law states, "If anything can go wrong, it will, at the worst possible moment."

On one particular trip around Turkey I was able to prove Murphy’s Law. One misfortune led to another just like a domino effect.

That morning we were heading to another city. We rented a van which was a year old, but beat up and in very poor condition. After driving for several miles, the van completely broke down. We had to get someone to tow it away to get it examined and contact the renting agency. Being foreigners in a small city made the situation rather difficult. In order to continue our trip in that city we hired a taxi, adding greatly to our cost.

Without a car we had to stay in town for the night. My family went to a nearby grocery store to get some supplies. When they realized we were Chinese, the shopkeepers’ response was far from friendly, due to the recent conflict which occurred. As a result we started concealing our nationality.

This terrible experience, involving insults being hurled at us, and unexpected high costs definitely prove, Murphy’s Law.

SAT essay #2

Technology, the great downfall

Great changes have occurred in the world. Technology is one of them. This life changing invention has made the world an easier and better place to live in, but does that necessarily mean life is better?

As technology has changed and become more efficient, life has gotten easier. Does that not prove that technology makes the world a better place? Sociologists say otherwise. Their data shows that technology has served to create isolation, resulting in high suicidal rates. Even though technology provides easier communication through the internet and travel has become more convenient as a result of it, technology has also caused people to have the choice of not associating with others in the society. An example of this is the numerous internet services companies now offer. You can shop online; buying all the necessities including groceries, clothes, and numerous other products, and have it delivered to you without ever having to come in direct contact with anyone.

Technology has also started to control peoples’ lives. Technology is supposed to serve people and make our lives easier and better. However, as the years have progressed and technology has become more advanced we have become slaves of technology. We run to buy the newest and greatest thing out. As lives have become more and more materialistic, class status is becoming largely based upon wealth. Whenever we cannot get the things we want we become very discontent. This lifestyle leaves no one satisfied, leaving many to wonder: Is technology actually a beneficial change?

New HIV/AIDS policy opens door to better future

HIV/AIDS entry ban will be lifted in the United States at the start of 2010, President Obama announced in the White house on October 30.


"If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it.” Obama stated, taking a strong stance regarding HIV/AIDS.

Reducing HIV/AIDS and helping those who have contracted it has been a great concern in the United States. Despite this, the HIV/AIDS ban has been in place for 22 years, leaving America as one of the last dozen countries to keep the ban.

On October 30 Obama signed the bill abolishing the HIV/AIDS entry ban. This was a major step for the States as they finally put their words into action. The final rule will be published on November 2, and put into effect at the start of 2010, opening many doors to advantages and benefits for those who have HIV/AIDS.

"By passing this bill, the US has finally reached the current scientific and medical thinking,” said Dr. Arlene Bardeguez. International public health as well as numerous individuals will also benefit from this new rule. Many will be educated about HIV/AIDS. People will no longer view this disease as a threat, and “facts” will no longer be laced with fear. Greater awareness concerning this disease will be raised as HIV positive activists can enter the country.

Those who want to seek treatment or adopt an HIV positive child will greatly appreciate the enactment of this bill. Despite these advantages, there are some who are critical of this new federal rule, saying the costs are too high.

Military inductee dies in traffic accident

A Nineteen year old military inductee died instantaneously in a traffic accident in Çengelköy on Wednesday night.

Ozan Alparslan crashed into an IETT bus at 11pm last night, when he lost control of his car on Nato Yolu. He was driving in the wrong lane when he hit the bus, resulting in his instant death and injuring the bus driver, Cem Bayır.

Alparslan’s car was entirely crushed at the impact, and the IETT bus also suffered considerable damage. The roads were slick, due to the heavy rain and Alparslan was not wearing his safety belt. He was driving 20kph above the speed limit and had just been drinking. There were no passengers on the bus, but Bayır got a broken arm and Alparslan was thrown into the car’s windshield resulting in death.

Alparslan, a resident in Çengelköy, Istanbul was driving home alone, in his white 2005 Renault Broadway. It was his last night in town, and he was celebrating his military induction. The driver of the IETT bus, heading for Ümraniye, said, "I saw him coming and tried to avoid the accident by switching to the left lane. Unfortunately, the Renault driver also changed lanes and drove straight into me."

A bride's day differs in every culture

Weddings occur all over the world, but the way each country goes about celebrating this happy event differs greatly. The differences range from how guests dress to the gifts that are given to the couple.

Turkish wedding ceremonies are very different from many of our passport countries. One of the main differences is the reception after the wedding. In Finland, the only people who can attend the wedding and the banquet after the ceremony are those who have an invitation. However in Turkey, only close relatives attend the wedding ceremony, but almost anyone can attend the reception even, for example, for a friend’s friend (someone who doesn’t know the bride or the groom)! During the reception, Finnish people usually dress up for the special occasion and will wear something more formal. “I was really surprised when I attended a reception in Turkey and people were wearing jeans,” said Piia. In Finland, people usually arrive with practical gifts and leave it in a corner, but in Turkey guests usually give money or gold. The amount is always announced publicly and then pinned on the groom or bride.

"A wedding day for the Chinese groom and bride is really long,” says Connie L. In the morning the groom can finally pick up his bride after going through a series of “tests” the bride's friends come up with. Then the couple heads to the home of the parents of the groom where the bride and serve them tea. Then they head towards the church. After the ceremony is over, the couple and their relatives and close friends will attend a banquet. At the banquet the couple will serve tea to the elder relatives, and in return they will receive a red envelope containing money or jewelry. “Unlike the wedding receptions in Turkey, we don’t dance; instead a few people might go up and share something to the group” said Connie L.

Since most wedding ceremonies in Turkey do not take place in a church, they do not have flower girls or bridesmaids. The church wedding ceremonies in Hong Kong are usually quite long due to the sermon and a time of worship. On the other hand in Turkey the ceremony mainly focuses on the signing. “The receptions in Hong Kong are pretty much banquets. There are at least 3 courses, but in Turkey the receptions mainly consist of loud music and dancing and maybe a small snack” said Tim See L.

Weddings are definitely special events and are celebrated all over the world according to their own cultural values.

HOME RAIDED, GIRL MURDERED

A young girl raided and trashed the home of a family of bears Tuesday morning, resulting in a tragic death.

Goldilocks, a young girl from nearby Goldwich, was found dead in a bear cave. It is believed that she left her home early Tuesday morning and stumbled upon the cave. With the curiosity of an eight year old, she entered the cave without contemplating the results.

When investigators arrived, it was clear the family of bears were responsible for her death. She had upset the bears’ home considerably, ate up all their breakfast, broke their chairs and ruined their bedding, causing the bears to respond in anger. Animal activists and vets are alarmed at the disrespect shown to the bears.

There is debate as to whether the bears should be punished for the murder. A statement has been released from the department of animal rights: “The bears were visibly upset and will need a considerable amount of time and counseling before they can recover from the shock of having their home invaded. They were victims of an offense and should not be charged," says Dr. Teddy Paddington.

Stunning performance reveals talents

Spectacular performance in the Lions Theartre on December 7, 2008 by the I-- student body reveals I--'s excellent artistic abilities, gaining positive results.

The students of I-- worked very hard to prepare this year's A Winter's Evening with The IGA players. The play "Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story" was the main performance that night. By 6:00, the IGA Lions Theater was already full of guests who were eager for the evening to begin. As the first act started, the viewers watched with great anticipation and were soon dragged into the play itself, due to the actors’ quality performance. A candle light dinner, catered by Civ Civ Café, was soon served by students who were efficient hosts and hostesses. While the guests were enjoying the scrumptious dinner, a group of students provided live vocal music. The audience got really caught up in the music and some even started humming along. Dessert catered by Maria’s Cheesecakes followed soon after the second act of the play. This time live instrumental music was played by several students as the audience enjoyed the delicious cheesecake. The decorations and interior design added greatly to the Christmas spirit: the carefully selected items had been placed with great consideration by talented hands. This event pushed the Christmas festival spirit in full swing and gave everyone a chance to enjoy themselves. “I really enjoyed everything about this year’s Winters Evening. It has been the best one so far,” said Sarah Smith. The look of content radiated through everyone’s faces as they headed for home after watching the magnificent performance by the I-- players.

Grand evening in Lions Theatre

The Lions Theatre hosted a fine performance on the evening of December 7, 2008.

After a lot of hard work, select students from I--, presented a show which included a variety of fine arts. The highlight was, the play "Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story". Live music was played in between the acts while the audience ate dinner. The music included singing by the choir and a few instrumental pieces by "Fortissimo". The food, catered by The Civ Civ Café & Maria’s Cheesecakes, was served by students serving as hosts and hostesses. This event took place at 6:00 pm in The I-- Lions Theatre, which was decorated with Christmas decorations. The Christmas music and the play also really livened up the Christmas spirit. This event really enabled the Christmas festive spirit to start to generate. “The performance was spectacular overall. The play, music and food were all really good!” Mrs. Johnson said. This event was overall a success and will probably be done annually. Many were seen leaving with a contented look upon their faces and their appetite was probably quite content as well.

Living in the colorful world underwater

If I could have the choice of living under water or living in space I would definitely choose to live under water. The view underwater is spectacular. Life down there would be full of vibrant colors and teeming with living things. On the other hand, living in space would be so boring. Everything up there is so still, dull, grey, and not very lively.

My future absent of limitations

Ten years from now I would like to have traveled and continue traveling around most of the world. It would be nice if I could have visited several countries and spent a good deal of time there. In some of these countries, I would like to go to many artistic places and enjoy music performances, art museums, and historical artifacts. In other countries I would like to spend time getting involved in social services to help those in need.
    
I would love to be able to learn different languages and be able to master a few of them. The thing I would love most about traveling constantly around the world would be the fact that while I'm on the long plane rides I could read a lot of good, enjoyable novels. The most interesting thing about going to so many countries is that I could experience and see different cultures in the world and see how people interact with each other in their various lifestyles.

In addition, within the next ten years, it would be so cool if I could get involved in helping to solve a crimminal case...just think of all the psychology and interesting science involved.
There are a lot of things I want to do in the next ten years.