Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Growing Use of Technology in Society Today By Neha Singh Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by GoodCore Are you becoming more dependent on your devices, just like most people in our society today? Do you find technology more helpful? Has artificial intelligence actually made your life easier? Do you use facial recognition instead of remembering your passwords? Are driverless cars the future you want? Although technology is really useful and helps us in our daily lives, is that a positive thing? Using facial recognition instead of remembering passwords is easier and more convenient but it decreases a person’s memory capacity. Before the advent of our advanced technology, we used to be able to memorize most passwords, but now most people can’t even remember their email passwords. Technology has affected mostly everyone but especially teenagers since they typically use new technology faster and more than adults do. However, do you know about the plus sides of technology in society? Artificial intelligence is now being used in medicine and medicinal research. With complex computer algorithms, computer chip implants can be used to advance people’s cognitive skills. With gene editing, we’re able to reduce the serious risks or development of health conditions in babies. Additionally, with robot exoskeletons, we can increase people’s muscular strength for lifting in manual labor jobs with built-in artificial intelligence systems. Is this really best for our society? Many people have different opinions about where technology should be used. Should we depend heavily on technology in the medical field as well? Or should it only remain for our entertainment, communication, and other daily life tasks? According to a Pew Research Center poll, 46% of United States adults think facial recognition technology is good for society, whereas 56% of United States adults think computer chip implants are bad for society. In the same poll, 30% of United States adults think gene editing is good for society and 30% think it is bad for society, whereas 42% of United States adults are unsure whether robotic exoskeleton is good or bad for society. Could this be due to a lack of knowledge regarding technology among the general population? Artificial intelligence is a fairly new concept in society, and we still don’t know everything about it. Although it is controlled by different computer algorithms, there isn’t always someone monitoring the technology, so anything could go wrong at any given moment. Technology is not 100% reliable, and this can be seen in our everyday lives. How many times has your phone died when you needed it? Or did your computer crash? Or do you have no service? Or the program or application you’re using is taking too long to respond? Although artificial intelligence is different and works through computer algorithms, crashes or hacks can still happen, so is technology really that good for our society today? BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Ask Ala: Valentines Day: Two Years Since the Start of COVID-19 By Alicja Paruch Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by The Sun Hello Ala! What can I do for Valentine’s Day this year? It has been two years since covid-19 initially shut down most of the world. Many activities, including Valentine’s Day gifting, have drastically shifted, for many from in-person to online. Many had to send gifts to their loved ones directly before vaccines became widely available. Now, with more opportunities, these special occasions can become exciting again. If you are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I recommend going back to the traditional activities, and putting on a little twist if necessary. In order to relate to the traditional part of Valentine's Day celebrations, I recommend dining out or seeing a movie at the theatre. Though, as times progress and knowing that every relationship is different, you can consider other options! You can go to the mall, try to pick out outfits for each other, or buy matching jewelry. You can also try baking cookies or some type of dessert (check out the National Baking Month in North Star ’s last issue for some yummy recipes). In my mind, Valentine’s Day can definitely be celebrated around traditional activities, but in your relationship, you should make it about yourself! Do something that you enjoy, so that you have fun! Feel free to think outside of the box and enjoy your day together! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Turkey the bird and Turkey the Nation By Kubra Beskardes Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Boris Stroujko Turk - The word originally means “strength” though it’s not clear where it came from and it changed meaning during the time. To Persians it meant “barbarian,” but now it means “a person of Turkic origin,” so it does not only consist of “Turkish” people. In Turkey, we call ourselves just “Turks” because the direct translation of Turkish would be “Turkce” which is the language we speak, and a fun fact? It’s actually not Turkey, it’s Turkiye , the land of the Turks, so probably not many Turks would know that around the world, their country shares its name with a bird. Turkey the bird originated in the Americas and Turks originated in Central Asia and by the time the bird took this name, they were in Anatolia. This seems so irrelevant, but the story goes like this; Turkish merchants sold some wild fowls from either Africa or India to Europeans, and Europeans called the bird “Turkey (coq) Rooster” and Turkey for short. When they landed in the New World, they saw another bird of a totally different species and called it also turkey because they both looked similarly funny. So it remained “turkey.” Another fun fact? Turks call this bird “hindi” because we thought it originated from India. Eating turkey is not that common in Turkey. Not that we specifically don’t eat it, but because we are foreign to the bird or it’s foreign to us, Turks don’t want to eat something they don’t know. Personally, I only like turkey when it’s sliced and in between two breads; otherwise, I would not prefer it. But this whole story brings a question to the mind: when Europeans came to the Americas during the 15th and 16th centuries, back then Turks were under the name “Ottomans” not Turkey, because Ottomans consisted of many ethnicities so I would be wrong to call it Turkey. Turkey was formed in 1923, and – well - maybe they just went with “Turks Rooster or Turkish Rooster,” then it became just “turkey” over time. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Class Acts Giavanna Quagliata Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 Don’t know how to get involved? I have an idea for you! Class Acts is a yearly competition for grades 10 through 12. During the event, four teachers are assigned to judge the competition. Each grade performs one act in each of the following categories: band, vocal, lip sync, and dance. Once the performances are finished, the judges make their remarks privately and decide which grade gets first, second, and third overall for their performances. Signing up is easier than you think it is. All you have to do is go to your Grade Council’s Team and look for the tab that says “CLASS ACTS 2025”. Fill out the form linked along with any friends who are part of your act, and your advisor will let you know if you made it into the show! Class Acts is Friday, March 14th at 7 PM. Do you know what that means? It means you can still sign up! Even if you don’t want to perform in Class Acts, you can always be there for support. If your friends are performing, or if you just want to go to check it out! Just ask your advisor or even a friend to help you get a ticket. Class Acts is for everyone, so whether you step up and perform or just sit in the audience, there’s no reason you shouldn’t get involved in this school activity. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Fiction, Polaris Back to Sections Nature's Elegance By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Elaine Ching White flowers in bloom, Grace dark brown branches with poise, Nature's elegance BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Nightmare on Main Street- Elaine Ching Elaine Ching November 6, 2023 Digital Art Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Oculus Quest By Augustine Magapan Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by ZLATA IVLEVA On May 21st, 2019, the Oculus Quest was first released containing an abundance of reviews. I obtained the VR headset a year later on my birthday, August 17th, 2020. It came with two controllers and a charger for the gadget that’s for your head. Additionally, there were batteries in order to power the controllers. In comparison to other VR headsets, this one was wireless meaning there were no cords involved or any plugins you had to do. All you had to do was turn it on and simply set it up. A camera is installed the headset in order to set barriers and protect you from the outside environment where you can knock things down during the time you spend in the virtual world. It was an experience so different; there was so much to learn, and the quality of the headset was outstanding as well. There were demos previously installed, in case you didn’t buy any games or had any thought about a specific game you wanted to get. I first downloaded a game called Rec Room , comprised of numerous mini-games and adventures you can pursue, and enjoy the remarkable experience with friends on different platforms, such as PlayStation, a computer, or mobile, who have the game as well. If you want to share your vision with your friends or people in the room, you’re able to connect your VR to a TV or any device by using the Casting System installed. Having the Oculus was a very new experience and there’s still a lot to know about the headset. Recently, I learned about hand tracking meaning that the headset scrutinizes your hands, so you do not need to use the controllers. It made the headset simpler, but you would need the controllers still in order to play a game. Although there are many things you can do with the headset, you must have discipline while using it. According to Vesttech, a website that has numerous informational articles on technology, tech experts warn that the headset can give anxiety, nausea, eye strain, and radiation exposure. This means that you should be taking care of your body at the same time when you play by taking breaks. It’s best to play on the headset for about thirty minutes to an hour from my own experiences. Overall, the Oculus Quest is a great experience for people when they want to escape reality, into virtual reality. Ironically for me, I acquired the Oculus Quest too soon. Oculus has released a new version of the original Quest called the Oculus Quest 2 on October 13th, 2020. It has the same factors as the first but has a better performance. Furthermore, it’s $100 cheaper than the original device. Reviews say that it’s just like the first Quest but has a stronger ecosystem and better graphics. Compared to the original Oculus, it has 50, and supports 90 Hz. People can get slimmer feel and take it anywhere since it’s more portable and has less weight. New accessories are released, unlike the first Oculus; people can get a comfier experience depending on what they like to use and wear. Unfortunately, due to the Oculus Quest 2 having more features, there are no more sales for the Oculus Quest. Although this seems downhearted, this is just the start of a new beginning to the virtual world according to Oculus. They have many things planned for the future, and they will come out very soon. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Back to Sections Elaine Ching By Elaine Ching November 7, 2022 Volume 3 Issue 1

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections First Snow By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original photography by Navrosedip Kundlas Snow falls gently Blanketing the grass lightly Wind whispers in my ear Adding on to the cheer Every footprint leaves a mark Until it vanishes in the dark Little paws make a trail The snow captures every detail Fur covered in snow My little puppy looks like a marshmallow One deep breath is all it takes So I can smell the snowflakes Falling through the air Snow covers every ounce of my hair It melts on my tongue The evening is young My puppy stands still His heart beating with thrill Closing my eyes I know it’s time for our goodbyes Scooping up my puppy He smiles, completely happy And when his brown eyes fill with sunshine I know there is nothing more divine As the sun sets I’m in covered in blankets Hot cocoa warms my hands As my puppy stands I pick him up Then take a sip from my cup BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 8 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2