What to See:
Super Bowl RecapEquality Fight for Women and Where it Began
Fashion Tips and Mishaps
Poetry and Photography
Health Mysteries and Misfortunes
Loving Yourself and Loving Others
The official website of Sterling High School's literary publication. Somerdale, NJ
Monday, March 9, 2015
This Issue!
Equality Fight for Women and Where it Began
Fashion Tips and Mishaps
Poetry and Photography
Health Mysteries and Misfortunes
Loving Yourself and Loving Others
A Short Introduction
FEMINISM
Written by Maggie Strauser
Identify yourself as a feminist, and see how many people instantaneously assume that you’re a man-hating, bra-burning, armpit-hair-dying, whiny liberal, which is by no means an accurate description of a “feminist”. Anyone can be a feminist, so long as you believe in total equality. When people hear about feminism, they think that it’s solely a gender issue, when, in reality, feminism is about equality for all. Sure, feminine equality is what it started with, but now feminism is much more than just dealing with gender inequality issues.
There have been three waves of feminism. Here’s a brief history:
The beginning of the feminist movement in the 19th century is considered to be the first wave of feminism, what with the struggles of suffragists determined to win the ability to vote and gain political equality. This movement at the time was confined to upper and middle class women, and excluded many minorities.
The second wave of feminism occurred in the 1960s. Women, though having won the vote already, were still largely sequestered in domestic roles. These feminists fought for social equality.
Third wave feminism, though disagreed over by feminists and scholars, is said to have begun in the 1990s and continues to this very day. This movement includes everyone, and fights for everyone.
Now, why do we need feminism?
We need feminism because everyone, no matter their race, gender, income, creed, and sexual orientation, should be equal.Recap
The Super Bowl
By: Joe Korn
There are 3 main holidays throughout the year: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Super Bowl. Every year, millions of people worldwide settle in for “Super Sunday” with their bean dips, wings and pizza and get ready for two hours of America’s most popular sport. This year, 114.4 million viewers watched, either from home or at the big game at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. This makes it the most watched television program ever in U.S history.
This year’s playoffs were incredible with upsets galore and narrow victories all leading up to February 2nd. The Colts’ game against the Broncos was amazing to watch while the Patriots narrowly edged out the Ravens. Then came the controversy with Tom Brady and whether or not the deflated footballs had an impact on their win.
Just when it couldn’t get any better, the Seahawks upset the Packers in overtime to reach their 2nd Super Bowl in 2 years. The game was amazing between the Patriots and Seahawks. As always, Seattle’s defense was solid but so were Tom Brady and Julian Edelman. It came down to the last seconds when, with the game on the line for the Seahawks, a juggling act saved them and put them in 1 yard’s reach of a consecutive Super Bowl. They didn’t run the ball though, as many had expected and hoped for, but threw it instead, giving Malcolm Butler the chance to pick it off and give the Patriots the win.
Now the game isn’t the only thing worth watching in the Super Bowl, although all eyes were glued to Malcolm Butler in those last seconds.
The halftime show, hosted by Katy Perry, is another great attraction. She certainly put on a show worth watching, singing her hit songs “Roar” and “Firework.” Who wouldn’t want to see someone ride a giant lion, dance with life-size beach balls and sharks and then soar over the field in a ‘comet’? Even if you aren’t a fan of Katy Perry, the half-time show was an impressive feat and it was a production to remember.
Probably the most desired part of the game besides the half-time show is the commercials. Every year, companies pay millions to put their advertisements in the Super Bowl and there are no words to express how much effort goes into making them.
This year, Doritos, Snickers and Kim Kardashian captured the spotlight through humor, and who could forget #Leaveyourballsalone? There was also a more heartfelt and genuine theme behind the commercials this year, with Budweiser’s lost puppy, Dove’s support of our fathers, Dodge’s 100 years of wisdom, and the “Be a Girl” commercial. McDonalds also had a Pay with Loving commercial, with their cashiers making people pay by doing acts of kindness instead of with money.
With the combined efforts of the commercials, the half-time show, and the actual game, the Super Bowl is one of the most beloved and popular events in the United States.Gender Equality
Equal Rights for All!
By: Mary McGregor
On Sunday, February 22, 2015, Patricia Arquette gave the world something to talk about during her acceptance speech at the Oscars: equal rights for everyone. She said, “To every woman who gave birth. To every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights. It's time to have a wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America.” This speech began a lot of controversy throughout America and the world, the topic being one that has been brought up multiple times before; women have so-called “equal rights” but an unwritten rule states that women receive less income than men, even if they both have the same qualifications, schooling, etc.
I feel as though everyone should know that women deserve to receive just as much as men, both being human and gender being the only difference, but believe it or not specific men all around the world feel that women are less than them, treating women like their personal grab bag to be disposed of and nothing else. This treatment is completely biased and degrading to women.
The case where men think women can just be used and then discarded from their lives is an issue I find more often today rather than a few decades ago. As a woman myself, I of course feel equal rights should be for everyone, no matter what sex you are. My mind is open for anyone to live whatever lifestyle they prefer, no matter how different it is to my own. This is something I can only hope everyone in the world soon sees: if someone is genuinely happy then let them be themselves and enjoy the life they have chosen, instead of bringing them down and questioning their life decision because someone’s unimportant opinion said it is wrong.
Women are not meant to cook in the kitchen while men go to work. Women are meant to be who they chose to be, even if that’s a CEO, giving orders to all the men and women in her company. 
Poetry
“Viridescence”
by Emily Winters
She lives in perpetual springtime,
Eyes blind and hands outstretched:
Walking with her face arched towards the sun.
The birds are always in motion;
Frozen in time is no such thing…
She can hear the singing in the trees.
Digging holes for the flowers to nest,
For her flock to make her home…
The petrified ground gives no help,
And her nails chip and crack and bleed as she digs in the dirt.
Plots in the icy ground,
But thawed by the time spring rolls around;
She lives in always viridescence,
With singing and frolics six-feet deep.
Monsanto
By: Emily Winters
No thanks: An anti-Monsanto crop circle made by farmers and volunteers in the Philippines., By Melvyn Calderon/Greenpeace HO/A.P. Images
MONSANTO
Who is Monsanto?
Truthfully, I did not know who Monsanto was until I saw the documentary Food Inc. That program brought to light many of this organization’s more questionable practices…but what exactly, who exactly, is Monsanto?
Monsanto is the largest producer of genetically engineered seeds, and the company can vouch for 90% of the seeds planted across the world in 2003.
What are genetically engineered seeds?
Monsanto has created a seed that is resistant to Roundup (Roundup-Ready seeds), which is a toxic weed killer; this weed killer kills everything around the plant, except the GE seeds. While this sounds perfect, the weed killer stays on the plant. It doesn’t just drain off. This means that 75% of the products that you buy at the grocery store contain traces of herbicide…and it’s not just the vegetables: the corn is fed to the animals that you could one day be serving up for dinner.
Superweeds
I have just stated that Monsanto’s Roundup-Ready seeds are meant to resist Roundup, which kills weeds. “Superweeds” are weeds that have grown resistant to ordinary herbicides such as Roundup. Although Monsanto’s Roundup-Ready seeds were supposed to reduce the use of herbicides, farmers are using more herbicides today than they would have if they hadn’t begun using the GE seeds.
Twenty four species of weeds have become resistant to the active ingredients in herbicides, prompting the use of even more weed killer. These “superweeds” steal nutrients from the crops, and their tough stems pose a major problem for farming equipment. Also, they must be removed by hand, which can be both expensive and time-consuming.
The history of Monsanto…
In 1901, John F. Queeny founded Monsanto, and in 1945, the company produced and marketed 2-4D (one of the most widely used herbicides in the world). In 1982, they first began to genetically modify seeds. Then in the 90s Monsanto created and marketed products such as BST (which increased the milk output by dairy cows) and Posilac, a hormone for dairy cows. In 1996, Roundup-Ready soybeans were introduced, with corn following a couple of years later.
Even with all of this history, Monsanto wishes to cut ties with its former self…possibly for the controversy of all the chemicals that it has manufactured? This is a quote from their website: “Monsanto is a relatively new company. While we share the name and history of a company that was founded in 1901, the Monsanto of today is focused on agriculture and supporting farmers around the world in their mission to produce more while conserving more. We’re an agricultural company.”
From 1965 to 1969, Monsanto was one of the nine wartime contractors who manufactured Agent Orange. Agent Orange (named so for the orange stripe on the containment drums) was a mixture of two herbicides: 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. It was used as a way to destroy forest cover and possible food supply for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops; however, later it was revealed that it caused birth defects, tumors, psychological symptoms, and cancer – these were found among returning U.S. serviceman, their families and the Vietnamese population.
Monsanto and Europe…
In 1996, the UK was in shock over the Mad Cow Disease epidemic. They had just recently learned about the farming system the hard way, so when Monsanto hopped over the pond looking to market their Roundup-Ready soybeans, the public rebelled, suspicious of genetically engineered seeds. This was the rise of “Frankenfoods” and organizations such as Greenpeace; even Prince Charles struck out at Monsanto, saying that they were meddling with God’s work.
While this event brought Monsanto’s name to Americans, it wasn’t necessarily in a positive light. The company attempted to win the English public’s adoration with a $1.6 million dollar ad campaign, to no avail.
Seed Saving…
Seed saving is when farmers use the seeds and other biological material from their crops in the use of the next year’s planting. This is an age-old practice, one which farmers have been doing for hundreds of years. It saves money and keeps the farmer from having to buy new seed the following year; also, why throw out a seed that could be used to plant a crop the next year? It’s one of nature’s miracles, and Monsanto infringes on nature’s rules.
Before 1980, seeds could not be patented. They were considered life forms. Then the U.S. Supreme Court extended the patent law so that it could cover “a live human-made microorganism.” Monsanto enforces their patent contracts strictly and they tie knots around unsuspecting farmers. According to these contracts, Monsanto’s genetically engineered seeds are not to be saved for the following year. This causes many problems as farmers are forced to buy new seeds each year and toss out perfectly useable seeds.
In order to implement their contracts, Monsanto uses rather shady tactics; these include strong-arming farmers, secretly videotaping and photographing farmers, and using informants to collect information.
Moe Parr was a seed cleaner in Indiana. He was sued by Monsanto for cleaning their genetically modified seeds. Moe was forced to settle with Monsanto because his legal bills became too high for him to afford. Monsanto says this of Moe Parr: “Mr. Parr is able to continue to clean conventional soybeans, wheat and other non-patented seed crops. Monsanto has agreed to forego the financial judgment as long as Mr. Parr honors the terms of the court order.”
In conclusion, Monsanto’s genetically engineered seeds have caused many problems including “superweeds,” which forced farmers to use even more herbicides on their crops. These crops, which eventually make their way onto our dinner table and into the mouths of our families, still retain an amount of these herbicides that are sprayed onto them. Monsanto also strong-arms farmers into obeying their patent-contracts, even venturing into underhanded tactics such as photographing them secretly.
While Monsanto may mean our society nothing but good, the question is, are they really benefitting our country and the rest of the world?
Find out more information here:
“Agent Orange.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2011. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
Huff, Ethan A. “Farmers Speak Out: GMOs Are a Trap That Monsanto Is Using to Take over
Agriculture.” NaturalNews. N.p., 19 Aug. 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
“Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear.” Vanity Fair. N.p., May 2008. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
“Newsroom.” Monsanto. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2015.
“Newsroom.” Monsanto. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
“Union of Concerned Scientists.” Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 13
Feb. 2015. http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/superweeds-overrun-farmlands-0384.html#.VOpIOC41MTo
“Who Is Monsanto? | Worst Corporate Citizen in Human History.” Who Is Monsanto. N.p.,
2015. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. http://whoismonsanto.com/
“Who We Are.” Monsanto. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
“Why Does Everyone Hate Monsanto?” Modern Farmer. Modern Farmer Media, 04 Mar. 2014.
Web. 15 Feb. 2015. http://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/monsantos-good-bad-pr-problem/Fashion Update!
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
--NICOLE MASNICAK
With the start of March, we usher in the coming of spring: life begins anew, the number of cabin fever cases rises, and the countdowns to summer tease us even more with each new day. Daylight saving time hits once again, and though it may be hard to acclimate yourself to waking up in near-darkness, the nights are longer; clearly, summer is approaching.
In the spirit of Anna Wintour (Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, aka my spirit animal and idol), I’ve decided to write a little “Letter from the Editor” of my own. This month’s issue, as always, contains a variety of articles from our awesome staff. Many major controversies in today’s world are touched upon, from equal rights, feminism, and the struggles of shopping for plus-sized people, to the cruelty of animal testing and Monsanto’s genetic engineering. We get a glimpse into the fast-paced world of football and the Super Bowl and reminisce about the commercials and this year’s emotion-provoking theme. We discuss the latest crazes of contemporary society, including the Lush bath bomb craze and what the company is all about, as well as the reincarnated hippie movement known more familiarly as rave culture. Also included are original poetry and photographs from our very own staff. So much time and effort was put into this publication, whether it be this month’s or any other. The staff here at the Silver Scroll is truly one-of-a-kind and I applaud each and every one of our members for their creativity, individuality, and dedication.
In the latest fashion news, I both feel and see a few trends coming on:
- COLOR PROFILING: RUST One of the hit colors for the upcoming year is a deep, earthy red. Whether it be skinny jeans, a wool cardigan, the latest MAC lipstick, or a new handbag, maroon is a color rising to power as the cold months wear away. It’s one of the colors of 2015, so keep a lookout when autumn returns again!
- WHITE OUT What’s summertime without an influx of white dresses, pants, and blouses? The Spring/Summer 2015 season brings with it innumerable breathy white boho dresses, the classic white button-down shirt, and the typical pants perfect for wearing on that new yacht.
- THAT’S SO SEVENTIES Another upcoming trend for the year: throwbacks to the 1970s. Designers are inspired by the big hair, bell-bottomed pants, and fur coats that defined the decade. Fashion always repeats itself, and this is no different!
Organic Must-Haves
Bath Bombs Away
By: Lauren Weist
If you pay even slight attention to social media lately, you will probably hear something about a “bath bomb.” These are products made by Lush, which “explode” when placed in a bath, releasing lotions and other beauty products, as well as bright colors and fun things like glitter. With names like “Rose Queen,” “Phoenix Rising,” “Dragon Egg,” “Big Blue,” “Space Girl,” and “Avobath,” there is something for everyone’s taste. These “bombs” are a very unique and cool product, almost as unique and cool as the store that it comes from.
Walking into a Lush store is a very unique experience. For starters, it is an explosion of color and scent. The store has a very homely, handmade feel to it, down to every sign appearing handwritten. Plus, it smells better than all of the best, freshest scents combined; it’s amazing. But the atmosphere is not the best part of the store: that spot belongs to the company’s high standards. You could not find one thing morally wrong with Lush: they fight animal testing, use only vegetarian ingredients with a few safe synthetics, buy from small scale producers, and package their products using only recycled or recyclable products. Although all these stipulations cause the prices to be slightly higher, it really is worth it to support so many good causes. This company is one of the most guilt-free corporations to have emerged in a big-scale way, all due to this “bath bomb” craze.
Animal Testing
CRUELTY IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
By Zainab Jaffry
Did you know that animals are violently tested on to bring you most of the things you use on a daily basis? There is animal cruelty not only in the production of things like furs, leather, fleece, etc., but also in toiletries, household cleaning items, and beauty products.
Every day millions of helpless dogs, rats, primates, sheep, cats, pigs, mice, and rabbits are captured and terribly maltreated in laboratories. They are locked in cold, unforgiving steel cages, crying out for mercy. Horrific experiments are conducted on these innocent creatures as they long for living free. Imprisoned animals undergo excruciatingly painful procedures and heavy abuse.
Researchers have discovered ways to manufacture products without the unnecessary torture of animals, yet the majority of corporations have stuck with animal testing. The alternatives they have found are using human cells and tissues, know as vitro methods, and using silico models, which are advanced computer modeling techniques. Read more about these alternatives here: http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/alternatives-animal-testing/#ixzz32pqDbmIi
How can you help? Support cruelty free companies/brands, educate yourself as well as others, speak up, and sign online petitions against animal testing. There are a vast amount of cruelty-free alternatives to all products!
These options are available in common stores such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc. There is even an excellent app that allows you to type in a brand and it tells you whether or not they test on animals. It is a free app called “Bunny Free.” Also, when you are shopping, the product may say on the back Not Tested on Animals or it may have a leaping bunny symbol. Looking out for little things like these make it simple to avoid products tested on animals.
Take action today. Even if you are not a vegan regarding dietary lifestyle, you can still stand against unnecessary cruelty and abuse against animals in the manufacturing industry. Through educating ourselves and others, we can become a more empathetic and peaceful world. ❤
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
Read about cruelty-free shopping here:
Become more aware & help put a stop to animal testing:
https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4529Peace. Love. Unity. Respect.
Written by Mason Plotts
Peace. Love. Unity. Respect. PLUR.
This phrase is typically heard at musical festivals across the world, as it is the unifying philosophy of the rave movement and Electric Dance Music culture.
Originating from early online discussions about rave culture, its usage has been common since the early 1990s, where it became popular on club flyers and advertisements for underground outdoor trance parties, also referred to as raves. It may be interpreted as the participant’s essential philosophy of life, or at least while gathered at a rave. Raves are a modern experience that promotes a strong communal sense, where PLUR is considered an ideology. Sound familiar? That’s because it is…
The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, also simply known as Woodstock, was a music festival advertised as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music.” It was held at Max Yasgur’s six-hundred-acre dairy farm in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to 18, 1969. Thirty-two acts performed outdoors before a young and lively audience of four hundred thousand people. The festival is widely considered to be the definitive symbol of the large counterculture generation.
The counterculture movement of the 1960s was an anti-establishment cultural phenomenon that developed first in the United States and the United Kingdom, and then spread across the globe between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s. The combined movement gained momentum as the African-American Civil Rights Movement continued to grow, and became revolutionary with the expansion of the US government’s extensive military intervention in Vietnam.
As the 1960s progressed, many social controversies developed and tended to be debated amongst generations, regarding human sexuality, women’s rights, traditional modes of authority, experimentation with drugs, and differing interpretations of the American Dream.
As the era unfolded, new cultural dynamics and subcultures revolving around experimentation formed. The hippie (or hippy) subculture was a youth movement that emerged swiftly and spread to other countries around the world. Hippies created their own communities, listened to psychedelic music (mainly in the genre of Rock ‘n’ Roll), embraced the sexual revolution (supporting gay rights), and used an array of drugs to explore altered states of consciousness. Hippies modernized the term peace and labeled it with its now-famous symbol. They believed in equal rights across the board and the act of becoming “one” in the presence of groovy music.
Now, roughly forty years later, the EDM subculture has given rise to an identical ideology. Peace. Violence is never the answer, whether it was during Vietnam or in the present day. Love. Goodwill and kind spirits are welcome to anyone who participates in the same subculture whether a hippie or “raver”. Unity. We are all united in the human condition. Respect. Respect is given to everyone, no matter his or her age, race, religion, sexuality, etc.
A rave (also known as an EDM concert) is comprised of live performers playing electronic dance music (EDM). Music played at raves may include house, trance, dubstep, drum and bass, etc. The music is amplified with a large sound reinforcement system, typically with large subwoofers to produce a deep bass sound. The artist’s material is often accompanied by laser light shows, visual effects, and smoke machines.
Since rave culture has seen such an explosion in the United States since 2010, as the rave scene is no longer illegal or underground, raves in the U.S. are now so popular that there are many brands selling apparel for those who go to dress up at raves. As “hippie gatherings” often led to illegal practices, they were also deemed illegal at first. Hippies themselves had their own style: bell-bottom pants, tie-dye material, bandannas, dangling jewelry, long hair, denim jackets, etc. This style of attire, along with the entire rave culture attire, spilled out into the mainstream. “Rave fashion,” sometimes known as “festival fashion,” is known to consist of as little clothing as possible. However, it consists of accessories to create unique looks depending on the person and event. Items such as jewelry, wigs, temporary tattoos, furry leg warmers, sunglasses, fanny packs, light up lingerie, and ultimately neon colored clothing run rampant at EDM festivals. Both cultures are really about self-expression. Raves, as well as Woodstock, are and were thought of as a judgment-free zone, where attendees can wear whatever they want and feel comfortable to express their own unique style.
Both phenomena have their more controversial sides as well. Many hippies smoked marijuana, considering it pleasurable and benign, which then opened their scope to other drugs. Hallucinogens such as LSD, shrooms, and DMT were popular among the culture, which often led to many overdoses. Alcohol was and is abused presumably in both cultures’ eras. Today, in the United States, law enforcement agencies have branded the rave subculture as a purely drug-centric culture, usually drugs such as marijuana, MDMA (widely known as ecstasy or “Molly”), LSD, DMT, etc., similar to the hippie movement of the 1960s. However, not all controversies were harmful to the body. Homosexual rights are a huge part of both cultures as hippies were a central player in the sexual revolution, as “ravers” are primarily in support of the gay rights movement in the United States today.
Both cultures surely carry their stereotypes as well. Many adults as well as fellow teens view both groups to be filled with unmotivated delinquents and lost causes. However, many have proved this to be false. President Obama himself was a part of a hippie group in college and grew up to be an extremely intellectual and aspiring man (personal opinions aside). I, myself, partake in the “hippie culture” of today by attending such raves. While I may not participate in all of the acts that transpire at these given events, I find them to be an incredible experience. It is a place where all judgments are lost and every person is able to come together equally and enjoy what we all love: music.
The rave subculture today proves that there is truly nothing new under the sun… PLUR.
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