By: Lauren Moore The first presidential debate has come and gone, bringing along with it old conversations and new information- all condensed into an hour and a half television slot. Monday night’s debate, held in Hempstead, New York at Hofstra University and moderated by NBC’s Lester Holt, focused on three main objectives: prosperity, direction, and security. For undecided voters, this debate could have proven crucial to determining their vote. However, as Sneha Sharma (11) explains, “even if [one] can’t vote, [this debate] will affect our futures,” and, therefore, being informed is critical.
Addressing the first issue at hand- jobs and the creation of them- Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate, advocated for minimum wage increase, equal pay, and paid family leave. Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, plans to reduce “taxes tremendously from thirty five percent to fifteen percent for companies, both small and big businesses” in order to ensure jobs remain in the U.S. and are not exported to, for example, Mexico or China. However, Clinton claims that this plan sounds a little too similar to “trickle down economics”- a theory that suggests giving tax breaks to the wealthy in order to create economic growth- which she suggests largely instigated the “Great Recession” of 2008. In contrast to “Trumped-up, trickle down economics,” as Clinton coined, she plans to invest in the middle-class with tax increases for the wealthy and debt free college for students. This discussion of taxes soon instigated the conversation and controversy of Trump not releasing his own tax returns. To which Trump responded, “I will release my tax returns against my lawyer's wishes when [Clinton] releases her thirty three thousand emails that have been deleted.” When asked by Holt how they plan to “heal the divide” between the races in this country, Clinton addressed the recent situations in Charlotte and Tulsa and focused on the importance of restoring trust between communities and police by implementing new police training. Trump, on the other hand, claimed to defend “law and order,” as he advocated for stop and frisks: a police practice begun in New York in which officers stop pedestrians and search for weapons. However, Holt reminded him of the fact that the act of stop and frisks was deemed unconstitutional in 2013. In regard to gun control, both candidates agreed that a person on the no fly list should have no access to guns; however, Hillary promoted more extensive gun control laws, while Trump pledged his allegiance to the NRA and the second amendment. As the conversation progressed, cyberattacks became a major talking point as Clinton deemed this technological threat “the biggest challenge facing the next President.” In response to the mention of Russia’s alleged hacking, Trump was quick to refute by stating “it could be Russia, but it could also be China” or even just “somebody sitting on their bed who weighs 400 pounds.” With the discussion of ISIS’ use of the internet to further their cause, Trump blamed the way Obama and Clinton left Iraq as the reason “ISIS was formed.” Clinton promoted an intelligence surge to find every scrap of information on this ISIS, an increased use of NATO to fight terrorism, and intensified airstrikes. In defense, Trump spoke about the inefficiency of NATO to fight terrorism and the financial strain it puts on America, seeing as America pays for “approximately seventy-three percent” of it. Both candidates stressed the importance of nuclear weapons and keeping them out of ISIS’s hands. To close the evening, Holt questioned what Trump’s intentions were in claiming Clinton did not have “a presidential look.” Trump, in response, made it clear that he does not “believe she does have the stamina” needed to be president. He claimed, that despite the fact that “she's been doing this for thirty years,” she failed to “make anything better.” Clinton fired back by saying that, once he has traveled to one hundred twenty two countries, negotiated peace deals, cease fires, and testified for eleven hours in front of a Congressional hearing, then he can accuse her of not having the stamina. Many sarcastic laughs and “you’re wrong” interruptions later, both candidates ultimately said they would support the outcome of the election, no matter who won. Overall, this was quite the debate to kick off the three part series. Remember to watch the next two debates coming up on October 9th and October 19th!
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By: Victoria Ouyang Carla Hayden was sworn in on Wednesday, September 14, as not only the first woman but also the first African American to hold the title of Librarian of Congress. Hayden, representing the 85 percent women dominated library workforce, is now the head of the largest library in the world. Originally nominated for the position by President Obama last February, Hayden was officially approved by the Senate in July of 2016. This decision comes after much controversy in regard to the Library’s leadership. In March 2015, U.S Accountability Office claimed that “the Library does not have the leadership needed” to solve its problems, largely referring to the Library’s failure to effectively digitize. As a result, James H. Billington, the predecessor of Carla Hayden and head of the Library of Congress for 28 years, ultimately retired from his position. Carla Hayden assumes her new title with high expectations of transforming the Library into a 21st century institution. Mrs. Akers, the Assistant Director of the St. Mary’s Library, said “Not only is great to see an African American woman in this position for the first time, but I’m also pleased that President Obama nominated a person with a master’s degree in library science. Many Librarians of Congress have not come from library backgrounds, but have been illustrious scholars. I think Hayden’s experience makes her particularly suited to lead our nation’s library.” By Paige Nielsen As a generation with an increasing online presence, many of us find a majority of our news in social media and other quick media outlets. Although these sources can be efficient and simple, they have flaws. Often important topics are neglected because either they are tough topics or there is a lack of perceived interest in the story. This year, the Paralympics run from September 7, 2016 to September 18, 2016. Despite the extensive coverage of the Rio Olympics this past summer, the media has neglected to show as much coverage of the Paralympics. While some of the most inspiring stories come out of these game, we don’t hear them. We miss hearing the inspiring stories of the challenges that these athletes have faced and continue to deal with in their daily life. It is not because we don’t care, but because we aren’t told by the media, our main news outlet. When asked, many in the St. Mary’s community reacted with disappointment to how this coverage gap affects both viewers and participants. Samantha Lee (11) commented that “not only do we miss out on developing stories, but I think that the athletes are also hurt by the lack of support.”
By Helen Hudson Say goodbye to gelato bars, cupcake towers, and chocolate fountains; there’s a new wedding trend this year: the donut wall. People are welcoming donuts at weddings by hanging them on walls in grid formation. They are becoming popular partly because they are simple to make and easily modified for any style of wedding. The donut walls are not replacing the wedding cake completely, rather they are adding more variety to the dessert table at both weddings and parties. What’s more, these dazzling creations double as decor and can even be used as a backdrop for a photo booth!
Now that there’s a new dessert trend at weddings, Tatler set out to discover what noteworthy foods some of the St. Mary’s teachers had at their weddings. First, Ms. Levi had small plates that included shrimp and grits, filet mignon, and instead of a traditional wedding cake, she served miniature eclairs. Additionally, Mr. McCalla said, “We had three cakes: a bride’s cake, a groom’s cake, and a groomsmen’s cake to appease my friends,” explaining that his groomsmen claimed they would follow him on his honeymoon if he did not make them their own cake. This cake was “a mound of chocolate cake covered in Chips Ahoy cookies with chocolate syrup on top.” Clearly not your average wedding find! On the other hand, Mrs. Umfress did not succumb to the latest impressive dessert trend, and instead kept it classy and simple with a wedding cake, a groom’s cake, and hot hors d’oeuvre. While the traditional multi-layered wedding cake does not appear to be going away any time soon, it looks like it will be sharing the dessert table with other creative and tasty options! By Victoria Ouyang The giant panda, a lovable symbol for the wildlife conservation movement, is no longer considered an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN has reported that the population of giant pandas has now reached a large enough number to be removed from the “endangered” list, and they are now classified as “vulnerable.” Today, in 2016, there are nearly 2,060 pandas, a significant increase from the 1,596 counted in 2004. Giant pandas were first declared endangered in 1984, more than thirty years ago, and since then the Chinese government and many organizations have worked to preserve the pandas and rebuild habitats. Here in Memphis, the Zoo has done its part to help the Pandas through its exhibition as means of conservation. In 2003, the Memphis Zoo was one of the only four in the United States to exhibit these animals. Since then, many other zoos and organizations have stepped up to save this species. That being said, the IUCN notes that global warming could potentially reverse the past 20 years of progress. Therefore, the conservation efforts across the world, including our own here in Memphis, will continue to play a huge role in keeping the giant pandas off of the endangered list.
By Caroline CiaramitaroFor years, Tatler has been sharing what to read, but now we are here to share what to listen to. Whether you are driving in the car, panting on a run, or lounging in the sun, a good podcast is always a necessary accessory. In search of these stellar podcasts, we went to the most passionate podcast-ers out there: St. Mary’s Girls. Here are their suggestions for your next listen:
By Victoria Ouyang Former student at Stanford University, Brock Turner was released from jail Friday, September 2 on the terms of “good behavior.” In March of 2016, Turner was charged with three counts of sexual assault, with the possibility of facing up to 14 years in prison. However, Turner received a six month sentence and will now be released after serving only 3 months, merely half of his sentence. After a unanimous vote from the jurors in court, proclaiming him guilty, many people believed that Judge Aaron Persky’s sentence was too lenient. In response, California lawmakers have unanimously passed a law, Monday, August 29, that bans probation under certain conditions regarding people convicted of sexual assault. This bill is now waiting for Governor Jerry Brown’s signature.
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