Author: EthanX26

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

The education system is arguably one of the most important foundations of a country. As students, we’re all familiar with it as well. We’re told that education is there to teach, nurture, and even educate. To achieve this, the system uses assessments, which can most notably be categorized into two groups: projects and tests.  read more

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

Since 2013, the number of gun-related crimes has jumped by almost 42%. In 2017, there were a grand total of 7700 victims involved in firearm-related crimes. In 2018, Toronto alone had 428 shooting incidents, amounting to nearly two and a half times the number of incidents in 2014. Obviously, this is a very negative and alarming trend, and the solution seems to be simple: get rid of all guns. The problem, however, is that criminals don’t follow the law, and if we take away guns from civilians we are simply making it easier for criminals. read more

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

“And it’s also a comprehensive health and fitness device.” That was the introduction of the Apple Watch all the way back in 2014. Smartwatches were advertised as this wonderful mini computer that was on your wrist, a multifunctional timepiece. While it was sold as a mini-wearable phone, another key selling point was fitness tracking. However, as smartwatches evolved, they also got many other features, mostly all unrelated to health. This then begs the question: are smartwatches hindering individual health, or are they truly helpful? In short, smartwatches don’t help the individual’s health at all. This is because the health features are so overshadowed that they don’t serve an important purpose. read more

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

Imagine you’re a single mother of 3, who after a long year of hard work is finally able to go on Christmas vacation. The vacation, of course, is wonderful, you’re enjoying yourself on the beach or wherever for the best week of your life. Now imagine returning to your home only to find another family of 2 living there. They’ve broken in unannounced and have been living in your house for the past few days. “Fine, I’ll just kick them out,” you think, but it’s not that simple. Meet squatter’s rights, more professionally known as adverse possession. Squatter’s rights in general have been a very controversial topic: to have or not to have. read more

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

Luscious green grass, beautiful forests, and nature’s beauty can be found everywhere in our world. That’s what you would’ve seen in the past. However, just like humanity, the Earth has also gone through many significant changes, all because of humanity. When you look outside you might still see beautiful green grass and some wonderful trees, but now with the addition of someone’s half eaten piece of candy, some wrappers, smoke billowing out of factories and more. It’s true that we’ve started to recognize the effects of climate change on our beloved planet, shown through things like passing bills and even more notably the creation and meetings of the G20 summit. Clearly climate change is important to us, but what do we do when most of our efforts are futile? read more

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

Written November 2023

Picture this: you’re scrolling through Instagram reels when you come across a magnificent piece of artwork, something so wonderful and intricately designed, capturing every detail perfectly. Thus, you decide to check the artist’s page and lo and behold, there’s even more art of similar quality. Piquing your curiosity, you look into it a bit more and realize that their art is AI art. But what is AI art exactly, and more importantly, does AI art have copyright claims to it? With the rise of apps like Midjourney, DALL-E, and more, the prevalence of AI within our economic and social lives is heavier than ever and thus begs for us to consider: should art created by AI apps have the ability to be copyrighted? read more

Ethan Xu (10) | STAFF REPORTER

Written October 2023

With front-row seats to the development of modern technology, we find ourselves more accustomed to the routine act of turning on a screen. However, this begs the question: is the time we spend in front of a screen really as beneficial as we make it out to be? read more