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Your Summit Weekly Briefing

By Ashwath Vimal, Lia Bhas and Angela Hwang

Staff Writers

Disclaimer: Though the Weekly Briefings are no longer tagged in the Opinions section of Summit News and we try to remain as unbiased as possible, our opinions may show through in this article, especially in the “Actions” section.

Summit:

Welcome back everyone to another school year! We hope everyone is having a good time being back at school and staying safe! We are excited to get into another year of news! While we have not had many articles out over the summer, check out this article by one of our very own weekly briefing writers. It informs readers why esports should be considered on the same level as more traditional sports such as football or basketball.

General News:

After the devastating storm that was Hurricane Ida ravaged Louisiana, a new hurricane has popped up in the Atlantic, dubbed Hurricane Larry. This past Friday, it was officially classified as a Category 3 hurricane and has the possibility of turning into a Category 4. On Saturday, the storm was in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and has the chance to move towards Bermuda. It is not predicted to be a big threat to the U.S.
Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been released from prison due to health issues. The 79-year-old is serving 15 months for not heeding a summons for a query into corruption while he was in office. South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services has stated that “he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with a specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires.”
The Caldor Fire that has been burning near Lake Tahoe had major containment progress this past weekend, only gaining 824 acres from Friday to Saturday night. The fire is expected to be fully contained by Sept. 25, Cal Fire said. Many evacuation orders in places previously threatened have been lifted. However, this good news has been darkened by the three new fires that started in California on Sunday. The Lawrence fire has burned 40 acres so far and is 30% contained; the Bridge fire has burned 250 acres and is 0% contained and the Aruba fire has burned 100 acres and is 15% contained. These fires, along with the many others (including the Dixie fire which has burned 898,951 acres and is 56% contained) have plagued California for two summers so far.
Apple announced last month it wanted to implement new features that would help prevent child exploitation with its technology. This feature would check phones for images of abuse and include a tool to warn underage users and their parents of images sent to them through iMessage with sexual content. However, Apple has decided not to put these new mechanisms into effect just yet. The company said based on feedback from many different groups, they have “decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features.” The main concern was that of privacy. While Apple has assured that it would not be an issue, experts and other groups have said that the idea that Apple would be “searching: through people’s devices for images is a cause for scrutiny.”

Covid-19:

All California counties have reported an increase in cases as of the beginning of August allowing for the mandatory mandate on masks. There are three authorized vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson. Dr. Fauci has stated that booster shots might be necessary for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Pfizer’s Covid booster will most likely be available on Sept. 20 while the Moderna booster may be delayed
As of Aug. 1, Washington has been enduring a surge in its Covid cases as the state’s total cases went up to 578 thousand with 6,700 deaths. The state’s vaccine mandates are starting to move forward as the Washington State Workers Union agreed the Covid vaccine is going to be mandated to all 46,000 workers or many will face the risk of losing their jobs.
Florida is dealing with its deadliest phase of the pandemic, especially with the emergence of the Delta variant and its strong effects. Brazil has started its process of booster shots this Wednesday for the vaccine, yet many still await to get their second and even first shots. Many other cities like Salvador and Sao Luis started booster shots on Sept. 6th. Many people in more populous countries like France, China and Chile are more “fully vaccinated” than 30% of Brazilians. Many have gotten their first but not second shots.

Politics:

This past week, Hurricane Ida swept through Louisiana and left about 1 million people without power and at least 1 person dead. Climate change is causing more and more extreme weather, which has shown Americans the U.S. infrastructure is not prepared. A bipartisan plan passed in the Senate, which advocates say is key to protecting the US against climate change and extreme weather. Some of the bill’s opposition says the bill pushes Democratic agendas, others want to pass a different bill to tackle the “root causes of climate change” first.
China has a history of censorship that includes entertainment. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is the latest. While the Marvel project debuts in the US, the movie expected to appeal most to Chinese viewers has no release date in China.
The Taliban have used violence to break up protests in Afghanistan. Many of the protests did have women’s rights themes. France 24 reports many journalists were also detained while the protests were being disbanded. Previously, the Taliban had claimed victory over Afghanistan following their battle for the Panjshir Valley. The Taliban have also “warned against any further attempts to rise up against their rule.”
Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, is not on the Sept. 26 election ballot. She has served since November 2005 as the country’s chancellor and as a prominent member of German politics since 1990. Merkel was the first woman, the first East German and the youngest person to hold the office. Some of the favorite candidates to replace her are Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the party’s secretary-general; Friedrich Merz, a former parliamentary leader of the CDU/CSU alliance; Jens Spahn, the health minister; and Armin Laschet, the state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia.
In Denmark, Inger Stoejberg, the ex-immigration minister, is facing impeachment for the order she issued in 2016 that under-18 married refugees must be separated. Stoejberg argues her “political wish was, is and will be that no child brides should live with their older husband at a Danish asylum center. But of course, I haven’t given any orders to break the law.”
The New York Times reported the Virginia Supreme Court unanimously ruled to allow the statue of Robert E. Lee from Monument Avenue. Gov. Ralph Northam wanted to remove the statue in June 2020 after the death of George Floyd and the resulting protests.
Texas has passed the new voting law, which has been changed revised several times. This law includes changes to voting practices such as not allowing polling places to remain open 24 hours, expansion of early voting, identification requirements for absentee voting, prohibition of election officials to send unrequested absentee ballot applications, among others.

Sports:

NCAA: On Sept. 4, No.3, Clemson and No.5 University of Georgia, went on to play in week 1 of NCAA football. Georgia went on to beat their rival 10-3. During the first quarter of the game, Clemson’s safety, Lannden Zanders, injured his shoulder and will need surgery to fix the injury. The Bulldogs went on to hold the Tigers to 2 yards rushing and sacked the quarterback, D.J Uiagalelei, 7 times. Georgia’s coach, Kirby Smart, said, “We frustrated and confused them” when talking about Clemson and Georgia’s incredible defense. Clemson did not score until 9:08 left in the game.
MLB: On Sept. 6, the San Francisco Giants beat the Denver Rockies 10-5. Thairo Estrada hit 2 of SF’s 4 home runs to help keep their 1 game lead in the NL West division with the LA Dodgers sitting closely behind them. The Dodgers also beat the Cardinals 5-1, fighting the Giants for the #1 seed in the NL West. The Oakland Athletics have been on a losing streak lately and badly lost to the Blue Jays (8-0), leaving them in third place in the AL West and 6 games behind the Houston Astros. The Washington Nationals played against the Phillies on Sept. 2, after it was postponed. The Phillies won 7-6 leaving the Nationals in fourth place in the NL East.
NBA: There is not too much external news on the NBA, but there have been some intentions of inside trade. LaMarcus Aldridge decided to come out of his 5-month retirement and rejoin the Brooklyn Nets on a one-year, 2.6 million deal. He previously experienced health issues leading to his retirement but has been all cleared to play this upcoming season. Sources say that DeAndre Jordan is intended to sign with the Lakers. Detroit got Jordan alongside four second-round picks and a 5.7 million deal with Brooklyn. After a buyout agreement is signed, Jordan will become a free agent and is likely to sign with the Lakers.
NFL: Week 1 is approaching this weekend. The 49ers are playing the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 10 a.m.. The 49ers are favored to win with 61%. The Las Vegas Raiders will be playing the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, Sept. 13 at 5:15 p.m. The Ravens are favored to win with 57%. The Washington Team will be playing against the LA Chargers on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. Washington is favored to win with 59%

Entertainment:

“He’s all that”, a remake of the popular 90’s romantic comedy “She’s All That”, stars Tik-Tok Star Addison Rae, and Cobra Kai’s Tannar Buchannan. The movie has received a lot of backlash for being a poor attempt to modernize and rehash the Hollywood classic. Before the movie was even released, the movie was already being criticized for casting a newbie actor (Addison Rae) into the main role in such an anticipated movie. After the fact that her acting was not well-received, with many saying that in more serious scenes, she could not do away with her happy demeanor. However, Rae responds to her critics by saying that many are calling her acting bad without even watching the movie. Either way, other critics describe the movie as “hollow” and having little chemistry between the two main cast members.
Famous rapper Drake’s highly awaited album “Certified Lover Boy” (CLB) has finally been released to the masses. The album includes 21 tracks that feature famous artists such as Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. At the moment, its competitor is none other than Kanye West’s “Donda”, which features artists such as The Weeknd, Roddy Rich, Pop Smoke and many of the same ones on CLB. Both artists exchanged many interactions with each other recently, with Drake dissing West in a song and West leaking Drake’s address. While both albums have received very mixed reviews, the charts tell another story. “Donda” has secured a number one spot, with CLB likely to follow after. With both artists going back and forth with each other on social media, this has likely fueled the fire, with fans constantly comparing both albums saleswise and quality-wise.

Weather:

Atlas (West Seattle): Highs this cloudy week will drop overall. Monday will be 74℉, rising to 76o℉ on Tuesday before dropping to 71℉ on Wednesday, and staying relatively constant through Saturday. Lows will stay relatively constant – Monday will be 54℉, before the temperature rises to 56℉ on Tuesday and dropping to 53℉ on Wednesday, where it will stay through Saturday, with small fluctuations.

Summary: Highs in the mid-to-low 70’s, lows in the mid 50’s, lots of clouds.

Olympus (Tacoma): Highs this week will drop overall. Monday will be 77℉, rising to 79℉ on Tuesday, before dropping to 73℉ on Wednesday and dropping one degree through to Saturday. Lows this week follow a similar pattern – Monday will be 54℉, rising to 56℉ on Tuesday and dropping to 53℉ on Wednesday, 51℉ on Thursday and 52℉ on Friday and Saturday.

Summary: Highs drop from upper 70’s early in the week to the low 70’s towards the end, lows in the mid-to-low 50’s, partly cloudy.

Sierra (Seattle): Highs this cloudy week will drop overall. Monday will be 75℉, rising to 77℉ on Tuesday before dropping to 71℉ on Wednesday, and dropping further to 68℉ on Saturday. Lows will stay relatively constant – Monday will be 55℉, before the temperature rises to 57℉ on Tuesday and dropping to 54℉ on Wednesday, 53℉ on Thursday and Friday, before it drops again to 68℉ on Saturday.

Summary: Highs drop from mid-to-upper 70’s early in the week to the low 70’s towards the end, lows in the mid-to-low 50’s, partly cloudy.

Denali (Sunnyvale): The temperature will stay relatively constant this week. Highs start at 89℉ on Monday, drop to 81℉ on Tuesday, 83℉ on Wednesday, 81℉ on Thursday and Friday and 80℉ on Saturday. Lows at 59℉ every day except Tuesday, where it will be 58℉. Partly cloudy on Monday, sunny on Tuesday and Wednesday, partly cloudy again on Thursday and Friday and mostly sunny on Saturday.

Summary: Highs relatively constant in the low 80’s, lows constant at 58oF, partly cloudy.

Everest and Prep (Redwood City): Highs this week in the upper 70’s. Monday will be 82℉ before it drops to 76℉ on Tuesday, 78℉ on Wednesday and 77℉ Thursday through Saturday. Lows will stay relatively constant – 59℉ on Monday and Tuesday, 58℉ Wednesday through Saturday. This week will be partly cloudy, except for Saturday, where it will be mostly sunny.

Summary: Highs in the upper 70’s, lows constant at 58oF, partly cloudy.

K2 (El Cerrito): Highs this week will start at 78℉ on Monday before it drops to 76℉ on Tuesday, rises to 78℉ on Wednesday, 76℉ on Thursday, 75℉ on Friday, 74℉ on Saturday. Lows this week: 57℉ from Monday to Wednesday, 56℉ Thursday through Saturday. It will be partly cloudy on Monday, and mostly sunny throughout the rest of the week.

Summary: Highs in the mid-to-upper 70’s, lows in the mid 50’s, mostly sunny.

Tam (Richmond): Highs this (mostly) sunny week will start at 79℉ on Monday, 77℉ on Tuesday, 80℉ on Wednesday, 77℉ on Thursday and 75℉ on Friday and Saturday. Lows this week will hold steady from Monday through Wednesday at 56℉, before it drops to 55℉ on Thursday, rises to 56℉ on Friday and drops to 55℉ on Saturday.

Summary: Highs in the mid-to-upper 70’s, lows in the mid 50’s, partial and full sun.

Shasta (Daly City): Highs this week in the mid-to-upper 60’s. 68℉ on Monday before it drops to 65℉ on Tuesday, rising to 67℉ on Wednesday and Thursday, dropping to 66℉ on Friday and Saturday. Lows hold steady at 53℉ all week, except for Tuesday when it will be 54℉. It will be partly cloudy all week, except Thursday where there will be sun.

Summary: Highs in the mid-to-upper 60’s, lows at 53℉, partially cloudy

Tahoma (San Jose): Highs this week start at 83℉ on Monday, dropping to 82℉ and 80℉ on Tuesday and Wednesday, before dropping further to 77℉ on Thursday, and 73℉ on Friday and Saturday. Lows in the mid-to-low 40’s. 49℉ on Monday, 48℉ on Tuesday, 47℉ on Wednesday, 45℉ on Thursday, 44℉ on Friday and 43℉ on Saturday. This week will start out partly cloudy on Monday, mostly sunny on Tuesday and Wednesday, partly cloudy again on Thursday and mostly sunny Friday and Saturday.

Summary: Highs dropping from 83℉ on Monday to 73℉ on Saturday, lows also dropping from 49℉ on Monday to 43℉ on Saturday, partly cloudy and partly sunny.

Cooking: Apple Fritters

By Tracy on Served from Scratch

Equipment:

Thermometer or wooden spoon

Slotted spoon

Ingredients:

3-4 cups honeycrisp or granny smith apples, peeled and diced (about 2-3 apples)

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 pinch nutmeg (or apple pie spice)

(Optional) 1 pinch ground ginger

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

⅓ cup milk

1 tsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Vegetable oil for frying

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

2-5 tsp milk or water

Instructions:

Combine diced apples and lemon juice in a bowl
In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add milk, vanilla and cooled butter and whisk together.
In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ground ginger.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well until loose dough is formed. Fold in the apples.
Fill a frying pan with oil until you have about 3-4 inches of oil in your pan. Heat until the oil reaches 375oF on the thermometer, or test with a wooden spoon (see below).
Use a measuring cup to drop batter into oil, about ¼-⅓ cup. Fry until the outside is golden brown. Flip and fry the other side until golden brown, for a total of about 4-5 minutes. You’ll know they’re done if you insert a small knife into the center and it comes clean. If not, fry a little longer so that the center is fully cooked. This time will depend on the size of your fritter.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined cooling rack and let cool. Repeat with all the batter.

Glaze:

Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined cooling rack and let cool. Repeat with all the batter.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled fritters and let dry.

Wooden spoon test

To test to see if your oil is hot enough for frying without a thermometer, grab your wooden spoon and put the end of it into the oil. If the oil bubbles around it, it’s ready! If it bubbles too hard, it’s too hot and you will want to cool the oil a little and then test again.

Actions:

Editor’s note: The “Actions” section includes petitions to sign, prompts and scripts to write officials with as well as other opportunities to engage in your local, national and global communities.

As the war in Afghanistan continues to occur and worsen, here are some ways you can help the country and its citizens:

Here is a list of actions from the New York Times that you can help with the relief effort including things like donating to help refugees escape Afghanistan and to help provide medical services to Afghan citizens and refugees.
Educate yourself on what is happening by watching this video about American veterans sharing their perspectives about what is happening now and their experiences in Afghanistan

And, as always:

Watch or listen or listen to this playlist. All advertisement revenue goes to Black Lives Matter. Do not skip the ads, the donations will not go through otherwise.

Watch or listen to this video. All advertisement revenue goes to various aid organizations easing the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Please note it is blocked on school-issued Chromebooks due to being in the “Entertainment” category
- Learn more about the crisis at www.monareliefye.org/.