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:

PSATs and SATs were today. We hope everyone did well, but if you didn’t, it’s okay. We still know you’re great. (Also, many colleges are test-optional or test-blind this year.) Have a great day and try to recover your fried brain cells!

General News:

This past Monday, Microsoft announced Iranian hackers have set their sights on multiple different defense and transportation companies in places such as the U.S., the E.U. and Israel. Fortunately, the 250 organizations (approximately) hacked only had 20 instances of a breach overall. The organizations hacked include ones based in ports on the Persian Gulf, which could, in turn, relate the hackings to geopolitics. Microsoft said one reason that these hackers may be doing this is because “gaining access to commercial satellite imagery and proprietary shipping plans and logs could help Iran compensate for its developing satellite program”. They have not directly accused the Iranian government of being involved with this. 

A new report by The Sentencing Project has data that proves that African-Americans are imprisoned at five times the rate of Caucasians in the U.S. The report also includes evidence that shows more than half of incarcerated people in 12 different states are Black, with Wisconsin with the highest rate of Black prisoners. Furthermore, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute found in 2013 that even the state with the lowest “Black-to-White disparity” (Hawaii) jail Black people at double the rate of White people. Sentencing Project Research Analyst Ashley Nellis said there are three ways to fix these racial injustices: Do away with mandatory imprisonment for crimes, require “racial impact statements” and make “low-level drug offenses” not criminal.

Covid-19: 

The U.S. will be reopening its Canadian and Mexican borders to vaccinated travelers in November. The borders have been closed for nearly 19 months, but this step signals the start of the U.S.’s reopening to tourism. However, unvaccinated people will continue to be barred from entering the U.S. Everyone who was not banned (students and commercial drivers) will need to show proof of vaccination starting in January. 

On Monday, Marck requested FDA approval for its Covid-19 pill for adults with mild to moderate Covid-19. The pill would decrease the risk of hospitalization or death, as well as accelerate recovery, for adults. There have been suggestions that people will choose not to get vaccinated because they think there is a treatment; however, experts say the pill only works on mild to moderate Covid-19 cases, which do not often get spotted. (In other words, get vaccinated.) 

A federal judge allowed religious exemptions for the healthcare workers in New York, saying he was upholding the “guarantees enshrined in the Constitution and federal anti-discrimination [laws]”. According to ABC 7 New York, “Governor Kathy Hochul said it was a ‘disappointing decision’ that has an ‘impact on our ability to help people’”. She plans to appeal the decision. 

Politics: 

Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell reached a deal in the Senate that will raise the debt limit until December and the deal has passed in the House. Previously, the U.S. government would have had to default on its debt (for the first time ever!) on Oct. 18, but with this deal, that is no longer as big an issue. However, this deal has ensured that the fight was postponed because when December comes, the debate over the debt limit will start all over again. 

Governor Gavin Newsom had until Sunday evening to sign into law (or veto) several bills. The following is a list of some of the major bills he signed, courtesy of the SF Chronicle:

1. AB1084 requires many big retail stores to have gender-neutral displays when they are selling toys and other children’s products.
2. AB1346 would prohibit sales of gas-powered small off-road vehicles starting in 2024 (at earliest). However, that does not mean used gas-powered vehicles will also be prohibited. This law only applies to new appliances.
3. AB118 allows for a “pilot program” so that communities can respond to 911 calls. The idea is to create an alternative to police in emergency situations. 
4. SB221 would require insurance companies to follow up with patients looking for help with mental health and/or “substance use issues”. 

Sports: 

Long-time rival teams the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants are facing off in the final match of a five-game series tomorrow in Oracle Park. The winner of this game will move on in the Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs to face the Atlanta Braves in the Championship series. Here are four things that may decide the tide of the game:

• Logan Webb, playing ace for the Giants, has had a breakout season this year. Not only that, his Game 1 performance was phenomenal with 38 changeups and 10 strikeouts. If Webb is performing at a similar level tomorrow, the Dodgers could be in for a tough challenge.
• While Justin and Trea Turner have been mediocre this series against the Giants so far, they are two players that are key to the Dodgers’ play. As two of the best batters in the MLB right now (Turner led the league in hits and total bases this season), these two are very likely to still have an outstanding performance in this final game to clinch the series. 
• Two of the Giants’ x-factors this season have been Wilmer Flores and Darin Ruf. These two have been two of the team’s “biggest weapons” against left-handed pitchers and could be instrumental against left-handed Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías. Like the Turners, they have not been playing as well in this series but still have the chance to perform well in the final game. 
• Relief pitcher (pitcher who closes out the game) Kenley Jansen has been holding the opposition to a low batting percentage throughout the past two months. The only question is, will he even play in this final game? If so, for how long? Despite him being a relief pitcher, the Dodgers’ willingness to play him for longer may be the deciding factor of Game Five. 

Entertainment:

The hit show “Squid Games” was released on Netflix on Sept. 17, instantly becoming an iconic viral series. It is set to be Netflix’s most-streamed show in over 90 countries, which will make it the streaming platform’s most popular show of all time. The show is about a Hunger-Games-style series of games called “Squid Games”, where the winner takes home millions of dollars. However, the catch is if you fail to complete a game, you will be killed. The show introduces us to characters of all backgrounds and personalities, from the loved and overly trusting Abdul Ali to the paranoid North Korean defector Kang Sae-Byeok. Overall, things like the perfectly timed killings of beloved characters that pull at our heartstrings along with the countless plot twists are what make this show one of the most popular ones of all time. Not only do fans enjoy the show directly, but many have concocted numerous theories about the show, including trying to make familial connections between two seemingly unrelated players. Many people are excited for a possible season 2, with the main character and winner of the games Seong Gi-Hun attempting to investigate and stop them at the end of season 1. 

Weather:

Atlas (West Seattle): Highs in the low 50’s this week: 56℉ on Thursday, 58℉ on Friday, 53℉ on Saturday and 52℉ on Sunday. Lows will hold pretty steady in the mid 40’s: 46℉ on Thursday, 47℉ on Friday and back down to 46℉ on Saturday and 45℉ on Sunday. Expect rain on Thursday morning and clouds every day of the week.

Summary:  Highs in the low 50’s, lows in the mid 40’s, rain on Thursday and cloudy.

 

Olympus (Tacoma): Highs will fluctuate in the 50’s: 57℉ on Thursday, 59℉ on Friday and down to 53℉ on Saturday, 52℉ on Sunday. Lows will hold pretty steady in the mid 40’s: 45℉ on Thursday, 46℉ on Friday, 45℉ on Saturday and Sunday. Expect rain on Thursday and Sunday mornings and clouds every day of the week.

Summary:  Highs in the mid 50’s, lows in the mid 40’s, rain on Thursday and cloudy.

 

Sierra (Seattle): Highs will fluctuate in the mid 50’s this week: 56℉ on Thursday, 58℉ on Friday, 53℉ on Saturday and 52℉ on Sunday. Lows will hold pretty steady in the mid 40’s: 46℉ on Thursday, 47℉ on Friday and back down to 46℉ on Saturday and 45℉ on Sunday. Expect rain on Thursday morning and clouds every day of the week.

Summary:  Highs in the mid 50’s, lows in the mid 40’s, rain on Thursday and cloudy.

 

Denali (Sunnyvale): Highs will fluctuate a lot this week: 77℉ on Thursday, 83℉ on Friday, 76℉ on Saturday and 71℉ on Sunday. Lows rise from the mid 40’s to the low 50’s: 50℉ on Thursday, 53℉ on Friday and 51℉ on Saturday and Sunday. It will be mostly sunny up to Friday, and Saturday and Sunday will be partly cloudy. 

Summary: Highs will fluctuate, lows in the low 50’s, mostly sunny.

 

Everest and Prep (Redwood City): Highs will rise and fall dramatically this week: 76℉ on Thursday, 81℉ on Friday, 73℉ on Saturday and 69℉ on Sunday. Lows will be in the low 50’s this week: 52℉ on Thursday, 54℉ on Friday, 52℉ on Saturday and 53℉ on Sunday. It will be a mostly sunny week but expect clouds on the weekend. 

Summary: Highs fluctuate up to the low 80’s, lows in the mid 50’s, sunny.

 

K2 (El Cerrito): Highs fluctuate this week: 76℉ on Thursday, 81℉ on Friday, 72℉ on Saturday and 69℉ on Sunday. Lows will rise pretty slowly: 51℉ on Thursday, 52℉ on Friday and 51℉ on Saturday and Sunday. It will be a mostly sunny week but expect clouds on the weekend. 

Summary: Highs in the mid 70’s with a lot of fluctuation, lows in the low 50’s, mostly sunny.

 

Tam (Richmond): Highs will rise and fall over the week: 77℉ on Thursday, 81℉ on Friday, 73℉ on Saturday and 69℉ on Sunday. Lows follow a similar pattern: 50℉ on Thursday, 51℉ on Friday and Saturday, 50℉ on Sunday. It will be a mostly sunny week but expect clouds on the weekend. 

Summary: Highs in the mid 70’s, lows in the low 50’s, mostly sunny.

 

Shasta (Daly City): Highs this week will fluctuate: 67℉ on Thursday, 72℉ on Friday, 66℉ on Saturday and 62℉ on Sunday. Lows this week will hold pretty steady in the upper 40’s: 49℉ on Thursday, 50℉ on Friday and Saturday and 49℉ on Sunday. It will be mostly sunny this week.

Summary: Highs fluctuate in the mid-to-upper 60’s, lows in the upper 40’s, sunny.

 

Tahoma (San Jose): Highs rising then falling this week: 80℉ on Thursday, 85℉ on Friday, 79℉ on Saturday and 73℉ on Sunday. Lows follow a similar pattern: 49℉ on Thursday, 52℉ on Friday, 50℉ on Saturday and Sunday. It will be a mostly sunny week but expect clouds on the weekend. 

Summary: Highs in the low 80’s though it fluctuates, lows rising to the low 50’s, sunny.

Cooking: Chess Squares

By Diana Rattray on the Spruce Eats

Makes 24 squares for 12 servings

 

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, divided

1 (15- to 18- ounce) package butter cake mix

½ cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 pound confectioner’s sugar (and more for dusting), optional

½ tsp vanilla extract, optional

 

Directions:

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350oF.
2. Grease and flour a 9 by 13 in baking pan.
3. In a small bowl, lightly beat one of the eggs.
4. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, butter, and the beaten egg. Beat on low speed until the butter is blended into the dry cake mix and the egg mixture and the crumbs begin to clump together. Stop mixing and pat the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
5. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until the mixture is light and well blended. Beat in the remaining 3 eggs. Continue beating until very smooth. Beat in the vanilla, if using.
6. Pour the cream cheese batter over the first layer and spread to cover evenly.
7. Bake the chess squares for 35 to 40 minutes, or until set and lightly browned.
8. Cool on a rack and then cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator to chill thoroughly before cutting. They are a little gooier if you cut them while they are still warm.
9. This recipe makes about 24 (2-inch) bars. Store the bars in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

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.

In light of the SAT and PSAT happening in many schools this week, here are some resources that can help prepare you for them if you are taking them in the future. 

• https://www.khanacademy.org/SAT
• https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice
• https://blog.prepscholar.com/guaranteed-scholarships-based-on-sat-act-scores

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/.

Featured Image (at the top of the post): Congress passes the bill to raise the debt limit through December PHOTO CREDIT: Daily Montanan