Jenny Cheung, Pd 2, 12/21/2020, Day A

 Jenny Cheung, Pd 2, 12/20/2020, Day A

Reading & Learning

Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading.

Right now, our topic revolves around religion, specifically Christianity. I have never read the Bible nor am very knowledgable about it as well. As an atheist, I have an outside perspective on Christianity because of the high percentage of religious people in the US, which is kind of like looking into a window from outside a house. Reading excerpts from religious texts gives a different insight on the thought processes of Christians. While these excerpts don't give the whole picture, they are interesting in how they portray the apocalypse as the downfall of humanity (specifically the heritics/atheists) in the Book of Revelations. It is a bit confusing without the context of what triggered the end of the world and how life will continue after it but the scene is awe-inducing when describing the monsters (4 horsemen of the apocalypse) and the hell rained down upon Earth (the angels blowing the trumpets). The use of the word "Lamb" is also interesting because the Lamb is Jesus Christ who will lead the true believers to safety considering the connotations of the word. Lamb are the young of sheep which are constantly metaphors to describe people who follow and not lead and serves to demonstrate how words have different meanings that shift over time (i.e, awesome). 

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

Learning not just about the Book of Revelations but also the Book of Job, it really does give a new context and light on the morals and values of Christians but also how the values of Christianity have shifted over time (or just in the ways people interpret the religious texts). It can give valuable insight on current events and gives a different perspective. Through a new perspective, you can understand people through a deeper level and connect with them. For example, learning about the Book of Job and the deeper connection people have with their faith allows me to understand more about why people can have such a deep attachment to it. Job never curses out God after having horrible things happen to him in a test to shake his faith and fails to understand why it happened to him. God's answer is to speak to him in a storm and tell him that he will never understand what he does because God is omnipotent and the creator of wonderous things that humans will never know of. This satifies Job and he goes on to have a fufilling life where all his material goods are restored by twicefold. I don't have this deep connection to my faith but through this reading it has helped me understand why some people's faiths are unshakeable and what exactly they believe in. 

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

The morals and lessons taught in these books are commonplace as religious allegories and allusions are featured heavily in contemporary times. Learning about the source material serves to give a deeper understanding to these allegories and allusions and shine a different light on them. Also, (although this is a very niche problem) it is almost ironic to see evangelical Christians give their takes on the election results because of how they almost weaponize their faith to protest election results and how they promise an apocalypse almost like the one described in the Book of Job due to the new president-elect. While just a small population of people, there has been always been a very loud minority of people who interpret original readings to fit their own views in order to weaponize their faith or to use it for the betterment of people. 

3/25 Gautaman Asirwatham Period 2 - LATE

What is it like working from home?

Working from home gives me the freedom to do whatever I want. This comes with challenges and advantages. I have pursued interests of mine that I had put off for a long time and have had a lot of time to relax and enjoy myself. I have also lacked motivation to participate in school and finish my studies. I never thought senioritis could be so bad. Weighing the pros and cons I would say that quarantine and isolation has been fruitful in many ways. My conception of school and society has changed a lot. I realize that school isn’t what makes you learn but rather the effort it demands of you. I have also learned that I should spend more time doing what I enjoy rather than what is asked of me. I learned that I genuinely liked going to school and that what I hated all along was homework. These realizations will inevitably change the decisions I make in college. I only hope that I do not squander the talents I am gifted with by choosing to enjoy my life more actively.

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

On an individual level, I am learning how social people are meant to be. With everyone isolating everyone is going a bit crazy. I also am learning how important a routine is as I see my friends slowly fall into degeneracy. I learned that getting sunlight and air is necessary to avoid depression for many people.

On a societal level, I am learning that large scale problems require a severe and visceral impetus to cause change. The US specifically perpetuates many obvious problems simply out of negligence and fear. The list is too long with racial injustice, unsustainable industries, lack of universal healthcare, and many others. The youth are very progressive judging from their public reactions but older people are generally more fearful of change. 

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

I feel that isolation creates a unique environment for self growth and understanding and as such people should take advantage of the current global circumstances. I am doing my best to stay positive and productive day by day.

I am sad about the damages caused and lives ruined by the various problems in 2020. I am also sad that many people are not treating each other humanely or listening to each other. I think that when such tragedies are happening we should all try to support each other and solve the problem together. Instead, people are dividing further and not being kind to one another. Of course, this is easier said than done but I believe it is a simple sentiment that goes a long way to make the world better.

Finally, I feel hopeful about the future as many of the world’s problems are being exposed for what they are. In the short term many will suffer but in the future people will be better off for our struggles. If there is another outbreak or social problem people will be faster to solve it and more understanding of each other.

Jacob Fox, Period 1, 5/1/2020 (LATE)

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

Within a short period of time last week, the subject of media attention has rapidly shifted from updates about Covid-19 to the ongoing protests and demonstrations across the country. Cases in the United States are still increasing at a considerable rate, and this has been exacerbated by the recent reopening of many states. With almost two million cases, over twenty thousand new cases daily and over a hundred thousand deaths, it’s clear that there is still a serious threat. In New York, under the direction of Governor Cuomo, stay at home orders and other restrictions on gatherings and business have been extended until June 27. It’s evident from looking at the numbers that these measures are effective. Comparing the graphs of daily new cases in New in New York versus the entire U.S. shows a clear difference. The highest number of daily cases in new york was 11,571 on April 14. There were 941 new cases on May 31. Comparing that to the entire United States, in which there was a peak of 36137 cases on april 24, but there was still 21703 on May 31. New York has experienced a decline by more than a factor of 12 since the peak, while daily cases in the United States as a whole have declined by less than a factor of 2.


What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

As always, it’s difficult to get people to cooperate when you want to place temporary restrictions on their freedoms. A lot of people make it out like it’s either an all or nothing situation. Either we’re all locked inside our homes by an oppressive government, or we’re free and we can go wherever we want, do whatever we want, and not have to wear masks. Some of the stricter measures to reduce the spread of the virus wouldn’t be necessary if everyone observed some reasonable precautions such as minimizing time spent outside, especially around other people, standing at least six feet apart, and wearing a mask. I’m learning that a lot of people don’t take things seriously until it affects them personally.


Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

It’s strange to me how quickly everyone has moved on from talking about the virus to talking about the protests. Coronavirus is still a threat, and is affecting the lives of thousands of people across the country. I think that it is entirely possible to stage a peaceful protest while observing the precautions necessary to minimize the spread of Covid-19, and there have been many examples of exactly that occurring across the country. In an ideal world, these types of protests would be the only ones occurring. Police officers would be able to stand by peacefully, only being there to protect the right of the nonviolent protesters to assemble or to intervene if any situation becomes violent. However, some people have been taking advantage of the distractions caused by the protests to vandalize and loot businesses. This has caused issues for law enforcement, and has caused a lot of unnecessary and unwarranted force to be used on demonstrators operating entirely within their first amendment rights. It doesn’t help that the message from the White House has been to condone violent acts against citizens and seemingly seek only to escalate the conflict. I’ve never seen a situation this bad in America in my lifetime.

Jacob Fox, Period 1, 3/11/2020 (LATE)

Write about what you learned in your online English lessons.

Over the past month, we’ve been reading World War Z by Max Brooks. It’s about a zombie apocalypse, but it’s not told from a narrow point of view like most dramatic zombie stories. It’s written in the style of an informational report, documenting the history of the worldwide zombie war. However, the story is not just about the zombies themselves. It’s about the worldwide effect of fear, panic, and ignorance, which causes more destruction than the zombies themselves. It is rich with real life lessons about our nature as humans. We’ve also been working on our final project, which is to create our own monster. Our monster has to be a metaphor of something that happens in real life. This ties in well to the themes of World War Z, and the curriculum as a whole, which reinforces the idea of monsters being a reflection of humanity. Monsters have to be relatable on some level in order to make an interesting and compelling story. Even mindless monsters like zombies, that seem completely disjointed from humanity, Humans fear death and decay, and we fear not being remembered. That fear is personified in the form of a mindless walking corpse that has lost all sense of what it used to be. Still roaming the world as only a shadow of its former self.


How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

For our final project in macroeconomics, we are playing the stock market game again. We get five thousand dollars which we can invest however we want to try to make as much money as possible over the course of a few weeks. It’s becoming increasing apparent to me that stock prices, especially those of the big name companies are mostly influenced by human psychology and bandwagon mentality. News media headlines play a much bigger role than actual data. This is especially apparent during the volatile situation we currently find ourselves in. With new stories breaking every day, it’s hard to guess what will happen to stocks. Mrs. Fink says it’s all about who gets the information first, because the people who spend the time (or have inside connections) to get information before everyone else can act before the market reacts and make a profit. As we’ve learned from reading World War Z, fear is a powerful motivator, and there are always people waiting to take advantage of it. I’d encourage everyone reading this to look up publicly available statistics about U.S senators selling stocks back in February.


What is it like working from home?

Working from home has been difficult. It’s hard to stay focused with all the distractions. Being able to come to school put me in a certain mindset, and I took for granted the fact that I could talk to any of my teachers in person basically any time I wanted. At first it seemed that completing my last semester of high school from home would be much easier than going to school. Purely in terms of workload, it’s definitely been less. However, actually showing up to a school building makes it much easier to coast by, because you’re always reminded of the work that needs to be done. At home, it’s hard to keep up, with senioritis being in full kick. I can close my computer whenever I want, I can’t just walk out of the school building or skip classes. I’ve had to work very hard recently to get things back on track, and it’s been much more difficult than usual to communicate with my teachers. Still, I’m hopeful that I can close out the year well, and be prepared for college next year.

Bernard Kelly 4/17/20 Pd 2 - LATE

4/17/20

Bernard Kelly Period 2

While I have been social distancing before it was cool, this shutdown of schools is severely negatively impacting my schoolwork while also hurting my relationships with my friends due to lack of contact. When I work at home, I find it difficult to concentrate without my classmates and teachers nearby to stimulate the learning. We are not much closer to reopening, and those that are suffering from unemployment are beginning to protest the quarantine.

Unsa Munir 4/28/20 Period 2 - Blog #3 (LATE)

Modern Mythology 2020

Unsa Munir

 4/28/20

What is it like working from home?

Tough. Senior year was rough from the start. Senioritis was slowly creeping up on me ever since eighth grade and this year it really attacked me. If doing work while going to school was hard, this is another level. It was an easy switch at first. I thought it wouldn’t last long, and many teachers were giving basic work. As time went on I lost motivation and it was too easy to ignore my responsibilities. Going to school I was forced to pay attention (to some extent) and establish a work setting. Now that there’s no difference between home and school, it’s hard to create it myself. I open the tab for Google Classroom and next thing you know I’m seven videos deep into some oddly specific conspiracy theory. It’s comforting knowing that a lot of my friends are/were in the same situation. Of course, I would never encourage this or hope for anyone to be going through the same, but the fact that I’m not alone does make me feel better. The worst part of working from home is that there is no escape. Even if I slacked off in school, I was able to socialize easily or deal with my problems by playing handball or eating some good food nearby. Now I have to deal with everything in my home and it begins to get suffocating. Regardless, school is a priority and in the end I am determined to finish all my work! Even if it takes me forever, and I lose a lot of points, I want to do my best until the end. I’m just hoping some things get better in time for college because I would hate to have this mentality/environment while starting a major time in my life.

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

It’s nothing I didn’t know before, but wow some people are selfish. There was a tweet written by Jeff Kasanoff saying “Very American to decide we are bored with COVID and therefore it is over.” While other countries are dealing with their last cases, reopening schools, and safely roaming the streets, we are out here in war. It is beyond me that there are groups of people protesting the right for a haircut. Do they not know scissors exist? Do they not know how to use them themselves? Considering that they’re protesting for things like that, I would believe it if they didn’t know how to use them. But really, America had a lot of time to prepare. Instead of making racist ‘jokes’, our fellow citizens and people in power should’ve been taking the time to educate themselves about what was going down. Even when things finally got serious, there were/are still groups of people taking this lightly. I don’t understand how over 100,000 people have died from this in the US yet there are still people who are going out unprotected because they want their freedom. We all want a summer, a life, a job, etc. but in order to get there we need to work together. I’m pretty disappointed in how the US has responded, especially people from my community who I thought would’ve known better. But then again it’s Staten Island. Apparently a tanning salon should’ve been an essential business. What’s going on?

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

These past few months, especially this past week, has felt like a never ending boss level in a terribly hard video game. Everyday there’s a new issue and it’s truly unpredictable. What’s been on my mind, especially after Ahmed Aubrey and George Floyd is the BLM movement. There was a news headline that read “ Two Deadly Viruses are Killing Americans” Covid-19 and Racism.” The acts committed recently are absolutely disgusting. Yet, I can’t say I’m surprised. Things like this have been going on for years. Every day, another life is turned into a trending hashtag. I’m glad things have been recorded recently. Without evidence and proper exposure, these names wouldn’t be known. Imagine how many cases aren’t even cases because of that. I’m doing what I can to help but I know I don’t have much power. The worst or maybe the best part of these situations is finding out who the closeted racist is amongst my followers. I’m incredibly passionate about these situations, as are many others. Seeing videos of innocent people being tortured because of their skin color is something everyone should have a strong feeling about. In all honesty, I’m scared but excited. I’m scared because in a few days it’s June which means it's basically level six of Jumanji. I’m terrified to know what next month holds. However, I’m excited for the movement. It’s sad that these riots happen often but these ones seem different. There’s more power to them. Perhaps it’s because of the power of the media. More cases are being exposed and many celebrities have been sharing them as well. The protests going on are being covered and I feel like we’re closer to change. I could be completely wrong and this could just be another act of racism we write off until the next, but I’d hope not. 

Lillian Tong PD1

Lillian Tong Pd 1

Modern Mythology

Write about what you learned in your online English lessons.

     Something I learned was the cultural differences that may lead to determining who is and who isn’t considered an outsider. In the book WWZ, two of the characters have majorly different backgrounds but hold a similar status of being an outsider. Kondo Tatsumi being a closeted otaku that spends all his time sitting in his room huddled around his computer versus Tomonaga Ijiro who holds strict and traditional Japanese values by heart and works to earn his keep but is severely depressed on account of being a survivor of a tragedy that millions perished from on top of having to live with being blind. These two contrasting characters were able to meet and create the Tatenokai- a group of trained martial artists that defended against zombies. It is incredible how two men who have been scorned can overcome those odds and create something like that. 

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

    The relationships that were went over in lesson 7 with how there are outsiders was interesting, because in Ap Psychology we’ve been talking about how human conform more often when there are influences that urge them to go against their own thoughts, even their own morals, all to please those that either have more power or in groups of people that all share something you don’t. And in particular with the group of people that share something that is not shared with one individual, it has been shown that they will actively try to copy the accepted behavior and forego their own. It also goes to show how invested we are in our own relationships with other people and how they think of us, that we never slow down and pick up on the relationships we have with other people, rather than other people having a relationship with us. The difference is it being a power grab versus a symbiotic relationship. 

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

     Based on the reactions of people around the world, specifically the United States right now, there is a lot of tension. With Covid-19 having people staying at home for almost three months now, it is an understatement when talking about the amount of pressure people have been put under, especially those in the emergency healthcare units. My cousin is a nurse and works in upstate New York, and being Asian American but also being the person who treats patients has created confrontations. It is difficult because I know how much time he is putting in his job only for him to be verbally assaulted on account of his heritage. I learned while there are people who uplift in this world, there are also others who won’t hesitate to bring you down, and it is important to keep true to your values.

5/29 Martin Zeng Period 1

5/29/20
Martin Zeng Period 1
Modern Mythology 2020
Blogger #32

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

Mr. Olsen, my physics teacher gave us an extra assignment after the AP tests where we choose theoretical or practical physics and from there we are doing assignments based on our choice. I chose practical physics and I’m finding it challenging but it has been made somewhat easier from the differential equations that I’ve been learning/learned in calculus. Its taken quite a while for science and math to line up in my educational career. I never thought I would see the day. In our Mythology class I’ve been using the ideas that I’ve learned and tried to use them to understand the events that are happening in our world right its almost like its a psychology class. An example would be blame game thats happening among the world leaders in order to take the blame off themselves. If they truly cared they would have admitted to their own incompetencies and the countless lives they have negatively affected. I understand why they would do it. If they didn’t they wouldn’t keep their job but I still can’t agree with their decisions. Being able to delve deeper into the underlying reasons behind the actions that people take gives the news an extra dimension of applicable thought and self-reflection.

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

Our current situation is that New York City is on the brink of officially ending the pause phase very soon. A bit sooner than I expected but a welcome surprise. Governor Cuomo intends to reopen the city but in a very limited fashion. Many businesses that do not require close contact between people are being reopened for the public to use. However social distancing protocols, face masks, retail pick-up only, and limited capacity are still in effect and large gatherings are still prohibited. The city is taking quick action in order to ensure that people make the best and safest decisions possible regarding going outside because they know that they cannot keep everyone inside when every week the weather is getting warmer and everyone is itching to get outside. Around the country there have been much more drastic reopening measures that have already lead to expected spikes in cases/deaths. I only hope that the virus is contained as well as possible while also reopening the economy. There has to be a balance or a lot more anger will be pent up inside the population.

My personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

I personally believe that what is happening right now is still very surreal even 2 and a half months into the lockdown. Even though I’m more of an indoors person I still miss the outside world and can’t wait for things to go back to normal. Hopefully our government takes the best steps in order to ensure that we can go back to normal as soon as possible. However, I don’t think that things will return to complete normalcy anytime soon. I believe that people will be much more conscious about cleanliness in public and the such. I really don’t want classes to be online instruction in the fall because I shudder at the thought of having to take online classes for classes that will probably be very challenging. My performance and work ethic has already been severely affected by online learning and I’m scared of what online college classes will do to my mental health and work ethic. Everytime I think of what it will be like once we return to normal I can’t envision it because it feels like we’ve been in lockdown forever and that I spent the entire school year at home. Everything that happened before the virus seems so distant that the pre-corona era jokes actually have a bit of backing behind them.

5/28/20 Lillian Tong PD1

5/28/2020       Lillian Tong PD 1

Modern Mythology 2020

What is it like working from home?

     Some of the lessons thus far are really interesting as it allows you to research a little more by yourself as you read the lessons on your own time. There have been a lot of times in past classes where there would be something that catches my eye on a slide, I write a note down to look more into it when I’m at home, but I end up usually forgetting about it as my day goes on. Of course, there are a lot of elements that are missing from the at home setting that we would get from a more traditional classroom. The element that I miss the most is being able to interact with people on a personal basis as we go over literary lessons that have been passed down generations. It’s significantly different now, as I read through the slides at my own pace and the extra time helps me articulate my thoughts more clearly, but it’s difficult when I don’t understand something and get stuck at a concept; something that didn’t happen as I could rely on Ms. Fusaro to help me fill in the blanks and provide a deeper way to look at a scene. 

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

     As of writing the blog, the United States tops the charts with 1,662,768 cases. New York City’s own cases total around 370,000 with 29,000 deaths. Places like Long Island and Western New York have been reported to be in the process of reopening, which is great news. With cases plateauing, it gives hope to those who can be able to work again, such is a case as my family, but it also would be good to remember how fast things can spiral out of control out of nowhere, so it’s important to not jump the gun and be patient with how things are progressing.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

     These past few weeks I’ve been reading the news and having conversations with my family and friends about the situation. Seeing as I am still young and inexperienced, it didn’t really hit me how real everything is, until my friend’s grandparents got it. It has worried my family how it might affect my grandparents, as they live near each other. It also is interesting how people react in these times; with videos surfacing online of stores rightfully turning away people refusing to wear masks to shop and these people would throw tantrums and threaten lawsuits, as well as videos of discrimination against Asian Americans that involve slander, harassment, and at its worse, extreme violence. It puts into perspective how far society has progressed only to be undermined by a few people who never really grew up to see beyond their own immature agendas.

5/14/20 Michael Zverev Period 7 (LATE)

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus? 

Here are some up-to-date facts according to CNN outlets: The US reported 18,611 new cases of Covid-19 and 693 related deaths on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That raises the national total to at least 1,680,913 cases and 98,913 deaths. The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. Peru reports more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases Worldwide restrictions: Australia angered China by calling for a Covid-19 investigation. Now Beijing is targeting its exports Google plans to reopen some offices in July Employees at those locations will be able to return to the office, but each will be limited to about 10% building occupancy at first, with plans to grow to 30% capacity by September. Antibody tests for Covid-19 are wrong half the time, CDC says Coronavirus model now projects 11,000 fewer deaths in the US by August As states began reopening, IHME upped its forecast for the number of US deaths, based in part on cell phone mobility data that showed people moving around more. But the institute began revising its projections downwards last week, saying an expected increase in infections had not yet occurred. Latin American countries are getting hit hard. Most are in their current worse state. 

What is it like working from home? 

Personally I enjoy working from home. I always valued the ability to schedule my studies around times that are convenient for me. At this point in the quarantine, it seems like every day is just getting faster and faster. After completing my AP assignments, it is finally time to relax a little bit and finish off the school year strong. Getting my assignments online really helps me out as well because i am able to work at my own pace, creating a schedule that works for me and allows me to get work done. Also, it feels like i have more time to myself, and it feels like i'm able to put more effort into my work because of it. After having some time for myself everyday, I naturally put more passion into my work because I'm always content with myself almost everyday. Another thing is that i am definitely more focused on myself now instead of worrying about unimportant issues, which really helps out with my mental health, and that translates into my schoolwork and assignments. 

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now. 

At this point in time, it seems obvious that people are beginning to get tired of quarantine. People are starting to go out and not social distance like their county is immune to the coronavirus or something. I understand that people miss each other, but warm weather does not mean the pandemic is over. Personally, I have gone to see my friends many times and I came back safe. But even i practiced social distancing to protect my loved ones had i caught something. Another thing that bothers me is the threat of a larger second wave due to the increased openings of counties across the nation. I think that we need to play our cards correctly, because opening too early will lead us into a state that would be much worse than the one we have experienced already. This would prove detrimental to our economy and status as a nation. As far as legislation is concerned, I believe the state of NY could have held the situation a little better. I think certain funds need to be redirected to more pressing issues, such as towards homeless shelters, and healthcare, instead of direct general funding to agencies such as WHO and the CDC. Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to fund them for research and cure purposes, but it just felt like we left our people behind in the short run. Hopefully we can find a cure and vaccine to prevent a catastrophe like this ever happening again

4/17/2020 Timothy Yao Period 1 - LATE

Timothy Yao
5/25/20
Modern Mythology Blog: April 17
What is it like working from home?


Working from home is slowly becoming more tolerable, there aren’t that many significant
occurrences. My family works from home so there isn’t much time to interact with them
despite being with them all day. I enjoy having the voice chats on the discussions because
the teachers and classmates bring up interesting things to talk about and it fills space
between boring times. This work that we received has become more tedious, but we get
used to it.

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?
People are slowly easing in relations to the quarantine, apparently more rural areas have
nearly fully re-opened. According to an infection rate map I saw, apparently almost all
infections are isolated to urban areas of the US, New York being the largest in amount, so
rural areas are more or less safe to re-open in a limited regard. Still we should exercise an
extent of caution in this.

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.
Personally, I’m indifferent. I didn’t have much to do anyways and being forced to stay home
made me realize all the things I’ve forgotten to do, mainly I’ve been dedicating more time to
my hobbies and interests while at home. Still I hope that we re-open some time soon, but we
might be like this for multiple periods, apparently in person colleges are aiming to end before
the winter since that’s when it’s expected for the virus to hit again.

5/21/20 Derek Coffey Period 1

Derek Coffey
5/21/20

1. What are the recent updates around the world regarding the virus?
At this time in our collective battle against the virus, there have been many different sources of information. The news networks, social media, and of course reactions from friends and family all contribute to our collective knowledge about the current status of the “invisible enemy”. At times it has been difficult to know where to go for unbiased, unfiltered facts about important information such as the mortality rate and safety of certain activities. The differing perspectives seem to many times be fueled by political sides and personal experiences. For example a nurse working in the ICU seeing people breathing with the help of a ventilator on a regular basis is going to have a different opinion than a small business owner who just wants to be allowed to open as to have a chance to survive the economic hardship. This is essential to understand when talking to people in regards to the virus as everyone has a unique experience that has lead them to shape their own opinion. With that being said, there are certain facts that need to lead our decisions as a local community, state, and country in the upcoming weeks. First off, we are seeing through the data that the coronavirus is not nearly as deadly as we once anticipated. This has nothing to do with doctors opinions because statistics do not care. People under 60 that are healthy are extremely likely to recover from the virus. Secondly, the states that have been reopening are showing it can be done safely and without leading to a second wave that infectious disease experts such as Dr. Fauci has been warning about. States such as Florida have been doing an excellent job by utilizing their private sector and local governments to make sure that businesses do have the choice to open while following all of the social distancing that we have become accustomed to in the last two months. These two points that the virus isn't deadly for people under 60, and we can reopen safely (hence Florida, Georgia, and many other states) should be large factors as we consider how and when to reopen the country.

2. I am learning a lot about my community as well as family and friends throughout the pandemic. I’ve learned a lot about people's priorities including my own, as every activity that we’ve enjoyed our entire lives have been stripped from us. Personal liberty has been taken in the name of safety. Also I have learned a lot about my friends and who I will continue to be close with for the rest of my life and who maybe we shared just a brief moment as high school friends. Based on the reactions of the many people I've spoken to about the virus I have listened to many different viewpoints ranging from those who think we should have never shut down and those who believe we cannot open without a cure (which is nonsense).

3. My own personal opinion on the situation before us is fairly simple. We have all sacrificed a great deal to contain the health crisis to this point. This was not our fault as Americans. For me personally, one day everything was normal. I had my first game of my senior year baseball season. As many of my peers I was looking forward to completing my high school journey with events such as prom, graduation and many more. The next day, everything changed. And frankly I am not upset about missing out. Why? I have a friend who lost his Dad to covid. Nothing I could miss out on would be able to compare on the scale of losing a family member. So I am thankful everyday for the health of my family and pray it continues. Many more people would have lost their mothers, fathers, grandparents if we didn’t sacrifice all that we have. Maybe a million Americans would die if we continued with our business. So it was the right decision at that time when our hospitals were reaching capacity, and there was still much to learn about the coronavirus. 2 months later, we find ourselves with the inevitable repercussions from the shutdown. Nearly 40 million Americans have applied for unemployment. Suicides have skyrocketed as well as drug use. And being in New York, it still remains unclear when our normal lives will return. Most hospitals are currently less than half capacity and losing more money everyday from the loss of elective surgery which they make most of their money from. We have done our part by staying inside to prevent a disaster and flatten the curve. Now it's time to get our Country back.

5/7/20 Belinda Zhang Period 1

Belinda Zhang Blogger #33
Modern Mythology PD 1
05/07/20

1. What is it like working from home?

With the AP tests beginning next Monday, remote learning has been especially difficult
this week. This year, the AP tests are being administered digitally at home, marking an
unprecedented moment in AP exam history. The tests are open-book, have multiple forms, and
will consist only of free-response questions in efforts to deter cheating. Our teachers have been
incredibly supportive in helping us prepare, providing us with review material and hosting
Google Meets to explain key concepts, go over AP rubrics and practice questions, and answer
our questions live. However, without in-person instruction and practice, it has been hard to get
feedback on my work in order to identify and understand my mistakes.
Of course, maintaining focus and self-discipline are also great challenges when studying
at home. To help combat this, I’ve started to use the SelfControl app on my computer and utilize
the Pomodoro studying technique. The Pomodoro method divides work into 25-minute intervals
with 5-minute breaks in between, helping me stay focused since I’m only required to stay on task
for 25 minutes at a time. Following this technique also helps to create some structure in my
studying schedule. I use this website to time the intervals: https://tomato-timer.com/. Meanwhile,
the SelfControl app allows me to block certain distracting websites on my computer for periods
of time such as YouTube, Instagram, Netflix, etc.

Reflecting on the past 2 months of working at home, I feel that I’ve experienced certain
“stages” of productivity and enthusiasm, and perhaps other people might be able to relate to this.
I can best compare this idea to the seven stages of grief, except it’s the stages of… a global
pandemic. But firstly, of course, I’m aware of the immense privilege in even having the option to
work from home and being able to stay in a safe household where I can have time for myself.
Around the beginning of quarantine, or the first “stage”, everyone around me had a surge
of motivation to be productive and make the most out of this time stuck at home, declaring that
we would not only get ahead on work but also pick up some new hobbies, get into shape, learn to
cook, you name it. But this just ended in me being quite harsh on myself, feeling guilty or
insufficient if I wasn’t studying, exercising, baking a cake, and reading a new book all day and
every day. In “stage” 2, I noticed that many started to accept that it wasn’t necessary to be
constantly productive and I too realized it was alright to slow down and take some time for
myself. But in the third stage, I took this permission to relax a bit too seriously, falling off the
rails for a bit until stage 4, where I began to find my balance. Currently, I am still working
towards completely achieving this balance while also growing to appreciate the smaller, more
mundane things in everyday life.


2. What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

As of May 7, 2020, there are a total number of 3,912,156 COVID-19 cases worldwide,
1,292,623 cases in the United States, and 337,421 cases in New York State. The CDC recently announced six new COVID-19 symptoms which included chills, repeated shaking, muscle pain,
headache, sore throat, and the new loss of taste or smell (https://www.gbmc.org/the-cdc-
announces-six-new-covid-19-symptoms).

New York remains the most impacted state in the US, with 337,421 total cases and
26,365 total deaths, and New York City makes up 173,288 of these cases. The New York State
on PAUSE order is still in effect. NYC has announced that starting on May 11 th next week, the
city will work with the lab company BioReference to test up to 140,000 people for COVID-19
antibodies free of charge, testing 5,000 people a day (https://www.bioreference.com/how-to-get-nycs-free-covid-19-antibody-test/). This information will help the CDC estimate the total number
of people who have been infected with the virus and collect demographic data from those being
tested. The tests also allow the CDC to learn more about how COVID-19 affects the immune
system and how it spreads among those exposed. Also, yesterday morning, NYC began its
subway shutdown, closing the subway system for the first time in 115 years in order to carry out
overnight disinfection of trains, stations, and equipment. For those traveling, the subway is now
remaining closed from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. daily.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/nyregion/nyc-subway-close-coronavirus.html

There was also recently a health alert sent out regarding a pediatric multi-system
inflammatory syndrome that is observed among children and is potentially associated with the
coronavirus. Symptoms resemble those of shock and Kawasiki disease, including fever, cardiac
inflammation, and abdominal pain. PICUs in NYC have reported 15 patients of ages 2-15 who
have been hospitalized with symptoms associated with this syndrome. Some of them had tested
positive for COVID-19 while others had not.
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/han/alert/2020/covid-19-pediatric-multi-
system-inflammatory-syndrome.pdf


3. Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

As said by Max Brooks in his take on the pandemic in the article we read for class today,
having a “unified, single voice” is crucial in handling the virus. Furthermore, he notes how we
need to be letting facts and science based on the advice of qualified experts dictate that voice.
Yet, I feel that we not only lack unity in our country right now, but we also have been witnessing
many actions that go against facts and science. There was no centralized national response to the
pandemic and conflicting information, some false, about the virus still continue to circulate,
resulting in divided reactions and approaches to the pandemic. Some Americans still believe that
the flu is more of a threat than COVID-19, while some claim that the virus is a “hoax” and others
protest social distancing guidelines, even comparing quarantine to slavery. Many protestors in
states like Michigan, Florida, NY, and more have broken lockdown guidelines, underestimating
the virus and fighting for inessential enjoyments such as haircuts while medical professionals
push to help COVID-19 patients fight for their lives. In Las Vegas, Mayor Carolyn Goodman
had called for the reopening of nonessential businesses and casinos, while refusing to take any
responsibility in providing social distancing guidelines to do so safely. I am very concerned
about our lack of a unified voice, and the dangerous and irreversible effects that may result from
it.

Furthermore, not only is there disunity among approaches to the pandemic, but also
among our communities. Although COVID-19 has most of America at home, the tension
between racial groups seems to have only grown stronger. At the onset of the pandemic, the
unsubstantiated hostility towards Asian Americans was appalling and dangerous. And recently,
recordings of violent social distancing arrests in NYC of people of color starkly contrasted
photos of officers handing out masks to non-POC groups gathered in parks, causing public
outrage. These arrests happened in areas including Alphabet City and East New York, and
disturbing footage spread on social media afterwards. Looking forward, as our ability to defeat
this virus depends on working together, I can only hope that our communities will come out of
this pandemic more unified and empathetic towards each other.

5/8/20 Benjamin Zhu PD1

5/08/20

Benjamin Zhu period 1

Experience with working at home-

• Working at home is both convenient and tedious. It’s convenient in the sense that I don’t have to wake up early everyday to do an assignment, I could submit it any time of the day. However, it’s also tedious because finding the motivation to do work at home by yourself could feel boring and stressful. And as far as my experience goes, for the most part it’s alright, but at times I would forget a few assignments here or there cause staying at home for two months makes it feel like school isn’t in session anymore. Yet this vibe also relieves a lot of stress as well since I’m not consistently worrying about the work. 

Updates about the virus-

• As of now, the US is still the country to have the most incidents and it doesn’t seem like it’ll change anytime soon. In fact we are still increasing by the day. China on the other hand, relieved lockdown six weeks ago and for the most part it seems to be doing fine with a few minor cases popping up here and there. As of US, NY has the most cases in all of the United States with around 350,000 cases and nyc alone makes up half of it. The number is still increasing by the day but it seems that we are past the peak since we are gaining less and less cases everyday. 

Personal feeling about current incident-

• Personally, I just wish the virus will end soon because being stuck home for two months gets extremely boring. I’m also annoyed that the rest of the senior year is ruined for everyone. I had so many plans for future events but they were all canceled. Also, there’s been rumors that this virus might even last till end of the year and it’ll suck if college’s first semester starts as online classes because most students won’t have the motivation to study at home. It’s hard to focus without someone teaching directly in front of you. 

5/6/20 Dominick Villamor (LATE) PD 7

2020-03-06/15

Dominick Villamor Period 7

It’s just as they say: nothing curbs pandemic-related uneasiness like a markedly more harrowing zombie film. Train to Busan has sat on my plan-to-watch list since shortly after its release but trauma over cheap jumpscares meant I’ve never actually watched it until now. It’s definitely well made and devoid of the jumpscares I so despise. In fact, it seemed Train to Busan’s director Yeon Sang-ho fooled me into cringing into my chair and peeking through my fingers in preparation for a jumpscare that was never to be. Like a good/bad pun, I could only narrow my eyes and acknowledge I’d been had. Fool me once, shame on you---or something like that. Spoiler warning if that wasn’t obvious.

On the subject of subverted expectations, many moons ago I wrote a blog on ancient Greek theater and catharsis. There is perhaps no greater denial of that release than with this movie… or so I thought. Stallion Express COO Yon-suk set himself up to be the movie’s human antagonist very early on, generating a class conflict subtext as he disparages the homeless man in the bathroom. It reminded me of another Korean-directed film Snowpiercer which combines a similarly apocalyptic and locomotive setting with a pronounced caste system.  As the threat of zombie apocalypse solidifies, Yon-suk further settles into his villain role as he barks orders to the train staff. As a seasoned veteran of the NYC public transportation system, this all just seemed like a regular day though I understand being a little frantic in those circumstances. My sentiments changed as he turned the denizens of Car 15 against Seok-woo and co. leading to Sang-hwa’s death. When Jong-gil loosed the undead hordes unto Car 15, my frustration with Yon-suk washed away and I thought everything would be happily ever after. In a last ditch effort to garner some sympathy for our villain, the movie reveals Yon-suk’s more vulnerable side: more a lost child than a ruthless businessman. Needless to say, I wasn’t moved but individually reconciling my anger towards some pixels on a screen may have been the real catharsis all along.

While Yon-suk’s zombified dialogue did little to change my view, it was another data point in an interesting trend I observed throughout the movie: “zombies” held some lucidity well after their physical transformation. It led to some touching scenes like Sang-hwa holding back the zombies like a Spartan at Thermopylae and the two elderly sisters touching hands through a soon-to-be-opened glass door, but its real value was piquing my curiosity as to this movie’s handling of zombie behavior. Train to Busan dare I say masterfully established what made zombies so dangerous. Heavy emphasis was placed on the zombies’ cloudy eyes leading to our protagonist utilizing the numerous tunnels to move through the cars in relative safety. They also used sound to lure zombies to more advantageous positions and I’m wondering if the sound produced by zombies as they investigated an actual sound would lead to a snowball effect which would help gather a greater crowd of zombies. I also can’t help but feel like the luxury sound isolation on the KTX was detrimental and I can rest easy knowing the deafening rumble on the SI Railway will keep me safe in a zombie apocalypse. Overall, the zombies and their mannerisms were thoughtfully constructed to give more substance to the threat they posed and showcase the characters’ ingenuity.

Another interesting aspect of Train to Busan was reconciling the cultural differences and some confusion I had as a non-Korean audience. Su-an singing Aloha ‘Oe with her father absent for another time may have been a very emotional moment, but it’s also a Spongebob song and I couldn’t get past that association. The emphasis on Busan and its association with safety was also particularly intriguing. Some reading into the history of Busan reveals its status as something of a historical bulwark for South Korea. Busan was actually one of the few cities to remain under South Korean control during the Korean War and the site of the United Nations last stand at the Battle of the Pusan Perimeter (the contradictory spelling is due to change in Romanization). Another thing to note is Seok-woo being a workaholic which reminded me of reading about an intense work culture in South Korea with regards to esports. Long story short, a couple years ago there was drama over an allegedly disruptive Korean player on a mainly Western team because he wanted to practice more, though “difference in culture” was officially cited by the general manager as to the reason for his trading away. I’m not well read enough to comment further but there’s definitely something to be said about a culture’s underlying influence on the media it produces.

COVID-19 seems to be on everyone’s mind nowadays and for good reason. I’ll admit I even cringed a little when the guard at the beginning of the movie pulled his mask down to talk to the truck driver. I’m not big on movies but watching them is certainly a good distractor and perhaps there is some value in watching movie characters handle tangentially related situations from an outside, objective perspective. 

5/13/20 Yaying Zhao PD 7

May 13, 2020

Yaying Zhao

Period 7

Modern Mythology 2020, Blog #3

What is it like working from home?

I’ve found that I enjoyed working from home more because I am able to work at my own pace. I like that I can still get work done and not miss out on much even with my sleeping schedule. I also like that I can do work in my bed, wearing pajamas, and eating breakfast. One thing about working from home is that I spent a majority of my time in bed. I haven’t been outside of my room – and to a greater extent, my house – much since the quarantine began but with the nice weather that we’ve been getting I might start sitting outside to do my work. 

Comparing the time my 2nd blog was written back in March 27th to the present, a lot has happened yet nothing has happened. 2 months have passed and a lot has happened but somehow everything feels the same, I didn’t realize it was already May until the AP workloads started hitting. Back when the quarantine had just started, everyone was just happy to stay at home all day. Now that the school year has officially been cancelled, a lot of the seniors lost the motivation to do school work. 

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?

Globally, the COVID-19 cases have reached 4.39 million and 298k deaths. Nationally, we’re at 1.43M and 85k deaths. And New York state has 346k cases with 27k deaths, 193k cases and 19k deaths coming from NYC. While 3 regions in the upstate are set to reopen May 15th, the city might remain under lockdown until June. Some even speculate that the next school year could start online, as the second wave of the COVID-19 should happen around then. Around the U.S., more people are starting to leave their houses again. More than half the states are planning to or have already started up their economy and relaxed their bans. This could be dangerous as our numbers are still high.

Personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

While people are missing out on milestones, celebrations, and facing unemployment, I believe this quarantine should be maintained. There are nonprofits providing food, rent has been frozen, and milestones can always wait. All of our problems should be secondary to the wellbeings of the 382.2 million people living in the US. Personally I haven’t left my house since the quarantine began and my parents only go out for groceries but I live by the beach and I see a lot of people outside without their masks. On my social media, I see friends posting about people in their neighborhood hanging out in large groups even as the cases continue to increase. I see pictures of crowds having picnics in the parks and protestors claiming the first amendment when they’re protesting about being able to get their haircuts. The people that complain about this quarantine and still refusing to the restrictions are the reason why this quarantine currently has no end date. 

Although this situation is bad, it gives us a chance to spend more time with our families – especially since we’re seniors and most of us would be going away for college. However, with the way things are looking, our first fall semester might also start at home. So far, this year has felt like the shortest year possible yet so much has happened. The view outside my window remains the same but the weather is changing rapidly. This experience has taught me to appreciate what we have, a little more. 

Alexis Ofshtein 4/30/20 (LATE) Period 2 - Blog #3

Modern Mythology 2020

4/30/20

Alexis Ofshtein

Lesson: A Brief History on Ghosts

In this lesson I learned a lot of new information about the different beliefs of ghosts. Even though I don’t believe in ghosts, I still like to learn about them, and after reading this lesson, I realized I never put too much thought into why ghosts appear. Their existence comes from several different reasons. For example, the ghost needs to complete a task, the ghost is obsessed with a person or place, or the spirit can’t accept its death and move on. Another thing I never thought about is where do people believe ghosts appear. Some think they appear in small places, when a person is alone, or encounters can go unnoticed and can cause chills or nausea.

Learning about ghosts made me think about if I hypothetically could’ve had any encounters with ghosts (if I believed they were real.) All the times I felt unexplainable nausea, a sudden hair raising moment, or chills, maybe could’ve been an interaction with a ghost. Learning about ghosts can even be applied to my history and science classes. In history class, I wonder now how many unexplainable events in the past, that point to ghosts, could we have learned about. In the lesson, it pointed out that since energy cannot be created or destroyed, the souls of living things remain. Since I am more of a scientific and evidence based person, the law of physics being applied to ghosts is pretty justifiable. These laws can be applied to the research of ghosts and expand the concepts of science.

Working from home is a lot easier than going to school. You can make your own schedule, you are more comfortable, and the kitchen is always nearby. However, I think I learn a lot more when I can easily interact with my teacher and students. Having class led discussions, especially in this class, helps me learn a lot more than just going through the powerpoints. Even having discussions with my group and helping each other and working together on the material helps me learn more. Also just being able to interact with friends before and after classes keeps me motivated. At home, I am not as motivated and being too comfortable can make me procrastinate more. 

5/12/20 Jeffrey Zeng PD 7

Jeffrey Zeng

5/12/2020

Period 7

Modern Mythology 2020

What's it like working from home?

This is less about how I work at home, but what I experienced while being home, and how it affected me and my work.  Working from home has been a much more difficult transition for me than it was for other people. In my life I’ve always lacked a goal, something that I wanted to obtain. School work wasn’t difficult, but it was because I had my friends to help. I always looked forward to tomorrow, not because of the work, but because of my friends and the things we’d do together. It’s our last year at this school, so of course my friends were thinking of the future. Some had meticulous plans that stretched all the way to college graduation, others had more of a vague idea of what to do. They were like potters, easily shaping these rough plans and ideas and working each one until they were content with its form, while I haven’t even put a thing on my potter's wheel. I had hobbies, but nothing came to mind when asked about my future. I was excited when I first heard that schools were being closed, who wouldn't be? I thought that this would be a great time to expand on my hobbies and work out a plan for the future. The first few weeks were fine, I kept up with most of my work and enjoyed my time at home. Every day, I woke up with less excitement though. After a couple weeks, I was frantically trying to figure out what I felt happy doing. It was always the most fun when I was with friends, so this was the first time I thought about what I wanted to do. I couldn’t stay with my friends forever, they all had places they wanted to be, and I couldn’t keep up. I frantically tried to put together a plan for myself, and yet, was not motivated to even take the first step forward. My head was filled with crumpled up ideas, and nothing to show for all that effort. I was no closer to a future I wanted to see myself in than when the quarantine started. Of course I wasn’t alone at home, my parents were constantly pestering me about my future. They were just worried, but it felt intoxicating. At some point I had just given up, I locked myself in my room and gave up on the hobbies that gave me little to no gratification. My grades took a hit, but I didn’t care, the days blended with the nights and I just ran on auto pilot. I finally snapped out of my haze when my cousin decided to talk to me. He asked me why I was so worried about my future to begin with and I couldn’t give him an answer. Honestly, if he hadn’t talked to me that day, I don’t know if I would have gotten out of that hole. I still don't have any kind of plan, but I’ll just enjoy the time I can spend with all my friends before I can’t catch up with them anymore.

What are you learning about your community based on the reactions?

Within my neighborhood, there isn’t much that changed, but I feel that this has gotten some of my neighbors to open up while others to stay more at home. I went for a walk around the neighborhood today and noticed just how close the asian community has gotten during this time, including my own family. We often exchange food and other supplies with one another, and some people across the street struck up a conversation with me. Other than that, very few people go past their front yard, even in this tight knit community. I’ve seen my next door neighbor less and less, but I think it’s just due to our schedules because I’ve talked to the man a couple times and he’s quite nice. There are people who aren’t as nice though, on my walk today I saw some people who were also actively avoiding everyone, I don’t know if it was because of my ethnicity, but it’s understandable that people are just trying to keep themselves safe.

5/11/20 Victoria Zhu Period 8

5/11/20 

Victoria Zhu PD 8

What is it like working from home?

I think working at home has been pretty difficult in terms of being a student. I personally learn better within a classroom environment where there’s more structure and I can feed off of my classmates’ responses. I also tend to procrastinate so I feel like remote learning is slightly detrimental to my education. Although my class host video meetings, I find that I’m less motivated as there are so many distractions. Yes, working from home creates more free time, but I realized that this extra time isn’t benefitting me as I am unproductive within that duration. I would much rather prefer classroom learning than working from home. 

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

In the news, there’s a lot of reactions to the pandemic. Some hate the stay at home order and petition to lift them. Others blame China for the virus and discriminate against Asian Americans. Still, others respect the orders as statures to public safety. The protests for lifting the stay at home order continues to increase. I think it’s shocking that people would put their’s and their loved one’s safety at risk just because the lockdown is inconvenient. The extent of the pandemic in America can be attributed to the government downplaying the effects of the virus and not taking the required precautions early on. I think it’s ignorant to be point fingers at anyone for the pandemic especially if we’re still in it. This scapegoating causes unnecessary discrimination and violence towards Asian Americans. We should be working together internationally to successfully formulate a vaccine to benefit all people as a whole. Through this pandemic, I learn that ignorance and/or full disregard for safety can cause a lot of deaths. 

Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

It feels as though a life with school and no social distancing was so long ago. Maybe years. In fact, it’s only been 2 months. So many things changed within these short months. I really wished that America took extra precautions when the pandemic started. We never expected the virus to hit this hard until its too late. Although social distancing and the stay home orders may be terrible, I believe they are effective to combat the pandemic. I find it very shocking that there has been protests to lift the orders. These policies are put into place to help curb positive cases and protect the safety of the people. Yet people petition and protest to lift these policies because they’re inconvenient? I hope that with the continuation of social distancing the number will decrease and soon we can go about our lives.