DECEMBER EDITION THE RISING PHOENIX VOLUME III | ISSUE IV Rising From The Ashes 21ST DEC 2022

GRID OF CONTENTS

Timeline of 2022 New Year ' s Resolutions Christmas Truce The History of Code Week D I S C O V E R A R T Famous Reminiscence Arts from the 1600s-1700s Short December Comics Students ' Art H E A L T H Forgetting On the road to self-improvement E N T E R T A I N - M E N T Christmas movies recommendations The Dark Knight Trilogy Fun Recipes to try out Spotify Playlist S P O R T S U14 volleyball and U19 football results

note from the editor ..With 2023 right around the corner, we often feel a deep ....responsibility to draft an idea of a “new” me. But sometimes it .......is important to pause before taking the next step. With that in ........mind, welcome to this month’s edition of The Rising Phoenix ...........where we take a trip down memory lane. As we look back ..............on 2022, we are reminded of the moments, people, and ...............experiences that have shaped our lives and made us who ..................we are today. .......................We hope this collection of articles can transport you .........................back in time, allowing you to relive old memories ...........................and cherish the people and moments that you ..............................hold dear. With this month’s theme being ................................nostalgia, our aim is to provide you with a ..................................sense of comfort and familiarity in a world ....................................that is often unpredictable and chaotic. .........................................While reading this edition, be inspired, ...........................................reflect on your own memories and .............................................experiences, and share them with .................................................others. .............................. .. ....... With Love, .......................................................Thinn Thinn San, Managing Editor

THE OLD AND THE DISCOVERY The Greek goddess of strategy and wisdom-Athena. A statue made in her patron city of Athens by Phidias in around midfifth century BCE. OF T H E N E W LD

24th Feb Russian President, Vladimir Putin, launched a “Special Military Operation” on Ukraine. Minutes later, missiles, rockets, and air strikes could be heard in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, calmed the people down and asked NATO nations to provide assistance. Thousands of innocent lives were lost, and a new war began - one with devastating effects on the wider world. 27th March During the 94th Academy Awards, Will Smith, an actor nominated for Best Actor, slapped Comedian Chris Rock on stage after Chris ‘insulted’ Will Smith’s wife. The Incident has gone down in meme fame and the image has been used across the internet over the following months. 11th April Actor Johnny Depp filed a complaint of Defamation against actor and wife, Amber Heard. Heard counter-sued Depp claiming defamation. The livestream of the trial garnered widespread attention and millions of views, of whom were mostly in favor of Johnny Depp. 02 DISCOVER

12th May The first image of Sagittarius A* , the supermassive blackhole located in the center of our galaxy, was released to the public. This marks the first time the public saw a real image of a black hole without the use of simulations. 6th May The first case of the new Monkeypox outbreak was detected in London. A few days later, cases were reported in multiple countries outside the UK marking the first time Monkeypox has spread widely outside central Africa. 8th July Shinzo Abe was assassinated on stage while delivering a speech in Nara City. The assassinator later told investigators that he had shot Abe due to his ties with the Unification Church and that he held a grudge against them. Commentators have said that his death caused Japan to push more proactive military spending and economic policies. A Timeline 03 DISCOVER

8th September Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch died of old age at Balmoral Castle in Scotland being succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III. Her state funeral became the most watched UK royal event in history on television with many countries giving comments on her majesty’s legacy. 11th July JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) sent its first image back to NASA. The image captures the light emitted 4.6 billion years ago and is the highest resolution image of the early-universe ever taken, surpassing the Hubble Telescope. 16th September Masha Amini passed away in a hospital in Tehran Iran. She was detained by the Iranian Morality Police three days prior for not wearing a hijab. Her cousin reported that she was tortured and fainted. Though Iranian officials denied the torture allegations, thousands of Iranians protested against extreme dress code. of 2022 04 DISCOVER

27th October Elon Musk successfully bought out Twitter and stated new features to improve the platform. He began by laying off several top executives and half the workforce. Hundreds of workers later resigned after Elon demanded ‘extremely hardcore’ work. This sparked widespread praise and criticism alike against Elon Musk.. 20th November The 2022 FIFA World Cup commenced in Qatar but not without controversy. News quickly spread that the stadium used to play the games have been built by thousands of migrant workers abused and subjected to harsh work under even harsher conditions, resulting in a large number of deaths. Global boycott against FIFA started and even football clubs made comments regarding this tragedy. 29th October A tragedy occurred on the night of halloween in the streets of Itaewon of Seoul. Many lives were lost following a crowd crush inside a narrow alley as a consequence of poor crowd management. Victims of whom were mostly young adults including those from other countries enjoying the festivities in the area. 05 DISCOVER

INTERVIEWS D E C . 2 0 2 0 | V O L . 1 W R I T T E N B Y : P H O O H A Y M A N K H I N ' 2 6 D E S I G N E D B Y : S U A P R I L A U N G ' 2 6 Here comes the resolutions... The first of January always feels like a new beginning (because it is), and it gives everyone a chance to come up with a list of things they want to change about themselves, or a list of ways they can improve, to become the best versions of themselves. In the previous week, I had invited some of my friends to share their new year’s resolutions and how they intend to achieve them. Before you ask, no it’s never too early (or too late) to come up with ways to improve yourself. Linda from year 8H: “My new year’s resolutions mainly focus on improving at volleyball and for that, I believe I must train harder and make sure I train regularly. I’d also love to get more As and A*s.” Well-rounded student Sanda from 8HS: “I’d love to be part of the u14 football team when time comes... and also make sure my team gets higher than fourth place in the MISAC competitions. I would also really like it if my grades improve. For all that, I believe I should get physically and mentally active and train myself regularly. Oh, and I’d also like to get a girl.” 06 DISCOVER

INTERVIEWS 10K’s musician Larry: “In the new year, I wish to become more productive with everything I do and make every little thing beneficial to my life. In order to do this, I must work on my schedule and make sure everything is perfectly tailored to fit me.” Rising football star Kelvin Duan from 10K: “New year, better me. I’m going to work out more often to get physically fitter and more active so I can score more goals in football. Also, good grades of course…” Straight A* student Phoo Phoo from 10Z: “Go to a Stray Kids concert. That’s it. I’m going to make sure I achieve that by studying really hard and behaving really well so that I get on my parents’ good side.” Kobe Bryant-inspired individual Jordan from 11E: “For New Year’s, I want to become… a dinosaur. I need to talk to Mr. T-Rex in order to achieve that, but I can’t seem to find him.” 07 DISCOVER

Christmas Truce Christmas is a time of love, sharing and caring with those who are most treasured to you, like family and friends. It is a time that many would not want to miss out on the fun. But to the young enlisted men of 1914, it would be their first time away from their families. Everyone thought the war would be over by Christmas, but when December rolled around, the nations were still at a stalemate, with men fighting in the trenches where, in some places, were no further than 30 yards from the enemy’s. Casualties numbered in the tens out thousands with each offensive. The war was nowhere near over. However, in the Christmas of 1914, a miracle was about to happen. “Stille Nacht… Heilige Nacht…” the German carol of ‘Silent Night’ drifted across the trenches on Christmas eve into the British side in one sector of the frontline. The British returned fire with their own carol of Auld Lang Syne. Soon, Christmas greetings were exchanged between the men of both sides. Little did they know, a similar thing was happening up and down the entire frontline. In some areas, officers of both sides shook hands in the middle of No Man’s Land, agreeing for a ceasefire. In others, the ranks took the lead. A German soldier shouting “English! Tomorrow we no shoot! You no shoot!” Sometimes, it was just one brave soul, waving a newspaper above his head, calling for a truce and hoping not to be shot. Christmas day brought gifts to all. Soldiers on both sides received gifts from their respective families as well as their leaders. The British received chocolates and plum puddings while the Germans received salami and cognac. But, the best gift of them all was the weather. For the first time in the trenches, there were clear skies and the winter cold had frozen the mud solid. The truce between the two sides meant that the soldiers could finally stand up straight and stretch their backs for once. Men on both sides first stood on the parapet, then went into No Man’s Land with no weapons in hand, and saw their ‘enemies’ face to face. 08 DISCOVER

Officers as well as the ranks exchanged gifts with one another: canned beef for uniform buttons and chocolate cake for barrels of beer. Barbers gave fresh cuts to men on both sides while medics tended to the wounded and pastors said their prayers. Out of nowhere, a football was brought onto the field and small kickabouts broke out, which in some places turned into organised matches between the two sides, with soldiers in uniforms sliding around the frozen battlefield, fighting for the ball. When the soldiers on both sides had conversations, they found out that they were not so different from each other. Both were married. Both were sick and tired of the war. And both wanted to go back home to their families instead of fighting. This holiday spirit was not only limited to Christians. British Indian troops saw the lit Christmas trees on the German trenches and they thought of their own holiday of Diwali. They held their fire and even smoked cigars on the parapet when the Germans offered them. But not all were fond of the idea of fraternising with the enemy, especially the generals who refused a request from Pope Benedict XV asking “The guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang” and responded with ordering artillery strikes and costly lethal attacks near christmas. A certain Corporal Hitler criticised his comrades’ behaviour for taking part in the truce and questioned their German loyalty and honour. The truce came to a close with officers on both sides shooting their revolving into the air, signalling the war was back on again. However, in many places, fighting ceased for a few more days. When word got out to the furious war-waging generals, they ordered artillery barrages to relight the flames of war. For many men who took part in this truce, it would sadly be their last christmas. Lest we forget! Written by: Kaung Khant Kyaw Swar '23 Designed by: Ahlinkar Chan Myae Thu '24 09 DISCOVER

What is Code Week? Code Week is an international campaign that, as the name implies, helps people all around the world to improve their digital literacy. The campaign debuted in the year 2014 making it a fairly recent movement and was spearheaded by Richard Rolfe and Jordan Love. They were inspired to create the week when they found out that the group of unemployed people they taught coding in were able to land jobs. At first this campaign was exclusive to the UK but slowly gained traction from other parts of the world, due to increased coverage and support by the EU and the US. As said by Boris Johnson “Coding is a language that is increasingly important for both young people and adults to understand, but it can be an intimidating prospect. National Coding Week will help to make whole generations of Brits more comfortable with coding, allowing them to embrace the business opportunities of the future.” The main goal of this mega event is to encourage and promote digital literacy among the youth to help fill the growing gap of job opportunities that requires knowledge in technology. Other goals also include getting more women to get involved in coding as a way to bridge the gender gap in said field and benefitting new coders and programmers by allowing them to improve and hone their skills. imagine a world without them. From developing websites to even more unusual applications like predicting which horse will win in a race, coding sees usage everywhere. Ever since the pandemic struck in 2020, we witnessed firsthand how the world is increasingly moving towards a more globalised and online world. Learning new skills related to the digital department will open new doors to people such as adults learning how to better operate applications and youngsters being able to capture potential opportunities in life. say that there is an increasing need for employeesacross various roles and departments to have basic coding skills and knowledge. Whereas, 31% of employers reveal that more than 50% of job roles within their organisation require basic and advanced coding skills. It is no exaggeration to say that programming will be integral for almost all jobs in the next 10 or 20 years and Code Week helps prepare the youth to be better equipped for such a future. Today, programming languages are used in almost every field and play such an important role that it seems impossible to A study held in Singapore, showcased that 84% of employers Nowadays, Code Week takes place between the 8th and 23rd of October and welcomes anyone who is willing to organise or take part in the activities run by volunteers in hubs, libraries, schools and business. Written by: Khant Zaw Hein '23 Designed by: Khaymar Aung Moe '23 10 DISCOVER

PAST ART OF THE THE A N D T H E P R E S E N T A 17th Century statue in Rome depicting an angel holding the Lance of Longinus, the spear that pierced Jesus as he was crucified P T

Rendezvous in the Park By French painter Paul Albert Laurens, though not dated is an oil painting depicting a man awaiting his lover. The location is not mentioned but is believed to be gardens of the Villa D’Este in Tivoli, Lazio, Italy. REMININISC Eddystone lighthouse by Danish painter Anton Melby made in 1846. It features a lonely lighthouse, the third lighthouse to be built on the Eddystone Rocks in Cornwall, England 12 ART

CE THE PAST A fisherman's vigil an oil-painting by Italian artist Hermann David Salomon Corrodi. The piece shows a family arriving at the port entrance of a church, perhaps for a prayer. Flower Still life with a Watch. Once again an oil painting, this time by Dutch painter Willem van Aelst in 1663. It is an illustration of a bouquet with carious flowers and a watch of unknown origin 13 ART

STUDENT ART SECTION 14 ART

S H O R T D E C E M B E R C O M I C Illustrated and Witten by Pan Wut '27 Disclaimer: This Comic is only for comedic purposes only and is not meant to harm or deceive anyone. Please keep working on those 2022 and 2023 resolutions everyone! ^ ^

This portrays a covid-themed painting where I used both watercolour and acrylic paints. I would say this coursework piece was my most successful one in Year 11 and it indicates the suffocation and depression within people during the pandemic. As you can see, the anatomy drawing of a skull has been incorporated into this which was an element that I included throughout my coursework. A pastiche piece of Loui Jover's artwork back in Year 11 through the exploration of 'Identity' expressing emotions and feelings of an individual. This was painted with acrylic, layering over the papers. Despite it being my first portrait that involves painting on a page covered with thin, old dictionary papers, it turned out to be pretty satisfying. EXPLORE MY ART May Myat Noe Chit '24 16 ART

This is a pastiche of David Rees' painting - a recent one I did. The original work was with oil paint, however, I have not learn how to use that medium so instead I used soft pastels to create this outcome. The artist's usage of different colours on the portrait intrigued me to experiment and potentially allow me to implement it in my further portrait studies. 17 ART

INK & CHARCOAL DRAWINGS Maria Meteleva '24 May Myat Noe Chit '24 observational drawings of our classmates and school staff 18 ART

HEALTH OF THE THE The Thinker made by French Sculptor Auguste Rodin in 1880. The man poses deep in thought and contemplation M I N D

Much contrary to the general assumption that memories simply ............................................ decay with time, 'forgetting' isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, some ....................................... scientists believe it may even represent a form of learning. In a changing .................................... world like the one we and many other organisms live in, forgetting some ................................... memories can be beneficial as this can lead to more flexible behaviour ..................................... and better decision-making. If memories were gained in circumstances ................................... that are not wholly relevant to the current environment, forgetting them ................................. can be a positive change that improves our wellbeing. Not to mention the .......................... mental capacity of our brain is limited. Forgetting is a normal brain function that ................... creates space for more significant memories. We often experience forgetting as a frustration—the misplaced ................ wallet, the name just on the tip of your tongue. Forgetting is often ............. perceived as a simple glitch in our memory system. That the brain’s job is ......... to gather and store information, and the inability to retain or retrieve those ... memories is a failure of some neurological or psychological mechanism. To understand why we forget, we need to look at how it all works. The brain forms memory with the help of a complex tool kit of neurotransmitters, ............ proteins, and carbohydrates, as well as other cells. Small writes and ................... removes have their own set of dedicated molecular tools working .................... to clear away what’s no longer relevant. Written By: Moe Myat Aung, ‘23 Designed By: Khaing Nyein Hsu, ‘26 22 HEALTH

..............One of the research supporting this hypothesis involved .......teaching worms to identify an infectious bacteria strain that .............marks them sick by smell and avoid it. An hour after they ..........had learned to avoid the bacteria strain, the worms no longer ... avoided the bacteria strain and have to relearn altogether. Upon ...scanning and analysing the brain activities and genes, Harvard ......postgraduate researchers found out that when compared to ......worms that were never introduced to the bacteria strain and .......worms right after training, the brain activity of the worms that trained an hour ago were entirely different. The relearning time of ... the worms was much quicker than the time it took for new ....worms to be taught to avoid the bacteria strain. However, recent studies entailing the science of memory are .......inclining towards the fact that, at least in some cases, ...............forgetting is due to altered memory access rather than .................memory loss. The memories themselves are present, ..................but if the specific ensembles cannot be activated they ..................can't be recalled, as if the memories are stored in a safe .......but you can't remember the code to unlock it. ...................Though much research has been conducted and numerous ..................studies have been put together, the human brain is still far too .............complex to draw absolute conclusions. Much different from simply ........storing information as 1s and 0s on a device, memory on the brain is .......much less understood. The next time you forget something, take some ..time to think about the little chemical reactions that took place before and after you forgot. Then, make sure to take it slow and think about the code to ..........................unlock the safe storing what you forgot. 23 HEALTH

On the Road to Self Improvement Infinity. The road to self improvement has no end. No person on the earth can achieve perfection no matter how much they try, they can only improve. There may be books, apps, classes that teach you how to improve yourself but the only thing that can have an actual impact on you, is you. Firstly, what is self improvement? It means enhancing your own value or worth. Becoming the best version of yourself takes intentional work. You can improve many aspects of your life whether it is mentally or physically. The process of self improvement is different for everyone; some may take years, some may take a week. However they all start the same way: inquiry. STEPS TO SELF IMPROVEMENT: 1.Inquiry You may not know yourself as well as you think so go to a quiet place and inquire about your current state. You can reflect by meditating, journaling or any other method that works for you. The main aspects of your life you need to focus on are habits and emotions. What are some of your good habits? What are your bad habits and how can you fix them? How do you feel right now? 2. Inspire Motivation is the fuel to the car that will drive you down the road of self improvement. Inspiration can help you feel more alive and excited about this journey so look around you and get inspired. Talk to trusted friends, seek advice from experts, or join clubs. Inspiration can come from anywhere whether it is from a person or from a bird you see in the sky, so always be ready to get inspired. Written by: Su Nandi Zaw '26 Designed by: Pyae Phoo Hay Thi '26 24 HEALTH

4. Imagine Visualise yourself living the new lifestyle after all the changes. Imagine you are the best version of yourself. The aim of this is to use your imagination to affirm your new choices. Once you see it, you will believe it. 5. Implement Now start the engine, and dive the car down this road. Put your goals into action and start this journey to improvement. To improve you must be willing to make some changes so make some shifts in your lifestyle and believe that you can make them. Even if you have made the change now, it is not certain that they will last forever so you must make sure to maintain these changes. WHATEVER YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO DO, REMEMBER THAT THIS SELF-IMPROVEMENT JOURNEY IS LIFELONG AND FULL OF VARIOUS MILESTONES :) 3. Intend Before immediately taking action, it is better to set determinations to make your journey more organised. Determinations are different from goals; they can be vague and focus on characteristics such as “courage” and “compassion” while they can also be specific like “drinking three litres of water a day” or “completing all my homework”. 25 HEALTH

ENTERTAINING THE YEARS A statue of Alfred Hitchcock, one of the most influential figures in the film industry. Built in remembrance of his movie 'The Birds' in a city in France in 2004 THE

Christmas Movie Recommendations Klaus Directed by: Sergio Pablos 2019 ‧ Family/Comedy ‧ 1h 37m Elf Directed by: Jon Favreau 2003 ‧ Comedy/Family ‧ 1h 37m How the Grinch Stole Christmas Directed by: Ron Howard 2000 ‧ Family/Fantasy ‧ 1h 45m The Knight Before Christmas Directed by: Monika Mitchell 2019 ‧ Romance/Comedy ‧ 1h 32m The Nightmare Before Christmas Directed by: Henry Selick 1993 ‧ Fantasy/Musical ‧ 1h 16m Falling for Christmas Directed by: Janeen Damian 2022 ‧ Romantic/Comedy ‧ 1h 33m 27 ENTERTAINMENT

THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY IN RETROSPECT 28 ENTERTAINMENT

nonetheless, the executives gave him the green light with much optimism. He wanted a reboot. It would tell the origin story of the caped crusader and not just why but also how he became the force of nature that he is. The character of Bruce Wayne and his persona Batman (or the other way around) was fleshed out, and for once, he was the actual focus of the movie, not the villains. Nolan’s vision was a character study of Batman. Batman is loved by millions of comic book fans worldwide, not because they can relate to his background– nobody here is a billionaire orphan. But because they can relate to a common problem, the conflict of good against evil, the struggle of overcoming failure, and the fight against his fears. And when Batman defeated the obstacles after diligent preparation, he reminded readers that hard work pays off–he inspired them to improve. But, unfortunately, the older films lost that touch–it was something Nolan wanted to bring back. After numerous candidates, Christian Enter Christopher Nolan with a concise fifteenminute pitch. He impressed the Warner Bros executives and excited them with his more grounded direction. Gone were the days of intricate neon-lit set pieces, and in their place, cinematic reality, as Nolan puts it. Since he had only made three feature films before, it was risky to let him handle a hundred million-plus dollar budget. Especially when Batman could not afford another disaster; nonetheless, the executives gave him the green light with much WHY DO WE FALL? SO THAT WE CAN LEARN TO PICK OURSELVES UP. ........t the dawn of the ........21st century, comic book movies were at a crossroads. They were not widely regarded compared to other films and were known to be children’s movies intended to sell more toys. As a result, the studios behind the films had to decide whether to embrace it or redefine itself entirely. Warner Bros was one such studio. After the lacklustre performance of Batman and Robin, it was clear that they had to pursue the latter. A ONE OF THE MOST ICONICIF NOT THE MOST ICONIC SCENE IN THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY 29 ENTERTAINMENT

After numerous candidates, Christian Bale was cast as The Dark Knight due to the darkness and gravitas he portrayed during ‘American Psycho’ and ‘The Machinist.’ A starstudded cast supported him: Sir Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Cillian Murphy, and Liam Neeson– all of whom gave jaw-dropping performances. Nolan and his team treated these films as if it was their last: meticulously producing almost all set pieces with practical effects on IMAX instead of CGI on digital cameras. You could almost touch the world they presented. The production team even made a real Batmobile, a collage of a Humvee, a Lamborghini, and a stealth bomber; it was a testament to their immense dedication. They displayed the world with romanticisation and theatricality: numerous wide shots to show the scale of the setting, characters gave grand speeches on their worldviews, and an intense chase scene. It wasn’t all nitty-gritty, though, as humour was sprinkled throughout, inspired by the Indiana Jones movies. Tying it together was the awe-inspiring duo of Hans Zimmer 30 ENTERTAINMENT was sprinkled throughout, inspired by the Indiana Jones movies. Tying it together was the awe-inspiring duo of Hans Zimmer composing the action pieces and James Newton Howard orchestrating the film’s more emotional moments. All of these things beautifully intertwined with each other to create ‘Batman Begins.’ An epic on Bruce Wayne’s journey to becoming the Bat, Batman Begins, in contrast to the playful world of its predecessor, was more plausible. It paid homage to the graphic novels that placed the icon on the map. When it was released, it was considered the best Batman film to date, until The Dark Knight changed the landscape of the film industry forever in 2008. The Dark Knight is regarded by many as the best and most influential superhero film ever to grace the big screen. One could argue that it is also one of the top films ever in cinema. Inspired by ‘Heat, ’ it is almost a crime thriller with aspects of terrorism and moral choices. It proved that comic-book movies were also FOURTH CUT INTO THE DARK KNIGHT. HEATH LEDGER'S JOKER WON THE OSCAR FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN 2009 30 ENTERTAINMENT

30 ENTERTAINMENT the second shadowed it–the perfect way to end what they started. The unprecedented success of The Dark Knight trilogy was something everybody wanted, but something nobody could duplicate. The film propelled the superhero genre into starlight, and the genre has not looked back since. Almost all superhero films made during or after The Dark Knight trilogy, DC, or Marvel can trace back their identity to this movie. Without it, those movies wouldn’t be the way that they are. But we wouldn’t have The Dark Knight Trilogy if it weren’t for the mistakes that came before it. ‘The night is darkest just before the dawn’ and Warner Bros, in one of their lowest moment, came back with one of the best superhero trilogies–if not the best. Their success was because Batman meant something more than just a character on screen; he was a symbol to everyone, characters and audiences alike. This trilogy best conveyed this. It was also because these movies are just amazing in general. And so, with the holidays approaching with ample free time, do yourself a favour and immerse yourself in some of cinema’s finest because these are the films we deserve. Inspired by ‘Heat, ’ it is almost a crime thriller with aspects of terrorism and moral choices. It proved that comic-book movies were also forms of art not to be underappreciated. Surpassing $1 billion at the box office, The Dark Knight became the first ever in the genre to do so. Nominated for a staggering 178 awards, it won 107. The highlight of this movie is the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. The Joker is the most iconic comic-book villain. When Heath Ledger was first cast, there was outrage from the people as he was deemed too soft to play the role. But after a month of locking himself in a hotel with nothing but a diary to ‘become’ the Joker, he gave an oscar-winning performance that no one could ever top. He stole all the scenes he was in. The likes of Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal added even more incredible acting to the film. Every scene was iconic. Every dialogue was poetry, and every shot was a painting. The Dark Knight Rises followed The Dark Knight in 2012, also grossing over a billion dollars. Puppy-eyed Tom Hardy and the dashing Anne Hathaway made up for the giant hole that was Heath Ledger. It tied up all the loose ends and finished Batman’s arc and other character arcs. It came full circle with the themes of the first film while the events of the second shadowed it–the perfect way to end what they started. s THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY: IN RETROSPECT WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY PHONE MYINT MYAT 23' 31 ENTERTAINMENT

W rit t e n b y: A n o n y m o u s B a k e r Designed by: Khaymar Aung Moe '23 Fun Recipes To Try This Holiday Season! Christmas break is right around the corner! With that being said, here are some step-by-step recipes to quickly cook up Christmas food crafts in your kitchen and impress your friends and family with your creativity. Hey there, phoenixes - 32 ENTERTAINMENT

Or e o C o a l INGREDIENTS 40 Oreos 1 (8-oz.) block of cream cheese, softened 16 oz. semisweet or melting chocolate 1/3 c. Oreo cookies, crushed (or cocoa powder) DIRECTIONS Grind Oreos into crumbs using a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Transfer 1 crumbs to a medium bowl and add cream cheese. Use a fork to mix until well combined. Using about one tablespoon of the mixture per ball, form the misshapen balls of the Oreo 2 mixture. Place them on a plate and into the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up. Microwave melting chocolate in 10 to 15-second increments until melted and smooth. Dip each Oreo ball into the melted chocolate using a fork or toothpick, then set it onto parchment paper. Sprinkle immediately with crushed Oreos, if using, or let dry completely. 3 If using cocoa powder, once firm, dip your fingers into the cocoa and lightly rub it onto 4 Oreo balls to complete the “coal” look. Store balls in the fridge until ready to serve. link to recipe 33 ENTERTAINMENT

INGREDIENTS 15 pretzels 1/4 c. marshmallow fluff 15 Milano Cookies 1 tsp. powdered sugar 1 can of store-bought vanilla frosting 30 brown mini M&Ms 15 red M&Ms (full size) Milano Cookie Reindeer DIRECTIONS Cut pretzels in half down the centre. Dip the edges of each pretzel half in Marshmallow Fluff, then press onto the top of each Milano cookie. Dab a little powdered sugar on top of the Fluff, so it doesn’t stick. 1 Flip the Milano cookies over, placing them on a 2 parchment-lined baking sheet or tray. Place frosting in a piping bag with a No. 3-sized round piping tip—or use a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off—to draw three circles on each cookie: two for the eyes, and one at the bottom for the nose. Press a mini M&M into the centre of each melted white chocolate circle, forming the reindeer’s eyes. 3 Top the final blob of icing on each cookie with a 4 red M&M, “M” side down. link to recipe 34 ENTERTAINMENT

Rice Krispie Snowballs INGREDIENTS 5 tbsp. butter 1 (10-oz.) bag of marshmallows 1/2 c. smooth peanut butter Pinch kosher salt 6 c. Rice Krispies cereal 30 Reese's Minis 1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips, melted Sprinkles DIRECTIONS In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Stir in marshmallows and peanut butter, and stir until the mixture is melted. Remove from heat and go in Rice Krispies. Let cool slightly. 1 Line a baking sheet with parchment. Flatten about a tablespoon amount of Rice Krispies and add a mini Reese's in the middle and roll into a ball. Dip in melted chocolate, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles and repeat with remaining Rice Krispies. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until the chocolate is set. 2 link to recipe 35 ENTERTAINMENT

A CL SING 2. IF YOU LIE DOWN WITH ME - LANA DEL RAY 5. WINTER FALLS - STRAYKIDS 4. LAST CHRISTMAS - WHAM! 8. TWO SLOW DANCERS - MITSKI 10. SWEATER WEATHER - THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 9. WINTER IN THE DARK - LORDE 1. CHRISTMAS TREE - V 3. IF WE MAKE IT THROUGH DECEMBER - PHOEBE BRIDGERS 6. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU - MARIAH CAREY 7. FIRESIDE - ARCTIC MONKEYS 11. SANTA TELL ME - ARIANA GRANDE 12. COFFEE BREATH - SOFIA MILLS 13. CHRISTMAS BLUE - SABRINA CLAUDIO & THE WEEKND 14. OUT OF TIME - THE WEEKND 15. CHAMBER OF REFLECTION - MAC DEMARCO playlist by: Than Thar Zaw '26 & Mya Shwe Thway Chal '26 designed by: May Myat Noe Chit '24CHAPTER 36 ENTERTAINMENT

OF TODAY SPORTS A statue of the late Diego Maradona and his 'golden' left foot. Made in 2022 by Napoli, the club he played the most for. OF TODAY

This Season in Sports Over the past few weeks, MISY phoenix sports team has been in many different sorts of friendly matches. U14 volleyball has been playing for 4 matches now (excluding the MISAC tournament), against MIS, BSY, Network and YA. However, another sport currently being held for secondary is U19 football. They however have only played 4 matches. First match against MIS escalated quickly for the boys which they won 2-0. However, the girls lost that match 0-2. For the next match, it was against BSY. It was not hosted long ago at the home of Phoenix. That match, the boys lost with 1-2, and the girls won with a whooping 2-0! Another U14 volleyball match was against YA and it was surely a pain. Both boys and girls brought home a defeat. However, the boys were washed by the YA team with 1-2, and for girls they lost 0-2. The latest and last friendly match was against Network. It was held on the 29th of November The results were very exciting yet sad. We, MISY were catching up in the final set with the score of 13-14, but sadly they took the victory leading them to the final results of 1-2. However, the girls started off strong with a big lead 7-0, but they couldn’t maintain the scores. They then ended up losing 0-2. On the 3rd of December, the MISY U14 volleyball team had their MISAC tournament at BSY. Out of 4 matches, the boy had only won 1 match. The girls however had won 2 matches out of 4. The boys match against MIS and BSY were lost by a big landslide, however the YA match was a very close match. Sadly, they won the final set. The final match of the day was against Network. We won right at the fina set luckily. As the results came out, both genders got 4th place for the friendly matches, and boys got 4th for the tournament when the girls got a whooping 2nd place! Okay, moving on to the matches played by the U19 football team. The first school they played against was BSY. Both genders have brought victory back to the home of the Phoenixes. The boys had won the match with an easy 2-0. The girls were as good as the 38 SPORTS

These are the sports events happening lately, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated! Oh wait, I nearly forgot to mention that a group of primary students have been taking part in basketball! They recently had a tournament against other schools at BSY. Both boys and girls got 4th place, which in my opinion, isn’t bad. Well, that’s the end of the article! Until next time! boys, however the girls unfortunately let the opposing team score one goal, which resulted in them winning 2-1. On the 29th of November, our U19 Football team went to MIS and had a magnificent match. The boys unfortunately lost by 1 point (2-1). The girls however, won by a huge margin and the score was 4-2! On the 1st of December,another U19 Football team had another game and the boys had won with a massive difference. The score was 7-1!!!! For the girls, we also had won but with the score of 3-2! Written by: Nay Aung Ye Yint '26 Designed by: Khaymar Aung Moe '23 39 SPORTS

Editor in Chief May Myint Mo Zaw [email protected] Managing Editor Thinn Thinn San [email protected] Editor Khaymar Aung Moe [email protected] Teacher Editor Oscar Nilsson [email protected] Design Team Head Phone Myint Myat [email protected] Designers Ahlinkar Chan Myae Thu Khaing Nyein Hsu Khant Aung Hein Khaymar Aung Moe Linn Latt Latt Moe Maria Meteleva May Myat Noe Chit Mel Madi Nay Aung Ye Yint Phyu Sin Mon Pan Wutlwar Phyu Pyae Phoo Hay Thi Su April Aung Writers Abhivyakt Bhati Hsu Mon Zaw Kaung Khant Kyaw Swar Khant Htut Khant Zaw Hein Khin Tsu Tsu Lwin Moe Myat Aung Mya Shwe Thway Chal Nay Aung Ye Yint Phoo Hayman Khin Sai Aung Naing Win Sai Thurain Win Tin Shwe Sin Ye Thway Than Thar Zaw Thet Myanmar Lwin Yar Pyae Lwin Phone THE RISING PHOENIX TEAM

T H E R I S I N G P H O E N I X e s t 2 0 2 1 R o o m 3 0 3 r i s i n g p h o e n i x @ m i s y . e d u . m m N o . 2 4 , S a e M y a u n g S t r e e t , 1 1 t h Q u a r t e r , Y a n k i n , Y a n g o n , M y a n m a r