szachik@pvs.org, Author at the bird on fire

The Lotus Flower

April 18, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Editor Makena challenged her fellow bloggers to consider Plants and/or Opinions. In James’s opinion, lotus flowers are the best plants.

By James Zheng, plant dude

Lotus flowers are a widespread plant around tropical and temperate zones in Asia. It is said that there were records of lotus flowers planted during the period of ancient China. Nowadays, some of the species are imported to America. The lotus flower is famous for its colorful appearance and a large diversity of species. In India and Vietnam, the lotus flower is the national flower, and it is recognized as a holy symbol within Buddhism.

Lotus flowers are categorized as an aquatic plant with the root under the water. Every part of a lotus flower can be really valuable. Its seed and root are abundantly nutritious as food, and the leaf can be used for making herbs. It is both edible and ornamental.

Lotus flowers have adapted to environments like shallow water, lakes, marshes and ponds. If there is enough water, the lotus flower could even grow in a tiny basin. Most lotus flowers have a strong reliance on sunshine, so full sunshine is needed during the growth period. They cannot tolerate growing under the shade. The artificially cultivated varieties are mostly used in parks and courtyards for ornamental purposes. I have pictures below of some showy species of the lotus flower in China, and they are given some unique nicknames.

“Icy tenderness.”

“The princesse dancer.”

“Haierfura”

All the above species are my favorite, yet there are still hundreds of species of lotus flowers you can find in the world. If you are interested, find the one that you like, and take care of it. Most of the lotus flowers have a really strong capability of adapting to the environment; you just need enough water and sunshine to raise it!

Plant and Opinions Editor: Makena Behnke

Holden Rants About a Topic Does Anyone Still Read This Title Part 5

April 18, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

What is Gaming Disorder?

By Holden Hartle, who has played video games

In our pursuit this week of everything gaming, Holden uncovers a surprising disorder.

I’ll be completely honest, I didn’t think this was real when I first heard about it. But, it’s a real mental disorder that the World Health Organization (WHO) added to the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and that the American Psychology Association (APA) added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V) .

What does Gaming Disorder look like? Some of the symptoms according to psychiatry.org include, “preoccupation with gaming, withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away (sadness, anxiety, irritability), inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming, and the use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness.” These are the same symptoms that someone might go through if they were addicted to a drug of some sort, i.e. the inability to stop and the feelings of sadness and anxiety when it is taken away from you.

Now, if you’re an incessant gamer like me, these symptoms scare you. But fear not, only a very small portion of the population actually has the disorder. The criteria is very specific and needs to last for a certain amount of time in order for someone to be diagnosed. A case study in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction states that, ”The diagnosis of IGD is not easy,” and, “[Gaming disorder’s] psychological, social, and health consequences require further study.” The study goes on to explain that little research has been done into the effectiveness of the various types of treatments of Gaming Disorder and which treatment is best.

Another case study, this time from Yale, explains that the dopamine boost in a cocaine addict’s system after a hit is the same dopamine boost from someone who has Gaming Disorder. Furthermore, when a video game addict plays video games, he has conditioned his hypothalamus to reward him every time he plays video games. This makes sense when you consider the fact that a video game addict goes through similar withdrawals to that of a drug addict. When he isn’t playing video games, his body feels empty without the constant string of dopamine flowing through his system

To remind you, a very very very small percentage of the population actually has Gaming Disorder. The screening process is very scrupulous in order for a psychologist to actually diagnose someone. If you feel like you may have this disorder, however, contact your local psychologist, and they may be able to help.

Video Game Editor: AJ Patencio

every boy and every girl, spice up your life

April 17, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Unofficial “Spice” Girl, Makena Behnke

Editor Holden solicits his fellow sentient bloggers as to what spices up their everyday lives. Makena replies . . .

first things first, i like my life. some aspects are rather mundane (washing my face, doing my homework, blah, blah, blah), but i like to think some aspects of my daily life are interesting. i’m not here to tell you what the interesting aspects are because that’s not what this post is about–not a makena-life post. i’m here to tell you how to spice up your life–every boy and every girl.

there are plenty of well-known ways to mix it up–color your hair, buy a whole new wardrobe, travel to Spain spontaneously. i’m all about spontaneity, but not a lot of us are able to pick up and go to a different country or buy a new closet. i present to you a non-list of simple things to refresh your daily life.

research something you don’t know much about. let’s say your great grandfather was from Sweden, but you don’t know anything about Sweden other than IKEA. maybe research what’s happening in their politics or cool Swedish inventions. or, look up some ancient religions and something you’re completely clueless about.

i’m a coffee fan. i’m not picky when it comes to types of beans or where they were grown, etc. i like what i like, and i usually stick to it, but i like trying new things. mix in some protein powder (make sure you actually like the protein powder) or powdered collagen in your morning coffee–provides a health boost, and, maybe just for me, but when i change something small in my daily routine, it makes me a bit happier.

wake up five minutes earlier or set aside five minutes before bed to do some light stretching, or stretch morning and night, whatever you please. stretching before bed would loosen up your muscles before sleep, and stretching in the morning would energize you a bit and get the blood flowing.

maybe you’re completely content with your life, and you don’t need me telling you how to make your life more interesting, but maybe try a couple of these suggestions out and see how you feel. If you hate them, sorry for wasting your time; if you don’t, you’re welcome.

Spice-Up-Your-Life Editor: Holden Hartle

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO Album Review

April 17, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

By Holden Hartle, Music Guy

Editor Makena’s theme for her week is Plants and Opinions. Holden speaks to Opinions. He is very opinionated when it comes to music. Listen up.

I’m aware that the teenage girl inside of me is showing, but I thoroughly enjoy Billie Eilish’s new album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. This album was highly anticipated after her EP “dont smile at me” put her on the map. Personally, I enjoyed the more upbeat songs off of “dont smile at me,” but not the album as a whole. The slower songs seemed to go on forever, and I feel like she was still looking for her sound–something to tie her music to her name. I feel like she found her sound with WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. The album is still a fusion of upbeat songs and slow songs, but the one thing that ties the album together is a heavy use of bass. The bass in most of the songs adds a contrast to the light, quiet timbre of the vocals and the melody. Yet, with a distorted 808 (drum machine) and quiet vocals, the album remains cohesive. This is something that is very impressive, and something that a lot of albums don’t get right.

The part that really draws me to the album is the transparency and the authenticity. Except for some very minute parts, every song was written by Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell. The connection between these siblings allows for the emotions in the songs to be fully expressed. For example, the opening track, “!!!!!!!,” is a thirteen second track with the line, “I have taken out my Invisalign and this is the album.” Now, I’m a sucker for symbolism, so to me this line means that Billie Eilish has removed anything that is holding her back from expressing her true emotions and this album will be nothing less than authentic. On a more surface level, this could just be a candid and genuine moment between these two siblings, but if you look at it from a perspective of finding the aim of the album, the opening track is opening the door to Billie’s mind.

The following song, “bad guy,” immediately gives us access to Billie’s consciousness. The song explains how Billie has a lover who is “a tough guy/…Chest always so puffed guy,” and generally, a stereotypical manly man. Billie claims that she is the type who is really in charge in the relationship. To the best of my knowledge, this isn’t something typically talked about in music. Most songwriters, if they were going down this path, would choose a position of strength and power to say that they are leaving their significant other because they are bringing them down. Billie doesn’t do this. She chooses something that is more genuine and comes more from the heart. She doesn’t leave the relationship; she enjoys the dynamic.

A few songs down, “wish you were gay,” received a lot of flag for “insulting” the LGBT community, but this wasn’t the purpose of the song whatsoever. I’m not one to decide what people should be offended over, but I think that the interesting use of homosexuality adds to the idea that Billie is exploring emotions in music that haven’t been explored before. The song explores the common anthem of the love of your crush not being reciprocated back into you, but the song does so in a way that no ever song has done before to my knowledge. Billie makes her thoughts extremely vulnerable and states that “I just wanna make you feel okay/ But all you do is look the other way/…I just kinda wish you were gay.” This idea is something that could only come from someone who is taking the idea of rejection and expressing it in its fullest.

I briefly want to highlight a line in the song “my strange addiction,” in which Billie sings, “Shoulda taken a break, not an Oxford comma.” The song in its entirety deals with the idea of being obsessed with a bunch of guys, and adding one more to the list. This specific line demonstrates Eilish’s genius songwriting where she states that she should have stopped dreaming about new guys and should not have added another one.

The song “bury a friend” is perhaps the most unique song off of this album, as it looks into the darker side of Billie’s conscious. According to her, the song is sung from the monster under your bed’s perspective. Once again, I feel as if this is a unique idea that very few artists have ventured into before. The song alludes to the fact that we all have our own monster under our bed, and this monster is some version of us. Her monster suffers from trust issues and has a depressing manner about her, characterized by the lines, “What do you want from me? Why don’t you run from me?” and the titular line, “When we all fall asleep, where do we go?”

Starting with “bury a friend,” the songs in the album take a darker and more pessimistic turn. Instead of being songs of power, the songs deal with Billie’s struggles with depression and the subsequent suicidal thoughts that follow.

To say the least, this album is a roller coaster. The album starts on a high note, with the brother-sister duo ending the first song with a few seconds of them laughing. Yet towards the end of the album, the listener is welcomed into the darkest parts of Billie’s consciousness. The fact that Billie is open to being that vulnerable is something she should be commended for. The album is successful at exploring emotions that aren’t necessarily covered on the radio, and showing the range of emotions that someone feels. Sure, people go through heartbreak, but Billie doesn’t hide any details about this fact. She isn’t scared to write a song about what people actually feel, rather than what people should feel. Shakespeare once wrote that theater, and more broadly, art, hold a mirror up to nature. Billie does just this in WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO.

Opinion Editor: Makena Behnke

The things you do that are ABSOLUTELY irritating

April 15, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

For Editor Makena’s Plant/Opinion Theme, Hannah weighs in with an OPINION. Pay attention: these are things that irritate Hannah, in her opinion.

By Hannah Hall

Do people ever just do things so annoying that it sets off an internal explosion? For me, the answer is an enormous yes. People don’t realize they are doing anything wrong, and that’s what really gets me. So, for your knowledge, here is a list of my personal pet peeves:

When people respond to texts with “I know”

I am guilty of doing this, I must admit, but please don’t be a know it all. It could make the person you’re responding to feel bad and defeated. Next time let out a little “really?!” and let them share their little fun fact!

People looking over your shoulders when you’re busy

Okay, this just gets me nervous. First of all, I feel violated. Secondly, I get self conscious about what I am doing! Please ask first.

One-upping

Okay, we get it, you’re cool and better than everybody. Just kidding. Please let people have their moment; you crush their passion when you one-up them!!! This is especially unacceptable in a group situation when it embarrasses the other person.

Always on your phone

I hang out with my friends to hang out with my friends. With all that being said, if you would rather be on your phone then talk to me, don’t waste my time. Please stay at home, pal.

Taking spots

Seriously……stop. If I get up to go to the water fountain or just do something else for not even 5 minutes and you took my spot, especially when I say save my spot, you need a class on how to be respectful, or maybe I need to take a class on how not to be peeved. Adding on to this, I hate it when somebody takes my unassigned assigned seat in class–you all know what I am talking about, and they knoooow it was mine??? This is also inexcusable and bothersome.

Talking over others

Everybody has their moment to speak. Just please wait for somebody to finish talking, and enter the conversation AFTER. One of the worst feelings is feeling unheard. And if you can’t wait a whole three seconds, just jump in at the tail of the thought after the point has been made.

Jumping into conversations

I wasn’t talking to you and nobody asked. It’s also rude to go into other people’s business; you never know if people are speaking about an inside joke or personal matters. This also includes answering a question that wasn’t directed towards you, oh, and when somebody challenges a thought of yours, who was not in the convo. This especially makes me scream!

When somebody does something they know obviously annoys people

If it’s annoying multiple people, just don’t do it. For example, this includes clicking your pen, bouncing your leg, kicking chairs, and staring at people right next to you.

Overexplaining

Once something makes sense, it makes sense. There is no need for somebody to keep blabbing on and on about a topic.

Telling excessive puns

Yes, a short and sweet pun is good every once in a while, but don’t overuse them. That’s all I have to say for this one.

PSA Disclaimer: I don’t expect people to do everything I say, and I definitely know the world does not revolve around me. I have a right to be upset; feelings just come with being human. Annoyance is just another feeling. And again, these are MY opinions.

Editor: Makena Behnke

Mmm, Magnesium

April 12, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Luke “not-a-botanist” Langlois

Editor Makena asked all to consider Plants & Opinions for her theme. Luke takes a look at what plants need.

We all know that plants cannot just live on their own. Plants need water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide so they can carry out their autotrophic genius in the form of photosynthesis. Water, sunlight, and CO₂ are all critical for a plant’s survival, but the average citizen often overlooks the specificities of another important element of a plant’s survival: the soil. One who is not well-versed in botany (or AP Biology) might simply say that soil contains “nutrients.” While this is true, knowing that soil has nutrients is not enough to keep a plant in good health. The goal of this post is to inform you of what exactly the term “nutrients” entails. Additionally, I will run through some brief symptoms of plant nutrient shortages, so you can recognize specific nutrient shortages in your own houseplants and how to fix them.

Before I dive into the nitty gritty, you should know that plants have two categories of nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients. Plants require macronutrients in large numbers, hence the name macronutrients. Since these elements are needed in relatively large numbers, it is recommended that a plant caretaker regularly refreshes the plant’s base with these elements. On the contrary, micronutrients are elements that plants only need in small numbers, hence the name micronutrients. It is only necessary to replace micronutrients if the plant has a visible deficiency. It is important to remember that it is entirely possible to overdo it on the nutrients. Imagine a person taking a whole bottle of nutrient supplements in a day. It’s the same concept. Anyways, the main types of macronutrients are calcium, nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. The main types of micronutrients are boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. Now, let us dive into a few signs of these nutrient deficiencies.

Macronutrient Deficiency Symptoms

Calcium (Ca) – New leaves (leaves at the top of the plant) have noticeably irregular or distorted shapes. Just because one leaf is strangely shaped does not mean there is a calcium deficiency, but if your plant seems to emerge with a brand new shape of leaf often, it may be time to replenish the calcium.

Nitrogen (N) – Older leaves (leaves found near the bottom of the plant) begin to display a yellow shade while the newer leaves display a normal, light green shade.

Phosphorus (P) – The tips of the leaves look like they have been burnt and may have that “crunchy” feel. The rest of the leaf will usually maintain its original color, unless there are other shortages.

Sulfur (S) – A sulfur shortage will result in the younger leaves turning into the unhealthy yellow color first. Sometimes, older leaves will follow suit. This is not to be confused with a nitrogen shortage. If it’s a nitrogen shortage, the OLDER leaves are going to display signs of yellowing first.

Magnesium (Mg) – Older leaves begin turning yellow at their edges, which causes the leaf to display somewhat of an arrowhead shape in its center.

Micronutrient Deficiency Symptoms

Copper (Cu) – A plant with a copper shortage is going to have an unusual deep green color. This shortage may also cause a plant to become stunted.

Iron (Fe) – Just like that protein-fueled BEAST on the streets, your plants are capable of pumping iron, too. An iron deficiency is going to cause a yellowing between the veins of younger leaves. More severe iron deficiencies, like the one depicted below, can cause a yellowing around almost every vein in the leaf.

Zinc (Zn) – The terminal leaf of your plant may display a unique, rosette pattern. But, the plant is not just trying to impress its caretaker; it has a zinc shortage!

Here’s a disclaimer before I say a bit more: I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert on plants or a botanist. The physical traits that plants display vary from species to species, and some of these shortage signs may not apply to every species of plant. If it’s fall, and your plant is known to begin yellowing during the fall, do not go on a mad dash for magnesium. Use your botanical judgement to determine whether or not your plant needs some love. Before I depart, I would like to briefly explain how you solve these shortages. You are going to want to find soils or fertilizers that contain the missing nutrients and give them to your plants. Note: bags are not going to outwardly say “MAGNESIUM!” You may have to do a bit of research if you notice an unhealthy plant. The amount of nutrients that a plant needs varies based on whether the missing nutrient is a macronutrient or micronutrient, the size of the plant, and the severity of the shortage. To sum it up, gardening is a therapeutic and healthy hobby that many humans enjoy. It is only right that plants get to feel the same way.

Source: University of Arizona

Click to access az1106.pdf

Plant Editor: Makena Behnke

Common Misconceptions–Are Electronic Devices Contaminating Us?

April 11, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By James Zheng

For Editor Hannah’s Conspiracy Week Theme, James speaks on common misconceptions.

There is plenty of common knowledge–whether taught by our parents or heard from media–that we generally choose to believe because it is widespread. But, sometimes, due to our lack of cognitive and discriminating capabilities, and the misleading information around us, we cannot identify if the information taught is factual.

Electronic devices are everywhere. The thing that most people are concerned about is the harm electronic devices bring them. Here comes the question of whether or not electronic devices, such as cell phones, computers, and even routers, have radiant effects on us. While I was thinking about this, an article written by Chinese blogger Dao Dao gave me a simple answer.

Dao Dao paraphrases common misconceptions regarding our smart phones:

“Mobile phones have radiation, so do not put [them] near you when you are sleeping! The router has radiation, which should be unplugged when you are sleeping! After using the computer for a while, wash your face carefully!”

But, he counters with . . .

1. Radiation is only a form of energy, just like light is also a kind of radiation. All radiation does not have the same property as nuclear radiation.

2. What is harmful to the human body is radiation with higher energy than light, which is called ionizing radiation, such as gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, etc. Nuclear radiation belongs to ionizing radiation. This is the radiation that may harm the human body.

3. The usual electromagnetic radiation emitted by electrical appliances is generally called electromagnetic waves. . . . Its energy is lower than the light. As long as the power is not big enough to burn something, you don’t have to worry about its harm. This has already been confirmed by WHO (World Health Organization).

4. Sunlight itself is a type of intense radiation. In terms of its power alone, it radiates much more than any electrical apparatus around you, plus ultraviolet radiation within the sunlight, which can directly harm the human body, but you should not be afraid of sunlight.

In conclusion, if you are still afraid of the so-called radiation of those electrical appliances, you might as well find a cellar to seal yourself up and not touch the sun.

Adding on to what this blogger has said so far, I found some other facts showing that cell phones do not harm humans.

From a Danish study:

How the study was done: “This cohort study, conducted in Denmark, linked billing information from more than 358,000 cell phone subscribers with brain tumor incidence data from the Danish Cancer Registry.”

What the study showed: “No association was observed between cell phone use and the incidence of glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma, even among people who had been cell phone subscribers for 13 or more years.”

From a Million Women Study:

How the study was done: “This prospective cohort study conducted in the United Kingdom used data obtained from questionnaires that were completed by study participants.”

What the study showed: “Self-reported cell phone use was not associated with an increased risk of glioma, meningioma, or non-central nervous system tumors. Although the original published findings reported an association with an increased risk of acoustic neuroma, this association disappeared after additional years of follow-up of the cohort.”

Although I have seen the experiments and articles proving the popular misunderstanding on the radiation that electronic devices brought, I do not totally think electronic devices are harmless. All the evidence might just be saying the risk is low. The research essentially eliminates the concern within public thoughts and debunks the rumors on the internet. However, I say, the risk could possibly be accumulative, and we should avoid careless exposure . . . over time.

https://www.zhihu.com/question/27191048/answer/35737238

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11158188

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22016439

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23657200

https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/43/1/275/731253

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet

Conspiracy Editor: Hannah Hall

HOCKEY!

April 10, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Luke Langlois, prominent hockey fan, can’t ice skate

This week’s theme is “Making Daily Life More Interesting.” Life can be full of the same repetitive actions over and over again, so I asked my fellow bloggers to bring some spice to everyday life. Hockey playoffs definitely add spice to everyday life. — Editor Holden Hartle

Do you know what makes daily life more interesting? Playoffs. If you have been missing out on all of the various types of playoffs recently, fear not, for there is another sixteen-team conquest on the horizon– the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs. Nobody enjoys being left out of the loop, so today I would like to present some information about this year’s playoffs and present my predictions. I can assure you with 100% certainty that my predictions will be wrong. But, that’s half the fun. Without further ado, here are the participants in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Western Conference Matchups from Top to Bottom

Calgary Flames (CGY) vs. Colorado Avalanche (COL)
San Jose Sharks (SJS) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (VGK)
Nashville Predators (NSH) vs. Dallas Stars (DAL)
Winnipeg Jets (WPG) vs. St. Louis Blues (STL)

Eastern Conference Matchups from Top to Bottom

Tampa Bay Lightning (TBL) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (CBJ)
Boston Bruins (BOS) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (TOR)
Washington Capitals (WSH) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (CAR)
New York Islanders (NYI) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (PIT)

Now that we’ve established the matchups, here’s some information regarding the playoffs in general and this year’s matchups.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the 2018-2019 President’s Trophy, meaning they had the best regular season record at 62-20-16 (wins, losses, overtime losses). This record ties the regular season record of wins set by the 1995-1996 Detroit Red Wings. In short, Tampa Bay is STACKED! But, history has shown that the best regular season team fails to win the championship. In fact, the ’95-’96 Red Wings team, the most dominant team in history, lost in the playoffs. Will history repeat itself?
The Pittsburgh Penguins are making a playoff appearance for their 13th straight season, the longest active streak in the NHL.
On the other side of the coin, the Carolina Hurricanes have ended their playoff drought, making their first appearance since the 2008-2009 season.
The Washington (D.C) Capitals are the defending champions.
The New York Islanders will have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since 1988.
The Vegas Golden Knights are only in their second season ever but have landed at third place in their division.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have been around since 2000 but are seeking their first ever series win (each series is best of seven).
The St. Louis Blues may not be a #1 seed, but they have the best record in the NHL since the All-Star Break (about 2/3rds through the season), even eclipsing Tampa Bay’s win-loss record.

I could go on, but that should provide a bit of context for the reader. Now, for my grand predictions. 2019’s Stanley Cup Champion will be the Tampa Bay Lightning. Don’t get me wrong, nine times out of ten the President’s Trophy winner will get upset. Hockey is a sport that is PRIME for upsets, but it is my FIRM belief that Tampa Bay is just TOO GOOD! Here is a number; Tampa Bay’s goal differential is +103. This means that they outscored their opponents in the regular season by a total of 103 goals. To put this into perspective, the 2nd place team, Calgary, had a goal differential of +62, a far cry from 103.

NHL games are quite difficult to pull your eyes from. Unlike football, baseball, or basketball, breaks in the play are infrequent. In fact, players move in and out from the bench during play, no timeout or stoppage in play required. Even if you have never watched a game before, it’s worth it to stop and watch if you have the time. Besides the pure visual candy, NHL playoff matchups can go either way (unlike the NBA). You usually cannot slap the higher ranked team as the winner and call it a day. In 2012, the Los Angeles Kings team that stumbled and crashed into the playoffs ended up being one of the most dominant playoff teams ever seen, and they won it all (go Kings). Last year, the Vegas Golden Knights made it to the finals in their very first season of play, besting teams who have been around for half a century. But Luke, why are you telling us all this even though you say Tampa will win it all? Well, it makes sense considering the fact that Tampa has a statistical advantage on every team in just about every category. But, again, the regular season is wiped from the slate come the playoffs. Don’t be surprised if my bracket is an incoherent mess a week from now. Hockey is hockey. The playoffs start on Wednesday April 10th (TODAY). There will be a game on every night until the semifinal games where there may be breaks in days. This gives you plenty of time to check a game out. Catch the games nationally televised on either NBCSN or USA.

Making Daily Life More Interesting Editor: Holden Hartle

Mario v. King Boo? which Boo are you?

April 8, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Makena Behnke

Makena responds to Editor AJ’s Theme of the Week: Video Games.

i am not a video gamer, and my video game knowledge does not extend much further than Mario Kart and Undertale (and my knowledge on that is very limited). Mario Kart is simple, fun, and it lets out my urge to game. i think we all have our favorite characters that are unspokenly ours every time we play; i switch between a handful of characters, but some people will only play as [insert character here]. this list of characters stems from a mix of Mario Kart 8 and normal Mario Kart. i present to you my top five and bottom five Mario Kart characters (not that i only play as these five, but they are my favorites.)

top five:

King Boo– the ruler of the Paranormal Dimension, and leader of the Boos and ghosts. need i say more?
Bowser– this hardcore turtle-thing does not put up with any funny business. great for bumping little characters out of the way on your way to the top of the leaderboard. he’s not that fast, but he’s Bowser, so it’s fine.
Mario– why disregard a classic character like Mario? he’s such a happy little guy.
Shy Guy– i like playing as pink or black Shy Guy; the color gives him more character. he’s a pretty zippy character since he’s kind of small in size.
Koopa Troopa– i find him pretty fast, and he seems like a nice dude with his sweet smile. plus, his shell comes in red and green.

bottom five:

Gold & Silver Mario– i have issues with this specific version of Mario. why do we need a metallic version of him? he just looks weird to me.
Pink Gold Peach– i don’t really like Peach to begin with, but i certainly don’t like Pink Gold Peach. i have never once played as Pink Gold Peach, and i don’t intend to play as her in the future.
Wendy– is she a baby? how old is she? what is her purpose? needless to say, i don’t play as her.
Ludwig– with his cool hair, he’s got kind of a cool look going on, but along with Wendy, i don’t like his character. he doesn’t have much purpose.
Lakitu– this specific character is the one that lifts you back on to the course when you drive off the track in Mario Kart…. i have encountered him too many times to not bear ill will against him. i don’t like him because i only see him when i’m losing.

Video Games Editor: AJ Patencio

conspiracies that probably don’t exist but are fun to think about

April 5, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Makena Behnke for Conspiracy Week

let’s face it, basically everyone is obsessed with conspiracy theories (Editor Hannah is), they’re all over the media and in various conversations. some conspiracy theories make lots of sense (like iPhones are listening to us), and some are just plain stupid, but they are still fun to think about and come up with on your own. so, i present to you some unlikely theories with no evidence. enjoy.

you have a doppelgänger that shows up at night, but you are not able to see it. this doppelgänger looks exactly like you except their face is much more weathered and leathery. think the “Other Mother” from Coraline after she goes wack.
merry-go-rounds are a government ploy to rid our minds of memories of our childhood that could harm the government. the government has lots of secrets they want to hide, and maybe children have some of that precious info. there could be a government tool inside the poles or the fake animals that extract the classified information.
antarctica isn’t real. maybe the people that went to “antarctica” to study were part of some big scheme to make us think that it’s real. for what reason? i don’t know. perhaps people that passed by “antarctica” only passed by a giant movie set. consider it.
there is a mirror world outside of our lives. this actually could be possible since we literally have no way of knowing if it is real. there could be an opposite world where you are your best friend with the brown hair and they are you with the blonde hair. i believe it.
“soulmates” reappear in our various lives. the theory of soulmates is well-known; you meet someone who is so perfect for you that you feel like you were made for each other. this springs off the idea of past lives and reincarnation, so dream with me, folks. what if your past soulmate found you in the form of a butterfly that landed on your nose on the day of your previous anniversary? or maybe now they are your pet dog weaving between your feet. maybe there’s a double universe of sorts where you both exist as humans, but in separate worlds. maybe there’s a universe where you, a gopher, know the route that your soulmate takes on their way to work and you always pop up while your human soulmate walks the route. alternately, you, a human, often come across a cat that sleeps in a cafe window and only walks over to your booth and no one else’s. (i actually believe this theory the most.)

Conspiracy Editor: Hannah Hall