How to Survive Disneyland

September 26, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

As we explore How To Be in Healthy Relationships–with our dogs, with our significant others, Indy delves into his relationship with . . . Disneyland.

By Senior Indiana Behr

Two weeks ago, I went to Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and I realized I just had to write an article about it. I have tips like how to not spend half your day in line, where to eat, how to save money, and which are the best rides.

Keep this in mind when reading: Disneyland Resort has two parks, Disneyland Park and California Adventure. You need separate tickets to access them, or you can pay extra and get Park Hopper tickets–where from 11:00 a.m. until close you can switch parks as much as you wish. When I say Disneyland, I am referring to the entire resort including both parks, hotels, etc. When I say Disneyland Park, that just means one of the two parks within the resort.

Preparation

There are a few things that you should do before you even start driving to Disneyland. (It’s a two-hour drive from the desert.) Firstly, try to make a plan as early as possible. If you buy tickets at the last minute, it can be more expensive, and you will also have fewer options. Some parks will sell out, or they won’t let you buy a Park Hopper ticket. If you are a California resident, you can usually get a two-day pass for only $83 per person per day (Note: you cannot get a Park Hopper ticket with this).

There’s one thing you should always get if it’s available, and even last minute; it sells out almost never–Get Genie+ Service. It is $25 per person each day, and it applies to both parks if you have a Park Hopper ticket. At several times throughout the day, you will be able to buy a pass to get in separate shorter lines. If you’re strategic, it’s totally worth it, and you can double the amount of good rides every day.

Planning to go for several days? Then you’ll have to think about hotels. Hotels are much harder and way more expensive to get last minute than park entrance tickets. If you start looking weeks in advance, you will most likely be able to pick any of the three Disneyland resort hotels. If you’re not staying in the resort, there is a list of 58 hotels that are approved by Disney to be of good quality. These hotels are not overpriced, and they are all near the resort–either within walking or bus distance. You can check the list of recommended hotels here. Also, there is a 24-hour IHOP, a McDonald’s, and a Panera immediately outside Disneyland near the off-resort hotels. Keep these in mind if you do not want to spend lots of money to get the often mediocre food inside the parks.

There are three hotels in Disneyland, and all are within a five-minute walk to both parks. One of them is much fancier than the others, yet the others are still very nice, and generally better than those outside the resort.

Let’s talk about the Disneyland Hotel. The first Disney hotel in the world, and the only one Walt Disney was involved with, it opened just a few months after Disneyland did in 1955. Technically, the hotel expanded a lot over time as demand increased, and eventually some of the original hotel was demolished, and now, none of the original hotel is still there. This hotel is pretty cool. It has a very retro Disney feel, and it has not modernized as much as the rest of Disneyland has, which I think is really fun. You will have to walk through Downtown Disney, essentially an outdoor mall that you do not need tickets for. If you are able to get into Disneyland Park, you can take the Monorail that goes into Tomorrowland –that way you can skip the line at the gate, and you can skip the walk. On the Monorail, you also get some cool narrated facts and sightseeing on the way.

If you’re willing to pay a premium for one of the nicest Disney hotel experiences ever, consider the Grand Californian. This hotel is visually stunning, whether it’s the exterior, lobby, or rooms. There are incredible wood accents everywhere; it has the best amenities of any of the hotels by far, and everything about it is pure Disney luxury. During the holidays, it’s even better. Additionally, if you have a ticket for California Adventure, you can go straight into the park through a small entrance on the side of the hotel. That entrance to California Adventure almost never has a line and is so convenient. And, it’s usually quicker to get to Disneyland Park by cutting through here and just walking across the main plaza.

Lastly, there is the Paradise Pier hotel. I would say this is for now my least favorite hotel. It’s themed around what was known as Paradise Pier in California Adventure, which was a Santa Monica-inspired pier with a ferris wheel and some carnival rides and games. In 2018 it became Pixar Pier. For whatever reason, at that point, the plan was for the hotel to stay the same, and it’s honestly just not my preference. It’s not as fancy as the Grand Californian, but the theme isn’t as fun as the Disneyland Hotel. It is, however, usually a little cheaper and quicker to get to both parks than the Disneyland Hotel. This winter, they are finally going to make it Pixar themed and call it the Pixar Place Hotel, which I think will be a very nice upgrade. I am definitely looking forward to seeing it.

Once You’re There

Okay, you’re in Disneyland. It’s the happiest place on earth, and you want to have a fun day or even a few fun days. Maybe you have a Park Hopper ticket and hopefully a Genie+ pass; your hotel could be just outside, or maybe you’re only there for a few hours. Regardless, I have some tips for you. First, try to get there early. If you are staying in a resort hotel, you can usually get into the park 30 minutes before opening. This means arriving between 7:30-8:00 a.m.; you can get on lines for several rides when there is almost no wait. However, only some attractions open at this time. You can check the Disneyland app or site to see which will be open during this period. If you don’t get the app, you can still be efficient. If you get through the security checkpoint before the parks open, you can rope drop, which essentially means being among the first to enter. If you run to your favorite attraction after this, you can usually skip a long line.

No matter the plans, get the Disneyland app. It’s free. Just trust me. There are so many things that you can only do on the app, like getting Genie+ passes, or accessing wait times for rides. Make a Disney account for even more options. If you paid for the Genie+ service, you will need the app to use it, and you will also need to scan your tickets into the app. You can only start buying Genie+ passes to get on faster lines once you are inside a park, but if you have a Park Hopper ticket, you will be able to get Genie+ passes for both parks, not just the one you’re in. Passes will be gone quick. Last week, I got to Disneyland Park 20 minutes after opening, and the earliest Haunted Mansion Holiday pass was for 10:00-11:00 p.m. If you are arriving at the park within the first hour, go get in line. Use the time you’re standing there to get on the app and buy your Genie+ passes.

If you’re there early, once you’re on line, start looking at what options you have. Try starting with a ride that is hours away and/or has a really long standby line. In Disneyland Park, think the Matterhorn, Haunted Mansion between September and December (when it’s holiday themed), Space Mountain, and Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. At California Adventure, try Toy Story Midway Mania, Incredicoaster, Soarin’, or Guardians of the Galaxy. All of these have really long lines day and night, and getting passes will save you hours.

Due to high demand, me and several other PVS students–Jess, Audrey, Lorelei, Zoey, and Landon–had to pay for the Lightning Lane pass for Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land. Genie+ is unavailable for this ride. Here you pay $25 per person to get in the Lightning Lane (the shorter, speedier line). It was 100% worth it.

Let’s talk food (and some beverages, too). I will be honest; a lot of food at Disneyland isn’t very good. However, there are some places that I recommend. In Disneyland Park, I have found all of the best food is in the New Orleans Square section. If you can get reservations, the Blue Bayou is a Cajun restaurant located inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It’s very fun and also has pretty good food. If you want to grab something to-go, a new restaurant, Tiana’s Palace, just opened a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, I missed it by two days. However, most reviews say it’s pretty good. My personal favorite Disneyland food is the beignets sold at the Mint Julep Bar. Honestly, I don’t care for the mint juleps, but the beignets are amazing. They are hot, covered in powdered sugar, and Mickey-shaped! You can also mobile order these from the app which is very convenient. Oga’s Cantina in Galaxy’s Edge has some pretty cool drinks and weird snacks from another galaxy. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you have to visit this spot. If you are addicted to Starbucks, the Market House on Main Street is actually just a Starbucks.

In California Adventure, there are a few good options. The Pym Test Kitchen in Avengers Campus has some pretty interesting items – things like huge soft pretzels with lime and bacon condiments and chicken sandwiches with tiny buns and giant patties. They also are one of the only places that have a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine which means way more drink options. The Smokejumpers Grill in Grizzly Peak has good burgers and chicken tenders. The fried chicken at Flo’s V8 in Cars Land is really good, too. You can mobile order at all of these places. Just like the Market House in Disneyland Park, there is a Starbucks in disguise in California Adventure as well. It’s called Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe, and it’s on Buena Vista Street. For what it’s worth, I prefer this location over the Market House. This one has indoor seating, and in my experience the line moves quicker. I also just think this whole area, inspired by Los Angeles in the 1920s, is pretty cool.

If you follow some of these tips, I guarantee you can pack more fun into your day at Disneyland while possibly paying less.

What Happened in France Doesn’t Always Stay in France . . .

May 19, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

. . . not if ace reporter Indiana was there. Indy gives us the inside scoop of what was eaten, who paid, and who missed the boat on the PVS France trip.

By Junior Indy Behr

On April 6, nine Palm Valley students arrived at Palm Springs International Airport at 4 a.m. to begin a week-long journey through France. Levi, a fellow writer for the Bird on Fire, as well as myself, were part of these nine. Levi had several… incidents… during our trip. Despite their inconvenience, I knew all of them would help make a more interesting blog article, even if Levi had to sacrifice a terrarium, jar of jam, a river cruise in front of the Eiffel Tower as the sun set, and most importantly, our time. Just wait until you hear about flam.

For our trip, we were chaperoned by MUS Assistant Head Mr. Killeen as well former Palm Valley Head of Middle School and French teacher Mrs. Mule. We got to the airport, and after not too long, before the sun had even risen, we were off to Salt Lake City, Utah. In Salt Lake, I got Starbucks for myself and three others, including Levi. Levi promptly judged me for ordering a small drink for myself despite me paying for his much larger beverage. I then reminded him his sizable drink and two sous-vide egg bites were more expensive than the rest of our order combined, which I covered, and yet he still had the audacity to judge my drink size. This sentiment would be repeated throughout the trip.

Then, we left Salt Lake City for Minneapolis, Minnesota. When we got to the Minneapolis airport, we were all hungry, and I took these same people to the Smack Shack and got several baskets of fried shrimp. Levi, of course, while enjoying the food I generously gave to him, mocked me for only drinking water. Then, we finished up and went to the gate and began by far our longest flight to Paris. Frankly, this was the best flight of my life. My section was in the middle where there were four seats, yet only one other person on the aisle joined me. So, I got to take my pillow out and lie down for almost the whole flight. I slept as we crossed the Atlantic. When we arrived, it was around 8 a.m., and we met our tour guide as soon as we exited the airport after going through customs (where Levi, of course, was stopped by French authorities and questioned).

Our tour guide introduced himself as Froggie, which feels offensive in France, but I was not going to argue with him. We got on a bus where we first went to our hotel and dropped off our luggage, and then went back into Paris and to a cafe where we had coffee, which we certainly needed since we were already so jetlagged. Then we walked… and walked… and kept walking. We were exhausted by the end of this. We went to the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa, but we were jetlagged and miserable. None of us were happy by this point.

Eventually, we made our way to Versailles where four of us, including Levi again, dined on beef tartare, duck confit, and escargot. We were taking our time before we had to return to the palace. Mr. Killeen found us and told us to hurry up. So we never got dessert…. The Versailles palace, to be quite honest, was not particularly fun because of how tired we were. The gardens were a little better. We walked some more, had some more coffee, and then, as soon as we reached the hotel, we slept.

The next day we walked more and went to the one and only Flam’s. Try approaching anyone who went to France and just say “flam.” They will roll their eyes and probably tell you a horrifying story. Long story short, flam is a flatbread style pizza with cheese, a savory cream sauce, and ham. It is sickening. Seriously, it is the worst thing I have ever tasted. They promised a mushroom variation, that actually was the same thing but with a couple slices of canned mushrooms. Then dessert. I didn’t even taste it, and, based on others’ opinions, I made the right call. It was the same thing, but instead it had melted chocolate and caramel, but still the savory cream sauce. We were on the metro towards the Eiffel Tower station when Levi realized he left his bag at Flam’s. Mrs. Mule and he both missed our river cruise and the Eiffel Tower as a result.

The next day, we got up at around 5 a.m. and went to the train station to take the TGV high-speed train. I was excited, as I like high-speed rail so much I even wrote an article about it (See thebirdonfire.org). The TGV felt like a typical train until I looked out the window and saw how much faster we were going compared to a normal train. It was pretty cool to see, and unlike a lot of trains I have been on in the US, we did not stop once all the way from the top of France in Paris to the very south along the Mediterranean Sea. We were there in just over three hours.

We arrived in Avignon and took a bus into the city before we went to some big church. We then had some olives from a local market and strolled around the area. We were then given some free time. Levi, I, and some others went to a small cafe, and we ordered coffee and a plate of beef carpaccio (thinly pounded raw beef). It was very good, and then Jerry showed up after visiting the church, and ordered coffee and steak tartare (minced raw beef). Jerry ate a lot of tartare throughout the trip. After the cafe we went to our new hotel, and, because it was Easter Monday, everything around was closed, so the end of the day was not particularly exciting.

By the next day, we were once again on our bus continuing our tour. We continued exploring this new less urban part of France. We got to visit a lot of cool places that were way more laid back than the more populated areas we had seen previously. Visiting Monaco was pretty fun, though in hindsight I would’ve explored more rather than just visiting the aquarium. We spent our final day in Nice. We got to eat ice cream and have lunch, and then before dinner we went to the beach.

The next morning, we got up at around 3 a.m. to get to the airport in Nice. On the first flight, which was only about an hour, we went from Nice to Amsterdam. Once we boarded, we could not take off for a long time because of some mechanical issues. Unfortunately, many pictures of me sleeping were taken. Once we got to Amsterdam, we had no time between flights. We jolted to the Customs line. Because people who are neither American nor EU Citizens like Jerry have to wait on a much longer queue than us, we had to wait a while, and then Levi got stopped because of how suspicious he appeared with a jar of jam that had way more liquid than is allowed. We finished going through Customs, and we ran, and I mean ran, to our gate. We just made it. They were already almost done with boarding by the time we got there. We returned to Salt Lake City for a couple hours, and flew to Palm Springs. It was a really fun trip, and I am glad I chose to go.

Oliver’s Ranking For Every Star Wars Movie

May 11, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

Due to the fact that this month we celebrated May-the-4th-Be-With-You Day (AKA Star Wars Day), I’m ranking every main-story Star Wars movie: ninth being the worst and first being the best. I’m leaving out some other movies that aren’t main series like The Clone Wars, Solo: A Star Wars Story, etc.

Spoiler Alert: In Oliver’s rationale as to his rankings, he drops in some details as to how the movies climax and resolve. But, in the words of Luke Sonderman, if you haven’t already seen a Star Wars movie, you’re probably not going to go out and see one now.

Number 9:

The Rise of Skywalker

This movie was terrible; it has a horrible ending for a great trilogy that Star Wars was. To me this movie seemed boring. The lightsaber skills were appalling; the main villain (Palpatine) being brought back also wasn’t good because it’s like they bring him back every single movie; and he miraculously survives everything when he should’ve been dead a long time ago. It was so bad even Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 52% (rottentomatoes.com).

Number 8:

The Last Jedi

Do I even need to explain? This movie was BAD. The movie felt awfully long; some scenes even seemed unnecessary. Luke Skywalker acting like a coward? Really? All the past Star Wars movies worked to make Luke look like a leader, a legend perhaps. But in this movie, tossing the lightsaber and… milking an alien? That just throws everything else to the bin. Also, Snoke being killed right away although the movie makes him look super powerful is just absurd. Pretty much nothing works in this movie. The only reason this is above The Rise of Skywalker is because it has a higher score in Rotten Tomatoes; it scored a 91% from official critics and 42% from the audience.

Number 7:

The Force Awakens

This movie is… well boring. Easily one of the least creative. For people who watched this movie before any other Star Wars film, it may seem wonderful. But it lazily recycles old ideas like blowing up a star base, being in a sand world, etc…. There was some good acting. The death of Han Solo was heartbreaking, and the mistakes were not as severe as in The Last Jedi or in The Rise of Skywalker, so this movie is just a meh, and takes the seventh spot.

Number 6:

Attack of the Clones

Attack of the Clones is the series Episode 2. It definitely has more romance than any other Star Wars film. We can see how Anakin starts taking a liking for the dark side. There is some character development, etc. This movie is definitely not the worst, but the other movies are better.

Number 5:

The Phantom Menace

The Phantom Menace is the first episode of Star Wars. In this movie we get introduced to Qui-Gon Jinn, who finds Anakin. This movie has some really good parts in it. Like the lightsaber duels, acting, and the racing scene. This movie has gotten a lot of criticism for being too “childish.” People say the characters are too exaggerated or the racing scene is a bit ridiculous. But, in my opinion, the movie is still good.

Number 4:

Return Of The Jedi

Here we see the true dedication of the hero. George Lucas develops this movie fantastically. After Vader saves Luke, you can see how there’s still an Anakin inside of Vader. Although Palpatine doesn’t die (Palpatine is revived in the movies that follow), this heroic act of Vader makes the movie so much better. Apart from that, the opening scene–with the plan to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and how Han Solo gets unfrozen–was epic. This movie is an art piece and barely comes behind number three.

Number 3:

A New Hope

This movie is easily one of my favorites. It’s a must watch from the Star Wars series; the movie takes the hero on a journey, as Princess Leia requests Obi-Wan’s help. The acting is brilliant; the plot is exciting; the movie is fun, as we go from place to place trying to save Princess Leia, the actors fit perfectly to their roles; the effects are amazing, like the CGI of the Star of Death is great, and the design of the lightsabers are really awesome; everything about this movie works. Easily one of the best.

Number 2:

The Empire Strikes Back

Arguably one of the best films of all time, The Empire Strikes Back. This movie makes the hero work; Luke Skywalker loses his hand, and the lightsaber; he doesn’t beat Darth Vader, and the “I am your father” line from Darth Vader is an absolute classic. Also, the addition of Yoda to the cast is great. It makes the movie so much more mysterious and interesting as he pours his wisdom into Luke. This movie is a must watch, and every aspect of it works and makes it feel more and more exciting.

Number 1:

Revenge of the Sith

Although some may disagree, this movie is in my opinion the best Star Wars movie. It was sad how Annakin had turned to the dark side and become Darth Vader, and how he tried to kill everyone that he loved. The fighting scenes were absolutely amazing, as the lightsaber animations were on point, and the CGI was great throughout the movie. Obi-Wan trying to convince Anakin to come back to the Force was so heartbreaking with the classic line, “You were the chosen one. It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them!” In this quote Obi-Wan tells Anakin how disappointed he is in him for betraying the Jedi. This movie made almost everything work; it was brilliantly executed, and the acting was amazing.

Now, remember these are only opinions. Everyone can have their favorite movies. If you want to disagree, leave your opinion in the comments!

The Most Poisonous Garden on Earth

May 3, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent & Budding Botanist

A castor bean plant sounds harmless, even like it’s meant to be eaten. But, be careful; eating it could be catastrophic. There are lots of dangerous plants on earth. Here’s a garden full of them.

The Poison Garden in Alnwick Castle, located in the English county of Northumberland, was founded in 2006. Interesting point–this is also the place where Harry Potter and Downton Abbey were filmed. Originally, the garden was the Duchess Jane Percy’s idea, to make a garden filled with deadly plants. According to RENATURED: ANIMALS, PEOPLE AND THOSE IN BETWEEN, Duchess Percy said, “I wanted to create a garden that was beautiful yet pleasurable, educational yet not stuffy.” She succeeded. The garden is definitely not stuffy, but it is scary. This garden has over one hundred poisonous plants: such as the Strychnine tree, deadly nightshade, Castor beans, etc. Entering and breathing this garden could actually kill you. Many people faint upon entering this garden.

Here is what the interior of the garden looks like.

Photo Credit: Garden Collage

Let’s look at something that sounds harmless: the castor beans. According to ScienceDirect, “Ricinus communis (castor beans) is classified as the most poisonous plant on earth for humans. The toxicity of raw castor beans is due to the presence of ricin.” Yes, ricinus communis is raw castor beans, and they are highly poisonous. According to MedicineNet, “Ricin is a toxic protein found naturally in castor beans from the castor bean plant. It can be deadly, but it depends on the dose and route of exposure.” So, it is safe to have and use castor oil, but it can cause some issues if taken internally.

Picture of Castor Beans: source finegardening.com

Another dangerous plant is the Strychnine tree. According to Centers for Disease and Prevention, “Strychnine is a strong poison; only a small amount is needed to produce severe effects in people. Strychnine poisoning can cause extremely serious adverse health effects, including death.” So no, I would not recommend having strychnine at home. This plant is extremely dangerous.

Another poisonous plant found in the garden is deadly nightshade. According to all that’s interesting, “Ingesting just two to four berries can kill a human child. Ten to twenty berries can kill an adult. Even chewing on just one leaf can lead to a dirt nap. Milder symptoms of deadly nightshade poisoning include delirium and hallucinations, which appear quickly once ingested.” Owning this plant if you have kids would be ludicrous. I would say that even if you are an adult, don’t have this plant in your garden.

Deadly Nightshade: source woodlandtrust.org

I’ve asked my friends if they would go into this garden, and for how much cash:

“I will go for 10 million dollars, and I’ll make sure I bring a good quality gas mask with me.”
Sherwin Hemmati, 8th Grade

“I won’t go at all no matter the money because that can cause me death and my life is worth more than money.”
Michael Pete, 8th Grade

“I’m going in for 10k and I’m bringing a gas mask and dodging all the plants.”
Zander Eaton, 7th Grade

Now, The Poison Garden may not seem like the best place to go for a vacation, but if I ever go to England, I want to visit the Alnwick Castle and its fascinating garden. The reason why is because I’d enjoy reading about the poisonous plants and their history, but I’d definitely bring a gas mask.

Thailand: The Land of Smiles

February 1, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

In this week’s exciting post, Sienna presents to us Thailand–a place full of smiles and beautiful culture. Sienna speaks from personal experience. She lived in and around Bangkok for eight months. Her favorite part of the experience? The animals! – Editor: Oliver Martinez

By Sienna Price, World Traveler

Welcome. This week I will be talking about Thailand, the animals living in many of its ecosystems, and my personal experiences with these animals. Also, I will be touching on Thai traditions and festivals. Thailand is known by many people as the land of smiles. This is because in Thailand there are 13 different smiles with 13 different meanings! There’s a very happy smile, a polite smile for someone you don’t know; there’s a stiff smile for when someone tells a really bad joke, a sad smile, and there’s even a smile when you want to say sorry.

Thai festivals

Thailand has many festivals and national holidays. Almost every month, I had a couple days off school due to a national holiday or festival. The Songkran festival is one of the biggest festivals in Thailand and one of my favorites. Songkran – also known as the Water Splashing Festival – is a celebration to mark the start of the Buddhist New Year in April. The Thai people celebrate the day of Songkran with water balloons and water guns. If you don’t want to get wet, don’t leave your house. There is a national water fight all over Thailand!

Loy Krathong is one of the most picturesque festivals in Bangkok. In November, people gather around lakes, rivers, and canals to pay respects to the goddess of water by releasing beautiful lotus-shaped rafts, decorated with candles, incense and flowers into the water (hotels.com).

Macaques

When someone says Thailand, I immediately think of monkeys. In Thailand there are thousands of monkeys, especially macaques. You don’t tend to see monkeys in the bustle of Bangkok, but drive one hour outside the city and there are thousands. I lived in Hua Hin, which is about a three and a half hour drive from Bangkok. In Hua Hin, it’s mostly jungle and temples. You see monkeys on both sides of the road, in the foliage, and everywhere. The median lifespan of macaques in the wild is less than 15 years (nc3rs.org.uk). In captivity, macaques can live for over 25 years. Most Thai people see the monkeys as pests because they steal their food and other belongings. Most days, you hear people clanging pots and pans around to scare them off! I got too close once and angered a macaque. It ran right at me. Macaque’s mostly eat fruit (and yes they do love bananas), but they can also eat seeds, leaves, flowers, and tree bark. I have even once seen a macaque riding on the back of a motorcycle!

Asian Elephants

If you’re going to Thailand, one of the main things to do is go to an elephant sanctuary. In Thai, elephant is chang. In Chiang Mai in northern Thailand there are loads of them, but you have to be careful that you go to an actual rescue center. There are many that claim to be an elephant sanctuary rescuing elephants from tourist attractions that treat them cruelly, but really they are exploiting them. In Thailand there is an estimated number of 3,000 to 4,000 elephants, and more than half of them are domesticated, the rest wild (elephantnaturepark.org). Asian elephants eat mainly fruits and vegetables but also eat grass. When I went to the elephant sanctuary, the hosts told us “the average elephant eats 300 pounds of food in a day”! The Asian elephants weigh 6,000 to 8,000 lbs.

King Cobra

The king cobra as some of you might know is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. I was once sitting on my deck in Thailand around the pool, and one slithered up from one of the broken deck panels. I instantly recognized its large face. I jumped up and slowly backed away. Straight away we called the maintenance staff, and, without hesitation, staff members went under the deck with only their cell phone flashlights and a stick! They found nothing but told us to look out. Luckily, we did not get a visit from the snake again. If you get bitten by a king cobra and don’t seek medical attention in an hour you will die of paralysis to the heart and lungs. It is recommended that if you see a snake in or around your property you take a picture of it and look for it on the internet. Most of the time in Thailand it is just the common golden tree snake which is hardly venomous, but it is always good to check.

Thailand is a great place to visit with loads of sightseeing activities and great food. You do need to be aware of Thai cultures and traditions so as to avoid offending. Most locals will recognize you as a tourist. There are many poisonous bugs and animals that you also need to be aware of. So, if you’re planning a trip to Thailand, do your research.

Thanks for reading!

Has Levi Been to Area 51?

January 20, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Ever wonder how it would feel to float above your body and look down on it? Levi Kassinove goes in depth on astral projection. Levi, true to form, goes on to explain his thoughts on the matter. Is it all just a mind trip, or is it time travel? Maybe you would like to try it yourself. – Editor Abigail Horwitt

By Levi Kassinove, Conspiracy Theorist

Astral projection, or an out-of-body experience, is when someone gets the sensation that they’ve detached from their physical body. We’ve seen it on Netflix documentaries like Surviving Death; we’ve heard people say in surgery they watch themselves from above; maybe you’ve traveled outside the confines of your physical self. Oftentimes people feel like they’re dying when their “astral self” floats above their body; this may be where the idea of a soul comes from. When people from thousands of years ago experienced astral projection, they may have explained it by thinking we had souls. This could also be the cause of alien abduction stories. According to an NBC News story, what people believe to be alien abduction might actually just be a lucid dream or out-of-body experience. Michael Raduga, lead researcher at the Out-of-Body Experience Research Center in Los Angeles, designed an experiment to “test his theory that many reports of alien encounters are actually instances of people experiencing a vibrant, lifelike state of dreaming” (amazon.com). He surmised, if he could “coach people to dream of a realistic alien encounter, . . . that could prove that many reports of such encounters . . . are really just products of peoples’ imaginations” (NBC news). Astral projection is indeed a real phenomenon, but its true nature is not entirely understood. What exactly is astral projection?

Many of you have heard of lucid dreaming, which is the event in which sleepers become aware of the fact that they are dreaming. Most astral projectors you talk to (Jesse Denyer) will tell you that lucid dreaming is completely different from astral projection. Countless people on Reddit support this anecdotally, and some even claim that “lucid dreaming is controlled hallucinations while astral projection is a true vision” (Reddit thread).

A lot of the things people claim to be able to do during astral projection are similar to what’s possible in a lucid dream. You can visit any place you want, eat any food you want, meet any person you want, and pretty much anything else. However, in lucid dreaming, you need some frame of reference. Some people say that you can’t project to forbidden places. For instance, one anonymous internet user said, “since 99.9% of people on earth have never been inside Area 51 and haven’t the slightest idea what it is like inside, it’s a sort of blank area in their minds”(I sincerely apologize for having to crawl to Reddit, but it’s astral projection so what did you expect?). So it may just be a dream after all where your brain could only fill in what you could already visualize. Maybe Lilah, who claims she has aphantasia, should try astral projection. Maybe, astral projection is a form of lucid dreaming. The methods I’ve read about for astral projection all indirectly or directly say that you have to be half-asleep for it to work. You have to either attempt it immediately after you wake up, or relax your body to the point where you’ll fall asleep.

I don’t believe that lucid dreaming and astral projection are the exact same thing, as lucid dreaming involves awakening in the middle of a deep dream, but they are certainly related. Astral projection seems to be, like lucid dreaming, a weird, in-between state of lucidity and dreaming while the person is awake. Try it. Some people claim to be able to time travel and visit dinosaurs, so why wouldn’t you want to try that? If you’re interested in attempting astral projection, Michael Raduga outlines various ways to do so in his free ebook, titled The Phase. It’s a 400-page mind-labyrinth that crosses theory with reality a bit too much, but it explains ways to hallucinate. If you’ve already had an out-of-body experience, tell me about it in the comments.

Levi projecting what astral projecting looks like.

*The views presented by Blogger Kassinove do not represent the views of thebirdonfire.org.

So Far Away

October 31, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Katelin Mei

The night sky has always fascinated me. I have always wondered what is out there. The possibilities are endless. However, it will take a long time to explore outer space because even if we were traveling at the speed of light, it would take many years to travel to the stars closest to us. We do know about these stars because we are able to see and track them. Here are the brightest stars we can see in our night sky.

Sirius – Also known as the “Dog Star,” this is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It is visible from late August until mid-to-late March and lies 8.6 light years away from us.

Canopus – This was either named for an ancient city in Northern Egypt, or the helmsman for Menelaous, a mythical king of Sparta. It is visible from the Southern Hemisphere but is visible to southern regions of the Northern Hemisphere at certain times of the year. It lies 74 light years away from us.

Rigil Kentaurus – Its name literally means “foot of the centaur,” and it is one of the most famous stars in our sky. It is part of the constellation Centaurus and is classified as the same type of star as our sun. It is actually part of a 3-star system, with each star looping around the others in dance. Rigil Kentaurus is 4.3 light-years away from us.

Arcturus – This is the brightest star in the constellation Boötes. Its name means “Guardian of the Bear.” Stargazers learn of it as they star-hop from the Big Dipper. One easy way to remember it is to use the curve of the Big Dipper to “arc to Arcturus.” It lies around 34 light years away from us.

Vega – Its name means “swooping eagle,” and it is the 5th brightest star in our sky. It is part of the constellation Lyra. It is also part of a star pattern known as the summer triangle and can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere from early summer to late autumn. There is a disk of material around it, which could possibly hold planets. Scientists classify this star to be a Type A star, meaning it is younger and hotter than our sun. It is 25 light years away from us.

Capella – This name means “little she-goat” in Latin and is the brightest star in the constellation Auriga, and is one of the 5 stars in a star pattern known as “Winter Hexagon. Capella is a yellow giant, like our own Sun, but much larger. It lies around 41 light years away from the sun.

Rigel – Its name comes from the Arabic word for “foot,” and is literally one of the feet of the constellation Orion. Rigel is also part of the “Winter Hexagon” and can be seen from October through March. It has a slightly dimmer companion that can easily be seen with a telescope. Astronomers have discovered that it is part of a 4-star system. It lies around 860 light years away from us but is so bright that it is the 7th brightest star in our sky.

Procyon – The name “Procyon” is based on the Greek work “prokyon” meaning “before the dog.” And indeed, this star rises before Sirius. It is part of the Canis Major Constellation, and is also part of the Winter Hexagon. It is visible from the Northern Hemisphere and lies 11.4 light years away from us.

Achernar – Its name meaning, “End of River,” this star is part of the constellation Eridanus, the river. It is part of the Southern Hemisphere but can be seen from certain parts of the Northern Hemisphere, such as South Asia, or the Southern parts of the United States. It lies 139 light years away from us.

Betelgeuse – The name means “arm of the mighty one.” It is a red supergiant and makes up the upper-left shoulder of Orion. It is much bigger and brighter than our sun. If Betelgeuse were placed at the center of our solar system, its atmosphere would expand past the orbit of Jupiter. It has grown as it has aged. Eventually it will explode into a supernova; when that happens it will temporarily be the brightest object in our night sky. It lies 1,500 light years away from us, but because it is 13,000 times brighter than our sun, it is the 10th brightest star in the night sky.

Oh, and here is the source:

https://www.thoughtco.com/bright-stars-in-our-night-sky-3073632

Far away editor: Doreen Yuan

Dreams are not so Far Away

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

As we dream of “far-away” places, Quintus walks us through a guided meditation of sorts. He encourages us to forge ahead, be happy, love, and live.

By Quintus Ni

The scenery far away that we are longing for drives us to keep forging ahead. Flowers coming out along the roads and birds singing in the trees are companions on the journey, as is the beautiful scenery, the bridges across rivers, and range upon range of green mountains. For the longed goal, we shall go despite wind and rain.

In the peaceful and delightful life, a wisp of fragrance is enough to decorate the time we have. Living in the ethereal environment is like dancing with life happily in a beautiful waltz. The original vivid memories of the past go with us until they fade like withered flowers to get ready to welcome the new journey.

Make an outing on a sunny day and a quiet place to soak up the warm sunshine. Feel the wild breeze blowing over your face, and listen to its sound rustling over the leaves, which awakens the growth of all creatures and makes wishes on a silent bluestone board. May youth last forever; may life be peaceful and delightful.

Another May comes, with a gentle breeze and warm sunshine. We fly kites in a beautiful season, whisper our secrets to the blue sky and white clouds, and let all troubles of life go, leaving only the pure soul.

As time goes by, we feel trouble in life. Why not let your troubles go for a while, and look at the colorful flowers, the ripples of rivers, green fields, and wild rhododendron, or read a book, or appreciate a painting that can touch the soul. Life should be hopeful. And that’s how the life of humankind becomes meaningful.

Look–those weak grasses get flattened whenever the wind blows, but re-erect again and keep growing after the wind. It tells us the truth: the difficulty is always temporary, and goodness is always the main theme of life.

In the world of mortals, affection gives us a warm embrace, love gives us a touching mode, friendship gives us a solid dependence…. All these relationships are related to the quality of our lives. Smart people are good at handling and enjoying these relationships, thereby making their lives beautiful. When people grow no longer satisfied with material needs, it indicates the qualitative leap of life and that the real meaning of humanity is approaching.

People move forward slowly as time goes by. When the first sunshine of the morning shines on the window sill, the life of another day begins. We all live according to our own rhythm. We need to create life, set a new goal, and liberate ourselves from laziness and boredom. We should stop complaining about life, stop wasting time, instead, we must fulfill our lives and create a poetic future.

Life is too short, so why don’t we enrich our lives with more joyful laughter and more poetic romance. As long as we feel life wholeheartedly, we will see a brand new life in front of us, just as bold and generous as said by Li Bai in his poem: “leaving home chortle, with head tilted backward; how could people like me [be] ordinary?”

With a pen, I write my stories and enjoy the ups and downs of life. In the corner of the soul, I light up a candle to illuminate my way ahead. And this bright candle in life is the enlightenment of reading.

Quietly, I put a fragrant flower on the window sill, letting it be moisturized by the sun and dew. The fragrance of the flower finally dispels the haze in my heart; the rain washes away my sorrow, and the sun warms my soul. If we pay a little more attention to life, we will see and feel numerous warm moments around us, indicating the beauty of life.

I always believe that one who has splendid experience must live a marvelous life. In a lifetime, owning a relaxed attitude is vital to a happy life. Health and attitude could possibly be hard to reach no matter how much money we have. And as a matter of fact, life does not require too much. To live, a healthy spirit and happy mood are enough, as long as we live with an enriched inner world.

In the whole life of a man, he doesn’t have to be rich and glorious. Simple life could be deemed as a kind of success. Life is so precious, don’t waste time on unnecessary pursuits; instead, we could read books quietly, watch movies happily, have dinner with family, chat with lovers on a campus with beautiful cherry blossoms. These are all simple but sweet things in life. As long as we face life faithfully, we can enjoy happiness.

Life is a journey on which we could experience different scenery: the green mountains, the clean water, the bridges across the rivers, the blossoms, and ever-changing clouds. The world in front of us is of abundant scenery, waiting for us to discover, to appreciate, and to experience. Let’s get started; take the road to a happy journey, heading straight to the place faraway.

Far-Away Editor: Doreen Yuan

Tarta de Galletas y Chocolate

October 17, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Renée

When Editor Doreen said, WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING FAR AWAY, Renée responded with a favorite recipe that reminds her, fondly, of familiar but far-away places.

This is a Mexican recipe that blends two parts of my culture that I have grown up with: Spanish and Mexican. A good way to describe it is mestizo. It includes flavors that were popular in Mexico (e.g. chocolate) along with the notoriously Mexican absence of baking.

Ingredients:

2 packets of biscuits (400 g), regular vanilla or butter biscuits are fine as long as they are rectangular
For the Crema de Chocolate:
- 200 milliliters of heavy whipping cream
- 250 grams of chocolate
- 1 tbsp of butter
For the Natilla:
- 5 eggs
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla (paste)
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1 liter of milk
- 2 tbsp of cornstarch

Procedure for the Natilla:

Heat the milk with the cinnamon stick until it boils (you can add lemon peel for flavor). Remove from heat and allow to cool until room temperature, and remove the cinnamon stick.
Separate the yolks from the whites, and beat the yolks with the sugar. Add the cornstarch to the egg mixture, and mix well.
Add the egg mixture to the milk. Add in the vanilla, and reheat on medium intensity. Mix continuously until it reaches a boil, then immediately remove from burner. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Procedure for the Crema de Chocolate:

Melt broken up chocolate bar with a tablespoon of butter in a bain-marie. Mix with the warm nata.

You can melt the chocolate in the microwave, but the traditional method is in the bain-marie. A bain-marie is a warm water bath, where you put the pot in which you are cooking inside a larger pot filled with water.

Building the Tarta:

Lay the first layer of cookies in a medium-sized ceramic pan, similar to the type used for a bain-marie.
Spread a layer of chocolate on the cookies, then a slightly thicker layer of the natilla, and repeat until done with ingredients. Finish on a layer of chocolate.
Keep in the fridge for at least two hours.
Cut and serve as rectangular bars.

Far-Away Editor: Doreen Yuan

Far Away Under the Sea–20,000 Leagues to be Precise

October 15, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Critic-of-Far-Away-Things James Zheng

When Editor Doreen ordered the Blog Staff to WRITE ABOUT FAR-AWAY THINGS, James responded with a book he read long ago that took place far, far away . . . .

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is the most profound book I have read. I still remember the time I was studying in middle school that we were required to read tons of literary works, and I was completely not interested in reading. One day, we were told to grab a book in the school library. I randomly grabbed this blue-covered book and flicked through the pages. Then I looked at the title. It caught my interest and made me read this science-fiction novel. I still can’t believe that I finished this 1,000-page book for an extra-curriculum reading assignment.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) was published serially in 1869-1870. It was written by French writer Jules Verne and belongs to the second series of the Verne Trilogy (the other two are In Search of the Castaways and Mysterious Island).

From my perspective, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is one of Verne’s best works. Verne’s rich imaginative and meticulously delicate writing characteristics have made it into a masterpiece. Jules Verne creates a thrilling underwater adventure. His protagonists travel through ocean regions. During the process, whether it’s frustration or joy they experience, they learn about nature and humanity. The elements in the novel are strange; the language mainly focuses on vividly depicting an underwater world full of mystery. The description of everything is detailed and interesting, both artistic and scientific language make the image appear in front of you. Verne writes confidently of human beings recognizing and conquering the ocean, and shows the tenacity and courage of human will. The overall story includes technical knowledge of the underwater world associated with biology, geography, etc.

Let’s take a look at the reviews given by other bloggers. (Note: This is translated from the original Chinese.)

“‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’ is the farthest distance a wandering heart can pursue. When reading, we follow the author hunting albatrosses on the seafloor, catching birds of paradise on desert islands, watching flowing fish flash phosphorescently in the night, . . . We feel the protagonist’s loneliness.” -Blogger GuiGuiXi. https://baike.baidu.com/tashuo/browse/content?id=0cbc6fa2b3fdc838f20e0448&lemmaId=64843&lemmaId=64843&fr=qingtian

“I was amazed at the author’s comprehensive and extraordinary knowledge and understanding about everything of the ocean. In many places, things, customs and culture can be counted as a treasure. In reading this book, we feel like we are back in the 1800s and actually have an image of everything that belongs to that era. . . . . I saw a little bit of the historical background [of] that time and [was] astonished by the extensiveness of the author’s thoughts. To create a series of interlinked, closely related and non-existent things . . . requires a strong imagination and knowledge . . . . I saw the sadness of the protagonist . . . . He holds his own hatred towards the world and isolates himself from society.”–Blogger Siwangqishidetongchu. https://www.zhihu.com/question/285823396/answer/498167494

I truly feel the loneliness of actually going under the sea for twenty-thousand miles. Maybe sometimes we choose to isolate ourselves from human civilization and try to be more in tune with the natural world. I cannot think of more reasons to recommend this book but for its undiscovered “depth.”

Far Away Editor: Doreen Yuan