the bird on fire

The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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Upper School Cultural Potluck

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Graphic by Harlow Berny

By Harlow Berny

Hello, Palm Valley Community! This is an announcement to the Upper School teachers and students for the 2nd annual PVS Cultural Potluck this Friday! Over 25 people have signed up to bring a dish to the Potluck that either comes from their family, nationality, or religion. Just as a reminder for those bringing food, you need to 1) send an email to Jordan Dinerman confirming that you will bring a dish, 2) bring enough to serve small portions to at least 15 people, and 3) attach a piece of paper with your name, the name of the food you brought, a list of ingredients (since some people may have allergies), and where the food is from (family recipes, culture, religion, etc.). If you bring food for the Potluck, then you will be at the front of the line to eat.

 

Editor: Peter Kadel

Get Your Candy Grams!

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By Claire Jenkins

 

The Upper School ASB is selling Candy Grams all week (February 5th-9th) at $2 for one bag of candy or $5 for three. ASB representatives are also selling–for the first time available this year–Barbershop Quartet songs. You can send a Barbershop Quartet song to a friend, romantic interest, or yourself. The song is just $5, and you can send a friendship or romance song. All proceeds go to your Upper School ASB!

 

Edited By: Brennan Nick

Special Christma-Hanu-Kwanzaa-Kah Announcement

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Graphic by Harlow Berny

 

By Harlow Berny

Hello, Palm Valley students! For the holiday season, there will be a snowflake-crafting table to your left as you walk into the Front Office in the two weeks leading up to Winter Break. Also, every Friday morning while it’s cold there will be a hot chocolate booth run by our CSF club. One cup of hot chocolate will cost $1, so make sure to bring your cash. Next Wednesday, there will be a school-wide Ugly Sweater Day, and a Holiday Luncheon will be hosted by the Parents’ Association the day after, followed by a school-wide Pajama Day on next Friday’s half day, which is a wonderful way to end school before the Winter Break!

To give you an idea of three of the holidays taking place in December, I’ll tell you the dates of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa in the order of when they happen. Hanukkah will begin on the evening of Tuesday, December 12, and end on the evening of Wednesday, December 20. Christmas will be on Monday, December 25, and Kwanzaa will begin on Tuesday, December 26, and end on Monday, January 1, 2018. Happy Holidays!

 

Editor: Makena Behnke

Thanksgiving Special: Curious Customs

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By Renée  

 

As Thanksgiving came and went along with Black Friday’s mindless shopping sprees and the eating of unhealthy portions, I mulled over the peculiarities of U.S. traditions. I was born in Mexico. And, in my foreigner’s curiosity, I decided to research other curious customs of the U.S. Here is my top 10 list of curious U.S. customs (along with my very helpful commentary). Enjoy.

 

Curious Customs from America

 

  1. The Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival in Delaware. It is exactly what it sounds like…
  2. The National Hollerin’ Contest in North Carolina. Why?
  3. Tailgating Football Games. I’m not exactly sure why you would really want to wait outside a stadium during a game. You can’t see it.
  4. Pumpkin Pie Martinis. Why does all non-pumpkin pumpkin flavored stuff exist?
  5. Roadkill Cook-Off, West Virginia. Okay, kinda interesting, but I am conflicted.
  6. Cherry Pit Spitting, Michigan. Eww. No, nope. No.
  7. Black Friday Shopping Sprees. Groups of people running over other groups of people for stuff, *chuckle* no.
  8. Pardoning the Thanksgiving Turkey. Like a ceremony for telling a turkey that you’re not going to eat it.
  9. Choosing the Imperial System–It’s just dumb and inefficient and impractical, especially now that there is the far superior Metric System.
  10. Thanksgiving. It’s strange. Seriously. Cranberry in cans, turkey slaughter, Black Friday pseudo holiday, questionable origin story. Nope.

 

Editor: Brennan Nick

It’s Coffee Time: A Review of Java with a Splash of Politics

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By Peter Kadel, Consumer of Caffeine

Recently, I found out about the Black Rifle Coffee Company, a veteran-run-and-owned coffee-roasting operation based out of Utah. Their beans come from South and Central America. The company is owned by Evan Hafer, a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who has been working on his coffee-roasting skills for the past ten years. The company advertises itself as “the world’s premium conservative coffee company.” The BRCC roasts its coffee in small batches. The coffee is made to order. This means that the coffee isn’t made until you order it on their website. Thus, BRCC’s coffee takes a little longer to reach you due to the 2-3 day roasting period. Additionally, shipping takes about 7-10 days, but that is at the lowest cost for shipping. If you are willing to dole out the extra money, it can get there in two days.

BRCC carries a decent variety of coffee with 17 different blends that come in 1 of 4 roast types: light, medium, dark, and extra dark. The available textures are ground or whole bean.

I have tried two of the available blends. The first one was a medium-roast blend called the Fit to Fight blend which has an excellent aroma and decent taste. The coffee was delivered quickly. The blend tasted good. Usually I need to sweeten coffee in addition to adding heavy cream, but with the Fit to Fight Blend and with the Black Buffalo Blend–the second blend I’ve tried–I enjoyed the flavor of the coffee by itself. All it needed was a little cream. Even after I accidentally left the grounds out in the open air for a week, the Black Buffalo Blend kept its rich and full flavor and has not let me down yet. The Fit to Fight Blend had one incident where it began to taste sour as I was drinking it, but I’ve only had that issue once (but that might have been the cream).

Overall, the Black Rifle Coffee Company produces quality coffee that has the same effects on me as every other coffee I’ve had–virtually none. However, that doesn’t mean the coffee won’t offer the caffeinated kick most coffee lovers need to get through their day. While some people may be hesitant to support a company with strong political views, BRCC is not the only coffee company to have a political bias; Starbucks is a nationally recognized coffee chain that has often taken a political stance on various issues, rather than remaining neutral. For years, Starbucks has supported same-sex marriage legislation. And, in February 2017, Starbucks offered to hire 10,000 refugees in reaction to recent immigration legislation. The BRCC, in response to Starbucks, stated it wants to hire “veterans instead of refugees.” It should be noted that Starbucks also has a 10,000-veteran hiring initiative. The fact of the matter is, you’re voting with your wallet when businesses get political. You don’t have to buy their product. But, do note, BRCC makes some great coffee!

 

 

Referenced:

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-trump-supporters-boycott-starbucks-2017-2

https://www.snopes.com/politics/sexuality/starbucks.asp

Editor: Charles Schnell

Java Java Java

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By Makena Behnke

When you’re in high school, or any stressful environment requiring bursts of energy and attention, caffeine is a staple, whether it be Dr. Pepper, Red Bull, black tea, or some form  of coffee. Some people are big believers in the wonders of coffee, and some believe that it stunts your growth. Whatever the case, you cannot deny that coffee will ever go out of style. The chance of running into someone with a coffee cup in hand is inevitable. Now, there are many different types of coffee in this world and many different types of coffee drinkers; some prefer it with sugar, some with cream, and some have a ridiculous order that only they can remember. There are the obvious coffees: black coffee, coffee with cream or milk or sugar, lattes, cappuccinos, and frappuccinos. There are many other preparations of the beloved bean.

  1. Latte– cappuccino without the foam. There’s not much else to say… It’s good.
  2. Cappuccino– espresso with steamed milk foam. Pretty standard drink.
  3. Espresso– a highly concentrated shot of coffee you take right before cramming for finals.
  4. Espresso macchiato– espresso with milk foam, for the lighter studying you have to do.
  5. Espresso con panna– whipped cream and espresso, when you need to get some ~extra~ calories.
  6. Espresso con miele– espresso sweetened with honey. Save the bees by stealing their life’s work.
  7. Flat white– microfoam over single or double espresso… hip version of saying steamed milk foam.
  8. Caffe mocha– a chocolate flavored latte. Need I say more?
  9. Mochaccino– chocolate cappuccino.
  10. Doppio– a double espresso. The kind of coffee you need to get through a block day…
  11. Cortado– espresso mixed with warm milk.
  12. Affogato– espresso with ice cream…
  13. Cafe bonbon– sweetened condensed milk and espresso, crafted to make your heart stop if you have more than three.

* “Winter” is coming; stay warm. Drink coffee.

Editor: Brennan Nick

Oh, the Places We Do Go!

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Mr. Griffin explains the construction and design of Disney Concert Hall’s architecture.

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Zach Jenkins (l-r), Bryan Johnson, Henry Huang, Mac Spears, Mr. Griffin, and Asher Mai polished off their French Dipped Sandwiches, replete with hot mustard and pickled eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our half day, Friday, March 4, Mr. Griffin led a team of PVS cultural enthusiasts to Los Angeles. After a brief side excursion to a Chinese bakery (led by a hungry Bryan Johnson), we started with an early dinner at L.A.’s iconic Philippe’s, where the French Dipped Sandwich originated back in 1918. Then, Mr. Griffin scheduled us into The Broad, L.A.’s New Contemporary Art Museum–the big white building downtown sporting the innovative honeycomb “veil-and-vault” architecture. The night finished breathtakingly at Disney Concert Hall with Gustavo Dudamel conducting Mahler’s Third Symphony. Time could have stopped for us right there, right then. Los Angeles Times critic Mark Swed said Dudamel “excelled in revealing the power of Mahler,” leading the L.A. Phil to play “with gut-wrenching strength.” Word is, Mr. Griffin and Ms. Zachik are creating a Culture Club next year adding more expeditions for the culturally adventurous.

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PVS students scrambled over the Disney Concert Hall winding architecture, taking in the L.A. skyline.

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David Kocen beside the oversized Table and Chairs installment at The Broad.

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Jeff Koons Balloon Dog at The Broad

 

Chinese-American Fast-Food

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Senior Blog Writer Amber Zheng talks today about the menus of some of the fast-food brands in China that look deceptively familiar.

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–by Amber Zheng
American fast-food corporations entered China several decades ago. Fast-food brands like KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Carl’s Junior, etc., are very popular in China. However, most of these American fast-food restaurants offer a much wider variety of foods in China than they do in America.

KFC was the first American fast-food chain that opened in China. It has a “localized” policy worldwide, which means it has specialized menus in different places in IMG_1916order to maximize the profit. Chinese KFC’s offer not only fried-chicken wings and sandwiches but also seafood porridge, chicken wraps, puddings, corn, fried rice, and even egg tarts! China is the only country in the world where KFC makes more money than McDonald’s does, and a huge part of the reason is because of the diversity and localization.

Pizza Hut was the first American fast-food pizza store that walked into China. In China, instead of a fast-food place, Pizza Hut is more like a chain restaurant that has a very big menu. A Chinese Pizza Hut menu is bigger than a Cheesecake Factory menu. Pizzas and salads are only a very small part of the options on the menu. Chinese Pizza Huts have soups such as chicken mushroom soup and seafood chowder; French appetizers such as garlic snails; different kinds of steaks such as French-style sirloin; all kinds of wines and coffee–such as vanilla latte and rum; various styles of noodles such as asparagus salmon spaghetti with Alfredo sauce; a IMG_1919long list of desserts including ice-cream chocolate cake, caramel brûlée, etc. Moreover, all of the Pizza Huts in China are designed as sit-down restaurants. They also have servers at the door to lead people to different tables and booths and waiters for each table. Moreover, the Pizza Huts in China offer a special packet for little kids. In this packet, kids get to go to Pizza Hut with their friends on their birthday and learn how to make pizzas. The Pizza Hut staff also arrange games for kids at their birthday parties.

–Edited by Henry Huang

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The Art of Talking

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As you prepare to sit around the holiday table with relatives and close friends, Ashley Zhou, specialist in relationships, has some conversational advice for you . . . .

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–by Ashley Zhou

 

“We always take good care of our appearance, our clothing, and makeup. We look into the mirror several times a day, but we don’t listen to our own voices when we are talking.” — Kevin Tsai 

This is an excerpt from a famous Chinese book, The Art Of Talking by Chinese writer and TV host, Kevin Tsai. I think of this book when I hear my peers talk, chat, or argue about different topics. We really don’t care much about the way we talk to others. No one will actually tape his own voice and play it back at the end of the day. I once listened to my voice when I was doing a interview, and I felt really uncomfortable about my voice. I didn’t think the voice sounded like me. However, we can think in a different way: If we constantly listen to ourselves or pay attention to our voice volume and tone when we are talking, we will become better talkers.IMG_2354

When we are talking, we all want to be the dominator in the conversation. We always want to talk about ourselves. To be a good friend, however, we need to listen carefully to others. Try to avoid saying “I” in the conversation, instead, use “you” or “he.” Also, if you don’t want to be too blunt in front of newly made friends, then you should avoid those sensitive or potentially dangerous topics, such as age, relationships, politics, religion, etc. Some people have secrets that they don’t want to reveal, and others might have strong opinions about a certain issue that might cause arguments.

People want to hear compliments the most. We need to intentionally compliment our friends and make them feel special. Being a good friend doesn’t mean being honest or blunt. It means to place yourself in your friend’s shoes. Be empathetic. When we are asking someone for a favor, it is the same thing. We could use a little trick to achieve whatever we want. For example, when you want someone to cover for you at work, you may want to say, “Could you help me this time and I will substitute for you next month?”

Talking is an art, and it needs us to be studied and explored and practiced. A person who knows how to talk will be much more attractive than someone who knows how to dress.

 

–Edited by Gaven Li

What can $100 buy?

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–Watercolor by Amelie Wang.

As senior Jim Wang prepares for college next year, he considers how far a dollar will stretch.

 

–by Jim Wang
Let’s take 100 bucks and go shopping! Imagine, you are an International Student at an American college. You live here by yourself, and you need supplies to last, say, for two weeks. You need your daily necessities. How much will $100 get you at a big box store like CostCo?
Firstly, I would grab my favorite fruits: oranges, lemons, and grapes. Four oranges might cost me $2; three lemons, $1; and one bag of grapes weighing 3 pounds might cost me nearly $9.
Secondly, let’s look to vegetables and meat. Vegetables cost a lot in America; meat is cheap. I personally don’t like vegetables, so I would just choose a head of cabbage (because it’s good for me), and that costs like $6. Eight pieces in a box of pork chops cost $7.22, and a package of hot dogs costs $3. You can cook the hot dogs for a simple meal at home, and it makes life easier when you are busy. Then, I would get some eggs for breakfast. There are several kinds of eggs–regular medium and large eggs and cage-free eggs or organic eggs (these two cost more money). A dozen of normal medium-sized eggs cost $2.
On average, dairy products are much more expensive in China than in America. Let’s take Haagen-Dazs for example. In an American market, a carton of 414 ml of Haagen-Dazs costs $3, but the prices in China are insane. The same box would be $30 in China.  (I guess that’s why people consider America like heaven!)

Below are the all things we can buy with $100.
These items should be enough food for two people to eat for two weeks along with the daily necessities which can be used for almost three months!

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