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The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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The 10 Essentials

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Thinking of escaping into the wild this weekend? Jake has the essentials you should bring along with you.

By Jake Sonderman

For any backpacking or camping trip in the wilderness, there are 10 things you must bring. These 10 things could be the difference between life and death in a survival situation, but they could also be the difference between having a pleasant hike and being miserably uncomfortable. While I am no wilderness survival expert like some other people in the senior class, I have been a Scout since middle school and have recently finished my Eagle Scout. Early on in Scouting, you learn the importance of always having these 10 things on you when venturing out into nature. The Scout motto is “Be Prepared”; and with these 10 things, you will be prepared for anything the wilderness throws at you.

  1. Navigation

In the days of electronic navigation and GPS, maps have become obsolete. But, in the wilderness, batteries only last so long. While it is definitely smart to bring an electronic navigation device, you should make sure to not only bring a physical map and compass, but the skill to use them. Bringing proper navigation tools and knowing how to use them helps you to not get lost, which, in the wilderness, is very dangerous.

  1. Knife

Food, Fire, Shelter–the knife is the most versatile tool and absolutely necessary for feeding, sheltering, producing warmth. A multi-tool–like a Swiss Army Knife–is also very useful, though you should probably bring one or the other and not pack the weight of both. 

  1. Fire

Waterproof fire starters are a commonly forgotten item but 100% necessary for any trip. Fire is needed to cook food, melt snow, purify water, and provide heat, among other things. I always carry matches in a waterproof case, but a better option is probably a disposable butane lighter. The lighter is most waterproof. If water gets into your match case you’re pretty screwed. The lighter also gives you more lights than matches will. It is also a good idea for cold/wet weather to gather some dry tinder and put it in a plastic bag. This will make starting a fire significantly faster and easier. Another common solution is to put some cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly in a small container. They are good fire starters. Please do not forget this; it is so extremely hard to start a fire without a fire starter, and it is highly likely you won’t be able to do it your first try (I’ve never lit a fire without a fire starter). If you do find yourself without a fire starter, your best bet is probably to make a small bow to spin your wooden spindle. Check out this video on how to do that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dptkV1mYZU0 

  1. Water 

How much water you should be drinking will differ on where you are camping/hiking. Always, though, bring at least a one-liter water container and a way to purify more water–the best probably being water purification tablets. 

  1. Sun Protection

This is definitely the most forgotten item, especially in cold environments. It is always important to have protection from the sun not just to shield yourself from sunburn, but to prevent skin cancer and potential dehydration. Sun protection includes a lot of things, such as sunscreen, hats, clothes, sunglasses, etc. If you’re somewhere cold, you probably won’t need as much sunscreen because of your clothes, but the sun can still get you where you’re not covered and can even reflect off the snow to burn you. 

  1. Headlamp

This category used to be “light,” but headlamps are the best option for light by far, so you can do other things with your hands while you have light. It also is smart to bring some extra batteries for a longer trip. 

  1. First Aid

It is not only important to bring a first-aid kit but to know first aid, especially for wilderness situations. Also make sure that your kit is fully equipped. There are many short courses you can take to learn first aid, and getting CPR certified is a good idea, too. It would be good to know what to do for small and large cuts, shock, hypothermia, and dehydration.

  1. Shelter

The Boy Scout handbook actually says “rain gear” for this one, but many people put “shelter” instead, and I am inclined to agree. It is very important to carry a rain shell at all times because you never know when it will start raining. Obviously, your tent is also pretty important if you are camping, but make sure you also have the proper stakes and a rain fly for your tent to shelter you from the elements. It is also important to always have some small emergency blanket or, even better, a small bivy sack, which is basically a very small tent/sleeping bag. You should always have shelter ON you, and not just back where you set up camp. 

  1. Food

This varies on where you are going and how long you will be there. It is necessary to always have these certain ready-to-go foods on you: bars, nuts, dried fruit, beef jerky. Additionally, if you have a bunsen burner, or another way to cook food, then oatmeal, hot cocoa, and other small things are good options. Always bring more food than you need. 

  1. Extra Clothes

This obviously varies a lot depending on where you are going. For every trip I always bring an extra pair of socks (trust me there are not many things worse than hiking in wet socks). For cold trips, some long underwear isn’t a bad idea either. It adds an extra layer. 

Bonus: Duct Tape

This one was listed in the Scouting magazine, and I instantly thought “of course.” Duct tape has come in handy so many times, mostly with fixing water containers and clothes/tarps. While this might not sound huge, having a leak in a tent or your water bottle can be absolutely devastating, leaving you or your stuff totally soaked.

Note: All of these things are totally necessary, but it is also important not to overpack. Overpacking only applies to backpacking, not car camping. The right weight for a loaded backpack is about 20% of your body weight. There are pretty lightweight options for all of the items listed above, and it is smart to split up different items like your tent and food if you are camping with multiple people. 

Wilderness Editor: Hannah Hall

Sources:

https://scoutingmagazine.org/2019/08/the-10-essentials-a-21st-century-update/
The Scout 10 essentials: Items every Scout needs in the outdoors

https://www.mountaineers.org/blog/what-are-the-ten-essentials

The Boy Scout Handbook(2012 edition). 

The Great Mothers

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Editor Hannah Hall tasked the Blog Staff to write about “da Earth.” Blogger Erik Bearman chose to write a poem about how he views Mother Nature and Mother Earth as similar but separate deities.

By Erik Bearman

Mother Nature and Mother Earth

In Their ethereal beauty, two women of mystery

Both agents of chaos, both brutal, ferocious, and savage

Two sides of the same coin

Mother Nature does not have sympathy for her children

Her one house rule: eat or be eaten

In her amber eyes, only the fittest should survive

Extinction after extinction, Mother Nature still survives

Extinction after extinction, Mother Nature still thrives

Mother Earth is a different kind of rage

As blood flows through my kin, magma flows through Her veins

Skin the color of stone, sand, and mud

And as follicles connect beneath the flesh

So do roots connect beneath the dirt

Plagued by creatures who wither, crawl, and consume

The Great Mothers are ravaged by the ultimate parasite

If we, the Parasite, do not change our ways

The Mothers may smite us with Their godly might

Wilderness Editor: Hannah Hall

Liberation

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By Hannah Hall

Some days I need to just lift my spirits and set myself free. The one cliché people say is “go to your happy place” and all will be well. Do you know what I say to that? I say alrighty, and I head on out to my happy place. You may have thought reading that question I was about to bash the whole idea of happy places ‘n such, but actually I just wanted to bring you along to my happy place to experience it…you know, in case it is one of those days.

“The Happy Place”

Imagine yourself waking up to the peaceful aurora and its warm, pink, glow glistening upon your cheeks. You go to open a window; the cool breeze prances upon your body as if you were the sky. You are breathing in the clean, fresh air, letting it fill your lungs, and then you exhale–it leaves your body along with any tension you have hidden within you. You listen to the trees as birds sing and leaves crinkle. Take a step outside and feel the earth beneath you. The ground is not harsh, but comforting and supple. Feel the space between you and everything around you; embrace it and allow yourself to flourish. It is just you and the world, man, you and the world.

Doesn’t that feel nice? Personally, I am not a morning person, but this scenario just makes me want to be woken up by the sun naturally with no uhhhhhh blaring alarm clock. Sorry for making you think of that dreadful device, but at least now you have a happy place to go to! I am interested to hear your happy place and how mine made you feel. Thanks for coming along the journey with me. Peace out, my free birds.

Editor: Luke Langlois

Living Like Raccoons

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PVS alumnus Peter Kadel (‘18) now attends Virginia Tech. When here, he was a beloved blogger and, among other things, an AP English Language student. In AP Lang, Peter [was forced to] read Annie Dillard’s essay “Living Like Weasels.” An excerpt of Dillard’s essay is reprinted below. Peter reached out to us–seems he had a “weasel” moment while walking to his dining hall. Happily, he thought of us and captured it in writing.


“Living Like Weasels”

by Annie Dillard

The sun had just set. I was relaxed on the tree trunk, ensconced in the lap of lichen, watching the lily pads at my feet tremble and part dreamily over the thrusting path of a carp. A yellow bird appeared to my right and flew behind me. It caught my eye; I swiveled around–and the next instant, inexplicably, I was looking down at a weasel, who was looking up at me.

Weasel! I’d never seen one wild before. He was ten inches long, thin as a curve, a muscled ribbon, brown as fruitwood, soft-furred, alert. . . .

The weasel was stunned into stillness as he was emerging from beneath an enormous shaggy wild rose bush four feet away. I was stunned into stillness twisted backward on the tree trunk. Our eyes locked, and someone threw away the key.

Peter’s Weasel Moment . . .

Annie Dillard’s essay “Living Like Weasels” describes a moment when she made eye contact and had a connection with a weasel. I had dismissed this as odd like I had done with every other thing she wrote. But, I was walking to a dining hall from class and heard a rustling noise from an underground drainage grate, not in much of a hurry, I went over to investigate. As I stood over the grate, the source of the rustling scurried into the underground pipe, seemingly gone forever. But something made me decide to crouch above the grate and wait for the critter to show itself. Seconds later, as if it shared my curiosity, a little triangular head with black and white stripes on the face and grey on the head peeked out from the pipe. The triangular head turned to look up at me, and I found myself eyes locked with a raccoon. I was surprised and enthralled by this little creature. For a few moments we just stared at each other. Then he darted off to continue about his day, and I stood up and went on my way. It wasn’t till later I realized I HAD JUST HAD MY WEASEL MOMENT! But instead of a weasel, it was a raccoon. Now I realize the importance of Dillard’s piece; we all have the chance to experience that moment. And the animal we have it with reflects us. Dillard got the tenacious, scrappy and clever weasel. I got the mischievous, rambunctious, and curious raccoon, a pretty accurate reflection of myself. –Peter Kadel

fishes: a-z

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By Makena Behnke, who may learn to swim with the fishes

The eagle ray

since this week’s theme is fish, or rather aquatic, i’m giving you a very nice list of fish. if you’re like me, you don’t know much about fish, but you think they’re pretty cool. there are so many different types of fish with different colors, sizes, and breeds. here is an a-z list of fish:

The Indian glassfish
  • alligator gar. this swimmer is particularly scary-looking, very dinosaur-esque. usually found in the southern US in rivers, reservoirs, and bays.
  • blue tilapia. this one is probably my favorite fish on this list. it’s just so pretty. found in mainly Florida.
  • cobia. this fish weighs an average of a whopping eighty-two pounds and is about the length of a grown man’s wingspan. found in the Virginia area and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
  • discus. this fish is properly named seeing as it is shaped like a disc. also known as the king of the aquarium fish. found in the Amazon River basin.
  • eagle ray. a more interesting-looking ray than the usual grey/silver-ish ray. found in New Zealand bays and rocky reefs.
  • flounder. no, not the blue and yellow fish from The Little Mermaid. the arrowtooth flounder is found in northeast Pacific Ocean.
  • gag grouper. found from North Carolina to Brazil. they like to feed on round scad, sardines, porgies, crabs, shrimp, and squid.
  • hogfish. found from Canada to northern South America in coral reefs. they are also protogynous hermaphrodites.
  • indian glassfish. staying true to its name of “glassfish,” this fish is transparent. found in mainly South Asian waters.
  • jarbydy. found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, they’re omnivorous and are big fans of small fish.
  • knobbed porgy. found from North Carolina to southern Florida. they grace the waters with their silver body and a red tint.
  • lemon tetra. found in South America, they feed on worms and crustaceans.
  • mudskipper. found in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. these guys are easy to catch and fun to play around with (according to Makena and her “personal experience”).
  • northern hog sucker. found in the Great Lake area. it sucks up snails and insects, hence the name sucker.
  • opaline gourami. found in Southeast Asia. lives in lowland wetlands, marshy and swampy areas.
  • pomfret. found all across the Pacific Ocean. they stay close to the surface of the water, and they’re rarely caught inshore.
  • quillfish. found in the North Pacific. they’re found at the surface at night and burrow in the sand during the day.
  • redbreast acara. found in Central American waters. they prefer more stagnant waters.
  • swordsnout grenadier. found in the Western-Center of the Atlantic and the Eastern Atlantic. they feed on crustaceans and small fish.
  • tapar. found in European and Asian waters. they inhabit large rivers and freshwater lakes.
  • uaru. found in South America. they feed on crustaceans and small fish, but eat plants to get their nutrients.
  • vermilion snapper. found from the western Atlantic to southeastern Brazil. the adults prefer deep water and rocky bottoms.
  • wahoo. found from New Jersey to Columbia. they travel in loose groups of fish rather than compact schools.
  • x-ray tetra. found in South America. they feed on worms and small fish.
  • yellow cichlid. found in lower river valleys in Central America.
  • zander. found in Europe and Asia. they inhabit brackish lakes and rivers.
The wahoo

Sources

www.wideopenspaces.com

http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/fish-finder
https://www.fishbase.de/search.php
https://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/fish/
https://www.thesprucepets.com/

Editor: Luke Langlois

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Installment #2 in our Aquatic Theme: What can be found in the deep blue sea? I don’t know. But, James does. –Aquatic Theme Editor Luke

By James Zheng

The ocean is probably one of the most mysterious places on the Earth since it’s a place humans still have not entirely explored. There are hundreds of examples of the mysteries of the ocean. And, some of them have a reasonable explanation, but some ocean mysteries remain elusive. In this post, I am going to introduce three of the strangest mysteries within the ocean.

No.1 Devil’s Sea:

This is also known as the Dragon’s Triangle. Like the Bermuda Triangle in the Atlantic Ocean, this is a similar triangular area in the Western Pacific Ocean off of the east coast of southern Tokyo in Japan. To get here, go south along the southeast of the Pacific Ocean at about 145 degrees east, then turn west-southwest; pass through the Ogasawara Islands, and then return to the Tokyo Bay of Japan along the northeast, which forms this triangle. There are many mysterious disappearances of ships and planes here. They left without a trace. What happens is that all radio contacts are abruptly interrupted when vessels approach this triangular area, and the ships that are lost have no wreckage that can be found afterwards. There is even more news that spreads that horrifies people: one marine radio center received the message from a ship saying, “The sky is open!” right before they lost radio contact. Over-exaggerated? Who knows?

No.2 Atlantis:

There are still so many myths related to Atlantis, one of the most mysterious ancient civilizations. It was said that the ancient Greek God Poseidon created this civilization. Some scientists say that Atlantis does exist, and that it was a real civilization thousands of years ago. Modern science has found that before the great floods (an unprecedented and destructive global flood happened a long time ago) there may have been a continent that was the most highly developed civilization on the Earth. In this global disaster, the continent sank into the Atlantic Ocean. Following this catastrophe, a large-scale earthquake and tsunami caused further damage. As a result, vestigial volcanic ashes covered the entire Mediterranean region in darkness for weeks. The earthquake is rumored to have been more powerful than 4,000 atomic bombs. For nearly a century, archaeologists have also claimed that they have found relics of this prehistoric civilization on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, which seems to confirm the hypothesis of Atlantis. So, where did the name come from? The name was initially given by Plato, and it is the name still used nowadays for this unknown civilization. In 2011, an archaeological team claimed that they had located Atlantis beneath the mudbank of southern Spain. In December 2013, a submerged pyramid of Atlantis was discovered in the western sea area of Portugal. It was possibly recognized as a relic of Atlantis. But, nevertheless, the existence of Atlantis is still a question mark.


No.3 The depth of the ocean

There is never an accurate answer given to say how deep the ocean is. It is way more complicated than you probably think. Humans may think that they have explored the ocean enough to know the Earth deeply, but among the vast Pacific Ocean, we might have just explored five percent of the deepest part. There is an estimation taken by scientists that the ocean might be ninety thousand meters deep; however, nobody has ever reached that deep and it is just an assumption after all. The maximum depth that humans have reached is 10,916 meters. Unfortunately, we have trouble going deeper. The water pressure will get more and more intense as you reach the bottom. Unless we have diving suits or a submarine that has an extremely strong endurance to the water pressure, the diver would certainly be killed by the overwhelming water pressure. One last thing: sunlight cannot reach the deep ocean. Human eyes cannot see anything and the creatures around there may be dreadfully unforgiving…

Sites Referenced

https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%AD%94%E6%B5%B7%E9%BE%99%E4%B8%89%E8%A7%92/15795153?fr=aladdin
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%9A%E7%89%B9%E5%85%B0%E8%92%82%E6%96%AF/6238?fr=aladdin
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1576299103450316638&wfr=spider&for=pc

Editor: Luke Langlois

https://www.thebirdonfire.org/2019/03/14/3383/

Holden Rants About a Topic That Isn’t Really Relevant But Still Kinda Interesting Part 4

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Here at thebirdonfire.org, we’re trying something new. Rather than chasing down any “sophisticated schoolyard shenanigan” (our site’s tagline), we’ve embued our Student Editor of the Week with the power to NAME A THEME. Junior Luke Langlois is up first as Student Editor. He claims as his theme Aquatic. So, our student bloggers submit to you subjects and posts that fall under this week’s theme: Aquatic. Holden answers with . . . Sharks.

Sharks Deserve More Love

By Holden Hartle

Since the release of Jaws in 1975, sharks have become one of the top fears among Americans. The thought of a Great White clamping down on a leg is a terrifying thought. In 2017, Chapman University conducted a survey that showed that about 25% of people are afraid of sharks. More people are afraid of sharks than of hurricanes, public speaking, and everyday crimes like a mugging. The fear of sharks is even more prevalent than the existential fear of dying.

But, consider this, in 2018, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History, there were a total of 130 shark attacks worldwide. Of those 130, 66 were unprovoked and 34 were provoked. The other 30 attacks were due to things like boat attacks or attacks that happened post-mortem. With all of this in mind, there are predictions that somewhere around 70 million people went to a beach in 2018. Some quick division will tell you that you have a 0.000185714% chance of being a victim of a shark attack. This number drops by almost 20% if you don’t provoke the shark.

Let’s look at things from the shark’s perspective. Out of the 375 different species of sharks, only about 10 have been known to eat humans. Because sharks have not lived around humans for most of their lineage, sharks have not evolved in a way that allows them to digest human flesh. Sharks eating humans is similar to a lactose intolerant person eating ice cream. It’s possible, but sharks choose to ignore humans for their own good. Sperm and Killer Whales are much more capable of eating a human than a shark is.

If you look at the behavior of sharks, most sharks approach a human out of sheer curiosity. This curiosity leads to a terrified human, which leads to a terrified shark, which leads to a shark attack. A shark most often will bite a human out of self-defense, not because it is hungry for a human thigh. And, occasionally, a shark mistakes a human for a sea turtle or a seal.

We shouldn’t be scared of sharks; we should be helping them. The shark population has dropped dramatically in the past few years, and this isn’t just bad for the sharks; this affects the whole ecosystem. With the sharks gone, the whole aquatic ecosystem is thrown off. There are no sharks to eat the mesopredators, which are next in the food chain. And, because there is an increase in mesopredators (for example, stingrays), the amount of smaller fish decrease. If we were to stop fearing sharks and stop fishing them for their meats and their fins, the ecosystem would be balanced.

Editor: Luke Langlois

What are We?

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By Leo “Little Rabbit” Milmet

People appreciate us as pieces of fine art.

They praise the beauty of our metallic shine and the vividity of our bright and varying colors.

We are ginormous and multicolored;

though a man of no artistry whatsoever may say we should be small and gray,

most love us for what we are.

We are inspired by the benevolent Irish spirit Pooka.

We were brought forth by the brilliant, visionary artists Tony and Karen Barone.

One of us, a purple one, was named Little Rabbit, a nickname given to this poet by his dear, loving grandmother.

We live on Highway 111 by the Atrium, for all to see, interact with, and appreciate.

What are we?

Image result for karen and tony barone rabbits
Image result for karen and tony barone rabbits

Editor: Makena Behnke

Passing on the Torch: The Freshman Retreat

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By Holden Hartle

Three years ago, in September of 2015, my freshman class hopped onto a bus for Lake Arrowhead for the Freshman Retreat. This is a three-day trip for the new high schoolers during which they get to know their classmates better through group activities, workshops, etc. They envision what will be and can be their high-school career and beyond.

Back then, the general consensus of the grade was split in half. Some thought that it was going to be a great experience for team building, making new friends, and just a simple getaway from the city. The other half were dreading it, fearing social interaction. But, nonetheless, the freshman class entered the bus and headed to Lake Arrowhead.

This year is no different. In mid September, the future class of 2022 traveled towards Lake Arrowhead. Though I went to the UCLA Conference Center and this year’s class went to a large cabin, and though we may have done different activities, the idea of bonding with fellow classmates was still present.

According to current freshman Kaiya, this was the “…best field trip so far.” I don’t want to spoil the activities of the Freshman Retreat in fear that it would ruin the surprise for the upcoming freshmen, but in a survey sent to the current freshman class, 75% said that it helped them learn more about their classmates, 100% said that they had fun, 100% said that they would recommend it for next year’s freshman class.

This tradition is something that I hope will continue for many years to come. This passing of the torch is how I made some of my best friends that I have today. The memories I made on that trip always make me smile. I remember our shared songs, games, and team projects. It is such a great way to not only learn about new students, but it is also a great way to learn more about students that you may have known your whole life.

Editor: AJ Patencio

Adventures Through Slab City

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By Blog Adventurer Holden Hartle

Photo credits: Amanda Laule

Not to sound cheesy, but over Labor Day weekend I had the most amazing experience. I, along with a few friends, embarked on a journey around the Salton Sea. On this journey, we stopped at Salvation Mountain and, the real attraction, Slab City.

For those that don’t know, Salvation Mountain is a sculpture made by Leonard Knight. He dedicated 30 years of his life to the spread of one phrase: God is love. This phrase is plastered all over the mountainside. The pull factor of Salvation Mountain, at least for me, is that there is nothing like Salvation Mountain anywhere in the world. Its uniqueness and originality is unmatched.

If you travel half a mile east of Salvation Mountain, you will find Slab City. Residents live completely off the grid. There is no electricity, running water, or most things that make life in the desert comfortable, but residents make it work.

Upon arrival, you are greeted with rows of trailers, which may remind you of a trailer park. But, if that’s the case, this is the single greatest trailer park in the world. Beautiful murals line the entrance, and people are often outside their trailers selling various items, from pottery to art lessons.

Our specific destination was East Jesus, cleverly named as it is east of Salvation Mountain. East Jesus is an art gallery that is made entirely out of recycled material. We get out of the car and enter the appropriately named, West Satin. West Satin is more of a hang-out area rather than an art gallery. Inside was a group of people simply talking about their lives and their stories.

Before leaving home for Slab City, four different people came up to me and said, “Don’t get out of the car. You could get attacked by homeless people.” Let me tell you how glad I am that I didn’t listen to those people. The Slab City residents were some of the most genuinely nice people I have ever met. Though I never got his name, one resident gave us some insight into why and how someone would live there.

When I asked the man how he lives without common amenities, he responded with his own question, “How do you live?”

“With electricity and air conditioning.”

“Are you happy?”

“I’d say so.”

“Are you stressed?”

“Well, everyone is stressed where I live.”

“That is how I live comfortably. There are no electricity bills, no utility bills, and no rent. You just live. There is no timetable for when you have to do something. You just do it whenever you can.” To adults who pay bills and to teenagers who are generally stressed all of the time, this sounds like a Utopia. But it wasn’t always so Utopian.

When the government was surveying the area to build a wall between America and Mexico, they tried to drive the residents out. Their way of accomplishing this was to shut off Slab City’s water. Though he didn’t go into exact details, the man explained that now they have more water than before the government concreted their water pipes.

Their stress-free life and their sense of community is something that I’ve never seen before. We live in a society where we need to get everything done on a schedule, but why not take a breath? The residents of Slab City are living full Hakuna Matata, with no worries or cares. Most of us say that we could never live without our electronics or air conditioning, but look at the hundreds of people living in our backyard that have no electronics, yet they are some of the happiest people I’ve ever met. Maybe there is something to take away from these Slab City-ians about how to live a happy life.

Editor: Luke Langlois