Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

March 28, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

I don’t know . . . . They were pretty smart. During last quarter’s Move-Up Day, 5th-grade bloggers joined our Middle-Upper School Journalism class. We interviewed them. They interviewed us. Here’s what we gleaned.

5th-grader Reagan Kaminsky shared her experience, wisdom, and eagerness with 8th-grade Blogger Jack Edelstein:

“I’ve learned that to move on if I get something wrong or if someone is making fun of me.
“My favorite teacher Mrs. Delegans, the music teacher; she is not just a teacher but is also a friend. She has really helped me excel in my knowledge.”
“I’m excited for middle school because of more freedom such as lockers and being able to spread around the campus during lunch.”
“I am excited for electives, especially this one (Blog). I’m excited for this elective because I get more freedom on work compared to other classes with stricter work.”

5th-grader Cleo Antle told senior Blogger Gil Maruvada . . .

. . . she loves basketball and performing. She’s always loved to dance around the house. She did a play at Palm Valley, The Wizard of Oz. And, she wants to be a doctor, go to UCLA ,and do gymnastics. Her favorite class? Science, music or drama. Favorite quote? “Everyone gets their own turn.”

Freshman Blogger Louisa Richardson asked 5th-graders Levi Laberge Ranger and Savannah Sanchez, “What are you excited about next year?”

“I’m excited for things to be different. I want to blog next year. . . . I like lower school better because I am more used to it, I guess. Today we threw pencils at Mr. Killeen; it was fun.” –Savannah

Levi says he wants to blog. “One of the big differences is that there is more free roam in the middle school. I’m in Mr. Spurlock’s class, and I enjoy… that he is funny but has boring jokes. I liked math today; I had Mr. Gil.

Senior Blogger Indiana Behr asked Remington Rice, “What’s fifth grade like?”

“I think it’s pretty fun, and you get to… have fun.”
“Who is your teacher?”
“My teacher is Mr. Spurlock.”
“What did do today for move up day?”
“We did math with Mr. Gil. I am having robotics later, and I am having fun in Blog. I went to English with Ms. Maguire. Oh, and we did World Studies with Ms. Schapiro.”

The Past and Present of the NBA: Which is Better?

March 26, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Sophomore Oliver Martinez

Recently, the NBA hosted the All-Star game. Although this is supposed to be one of the most hyped events in the NBA, as it unites the best from each division, it really doesn’t live up to the hype. People are seriously disappointed with it and prefer the way it used to be in the past, when players did make an effort to win and actually played defense. This led many to believe the past NBA is better. But could this be true? To answer, I will compare the past and present of the NBA in three major categories, and then give my opinion on which I think is better. The categories are as follows: Players (two players on each position from each era compared), Jerseys, and Overall Game (Defense, Offense, Strategy). For the old NBA, I’ll be looking at the years 1960-1998 and for the present 1999-today.

The Players

The players are what makes the game so special. The majority of players have their own individual set of abilities that distinguish them. It’s always satisfying seeing a great player display their abilities, like sometimes a player is really good at scoring a three-pointer but not so good at guarding his man. That’s why I’ll be comparing the two best players at every position from the past and the present.

The best point guards from the mid 60s to the end of the 90s were Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson, compared to today’s Stephen Curry and Chris Paul. Though it’s close, I think that the older players are better. It is difficult to justify the modern players being better when Chris Paul hasn’t won a single ring in 19 years of being in the League. On the other hand, Magic Johnson (who has five rings) is considered the best at his position, only competing with Stephen Curry (who has four rings) and Oscar Robertson who has one ring which is more than CP3’s zero. Since the point guard position’s role has changed so much from an opportunity creator and making many passes to more of finding the open three and heavy reliance on handles, it is more difficult to compare these players, but I would still consider the older era better.

At the shooting guard position, the best from the past are Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler compared to today’s best, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. Personally, I would take today’s best all day over the past. The older combine for seven rings (MJ has six, Drexler one), while the players of the present combine for eight, (Kobe has five, and Wade has three). This is also somewhat based on personal preference; I just prefer Kobe over everyone in the NBA. That’s why I think the present is far better in this position.

Legends of the sport, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan deep in discussion during the 2003 NBA All-Star game. Photo Credit: Los Angeles Times

The best of the small forwards of the past are Larry Bird and Julius Erving. It’s tough to decide between Dr. J (Julius Erving), and Scottie Pippen, but out of respect I think Dr. J deserves it. And, for the present, LeBron James and Kevin Durant win. This is a no-brainer. The present wins by a mile and a half. LeBron James is arguably the best of all time, and Kevin Durant is a top player of all time as well. Larry Bird and Dr. J just can’t compare to the legacy these two players are building.

The best power forwards of the past are Karl Malone and Charles Barkley. The best of the present are Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki; once again, the players of the present are just better. In a way, Tim Duncan is like Kobe except they played different positions; they both have five rings and won all with one team. Dirk also went on a crazy playoffs run, even beating the Miami Heat super team in 2011. Neither Charles Barkley nor Karl Malone won a ring, but they’re both very dominant players who knew their game really well and scored loads of points.

Finally, the best centers of the past are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell. For the present, the best are Shaquille O’Neal and Nikola Jokic. The past takes this win; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was extremely dominant and managed to score tens of thousands of points without the three-point line and also winning six rings. Bill Russel’s record is unbeatable; he has 11 rings. Shaq and Jokic are great but are nothing compared to what Kareem and Bill Russel did for the game.

Overall, the present has better talent in most positions. But what about the apparel?

The Jerseys

In the past, jerseys were made by Sand-Knit (AKA Champion); there are some really nice jerseys like the showtime Lakers jersey:

Icons of basketball Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and Magic Johnson rocked this iconic Lakers jersey. Photo Credit: silverscreen

These are extremely clean and look great. I personally prefer when the jersey has the logo of the brand that made the jersey printed onto it, but these are great regardless. I like the way the “R” stretches below the “S.” Even the modern Lakers jerseys take inspiration from these.

Another great older jersey is this Super Sonics Classic jersey:

This jersey is great; the basketball going around the “SONICS” in a circle looks good, and I like that the letters go kind of on an upward slope.

I love that these jerseys were simple and showed what the team was about rather than trying to get some secret meaning behind an insanely overcomplicated designed jersey. One complaint I would have is the quality of the numbers and logos because they were kind of like stickers, and when you use the jersey a lot, the numbers would kind of start to peel off, and it would ruin the jersey. Overall, older jerseys look great.

Now, the newer jerseys. This is when Adidas and Nike, and a little bit of Reebok, come in. Although I would argue that Adidas didn’t make the highest quality jerseys, they have some classics–like the special edition Christmas jerseys which were some of the most amazing jerseys ever released.

I love the way the lettering works; they look so smooth. They’re not simple enough to be boring but not complicated enough to be mind-boggling.

Another example of some great Adidas jerseys were the 2014 jerseys that had the players’ first name rather than the last name.

These are really cool, maybe not the most creative design. But, it is refreshing to see something different being done with the jerseys. They made the logo smaller, and emphasized the player’s first name rather than last name. I think it looks really cool. I kind of wish we could still buy these.

I won’t even put a picture of Reebok jerseys; in my opinion, they are extremely lazily designed and are very low quality.

Lastly, there are the Nike jerseys, which are the ones we have now. I’ve already talked about my favorite Nike NBA jerseys, so I’ll only mention one. Here is the Black Mamba Lakers jersey:

Photo Credit: helmut=lakers-to-don-black-mamba-jerseys-for-game

The jersey holds a huge meaning, representing the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant. It looks great, the black makes great contrast with yellow. Even though it’s just the basic design with yellow and black, it looks super clean, and it looks even better in-game.

I struggle to decide which era has better jerseys; it’s really hard to come up with an answer because in the past the NBA almost never made a horrible jersey, but instead made simpler ones with solid designs but generally more boring. Today’s NBA can make incredibly bold designs that work 65% of the time and are very interesting, while the other 35% are just terrible jerseys that are quickly forgotten or are never really popular. I’d say the deciding factor is that since my collection is based primarily on apparel of this era, I’ll give the win to today’s jerseys.

Overall Game

Today’s game is way more offensive than before. The reason why is that in 2004-2005 the NBA got more serious about hand-checking. “Hand checking is when a defender illegally uses their hand or arm to touch or control an offensive player’s movement. It’s a personal foul” (homeschoolhoop). Now, the defenders can BARELY touch the defender without the refs immediately calling a personal foul on them. Thanks to this, every game goes to around 110-120 points scored by each team (basketballreference). In the mid 1990s to 2000s, teams scored 95 ppg each; that is a crazy difference and is all thanks to the hand-check enforcement. On top of that, refereeing has gotten so annoying recently, with refs calling fouls on basically everything, from hanging on the rim to literally just passing the ball to the ref–anything can get you a technical foul. In a way, refs are just too soft nowadays, soft meaning they get annoyed easily and call almost anything a foul. “As of January 14, players have been ejected 29 times so far in the 2023-24 season. Moreover, the sheer number of these rulings has led to many fans calling the NBA and its refs ‘soft.’ Some players have received techs for the smallest and most ridiculous infractions” (LWOS). I can see why the NBA would implement these changes though. More points equals more viewership and more intense games which attracts more people. However, I also argue that it is more satisfying to watch a team score because they created a brilliant play that allowed them to score rather than the other team just playing lackluster defense or the referee calling a foul on non-existent contact. So, for this category, I have to give it to the older NBA.

To conclude, both the past and present of the NBA have amazing talents, apparels and overall game. But, it should be noted that the NBA has improved over the years, and that’s why the newer NBA performs better in most of these categories. My personal opinion is that this modern era is better than the older. But, then again, I didn’t grow up watching Michael Jordan, or collecting the Sand-Knit jerseys, so due to that, I may have to admit a bit of bias towards this newer generation.

What do you think? Do you prefer the newer or older NBA? Let me know in the comments.

Mirabelle Lee Comes in 2nd at State Poetry Out Loud!

March 25, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

PVS Junior Mirabelle Lee travelled to Sacramento on March 17 & 18 to compete, as our Riverside County representative, in State Poetry Out Loud. And, she placed 2nd! Out of 18,000 statewide participants, 51 county representatives, and 5 finalists, Mirabelle is our #2 poetry recitator in the state of California. In rounds one and two, she recited Toi Derricotte’s “My dad & sardines” and Lady Mary Chudleigh’s “To the Ladies.” Then, the five finalists were selected.

Mr. Satterfield’s Economics class and I logged into the live stream just in time to watch the finals. In the third and final round, Mirabelle recited “Meeting at an Airport” by Taha Muhammad Ali. Mirabelle brings home a trophy and a record performance for Palm Valley. Previously, Jackson Dean (Class of ’19) placed 3rd in the state. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of poetry via a recitation competition for high school students across the country.

Junior Mirabelle Lee, pictured here in the state Capitol, took 2nd place in California’s Poetry Out Loud competition. Photo Credit: Ms. Shawane Lee

–Blog Advisor Zachik

The Best Cars of the Past

March 22, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Jack Edelstein

A common thing that people do to bond is think about the past. Whether it’s about sports or places, it is still comforting to think about a time we remember as nice. When I talk about nostalgic times, even though I was not born, I like to talk about cars. Here are the cars I like to bring up when the topic of nostalgia is brought up.

1965 Shelby AC Cobra 427 S/C

Powered by a 427 V8 iron block pushing 485 horsepower and 480 ft-lb of torque with a 4-speed manual (caranddriver.com), Shelby really put it all into this car. The car’s iconic blue body and white lines, exposed roll cage, open grill, and shiny loud side exhausts really sets it apart from other cars from its era, and, trust me, Shelby did not have easy competition. Cars that were also made in this era were the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang. This is definitely a nostalgic and memory bringing vehicle.

1974-1990 Lamborghini Countach

Lead character Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) crawls to his Countach in *The Wolf of Wall Street.* Photo Credit: *esquire.com*

The Countach is a sought-after car by all car collectors. It is a staple of Italian car-making. Its distinct air vents poking out the top sides of the car, sharp retro edges, big wing, and pop-up headlights make it easily recognizable to any car person. You may also recognize the Countach from the movie The Wolf of Wall Street. Although there are multiple models, the most common Countach model, the 25th Anniversary, is pushed by a 5-liter Naturally Aspirated V12 revving to a stellar 7,000 rpm and making 455 horsepower and 370 ft-lbs of torque (supercars.net). The Countach is considered by many a sort of poster car of the 80s, and I can definitely see why.

1987-1992 Ferrari F40

The Ferrari F40 was made to celebrate the 40 years of Ferrari, hence the name, and was Enzo Ferrari’s last car before he died a year later, in 1988. The Ferrari F40 was made mostly of composite materials (carbon, Kevlar, and steel), meaning it was made of two or more materials with different properties intended to do a specific job–in this case making the car lighter (ferrari.com). This car was made to be a track car because of its very minimal interior appliances (there wasn’t even an A/C unit in the car until it came to the US), uncomfortable lightweight racing seats, and it doesn’t have door handles, just pull cords (exoticcartrader.com). Now, you’re thinking, “Well, Jack, what’s so special about this car? It doesn’t even have door handles!” What’s special about this car is that this car was not made for the ordinary. It was made for the bold and spectacular. It was made for those who wanted to experience the thrill of a Ferrari. Those who wanted to feel the raw 478 horsepower and 424 ft-lb torque twin-turbocharged V8 yelling at 7,000 rpm, and feel the smooth shifts of the 5-speed manual transmission. The F40 is the pinnacle of Ferrari engineering and holds its place at the top of Italian car-making, rightfully so.

Conclusion

Those are the three cars that I bring up when I talk about the past and cars. I will definitely write one of these blogs again. I really enjoyed learning new things about these cars, especially the F40. If there are any other cars that you like, let us know in the comments!

Teaching Advice

March 15, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

. . . from PVS teachers

Compiled by 8th-Grader Jackie Padgett

Everyone in life has had a moment where they’ve needed some advice on a situation. I know I have. So, who else to get advice from than our PVS teachers? I asked all of them the same four questions:

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?
What advice would you give your high-school self?
What advice would you give your middle-school self?
Is there any extra advice you want to share through our blog?

Let’s hear what wise advice our Palm Valley teachers have to spread, starting with none other than . . .

Ms. Zachik, the multitasked Blog and English teacher–

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?

“Get lots of sleep; read everything you can; enjoy the camaraderie of the classroom. This time goes fast.”

What advice would you give your high-school self?

“Loosen up. Have fun.”

What advice would you give your middle-school self?

“This time will pass. You won’t always be 7-feet tall, bespectacled, with braces and flat hair.”

Is there any extra advice you want to share through our blog?

“The Bird on Fire is such an enchanting shared platform. Everybody should read it, get their face on it, their ideas, their opinions.“

Ms. Zachik enjoys Blog Class. Immensely. And, she can solve Wordle in three.

Next, Mr. Satterfield, our Daily Journal history teacher, shares a short but insightful answer.

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?

“Identify what you can control and what you can’t, and prioritize your efforts accordingly.”

What advice would you give your high-school self?

“Talk to more people. Your friends are great, but so is everybody else.”

What advice would you give your middle-school self?

“Pretty soon you won’t even remember the mistakes you made, so go ahead and make them.”

Mr. Satterfield gives all the right answers at Faculty meetings.

Ms. Maguire, the English teacher, shares a kind response:

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?

“I would advise middle school students at Palm Valley School to give many sports and activities a try. You may think you are terrible at basketball, let’s say, but if you practice and play you will get better. It’s a small school and everyone’s participation is welcome and even needed, so why not put yourself out there and give it a shot? I would actually give the same advice to upper school students.”

What advice would you give your high-school self?

“I am one of the lucky ones whose high school self had things pretty much together. I would definitely tell myself not to leave that project for Mr. Schultz’s class until the last minute, though. That was my first all-nighter and it was no fun.”

What advice would you give your middle-school self?

“My middle school self was acutely self-conscious and, in sixth grade, in a state of low-grade misery pretty much all the time. I would tell myself not to bother with what the mean kids were doing and saying. I let them get into my head too much.”

Is there any extra advice you want to share through our blog?

“It costs you nothing to be kind, so just do it. Whatever momentary ego boost you may feel after being mean to someone, even if you are allegedly ‘just joking,’ is not going to last. And friendships formed on the basis of excluding or targeting others can blow up in your face if you become the new target. If you are consistently kind to people, they will reciprocate eventually. If they don’t, why would you want to be friends with that miserable human being anyway? Be kind.”

Ms. Maguire has constructed the famous “Know, Wonder, Learn” board in her classroom.

Up next Mr. Hesson, our math teacher, shares his serious but humorous response–

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?

“Don’t conflate confidence with arrogance. If you have to look down on others to feel good about yourself, then your confidence is fake and easily shattered. True confidence is predicated on your ability to remain humble and to recognize that your talents and privileges exist to be shared, not hoarded.”

What advice would you give your high-school self?

“The concept of giving my past self advice is kind of disturbing to me. We make mistakes in our lives, and we learn from them, and over the course of several mistakes we build a foundation of accumulated knowledge that is wisdom. The idea of forcing that wisdom onto a version of myself that never had to make the mistakes seems fundamentally wrong, like teaching a person to speak without teaching them the meaning of the words.”

What advice would you give your middle-school self?

“Buy a bitcoin in 2010.”

Is there any extra advice you want to share through our blog?

“Every once in a while, spend some time listening to music without doing anything else. No screens, no conversation, no distraction. Just close your eyes and listen.”

Mr. Hesson performs a reenactment of the thought process it took to think of his answers.

Ms. Castellano, who teaches science and loves plants, says, . . .

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?

“Be proactive, it will make you stand out in a positive way! “

What advice would you give your high-school self?

“Do what you love and people will support passion. Be a crazy plant lady and grow all the plants!”

What advice would you give your middle-school self?

“Don’t give yourself bad haircuts; do that and more! Express yourself!”

Is there any extra advice you want to share through our blog?

“Life is too short to please others, pursue your own bliss!”

Ms. Castellano knows to sprinkle your leftover coffee grounds in your garden to make your garden grow.

Mr. Griffin–GSA leader and excellent English teacher–says…

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?

“Teach yourself to not procrastinate. Believe me, it feels better to have something done early than to wait and be rushing because it’s too late. Also, the weight of an assigned task grows in direct proportion to the length of time you carry it. Do it. Get it done and off your mind.”

What advice would you give your high-school self?

“Be yourself, for yourself.”

What advice would you give your middle-school self?

“Start early determining who you are. Then you’ll be ready to be yourself, for yourself in high school.”

Is there any extra advice you want to share through our blog?

“Experience as much as you possibly can at every opportunity.”

Always generous, Mr. Griffin steps into Blog Class to share advice.

Ms. Schapiro, note-taking professional and history teacher, provides a thoughtful response:

What advice would you give to the middle and upper-school students of PVS?

“Ask thoughtful questions. Don’t always look for the easiest answer or course of action: think critically and carefully. Don’t assume you know what other people are going through.”

What advice would you give your high-school self?

“Don’t stop taking math after your freshman year. Don’t be so worried about what the popular kids think. Be proud that you’re so smart and recognize that you are NOT fat, in spite of what your mom thinks.”

What advice would you give your middle-school self?

“Choose your friends more carefully and don’t believe everything everyone tells you. Don’t take everything so personally. Don’t kiss David Seidel when you’re going out with Scott Singer.”

Is there any extra advice you want to share through our blog?

“No matter how important/life-changing/immediate EVERYTHING may feel now, I promise you it’s not. Try to focus on the things that will still be important to you in the future, as well, not just now. Also, don’t wear so much perfume/body spray: you don’t want people to know you’re coming from a mile away.”

Ms. Schapiro gazes toward the horizon through her mountains of advice.

Advice is such an important thing, and I think people shouldn’t be embarrassed or shy when needing help with a situation. If you ever find yourself needing advice, I would definitely recommend our PVS teachers. I think they’ve proven themselves to be pretty wise.

My Visit to the 2024 Rancho Mirage Writers Festival

March 15, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Senior Indiana Behr

A couple weeks ago, I attended the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival for the third time. I always love this event, and I met some very interesting people and saw some very cool programs, so I decided to write a blog article about it. Here are my top favorite sessions.

Day 1

On the first day, I started off with a session where Valerie Biden Owens, President Biden’s sister, was interviewed by Leslie Stahl of 60 Minutes. This was a really interesting start to the festival, and it was very enlightening to see what Owen’s experience has been as the sibling of a politician who first ran for office (and won) 54 years ago. Apparently, she has been involved in every one of his campaigns as a senior staffer. She also told a very interesting story about seeing someone on the flight to Palm Springs wearing an “FJB” hat, which stands for F*** Joe Biden. She talked about how it’s difficult for her to reconcile that people don’t see her own brother as a person because of the power he holds, and she also told some funny stories about her childhood with the now-President.

I also saw a very interesting and funny session with famous author and filmmaker John Waters. One of my favorite movies, Hairspray (1988), was directed and written by Waters. It almost felt like a stand-up comedy routine, which is really rare for the often serious Rancho Mirage Writers Festival. Waters’ delivery was pretty vulgar and a little stomach churning at times, to the point where I can’t really repeat what he said on the blog, like when he talked about having sexual relations in a voting booth. He actually apologized for this talk being scheduled right before lunch…. Overall, it was one of the most entertaining sessions and was really hilarious.

Day 2

I started off this day by seeing the host of MSNBC’s The Beat, Ari Melber, interview former Trump administration staffer Cassidy Hutchinson. Hutchinson is notable for testifying against the former President and his associates to the “January 6 Select Committee” in 2022. I was familiar with her because of her testimony, but it was really interesting to hear more about the experiences of her time in the White House that weren’t disclosed during her Congressional testimony. I also have always liked Ari Melber’s interviews on MSNBC, so seeing one in real life was a fun opportunity.

Assistant to former President Trump’s Chief of Staff, Cassidy Hutchinson, penned the book *Enough*. Indy got a signed copy.

I also saw a fascinating discussion between 2022’s Pulitzer Prize in History winner Ada Ferrer and Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs regarding Cuba and its historical relationship with the United States. This event had a really low turnout which was surprising to me since it was such a good topic. Cuba is the only country that the United States has a full trade embargo with, and many people on all sides of the political spectrum have noted that the embargo really does not do much other than harm ordinary Cubans who have already suffered under a repressive dictatorship. There are also further sanctions because Cuba, under the Trump administration, was recognized as a State Sponsor of Terrorism alongside the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Syria, and Iran. There is really no basis for this, especially compared to the other three, which Ferrer and Dr. Cobbs discussed. They also discussed how President Obama began a “thaw” of the icy US-Cuba relationship. Obama removed Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list, normalized relations, and stepped towards the shuttering of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Nearly all of the thawing process was rolled back from the first day to the last week of the Trump administration, and President Biden has done little to return relations to Obama administration “thawing.”

I also saw a discussion with Donna Brazile. Brazile served as the acting Chair of the Democratic National Committee from July 2016 to February 2017. She took over after former Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned when leaked emails showed she was secretly favoring former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Party’s 2016 nominating process, when party officials are required to remain neutral. Brazile took over in the interim, and also was simultaneously serving as a CNN contributor. Once again, DNC emails got leaked, and it was found that she used her position as a contributor to secretly give Clinton questions prior to a debate the news channel hosted. Overall, I kind of expected to be annoyed hearing from someone who had been involved in a shady situation, one who oversaw Clinton’s unexpected defeat. Nevertheless, she was astoundingly funny and had a lot of relevant things to say that I really appreciated.

Day 3

On the final day, I started off by seeing Cassidy Hutchinson again, but this time interviewed by conservative pundit Margaret Hoover. Hoover did a great job at making sure that this wasn’t just a rehashing of Hutchinson’s previous session. Instead, she chose to focus much more on her personal life and childhood. Hutchinson also discussed how she entered public service, and how she grapples with still having conservative leanings while feeling disconnected from the Republican Party, and even facing regular death threats and harassment from Republicans. She even told a very funny story about her finding teetotaler and then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who she served as an assistant to, intoxicated after he consumed multiple White Claw cans thinking it was simply sparkling water.

I also saw a very good talk between author Anand Giridharadas and journalist Ezra Klein. I have been a fan of Klein for several years, even back when he starred in YouTube videos for Vox, of which he is a co-founder. The Rancho Mirage Writers Festival features people from across the political spectrum, but Klein had a much more progressive perspective than many of the liberal speakers. He discussed why people are so much more polarized now than in much of American history. He also got into a rarely discussed subject of Presidential nominating conventions, saying they have been essentially symbolic over the last several decades. For example, Ronald Reagan actually won the popular vote during the 1968 Republican primaries, whereas, in that election, Richard Nixon was selected at the convention. I also got to speak with Klein, along with fellow PVS seniors Gil Maruvada and Landon Elder, which was fun.

Overall, I am really glad I got to go to the Writers Festival for the third consecutive year, and I got to learn a lot of new things and see some very interesting perspectives.

The Mere Concept of the Sports City Edition Jersey

March 7, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Sophomore Oliver Martinez

In one of my most recent posts, I talked about the best sports jerseys. And, in doing so, I mentioned City Edition jerseys and had them in my list. But what do “City Jerseys” even mean? And, what’s so special about them?

What is a sports City Edition jersey?

In the NBA, a City Edition jersey is a jersey made to express a feeling or remember something memorable about the city in which they are located. In other words, their purpose is “to represent the stories, history and heritage that make each franchise unique” (NBA) .

When were they introduced?

City Edition jerseys have been in production since 2017 when Nike took control of the NBA jerseys. So for the past seven years, every team has had its own City Edition jersey–updated yearly.

Examples of City Edition jerseys—

So, for example, look at this 2022 Atlanta Hawks City Edition jersey:

The meaning for this one is easy to figure out; the letters stand for Martin Luther King, Jr., and since Atlanta is the city where he was born, it makes sense this City Edition jersey commemorates him. It perfectly represents what a City Edition jersey should be. By having a jersey like this, the Hawks make tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and also to Atlanta.

However, there are other jerseys that make it hard to understand what the meaning is.

For example, look at this season’s Grizzlies City Edition jersey:

Can you guess what it’s supposed to represent?

Me neither. I had to look it up. According to NBA.com, “The Memphis Grizzlies 2023-24 City Edition uniform represents the joy growing up playing basketball.” I have no idea how nine lines that look like strips of bacon represent joy and basketball, but apparently that’s what it means.

What’s next for City Edition jerseys?

Typically, people enjoy the City Edition jerseys; however, this season people are really having mixed feelings about them.

2023-24’s City Edition jerseys. Photo Credit: NBA

I’d say a little over half of this season’s jerseys are terrible.

As an example of a bad jersey, look at this season’s Miami Heat City Edition jersey:

The problem I have with this is that “CULTURE” is bigger than “HEAT.” It doesn’t make any sense, the team is called Miami “Heat” not Miami “Culture.” It’s a shame because there is potential with the whole Heat/Culture thing. It’s also super plain and boring; it has the same color as their base jersey. It’s just generally a bad jersey.

One more example of a bad jersey this season is the Washington Wizards City Edition; just look at it:

This is single-handedly ruining NBA basketball for me. It’s an extremely ugly jersey. The gradient on the shoulder part is super ugly. Is that supposed to be rust color with turquoise? This jersey has managed to become one of the worst jerseys of all time. It does nothing right. The colors don’t go well at all, and the font is ugly as can be. I don’t even want to know what the meaning of it is.

Due to jerseys like this, I’ve heard some people say we should take a break from City Edition jerseys for a year so that Nike can reflect on the monstrosities they have created. But, one bad year of jerseys doesn’t mean they are terrible. I would say that to have a good City Edition jersey it has to first of all look good (obviously) but also have a deep meaning behind it that isn’t impossible to figure out.

A good example of a meaningful City Edition jersey came out in 2018-19. We had this Chinese New Year Warriors jersey:

This is a stunning jersey with great meaning, representing San Francisco and its Bay while also paying tribute to the Chinese New Year and the local population that celebrates it.

Major League Baseball City Connect Jerseys

The MLB also has these City Connect jerseys. Baseball isn’t really my thing, but I still appreciate their meaning and looks. According to MLB, “The MLB launched the Nike City Connect program during the 2021 season to celebrate the bond between teams and their home city. This year’s City Connect uniforms explore ‘the personality, values and customs that make each community and their residents unique.’”

A quick example of a City Connect jersey is this Washington Nationals jersey:

According to CBS, “Nationals managing principal owner Mark D. Lerner explained the meaning behind the uniforms, saying: ‘Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossoms represent hope and new beginnings, making them the perfect symbol of this Nationals team.’”

In conclusion, I think City Edition jerseys are a great staple of sports. They’re very memorable and help us celebrate and cherish different cultures from different areas in the US. They are something I look forward to every year.

Now do you understand the concept of City Edition and City Connect jerseys? Did I miss a sport that also does City Edition jerseys? If I did, let me know in the comments.

The Concept of the Quentin Tarantino Movie

March 6, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By 8th-Grader Jack Edelstein

If you were to ask me what my favorite movie genre is, I would say action. If you were to then ask me who’s my favorite director in the action genre, I would say Quentin Tarantino. Quentin Tarantino or Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director. Quentin Tarantino is known for his “stylized neo-noir violence, razor-sharp dialogue, and fascination with film and pop culture” (Britannica.com). Here are the movies that I think represent the Tarantino directing style.

Reservoir Dogs

Tarantino has been in show business since his debut in 1992 with his blockbuster Reservoir Dogs. Reservoir Dogs is about a gang of crooks committing a jewelry store heist, and it goes terribly wrong. In my opinion, I do not think it is his best, but it is definitely worth watching. It was a great way to start a career of becoming a topnotch director.

Pulp Fiction

Then, two years later, 1994, Tarantino released an absolute classic, Pulp Fiction. Some argue it’s his best movie–it isn’t, but it’s definitely close. Pulp Fiction is, to sum it up shortly, “The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine[d] in four tales of violence and redemption” (IMDb.com). Pulp Fiction is in my top 10 favorite movies of all time, and it is a great example of the distinct and famed Tarantino directing method described by Britannica–neo-noir violent scenes and quick get-to-the-point dialogue.

Inglourious Basterds

Then in 2009, Tarantino made my second favorite of his films, Inglourious Basterds. Inglourious Basterds is about, according to IMDb.com, “Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers” and “a theatre owner’s vengeful plans for the same.” This movie is really great. It shows the noir of Tarantino’s films. We see Aldo Raine and his crew sneaking into a Nazi Theatre; we get trademark Tarantino funny and interesting dialogue; and we witness the Tarantino brutal and famous violence. The stars of this movie are Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine, Daine Kruger as Bridget, and Christopher Waltz as Hans Landa, who is an exemplary villain. This is a perfect movie for historical fiction lovers.

Django Unchained

Then in 2012, Tarantino released an absolute masterpiece of cinema film making, Django Unchained. Django Unchained is summarized by IMDb.com as follows: “With the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.” In four words–This. Movie. Is. Amazing. What makes this movie so great is that it isn’t a slow and boring Western; Tarantino gives us fight scenes and battles that show the iconic “neo-noir” style of Tarantino, as well as its comical dialogue (especially between Django and Dr. King Schultz). And, its actors–Leonardo DiCapro (Calvin Candie), Samuel L. Jackson (Stephen), Jamie Foxx (Django), and the consistently amazing Christopher Waltz (Dr. King Schultz)–are exemplary. With fast brutal fights and humorous dialogue, this is the perfect example of a Tarantino movie.

Words from Mr. Griffin

I asked PVS Film Connoisseur, Mr. Griffin, about his thoughts on Quentin Tarantino and the concepts and elements of his films. He said…

“I’m a great admirer of Quentin Tarantino. He has been extraordinarily influential on the craft of filmmaking: it’s hard to imagine movies (and television) today without the impact of his style, which at one time was considered controversial and revolutionary. Every major director nominated for an Oscar this year would surely admit to a Tarantino influence. Accelerated action sequences, non-linear and fractured narratives, startlingly brutal violence wedded to a romantic visual panache, deeply ironic and wryly humorous undertones, super-fast dialogue filled with pop-culture references conveyed through rapid-fire crosscutting – all of these are recognized hallmarks of the Tarantino style. He brought to his work an encyclopedic knowledge of world cinema and a glee in upsetting the Hollywood apple cart with stories challenging in their violence and brutality and innovative in their subjects as well as their technique. He took on some of the most iconic American movie making genres – crime thriller (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill), gumshoe detective movie (Pulp Fiction), Blaxploitation film (Jackie Brown), World War II Nazi drama (Inglourious Basterds), Western (The Hateful Eight) – and turned them on their heads, reinventing and revitalizing these old cinema styles in the process. He took the well-worn “solitary cowpoke in the Old West ”concept, combined its DNA with that of the chain-gang movies of the 40s and 50s, and produced one of the most powerfully anti-racist films of the 2000s, Django Unchained. He was deeply influenced by Korean and Chinese movie making long before the films of those countries became commonly known to American audiences. Tarantino is the Bad Boy of American cinema – his methods and techniques remain controversial, but he’s arguably had as much if not more impact on filmmakers and audiences alike as any other director of the last 40 years.” — Mr. Griffin

If you couldn’t tell, Tarantino is my favorite director. If you do watch a Tarantino movie, let us know in the comments.

Dear Marley…again

March 1, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

This is Marley.

You can catch Marley most days in front of the Upper-School dropping off and picking up Jess.

Marley lives with senior Jess Billimore and her family. And, while Marley loves Jess and family best, she graciously embraces the whole Palm Valley community (when the mood strikes her). Marley is here, today, once again, to answer your questions and offer you some of her wisdom.

Audrey Guess – Marley, can you help me with my math homework please?

Hi Audrey! I wish I could, but I don’t want to.

Landon Elder – Can you do a double backflip?

I can sit (on my own terms), and I can also roll over, which is pretty close. Can you do a double backflip, Landon?

Gil Maruvada – If you had one wish, what would it be?

Hi Gil. My wish would be for a sister because Jess really wants another dog, and I think a sister would be cool.

Mr. Jowett – How can I maintain inner peace?

Hi, Mr. Jowett! I love this question. My best tip would be not to place so much value on what others think of you. For example, people always think I’m an annoying chihuahua, but I know that isn’t true, so I don’t let it bother me!

Ms. Zachik – In the morning, when I’m trying to get to school, how much time should I dedicate to my dog Charlotte who really wants to play.

Hi, Ms Zachik. I think you should take her to school with you and let her play all day long!

Tori the Barista – Who is your favorite barista here at the Vintage Coffee House?

Hi, Tori! I love you all equally, but I think I am the best barista! Everyone should go to the Vintage Coffee House. It’s my favorite place because I get to see all my friends and they have dog treats!

That’s it for today, guys! I hope everyone enjoyed the chit chat. Do you have any questions for Marley? Contact Marley through thebirdonfire.org or through Jess.

Jack’s Advice On How to Not be Annoyingly Rude

March 1, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By 8th-Grader Jack Edelstein

To be honest with you, there are a lot of things that people do that just irritate me. The things they do are not really serious but just so annoying that it’s like, “Really?!” An example of this is when people don’t move in the middle-school HALLWAYS (you know who you are). People have things to do, places to be, so please stop moving so slowly, or move off to the side. But, there are other things that really annoy me, and I’ll tell you what they are. I’ll also give advice on what YOU should do to stop it–because if you’re annoying me, you’re probably annoying others.

Not being able to accept you are wrong

I’m guilty of this; I’ll be honest, but I accept that I’m wrong for doing it. An argument turns sour when you can’t accept that you’re wrong. You want to make sure you’re correct with your evidence and own up to it when you’re wrong. “The pinnacle of ignorance is not being able to admit to your own mistakes,” says senior Gil Maruvada. It feels like you make it much more serious and personal then it has to be when you demonstrate no intellectual humility. Advice on how to stop this stubbornness? Actually listen to the person you are talking to. Simple as that.

Using unrelated or untrue points in an argument

Again another argumentative irritation is using unrelated or false points in an argument. Stop doing this. People who do this are out of things to say, or they switch the topic of the argument. It’s actually really rude when people do this. You’re willfully ignoring the point of an argument. Advice on how to stop this, don’t lie.

Talking over people

I have a severe dislike when people talk over me. Especially when they are dominating a conversation when I really want to say something. Please just close your mouth for one minute and let me say what I want to say. When people talk over, it does two things: makes the conversation very boring, and it actually makes it not even a conversation–it becomes a lecture. Advice on how to not make a conversation into a lecture? Stop, and listen to me, or whoever you’re talking to, then take your turn to respond. Easy as that.

Acting stuck up

My final maddening habit that people have is acting stuck up. You are not better than everyone else. Don’t act super disrespectful to teachers or adults. It’s just a major… ugh. I see these people, and I wish someone would humble them. Advice on how to stop this? Be humble, and respect people who are older than you.

Conclusion

If you do any of these habits, fix them. I know that sounds rude, but people do not think you are cool for being stuck up or not letting people speak. Ask the people around you if you do these annoying things about how you can stop. Anyways, if you have any other advice on how to not act rude, let us know in the comments.