the bird on fire

The Transportation Security Administration Theater

October 18, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

If you know Luke, you know he has opinions. Here, after an uncomfortable episode at the airport, Luke takes on TSA.

By Junior Luke Sonderman

One of the biggest pains of flying is going through TSA (Transportation Security Administration) security. From long lines, to rude officers, to being groped during extensive pat-downs and having to take belts and shoes off, TSA is just no fun. But, how much is TSA really protecting air transportation? Is TSA really trying to sniff out bad guys, or are they just trying to look official to make travelers feel more comfortable?

My Personal Experience with TSA

I’ve never really minded flying. It’s always been pretty enjoyable for me. That was until I had a flight from Palm Springs to San Francisco at 6:30 a.m., all alone. I got to the airport an hour or two early and made my way to the security checkpoint. Everything was normal. I took my shoes off and put my bags up on the conveyor belt. The bags went through with no problem. I walked through the metal detector without having any beeping or metal detection. As I went to grab my bag, a TSA officer asked me to step aside. I went with it because like those dudes have guns. He asked me if I wanted to be searched in front of everyone or in a private room. Now, I’ve had my fair share of security pat-downs at public events and when using public transportation, so I just told him to get it over with. What I didn’t know is that I was about to have an extensive search of every nook and cranny of my body. He started off with the chest, neck, and under the hair. He checked behind my ears and in my arm pits. Now, I thought that this was a bit of a strong search. The guy didn’t have to check behind my ears. I can’t fit a bomb back there anyways. But, then he got to my hip, rear end, then crotch region, and that’s where I had the surprise of a lifetime. I felt groped, harassed, and confused. That man’s fingers went where I very much didn’t want them to go, and I never got an answer for why he searched me.

What TSA is Actually There For

TSA is commonly referred to as a “security theater.” This basically means that TSA is a security administration put in place to make people feel safe and secure while flying, when in reality they aren’t really keeping you safe from anything. Jason Harrington, a former TSA Agent, says that “Yes, TSA agents are ogling or making fun of your naked physique in the full-body scans. Yes, they are racially and politically profiling certain people for extra screening. Yes, the body scans are ineffective and can be easily manipulated” (theatlantic.com). He went on to say, “It was a job that had me patting down the crotches of children, the elderly and even infants as part of the post-9/11 airport security show” (theatlantic.com).

In 2015, Homeland Security ran a study on TSA and how effective the security checkpoints were. They sent 70 agents through TSA security checkpoints with hidden weapons and fake bombs, and 67 of them made it through security without getting stopped (nbcnews.com).

Now, I’m not here to say that you aren’t safe flying because to be completely honest, TSA works. There has not been a successful large-scale airline attack in the United States since the creation of the TSA. Though what I will say is that if TSA isn’t catching guns and bombs behind my ears… can we please bring larger self-care products and not take our shoes and belts off? Let us just walk through the metal detectors. Please, spare us getting to the airport two hours early and having to spend extra time packing everything in the tiny little 4 oz bottles.

Alyna’s Favorite Artist

October 13, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Alyna Rei

The Blog Staff is highlighting local, familial, and world-renowned artists. Alyna shares with us her favorite painting–Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night.”

I’m not a person who is a big fan of paintings and other artwork. Mine is sort of a one-second appreciation, and then I would forget about the artwork. But, there is one painting that really stands out to me. I’m pretty sure everyone has heard of the “Starry Night” painting by Vincent Van Gogh. This painting is really popular to many people, and since it captivates me so much, I decided to write about it.

What is the history of “The Starry Night” painting?

The painting first started when Van Gogh was in a mental hospital getting treatment. He grew stronger, but, sadly, he had a relapse of instability. He fell into sadness and started having hallucinations and suicidal thoughts (vangoghgallery.com). As a result, the tone of his work changed. His use of the darker hues from the beginning of his work was reinstated, and Starry Night is a superb illustration of that change. The picture is dominated by blue, which melds the hills with the sky. The small settlement is depicted at the bottom of the painting in shades of brown, gray, and blue. The yellow and white of the stars and the moon stand out against the sky, attracting the eyes to the sky, even though each building is clearly highlighted in black. The buildings are one of the painting’s main focal points and one of the main draws.

Why do I like this painting so much?

I like this painting mostly because of the way it presents itself. The colors and the ambience match each other, which is what made me like this painting even more. For some reason, this painting reminds me of “Claire De Lune” by Claude Debussy. Both the song and the painting convey a calm peaceful night to me. Listening to the music and observing the painting, the atmosphere puts me at ease.

Where is this painting held?

This painting is being held in The Museum Of Modern Art in New York. This painting has been a permanent piece at the museum since 1941, and it is one of the most recognizable pieces in Western Art.

I love this piece so much that I have a Lego set of The Starry Night. This piece doesn’t really look like the real painting, but it’s a pretty similar comparison–in the medium of Lego.

This Lego set of The Starry Night was constructed by Alyna and now sits on her shelf in her room.

Metsavendade Laul*

October 13, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Junior Remy Haring

Saaremaa Island, Former United Baltic Duchy, Now Estonia

In a series of stories from multiple people all over the world collectively known as the Kaiserreich Files (inspired by the titular mod for Hearts of Iron IV), blogger Remy Haring explores an alternate history in which the Central Powers win the First World War.

Night of February 15, 1936

I was sitting on an ammo crate in our dark green tent cleaning my rifle with only a gas lamp to keep me company. My friend Jukka was on duty for the night, watching for any German patrols. Most of the German Army had fled Estonia and Latvia, but there were still a few lingering patrols on the island that were looking for me and other Forest Brothers. We were a group of Estonian Guerilla fighters who wanted to free our country from the clutches of the Kaiser. With the advent of Black Monday and the ensuing economic chaos, we saw this as our chance. While I was idling away cleaning, I heard loud and heavy footsteps crunching on leaves. For a second I thought it was a bear, but it turned out to be Martiinus.

Martiinus was a six-foot-tall giant and the muscle of our group. Not exactly the most subtle person, but he got the job done. He and Jukka entered the tent, and Martiinus had the biggest grin on his face. He produced a fresh bottle of vodka from his coat and some shot glasses.

“Where did you get that?” I asked.

“I found it in an old, abandoned German barracks,” he replied. “We are going to party tonight!”

“Martiinus, you oaf! You stormed a barracks without us? What were you doing?” Jukka snapped.

“What can I say? We needed supplies, and I’m not turning down a fresh bottle of vodka.”

“Eh, whatever. Lucky you didn’t get yourself killed, and I haven’t had a good drink since the revolt began.”

“A toast to a free Estonia!” Martiinus shouted. “Taavet, you still have that old accordion?”

I pulled my old accordion out of my backpack and began to play Metsavendade Laul, our anthem, and we all began to sing:

Ai-tših ai-tšah ai-velled!
Me, metsavennad, oleme
Ai-tših ai-tšah ai-velled!
Me, metsavennad, eestlased

February 16, 1936

It was early in the morning when we packed up our tents and moved to the north of the island. We got word on the radio that there was one last German division on the island at the town of Leisi, and, by god, we were going to be the ones to kick them out. Like cats we prowled through the dark, snow-covered fir trees. We are called the Forest Brothers for a reason after all. In the interior of the isle, there was no sign of human activity. It was all dense forest. We were on a ridge with a road below us when Jukka raised his hand to stop.

“See that?”

There were five German soldiers marching along the roads. The man in the front had a silver pickelhaube with a golden spike on top and the Prussian eagle emblazoned on the front. If I hadn’t known any better, I would think it was Kaiser Wilhelm himself. The other four were quietly and frantically chattering away. My German is admittedly poor, but from what I could make out, they were the last on the island, and everyone else had fled to the Latvian city of Riga.

“We ambush them on 3, give them a chance to surrender first,” Jukka ordered.

“Understood,” I replied

“You got it, boss,” Martiinus responded.

Without another word we leapt from our position and surrounded the Germans with guns drawn.

“Hands where I can see them, Krauts!” Jukka shouted, “We got you surrounded!”

When I got a good look at their leader, I saw it was none other than the famous field marshal Paul Von Hindenburg. Jukka continued with his demands while I kept my gun drawn.

“We will give you one day to get off the island and out of Estonia. Otherwise you will be shot,” Jukka demanded

“Ach ja, ja fine. We haven’t gotten any supplies since the revolt, and we are all that is left in your god-forsaken country,” Hindenburg responded.

“One more demand I have is your pickelhaube. You will return to Berlin a disgraced man or not return at all.”

“Ja, ja fine take mein kidney as well, why don’t you?”

I saw them leave from a small jetty as the sun set. The sun glinted against the ice and water as they steered for who knows where. We returned to the port, took down the old German flag, and a new, Estonian flag was raised. Down with the eagle, up with the blue, black and white tricolor.

*Anthem of the Estonian Forest Brothers

Quand Fera-t-il Jour, Camarade?*

October 12, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Junior Remy Haring

Paris, France, January 3, 1936

In a series of stories from all over the world, collectively known as the Kaiserreich Files (and inspired by the titular mod for Hearts of Iron IV), blogger Remy Haring dives into an alternate fictional history–a history in which the Central Powers win the First World War.

The air was crisp and cold as I walked the Parisian street garnished in snow. At the corner was a little cafe. All the sidewalk chairs were taken in for the winter. A Syndicalist banner was draped on the wall outside that called for the French to support a general workers’ strike in America. I pushed open the splintered, wooden door and entered. I found a seat at the window. Across the street was a large, concrete apartment.

The inside was warm and relatively cozy. The smell of coffee permeated the air. I picked up the newspaper l’époque syndicaliste. “Quand Fera-t-il Jour, Camarade?” played on the jukebox. A poster of a French worker holding up the hand of an American worker and a British worker holding up the hand of a Russian worker read, “Support your fellow proletariat in the worldwide revolution.” I looked down at my table. It was covered with gouges and scratches. A waiter approached me.

“What would you like tonight?” she asked.

“Just an espresso, please,” I replied.

“Will that be all for tonight?”

“Yes, please.”

The coffee was watered down and tasted like sawdust, but it was reassuringly warm. I began reading the newspaper. To say a lot has happened in the news would be an understatement. The Berlin stock market crashed hard recently in Schwarzer Montag or Black Monday. Unemployment skyrocketed and bread lines stretched along streets. The situation was particularly bad in Poland where the ineffective regency council in charge did little about the situation. Now mass protests were breaking out in Poland as they demanded complete independence instead of being a lapdog of the Kaiser. Over in Russia, President Kerensky had been shot and killed. The fledgling republic was in chaos.

Here in France, a big election was going on between the current Syndicalists, the Anarchists, and the Sorelians. And, right then, a fierce argument broke out in the cafe. At the table in front of me were two people. One looked to be 40. He was covered in black soot and wore a miner’s uniform. The other was much younger and wore a bright yellow hard hat and a neon green vest. Welding goggles were draped on his neck, and he looked like he had just left the steel mill.

“The Syndicalists are right: for the proletariat to truly be able to revolt against the bourgeoisie is for a state to be decentralized and for the government to consist of small, local worker’s unions as decision makers,” the miner said.

“You are an idealistic fool if you are to think that a decentralized state would be able to stand up against the bourgeoisie. The Totalists Ioseb ‘Stalin’ Dzhugashvili and Musollini were right saying that the only way for the proletariat to defeat the bourgeoisie is a highly centralized and militarized state,” the steel worker replied.

“Then we would just become as totalitarian and brutal as the bourgeoisie!” countered the miner.

The steel worker threw a punch at the miner, and the argument went from verbal to physical. It all culminated when the miner hit the steel worker over the head with a barstool. The steel worker crumbled to the ground, and the two were promptly forced out of the cafe.

Meanwhile, the election results for every commune in the country were being reported across the radio. Outside, a truck with the letter A in a circle painted on its side pulled up to the sidewalk. Suddenly, a brick crashed through the window and nearly hit one of the waiters. Shattered glass coated one of the booths and the floor. Thankfully, no one was hurt. The driver shouted, “Death to the syndicalist rats and the state! Long live the anarchists!” And, the truck sped off.

So much for class solidarity, I mused and turned to the next page of the newspaper.

*”When Will the Day End, Comrade?”–French Socialist song from 1968

The Art of Fencing

October 12, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Junior Levi Kassinove

Levi wins with his épée at Desert Fencing Academy.

In our pursuit of unearthing the hidden skills of our PVS students, we find Levi is a fencer. In fact, he is so enthusiastic about fencing, he’s spear-heading bringing a Fencing Club to campus. See if he entices you with his parrys, attacks, and counterattacks.

A little over a year ago, I didn’t even know that a fencing place existed in the desert. Now, I fence twice a week. Fencing is actually divided into three different weapons, each requiring a different style of sparring. There is the épée, the sabre, and the foil. I fence épée. I will break down each of them, along with the style associated with them and my own personal style.

Foil

While it is the most commonly used weapon in competitions, it is the least popular weapon at the fencing studio I go to. I should stress that both fencers in sparring must use the same weapon. To score a point in foil fencing (and épée), one must stab their opponent’s torso such that the pressure plate at the tip of the blade is fully depressed. Fencers wear gear complete with a wire that connects to the blade in hand. The wire is retractable in order to allow the fencers free movement. With foil, the torso is the only legal target. Also, to score a point, the fencer must have priority, or right of way, which basically means that they’ve attacked first. If one counterattacks (meaning both fencers attack at the same time), the fencer who first started to attack wins the point. So, the only way for the defender to win a point is to parry and then riposte, or attack.

Sabre

This is the weapon that my brother, Caleb, and my classmate Gil use. Instead of thrusting and stabbing your opponent, sabre fencers must hit their opponent to score a point. They slash instead of poke. They sword fight instead of joust. In sabre fencing, the entire upper body is the target, including the head. What aren’t parts of the target are the hands, legs, and feet. Instead of a pressure plate attached to the tip of the blade that signifies a scored point, sabre fencers use the entire weapon. They cut across (not literally) their opponents with the long side of the blade, which means that sabre fencers must wear an additional piece of gear called the lamé which goes off if someone gets hit (the lamé is electrified, and when the sabre hits the lamé, the circuit is complete–signifying a point earned). The right of way rule also applies to sabre, so it is the referee’s call as to who gets the point if they have a double touch.

Épée

This is my personal favorite weapon, and the one I use. Contrary to all the restrictions of foil and sabre, there are barely any rules in épée. The whole body is the target with NO EXCEPTIONS, and there is no right of way. An opponent can counterattack, thus allowing both fencers to score a point if they hit at the same time. As a result, épée fencers are much more cautious in terms of attacking. In a given épée bout, fencers spend most of the time facing each other off and frantically analyzing their opponent. For the other weapons, fencers usually charge at each other as fast as possible because of right of way, but that’s a lot more dangerous in épée because the defender can counter attack and win the point. Parrys, because of the loose rules, are very important in épée fencing to guarantee that you don’t get touched. Disengages are almost as important, which are basically just maneuvers that free your épée from an incoming parry. Usually, a disengage maneuver is in the shape of a circle or semicircle.

Fencing is a great way to relieve stress, at least for me. It forces you to focus solely on the battle, not leaving any room for thinking about an upcoming test or project. It grounds me in the moment, and it can get pretty hectic. Sometimes someone runs at their opponent with their sword extended, called the flèche attack, which usually results in someone getting hit. Sometimes people cross paths, getting behind each other’s back, which results in people flinging their swords behind their backs to try and win the point. Sometimes swords just snap as well. Overall, fencing is a great sport for people of all ages. My fencing coach’s oldest student is in his 90s! And, we are looking into starting a fencing club at the school. Show your support in the comments!

How to Always Win at Monopoly

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

By Junior Indy Behr

I asked the Blog Staff to share their special skills. Indy, unbeknownst to most of us, is a skilled Monopoly player and student of the game. If he pulls a Monopoly board out during Scarefest, think twice before accepting his challenge to play.
Blog Advisor Zachik

I am an avid fan of Monopoly. I have over 20 sets and have many strategies to help me win. Keep in mind that a lot of people use “house rules” when playing, but this article will go with the assumption that you will be playing by the true rules. This means no Free Parking Money, and no getting extra money for landing on Go. I am going to show you how to create a housing shortage, how to stay in jail for your own benefit, why railroads are not good, and why rolling a seven is so important.

The Housing Shortage Strategy

One of my favorite strategies for winning at Monopoly is the housing shortage strategy. Now you have to really nitpick the rules to discover this one, but it’s very effective. If you get two full-color sets of a property, I say that you should always buy four houses, and do not upgrade to a hotel. This is because in order to build a hotel, you need four houses, and those houses need to be physically present. As such, if you have two full-color sets, you can build 24 houses when only 32 come in the box. This means that no matter how many color sets another player gets, they can only build up to eight houses or one hotel. You’ve created a housing shortage, to your advantage.

The Jail Strategy

This one apparently is pretty popular among professional Monopoly players, but I figured this one out on my own. By letting other players go three times while you avoid ever having to hit any of their properties, you can both save and make a hefty amount of money. Though some house rules freeze imprisoned players’ assets, this is not actually a rule. This means that if you stay in jail, you can get potentially thousands of dollars from other players while you never even move. There is, however, one flaw to this method: you are forced to roll each time the dice come to you, and if you roll a double, you will be forced against your will to leave jail rather than paying $50 at the end of your sentence.

Utilities and Railroads

Many people don’t know this one, but utilities are pretty much never worth your time, and it’s often the same with railroads. A world Monopoly champion has stated that there is only a 3% chance that someone is actually going to make a profit off of these properties. After all, with utilities, the maximum you can get is $120 when it costs $300. With railroads, it is incredibly difficult to make a profit. If you only get one, you need someone to land on it eight times to break even. If you have two, you still need eight. And, you can’t build houses or hotels on them!

The Rule of Seven

I found this strategy probably five years ago, and though it only works in specific circumstances, this trick has easily become my favorite of them all. I am not a math expert by any means, but what I do know is that when rolling two six-sided dice, you are most likely to roll a seven. This is where this strategy comes into play. If someone is exactly seven spaces away from a property of yours with a color set, move every house to it immediately. You can switch it back right after, but this gives you a high probability of draining all of their money. You can also use this trick to your advantage in other ways, like not buying something significant if you are seven spaces away from a $200 tax.

So, now you know a few surefire ways to beat your opponents the next time you play a game of Monopoly.

Monopoly anyone?

Eating Healthy

October 6, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

In answering “How to Live a Healthy Life,” thebirdonfire.org staffers offer a few health hacks. Penny suggests we (sadly) put down the sour-cream-and-onion chips and pick up an apple or two.

By Penny Andreas, 7th grader

Fries, burgers, pizza, ice cream–these foods are so delicious, but there is one bad side to them….They are terrible for your health. Though they are tasty and hard to resist, it’s important to know what happens when you eat unhealthy foods.

Healthy Diets

To be healthy, you don’t need to be skin-and-bone thin or be on a Keto diet. It just means getting the right nutrients for your body. Since bodies are constantly working, it really is important that you pay attention to what you eat. Harmful foods that have high sodium can give you intense headaches, migraines, acne, and more. Instead of eating junk all day, think of eating two or three servings of “growing food.” Growing food is literally things that have nutrients you need to survive–such as vitamins and minerals.

Why is it Important to Eat Well?

Eating healthy is important because certain foods make natural “shields” to other diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Eating well also provides a good boost to life. Technically, you can live longer when healthy, and you also can be more active. Not only does eating healthy make you feel good physically, it also makes you feel good mentally. Your brain naturally releases happy hormones, but it can be quickly altered by junkie foods.

Things to Eat

When I get home from school, most of the time I’m very hungry, and I reach for the chips and candy. Thanks to my mom, I know now that there are much better options to eat. For example, nuts and granola are way more nutritious than the good ol’ sour-cream-and-onion chips. For breakfast, yogurt, granola, and fruit are delicious AND nutritious. When you’re eating a sandwich for lunch, a good side is some fruit and popcorn. Popcorn is actually good for you, just minus the extra butter, salt, and additional candy.

As you can see, eating healthy is a natural requirement of life, and it is important to watch what goes in your body. This doesn’t mean you have to be vegan or what not; it just means don’t eat junk food your whole life. An apple a day, really does keep the doctor away.

What the flute?

October 6, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By 7th-Grader Penny Andreas

I’ve come to learn our PVS bloggers are skilled in surprising arenas: fencing, appearing to listen without truly listening (teachers and parents, take note), winning at Monopoly always. Penny, we come to find out, has been playing the flute for years. She shares with us the history and basics of making beautiful sounds come out of this reedy instrument.
Blog Advisor Zachik

Flutes are one of the earliest known instruments. There is record of them back in Germany over 35,000 years ago. Many cultures and traditions have their own style and version of flute playing. One of the oldest traditional flutes is the Japanese Shakuhachi.

The Shakuhachi

A Shakuhachi is a very ancient Japanese and Chinese flute. It is a wide, end-blown flute that is made out of madake bamboo with five finger holes. The bamboo flute was made in Japan in the 16th century, and it was called Fuke Shakuhachi. It was used often when meditating. Not many people play the Shakuhachi nowadays, but there are many soundtracks and songs that incorporate this peaceful flute. Try listening to Shakuhachi Japanese Bamboo Flute Meditation & Relaxation Music.

Western Concert Flute

This flute is very well known in places like the U.S. It is usually referred to simply as “the flute.” Western Concert Flutes are very common and are used as beginning instruments for bands. These flutes are mainly made out of metal, but really expensive ones can be gold or copper. The Western Concert Flute is again a very old flute. Did you know that George Washington, James Madison, and Leonardo da Vinci played the flute? (earlylightmusic.weebly)

_{I have been playing the flute for two years now. I started when I was 10, joining my school band. About three months in, I started to take lessons. My teacher taught me so many “flute hacks” and helped me become confident with my flute playing and performing. I was very self-conscious about my performance, until I did my first one. Hearing the trombones and all of the other instruments behind me was thrilling, and playing along, hearing the notes in symphony, was beautiful. (The celebration at the end was exciting, too.)}
Penny Andreas

Beginner Basics

Now that you know at least some background on the flute, these are the first things to know when you are playing the flute. The flute can be very complicated. Playing the flute relies on moving your hands without seeing them. Want to play the flute? Make sure you have a lot of time because flute playing can be hard to master and learn.

The Three Main Parts

One important thing about playing is setting up. The common flute has three parts: the head, the body, and the bottom. The head is obviously at the top, the body in the middle, and the bottom at the bottom. You can simply put these pieces together by just connecting them through the holes.

Position

Most people think that there is no wrong way to handle the flute. This is wrong. There is a special order to place your hands so you can reach all of the finger holes to create different notes. You always want your left hand holding the upper body, and facing behind you. Your right hand however will hold the lower part of the body AND the bottom. This hand should be facing in front of you. If you are sitting or standing while playing, make sure that your back is straight. If you are slouching, it can affect your breathing and will make playing much harder.

Making a Sound

When you first get your flute, trust me, you will automatically want to make noise. To be able to do this, you will need to know the key parts to making beautiful noise. Number one is your embouchure. This fancy word embouchure actually just means your mouth shape. This is very important because you simply can’t make a sound by just making a random circle shape with your mouth. A simple way to describe your embouchure is making your mouth look like you are about to whistle. Then slightly curve the ends of your mouth. This is what an embouchure for the flute should look like.

* * * * *

Now that you get the basic idea of flute playing, I recommend taking lessons or watching YouTube tutorials. For taking lessons, I would choose Amanda Barro. Even though she is in Idaho, she is a great teacher. You can work with her via Zoom or Facetime. For YouTube videos, you could watch basically anyone; they should all help you. A good site to start with is, Dr. Selfridge’s Flute Tutorials @ drselfridgemusic.com. I know flute playing requires a lot to take in, but it is definitely worth it. Playing the flute can calm you and is a great subject for bragging!

See With A Good Eye!

October 5, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

As we closed out September, the Blog Staff examined health issues. Alyna plans on doing something in Ophthalmology when she gets older. The eyes fascinate her that much. She feels the eyes are very important in the human body and to our existence.

By Junior Alyna Rei

Our eyes are what help us humans see everything in the world. The eyes help the brain tell what kind of objects or other artifacts we are looking at. If our other senses are disabled, our eyes can still help us see what can put us in danger. Since the eyes are so important in our everyday lives, I will give you some tips on how to keep our eyes healthy and ready to see the world.

Blogger Indy Behr volunteered his eyes for this post.

Wear sunglasses:

I do this every time I go outside when it is very sunny. I try to find sunglasses that will protect me from the harsh sun. UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun might harm your eyes if you don’t use the proper sunglasses. Your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration increases with excessive UV exposure. Ideally, your sunglasses should block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB radiation (webmd.com). Your eyes are better shielded from the sun by wraparound lenses. Be aware; when reducing glare while driving, polarized lenses–which are not always UV protectant–don’t always provide sufficient protection.

Do not look at a screen for too long:

These days, looking at a screen is a very common habit. Even I fall into this habit often. When you look at a screen for too long, your eyes can strain, dry up, and can give you blurry vision. When I do look at a screen, I try to look away from the screen every 10 minutes for at least 30 seconds. You can also get glasses specifically for the screens. Some people use blue-light glasses. I have a pair. I feel the glasses lessen the effect of eye strain. The last thing that you can do if you’ve been staring at a screen for hours is blink a couple of times. If this doesn’t help, you can also use artificial tears, aka eye drops.

Go see your eye doctor:

It is always important to get a check up regularly with your eye doctor. Since we do so much with our eyes, it’s essential our eyes get regular clean bills of health.

Why Ethiopian Coffee Culture is So Fascinating

October 5, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

We know Indy digs coffee. He has his own Coffee Room, for goodness sake. So, when I asked the Blog group to explore the theme of CULTURE, Indy combined his love for coffee with his unquenchable curiosity and dove into the culture of Ethiopian Coffee.
Blog Advisor Zachik

By Junior Indy Behr

The idea of roasting and brewing the seeds of coffee plants was likely first thought of in the East African nation of Ethiopia. As a result, a fascinating coffee culture has developed over many centuries that is still present in Ethiopia today. Over 400 million pounds of coffee beans are harvested in Ethiopia annually, and the beverage created is enjoyed across the world.

The History of Ethiopian Coffee

Legend states that in 700 BCE, a man in Ethiopia one day approached his goats and found them to be doing something best described as dancing. He determined that this was a result of them consuming red fruits of the coffee arabica plants that are native to Africa. There is a divergence of opinion of what comes next in this legend, but most versions agree the man excitedly told a monk he had found a plant that would keep people awake.

One version states the monk was thrilled and that he ate the beans to pray longer and sleep less. The other story is that the monk dismissed the goatherder’s findings and threw the beans into a fire, accidentally creating the first instance of roasted coffee beans, which the man then ground and then boiled, creating the first ever cup of coffee. Coffee then made its way around the world, first with travelers going to Yemen through the Red Sea with coffee on board (coffee also grew well in Yemen), and it spread throughout the Middle East. It then made its way into Europe and Asia and eventually traveled throughout the entire world.

The Growing of Ethiopian Coffee

Coffee in Ethiopia is relatively easy to grow as it is native to Ethiopia. It is actually the fifth largest coffee-producing country in the world, and there are over 15 million farmers who spend all of winter plucking the fruits from trees by hand. With over 390 million pounds of coffee being exported from this country annually, this nation has had a massive impact on the coffee industry. Coffee is a significant supporter of Ethiopia’s economy as a result of this. Coffee production in Ethiopia has been severely damaged by climate change and government crises in recent years. However, many coffee companies from around the world have established cooperatives to help fund small coffee farms in Ethiopia.

Yirgacheffe is a subregion in Sidamo, Ethiopia. The region grows a large amount of the coffee made in Ethiopia, and many people call its product one of the world’s best varieties of coffee. Its flavor is chocolatey with notes of fruit. Harrar is another large coffee-producing region. Its product is unique in that the coffee is dry processed as opposed to wet, and its flavor is earthy. This region also grows peaberry coffee, which is a rare species where each cherry of coffee has one bean instead of two. Though I have only had the opportunity to taste this variety once, I enjoyed it a lot. It was very light and almost tasted like tea.

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremonies

Ethiopia’s culture is still very much influenced by coffee in the present day. The Ethiopian coffee ceremonies have been seen throughout the world as a way of bringing people together to have conversations over a cup of delicious coffee. The beans are roasted on an iron pan, and people often inhale and appreciate the smells that coffee gives off while it roasts. The coffee is then ground in a mortar before being put into a clay pot with very hot water to brew.

Ethiopian coffee is served with things like sugar or salt, and frankincense is lit to create smoke that some believe rids the room of bad spirits. People are expected to drink at least three cups of coffee, as they believe one’s spirit transforms after three cups are enjoyed. However, there is no limit to how much coffee one can have until all of it has been consumed.