the bird on fire

The Palm Valley School Student Blog

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Raising Canes Is Overrated and You’re Wrong

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Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is a fast-food restaurant chain that specializes in chicken fingers. They recently opened at 5601 Ramon Road, in Palm Springs, California. Is Cane’s worth the hype? Is Cane’s even good, other than the fact that it’s blowing up on social media? Luke Sonderman tells us about other fried chicken that is superior to Raising Cane’s. Is Cane’s chicken too bland? Too cold? Not worth it? Well, we’re about to find out thanks to Luke’s straightforward review. —  Editor Ani Madanyan

By Luke Sonderman, Chicken Connoisseur

Fried chicken is a very important piece of American cuisine. Recently, the newest fried chicken sensation has been the glorious fried-chicken sandwich which has spread to fried-chicken joints all over the world, even in our Coachella Valley. 

My favorite fried-chicken place in the Coachella Valley is Dave’s Hot Chicken on Jackson Street in Indio. Dave’s Hot Chicken serves massive chicken tenders and chicken sliders. While ordering, you get to pick your spiciness level from Lite Mild to Reaper (which is so spicy, it requires the consumer to agree to a waiver before ordering). 

Dave’s Hot Chicken hotness waiver

Number 2 on my list would have to be Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken on Varner Road in Palm Desert. I have been eating at this Popeye’s since before I can remember. Popeye’s not only serves tenders and delicious sandwiches but also bone-in chicken, unlike most other fried chicken places in the Coachella Valley. I usually order their spicy-fried-chicken sandwich or their spicy tenders. 

Before I trigger all of the die-hard Cane’s fans, let’s just hate on Kentucky Fried Chicken for a little bit. I have to admit, their bone-in chicken is pretty good. But their popcorn chicken, chicken tenders, and chicken sandwich??? I’d rather eat sand. Their chicken tenders and sandwich are completely dry and have way too much black pepper on them. 

Although we don’t have one in the Coachella Valley (for now), I have to give Chick-Fil-A some appreciation. Chick-Fil-A is by far my favorite fried-chicken joint and fast-food restaurant outside the Coachella Valley. They have the juiciest chicken in their sandwiches and their tenders along with the tastiest buttered buns with two pickle slices. Their waffle-weave fries are so waffley they’re out of this world. On top of that, their milkshakes are the best milkshakes out of every fast-food joint in the United States. They do something to the milkshakes, I don’t know what, but they are so good.

Finally, this one is for all the Raising Cane’s fans out there. YOU’RE WRONG. Raising Cane’s is not even close to the best fried-chicken joint out there. Yeah, their tenders aren’t too bad, but what’s all the hype about? Their menu is super basic, and everything is so plain. They completely copied Del Taco’s crinkle-cut fries, which aren’t even that good to begin with. I went to the newly opened Palm Springs location and waited over an hour in a super-slow drive through just to receive cold chicken, a missing piece of toast, and a lemonade full of melted ice. And, after being open only a month, there has already been a corpse found in front of Raising Cane’s (kesq.com). 

So, if you don’t want plain cold chicken, or if you don’t want to be found dead in the parking lot, you may not want to wait an hour in the drive-through at Raising Cane’s Chicken. Get some Dave’s Hot Chicken instead. 

Pick up your trash!

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Environmentalist Alyna Rei brings to our attention the harsh truth about littering. In this informative blog Alyna gives us insight into the big world of trash and how it affects the environment around us.  –  Editor Sienna Price

By Alyna Rei, Environmentalist

Littering is one of the many issues we have in the world that can easily be solved. The Coachella Valley is just one of the many cities in the world that is affected by littering. You don’t realize how much of an effect you have on the environment when you throw a cup out of the window, or if you drop food packaging on the ground. To decrease littering, we should educate the community as to how pervasive littering is and how it affects the planet. Here’s what I see when I drive to school in the morning.


What is littering? Why is it bad?

Littering is the improper disposing of products. Littering can happen intentionally or unintentionally, but both have environmental consequences (texasdisposal.com). 

The consequences can damage an animal’s life in their ecosystem. This can damage an animal’s ecosystems; when their shelter is full of trash it makes it harder for animals to settle in. On a more serious note, animals would mistake trash as food and digest the toxic material ending up killing some animals.  Littering can also cause water, soil, and air pollution. 

Often, litter is burned in open air and releases toxic gasses and matter into the atmosphere. Trash would usually be burned in a barrel. Some cities burn their trash since it’s the easiest way to get rid of trash. These toxins can enter people’s bodies and affect their health (health.ny.gov).

As littering increases, chemicals and other particles increase in the air. These chemicals aren’t healthy for the environment and can cause lots of problems. For example, one of the many particles of trash released into the ground would be cigarettes. Cigarettes have arsenic and formaldehyde that can make their way into the water and into soil. This would impact both humans and animals negatively (texasdisposal.com).

Why you should pick up your trash

The truth is, picking up trash is not everyone’s favorite thing to do. It’s not usually a favorite pastime for people. People are disgusted about picking up other people’s trash and have the thought that since it’s not their trash, it’s not their problem. That in itself is the problem; people believe that someone else will pick it up. Sure, you didn’t drop the litter, but it’s still your environment, shouldn’t you take care of it?

Here are some reasons why you should pick up your trash if you still need convincing:

  • It will protect wildlife. Most animals can mistake trash as food or as shelter materials. In fact, most animals are victims of littering everyday. Usually, trash can get into waterways and into the ocean. Animals can die from consuming trash that ends up in their ecosystem (https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/litter).
  • It reduces the cost of cleanup. The United States spends a lot of money on just litter cleanup. We can reduce the costs by just picking up pieces of trash every day. Walk across the courtyard, and pick up trash.
  • Less spread of germs. Litter can contain many germs by just being on the street. With this, kids can pick these pieces up and then put their hands in their mouths. This would be a huge safety hazard for everyone. 
  • By picking up litter, you are showing pride in your community. You’re showing that you care about your environment and the Earth. 

Our school campus has been known to have pieces of trash lying around, and I always see teachers and staff picking up after students. This wouldn’t be a problem if students took the initiative to throw away their trash. Picking up litter can show that you care about the environment and the community. So, pick up your trash!!

Our Neighbors the Coyotes

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Have you ever taken a second out of your life to think about coyotes? Well, Oliver Martinez certainly has. This week, Oliver explains the history of coyotes, along with riveting tales of local encounters with them. – Levi Kassinove, Editor

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

In my three years of being in this school, I’ve heard many stories of students and even teachers seeing coyotes on campus. This made me wonder how coyotes even got to campus, or even how they got to the desert. 


Photo Source desertridgelifestyle.com

Where do coyotes originate?

The coyotes have been native to North America for 1 million years. Currently they are still found in North America, from Southern Panama, to Northern Mexico, through the United States and Canada. (nationalgeographic.com)

How coyotes got to the desert

Coyotes are native to the desert. They might migrate to the east, but they originate from western America. According to the National Park Service, Coyotes attempted migration from the west of the United States to other places, but they are still native to the west.  Coyotes can live just about anywhere, but they prefer open areas. This is why coyotes are found frequently in the deserts of California. (urbancoyoteresearch.com)

Coyote at The Living Desert

Experiences with Coyotes

I went and asked people about their experiences with coyotes. Tal, an eighth grader, told me his story. He woke up in the middle of the night to a coyote howling outside; he heard it making noises as if it were struggling. Creeped out, Tal went to sleep.

Another story comes from Ms. Zachik. Ms. Zachik was walking with her dog in a wash on a path, when she found herself having a staredown with a coyote. She quickly grabbed her dog and walked off and around the path to avoid the coyote.  

If you happen to see a coyote, Dr. James Danoff-Burg, Conservation Director at the Living Desert, says, “Most of the time when you see a coyote out in the wild if you make yourself big by waving or yelling they’ll run away. If they don’t run away you are probably near the den.” The most likely time you’ll see coyotes will be at dawn or dusk. (kesq.com)

Coyotes are interesting creatures. A reason to like coyotes is because they maintain a balance in the ecosystem by being the top carnivores. Says Dr. Danoff-Burg, “Coyotes . . . help control the rodent population and even eat insects, including cockroaches.” Coyotes help maintain healthy ecosystems. 

The Vending-Machine Crisis

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Abigail Horwitt tells us about the controversy going on in the PVS Upper School. The vending machines are charging $1.25 instead of $1.00 for food and drinks. We find out what the students are trying to do about it and why the 25 cents is such a horrible idea. – Editor Lilah Nick

By Abigail Horwitt, Vending-Machine Objector

Recently, there has been a major problem in the Palm Valley Upper School. About a month ago our vending machines were hijacked. Instead of our drinks and snacks being a dollar, the price was raised to a dollar and 25 cents. This sparked an outrage between both students and teachers. Having to have an extra 25 cents is inconvenient and troublesome. Due to these issues, ASB Co-President Sara Habibipour has taken it into her own hands by putting up signs protesting against the vending machines. With the help of the students, Sara has managed to get many signatures with the hope of bringing back only having to pay a dollar for your Diet Coke. I have heard countless students and teachers complain about not having two dollars, or not having an extra quarter just to buy a snack or drink. The amount of students and teachers going to buy something from the vending machines has decreased due to the pain of carrying around an extra quarter. I used to buy a drink from the vending machine everyday until the price unexpectedly rose an extra 25 cents.

 

Not only is the food overpriced, some of the food had been reported to be stale. The Palm Valley Upper School students are also hoping for a different variety of snacks in the vending machine, since some of the food has been sitting in these machines for most of the school year. The selection is “not good,” says senior Jesse Denyer. Hopefully, the spark of controversy with the vending machines helps raise enough attention to the school vending market and helps to bring change to our machines. 

Bring back our $1 drinks and snacks!

Armpit-gate

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Hopefully, we all regularly use deodorant for our day-to-day lives. We don’t give much thought to it though, and the reality is that there are questions that need answering. What’s the deal with aluminum? Why are “clean deodorants” better than extra strength? This week, conspiracy theorist Jessica Denyer goes armpit-deep in the world of Big Deodorant to expose their dirty secrets. – Editor Levi Kassinove

By Jessica Denyer

I have a conspiracy theory. The last time you went to buy deodorant you probably noticed that there are a few new brands such as Native or Schmidts who are advertising their “clean” deodorants. The main feature of these deodorants is that they are aluminum free. Popular brands like Secret and Dove are also trying to capitalize on this new clean deodorant market. But what does aluminum free in our deodorants even mean? Is aluminum bad for you? What is the deal with these new deodorants? These are questions I asked. 

Now before I start this, I feel like I have to clarify a confusing fact. Antiperspirant is made to stop you from sweating so much. Deodorant is to make you smell less bad. However, nowadays deodorant companies have antiperspirant in them but still advertise them as deodorants. The antiperspirant part is the part that has the aluminum. (Healthline.com)

After a research dive into the internet, I learned that sweat itself does not have a smell, but when it touches your bacteria-ridden skin it does. When the sweat touches the skin of your armpit, which is a warm dark place, the bacteria on your skin mixes with your sweat to give you that classic armpit funk. This is what deodorant is for. It is meant to deodorize, or really remove bacteria from your armpits, or hide smell. WebMD says, “Deodorants offer two forms of protection against odor. The first is antimicrobial properties that reduce the number of bacteria producing odor. The second is a fragrance that masks odor that is produced” (webmd.com). A common concern is that aluminum in antiperspirant/deodorants can cause breast cancer and other not-so-great things, so many choose to avoid aluminum in antiperspirants. The American Cancer Society says, however, that there is no scientific evidence of the link. (Healthline.com)

This got me thinking. I have always been someone who would buy extra strength or clinical strength deodorant out of fear of smelling bad. I’ve always been an athlete, and we live in the desert heat, so sweating is an understandable fear. I would still find myself having to re-apply multiple times a day to achieve my goal of no smell. I would always think to myself, “Geez, it’s not like I have a sweating problem, imagine the people that do. What would they even use?” 

Fast forward on my conspiracy journey to summer of 2021. I was standing in the deodorant aisle at Target, and I decided to smell the Native deodorant for fun. Native claims to be aluminum free, vegan, and cruelty free. I had no plan to buy one as I figured if the extra strength deodorant doesn’t work, the clean deodorant would do absolutely nothing for me. However, I smelled one of them, and it smelled so good that I decided to buy a travel-sized one. The next day I applied it just in the morning, and throughout the day I could smell only the deodorant. By the end of the day, I realized that the deodorant not only kept the “funk” away, but the smell of the deodorant itself was fragrant and lasted all day long. This inspired more research which leads to my actual conspiracy.

So, if the old regular deodorant doesn’t work, and the clinical/extra-strength deodorant only kind of works, then why all of a sudden does this new clean deodorant do the trick? What do they have figured out that everyone else doesn’t? Or do they…

I began researching ingredients, and Native’s website clearly and plainly states that they use baking soda and magnesium hydroxide to act as the antibacterial (anti-stink) component of their deodorant. These are both extremely common things found in everything from antacids to toothpaste and are harmless to the body. There are only 10 ingredients in their extremely effective deodorant, and all of them are natural (Native). On the flip side, when you go onto the Secret website and go to their line of aluminum-free deodorants, they do not list ingredients, just very blankly state that they are just aluminum free (Secret). This is where my conspiracy was born.

Now, technically I have nothing to back this up, but due to this circumstantial evidence, I am now a firm believer in this claim: I think that big deodorant brands choose to leave out a component (natural or not) that is completely anti-stink so that you have to use their product more often and therefore buy more. I feel like this is not too outlandish of a claim. Where before I was buying a deodorant every 2-3 months, I have now been using the same stick for almost 6 months. 

Believe me or don’t, but either way I recommend switching to any deodorant that is aluminum free. 

Drop a comment if you’re with me here.

Converse vs. Vans

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Blogger Lilah Nick in her Converse

Do you judge people by what they’re wearing on their feet? Most of us do. Do Converse All Stars give you a little edge over those who wear Vans Old Skool? Lilah Nick breaks down the pros and cons of each brand. — Editor Alyna Rei

By Lilah Nick, Shoe Expert

There has always been a lingering debate between my friends and people on the internet about which shoe brand is better. I always hear people say Vans when they have never owned a pair of Converse and vice versa. Personally, I was a Vans person for a long time, but then I finally bought a pair of Converse–and they changed my mind. So, which shoe is better, Vans or Converse?

Converse

The Converse brand was created in 1908 by Marquis Mills Converse in Malden, Massachusetts. It was originally called Converse Rubber Shoe Company. The first Chuck Taylor All Star shoe was created in 1922 after Charles “Chuck” Taylor, a semi-pro basketball player, joined Converse as a salesman. The company quickly started to adopt his ideas like making the shoe more flexible and adding ankle support. Converse exploded in popularity in the 70s. My dad told me he rode his bike with his friends from South Miami to North Miami to wait in line for hours just to buy a pair of Converse. Over the years, Converse shoes have changed into what we see today. They’ve added shoe types like Chuck 70s, One Stars, and different styles of skateboarding shoes.

Pros

Converse have always stayed at a pretty affordable price compared to other sneaker brands. Nike, for example, retails its shoes for an average of  $100+, and other brands like Yeezys and Golden Goose shoes can cost anywhere from $450 (i.e. Golden Goose SuperStars) to $3,000 (i.e. Yeezy Boost Sneakers). Converse shoes range from only $30-$150. Their more expensive shoes are always collaborations and are never extremely expensive. For example, the Converse x Rick Owens are around $200, but they have been sold out for awhile. You can really only find them on resale websites for $300+. Overall, Converse is an affordable and fashionable sneaker brand.

Converse All Stars featured pretty much the same style since they were made, but after Nike bought Converse in 2003, the shoes became more comfortable, flexible, and still offered more arch support than Vans. Most people might say that Converse shoes are made for people with narrow feet, and Vans are for people with wide feet, making Converse not as size inclusive. But, when you are on the website trying to buy a pair of shoes, almost every pair offers a wide width option. 

Converse are the perfect pair of casual shoes that you can wear everyday, and they still make every outfit look good. It’s a great, stylish, everyday shoe to elevate your style to something cooler. Whether the shoes are brand new or you’ve had them for three years, they still look good. These shoes come in many different colors and prints, and the brand is coming out with new designs all the time. For example, they just launched a limited edition line for Valentine’s Day. You can also customize almost every style of shoes from the color of the canvas all the way down to the color of the metal eyelets. 

Chuck 70 Embroidered Lips

Cons

Chuck Taylors are made of canvas and a rubber sole, allowing them to be very lightweight but lacking the support. Without the build of typical footwear, wearing these for long distances or hikes would cause you to end up with some tired arches. The All Stars were originally made for playing basketball and were used for sports for a long time. Today, playing a game of basketball with these shoes might not be a good idea. The Chuck Taylor IIs were made to fix these problems and give the shoe more support and durability. These shoes ended up flopping and got discontinued two years later.

With the shoes being made out of canvas, they aren’t good at protecting you from the elements. Walking with these in the snow or on a rainy day can lead to one of the worst things in the world, wet socks. With the two eyelets on the side of the shoe, you are also prone to getting little pebbles in your shoes. Since the shoe doesn’t have a lot of support, it might not be good to wear these to crowded places like concerts or dances because you’ll definitely feel it if someone steps on your foot.

When it comes to style, it’s all personal preference. I definitely know some people who hate the way Converse looks. Our very own writer for The Bird on Fire, Luke Sonderman says, “I don’t hate Converse, but I definitely think that some of them are ugly.” But there are also people like my brother (Brennan Nick, PVS ’20) who hate high tops and would NEVER think about wearing a pair of Converse even if they are low tops. He is someone who loves to wear tennis shoes all the time. 

Vans 

Paul Van Doren worked at a shoe manufacturer when he decided he wanted to start his own shoe brand. In 1966, he and his brother James Van Doren were selling their first shoes for $2-5 dollars. They looked somewhat like today’s Keds but with a thicker sole. After James’s son showed interest in skateboarding, he decided to start manufacturing skateboard shoes. In 1976, the “Off the Wall” slogan was born. The slogan was slang used by skateboarders to do tricks in empty pools. Very soon after the slogan’s debut, Vans upgraded their design and released the Vans #36, which later became the Old Skool shoes. In the 80s, they were pretty popular, but the shoe-business competition was crazy. Counterfeit shoes were being sold, and so Vans had to lower their prices. Vans ended up filing for bankruptcy protection. In the late 80s, they sold the brand to McCrown De Leeuw & Co for 74.4 million dollars. In the 90s, Vans released many new shoes and even snowboard shoes. In 2016, for their 50th anniversary, they released a new logo.

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Pros

The iconic waffle pattern on the bottom of the shoes offers lots of traction that won’t fade with time like Converse. The shoes are also pretty durable and comfortable and offer more support throughout the shoe than Converse, but they don’t offer arch support. They do have a “ComfyCush” option. These shoes have a small reinforced toe cap inside, supportive padded collars, and are made from suede and canvas. The shoes are super comfortable and are definitely a bit more supportive (besides the sole) than Converse.

Vans are pretty much the same price as Converse. They can range from anywhere from $17 dollars (i.e.the Makena sandals) to $200 (i.e. the snow boots). Vans shoes have had many different collabs including Vans x Van Gogh Museum, Vans x The North Face, and Vans x Golf Wang. Vans x Golf Wang are currently going for anywhere from $230 to even as high as $1000. They originally went for $100 when they debuted in 2015. Overall, they are very affordable shoes, but if you see a cool pair that happens to be a collab, you might have to pay almost double the price. 

Vans come in many different styles like high tops and slip ons. Rarely do they make running shoes. You can always find the basic colors like black, white, navy, and checkered, but there are always other colors and patterns, and the brand has a wide selection that changes colors all the time. These shoes are another example of really good casual shoes that go with any outfit and always look good on anyone, but once again it is all personal preference. 

Cons

When it comes to price, they are overall affordable but can get very expensive, as we just discussed.

These shoes are more protective than Converse but are still not the greatest idea to wear in the rain or at super crowded places. The shoes are also not as durable as advertised. Vans are pretty wide shoes, so they would fit pretty much everyone, but I would always get blisters from them because my feet were too narrow for them. Personally, I could never make Vans last more than a year, and I took good care of them. The insides of the shoes, especially the heels, would start ripping after just a few months of wearing them. The Old Skool Vans are definitely more durable than the slip ons, but I would always get holes in the toe cap area and the sides of the shoes. 

Again with personal style, it is really up to you. I don’t really like the way Vans look, but some people can make them look really good if they have the right pair. For example, Jesse Denyer, writer for The Bird on Fire, says, “I like the way they look, but I would never wear them because I don’t like the way they feel, and they’re too heavy.”

If you’re thinking about buying a pair of Converse or Vans, but think they don’t have enough arch support, check out the brand Feel your Soul. Feel your Soul is a small business that makes shoe inserts for Converse. It started in 2017 when Jacob Zander wanted a way to make Converse more comfortable while inspiring people. They fit perfectly in my Converse, and they also make them for Vans now. They are super affordable and amazing quality for $15, and I put these in all my Converse. I highly recommend buying these if you want your shoes to be more comfortable. I know so many people that are diehard Vans supporters and other people, like me, that would love to have every single pair of Converse ever created.

Oreos: The Wonder-Filled Cookies

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This week Ani Madanyan gives us her ratings on the well-known cookies, Oreos. Oreos come in more variations than most of us can identify. She tells us which of these Oreo cookies are the best and which ones to avoid. – Editor Abigail Horwitt

By Chef Ani

Oreos are the best snack. Either dip them in milk, or eat a whole family pack alone by yourself. Either way, they’re delicious. But, which flavor is the best? All of them are extremely tasty, but today we’ll find one that stands out. Don’t get offended, these are my opinions, and if you disagree over this very important issue, talk about it in the comments. After writing this blog, I ate 17 Oreos…. needless to say, talking about Oreos makes you hungry for Oreos.

The Original Oreo

I can eat a whole family pack of these. They’re so light and packed with flavor. I personally love these so much, and I would say that you could never get tired of them. Either dip them in milk, or if you’re lactose-intolerant like me, just eat them plain.

Overall, I give original Oreos a 9.5/10.

The Golden Oreo

These are super tasty as well. Instead of a chocolate cookie, it tastes almost like a graham cracker/sugar cookie. I wouldn’t say these are my favorite. They’re too sweet, but sometimes I go through a Golden Oreo phase where I eat 20 of them in one sitting.

Overall, I give Golden Oreos a 7/10.


Dark Chocolate Oreos

These are my least favorite Oreo cookies. I personally hate dark chocolate because it’s too bitter. The dark chocolate with the chocolate cookie is way too much chocolate, and it’s also way too bitter. This cookie deserves to be locked up in prison. It tastes bland and bitter, and not even milk can fix it.

Overall, 3/10.

Oreo Cakesters

These are the BEST Oreos ever. They are more like cake than cookie, but they are so fluffy, and they taste like cookies-and-cream milkshake. This is the best Oreo ever invented. This is definitely my favorite.

Overall, I give Oreo Cakesters a 10/10.

These are just a few of the flavors. Out of all flavors, I would still pick the Oreo Cakesters. They’re soft and delicious. These cookies are HEAVEN. Although the Original Oreos and the Oreo Cakesters were almost a tie, I had to go with the fluffy Oreo masterpiece–Oreo Cakesters. Oreo Cakesters were discontinued for TEN YEARS, but, thankfully, they are back in 2022. That’s how we know it’s going to be a good year!

Why I Think Special K is a Great Cereal (and why no one else’s opinion is valid)

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Cereal is a very special part of American culture. It is, in fact, a subject hotly debated by the blog staff. Two weeks ago, Cereal Enthusiast Abigail Horwitt listed her top cereals. Blogger Levi Kassinove takes issue with her selection and its glaring omission: Special K. 

By Levi Kassinove, Cereal Connoisseur

Special K is an American brand of breakfast cereal that’s manufactured by Kellog’s. Its ingredients include rice (47%), wholewheat (37%), sugar, barley (5%), malted barley flour, salt, and a few other random chemicals (Kellog’s). According to Abby Walthausen for Yahoo News, “The original Special K was the culmination of a lifelong goal of W.K. Kellogg. . . . It was to be his uber cornflakes but the final recipe, with enough protein, vitamins, and minerals to survive by, was not complete until 1955, four years after Kellogg’s death.” Today, Kellogg’s advertises their cereal as low-fat, as a cereal that helps people lose weight. One person on Quora vouched for this cereal, saying that “it’s not a miracle food, but it’s healthy enough” (Quora). I will tell you right now that while this may be true for the original variation, the other subspecies of Special K are not healthy. I’m talking about the Special K Brown Sugar Cinnamon cereal, the Special K Red Berries cereal, and the Special K Chocolatey Delight Chocolatey cereal (All Cereal Varieties). Unfortunately, contrary to these deliciously unhealthy cereal names, the label of a “diet cereal” often connotes that it has a terrible flavor. With Special K, only the people who are open minded enough to try this diet cereal, with no preconceived notions, will have their eyes opened to the possibilities of Special K. The cereal has evolved since its introduction in the 1950s into a hidden gem of a breakfast. 

I can go on and on about WHY this cereal is so good. No, really, I will. In their “Red Berries” genre, the strawberries are masterfully freeze-dried. The strawberries, along with the other red berries I have yet to identify, get masterfully rehydrated upon contact with milk. Let me show you a picture of this cereal. Maybe it will be the catalyst for expanding that splinter in your mind–the one that’s saying you shouldn’t be such a picky cereal eater. 

I’d say that anyone (Jesse Denyer) who can’t get past the idea that this cereal is “only for old people” is just a drone who chooses to live in utter ignorance. In 2009, 75% of Americans said that they stay away from diet-friendly cereal because they think it’ll taste bad. Did I make up that statistic? Yes. Just give it a chance! Eat the cereal. 

*Disclaimer: The opinions of Levi are his own and do not represent the opinions of thebirdonfire.org; nor can we vouch for his statistics.

Thailand: The Land of Smiles

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

By Sienna Price, World Traveler

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

Thai festivals 

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

Photo Credit: Sienna Price

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

Macaques 

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

Asian Elephants 

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

King Cobra 

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

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

Thanks for reading!

Photo Credit: Sienna Price