the bird on fire

I Am

January 26, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

English 8 read N. Scott Momaday’s “The Delight Song of Tsoai–talee.” Momaday employs anaphora, starting the lines of his first stanza with “I am . . . .” I asked the 8th graders to try the technique in their own “I Am . . .” poems. I found Nicole’s so beautifully detailed, I asked her if we could share it on thebirdonfire.org. She agreed. — Ms. Zachik

I am a pencil sharpened down to the ferrule.

I am the mouse that creeps out in the dead of night.

I am the volume button on a remote.

I am two mismatched pairs of socks.

I am Jupiter’s second-smallest moon.

I am a gopher underground.

I am a cloud floating with the sunrise.

I am many things, and many things are me.

I am a seed on a dandelion.

I am smudged gel-pen ink.

I am an unused eraser.

I am many things, and they all are me.

I am, I am, I am.

–Nicole Jowitt

Soccer News, Rumors, and Scores

January 26, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

This week Oliver thrills us with the latest update on soccer, or football as we call it in England (or what the world knows as fútbol). In his article, Oliver provides us with the recent match scores and placings in the Premier League. On top of that, he shares up-to-date soccer rumors and news. – Sienna Price, Editor

By Oliver Martinez, Fútbol Enthusiast

Welcome back to soccer news, rumors and scores. Let’s start with the Premier League. On Saturday, January 15, Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0. Manchester is now in 1st, and Chelsea moves to 3rd. On Saturday, January 15, the Wolves beat Southampton 3-1. The Wolves are in 8th, and Southampton is in 12th place. And, Aston Villa drew Manchester United 2-2! Because of this, Manchester U is in 7th and Aston V in 13th place. On Sunday, January 16, Liverpool beat Brentford 3-0, putting Liverpool in 2nd and Brentford in 14th.

As for La Liga, there have been no relevant games since last week.

Soccer Rumors and News: Big teams like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Manchester City are looking to trade for Erling Haaland. Erling Haaland is a great player that is currently in Dortmund; his contract ends in 2024, but there is a release clause that would allow him to leave in the summer of 2022 for a total of 75 million euros (amp.marca.com).

Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich are hoping to buy Spanish young star Pablo Gavi. One of Gavi’s accomplishments include being the youngest player to play for Spain’s national team. He was only 17. Another one of his accomplishments is being the fourth youngest to play for Barcelona in La Liga (espn.com). English soccer legend Wayne Mark Rooney, also known as Rooney, hopes to get a chance to coach Everton. “I’m the same as everyone else, I see the speculation on social media and in the newspapers. Of course Everton is a club I grew up supporting.” There is a strong possibility he will get the job–Everton just sacked Rafael Benitez (football365.com).

Alyna’s Got a Book for You!

January 26, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Are you looking for a new book to read? Alyna Rei lends us her thoughts on the 2016 heartbreaker It Ends With Us. — Editor Lilah Nick

By Alyna Rei, Book Reviewer

I would never claim that I am a bookworm. I would say I love a novel with a purpose. I love to read books that can take me to another world. This is why I’m writing my first book review ever on the novel It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. This book was recommended by my mom. It has a very emotional plot change–the sense of it coming keeps you on your toes. Spoiler alert!!

The book starts off with Lily, a woman whose mother is abused by her husband. She meets Ryle, a neurosurgeon who shows a lot of interest in her the day they meet. Over time, they meet each other more frequently through Ryle’s sister, Alyssa. They soon end up falling deeply in love. While Ryle and Lily are dating, Lily reunites with Atlas, her first love. Ryle and Atlas hate each other from the start. They both seem to be jealous of each other. Ryle begins abusing Lily. When Lily finds out she’s pregnant, Ryle claims he will change, but–spoiler alert– he never does. She divorces from Ryle, and it “ends” there.

Now, I would never say this is a romance novel. Yes, there are romantic parts, but the plot is not about romance. Sorry to break it to you: this is not your ordinary romance novel. Lily did the right thing for herself and her daughter. Lily did not want her daughter to witness domestic abuse. Lily noticed that Ryle has his patterns of abuse, and she feels it’s best to end the relationship. Ryle is able to be in Emerson’s (the daughter’s) life. That’s what Lily wanted. Her daughter won’t experience what Lily experienced, and Lily breaks the cycle of abuse. The book doesn’t say if Lily and Atlas ever get together. All we know is that they stay good friends after their reunion.

Turns out, the book is based on the author’s life. This story was inspired by events in Colleen Hoover’s life. Hoover wants to do her mom’s story justice and show what her mom went through.

There are two love interests in this book, but I wouldn’t say this is a love triangle. Lily falls in love with Atlas in her teen years. She then falls in love with Ryle in the present time. If you were to ask me, I’ve been Team Atlas since the beginning.

Overall, I give this book a good 5 stars. There are no dragging scenes. There’s a great explanation to everything when needed, which makes the reading entertaining. This is a great story! You will not want to put the book down.

The Most Unhealthy Diet That Is Spreading Fast

January 25, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

The opinionated Luke Sonderman is back again with an argument that vegans may find borderline infuriating. This week, Luke goes in depth, citing sources as credible as Oxford University, to attack the vegan diet. He explains the health problems associated with it, as well as its failure to create a difference in the world. Proceed with caution. You might get hurt here. – Editor Levi Kassinove

By Luke Sonderman, Obiter Dictum

Although many people believe that vegan diets lead to a healthier lifestyle, they may be wrong. Converting to a vegan diet is one of the most dangerous dietary practices a person can do.

On the list of the top 10 most popular diets, veganism is a diet that is and has been sweeping the world for the past 20 years (medicalnewstoday.com). While many convert to this diet for global warming and animal conservation purposes, the majority of vegans switch to this diet for health reasons.

Veganism can be a healthy diet, but it takes a lot of focus. One of the most common issues that come along with new vegans is an iron deficiency. There are supplements and foods that vegans can eat to raise their iron levels, such as spinach and lentils. Most new vegans do not eat these foods and end up with an extreme iron deficiency that sometimes leads to the need for blood transfusions.

Many people make the switch to vegan and vegetarian diets, but according to an Oxford study, 84% of them end up abandoning their diets as the lack of meat and protein causes extreme, unhealthy weight loss, and other issues that cause drowsiness, lightheadedness, and dizziness for long periods of time (plantbasednews.org).

Oxford studies aside, my personal belief is that vegan diets are quite pointless. I understand that many vegans aim to save wildlife by not eating them, but are they really making any difference? No. The animals are still going to be killed whether vegans eat meat or not because the demand for meat is there whether there are vegans or not.

For those who switch to vegan diets for health reasons, I also believe that this switch is not a good decision. Even if you keep up with supplements and are smart about your diet, the supplements for vegans are created in labs by scientists. Personally, I prefer not to consistently ingest supplements that are created in labs because it doesn’t seem natural or healthy.

In conclusion, my goal isn’t to attack those who follow a vegan diet but rather to shed light to those considering switching to this diet. It may not be the healthy decision most believe it is. Maybe try going on a low fat or low sugar/carb diet. That way you don’t have to take supplements or worry about iron deficiencies.

Has Levi Been to Area 51?

January 20, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Ever wonder how it would feel to float above your body and look down on it? Levi Kassinove goes in depth on astral projection. Levi, true to form, goes on to explain his thoughts on the matter. Is it all just a mind trip, or is it time travel? Maybe you would like to try it yourself. – Editor Abigail Horwitt

By Levi Kassinove, Conspiracy Theorist

Astral projection, or an out-of-body experience, is when someone gets the sensation that they’ve detached from their physical body. We’ve seen it on Netflix documentaries like Surviving Death; we’ve heard people say in surgery they watch themselves from above; maybe you’ve traveled outside the confines of your physical self. Oftentimes people feel like they’re dying when their “astral self” floats above their body; this may be where the idea of a soul comes from. When people from thousands of years ago experienced astral projection, they may have explained it by thinking we had souls. This could also be the cause of alien abduction stories. According to an NBC News story, what people believe to be alien abduction might actually just be a lucid dream or out-of-body experience. Michael Raduga, lead researcher at the Out-of-Body Experience Research Center in Los Angeles, designed an experiment to “test his theory that many reports of alien encounters are actually instances of people experiencing a vibrant, lifelike state of dreaming” (amazon.com). He surmised, if he could “coach people to dream of a realistic alien encounter, . . . that could prove that many reports of such encounters . . . are really just products of peoples’ imaginations” (NBC news). Astral projection is indeed a real phenomenon, but its true nature is not entirely understood. What exactly is astral projection?

Many of you have heard of lucid dreaming, which is the event in which sleepers become aware of the fact that they are dreaming. Most astral projectors you talk to (Jesse Denyer) will tell you that lucid dreaming is completely different from astral projection. Countless people on Reddit support this anecdotally, and some even claim that “lucid dreaming is controlled hallucinations while astral projection is a true vision” (Reddit thread).

A lot of the things people claim to be able to do during astral projection are similar to what’s possible in a lucid dream. You can visit any place you want, eat any food you want, meet any person you want, and pretty much anything else. However, in lucid dreaming, you need some frame of reference. Some people say that you can’t project to forbidden places. For instance, one anonymous internet user said, “since 99.9% of people on earth have never been inside Area 51 and haven’t the slightest idea what it is like inside, it’s a sort of blank area in their minds”(I sincerely apologize for having to crawl to Reddit, but it’s astral projection so what did you expect?). So it may just be a dream after all where your brain could only fill in what you could already visualize. Maybe Lilah, who claims she has aphantasia, should try astral projection. Maybe, astral projection is a form of lucid dreaming. The methods I’ve read about for astral projection all indirectly or directly say that you have to be half-asleep for it to work. You have to either attempt it immediately after you wake up, or relax your body to the point where you’ll fall asleep.

I don’t believe that lucid dreaming and astral projection are the exact same thing, as lucid dreaming involves awakening in the middle of a deep dream, but they are certainly related. Astral projection seems to be, like lucid dreaming, a weird, in-between state of lucidity and dreaming while the person is awake. Try it. Some people claim to be able to time travel and visit dinosaurs, so why wouldn’t you want to try that? If you’re interested in attempting astral projection, Michael Raduga outlines various ways to do so in his free ebook, titled The Phase. It’s a 400-page mind-labyrinth that crosses theory with reality a bit too much, but it explains ways to hallucinate. If you’ve already had an out-of-body experience, tell me about it in the comments.

Levi projecting what astral projecting looks like.

*The views presented by Blogger Kassinove do not represent the views of thebirdonfire.org.

Aphantasia: Do You Count Sheep . . . and Actually See Them?

January 19, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Lilah Nick, Blog Staff Writer

Is your mind’s eye awake? In this blog written by Lilah Nick, she talks about the wild phenomenon in which people are unable to see or visualize things in their minds. — Editor Oliver Martinez

Aphantasia is the natural phenomenon where people are unable to visualize things in their head or their “mind’s eye.” While most people are able to think about different images in their head, about 2% to 5% of people can not.

If I tell you to close your eyes and think about the beach, you’ll picture a beautiful sunset, warm golden sand, and bright blue waves crashing against the shore. If I ask you to think about a bright red apple, the image will pop right into your head. And, when I ask for your family’s faces, of course you’ll see them. You may experience this differently of course. Some people will see something that looks like a photo; other people will see a dimly lit cartoon style; others only see a beach they have visited.

I don’t. I’ve never been able to visualize anything. If you asked me what my mom looked like, my bedroom, or the cover page of the book I’m currently reading, I wouldn’t be able to “see” it. When people told me to count sheep or to close my eyes and imagine myself on the beach, I had always thought it was a metaphor. If you were to ask me to imagine a beach, I would think about all the different details. I can tell you that there are waves, sand, sea creatures, and people. I know the concept of it, and I could go on and on with details. It is like stringing together a bunch of different details like a puzzle.

Although I could list details about a beach, I have no visual, audio or any sensory experience. I can only imagine ideas, not images. I also remember what things look like because I understand conceptually how things look and most of my “visual” components in my head are just from recalling past experiences.

This is how I thought it was for you and everyone else in the world until I watched the TV show Space Force with Steve Carell. In one episode, a character named Duncan was talking to his love interest, and he mentioned that he had something called aphantasia. He went on to explain it, and I was so confused. I thought that it was some joke. When he said, “I don’t have an imagination,” I immediately looked up what aphantasia was, and I was shocked. I jumped out of bed and ran to my mom’s room and asked her if she could see images in her head; of course she said yes. I then ran to my brother and asked a few of my friends. I was completely and utterly shocked. I had no idea that I was a part of the 2% of the population who couldn’t “see” anything in my mind.

In 2005, a 65-year-old man was unable to see mental images after a surgery. Neurologists at the University of Exeter in England showed the man a photo of Tony Blair, and his brain scans showed the visual parts of his brain lighting up (prospectornow.com). Then they took the photo of Tony Blair away. The man knew the characteristics of him like his eye color, hair color, etc., but he said he couldn’t “see” him in his head (vox.com). His brain scans this time show that the visual parts did not light up at all. The neurologists also took other men and showed them the same photo, and both times the right part of their brains lit up (exeter.ac.uk).

The neurologists gave this rare phenomenon a name. They used the prefix “a,” which means “absence of” and “phantasia,” a Greek word meaning fantasy. So, together, the word means absence of fantasy.

If you’re wondering how I dream, so am I. Explaining aphantasia to people without it is like trying to prove you have a conscience. When most people ask me how I dream, they usually think that it is like reading a book. The best way I can describe it is like my inner dialogue suddenly has different voices and they are put to faces. I never dream about people I’ve never seen before or places I have never been.

If you’re reading this and suddenly thinking that you might have aphantasia, the graphic below is a spectrum example for aphantasia. If I say “apple,” and you envision an apple as vibrant as that seen in Head #1, congratulations!!! You have a really good “mind’s eye.” If you seen nothing, like in Head #5, you may have aphantasia–just like me.

Why Bunnies Make the Best Pets

January 19, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

When people think of pets, they usually think of dogs and cats primarily. But what about bunnies? Bunnies are such an overlooked pet, and Jesse is here to tell you why they actually make great companions. Jesse Denyer tells us about her quarantine-inspired love for bunnies. This is a bunny-soft story. She might convince you to get a bunny, too! – Editor Abigail Horwitt

By Jesse Denyer, Bunny Enthusiast

Over quarantine I found myself feeling rather lonesome. My parents and I all worked in separate rooms of the house and would only see each other on random outings to the refrigerator. My dogs would roam the house and the yard all day long, but I feel as though my dogs were almost as bored as we were. I decided to start looking into smaller pets. I looked into hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, basically all the animals you can get at PetSmart for $10. I stumbled upon rabbits as an idea but quickly dismissed them as they just seemed like “too much work.” A few days later, I was scrolling through Instagram and happened upon a lady who breeds Holland Lop rabbits. As I began to scroll, the cuteness of her baby bunnies was undeniable, and I decided that any animal was going to be a lot of work. I should invest in a pet bunny. I got my bunny Clover in July of 2020, and now, having had him for two years, these are some of the reasons why I think bunnies make the best pets.

First and foremost, and probably the biggest fear I had with keeping a small pet like that in my room, I feared his cage would smell. However, it is quite the opposite. Believe it or not, rabbits can be litter box trained. When he was a baby, I introduced the box to him, and he began using it in no time. Rabbits are very clean animals and do not like their space being dirty. So emptying his litter box once a day is super easy and keeps his cage perfectly scentless.

Second, they make almost no noise. Physically, the only sound I’ve ever heard my rabbit make is when he sneezes, which is a really cute squeaking noise. Besides that, the only noise my rabbit makes is when he bangs around the cage when he is scared, which only happens once in a blue moon. Besides that, they are completely silent.

Lastly, they are just so fun! They are unlike any other animal in their mannerisms and behaviors, and I find constant joy in seeing what my rabbit comes up with next. He is always happy and loves nothing more than to hop up on my bed and take a nap with me. He loves hopping all over the house, and he even goes for walks in my yard on a leash! He is so funny to watch.

Bunnies are perfect for people of all ages as they are easy to take care of, prove to be of little to no inconvenience at all, and are always happy and easy to handle. Getting my rabbit over quarantine and getting to raise him from a baby is one of the best things I have ever done, and I highly recommend everyone consider a bunny next time they want a new pet.

Clover the Bunny, Licensed Anxiety Animal

Indonesia: The Largest Archipelago in the World

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

By Sienna Price, World Traveler

In the United States, we are very familiar with household pets like cats, dogs, and even hamsters. Writer Sienna Price introduces us to some amazing and exotic animals from the islands of Indonesia. – Luke Sonderman

For those who do not know, an archipelago is simply a group of islands. Indonesia has the largest archipelago in the world which brings a variety of wildlife. This week we travel, via thebirdonfire.org, to the animals and ecosystems of Indonesia.

The Komodo Dragon

The komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world measuring at three meters long! You can call them a lizard; however, many people refer to them as one of the dinosaur’s relatives. The komodo dragon’s conservation status is vulnerable which means they are endangered. Though the komodo dragon is the most dominant predator in its natural environment, their numbers are decreasing. The komodo dragon is threatened by the impact of climate change. It’s estimated that in the next 45 years the rising sea levels will reduce more than 30% of their habitat (theconversation.com). The komodo dragon has thrived in this harsh climate of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands for millions of years (Al’s Pets & Supplies). One skill that has helped is the komodo dragon can swim! Yes, the komodo dragons love to swim, and they have been spotted swimming off the shores of their five islands on which they reside.

Sumatran Orangutan

The sumatran orangutan is only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. With just over 13,000 sumatran orangutans left in the wild, they are in critical danger of extinction (sumatranorangutan.org).

They are extremely endangered because of the deforestation and poaching trade happening on the island. Derived from the Malay words of “Person of the forest,” the sumatran orangutan barely comes down to the floor of the rainforest. The sumatran orangutan lifespan is 30 to 40 years, and their weight is 66 to 198 pounds. Fruit makes up 60% of the sumatran orangutan’s diet. Their diet also includes lychees, mangosteens, mangos, figs, young leaves and shoots, insects, soil, tree bark, occasionally eggs, and small vertebrates (worldwildlife.org).

Pygmy Tarsier

The pygmy tarsier is a nocturnal primate found in central Sulawesi, Indonesia (wikipedia.org). Its head and body length measures just four inches long, and it weighs less than 58 grams (basically 14 times the weight of a piece of paper*). The pygmy tarsier was believed to have become extinct in the early 20th century. Then, in the year 2000, Indonesian scientists accidentally killed one while trapping rats! (wikipedia.org) They live in the montane cloud forests in the central Sulawesi Mountains at altitudes from 1800 to 2200 meters. They often inhabit the lower canopy among trunks and the forest floor (animalia.bio). The pygmy tarsiers are insectivorous and eat primarily arthropods (animaldiversity.org). The pygmy tarsier’s population is decreasing quickly due to deforestation.

As you can see, Indonesia is packed full of interesting and unique animals, some of which are very rare and endangered. It is important to be aware of the issues that are affecting their natural habitat and how they live. If one of the animals I talked about today goes extinct, it could cause a major chain reaction on how other animal species live and could impact their, and thus our, ecosystems greatly.

*themeasureofthings.com

The Recipe to my Heart

January 13, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

They say a way to a person’s heart is through their stomach….It’s true. A perfect meal would be pasta. This is a great recipe to enjoy the spicy, tangy, and famous Gigi-Hadid pasta. Thanks to Ani, I can now enjoy some celebrity food. — Editor Alyna Rei

By Chef Ani

If you want the key to my heart, you gotta give me pasta. Carbs = happiness, especially when you have the best pasta in the world. This is called spicy vodka pasta. This pasta meal packs so much flavor. It has the perfect amount of spice and creaminess. And, most importantly, it’s easy to make! It’s kind of ironic, this recipe coming from Gigi Hadid, because we don’t picture models eating a high-calorie meal, like pasta. But, Gigi Hadid can do it all–model, cook, influencer. And, thanks to her we have this recipe! I make this almost every night, and everyone I make it for says it’s the best pasta they’ve ever had. Here’s the recipe… enjoy!

Get ready for an intimate meal. This recipe serves 2 people…

Ingredients:

¼ cup of olive oil
1 small clove of garlic, diced
¼ green onion
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vodka (optional)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
225 grams of pasta (any pasta you like)
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup parmesan cheese (I personally don’t like it, but you can add it if you like)
Basil, chopped
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Making the sauce…

In a large pan, heat the olive oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat. Cook until soft. Add the tomato paste, and cook until caramelized.

Add in the heavy cream, and stir. Add in the vodka, and stir.

Add in the red pepper flakes (I like to add a lot because I like mine spicy).

Keep stirring, and let it simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Then, remove from heat, and put aside.

Time for Pasta…

Cook pasta separately. Add water to a good-sized pot. Fill the water halfway at least to cover pasta. Wait for the water to boil, then add in your pasta of choice. Keep an eye on the pasta, following the instructions on the pasta package so you don’t overcook it. When it’s done, save ¼ cup of the pasta water before straining it. Then, strain the water out.

Add the pasta water to the sauce, and mix well. Next, add the pasta to the sauce, and stir. Add in the butter, and stir until everything is mixed and the butter is melted.

Add parmesan cheese, and stir until it’s melted. Then, add salt and pepper to your liking, and stir just a little more.

And now.. WE ENJOY!

I personally like to add more chili flakes on top–that’s how I like to top off my pasta. I don’t like the parmesan or vodka in mine, but you can do it anyway you please. It should end up looking an orange/light pinkish color. Gigi Hadid prefers farfalle pasta, but you could use any type of pasta. For instance, I use rigatoni or penne pasta, depending on which one I have at home. But, other than that, I hope this recipe is the best dinner you’ve ever had! It most certainly is for me. Enjoy!!

Here’s a short video on the recipe.