
Let’s Talk Gender & Sexuality with PVS’s Very Own GSA


By Dayton Kennard
Hello readers! If you can remember, a while back I did a post on Monster Prom, a dating sim that’s also a competitive multiplayer game entirely about romancing monsters who are probably too old to be in high school but are anyways. The game developer, Beautiful Glitch, made a wonderful and unique take on the classic dating sim and continued to bring more intriguing and outlandish adventures to their fans through seasonal updates, as well as new downloadable content. But just this week, they’ve done something many fans have been eagerly awaiting…
Beautiful Glitch has officially released their KickStarter for Monster Prom 2: Holiday Season!*
Where is KickStarter? Who is KickStarter? Why is KickStarter? Kickstarter.com is a website that allows content creators to raise money for a project through “pledges” of money from interested people in exchange for rewards for their loyalty! Beautiful Glitch used KickStarter to fund their first game (Monster Prom), and are now using it for funding their second game (Monster Prom 2)!
While they only released the KickStarter for Monster Prom 2 this week, they surpassed their funding goal in nearly one hour; they went on to raise over $100,000 in about 12 hours, and now have raised over 400% of their original goal in just about 24 hours! This is likely due to the tempting rewards they have made for their backers, including (but not limited to) dakimakuras, custom characters, polaroids, and even a trip to Barcelona, Spain!
While it’s not even been a week since its launch, the Monster Prom KickStarter is already surpassing expectations rapidly, and seems to continue growing daily!
Editor: Luke Langlois
*https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/corintio/monster-prom-2-holiday-season
When Philosophy Editor James assigned his bloggers to write on the subject of Philosophy, Hannah immediately went to Homer, but which one?
By Hannah Hall
Two great men of not so equal intellect are Homer Simpson and Homer the Greek writer. Despite their differences, they each spit up quotes worth pondering. It can be hard to differentiate the two’s words; they are each philosophical in their own way. Now, I present to you a little game called Who said what?!! Ah, yes, you may think this is easy, but no no my friend; it is not as it seems. You may do this on your own and just read the quotes below, but if you would like to be interactive (recommended for fun), I have created a lil’ quiz!
Here is the link: https://forms.gle/w3bX72mC5TPtkbm78
If you don’t take the link, try the Who said what?!!” Quiz below:
Homer Simpson OR Homer the Greek
“I believe that children are our future, unless we stop them now.”
“The stars never lie, but the astrologers lie about the stars.”
“It takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen.”
“Okay, whatever to take my mind off my life.”
“The tongue of man is a twisty thing.”
“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.”
“I’ll tell people what to think. Now you tell me what to think.”
“My name is Nobody.”
“Do I know what rhetorical means?”
“I didn’t lie! I just created fiction with my mouth!”
“Just because I don’t care doesn’t mean I don’t understand.”
“Even a fool learns something once it hits him.”
“Because they’re stupid, that’s why. That’s why everybody does everything.”
Sources:
Philosophy Editor: James Zheng
James, when he took his turn as the weekly editor, assigned everyone the task of writing to the theme Philosophy. Now, it’s his turn to weigh in.
By James Zheng
Generally, during our everyday life, the following questions of “really?” or “is that true?” appear in a usual conversation in response to crazy facts. People always respond to those questions with something like, “I just know…,” or “Yeah, because I heard it from….” When you ask these questions, you normally accept the ideas given by others or online sources. But, should you believe these ideas? Are they true?
Regarding philosophy, some people say that the nature of philosophy is making a simple fact sound ridiculously complex. I would not disagree with that because philosophical questions make things sound entirely different and new. In my mind, philosophy is a way of comprehending our lives better and extracting the essence of everything.
But, as the study and discussion around philosophy develops, more questions arrive that are nearly impossible to answer. “Are there truths?” is one of these questions. Well, what is a truth? Going by the explanation from Google, truth is “the quality or state of being true.” Before going into this too deeply, there is one important factor I must mention called common knowledge. This type of knowledge is that of the majority and can be anything. Common knowledge can be things like humans need oxygen to be alive or Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States. Most of what we call common knowledge has also been verified as much as possible, like the idea that there are seven days in a week. We often define that kind of stuff as the truth. But, in philosophy, truth is not just simply a fact authorized by the public or a widespread claim. On the contrary, truth is more of a correct understanding of objective things and their laws. Currently, I think science is probably one of the most essential displays of truth.
In my mind, there must be more truths. Our thought and cognition is constituted by truths. The way that we can think is based on vast amounts of truth. If there is no truth, our ideas and thoughts would collapse because truth is the basis of our thinking. In other words, our thoughts are based on cardinal truths. Here is one example: when you are saying, “I want to eat something,” you are realizing the truth that you are hungry and you have the aspiration to eat, which sounds more like logic, but they are quite similar. Critically speaking, even in the circumstance that I say there is no truth, I have already accepted the truth that “there is no truth.” And, what are some examples of a truth? I would say that nature itself is a representation of truth. Nature represents two of the most reasonable phenomena, time and life. I cannot question the authenticity of these two things. It is not because I do not want to. I simply could not.
Still, in the philosophical region, I ask myself why philosophers bring up incomprehensible questions. It may due to the conflicts they had with their religious beliefs or they feel questionable about the world. Perhaps they were suddenly inspired by something. To not make this post too tedious, I found some interesting responses from a forum in regards to the question “Is there truth?”
People will die if they don’t eat.
Nothing lasts forever.
Even the universe will perish. All things existing in the universe will naturally disappear.” – Blogger Ye Ban You Ren
I still insist on my opinion of saying there must be truth. But, this post is not telling you to follow my idea or make some simple things sound really complicated. I personally just think that this question is interesting to explore. Is there such a thing as truth? If you are interested, please show me what you think about this question/paradox in the comments!
Editor: Luke Langlois
I challenge the Blog Class to a writing prompt once a week. Most prompts I pull from Poets & Writers. To begin, I introduced them to Chindogu, a Japanese term that means “weird tool.” It was coined by Kenji Kawakami, a former editor of a monthly magazine called Mail Order Life. As a prank, Kawakami published prototypes for his bizarre inventions that were intentionally useless and could not actually be purchased. Later, Kawakami published a book titled 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions: The Art of Chindogu. Some of Kawakami’s popular inventions included the Eye Drop Funnel Glasses, the Dumbbell Telephone, and Duster Slippers for Cats. I asked our Blog Class to play along and create their own impractical contraptions. They had to follow the tenets of Chindogu: “You have to be able to hold it in your hand and think, ‘I can actually imagine someone using this. Almost.’”—Ms. Zachik
Holden conceptualized Pencil Gloves
English students across the world are experiencing hand cramps right now as their English teachers force them to write essay after essay. Well, fear not, fellow high schoolers, for I have invented the Pencil Gloves (patent pending). It is a glove with a pencil superglued that you can wear Michael-Jackson style. To write twice as fast, you can wear a glove on each hand. The use of a glove gives your fingers some relief as you write that 1000-page essay due Friday at 11:59. You will no doubt get looks from your fellow classmates, both of admiration and possibly disgust. Without a doubt, you will be the talk of the school.
Hannah envisioned the TV Beep BEEP
I would invent an app for finding the TV remote. Whether this be on the TV itself or on the phone, I just want the remote to beep when I have lost it! If I couldn’t invent an app, I would certainly buy a remote that has that built in as a feature. . . . like “Find My iPhone.”
James “invented” the Branched Straw
Branched Straw is a new type of straw which you use to drink not only one drink, but multiple drinks. It can mix up a completely new taste for you. Sometimes, if you are hesitating between buying sodas or some other drinks, why not just buy all of them and use the branched straw to drink them all and feel the new taste.
AJ came up with The Pin-Wheel Blower
Ever wanted to have the joy of seeing pigmented paper spinning, but there’s no wind and your lungs are too weak? Fear not! Our hand-held* device will blow the pinwheel for you AND exercise your arms!
*Disclaimer: Handles of device fit in two hands.
Luke “invented” the OopZZZ
So we’ve got a small little sphere with electrical shock capabilities implanted into your neck. This sphere has counterpart pieces that attach to everyday items like water bottles, laptops, pencil bags, etc. When you are out of proximity of a certain item, you get zapped, alerting you that you have left or forgotten something.
Makena says we need Baby Coffee
She pitches pocket-sized coffee pods that contain a shot of latte, coffee, tea, etc. From it, you get a boost of energy–in different flavors!
I, Ms. Zachik, go with Duster Mice (patterned after [stolen from?] Ray Bradbury’s “wall mice” which appear in his short story “There Will Come Soft Rains”)
Duster Mice come out and attack any dust or dirt or dog fur rolling about on the floor. When done, the Duster Mice then store themselves conveniently back in your wall. You only see them when dirt blows up. Then, they retract–out of sight. Dirt be gone!–Zachik out
PVS alumnus Peter Kadel (‘18) now attends Virginia Tech. When here, he was a beloved blogger and, among other things, an AP English Language student. In AP Lang, Peter [was forced to] read Annie Dillard’s essay “Living Like Weasels.” An excerpt of Dillard’s essay is reprinted below. Peter reached out to us–seems he had a “weasel” moment while walking to his dining hall. Happily, he thought of us and captured it in writing.
“Living Like Weasels”
by Annie Dillard
The sun had just set. I was relaxed on the tree trunk, ensconced in the lap of lichen, watching the lily pads at my feet tremble and part dreamily over the thrusting path of a carp. A yellow bird appeared to my right and flew behind me. It caught my eye; I swiveled around–and the next instant, inexplicably, I was looking down at a weasel, who was looking up at me.
Weasel! I’d never seen one wild before. He was ten inches long, thin as a curve, a muscled ribbon, brown as fruitwood, soft-furred, alert. . . .
The weasel was stunned into stillness as he was emerging from beneath an enormous shaggy wild rose bush four feet away. I was stunned into stillness twisted backward on the tree trunk. Our eyes locked, and someone threw away the key.
Peter’s Weasel Moment . . .
Annie Dillard’s essay “Living Like Weasels” describes a moment when she made eye contact and had a connection with a weasel. I had dismissed this as odd like I had done with every other thing she wrote. But, I was walking to a dining hall from class and heard a rustling noise from an underground drainage grate, not in much of a hurry, I went over to investigate. As I stood over the grate, the source of the rustling scurried into the underground pipe, seemingly gone forever. But something made me decide to crouch above the grate and wait for the critter to show itself. Seconds later, as if it shared my curiosity, a little triangular head with black and white stripes on the face and grey on the head peeked out from the pipe. The triangular head turned to look up at me, and I found myself eyes locked with a raccoon. I was surprised and enthralled by this little creature. For a few moments we just stared at each other. Then he darted off to continue about his day, and I stood up and went on my way. It wasn’t till later I realized I HAD JUST HAD MY WEASEL MOMENT! But instead of a weasel, it was a raccoon. Now I realize the importance of Dillard’s piece; we all have the chance to experience that moment. And the animal we have it with reflects us. Dillard got the tenacious, scrappy and clever weasel. I got the mischievous, rambunctious, and curious raccoon, a pretty accurate reflection of myself. –Peter Kadel
By Amateur Philosopher Holden Hartle
When Editor James asked, “What do you think of when I say ‘Philosophy’?” Holden answered, “If every neuron in a human was coded in a computer, would it result in consciousness?”
So there is a lot to unpack here. First, we need to define consciousness. Typically, this is just the ability to be aware of your surroundings: synonymous with awareness. So if a computer had all the neurons of a human, could it be aware of its surroundings? This sounds like something out of a sci-fi film, but other than being a concept for a script, the question forces you to answer questions about human consciousness and what constitutes it.
Many believe that consciousness is something that transcends the brain and its contents. In a poll I conducted where I asked the titular question, many responded with the idea that consciousness comes from the soul–something that can’t be pinpointed to a region of the brain.
Neuroscientist Christof Koch would disagree. He has done research on mice and concluded that your awareness of your surroundings stems from the claustrum, depicted to the right. Koch explains that it has neurons that are constantly firing as you experience your surroundings through the senses. Koch is currently experimenting with the outcome of “turning off” the claustrum. With the claustrum, would the animal be unconscious? Would they be something else, awake but not perceiving?
But, if we were to accurately map every human neuron onto a computer, in order for it to be conscious, it would have to have the neurons of the claustrum coded in.
Of the poll I conducted, 66% believe that such a computer wouldn’t have consciousness. As some have previously stated, consciousness may come from your soul. It is your inner being that creates your consciousness, and that is something that goes beyond neurons. But I ask these people to consider, what is a soul? What constructs a soul? If a soul is simply your thoughts and emotions created through neurotransmitters, then a soul could be coded onto a computer.
Others were more accepting of a conscious computer. They believe that the awareness of your surroundings simply comes from your brain spaces, and these people are content with the fact that this could be put into a computer. Some even believe that this will happen in the next few years.
Editor: James Zheng
By Holden Hartle, Sports Enthusiast and Blogger
Back in October, I made a post detailing where I thought every NBA team would end up in terms of standings. And, with the season just wrapping up, I feel like it would be humbling to look back and see how accurate I was. The number on the left is my initial ranking, and the number on the right in parenthesis is where they finished the season.
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors (1)
2. Houston Rockets (4)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (10)
4. Utah Jazz (5)
5. New Orleans Pelicans (13)
6. Oklahoma City Thunder (6)
7. Portland Trail Blazers (3)
8. Denver Nuggets (2)
9. San Antonio Spurs (7)
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (11)
11. Phoenix Suns (15)
12. Dallas Mavericks (14)
13. Memphis Grizzlies (12)
14. Los Angeles Clippers (8)
15. Sacramento Kings (9)
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics (4)
2. Toronto Raptors (2)
3. Philadelphia 76ers (3)
4. Milwaukee Bucks (1)
5. Indiana Pacers (5)
6. Washington Wizards (11)
7. Detroit Pistons (8)
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (14)
9. Charlotte Hornets (9)
10. Chicago Bulls (13)
11. Miami Heat (10)
12. New York Knicks (15)
13. Brooklyn Nets (6)
14. Orlando Magic (7)
15. Atlanta Hawks (12)
Editor: Luke Langlois
By Luke Langlois
Editor James landed on “Philosophy” as his weekly Theme. James says philosophy makes him see the world “more clearly.” Luke asks, “Does it make it more clear? or more cloudy?” This is Luke’s response to the subject of Philosophy.
Over the years, humanity has risen to the occasion time and time again to push limits. Whether it be physical limits, technological limits, scientific limits, or academic limits, we always find a way to take it further. But, before we make many of these leaps, we have to push the boundaries of our thoughts. And, then, we have to push the boundaries of the definition of boundaries. How would I know that “I am” if Descartes never said “I think, therefore I am.” I would not! That is why philosophy, the study of knowledge, thinking, morals, values, etc, is critical to our humanity. Where would we be without forward thinking? With that being said, the following is a list of questions that probably will not push our society forward, but they should provoke some thinking.
So, there are some questions. Some of them are obviously a bit more serious than others, but none of them have an easy answer. Or do they? Human brains have achieved incredible feats over the years, but there are some questions that simply elude the capability of our thoughts. Perhaps YOU can provide us with answers and be the next great philosopher.
Editor: James Zheng
By James Zheng, with Expert Party Advice
When Editor Holden asked for submissions that “spice up everyday life,” James went back to party games and how to spice up your party life, or how to be the life of the party. (This joke was made by Ms. Zachik, not Holden, for the record).
I did a post about the Werewolves game, and, then, soon after I found more excellent recommendations for party games. The game I am going to introduce in this post is less difficult to learn and more entertaining to play.
Undercover, which is also called Who is the Spy, was generated from a game that appeared in a Chinese variety show consisting of guest interviews and gaming interaction. It became a really popular party board game, and then a game developer created the online version Undercover.
The recommended amount of players is five to eight with one moderator. The most significant part of this game is that the moderator needs to decide on a “major” word and a “minor” word and write them on the paper to hand out later to participants. The “major” word and “minor” word represent the identities of the players. The player who holds the major word is the “civilian”; the player who holds the minor card is the “undercover.” And, to decide what the major word and minor word will be, the moderator needs to find two words that have similar meaning. The words can be anything as long as they are similar. If the amount of civilians is no more than five, the amount of undercover will just be one.
The gameplay of Undercover has the same feature as the Werewolves game–players need to talk during the game process. The players’ ability to express themselves is an important factor in deciding the result of the game. At the beginning of the game, each participant is given a pre-written paper as their identity–civilian or undercover. Then, each of them has to describe what their word is or means. After everyone finishes the description, everyone has to vote for one person who they think is the undercover. When the person is out, the moderator needs to check if that person holds the major word or minor word to decide if the game is still on or finished. The winning precondition for the undercover is when the amount of undercovers is the same as the civilians.
Basic Gaming Rules and Hints:
Depending on what words the moderator comes up with, the game can be played at different levels. Undercover is really easy to learn; the preparation is also pretty simple. Play with your friends and enjoy it!
Editor: Holden Hartle
