Holden Hartle Archives - the bird on fire

ASB Presidential Candidates

May 29, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Holden Hartle

In anticipation of the upcoming ASB elections, I thought I would do an analysis of those who are running for ASB President, similar to a post that I did detailing those who were running for President of the United States. I interviewed each candidate as well as read their candidate statements from previous campaigns, whether that be for a cabinet position or a class representative. Here is a brief profile on each of the three people running for Palm Valley’s ASB President.

Hannah Makkai

Hannah, a rising senior, enjoys being a part of the decision-making process. She has held positions in student government since middle school. She also mentioned being a student at PVS since preschool. She said that because of this, she has watched the school grow and has adapted with it. She believes being a part of the Palm Valley community for so long will allow her to note the diversity of the student body and make decisions accordingly.

One of her most defining achievements is the PVS Instagram page. I asked her if it was helpful or useful, to which she responded affirmatively. She did concede, however, that it is very difficult to make posts, considering the multiple hoops one has to jump through. It is something she would like to improve upon if elected President.

Finally, she has lots of ideas. She has the creativity to think up events, but has she thought of all the possibilities that could deter a night like “movie night” from taking shape? Expense? Enthusiasm? Availability? Moreover, it is possible that she is prioritizing ideas such as “movie night” and “team competition night” over ideas such as efficiency and democracy. Perhaps this is something that she will learn as President. Nevertheless, if you are looking for someone with copious amounts of creativity for fun ideas in ASB, then Hannah should be your choice.

Brennan Nick

When I asked Brennan, also a rising senior, why he wanted to run for President, he started by saying that it was a very difficult question to answer, but he went on to explain that he enjoys being a part of the decision-making process. He said that he did not agree with the 2017-2018 administration and some of the decisions made. He said that this year was a lot better than last year because the ASB process was more democratic. Along with being more democratic, he said that communication among ASB greatly improved, mainly due to the current president, Jackson Dean.

Brennan is a man of his word, and you can count on that. Last year, his campaign statement claimed that he was going to use Google polls to bridge the gap between students and ASB. He did just that. Honesty and transparency are rare in today’s political climate.

When I asked him if he had an edge over the other candidates, he said that he has experience at the second highest position that an ASB member can be, as he is the current Vice President. He also said that he has a document with all of the plans he has for the upcoming year. To me, at least, this shows that he is “on his game” so to speak. His pragmatism shows his motivation and willingness to be President.

My criticism is that if you want fresh eyes and a new way of thinking in ASB, Brennan might not be the way to go. The fact that he looks up so highly to Jackson means that he may model a lot of his platform and his style of leading after him. So if you are a fan of Jackson’s presidential style, then Brennan is the right choice, but if you want a fresh change, perhaps one of the other candidates would better suit you.

Caroline Scheil

Caroline, despite being a grade below the other two candidates, feels as though she can make a big impact in the school. When asked why people should vote for her, she said that her leadership qualities and ability to compromise set her ahead of the game. Also, being a grade below Hannah and Brennan protects her from the dreaded Senioritis that will most likely affect the senior candidates. Along with this, the other senior candidates will no doubt be stressing over college applications during the beginning of the school year, but Caroline said that she would stay motivated throughout that time and be dedicated to ASB.

My big question to her was whether or not she felt like an underdog. She said, yes, but she is still up to the challenge. This says something about Caroline’s character. The fact that even though she is afraid of a task, she has the ability to power through it.

Along with her status as an underdog, I wondered if her age would benefit or hinder her ability to lead a cabinet of mostly seniors. She said that it would benefit her, that her experience as a class representative would give a different perspective to the cabinet.

Her downfall, however, could be her optimism. She said that she is very “doe-eyed.” Perhaps this optimism could cloud her judgment to see a situation clearly. But, even if this is the case, her ability to compromise could counteract this, making her a fit choice for President.

Editor: Hannah Hall

Analyze My Dream

May 23, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Holden Hartle

Recently, I had a dream, and I thought I would leave it up to the readers of the blog to analyze it and figure out what’s wrong in my life.

____________________________________________________________________________

You’re sitting on a hill. You are midway between the base and the top. The hill itself is grassy, but not the typical green, lush grass. It’s dirty and faded. The dirt isn’t soft or cold either. It’s dry and sandy. As you stand up, you have to wipe the dirt off of your shorts. Looking out in front of you, you see a landscape of that same grass and scattered trees.

At the base of the hill, two lions come out of hiding. You inhale sharply. They walk towards you ever so slowly. It feels like an eternity before they reach you. Their fur is golden and shiny, and their eyes are so brown one could mistake them as black. As they approach, you see their white teeth gleaming in the sun. They are ready to kill.

The moment they are at arm’s length, you give a swift smack to each of their noses. That seemed to do the trick. Seemingly in fear, they rush back to the base of the hill. You take a big sigh of relief.

To relax, you lie down on the grass. It’s crunchy and dry, but the sun feels nice on your skin. As you lie, you take a deep breath of fresh air. With your eyes closed, you have to rely on your other senses to feel the world around you. Doing this, the world seems different. You notice that it’s rather warm, and you begin to perspire. Your relaxation keeps being interrupted by an itching sensation caused by the unpleasant grass. As you sit up to itch your leg, you open your eyes to see that this landscape that was once covered in dry grass has been replaced by a hoard of snakes. You inhale sharply.

There is nowhere to run. As far as the eye can see the world is covered with snakes. These snakes are silver with teeth that are ready to kill. Their eyes are black. You turn around to face the top of the hill. At the very top is a school desk. You figure that snakes can’t climb, and so you decide to rush to the desk. The desk is only about fifty feet away, but it’s uphill. You can’t risk falling down into the snakes, so you walk briskly, but carefully, with your arms spread out beside you like a tightrope walker.

Upon reaching the desk, you climb on top of the chair. The snakes seem to realize that they can’t get you, so they slither away.

You slide down in the chair and sigh with relief. You can once again feel your surroundings. The air feels warm again, but the desk is cool and feels pleasant against your skin. You are facing the opposite direction you were facing before. On the other side of the hill, the trees are much more plentiful. The grass gradually turns lush and green as it disappears behind the trees.

A friend walks up behind you. She stares in the same direction you are. Upon noticing her, you ask, “Are you okay? Did you see the lions and the snakes?” She doesn’t respond. Instead, she turns to you and exclaims, “This is what you get!” She reaches into her pockets and grabs handfuls of beetles. You can’t examine them because as soon as she dumps them on you they crawl towards your face. You feel their mouths biting your skin. You close your eyes. Everything turns black.

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At this time, I woke up in a cold sweat shaking profusely. This happened several weeks ago, and I am still trying to pinpoint what the different animals and landscapes could mean.

Editor: Makena Behnke

How to Make the Transition to Adulthood: Using the Catcher in the Rye as an Example of What Not to Do

May 16, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Holden Hartle, who takes his namesake from Holden Caulfield

This spring break, I took a trip to the East Coast in which I traversed Massachusetts and Rhode Island completely by myself. Everything from transportation to food was accounted for by me. It’s scary, needless to say. But I had a friend during this time, Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye.

I had never read the book before, despite it being the book I was named after, and I couldn’t have read it at a better time.

The book follows Holden, a sixteen year old who has just been kicked out of yet another prestigious school because he is unmotivated to complete his schoolwork. The angsty teen only passed one class at Pencey, his English class, and this was because he had read all of the books in previous years. His struggles in school stem from his hatred for adults. All adults with few exception are “phonies.” His teachers are no exception.

Because Holden is the narrator, and a pretty snarky one, you have to take everything he says with a grain of salt. He will state that a certain adult is a phony, but as the reader, you have to ask yourself why he would say something like that. Is a character actually a phony, or is he just a phony through the eyes of Holden? My brief background in AP Psychology tells me that Holden is displacing his fear of adulthood onto all adults, instead of accepting the transition.

The book gets it title from Holden describing his fantasy of being a “catcher in the rye” to his younger sister, Phoebe. He explains the scenario in which he is in a rye field with his back facing a cliff with a sheer drop off. In this field, children are running towards the cliff, and Holden is picking them up, and placing them further away from the edge.

Pretty weird fantasy, right? Not when you understand the consciousness of Holden.

To me, the bottom of the cliff is adulthood, and these children are conforming to what society wants; they are making the jump to become adults. Holden is desperately trying to keep these children in their current state, but he can’t save everyone. The reader learns that Holden has almost a quixotic factor to him. He has the idea that he can save everyone, but obviously this isn’t the case.

Towards the end of the book, Holden is watching Phoebe on a carousel. Holden cries happy tears as he watches Phoebe going round-and-round, stagnant in her childhood. She isn’t headed in a straight line to adulthood, she is stuck in her childhood, and that makes Holden happy.

So what does this have to do with you? Well, don’t be like Holden. The inevitable tide of adulthood is coming, and you can’t stop it, no matter how hard you or Holden try. So adjust. Humans are amazing at adapting to new social environments. Whether you are going to college or getting your first job, you can adjust to that new environment. If you completely immerse yourself, you mold yourself to match that situation. Holden couldn’t adapt; thus he clung to childhood with all of his being. This ultimately was his downfall. Don’t be like Holden.

Editor: AJ Patencio

If Every Neuron in a Human was Coded in a Computer, Would it Result in Consciousness?

May 6, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

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

Looking Back on My NBA Power Rankings

May 3, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

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)

There were some doubts at the beginning of the season in terms of how good the Warriors would actually be with the addition of Demarcus Cousins. But, Steph Curry had an MVP-type year, which paved the path to the 1st seed for the Warriors.

2. Houston Rockets (4)

The Rockets placed lower than most people predicted. Chris Paul was injured for an extended amount of time, which turned into a blessing and a curse. Though they lost games in that stretch, James Harden had a phenomenal year as the offense ran solely through him

3. Los Angeles Lakers (10)

Yikes. Things were looking good at the beginning of the season, but LeBron went down with an injury in which he missed 17 games, and in that time his supporting cast couldn’t win enough games to be a real competitor in the west. Also, the loss of their President of Basketball Operations, Magic Johnson, is indicative of how well their season actually went.

4. Utah Jazz (5)

The Jazz were the 2nd best defensive team in the league, but it wasn’t enough to stop James Harden in the first round of the playoffs. They might need one more player this offseason to be a legit competitor next year, or their lack of offense will plague them once again

5. New Orleans Pelicans (13)

Another yikes. I predicted that a young core of Jrue Holiday, Julius Randle, and Anthony Davis would go far, but chemistry issues in the front office caused problems.

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (6)

Westbrook-fan or not, you have to respect the amazing numbers he has put up next to Paul George. Speaking of PG-13, someone argued that he should be a candidate for MVP, Defensive Player of the year, and Most Improved Player, which may be a stretch, but is a testament to the amazing year that he had.

7. Portland Trail Blazers (3)

I thought that the Trail Blazers needed one more person to go far in this league, but they shut me up. The Blazers made it work, and the acquisition of Enes Kanter will be a big key to their success in the playoffs.

8. Denver Nuggets (2)

The Nuggets are the surprise team in the west, as they fought for the second seed off of a team-style of play, which is becoming increasingly rare in the NBA.

9. San Antonio Spurs (7)

My initial concern for the Spurs was that the lack of outside shooting would hurt them later on, but I should have known that Coach Gregg Popovich will always make the playoffs.

10. Minnesota Timberwolves (11)

With Jimmy Butler off the team, the T-wolves are headed in a new direction and are hoping to score on their lottery pick in June.

11. Phoenix Suns (15)

I had hoped that the Suns would show some progress, but to no avail. They didn’t utilize their star rookie nearly enough, and their record shows.

12. Dallas Mavericks (14)

Midway through the season, the Mavs realized that they weren’t going to be a playoff team, so they traded their rookie point guard and the newly signed DeAndre Jordan for the former Knick, Kristaps Porzingis. Hopefully they can score on a draft pick and Porzingis will bounce back from his injury.

13. Memphis Grizzlies (12)

The Grizzlies are officially in rebuild mode. They traded Gasol at the deadline, and Conley is planning on leaving. Like many other teams, the Grizzlies need to score on this year’s draft pick.

14. Los Angeles Clippers (8)

Yet another yikes. I thought the Clippers would want to rebuild, but they proved me wrong as they fought their way to the 8th seed and faced the Warriors in the 1st round. To everyone’s surprise, the Clippers took them to six games.

15. Sacramento Kings (9)

I’ll own up to it, I doubted the Kings and their dysfunctional front office. But De’aaron Fox and co. really pulled together a passionate effort, and they look like a promising young team.

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics (4)

Gordon Hayward couldn’t pull it together until the last few months of the season, and no one except Kyrie Irving seemed to improve. Something needs to change on this roster if they want to win the east. Nevertheless, they had a somewhat successful season, landing in the 4th seed.

2. Toronto Raptors (2)

In November, I said that their success depended on if Kawhi Leonard could bounce back to being a top 5 player. Though he wasn’t a top 5 player, he produced enough to lead the Raptors to success.

3. Philadelphia 76ers (3)

Though I personally dislike the 76ers, their young core brought them success in the east and a relatively easy path to the Eastern Conference Finals.

4. Milwaukee Bucks (1)

In November, I said that Giannis has the potential to have an MVP-caliber season, and then he had an MVP-caliber season. The east should be scared.

5. Indiana Pacers (5)

Victor Oladipo got injured in the first half of the season, and everyone thought the Pacers would tank–then they grabbed the 5th seed. Their defense kept them in games, at least until they met the Celtics in the first round.

6. Washington Wizards (11)

John Wall didn’t stay healthy and Dwight Howard had personal issues, and this led to the team’s demise. Bradley Beal had a great statistical year though, and Thomas Bryant showed flashes of potential to be their center of the future.

7. Detroit Pistons (8)

Blake Griffin had arguably the best season of his career, and it helped with the team’s success. The duo of Griffin and Drummond was unable to carry the team against the Bucks, and they were swept in the first round.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers (14)

I thought that an aging Kevin Love and a rookie Collin Sexton could somewhat get it done. Needless to say, they are in rebuilding mode.

9. Charlotte Hornets (9)

Kemba Walker tried so hard to get his team to the playoffs, but to no avail. Something needs to change in that organization, or Kemba will be hitting the road.

10. Chicago Bulls (13)

The Bulls were really hell-bent on rebuilding, so much so that they traded away proven veterans for young pieces, and that resulted in less wins. Will it pay off?

11. Miami Heat (10)

Dwayne Wade had a great farewell tour, and the Heat were fighting for the 8th spot in the playoffs, but the cookie didn’t crumble their way.

12. New York Knicks (15)

Hopefully, Dennis Smith, Jr., can become a star for them, and the rumors of them signing Kevin Durant will come true. But one can only dream.

13. Brooklyn Nets (6)

The Nets are one of my biggest yikes teams in the east. D’Angelo Russell proved that he can be a focal point of an offense, and the Nets still have enough money to sign a player to a max contract to pair with him. The future looks bright for the Nets.

14. Orlando Magic (7)

I thought the Magic would tank, but they pulled a Clippers and fought their way to the playoffs. If they can find a solid point guard in the offseason, they could be a competitor come 2020.

15. Atlanta Hawks (12)

Trae Young had a Rookie-Of-the-Year season, and John Collins developed nicely. If they can draft a third piece in this year’s draft, they could make it to the playoffs in a few years.

Editor: Luke Langlois

Holden Rants About a Topic Does Anyone Still Read This Title Part 5

April 18, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

What is Gaming Disorder?

By Holden Hartle, who has played video games

In our pursuit this week of everything gaming, Holden uncovers a surprising disorder.

I’ll be completely honest, I didn’t think this was real when I first heard about it. But, it’s a real mental disorder that the World Health Organization (WHO) added to the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and that the American Psychology Association (APA) added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V) .

What does Gaming Disorder look like? Some of the symptoms according to psychiatry.org include, “preoccupation with gaming, withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away (sadness, anxiety, irritability), inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming, and the use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness.” These are the same symptoms that someone might go through if they were addicted to a drug of some sort, i.e. the inability to stop and the feelings of sadness and anxiety when it is taken away from you.

Now, if you’re an incessant gamer like me, these symptoms scare you. But fear not, only a very small portion of the population actually has the disorder. The criteria is very specific and needs to last for a certain amount of time in order for someone to be diagnosed. A case study in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction states that, ”The diagnosis of IGD is not easy,” and, “[Gaming disorder’s] psychological, social, and health consequences require further study.” The study goes on to explain that little research has been done into the effectiveness of the various types of treatments of Gaming Disorder and which treatment is best.

Another case study, this time from Yale, explains that the dopamine boost in a cocaine addict’s system after a hit is the same dopamine boost from someone who has Gaming Disorder. Furthermore, when a video game addict plays video games, he has conditioned his hypothalamus to reward him every time he plays video games. This makes sense when you consider the fact that a video game addict goes through similar withdrawals to that of a drug addict. When he isn’t playing video games, his body feels empty without the constant string of dopamine flowing through his system

To remind you, a very very very small percentage of the population actually has Gaming Disorder. The screening process is very scrupulous in order for a psychologist to actually diagnose someone. If you feel like you may have this disorder, however, contact your local psychologist, and they may be able to help.

Video Game Editor: AJ Patencio

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO Album Review

April 17, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

By Holden Hartle, Music Guy

Editor Makena’s theme for her week is Plants and Opinions. Holden speaks to Opinions. He is very opinionated when it comes to music. Listen up.

I’m aware that the teenage girl inside of me is showing, but I thoroughly enjoy Billie Eilish’s new album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. This album was highly anticipated after her EP “dont smile at me” put her on the map. Personally, I enjoyed the more upbeat songs off of “dont smile at me,” but not the album as a whole. The slower songs seemed to go on forever, and I feel like she was still looking for her sound–something to tie her music to her name. I feel like she found her sound with WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. The album is still a fusion of upbeat songs and slow songs, but the one thing that ties the album together is a heavy use of bass. The bass in most of the songs adds a contrast to the light, quiet timbre of the vocals and the melody. Yet, with a distorted 808 (drum machine) and quiet vocals, the album remains cohesive. This is something that is very impressive, and something that a lot of albums don’t get right.

The part that really draws me to the album is the transparency and the authenticity. Except for some very minute parts, every song was written by Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell. The connection between these siblings allows for the emotions in the songs to be fully expressed. For example, the opening track, “!!!!!!!,” is a thirteen second track with the line, “I have taken out my Invisalign and this is the album.” Now, I’m a sucker for symbolism, so to me this line means that Billie Eilish has removed anything that is holding her back from expressing her true emotions and this album will be nothing less than authentic. On a more surface level, this could just be a candid and genuine moment between these two siblings, but if you look at it from a perspective of finding the aim of the album, the opening track is opening the door to Billie’s mind.

The following song, “bad guy,” immediately gives us access to Billie’s consciousness. The song explains how Billie has a lover who is “a tough guy/…Chest always so puffed guy,” and generally, a stereotypical manly man. Billie claims that she is the type who is really in charge in the relationship. To the best of my knowledge, this isn’t something typically talked about in music. Most songwriters, if they were going down this path, would choose a position of strength and power to say that they are leaving their significant other because they are bringing them down. Billie doesn’t do this. She chooses something that is more genuine and comes more from the heart. She doesn’t leave the relationship; she enjoys the dynamic.

A few songs down, “wish you were gay,” received a lot of flag for “insulting” the LGBT community, but this wasn’t the purpose of the song whatsoever. I’m not one to decide what people should be offended over, but I think that the interesting use of homosexuality adds to the idea that Billie is exploring emotions in music that haven’t been explored before. The song explores the common anthem of the love of your crush not being reciprocated back into you, but the song does so in a way that no ever song has done before to my knowledge. Billie makes her thoughts extremely vulnerable and states that “I just wanna make you feel okay/ But all you do is look the other way/…I just kinda wish you were gay.” This idea is something that could only come from someone who is taking the idea of rejection and expressing it in its fullest.

I briefly want to highlight a line in the song “my strange addiction,” in which Billie sings, “Shoulda taken a break, not an Oxford comma.” The song in its entirety deals with the idea of being obsessed with a bunch of guys, and adding one more to the list. This specific line demonstrates Eilish’s genius songwriting where she states that she should have stopped dreaming about new guys and should not have added another one.

The song “bury a friend” is perhaps the most unique song off of this album, as it looks into the darker side of Billie’s conscious. According to her, the song is sung from the monster under your bed’s perspective. Once again, I feel as if this is a unique idea that very few artists have ventured into before. The song alludes to the fact that we all have our own monster under our bed, and this monster is some version of us. Her monster suffers from trust issues and has a depressing manner about her, characterized by the lines, “What do you want from me? Why don’t you run from me?” and the titular line, “When we all fall asleep, where do we go?”

Starting with “bury a friend,” the songs in the album take a darker and more pessimistic turn. Instead of being songs of power, the songs deal with Billie’s struggles with depression and the subsequent suicidal thoughts that follow.

To say the least, this album is a roller coaster. The album starts on a high note, with the brother-sister duo ending the first song with a few seconds of them laughing. Yet towards the end of the album, the listener is welcomed into the darkest parts of Billie’s consciousness. The fact that Billie is open to being that vulnerable is something she should be commended for. The album is successful at exploring emotions that aren’t necessarily covered on the radio, and showing the range of emotions that someone feels. Sure, people go through heartbreak, but Billie doesn’t hide any details about this fact. She isn’t scared to write a song about what people actually feel, rather than what people should feel. Shakespeare once wrote that theater, and more broadly, art, hold a mirror up to nature. Billie does just this in WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO.

Opinion Editor: Makena Behnke

Scandal in the Universities

April 3, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Holden Hartle

Editor Hannah challenges bloggers to write on the topic of Conspiracy. Holden goes to the conspiracy in the news . . . the College Admissions Scandal!

As I’m sure most of you know, there has been a big scandal within some of the big name universities. Parents of high school seniors are bribing admissions officers in order to guarantee a spot for their child. In addition, there have been cases in which parents have bribed standardized test proctors to practically take the test for their children, ensuring that they get a higher score. There are even cases of parents bribing coaches of various universities in order for their child to get an admissions offer via fulfilling a team spot.

Before I become too subjective, let’s begin with the facts. Fifty students from six different states were guaranteed a spot into a big-name university due to bribes from their parents. These aren’t cheap bribes. Most of them are hundreds of thousands of dollars allocated towards a single individual. Note: this money isn’t going to a school. These weren’t donations to the university. If they were donations, the money could go towards constructing a new building or hiring more professors. Rather, hundreds of thousands of dollars were sent to admissions officers, proctors, and coaches.

Some of the colleges involved in the scandal include Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, University of San Diego, University of Texas, Wake Forest, and recently, University of California Irvine.

And now, to get subjective. If you are planning on applying to these universities, still apply. Though this scandal does put a bad name on the university, not the whole university is at fault. Rather, the bribed individuals should take the blame.

I interviewed Jake Mulé, who applied to UCLA, and asked him if this scandal was a big deal to him and if this scandal affected his perceptions of the school. He said that “it doesn’t deter me from the colleges I am looking at. The problem is within the system. It is hard to be what colleges want us to be. [Bribery] is how people are willing to get ahead.”

Most of the people I interviewed generally agree that the universities aren’t to blame. Asher Mai, who applied to UCLA, USC, and Stanford, said that “It’s not the university’s fault.” Amanda Laule agreed adding that “the universities should make sure their admissions officers aren’t accepting bribes.”

Personally, I agree with Jake that this scandal points out the obvious flaws in the college admissions system. I also agree that colleges should be more attentive to potential bribes that their admissions representatives and coaches may be receiving. But the whole conspiracy affects me on a more personal level. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, the prosecuting attorney, said that “for every student admitted through fraud, an honest and genuinely talented student was rejected.” From someone who has felt the pain of a rejection email, it is so difficult for me to watch these people have their path to college paid for by their parents, and at the same time, have to watch my talented friends get denied from their dream universities. And consider this: even though there are only fifty cases that have surfaced, this is something that has happened in years past, and something that doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.

Conspiracy Editor: Hannah Hall

Who is Running for President?

February 28, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Holden Hartle, Blogger and Future White House Chief of Staff

Some of our blog followers will be able to vote in 2020 for the next President of the United States, and, of course, the adults that follow the blog have been voting for years (at least I hope you have been). In any case, I feel as if you should look beyond what party your candidate is a part of, and actually do research into who these candidates are and what they believe in. So, here is a brief description of each of the candidates that have said they are running as of February 25, 2019. My source is The Washington Post. You can find more information by going to their website that is updated daily. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/politics/2020-presidential-hopefuls/?utm_term=.b2ec254a97e7

Democrats

John Delaney–Back in November, he was the first person to announce that he was running for President. He served three terms as a representative for Maryland’s 6th District. His platform, like many other Democrats, involves health care, but not universal health care–like other Democrats are proposing, but rather he is using his background in finance to come up with a “more reasonable” set of federal benefits and a way to afford it. For further information, go to https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-a-democratic-health-care-planwithout-medicare-for-all-131930755.html.
Andrew Yang–Our current President has started a trend in which candidates with little political experience have a shot at gaining the presidency. Likewise, Yang has no experience in politics. He is an entrepreneur who started Venture for America, a nonprofit that helps recent college graduates make a living through startups that can “revitalize a city.” His website can be found here: https://ventureforamerica.org/. In terms of his platform, he has an idea for a universal basic income for all adults of $1000 per month. His idea is that if people have more money, they will spend more money, and the economy will grow.
Tulsi Gabbard–She is currently the Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd District and a combat veteran. She is no doubt a trailblazer, as she was the youngest person elected as a Hawaii representative at 21; she was the first American Samoan elected to Congress, as well as the first Hindu. She prides herself on being an environmentalist and a proponent for LGBT+ and women’s rights.
Julian Castro–He is the current Mayor of San Antonio and served as the 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. He is very anti-Trump, as he recently held a rally near the site of the new wall, as well as publicly bashed President Trump’s State of the Union Address.
Kamala Harris–Simply through observation, Harris already seems like a very popular candidate. She is one of the current senators of California. According to her website, she will “provide sweeping tax cuts for the middle class,… raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, make higher education tuition-free for the vast majority of Americans,… protect the legal rights of refugees and immigrants, and expand access to affordable, quality health care with Medicare for All.” Her website can be found at https://kamalaharris.org/.
Marianne Williamson–Williamson, along with Andrew Yang, has no experience in politics. Rather, she is a spiritual teacher and author. She is running for president after an unsuccessful run as a representative for California’s 33rd District. Though she doesn’t have any experience in the government, she is no stranger to activism, as she has started several nonprofits for various social problems, such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the ‘80s.
Elizabeth Warren–Her platform is very Bernie-esque. The current Massachusetts Senator fights for the middle class. She has been in the news a lot recently for her opposition to President Trump and for President Trump’s critical view of her. She definitely has lots of name recognition due to the media.
Amy Klobuchar–Klobuchar is the current Senator for Minnesota and feels as though the views of the midwest have been unheard or misrepresented by the federal government. She is also very family oriented. In an article in The Economist, that can be found here https://www.economist.com/united-states/2019/02/16/democrats-should-take-a-good-look-at-amy-klobuchar, she is described as being “the opponent Donald Trump would least like to face” because she is the antithesis of the President. She promotes the small towns in the midwest, while he focuses more on urban areas. This may lead her to a surprising run.
Bernie Sanders–Crowd favorite Bernie Sanders is the most recent candidate to announce his run. His ideas that originated in his 2016 presidential run are prevalent among the other candidates that are running this year. It will be interesting to see how he fairs against some of the other “young guns” whose platform is very similar to his.

Republicans

Donald Trump–As you will notice, the list on the Republican side is rather small. As of the time I am writing this, February 25, 2019, the incumbent President is the only one who has announced that he is running again. He has also said that his campaign slogan will be “Keep America Great.” Though it does look like he will be experiencing some roadblocks in the future. There are other candidates who are exploring bids, like William Weld, or even people who are simply looking like candidates, like John Kasich, but President Trump is the only person to officially announce his run.

Editor: Makena Behnke

Teachers Before They Started Teaching: Mr. Griffin Edition

February 25, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Holden Hartle

In my 15 years of being a student, I have learned fun and interesting facts about my teachers. In learning these facts, I realized that teachers were so much more than just teachers. So, I wanted to learn their stories, and more specifically, I wanted to learn how their career and life decisions led them to Palm Valley School. In this post, I interview Mr. Griffin, a long-time teacher at PVS who is one of the faces of the Upper School English Department. Here is his story.

The story of Mr. Griffin began in Glendale, California, in a year that, for his sake, I will leave unmentioned. Years later, he was accepted to the University of Redlands and attended there for a year. During that time, he became very close with his English professor, who taught him the importance of books and literature in general. After that year, he transferred to UC Berkeley where he finished his B.A. in English Literature. Once he finished his B.A., he took a gap year in Europe before returning to UC Berkeley for his Masters. But, he didn’t want to pursue a Ph.D. Though he still loved English, he decided to pursue a different career path–film.

He was accepted to the UCLA Film Department as he was receiving his Masters but turned it down. He decided that he had “had enough of school.” Instead of pursuing film in a classroom, he booked a flight to The Big Apple and dove right into the industry. Of course, you don’t hop off the plane and start working on movies. First, you need money to afford the necessities, which Mr. Griffin made through various jobs, such as being a waiter. He needed these jobs to “stay alive.”

He started out on the bottom of the totem pole in the film industry as a Production Assistant; among many of his responsibilities was “fetching coffee for Al Pacino.” Eventually, he worked his way up to 2nd Assistant Director, and then to 1st Assistant Director. From there, he became a Production Manager and then landed a job as a Producer. His last major job was as a Producer on the TV series Nip/Tuck. But, what changed? Why isn’t he still in the film industry?

During his time in New York, his mother suddenly grew ill. He flew back to California, and his mother passed away. Losing his mother motivated him to spend time with his father, with whom he never had much of a relationship. So, he decided to relocate from the East Coast to California and pursue his career in the heart of the Hollywood beast. In the years leading up to his father’s death, Mr. Griffin grew extremely close to his father.

In the late 90s, Mr. Griffin bought a home in Palm Springs and moved there to enjoy the warmer climate and easier lifestyle. He continued to work in the film industry for another ten years, working on various projects in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and San Diego.

While in Palm Springs, he joined the Gay Men’s Chorus and met Mr. Sarkis. The pair were both baritones and sat next to each other. Mr. Griffin described their behaviors as being “mischievous towards everything.” They had similar interests, and soon enough, their friendship blossomed.

One day, Sarkis invited Mr. Griffin to a Marywood Palm Valley Middle School production of Guys and Dolls. Like any sane person, Mr. Griffin was dubious about seeing middle schoolers attempt to perform a play, but he attended out of friendship for Mr. Sarkis and found the production not only surprisingly entertaining but also impressively professional and unbelievably charming. This is how Mr. Griffin became connected to the school. After 30+ years in the film industry, he’d found that the work just “wasn’t that glamorous anymore,” so when Sarkis asked for his help on upcoming middle-school productions, he jumped at the chance. This transitioned into him accepting a job to teach 9th-grade English at the school so that he could return to his first love, great literature.

About ten years later, he is still teaching 9th-grade English, along with AP English Literature, all the while inspiring the next generation in the same way that he was inspired by his professor at the University of Redlands.

Editor: AJ Patencio