the bird on fire

The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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My Journey Through Basketball

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By Holden Hartle

My basketball journey began in the fourth grade. In the years leading up to this, some may characterize me as having my “nose glued to the pages of a book.” I wasn’t out to find friends. I was perfectly happy staying in the fantasy world of whatever book I was reading. This all changed in fourth grade.

The basketball season was ready to begin, and that’s all any of the cool kids were talking about. I wanted to sit at their lunch table. I wanted to be their friend. So, I went on to NBA.com and looked at the list of teams. After very minimal amounts of research, I decided that everyone liked the Los Angeles teams, so that would be too obvious. I then stumbled across the Utah Jazz and thought, ‘Hm. I have family in Utah. No one else likes the Utah Jazz. I will start liking the Utah Jazz.” I walked over to the cool kids’ table and took a seat, ready to share my limited knowledge of this completely new sport.

Fast forward to the middle school years. In the winter of sixth grade, I, along with the cool kids, joined the basketball team. This was my first time ever playing organized basketball. No longer was I just chucking the basketball somewhere towards the basket with no regards for the rules. Now, it was time to actually learn the sport. Needless to say, I was awful. To the best of my knowledge, I didn’t score a single point until eighth grade. I was slowly getting better, but I often panicked on the court, and it resulted in some questionable shot selections.

Despite my inability to score, we won plenty of games. Through sixth and seventh grade, we went undefeated, largely due to the contributions of Jensen Jabara. In seventh grade, we won the championship, and in eighth grade, we took third.  

In all of this, I was slowly learning more about the NBA. My favorite player, legend Carlos Boozer, who I blindly chose in fifth grade, was traded to the Chicago Bulls. Sorry Jazz, but the Bulls became my favorite team–even though I had no connections with Chicago whatsoever.

And that brings us to high school. I joined the team freshman year, and now, thanks to MaxPreps, there is documentation of how bad I was. The team for the 2015-2016 season was led by senior Colin Wessman, our center who was leading a team that was 80% underclassmen. He was our captain, but our scoring was led by junior Michael Ma, who averaged thirteen points per game. Yours truly averaged a staggering two points and three rebounds for the year. As a side note, Ben Snyder, during his freshman year, is listed as only 5’2”. Keep this in mind as the story continues.

My freshman season could not have gone any worse. We lost every single game, and with the exception of one game, we lost every game by ten points or more. During the MaxPreps tournament, in which we played teams that were way better than us, I had the highlight of my career. We were losing by more than 40, so the game clock didn’t stop on a dead ball. The opposing team knocked the ball out of bounds, and with just a few seconds left in the fourth quarter, I yelled at Ben Snyder to inbound the ball. He passed the ball to me and I put up a buzzer beater from the corner and sunk it. Though we still lost that game by 44, this was the first three-pointer I had made in my career.

Sophomore year came, and it could only go up from the previous year. And it did. We won five games in total, three of which were in league. In fact, we won our first two games of the season. Towards the end of the season, we won a double overtime game against Bloomington Christian.

During the MaxPreps tournament, we once again played a team that had no business playing a team as bad as us. During warm-ups, I made every shot (not to brag or anything). The opposing coach noticed this, and every time I got the ball during that game, the opposing coach yelled “Shooter!” And, as you’ll see later, I was no shooter. This became sort of an inside joke among the teammates until my final game as a Firebird.

Our wins were won thanks to the efforts of senior Michael Ma. He averaged sixteen points and almost nine rebounds per game. Ben quickly emerged as the team’s second option, as his points per game jumped from three points per game to nine. It’s also worth noting that not only did Ben’s per game numbers spike, so did his height, as he was now 5’8”. My numbers stayed the same, but I was content with this, considering the success our team experienced.

As junior year came, the team realized that we would lose the scoring of Michael, so we were left looking for someone to take over our team. We found two: Ben Snyder and Daniel Romo. Ben was averaging an unreal eighteen points per game, along with leading the team in rebounds. Daniel was quietly becoming more of an offensive threat on the team as well, which became apparent during the 2017-2018 season.

Our coach during my underclassmen years had said that “We live by the three. We die by the three.” This was especially true in my junior year. When we shot well, our team found success. But when we didn’t, the odds didn’t go in our favor. We won only two games, both of which were hard fought wins against West Shores.

Also during this year, I had my first “big game.” As we were getting blown out by Mesa Grande, late in the fourth quarter, I made a few three-pointers in a row. People were yelling “Shooter!” from the stands. I had this cheesy smile on my face, even though we lost by almost forty.

And that brings us to this year. Originally, I wasn’t going to play basketball for the school. It was too much stress, and I wanted to focus on my academics rather than sports. My senior friends disagreed with my decisions and attempted to persuade me time after time. I was adamant on this up until the first practice. A few days before then, our coach had a meeting with me. He too, attempted to persuade me to join the team. He said that I could be a legitimate third option for the team. I said I would think about it. A few days later, I went to the first practice. Surrounded by my teammates–I knew I couldn’t quit the team, so I didn’t.

This year was my big year of improvement. I averaged seven points, seven rebounds, and two assists per game–the best stat line of my career. There was a stretch of four games where I averaged over twelve points per game, one of which was my career high sixteen points against Desert Chapel. Though these numbers aren’t impressive from most basketball player’s standpoints, they were to me. This was a big accomplishment for me.

Ben was now 6’1,” and the tallest person on the team. If you don’t count the games he didn’t play, he averaged nineteen points per game, had five twenty-point games and one thirty-point game, which allowed him to lead the league in scoring. Daniel led the league in assists. But, there is someone else I want to highlight: Asher Mai. Though Asher struggled with confidence, his senior year was his best year by far. He had his first game in which he scored more than ten points, and three games where he grabbed more than ten rebounds.

I’m so thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to play with these players. I started out just wanting to be like the cool kids to becoming an average high-school basketball player. And, throughout this process, I saw the development of my classmates, who have exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Editor: Luke Langlois

Holden Rants About a Topic That Isn’t Really Relevant But is Still Kind of Interesting Part 3

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The National Milk Producers Federation: Got Milk?

By Holden Hartle

Now, I love milk just as much as the next person, but would I dedicate my career to lobbying for it? Well, no, but Randy Mooney would. He is the Chairman of Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., which works within the interest group the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). I’ve never thought about it, but the dairy industry is booming in America (we do love our butter).

The NMPF is big on issues like the selling of raw milk. As you may know, milk must be pasteurized so as to get rid of bacteria. And, apparently, it is within the bounds of the law to sell raw milk that can make the consumer sick. In 2018, The NMPF has brought down legislation that makes raw milk more available, such as Amendment 30 from the 2018 Farm Bill. This amendment would have removed the restrictions that are currently in place that prevent the interstate sale of raw milk. But, the NMPF, along with Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi, shot down the amendment, stating that it would be, “an unnecessary risk to consumer safety and public health.”

The NMPF is also big on helping the environment. They are in the process of developing the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC). This is in place to clean up oil and fuel spillages on farms. Also, they started the National Air Emissions Study (NAEMS), which measures the pollution emitted by dairy farms and is finding ways to limit them.

Possibly the issue that the NMPF cares about the most is the price of milk. The Federal Government stopped regulating milk prices, meaning that the prices are very volatile based off of supply and demand. Instead of allowing milk prices to go up so that the milk industry can make more a profit, the NMPF is working on an “insurance-based federal safety net program to give farmers an effective tool to protect their farms in times of extremely low milk prices or high feed costs.” In short, instead of milk prices getting too low and farmers not making money, the NMPF is working on a way to prevent farmers from going bankrupt. Instead of being pro-industry, the NMPF is more concerned with the financial well-being of farmers.

On a separate note, if you are interested in doing graduate research on the dairy industry, the NMPF has a scholarship just for you, the NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program. The past winner was Isaac Salfer, who is in the process of getting his doctorate in animal sciences and is studying the effect of nutrient intake on circadian rhythms in the mammary gland of dairy cows.

In my research of the NMPF, I have come to the conclusion that the NMPF is adorable. As far as I can tell, the National Milk Producers Federation is genuinely interested in selling milk that is “safe, wholesome, and nutritious.” Nothing Federation members do, at least the things they promote, project them as money-hungry and greedy. They are active in changing legislation that promotes animal cruelty, and they care about the environment. And, on top of all that, they are creating a safety net for farmers if the price of their product falls too low. And on top of all that, they have a scholarship for graduate students who are pursuing a career in the dairy industry. Their actions seem like a certain brand of milk–wholesome.

If you would like to learn more of the NMPF, the link to the website referenced is http://www.nmpf.org

Editor: Leo Milmet

My Musical Interests at the Moment

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By Music Critic and Blogger Holden Hartle

I’ve recently noticed that I listen to a lot of music that maybe other people haven’t heard of. When I find out that someone knows a band that I like, I become ecstatic, as if we are the only two people on Earth that know the artist. Of course, this isn’t the case. These bands and artists have millions of fans, but I still feel they deserve more recognition.

Grandson: When people ask about him, I always say that he is like a modern version of Rage Against the Machine. He combines hard rock moshiness with a trap drum beat, and his lyrics often revolve around political problems. He is releasing new music sometime in January and is going on his No Apologies tour shortly after.

Hobo Johnson and the Lovemakers: The frontman’s story is very humbling. Frank Lopez was kicked out of his house as a teenager and was forced to live in his car, and so he named himself Hobo Johnson. His music is very spoken-word-esque and explores his emotions as life just keeps on throwing obstacles at him. He has a European tour coming this winter, and he has announced that new music is coming soon.

This is the cover for Highly Suspect’s The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Highly Suspect: There are only three people in this band, but these three people make a lot of noise. They give a more hard rock feel to the alternative genre. They received a lot of success with their last album The Boy Who Cried Wolf (2016) but have since been quiet. I hope to see new music in the future.

SWMRS: They give off more of an old school punk feel. They gained a lot of traction with their debut album Drive North (2016), and have pre-released their album Berkeley’s On Fire. The album is set to release on February 15th, and they have a European/North American tour scheduled after its official release and will last until May. I highly suggest you take a listen.

The Blue Stones: The Blue Stones sound like if The Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys collaborated. They have only released one album entitled Black Hole (2015), and it’s a bop with a wide range of sounds, ranging from hard rock to a bluesy tone. They are opening for Grandson on his upcoming tour.

Dominic Fike: He is my newest musical obsession. He mixes R&B style vocals with a more alternative approach to the instrumentals. His guitar chops and drum patterns add a nice rhythm to each of his songs. He only has one EP out called Don’t Forget About Me, Demos (2018), and I really enjoy it. The entire EP only takes fifteen minutes to listen through, so if you need something to enjoy on your drive home, I highly suggest some Dominic Fike.

Editor: Makena Behnke

Should Sports Players be Paid Less?

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By Sports Enthusiast and Blogger Holden Hartle

In short, no. People like to say, “How can athletes get paid millions of dollars just to play a game? It’s unfair to the rest of the working class who actually has to work for their next paycheck.” I understand this hypothetical person’s argument. In its simplest, these athletes are getting paid ridiculous amounts of money to play a child’s game. But, I do have some problems with this hypothetical person’s argument.

Consider this. The NBA earns a total of $7.37 billion per year. How the NBA determines the salary cap (it’s actually very complicated so this is the “For Dummies” version) is they take the total NBA revenue, halve it, then divide it by thirty because there are thirty teams in the NBA. After the other math that goes into it, you get just over $100 million per team. The salary cap is how much money a team is allowed to spend on players’ contracts. So, as the NBA earns more revenue, the teams can spend more money on contracts. But imagine if teams were given less of a percentage of the NBA’s revenue. That means that players would get paid less but that money has to go somewhere. Instead, it would go to people like Adam Silver, who is currently commissioner of the NBA. It seems fairer that the players are getting 50% of the NBA’s revenue, rather than Adam Silver have all of it to himself.

Furthermore, consider the fact that each NBA player has some amount of influence. Sure someone like Antonio Blakeney will have less influence than LeBron James, but there are still people that will look to Blakeney as a role model. And though maybe this influence isn’t worth millions of dollars, it is at least worth something.

Personally, I don’t think that NBA players should be paid less. I think that they are paid a fair percentage of the NBA’s revenue and that it would be unfair if they were paid a lesser percentage. Though, yes, in its simplest, they are playing a child’s game, but consider the fact that they are playing it at the highest level in the entire world, and the fact that each NBA player has some influence over some group of people.

This has been Part 2 of Holden Rants About a Topic That Isn’t Really Relevant But is Still Kind of Interesting.

Editor: A.J. Patencio

Holden Rants About a Topic That Isn’t Really Relevant But is Still Kind of Interesting: Part 1

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How Much Symbolism is Too Much?

By Holden Hartle

I have the pleasure of taking a class with Mr. Griffin. He introduced the idea of symbolism to me when I was a freshman, and now I am reintroduced to it as a senior. He has opened my eyes to a whole new way of reading a story. Currently in class we are discussing short stories. Some ideas are far fetched–like a card game representing the Irish economy. The discussions we have in class explore the story beneath the story, as Mr. Griffin likes to put it.

For example, we read the story A&P by John Updike, in which a teenager quits his job as a cashier to go chase some girls in bikinis. At least, this is the story on the surface level. If you go one level deeper, the story is kind of a coming-of-age story, as the cashier quits his job because it proves that he can be autonomous. You can even go one step deeper and look at the lighting of the story. The “fake” lighting inside the store conveys the illusion that the teenager can actually go out and get these girls, but when he steps into the sunlight, or the “real” lighting, he is met with “reality” and the fact that he can’t get those girls.

But when does symbolism go too far? How deep can you look into a story before your symbolic interpretation just becomes wrong? Well, as with most cases, there are two sides to the story. One side can argue that whatever the reader can extrapolate from the story as symbolism should be taken as such, but the other side may argue that sometimes the author may just want to write something for the sake of writing it. Not all pieces of literature have to have symbolism. The common example is when an author writes, “The curtains were painted blue.” Mr. Griffin and I may look at this sentence and say that the curtains convey the protagonist’s sadness, and possibly his loneliness, when in fact the author may have just written that the curtains were blue, with no intended symbolism whatsoever.

There is another side of the story that raises an interesting question. Sometimes, symbolism reveals secrets about the author, regardless of whether or not they put it in consciously. If we use the curtain example again, what if we were to say that the curtains are blue because the author was feeling depressed at that point in time. Is that fair to say? In my opinion, no. It is unfair to extrapolate symbolism and relate it to the author, because you could stretch an idea to the point that you could say the author is a sexist for using a color primarily associated with boys.

So, yes, Mr. Griffin and the AP Literature class have a grand ol’ time “over analyzing” passages, but there is a point where symbolic analysis becomes too much. Personally, I believe that the author and the piece should remain separate entities. You, as the reader, can take whatever you want out of the story, but what you take from the story shouldn’t fall back onto the author. This has been Holden Rants About a Topic That Isn’t Really Relevant But is Still Kind of Interesting: Part 1.

Editor: AJ Patencio

Hello My Name Is…

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A Short Story by Holden Hartle

Nomen opened his eyes this morning and rubbed the blurriness away. He rolled over, grabbed his glasses, and slid them on top of his nose. He rose out of bed and went through his normal morning routine, which began with his usual shower. He then brushed his teeth. These were always quintessential pieces of his morning.

His next process was to select his outfit, a process that was equally as important as his cleaning. He was always very pragmatic when choosing his outfit. Nomen paid close attention to which color shirt went with the ripped jeans he had just bought. Then, it was a question of which socks would go with both of those. Today he chose a white graphic tee with the new ripped jeans, along with a standard pair of white crew socks. This outfit was a popular, yet simple, trend that his friends were following.

The final thing he needed to top off his outfit was the “Hi My Name Is”  sticker. Everyone wears one. It is how people identify you. How else should they? Actually speaking to people and learning their story is much too difficult and time consuming. He places a new one on his outfit every day, and this day was no different. But the name he wrote on the nametag remained the same, Victor. He didn’t care for his own name very much, so he made his own, and that is how people knew him. No one other than his parents would ever know that he was anything but Victor, the kid that wears trendy clothing.

It was time for school. Victor received his driver’s license a few months ago, and could drive himself to school. This meant that the car was another thing he needed to keep clean and tidy for the world to see.

His red car, practically sparkling, cruised into the school parking lot. He parked in his designated parking spot. His face was neutral beforehand, but when he parked his car, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, like an actor before reciting a monologue. He breathed out, opened his eyes, and was in character.

Victor grabbed his backpack from the passenger seat and proceeded to the front steps of the school and headed to his locker. As he was putting his books away, he felt a tap on his right shoulder. As he turned his head to the right, Victor heard in his left ear, “Ha! Gotcha!” It was John, as per his nametag. He had been friends with Victor since the beginning of the school year, as they coincidentally had a few classes together. John was part of the “trendy-clothes club” and was wearing a Supreme t-shirt with a pair of designer jeans.

Victor retorted with a joking smack on John’s arm. They had a brief conversation about the hot new girl, Emily, and then proceeded to their first-period class.

Victor had to get through a whole five periods before lunch, and that might as well have been an eternity. Each day that Victor showed up to school, it was harder and harder to maintain appearances. A part of him knew that he wanted to drop the nametag and just be Nomen, but for one, that’s a really nerdy name, and two, he was sure everyone would drop him as a friend if they knew the real him. As Nomen, his world would come crashing down.

From time to time, Victor would look out the window. Rain clouds were gradually coagulating, creating a gloomy mood among the various classrooms, but everyone maintained their persona nonetheless.

One eternity later, it was lunch. Victor walked to his locker and met up with John before finding a place to sit. John moved slowly, so most of the indoor seats were taken, meaning that the pair had to sit outside. As they exited the double doors into the courtyard, the clouds were on the verge of bursting with tears. The pair found a table and started eating, talking about various people and what they were wearing.

It began to rain. What started as just a few drops quickly turned into a barrage of droplets. As the rain began to increase, the adhesive on Victor’s nametag began to come off. Victor’s nervous sweat and rain began to mix. Victor ran into the bathroom to try and salvage the situation. He was furiously attempting to stick his nametag back onto his shirt, but to no avail. There was no hope. He was Nomen now. He was a nerd. His friends would drop him. His outfit could be washed and dried, but his nametag couldn’t.

Nomen hit the bathroom wall with a closed fist and sank to the floor. People were going to ask what his name was, and he had to say Nomen. Who wants to be known as Nomen? Nomen silently cursed his parents for doing this to him.

After a while of sitting in the bathroom, Nomen realized that maybe this wasn’t the worst thing. Maybe it was better to be left in the dark, searching for who you want to be, rather than being the person that everyone expects.

Editor: Luke Langlois

Ode to “Bohemian Rhapsody”

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By Holden Hartle

 

Queen has been in the media a lot recently, largely due to the movie Bohemian Rhapsody that came out last month. Since the release of the movie, Queen seems to be all that most music critics are talking about–a bit of a blast from the past. The song “Bohemian Rhapsody” is something where everyone goes, “Oh yeah, that’s a good song.” But, how did the song come to be?

The recent movie explains that after Queen released their first album, Freddie Mercury wanted to do something big and different, combining the vocal extremities of opera and the punchiness of rock n’ roll. And, after a long period of time composing in the country, the song was complete.

There was a lot of debate over whether or not “Bohemian Rhapsody” should be released as a single, as the song is almost six minutes in length. The record company was worried that the song was too long and that maybe it was a bit too avant garde. Needless to say, the song was released and was a huge hit. Its uniqueness is something that still strikes people today.

But what if the song was never released? Personally, I think the song is the work of a musical genius. This song fuses balladic lyrics with hard rock instruments, and operatic vocals. Yet, somehow, with all of these contrasting parts that dip into different genres, the song still remains coherent, and something that most people can immediately recognize from the piano introduction. But what if the song was never given the recognition? It is very possible that if Mercury wasn’t so adamant on the song being released as a single, it would have just been released as a part of the album and overlooked by a lot of people. Only the more hardcore fans would have listened to the song, because let’s be honest, even I only know Queen’s greatest hits.

It is kind of heartbreaking to think of a world without that song. Last year I went to a Green Day concert, and the introduction went like this. All the fans are talking to each other and suddenly, the lights go out. Then, in darkness, “Bohemian Rhapsody” plays before the band enters the stage. I was astonished as what seemed like every person in the stadium knew every word to the ballad. During the concert itself, Billie Joe Armstrong uses many of the crowd-hyping methods that Freddie Mercury did, i.e. the call and response method of singing a riff and having the crowd sing it back to you.

But now, back to the song at hand. Imagine creating a song with so much influence that a band from decades in the future will play your song in tribute, and that hundreds of thousands of people will be singing this ballad like it’s a hymn. But now imagine if that song was never released. Sure, life would go on, but only a select few would know of this fantastic song and its beauty.

The song deserves all of the media attention that it is currently receiving. The song has had several resurgences to the top of the charts, and, in my personal opinion, the song should remain on the charts for all time. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is so forward-thinking and is definitely unique from most other rock n’ roll ballads. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is truly beautiful.

Editor: Leo Milmet

Is Dance a Sport?

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By Holden Hartle, Blog Arguer and Definition Enthusiast

Is dance a sport? Is sport an art? This is something that my girlfriend and I argue about frequently. She, being a dancer, argues that dance is a sport, due to the physical exertion required in dance. I argue that sports require a competitive aspect, meaning that dance is not a sport. With all of this in mind, I do, however, believe that a dance competition is a sport.

I did the very cheesy thing to do in an argument like this, and I brought in the ol’ Merriam Webster (dictionary). He defines a sport as, “a contest or game in which people do certain physical activities according to a specific set of rules and compete against each other.” Now, take a sport like baseball and apply these guidelines to it. Baseball is a contest or game in which people do certain physical activities, like running through the bases, according to a set of rules. Something like a ballet show has plenty of physical activities, but it isn’t a contest, and thus people aren’t directly competing against each other.

But, let’s look at the other aforementioned question: is sport an art? Kyrie Irving, a basketball player for the Boston Celtics, once said, “Basketball isn’t a game. It’s an art form.” He explains that things like putting responsibility in your teammates and turning that into plays on the court is its own “masterpiece.” So, how do we define art? Well, if we refer back to good ol’ Merriam Webster, he says that art is, “an occupation requiring knowledge or skill,” such as the art of making cabinets. I think everyone can agree on the fact that sports require both knowledge and skill.

So, sports are an art, but classical dance isn’t a sport. I want to make something very clear: I am not here to say that dancers aren’t talented. Being a dancer takes much of the same, if not more, athleticism than most sports, and, in my opinion, a dancer has much more skill than a darts player or a pool player, both of which are technically sports.  

Beyond dance and sports, the idea of fudging around with definitions to make them mean different things is a fun thing to do. For example, a pizza is defined as, “a flat, open-faced baked pie of Italian origin, consisting of a thin layer of bread dough topped with spiced tomato sauce and cheese.” Now, wait a minute, does that mean that if your sauce isn’t tomato based, like a white pizza, then it is no longer a pizza? And, what if your bread layer isn’t thin, is it still a pizza? Most people would agree that a pizza with a white sauce is still a pizza, but Merriam Webster has something to say about that.

Editor: Luke Langlois

Confused? Here are the Propositions in a Nutshell

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By Political Correspondent Senior Blogger Holden Hartle

I’ve seen several ads throughout my life saying “Vote yes on Prop 5” or “Vote no on Prop 11.” But what is the “prop” I’m voting for? I know the majority of us can’t vote this midterm, but it’s nice to know what’s on the ballot and what may happen to our state, or even our country. Also, there is some terminology that was confusing to me, such as a bond is like another word for debt. Below are the propositions that will be on the 2018 midterm ballot.

  1. Authorizes bonds to fund specified housing assistance programs. This helps veterans, farmers, and homeless people in general.
    •  

      Proponents argue that Prop 1 gives housing to those who can’t afford to buy housing on their own. And, what’s more, proponents say, Prop 1 would not raise taxes.

    • Opponents argue that this is on the ballot because there is such an influx of people coming into California, and to solve this problem requires a much larger solution.  
  2. Authorizes bonds to fund existing housing programs for individuals with mental illnesses. The state will use $140 million per year in mental health funds in order to pay back the $2 billion in bonds.
    • Proponents argue that Prop 2 doesn’t raise taxes. It will also provide help to those who previously couldn’t get help for their mental illnesses.
    • Opponents argue that the actual logistics of how the project will be funded would put many more people onto the streets.
  3. Authorizes almost 9 billion in bonds to fund projects for water supply and quality, watershed, fish, wildlife, water conveyance, and groundwater sustainability and storage.
    • Proponents argue that there will be more clean water in California, fixing of unsafe dams, and drought protection.
    • Opponents argue that the bonds go to private organizations and none of it directly goes to creating clean water.
  4. Authorizes $1.5 billion in bonds to fund construction for better children’s hospitals.
    • Proponents argue that Prop 5 will provide the latest technology for children battling all sorts of diseases.
    • Opponents argue that we are giving these bonds away with interest and that we need to find a better way to get children better care.
  5. Okay. So I’m gonna be completely honest with you, I’m not sure what Prop 5 is about. It has something to do with senior citizens paying property taxes and how this takes away from funding in other areas.
  6. Eliminates certain road repair and transportation funding and requires certain fuel taxes and vehicle fees to be approved by Congress.
    • Proponents argue that Prop 6 will lower gas prices, repealing the last tax instituted via the state legislature. Do you really need anything else?
    • Opponents argue that if you vote yes, roads and bridges will continue to deteriorate, clean-air laws will stagnate, and it is possible that more accidents will happen due to deteriorating roads and freeways.
  7. Conforms California Daylight Saving Time to federal law, and it allows state legislature to request a change to Daylight Saving Time Period.
    • Proponents argue that the act of going through a time change is detrimental to the human body, and that fewer injuries and deaths will happen if you were to vote yes.
    • Opponents argue that people will go to school/work in the dark. That’s it? Really?
  8. Regulates the amounts clinics charge for kidney dialysis treatment.
    • Proponents argue that companies are making bank from the costs of dialysis treatment, but they don’t invest in basic needs like sanitation. Voting “Yes” means costs will be regulated.
    • Opponents argue that Prop 8 will put many clinics out of business, which means that fewer people will get treatment, which means that more people will die.
  9. Prop 9 was taken off of the ballot by the Supreme Court, but basically it said that California would be split up into three different states.
  10. Expands local governments’ authority to place regulations on rent control of residential properties.
    • Proponents argue that Prop 10 will make rent increases more fair. Voting “Yes” will help the tenants.
    • Opponents argue that Prop 10 will make the housing situation worse. It also gives the government access to place fees on top of your rent.
  11. Keeps the past regulations of private emergency ambulance employees on call during work breaks so as to respond to emergencies.
    • Proponents argue that Prop 11 will continue saving lives and that seconds matter in a life and death situation. Therefore, we should keep the process in place.
    • Opponents argue that this could mean EMT’s are less likely to be available during emergency situations, which could lead to less immediate emergency care.
  12. Establishes new standards for confinement of certain farm animals as well as bans the sale of non-complying farmers’ products.
    • Proponents argue that the current way we treat animals is inhumane and that establishing minimum requirements would be a step in eliminating this cruelty.
    • Opponents argue that Prop 12 would not eliminate cruelty, as animals, such as hens, could be enclosed in as little as a one-square-foot cages.

 

If you would like to know more about any of these propositions, go to http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions/

Editor: Bella Bier

Holden Hartle’s NBA Power Rankings

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By Holden Hartle, Blog Sports Correspondent

The NBA is starting again, and most major news sources, such as ESPN and Bleacher Report, have released their power rankings (or their opinions on how teams are ranked). I feel that most rankings are just trying to get a response out of people for publicity, so I have gone in and made my own.

*Disclaimer: these are my opinions. I am always prepared to argue, but don’t attack me.

 

Western Conference

  1. Golden State Warriors
    • They were already the best team in the league, and then they added Demarcus Cousins, arguably the best center in the league before his ACL injury.
  1. Houston Rockets
    • The duo of Chris Paul and James Harden proved that they could work together, as they took the best win-loss record in the league last year.
  1. Los Angeles Lakers
    • Any team can be a top 3 team with LeBron James on it, especially when they have such a good, young core, or key players on the team, to fill out the roster.
  1. Utah Jazz
    • Last year, the Jazz ended the year as the 5th seed in the west. With Rudy Gobert on the court, the Jazz were the best defensive team in the league. If the team can stay injury-free, they will for sure find success.  
  1. New Orleans Pelicans
    • Some may believe that the Pelicans are too high on this list, but they have MVP candidate Anthony Davis along with a young, promising Julius Randle. I think this team will surprise the league this year.
  1. Oklahoma City Thunder
    • Russell Westbrook will continue to be Russell Westbrook, and if Paul George can have a solid year, then one can be sure they will find some success in this stacked Western Conference.
  1. Portland Trail Blazers
    • The Trail Blazers are still looking for one more star player to be a genuine contender, but until they find that player, I predict that they will be fighting for a playoff spot.
  1. Denver Nuggets
    • They just barely missed the playoffs last year (by one game), and with Jimmy Butler potentially leaving the Timberwolves, this opens up a spot in the playoffs for the Nuggets.
  1. San Antonio Spurs
    • My concern with the Spurs is their lack of three-point shooting. Looking at their roster, no one stands out as a knockdown three-point shooter. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge will definitely be amazing in the mid-range game, but to compete in the NBA, you need shooters.
  1. Minnesota Timberwolves
    • With Jimmy Butler potentially off the team, the Timberwolves have no one to play defense. Without Jimmy Butler on the court last season, they dropped to dead last in defensive rating. Without him, they will miss the playoffs.
  1. Phoenix Suns
    • The Suns made some moves to beef up their roster over the summer, drafting Deandre Ayton and picking up some veterans in trades/free agency. I hope they continue to do this next summer and become a playoff team.
  1. Dallas Mavericks
    • The only real moves that the Mavericks made was signing Deandre Jordan and drafting Luka Dončić, and I don’t think this will benefit them as much as other people are thinking. I feel as if they need a few more young players and solid veterans to become a playoff team.
  1. Memphis Grizzlies
    • Although Mike Conley is back from injury, with an aging Marc Gasol I predict that this team will be in no man’s land until they rebuild.
  1. Los Angeles Clippers
    • I predict that this team will tank and try to get a high lottery pick to rebuild around. They also need to hope that Tobias Harris and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will turn out to be valuable pieces of their offense if they want to have a playoff spot.
  1. Sacramento Kings
    • They’re the Kings; they’re bound to be the last team in the west.

 

Eastern Conference

  1. Boston Celtics
    • If Gordon Hayward wasn’t injured last season, they could have been the first seed in the east. A potential rival to the Warriors, I’m sure they will dominate the east.
  1. Toronto Raptors
    • The Raptors’ success depends entirely on Kawhi Leonard and whether he will bounce back to the top 5 player he once was.
  1. Philadelphia 76ers
    • The 76ers’ young core has developed beautifully, and now with a healthy Markelle Fultz, they are bound to be a contender in the east.
  1. Milwaukee Bucks
    • Giannis Antetokounmpo has the potential to have an MVP season this year. His numbers have improved each season, and if this growth continues, he could very well average 30 points per game this season.
  1. Indiana Pacers
    • I really hope that Victor Oladipo can have the same success he did last year on the Pacers. If he can keep that momentum, the Pacers should end up as the same seed as they did last year.
  1. Washington Wizards
    • If John Wall can stay healthy and prove that he is worth the money he was paid, the Wizards will definitely be a playoff team. Hopefully, Dwight Howard will be the missing piece they need in their starting 5.
  1. Detroit Pistons
    • Blake Griffin joined their team midway through last season and the team had to go through some adjustments. I think that with these adjustments in place, they could fight for a playoff spot.
  1. Cleveland Cavaliers
    • Now LeBron-less, they have to hope that an aging Kevin Love will revert back to his 24-year-old self, and that Collin Sexton will be the rookie-of-the-year candidate that people think he will become. Don’t be surprised if the Cavaliers don’t make the playoffs this season.
  1. Charlotte Hornets
    • The Hornets deserve a playoff spot. More specifically, Kemba Walker deserves a playoff spot. He has been absolutely ballin’ for the past several years, and I hope that the addition of Miles Bridges and veteran Tony Parker will get them that playoff spot.
  1. Chicago Bulls
    • Though I am partial to the Bulls, I am hopeful that they can compete for a playoff spot as well. They are the second-youngest team in the NBA, so even if they don’t make the playoffs this year, they can get a lottery pick and draft for next season.
  1. Miami Heat
    • I’m going to be completely honest; I don’t know how the Heat were so successful last season. I think that because the east is slowly getting more competitive, and because of the Heat’s overall dysfunctionality, they will miss the playoffs and hope for a high lottery pick to pair with their young core.
  1. New York Knicks
    • The Knicks are currently in no man’s land. They have way too many point guards and no star to pair with Kristaps Porzingis. They either need to draft well in the upcoming drafts or trade some of their core for a star to pair with Porzingis.
  1. Brooklyn Nets
    • The Nets gave away all of their assets a few years ago in what might go down as the worst trade in NBA history, but Sean Marks is doing the best he can with nothing. They have traded well and signed a few good pieces in the offseason. Also, they have enough cap room to sign a max contract this coming off-season.
  1. Orlando Magic
    • Oh, the Magic. They should probably tank, or lose games in hopes for a high draft pick, and aim for a top 5 pick in the draft. They don’t have the cap to sign a star, nor a point guard to lead their team. It will take a miracle to get this team to the playoffs for the next several years.
  1. Atlanta Hawks
    • The Hawks have no intentions of being good this year. They will put all of their chips in with Trey Young and John Collins, who will run the offense. Hopefully, Trey Young can find his stride in the NBA and become a player that the Hawks can build around.

Editor: Leo Milmet