This year’s Masters was held on April 11th-14th. It was located at the Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia. This year marked the 86th anniversary of the Masters, with the first tournament being held in 1934. Winning the Masters is a big deal. If you win you get invitations to the US Open, the Open Championship, the PGA Championship, the Masters, the Players Championship, and membership to the PGA Tour all for the next five years. There is also prize money which this year totaled to $11.5 million. Winners also receive the legendary green jacket.
This year’s champion was Tiger Woods. For those of you not familiar with golf, Tiger Woods might be the only golfer you know, and an obvious choice to win, but to anybody close with the sport, Tiger seemed anything but that.
In 2008 Tiger blew his knee out and has had multiple surgeries since.
In 2009 Tiger was chased out of the house by his wife for cheating and got into a car crash. After the accident Tiger dropped from his top 10 position in the World Golf Rankings to number 674. Tiger hadn’t won a major since, but had won two smaller tournaments in the months leading up to the Masters.
Entering the weekend there were still 9 players that had a possibility of winning, which is the most in Masters history. Τiger didn’t just luck into this win, he played incredibly well. On the 12th hole, when others found the water, Tiger found the green. On par 3s, Tiger played -4. On hole 16 Tiger sent a long drive extremely close to the hole and proceeded to two-putt it in to extend his lead. By the end of the 18th hole, Tiger’s score was -13 and there was a four-way tie for 2nd with a score of -12.
The year is coming to an end quickly; there are only a few months left until summer break. The year went by with many snow days and now it is finally Spring. Some people might now feel ready for the year to end, and others are just waiting for the months to go by.
With just a few months left, I decided to interview some freshmen on how they feel about their first year in high school. Here are some responses from freshmen students.
Freshman 1: Overall, I’m not a fan of high school, or this year in general. I don’t like it at all, it’s really hard and we get a lot of homework. With the homework and assignments, I went through a lot of work and stress this year. In general, I feel like I’m not fitting in at all. Other than that though, I really like the teachers here and I love the sports team.
Freshman 2: I feel like this year started out rough and hard, but once I got used to it, I kind of adapted to the environment. With assignments that are due earlier, you just start doing them earlier to make it to the due date. I got to meet a lot of people this year, I made many new friends and joined different clubs. I also got to meet other people of different grades, which is nice. I really like how the year was challenging for me, I feel like it’s pushing me to be a better and more organized person. I feel like I’m improving a lot and advancing as I’m learning new things.
Freshman 3: There’s really not that much I can say about this year, but it’s good and I like it a lot. I really like the clubs and sports that we have here, I also like the people here, they’re all really friendly.
Freshman 4: Overall, the year has been pretty good, I feel like we were given a lot of assignments but after all those assignments, it’s pretty fun. Nothing in general really stood out to me, but I really like the people I hang out with.
Freshman 5: I came in thinking that I could do many things. I thought it was gonna be easy but it was challenging. I took all advanced classes, and I thought I would do good, but it went just okay for me. It’s really not that you would expect.
These students all had similar and different points of view on their first year of high school. Hopefully, their next years of high school will get better for them, and they keep on challenging themselves.
For all sophomores, who completed a Personal Project, the showcase of the projects happened on April 16, 2019. Showcase was during first through third hour, in the Field House.
In the Field House, there were tables to display the Personal Projects, where people were able to see parts of the project, the paper, and whatever else the student had prepared for the setup. Each student was stationed at a table with their projects. The 10th graders at this event had their name, project topic, and global context in large lettering on a tent in front of them. Depending on what the projects were, some needed to bring a board, iPad for display, videos, visuals, and/or the actual physical project.
Students, guests, and staff were able to ask questions and give feedback on the 10th grade personal projects. Tenth graders needed to be prepared to answer questions about their project, why they chose their topic, what was most challenging, what was their favorite part, etc.
For students that attend an MYP high school, they are required to create their own Personal Project in the 10th grade. The Personal Project is a project done over time based on personal interests. There are multiple journals entries that have to be written, and there is a paper at the end, or middle, of the project that needs to be completed.
With the roll-out of new smart devices coming soon from various companies (such as Samsung’s foldable phone), there is a need for a faster network connection. The idea of 5G has already started at Verizon, where they claim their 5G broadband will be 20 times faster than current 4G LTE speeds.
The issue is, AT&T released “5GE” (5G Evolution), which is reportedly slower than Verizon and T-Mobile’s 4G LTE speeds. AT&T claims that 5GE runs on an “advanced” LTE network, but Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint all currently run 4G on that network, making AT&T’s claim false and misleading.
Sprint took this false claim seriously, and filed a lawsuit against AT&T. They say that what AT&T is doing to customers is completely unethical and wrong. This is because what they claim is their 5GE network, is literally the same as Sprint’s advanced 4G speeds.
The fact that AT&T was able to release this network and call it 5G is concerning. This is because as technology develops, consumers need to be able to purchase reliable speeds for their devices, and not be lied to by powerful corporations. AT&T needs to accept what they did wrong, and actually work on a future connection with real 5G speeds.
It’s usually around fourth quarter when most students (and teachers) hit a wall. To cope with plenty of homework and stress, we’ve provided you with 4 minimal effort desserts. These recipes are simple, quick, and contain ingredients you probably already have at home.
Microwave Mug Brownie: This brownie is the perfect single person size! To jazz it up, add some ice cream or chocolate sauce.
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 tablespoon flour (white all-purpose)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons sugar
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, the order does not necessarily matter.
Get two microwave safe bowls/cups/mugs to separate the batter into, the pour the mixture into th two bowls equally.
Microwave for 55 sec on high power (adjust if needed)
Rocky Road Parfaits: This parfait satisfies any sweet tooth! It makes four servings so that you can share with your family or friends!
Ingredients:
Package of instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups of milk
Whipped cream
Tiny marshmallows (optional)
Chocolate chips (optional)
Peanuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions:
Make pudding in accordance with directions. Use 2 cups of milk.
Remove 3/4 of pudding and set aside. Fill 4 dessert dishes with remaining pudding.
Fold whipped cream into ¾ of pudding. Then divide this mixture evenly into 4 dessert dishes (pre-filled with pudding).
Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
Top with marshmallows, chocolate chips, or peanuts.
Monster Cookie Bars: These M&M loaded bars are the perfect on the go dessert! This recipe yields 16-20 servings, perfect for sharing or eating over time.
16 ounce roll (refrigerated) of peanut butter cookie dough
¾ cup of rolled oats
1 cup M&Ms
½ cup coarsely chopped semi sweet chocolate
Chopped peanuts (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (f). Line a 9×9 in baking pan with foil. Grease foil and set aside.
Break down cookie dough into large bowl.
Combine oats with cookie dough.
Stir in both chocolates (and peanuts if desired).
Put combination into pan and evenly spread.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Cool.
Cut into bars.
Cherry Pie Cups: These simple and easy cup are filled with a delicious cherry filling and if that’s not enough, you can switch up the flavors for a wonderful surprise.
Ingredients:
1 box Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box SAVE $
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
Instructions:
1 Heat oven to 425°F. Remove crusts from pouches; unroll on work surface. With 3 1/2- or 4-inch round cutter, cut 6 rounds from each crust; discard scraps.
2 Fit rounds into 12 ungreased muffin cups, pressing in gently. Spoon about 2 tablespoons pie filling into each crust-lined cup.
3 Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until edges are golden brown and filling is bubbly.
We hope these easy dessert foods are enough to satisfy that small craving of yours or make to a perfect midnight luxury’s snack. Enjoy!
Listen, many people have cats, as they are one of the most common pets; however, in this article, I will prove to you that my cat is better than yours.
First of all, I have three cats, so I will be combining them all into one, to talk about all their best qualities. And yes, I know that seems slightly unfair, but when you have multiple cats, they all feel just like one embodiment of the meaning of cat. And if you do not have more than one cat to spend all your time on, what are you doing with your life?
Smokey
To begin, my cat has the softest, best fur to pet. It’s short and slightly fluffy, and so, so soft. You could stand around petting any one of my cats for an hour and not even notice the time passing.
My cat also has the best purr, and we all know that cat purrs are essential to life. As you pet her, you can feel the vibration of the purr. In that moment, you truly understand peace, serenity, and paradise.
My cat has the fluffiest tail. I don’t know why I’m including the tail as a positive trait, considering the cat constantly knocks things over with her tail and seems to have no control over it, but it is also very fluffy. You wish your cat had as fluffy a tail as my cat.
Smokey
My cat also curls up on my bed under my blankets. She will curl up into a ball, sometimes with a paw covering her head, and sleep. You have never known true fear until you have begun getting into bed and realize that you almost sat on the cat hidden beneath the blankets. And you have never known the heights of adorableness until you realize how cute they look peeking out from the covers.
My cat also sits on my lap when I watch television, which is the best time to have a cat with you. We will stare at the TV together in silence and dream together of taking over the world.
There is also one big advantage to having multiple cats, and that is seeing them curled up together. While it is rare to see the cats near one another, occasionally you will find two of them curled up side by side on a bed, and it is a sight that can’t be explained in words.
Mio
In conclusion, my cat is the best cat, and you wish that you had her. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go clean up cat poop.
If you’ve been reading the news lately, you’ve probably seen an article or two about what’s going on in West Papua, Indonesia, but most articles don’t give you the full idea, and not many people know the intense situation which is going on. Anyway, let me give you some background here from indonesiamatters.com if you don’t already know.
So, in the 1800s, there was this island called “New Guinea.” The British took the East half, and the Dutch took the Western half, and then it became a part of the Dutch East Indies. Then, in the ’30s, the former colonies of the Dutch East Indies all became independent except for Western New Guinea. But, in 1952, the Dutch prepared the people, for independence, for this remaining colony, and by the ’60s, the parliament of that part of New Guinea (now called West Papua) was formed, and the country created a national anthem, flag, and national seal.
Everything seemed to be going well until in 1962 when the Indonesian government started invading West Papua, and tried to push out the Dutch who were staying in the country, taking care of it before its total independence. The Dutch forces successfully stopped the invasion, but then Indonesia went to the Soviet Union for support, and because of Cold War anxiety, the US government tried to help out the Dutch in West Papua.
In August, later that year, an agreement was reached, in New York, between the Netherlands and Indonesia, where the UN gains custody of West Papua until they hold a vote. But, when the vote actually happened in 1969, it was said to be heavily rigged by the Indonesian government, thus making West Papua a province of Indonesia (two provinces actually).
Now, according to a paper put out by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, the people, culture, language, and just overall heritage of West Papua is vastly different from the rest of Indonesia, as they are a Melanesian people, more similar to the many different groups within the bordering country of Papua New Guinea, which is VASTLY different culturally and linguistically from the South East Asian culture of Indonesia. The government is said to be trying to force Indonesian culture on the people of West Papua.
There are intense reports of brutal torture as described by a study in 2015: torture seems to be the unofficial form of governance. It is said that the Indonesian regime is not reluctant to use killing, surveillance, and arbitrary arrest to control the illegally occupied West Papua.
An example of this is when graphic footage was leaked to YouTube in October 2010. There are two separate occurring events which were captured in this footage. The beginning shows eight highlanders forcibly stripped naked in front of two Indonesian army soldiers. And while interrogating these terrified Papuans, and calling them “monyet,” “anjing,” or “bajingan” (monkey, dog, bastard), the soldiers kicked their heads with their edged boots, and hit their heads using their helmets.
The soldiers demanded that they would confess to being members of the OPM, which is an independence movement with the overall goal of freeing West Papua from Indonesian control. The latter half of the footage displays two people, with one having a knife to their throat, and another being burnt on his bare skin by Indonesian army men, as so the men would confess the location of OPM weaponry near their town. It was very public, and many people were forced to bear witness.
This is said to be a very frequent occurrence in West Papua, according to that study. Along with that, terrible Indonesian policies which cause environmental damage such deforestation, severely undermines the foundation for West Papuan society and culture.
So, it would be evident to say that independence would be a fair option for these oppressed people of West Papua, and that’s what they are trying to achieve now more than ever. According to theguardian.com other Pacific Islander countries, such as Vanuatu, have shown support for the struggle against the oppression. And according to UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization) almost 2 million residents of West Papua have signed a petition (which could have had more signatures if it wasn’t heavily kept away by the Indonesian government), practically begging the UN for equal, and fair independence, and self determination for the West Papuan peoples.
Sadly, according to theguardian.com, the UN denied the petition after all that, and said that it damaged the territorial integrity of Indonesia. I believe this is a violation of equal rights, freedom, and the democracy on which the very principals the UN were supposedly founded on. Though maybe, in the future, brave governments such as Vanuatu may eventually speak out loud enough, and take action. I believe that it is the UN’s duty, as a global peacekeeper, to find, and create justice for the West Papuan peoples, as they deeply deserve it.
According to Marineinsight.com, an oil spill is when there is a contamination in the ocean due to oil being spilled, because of a accident and/or an error made by a human. Oil spills come in many different sizes. Climateiknterpreter.org reports that there are about 20,000 oil spills each year. These range from being small and quickly contained, to very large and taking a while to contain.
During the Gulf War, in 1991, there were about 240 to 336 million gallons of oil spilt. This happened because Iraq opened the oil wells and pipelines. This is was the largest oil spill, caused on purpose, history has ever seen. This spill affected the coral ecosystem and local fisheries.
Another large oil spill was the Deepwater Horizon plant spill in 2010. As reported by Telegraph.co.uk, this spill happened in the Gulf of Mexico. There were about 210 million gallons of oil that ended up in the ocean. This spill flowed for over three months: April 20, 2010 to July 15, 2010. This became the largest accidental spill in the history of the petroleum industry. This spill killed 11 men that were working on the plant platform, and injured 17 others. The leak was stopped by capping the wellhead after it spilled around 4.9 million barrels of oil – crude to be exact. This meant that about 53,000 barrels escaped each day. This affected the the marine and wildlife habitats, as well as Gulf’s fishing and tourism industry.
If you have a small vessel, there is a checklist to go through to prevent small spills. The first thing would be, tighten bolts on the engine. The bolts can loosen due to shaking while the engine is being used. The next thing would be, replace cracked or worn lines and fittings before they get lose and fall out. There is also a checklist for filling up your vessel. The first thing is to avoid overflows when refueling; you should know what the capacity of your tank and nosing you should leave room for the fuel to expand. The next thing is to use an absorbent pad to catch any drips. For more information about this, please visit: Responde.restoration.noaa.gov
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