My two favorite things are matcha and banana bread, and so when I found out that they could be combined I right away needed to make it. This recipe I’ve made many times for my family and my friends and it’s now my favorite way to make banana bread!
If you don’t know what matcha is, or have never heard of it, matcha is a high grade form of green tea, made into a powder from the actual tea leaves. Matcha is traditionally consumed in East Asia and has many health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants, may help protect the liver, help prevent cancer, boost brain function, promote heart health and even help in weight loss.
I grew up eating banana bread because my mom would often make it when our bananas would go bad. Quite recently I’ve started to drink matcha when I was recommended to by my cousin. So, if you like the flavor of matcha I would recommend you try this recipe because it pairs well with the banana and sweet chocolate flavor.
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
3 mashed ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of milk
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of matcha powder
2 cups of chocolate chips
Instructions to make Matcha Chocolate chip banana bread:
Preheat oven to 350, and grease your loaf pan with baking spray or butter
Add butter to a microwave safe bowl and melt it, add the sugar and cream and mix them until light and fluffy, add your eggs one at a time beating well after each addition
Mash your bananas in a small bowl, mix in the nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract and milk
In another bowl, add the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and the matcha powder
Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well
Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and mix till the flour disappears
Mix in your chocolate chips
Pour your finished batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes
Editor’s Note: The Plaid Line publishes editorials that contain opinions that are those of the student authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the the Plaid Line, HPSH, or its staff.
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Scientology has a bigger presence in St. Paul, Minnesota than you may notice in other cities. They own a big beautiful building in downtown St. Paul that you’d never expect would have a cult behind closed doors. Through the friendly behavior and appeal of the grand building, Scientologists you may find in downtown St. Paul and in general may easily deceive you.
When entering the large building a greeter or receptionist will be there ready to welcome you and educate you on themselves and the building. The building has a nice cafe, library, work spaces, and more that add to the deceiving appeal. Though it may not seem like it, while you are talking they will gather any information about you to further try and lure you into the cult. Things like first and last names, addresses, occupations and more can just add to your trace where they will try to find you to put in further efforts to convert you.
Now why is their cult something to stay away from with all of these nice people and things? The cult uses brainwashing and criticism on its members to try and make them live their way of life. By degrading people they can convince them of needing repentance and salvation just further bringing them into the cult. The members are forbidden from using the internet, reading magazines, outside books, and more to keep them further secluded from the real world.
The Scientologists in St. Paul certainly use their big building as a luring strategy as it brings in curious people. They make sure to make people feel as though they are a part of something and have this initial sense of pure bliss before the vicious cycle of brainwashing begins. When in St. Paul make sure you admire this beautiful building from afar and spare yourself the Scientology rabbit hole.
Frogs have become a very common pet in recent years due to their small and cute stature. Although they seem like they would be pretty simple pets, they require lots of care and attention.
Research before purchasing a frog is crucial to proper care. Some things you should know before making a frog part of your household is that all amphibians have very absorbent skin. This skin will easily take in chemicals, natural oils, and lotions found on human hands which are all toxic to frogs. Before handling a frog you must wash your hands thoroughly with filtered water, and make sure you use no lotions or creams on your hands. Then before handling, put gloves on to ensure the frog’s safety.
Another thing you need to know is that frogs don’t understand clear glass barriers, which are commonly found in tanks/aquariums. This can cause the frogs to rub their noses against the glass in an attempt to try and reach things outside their tank. This can be prevented by putting paper along the outside of the tank so they can’t see what’s on the outside.
Most adult frogs do not need to eat daily, and should only be fed every 2-3 days. Juvenile frogs under the age of one should be fed daily to ensure proper growth and health.
Yellow Banded Dart Frog
The first frog recommended as a pet in this article is the Yellow Banded Dart Frog, also known as the BumbleBee Dart Frog. These frogs are in the Poisonous Dart Frog Family and are found throughout South America in tropical rainforests. They are commonly found near water in the wild and are expert climbers. These frogs are still very abundant in the wild, but the majority of pet frogs for sale in the US are bred in captivity.
These frogs are insectivores and commonly eat small fruit flies and pinhead crickets. They are yellow and black in coloration and have yellow and black splotches all over their bodies. They are a relatively small frog at only 1.5 inches long. The Yellow Banded Dart Frog lives for roughly 10 years in captivity and as pets.
These frogs require a 10 gallon tank with 75F-85F temperatures and a high humidity percentage. Without roughly 90% humidity it is much more difficult to keep these frogs healthy. These frogs are not meant to be handled often, and if they are, their handler must wear gloves due to their venomous skin.
White’s Tree Frog
Then there is the White’s Tree Frog, native to Australia and Southern New Guinea. These frogs can grow up to 3-5 inches in length and live for 7-10 years.
In the wild, they spend most of their time in trees so they need lots of climbing enrichment. This can be made by having branches laid vertically across their tanks.
A tall 15-20 gallon tank is recommended for one frog. They need their tanks to maintain a 75F-85F degree temperature during the daytime and 68F-75F in the evenings. Lighting should be subdued and if lighting is needed at night the use of a nocturnal light bulb is crucial. 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark is recommended for the White’s Tree Frog. Their tank should remain at 60-70% humidity.
The White’s Tree Frog is nocturnal, meaning they’re more active in the nighttime. They are quite sedentary and docile, and often become fairly tame and tolerant of handling so long as their owner treats them well, and the frog itself is healthy.
Their diet ranges from how big and how old the frog is. Fully grown White’s Tree Frogs might take a pinkie mouse on occasion but not often. These frogs are not to be over fed because obesity is a common issue these frogs face. Large frogs should be fed every two to three days, ranging from live bugs such as: crickets, insecticide free moths, beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers, or earthworms.
Burmese Chubby
The Burmese Chubby, also known as the Asian Painted Frog, is a large frog from Southeast Asia. They are excellent swimmers, climbers, and diggers. They live up to 10 years and adapt to new environments very well and quickly. They’re 2-3 inches long and have brown coloring with cream bands wrapped around their bodies.
These frogs require a 10-15 gallon tank and can be housed with one other frog with caution. They don’t croak often and when they do it’s a rather quiet and subdued noise which makes them great for people who don’t want to constantly hear croaking from their pet. Although they are a quiet breed it’s better for them to not be handled, the Burmese Chubby is better off inside its enclosure away from hands.
They can be fed a range of live insects such as: crickets, locusts, flies, and earth worms. As an occasional treat, owners can feed these frogs waxworms and mealworms but not too many and not too often. On average they will eat five crickets every two days.
African Bullfrog
Then lastly, the African Bullfrog, which is loved for its unique size and behaviors. They originate from South Africa and are commonly found in Tanzania. They’re a non-venomous species and they spend the majority of the year buried underground. This is their way of staying cool in hot temperatures and avoiding predators. With good attention and care they can live up to 35 years as pets. They are easygoing and tolerate handling once in a while.
Male African Bullfrogs are much larger than females and can grow up to 10 inches in size. They’re olive green in color and have yellow or cream throats.
They need a 20 gallon tank with plenty of moist dirt for digging and coverage. The temperature of the tank should be 72F to 85F. A temperature drop to 68F during the night may be beneficial to their health.
They need to eat at least 3 times a week due to their larger size, but when they’re less than a year old they should eat daily. These frogs are carnivores and eat small fish fry, brine shrimp, frozen blood worms, small white worms, or earthworms.
Highland Park had an eventful section meet last week.
Wednesday was the first day of the meet when all the prelims would occur. Friday was finals where only the top 9 from prelims in each event raced. In the finals, the top 2 would advance to the state meet.
Wednesday had only 1 final race, the 3200. The boys and girls both raced the 3200, and they were both exciting races.
The girls raced first. Grace Lewis-Mosher, Chloe Koch, and Alice Rapacz were the Highland Park girls in the race. Lewis-Mosher got 4th, Koch got 5th, and Rapacz got 9th, all running strong and fast races.
The boys 3200 was the next race. Gavin Roberts, Ben Martin, and Tim Tzeutschler were the Highland Park boys in the race. Roberts ran a strong race, getting 2nd and qualifying for state. Martin close behind taking 3rd, and Tzeutschler got 11th.
The next race was the girls 100m hurdles prelim race. Yao Buchl got 10th, Austin Bailey-Zimmerman got 15th, and Nuria Rodriguez-Foster got 16th.
The boys 110m hurdles was next. Wesley Norquist and Emmett Riemenschneider got 7th and 8th, qualifying for finals. Johnny Xiong got 13th.
8th graders Harper Frank and Norah Hoglund did the 100m dash, getting 29th and 33rd.
For the boys, Brouke Brookins got 2nd, qualifying for finals. Terez McDaniel-Vaughn and Jvion Giles were the other boys in the 100 for Highland Park, getting 14th and 18th.
The girls in the 400m dash were Ellie Moore, Ellie Pundsack, and Evelyn Beaumaster. Moore made it to finals, and Pundsack and Beaumaster got 15th and 20th.
In the boys 400m dash there were only 2 boys. Sam Cocchiarella and Monaire Vaughn, placing 13th and 16th.
Austin Bailey-Zimmerman and Yao Buchl did the 300 hurdles, placing 10th and 12th just barely missing finals.
For the boys, Emmett Riemenschneider got 4th making it to finals. Wesley Norquist and Johnny Xiong got 19th and 24th.
Delia Johnson and Madeline Klevay ran the 800 and qualified for finals. Eleanor Osmond got 16th.
Jack Douglas, Lance Georgeson, and Pierce Baum ran the 800 for the boys. They placed 11th, 13th, and 16th.
The last event on Wednesday was the 200m dash. Ellery Merrimack and Alexa Ramirez ran it for the girls, placing 15th and 22nd.
Jvion Giles, Sam Schlukebier, and Shawon Easley ran the 200 for the boys and got 12th, 18th, and 22nd.
Friday started with the 4×800 relay. Where the Highland Park girls placed 3rd barely missing making it to state. The boys got 4th in a fast race.
The next race with Highland Park athletes was the 110 high hurdle race. Emmett Riemenschneider and Wesley Norquist got 7th and 9th in the final.
Next was the boys 100m dash where Brouke Brookins ran a 10.95 To get second and qualify for state.
In the 400 finals, Ellie Moore got 2nd to qualify for state. In the 300m hurdles finals, Emmett Riemenschneider got 9th place, with a PR. Delia Johnson won the 800 and qualified for state.
The last race was the 4×400 meter relay. Both the boys and girls team made it to state. The girls getting 1st and the boys getting 2nd.
Right off the bat, we want to say that these two are not the same. In the past, ANYTHING other than Christianity was labeled as satanic or evil. Today however, we’re able to differentiate between the two with an open mind.
Now, most people associate the pentagram or pentacle (it goes by a couple names) with the devil and the occult. But if one were to look into its past, they’d discover that it has an entirely different meaning: it symbolizes a deeper connection between spiritual levels of oneself and/ or with nature. Satan’s cross is actually entirely different (it’s also not just an upside-down cross; the movies lied to you). Look it up once and there’s definitely a difference.
Looking more specifically at paganism, the practice has evolved over time, although its base values remain the same: it is a practice rooted in nature and the natural world. In the past, it was more commonly practiced as Wicca. The two separated a little more over the years, with Wicca now recognized as an official religion. It’s a practice that is heavily influenced by nature and especially apothecary, whereas paganism is more about the mind and finding yourself.
Moving back to the idea of satanism’s relationship to paganism, there is none.
Yes, paganism can involve “witchcraft”, but not always. That stereotype is what links the practice to satanism, and it’s entirely unfair. Many pagans do practice some version of the craft, but it is primarily about finding yourself and achieving a higher state of being.
And the thing about paganism is that it’s so moldeable. You can believe in whichever gods you want to (as well as however many you want to), or you can not believe in any gods. Many people believe in mother nature as a force of guidance, and some believe in the universe as a conscious entity. Some believe both. Others don’t believe in either. It’s a practice that you can truly personalize to fit your needs and beliefs, and overall is just another way of finding yourself.
Even then, satanism is less of worshiping Satan over the Christian God, but more of a symbolization of individualism.
The biggest problem we have today as a society of free religion, is that some practices have become trendy or considered cool and fashionable. Some treat them simply as aesthetics and publicly present only the superficial information they consider interesting. This leads to a lot of misconceptions and misinterpretations of religions that many people practice seriously. It can also disrespect religions and surround them with new stigmas or stereotypes, which help no one at all.
Satanism is the renegade Christian’s acceptance of the religion’s duality of good and evil. They choose to worship the anti-God, representing evil in the world, but still take on Christian worldviews.
Neo-paganism is the modern version and revival of the past pagan practices, which don’t exactly see the world in black and white, or as good and evil. The religion is more centered on the sacredness of all living thing as well as nature, as was mentioned previously.
Another branch off of paganism and related practices is Shamanism, commonly known as witch doctors or simply witches and warlocks. They’re similar to Wiccan practices as they focus their energies on learning to heal themselves and others through the powers of nature, herbal medicine, midwifery, spell casting, etc. They were most often (although not exclusively) women, leading to the portrayal of witches as old hags.
The way people were “proven” guilty of witchcraft back during England’s witch hunts was frankly very unfair and somewhat paradoxical. Aka: you couldn’t survive either way.
When someone (almost always a woman) was accused of witchcraft and worshiping the Devil, they would be bound at the wrists and ankles and tossed into a deep body of water. If they sank (which inevitably they would. Most women of the time were in fact incapable of swimming while tied up), then they were innocent. But then they’d drown, so it was never of any use to them. If they somehow managed to stay afloat (perhaps by holding their breath), then they were proclaimed a witch and burned at the stake.
The point of this information is to help others realize you can’t just accept the dominant narrative of any religion (or any other aspect of life) without having some part left out. Do your research, and learn to question everything around you.
Axolotls have been on earth for roughly the last 10,000 years, inhabiting central Mexico. Much of their suitable habitat has been drained or dried up, so there are only two spring-fed lakes left that they can inhabit wildly. Axolotls breed very easily in captivity and quickly develop new colors and sizes.
They have feathery gills spouting from either side of their heads, webbed feet, a dorsal fin that runs down their body, and a tail. Although axolotls have gills, adult axolotls have functional lungs and can breathe through their skin. Axolotls are unique compared to other salamanders because they reach adulthood without going through metamorphosis. Instead of going to land once they’re fully developed, they remain aquatic and keep their gills.
These creatures have the ability to completely regenerate their limbs. Regeneration is initiated by injuries or wounds, but not all injuries result in limb regeneration. Small cuts, scrapes, or bruises wouldn’t result in complete regeneration but their healing time is much faster than humans.
Axolotls suck in their prey through their small smiling mouths, they eat crustaceans, mollusks, insect eggs, and small fish.
The pet trade of axolotls started from Paris, France in 1864 when Mexican traders brought axolotls to Europe, Europeans across the continent were intrigued by the exotic creatures. This led to the excessive breeding of axolotls in captivity.
The pink axolotls you commonly see as pets have been bred to be those colors; wild axolotls are mostly gray, brown, or black. Pink axolotls are extremely rare in the wild since they can’t camouflage well.
When keeping an Axolotl as a pet you must take into consideration that they prefer cool water. Their water temperature should be less than 70 degrees F. When feeding your pet, experts recommend you attempt to replicate its natural diet as closely as possible. You can do this by feeding them a combination of earthworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia. Daphnias are a small aquatic crustacean.
In 1977 spacecrafts Voyager 1 and 2 were launched into space. Their goal was to take pictures of Jupiter. Because this was going to be the first man-made thing to reach interstellar space the NASA team decided to put aboard a record that would encapsulate all human existence in 90 minutes. The record would be used to communicate with other life forms about planet earth. It showed images from our universe, our home, us and just about everything on earth. It played sounds from every generation from all around the world. This record is a symbol of the human condition, and it’s called the Golden Record.
Creation of the record?
NASA enlisted Carl Sagan, a committee chair, and his team, to create the record. They wanted to put aboard an object that, if found, would signal to the finder where it came from. A main problem the team had when creating the record was fitting the entire history of earth into a 30 minute frame, because at the time records could only hold about 30 minutes of playtime. The team at NASA figured out how to maximize the speed and get the playtime up to 90. Now all they had to do was figure out what they wanted to fill it with.
How it works
Because there is a very slim to none chance that beings that evolved completely separate from us would understand our language, NASA scientists had to create a way for aliens to understand. They used the most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen, this diagram shows hydrogen particles transitioning through parallel and antiparallel spins. When this happens electromagnetic radiation is released with a period of about .7 nanoseconds and a wavelength of 21 cm, so they hope that aliens will associate that tick with those measurements.
What’s on the record?
The record starts with sounds from planet earth telling the story of earth through sound: volcanos, thunder, crickets, birds, fire, laughter, Morse code, airplanes, a baby crying, and greetings from 55 different languages, and music from all sides of the globe.
The chances of an extraterrestrial being finding the spacecraft before its inevitable decay in a billion years is slim. The chances of it decoding it and sending a message back is even smaller, because by the time we receive their message humans will cease to exist, but that’s not the point. Yes, it would be cool to have communication with other living creatures in the universe, but that’s not the point. The point of the record is to have something, anything out in the universe that shows that we were here, so that when the sun expands and humans and earth are destroyed there is something out there to prove to someone that humans existed.
Fungi are a common occurrence throughout the world. They can resemble the common mushroom, with their round tops and cylindrical stems, or a branched mass of matter taking any shape possible. Although past their appearances, what are they actually?
Fungi are organisms composed of cells, and are a type of eukaryotic organism (Has an easily defined nucleus). They are a part of their own kingdom, known as Fungi, and differ from their commonly associated plant kingdom.
These organisms feed on deteriorating material or sometimes other living things. Through their efforts, they’re able to properly grow and reproduce in order to keep their species going. Just like some plants, Fungi release “seeds”, known as spores in the air to spread their species. Unlike seeds from plants, their spores are often microscopic, with some even reaching 2 micrometers.
Species of Fungi:
There are many different types of Fungi, having evolved for their specific purposes in the environment today. Although, some stand out through their appearance, ways of reproducing and growing.
For instance, take the Devil’s Fingers Fungi. It’s a mushroom that has four to eight “fingers” that protrude from its base. Along with its appearance, it also shows itself to smell like rotting flesh due to its slime coating. Surprisingly enough, this type of fungi is actually edible, despite its appearance, although its taste is very bitter.
Adding onto appearances, is the Veil Lady fungus. This type of fungus is a mushroom, with its appearance resembling a mushroom with the addition of a skirt/veil that it surrounds itself in. The mushroom is able to spread its spores by attracting flies and insects to itself. Just like the Devil’s Finger, the Veil Lady is edible, being commonly used within cuisines and certain traditional dishes.
Another unique type of Fungi is the Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani. This fungus can infect ants, turning their behavior awry. It’s able to properly take over its host to put itself in a good position to grow and reproduce. When its host dies, the fungus releases spores, allowing for the cycle to reproduce when a spore comes in contact with an ant. Through this reproduction method, the fungus is able to spread, and grow in this process.
There are a multitude of mushrooms that could be expanded on, but these three species show the diversity within Fungi as a whole.
Fungi are organisms that spread themselves through spores, whether it be through air, animals, etc. They’re unlike anything else that has grown, be it animals, plants, bacteria, etc. Their unique appearances and growth patterns have attracted us to them for what seems to be centuries. Along with this, their unique qualities through taste, mechanisms and structure, have allowed us to use them whether it be for cooking, technology or even construction.
Over the years I’ve read many different Mangas and Webtoons. In all different types of genres and styles. I’ve accumulated a list of almost every single one I’ve read. Although I have many favorites, these are some!
Firstly, what is Manga and Webtoon? Manga are comic or graphic novels, originating in Japan. You can read them online or in libraries or book shops. Webtoons are digital comics, originating in South Korea. You can read them on the Webtoon website or app.
Here are 2 Manga that I recommend!
The first one is called ‘Lovely Complex’. Written and illustrated by Aya Nakahara. ‘Lovely Complex’ is a comedy romance with 17 volumes and a 1 volume spin-off! This Manga also has a 24 episode anime. The story is a love story between a boy named Otani and a girl named Risa. Risa is tall at 5ft 8in and Otani is 5ft 1in. The difference in their height is an ongoing theme throughout the series. The two encourage each other in finding love. The series is filled with funny antics from the two. It’s a really enjoyable and light read.
The second Manga that I recommend is, ‘A Sign of Affection’. It’s a Manga series written and illustrated by Suu Morishita. It’s a cute romance that follows a college girl named Yuki, who is deaf. One day on a train she meets a guy named Itsuomi, who she keeps running into, and later finds out he also attends her college. With the help of her friend she attempts to get his attention. They begin to learn more about each other and pretty quickly start to have feelings for one another. It has beautiful artwork and while you read along you might pick up some Japanese sign language
Moving on to Webtoons, here are 2 I recommend.
The first one is called ‘Viral Hit’. It’s an action story. Written by Pak Taejun and illustrated by Kim Junghyun. It’s about a high school student named Hobin Yoo, who starts a NewTube channel centered around fighting. Hobin Yoo is constantly bullied at his school, but one day he discovers a mysterious channel that teaches him how to fight. Soon Hobin starts fighting guys stronger than him and making lots of money. Along the way he makes friends and many enemies. The story has amazing artwork, extremely developed characters and unique action scenes.
The second Webtoon I recommend is called ‘Cheese in the Trap’, written and illustrated by, Soonkki. It’s a beautifully well-written story, about a girl named Seol who came from a poor family. She goes to university and is a very smart and hardworking student. She meets a fellow student named Jung who is a very popular, rich student. He’s always surrounded by admirers and friends. Seol and Jung start to talk to each other, and she starts to think he is strange. He manipulates people but no one realizes because of his fame and money. She tries everything to stay away from him, but it doesn’t work. The story is told from many different perspectives and the characters are very complex. There are many twists and turns. This story is long but completely worth reading!
St. Paul is full of hidden locations that are worth finding. These are in my opinion the best coffee shops in the city.
Lost Fox
Lost Fox is a coffee shop and kitchen. It’s located downtown, and in an alley near the St. Paul farmers market. This is one of my favorite places to go for coffee and sometimes a bite to eat. It’s big, cozy, and they have games for you to play. Lost Fox is a great place to hangout and get something to drink.
Caydence Records & Coffee
Although small, this coffee and record store is super great for shopping with a cup of coffee in hand. They have all sorts of new vinyls, as well as older ones for just 2 dollars. This one is very entertaining if you’re into music.
Spyhouse
Spyhouse has 3 locations; St. Paul, and two spots in Minneapolis. This shop has unique drinks, and very cute interiors. They also offer ordering for pick up, which is nice for on the go. I enjoy this one especially because of how close it is.
Rafiki Coffee & Café
This coffee shop is super chill and quiet. They have really good pastries and my favorite is their chai lattes. The employees are kind, and it’s an overall great environment to be in.
Cahoots Coffee Bar
Cahoots is located on the busy street of Selby Ave, but is never busy inside. It’s a cozy spot, with amazing outdoor seating. This is my favorite spot for a hot coffee or tea. Everyone there is always really sweet as well.
There’s many hidden coffee shops in St. Paul, but these are my favorite spots, and I 100% recommend them!
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