All posts by HPSH Plaid Line

Football

Looking back at the historic 2017 NFL RB draft class

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By: Toby Martin-Kohls

All statistics in this article came from Pro Football Reference. You can find more information here.

The 2017 RB class stands out as one of the best RB draft classes of recent memory, and perhaps all time. When you count the amount of Pro Bowl RBs from each draft class in the 2010s, 2017 clearly stands head and shoulders above the rest.

That 2017 RB draft class produced more Pro Bowlers than any other class during the 2010s with 8 players eventually making it. The next closest was the 2015 class, which produced 4 Pro Bowl RBs.

Two RBs were selected in the first 8 picks of the draft, with Leonard Fournette being the 4th overall pick and Christian McCaffrey the 8th overall pick. 

Fournette has been underwhelming, considering the hype he had around him coming out of college. His most significant moment has arguably been his performance during the 2020 playoffs, as his Tampa Bay Bucs would go on to win the Super Bowl that year. This earned him the nickname “Playoff Lenny.”

His playoff stats from 2020 are shown below:

Besides that, Fournette has been inconsistent, injured, or inefficient for most of his NFL career. He has had two separate 1,000 yeard seasons, but Fournette has one of the lowest career yards per carry of the class.

The other RB selected in the first round was Christian McCaffrey at 8th overall. By 2019, he had showed the league why he was worthy of a top-10 pick. He earned first team All-Pro, with eye popping numbers as both a runner and a receiver. His incredible vision, quickness, and decisiveness made him one of the best offensive players in football.

However, his large usage rate and his smaller frame has made him miss quite a bit of time over his career. If he can stay healthy, McCaffrey should be able to remain as one of the top backs in the league for a few more years. Since being traded from the rebuilding Panthers to a playoff contender in the 49ers, he has showed that 2019 season form again.

The second round also saw two RBs selected, Dalvin Cook coming out of FSU, and Joe Mixon from Oklahoma.

Cook was electric from the gun, and broke the Vikings record previously held by Adrian Peterson for rushing yards in a rookie debut. He rushed 22 times for 127 yards in a 29-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

However, the magic couldn’t last and the injury bug struck. Cook went on to tear his ACL after just 4 games his rookie year and a hamstring injury the following year kept him from playing throughout the season. 

By 2019, Cook emerged as one of the best pure runners in the NFL with over 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns. He improved upon that statline in 2020, finishing only 2nd to Derrick Henry in rushing yards. Since then, Cook has been solid, making 3 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.

He currently leads this loaded class of RBs in total rushing yards, with 5,993.

Second on that list? The other RB taken in the second round, Joe Mixon. Mixon was graded as a first round talent, but fell to the second round likely due to off the field issues. By 2018, Mixon had emerged as one of the better young RBs in football, with the 4th most rushing yards in the league and the most in the AFC. By 2021, Mixon had earned a bid to his first Pro Bowl after posting over 1,500 total yards and 16 total touchdowns. 2021 capped off a 3 out of 4 year run where Mixon was in the top 10 in the NFL in rushing. 

The 3rd round is where this draft really starts to be great. 3 out of the 4 RBs taken in the third round of this draft have turned into Pro Bowl caliber players. 

67th overall pick Alvin Kamara had the best rookie season of any player that year. He was a big threat in the receiving game for Drew Brees, as well as putting up insanely efficient numbers as a runner, posting a crazy 6.1 yards per carry. It is one of the greatest rookie seasons of all-time, and he went on to win 2017 Rookie of the year. 

Kamara started his career so hot, he made the Pro Bowl in his first five season as an NFL starter and he leads this class of RBs in total touchdowns. 

19 picks later was another rookie sensation, Kareem Hunt. Not only did he lead all rookies in rushing yards in 2017, but he also led the entire NFL, only accomplished by a few before him. Hunt had an amazing two year stretch in Kansas City, before his infamous off the field incident that sort of derailed his career. 

Since then, he’s still been a good back paired along with Nick Chubb in Cleveland but he’s definitely fallen off from his first two years in the NFL

Near the end of the 3rd round, the Steelers drafted local Pittsburgh star, James Conner. He grinded his way to the starting job for the Steelers by his second year in the NFL, and he was solid. He had nearly 1,500 total yards and 13 total touchdowns in his first year as a starter. 

Conner is more of an old school, between the tackles type of runner. His career hasn’t been as explosive as Alvin Kamara or Kareem Hunt’s but he’s been a consistent short yardage and goal line threat, boasting two double digit touchdown seasons in 2018 and 2021. This helped him earn two Pro Bowl appearances.

Once you get to the 4th round, it’s already Day 3 at the NFL Draft, where the vast majority of these players are backups, special teamers, or players that don’t last long in the NFL. When it comes to the 4th round specifically, 2017’s class is nothing too crazy, but it does have three names that stand out. 

The 119th overall pick was Tarik Cohen, who was never going to be more than a gadget guy because he’s only 5’6”. However, he was a beast for 3 years as the Bears Swiss Army Knife, especially as a return man and a receiver out of the backfield.

He was named 1st team All-Pro in 2018.

15 picks after Cohen, the Packers drafted Jamaal Williams who has always been a short yardage back due to his bruising play-style. He hasn’t exactly been a dominant statistical player in his career. 

In his 6th season, despite only starting 9 games, he led the entire NFL in rushing touchdowns at a whopping 17. This was more than his previous 5 years combined. Everything considered, Williams has been a solid short yardage RB considering his draft position.

9 picks after Williams, came Marlon Mack. Mack developed into the Colt’s main starter in 2018 and 2019, peaking with an 1,000 yard season and 8 touchdowns. Again, this is pretty good value for a 4th round RB pick.

Overall, the 4th round of the 2017 NFL RB class was a great value round for teams, in comparison to other years in the decade. 

Now with the last three rounds of the draft (5-7) as a GM, you are really just trying to hit on at least a rotational player. If you find a gem and get extremely lucky, you’ll find a Pro Bowler. 

109 RBs were drafted in rounds 5-7 from 2010-2019, and just 6 of them have developed into Pro Bowl level players. The best of all these players came in 2017 and that was 5th round selection, Aaron Jones. 

Aaron Jones has become a massive success, first boasting a 1,500 total yard and 19 total touchdown campaign in 2019. He continued his success with three 1,000 yard seasons in four years, along with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2020. 

As it currently stands, his career yards per carry is 5.1, which among backs with at least 750 carries puts him 6th all time with elite company such as Jim Brown.

The best 7th round RB pick of the decade was also in the 2017 draft class. From 2010-2019 39 RBs were selected in the 7th round of the NFL draft and only 2 of them ever became a majority starter for at least a season.

2017’s Chris Carson was a special 7th rounder. In 2018 and 2019 he rushed for at least 1150 yards and 7 touchdowns. His excellent 2019 campaign ranked him in the top 5 in NFL rushing yards, and looking at that year a little closer, you’ll find that 7 of the top 12 rushing yards leaders that year were from the 2017 class.

World

Croatia joins Schengen and switches to the Euro

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By: Aeden Evenson-McDermott

As the new year began and the world turned its focus to the up and coming 2023 calendar year, the ties between Croatia and Europe would be closer than ever before. Croatia has had EU membership since 2013. Various countries that are in the EU are not in the Schengen area and don’t use the euro.

A few examples to understand the complex system: Sweden is part of the Schengen area but doesn’t use euro as it still uses krona as its currency, and Ireland as an EU country isn’t Schengen. Thus, it prompts the question of how the EU, the Schengen area, and euro currency are intertwined? The EU and Schengen areas are separate components that do not imply the use of the euro currency.

Croatia, with a population of 4 million, got its independence in 1991 and the Balkan country got the green light into the EU in 2013. This major step for the country of Croatia has been celebrated in the deeper connection to Europe.

A bit of background on the Schengen zone; the zone spans in population of 420 million people, it allows for the goods, services, and people of countries to travel without restrictions in other Schengen countries. The less hassle of providing identity and travel documentation for customs allows for a bit more of easier travel.

The span that Schengen covers is 23 EU member countries along with four members of the European Free Trade Association.

Croatia, being the 27th country to join, also sets the bar for air travel check to expire in late March of this year.

The global use of euro also is prevalent, as it allows for a more stable currency to replace the current currency of the Croatian kuna which is less stable.

Some of the foreseeable benefits of joining include: it allows for more global trade partners and easier networking of shipments between countries, it also helps combat national inflation (which is key to keeping prices down), and with the more stable currency it allows for the markets to hopefully not exceed current prices. Additionally, the tourism industry, which currently makes up 20% of the country’s annual GDP, will also take off and recover from the pandemic with more incomes as well.

With getting the accession into Schengen and eurozone, there are many complex factors that allow for the official acceptance. Croatia needed a majority from both the European parliament and European Commission, along with all EU member states having unanimous agreement, which would allow for the official transition of Croatia.

With the voting from the European council, the results were as stated, with 543 MEPs in favor, 53 against, and 25 abstaining, which led to the Council having the final say in the big decision. The unanimous vote finally came in December of 2022, with the EU ministers of the council coming to a final consensus and confirming the vote.

There was a bit of resentment from the other regions of Romania and Bulgaria who were denied entry. The main cause of their denied entry was because of the corruption, and illegal migrations concerns, with the two countries.

As Croatia goes for the new milestone, it proves the EU is intact and remains focused despite the recent agressions from Russia in the war against Ukraine. It also deepens the connection with a more connected Europe with the most recent addition to the mix of Croatia.

As the Croatian prime minister, Andrej Plenković proclaimed, “Two strategic goals of a deeper EU integration”.

Baseball

Discussing the Minnesota Twins’ offseason trades and signings

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By: Abby Altman

What started off as a slow offseason for the Minnesota Twins has turned productive, with re-signings and free agents showing up left and right. 

The Twins had a disappointing 2022 season, taking 3rd in the AL Central and missing the playoffs. Lots of pressure sat on the front office, as there was a lot that needed to be done in order to keep Minnesota in the conversation for the 2023 season. 

The most important order of business to many fans was re-signing shortstop Carlos Correa. Correa signed with the Twins before the 2022 season for a 3-year deal with opt-out options after each year. After the 2022 season, Correa opted out of his contract with Minnesota and agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants. 

San Francisco found issues with Correa’s physical, and suspended his introductory press conference. Shortly after this, in a surprising overnight move, Correa agreed to a new set of terms with the New York Mets. 

Once again, however, the team found issues with Correa’s physical, and his official signing was postponed yet again. The exact issue both teams found on the physical is unknown, but it was related to an ankle surgery Correa had as a prospect. 

After New York and San Francisco postponed signing with Correa, the Minnesota Twins finally stepped up and brought Correa back. Minnesota and Correa agreed to a 6-year/$200 million contract. Correa passed his physical with Minnesota, becoming the highest paid player in Twins history. 

With the addition of Correa, combined with SS Royce Lewis and SS prospect Brooks Lee, the Twins’ infield is looking strong and sharp. 

Another infield move the Twins made was trading Luis Arraez. Arraez has had a huge impact on the Twins’ lineup over the last few years, winning the AL batting title in 2022. On January 21st, Minnesota traded Arraez to the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHP Pablo López, as well as 2 prospects, 1 infielder and 1 outfielder. 

Trading Arraez made many fans unhappy, as he was not only an incredibly talented player but also a key teammate to have in the locker room. The trade, however unhappy it made fans, is seen by many as a success on Minnesota’s part. The Twins needed pitching, and a Correa-Lewis-Brooks infield is hopefully strong enough without Arraez. 

For pitching, Minnesota acquired López in the Arraez trade. They also agreed to terms with RHP Chris Paddack for a 3 year extension, and agreed to terms with RHPs Jorge Alcalá, Jorge López, Tyler Mahle, and Emilio Pagán, and LHP Caleb Thielbar on one-year contracts. Kenta Maeda will also make his return after receiving Tommy John surgery in the 2021 season. 

The Twins opening day rotation is expected to include Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda, Pablo López, Sonny Gray, and Tyler Mahle. Other pitchers including Bailey Ober and Louie Varland will be on standby if/when injury strikes again. 

Minnesota has been fairly quiet when it comes to building up the bullpen. The club’s president of baseball operations Derek Falvey says that “If we were to do anything at this point, it would likely be to add depth in the middle. We’ll keep an open mind, but [relief pitching is] not a priority.” 

After the 2022 trade deadline, Minnesota acquired Jorge López from Baltimore, but López is going to be trying to recover from a rough finish to his 2022 season. 

Other relievers likely to be in the club’s bullpen include Caleb Thielbar, Emilio Pagán, Jorge Alcalá, Trevor Megill, Johan Durán, Griffin Jax, and Jovani Moran. 

Last year, the Twins’ bullpen was 15th in the league in combined ERA, dead center in the MLB. 

Minnesota, however, did trade 2 pitching prospects in exchange for star defensive outfielder Michael A. Taylor. The Twins also signed free agent OF Joey Gallo this offseason.  These outfield additions bring many possibilities to light, including using injury prone Byron Buxton as a DH more frequently. 

It is unknown what Minnesota will do with their large cast of outfielders, but it is a strong group defensively. 

On offense, however, Minnesota’s ability is unknown. Luis Arraez was by far the team’s best offensive weapon, and now the team relies heavily on power hitting more than they will with on base percentage.  

Minnesota’s outfield has the potential to be one of the best in the league. Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Michael A. Taylor, Nick Gordon, and Gilberto Celestino all have the potential to start at one point or another in Minnesota’s outfield. The right combination of players and injuries could put Minnesota’s defense far above the rest of the league. 

Other moves made by the Twins include trading Gio Urshella for Alejandro Hidalgo, a young pitcher from the Los Angeles Angels. The Twins moved on from Urshela as they appear confident in José Miranda’s abilities at 3rd base, and building up the starting pitching rotation is a priority. 

Hidalgo will likely spend some time in the minors before he begins to impact the Twins rotation. 

Behind the plate, the Twins made just 1 move that should hopefully be enough to hold down the catcher’s position. Christian Vasquez and Minnesota agreed to a 3-year, $30 million deal in one of the most important positions that Minnesota lacked last season. 

Minnesota has signed several young pitchers, so having an experienced, successful catcher behind the plate is a strong, underappreciated move made by the Twins front office. 

The Minnesota Twins’ front office has been busy, and seems to know exactly what they want out of this offseason. Whether or not this will be enough to make them contenders this season is yet to be seen, but these moves seem to put the Twins in a position for an upgrade from 2022. 

Science/Nature

What animals are going extinct? 

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By: Maya Breininger

As children grow up, they are accustomed to a variety of animals that are represented in everyday occurrences. In children’s books – the cow goes moo, the horse goes neigh, and rhinos go…extinct? Unfortunately, yes, commonly known animal species such as rhinos, whales, leopards and gorillas are all on their way to extinction. Try and write that in a children’s book. 

Javan Rhinos, a species of rhino found in South-East Asia, are close to inevitable extinction due to diseases, natural disasters, pollution, inbreeding, and an imbalance with the food chain. Around 70 Javan Rhinos remain, and they are contained in the country of Indonesia.

This horned mammal is not the only one on its way out, as the African Forest Elephant is extremely endangered, seeing as their population has decreased around 86% over the past 30 years. It’s heartbreaking to think that these big playful animals are close to being non-existent, especially considering the familiarity we had with them while growing up.

The epidemic of extinction doesn’t only affect those on land, it also ventures to the seas where it claims its next victim, the North Atlantic Right Whale. There are fewer than 340 of these whales left, directly due to being hunted by humans, and destroyed by pollution. Their name even comes from the way they float “up-right” when killed. Another tragic movement where animals around us are executed in mass genocides for amusement. 

The wrath of humans has also extended to our cousin-like primates, the Eastern and Western Lowland Gorillas. They are close to extinction due to extreme levels of disease, excessive hunting of rare animals, and disruption with their natural habitats. Gorillas are aggressive and territorial creatures that were never meant to cross with humans, along with the other animals on this list. Their extinction is a result of humans, interfering with the food chain, encroaching toxic waste and polluting the environment, hunting animals for pure amusement, and so much more. 

The animal I’ve chosen to wrap up our list is the Malayan Tiger, with only 120 individuals left in the wild, and the species predicted to be extinct within the next decade. It is one of the six subspecies of tigers, and they live in southern Thailand. These beautiful creatures in nature are close to dying off, again as a result of humans. 

One thing to keep in mind when reading this list is that the earth changes; it moves and evolves along with its inhabitants. However, humans are the only species that have physically changed the earth to meet their environmental needs, unlike animals who evolve to fit within their environment. 

This also proves that far after humans have gone extinct, the earth will be just fine. Humans are the one running themselves and others around them to extinction. For more information on how you can help, check out the sources below. 

Basketball, Dance Line, Gymnastics, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Scoreboard/Schedule, Wrestling

Sports schedule for: Feb 6-11

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  ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 11  
MONDAYFEBRUARY 6 
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
4:15pm / 6:00pm Girls Basketball vs. WashingtonHOME
TUESDAYFEBRUARY 7
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
10:30am / 11:15am7:30amNordic Ski Section RacesBattle Creek Regional Park
4:15pm / 6:00pm Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Concordia AcademyHOME
5:30pm / 5:30pm 7:00pmJV/C: 4:30pm V: 5:45pm | 8:45pmBoys Basketball vs. JohnsonJohnson High School
WEDNESDAYFEBRUARY 8
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
5:00pm / 7:00pm Boys Hockey vs. St. Paul AcademyDrake Arena
THURSDAYFEBRUARY 9
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
4:15pm / 4:15pm  6:00pm Boys Basketball vs. HumboldtHOME
5:00pm3:30pm | 7:30pmWrestling Quadrangular vs. Como Park St. Thomas Academy / North St. PaulSt. Thomas Academy
FRIDAYFEBRUARY 10
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
4:15pm / 6:00pm Girls Basketball vs. CentralHOME
6:00pm Gymnastics Conference MeetHOME
SATURDAYFEBRUARY 11
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
 8:45am | 3:00pmDance Team InvitationalKennedy High School
12:00pm / 1:30pm 3:00pm Boys Basketball vs. SimleySimley High School
5:00pm / 7:00pm Boys Hockey vs. Spring Lake ParkHOME
School Life

Seasonal depression at Highland

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By: Alexa Ramirez

As we get further into the intense Minnesota winter, many people have become affected by seasonal depression. This being something so common in a place with such a long winter, I wanted to explore how it is, or can be connected to school, and how that can change.

By definition, seasonal depression is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons. It typically ends at about the same time every year and affects people most during fall and winter months. Mayo Clinic has reported that 44% of students experience seasonal depression, and it left me wondering how it may have affected, or be affecting, our student community here at Highland.

To start these interviews, I chose to keep them anonymous and to keep them simple. I asked them 1. How they think seasonal depression and schoolwork are connected for them, or for students around them, and 2. What advice they’d give to someone struggling with seasonal depression. These were all freshman students who are experiencing their first winter at this school, and I gave them full range with their answers. These were their responses:

Student 1: “I get slight seasonal depression, and it’s mostly based on how gray it is. The weather throws me off so much and it’s hard to deal with. And yes, school is a factor. Being worried about having everything turned in by winter break is stressful, plus having homework while even having a break is worse. For teachers to assign homework to students who will be on vacation or with their family, it’s hard to do all the homework. I know that this year is the last day of my break. I spent a long time catching up on work. I’d say it’s connected because teenagers (aka us) are already stressed about it in the first place. Also, having more and more homework loaded on top of each other even though teachers haven’t graded during the break also brings stress, because it might be too late to make up for not-so-great work.”

“Advice I’d give would probably be to take a while to yourself. I spend all my breaks either with my family, stressing, or doing homework, also stressing a bit. So, just taking a while to do absolutely nothing for a little bit helped me a lot.”

Student 2: “I think the winter makes me lose interest in doing my schoolwork because of how dark and cold it is here. Also, since right now we’re in the stretch of having fewer breaks we get a lot of homework and projects and the bad weather and little sunlight makes it difficult for me to have motivation and want to get stuff done.”

“I would recommend studying or doing your schoolwork with other people to get motivation, and not being afraid to ask your teachers for another day or two to finish an assignment you’re having a tough time with. I also think that it’s important to not only spend time in school and at home, I think it’s good to get out of the house when you can. as well as reaching out to your friends and family to spend time together.”

Student 3: “They are connected cause school work relies on your mental health to be stable and good and seasonal depression usually happens during the winter months when school is at its hardest”

“My advice would be to ask for help and find things that occupy your time other than school.”

My overall takeaway from these interviews was that any student experiencing seasonal depression is definitely not alone! Many people are experiencing it in their own way, or give it some kind of thought. Along with their recommendations, some things a reader struggling with, or experiencing, seasonal depression could do would be:

–  Looking for clubs or sports in school that might fill any free time you don’t want

–  Be active. It doesn’t have to be anything extreme, make sure you’re listening to yourself. But doing things like going on walks, playing sports, or any fun activity outside, have been shown to help especially during the winter months when time outside is hardest to achieve, is when it’s most important to make an effort to get outside and catch any sun there may be.

–  Try new things. Recently this winter, I’ve been trying yoga classes which have been fun for me to do and have given me a new focus. Things like those or like new books and shows can be helpful for someone looking for a new activity to put your energy towards.

–  Take care of yourself. Doing the simple things go a long way in making you feel accomplished and fulfilled. Making sure you’re making your bed, showering, drinking water and eating enough, and spending time with loved ones are all examples of small things that make a big difference.

Of course, everyone’s experience is different and what works for me or for the people interviewed in this article might not be the same for everyone, and at the end of the day reaching out is always a good idea.

Some sources here in Minnesota made just for teens can be found on: https://www.mnteenmentalhealth.org.

Stay healthy!

Wrestling

Highland Park wrestling team

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By: Irene Cohen

Image taken from the HPSH Wrestling Instagram page: hp.wrestling

Today I am interviewing Gabe Wright, senior captain of the wrestling team. Gabe has been on the wrestling team for 6 years, and for the entirety of those years he has always been an exceptional athlete. Today he will be updating us on how the HPSH wrestling team has been doing in this 2022-2023 season.

Interviewer: So Gabe, how are you doing today?

Gabe: I am doing so swell and peachy today, thank you for asking!

Interviewer: Wonderful! Can you tell us how this season has been going in general so far?

Gabe: It’s been very good, on an individual and team level.

Interviewer: And how many teammates do you have this year?

Gabe: Around 30 of us show up to practice consistently.

Interviewer: How have the meets been going against other schools so far?

Gabe: Very good; our record has us set to be the conference champs this season.

Interviewer: And how is the team morale doing because of that?

Gabe: Very high; we’re all very proud of ourselves and motivated to work even harder.

Interviewer: How often do you have these practices?

Gabe: We usually do about 5-6 practices per week; we train different areas throughout the practice.

Interviewer: It sounds like the wrestling team is thriving this year, I’m glad your senior season is going so well!

Gabe: So am I, thank you for having me!

So, there you have it folks. Another Highland Park team absolutely thriving this season.

Note: This interview was conducted before the conference final, and Gabe was right, they did win the conference.

Music/Concerts

The top bass players of recent history

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By: Domingo Basso

Okay, well, since the electric bass is like the coolest instrument ever (very factual statement) I’m sure you’re wondering just who exactly are some of the best bass players in the world? Well allow me to show you what my research has led me to conclude. And before I continue, I’ll make the disclaimer that there is no truly factual best bass player(s) in the world, so this is, of course, based on my opinion.

My list of the top bass players will also align with that of one done by ‘Rolling Stone’ in a poll, so I highly recommend that article if you want to learn more. Anyways, enough with the introductions, here are some of the top bass players: 

8: Victor Wooten- 

Victor Wooten is a famous bass player who’s most known for his amazing jazz bass playing, great knowledge in music theory as a whole, and most of all his fantastic improvising skills.

7: Cliff Burton- 

Cliff Burton, who’s known for his role as the bassist of the band Metallica, was a great influence for bassists in the future with his frequent use of pedals creating a more distorted and aggressive sound. He also would play his bass in a way that allowed it to be a more prominent sound in the band, even being mistaken for a lead guitar at times. 

6: Jaco Pastorius –

Now, while the name Jaco Pastorious isn’t all that well known, the bass playing community highly respects this man for his sheer mastery over the instrument, having him be a very sought after musician to work with. This allowed him to work with the likes of: Weather Report, Joni Mitchell, Ian Hunter, Herbie Hancock and many others.

5: John Paul Jones- 

John Paul Jones, known for his involvement as the bassist of the band Led Zeppelin, was a master at using the bass with his interesting percussive and rhythmic style inspiring many bassists around the world.

4: Les Claypool-

Les Claypool is known for being a bit of a weirdo and you can kind of tell that after listening to some of his music. His most famous music act was being the lead singer and bassist of Primus. Doing bass lines that are already very difficult to master, he pairs that up with also being the lead vocalist for the band, earning him a spot on this list. Funny enough, after Cliff Burton’s death, Metallica was in search of a new bassist and Les tried out for it but was eventually denied the role.

3: Geddy Lee- 

Geddy Lee, known most for his role in the band Rush, is very talented at playing the bass. But, he also plays the keyboard for the band, as well as being the lead vocalist, so he earns a spot on this list for his sheer variety and key role in his band.

2: Paul Mcartney-

While Paul Mcartney (known for his role as the bassist of the band The Beatles) isn’t the most skilled bass player out there, he still manages to earn a spot on this list because of the amount of influence that he has over bassists around the world to this day. This arguably makes him one of the most famous bassists of all time.

1:  Flea-

Finally, on the number one spot of my list is Flea, known for his role as the bassist in the band Red Hot Chili Peppers. I put him on the #1 spot because he’s a very well renowned slap bassist and really helped boost the popularity of the bass guitar (also I’m super biased, but that’s like, whatever).

For more information, please visit:

Fashion/Make-Up

The fashion trend cycle

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By: Emilia Moberg

Throughout history, thousands of fashion trends have emerged and gone out of style. Typically, trends follow a multiple-decade cycle. For example, in the 1940’s pre-war era, wide-shoulder shirts and jackets and a-line skirts were popular silhouettes. Then, in the 1980’s, large, shoulder-padded blazers returned to the fashion sphere, completing the cycle.

However, largely due to the increase of global connection and mass industrial production in the past 5-10 years, fast fashion and “micro-trends” have taken over the fashion industry. Microtrends are trends that cycle in and out of style in a matter of months or weeks. In an article on Conciouslifeandstyle.com, Stella Hertantyo breaks down this new fashion cycle into five steps: introduction, rise, acceptance, decline, and obsolescence. A new style is introduced, then picks up relevance in fashion communities. Next, it is established into mainstream fashion consciousness and is often mass-produced. As the trend is fully incorporated into the mainstream, it is no longer fresh and exciting to consumers, and is discarded for newer trends to arise in its place.

The availability of mass-producing, fast fashion retailers, such as Shein, have fueled this rapid cycling. Additionally, social media competition drives the want to buy and consume more items to keep up with the trends.

There are pros and cons to this new trend cycle. Due to the desire for new products, designers have needed to get creative to fill the need. Mass production makes clothing cheap and fashion should be accessible to anyone who wants to participate in it. However, the fast fashion industry breeds overconsumption and has many environmental drawbacks.

One solution is sustainable clothing. However, it can be very expensive and inaccessible.

In my opinion, buying second-hand clothing is one of the best ways to expand your style and find quality clothing for cheaper prices, without participation in fast fashion.

Entertainment

Talking about ‘Serial’ podcast episode: “The Alibi”

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By: Leticia Bugg-Sam

*Warning: contains some spoilers*

It’s Baltimore 1999, Hae Min Lee, a popular high school senior student, was murdered. One day, she disappeared after school. Six weeks later, detectives arrested her classmate and ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, for her murder. Adnan says that he is innocent although he can’t remember that night.

Later into the podcast, he was high off of marijuana and also he was drunk. When Adnan got taken in for his story ,he told the detectives what happened and his story didn’t quite match up. It didn’t make any sense. Adnan was a careless person when his ex- girlfriend died; he would go out to parties, get high and get drunk.

A classmate at Woodlawn high school says that she knew where Adnan was when Hae disappeared that night. When Adnan got arrested Asia wrote him letters and one describes about him talking in the library on the night where Hae disappeared.

She also wrote another letter after Adnan was convicted.

Jay was another suspect because he knew where the car was and her dead body, but the detectives let him go because he hardly knew Hae and his phone was on him the whole time.

But then, on January 13, 1999, at 7:30 pm, Jay told Jenn that Adnan was gonna go, or had already killed Hae. The reason for that is because at 10:45 am Jay got a call from Adnan and at 11:00-11:30 he arrived at Jay’s house saying that he was going to kill Hae.

The next day, Adnan went to Best Buy and bought cleaning supplies. All the evidence that the detectives had, they still didn’t have a correct clue on who the murderer was. Adnan was the main one but the detectives were not sure if he was the murderer but even though his family had a lawyer that already knew his family very well and that they paid.

The detectives also knew that too. Adnan’s parents didn’t believe that he killed Hae too. He was put in prison, but later, when the detectives gave up on finding more evidence, they had no other choice but to let go of Adnan.