All posts by HPSH Plaid Line

Getting To Know/History

The history of Smokey the Bear

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By: Grace Wright

Smokey the Bear started in 1941 in California because during World War II many of the able bodied men were off fighting. So, when wildfires started breaking out, there was no one to really fight against them; many communities had to fight them themselves or just let them burn. Protecting the national forests and other parts of the country became a big concern because many of these wildfires were damaging them. 

People thought using this worry would help people find something else to focus on instead of the war and also that it would actually get people to help. So, they started the CFFP, Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention. They started posting different slogans like “Forest Fires Aid the Enemy” “Our Carelessness, Their Secret Weapon”. This helped people get motivated to help because they made it seem like the wildfires would make the US look weak, which would allow the war to come closer to home.

They did this for a while without a mascot until Disney came out with the movie ‘Bambi’. They got the rights to use the animal from the movie for a year to help their campaign. Once the year was up they would have to find a new animal. They soon decided that nothing would fit better than a bear. On August 9, 1944 Smokey the Bear was authorized by the Forest Service. They soon started making posters and his popularity became huge.

A couple of years later they soon had a real life Smokey the Bear mascot. During a wildfire in New Mexico a baby bear was found after getting burned in a tree. They took him to Santa Fe to hopefully recover. He soon took over the country and many people loved him. He went to the National Zoo in Washington D.C. to live until he died.

Smokey the Bear’s iconic saying “Remember only you can prevent wildfires” proved to be very useful. It stayed like this for a few decades until they found research that said that some wildfires actually are useful for certain types of forests, so they changed it to “Only you can prevent wildfires”.

Smokey the Bear is very popular to this day, you can find his saying pretty much anywhere. It is also very popular in smaller towns to have a sign that shows the fire hazard for the day and him standing with it. Overall, Smokey the Bear is a very iconic symbol and he did celebrate his 80th birthday in 2024. 

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Advice/How To

Different kinds of hobbies

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By: Fletcher Pike

Photo by Em Hopper on Pexels.com

To many, hobbies can be a fun way to express yourself by learning a new skill that gives you joy. However, you might not know where to start if you want to learn a new hobby. In this article, I will give you multiple examples of hobbies that you can try.

Art

Art is a popular kind of hobby that allows you to express your creative side. This can include things such as painting, sculpting, and drawing. Art can be a relaxing activity for anyone to try. Art comes in so many different forms, you can experiment with the different kinds of art that you can create. Art doesn’t always have to involve paint, ink, or lead. It also includes activities such as knitting, crocheting, or making jewelry. These are also great options if you don’t like the messier side of creating art.

Personally, I think that art is one of my favorite hobbies, and I love doing different kinds of artwork. I highly recommend this kind of hobby to anyone looking to explore their creative side.

Games

Though this hobby is a broad term, it can refer to both board games and video games. Learning a new type of game can be a fun hobby to do as it can help build strategic skills, or you can play completely for fun. Some board games include: chess, Battleship, checkers, or card games. I personally enjoy learning a lot of card games, as it can be fun to learn the different rules of the games. Video games have a nearly endless amount of different categories.

I recommend this kind of hobby to anyone wanting to incorporate their thinking and mental skills into their hobby more.

Sports

Sports is a very popular hobby, and is essentially available to everyone who wants to play. There are many different types of sports to choose from, but popular ones include: soccer, basketball, football, and baseball. Sports is a great hobby to try as there are many different kinds of sports to play, and it can help you stay physically active as well as being able to build communication skills with your teammates.

Music

Music is a great hobby to try, as learning to create or learn music can help improve several different skills. You can learn to play a new instrument, learn to sing, or even compose your own songs. Music is pretty similar to art in my opinion, as creating music itself can be interpreted as a form of art by combining creativity and emotion into the music.

Music is a fun hobby to try if you like listening to music or if you have ever wanted to sing or learn a new instrument. 

Cooking / Baking

Creating food is a hobby that I highly recommend if you want to learn more about exploring the many different kinds of food. There are millions of recipes online and in books that you can find, and you can even experiment with creating your own recipes. Creating a meal is an important part of life, and I believe that it’s important to know how to cook in order to provide for yourself or your family. 

I hope that this article informed you about some of the different kinds of hobbies, and inspired you to try one out. I think it is a good idea to try out different types of hobbies, as you might find something that you really enjoy doing.

Movies/TV/Theaters

Analysis and review of the movie ‘Aftersun’ by Charlotte Wells

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By: Chloe Rocha

*Warning: This review includes spoilers

The movie ‘Aftersun’ is written and directed by Charlotte Wells and Charlotte stated that this movie is loosely based on her personal experience of a holiday with her father.

This film follows the life of Sophie and Calum, through the view of a home video lens. It captures the themes of memory, time, love, and loss in a beautiful way that may be overlooked by some viewers. There are very small details throughout the movie that when watching the first time, you may not seem to recognize because you don’t understand the full picture.

Calum and Sophie were on a family vacation at a Turkish resort, and Calum was trying to provide Sophie, who was his daughter, the best experience she could have, despite his struggling to make ends meet. Not only was he struggling financially, but he was also struggling mentally. He tries to put up a front to give Sophie the experience she deserves, but deep down he struggled severely with depression.

As the film goes on, it becomes more apparent that this vacation may be the last one they experience together. This is hinted through the fact that despite his financial struggles, he kept on buying things for Sophie to remember him by. For example he purchased a rug for 850 pounds, and the rug is later seen in the movie when it shows up in Sophie’s adult life.

When she was younger she never fully understood her father’s struggle with mental health, she only viewed him as a distant dad. But when she is older, she is tries to recall what really went on during that vacation.

Through old films that she made while documenting their vacation, she truly sees how much he was struggling, and while she couldn’t understand it when she was younger, now she does. But there were pieces of the story that were missing for both her and the audience, which allows viewers to infer what really happened.

The ending of the movie was very heartbreaking because it shows adult Sophie watching her father disappear into a strobe lit void, and he essentially lost himself as well. I interpreted this scene as a metaphor for loss, suggesting that Calum is no longer present in Sophie’s life, and that may be due to his passing.

While this movie has a very slow pacing, I think it was so the audience would be able to capture and truly understand the characters and their emotions. At the beginning, I didn’tunderstand the movie, but I quickly realized and recognized the underlying themes throughout the film.

I think this movie was beautifully made and perfectly depicts the realities of depression and how it can interfere with the lives of your loved ones as well.

You can watch ‘Aftersun’ on Netflix.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

Is social media hurting or helping students?

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By: Teagan Mack

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Social media has a huge place in student’s lives today. Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat provide the opportunity to talk with friends, update people on their life, and stay up-to-date on the latest news. Whether reading posts or watching videos, social media is now an important part of the daily routine. Is it helping or hurting students, though?

On one hand, social media can be a really useful tool for learning and personal growth. Many students use YouTube to watch tutorials, watch educational videos, and even learn about new tips and tricks. Instagram and TikTok even have educational accounts that love teaching students new topics or skills. You can learn anything from historical data to math tricks. Students can also get involved in online study groups, connect with classmates, and be engaged in discussions that help with schoolwork.

Social media also allows people to stay in touch with friends even when  they are occupied or cannot meet physically. These connections can provide emotional support, especially during periods of stress such as during exams or when there are deadlines for projects.

Social media, however, has its dark sides. One of the most common problems with social media is that it can negatively impact one’s mental health. Spending too much time viewing social media can lead to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Watching others who share their “perfect” lives can leave you feeling inadequate or not good enough.

Social media also exposes students to cyberbullying, where nasty comments and negative interactions can affect a person’s emotional well-being.

Of course, there is the issue of misinformation and fake news being shared, which can confuse students and affect their understanding of important topics.

So, is social media ultimately helping or hurting students? The answer is that it depends on how we use it. If we use social media to support our learning, stay connected with our friends in a positive manner, and engage in helpful discussions, it can be an excellent tool. But if we allow it to distract us from our studies, drain our energy, or damage our mental health, then it may do more harm than good. We have to find the balance and also notice how we are spending our time online. If we recognize that social media is causing more stress than it is good, then taking a break can be the best thing that we can do for our minds as well as our studies.

Books/Art

Review of ‘John Cleese Saved My Life…and Other True Tales Of Pop, Politics and Prayer’ by Scott Berndt

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By: Evie Beaumaster

In the book ‘John Cleese Saved My Life… and Other True Tales of Pop, Politics and Prayer’, Berndt combines memories with past global events and songs, to teach not only his personal experience but the experiences of countless people. The book follows Berndt through many different times in his life and the spiritual and mental journeys that led him there.

I haven’t ever read a memoir quite like it. I believe that there are two types of memoirs, ones that share just experiences and ones that share experiences and wisdom. This book definitely shares wisdom more than just life experiences. All of the experiences that are shared here are shared in insightful ways that lead to us learning more about the bigger picture of the time period and the world. Berndt shares memories followed by quotes and song lyrics to help the reader grasp the bigger picture of the memory or the point that he is trying to share.

This book also gives insightful opinions about religion and religious beliefs, it also questions religion at its core. This book combines memory with facts about the time period and impacts of certain events, locally and globally. I think that Berndt successfully captured part of himself in the book.

This book was great, it was quick paced and cut up into short memories, and facts. This book took me approximately 3 hours to read and I finished it the same day I got my hands on the copy of the book that is available in the school library. This book is hard to put down and I only found myself stopping to eat, before I sat down and finished the entire book in one night. It was such an attention grabbing book and was an easy read.

Overall, I would recommend this book and in terms of memoirs, it is a great one. Berndt’s unique writing style helps capture the reader’s attention. I was skeptical at first, but I found myself captivated by the mix of songs, quotes and memories. Unlike some other memoirs, Berndt included research for timely events that relate to the book and this helps the reader think more deeply about the time period. I would recommend this book to older, less sensitive readers, as there are descriptions of violence and racism, as well as religious content and profanities that some readers might find offensive.

Overall, it is an excellent book that you should totally read!

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Badminton, Scoreboard/Schedule, Track & Field

Sport schedule for: Mar 17-22

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 ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: MARCH 17 – MARCH 22
MONDAYMARCH 17 
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
4:00pm Badminton vs. HardingHOME
TUESDAYMARCH 18
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
    
WEDNESDAYMARCH 19
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
4:00pm Badminton vs. WashingtonHOME
THURSDAYMARCH 20
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
    
FRIDAYMARCH 21
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
4:00pm Badminton vs.  Humboldt and North St. PaulHOME
SATURDAYMARCH 22
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
9:00am7:30am | 1:00pmTrack and Field Indoor Time TrialU of M Fieldhouse
Getting To Know/History, Travel/Food

The history of Trolli

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By: Maya Song

Trolli is a long standing candy manufacturing company known all across the world. It was founded in Germany in 1948 by Willy Menderer, which was then passed down to his son, Herbert Mederer in 1981. The company is now operated by the Mederer group which acquired the company in 1998.

The company expanded its reach to the United States in 1982, which introduced their product to a whole new population. Places such as Asia, North America, and Europe all saw the potential of this brand and invested in helping it grow. The fact that Trolli was given the opportunity to sell its products internationally really helped the company reach the status that it holds today, as one of the world’s biggest candy manufacturing companies ever.

They reached their highest accolade in 1993 when their famous sour glow worm won the Candy Kettle Award, a highly prestigious award that other famous companies like Ferrero, Lindt, Nestlé, and Haribo have won.

Some of their bestsellers include the sour brite crawlers, peach rings, and my personal favorite, egg gummies. Trolli is well known for having very creative flavors and designs as well as experimenting with sour flavors. The company does not sit on their laurels but constantly comes out with new things for consumers to try. They provide a variety of different gummy candies and have become a very successful and popular company due to their innovation.

While there are a plethora of other candy manufacturing companies around the world that compete with Trolli, Trolli will always be one of the originals. Trolli has remained one of the most successful ones out there for nearly 75 years, while it continues to grow its brand and followers.

In my personal opinion, I truly love Trolli gummies, especially the gummy eggs. I think that they are definitely worthy of their status, and it is always a guarantee to fulfill a sweet craving.

Entertainment

The paradox of tragedy: Are crime junkies ‘sadists’ or is there something more?

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By: Maya Vossen-Nelson

In 2024, crime podcasts consistently occupied spots in both Apple Podcasts and Spotify’s Top Charts and IMDb announced that over 58 new TV documentary series were released in 2024.

On the surface, individuals who enjoy crime podcasts, crime TV and crime novels seem like sadists; they seek out media recalling the pain and suffering of others. But there is actually a deeper psychological component.

Individuals are attracted to tragedy because it is human nature to be highly attuned to threatening behavior. Humans want to discover the patterns, causes and outcomes of harmful situations to protect themselves and loved ones. This is a survival instinct ingrained in the human psyche since before homo sapiens emerged.

This draw is similar to the desire to know what is happening when an ambulance goes by or being unable to look away from a highway crash. Most people don’t wish harm on others, so why has an entire industry been built on this fascination?

Although the TV is relatively new, this question has puzzled philosophers for centuries. Aristotle first explored this topic and observed that “[W]e enjoy looking at the most exact portrayals of things whose actual sight is painful to us”. A Stanford Philosophy article reflects on Aristotle’s quote and reasons that there is “pleasure as arising from the knowledge acquired in viewing such representations”.

This can be further explained by brain research that shows human brains experience danger and passion in strikingly similar ways: both causing arousal, both releasing dopamine. Dopamine is often described as the brain’s ”pleasure chemical” and is responsible for actions relating to cognition and reward. Dopamine can be released during pleasurable activities (such as eating and social interaction), during the anticipation of rewards, foreseeing favorable outcomes and while achieving goals. The dopamine released while watching crime TV is produced from anticipation and from experiencing intense emotions regardless of if it is repulsion or fascination.

Studies show that women are more likely than men to seek out content that analyzes the killer’s motive, contains information on how victims escaped and what actions increase the risk of becoming a target for killers.

Female fascination with crimes is not because they are more likely to become murderers, it is actually quite the opposite. Women make up fewer than 20% of murders, are approximately 60% more likely to be victims of kidnapping and 90% more likely than men to be victims of rape.

So, the next time you see someone watching a crime documentary don’t be so quick to judge.

Advice/How To

The importance of journaling

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By: Sylvia Yannsdottir

It’s really easy to get caught up in the constant changes of life, and one way to help navigate through that is by journaling. Journaling is a productive way to sort your thoughts, and emotions, and can help you grow as a person. By taking just a few minutes of your day to write down anything that you’re thinking of, it can really help you find peace and clarity within your life.

One way that journaling has personally benefited me is by forcing me to reflect on my experiences and lessons I’ve learned. Oftentimes when I journal it leads me to re-analyze the things that I’ve experienced from a different perspective, and that leads me to look for improvement and growth within my actions.

Aside from that, journaling can strengthen many things, like memory, creativity, critical thinking, focus, and problem solving skills. There are truly no downsides to journaling, so why not start sooner rather than later?

In the past few years, it has become more popularized by society, especially social media, to establish healthy habits in your life, and one of those healthy habits is journaling. Oftentimes you’ll see more people sharing different kinds of interesting prompts, or ideas for what you can write about.

While writing isn’t for everyone, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it can be really beneficial to start journaling. Although it can be hard to maintain habits, there are plenty of ways to start small, like establishing a routine and over time gradually improving it.

I strongly believe that I’ve gained a lot in my life since I started journaling consistently, and I strongly urge others to try it out. Whether you’re a writer or not it’s something that is at least worth trying, and could really be helpful throughout your life.