Rock Melon is a local band based in Highland Park, Saint Paul. This surf-pop-indie band consists of six talented students from around the Highland Park area. This article will go over a few need-to-know facts about the band before listening to their music.
Before going over the music the band has released as of late, it’s important to know the talent behind music. Here’s a quick introduction to the band.
Zack Nelson (he/him) is a senior at HPSH and the founder of the band. He plays both the guitar and bass. Elzie Bieganek (she/her) is one of the two talented vocalists of Rock Melon, currently attending SPA as a junior. Erin Moore (she/her) is a junior at HPSH, and the second vocalist of Rock Melon. Ryan Mitchell (he/him) and Izzy Montgomery (she/her) both play guitar, and Syan Blackwood (they/them) plays the drums for the band.
Now, the music itself this small band produces showcases a wide range of talent in terms of instrumentals, vocals, and production. All music is recorded by the band, and released on all streaming platforms.
Their latest releases include three singles from their upcoming album. The three tracks are “First Love’s Name”, “Eucalyptus”, and “The Architect”. All of these songs were written by the band members, and feature riveting vocals and soothing instrumentals.
The band plays live music around the Saint Paul/Minneapolis area, so keep an eye out for their next gig. Small venues around the metro area often support other small local bands as well. Attending live concerts is an easy, low commitment way to support these young artists.
To support this growing band, give them a follow on Instagram @rockmelonband. Stream their music on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube music, and more!
What is the space shuttle? The space shuttle was the first reusable spacecraft and since it could be flown again it helped reduce the cost of each launch. It could take off in a vertical take off and could land like a plane.
The space shuttle was built by NASA and during earlier space missions such as the Apollo program, NASA had to build 15 different Saturn V rockets. But for the space shuttle, NASA only had to build 5.
The first space shuttle launch was on April 12, 1981 and the final landing was on July 21, 2011. The space shuttle fleet flew over 135 missions. Some of the space shuttles are in museums in California, New York, Florida, and Washington D.C.
In early 2011 you could see the space shuttle on top of a 747 before it was retired.
Here are some of the technical specifics of the space shuttle.
COMPONENTS
Orbiter:
In the cabin it contained living quarters, workstations, and controls for up to seven astronauts. The space shuttle had a payload bay for carrying satellites, scientific equipment, and components for the International Space Station. The payload could be found on top of the space shuttle. There were three powerful engines used during liftoff, fueled by the external tank.
Thermal Protection System:
The Thermal Protection System was made of heat resistant tiles and blankets that protected the orbiter from the heat during reentry.
Canadarm:
A Canadarm is a long robot arm and it was used for manipulating payloads, assembling structures in orbit, and capturing satellites.
External Tank:
The External Tank was the huge orange fuel tank located at the bottom of the space shuttle. It was made out of an aluminum-lithium alloy to minimize weight. It was used to fuel the space shuttle during its launch into space, then it would detach from the space shuttle and burn up in the atmosphere.
Solid Rocket Boosters:
The Solid Rocket Boosters are the long white rockets that were attached to the fuel tanks. They were used for an additional set of thrust for takeoff before they detached. They were made out of aluminum and ammonium perchlorate. They were also fitted with a parachute for an ocean landing so NASA could reuse that rocket.
Orbital Maneuvering Systems:
The Orbital Maneuvering Systems was a small engine that allowed the space shuttle to make small adjustments in space. 2 of them could be found at the back of the space shuttle.
NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA was created on October 1st, 1958 after president Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act. NASA is a government agency of the United States, and it is responsible for U.S. space exploration, space technology, Earth and space science, and aeronautics research.
In total, 24 astronauts have made the journey from earth to the moon. Half of those astronauts only orbited the moon while the other half landed on it. Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were the first two people to walk on the moon. It’s been over 50 years since anyone has walked on the moon, but why is that?
The main reason is money. Building these rockets was incredibly expensive and NASA relied heavily on funding from the government. Once the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 was a success and the U.S. had won the space race, NASA faced major funding cuts. Originally, there were 20 Apollo missions, but due to a lack of funds the last 3 were canceled.
Since then NASA has focused on other projects. One notable example being the International Space Station. However, one of NASA’s new projects aims to land humans back on the moon.
NASA’s Artemis program consists of 4 main parts: an uncrewed flight test around the moon, a crewed flight test around the moon, sending humans to explore the region near the lunar south pole, and finally establishing a scientific base on the moon. These missions will aptly be named Artemis I, II, III, and IV respectively. With these missions, NASA’s goal is both to “explore the moon for scientific discovery and to inspire a new generation of explorers” according to Nasa.gov.
Artemis I launched 2 years ago and was a huge success for NASA and its partners. However, the crewed mission (Artemis II) which was slated to launch in late 2025 has now been delayed to April 2026. Artemis III also suffered delays and is currently being projected to launch no-earlier than mid 2027.
If you want to learn more about the Artemis missions, please go to:
Monday, the 25th of November, was the international day for the elimination of violence against women, and in recognition of that I have chosen to tell the story of Gisèle Pelicot who was an ordinary woman in Avignon, France. She is 71 years old and had been married to her husband for nearly 50 years.
During the court trial, Gisèle Pelicot’s husband, Dominique Pelicot (72), admitted to mixing drugs into her food and drink which caused her to become unconscious so that he and other men he had recruited online could rape her. It was anticipated that the prosecutors would need three days to compile evidence and specify the judgments and penalties they wanted due to the large number of defendants and alleged rapes.
Prosecutors sought penalties of 10 years or more for co-defendants also on trial for rape, or attempted rape, in the first cases they addressed on Monday, and they asked for 20 years in jail (which is the harshest punishment for aggravated rape) for Dominique Pelicot.
It is expected that the court will deliver its verdicts by December 20th, 2024.
The victim waived her right to anonymity, a demonstration of courage. The prosecutor, Jean-François Mayet, commended her bravery and her will to shift the blame from victims to their rapists.
This case is revolutionary as it is making a great impact when it comes to feminism and victims of sexual violence. Chantal Crémont, a supporter who traveled from western France said that, “When she (Giséle Pelicot) says that shame changes sides, it’s really that. She’s standing as the victim and she’s turning the tables. It’s very important.”
On Saturday, November 23rd, large groups of men and women marched in Paris while holding purple signs that supported women’s reproductive rights and condemned gender-based violence. Organizers of the protest called for more government funding to combat sexist behavior and sexual assault as well as to advance gender equality.
There is a survey on YouGov.com that shows that more than ⅓ of America stated that Christmas is their favorite holiday.
Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ who people believe in as the son of God. The name “Christmas” comes from the mass of Christ which is a mass service. Mass service is where Christians can remember that Jesus had died for us then came back alive. Christmas was a holiday in the mid-1800s. It was seen as a day of peace and rest.
Many people also enjoy celebrating Christmas because that is when you can see your loved ones that you may not have seen in a while. Some people will celebrate with just their immediate family and others will celebrate with their extended family. It is very common for people to have family reunions over the holidays. It’s a perfect time to spend with family, as you can decorate your Christmas tree with ornaments or make some Christmas baked goods. It is a celebration of love. The Christmas season provides great opportunities to strengthen bonds with friends and family.
You could also get gifts for yourself and other people. If you love giving gifts to other people this is a perfect opportunity to do that. It’s also a perfect time to do secret Santa with your friends, family cousins, etc. Secret Santa is like another word for a gift exchange, but Secret Santa can be a little bit different. In Secret Santa you don’t know who’s giving you your gift or what you are getting. You only know who you’re getting a gift for. You can pick names out of a hat or find an app that can pick the names for you.
Christmas falls on a different day every year so sometimes it’s hard to plan a time to get together with your family, but if you are able to plan it right it is always worth it. Christmas is a perfect time to pause and spend quality time with loved ones.
Minnesota is most commonly recognized for its drastic weather changes, harsh summers and winters alike. It’s also known for its diverse range of winter activities such as hockey, skiing, ice fishing, and more. Although in order to partake in these recreational hobbies, the most important factor is for there to be cold enough weather, and most importantly snowfall. In Minnesota this would normally never be much of a problem, however as of recent years, data is demonstrating that climate change is having a severe impact on not only these winter sports, but also local wildlife as well as our environment.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, worldwide climate change is also leading to a warmer Minnesota. Their stats represent an increase in the daily minimum temperature of 7.3f in the northern regions of Minnesota, 6f in the central regions, and 4.9f in the southern regions (per data from 1895-2021).
Another major impact that climate change has is in our ice cover, with an observed 10-15 days less as of these past few years. With these changes, it is ultimately impacting Minnesota fish as well, considering they are losing necessary days of ice cover, which protect them from the harsh winters. With the lack of ice, it is also contributing to the inability to begin and prolong ice fishing, ice skating and other ice-related activities that many people participate in during our Minnesota winters. Along with this unpredictable ice cover, it’s affecting the amount of flooding that the state receives, as the ice forms and then melts soon after. It then continues to follow this repeating cycle throughout the winter months until late spring.
Another factor is the inconsistent snowfalls that have been recently scattered across the winters. One of Minnesota’s most notable aspects is their snow! Not only does this affect the ability to play certain winter sports such as skiing or snowmobiling, but it also impacts the enjoyment of participating in them as well.
Per stats from the EPA, carbon dioxide levels across the world have risen over 40% since the late 1700’s, which is what’s contributing to the immense amount of climate changes worldwide, as well as in Minnesota. Not only is this a serious issue which is affecting our environment, but Minnesota’s winters are progressively growing to be much shorter, warmer and unpredictable than ever before.
As a unified community I believe that we can make changes in our lives, even small ones, in order to begin to help the restoration and conservation of our Minnesota winters, as well as the environmental health of our world.
For many families the Turkey Trot is an annual Thanksgiving tradition. Usually held on Thanksgiving morning, people of all ages and running ability participate in local fun runs held all over the United States. The races differ in lengths, but the most common length today is a 5k.
The Turkey Trot originated in Buffalo, NY back in 1896. Only 6 people ran, all men, and they ran five miles in downtown Buffalo. Only 4 of them finished after one dropped out in the first two miles and the other couldn’t keep down Thanksgiving breakfast. They continued to hold this race as it gained more and more popularity over the next couple years. They thought it was a way to burn off calories before eating a bunch for Thanksgiving.
Every year since then, the Turkey Trot in Buffalo has been held. It reached cities like New Orleans in 1907, and Cincinnati in 1909. Even with the quick growth of the race, it wasn’t until 1972 that a woman raced the Buffalo Turkey Trot.
Now the Turkey Trot is a family fun run in many local neighborhoods and towns. From toddlers and babies in strollers to grandmas and grandpas, there are nearly 1 million people in the United States who run this fun run every year.
If you want to participate in the future, Highland Park hosts their own Turkey Trot that is 5k long. It costs around $35 for adults and $15 for kids under 17 to participate. The route starts and ends on the north side of Highland Catholic School. It goes south on Cleveland road and then turns to the west where you will run on River Road. Then you follow Highland Parkway back up to the start. Afterwards you are able to stop at Tiffany’s, a local restaurant, and have a free breakfast for participating.
Whether you decide to get a fake Christmas tree or a real one, making a perfect tree is a classic Christmas activity. Many people think that putting up Christmas decorations in November is too early, but studies show that people who put Christmas decorations up early are happier. A lot of people enjoy putting decorations up with their family, especially when you’re decorating your Christmas trees. Christmas trees are some of the most popular and traditional symbols of the Christmas season.
Building gingerbread houses
Many people enjoy building gingerbread houses during the Christmas season, but outside the holiday season it doesn’t get much recognition. You can make your own gingerbread house by scratch, or like many others you can buy a gingerbread kit from a store if you want things to be easier.
Exchange gifts/Secret Santa
During the holiday season it’s very popular for friend groups or family to do gift exchanges. If you aren’t aware of what a gift exchange or Secret Santa is; it’s basically where you and your group of family friends draw a name out of a hat and whatever name you get is the person you buy the gift for. There will usually be a budget you have to stay in for the gift.
Bake Christmas cookies
A classic Christmas tradition for families during the holiday season is to bake festive Christmas cookies together. Many people will use Christmas cookie cutters for the cookie dough to make it into holiday shapes like trees, bells, stars, wreaths, etc. Once your cookies are out of the oven you should let them cool down and then you can decorate the cookies with whatever color icing you like and any sprinkles you’d want to use.
Build a snowman
It’s like a tradition every Christmas season for kids to build a snowman right after it snows. Once you throw your jacket on and gloves to build your snowman you can use carrots for the nose, blueberries for the eyes, buttons, and mouth. If you have old hats and scarfs laying around your house you can add those to your snowman. This is a great activity to do in the winter when you’re bored and want to feel festive.
Australia’s Senator Thorpe’s pledge scandal has shocked the world as she claims to have sworn to the “queen’s hairs” not the queen’s heirs after her confrontation with King Charles The Third. She claimed this after she allegedly broke the pledge into parliament as a Senator by shouting out “You are not our king” to King Charles The Third. Senator Lydia Thorpe, the former Greens Senator for the state of Victoria, made the pledge when Queen Elizabeth was still alive and reigning.
The Parliamentary Oath of Allegiance is as follows; “I (full name) do swear that I will be faithful and bear full allegiance to Her majesty Queen Elizabeth The Second, Her heirs and successors according to law. So help me god.” Senator Thorpe took two tries to say her pledge. The first try she said, “I bear true allegiance to – the colonizing – her majesty Queen Elizabeth The Second” before the senate president made her start again. In her second attempt she did seem to say “hairs” and was sarcastically laughing. She also had an outburst at the King and Queen on their visit to Australia.
“Give us back what you stole from us: our bones, our skulls, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty in this country,” she said. She continued with, “You are not my King. You are not our King… F*** the colony, F*** the colony, F*** the colony.”
These outbursts have resulted in many people in parliament calling for her to resign, including the opposition minister Peter Dutton. He claims that someone who doesn’t believe in the system should “rest in principle.”
I think that this whole situation is very interesting in the eyes of the law. Senator Thorpe is an aboriginal person whose people have faced many hardships due to the colonization of the British empire and Thorpe is obviously very angry about this. That is understandable as aboriginal people had their rights taken away and were treated extremely bad. Thorpe wants a treaty Republic of Australia and says that King Charles is not the king of the First Nations people of Australia.
By now, you probably already know that Donald Trump has won the 2024 US Presidential election. What you might have missed, however, are the other races that defined this election.
The president cannot make laws and do things all on his own. He needs to work together with both houses of congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
These two chambers are responsible for creating the laws that the executive branch is in charge of putting into place. In addition, the president often has to petition congress in order to get his agenda passed and put into effect. For this reason, it is much more difficult for the president to enact their agenda if the party in charge of congress does not align with the president’s party.
Each state has two senators, who serve six year terms. Every two years, roughly a third of the senators are up for election. In this election, one of Minnesota’s senators, Democrat Amy Klobuchar, was up against Republican challenger Royce White. The Associated Press has called this race for Klobuchar, but they have also declared that Republicans will take a majority in the senate, having flipped a number of other Democratic seats. This is good news for president-elect Trump, since it means the senate will align with him as he attempts to enact his agenda as president.
In addition, the nation is divided into 435 congressional districts, each having one representative. These districts are distributed roughly proportionally to population, and redrawn every ten years in order to better represent groups of people as demographics shift. Highland Park is a part of congressional district MN-4, which has been represented by Democrat Betty McCollum since 2001. She has been elected to her thirteenth term in congress, easily defeating Republican challenger May Lor Xiong. AP has also projected that Republicans will win the house, having officially secured the 218 seats required for a majority. This is good for President elect Trump, as the house aligns with his party making it easier for him to pass legislation he wants enacted.
In addition to the federal government, each state also has their own government, which passes laws that only affect us in that state. Minnesota’s government works similarly to the federal government, with a governor and two chambers of congress. The Minnesota House of Representatives has elections every two years, while the Minnesota Senate holds elections every four years, with election years being the non-presidential even years.
This year, state senator Kelly Morrison stepped down from her position to run for US congress in district MN-3, which she has now won. This caused a special election to occur in her district, which had the potential of flipping the state senate. The Minnesota Star Tribune has called this race for DFL candidate Ann Johnson Stewart, meaning the DFL will retain control of the senate in Minnesota. Meanwhile, the state’s House of Representatives appears to be deadlocked with both major parties having 67 seats, but a recount of two seats could narrowly give the house to the republicans. If this occurred, it would make things difficult for our democratic governor.
There were also a few ballot measures in Minnesota and across the country. In Minnesota, the state asked whether state lottery funds should continue to be used to protect the environment, which passed with 77.5% of the vote.
Here in Saint Paul, two additional referendums were included. The first asked whether city property taxes should be increased to pay for childcare funding. This failed with 59.9% of the vote, according to the Star Tribune. The other ballot measure, asking whether city elections should be moved to presidential years, passed with 60.7% of the vote.
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