by Zoe Kaplan   The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word American as “Relating to or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants.” That definition is by no means wrong, but I believe that there is so much more to being American. Being American is being able to define that for yourself. The core value of freedom of opinion allows us to make that decision and not necessarily agree with any other person. In 2014, New York Times writers Damien Cave and Todd Heisle drove up Interstate 35, starting in Texas and ending in Minnesota. Along the way, they asked 35 people what it means to be American. Their…

by Sean Clapp   Video games are one of humanity’s most incredible inventions.  With the introduction of virtual reality headsets, and more powerful gaming hardware and software, games such as Call Of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, and Fallout have become more sophisticated than ever.   It wasn’t long ago when the most popular video games were two-dimensional and only as interactive as a joystick would allow.  With these advancements, should come cautionary steps to prevent harmful addictions. Games, video or not, provide an escape from reality, and hopefully, are fun.  Which is, of course, why so many people play them.  A scientific perspective on what makes games “fun” can explain more…

by Madeline Sadler   Organic; “yielding, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides” (Webster). The Organic Food Production Act was created in 1990 as a start to the National Organic Program. Since then, organic promises high standards when it comes to no chemical use, but they aren’t always as concerned with other things that come along with it. In the magazine Mother Earth Living (2018) it states “however, neither of the terms guarantee that the farmer is concerned with animal welfare, employee rights, soil health, or land…

by Madeline Sadler   Coral are a series of tiny polyps that one night a year are “releasing all the eggs they’ve made that year into the water column, packaged into bundles with sperm cells” (Marhaver, 2015). These tiny bundles keep dividing as they grow older and when they are a mere two days old decide where they want to develop for the rest of their life. From there they grow to form into the beings they are today. Since the global warming crisis, things for the coral haven’t been easy. The ocean is changing, and the corals are dying. With warming and rising waters, the corals are not safe…

by Sean Clapp   As generations replace each other, our culture changes.  Today, with the technology of the twenty-first century, aspects of our culture, such as parenting standards, and the expectations of an individual’s capabilities, are subject to a change we as humans have never seen before.  With this new development, it has become much more critical for parents and our schools to teach future generations how to understand and appreciate life without modern benefits, and even learn to function in a world without these benefits, should they need to.  If today’s children do not become proficient in the natural, physical, and mental aspects of creativity and survival, we as…

by Madeline Sadler   Yoga has been around for hundreds of years. It has been used as a form of mediation, a religious activity in religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, and so much more. It’s primary purpose when created was to calm the mind and body as a form of self-care for yourself and honor your higher being. The definition of yoga is, “a system of physical postures, breathing techniques, and sometimes meditation derived from Yoga but often practiced independently especially in western cultures to promote physical and emotional well-being,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Following this, the definition of exercise is, “bodily exertion for the sake of developing…

by Madeline Sadler   “I believe there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it will direct us aright.” Henry Thoreau wrote this quote, the famous author of Walden who discusses his connection to nature. Nature surrounds us in everything we do, whether it be us playing outside, looking out a window in a classroom, or even tending to a few house plants in our homes. There is indeed a vibration that we can feel that makes nature seem so natural to us. We are reconnecting to our roots, which is therapeutic and produces these deep sensory feelings we get every time we are around nature.…

by Sean Clapp   Do animals consciously feel pain?  All animals?  If not, which animals?  Provided the answers to these questions, would you ever consider consuming a living, possibly even a feeling thing?  Most people agree that all vertebrates, such as monkeys, bears, and sharks, have the mental capacity to experience conscious pain. Thus laws have been put in place to protect these animals from live consumption.  The question is still unanswered for most invertebrates, and with this question comes a moral gray area for a human’s eating habits.  Surely if humans can conclude that an animal is capable of conscious suffering, then we ought not to participate in cruel…