Month: November 2020

Character Corner: Species

BY ROWAN RAVERTY

STAFF WRITER

The world is full of some amazing creatures. They all look incredibly different from each other – like the long necked Giraffe or the large Saltwater Crocodile. Well, I’m here to tell you how you can design your own species of animals for your story needs.

Step 1: Look at animals that already exist. References are always good to have. In our world, some animals look alike without being related, like how Koalas look like bears without being related to them. Red Pandas might resemble Giant Pandas, in name and looks, but they aren’t related. Plus, it’s easier to look at an image when it comes to figuring out how to draw something a certain way.

Step 2: Draw what the base of your new animal looks like. Everything needs a base to start with before you begin adding anything crazy. What do you need for a base? Well, the body and head shape. Those are the main things a base needs. You can also add any legs or arms if you want, but that is mostly going to be with the next step.

Step 3: Add any other physical features/traits. This includes any extra limbs, horns, wings, etc. This is also where you would add any differences in males and females, and the looks the babies will have. There’s a lot of examples in nature, too. If you’re having trouble thinking of differences, you can look up ideas.

Step 4: Non-visible traits. What does your creature have that we can’t see? An example is that some snakes have venomous bites. What about enhanced senses? It doesn’t have to be anything real animals have either. You could give it a second stomach or say it can freeze whatever it bites.

Step 5: Colors and patterns. This is a very important part of your species. Look at animals in real life. Some of their looks help them blend into their surroundings. Others have bright colors to tell anyone who thinks of eating them that they’re poisonous. Choose the colors that best represent your animal’s traits and habitat.

Now, the final step: Create a bio. You need more than just looks. What is its name? Where do they live? How long do they live for? What is their main source of food? These are some of the main questions that come to mind when thinking about what to put. Anything else you think is important to know should also be written down.

And there you have it, how to make a species. Use this to make some animals of your own for whatever adventures you want. Maybe you want to design an alien planet? Or write a story on a lost civilization? Whatever the reason is, you can use this to help.

Among Us: A Review

BY VENKATA KARAVADI

STAFF WRITER

A month or two ago, the games Rocket league, Fortnite, Minecraft, Etc. were really popular. But a month ago, there was this game called “Among Us”. 

Many popular Youtubers were trying out this game, and they loved it. There are three maps , and it’s a game where there are 7-9 crewmates (depends on host options) ,and there can be 1-3 imposters (host options). Crewmates have to do tasks so they can fix the ship they are in, and the imposter has to kill all crew mates before the crewmates know the person is the imposter. Once a dead body is found, they will have a meeting and they will discuss(by chat or voice call if private) who was near and who they think it was. The most people who have voted for a person are out, but you can also skip if you are unsure of who it is or if many people are going to skip (because the other people will be suspicious of you If you are the only one who voted for somebody). If you are the imposter, you have to silently kill the person, and if you are in or near a room, you go in a vent so people who come near don’t notice you. You can also go from room to room with a vent. Once there are only three people (including you), if you are the imposter, just kill somebody when people are not near you. So, when there are three people and the imposter kills one more person, the game is over and the imposter won. If you want to win as a crewmate, you either have to complete all tasks or vote out the imposter or imposters. I have tried this game, and it’s also a game of strategy,because you can kill somebody (if you are an imposter) at a certain spot.There are three game modes; public, private, or freeplay. Freeplay is where you finish all tasks (and there is no imposter and nobody else except you), and then you win.  It’s a very fun game and I recommend you try it. It’s also free on App Store and Google Play(for phones and tablets) . On laptops or PCs, it costs money. You can buy it on Steam(for PC) if you have it.

Amazon One

BY BELLA TRINKO AND ALAINA INOUYE

STAFF WRITERS

I’m certain we’ve all heard of Amazon, one of the biggest companies in the world. Well, they recently announced a new technology that could be groundbreaking in speed and security of retail transactions. Amazon One is a palm recognition technology that could make transactions such as paying at a store, entering a location that requires a ticket, and entering office buildings effortless and sanitary. Amazon is slowing trying to introduce this technology and get feedback from customers. After it has been included in all of their stores, it will be offered to third parties. 

Palm recognition is something that has been attempted in retail settings ,before but it hasn’t yet worked. Palm recognition was chosen due to privacy concerns and safety concerns. All palms can be distinguished, however you cannot trace someone using their palm, so palms worked well for customer privacy. It also requires someone to intentionally make a gesture to avoid accidental purchases. Amazon has been working to develop this technology since the beginning of 2019. Due to Amazon’s massive presence in the business world, I think it is safe to say palm recognition may, in time, become the new normal for retail and security transactions.

Links:

https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/29/21493094/amazon-one-palm-recognition-hand-payments-amazon-go-store

https://blog.aboutamazon.com/innovation/introducing-amazon-one-a-new-innovation-to-make-everyday-activities-effortless

Animal Pen: Nicobar Pigeon

BY KAIA KARPE

STAFF WRITER

The Nicobar Pigeon is found on Nicobar Island, right through the east of the Malay Archipelago, down to Palau and the Solomons. You may have heard of this bird as the closest living relative to the dodo. Scientists have this idea based on some cladistic analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b and 12S rRNA sequences.  Cladistic analysis is “a system of biological taxonomy based on the quantitative analysis of comparative data and used to reconstruct cladograms summarizing the (assumed) phylogenetic relations and evolutionary history of groups of organisms” says vocabulary.com. With this they can say that the Nicobar Pigeon has a slight possibility of being related to the dodo with the small amount of taxa. The definition of taxa (or taxon) is a way to categorize a group. They live up to eight to twelve years in the wild, and ten to fifteen years in captivity.

Nicobar Pigeons are the only living species in the Caloenas genus. They can measure up to sixteen inches, though typically the females are shorter than the males. These birds’ feathers are from not having any predators to hide from. In 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami inflicted a huge amount of damage on Nicobar Island and caused a slight population decrease.

Nicobar Pigeons’ diet consists of seeds, fruit, and buds. A gizzard stone helps them digest hard foods such as seeds. Birds swallow tiny amounts of gravel that helps the gizzard stone by acting as “teeth”.

Here are more visual examples of the gizzard stone.

An interesting thing about the Nicobar Pigeon is that they fly in columns or a single file line unlike the more common loose flock. Their white tail is similar to a taillight; It helps the group stay together and not get lost in the dark. Younger birds lack the white feathers, so if an adult Nicobar Pigeon sees that, they will know that they are not potential mates, not competition for mating, and they are not old enough to safely guide the flock to one location to the next. They like to build nests in heavy forest areas. Nicobar Pigeons build loose stick nests in a tree, and lay only one egg. Nicobar Pigeons are monogamous which means they only mate with one partner for life.

Sadly, the Nicobar Pigeons are considered near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN. They are hunted for their gizzard stones, which are made into jewelry, and they are trapped in an illegal trade to the local pet market as an exotic pet. Also, their nesting habitat is decreasing due to deforestation for plantations. That is not all of the threats to the Nicobar Pigeon of course. Nicobar Pigeon populations are also decreasing because of the travel of predators to their breeding grounds. Some examples of non-native predators are cats and rats. They are trying to be saved by multiple zoos which are helping Nicobar Pigeons adapt in safer areas. Hopefully people will notice them and try and pitch in to keep these wonderful creatures alive and healthy.

Citations

  • “Nicobar Pigeon.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 27, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicobar_pigeon. 
  • “Gizzard.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 15, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizzard. 
  • “This Colorful Pigeon with Luminous Feathers Is the Closest Living Relative to the Extinct Dodo Bird.” Positive Outlooks Blog, August 19, 2020. https://mypositiveoutlooks.com/nicobar-pigeon-dodo-relative/. 
  • “The World’s Fastest Dictionary.” Vocabulary.com. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/cladistic analysis. 
  • “Gizzard and Crop Impaction.” Farm Health Online Animal Health and Welfare Knowledge Hub. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.farmhealthonline.com/US/disease-management/poultry-diseases/crop-impaction/. 

The White House and COVID-19

BY SYDNEY WESCHCKE

STAFF WRITER

Within the past month, dozens of members of the Trump Administration, including the President and his wife, have tested positive for COVID. This series of events started on September 26 at the Rose Garden event, which was celebrating the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. This event has caused a spike in cases due to how many people have been infected from attending. On September 30, Hope Hicks, one of Trump’s close advisors, started showing symptoms while President Trump had his rally in Minnesota. He also held a rally on October 1, as well. He came in contact with many people and started to show symptoms. Later that night, he and First Lady Melania tested positive for COVID, which he publicly announced via Twitter in the early morning of October 2. 

Worried about his declining health, President Trump was flown to Walter Reed Hospital the same day. His oxygen level was below 94 percent, and he had a fever. During his three day stay, President Trump was given an experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail, two doses of remdessivir, and the steroid dexamethasone. On October 4, he went for a ride in his armored Chevrolet Suburban to see his supports, before returning to the hospital. The next day, October 5, he was discharged. 

A few days later on October 9, President Trump spoke with radio host Rush Limbaugh and claimed that he was feeling better than he was twenty years ago. Then, he held his first public event since his COVID diagnosis on October 10. He later tweeted, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” 

There have been more people related to the Trump campaign that have tested positive for COVID in the past few weeks, along with the President’s son, Barron Trump. The most recent has been two of Vice President Pence’s top aides as of Sunday, October 25. Vice President Pence tested negative on Saturday and Sunday, and he is still taking place in rallies.

Thanks for reading this article; I hope it was informative. 

Sources:

https://apple.news/A0rVrWVAVTca-KSUK0A1aUw

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/25/927531128/pence-chief-of-staff-tests-positive-for-the-coronavirus

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/02/us/politics/trump-contact-tracing-covid.html

DIY Rainbow Loom: Basics/Setup

BY PRISHA RATHORE

STAFF WRITER

If you are in the mood for doing something crafty and creative, Rainbow Loom is just the thing for you! Well, you may be wondering what Rainbow Loom is. Rainbow Loom is a plastic peg board that comes with rubber bands, a hook, and some clips that connect your bracelet. The loom looks a little something like this.

Here is the hook that comes with it too! It will be used to connect bands. Now, if you are in the mood for making your first bracelet, you will definitely need some rubber bands. Don’t worry if you don’t have a loom or hook. This article will present a no hook and loom way of making this same bracelet with your fingers. If you do want the hook and loom, you can buy it on Amazon. The bracelet we are making is called the Single Chain bracelet, which is perfect for beginners! Let’s get started with the hook and loom way! First, lay your loom so the arrows point down like this.

Now we will start laying out the bands like this.

Continue in a zigzag pattern.

Now after you have continued that pattern through the loom, it should look like this.

 It’s time to turn your loom around. We will now start using the hook!

So begin by putting your hook in that first band.

Now go forward into that peg and pick up that band.

Carefully take that band off the peg and put it on the next one.

Now do the same for the next peg. Go inside the bands, push forward to the peg, take the band of the peg, and put it on the next one.

Read the steps above again for help with doing the next pegs. Anyways, soon your loom should look like this, and it is time to take it off the loom.

At the very end of the loom, stick your hook into the two loops and then you can take the bracelet off the loom!

After you take it off, you may use a clip to connect the bracelet like this. (I will be using a s-clip). After you stick a clip through the loops, take the bracelet off the hook and connect the bracelet.

Yay you did it!

Now I am going to teach you how to use your fingers to do it!

Start by putting a band on one finger and then twisting it and putting it on the other finger.

Next, put a band normally on the top.

Now take the bottom band of each side and flip it over like this.

Put another band on and repeat the previous step.

Put another band on and keep on following that pattern until it becomes long enough for your wrist!

Once it is long enough, make sure two bands are on and take the bottom band of each side and flip it over so one band remains. 

Take a clip and put the loops in the clip.

Now connect the clip to the other side. You did it!!!

Was that fun? If it was, keep watch for more articles in the DIY Rainbow Loom series; we will be learning how to make more bracelets in the future. Thank you for reading ASOP!

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