Yair Gritzman Week 19 - Yoga and Foam Rolling

Yoga and Foam Rolling

This past month, I started doing yoga once in a while to help with my mobility on the tennis court. I was working with a fitness coach and they said my mobility was pretty bad. My hip flexors were tight and it was impeding my range of motion on the tennis court. I heard that yoga is good for mobility, so I decided to give yoga a try.

I have been doing some classes on the Peloton app on my TV, and they have been very helpful so far. The classes are very good, but sometimes I am not sure whether or not I am doing an exercise correctly. I have not had any injuries since I started doing yoga, which is a good sign. Also, I feel better on the tennis court with my range of motion. Doing yoga is very relaxing, especially when I am in the zone. I can’t explain it, but there are some days where I am very focused on the class and enjoy it a lot.

I have also started foam rolling before and after tennis practice (or at least as much as possible), and it has also helped me perform better on the tennis court. I feel better the next day because my muscles are not as sore. I would highly recommend foam rolling if you are having trouble recovering from your workouts or just want to feel better after a long day. It has helped me loosen up my back, and now I feel the need to foam roll before practice so I don’t hurt my back muscles. The only issue is that my foam roller is a bit large, and it is annoying to bring it around with me everywhere.

Have you ever tried yoga or foam rolling? How was it if you did? Do you have any pre/post workout recommendations?

 

Olivia Ball - Week 18 - Texas Still Struggling After Cold Front

 Over the last week, the majority of the United States, basically everyone except Florida of course, experienced a severe cold front that shocked everyone. States that are not used to having cold weather or even snow had no way to prepare for this tragedy and therefore had to suffer the consequences. One state in particular is Texas. As you would probably know, they NEVER get snow. But now they got a lot of snow and below freezing temperatures. As Floridians, you might not know what that means. That means that EVERYTHING freezes. This left the Texans without power, and their pipes froze, meaning they didn’t have any water. Some people even experienced their house flooding because their pipes broke.

As of Monday February 22, ⅓ of the population of Texas was still having issues with water. And the ones that did get their water working again had to take extra precautions to make sure that it was clean. For example, they had to flush the water system out with cold water for a minute and empty the ice machines twice before using. 

Now that things are starting to get back to relatively normal, there are still some major setbacks that Texas must face. They expected that the power bill that is usually around $80 a month will increase to 5x that at $400. However it was much worse than that. One man said that he was charged $6,700. Others with automatic payment in their account have been wiped out of money and can non longer afford to pay their rent. Now they have to deal with water issues and the lack of ability to live. The Texas state government is looking to do something about this and is not allowing the power companies to send the bill until they can figure it out. The people of Texas suffered enough through this cold front, and do not deserve to add a huge bill on top of that. 

Here is the link to the full article: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/22/us/texas-storm-recovery-monday/index.html 

Eden Richman Week 18 - Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Approved

     Earlier today the FDA approved emergency use authorization for the Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine. This vaccine is a single dose vaccine, unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. It does have a lower efficiency rate though, 72% in the U.S., less efficient than the two other vaccines already in use; This is not a surprise though, since the FDA said even back in June that it would provide emergency use authorization to any vaccines that are more than 50% effective in clinical trials - which is around the efficiency rate of the flu vaccine. But, since it is one dose, and does not need to be kept frozen, this vaccine can be way more accessible than the other two, especially to people in rural areas, and clinics that don't have freezers. Many health officials are worried that people will see the vaccine as an inferior choice to the two others. Dr. Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, says "Don't get caught up necessarily on the number game, because it's really a good vaccine, and what we need as many good vaccines as possible... accept the fact that you now have three highly effective vaccines. Period. [😜]" This vaccine should be beginning the distribution of doses early next week. Johnson & Johnson pledged to the United States to have administered 100 million doses by the end of June. Combined with the 600 million other doses from Pfizer and Moderna, there should be more than enough doses for American adult who wants one.

    I think that this is awesome. It seems sort of crazy that we will have to wait until July to get our vaccines since we are literally the lowest priority.  I didn't mention this before but the vaccine has a 100% effectiveness rate against deaths and hospitalizations, which is really all that matters right now. What do you think about the new vaccine? Do you think that there will be more coming out?

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/02/27/world/covid-19-coronavirus#fda-clears-johnson-johnsons-shot-the-third-vaccine-for-us

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2021/02/27/johnson-johnson-covid-vaccine-approved/8411614469302/

Zev Englander Week 18- Parts of Texas Still Feeling Effects of Winter Storm

About two weeks ago, Texas was dealt a fatal blow from a rare winter storm. Millions of Texans experienced below-freezing temperatures and had to ride out the storm relatively unprepared. Numerous states have been constructed based on their demographics. For example, California's lack of tall buildings and the number of sturdy homes are for minimizing the damage from Earthquakes. These precautions are necessary due to California being on the San Andreas Fault. In Florida, the power grid is made to withstand wind and rain as Florida is known for its tropical weather. In no way are homes built for freezing temperatures in Florida, as below-freezing temperatures are incredibly rare. Texas was in a similar spot. Their power grid was not prepared for anything close to what was coming. Millions lost power just hours after the temperatures dropped below freezing, leaving their houses dangerously cold without power to heat them. The damage to the power grid will cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars to repair. COVID-19 vaccine distribution and natural gas production borderline froze. As a result, gas prices in Texas have skyrocketed, something that seems unfair for homeowners to need to deal with. To date, the temperatures in Texas have risen back to normal, but homeowners are facing costly challenges. When they got their power back, many peoples' water pipes dried, froze, and exploded. A water crisis is the most dangerous of them all. The total damage estimates are piling up, and government officials warn this storm may cause more than Hurricane Harvey in damages. According to my research, I feel these issues could have been suppressed with some preparednes. Texas did not have any modern adjustments or plans in place for its power grid or recovery process. Living in Florida, do you think we should have plans enforced in case of a freak winter storm? We now know the effects can be devastating. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/20/us/texas-winter-storm-explainer.html

Jacob Abramchaev Week 18 - Tiger Woods "in good spirits"

Tiger Woods is an icon in the golf world, with 15 major championships to his name. His legacy goes beyond his talent, as his prominence as a black male in a predominantly white sport such as golf is inspirational to many. There’s a reason young prodigies can get tagged as the “Next Tiger Woods”. He is a champion and has battled through injuries. After numerous back problems, he returned to win the 2019 masters. His road to a full comeback was well on its way, and his body was nearing a place to play tournaments regularly. 

However, after getting into a car accident Tuesday morning in California his life and career recovery process was put at stake. He suffered significant leg injuries and has started the recovery process through complicated and extensive surgeries. On Friday, Woods tweeted that the procedures were a success and “is now recovering and in good spirits.” The chief medical officer reported that his bones broke into more than two pieces, which pierced his skin. In order to stabilize the leg, they inserted a rod into the tibia.

He will not be able to walk for three months, crushing his hopes of playing in the 2021 Masters after taking a year to focus on his body. Pro golfer turned Orthopedic surgeon Bill Mallon estimates that by the end of his recovery, Tiger will not only be able to walk but have a good shot at returning to the PGA tour. His legacy in the golf world will be lasting whether he can play again or not. 

Do you think a comeback for Tiger Woods is unnecessary for his health, or is one final run the perfect ending to a dominant career? 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/us/tiger-woods-car-accident-friday-intl-spt/index.html

https://www.insider.com/tiger-woods-injuries-return-pga-tour-likely-pro-golfer-surgeon-2021-2#:~:text=Tiger%20Woods%20should%20be%20able,golfer%20turned%20orthopedic%20surgeon%20says&text=Tiger%20Woods%20shattered%20his%20right,return%20to%20the%20PGA%20Tour.

Maya Melamed 18- Teens Vandalize Holocaust Statues

 A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy have been charged after vandalizing five holocaust statues at a Jewish Museum in Oklahoma. This happened at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish art in Tulsa. The statues were made out of wire and each was filled with hundreds of stones with the names of the Jewish children who were murdered during the Holocaust. When students visit the museum, they decorate the stones by writing the name of a child murdered on one side and their age on the other. These statues are placed in an area of the museum that’s open to the public. Tulsa police Lt, William White says that the two suspects came through the park area and destroyed the drive statues. They also have video footage that shows the two teens bending the metal statues and knocking them down. They also tried to even steal them. Each of the statues now needs to be redone because they were “unique pieces of art that are individually made…the way they were bent, it destroys the wireframes,” says Diamond, the Museum director. They also threatened someone with a knife before going to the museum. The teens ended up being charged with assault of a deadly weapon and felony vandalism.

 Hearing this makes me so angry and disgusted. It's so disrespectful and I don't understand why anyone would do that or think it's funny. Diamond, The museum director, also says “the statues have become a significant part of our educational work around the Holocaust, so you can't put a price on that.” Now they need to redo all of those statues that meant so much to everyone. These pieces are priceless and can never be the same. 

How do you feel about what these 2 teens did?

https://abcnews.go.com/US/teens-accused-vandalizing-holocaust-statues-jewish-museum/story?id=76138060

Hunter David Week 18 Post - Mom Finds Infant Son Missing After Daycare Gives Him To Stranger

 Yes, the title you are reading is correct. A daycare company gave one of their children to a complete stranger, and even worse, it is not the first time that the daycare has done so.

On January 25th, a mother named Trinity McCoggle arrived at the Orient Road Child Development Center to pick up her 7-month-old son, Adonis, where she was left very worried, upset, and angry when she was told that her baby had been accidentally given to someone assumed to be the child’s parent. Right after finding out this terrible news, Trinity called 911, and they confirmed with her that the daycare had given the baby to a stranger without any sort of proper identification. Around a month later, the daycare’s operating license was removed after the terrible incident. Currently, the boy has still not been found, and the case has recently been named an “inactive missing person’s report.”

After reading this, I was shocked that there are daycares and schools such as this one that just hand the children they are supposed to be responsible for, to complete strangers. It is terrible how unaware the workers are and how little they care to just take a few extra seconds out of their time to make sure that the young child is being picked up by their actual parent/guardian. I am hoping that all care faculty in our community will become much stricter on this matter, so things like this are never heard about again. Like me, were you shocked to learn that things like this occur, and if so, why?

https://news.yahoo.com/florida-mom-discovers-infant-son-221933804.html 

https://youtu.be/LQ2NMSFwRVk

Lauren Hodes- Week 18- Elon Musk in Florida?

   Over the past few weeks, there have been a lot of developments about the possibility of Elon Musk and his company building tunnels underground in South Florida. In early 2021, Musk was named the richest man in the world with a networth of $181 billion dollars, surpassing Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. He is most famous for his companies Tesla,  SpaceX, and The Boring Company. Musk has proposed a relatively new idea according to boringcompany.com, “The Boring Company (TBC) constructs safe, fast-to-dig, and low-cost transportation, utility, and freight tunnels.” Basically, Musk and his team are digging underground tunnels in major cities across the country. Starting with Las Vegas, the tunnels are quickly progressing and predicted to be a great success. Musk has his eyes on South Florida because of the major influx of new residents and our booming economy as of recently. He tweeted on January 18th that “road tunnels under Miami would solve traffic & be an example to the world.” Adding that he “spoke with @RonDeSantisFL about tunnels last week. If the Governor & Mayor want this done, we will do it.” This statement sounds very promising about the possibility of Musk’s underground tunnels. In retrospect, this is a great accomplishment which shows how far our society has come in the way of technology and advancements. In the very early 2000s the internet seemed revolutionary and now we might have underground traffic tunnels! In the comments below, let me know what you think about these new underground tunnels? Would you ever want to drive in them? Do you think they’d be safe?

Ethan- Week 18- GeoWizard: The Wizard of Geography, is Back!

This past week the GeoWizard strikes again! But first, “who is the GeoWizard?”  and “what am I talking about?” you may ask. Great questions! First, there is a very popular and highly competitive game many of you probably haven’t heard about (except for Isaac and Yair) known as Geoguesser. It is a game where you are given a Google Maps street view on your computer of any place in the entire world, and the goal is to place your marker on the map as close as possible to the target. To get the highest score possible, you can zoom as far in as you want on the map and guess the exact street or store you are next to for instance. There is one man, the king of all kings when it comes to this game, who is absolutely unreal. His real name is Thomas, but he is more famously known as “The GeoWizard”. He will take on near-impossible challenges where he is not allowed to move around, not allowed to zoom into anything, or will only have 10 seconds to guess, and yet he is still able to produce near-perfect scores. It’s incredible his knowledge of Geography and the world. One example of his incredible skills was when he was shown a picture of just a street and some generic trees, and somehow he was able to get a perfect 5000 score (that’s when you get only a couple miles away from the target). He is able to use different street signs, the position of the sun, and different landmarks to figure out what country he is in and where exactly he is in that specific country. 

This past week, GeoWizard proved himself once again and showcased his incredible skills. He was able to reach first place on the global leaderboard for the specialized UK mode after getting a perfect round of 25,000 points (means perfect score 5 turns in a row!). A couple weeks ago he was also able to reach second or third on the global leaderboard for the entire world map, the hardest version, and he was not allowed to zoom or move. I believe he will continue to set records week after week and provide his viewers with more great content. He is undoubtedly one of the best in the world, but what’s crazy is there might be better players. There are many people who are higher than him on different game mode leaderboards, but regardless he is still incredible, the most fun to watch, and one of the best in the world. I have linked the youtube channel and the game below if you want to start watching or playing. It is not only fun, but you learn a lot about the world, what different places look like, and get a better sense of the global map. Does anyone know of some better than the GeoWizard? Which of his most recent games did you like most?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW5OrUZ4SeUYkUg1XqcjFYA

https://www.geoguessr.com/

Isaac Berkower - Week 18 - Elon Musk and SpaceX are under investigation by the DOJ

 

A few weeks ago, it was reported that Elon Musk and his company SpaceX were under investigation from the DOJ based on discriminating against non-citizens and non-permanent residents (people without a green card) in their hiring process. This all came under way when a complaint was issued from a former applicant who says that they were not hired because of their citizenship status. The applicant was allegedly in line to be hired and turned away after being asked about citizenship status. 

I was not able to find out whether or not the applicant who hired the complaint was even a legal immigrant after reading the full subpoena, but assuming that he is, there is still a law that prevents non U.S. citizens from working on companies that develop space launch technology. The law dictates exactly this because of how similar rocket launch technology is with warhead technology. They are not so similar, but there is the potential for warhead technology to be based off of rocket technology.

So, the logic then goes that a non-U.S. citizen working on rocket launch technology is a national security risk as it is letting unchecked people work on and learn how to create warhead missiles.

Whether you agree with this law or not, it still is a law, making me unsure why Elon Musk is under investigation for abiding by the law and not hiring a person who is not allowed to work for SpaceX anyways. In fact, if he did hire this person, he would have broken the law.

Is there anything that I am missing as to why Elon Musk and SpaceX are being investigated? Do you agree with this law?

https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a23080/spacex-elon-musk-itar/#:~:text=But%20the%20rocket%20stages%2C%20engines,inform%20a%20ballistic%20weapons%20program.&text=ITAR%20regulates%20possible%20dual%2Duse,limits%20to%20non%2DU.S.%20citizens.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/28/doj-investigating-spacex-after-hiring-discrimination-complaint-.html

Vaccination ‘passports’ may open society, but inequity looms - Diana 18

 For the first time in months, Israeli musician Aviv Geffen got to perform in front of 300 people. All 300 people were wearing masks and socially distanced. However, only certain people were allowed at the event. Those who had a “Green Passport” were welcome in. The green passport proves that you have either been vaccinated or have recovered from corona. While this could be a potential road back to normalcy, this further divides the world “along the lines of wealth, and vaccine access”. Moreover, in Israel, green passports are recognized through an app. Israel also came to agreements with Greece and Cyprus to recognize one another's green passports, which will promote tourism.

The government is highly encouraging vaccines. Unfortunately, the government needs to realize that the vaccine is not readily available to everyone, and not everyone may want to get the vaccine. Cost, religion, and fear, ultimately determine the decision of those getting the vaccine. Yes, the green pass could be a new normal for most, but “we can't be discriminatory against people who, for whatever reason, can't have the vaccine”. The green pass will most likely be our future, making it so that wherever you want to go you need that form of identification. 

Personally, I will be getting the vaccine when it is available to me, and my parents have already gotten it, but I fear that our country will be divided. Many people are hesitant about getting the vaccine, so this can't be something that everyone is willing to do. People will have to make decisions if they want to return back to the way life was pre- corona. What are your thoughts on the green pass? 

https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccination-passports-7a8ce11ce37c309d97969ab71df26e62

Romi Avidor Week 18 The New Reality

While I was looking for news on websites, I found one article that just seemed crazy to me. When I saw the headline I thought to myself how is this the new normal. How were we once able to do whatever we want, be with whoever we want, be able to travel freely, and basically just have our own freedom overall. In Washington State, Wenatchee High School faculty and students wanted to find an alternative for the band students to rehearse and play their instruments in the pandemic safely. They came up with the idea of purchasing separate one person sized tents for each student, so they play their instrument in the tent safely. Their school only started opening up for in person learning on January 26! They decided that they wanted to find a way to make the students happy. The principal, Eric Anderson, says that although this might not be the ideal situation for the student they are taking advantage of whatever they can now. He also says, “the tents may be small, but they are allowing band members to play together again.” Of course, I think this is a great idea, but it is crazy to me that we can’t even feel connected to one another when we do something as a group. These kids have probably waited the whole year in order to play with each other again, and once they finally get it they still can not fully do it the right way. I think about it and it is crazy to me that we don’t know when the next time we go on a school shabbaton is, we don’t know the next time we will not need to come into school wearing masks is, we just really do not know anything and there is so much uncertainty in the world at this time. We can only be hopeful that things do get better, and we can only make the best out of what we can do at the moment just like these kids that go to Wenatchee High School. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-56205697 https://nypost.com/2021/02/25/school-band-rehearses-in-individual-pods/

Romy H Week 18 House Passes Equality Act

The house passed the Equality Act which would protect members of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination in anything regarding employment, housing, education, and more. This act would adjust the Civil Rights Act to protect all Americans regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, and now gender identity or sexual orientation. This act is not secured and passed completely because it has to be passed by the Senate. In 2019, the House passed the Equality Act, but the Senate did not. The house vote this time was 224 to 206.

I was listening to parts of the debate, and people were openly against passing it. Why vote against equality? Well, many argued that this is discrimination against religion because there are people who do not agree with the LGBTQ+ community and feel that their religious places of worship, communities, or the general public would suffer. There was also an argument about transgender girls in sports, but I think that is a different topic. This act says that nobody can be denied services because of who they are or who they love. People who don’t believe in certain things are not required to do it. It is all up to personal freedom and equality. 

There were many moving speeches made from representatives that have family members apart of the LGBTQ+ community or are apart of it themselves. Their message and intentions are to fight for freedom and equality for all Americans regardless of who they are. Representative Marie Newman, who has a transgender daughter, placed a transgender flag outside her office. In response, representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose office is across from Newman’s, put up a sign that stated “There are two genders: male and female. Trust the science!”

Hopefully, all Americans can come together and treat everyone fairly regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Nobody should feel nervous to express themselves because they could lose their job etc. As Americans, everyone should be protected by the same freedoms and liberties. 

How do you feel about the House passing the Equality Act? Does anyone oppose the act or hope that it does not get passed in the Senate?- please explain if so. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/congress-sexual-orientation-civil-rights-gender/2021/02/25/1351bea4-7779-11eb-8115-9ad5e9c02117_story.html 

Decline in COVID-19 cases! - Coby Russo Week 18

    

    Hey guys, welcome back to my blog! Recently, the United States has been experiencing a rapid decline of Coronavirus cases since the last spike that occurred in January. On February 22nd, workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a mere 55,419 cases nationwide. Although it still may seem as an extremely large number, it's just a fraction of the cases that were reported on January 8th, 315,106 cases. Additionally, the average amount of cases this week had fallen by 23 percent, making it the sixth week in a row that the average case amounts had decreased in the United States. Coronavirus related hospitalizations and deaths have also been decreasing nationwide. Many experts explain that the reason why cases are suddenly declining so rapidly is because of the vaccines, but many are also afraid that people will become less restrictive because it seems as if the world is returning back to its normal state.

    Although this may be the beginning of the end, we still need to act like it's the beginning. A rapid decline of cases does not provide you with an out of wearing a mask in public or maintaining social distancing protocols. If we strictly follow the CDC guidelines for COVID-19, we can end this pandemic once and for all. Personally, I believe that the Coronavirus won't be as big of a problem by the summer. What do you all think, do you believe that this will last all throughout next year, end in before the summer, etc.? Let me know in the comments!

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/here-are-the-states-where-covid-19-is-increasing-2

Dori Week 18- Changes to the Louvre?!

        In Paris, France, the Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum, is being renovated: a big deal since this is a very rare occurrence! Beginning October 30th of 2020, the Louvre has been closed off to the public due to the pandemic, a large change from the average 30,000 to 40,000 visitors who visit the museum each day. While the Louvre being shut down is unfortunate, some good has come out of it as the museum employees and directors have chosen to take advantage of this opportunity to implement large-scale renovations. This is seen through the major artworks being carried out, the maintenance operations that are being conducted at a faster pace, and the repair works that are beginning. Also, it is reported that around 250 museum employees are working hard at “adding new security systems, cleaning sculptures, checking inventories, checking over artifacts, reorganizing entrances, and conducting other necessary restorations to areas like the Egyptian Wing and the Grande Galerie” in order to create an improved, more unique experience for visitors when the museum reopens (https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/louvre-museum-renovations-while-closed-for-coronavirus). These renovations were long overdue and previously difficult to accomplish due to the approximately 10 million visitors a year; with no more crowds, this closure has been a prime opportunity to finally make some changes!

        Moreover, a five-year project has been continuing, consisting of moving a quarter of a million works of art from the Louvre to a storage site in northern France. Around 100,000 artworks have been transferred already, such as “paintings, carpets, tapestries, grand sculptures, small figurines, furniture, and decorative pieces — dating from antiquity to the 19th century” (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/arts/design/louvre-lievin-conservation-center.html). The director of the Louvre, Jean-Luc Martinez, has also been working on transforming one of the operational sites into a spacious art research center for global museum experts, conservators, and scholars to visit. Because the Louvre sits in a flood zone, nearby the Seine, people have been working fast to protect the museum and its works of art. There are only 35,000 works out of 620,000 on display in the Louvre, with over 250,000 being kept in storage on a high floor in case there is a flood.  

        Personally, I think it is really interesting to hear about the renovations and changes being made in the world-famous Louvre! Before writing this post, I was not actually aware of the flood problems, regarding the Louvre, and I am happy precautions are being taken. I was actually lucky enough to visit this museum two summers ago and thought it was a beautiful experience overall. However, I also remember some parts of the museum being stuffy and cramped, so I thought there was definitely room for improvement. I am excited about these renovations and hope that one day I can visit Paris and the Louvre again when the pandemic is over to hopefully have a new, improved experience! Let me know what you think of these renovations, what you learned from this post, and/or if you’ve ever had an experience at the Louvre.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/arts/design/louvre-lievin-conservation-center.html 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/louvre-museum-renovations-while-closed-for-coronavirus 

https://www.afar.com/magazine/louvre-uses-covid-closure-for-long-overdue-refurbishments 

Week 18 Yair Gritzman - NASA lands Rover on Mars

 NASA lands Rover on Mars

On February 18, NASA’s Perseverance Rover landed on Mars to collect some data about possible past life on Mars. In NASA’s press release, they show footage of the rover landing on Mars with the help of a sky crane. Initially, the rover falls towards Mars at a very high speed, but then it slows down soon before reaching the surface of Mars. In the video, people at NASA were celebrating after the rover successfully landed on Mars. NASA also released the first ever audio recordings of Mars.

In the past, the government cut spending on space exploration, but now it seems to be becoming more and more of a priority for our society. Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been given a lot of attention from the media, especially since Elon Musk has such a different vision for our world. Many children have become more interested in space exploration due to its increased media coverage, so we may see more progress in space exploration in the next few decades.

This landing on Mars shows how much progress we have made in exploring our solar system. One hundred years ago, Mars was not much of a thought, and now some people think that we may be able to travel to Mars within our lifetime. The exploration of Mars we have seen so far seems to foreshadow a future we can barely imagine. In the future, people may travel to Mars to take vacations. Indeed, having access to Mars will make a huge impact on our society. The way we think about our world will change, especially if humans live on both Earth and Mars.

Were you following the launch? Would you travel to Mars? What do you think about space exploration?

Ellie Week 18: Tiger Woods Hospitalized After Car Crash

 Tuesday morning, Tiger woods had some serious leg injuries after he got into a car crash in LA County. He had to go into surgery but is believed not to be in life-threatening danger. Sources say he was even conscious and speaking prior to the crash. His SUV struck the median of a road while he was believed to be speeding and swerved into the opposite lane and continued to roll over quite a few times before landing in a grassy area several hundred feet from the original strike. Emergency authorities were rushed to the scene roughly around 7 am and found Woods conscious with major leg injuries before rushing him to the nearest trauma center. His manager said the doctors said he was in “serious but stable condition.”

On Wednesday at 12:30 am ET, Woods tweeted that he had undergone “a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle” and that he was “currently awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room.”

People said they believed Woods’ career may be over because of this injury, but this may not be the case. Woods also got into another serious crash back in 2009 and bounced back to continue his golfing career and would go on to win the “Master’s” again years later in 2019. People close to Woods say he is strong and most likely will get through this injury and come back to his career eventually. Others say that he will “likely get back to his daily activities but playing sports, especially at a high level is another thing,” believing that Woods would not go back to his career, especially at the level and time he was playing at. What do you think? Will this injury stop Tiger Woods’ career in its tracks because of his age or the magnitude of his injury? Or do you think he will bounce back stronger than ever? 

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/02/23/sports/tiger-woods-crash 

https://nypost.com/2021/02/27/tiger-woods-golf-career-may-not-be-over-after-car-crash/

Jacob Poller Week 17: Relationships are Weird

 Love is weird. Relationships are weird. The thought of spending your entire life with someone seems so alien, especially to our generation. Over the past year I found myself in a relationship with someone whom I love very much. But seeing as that relationship has come and gone, I feel like it’d be a good time to share some experience that might help. 

    For about nine months, she and I were dating but without the label. (We both acknowledged this fact long before we started actually dating) In hindsight, this was not a smart thing to do on both of our behalf. The fact that neither of us wanted the label of “dating” showed that neither of us were ready for commitment. It would’ve been so much more beneficial had we worked ourselves until we were ready, and had we been ready at the same time then maybe try it out. But hindsight only does so much for us now. Another thing that can be a saving grace for a relationship is communication. It goes a long way to say if you don’t like/ are not comfortable with something. In the end we each knew that the others feelings weren’t second to our own. This last piece of advice more so has to do in the wake of a breakup. With that being said, it's okay to need space. If you two are still planning on being friends, then clearly both of you are going to need room to breathe. And some people say that there should be one week for every month you were together. For some it's more while for others it’s less. What it all boils down to is what you need.

Dan Jaime week 17 - St. Maarten island

 This past week, since we didn't have school on Friday or Monday, my family and I went to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten. St. Maarten is a half-dutch and half-french island, as it's separated into the Dutch and French sides. On the Dutch side, which is where we stayed, most people speak English and Dutch, as well as a good amount of Spanish speakers. On the French side though, it was purely French speakers, French restaurants, French everything. I found it very interesting because there is nothing separating the French and Dutch sides except for a sign, yet the sides are very different both physically and culturally. The French side appeared nicer and neater, with fancier restaurants and a more calm nightlife. The Dutch side, on the other hand, wasn't as physically appeasing, yet it was full of nightlife and cool restaurants with live music and nice hotels. My experience on the island of St. Maarten was awesome because we stayed at a villa on the Dutch side with my aunt and cousins (my dad's sister's family). I was able to see my cousin Sammy for the first time in a while, and it will also probably be the last time I saw him for a while as he's moving to Israel to continue his Yeshiva studies as he's become orthodox over the past couple years. 

I think my favorite part of St. Maarten was the beaches. They were so pretty and enjoyable. The ocean was the best water I've ever been in, hands down. It wasn't cold at all but it wasn't warm either, it was right in the middle at the perfect temperature, and the color of it was mesmerizing, it was a piercing bright turquoise. I normally don't like beaches as a whole that much, but the St. Maarten beach was on another level.

All in all, I had a great experience in St. Maarten and if I could I would definitely go back in the near future. Have you ever been to St. Maarten? Would you like to visit the Carribean?  

Jacob Abramchaev Week 17 - Food in the World

Maya Melamed 17- Starting a Small Business

A few months ago, I decided to start my own small business. For a few weeks, I was trying to think of an idea of what I should start doing. I wanted to do something related to desserts but still wanted it to be unique and not just cakes. I ended up with the idea of chocolate breakable hearts. I've seen this sometimes on social media but not really in person. That's why I knew that it was something different and would catch people's attention.  Basically what it is, is a hollow heart made out of chocolate where you can put whatever you want inside. Then the person uses the hammer I provide to break it and see the surprise. I also make chocolate-covered strawberries, Oreos, Rice Krispies, and pretzels. It's customizable, so the person can choose the way they want it with the colors they want. It's good for any occasion like birthdays, Valentine's day, gender reveals, etc…  At first, I was a little hesitant not knowing if people would buy or if what I was doing was even good. But now, I'm happy I did it because a lot of people really like it. I will usually have some weeks that are quiet and some that are busy, but it's good since I'm already busy with school and work. I will say, a lot of work goes into it and I end up staying in the kitchen for hours, but it's definitely worth it. It feels good to make some money on your own and having hard work pay off.  Here are some pictures of it, but I have an Instagram with more @smashaheart if you want to see.

Would you ever start a small business? If yes, what would it be?

Zev Englander Week 17: Florida Panther's Historic Start

 I am a sports junkie. Whether it be basketball season, football season, baseball season, hockey season, or a major tennis tournament going on odds are I'm keeping track and watching games. The super bowl recently ended, which leaves a big gap as football is definitely in my top tier of sports to follow. I don't have a team I root for in football, but I really enjoy following the plays and try to know as much as possible about every team. (definitely not for gambling purposes) The end of football season meant the start of the hockey season. My love for hockey is drastically different from football, as I am centered on one team. The Florida Panthers are my favorite athletic team across every sport out there. I watched virtually all of the games last year. They overpaid for a goaltender in Sergei Bobrovsky that may as well have gone blind the day he signed with the team. The top line led by captain Alexander Barkov and goal leader Mike Hoffman contributed 65 percent of the offense, and we lacked any sort of defensive presence. Veteran defenseman Keith Yandle had a midlife identity crisis that made him think he was a shooter. When you combine no defense with a bad goaltender you get a disappointment. Then the offseason happened. The Panthers didn't re-sign Mike Hoffman. Instead, they opted for giving Mackenzie Weager and Brett Connoly extensions. Useless. They brought in Hornquist, whose aging out of the league, and Anthony Duclair, a fast winger. They also signed a very young player named Owen Tippet. That is where the Panthers set on opening night. In the hardest division in hockey, the central, with a roster of new players that looked like a mess. Here we are, a month and a half later watching them set franchise records. They are 12-2-2 sporting a 86 point percentage, which is unheard of. It is their best start in franchise history and the best in the NHL this year. They don't lose road games. They don't lose home games. They play well from behind. They don't lose to the division rival and defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Hornquist is a machine, Barkov established himself as one of the best scorers in hockey, and the release of sharp-shooter Mike Hoffman has given the Panthers a new identity. They play physically with great defesne. Yandle still thinks he's a shooter but that's ok for now. They have a top special teams  in the NHL. This is what Panthers fans have been waiting for for years!! I'm so excited to see where this season goes. Do you think the new Panthers have what it takes to make a legitimate playoff run? 

Olivia Ball - Week 17 - Watching the Entire Marvel Series

 I am a huge fan of TV shows. I am probably watching around 11 shows on live TV right now that come out each week. It's a lot to watch. Besides those shows, I have also binge watched long shows on Netflix and Hulu, some even multiple times. I have reached the point where I don’t have anything to watch when either there is no episode on that night, or I finish watching that night’s episodes. I’m kind of picky in general with what I watch, as most of my shows are crime/cop/first responder shows, so I haven’t been able to find any new ones. 

When I’m not watching TV though, I love movies. I mostly watch bad rom com and comedies, the same ones over and over again, and I have always been made fun of for never having seen the major classic, popular movies. For example, I have never seen a single Star Wars, Marvel, or Harry Potter movie. Last weekend I decided I have nothing to watch anymore, so I am finally going to watch the entire Marvel series. I’m watching in chronological order, not release order, but I am only on number 2 out of 25. I have a very long way to go. 

The first one I watched was Captain America: The First Avenger. I loved this movie, and it really set the standard for what the rest would somewhat be like because I literally knew nothing. I love the combination of reality and super heroes where it doesn’t feel like a completely unrealistic scenario. The second movie that I finished today was Captain Marvel. I have heard that this movie is not that good, but I really enjoyed it (I’ve realized that I like bad movies, oops). It gave me some more background on where the Marvel characters will come from. 

Overall, I have been very impressed with these movies so far, and I am looking forward to watching them all. Here is the link to the chronological order of the movies just in case you're interested in joining me in watching these movies. Do you prefer movies or TV shows? What is your favorite series (movies or tv)?

WandaVision - Coby Russo Week 17

 

    Hey guys, welcome back to my blog! Today I wanted to talk about a show that I am absolutely obsessed with, WandaVision. In order to actually understand the show, you would need to watch at least Avenger's Infinity War and Avenger's Endgame. In Infinity War, Vision is killed by Thanos. WandaVision reveals that she had created an alternate reality in Westview, New Jersey where she somehow brought her true love, Vision, back to life. This occurred after the blip ( a 5 year disappearance of half the world's population ) and the death of Thanos. 

    When I watched the first two episodes, I was so confused because it just did not make any sense at all, but as the show progressed, I was able to connect all the dots. I feel that each episode brings gets more and more exciting, and the endings of each episode are just perfection!! The cliffhangers they leave will literally make you be like "whattttt". Like especially tonights episode. Wow. It started off a little bit slow, but it had a major plot twist at the end.

    The only thing I wish Disney+ did was just release the whole season at once, like what Netflix does, and not one episode week by week. So, what do you guys think? Do you think that binging a whole season in a couple of nights (even though it might distract from doing important things) is more entertaining than waiting for ONE episode every week? Personally I'd rather just binge the whole season because I hate that I now have to wait a whole week to watch the next episode of WandaVision. Let me know in the comments!

Hunter David Week 17 Post - Watching All American

 I recently was looking on Netflix for a new show to watch, and I finally chose to watch the show All American. I have heard many good things about it but just haven’t gone around to watching until now. I am definitely glad though that I started watching because it is a really good series.

The show is based on a true story and is about a high school football player named Spencer James who is an amazing player and student at South Crenshaw High, a school in the hood. After seeing him play in person, Billy Baker, the football coach for the “rich area” of Beverly Hills, recruits him to join his team. Spencer doesn’t want to leave his hometown school at first because he feels bad for leaving his neighborhood, but his mom, Grace, and best friend, Coop, convince him to go play for Beverly Hills. Through the series, the transfer to Beverly, learning about his father who left them eight years ago, and getting to learn about the real struggle of living in the hood makes the show so intriguing. There are so many things added to the basis of the show along the way, it is great. Plus, the show combines both tv-series and football, two of my favorite things to watch. I would highly recommend this show to anyone looking for something new and very suspenseful. Have any of you guys watched the series All American before, and if so, did you like it or not?

Ethan- Week 17- The Life and Legacy of Virtuoso Franz Liszt

Franz Liszt (Liszt Ferenc), the Hungarian master pianist and composer, was born on October 22, 1811. He is considered to be the greatest piano player and most difficult composer ever to set face on the earth, and there will likely never be anyone who comes even close to his incredible legacy. Liszt showed great musical talent from an early age. His father, Adam Liszt, knew how to play the cello and was familiar with music theory, so began to give his son piano lessons at age five. Liszt already began composing at age eight and performing in front of large crowds. His early compositions were not great and he always had an unconventional approach to playing the piano. He liked to play very loud, quick, and crazy and ended up breaking many pianos after playing like such. But, little did he know that soon he would end up revolutionizing piano playing, composition, and style forever. Liszt was greatly influenced by Ludwig van Beethoven growing up and he was even able to study music with him. But, unlike conventional piano playing from composers like Beethoven or Mozart, Liszt wanted more and continued to maintain his unique style. Before Liszt, all compositions were much simpler, not as difficult or complex, and did not attempt to play flashy. In his mid-late twenties, however, Liszt completely changed how people viewed music and he began composing and performing unfathomable works. His pieces contained constant crossing of the hands, lightning speed variations, complex and beautiful melodies, gigantic simultaneous chords, insane runs up and down the piano, and a completely new approach to performing. The way piano concerts used to be held was there was generally an orchestra alongside the piano, and the performer would read from sheet music. Liszt completely abolished this norm as he wanted to perform solo and be the star. Additionally, he memorized every one of his pieces and never sight-read. Nowadays, almost all performances are done this way. This atypical style he adopted attracted kings and queens all over the world begging him to play for them. People paid insane amounts of money just to hear him perform. Crowds went wild for Liszt and his name rang in chants throughout the crowds. He would play like no one has ever played before, his songs were all about flash and difficulty, and he was able to mix such complex patterns with pretty melodies in such an amazing way. He found inspiration from Church music and Roma music where he took most of his melodies from, and the way he was able to spin them into his works was remarkable. Still to this day, many study his intricate and unique music and wonder how this genius was possible. His music is still popular today and can be found in Tom and Jerry and in Looney Tunes (link below). Any song with his name on it will most likely be insanely hard and would require years of practice to even attempt. He was famous for his transcription ability, transcribing music from other instruments into piano music. He transcribed many famous songs from the legend, Nicolas Paganini, arguably the greatest violinist in history, into his own version on the piano. He has six Paganini Grande etudes, which include the famous song “La Campanella'' that many of you have probably heard at some point. What is so crazy is that at one point Liszt gave up the piano for a couple of years until hearing Paganini play the violin. After experiencing such greatness, he vowed that he would become the greatest piano player of his time and become as good at the piano as Paganini was at the violin. He practiced for hours and hours every single day and studied with Karl Czerny, a former student of Beethoven for piano technique, and Antonio Salieri who taught him composition. Not only did he have the best teachers in the world, but he grew up in a time of musical prodigies like Frederic Chopin, Edvard Grieg, Clara Schumann, Beethoven, Paganini, etc. Liszt was born with a once in a lifetime talent, insanely large hands (could reach 12 notes, or 4 above an octave just like Rachmonoff), incredible creativity, and had the best teachers and influences in the world, all allowing him to become a legend in history, the greatest piano player to ever live, and the most complex composer in history. His unique circumstances explain why there will likely never be a composer or performer that reaches his heights, but you never know what the future entails. Finally, I have learned two Liszt pieces in my entire life, and I am almost finished with my third. They are incredibly hard and take months of practice to learn, but the rewards of playing such awesome music are definitely worth it. I have linked some crazy videos below that I suggest you check out. I know many of you are not as interested in music, but for those who are, do you think someone was better than Liszt? Possibly Rachmaninoff?

1. The song I am currently on page 10 of (skip to near the end)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Blf8Y527DY

2. Tom and Jerry link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edsTpiizBKY

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Franz-Liszt

https://study.com/academy/lesson/franz-liszt-biography-music-facts.html#:~:text=The%20Liszt%20family%20moved%20to,Court%20Composer%2C%20taught%20him%20composition.

https://www.biography.com/musician/franz-liszt