Science Curiosity

by Erin, 8th grade

Being Left-Handed – Boon or Bane?

Many famous thinkers are left-handed, like Barack Obama, Babe Ruth, Marie Curie, and Leonardo Da Vinci. Left-handed people are different from right-handed people because most of them use the right side of the brain to respond.

The right side of their brain is the more creative, visual, and artistic side. It also controls the left side of the body. People born right-handed use the left side of their brain to respond, which is the more analytical, logical, and organized side. This goes for most people, but this does not mean all left-handed people use the right side of the brain more and vice versa.

Just because you are left-handed does not automatically make you creative. Although it is not bad being left-handed, there are some cons to it. One con is that many appliances and everyday situations are not left-handed friendly, making things more difficult for left-handed people. For example, cutting things with scissors, sitting next to a right-handed person, and handwriting. Another con is that left-handed people are more likely to have higher states of anxiety. According to the Guardian, a study at Queen Margaret University showed that “left-handed participants showed more symptoms found in patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after watching an eight-minute clip from Silence of the Lambs than right-handed participants did.”

There are some people who are right-handed but were born left-handed. This mostly happens because their parents forced them to use their right hand. Possible reasons for this are better comfort in life and superstitious assumptions. In many Asian countries, being left-handed is considered unlucky, a sign of impurity, and bad luck. Some people are born left-handed because of genetics. Using the left hand was caused by a genetic mutation and became an advantage in a world of competition. When fighting or in combat, left-handed people have the upper hand. For example, when I used to play softball, it made it harder for the pitcher to throw a good pitch at me.

As a child of two right-handed parents, I only had a 10% chance of being born left-handed. Not only that, but only 8% of females in the 10% population are left-handed (according to Bangor University). The left-handed gene may have skipped my parents, as my maternal grandmother is left-handed. In addition, despite my parents being right-handed, they are still creative and smart. In the end, anyone can be anything, regardless if you’re left-handed or not.

View Point

by Irene, 11th grade

Eating the Rich Once More

“Each of these flowers took 30 hours,” said Rihanna in a May 1 interview at the 2023 Met Gala honoring the late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. Though there is nothing quite as symbolic of Hollywood culture as the Met Gala — a charity fundraiser that supports the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute — the annual event is a constant reminder of America’s outrageous wealth inequality. Thus, hidden under the guise of a friendly “fundraising” initiative, the gala is no more than an opportunity for America’s top 1% to squander their outrageous wealth and bask in excessive media exposure.

Netizens have once again noted the gala’s startling resemblance to the hit series, The Hunger Games. Exploring themes of capitalism, wealth inequality, and the exploitation of human labor in the series, author Suzanne Collins critiques Western society and the disproportionate amounts of wealth concentrated within the Capitol — home of the most affluent citizens.

Dressed in flamboyant and outlandish clothing, the Capitol residents literally and figuratively mirror the gala’s attendees. With a cost of a whopping $50,000 per ticket, according to statista.com, a single seat at the Met Gala costs more than the annual household income of 36% of Americans.

Coincidentally hosted on International Workers’ Day, the event makes a sheer mockery of our country’s working class by glorifying wealth and the level of secrecy associated with being America’s elite. So while millions of Americans bend their backs in hopes of acquiring fundamental rights, including healthcare access and just working conditions, let’s leave it up to these pampered celebrities to sit back, relax and indulge in some crazy tea parties and unsightly fashion shows.

Insider Info

by Mateo, 9th grade

Here is What Aspiring Athletes Need to Know

I’m a freshman, and I am a baseball athlete. Being able to play baseball every day after school is a privilege that I am honored to take part in, but it does have its downsides as well. Here is a further look at what I discovered being a student-athlete is really like after my first full season.

To begin, there are many perks to being a student-athlete. For one, school can have a negative impact on mental health, as it can bring a lot of stress and anxiety, but baseball helps keep anxiety at bay. It relaxes my mind and gives me a much-needed rest from the classroom, which boosts my academic capabilities. Additionally, it provides opportunities for social interactions.

During the first few months of the school year, I did not make many friends besides the ones I already had from previous years. However, once I started practicing with the baseball team, I began to develop new friendships with my teammates, and these friendships quickly transformed into strong bonds as the season progressed. Our baseball program held multiple social events over the course of the season that brought us closer together.

These aspects of the baseball program at my school made my day much more enjoyable during the season. However, there was one downside to playing during the school year – poor scheduling. My games were scheduled in such a way that it was impossible for me to get dressed and hit the field on time without sacrificing a portion of my class. I was forced to skip most of, if not the entirety of, my fifth-period class each day I played, which was typically twice a week.

When you add up our preseason and league games throughout the season, I missed roughly twenty hours of class, and that adds up rather quickly. I often found myself spending late nights in an attempt to catch up on previous assignments, and the work that I did submit to my teachers was not my best by any means. However, this is my first year of high school, and I am still trying to find the balance between my academics and athletics, so there is a strong likelihood that the downside will likely diminish in the years ahead.

Overall, my experiences as a freshman student-athlete were mostly positive. I enjoyed meeting new people, playing every day after school, and giving it my all on the baseball field. It was an experience unlike any other I had experienced over the course of my young life, and I look forward to building off of it during next year’s season.

Featured Pet & Animal Trivia

by Rosie, 6th grade

Meet Pumba

A gorgeous Siberian Husky, Pumba has an open heart and willing paws. Pumba is enthusiastic, energetic, and eager to give. Doggie dates, pack walks, belly rubs, and scratches are all part of his various hobbies. On weekends, Pumba’s go-to spot is Pooches on the Patio! Ideally, Pumba will do best in a home with plenty of space for playing and exercising. Go adopt Pumba and his bushy white eyebrows.

Animal ID#: A1800831

Visit http://www.ocpetinfo.com/adopt Call (714) 935-6848 to schedule an appointment today! (Walk-ins welcome)

Q: What is the prettiest snake in the world?

A: Rust red stripes weaved with a velvety black and turquoise, the San Francisco Garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetra taenia) has definitely been titled ‘World’s Most Gorgeous Snake’ before poaching, overgrazing, habitat deterioration, habitat loss, and urban development have all contributed to its lessening. There may only be 1000 to 2000 individuals left in the wild. These pretty poison snakes live in North America, mainly living off of Pacific tree frogs and California red-legged frogs. They are one of the few animals able to consume the toxic California newt. They grab their prey and swallow them whole.