Embedded Files
Harbor City Students partake in a traditional Round Dance for Indigenous Peoples Day.
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Kathy Joan
Native American Heritage Month has been in development for a century now. In the early 1900s, a new fad about days and months being dedicated to people started, like Mothers day or Fathers Day.
It all started with Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker, a Cattaraugus Seneca, and the director of the Rochester Museum in New York. Dr. Parker (Seneca name, Gawasco Waneh) was an anthropologist and historian, whose great-uncle was General Ely S. Parker, secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War and the first American Indian to serve as Commissioner of Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior. Using this to his advantage, Dr. Parker founded many American Indian rights organizations, but within that time, he convinced the Boy Scouts of America to have a dedicated day for “First Americans” which continued for a couple of years, until 1914 when Red Fox James went on a 4000 mile journey on horseback to Washington DC to petition for a specifically Indian holiday, which didn’t gather much support. The following year, he started going from state to state gathering support for Indian Citizenship and for the fourth Saturday in September as an "Indian holiday." Also in 1915, the Congress of the American Indian Association issued a proclamation declaring the second Saturday of each May as "American Indian Day" and appealing for U.S. citizenship for American Indians.
These efforts were meaningful, but never truly got much attention from the general public, until over fifty years later, in 1976, President Gerald Ford proclaimed October 10-16, as “Native American Awareness Week.” In 1986 Congress requested that the president designate November 23–30, as “American Indian Week.” Congress began to use a looser practice, declaring one week during the autumn months as “Native American Indian Heritage Week.” In 1990, the month of November was established as Native American Heritage Month by President George H.W. Bush, though a full month celebration or even just a day had been in historical development for a century or so.
Now, we celebrate this month for all the indigenous people that finally have the freedom to celebrate their culture and learn their languages after centuries of oppression in America — and that is not to say that there are no longer any issues between America and Indigenous people, but this month is a time of celebration. As an indigenous person, it becomes taxing to hear over and over again how sad my community is, and I would truly appreciate it if Native American allies took more time to acknowledge the people who came before them, maybe educate themselves on a new topic about Indigenous people, or even donate to Indigenous communities. I believe that the most important thing is to listen to us. The most common issue I’ve seen is the fact that Native people are consistently forgotten and even just taking that extra five minutes to read an article can help us feel more seen. Remember, you can always improve your allyship to indigenous people.
CRYPTID OF THE MONTH
BUNYIP
Ivy Laumeyer
The word bunyip has origins in the southeastern region of Australia from the Wemba-Wemba or Wergaia language of the Aboriginal people but its name varies according to tribe nomenclature with at least nine regional variations of the creature. Aboriginal Australians typically translate the word as “devil” or “evil spirit” although this translation may not accurately represent its role in Aboriginal mythology pre-contact. Some linguists draw comparisons to the word Bunjil who is a mythic “Great Man” who created the natural world. Despite the physical description varying widely from account to account the main characteristic of the bunyip is that it is amphibious and nocturnal with almost no reports of the creature being sighted on land. The Challicum bunyip was an outline of the supposed silhouette of the cryptid which was noted as being rather featureless. It has been said that the Aboriginal people were in such fright of the creature upon seeing it that “there is very little known regarding its habits, form, or covering; they appear to have been in such dread of it they were unable to take note of its characteristics.” They also typically avoid unfamiliar bodies of water in case it is a bunyips home. The outline was annually retraced by the Aboriginal people as the sight where one of the creatures was said to have been speared after killing a man. This custom was repeated until the mid 1850s until it slowly stopped and the outline faded although there are drawings of what it looked like. The general consensus of what the creature looks like however is typically in one of two categories: 60% of sightings resemble a seal or swimming dog and 20% of sightings speak of a creature with a long neck and small head; everything else is ambiguous beyond categorization. The first variety is said to be four to six feet long with shaggy brown to black hair, round bulldog like heads with prominent ears and whiskers similar to a seal. The long necked variety is apparently five to fifteen feet long with the same brown to black hair and prominent ears, a mane, small tusks, and an emu-like head. Both types are said to have large pale blue eggs which get laid in platypus nests. Despite all of these relatively negative portrayals including some saying that the bunyip is a bloodthirsty predator the Ngarrindjeri tell of a water spirit called the Mulyawonk who would kill anyone who took more than their fair share of fish
from any given waterway and kidnap children should they get too close to the water. These practical stories taught necessary lessons for long term survival. As always when it comes to mysterious creatures behaving outside the realm of what we currently know, various scientists have developed various theories on what known animal the bunyip could be. Many cite the fact that there have been many recorded incidents of different species of seal swimming up the Murray and Darling rivers in the past which could have led to the creation or misidentification of a species into the story of the bunyip. Scientists have also theorized that the legend may stem from cultural memories and stories of ancient marsupial species such as Diprotodon, Palorchestes or even the giant extinct bird species Dromornithidae. When shown fossil bones of these species Aboriginal people identify them as the bunyip. Still others cite the southern cassowary which has large pale blue eggs, large claws, and a long neck with an emu-like head. One of the most famous sightings involves Edwin Stoqueler, a British artist who is sighted as having seen and drawn the bunyip multiple times. Stoqueler stated the bunyip was a large freshwater seal with odd features including two small fins attached to its shoulders, a long swan-like neck, and a pouch resembling that of a pelican under its jaw. He wrote that he shot at it but was not successful in capturing it. This siting caused a large stir as the local newspaper was quick to pick up the story which eventually led to the story being sensationalized and Stoqueler having to set the original story straight saying that he himself never referred to the animal as a bunyip, he never said it had a swan like neck, and that he was unable to comment on the size given he did not see that whole animal. Unlike the most famous cryptids, little to no modern day photos or videos exist which makes it more likely that the bunyip was indeed just a story passed down about a now extinct species or a misidentification of a known species. Even so there are the occasional mysterious photos of an unidentifiable creature that surface every now and then which re-injects some potential for credibility into all the stories.
Fig 1: Roof of Pastoret Terrace building. Fig 2: Interior of Pastoret Terrace building.
Image credits: LHB Corp.
OP-ED OF THE MONTH
ON PASTORET TERRACE (The Kozy Bar)
Anonymous
It is undeniable that the Pastoret Terrace (Better known to Duluthians as the Kozy Bar & Apartments) has been an important part of Duluth’s history. However, following a fire in 2010, the building has been unstable, closed off and left to sit. Marred by a battle over ownership and demolition, it has been stuck in legal limbo for over a decade and several additional fires as its former owner has fought to save what’s left. And while I sympathize with this effort, I don’t believe it can be. And for the African American community of Duluth, I believe something new and beneficial could be created from the empty lot.
Though what is left of the building looks externally solid from the ground, the interior is a vastly different sight. The roof has fallen in, and the interior is a charred wreckage of burnt planks, tires, and rubble. This is clearly demonstrated in photos taken by LHB, a local architecture consultant group,shown below.
No doubt, the costs to repair this stricken building outweigh realistic expectations. In fact it is likely that it would be less costly to tear it down and rebuild an identical building in its place- though I believe a better idea could be done for the property.
In its time, Pastoret Terrace was an important center for Duluth’s African-American community, and as such I believe that any building that replaces it should serve a similar purpose. That, combined with its close proximity to the Clayton-Jackson-McGhie memorial (being exactly across the street) makes it a prime position for a community center for Duluth’s African American community. Ultimately, though, what happens to the property should be up to them- if they have another idea in mind for what to build on the plot, who am I to argue?
A GUIDE TO THE BEST AND WORST HORROR SUBGENRES
Tom Thumb
In honor of the spooky season, I will be trying to cram my very biased opinions on the horror movie genre into a thousand words or less. I hope that if you have wanted to spark an interest in horror movies this article will be a helpful lift-off. First off, ignore the classic slashers (the 80s and prior). They aren’t worth it. Unless you’re into ideas with so much potential but are tarnished by incredibly annoyingly stylized performances, boring scripts, and a slow-paced environment. There are good movies within this genre but for the most part, not my cup of tea. Another subgenre I dislike is supernatural horror. Another genre with so much potential but is so often done incredibly tropey and for some reason usually has very biased political and/or religious positions. They focus so hard on the ‘scary’ aspect that all else goes out the window. However, there are gems within this genre that make up for the mediocrity that plaques it. Now a subgenre that I don’t necessarily dislike but just wouldn't recommend is found footage. Arguably one of the top three most popular subgenres of horror but it doesn't do anything for me. They can be pretty boring or just so scary that it comes off as cheap. I have yet to find a good found footage film but I haven’t given up on it, hence the “don’t necessarily dislike.” That's all the negativity I’m spotlighting in this article. It’s on to the subgenres I adore so much! The first of which is Satire. Satire/Comedy horror focuses on making fun of the tropes and defining aspects of the genre, while also partaking within the genre. The most notable examples of this are the respective Scream and Scary Movie franchises. Movies such as Jennifer's Body (2009), American Psycho (2000), Zombieland (2009), and Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) are other notable examples of this subgenre. I want to take a second to spotlight a 2024 satire horror that I believe deserves so much more recognition: Lisa Frankenstein. This movie follows Lisa, a young girl who recently lost her mother and is a total social outcast in her new town. But things turn around for her when a Victorian corpse reanimates. This movie has its fair share of problems which leads it to be relatively low rated and not critically acclaimed. Please do not let that stop you from watching this film! It’s like Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Heathers (1988) had a baby. What more could you ask for? Please watch it… Ok, I’ve saved the best for last, the peak of cinema, my favorite movie genre of all time: Psychological Horror. This genre, when done well, it's brilliant and mind-bending. No matter how much I indulge in watches of this subgenre I never grow tired of it. It takes all the best aspects of horror as a whole while getting rid of all the stupid aspects and replacing them with psychology. It can be a very intense genre that can genuinely be life-altering, which is why I appreciate it so much. I wanna spotlight four particular films within this genre: Pearl (2022), Prisoners (2013), Donnie Darko 12 (2001), and Saw (2004). The thing all these four films have in common is heart. All these movies come from a place of pure raw emotions. Prisoners and Donnie Darko are, out of the four, the most raw psychological horror/thriller. Their main aspects are the questions they pose. Prisoners focuses on how far a human will be willing to go to get answers. The remorse, if any, that comes with these actions and was the outcome worth it. Donnie Darko focuses on mental illness and the worth of a human life. Would the premature death of another save the people they caused harm? Is their life worth less than those they’ve negatively affected? I love this movie also because of its focus on ignorance. The two outcomes are vastly different and cause different forms of grief, but neither timeline knows that there was a possible other ending. Describing this movie without giving away every single detail is incredibly hard so if none of this makes sense, that's ok! There is a reason why the movie was a box office flop and had to have a directors cut AND website made just to add clarity. Pearl and Saw I think are less noticeable as psychological horror. Many people boil them down to just the slasher genre but that's far from true. The entire Saw franchise is incredibly psychological. The people in the traps are being tested. Can they truly learn anything from a near-death experience, or will they lack the mental strength to get themselves out? There are other examples in the movies that pose deeper questions than this but that's the main idea of the whole series. Pearl on the other hand is an incredibly emotional movie which I think the media lacks a portrayal of. Especially if you see the sequel, X (2022). Pearl is a girl living through the Influenza pandemic and her husband is overseas in the military. She dreams of being a dancer and touring the nation. But to her dismay, she can’t leave her family's farm. This causes her to become increasingly aggressive, eventually ending in multiple violent outbursts. She has so much pent-up jealousy and resentment that she can’t get away from it. The nearly 8-minute-long monologue at the end is so powerful. I highly recommend anyone who has just seen clips to watch the full thing. In conclusion, like what you want to like! Take these words as purely opinionated mumbo-jumbo if you don’t agree and if you happen to agree then I’m glad someone out there shares the same outlook as me.
EVERYTHING BUT A GINGERBREAD COOKIE
Xander Ripley-Jaakola
I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine! It’s their birthday soon. November 15! They are kind of a hermit, but once you get to know them, they may come off as spicy. This is Spicy Hermit Cookie. Don’t worry they aren’t a pepper kind of spicy. They are basically if you drank a Pumpkin Spice Latte as a cookie. They have all the same spices as Pumpkin Pie spice which is what makes them “Spicy”. Once you make them, they are good to eat out of the oven, but they are a little bit better when you leave them alone for a couple days. They will then have a nice snap and melt in your mouth afterwards. Just like anything that is a little stale. That's what gives them the name “Hermit”. They are traditionally filled with nuts and dates. If you would enjoy making these delightful, fun named cookies, feel free to look up a recipe for yourself, or take a look at this one.
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (205 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (130 grams) dark or golden raisins
1 cup (130 grams) dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 cup (100 grams) walnuts, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly butter or line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about two minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add this mixture to the batter and beat until combined. Fold in the raisins, chopped dates, and chopped walnuts.
To form each cookie, drop about one tablespoonful of the batter onto your baking sheet, spacing the cookies about two inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are firm around the edges but still a little soft in the center. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before removing from the pan.
ARTIST OF THE MONTH: EVAROSE MOEN
Josiah Herried
(What is your earliest memory of doing art?)
“A fond Memory i have of drawing on animal jam, a little painting of the character ‘Big monster’ picking flowers, from the children's book ‘big monster’ originally illustrated by Quntin Blake.”
(What are your favorite mediums or materials you use the most?)
“I most often use just mechanical pencil on regular old paper, however I adore any art with color and hope to get there one day myself.”
(What is the longest time you’ve ever spent on an art piece? Is it common for you to spend a lot of time on art projects?)
“It's hard to say, I spend a lot of time on every work. My process differs depending on what I'm doing and my art flow (at what ease I can draw) can be entirely different from day to day. Most artists fear art block. The most recent drawing I've spent a considerable amount of time on was a pencil drawing of my two characters Loralie and Keres in my sketchbook. It's pretty awesome :)”
(Who is your favorite artist in your life?)
“My friends, my sister, and my aunties have all been incredibly inspirational in my art career. However, my favorite is my dads. Max Moen (you can look up his art) had 51 years of art experience in all different mediums, most known for his creative, almost otherworldly collages and will forever be an endless source of inspiration and motivation to me, even beyond my art career.
(What would you like to say to anyone interested in art or who would like to get better at art?)
“Practice, of course! But that in itself can be hard to figure out where to start. I suggest basic figures and making a pinterest account. Looking up reference on pinterest (It's so much better than google), there is also already pre-curated boards so all the work is done for you (I have one with 5k pins 😼). There's a website (line-of-action.com) where you can practice quick sketching, and dynamic poses. The timer helps you not to obsess over one little piece of a drawing, instead focusing on getting the basic impression. Something I myself must work on. Lastly TRUST THE PROCESS and never NEVER get rid of old art just because you dislike it, these are stepping stones.”
LESTER RIVER FIELD TRIP
Environmental Science
The Environmental Science and AP Environmental Science classes went to Lester River to conduct biological, physical, and chemical tests to assess the health of the river.. Originally we were supposed to go to Chester Creek but unfortunately there was a sewage overflow that the city is working on fixing. For the time being, we were advised to stay out of the water at Chester Creek until the city has cleared it. The overflow was caused by ground water getting into the sewage pipes and it resulted in sewage in Chester Creek.
While we were at Lester, we used nets and waders to stir up the benthic macroinvertebrates(or bugs) we could find and took note of them to test if the river had a healthy ecosystem. The results came back positive. Lester River has a healthy ecosystem and the part of the water we tested for pH had healthy levels. An average pH for rivers levels out to 7-8; the section of Lester River that we tested had a pH level of 6, just below the average for rivers in Minnesota.
Testing the pH means testing to see how much alkaline or acid is in the water. This is important for determining what organisms can survive in that body of water. If there’s good pH there should be a healthy ecosystem. The lower the pH is the more acid the water has in it. Lester River is a healthy thriving river and I hope we can keep it that way.
THE EDMUND FITZGERALD
Enby
Have you ever heard of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald? Perhaps from the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot, or maybe just in passing conversation. If so, you probably know that it was a ship that sank in Lake Superior, but fewer people know that the circumstances around the tragedy are quite muddled.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was first conceptualized by the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, who had invested in the iron and minerals industry, but would set a new precedent of investment when they had this ship built. It was built in 1957, and most likely would have been built bigger if not for the St. Lawrence Seaway, which was not even complete when the ship was being built. She was constructed to fit the maximum allowed size to fit through the St. Lawrence Seaway, the first of its kind, and the largest ship on the Great Lakes. The board of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company insisted it be named after the chairman of the board and president of Northwestern Mutual, against his pleas. He eventually let them have their way and it was voted thirty-six to zero that she would be named the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. She first launched, to quite the public appeal, on June 7th of 1958, with over 15,000 people attending. She was christened by Fitzgerald’s wife, Elizabeth, who took 3 attempts to successfully smash the bottle. The shipyard crew then had quite a hassle removing the keel blocks to allow it to move into the water, taking them 36 minutes. She launched sideways, doused the onlookers with water from the Detroit River, and crashed into another dock before righting herself. Not a great start. She seemed to redeem herself though, her maiden voyage in September of that same year, 1958, and seventeen following years of shipping was record-breaking on multiple occasions. She set the record load at 30,690 tons (over 60 million pounds) in 1969 and set seasonal haul records six separate times, averaging 47 trips per season. Her usual route was between Superior, WI and Toledo, OH, bringing taconite from Minnesota’s iron range to iron works companies for it to be refined and used in products. Her legacy won her quite the array of nicknames, including but not limited to: “Fitz”, “Big Fitz”, “Mighty Fitz”, “Toledo Express”, “Pride of the American Side”, and “The Titanic of the Great Lakes”. I feel the last one has a touch of dramatic irony. Her captain, Peter Pulcer, was sure to make her stand out in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, as he would play music over the intercom system, day or night. Now she wasn’t perfect, mind you, she ran aground in 1969, collided with SS Hochelaga and struck the wall of a lock in 1970, striking the walls of locks twice over in 1973 and 1974. As well as losing her original bow anchor in 1974 in the Detroit River.
Her final voyage departed Superior, Wisconsin in the afternoon of November 9th, 1975, under the control of Captain Ernest M. McSorely, who took the helm in 1972. Her end goal was Zug Island, just off the coast of Detroit, Michigan, but she would never make it there. With just under thirty thousand tons of taconite, the Edmund Fitzgerald hit her full stride of 16.3 miles per hour. Three hours on her trip, she started talking to the SS Arthur M. Anderson regarding the NWS’ forecast of a 0700 storm the following morning, just south of Lake Superior. The conversation would be overheard by the SS Wilfred Sykes, which loaded opposite of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in Superior, Wisconsin’s port. The SS Wilfred Sykes’ captain, Dudley J. Paquette had taken the longer, but safer upward path, anticipating the storm’s path into Lake Superior, taking shelter on Ontario’s coast. Their conversing concluded with both the SS Edmund Fitzgerald and the SS Arthur M. Anderson taking the downward path. At 1900, the NWS amended their forecast, saying that the storm would directly cross the lake, and issued gale warnings for the whole of Lake Superior. Both ships, the Arthur M. Anderson and the Edmund Fitzgerald altered their courses northward, to share in the Wilfred Sykes’ shelter on the Ontario coast. At 0100, they hit a winter storm with winds recorded at 60 mph and waves 10 feet high. The Edmund Fitzgerald reduced her speed because of the poor conditions, and split off from the SS Arthur M. Anderson to hide in the shelter of Isle Royale from the strong winds. Captain Ernest M. McSorley said to Captain Jesse B. Cooper of the Arthur M. Anderson: "we're going to try for some lee from Isle Royale. You're walking away from us anyway … I can't stay with you." At 0200 the NWS upgraded the gale warning to a storm warning. Around 0300, the Edmund Fitzgerald caught up and passed the Arthur M. Anderson. Between the hours of 0300 and 1350 the eye of the storm had crossed over the two ships, providing a brief respite, quickly hammering the winds back at them from northeast, to south, to northwest. At 1350, wind speeds picked up rapidly and it began snowing an hour later, making the Arthur M. Anderson lose visibility of the Edmund Fitzgerald, who was now 16 miles ahead. Shortly after 1530, Captain McSorley radioed Captain Cooper to report that she was taking on water, had lost two vent covers, a railing, and had begun to tilt. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald would slow down, to allow the SS Arthur M. Anderson to close the distance between them, in case the worst were to happen. They then heard from the Coast Guard, who had warned them that the Soo Locks were closed, and suggested they find safe anchorage. Again, Captain Cooper heard from Captain Sorley, reporting radar failure and asked the Arthur M. Anderson to keep track of Edmund Fitzgerald. They were now within 10 miles of each other. Captain Cooper navigated the Edmund Fitzgerald toward the relative safety of Whitefish Bay, one of the most easternmost points of the lake. At 1639, Captain McSorley radioed the Coast Guard in Grand Marais, MI to ask if the Whitefish Point lighthouse and navigational beacon were operational. They responded that they were inactive. Not availing of this, McSorley hailed any ships in the area to report the activity of the navigational aids, going on to hear from Captain Cedric Woodard the SS Avafors between 1700 and 1730 that the light was on, but not the beacon. McSorley shared with Woodard that "I have a bad list, I have lost both radars, and am taking heavy seas over the deck in one of the worst seas I have ever been in." It wasn’t looking good. Winds were up to 86 miles per hour, and waves as high as 35 feet. On November 10th, 1975, SS Edmund Fitzgerald was heard from for the last time. SS Arthur M. Anderson radioed her to notify her of an upbound ship and to ask her how she was doing. SS Edmund Fitzgerald responded “We are holding our own.” The snow shortly lifted, improving visibility, but Arthur M. Anderson saw no Edmund Fitzgerald. Being only nine miles away, they thought this odd and Captain Cooper assumed she had lost power and told everyone to keep an eye out for a silhouette. 10 minutes later, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald dropped off the radar, and was unable to be reached by radio. The Arthur M. Anderson reached out to everyone she could, the Coast Guard station at Sault Ste. Marie to no follow-up, the northbound freighters, reporting no contact or radar sighting of the Edmund Fitzgerald. By 2032, the SS Arthur M. Anderson called the Coast Guard group Sault Ste. Marie and stated "I am very concerned with the welfare of the Steamer Edmund Fitzgerald. He was right in front of us experiencing a little difficulty. He was taking on a small amount of water and none of the upbound ships have passed him. I can see no lights as before and don't have him on radar. I just hope he didn't take a nosedive." At 2100, the Mighty Fitz was declared missing, and a multi-unit search was immediately sent out by the Coast Guard, assisted by the Anderson. They scrambled any ship they could, as well as helicopters to search for the Edmund Fitzgerald and her crew, but none were ever found. At 0800 the next morning, The Arthur M. Anderson found the first bit of wreckage: lifeboats, wrenched from the ship, never launched. On the 14th of November 1975, they found two large objects through sonar scanning. They could not confirm this was the Fitz for certain until May of 1976 when the US Navy brought out an unmanned underwater vehicle equipped with a camera that could prove it was the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, once Queen of the Great Lakes. Many theories came about, guessing as to what really caused the tragedy. The official report stated that the hatch covers were improperly sealed, leading to massive flooding of the cargo hold, but many, including the president of the Lake Carriers Association, and former Coast Guard Vice Admiral Paul E. Trimble disagreed with these findings, leading to mass curiosity around the wreck, and passionate groups trying to discover what caused the carnage of the beloved SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This curiosity led to the eventual discovery of one of the crew members from the Fitz in 1994. He was found lying on his back on the seafloor outside of the wreckage, wearing coveralls and a cork-vest meant to serve as a life preserver. This expedition, headed by Frederick Shannon, was all filmed, and part of a controversial documentary about the wreckage of the Edmund Fitzgerald which led to the banning of any dives taking place there, as it was deemed a burial site.
We’ll never know what happened in the last minutes of the Fitzgerald’s career, nor what happened to the 29 crew members on her at the time of the tragedy, but their memory won’t be lost, nor the ship's legacy forgotten, thanks to the passionate folk who keep her alive. She lay at 46° 59 '54" N, 85° 06' 36" W, just barely in the waters of Canada, and there will she stay, forever.
HOW TO DEAL WITH HEADACHES
Living with chronic headaches is debilitating and exhausting, especially when they happen suddenly and can knock out an entire day. After struggling with headaches for years on end, I have found some solutions to prevent them. Here are seven strategies that help me eliminate headaches.
Drink water. Our bodies are made up of mostly water. Getting enough of it helps keep things working the way they should. Often when I would get headaches, it was due to not having enough water or not getting water at the right time. Staying hydrated is possibly the most important thing not only to avoid headaches, but for general health.
Eat right. Foods fuel our bodies, but some foods are not helpful. Processed foods, high sugar, and other low-nutrient options can actually trigger or worsen headaches. One thing I did was change the things I ate. I started avoiding processed foods and other junk food. I try to eat healthier options. I avoid sugar when I can and other foods that provide little nutritional value.
Exercise. Getting active and moving your body improves circulation and can increase your energy. Both help keep headaches away. I took steps to improve the amount of exercise I get each day. In the summer, it’s easier. I took a long bike trip, played badminton and basketball. Now I go to a gym three times a week. Sometimes I walk to school (about five miles). This has made a big difference in how I feel and I am not getting headaches very often any more.
Good posture. Sometimes slouching or sitting too long or sitting in awkward positions can cause your body to be stiff or sore. Bad posture can restrict blood flowing to where it’s needed. This could lead to body aches and headaches. Taking time to stretch and have good posture can reduce this from happening.
Avoid stress. I got headaches a lot of the time when I had to deal with stress, mainly from homework. Many little things can easily add up and become much more significant things that add to stress. Trying to keep up with all my homework can easily create a lot of stress. That stress leads to headaches. Even though I still get very behind in homework I don’t stress about it as much as I used to.
Get good sleep. Poor or insufficient sleep often left me feeling drained, which contributed to headaches. A regular sleep schedule has helped me to prevent headaches. Good sleep can be crucial for preventing headaches and restoring energy.
Pain Relievers. This isn’t actually something that always works. It didn’t often work for me but I would use it as a last resort. Just the possibility that it would work after other things failed was worth the attempt.
Living with headaches was difficult. It took my energy and often wiped me out for a large part of the day. Once it started, it was very difficult to get rid of a headache. The best way I’ve found to deal with headaches is to prevent them from happening. The above seven things have been effective for me, to prevent head
THANKSGIVING AND ITS FOOD
Xander Ripley-Jaakola
I had the Harbor City Community take a poll about food at Thanksgiving and the size of their gathering. Here are the results!
When people think about Thanksgiving, they often think about the movies and how everyone in your whole family gets together. But this graph shows us that only 12.5% of people actually experience that. (at least in our school)
Here are people's least favorite foods
20
on the Thanksgiving table. Green bean casserole wins with 25% of the people that took this pole, disliking it. Stuffing, Oddly enough, has the same amount of people that dislike it, as people who like it.
The Winner of the Favorite food on Thanksgiving is… Pumpkin Pie! Which makes a lot of sense, you can’t really go wrong with a good slice of pumpkin pie.
HOW TO IMPROVE AT CHESS
Aaron Spearman
Improving at chess can be challenging, but there are several ways to improve and get better at chess. Learning the basic principles of chess, tactics and pattern recognitions can put you in a better position than your opponent. Here are some essential skills and strategies to help elevate your game and gain a competitive edge.
Playing daily and practicing. One of the first things you must do to get better at chess is to familiarize yourself with the game and how each piece moves. Regular practice not only reinforces your understanding of the rules but also helps develop your intuition and decision-making skills. Aim to play at least a few games each week, whether online or with friends, to gain experience and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, incorporating tactics puzzles into your daily routine can sharpen your skills and improve your ability to recognize patterns during actual games.
Learning Openings. Familiarizing yourself with various chess openings can significantly enhance your initial positioning. Understanding the principles behind openings, like controlling the center, developing your pieces efficiently, and securing king safety, will set you up for a stronger midgame. You don’t need to memorize countless variations. Instead, you should focus on a few key openings that resonate with your style of play.
Analyzing Your Games. After each match, it is important to analyze your games to identify what went wrong and what to avoid in future encounters. Take notes on key moments where you made poor decisions or missed opportunities, and reflect on your thought process during those critical points. Using an analyzation tool you can figure out common mistakes and learn from them. Doing this consistently will help you minimize bad moves.
Learn from Experienced Players. Watching games from experienced players can help you see more advanced strategies and tactics. It can help you learn more about what moves to make in the opening, middlegame, endgame.
Learning chess can take a long time but these methods can help you learn the skills to play better and win more matches. Practicing these core concepts will help you become a stronger chess player.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Aries, something’s going to happen this month. Is it going to be good, is it going to be bad? I have no idea do I look like a fortune teller to you?
Gemini (May 21-June 20) Gemini, the spiders did in fact evolve and their out for revenge. Watch your back…
Leo (July 23-August 22) Leo, congratulations. Things are looking better for you this month. If you want that to come true, come to school dressed as a turkey one day. Seriously.
Libra (September 23-October 22) Libra, you may or may not have ended up on a government watchlist. This may or may not be a warning. You should probably be more sneaky with your illegal dealings now.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Sagittarius, good luck with the swarm of angry bees I just set on you. They want strawberries.
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Aquarius, be warned. All of the bugs you’ve killed in the last month are coming back to life and they want revenge.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Taurus, careful during thanksgiving dinner. The cranberry sauce is going to become sentient and try to kill you.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) Cancer, good luck. You’ve got a big test this month, and you’re going to need all the luck you can get. Also stop reading this and go study.
Virgo (August 23-September 22) Virgo, you may have had one too many pumpkin spice lattes and now you're trapped in a time loop of this year's fall forever and ever. Have fun!
Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Scorpio, you have to turn in your homework this week. Please, your gpa is looking lower every day…
Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Capricorn, a rare and wild animal will find you this week and give you a prophecy. This is your warning to follow the prophecy.
Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Pisces, we didn’t get the 20 dollars, watch your back.
DECISIVE TIMES, DIVISIVE TIMES
Anonymous
We stand now at the precipice of perhaps one of the most impactful United States Presidential elections this century, even more so than the last one. After a close defeat four years ago, former president Donald Trump once more runs as the Republican candidate, and is opposed by current vice president Kamala Harris. On the line: Rights of bodily autonomy, vital aid to the embattled, yet determined Ukraine, the future of energy production and the environment, and the debacle regarding immigration and the southern border, among countless other issues.
Since 2016, political polarization has been rising dramatically with each passing year over conflicting interests within our population. On one side, a fanatical cult of personality numbering in the millions has developed around businessman Donald Trump, who claims to have a plan to “Make America Great Again” in his image. In a mere span of months in 2016, this movement hijacked the Republican Party, which has been largely reshaped by Trump’s whims. On the other, a big tent spearheaded by the leadership of the Democratic Party, resolutely determined to not let his ideas come to pass. Ideas which, in the eyes of many, threaten the freedoms this nation was built on. Plans that seek to bring the entire Executive branch under the President’s absolute authority. Ideas that seem a mere hop, skip, and a jump away from the cruel joke of “democracy” seen in nations like Venezuela, Belarus, and, above all, Russia. On the receiving end of Russian aggression is Ukraine, a nation dependent on US and NATO aid to fight Russia off. Trump, however, seeks to force Ukraine to concede defeat and cede land seized by Russia in its invasion, as he sees it as nothing more than a waste of resources being used against a potential ally of his.
On the Democrat side, things are tenuous. Increasing friction between the Democratic Party and their voter base, especially over the party’s unconditional support of Israel has driven a wedge that is only held together by their mutual, ardent disdain for Trump. Once the man- and his movement, hopefully- is out of the picture, the Democrats will have to contend with the growing disconnect between party and voter. But that issue is in the hypothetical future.
In the now, there’s an election in a matter of days. An election the Democrats aren’t guaranteed to win. Just maybe, they’ll lose, and American democracy will be thrown into jeopardy as Trump returns to the White House, just as America’s enemies hope I sure hope not
SENIOR OF THE MONTH: CALLIOPE
What’s something you’re proudest of?
“My art I made in my art classes.”
A Favorite Experience?
“ Ms. Burke's Zen symposium last year. I loved making vision boards and laying around with all of our fuzzy blankets!” Symposiums are a great way to end or start a semester. This zen symposium was a fun calming way to end the school year I definitely recommend doing if it’s an option.
What’s some advice you have for other students?
“ Take it all less seriously. Create a good balance between keeping your grades up and chilling out. Tell your friends you love them and always prioritize your mental health.” Another great thing about Harbor City is that there is so much support you can get from the staff and your peers.
Why did you choose Harbor City?
“I chose to go here because I heard it was a more art based school, my brother went here and the idea of a smaller school seemed nice.” Calliope has also mentioned that the people and the environment at Harbor City seemed welcoming.
The Unknown Deviant of the Green
by Francis Sayre
through the taste of the night on your tongue,
between the cherry blossoms in a wet park,
in the notes and the chords that play in my midst,
you. my unwilting passion for you finds itself
in the blankest of pages,
in the darkest of mornings,
in little orange bottles,
my adoration of you grows fervently
still the day may not say it,
the art may not tell you,
the books and canvases can’t show:
How you reside in my heart.
the heat of the snow and
the Eyes with nature and
the flow of the gears and
the edge of the tears.
My hope, you force them all,
the way you order the air
with your motion so explicit
you’ve only just seen
the extent of my unknown for you
Looking for a good time on a Wednesday night? Wuso’ s a local cafe in west Duluth has weekly open mics on wednesdays! You can go watch people play music while eating food and sweet treats with a cup of coffee or one of their delicious smoothies. If you are interested in playing all you have to do is sign up when you get there.
Monday nights come to the Bent Paddle, our local brewery to watch the New Salty Dogs! Everyone is welcome. There are vendors selling a range of things from sweet goods to glasswork, you can even buy New Salty Dog Merch. There are no entrance fees, so come on down to watch some awesome music and invite your friends!
Multiple times a week a group named the Cold Water Dolphins go to lake superior to jump in the water. You can find them on Facebook, just search for Duluth Cold Water Dolphins to find out when and where their next adventure will take place. Cold Water Dolphins jump year round and as the weather gets colder going to jump in the lake can be a great experience to wake you up out of your long winter funk.
Wednesday nights at the Dovetail Cafe & Market there is cribbage night, go enjoy a game with your friends! Cribbage night starts at five until they close. Anyone is welcome!
NEW CURE MUSIC THIS MONTH!
NEW CURE MUSIC THIS MONTH!
The Real Robert Smith
This November 1st successful rock band ‘The Cure’ will release their first album in 16 years! If you’ve only ever casually enjoyed their music this is the perfect time to stop doing that and indulge yourself in all of their projects. The new album will be called ‘Songs of a Lost World.’ As of writing only one has come out, titled ‘Alone.’ If you enjoy their album ‘Disintegration’ (who doesn't?), then I highly recommend you check this song out. It fits the atmosphere of that album perfectly. Robert Smith’s voice hasn't changed one bit which makes this song feel like it didn’t come out this year. As most of us are around 16 years old this will be our first, and maybe only, chance to experience them releasing new music so don't miss this opportunity.
ANIMAL FACT OF THE MONTH
Kaylin Roushar
Some jellyfish are immortal!
The hydrozoan Turritopsis dohrnii, an animal about 4.5 millimetres wide and tall (smaller than the nail on your little finger), can actually reverse its life cycle. It has been dubbed the immortal jellyfish.
When this species is physically damaged or experiences starvation, instead of dying it shrinks in on itself, reabsorbing its tentacles and losing the ability to swim. It then settles on the seafloor as a little blob-guy. Then in the next 24-36 hours, it develops into its previous life stage. Like a butterfly turning back into a caterpillar.
Pretty cool right?
HOW TO NEEDLE FELT
Wanna make cuties like this? We have the supplies in the art room! Just find the bins marked ''needle felting''.
Gather materials. Get a foam mat to not stab the table, some wool (the fluffy stringy stuff), and a felting needle (a normal needle won't work, felting needles are barbed!)
Made a base shape with felt or yarn. Wrap up your base tight, and start stabbing. To avoid breaking the needle, keep the needle upright and do short, quick jabs.
Once the base is all stuck together, you can start layering more wool and stab that into it to change colors or pad it.
Keep stabbing more and more. Start with the big shapes, then move to detailing.
MENTAL HEALTH SECTION :)
ENJOYING THE FALL SEASON
Jocelyn Petrovffsky
Since Autumn is officially upon us I’m here to remind everyone that you must enjoy this season to the fullest! Go and get those seasonal items at literally any store, listen to the music that emulates the season to you, watch horror movies, and most of all, celebrate Halloween! Dress up, trick or treat, pass out candy, drive around and look at decorations, go to haunted houses, watch a scary movie, whatever it is that you do this holiday season. And don't forget to be on the lookout for any future Harbor City happenings this Fall too! This is a special time of year that deserves all the love, and you deserve to enjoy it. If none of that sounds of interest to you, that's okay too. Just enjoy this time of year how you want and don’t get too caught up in the things that cause you stress, and let yourself enjoy the things you find special about these few months.
EARLY SCHOOL YEAR STRESS
Sydney Anderson
The first few months of school can be stressful beyond belief, I myself have fallen victim in just the 4th week. Assignments pile up, standardized testing springs out of nowhere, and it feels like you can't escape from the mound of work shoved onto you. Remember, you're not alone in feeling this way. Here are some ways you can reduce your stress as we progress further through the year;
Use study halls! If you finish work, try working ahead if you can, feeling accomplished in getting things done early can feel really good, and free up time for the other things you want to do.
Visit the ZenDen if you feel overwhelmed and take a breather, talk to people in there if you need advice, or even ask the office.
Talk to your teachers about how you're feeling, most will be sympathetic and help you make a plan.
This one personally works for me, but multitasking during notes to get things done helps me to feel productive and helps me know that things are out of the way.
Checklists! Check Google Classroom, there is a to-do list already made, but it can also be beneficial to make your own for the things that aren't on there. Being able to physically check things off can really relieve some of that pressure.
While schoolwork is important, your mental health and well-being have to be a priority too!
All About the Hooded Pitohui: A Poisonous Bird
By: Nadia Latvala
The Hooded Pitohui, who’s native to Papua New Guinea, is recognized as the world's first known poisonous bird. Hooded Pitohui are around 8.7 to 9.1 inches long (from the end of their beak to the end of their tail), and weigh around 2.3 to 2.7 ounces. Both the males and females of the species share the same coloration, and juvenile birds' coloration is only slightly different from adults, as their tail and flight feathers are slightly more brown. The juveniles are almost immediately closely adapted to the adult coloration, signaling to predators that they could be dangerous before they even develop toxicity.
Hooded Pitohui are social birds, and live in family groups, and may join or lead mixed-species bird foraging groups. They also will work in small groups to protect their nests, and feed their young. Something makes them extra unique is that their feathers and skin contain batrachotoxins, the same poisons found in poison dart frogs! In high doses the toxin can cause cardiac arrest, paralysis, or death. But why would the Hooded Pitohui need to be so toxic?
Similarly to poison dart frogs, they become toxic from the food they eat. For the Pitohui, their toxic treat of choice is a small beetle with a similar color scheme called Melyrid Beetles. This specific variety of batrachotoxin had only ever been found in Colombian poison dart frogs prior to the Pitohui. Why exactly the birds choose to eat such a bug is unknown. Some other foods that the bird eats is primarily dominated by fruits, like figs, and also includes grass seeds, and invertebrates like beetles, spiders, caterpillars, ants, and earwigs.
People local to the area had known that the bird was toxic for a long time, but the ornithologist, Jack Dumbacher, wanted to confirm it within ornithology groups and had an… interesting way of going about it. Originally he set out to look for Carolina Parakeets, which were said to be very toxic. He set up delicate nets in the trees in an attempt to capture and study them, and discovered Pitohui in the net. Apparently a bird scratched his finger, and it hurt much more than a normal bird scratch. He put his finger in his mouth in an attempt to reduce the pain, although his mouth and lips went numb, and began to burn with pain. Later another student noticed a similar reaction and Dumbacher became more curious. Eventually this led to him taking a feather from a Pitohui and testing this accidental experiment again. When he encountered similar effects he realized that the bird was definitely poisonous. As of right now their populations remain stable, and they are not at high risk to fall victim to species endangerment.
Page updated
Report abuse