Manufacturing Industry

By: Ethan Schmidt

The manufacturing industry has hundreds of thousands of unfilled positions. There is a shortage of labor that needs to be filled. At the height of the housing crisis from 2007 to 2009, employment in the skilled trades has decreased by 13%. The industry eventually rebounded 6% from 2010 to 2012. The demand was projected to increase drastically in the next 15 years as over 77 million baby boomers retire from the workforce. Workers between the age of 45 and 54 make up 23% of the workforce.

Of course, times have changed drastically since the 1950s when unskilled workers performed over half of all manufacturing jobs. This dropped to 15 % in 2005. While the percentage reflects an evolving economy, it doesn't show the more important issues at hand. A talent shortage survey conducted in 2009 revealed the nation’s most sought-after workers. The top three slots went into electricians, carpenters, and welders.

Many people can begin a rewarding career in the skilled trades in a fraction of the time it takes to earn a traditional degree from a four-year university. You don't have to go to college as long. You will have less debt to pay off and you can start working more earlier. The opportunity is ripe to take advantage of trade school programs. An estimate of 3 million jobs in the US remains vacant, including over a half-million in manufacturing.

Sports

By: Kelton Kluiter

The top 5 sports with the most fans are soccer, cricket, basketball, field hockey, and tennis. Soccer has the most fans in Europe, Africa, Asia, and America. People enjoy soccer because it is an action packed sport with lots of crazy plays. Soccer's most popular players are Christiano Rinaldo, and Lionel Messi.

The second most popular sport in the world is cricket. Cricket has the most fans in Asia, Australia and the UK. People like watching cricket because it is very suspenseful and challenging. Crickets most popular players are Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and MS Dohni.

Basketball has the most fans in the US, Canada, China, and the Philippines. People enjoy basketball because it is a very fast high paced game with a lot of scoring. Basketball’s most popular players are Lebron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and James Harden.

Field hockey is most popular in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Field hockey is popular in many countries because it is cheap and you can play it wherever. Field hockey’s most popular players are Luciana Aymar and Jamie Dwyer.

Tennis is most popular in Europe, America, and Asia. Tennis is popular because it is an exhilarating, challenging sport. Tennis’s most popular athletes are Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Jokavic.

Malaysia

By: Conner Freerks

In the 18th century, Great Britain made colonies on current day Malaysia. Malaysia became its own country in 1963. In this paper, I will be talking about the location and place, economy, culture, environment, and physical features of Malaysia.

Malaysia is located in the southeastern part of Asia. It is made up of two peninsulas and some small islands. Malaysia is mostly surrounded by water. Malaysia takes up a total of 329, 847 sq. km and are 68 in the world for total area. Malaysia is slightly larger than New Mexico and has a tropical climate. They have many natural resources like tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron, natural gas, and bauxite. The population across the land is spread out very unevenly. They have to worry about major flooding and tropical storms.

The culture of Malaysia is very diverse. The common ethnicity is Bumiputera (60.2%). The most common religion is Muslim (61.3%). The official language of Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia. The population of Malaysia is 31,809,660. There are about five different cultures combined into the Malaysian culture. The Chinese had some influence like they lead the people in the middle part of Malaysia to live a more consumer society.

The Iowa Caucuses & Why They’re Important

By: Tess Lampe

The Iowa Democratic Caucuses that took place on February 3rd, 2020 have gotten much attention from the media. These caucuses are very significant, which is why many candidates visit our state so often during the election season. First, politics can be quite complex, especially around this time of year, so I’ll explain what a caucus is.

A caucus, similar to an election, is where political candidates are chosen for presidential elections which later leads to a certain candidate from each party being chosen as well. It is necessary for a candidate being voted on in a caucus to have at least 15% of the votes in a precinct, or district, to move on to the second and final voting. The final vote determines the amount of delegates, or elected representatives, a candidate will have. In simple terms, a caucus chooses a political party’s leaders and possible candidates for office.

The Iowa Caucuses are what start off the election season, which is why they are held with such significance. Many factors have gone into what has increased or decreased the amount of votes for a candidate in the Iowa Caucuses in the past, so it is never exactly sure what will or what will not ensure a win for a certain candidate. Because the Iowa Caucuses are the first step in gaining votes and victories in the season, winning for your political party could possibly make it an easier road ahead. The next main caucuses are in New Hampshire. Therefore, winning in Iowa can easily put you in the running for more votes elsewhere.

Many results of the Iowa Caucuses have not yet been published or released, but the results that are viewable now tell us the amount of delegates some candidates will receive. The top two Democratic candidates who will receive the most delegates include Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders. Based on the amount of votes for each Democratic candidate, Pete Buttigieg has approximately a 95% chance of winning the Iowa Caucuses. Bernie Sanders, having a very close amount of votes to Pete Buttigieg, is close behind and leads in first & final votes.

The Iowa Democratic Caucuses have historically proven to be very important to the election season. This year’s caucuses, even though not all results are out yet, have also proven that there is a tight race between many Democratic candidates. As mentioned before, politics around this time can be confusing to the common people, so make sure to stay updated if you’re interested and vote when the time comes!

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/02/04/us/elections/results-iowa-caucus.html
https://www.thestreet.com/politics/what-is-a-caucus
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/03/politics/why-iowa-caucuses-are-important/index.html

Types of Reading Aloud

By: Brandi Garretson

Types of Reading Aloud

There comes a time in everyone’s high school career when they are asked to read aloud. It happens often enough that there are certain members of the class that distinguish themselves. This time is always made more fun by the fact that you can choose who you want to read. (We always called it popcorn.) Whether you are a bad reader, a good reader, or somewhere in between, you are inevitably called on to read.

The first is, of course, the Actor. This person is almost always involved in theater or spring play. They are dramatic. The person that comes to mind is the person that always insists on being either Romeo or Juliet. The Actor is intense. They aren’t just reading the play. They are living it, breathing it. The Actor is Romeo or Juliet. They are only capable of a dramatic rendition. You know, no matter what I say about the Actor, it wouldn’t be freshman-year English class without an argument about Romeo and Juliet and a cry from the Actor that the class is butchering the dialogue.

Next, is Tongue-Tied Timmy. Now, I have to say it. There is always that student that just cannot read out loud. It doesn’t matter if this person is the smartest person in the school. If they can’t read aloud, they can’t read aloud. There is no question. This person almost always happens to be the victim of a cruel popcorn reading joke. This person gets picked on when the class wants to slow the reading down to avoid homework. (Although it usually doesn’t work.)

This brings me to my final type of reader, the Bully. This person is the one who picks on not-so-great readers. This person picks on the terrible readers, the dramatic retellers, and even the kids that are good at reading. In retrospect, popcorn reading is never really a good time. It’s cruel to make students read aloud, especially when there is a Bully. However, it’s a rite of passage. Everyone’s got to get picked on by the Bully at least once. And to all the Bullies out there: please be patient. Everyone knows that Tongue-Tied Timmy is a bad reader. Even he knows, but there is no excuse to pick on someone who can’t help how they read out loud.

All in all, reading out loud is just an unfortunate time for everyone. (I was always an advocate for reading alone.) It’s unfortunate for the kid that dramatically “performs” the play, it’s unfortunate for those of us who are tongue-tied and can’t even talk during a normal conversation, and it’s unfortunate for the teacher, who has to put up with the class moving at a glacial pace. Next time, just tell your teacher to look up a free Audiobook. It really does save everyone.

Types of Math Teachers

By: Katie Stirling

There’s a different type of teacher for every classroom, especially in math classes. Some may run into all these types or just one. It affects how much you like math class and how well you know the material. Some teachers are better for certain students, while others are worse.

The first type is the involved. These math teachers have notes everyday on what needs to be learned that day. They assign homework almost everyday to make sure their students know the material. They are typically very organized and are good at getting grades in the grade book. Most students will learn the best from these teachers.

Another type is the non-involved teacher. They are about the opposite of the involved type. They give you the material and tell you what needs to be known. However, they don’t teach their students what needs to be learned. They expect them to learn it themselves. Sometimes they will show videos for the students to learn that way. They may assign homework once in a while, but rarely. They aren’t very organized and check up on their students the least amount as possible.

Students typically don’t learn very well with these teachers.

The third type is the in-between teacher. They are involved to an extent. They will sometimes show videos instead of teaching it. They may think the video does well at involving all of the material. They usually have teaching notes, but let the students work independently. They give homework everyday, but give time in class to get it done. Some students may prefer this while others will not.

These are just some of the math teachers you will run into. There are definitely more specific ones people may encounter.

2020 NFL Draft Prospects: Quarterbacks

By: Cole Negen

Now that the Super Bowl is over, the casual football fans will begin make way for football geeks such as myself. The NFL draft is in about 2 ½ months. Until then, I get to look at each player individually, and project where I see them ending up, and how good of an NFL prospect they will end up. I plan on taking a look at each position for this upcoming draft, starting with quarterbacks.

Joe Burrow

Starting at the top, Burrow is the clear favorite to go first overall. The Bengals are looking to move on at the QB position and Burrow is an Ohio native, it’s just too perfect a fit. There’s no doubt he’s the best QB in the draft. He is extremely accurate, as he set the NCAA record for completion percentage this last year. His arm strength is good, but not great. An ideal situation for Burrow would be a West Coast offense, where he can let his quick decision making and accuracy be the feature of his game. Unlike some West Coast QBs, however, who get stuck being a “game-manager”, Burrow has decent mobility and an ability to extend plays that really make him stand out in that department. He is like a more athletic Tom Brady, and he should be starting for Cincinnati on week 1.

Tua Tagovailoa

Another Hawaiian QB! Hopefully Tua is in for a much better NFL experience than Marcus Mariota is though. Tagovailoa is a slicer. He moves the ball down the field in big chunks, whether it’s with his feet, extending the play, or throwing the ball down the field. He makes really quick decisions, not usually spending a lot of time sitting in the pocket. His mechanics are very polished for someone with not very much experience. He has great accuracy. Very rarely do you see one of his receivers have to make a wild catch to make up for him being off the mark. His throwing ability doesn’t have a ton of upside. In fact, I don’t see how he can much more he can improve his game in that area. His arm doesn’t have a ton of juice, and I could see a really good defense frustrating him by making him throw the ball into spaces that good secondaries will eat him alive in. Nevertheless, Tua is a very good pick for a team looking to reestablish who they are.

Justin Herbert

Unlike the 2 above him, Herbert still has a little ways to go.

Athletics in High School

By: Ethan Schmidt

Athletics have been a big thing in high school for a long time now. Many get involved in high school sports just because they love playing the game, but there are other reasons other people play them. There are significant benefits of extracurricular activities. One is community representation. Students who participate in high school sports learn the benefit of representing their community.

Other reasons to play are fitness and improved athletics. Students who go out for athletics lower their weight and body mass. Students said that they are less likely to participate in unhealthy or risky behavior when they are playing sports. The Department or Education found that students who don't go out for sports in high school are 49% more likely to use drugs. A study found out that students who played sports tended to have a higher GPA than those who don't go out for sports.

Extracurricular activities improve your social relationships, leadership skills, and time management. Students who go out often create close relationships with others on the team. These relationships are beneficial to your mental, emotional, and physical health in your high school years. As you advance through the ranks of a high school team, you learn more leadership skills. You set examples and often provide guidance on and off the field. Practice and games take up a lot of player’s time. Athletes must learn time management skills to get their homework and stuff finished.

Types of Golfers

By: Katie Stirling

In the sport of golf, there are many types of people you will come across. Each person has a different level of competitiveness. Some people are more shy than others. Other people are very strict rule followers. Sometimes you will encounter one or several of these types of people while golfing.

The first type are the competitive ones. These people typically want only themselves to succeed. They get happy when their competitors fail, whether they show it vividly or barely at all. They get upset when they don’t do well and when others do. Some people hide their competitiveness better than others, while some don’t hide it at all. These types of people are seen in all sports.

The next type of golfer is the strict one. These people are usually above average golfers. They typically carry a rule book around with them on the course and have most of the rules memorized. They watch what everyone is doing and sometimes even count other people’s strokes to make sure they aren’t cheating. They might do this to make sure their scores are higher, showing the competitive side of them. Otherwise they might do it just because it’s morally right.

Another type of golfer is the cheater. These people do exactly what it sounds like: cheat. They might be insecure about how many strokes they get or might just be competitive. They lie about how many strokes they had on either a few holes or sometimes all of them. This can be very noticeable sometimes. Obviously if someone is getting seven or eight strokes on every other hole, you’re going to notice. The strict golfer will typically approach the cheaters about their scores.

These are only a few of the types of golfers there are. Of course, there are so many types of athletes in every sport. Each of them can be different in several ways.

Honey Bees

By Ethan Schmidt

Honey bees play an enormous role in producing the highest quality fruit and vegetables that we consume. In 2000 the agriculture industry estimated the honeybee population had a value of $14.6 billion. It was a 36.3% increase from previous years. Honey production is valued at $200 million, which in comparison is small. Out of 115 leading agricultural crops worldwide, 75% depend on the honey bee population. Honey bees increase the yield by 71%. They also make them taste better.

Bees have been dying at a high rate. Between 2008 and 2013 the populations have decreased by 23% in America. Research has indicated that farmers in the US may experience increased cost and destabilization in crop production. Domestic bees are also showing decreasing trends. 44% of the beekeeper colonies were lost in the United States between 2015 and 2016. Their numbers appear to be getting worse every year.

There are many reasons the bees are declining. In 2009 Brown and Paxton assessed the major threats to bee diversity. They created a list of strategies to help them. Some examples include the minimization of habitat loss and degradation, adding bee-friendly features to agricultural areas, increase the studies to bees, and promoting public education. Saving the honey bee starts by collaborating with wild bee habitat restoration efforts, reducing harmful pesticides, and spreading knowledge about it.

Another important reason they are dying is the Verona mite. It is a small round mite that can destroy colonies if it is left untreated. They can act as a vector for severe diseases. This is why it is important to keep the hives sanitary.

Playground for the Wii: The Root of My Anxiety

By: Cole Negen

So… how many people remember Playground? EA’s 2007 title seemed to be a staple amongst the Gen Z crowd. It was available for the Wii and the Nintendo DS, but everyone remembers the Wii version. The basic concept of the game is that you are a kid at school, and you play playground games. A pretty straightforward concept. The games, however, were unique to the game. There are commonly known games, such as dodgeball and tetherball, but also very unique games, such as racing paper airplanes, RC Car racing, and a Soccer game that you’d just have to see for yourself, because it is really beyond description. It’s single player and multiplayer modes were both legendary. In single player, you run around the playground, beat challenges, unlock boosts, and work your way to play the boss. Standard concept. The thing is though, it had an open world concept. You could run around, collect hidden things, interact with random kids, and other things. The people who you challenged were stationary in specific locations, so you could progress the game at your pace. Amongst this open world are 4 areas. You start in the schoolyard, and as you complete the challenges, a gate opens into the next area of the game. This area you unlock acts as the center for all areas in the game. Some may skawk at the fact that you have to unlock the central area of the game, but I like it. It provides a unique experience, that in my experience hasn’t really been replicated in such a way.

Types of Lunches You See in a School Cafeteria

By: Grace Litterer

Continuing with my theme, I figured I would touch on a subject many have strong opinions on. Yes, it’s school lunches. Whether you are for them, against them, or somewhere in between, every cafeteria has a few infamous school lunches.

First, I must pay homage to the day that everyone loves. No matter if you bring your lunch every day, no matter if you skip lunch every day, heck, no matter if you’re homeschooled, everyone loves pizza day. You can see kids going up for seconds or even thirds. Nothing beats the simplicity of a cheese pizza, especially when it’s served to kids in the middle of a school day. After all, stressing out about tests and grades really does make you work up an appetite.

Next, is, of course, the classic burger and fries. It really is a United States of America staple. I can’t imagine school without one day a month when the school serves out a burger and fries. Well, they serve out unsalted fries and neon yellow cheese. But, what can you do? With limited options for school lunch, there isn’t much else you can do. What’s really funny is that there is always some odd fruit or vegetable paired with it to make it healthy. Whether it’s strawberry applesauce, mixed vegetables, or some “fresh apple slices” that have been packaged for months.

Finally, the most infamous, the most dreaded (at least for me), the fish stick lunch. Yes, this is saved for a very special time in the spring. Yes, every Lenten season we are treated with a cafeteria specialty. Every spring, Fish Fridays are held. By now, I am sure you can tell that I don’t like fish. But when I say that even the Catholics don’t eat the fish, you know something may be wrong.

Yes, school cafeterias certainly have some infamous lunch options. Whether it’s pizza, burgers, fish or even the rib sandwich that deserves an honorable mention, it’s served with love (or resentment). In all seriousness though, please remember to thank your lunch ladies. They do so much for the school and for its students. They do all they can so that students can have something hot for lunch, even if it’s the fish.

The Deadly Coronavirus

By: Tess Lampe

Recently, a new type of Coronavirus has caused an outbreak. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have been paying close attention to this new outbreak. A Coronavirus is a respiratory illness that causes infection in areas like the nose, sinuses, or upper throat. Different types of Coronavirus’ have shown up in the past, so at first many thought it was not a big deal. However, this is a new type of Coronavirus, one that is called a novel virus (2019-nCoV).

This type of Coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, China and has since spread quickly across the country. Now, the first few cases have been confirmed in the United States. As of Tuesday, January 28, about 106 people have died from this virus, along with approximately 4,500 people already infected in over a dozen countries. Because this type of Coronavirus is a novel type (meaning that it has never been seen before), it has become quite deadly, and the statistics prove that.

Not only does the virus cause pneumonia, but it also causes fever, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, even organ failure. Therefore, recovery does not rely on antiviral agents or antibiotics. An individual’s recovery depends on the strength of their immune system and what support hospitals are able to give. It has also been confirmed that human-to-human connection allows the infection to transmit to another person.

In the United States, there have so far been five confirmed cases: two in southern California, one in Washington, one in Chicago, and one in Arizona. This means that because these cases have been identified in places across the country, there is potential for an outbreak. Experts on these matters, however, are only worried about certain factors. A main concern they have is the difference in symptoms, or more specifically the intensity of an individual’s symptoms. Essentially, this means that as mentioned previously, more severe cases are more deadly and have stronger symptoms, which still remains unexplained. This has since made it difficult for experts and scientists to distinguish what causes the intense or mild symptoms and what extent of human connection must be met in order to transfer the virus. However, the majority of those affected have been and may continue to be those with poor health, which is similar to how the flu has affected certain people.

Conclusively, this new Coronavirus is another unfortunate matter to be dealt with this January. Scientists are staying alert to the fact that the spread needs to be stopped and that the virus could become worse over time. Since around 1620, there has been a sort of plague or pandemic every one-hundred years (1720, 1820, 1920), so here’s hoping that the Coronavirus isn’t the pandemic of 2020.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/27/what-is-coronavirus-symptoms-sars-china-wuhan
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/china-coronavirus-outbreak-us-plans-wuhan-evacuation-death-toll-number-cases-rises-today-2020-01-28/
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html