Author: skeltcal000

Sea Turtles Battle Hypothermia

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Sea Turtles Battle Hypothermia

In New England the water temperatures are dropping leaving sea turtles in critical condition with hypothermia. 

 

Why are Turtles Getting Hypothermia?

In Cape Cod, New England, hundreds of turtles have been found on beaches suffering from hypothermia.  Normally, the water around the Gulf of Maine does not get very warm throughout the year causing the majority of the turtles to be kept out of Cape Cod due to the cold water. But the last couple of years, the water has been getting warmer during the summer months. 

This makes it so that the turtles can funnel into Cape Cod for a big chunk of the summer. The problem is, when the water’s temperature drops the turtles are unable to get out. The turtles should be in a lot warmer water and they want to go south, but the shape of Massachusetts acts as a trap and doesn’t allow them to head straight south.

 Because they are unable to get out, and the water temperature is dropping 30 degrees colder than what the turtles are used to, the turtles become very cold and float up to the surface where the wind blows them ashore.  

Turtles are reptiles to their internal body temperature is the same as the water temperature that is surrounding them. In the last couple of weeks about 300 cold stunned sea turtles have been washed up onto beaches.

What are People Doing About it?

Some of the turtles are being brought to a New England aquarium for rehabilitation. The aquarium claims that it treats hundreds of turtles every year.

Volunteers from Mass Audubon work to rescue the cold-stunned turtles that get washed ashore, then they bring them to the New England rehabilitation aquarium. At the aquarium they very slowly warm up the turtles to the normal temperature that they are supposed to be at. This process can take anywhere from a couple months to two years.

Because the turtles are so cold, the aquarium heats them up very, very, slowly. About ten degrees fahrenheit per day. They do this until the turtles are in about 70 degree water. 

The owner of the New England aquarium said, “Changing the temperature too rapidly can be deadly for these turtles”.

Many of the turtles that come to the aquarium have pneumonia so they give the turtles any antibiotics that they might need. Once the turtles are stable, they make sure they are eating, then when they are ready, they are released back into the ocean. 

Why Should We Help The Turtles?

Turtles are a very important part of the ocean’s ecosystem. For example, sea turtles are a very important part of our planet’s food web and play an important role in maintaining the health of the world’s oceans.

Sea turtles regulate a variety of other organisms. One way they do this is simply by eating them. By sea turtles eating seagrass, it keeps it from growing so long that it suffocates itself. Healthy seagrass beds then act as a nursery for other marine species. So, sea turtles in a way are helping other important marine species survive by simply eating.

In conclusion, we should do whatever we can to help save turtles from the dangers of hypothermia because if we don’t we could lose a lot of marine species such as sea grass. If you live nearby this area, you could help take turtles to rehabilitation centers. If you don’t live near by you could donate money to any of the facilities that are working to save turtles.

Australia Social Media Ban.

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Australia Social Media Ban.

Does a social media ban protect teens, or does it strip away their digital rights? Australia certainly thinks it will protect teens. Australia is planning on banning all social media platforms for anyone under the age of 16. Is this the end of digital freedom for teens?

For years many people have been asking themselves the same question…How do you remove children from the harms of social media? 

Australia thinks that they have found a very simple way to do this by banning social media for young users under the age of 16. But in reality, this could be a very difficult resolution. 

The leaders of all of the 8 Australian states have backed the plan to ban social media such as X, Tik Tok, Facebook, and Instagram to users until they have their 16th birthday. Although the smallest state, Tasmania, would have preferred the age to be 14. 

Many of the citizens are very concerned about the impact the ban could have on the young teens.

 One of which being a 17 year old boy named Leo Puglisli. Leo is an Australian journalist who when he was 11 started his own news channel.

 On his news channel, Leo stated, “With respect to the government and prime minister, they didn’t grow up in the social media age, they’re not growing up in the social media age, and what a lot of people are failing to understand here is that, like it or not, social media is a part of people’s daily lives,”.

Government’s perspective

Just like Leo Puglisli said, the officials that are planning the social media ban did not grow up with social media in their lives.

From the officials’ perspectives, the social media ban makes complete sense. They believe that if they limit what teens can do on social media for a period of time, they will be helping keep them safe from the dangers of social media for as long as they can.

An expert said, “Access to social media does not have to be the defining feature of growing up. There is more to life than constant notifications, endless scrolling and pressure to conform to the false and unrealistic perfectionism that can be served up by influencers”.

There are many opinions about the ban, some being more passionate than others, and many think that the social media ban will change teenagers’ lives for the better.  

Teen’s perspective

But if you look at this situation from the perspective of a teen, you see that this will be completely changing their lives. Teens have grown up with social media, and don’t know what life will be like without social media. 

Many of the young teens have said that the ban would actually make life harder for them and isolate them further. 

One of these teens is someone named Kioko, he said, “Being autistic, I have a really, really hard time connecting with others and doing that online makes it a lot easier.”

Teens like Kioko are what experts say are a blind spot in the government’s plan to ban social media. Adding an age block to social media would mean cutting off support to teens that benefit from social media.

 

In conclusion, there are a lot of different perspectives and opinions about the social media ban. There are pros and cons to whether they ban social media or not. The ban could greatly benefit teen’s lives, or it could make life a lot harder for them. Will the ban be a protective shield or a digital barrier? Only time will tell if this bold move protects or stifles the voices of tomorrow.  

2 Best Candy Bars

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2 Best Candy Bars

Did you know that there are 200 different candy bars world wide! Everyone loves candy bars, whether it’s Hershey’s chocolate or its Kit Kats, everyone has a favorite. I will tell you the 2 best candy bars and why.

Snickers

Snickers is overall the best candy bar ever made. 

Snickers History

The candy bar Snickers has been around for a very long time. Snickers dates all the way back to 1930.

In 1930 the very first Snickers candy bar was created. Frank Mars and his son collaborated and ended up making what is known as today, Snickers. Frank Mars lived in Chicago where he sold his first Snickers candy bar for 5 cents. 

It is also said that Frank, allegedly,  named his candy bar after a horse named Snickers.

In 1967-1990 the Snickers candy bar was originally called Marathon Bar in the UK and Ireland. In 1990, its name was changed to Snickers to align with the global brand.

In 1968 the Fun Size Snickers was created. Following this, there was an increase in satisfaction levels world wide. 

In 1984 Snickers became an official sponsor of the Olympic games. That year we took gold in a lot of events.

In 1989 Snickers released the Snickers ice cream bar. The Snickers brand is forever changed.

Lastly in 2013 Snickers passed $1 Billion in sales in the US. 

What is in a Snickers candy bar? 

The Snickers candy bar is made of many delicious ingredients one of which being Milk Chocolate. Milk Chocolate consists of cocoa butter, sugar, chocolate, skim milk, lactose milk fat, and soy lecithin.

Aside from the Milk Chocolate, Snickers also contains peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, palm oil, skim milk, lactose, salt, egg whites, and artificial flavor.

“The well known nougat topped with caramel and peanuts is covered in milk chocolate. It’s one that ‘really satisfies’” Obviously, with a combination of all these ingredients, the Snickers candy bar is truly a delicious treat.   

The Company 

The Snickers candy bars are made and sold by the company Mars Inc. According to 24/7 Wall Street, more than 400 million Snickers are sold each year. This means that the annual global sales of Snickers is over $380 million. Snickers is widely considered the best selling, and tasting, candy bar in the world. 

Twix

Twix is the second best candy bar ever made.

Twix History

Twix was first made in the United Kingdom. In 1967 the brothers Earl and Seamus, released Twix out into the world. 

In 1976 and 1979 Twix was introduced to the United States Of America.

In many countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, e.t.c., the candy bar Twix was called Raider. The name was changed to Twix in 1991.

Left vs Right

Twix wasn’t always divided into left and right. The brothers Earl and Seamus had a dream of combining a biscuit, caramel, and chocolate into one beautiful bar.

But as they developed their idea, both being perfectionists, they had many disagreements. Some of which being the chocolate-pouring technique and the caramel consistency.

As the Twix unveiling was getting closer, their tempers got higher until they reached a breaking point. Unable to reach an agreement, and neither wanting to give way, the brothers had no choice but to divide the company.

Earl tried to go as far as possible from Samus to establish his business but ended up only yards from Seamus’s chosen location.

Both brothers had very different ideas for their chocolate bar so they decided to call one Left and the other Right.

The Left Twix became a crunchy biscuit base which had caramel flowed on top then was bathed in chocolate.

The Right Twix was a cascade of caramel on a crisp biscuit then cloaked in chocolate.

Seamus and Earl were never meant to make chocolate together so never again will a Left Twix and a Right Twix sit beside the other again. 

Sales

Twix is a very delicious candy bar. About 161 million Twix candy bars are sold each year. Which means that Twix brings in about $ 169.9 million. Twix sits right in the middle of the top ten best selling candy bars in the world.

Truly Twix is an amazing candy bar, from its history to its flavor, Twix is the second best candy bar in the world.

In conclusion, many different kinds of candy bars are delicious but Snickers and Twix are by far the best.

2 BYU Women’s Athletes That Have Gone Pro

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2 BYU Women’s Athletes That Have Gone Pro

In 2023, in Provo Utah, five very skilled BYU women’s soccer players were drafted by professional soccer teams. I will be highlighting two of the athletes: Brecken Mozingo and Olivia Smith-Griffitts. 

Brecken Mozingo

Brecken Mozingo was one of the five soccer athletes who were drafted. She was drafted by the Utah Royals in 2023.

Brecken Mozingo is in her senior year in college. Her number on her jersey was #13, she played forward and midfielder on her team. Brecken Mozingo has three younger brothers who she grew up with in Sandy, Utah. When Mozingo was younger she played the violin for 8 years and loved to be in nature.

Before BYU

Before Brecken came to BYU she went to school at UCLA in Oregon. While she was there she was awarded the UYSA/Tosh Female Athlete of the Year. She played on the USYS 01 All-Star Team in 2016. She made it to the Utah State Cup Championships twice. The team she was on was also 2x Region IV Champions. 

Accomplishments

Brecken Mozingo has accomplished many things, some of which include playing in BYU’s only two College Cups in 2021 and 2023. In the article “Five Cougs Drafted” it says, “Mozingo was also selected for the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team and received NCAA Division 1 First Team All-American honors”

Brecken Mozingo has even made it into the BYU record book. Brecken Mozingo’s 36 career goals are ranked No. 10, while her 37 career assists puts her at No. 4 overall. With 294 career shots, she finds herself ranked No. 5 in BYU’s record book. When Brecken was in High School, she set a school record at Alta High School with 38 goals.

Brecken Mozingo contributed a lot to the BYU women’s soccer team. For example, in one season she led the Cougars in 14 goals, 15 assists, 43 points, and 89 shots. All of these accomplishments clearly show how and why the Utah Royals drafted Brecken Mozingo.

Olivia Smith-Griffitts

Olivia Smith-Griffitts was one of the soccer players who were drafted by a professional team. She was drafted by the Utah Royals in 2023.

Olivia is in her Senior year in college, and she plays as a defender on her team. Her number on her jersey was #2. Olivia has five siblings and she was born in Eagle, Idaho. Her favorite things to do are play soccer and pickleball. In 2023 Olivia married Kyle Griffitts. When someone asked her why she chose to go to BYU Olivia said, “I love the environment and that I will be able to keep the Sabbath day holy while still playing the game I love.”

Before BYU

Before Olivia came to BYU some of the achievements she earned in High School were the Golden Boot Award, High school MVP, top goal scorer and most assists. She also made it onto the All-State First Team, the All-Conference team, and the All-State Second Team. From 2014 through 2018 she was the ECNL and the Academic All-Star. Throughout her career she has been a 4x State Cup champion and a 2x ECNL national playoff qualifier.

Accomplishments

While Olivia Smith-Griffitts was at BYU she started in 79 games and one year she played a total of 1,575 minutes. While playing against their rival, Utah, Olivia had 8 assists even with a brace. The top-drawer soccer listed her as one of the nine NWSL Draft sleeper picks.

Olivia Smith-Griffitts did a lot to support the BYU Women’s soccer team while playing a defensive position. She helped secure nine victories and a trip to the College Cup for the second time in three years. The Utah Royals made a great choice in drafting Olivia Smith-Griffitts.

The Utah Royals have made great decisions in choosing these two athletes. Both are very skilled and committed. They will contribute a lot to the team. Do you think that they will make a difference?