Cleveland-Golden State NBA Finals pick affirmed

By Ryan Smith

In early March I predicted a Cleveland-Golden State NBA Finals, and seeing one game of Round 1 is all I need to reaffirm my admittedly chalk pick. But I also said I didn’t think Stephen Curry was then a shoe-in for MVP, and that’s a pick I’ll now renege on.

No. 1 seed Golden State beat No. 8 seed New Orleans 106-99 in Game 1, but the Warriors led by 25 in the third and the game wasn’t ever close. Curry dropped 34 and willed the win over Anthony Davis and the Pelicans with the help of a team field goal percentage of 45.7 and 47 team rebounds.

Davis, who leads the league in blocks, was locked down nearly the whole game by Draymond Green (15 points) and Andrew Bogut (12 points) underneath, but he managed to score 20 late in the fourth that made it seem more of a contest than it was.

With Curry shooting lights out and backed by the league’s best defense, nothing but a meltdown could obstruct the Warriors’ championship-bound path.

Golden State is 39-2 in Oakland this year and has won its last 19 home games, so the top seed should bolster its lights-out performances.

I’m sticking with the Cavs as my pick from the East as well. The No. 2 seed topped seventh seed Boston 113-100 in Cleveland’s first playoff game since Game 5 in 2010 when the Celtics ended LeBron’s shot at a hometown title run.

But James is back with a vengeance now, scoring 20 to accompany Kyrie Irving’s playoff-debut 30 points and Kevin Love’s 19 points and 12 rebounds. It’s not the “Big 3” Miami had, but 69 combined points to start the playoffs is a good omen.
Cleveland led by 20 late in the third and 15 going into the fourth. Boston’s point guard Isaiah Thomas had 22 points, though, his performance was overshadowed by the Cavs win.

LeBron has played in 158 postseason games, which is more than the Celtics’ entire roster put together. Experience and all-around better players will help the Cavs zoom through Round 1.

The Cavs and Warriors are the odds-on bets to make the Finals; however, I see the No. 1 seed Atlanta in the East and the No. 3 seed LA in the West testing both teams in the conference finals.

The Clippers are led by power forward Blake Griffin’s 21.9 points per game and point guard Chris Paul’s 10.2 assists per game. LA’s younger talent will wear out the Spurs in Round 1, and No. 1 seed Houston won’t have enough fire power to oust the Clips, who are second in the league in points and assists per game.

James Harden has scored or assisted on 42 percent of the Rockets’ points, but I can’t see him shouldering his team to the Finals with LA standing in the way.

So I’m calling the Round 2 upset in the West. But that’s as far as I’m letting the underdog go; The Golden Suns will put down LA in five.

The 1-2 matchup in the East shouldn’t disappoint, and I’ll take the Cavs over the Hawks in six.

Paul Millsap, who is coming off a shoulder injury for Atlanta, will be forced to man up on LeBron. Millsap leads his team with 7.8 rebounds a game, and the Hawks are 28th in the league in team rebounding.

Thus overmatched in the paint, the Cavs should bully the top seed out of the playoffs.

I had expected Curry to slow down at this point, but right now he’s built up a full head of steam that he’s looking to charge into the Finals with.

Although I’m putting all my eggs in the Curry-for-MVP basket, you still want the ball in LeBron’s hands during crunch time.

James is too good, and Cleveland needs this championship too much to roll over before claiming it.

Cavs over the Warriors in seven.

What matters most in a political candidate?

BY RYAN SMITH

This week’s opinion is in response to the following comments by Thomas Sowell, a nationally syndicated columnist and academic, concerning Hillary Clinton announcing her 2016 presidential candidacy bid:

“They [Obama and Clinton] attract the votes of those people who vote for demographic symbolism — “the first black President” to be followed by “the first woman President” — and neither to be criticized, lest you be denounced for racism or sexism. It is staggering that there are sane adults who can vote for someone to be President of the United States as if they are in school, just voting for “most popular boy” or “most popular girl.”

Sowell holds degrees from Harvard, Columbia and a doctorate from Chicago, so I’m not arguing with the man’s intellect. He does, however, write from a conservative point of view, which has most likely produced this slanted insight insulting to the nation’s competence.

To claim that our voting public makes decisions based on “demographic symbolism,” defeats the purpose of a democracy and disparages the importance of elections.

Yes, there was a minute portion of individuals who voted for Obama because he is black, just as there is the same minority who will vote for Clinton because she is a woman. But assuming our president and Clinton are simply the attractive choice because of race and gender is absurd.

The comments also assume our voters are stupid enough to vote on exterior physical traits that have no bearing on running a country.

But we refute this. Those who vote care. They care enough to get in their vehicles, drive to a designated polling area, wait in line and fill out a ballot. And voters don’t do this because they consider the democratic process a popularity contest.
In the 2016 presidential election — as in every uninhibited election at any time and place in history — voters will vote for the candidate they think can do two things: hold office in a way which reflects the voter’s own beliefs and get the job done better than the rest of the field.

So if Clinton, a Democrat, is elected as the nation’s first female president next year, the results are not because of vogue femininity. If she becomes president, the majority of our voters felt like she best represents their opinions, as well as having the ability to either implement changes or maintain stasis that aligns with those opinions.

She’s the only Democrat to announce her bid so far, and the Republican Party hasn’t posed a threat with its current candidates. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida both lean too far right to win a majority of the votes. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has also announced he will run, but he’s a relative no name to the media.

But whether it was Clinton or another woman, now or 10 elections from now, some female was always going to endure criticism for reeling in the “popularity” vote. Novelty is quick to draw attention but quicker to lose it, as one attraction recedes into platitude and the next takes its place.

When it comes to electing our country’s leader, I’m fully confident “sane adults” will look past flesh and into the content of one’s actions and beliefs because this and nothing else is what makes a person — even the president.

Don’t discount a dandelion garden

BY JOHNNY SAIN

JOHNNY SAIN/THE ARKA TECH

I don’t get it. Why does everybody have a problem with dandelions? They are the preferred villain in herbicide commercials, and lawn professionals rank them as public enemy No. 1.

I may not understand this because I’ve never had a manicured lawn. What many folks call weeds I just call grass. I like the hodge-podge of different flowers that pop up in my yard, starting with the trout lily in late winter to the golden rod that ushers in autumn.

Dandelions are like the coyotes of the plant world. No matter what measures are used to exterminate them, they just seem to come back stronger. You’ve got to admire that kind of pluck in a plant. They are the ultimate survivors.

They don’t even need a partner to reproduce. One plant has both male and female equipment and the process they use for seed dispersal is genius. No telling how many yards have been seeded by 7-year-old kids making wishes.

It’s not just seed dispersal that’s impressive. When the seed germinates, it shoots a taproot down. The taproot can be up to 10 inches long, twisted and brittle as dry twig. Most attempts at root removal will result in a broken root and guess what — a broken root leads to more dandelions.

Dandelions aren’t going away, so instead of trying to fight them I say embrace them.

The dandelion got its name from the Old French word “dent-de-lion”, which means “lions tooth.” This is reference to the deep notches on the leaves. The hardy plant is found on every continent and has been transplanted to many locales to help feed honeybees. But what is really amazing about the dandelion is that it ranks as one of the most nutritious plants on Earth.

You can eat almost every part of the plant. The flowers can be battered and fried as fritters. The roots can be boiled like carrots or battered and fried. The leaves can be eaten like any other greens, either cooked or raw.

This weekend I decided our family would try eating dandelions. My daughters were thrilled as I told them that weekend plans included squatting and digging in our front yard. After more than a few complaints, they caught the spirit and seemed to enjoy it. We cleaned the dandelions along with some wild onions we found in the yard. I instructed the girls to cut them up and separate the parts. One bowl was for the flowers, one for roots and one for the greens. We then moved the greens and the onions to a skillet.

I sautéed the onions and greens in olive oil along with a little salt and garlic. When the greens went limp I pronounced them done. And you know what? They were pretty good. They were a little bitter for the girls, but I liked them.

They were way better than the mustard greens Dad tried to get me to eat when I was a kid. I suggest serving them as a side dish​,​ maybe with scrambled eggs. Combining them with spaghetti noodles and cheese sounds good​,​ too. I’m sure I’ll come up with some more combinations as well.

We plan to try some recipes with the flowers and roots as well. And who knows, I might kiss the mower goodbye and convert my whole front yard into a dandelion garden.

Cramming for success

Claudia Hall, Opinions Editor

BY CLAUDIA HALL

This weekend has been spent cramming for tests and finishing projects. Professors tend to follow the same schedule, which results in having at least three tests in one week. I’ve been observing the correlation between stress levels and GPA lately, and I realized the obvious — the higher your GPA, the more stressed you are.

But why is a GPA so important? What do you get when you make a 4.0? Satisfaction and confidence are of course results to working hard. But I’ve talked to a multiple professionals and professors and all say that no employer has asked them about their GPA.

This made me think. What do employers look for? I’ve always thought that a high GPA could set you apart from everyone else. It turns out that employers look at your extracurriculars most. Are you involved in anything on campus or are you too busy studying to make A’s on your tests?

Though it’s possible to balance a perfect GPA and hold high rankings in extracurriculars and organizations, it’s not for the faint of heart. I have battled for perfection before and failed. This semester I have been trying something different; I have joined clubs and become more involved in the newspaper. Grades are still important to me, but it’s incredible how much more I’m learning about my major by applying it to my extracurriculars rather than just filling in the bubbles of a scantron.

By joining clubs and organizations, I have made so many friends that I would have never met otherwise. Stress is still a factor in my life, but it’s become manageable. Because of this decision, I am setting myself apart from other applicants and now have multiple professors who can recommend me to employers.

The importance of a pet

BY ALYSSA DAVIS

Everyone remembers their first pet. Whether it was a puppy, hamster, cat, or rabbit, everyone can relate to the wonderful feeling of bringing home a new fuzzy friend to cuddle and love.

No feeling compares to when you ride home with your new family member in your lap. You now have someone new to tell all your secrets to, someone to play with in the yard, and someone that you will soon be making a lot of new memories with.

Pets not only make us feel great inside, they are also good teachers. It may not seem like it, but having a responsibility such as a pet can better our character. Feeding and watering a pet is obviously the most basic of chores, but really interacting and bonding with a pet can teach us dedication and compassion for another being. By doing this, people develop a routine and maybe even something to look forward to every day.

There is no doubt that we develop a level of consistency, but it is also very rewarding. For example, if a dog is put into a kennel while his owner is at work, the dog will be ecstatic to see him when he returns. Even though his master put him in a kennel all day, the dog is loyal, faithful and loving no matter what.

Forming a relationship with an animal signifies trust and companionship, both of which take time and dedication to establish. Getting an emotional connection from a pet is one of the most rewarding aspects of owning one. They provide us with love that we humans cannot come by easily.

Throughout life we connect with many pets, and it molds us into the people we are today. Many can disagree and say that an animal has no emotion, but there is no doubt that an animal can leave a paw print on your heart.

The diversity of photography: A student learns the aspects of the art

BY CLAUDIA HALL

CLAUDIA HALL/THE ARKA TECH: Using a VSCOcam filter on Instagram does not make you a photographer.

With the creation of Instagram came a wave of iPhone-ographers. By taking an artsy photo of a flower and using a VSCOcam filter, you’ve got yourself a hundred likes. If you are one of these people, I’m not condemning you. I do it too. But I don’t consider this photography. There’s a lot more that goes into photography than just snapping a cool photo.

I’ve been pursuing photography for eight years now. When I started out, I used a small point-and-shoot camera and took photos of nature. A few years down the road, my parents surprised me with a Canon Rebel XS, which is a DSLR (one of those fancy large black cameras) but not a high end one.

During my sophomore year of high school, I started a business. I wish I could show you all of my horrible photos that I once thought were incredible. I didn’t actually know how to use my camera if it wasn’t on automatic settings. Though I was improving every day, I didn’t have actual control over my camera. This went on until last semester when I decided to take a photography class. In the course of three months, I learned all the technicalities of photography.

There are a lot of things you have to think about when taking a picture. Aperture controls the amount of light let in, also known as the depth of field. The shutter speed controls how long the shutter stays open, or how much data is recorded.

There are so many different effects you can achieve. If you leave the shutter open for a long time, you record more movement. If the shutter is open for a split second, everything looks frozen in time. The lower the aperture, the blurrier the background. The higher the aperture, the more in focus the background is. There are an infinite number of ways to take the same photo, which makes it even more challenging. I’ve only just brushed the surface of understanding the vastness of it.
During every photoshoot, I think I’m doing a fantastic job. But afterward when I’m looking at the photos on my computer, I find 10 things I could have done better.

But that’s the beauty of photography. Right when you think you’ve mastered it, you get a dose of reality and get to learn even more.

A view from the backroads: In beardedness is the preservation of the wild

BY JOHNNY SAIN

Though it may look like it in this photo, I’m not mad. That’s just the way I look unless I’m smiling. Christine, my wife, asks me all the time why I’m mad and never believes me when I say I’m not. I guess it’s the heavy eyebrows. Anyway, the purpose of the picture is to show you one of my annual rituals. A ritual that my wife looks forward to every autumn (not true, that should have been typed in sarcasm font). It’s the annual growing of the beard.

This is really a misnomer because I haven’t been truly beardless since 2002. I shaved it all off that summer for who knows what reason. It was a bad decision, and one that I won’t make again. I felt naked and powerless — like part of me was missing, like Sampson must have felt before he had his peepers gouged out, but I digress. No, the annual growing of the full beard is my transition from a summer coat (goatee minus the mustache) to the luxuriant winter coat of a full beard. In order to balance things out, I also let my summertime-cropped head hair grow out. It’s a tradeoff to keep the wife happy. She hates the beard but likes the longer locks. In short — razors, scissors and trimmers are put away until spring except for the occasional clipping of a rouge whisker and neck shaving. Neck beards don’t bother me, but I’ve learned where the boundaries are in order to keep everybody happy on the home front.

I don’t sport the beard as a fashion statement, and I was growing a beard when the only way to watch the Robertson boys from Louisiana was on a “Duck Commander” VHS tape. No, the beard is beyond skin deep, so to speak, despite its physical epidermal origins. I am the beard, and the beard is
me.

It’s been hard to put my finger on the reasons why a full beard was so important at this time of year. Dad always had a beard, and he let it to grow shaggier during deer season long before no-shave November. Maybe that’s part of it. And I’d like to think he did it for the same reason I think that I do. It’s a rewilding
of myself.

The full beard is a snub to the neatly manicured standards by which we men are judged job worthy, trustworthy or even respect-worthy. A well-heeled businessman once told me that a bearded man had something to hide. This logic was passed down from his father, another well-heeled businessman that had likely never tasted fresh from-the-carcass deer steak or heard the pleasant “shnikt” of a red oak stave splitting under the maul. It was all I could do bite my tongue and walk away.

There’s evidence that uncut facial hair and head hair are vital extensions of our sense of touch. There is an interesting article about Native American U.S. soldiers trained for tours in Vietnam to back this up. At the very least they are God given parts of the body, and as such play valuable roles in our lives outside the confines of society. I’m going to go out there a bit further and say that I’ve experienced similar heightened awareness during the fall and winter months. I’ve always thought it was because I was in predatory mode, but maybe I’m in predatory mode because of the beard and hair. Hmmm…

I’m not going to shave it off to find out. Somebody else can run that little experiment.

But beyond the possibility of tangible benefit, the full beard is a physical symbol of my mental transformation as the days shorten and the air becomes crisp. It’s a symbol of my return to the wild for another season of blood trails and wood smoke. It’s a symbol that I’m taking the road less traveled and that the approval of a society gone crazy over appearances is something that I do not require.