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A Summer Camp Veteran

At a younger age, I had never considered myself to be a lover of summer camp. It was sort of just a place my mother would send me, to get me to engage in more activities during the summer and to have time to herself. I would do all the activities, but complain about the bugs and the people, who could be toxic. It always felt like a bit of an embarrassing hobby, too--what's the point of going to the woods for two weeks, especially if you don't even like nature that much? Eventually, however, I found that summer camp that made my life more worthwhile and gave me time to feel less pressured. It's a place where I could enjoy myself without it being contingent on the happiness of others while around me, or on the pressure of social media.  The more time I spent at this camp, the more I realized the variety of experiences there to help me, and the amount of new things that help you relax. It’s something to be in a place where your presence is valued by almost everyone around you,...
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Why are Biological Fruits like Tomatoes Considered Vegetables?

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This is a question I've been thinking about for a hot minute. If avocados, bell peppers, tomatoes and et cetera are biologically fruits, why do we use them as vegetables in American culture? According to the image below, a fruit comes from the seed bearing cycle of a flowering plant, after the plant goes through its flowering season. The vegetable, on the other hand, is any other part of a plant that is edible, even if it doesn't flower. The difference is that biological vegetables often have more fiber and potassium, but are not necessarily way healthier. In 1893 during the case of Nix vs Hedden , fruits like tomatoes were decreed vegetables because of their culinary use, while acknowledging . The Tariff Act of 1883 decreed that vegetables would have a 10% tax due to the government wanting the people to support local farmers more. As less fruits were bought from foreign countries, there was no tax for fruits. John Nix, a produce wholesaler, wanted to import tomatoes overseas w...
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