Fresno Celebrates Mardi Gras in the Tower

by Levi Gagliano-Bingham

Mardi Gras is a centuries-old tradition that has many stories regarding its origins. Mardi Gras dates all the way back to the Middle Ages of European Christianity as a way to celebrate the twelfth day of Christmas, better known as Three Kings Day. Over time, this eventually became known as Fat Tuesday, the day of prayer, before Ash Wednesday. It was celebrated as the beginning of Spring, before the fasting period of Easter, the day of fertility. This developed into the Christian tradition of giving up something important for 40 days, as it is the first day of Lent or the day of remembrance. This holiday is to commemorate Jesus’ forgiveness of all sins, grief, death, and mortality.

This year, Tower District hosted their Mardi Gras party on Olive Street on Sunday, March 2, two days before the actual Fat Tuesday. Floats started at 1 PM and ended around 40 minutes later. Similarly to last year, they had about 30 different floats along with many decorative sponsorship cars. There were appearances by local bars like Tioga-Sequoia Brewery, Goldstein’s, Lincoln Pub, along with many others like Bobby Salazar’s, the church, and pride communities. Just like last year, there were three hearses, but this time a Lightning McQueen car drove behind. There were a few bigger cars, like one semi, “Maggin & Son Trucking,” sponsored by Livingston's bar, which had a dancing man on the back, singing in a dress. Many of the local sponsors had Mardi Gras specialty meals, like at Irene's, for example, which was selling a Mardi Gras-themed Gumbo dinner that came with banana nut bread.

Brain Rot

by Julianna Kirk

“Brain Rot” is a term originating from the internet, referring to content that is low in quality or lacks meaningful value. Over time, media has evolved to be more entertaining but less intellectually stimulating. The vocabulary and content associated with brain rot have been particularly tailored to resonate with Gen Z and younger audiences, as it appeals to individuals who may be less cognitively developed.

There are several common words and phrases tied to brain rot. For instance, "Baby Gronk" is a nickname for a football player and is often used to describe someone with great potential. "Mewing" refers to someone making a funny face for comedic effect, while "Only in Ohio" denotes anything quirky, strange, or random. Brain rot plays on words and phrases for humorous effect and encompasses a broader form of content.

A notable example of brain rot in popular culture is John Pork, an AI-generated pig influencer who first appeared on Instagram and later became a sensation on TikTok. "My favorite types of brain rot videos are the AI-generated cats or edited LeBron James clips. I can't help but use brain rot terms; it's just too addictive," shared Jazlynn Hernandez, a student at Fresno High School.