Too Late for a Happy Ending

“Don’t look,” said my aunt. Then, I knew instinctively to not stare at a black car passing Via del Corso near the Spanish Steps.

Every nerve in my system focused on the passing of the ominous car. As the distance between the car and me furthered, my tension finally relieved.

She as well as many other people who are either directly or indirectly related to embassies seems to recognize most of the cars belonging to different national representatives according to the number plates. Thus, she had known the car had been a possession of North Korea.

The stories that I heard of these North Korean families in Rome are fascinating but still foreign.

They bring tape recordings to places and have to be alert at all times. Despite, their national brotherhood, they constantly examine one another’s behavior. Even though they came for an international experience, they ironically cannot associate with the foreigners. Indeed, the book “1984” by George Orwell has accurately delineated the horrors of communism.

Should unification of the two Koreas happen?

This question engages much more complexity than a mere happy family reunion.

The Korean War is paused, not ended. Therefore, unification means an initiation of terror.

We, both South and North Koreans, have diverted too greatly from each other, sensing the word unification as a distant term.

Pandora Jar

Driving through the beautiful city of Ojai, I saw four people, who appeared to be in their late 50s, standing with two colorful signs. “No More War” and “Please Come Back” were the words painted on the squared posters. The bright colors might have grabbed others’ attention. However, for me, the two fingers held up by the third man from the right captured my mind.

Peace is a distant term for the victims of war. When I tried to finish my reading about the recent American field reports of the Iraq War, I could not.

Attempting to suppress my outrage, I sought to look for a bigger picture of the unfortunate misery. Then, I became increasingly curious about the existence of peace. As I looked through newspapers and other events around the world, turmoil unfortunately appeared much more frequently than peace.

According to the Princeton Dictionary, the word peace means “the state prevailing during the absence of war,” but it also represents mental state freed from anxiety.

Read More »

The Tibetan Power Release

Colm Barrett, a junior at Ojai Valley School, had never played a down of football in a Spuds Uniform. As a new addition to the school’s team, he wasn’t slated in the starting lineup, but he would soon make his impact during last Saturday’s contest against Dunn.

Barrett wearing #7, reminiscent of the former Ojai great Hunter Helman, scored Ojai’s second touchdown of the game, a post pattern on a pass from QB Gunnar Helman to put OVS in the lead 15-14.

Read More »

International Airport of India

For years Indians had been embrassed about the small size of the International Airport of India. The airport could easily be rated ‘one of the smallest airports in the world’. However, with the Common Wealth Games Being held in India for the first time in History, the job of renovating the airport was given to the largest construction company in India.

After years of struggle the airport was opened in August. Some say that the new airport was beyond their expectations. The airport now has more than 500 shops with every brand, from Chanel to Hermes available. It has further gone on to become one of the five largest airports in the World. The airport also provides comfort for its passengers as,  upon arrival passengers will be in no hurry to get a trolley for themselves, instead at each belt one trolley will be assigned and ready for each passenger on the flight.

India is very proud of its new airport. The mass number of workers at the airport also provide jobs for the massive population of India. Each day, India takes a step to progress.

180* South

I stumbled on this film last August, and was enthralled. By the end of it I realized I had felt more inspired by it than any other documentary I have ever seen.

180* South is a documentary following Jeff Johnson, a California everyman. After finding an old documentary of two outdoor pioneers that venture to Patagonia, Jeff sets out to recreate the journey. After a shipwreck on Easter Isle, he finds truth in surfing, hiking, and climbing mount Korcavado in the open wilderness of Patagonia, one of the constantly shrinking oases of our planet.

The use of camera angles, musical integration, and editing are top notch. There is a scene in here that near perfectly documents the pure suffering that is sea sickness, something which I feel everyone should be more educated about.

The movie is one part gentle environmentalism, and two parts deep introspective meditation. I love it for its interpretive message of peace. The legendary frontmen of Modest Mouse and The Shins contribute a standout original score that perfectly compliments the tone of this beautifully directed film.

Calvin Harris can See the Light

The man behind the sparkly sunglasses is a staple for any electro lover. You probably know Calvin Harris from his band’s 2007 debut, “I Created Disco.” Since then, this Scottish singer/songwriter/producer/DJ has done everything but rest on his laurels.

Harris’ live set has the distinction of universal respect from the highest echelons of electro DJs. The only other band that compares in that regard is the legendary Soulwax.
If his credentials fail to impress you, then this remix of The Hours’ See the Light should do the trick. Relax, these uniquely layered synth accents are world class. And if you’re a real stickler, his Passion Pit remix won’t disappoint.

Saudi Prince in trouble

A Saudi prince, based in London, was accused of murdering his servant and could face death in Arabia for allegations of homosexuality. Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir al Saud, 34 is the grandson of Saudi Arabia’s current king, Abdullah. The prince’s royal status will not get him any sympathy or advantage over the judges, in fact it seems like he is in deep trouble in his homeland.

The prince was accused of killing his server on February 15 in a violent attack with a “sexual element,” after weeks of abusing him. Although his lawyer, John Kelsey Fry, denies any claims of homosexuality stating that his defendant is not gay, the punishment for homosexuality in Saudi remains that of death.

Surprisingly in Arabia, it is the family and the relatives who push the courts hard for punishment because they fear that their family name will be soiled if there is no punishment. The decision for the prince’s life will be based on his family, precisely the upon the King

The Tide is High but We’re Voting On

Pot Fields

It is an exciting year for registered voters around California. Mostly because this year is the deciding year in the legalization of marijuana. It all comes down to the pot smokers of America and after November 2nd, 2010, those pot heads just might get the chance to “pineapple express” themselves more freely than ever before.

But, those free-living, foggy headed stoners may have to fight extra hard for the legalization of their favorite happy drug. Of course – as there has always been – there is controversy between pot smokers and well…everyone else.

There is clear opposition to this lightheaded lifestyle. Some people will fight just as hard if not harder (mostly because their opponents will be a bit more coherent and won’t be laughing as much at the opposing argument) to keep the oh-so-popular ‘wacky tobacky‘ out of the hands of America’s loyal citizens, and especially the hands of America’s youth.

Read More »

Horosopes

Horoscopes are a guilty pleasure of mine, along with several million people out in the world, but why?

Everyone wants to know what’s going to happen in the future, what our love life will be like, what our job prospects are like. It’s the same reason that people go to psychics, the same reason they see fortune tellers. Do these stars determine what will happen to us in the future? Maybe, maybe not.

They are simply self-fullfilled prophesies. If we’re told that something is going to happen, unconsciously our mind will try to alter our reactions, our words, and our thinking to fulfill whatever story that was told. Anything can happen, really.

Only Here

I, unlike many of my peers, have never been to public school.

I have never walked large halls, I have never seen a fellow classmate and not recognize him or her.

I went to a Montessori pre-school, and then went to Calmont School my kindergarten year.

Read More »