Day: March 13, 2014

The Relentless Attack on Reddit

infamousdolphinLeave a comment

Breaking News:

Panic ensues as protests begin to outrage across the Ojai Valley School campus in response to a recent SonicWall block that forbids students to access Reddit. Mobs of enraged students flip cars and siege classrooms as they plea for the unblock.

Alright, it’s not that bad, but it’s getting serious. I am even thinking of sending a letter asking for Reddit back; a serious, formal letter.

Asides from that, only about 1.5% percent of the students, that being 3 people have complained about this major inconvenience.

Yes, Reddit does possess some adult materials in certain subreddits, but its no excuse to block the website. In fact, Reddit has more positive impact than negative. For example r/worldnews, r/funny or my personal favorite, r/doge.

Honors Ski Trip

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

For the past three years, I have signed up to go on the Honors Ski Trip. Every year it’s just as much fun, if not more.

We start the week on Monday with a six-hour van ride from school to Yosemite. As awful as that seems, the drive really isn’t that bad. On Tuesday, we normally go skiing. This year, we did a seven mile loop.

It’s safe to say that towards the end of the ski I was seriously considering sitting down and not getting back up. Nordic Skiing, if you’ve never tried it, is way harder than you think.

On Wednesday, we set off on what was supposed to be a hike of a little more than a mile long. We ended up hiking three and a half miles of what felt like vertical switchbacks. Basically, we scaled a mountain. Five days later, my calves are still just a little bit sore.

On Thursday, we went on another hike, which was really more of a walk as everyone was so tired from the day before. We did however lose the trail, and wound up bushwhacking through the redwood forest for a little bit.

On Friday, we packed back up and set off on the six-hour van ride back to school. Upon arriving and unpacking the vans, I’m pretty sure everyone just about crashed.

Although there wasn’t as much skiing this trip due to the weather as there has been in years past, it was still really fun. For me, the trip isn’t about the skiing or the hiking. It’s about the time we spend together in the cabins, hot tubbing and playing inappropriate or Chinese card games. We all laugh and have fun. We hang out with people we normally wouldn’t when at school. It’s not a trip you have to go on with your best friends — you can go by yourself and it will still be just as much fun.

Divergent

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

As some of you may know, on March 21st Shailene Woodley is starring in a new film called Divergent. The movie is based on of a book much like The Hunger Games. Only it’s better; at least in my opinion.

While The Hunger Games was definitely amazing, and the allusions to ancient culture were especially remarkable, the book was not quite as good as Divergent. 

Divergent follows the story of a girl who chooses the bravery faction, and follows her throughout her initiation. However, she’s not just a normal person choosing to change factions. She’s divergent, meaning that she could fit into the majority of the factions, and that the system can’t control her.

What ensues is a suspenseful story of an innocent girl learning how to fight and use her head while doing so, venturing into her first romantic encounter, and recognizing the flaws of her society. The book ends as the rebellion kicks off with a bang, but unlike The Hunger Games, the next two books are just as good as the first.

I can not wait for the movie to come out.