Author: mushuoo

Bang Bang

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How is it possible that two people on the “Do Not Fly” list can purchase guns and ammunition?

How is it that these two people can then take those weapons to shooting ranges and practice for what would be another mass shooting?

How is it that there are loopholes like this in the system that can be so easily manipulated that 14 people loose their lives because these two dedicated terrorists decide to shoot up a building full of innocent people?

I don’t think anyone has answers, but I think it’s about time we figure out why this catastrophe was even possible.

The number of mass shootings that have occurred in the United States alone in the past year is ridiculous, people have such easy access to weapons that there is truly​ no border on what people can purchase.

We attempted to control the use of guns, but in all actuality, we are violating the second amendment in our Constitution.

So where is the middle? Where is there a safe, yet Constitution-abiding law that gives U.S. Citizens the right TO bear arms, but also puts a cap on who can purchase these deadly weapons?

I think we need to look deeper into the situation- if you are NOT a U.S. citizen, but live here, you should not be able to purchase a gun. If you have a past mental illness history, you should​ not be able to purchase a gun. If you are under the age of 18, you should not be able to purchase a gun.

This is all speculation.

Dealing with the issue of gun control and implementing laws that have the possibility of changing U.S. citizen’s second amendment rights is sensitive, but necessary for our safety.

Until It Happens To You

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Photo Credit: http://www.lawyer.submitinfo.com (not my accident)

Before every Thanksgiving break, the Ojai Valley School’s upper campus receives a speech from headmaster Mr. Cooper about safety. This talk consistently includes the statement, “the most dangerous thing you can do it get in an automobile.”

I listened attentively, but never truly comprehended how accurate Mr. Cooper’s statement was.

On the first night of break, I got into a car accident.

Although it was much more complicated than just an accident, I need not go into detail about the chaos that followed.

I am okay and that’s all that matters.

I write this blog simply as an attempt to open the eyes of other young drivers, like myself, and help them realize that have a license is absolutely NOT a right, it is a privilege.

All it takes is one split-second to change someone’s life forever. Whether it is your fault or the other driver’s, the physical and mental damage affects every person involved.

It is not that I didn’t take my parent’s advice about driving seriously, or that I did not do well on my driving test, but it was honestly an accident, hence why they are called “accidents”, not “on purposes”.

From the age of 16, we drive these large, metal death-traps around, unaware of the mass amount of damage that can be caused by them. We are taught about the dangers of drinking and driving, and speeding, but none of us knows the honest abilities of our cars until we experience it for ourselves.

Currently in recovery mode, I have the daunting task of deciding how to continue as a driver and monitor the collateral damage that has come from this event.

You can do everything possible to prevent accidents from happening, but every time you get in a car, you are choosing to take that risk. Stop for a second next time, and evaluate what you are capable of as soon as you turn on the engine.

You never think it will happen until it happens to you.

 

 

ISIS CRISIS PART TWO

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Photo Credit: http://www.wnd.com

If you haven’t read Isis Crisis (part one) you probably should right now.

This week’s attacks on Paris have left me stunned beyond all belief. I cannot believe that ISIS has progressed to the point of being able to get bombs into supposedly relatively high security countries.

I can fathom how it is that these terrorists are able to commit these acts, but one though ticks me to the point of obsession; WHY is it ISIS commits these attacks.

How is it that people get so desperate that they result to killing others as a measure of success?

As I sit here writing this blog, I attempt to wrap my mind around the thought-process of an ISIS terrorist.

As terrible as it is, I want to know why people are driven to commit these acts of violence.

Is it religion? Resources? Simply the way this group of people was raised?

Hilary Clinton offered a very well-explained option as a next step in the fight against ISIS; more allied plans, more airstrikes, and a “broader target set”.

This seems to be the most logical idea that has been expressed, and I hope she is taken seriously, because it’s time we start shutting this down.

 

Talentless Trump

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Photo Credit: http://www.cnn.com

Watching the race for president this year has been painful. We have two especially… interesting candidates; Dr. Ben Carson, an extremely close-minded neurosurgeon, and Donald Trump, the crazy businessman.

Dr. Carson… where do I start?

His opinionated mentality continues to remain one sided as he plows through in the race. He has openly expressed his opinions on some of the most popular topics at the moment, which includes transgender and gay rights.

In reply to the suggestion that transgender men and women should be able to use the bathroom of their new sex, Dr. Carson said, “It is not fair for them to make everyone else uncomfortable,” which, as I would imagine, is frustrating to transgender men and women everywhere.

He suggested that there be a separate bathroom made for transgender people.

Yet again, history repeats itself.

The second candidate of the terrible two is Donald Trump.

I could write for hours about how ignorant he truly is, but instead I shall focus on the most recent issue he has struck the U.S. with: Starbucks cups.

Yes, Starbucks coffee cups.

In Trump’s opinion, Starbucks coffee cups should say “Merry Christmas” rather than “Happy Holidays.”

What?

Is there only one holiday celebrated this winter? Nope, there are three major holidays celebrated in the U.S during the winter holidays; Kwanza, Christmas, and Hanukkah, NOT JUST CHRISTMAS.

Although my family celebrates Christmas, as I am assuming Trump’s does too, it is ridiculous to insist that there be one of these three holidays publicized by companies.

I am disappointed in how narrow-minded both of these Republican candidates are.

Good luck America!

Daniel Kish – The Sonar Man

mushuoo
Photo Credit: tedconblog.files.wordpress.com

During my psychology class my editor and friend, Kendall Shiffman, and I watched a video about a man who can see using his “sonar” abilities.

Daniel Kish is completely blind and has zero sensitivity in his optical nerves. He has been blind since he was 13 months old.

Because of this he has a “freedom stick”, which is a much longer cane than most others, that he uses to sense the objects around him.

Although he has his freedom stick, he has developed another ability which allows him to be even more aware of his surroundings; clicking, a form of echolocation he has developed to sense the world around him.

Discovering this, I attempted to click my way up the stairs to my next class…which didn’t end well.

His echolocation abilities, much like a bat’s, develop an image in the mind that can distinguish shapes, giving Kish the ability to walk, ride a bike, and run without a stick. Rather, he just needs his tongue.

This beautiful ability Kish has created fascinates me. I wish I could, for a day, see what Kish sees; find sight in the darkness called blindness.

What’s Next?

mushuoo

Throughout the past hundred years, a multitude of advancements has been made by man kind. We have iPhones, cars, super thin laptops, and jumbo jets that can fly 400 passengers across the Atlantic in ten hours.

Photo Credit:. iytimg.com

Self-driving cars and hover boards are some of the latest innovative items being produced. Although these items are incredible; what is next?

I feel as though something incredible is about to be revealed. Something is being worked on somewhere by some company that will change this generation – but I have no clue what it is.

I have a couple of ideas as to what this new revolution will be; cars that hover above the ground, computers that have holograms to type, or locks to our doors that scan our fingerprints to allow admittance.

I ponder about what is to come soon, hoping it will exceed my expectations.

Ideas, anyone?

SAT TESTING ROUND TWO

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Photo Credit: http://www.educationnews.org

Today I came home to hear some of the best news I have all week.

President Obama hates standardized testing almost as much as I do.

The Obama administration has come up with a new plan for standardized testing; capping standardized testing to 2% of classroom time.

Someone finally understands the pressure.

I have spent the past week agonizing over my latest SAT scores.

After receiving a score that I believe it so sub-par to the standards set, I sat in my room for hours and considered my options: maybe I won’t get accepted to any colleges, maybe I should just give up now, maybe I should spend an extra three hours a day studying for this test.

For this is a test that does not demonstrate the magnitude of what I have learned throughout the course of high school, but a test that displays how well I can adapt to it’s irrelevant questions.

Questions that are completely meaningless in the grand scheme of things, questions that do not reflect how intelligent I am, or how successful I will be in my college career.

Rather, this test gives college admission teams the ability to put my knowledge into a category of advanced or average.

The pressure I have felt throughout the past four years of my life to meet the “above average” score of this test is obscene.

I have spend countless nights laying awake in my bed wondering if the work I have completed in the last four years will be dismissed because of an average test score that I have earned through sitting at a desk for four hours.

The standardized system is flawed.

There is no standard anything for a million adolescent brains that function at different paces and in different ways.

SAT SCORES OH NO

mushuoo
Photo Credit:http://hyperionlearning.me/

After years of mentally preparing myself to endure the most mentally draining four-hours of my high school career, I have just completed taking a second SAT test.

I have so many thoughts about this tedious task that every high school student in the United States is required to do.

I think it is ridiculous that a standardized test score can determine a student’s future. A good student with a high GPA and a lot of extra curricular activities can get an average score solely because they might not be the best test taker, but that one test score has a large weight on which colleges accept them.

I do not fully understand why standardized tests have become a way of determining students academic careers for such a long time, or why they have become of such a high priority. Although most colleges look at students holistically, California State schools consider students purely on GPA and standardized test scores.

However, I understand the reasoning behind standardized testing; giving students a chance to show the general academic knowledge they have accumulated in high school.

But why does a test have to be the only thing that proves a student has gained knowledge? Why is it that the pressure to get a high-test score can consume a student’s conscience for months so that they focus all of their time studying for one generalized, tricky test?

I know, because it consumed me.

American Airlines Craziness

mushuoo

Two major events have struck American Airlines this week. Lets recap:

Photo Credit: upload.wikimedia.org 

Today, October 5th, at 7:10 am American Airlines flight 550 landed in New York mid-flight for the last reason anyone would expect: the pilot passed away mid-flight, the name of the pilot and cause has not been announced.

During the flight, the pilot became unresponsive, at which point the co-pilot took over and was able to safely land the plane in Syracuse, its original destination was Boston.

This unfortunate event was completely unforeseen, thank goodness the co-pilot was proactive and able to get all 147 passengers to ground safely.

Next event. American Airlines flight 31 departed from Los Angeles with a full house, Hawaii bound.

Little known fact that the Airbus A321s was not certified to fly over the Pacific Ocean. This aircraft was no correctly equipped to fly over the Pacific.

Luckily, the aircraft made it safely to Hawaii. The plane was later flown back to LAX with the minimum amount of crew on board.

Thankfully both of these incidents left no passengers harmed… just a bit shaken.

Volkswagen Scandal

mushuoo

Volkswagen is one of the largest automobile companies in the world. They are known for their reliable, sporty, and efficient cars.

But efficiency comes with a price – now that price has risen astronomically.

VW has been lying to their customers since their “clean diesel” cars have been in production since 2009.

Their cars have been programmed to cheat in emission tests in the United States, giving a false reading of true efficiency in some 11 million cars.

My recently purchased car, a 2012 Jetta Sedan TDI, is affected by the scandal. I have taken this issue personally because I chose to purchase a car that promised efficiency without an environmentally damaging cost.

Now I know this is not true in the slightest.

Even though my car is yet another material item, it is something I use every day for hours on end. I spent a lot of time thinking about what car company to purchase from, and I am now regretting my decision completely.

I feel violated.

Photo Credit: http://www.tflcar.com