Author: weirdjenny

Apple’s future

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nullApple CEO Steve Jobs is taking his second leave of absence from the company in two years. Due to his medical condition, Steve Jobs has asked the board of directors for granting his request for leave of absence.

However, as he is focusing on his health, he will still serve as CEO and stay involved in major decisions for the company. Tim Cook , who is Apple’s chief operating officer and the genius behind Steve Jobs, will take control of the company while Steve Jobs is absent.

It seems that there is no such a big problem for the world’s largest tech company. However, now there major concerns are whether Apple will still be able to produce innovative products without Steve, and whether will Steve’s health will affect Apple’s Stock or not.

Ocean Acidification

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nullThe greenhouse gas: CO2 not only influences our climate but also affects our ocean ecosystem. Each year, billions of carbon emissions from fossil fuels are absorbed by the ocean, and this will gradually turn the water into more acidic. This will greatly affect the calcium-based species, such as crabs and shrimps, which are the primary food sources for many marine animals. “We are seeing an overall negative impact from ocean acidification directly on organisms and on some key ecosystems that help provide food for billions,” said Carol Turley, a senior scientist at Britain’s Ocean Acidification Research Program. Many people have thought that the greenhouse gas we produced will only influence species on the ground and in the air; however, they are wrong. The evidence shows that those gases will affect the entire planet.

Neutron Bomb

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nullSamuel T. Cohen, who designed the neutron bomb, which intended to kill people but do minimal damage to structures, died from stomach cancer on Sunday.

Cohen  first introduced this bomb in 1958. As one of the scientists in the Manhattan Project, he has realized that the regular nuclear bomb has killed too many innocent lives and numerous of constructions. So this inspired him to invent this new technology.

Neutron bombs use tiny particles which can penetrate buildings without any big damage but kill humans by attacking their nervous system. Moreover, it has shorter nuclear contamination than the regular nuclear bomb. However, many ethicists have questioned that this weapon is designed to destroy only life. Samuel argued that “this is the only nuclear weapon in history that makes sense in waging war. When the war is over, the world is still intact.”null

secret snow flakes

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After the Thanksgiving is the Christmas, which means my favorite event is coming, The Secret Snow Flakes.

The event is that everyone at the school needs to draw a name tag from the bags, and give the person you get a gift everyday in one week. No one knows who they will get. They might get someone who they never talk to or someone they are already close to.

However, if some students told other people who their secret snow flakes are, it will ruin the whole event, because the person who receive the gifts is supposed to guess who is his or her secret snow flakes at the end of the week. However, no matter the person keep his or her secret or not, the main point of this event is to bring the entire community together.

different reactions

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On November 18, the varsity boys’ basketball team try-out results were announced. Only 15 players out of 25 were admitted onto the team. There are two totally different kinds of reactions for those participants who didn’t get admitted.

Some of them are complaining why they can’t get in, and they said their basketball career is done. However, others are willing to accept the results, and they said they are going to go for the manager position.

The team has offered 7 managers position for those people who didn’t get into the team. And the coaches had stated that the managers will have the opportunity to participate in the practice, and when some of the players are injured, the managers can have the opportunity to play on the game too.

So I encourage those people who didn’t get in should not get disappointed because your basketball career has not ended!

exchange peace

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After holding many fund-raising events for Invisible Children, student council encourage students to participate in the Exchange Peace event. We can make peace pals with students from all over the world. Last year we exchange with students in Uganda.

This year we are going to exchange with students in India. It is very easy for students to be one part of this event. Every student receive a little card which requires them to draw a picture related to peace and write a short message to those students.

We will send the cards to India and later the Indian students will send the same cards to us. Although it is just a simple card exchanging event, the meaning for this event is to create a global peace, because there are still many children like those in Uganda are suffering from the civil war in their country.

try out

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On November 8, winter sports season officially started. Unlike last year there was dream team which is for students who don’t want to play in the game, this year there is only varsity boys basketball team. 25 students have signed up for joining basketball team. However, according to the coaches, Mr. Weidlich and Mr. Benigar, we only can have 15 people in the team. In order to choose those 15 players, the coaches have offered all the players a one-week try out session.

”How to choose those 15 players? First of all, we are going to look at the effort you put in this week. Second, is your skill.” said Mr. Benigar.

The session includes tons of sprinting, shuttle run, four corners, slides, changing directions, basic skill training, and scrimmage. Some of the former cross country runners said that the practice makes them as tried as running 3 miles. However, surprisingly, none of the students quit, because they want to be one part of the team, even the least skilled player.

As one of the leaders in the team, I asked Mr. Benigar that if we can keep all the players, because I felt that they all really love to play basketball. If we cut them and tell them to go to other sports, they are not going to practice that hard in other sports. So why don’t we just keep them all, because at least they are willing to work hard in basketball. However, the coach said that he is also surprised and appreciated that no one quit during the first week, and he realized it is very brutal to tell people that they can’t play their favorite sports, but we only have two coaches, it is not efficient to practice with this many of people.

Although I understand that it is difficult for the coaches to make this decision, I still hope that everyone can get to play their favorite sports.

kill two birds with one stone

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Recently, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power(LADWP) has come up an idea to reduce the severe dust storm in Owens Valley: Build a massive solar power plant there.

This project would have two major benefits. The power plants will cover over 600 acres of the dry lake bed, which creates the dust storm when the wind blows. Before, LADWP has to let some water flow into the valley in order to control the dust storm. However, most of the dry lake bed will be covered by the solar panels. Which can prevent the wind from blowing the dust up.

Moreover, LADWP calculated that the power plants will generate over 10% electricity of California, which can support 1.5 million of houses.

respectful

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On November 3, 2010, OVS has the pleasure to hold the last Cross Country meet. Eight schools involved in the final meet, Thacher, Cate, Midland, Besant Hill, Laguna Blanca, Dunn, Cornerstone Chistian, and OVS.

About a hundred of athletes are waiting down at the big field under a big hot sunny day. Other students in OVS besides the runners are required to help point the direction for the route in several places. My friends and I were assigned at the entrance of the Meditation Mount, where we can see the runners running up the hill one by one.

Although I participated in other sports, I felt a high level of respect to the runners because I don’t think I have the willpower to finish such a long exhausted race in such a short time.

last home game

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On Saturday, seniors had their last football home game at lower against Laguna Blanca.

Unfortunately we didn’t come out with victory, but everyone put their best effort into the game. We all know that this game will be a hard one. However, every senior wanted to have a game with no regret, and other underclassmen also want to give their best to the seniors.

We run hard, hit hard, and tackle hard. Despite that we got hurt, but it is worth it in our last home game. Although we lost it, we still have our last game at Lancaster Baptist on next Saturday!