Category: potpourri

A new law limits the age of trick-or-treaters

pikachu04Leave a comment
 

As i was watching the news this morning while getting ready for school, I was shocked when I heard about a law that limits the age of trick or treaters.

Certain cities around the world are speaking out, Salt Lake City in particular, has set a law that prohibits trick or treating past the age of 11.

Children over the age of 11 are disappointed with this law being set. Children or people over the age limit set by law may be ticketed or fined if they do not follow the law.

Sales associate Desiree Edgar, of the Halloween City store in Salt Lake said ” “I really wish we could all go trick-or-treating, but when you get more responsibilities, that’s when you have to leave things like that behind.”

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Intelligence Guarantees Success?

vabenissimoLeave a comment

With an IQ 220, Kim Ung Yong from South Korea surprised the world. He spoke fluently by 6 months, read Japanese, Korean, German, and English by an age of 2, solved a calculus problem when he was just 4 years old, and divulged his talents in poetry and painting during his childhood. He even took College courses in Korea from 4 to 7.

His IQ is an equivalent of the one of Leonardo da Vinci. However, none of these fancy titles like a prodigy, Guinness recorder, and genius mattered to him. They rather reminded himself of a “monkey in a zoo.”

Voluntarily leaving from his work at NASA at an age of 14, he looked for “his” life in Korea. Due to an absence of his elementary, middle school, and high school diplomas, he began his education from the very basics.

When he chose to enter an infamous university located in rural region of Korea despite his high score on standardized tests, the world derided at his choice and called him as a failure.

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R.I.P. Paul

smackyjackjack1 Comment

One of the world’s most beloved octopuses has died. Yes, Paul the World Cup predicting octopus  died today. Paul, of course, was the octopus that correctly predicted the outcome of eight of Germany‘s soccer matches. He also chose Spain as the winner of the World Cup. They too won. The choosing process was conducted by putting two tanks with clams inside and the countries colors on each tank inside his habitat. Whichever tank Paul opened and went inside was the winner. Paul died of natural causes at the age of 2 1/2.

Paul choosing Spain

Most expensive house in the world, owned by an Indian

delhigossipLeave a comment

The Ambanis are not just the richest people in India, but they seem to be sitting fourth in the list of the richest people in the world. After the separation of their wealth a few years ago, the two Ambani brothers, Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani seem to be doing very well in their petroleum businesses lately. However,  Mukesh Ambani’s new 27 floor house, is the hot topic of discussion these days around the world.

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Unrequited love, yes. Unrequited pain, no.

Paloma SpencerLeave a comment

When we were little kids, it seemed as though stories of love and happy endings charmed the fairytales we once couldn’t wait to read again. It wasn’t until a much older age that we discovered the hardship of a love that deemed to be unrequited. Forming sometimes from just a simple fascination, this experience of an intense, passionate longing for another has proven to be quite universal in our world today.

In February of 1993, a study conducted by psychologist Dr. Roy Baumeister of Case Western Reserve University, along with graduate student Sara Wotman, concluded that 98 percent of the 155 men and women that were tested admitted to having loved someone who did not return the same feelings. This finding, published in “The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,” has raised the unspoken question of whether the pursuer of this unrequited love was truly the only one who would imminently be hurt.

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WE ARE FAMILY

Paloma SpencerLeave a comment

On Friday, October 22, it seemed as though all the different cultures in our incredibly large world  joined together tightly into the incredibly small world of Ojai Valley School.

A “Parent’s Weekend,” as it is called at the OVS Upper Campus, brought more than just the student’s loved ones, but rather the true diversity that represents this campus.

With more than 50% of the students trekking from across the seas, our school has seem to be slightly dominated by the international students from China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Mexico, and even Russia.

As one student in my calculus said, “At OVS, it’s like the Americans are the international students.” A quote that can, with some honesty, be deemed true, is a quality of this school that I can, with all honesty, say I enjoy most.

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Time Difference

Paloma SpencerLeave a comment

More than just time. So much more.

While simply computing the difference in hours can perpetually confuse one, knowing that the people you love are on the other side of the country, or even on the other side of the world, wherever they are, is the hardest part.

I assume that I never realized the trouble with time zones until my parents. Yes, my parents. The utter adults I am supposed to hate with all my guts as a typical teenager, I can honestly say I love with all my heart.  Constantly traveling for business, I not only wish I was with them strolling through the streets of New York City or practicing my broken Chinese in the heart of Shanghai, but most of the time, I just wish I could call them whenever I wanted to.

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prep

weirdjennyLeave a comment

Spending all my parents weekends catching up the reading assignment in English 12, I found out that I am addicted to this great book, Prep. Prep, written by Curtis Sittenfeld, is one of the New York Times bestseller. The book is about a fourteen-year-old girl who leaves her family to attend boarding school. The author’s fantastic writing skill has perfectly portrait the character’s complicated relationship with teachers and her girl friends. Although I am a guy, I felt that I have really similar situation with the character. Moreover, many of the school events are as same as /o/v/s events, such as switch day and the Assassin game. While reading this book, I felt really related to my real life in OVS. So I highly recommend OVS student should read this book.

Role Reversal

YourcupateaLeave a comment

And it seems we have role reversal.

Yes while you sit in the backslash of rain I am sunning it up in England. As much as I’d like to congratulate you on the rain I feel quite smug that England is sunny for once. As the rays of sun beat down upon my face I imagine the concept of a week of rain in Ojai. It doesn’t seem right.

The five-degree climate puts a slight damper on the exquisite sun but what’s wrong with whacking out that winter wardrobe and dressing warmly. Nothing.

The concept of a sunny day means a lot to us British. The words England and Sun combine to mean one thing in the typical Englishman’s head: it’s summer again! Yes comically many will put on their shorts and get out their BBQS, but it’s not until they become acquainted with the frost bitten air that the realize the notion of a sunny day does not mean it is necessarily hot.  I must admit it is an extremely foolish perception that in the middle of autumn it would be hot. But what can I say the influence of the sun discombobulates our brains, making us do stupid things.

Oh us English. The fact the mere peek of suns makes us greatly excited is pathetic in many ways. Although at the same time joyous because something so simple can make a nation happy amongst a world of materialistic pleasures.

From Boarding Student to Day

pikachu04Leave a comment

Heading into my 11th year at OVS, also my senior year, i have been facing several changes in my life. I have realized that in order for me to transition from high school into college, there were a few things that I needed to change.

I have been a boarding student since 4th grade, thus making this my 9th year living in the dorms. I decided to become a day student myself and organized all of the pieces to fall into place. My aunt approved me as long as the money could be refunded toward my second semester which it was.

I moved my things out of the dorms only a few short weeks ago and moved back into my room at home. It is nice to live with my family for once. I drive myself in my mom’s sweet Honda Element to school each day from and back to Oak View.

Becoming a day student has given me a new found sense of independence and responsibility. I am very happy with my decision to become a day student, it has given me the space that I needed.