Apple’s future

weirdjennyLeave a comment

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.

“Tiger Mother”

pikachu041 Comment

chua
Amy Chua has been sparking controversy across the world with what she calls her”Tiger mother” approach on parenting. Her book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” describes how she has parented her two daughters. She does not believe in sleepovers, play dates with friends, or activities. Amy has two daughters.

Her publicity began when attention was drawn to her book. An article was written about her book titled “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.” In one case, the “Tiger Mother” yelled at her daughter calling her “garbage” and threatened to not give her food and not allow her to have a bathroom break because she was not playing the piano perfectly — this daughter is 7 years old….

Because of such abuse, “Tiger Mother” has gotten death threats from strangers who believe she is am unfit mother. When confronted with the facts, she stated ” My book is a memoir, not a parenting book! I think there are many ways to raise great kids.”

Among the uproar, a woman named Ayelet Waldman wrote a response essay entitled ” In Defense of the Guilty, Ambivalent, Preoccupied Western Mom.” Within this piece , Waldman touches on the fact that she believes “Tiger Mothering” is advocating child abuse.Read More »

Roommates.

theycallmedameLeave a comment

When I first went to OVS I had no idea how I would live with another person in the same room as me. The last time I did that was when I was eight and shared a room with my big brother. It was almost a year and a half ago when I met roommate. I walked into the room, number 207, with no idea of who would be in there or how I would react to them: that was when I met Polina.

She was relatively quiet at first, and I only really heard her talk when she was on her phone at night, speaking rapid Russian to her mother. But we slowly grew closer to one another, starting our conversations about music and then leading them on into the unknown. She became one of my closest friends.

When we had separated from each other at the end of our freshman year, her going to Russia and me staying in southern California, I didn’t know the effect it would have on me. I would be talking to my friends about school and instead of calling Polina, “my roommate,” I called her, “my Russian.” (I later found out that she refers to me as “my Aria” when she’s home in Russia)

This year, I was very grateful to have Polina as a roommate again. We already knew each others likes and dislikes, we never had an argument, and we practically knew what the other one was thinking. We had already been through and gotten over the awkward faze of living with a new person, and I never thought I’d be able to get on so well with someone so different than me.

I don’t know how I would have been able to make it through the long years at OVS without my roommate to help me through them.

Я люблю тебя сосед по комнате!

Stornoway

Yourcupatea1 Comment

Stornoway are a unique and individual folk band. Known for the hit Zorbing they have captured the attention of Indie and Folk lovers all over the globe. With sweet and melodic symphonies the country songs transport the listener to an idyllic spot.

Beachcomber’s windowsill is the perfect album for a sunny day. Reaching number three in the British indie charts, it includes singles such as I heard you Blink and Zorbing.

Classified as British alternative indie folk the band appeal to many. Originating from Oxford they typically portray the sounds of the British countryside. If foreigners want to familiarize with quaint English music this is the album for them.

Signed to the British Label 4AD the friends collaborate with a variety of instruments to create a sublime sound. This is a band to see live. Accompanied by a trumpeter they take to the stage awing the crowds.

With a selection of fast and slow songs their quirky lyrics transform what one would define as classic folk. Debuting at numerous festivals over the summer months including Glastonbury they have captured the hearts of many.

They are a real talent in their own right. Steering away from any real music genre they have managed to create a sound that is truly beautiful.

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Come fly with me.

YourcupateaLeave a comment

Yes Matt Lucas and David Walliams have returned. After the global success of the sketch show Little Britain they have now extended their horizons creating a new comedy to begin 2011.

In the new BBC mockumentary the comedy duo have really pulled out all of the stops to create a hit. Assuming the stereotypical roles of airport staff they mimic classic scenarios and characters.

Yes you heard me right Matt Lucas and David Walliams have created a comedy sketch at an airport. Amazing huh? This program is truly a phenomenon.

As usual the two men play the main roles, dressing up in various costumes to achieve unforgettable characters. The difficult man at customs, the gay flight attendant, and the smiley girls at checkout, to name but a few. Their powers of character observation know no bounds as they accentuate the finite characteristics of the people pleasers they portray.

The show previewed on Christmas day displaying the beginning of what has now blossomed into an outstanding sequel to all that has gone before. The show has really taken off. David Walliams and Matt Lucas are really the stars of their own reality. This is inflight entertainment at it’s very best.

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Tianjin: the Self-Sustainable City of the Future

yrreskrapLeave a comment

The environmentalist trend has struck China with a bang. No, Tainjin is not just recycling and sorting out its trash. Tianjin isn’t just implementing solar power in a few office rooms here and there. Tianjin isn’t just planting trees or building houses with sustainable bamboo hardwood. No. Tianjin is going all the way.

Tianjin is becoming China’s first ever eco-city, meaning entire communities will be self-sustainable. Surbana Urban Planning Group, the company that designed the 30 square kilometer eco-city, is revolved around environmentally friendly construction. Other projects by Urban Planning include construction in Shanghai, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

Urban Planning will be finished with the eco-city in an estimated 9 years. The new city is said to be ready in 2020 for a whopping 350,000 inhabitants to experience. The newest energy saving technologies will be used and residents will be able to choose from many landscapes, making commutes a thing of the past.

Favorite Players

smackyjackjackLeave a comment

If I had to pick my favorite team sport, that would be easy; it’s basketball. But if I had to pick my favorite athletes, that would be harder.  I have a lot of favorite athletes, but most of them are basketball players. Right now, I really like the Washington Wizards‘ point guard, John Wall.  John Wall is a rookie this year, but has all ready proven himself to be one of the better players in the NBA, and he can only get better. In just his second game in the NBA, he was one steal away from getting a triple  double. In my opinion, he deserves the rookie of the year trophy over Blake Griffin.

Switching to soccer, my favorite player is Carles Puyol. Puyol is an aggressive, long haired defender for Barcelona. He is most famous for his incident with the Queen of Spain in which he was unaware of the fact that she was in their locker room, and came out in his towel.  He is the best defender on any soccer team in the world.

But above all, my favorite player in any sport is Joakim Noah. Noah plays as the center for the Chicago Bulls. Noah may not have the most talent in the NBA, but he defenetly has the most heart. He will never give up until he can’t play anymore (which is what he has been doing recently due to an injury). 

Let the Battle Begin

shredicusmaximusLeave a comment

12/6/10 Monday Night Football. Two 9-2 teams faced each other. The New England Patriots and New York Jets were touted as two very talented and equally matched teams and the “game of the year” as referred to by the fans, was going to finally be underway. The game was billed to be a classic. Then, the football was snapped. The Patriots unleashed an almost spite driven and relentless destruction with a 45-3 shalacking in New England’s Foxboro Stadium.

Now it is the new year and on 1/16/11, the two teams will meet again in the post season. This time, the hype has been doubled. The rivalry between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Jets coach Rex Ryan has intensified and with some fuel to the fire. With tape finding its way to the media revealing Rex Ryan’s private matters, Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker made as many comments referring to feet as he could in a pre game interview. Here are some more fun pre game offenses: Tom Brady, a sports villain/QB legend has annoyed the Jet’s bench by allegedly pointing to their bench after every score in an almost taunting manner. When asked about Tom Brady, Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie said “he’s an @$$hole, f#$k him. In response to Welker’s interview, Jet’s linebacker Bart Scott told the press that “Wes Welker will be lucky to make it through the whole game.”


For more, please visit http://bleacherreport.com/articles/573928-jets-vs-patriots-10-players-to-watch-in-sundays-afc-clash/page/1

The intensity has been felt by the entire country and football fans of all ages and allegiances. With the NY Jet’s “Superbowl or bust” mantra at stake as they enter the game as underdogs, the ratings for Sunday Football on FOX will be through the roof as we prepare ourselves for the ultimate football battle (short of the Superbowl) of the year. Countless debates have surfaced as to whether the Jets or Pats will win but until then, I’m going to start the countdown to Sunday fun. I personally am a New York Giant fan, so I have a sadistic joy of watching two teams I hate fight to the death. I can’t wait.

Selfless Hero

sennymcflyLeave a comment

I wish there was more I could say about this story. I wish this post could do more than just inform you about the tragedies that people go through. I wish that this story had a happy ending. But, what can I say? There is no happy ending, only a tragic, unsettling story.

This story is about a 13 year old boy who gave up his life to save his younger brother. His brother is safe and warm and still living, but his life was lost in the flood that took him and his mother away.

Jordan Rice was brave in every way. How can I say that when I didn’t even know him, right? It turns out that this little boy was afraid to swim. Terrified of water and yet he was willing to die for the safety of his family.

There is no news article or blog post written well enough to express this boy’s heroism, but the world should know his name. So, I post this blog to inform you that recently an average 13 year old from Australia became a hero on Monday, January 10, 2011.

Jordan Rice

Age.

theycallmedameLeave a comment

Youth is something people long to get and long to get rid of.

I’ve heard people yearning:

“I wish I was eighteen, now.”

“I wish I was twenty-one!”

“I wish I was a teenager again.”

“I wish I could skip high school and just go into life as an adult.”

 

“I wish I could go back to high school; just one more time.”

But why wish would you wish to be another age then the one you are?

If you’re young, a teenager, you have so much of life ahead of you. Every move you make can lead into the next big adventure or the next life-changing event. If you miss those moments then what is life when you’re older? How would you be if you just skipped some of the most important years of your lives when you shape who you are and how you live?

And if you’re older, wishing for the “glory days” of high school and college, don’t. If you’re old, it doesn’t mean you’re uncool, it means you’ve lived through more and seen more than any of us could imagine. If you’re 103, you’re one of the strongest people alive. You’ve lived through both world wars, a depression, countless of economy scares and who knows what else? You’ve lived life, and you shouldn’t try to hide it.

So whether or not you’re old or young or somewhere in between, don’t wish to be another age. Be happy with what you have experienced and what you are about to. Cherish life, because it might be the only one we have.