Say Hello to Ophiuchus, the New Zodiac Sign

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I personally have always been confused with my zodiac sign. Not that I believe horoscopes to begin with, but the fact that my birthday, January 20 (don’t forget!) has been borderline with the Aquarius and Capricorn signs. Some horoscopes tell me I’m the Water Bearer, others tell me I am the Goat. Obviously, when people would ask, I would tell them I am an Aquarius, just because it sounds a tad bit prettier than does a goat.

However, a new addition to the zodiac family of constellations has shifted the dates of many other signs. The 2010 zodiac dates were shifted to fit in the new 13th zodiac sign in the 2011 zodiac calendar.

Ophiuchus is also known as Serpentarius and was an uncommon, rarely used zodiac sign. However, many claim that the Earth has changed its tilt throughout the years, it faces a new constellations. For this reason, Ophiuchus was added to as the 13th sign.

For me, this change is just confusing. I’ve always called myself an Aquarius (or at least I had the choice to call myself an Aquarius) but under the new calendar, I am a Capricorn. This annoys me thoroughly and I have my fingers crossed that Ophiuchus gets taken out of the original zodiac family so that I can call myself an Aquarius once again.

Black Swan

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swan
Over break, I went to Texas to spend time with my family for ten days. During my time there, I watched three movies in theaters, Tron, Little Fockers and Black Swan. My favorite movie by far was Black Swan with Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis.
In the movie Natalie Portman plays an innocent young girl who tries out for the part of the swan in the ballet production. The swan character must be innocent at first glance, but beneath the surface they must be dark and twisted. Unable to pull off the dark and twisted side to the character, Natalie Portman finds herself struggling. Mila Kunis is used as a symbol of the darkness inside of Natalie Portman that she has to bring out. In the end, Natalie Portman must kill the darkness inside of her, and when she does, she dies too, after her perfect performance.

This movie is a psychological thriller that keeps you on edge and makes you walk away from the theater still thinking about what happened in the film. The artistic design used throughout this film is breathtaking and it has quickly become one of my favorites.

75 Winters of Shredding in Sun Valley

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It’s 2011 and with that, the 75th winter season is underway at Sun Valley Idaho’s world renowned ski resort, known to the locals as “Baldy.”

The walkway is adorned with the flags of other countries as you cross the bridge over the Snake River to the River Run Lodge. Ski rental shops and food stands stake ground here to welcome the skiiers and boarders to another winter of powder days and perfect corduroys. If you’re lucky, someone might pay you to use your lift ticket when you’re coming off the mountain.

Home to the steepest downhill slope in all of America, (the path is Ridge, Christmas Bowl, Cold Springs) Sun Valley Ski Resort lies right in the heart of Ketchum, a quiet Idaho town located deep within the mountains. Lindsey Vonn, and John Kennedy Jr. and Arnold Schwarzenegger have cruised the catwalks along the side of the mountain, Shawn White has graced the half pipe, and many olympic skiiers throughout the generations have flown down the groomers since the inaugural winter in 1936.

I have skiied on this mountain since 2000 and the lift tickets in my family’s ski closet display over a 20 year evolution of passes. I did my first 360 and rode my first double diamond on that mountain, I have eaten at the various lodges, got caught in a few blizzards, have skiied in the spring with a short sleeve t-shirt and have had some of the best times I’ve had at River Run. Happy Birthday Baldy, and many more to come. I’ll see you again in February.

For more information on this awesome place, please visit http://www.sunvalley.com/

Happy Shredding

Welcome To the Future

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The Jetson days have arrived!

In the early 1960’s people predicted that cars would fly and a robot named Rosey would clean your house. And while we don’t walk around in skin tight jump suits and don’t have glass elevators in our living rooms, we have certainly reached a new age for technology.

We gawked when they created the iPad. We jumped when they came up with the cell phone. We screamed for the new computer technology and we gasped at the invention of the car. Now, our eyes are open from forehead to chin and our mouths have dropped all the way down to our toes at the idea of a self-controlling automobile. That’s right! A car that can DRIVE ITSELF.

Jetsons

Rosey can’t believe it either. It turns out that Mercedes, a car company known for its slick style and prestige, may have created a vehicle that will change transportation for the better and rid the world of their fear of driving.

Just think…no more reckless driving, no more crashes and – not that I condone drunk driving – but the chances of losing your son or daughter at the hand of some idiot driver can be reduced to about one in a million…well, hopefully.

The only drawback is the price. This Mercedes made car will burn a very large hole in your wallet, a big $100,000 hole. But, if this incredible new invention blows up, then let’s hope that prices will lower and we will finally feel safer on the road.

So, is this new self-operating vehicle too good to be true? Well, the idea is still very young and still a prototype, but we will soon find out. Goodbye to reckless driving, hello to the future of automotive.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/01/09/cars.future.ces/index.html

The Da Vinci Code Revealed

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Finally, after months of research, the results are here. The Da Vinci Code truly exists in one of the most famous paintings of the world, Mona Lisa.

“Invisible to the naked eye and painted in black on green-brown are the letters LV in her right pupil, obviously Leonardo’s initials, but it is what is in her left pupil that is far more interesting,” said Italian researcher Silvano Vinceti, the chairman of the Italian national committee for cultural heritage.

On her left pupil, the two letters, mostly likely to be B and S than C and E are written. S could represent the House of Sforza, where she belongs.

Also, under the right arch of the bridge in the background, 72 or L2 is covertly revealed. Some people might relate the number 72 to Jewish religion. However, I believe the number 7 symbolizes the time God took to create the world and the number 2 might signify a male and a female as most others agree in theory.

After all, the character Robert Langdon from Dan Brown’s series of novels is not merely fictional. Many researchers are now pursuing to decode the mysterious messages alluded by Leonardo Da Vinci, a genius in symbolism.

Australian National Disaster

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Many parts of the world are being hit with large and unforeseen storms, but none can match the devastating floods in Australia. The unprecedented amounts of rain have caused major floods that are devastating the country’s economy, environment and society.
The floods in the south of Australia have been going on for  a while, but it just got much worse. One city named Toowoomba has been one of the hardest hit. The floods there all started when a small valley got 6 inches of rain in 30 minutes.  The water then funneled out of the valley and caused a 25 ft. tall tsunami of water to go rushing through the surrounding area.  It rushed through Toowoomba and killed at least 2 people and 70 more are missing or injured.  The worst is still to come, however, because the water is headed towards Australia’s third most populated city: Brisbane.

The floods are also pounding other towns in the north. An area roughly the size of Texas and New Mexico is underwater (That includes many small towns and cities).  The water also is causing environmental disasters. The water has picked up pesticides and other toxic wastes and flooding them into the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s largest and most prolific reefs. The floods have also washed away farms making the cost of food go up a whopping 30% in Australia.

Why I Love United

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Over the holidays Manchester United showed exactly why I love them. If one was to watch a Man U game without any knowledge of their current league position, they would easily think they were a mid-table team. But Manchester United, full of potential talent, always does just enough to get by.

Nani celeb Manchester United v Stoke

Now many people might wonder why I would appreciate this in a soccer team, for it sounds quite outlandish. Here is why: Manchester United keeps soccer interesting. They are that team in the Premier League that at any point can do something amazing. But at the same time they are right on the brink of total failure. There are games where their midfield has no control, their defence is full of holes and their strikers don’t even look interested in scoring. And then out of nowhere that all changes, they become a team that cannot be stopped.

To many fans this would come off as being inconsistent and lacking true talent. I will not deny that their play is inconsistent but the fact that fans never know what to expect is what makes it fun.

I love to watch Barcelona play because they almost always are making spectacular passes and moving the ball around in unfathomable ways. But the reason I love Man U is that I never know what to expect when I turn on my TV, every game is a new experience, there is no “been there, done that” type of soccer.

Michael Carrick gets treatment as Steven Gerrard prepares to see red

As inconsistent as the play may have been, Man U sits atop the Premier League. At this point it is theirs to lose. but whats great about that is they very well may lose it
(I cringe to imagine it) , and that is what keeps us watching.

To read about all of the latest Manchester United news go to: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team/_/id/360/manchester-united?cc=5901

Mariah Carey’s Baby Bump

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Just a few months ago, fans noticed an unfamiliar bump around Mariah Carey‘s usually fit and toned stomach. They were curious to know if Mariah Carey’s new tummy was a sign of pregnancy. Last October, Mariah Carey, American singing prodigy, confirmed the fans’ suspicions and announced that she was pregnant. Today, just a few hours ago, Nick Cannon, Carey’s wife, announced that they were expecting twins.

Nick Cannon informed the crew on 92.3 Now Radio that Mariah had first broke the happy news to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama after a performance.

“I haven’t even told my wife I was doing this, so I am probably going to get yelled at for not getting permission.” Nick Cannon stated.

Two years ago, Mariah and Nick suffered a miscarriage and were trying to keep the news relatively secret. According to Nick of a recent ultrasound, the babies are “healthy, in tip-top shape.”

Mariah is expecting the twins sometime in the upcoming spring, and the couple have yet to reveal the sexes of their twins. Fans are anticipating the arrival of the twins. Perhaps they will have Mariah’s voice or Cannon’s rhythm but only time will tell.

Love

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In this blog, I am going to write about love. Yes, I’m sure many of those who are reading this article will know personally who it is that I will be writing about. Some may think it’s silly but, hey, a blog is supposed to be a place where you share your emotions and feelings on certain topics right?

Well, there is this special person in my life right now and his name is Kai Emilio Littlefield.  He is bit over a head taller than I am with thick dark hair, the nicest brown eyes, and a handsome smile. I started to like him towards the end of my freshman year. He asked me out on April 29, 2009 on a bus and we have been dating ever since.

In the beginning, I was at that stage where I was nervous to be on the same campus as he was, knowing that I would run into him sooner or later. I still remember the first time he held my hand and-God forbid I say this on the OVS journalism blog-our first kiss. I didn’t know it then, but I was falling in love with him.

Today, almost one year and seven months later, he has become one of my closest friends, my prince, and the happiest part of my day. Sure, we have had our ups and downs before but at the end of the day, our relationship only grows stronger and I love him that much more.

Kai is very quirky sometimes. But that’s why I love him so much. He doesn’t know it, but he knows how to make me smile and he makes a bad day so much better. His voice, his smile, his eyes, and his hugs put a smile on my face. The way he trips over his words sometimes when he gets excited is just the cutest thing. The nervousness that plagued me when we first started dating is now replaced with total comfort. That doesn’t mean I love him less-in fact, it means the complete opposite. It just means that what I feel for him isn’t just puppy love.

For me, the saddest day, I know, will be the day he graduates. The first semester is already coming to an end and the second semester is just around the corner. Soon enough, it will be graduation day, and I will see him, as well as my beloved friends, walk down that cobblestone stage. It will be the worst feeling knowing that I wouldn’t be able to see his smile everyday like I can now. But until then, I’ll just continue to fall more and more in love with his laugh and his smile. I guess this is a shout out to you Kai for being the best boyfriend (even though I know you will never be able to read this because you don’t have WordPress). I love you so much Kai!

Finals.

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All over the U.S many teens are preparing for that final week of term. Yes, we have reached the dreaded week where we will be taking our finals. Yes many are nervous, yes many are in panic, but don’t you fear because Christmas is nearly here.

The revision may seem extremely stressful, and sometimes you may wish you had a photographic memory, but I guess we can’t always get what we want.

Lets project into the future. In one week the stress will all be over. You will be waking up late, eating good food and relaxing. The merriments of Christmas will have surrounded you, and your house, as you wrap presents, decorate trees and generally have fun to Christmas classics.

Just keep this image in your mind as you revise for these exams. The effort will pay off and you will be rewarded along with the joys of Christmas.

So don’t worry be happy as Bobby McFerrin said, as it will all be over soon!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv-Fk1PwVeU&fs=1&hl=en_US]