Fear and Loathing in India

Hey there Rocklin High. I'm so glad to see you back from Thanksgiving break. Just thought I'd maintain some momentum with the blog over break, and return to the ever relevant theme of reality.

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, a group of terrorists attacked the city of Mumbai, India...again, and again, and again.

Unlike "typical" attacks that we have seen, this was not a suicide bombing. The men moved together as a unit, attacking almost a dozen sites throughout the city nearly simultaneously.

These attacks, and subsequent hostage situations, lasted for over sixty hours, with the end of the carnage coming on Saturday.

As of yet, the reports I have seen have linked the attackers to a group known as Deccan Mujahadeen, a small time Muslim extremist group. However, the unique sophistication and timing of the attacks give us a few clues to the origins of the attacks. The men had training, and they had support from an outside force.

Sources are pointing to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) as the source of the funding and training for the reportedley Pakistani extremists.

If this is true, it could spell disaster for the already tense relations between India and Pakistan. Only six years previously, the two nations were on the brink of nuclear war after LeT attacked the Indian Parliament.

Pakistan denies any involvement, of course, but emotions are inflated, and rash decisions would be horrendous, maybe even nuclear.

I heard a reporter ask if the attackers were linked to Al Qaeda, and it makes me worried that people truly don't understand what we are up against. The "terror threat" is ever present, and ever changing. The dynamics of these extremists are fluid, and they are not all the same.

Educate yourself.

Know the world around you.

And be prepared for more and more trouble...

Patience- are we losing it?

It's easy to get frustruated and lose patience. This week I think I've really realized how patience can make or break a situation. For instance, my friend was patiently teaching me a concept and helped me understand it, even though she already knew it. Coaches patiently try to explain a new drill to their team. Well, at first it is a patient approach. Hahaha. Living in a busy and dynamic household with a large family, I have to exercise patience all the time.

On the other hand, I think some things instill impatience. I am a big texter and instant messager. For sure, I use the internet every day- from homework to myspace. Perhaps instant results of technology of any form- not just the internet- are creating an impatient mentality on users. All it takes is a second to send a text and a second to lose your cool.

Twilight

I really didn't see the big deal with the Twilight books. I'm not really a big fan of vampire books, but after all the Twilight buzz going around, I've decided to start reading them. I really want to go see the movie, but I don't know if it will ruin my Twilight reading experience. How was the movie for those who saw it?

So glad it's break

I am definetley looking foward to Thanksgiving break. I'm not going anywhere out of town, but some of my friends are going to Hawaii and Oregon. The time off will from school will just feel like a vacation. Except, I won't mentally be away from school because I'll be reading- a lot. Anyone else in AP World has the World That Trade Created Project. I'm also going to try and study for my return from break. Other than that, I am definetley going to enjoy activities since I will have free time. I'll probably be swimming- but it's nothing new. Possibly, I might start up a couple of water polo games with some of my friends or play tennis. I get to see my friend who goes to Whitney and hopefully explore the new stores in the Galleria with her and begin Christmas shopping, already. Oh, and I'm getting my permit- finally! Things were too busy to get it exactcly on my half-birthday (late October), so I'm getting it over break. It would be great if I could continue writing my story- something that I don't get to spend much time on during a typical school week. Everyone is discussing the Twilight Movie, and honestly, it seems intriguing. I'd love to read the book because my sister absolutley loved it, but I'll most likley end up seeing the film first. Even factoring in the academics, I am anticipating a relaxing, social vacation. Only three more classes to go!

Pirates are terrorists

I have been listening to the news and I am surprised that almost every day there is another pirate seizure off the coast of Africa. I am pretty sure they are not like Captain Jack Sparrow and Will Turner. I am just wondering how do these thieves and cut-throats on their little equivalent of rowboats are able to take control of an entire tanker along with its large crew. The point I am trying to say is that governments are focusing their energies on terrorism in the Middle East, when the international trade routes are being threatened by African pirates. -Albert Teplitsky

Waterpolo Banquet

After today, waterpolo activities will be officially over. Our season already ended on November 7th after we lost in the first round of sections against Loreto, but now we have our waterpolo banquet.

The banquet starts at 5:30 PM at the Rocklin Sunset Center. It's dressed to impress. I'm not sure what that exactly means, but i'm just not going to wear jeans. I'll probably end up wearing slacks or a skirt.

I have to bring a dessert for the banquet because my waterpolo number is 11. I was glad I got a dessert because it is the easiest thing make. I made brownies last night. Cooking is usually always an adventure for me because I really suck at it, but brownies from the packet are pretty hard to mess up, so they turned out fine.

I think Katie Summers is going to get the MVP and she certainity deserves it. She lead or team in scoring and played almost all of the game. As for the other awards, I really have no clue. It will be fun to find out.

Hopefully, my parents will be able to make it there. Its looking doubtfully though because my dad is working and my mom has to go down and take care of my sister. If everything goes well she will make it there exactly when it starts, but ya know how that goes.

Either way I think it will be extrememly fun. Can't wait!

St. Louis!

Last week I traveled with Mr. Casey Nichols, Sami Wittwer, Amanda Palm, Brenna O'Niel, Krissy Pope, and the Whitney High crew to St. Louis, Missourri. We attended the JEA/NSPA national convention to meet with other publication staffs and go to sessions to learn from yearbook professionals.
On the first day we had a chance to go sightseeing around the city. We went up into the St. Louis arch, which by the way is absolutely enormoussssss. We took a tiny little clostrophobic pod up to the top, then we went out into this room with windows to see just how high you were. It was crazy. Then we went along the Mississippi River and took other various fun adventures.
Friday night there was a dance. Now let me just paint the scene for you here. 4000 highschool students, in one hotel. In one room. At a dance. With no rules. Now just imagine the 4000 nerdiest of nerds, gettin lowww. I mean down and dirty to very strange techno east coast music. It was out of control. I brought the hyphy movement with Sami and Amanda, and we got some stares to say the least when we busted out THE BIRD. Halfway into the dance, the convention director came onto the microphone. "We have no other choice but to shut down tonight's dance. Ceiling tiles on the floor beneath are falling and the chandelier has even fallen. It is no longer safe to continue this dance." And that was when the apocolypse of the yearbook world took place. Thousands of very, very angry nerds broke into a riot. People were screaming, chanting, breaking escalators, breaking chairs, and causing utter chaos in the Renaissance Grand. Every floor of the hotel turned into a party. I joined in on an Apples to Apples game with 30 people from all over the country. It was amusing, to say the least. And that is why I love the hilarious yearbook world.
Oh, and gas in Missourri is $1.78. It was insane. But Missourri is also freezing. It was snowing when we were walking down the street, and I literally believed that my ears were about to fall off my head. Oh, and on the plane ride there, a flight attendant didn't believe that I was over 15 years old and almost made me move from the emergency exit aisle on the plane. It cracked me up.
On a more serious note, we went to the Best of Show awards ceremony where Rocklin High's yearbook placed third and Whitney's yearbook placed first. It was pretty exciting.
Overall the trip was filled with alot of laughs. Alottt of laughs. And I am very sad that it was my last national journalism convention.