Challenge 35

2. Imagine that you have the opportunity to travel back through time. At what point in history would you like to stop and why? (Swarthmore)

I would like to stop whenever in history, when there weren’t as much complication as now in life. More like when there weren’t the concept of frying eggs. When there weren’t sofas, when there weren’t TVs, when there weren’t internet, when there weren’t lights, when there weren’t machines, when there weren’t technology, when there weren’t sophisticated synthetic chemicals, when there weren’t hospitals, when there weren’t car accidents, when there weren’t cars, when there weren’t oil, when there weren’t greed, when there weren’t money, when there weren’t corruption, when there weren’t prices, when there weren’t ego and reputation, when there weren’t what’s good or bad, when there weren’t racism and discrimination, hatred, jealousy, competition, humiliation, lying, cheating, pretending, judging, clothing, trends, traditions, drinking, smoking, trafficking, slave labor,  raping, killing, wars, when there weren’t you; when humans didn’t exist; when the world didn’t exist. I want to go back to the time when the world wasn’t created yet. I want to go to “Nowhen,” like how it would be for “nowhere.”

I want a rest. I want a break from this world. I’m sick of humans. I’m sick of human civilization and industry. Therefore, I’m sick of myself too. I want to just quit. I want to ESC out of this world. Everywhere I turn, there are computers and books. I wish I was able to escape life somehow.

Well, I wouldn’t want to leave some things in life, and I will certainly look back on the few people and things I love. I wouldn't want to leave this world. But that’s why I want to leave it at the same time. More specifically, I want to be able to leave it. After all, this question offers me an imaginary opportunity to travel back through time.

Challenge 34

240. Is it better to give or receive gifts?

It’s better to receive. Much better, in fact. Not because you get something for free, not because you get to go through the exciting process of unwrapping, not because it indicates someone cares about you, not because you get something new, not because giving requires money and time while receiving is easy as nothing, and not because you gain, not lose, but because:

Giving is a great thing. It feels awesome to give something to someone. By now, you should have felt the joy that comes from just simply giving something to another person. It is so satisfying and it makes you so happy to look at the other person appreciate. It is the best thing to do. It feels good, it doesn’t harm anyone, it is rather giving to someone; it shows that you care, it makes others feel good, I mean whatsoever, giving is the greatest and the most joyous thing to possibly do as a human.

So what the hell am I saying? What point am I making? I said receiving is better but because giving is the greatest thing. So how does that make sense? How is receiving better, then? Am I stupid? Am I saying bullshit again? Am I drunk? No. Read ahead to be enlightened with the deep meaning of my statement.

If you are considerate and thoughtful enough, you will realize that since giving is such a great thing, by receiving, you are ultimately blessing the giver with an opportunity to feel the joy of giving! You are helping the giver, by receiving, do something useful in his life. You are actually giving a chance for someone to feel the joys and satisfaction of giving, by receiving. That is just awesome, isn’t it? I want my friends to feel the joy in giving, by being the receiver. I am that considerate. I don’t want to steal the chances for others to be happy and gain good karma, therefore I’m going to receive.

Since giving is such an awesome thing, and you are making the other person go through it when you receive, you are actually being considerate and awesome, and blessing that person. That’s why receiving is better.

Did I make my point? If you have a problem understanding, contact 4444444444444444444120009384758263100242696969696969696969696969696969696969.

Challenge 33

8. What single adjective do you think would be most frequently used to describe you by those who know you best? Briefly explain. (Stanford)

I think most appropriately, it would be my own name. Few people in my school already use it as adjective. I guess the occurrence of this strangeity results from my uniqueness. For example, I heard from my friends that my English teacher described my presentation to be so “<my name>.” (I got a low grade on that presentation) And few of my friends as well started using my name as an adjective to describe my speech, behavior, or writing, whatever.

However, let’s say that doesn’t count because that isn’t an actual word and I’m not revealing it anyways. Still, there are two adjectives left, yet to compete for the glorious usage of the entitlement of my awesomeness. However, none of them are really the “magnificent” or “splendid” words like how they should have been. They are rather humble, in fact overwhelmingly humble that it starts to go out of sensibility to be absolutely understandable that they are actually appropriate for me (and it’s alright as far as you get what I’m trying to say). I’m pretty sure you should be able to guess one of them by now.

The first word is “cocky.” Yeah I admit it. I am cocky. Got a problem? If you do have a problem, you should go solve it yourself because I don’t really care and it doesn’t harm me in any ways. Just like this, it’s fun to be cocky. I can’t help it, which is why I act cocky and people call me cocky. However, I’m at the moment in an inescapable state of mental maturity, due to the harsh reality of the world and depressing times, and my cockiness has been deteriorating ever since my last to last to last birthday and seventy two days after. Recently, I have been in the state of quite a hype that didn’t come from pure adolescence or candy bars, but from the uncomfortable position which I have established by trying to squeeze into the I-can’t-even-fit-in world, and helplessly struggling with its penalties that devastated my mental stability, which ultimately in result, stimulated intentional cocky behaviors which achieved just a small fraction of my past abilities to do so. This type of cocky behaviors are somewhat a way to rebel against life and draw attention from other people to show them that I’m having a hard time with my life with hints of hope that they would actually help me, which of course they won’t because they are busy with their own lives and they don’t give a sh*t. And they just get annoyed. Well-thought attempt, miserable result. Whatever, I’m cocky.

The second word that you all have been waiting for is revealed right after this sentence. “Lazy.” (Crowds cheering) Yes I’ll admit this too. I am a very lazy person. And I blame not the sofas, beds, or TVs, because I’m not lazy in that sense. I don’t usually like sitting at all – I hate sitting down for a long time, believe it or not, I don’t watch TV (unless it is playing in the lounge and I’m extremely encouraged to just take one short glance at the screen, which will  eventually tempt me to stay just until the exciting action scene is over), I don’t play computer games very much (not because I don’t like them; because I suck at them despite being an Asian), and I hate wasting my life sleeping (but I have to I’m just too damn freaking super duper tired). I think I just failed at explaining myself. Anyways, I’m mentally lazy. I can’t draw that will power out of me to do my homework or listen in class. Therefore it’s always only the first quarter that the teachers see me as a good student. After that, I just run out of something. Something I don’t even know. It’s not energy, it’s not concentration, and it’s not brains. It’s something like will power but not quite. I just don’t want to do it, I don’t like doing it, and I don’t see the point. I feel hopeless with my entire life at the end of the semester. That’s about it. And people would interpret that as being “lazy” because that’s what they see.

Article 4 (winter break)

Watching wildlife in Nepal By Trent Holden

Published: January 19, 2012 Accessed: January 19, 2012

Nepal has maintained some great wildlife till now -animals like tigers, elephants, monkeys, rhinos, bears, deer, crocodiles, leopards, river dolphins, and 867 species of birds can be seen just within Terai plains. Nepal's most popular national park is Chitwan National Park, and you can have really exciting adventure with the nature and animals in national parks. You can do the same animal-spotting trip you would do in Africa in Nepal, if you just replace lions with tigers. On of the most majestic Royal Bengal tiger is the hardest to spot. In Nepal, you can also see spotted leopards, greater one-horned rhinos, wild elephants, arna (endangered species of long-horned wild buffalo), and "the most famous" snow leopards that can be seen not in jungles but in the Himalayas along with red pandas, mountain goats, blue sheep, and yaks.

This article is quite like the one we did in journalism class for activity week. It just talks about the Nepali wildlife. Well, first of all, I just looked at the picture of rhinoceroses and clicked on it because I thought it was about their extinction. However, it wasn't.
Just to let you know, the reason I was so concerned was because rhinoceros used to be my favorite animal. I loved it. It is so big, cute, gray, and hard with really small eyes. Now, unfortunately, it changed to sloth. I always knew this animal but never got to know about its name until recently. And it's my favorite animal because it looks damn chilled out. Have you ever looked at its face? Look at its face for your face's sake! It looks like it doesn't give a shit about life. It's just so chill. Unlike you. You just care too much. I'll tell you one thing? One day you die whatsoever. So why so fussy about everything? Doesn't even matter anymore when you die. Y U NO CHILL? I swear chill the fck out, man!! It's alright. Really.
What the hell? It's so funny how you guys are so "oh my gosh" about every single fcking thing in life. Whatever, man.

Vocabs

Pristine

a. Bardia National Park is much more remote and also more pristine. 

b. adj. - belonging to the earliest period or state : original / not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted : pure. Latin pristinus; akin to Latin prior. First use: 1534
c. Woodstock students, including myself, are pristine only individually. In school as a group, we act all different, because we can't survive it if we stay pristine - which is a reason why some really innocent students and teachers don't get along with our community.

Insurgency
a. While poaching took its toll on animal numbers during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, the latest counts show numbers to be on the incline.
b. noun. - a quality or state of being insurgent; rising in opposition to civil authority or established leadership : rebellious. A condition of revolt against a government that is less than an organized revolution and that is not recognized as belligerency.
c. I must admit I was pretty insurgent to not have submitted a whole essay but guess what? That was the very purpose.

Foliage
a. The density of their habitat combined with the foliage’s orange-brown hues keep these notoriously shy cats well camouflaged.
b. noun. - a representation of leaves, flowers, and branches for architectural ornamentation; the aggregate of leaves of one or more plants; a cluster of leaves, flowers, and branches. Middle French fuellage, from foille leaf. First use: 1598
c. the thick green foliage that outlines the hills around our school.

Article 3 (winter break)

Orange juice prices hit record

Published: January 11, 2012 Accessed: January 11, 2012

Recently, the price of orange juice has risen to its peak. This was due to problems found in the quality of the products in places where orange juice production was the largest. In shipments from Brazil, illegal substance such as carbendazim was found. Brazil has the highest orange juice production of 1,440,000 tonnes. In US, where the production is second highest, the cold weather of Florida has affected trees and fruits, leaving the mainly concentrated area for orange juice production in damage. Such incidents can lead the relatively small market for orange juice in dramatic price rise.

I got my OJ. I love Orange Juice. Or more correctly, orange juice. It is great. In fact, it's the best!!! It is the awesomest human invention in history. No, it's not wine or beer or champagne, or even cigarettes. It's orange juice. It's healthy and orangey.
Orange juice is juice of orange, sometimes with pulp. Its purpose is to quench thirst, hunger, metabolism, or any desire of fruit or liquid, and provide everyone with the satisfying moments of that fruity feeling. It also makes a great breakfast in places like my school where you can't get time to eat breakfast, which is said to be the most important meal of the day. It is also the best substitute for snacks in those harsh times when the school so carelessly and heartlessly tosses us a box of cold and soggy sponge cake.
BTW FYI, I'm talking about Minute Maid Pulpy Orange or Tropicana 100% orange juice. Not Real orange juice. Real orange juice is fake. The company Real, not literally "real," you fool. That's not even orange juice. It is water with freaking truckload of sugar nicely dissolved and some orange coloring. Orange coloring is orange but it is not the orange. The orange we are talking about is the fruit orange. Both are orange and both are "same same" but "different" (quote from Kauti's t-shirt). Now this is called mindf*ck.
Anyways, I'm going to still drink orange juice no matter what, even if the price goes up painfully high.

Article 2 (winter break)

Indian Dalit icon Mayawati's statues ordered covered up

Published: January 9, 2012 Accessed: January 9, 2012

Officials in Uttar Pradesh, India, have given an order to cover all the statues and stone elephant figures that Mayawati, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has built. She is well-known for erecting her own statues and other "Dalit" icons'. However the Election Commission suggests that the statues remain covered until the end of assembly polls as it might sway voters. Her many statues and stone elephants were ordered to be covered by Wednesday evening. Some are busy trying to cover them up while people on Mayawati's side argue that the order is one-sided and against natural justice. Critics use terms such as "self-glorification" and "shameful," while Mayawati accuses them for conspiracy. Basically, there is a dispute between these two controversial sides over the case of covering up statues during election time. However, elections rules restrict images of chief ministers ahead of elections.

Living in Lucknow where I can actually see Mayawati's statues, stone elephants, and parks, I clicked on this article without hesitation. Mayawati's popular and shameful statues that they mention on this world-famous website, is a common sight for me. Isn't that amazing! Hahaha. Not really. It is something familiar so I was interested to read further on this article. And this article is certainly funny like any other happenings in India. People trying to cover statues. What the hell? Sounds funny to me. And who builds statues of oneself? That also while he/she is alive? And they freaking  ran out of sheets to cover the statues! Lol. This article is so like what would happen in Uttar Pradesh. Obviously.
India is no-doubt a fantastic country.


Vocabulary

Magistrate
a. Lucknow district magistrate Anil Sagar said on Sunday.
b. noun - an official entrusted with administration of the laws. Middle English magestrat, from Latin magistratus magistracy, magistrate, from magistr-, magister master, political superior. First use: 14th century
c. How will I possibly relate woodstock to magistrate?

Posthumous
a. Statues of political leaders are generally put up posthumously, but Ms Mayawati says that belief is outdated.
b. adj. - following or occurring after death. Latin posthumus, alteration of postumus late born, posthumous, from superl. of posterus coming after. First use: 1619
c. I think my dance club will only get a posthumous recognition.

Commission
a. Huge numbers of statues commissioned by Ms Mayawati can be seen in the state capital, Lucknow, and other towns and cities of Uttar Pradesh.
b. noun - a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties, an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner, authority to act for. Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin commission-, commissio act of bringing together, from committere. First use: 14th century
verb - to furnish with a commission, to appoint or assign to a task. First use: circa 1661
c. I was commissioned to decorate for JSB by the seniors. 

Article 1 (winter break)

North Korean Mourners, crying to survive? By John Sifton

Published: December 22, 2011 Accessed: January 9, 2012

North Koreans are "weeping, hitting the ground" at the death of the "gross abuser of human rights," the "totalitarian;" Kim Jong Il, and the article's author writes the reason for such grievance to be a probable result of the retarded government of North Korea. They torture the citizens for the smallest causes, put them in forced labor camps, and even without these in the first place, don't even provide them with adequate living conditions. The North Koreans are forcedly lamenting; like the title says, they are crying to survive.  

Following Kim Jong Il's death, prostrating North Koreans came to attention on media. From the smallest kids to the elderly, people mourned their butts off and said (rather funny) words of grief in front of the camera. A little kid seeming to be around 5 years of age was crying desperately and saying, "If he passes away like this, what will I do?" What made it funnier was the 'faking' - it was awkward like the fake injuries in soccer, although I must admit that having been forced to perform such high-level stunt as commoners, they are pretty good. I laughed watching the news. And at the same time, I felt really sorry for the people of North Korea for losing their leader. Specifically, not at the loss of their leader but the fact that they had to do that sh*t. Anyways, I would like to send my cheerful regards for the 'tearful' death of the jerk.
I sometimes wonder how weird and stupid people can get.


Vocab

Prostrate
a. Since Kim Jong Il's death was announced on Monday, many people have marveled at the mourning scenes featured on North Korean state television, made viral on the Internet: North Koreans prostrate, weeping, hitting the ground. 
b. adj. - stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission. Middle English prostrat, from Anglo-French, from Latin prostratus, past participate of prosternere, from pro- before + sternere to spread out, throw down. First use: 14th century
verb -  to throw down or put into a prostrate position. First use: 15th century
c. A student prostrated at Mr. Plonka for an A+ on his essay but ended up with a heartless F. What a shame.

Totalitarian
a. How could citizens mourn the passing of a totalitarian, such a gross abuser of human rights?
b. noun - an advocate or practitioner of totalitarianism. First use: circa 1934
adj. - of or relating to centralized control by an autocratic leader or hierarchy. Italian totalitario, from totalita totality. First use: 1926
c. Teachers are totalitarians in a class. They rule over us with the stupid system called "grade," and torture us with how much ever work load they feel like giving. We don't want them. We want to get rid of them just like Kim Jong Il. (Well, it's not that bad to be honest - I'm just exaggerating). Anyways, worst of all, we can't legally escape from them.

Unambiguous
a. North Korea is unambiguously a totalitarian state.
b. adj. - not ambiguous; clear, precise. First use: 1743 Ambiguous: doubtful or uncertain. Latin ambiguus, from ambigere to be undecided. First use: 1528
c. Everyone unambiguously believes that I abhor English. However, that possibly might happen to be false.