Featured Pet & Trivia

by Rosie, 6th grade

Meet Gambit

Animal ID#: A1782347
Call (714) 935-6848 to schedule an appointment today! (Walk-ins welcome) Or visit ocpetinfo.org

Mysterious five-year-old Siberian Husky Gambit came to the OC Animal Care with a case of fly strike dermatitis. Though Gambit’s ears are now healed, he is self-conscious of his ears, which may be considered a mark of beautiful uniqueness that separates him from other dogs with normal, common ears.

Outdoors, this calm canine clearly shows his streak of hunting handed down by dogs before him by chasing birds. He sits beautifully and loves pets and treats. Gambit likes being special, and by being special, that means being the only animal that receives adoration and affection in the house. Resourceful and independent, Gambit is an ideal dog! There’s no two same dogs! This one’s special!

Animal Trivia

Q: What’s the freakiest animal in your opinion, Rosie?

A: The giant bat. Lovable but impossible not to hate, the giant bat weighs only a few pounds but has a wingspan of six feet—it is taller than some humans! Endemic to the Philippines, the giant bat is endangered because of deterioration of habitat, starvation, disease and hunting of the bats. They eat several types of leaves and even figs. Mangos and blooming flowers are also some good treats for the giant bat.

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Historical Perspective

by Mateo, 9th grade

Feb 6 National Yogurt Day; How Yogurt Came to Be

Frozen yogurt is a treat that just about everyone has tried and enjoyed. A healthier alternative to ice cream, it is a popular dessert that many people who have tried, think highly of it. Just like ice cream, it comes in thousands of different flavors and can have thousands of different toppings on it, making it a fun and diverse treat.

February 6th, we celebrate and recognize the legacy of frozen yogurt, including the impact the frosty snack has had on children and adults alike over the years. Here is a brief history of frozen yogurt, as well as the qualities that make it so delicious.

Yogurt itself was first created about 5,000 years ago in the Middle East and Asia. It was originally eaten as part of every single meal in many indigenous tribes around the area. However, the frozen treat we all know and love today was not developed until the 1970s, when a man named H.P. Hood introduced it to the public under the name “frogurt.”

It grew popular due to being so similar to ice cream yet so much healthier, and many companies began to capitalize on this popularity. The ice cream company TCBY pioneered this expansion by opening their first frozen yogurt shop in 1981, and the market for frozen yogurt began to skyrocket.

There were over 100 different frozen yogurt chains around the U.S. just three years later, and the industry as a whole garnered around $25 million by 1986. Throughout the 1990s, frozen yogurt made up 10% of all frozen desserts, officially cementing both its legacy and its tastiness into the mainstream.

Fast forward to the present day, and there are many great frozen yogurt joints located around the nation. The treat itself has evolved from a simple snack to a crazy collection of more flavors and toppings than ever.

On a more personal perspective, frozen yogurt is engraved into my own life through a yearly tradition I have. After the first day of each school year, I go to Yogurtland with my family to grab a cup of my favorite frozen food. I enjoy the fact that I get to personalize my yogurt cup to my own liking, which gives it a unique quality.

I also enjoy the wide variety of flavor options provided; not only are these flavors healthier than ice cream, but they are also unique flavors that cannot be found in any ice cream store. My favorite thing about frozen yogurt, however, is that it works so well with so many different toppings. I can dump a plethora of sweet, sour, and fruity items and almost guarantee that it will taste good every single time.

So, next time you go out to get a cup of frozen yogurt, think about its rich history and how it grew to the prominent status it holds today.

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What’s Trending

by Irene, 11th grade

Asian Stardom

Despite a 4-decade long acting career and a vast portfolio of impressive works including Crazy Rich Asians, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Lady, 60-year-old actress Michelle Yeoh just achieved the greatest milestones in her career as well as for the history of film.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24, the 2023 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominations revealed a shocking turn of events. Notorious for the lack of diversity in its line-up of winning actors and productions, the 2022 action-comedy film, Everything Everywhere All at Once racked a total of 11 different nominations, placing it at No. 1 among all other films. Winning her first Golden Globe and Oscar nomination for her role as Evelyn Quan Wang, the Malaysian-born entertainer is defying limits and setting new standards of Asian brilliance, alongside cast members Ke Huy Quan and Stepahnie Hsu, as well as director Daniel Kwon.

Recognized as a largely underrepresented population, Asian actors are seldom granted a voice in the American entertainment industry, much less awarded for their contributions. But this year, things are looking different for the Asian American community.

The film’s success is proof of Asian excellence. It’s also a powerful reminder that Asian artists hold a place in Hollywood. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/michelle-yeoh-makes-history-first-171221569.html

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Book Review

by Katie, 11th grade

Alone with you in the ether

This is a book that I have very conflicting feelings about. On one hand, I absolutely adored the lyrical writing and prose, but on the other hand, I wasn’t fully invested in the characters and their development.

The first half was heaven—I loved the characters and couldn’t wait to see how these two flawed people would grow to understand each other so deeply.

Regan and Aldo, the two main characters, had conversations about everything, from the ebb and flow of time to museum paintings to bees. In the end, I think this was Blake’s way of making sure that these two characters would not leave my mind because of the way they elaborated on these topics and added their own unique perspective to them.

Ultimately, the second half and ending of the book fell flat. I had no interest in side characters that were introduced and the main relationship transformed into something that was almost unhealthy. They were so in love to the point that they have become codependent and could not live without each other. Because of this, I lost interest in the characters and the story began to drag on.

Overall, I really hoped to love this book, but I ended up with no strong feelings about it. I would still recommend it; it’s the perfect novel for hopeless romantics to read and experience.