Book Review: Swiss Family Robinson
by Tegan, 6th grade
Swiss Family Robinson, a captivating classic by Johann David Wyss, takes readers on an unforgettable journey with the Robinson family. Through Wyss’ timeless narrative style, the story unfolds as an exciting adventure full of wonder and survival. The book focuses on the father, William, the mother, Elizabeth, and their three sons: Fritz, Ernst, and Jack. Each character brings a unique perspective to the story, with William’s resourcefulness and leadership, Elizabeth’s nurturing spirit, and the boys’ youthful curiosity and bravery.
As the family is shipwrecked on a deserted island, they face countless challenges, from building a treehouse home to discovering new wildlife and natural resources. Swiss Family Robinson is a heartwarming tale that not only showcases the resilience of the human spirit, but also the impor- tance of family bonds, courage, and determination.
This beloved classic deserves a solid rating of 4.6/5 stars.
Valentine Science: The Science of Love
by Erin, 9th grade
Love is the universal language that connects us all, even animals! How do these bonds even begin? Although there is a lot we don’t understand about love, a major factor seems to be chemicals that the brain releases. For example, when you give or are given forms of affection, the “cuddle or love hormone,” called oxytocin, is released.
When you are in love with your family, pets, or friends, you form one of the types of love called “attachment.” A good example of attachment is imprinting. When an animal opens its eyes for the first time, it forms an automatic attachment to the first thing it sees, whether it be its mother or a human. Attachment releases oxytocin and vasopressin.
Romantic love is a different case — this type of love is called “attraction.” This releases different types of chemicals, such as norepinephrine and serotonin, compared to attachment. There is also dopamine, which is a chemical that has a similar feeling to when a person is on drugs. Being in love makes you feel good and want more, as if it is a reward. Norepinephrine improves attentiveness, while serotonin improves your mood and acts like hormones that create a lasting feeling of happiness.
However, when you have a crush on someone, chemicals such as testosterone and estrogen are released. This stage of love is also known as lust. Lust is more temporary than attraction because attraction is more about caring for another emotionally and mentally than just physically.
For singles on Valentine’s Day, you are still in luck. Munching on candy not only satisfies a sweet tooth but also releases serotonin and dopamine – just like in love!
What’s Trending?: Rethinking Humor
by Irene, 12th grade
“Oppenheimer is based on the 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project — and Barbie is about a plastic doll with big boobies.”
During the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards, host and stand-up comedian Jo Koy left the audience unimpressed with his dull and rather offensive jokes. Camera shots captured clips of Ryan Gosling’s unresponsive attitude and Taylor Swift’s uncomfortable demeanor. Recognizing the guests’ disinterest, the comedian made a measly attempt at saving face by using his writers as a scapegoat for his poor performance.
“I got the gig ten days ago,” Koy said. “You want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up. You’re kidding me, right? Slow down. I wrote some of these, and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.”
According to The Washington Post, Koy is the first Asian American man to host the Golden Globes. Although I give the comedian credit for the milestone he has reached within a historically under-diverse industry and his performance prepared on short notice, it’s never funny to objectify women, even more so when blaming writers for your skimpy delivery amid the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.
“I’m telling a joke — what happened to society where we can’t even joke with each other anymore,” Koy said in a Jan. 11 interview with the Los Angeles Times, just four days after the event.
“I bought the movie. I supported the movie.” Despite facing intense online backlash following his performance at the award ceremony, the failure to reflect on his harmful gags highlights a more pressing societal issue — the normalization of women becoming the target of debasing jokes. Demeaning comments about Barbie and plastic boobs undermine the film’s core message about womanhood and female empowerment amid our patriarchal world. And even on a stage with the industry’s most cultured celebrities, the comedian’s remarks serve as a reminder that women are never safe.
Although Koy’s Golden Globes performance ended with some nervous laughs and a defensive outburst, it calls for a much-needed makeover of the comedy genre to move away from themes of boobs and cellulite.
National Observances: National Bubble Wrap Day, January 29
by Mateo, 10th grade
Imagine opening a package under the roof of your comfy home on a pleasant Friday afternoon. Slicing open the box with your keys and unfolding its flaps, you excitedly prepare to uncover the item that you spent your hard-earned money on, stored safely inside. As you reach in to finally grab that item, you feel a sticky, bubbly sheet latching onto your fingers, and your excitement grows even more. Before you know it, you swiftly forget about the item inside the box and begin to pop away at the small, plentiful bubbles plastered all over the protective sheet of bubble wrap.
The history of bubble wrap is quite strange and unique, and its journey to becoming the standard for package protection was an unprecedented one. In fact, bubble wrap took multiple failed attempts to market it as a useful product before being used to safeguard items in boxes. The adventure started in 1957 when American engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes tried to seal two shower curtains together and sell them as textured wallpaper. These curtains trapped air bubbles in, giving them a unique 3D texture, but unfortunately, the product was not as popular as the two engineers had envisioned. They then moved on from wallpaper and began to market the product as greenhouse insulation, but that was not very popular with the public either.
Despite the first two failures, Fielding and Chavannes refused to give up on the product. Three years after its initial creation, they founded a new corporation called Sealed Air built specifically around bubble wrap, and one of their marketers realized that it would do an excellent job protecting the contents of packages during shipping. One of the most innovative developments at the time was IBM’s brand-new computer, and the tech giant constantly shipped them out left and right due to their high demand. After Sealed Air demonstrated how bubble wrap essentially guaranteed the safety of the new computers while on their journeys across the world, IBM began using it in all of their packages. Not long after, bubble wrap expanded to protect other products as well, and it finally gained the popularity and usefulness that its creators had desired many years prior.
Nowadays, bubble wrap comes in all different forms, from small pouches to rolls of bubble wrap sheets to entire envelopes insulated with bubble wrap. Sealed Air is now the leading corporation in sustainable protective packaging and sells around $400 million worth of bubble wrap yearly. In 2001, to celebrate the incredible history of the product, a radio station located in Indiana unofficially established an annual National Bubble Wrap Day, which now commences on the last Monday of January. So, the next time you experience the satisfying crack of those air bubbles popping on a large sheet of bubble wrap, take time to consider the contributions it made to the enhancement of package protection.
Featured Pet: Meet Cali
by Jules, 8th grade
Say hi to Cali, a sweet medium size pup who loves humans. She is a calm dog who enjoys being in nature and taking relaxing strolls, which makes her great for any active humans. Cali is crate-trained, potty-trained, and easy to leash, making her a good addition to a family with small children.
If you want to bring Cali to her forever home, please contact OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848 and state Animal ID A1825870 or visit their website at ocpetinfo.org.
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