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Slice of Life: Christmas confuses me: learning not to be the Grinch
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From the moment Halloween ends and we turn our calendars to November, my neighborhood is decked out with twinkling red and green string lights and pine wreaths. Christmas meets Thousand Oaks as quickly as gossip meets my bubby and as enthusiastically as Manischewitz wine meets a 13-year-old on his Bar Mitzvah day. Being Jewish…
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“The Smashing Machine” smashed my expectations
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In ancient Rome, gladiators fought in the Colosseum. In 1993, mixed martial arts [MMA] entered the mainstream of the modern sports world, and today, MMA is a quickly developing sport known by fans around the world. “The Smashing Machine,” in theaters since Oct. 3, accurately represents the early days of MMA through the life…
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New teacher travels to success at NPHS
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From the East Coast to the West Coast, Megan DaRold, Advanced Placement [AP] World History teacher, has shared her passion for history with students for four years. In addition to AP World History, she teaches a hybrid, seventh-period College Prep Government and Economics class that meets in person every Tuesday. On July 30, DaRold…
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Artificial intelligence prompts global warming
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A famous Cree proverb states, “Only when the last tree has died, the last river has dried up, and the last fish has been caught will we finally realize we cannot eat money.” The advancement of ChatGPT is highly profitable and just as dangerous. ChatGPT, the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence [AI] program, has become…
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ICE impacts Ventura
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Introduction In early 2025, federal immigration enforcement actions intensified across California. In Ventura County, a series of federal immigration raids targeted agricultural workers, leading to over 200 detentions. The raids are a result of President Donald Trump’s objective of reaching 3,000 undocumented immigrant arrests per day, according to the American Immigration Council. Trump’s deportation…
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I was caught covering my eyes watching “Caught Stealing”
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“Caught Stealing” opens on the Lower East Side of Manhattan at four in the morning. Hank Thompson, played by Austin Butler, works as a hustling bartender, balancing sleepless nights and a heated relationship with his stereotypical New York City girlfriend, played by Zoë Kravitz. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the film is engaging, fast-paced, graphic…
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The Thousand Oaks Mall 805 Night Market cooked, served and ate
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The Oaks Mall parking lot was full, but people were not there to buy new clothes, see movies or eat pretzels. Instead, the Thousand Oaks community came together to experience a blend of cultures that brought different worlds to one suburban town. From Sept. 5-7, the 805 Night Market filled the The Oaks Mall…
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Students address concerns about new deportation policies
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Names indicated with asterisks are pseudonyms for individuals who prefer anonymity due to concerns for their safety. As deportation rates increase in the U.S., many Ventura County students have encountered Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] on and off school grounds. ICE was established in 2003 by the Bush administration as a part of the…
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Aggressive coaches create quitters; kind coaches create winners
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Since March 24, a video of a girls’ high school basketball coach in New York aggressively yanking an athlete’s hair has been circling the internet, igniting outrage. The coach was fired and cited with harassment. From personal experience, I know that the energy a coach brings to the team can make or break an…
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John Mulaney pushes boundaries in “Everybody’s Live”
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Comedian John Mulaney returned to Netflix with a live series that makes an abstract painting of what we know to be a late-night talk show. “Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney” is a spunky, off-beat series featuring hilarious celebrity guests and eye-opening alternative musical performances. Overall, watching it is a good time. Mulaney is most…