WSC Alpaca Nation || NOT ACTIVE ANYMORE

Pwaa!

Hello!

If you’ve been wondering why I haven’t posted here recently, it’s because school’s been up and going where I am since June and I’d like to focus on my academics first.

Rest assured, I’ll still be posting here every now and then however.

I will also still be answering asks and accepting submissions once they come in!

Hello!

Here’s a link to basic yet beautifully animated short video delving into the Hero’s Journey (otherwise known as the Monomyth) which is part of our Special Area curriculum this year.

Hope it helps you in your studies for any upcoming Global/Regional rounds you’re planning to attend, or advance studying for the Tournament of Champions in November.

(That’s all for now! Any questions, comments, suggestions? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment! Let’s have a discussion!!)

Exactly a year ago, on this day—the 10th of July—the first World Scholar’s Cup regional round was held in my city: Manila, Philippines.

It’s been so long since those two days… Two days in which I first experienced hugging an alpaca plushie, staring at Joga’s shiny head, screaming “Ay yo Scholars!” along with Burch and Chauncey-rolling through every victory.

But as I look at old photos and memories that I’ve taken from those two unforgettable days, I find myself wondering how I’ve gotten this far.

I wonder how I’ve won things such as school top scholar and earned eleventh in debate in that one fateful regional when I have never debated ever before.

I wonder how I’ve attended this year’s Hanoi Global Round after qualifying in both regionals held in my city and even passing unto the Tournament of Champions this year.

Looking at all those photos, those videos, bringing back all the memories that have stuck with me since those two days, I find myself fascinated by this little program we call The World Scholar’s Cup.

I’m fascinated in how I went from barely knowing what an alpaca was to excitedly searching alpaca videos on YouTube, in how I suddenly gained a newfound voice in learning how to debate, and in how this little competition has positively affected me in so many ways.

What I believe we all don’t know before entering our first World Scholar’s Cup round is that WSC is more than just a competition—it is a gathering; a community of insights and ideas simply waiting to break through.

That is what makes the World Scholar’s Cup so special.

It is incredibly different from any other competitions I’ve been to, breaking the rules of multiple-choice quizzes in the Challenge, combining two different styles of debate into one format, and even allowing students to cheat in the Bowl.

In complete honesty, WSC has allowed me to regain my interest in academic competitions.

It has shown me how different cultures, people from opposing corners of the world can come and collaborate together to discuss our history, our possible future, and the current happenings in our world.

It has shown me how academic tournaments do not have to be stiff and strict. It reminds me to have fun in learning and contributing to the ideas that swarm around our society.

Because of this, I would like to say a huge thank you to the entire staff behind the World Scholar’s Cup—you are all the reason why this community has spread all over the world, the reason behind what truly makes WSC special for each and every single student.

Thank you, Daniel and Burch, for creating this amazing gathering of thoughts and ideas. You have truly created something even more than special—something that has spread across our world in more ways than one, something that I will always be grateful for having experienced and if I can, I will do forever.

Thank you, also, to the rest of the staff behind the World Scholar’s Cup. You have all worked so hard for us Scholars, you have all been jetlagged and tired from bringing this wonderful thing around the world and we Scholars are incredibly grateful for all your efforts in assisting, scoring, hosting, and everything else you do every year at each of our rounds.

Rest assured, whether you go to only five rounds, thirty rounds, or all rounds held around the world every WSC season, you are appreciated and greatly respected by us Scholars.

And thank you, Scholars from all over the world. You are the soul, the life, and the heart of all this. You have all formed such a wide, wonderful community that has never failed to make me smile and laugh.

We—staff, scholars, former scholars, volunteers, coaches and parents—are truly the World Scholar’s Cup community; a community full of life, full of brilliant ideas and minds, and full of pwaas that others who aren’t familiar with WSC may find confusing.

(copied from my post in the World Scholar’s Cup Official Group)

That’s all for now! Any questions, comments, suggestions? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment! Let’s have a discussion!!

Hello! Here are some important details to keep in mind when reviewing/researching about the death and assassination of Julius Caesar:

•Four men led the conspiracy. Gaius Trebonius: served as a praetor and consul and had fought with Caesar in Spain. Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus: governor of Gaul and had been victorious against the Gauls. Gaius Cassius Linginus: served with both Crassus and Pompey as a naval commander and who some believe conceived the plot Marcus Junius Brutus: also served under Pompey and who was the brother-in-law of Cassius.

•the conspirators’ final decision was to strike during a session of the Senate at the Theater of Pompey on March 15, 44 BCE (also known as the Ides of March).

•The conspirators chose a double-edged dagger or “pugio,” about eight inches long. Daggers were better for close contact and could be hidden under their togas.

•Some people believed these omens signified the upcoming assassination: Caesar’s horses that were grazing on the banks of the Rubicon were seen to weep. A bird flew into the Theater of Pompey with a sprig of laurel but was quickly devoured by a larger bird Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia had a dream of him bleeding to death in her arms. A soothsayer named Spurinna warned him to beware of danger no later than the Ides of March.

•When Caesar entered the theater a man named Artemidorus tried to warn him of eminent danger by thrusting a small scroll into his hand, but Caesar ignored it and did not read the scroll.

•Casca dealt the first blow with his knife; Caesar immediately tried to defend himself by raising his hands to cover his face.

•The remaining conspirators surrounded the shocked Caesar, striking him in various areas (Cassius struck him in the face, Decimus to the ribs).

•Caesar collapsed, dead, ironically at the foot of a statue of his old enemy Pompey.

•In all there were twenty-three blows.

•Caesar did not say “E tu, Brute!” (You, too, Brutus!) as Brutus plunged his dagger into the dying dictator but “You, too, my child!” 

•Brutus even issued coins celebrating the assassination, known as the Ides of March.

(Taken from http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm)

I hope some of these facts prove to be useful! If you have any more facts about Caesar’s assassination that they’d like to share, don’t hesitate to leave them by the “submit” part of this blog for your tips to get posted here as well.

That’s all for now! Any questions, comments, suggestions? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment! Let’s have a discussion!!

It could also be twenty-two days, depending on where you are. :> COUNTDOWN TO THE HANOI GLOBAL ROUND ~ June 5th (Manila, Philippines time)

Hello!

These past few days I’ve been traveling to other countries for my summer vacation, and due to this, I haven’t got any time left to update this blog.

However, I do think that other alpaca-scholars should still have access to more analyses, video and article links, and lessons like the ones I usually post here on WSC Alpaca Nation.

So, I will be holding a search for two new temporary moderators for WSC Alpaca Nation just until I come back from my travels.

Here’s how to apply to be a moderator:

1) Private message this blog saying you intend to apply for temporary moderator 2) Once I see your message (which MAY take around a day… I’m so sorry if I’m not able to get to you and respond right away) I will send you a question based on the curriculum that is open to discussion and analyses 3) You are free to what you want with the question I send. Send videos related to or answering said question, articles, links, write your own analyses and take on the question (though, this is very much preferred—I want to see how you’d answer my question with your great minds!). Anything goes!! 4) Once I go over whatever you’ve sent me, I will thank you for your application BUT will not tell you yet whether you’ve been accepted or not 5) I will announce the final two moderators for this blog on May 24 and private message the new moderators, saying that they are now WSC Alpaca Nation’s new temporary moderators along with stating their responsibilities as moderators of this blog and how to post here

Notes:

•Submission of applications to become a moderator for this blog starts today and will end on May 23 at midnight (GMT+8) •The temporary moderators shall be tasked with managing this blog starting May 25 until June 8 (again, GMT+8) •The applications come in at a first come first served basis. If ever I’ve already gotten two new moderators before May 23, I will post another blog update stating that applications for moderators are now CLOSED. However, I will not post an update anymore if it takes until May 23 to find two new moderators, as it had already been said in this post that the submission date for applications are only until May 23

Thank you all for supporting WSC Alpaca Nation, and I’m excited to see how our new moderators will perform on this blog!! If you’re interested in managing this blog for two weeks, here’s an open opportunity for you! Please don’t hesitate to send in applications. I promise to go through each and every single one of your submissions in good time.

That's all for now! Any questions, comments, suggestions? Don't hesitate to leave a comment! Let's have a discussion!!

Hello!

This link leads to a short video explaining how The Birthday Problem works. Give it a watch! It may just help you better understand the concept of The Birthday Problem.

That’s all for now! Any questions, comments, suggestions? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment! Let’s have a discussion!!

Hello!

Thank you so much for this, Anon! It’s messages like this one that never fail to make my day.Everyone, if you have absolutely anything to say about WSC Alpaca Nation—whether it be positive remarks, criticisms, recommendations or suggestions—please do feel free to send me an ask containing your opinions so I can get back to them as soon as possible.I never choose which asks to post unless they contain material that others could potentially find offensive and I make sure to post and respond to submissions and asks within at most a day from when they were first submitted.For everyone who has submitted anything to this blog so far, thank you for all your feedback!I appreciate and take into account every single remark you have to say about this blog and I always use your feedback to better improve WSC Alpaca Nation for everyone.If you have anything else to say, please don’t hesitate to send me and ask or submit a post! It will be very much appreciated.

Hey guys! So at my school there’s actually a club to prepare for WSC and we actually had 10 sophomores compete at the regional round last month! When asked by our teacher to give us freshmen tips, they all said one thing about the Scholar’s Challenge:

➡️➡️Try not to fall asleep⬅️⬅️

No honestly, they meant it. Apparently the room isn’t very big and they stuff all the scholars inside there so the room is quite… stuffy. (And somehow one of the teams got admitted to the global rounds. Huh.)

Hello!

Here are just a few of the many astounding moonshots Google X has invented and launched, along with a short description accompanying each one.

•Project Loon A network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to extend internet connectivity to people in rural and remote areas worldwide. High speed internet is transmitted up to the nearest balloon from our telecommunications partner on the ground, relayed across from the balloon network and then back to users on the ground. Project Loon’s average internet connection speed is 10 Mbps from over 100 kilometers apart in the stratosphere.

•Project Wing A drone based delivery system addressing the general problems of same-day deliveries, disaster relief, and delivering to less accessible areas. The Project Wing aircrafts take off and land on their tails, but cruise normally. These aircrafts have four electric motors, a wingspan of about five feet and weighs just under 19 pounds. When fully loaded, the drones weigh around 22 pounds.

•Makani An energy kite that uses the same aerodynamic principles as a conventional wind turbine but doesn’t use as much materials and steel. By using a strong flexible tether, energy kites can reach higher altitudes. Each kite can also access 50% more energy than regular wind turbines while also eliminating 90% of the materials those turbines use.

Information used above is taken mostly from Google Xs website

If you might want to add information to the fascinating projects listed above or even submit information on other moonshots created by Google X, feel free to send a submission to me via the “Submit!” part of this blog.

That’s all for now! Any questions, comments, suggestions? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment! Let’s have a discussion!!