Gifts of Love or Gifts of Blood?

by Neelam Khare & Peggy Lam, Grade 12

This Valentine’s Day we should ask ourselves if our ‘traditional’ gifts symbolize love. Many years ago tokens of love were hand made crafts and cards, so what caused this shift in thinking? Was it really just a coincidence or was it the corporations influencing the media to sell us these certain items? Whether we are talking about chocolates, roses, gold or diamonds, they all signify one thing: Injustice.

Roses are red, picked by their hands. Millions are dead, to meet our demands.

Flowers contain 50 times the amount of toxins than most foods we consume. If flowers are not food and we don’t have to eat them, then what’s the problem? Many of the workers who work in the fields are exposed to these chemicals, which they inhale. These toxins also cling on to their clothes, which are then washed at ‘home’ in the same sink where they bathe their babies and wash their food.

BOOK SALE! BOOK SALE! BOOK SALE!

Come check out the book sale on Wednesday December 17th and Thursday December 18th at Lunch in room 206.  You get free prizes for just showing up! Hooray!!

Books vary from Gossip Girl to Provincial Exam Keys. Most books are only 50 cents!! There’s something for everyone – students, teachers, and parents!

Come check it out!! All funds raised go to the Room To Read organization which helps build schools in developing countries. To find out more, check out: http://www.roomtoread.org/index.html

What’s it like to be at a rally?

Note: the newspaper is not supporting or against any coalition government. This just happens to be an event that took place and we managed to get coverage of it for the benefit of those interested.

The Coalition Yes rally, Thursday December 4th.

 (Click the link at the bottom to see more photos and videos of the rally)

Windermere’s Annual Halloween Can Food Drive

Hey warriors! As you probably know, that time of year when the ghosts and
evil pumpkins come out to play on that dark eerie night we call Halloween is
over. While many may consider Halloween a night to collect free candy, a
group of Windermere students devoted their evening to gathering any food
that could go toward people in need. They went around the neighbourhood and
asked the residents if they would like to donate any food, and
found that many residents were more than willing to contribute. That
attitude and kindness is what we like to build upon at Windermere. Thank you
to everyone who participated, and hopefully more students will participate
next year. This Halloween Can Food Drive was a great success and we hope to
keep it going for many years to come.

- Riya Talwar and Kaitlyn Fung

One major issue in society: homelessness

by Jessica Luu

Have you ever been stopped by a homeless person on the streets, only to ignore them and walk away? Or decided not to help them just because of assumptions? Many of us, including myself, have done just that. There are a lot of instances where we choose not to help because of the stereotypical idea that the homeless, for example, are drug users who, consequently, ended up on the streets. Although that is one reason, the majority of homeless people are caused by other factors in life.

It’s important to know the situation that a person is dealing with. Here are three usually causes of homelessness:

1) There’s not enough income.
2) Housing is too expensive to afford.
3) There’s no admittance to health or social support services.

According to the provincial guidelines, a single person on welfare can only be allowed up to a maximum of $375 per month. On top of that, if a person were to rent a one bedroom apartment, it would be an average of $800 per month. Insufficient income plus only $375 per month (if the person is on welfare) is not enough to sustain food, shelter, and clothing alone. If a person cannot afford to survive, there’s no way they would be able to access a social support group or health services if necessary.

Critical mass; Oct 31st

by Jenn Lin

This month’s Critical Mass Bike Ride: October 31st, HALLOWEEN NIGHT. 6:00PM at the Vancouver Art Gallery – suit up and ride your bike in your costumes! This is the best Mass of the Year!

Critical Mass has been occurring in places throughout the world since September 1992, the first ride occurring in San Francisco. It was originally called “Commute Clot,” but the name changed to Critical Mass by the time the second ride took place. The new name came from the idea that the bikers, once they reached a big enough mass, would be able to stop traffic completely. A “critical mass” is then achieved. It takes place every last Friday of the month and usually in places where it is evident that more appreciation for bikes is needed on and off the roads. Though it is somtimes negatively called a “rally” or “protest” against drivers and people using cars – the bikers do not purposely do anything to provoke authorities. On the contrary, it is meant to be a fun and peaceful ride.

Below is a journal entry that I wrote back in Grade 11. Hopefully after reading it you will gain some insight to what it is, why people do it, and why I myself enjoy it so much.

I went to my first critical mass on April 25th of 2008. At first I was a bit unsure if it was a good idea to go because I don’t consider myself the best bike rider, but when I arrived at the Vancouver Art Gallery and saw so many bright faces, I was instantly glad that I had gone. The weather was absolutely amazing, and there I was a part of this huge gathering of people that believe in alternative transport and that roads should belong to not only cars, but bikes as well. It was the closest thing to a radical movement I had ever been to and I enjoyed every bit of it.

AIDS Walk for Life

by Windermere Walkers

Thank-You Windermere for your donations that went towards the AIDS Walk for Life. This year we raised $330 and it was our third year in a row fund-raising. This money will help improve the lives of people in BC that are affected by HIV and AIDS. The walk took place on Sunday, September 21, 2008. Although we had a late start, the atmosphere was still very festive and fun. Once again, thank-you for your generosity.

White Poppies? What happened to Red Poppies?

by Jessica Luu

During the month of November, members of Free the Children will be selling White Poppies to staff and students at Windermere. But that doesn’t mean Red Poppies are not to be worn in the school.

In the past, Red Poppies represented the many soldiers who fought in WWI. It was also recognized in John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Field.

“We shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders Field.” – lines 14 & 15

At the time, poppies grew immensely during WWI, as it thrived on disturbed soil. The colour of the poppies resembles the shade of blood. But it was also red from splattered blood of the dead soldiers. But now, red poppies are symbolized as a continuation of war and support to the soldiers in Afghanistan. The government is encouraging troops to contribute in the war, and it is now glorified instead of frowned upon. Red poppies are no longer a sign of peace or a commemoration of those that fought in WWI.

White Poppies are the opposite. It was first suggested by pacifists to encourage a No More War Movement in the United Kingdom. However, it was unsuccessful and was never accomplished. A few years later, it was distributed by Co-operated Women’s Guild in 1933. Though the red poppies were already released, the white poppies weren’t meant to be an insult to the decreased soldiers of WWI.

Now, S.I.N.G. (Students Inspiring a New Generation) would like to distribute White Poppies to spread the word of world peace and to truly remember the deceased from all the wars, rather than just WWI. This is a cry to end militarism and the economic reliability on arms sales. There are certainly better methods to solve conflicts than what we are doing now. Members of S.I.N.G. hope that there will be an end to these wars and for peace to finally settle; White Poppies are the start to spreading this message.

So watch out for members in the hallway in November and contribute to broadcasting the message to your friends and family.

Gateway to What?

by Kevin Chan

As a follow up to Peggy Lam’s article based on the Gateway Project (see Think Translink)…

Kevin attended a Gateway Project protest on Sept. 27th. Below is some background information followed by his experience at the rally.

WE DON’T WANT NO TRUCKIN’ FREEWAYS!

You might remember an article from last month’s issue about the Provincial Government’s proposed ‘Gateway Project.’ For those of you that don’t, the ‘Gateway Project’ is B.C.’s plan to increase economic growth and decrease congestion by building and expanding freeways (Highway 1), twinning the Port Mann Bridge, and expanding the Delta Port shipping terminal. They plan to develop a major freeway between Port Moody and Maple Ridge to be known as the North Fraser Perimetre Road (NFPR). A brand new freeway (SFPR) with travel from Delta Port terminal and travel along the South side of the Fraser cutting through the ecological area of Burns Bog before connecting to the new Golden Ears Bridge.

This project has been named “the most environmentally threatening highway mega-project in the history of British Columbia” by activists from gatewaysucks.org and has been likened to BC’s equivalent of the Alberta Tar Sands. Provincial Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon has claimed that “Gateway is a done deal,” and that the project is going ahead. Unfortunately for the Provincial Liberals’ upcoming election, hundreds if not thousands of citizens from across the Lower Mainland would disagree with that statement.

Now, for the protest…

AIDS Awareness Month

by Jessica Luu

September is AIDS Awareness Month.

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the result of HIV, which attacks the immune system and leaves it weak against illnesses and diseases.  HIV can be transmitted through several different ways: unprotected sex and sharing needles (inclusive but not limited to those).  As well, a mother already infected by the virus can pass it to her newborn through pregnancy, giving birth, or breastfeeding.  HIV can only be transmitted if bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal secretion, breast milk, or when an infected person’s blood gets into an uninfected person’s bloodstream.  Usually, it takes 10 years for the virus to become AIDS.  Such a condition it marked when the immune system can no longer protect the body from infections.