The Complexity of Facebook Flings
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 12
Virtually everyone has a Facebook account nowadays. We’re all connected to each other in one way or another, regardless if you even talk to a certain individual or not. One of the phenomenons of Facebook is the “relationship status”. We all know at least one person who’s totally hooked on changing relationship statuses. There’s always the girl
(or guy, but that’s less common) that changes her status from “single” to “in a relationship” and vice versa as quick as Lady Gaga’s rise to fame. How can anyone explain all this?
Ilana Gershon is a professor teaching at Indiana University in the United States. Through extensive research and student discussion, the result is a book called The Breakup 2.0: Disconnecting Over New Media. Her book discusses how technology and social media plays a huge factor on how people interact with each other, particularly in romantic relationships. There is a hierarchy when it comes to tech-savvy relationships, and they “evolve in a series of stages involving different types of technology.” Supposedly, Facebook contacts represent casual interest, texting is a bit more personal, and phone calls mean one is serious in another person. Less heard of, but surprisingly common is “Facebook faking,” which exists in many forms. Maybe you went on Facebook one day to see on your news status is “in a relationship” with this unknown person. If one of your first instincts is that the “significant other” is fake, you’re likely correct. People admit to doing so, to make their exes or friends jealous or to even bring attention to them. It’s also quite amusing for other Facebook users to unfoil. As quoted from Gershon’s book in an article from the Vancouver Sun, “A male student told Gershon he easily figured out a girlfriend created a buff, fake Facebook friend named ‘Wolf O’Malley’ to make him jealous. ‘Well, if you look at his friends list, the only friend he has is Susie,’ he told Gershon. ‘And then if you Google ‘water polo guys’ his picture pops up as one of the first ones.’” Way to go, Captain Obvious.
I must admit, Facebook status can be quite interesting to follow. However, when do we know where people should draw the line of what’s okay, and what’s not? It only takes a few clicks of the mouse to declare your relationship to the world. How would you feel, if the course of a relationship is over and you have to change your status on Facebook? It must be quite nice to have people fawn over you and your significant other by “liking your status,” but do people not feel just a bit embarrassed if they have to change their it back to “single?” In my opinion, those who do not constantly publicize their relationships on Facebook or any social media for this matter have healthier (and therefore longer) relationships, when compared to those that might shove it “in your face”.
Technology and social media can become chaotic, especially when it interferes with people’s private lives. I highly recommend watching the documentary Catfish: it will definitely put a lot of things into perspective. Maybe we should all K.I.S.S.: keep it simple, stupid. It makes everyone’s lives a lot easier and drama-free.
Source:
http://www.canada.com/life/Online+break+social+norm+students/3490647/story.html#ixzz156hZzYBF
My Eighth-Grade Self
High school students were asked the question: What advice would you give your eighth-grade self?
- Moderation is your god. – Justin Fok, alumni
- BE YOURSELF… too many people are pretending to be who they’re not, changing for all the wrong reasons, to be accepted by all the wrong people. – Jenny Ho, grade 12
- Enjoy your time in high school while you can. Try to be productive but at the same time, be at a steady pace so that you can enjoy and appreciate everything around you. Try as many things are you can while you’re still in school… – Tammy Lee, Grade 11
- Worry less about finding that one ‘special’ person and focus on studies. – Matthew Le, grade 11
- Get a catchphrase; something funny that won’t wear off until late grade 10. – Mitchell Agostinho, alumni
- You think you have something to be angsty about? Wait another few years. – Jessica Poon, grade 12
Bad Foods Gone Good
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 11
Living in North America, we are blessed to have a wide variety of food choices. However, many foods have a bad rep, better known for its high fat, sugar, sodium or calorie content or not to mention its low nutritional content. Depending on some of the choices we make, there are plenty of healthy alternatives to these foods.
Meat: Protein from meat is found in almost all meals we consume. Try choosing foods made with leaner cuts of meat – this means most of the fat and skin is removed. Stay away from anything that is heavily coated in thick sauces/creams. Also, try to eat less meat that is coated in a batter, and then deep fried; it soaks up a lot of excess oil.
Chocolate: Who can resist chocolate? It’s always been known as a heart attack in a wrapper – that is, if we eat too much! Regular chocolate bars found in convince stores are chock full of sugar and other additives (whose names I cannot pronounce). A better alternative is dark chocolate, which has tons of antioxidants, and more cocoa content. Dark chocolate has less sugar and fat, which is usually added to cheap chocolate. To consume, melt the chocolate over a double broiler. With the melted chocolate, coat fruits, such as strawberries and bananas. Then let it harden in the refrigerator. This way, you’ll still get a satisfying portion of chocolate, and enjoy some nutritious fruit.
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You Know What Grinds My Gears?
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 11
You know what grinds my gears? Budget cuts.
I’m sure everyone has heard that the Vancouver School Board (VSB) is facing a $18.12 million deficit, in the upcoming
2010-2011 school year. This is certainly not the first time that the VSB has faced drastic cuts, but certainly the costliest.
So you may wonder:, how does this affect students? For starters, you might not see your favourite English teacher next school year, or the young math teacher. In the Vancouver district alone, teaching staff will be reduced by 113.8 full-time equivalents. About eight hundred staff members have received warning letters about potential layoffs. Sixteen teachers at Windermere alone received his much dreaded letter (Teachers with less than five years of teaching experience received this letter). On May 5th, teachers will find out what will happen to their jobs.
With fewer teaching staff next year, this means there will be larger class sizes. Less variety of courses will be offered to students, as there will be fewer people to teach them. Night, adult, and summer schools will have fewer classes offered. Mini schools, art and music programs, ESL, special education, among other programs, will be greatly affected.
You Know What Grinds My Gears?
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 11
You know what grinds my gears? Yugioh! and Magic cards.
Lately, there has been a trend making its way back to our school. You’ve probably seen it: Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic
cards. Groups of people hover over two players, going at it with a huge deck of cards in their hands. Some people play once in a while, but others play whenever they find the time. They try to sneak a few minutes of playing time into break and lunch. Could it possibly lead to a gaming addiction?
Anything can become an addiction when done/used compulsively. The most common types of addictions are drug, alcohol, and gaming. Strangely enough, addictions may reflect one’s family life. Many people use their addiction as an escape from reality, just like drugs and alcohol. Symptoms include neglect of peers, issues with school and work, changes in sleeping pattern and lack of personal hygiene. Many theories about gaming addiction have been made. Researchers at University of Rochester believe that video games satisfy psychological needs (like winning, rewards, freedom, interaction with other players).
Behind The Word: Part 2
Hello, hello, hello, again! Welcome back to the second of a five part series, Behind the Word. Last time, we interviewed one of the editors of the Word, Valerie Wong. This issue; we’re going to interview the four people who place the articles onto the pages of the newspaper. Introducing, the Layout Team: Tammy Lee, Jenny Ho, Nicole Yu, and Henry Tan!
1. What did you think of the Word Committee when it was first started?
N: I was actually a bit skeceptical about it at first. I didn’t really like the idea of the change, but I got used to it after a month.
T: I was really looking forward to help create an issue a month for the word!
J: I thought everything was slightly crazy!
H: Unique. Not sure how it was going to be.
Survey – What did you do?
By Jenny Ho, Grade 11 & Tammy Lee, Grade 10
What did you do during the winter holiday?
- Lots of eating, lots of sleeping, and lots of video games! …No studying whatsoever J – Veronica De Villa, Grade 10
- I didn’t do much. I ate, slept, played games, and went out. – Jason Yee, Grade 11
- I was sick, but got to spend time with family and friends. Wish it snowed. – Brett Wong, Grade 12
- I partied with my family, and at my friend’s house, as well as eating out. – Rosalina Chu, Grade 10
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution?
- My New Year’s resolution is to start paying attention in social studies and math class. – Mike Chen, Grade 10
- Nope! Too lazy to keep any even if I actually made one. – Cynthia Mo, Grade 11
- Uhhh… to graduate! – Anonymous, Grade 12
- Yes, to focus more in school. – Anonymous, Grade 12
- My resolutions are to stay fit, and read more leadership books! – Shaelynn Leung, Grade 9
- Nope, I didn’t make a new year’s resolution because I’ll probably end up forgetting it =) – Stephanie Nguyen, Grade 10
Movie Review- The Twilight Saga: New Moon
By Jenny Ho, Grade 11
The second installment in the Twilight Saga, New Moon, was one of the most highly publicized movies in 2009. Vancouver was the heart of all the fandom, as most of it was actually filmed in our own city. The movie, based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer, was nowhere near as great as it was claimed to be.
For those who have read New Moon, there are no surprises. It starts off on the eighteenth birthday of heroine, Bella Swan. Her boyfriend’s (Edward) family, the sparkling Cullens, throw a birthday bash for Bella. After a paper cut turns into a near massacre (when Jasper nearly attacks Bella, because he cannot resist the scent of her blood), the Cullen’s decide to leave Forks. After months of heartbreak and depression, Bella starts to hang out with her (werewolf) friend, Jacob Black, in La Push. Through a series of events, Bella discovers that if she engages in dangerous activities, she will “see” Edward. The rest of the movie is essentially based on Edward’s attempted suicide in Italy. Alice rushes Bella to Italy just in time, and she meets the Volturi for the very first time.
You Know What Grinds My Gears?
By Jenny Ho, Grade 11
You know what really grinds my gears? The media’s extremely unhealthy image of an ideal person.
As you may have seen on some websites (namely Perez Hilton’s fashion blog), Ralph Lauren, a hard-hitting brand in the world of fashion has been under a lot of flame. It all started with the advertisement with the freakishly skinny model Filippa Hamilton. Turns out, it was simply an image of her that made her look extremely malnourished, thanks to Photoshop. I personally don’t understand how the editor can make such a big mishap. Obviously, something is very wrong when her head and shoulders are considerably bigger than the rest of her body. Sadly, she reminds me of one of those bobble head dolls that sit on the corner of my desk.
You Know What Grinds My Gears?
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 11
You know what really grinds me gears? Overhyped and over commercialized holidays.
When I walked into Superstore in August, I saw boxes of assorted Halloween candy on sale already. Or maybe you’ve seen Christmas decorations go up for sale as early as October, and Valentine’s Day paraphernalia in January. Is this a practical joke or what? Quite simply, businesses and major cooperations are trying to make more money by putting their holiday products up for sale earlier. This may make sense economically speaking, but it’s created a very materialistic representation for the holidays that we celebrate.
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You Know What Grinds My Gears?
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 11
You know what really grinds my gears? The new HST (harmonized sales tax). In late July of this year, Premier Gordon Campbell and Finance Minister Colin Hansen announced that they would follow in Ontario’s footsteps. Effective next Canada Day (July 1, 2010), taxpayers will pay the combined GST (goods and service tax) and PST (provincial sales tax) on many basic goods and services. This includes all prepared food products, school supplies, magazines, work equipment, bicycles, non-prescription medicines, personal services, restaurants, real estate, admission fees for movies; the list goes on and on. The only things that are exempt from the HST include basic groceries, fuel, books, children’s clothing, hygiene products, and new home purchases up to $400,000.
The 12% tax grab will benefit major businesses (also known as Campbell’s best friends). For example, one of Campbell’s sponsors during the election was B.C. Rail. As you all know, friends help each other out and “scratch each other’s backs”. Since B.C. Rail has done Campbell a favour, he must now return it. They will be able to claim and receive their HST rebates in all cases. In other words, the HST will reduce sales taxes paid by business, and reduce administrative costs. Although it may be beneficial for businesses of all kinds, the HST proves to be extremely unappealing to the public. On average, consumers will pay an extra $1.9 billion with the HST a year. “Not a dime of the HST will pay for healthcare, education or social services”, quotes Bill Tileman, creator of “NO BC HST” Facebook group. “This is the single biggest thing we can do to improve B.C.’s economy”, Campbell is contrarily quoted. Maybe it’s just me, but does anyone else think that he was intoxicated while proposing this?
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To whom it may concern
What could be more fun than coming down to a festival that doesn’t just celebrate bikes, but a celebration of Windermere’s efforts in taking the steps to making the school a greener and healthier place to be? Come down to Windermere’s 3rd annual Bike Train on Thursday, June 4th, 2009, in the morning from 8:30AM to 9:30AM. Ride with friends and fellow classmates around the neighbourhood, starting at any of the three locations: Joyce Station, 29th Avenue Station, or Renfrew Library (bike and helmets rentals are available on the day of). Also, after school we have our Bike Fest from 3:00 – 4:30 with fun activities, booths to look at, and food and pedal-powered smoothies to enjoy. Don’t miss out the fun! Check out the posters and/or Facebook group for more details to come. Go bikes go!
Also, congratulations to…Ms.Yong and Margaret Kwan (grade 12) for winning the draw for our Year – End Survey!
And finally, thank you to all of you that have supported us throughout the year. The WINNER of the Year End Prize Draw (for leaving us comments on the Word website) IS… Jenny Ho!
Cheers,
The Windermere Word Promotions Team
Chicken: Man’s New Best Friend?
By Jenny Ho, Grade 9
Ever thought about keeping a few chickens in your backyard for fresh eggs? Recently, Vancouver City Council introduced a new policy, which allows residents to keep backyard chickens. There are many cities in the United States and Canada with a similar bylaw, including Seattle, Washington D.C., New York City, and Victoria. Of course, within the bylaws, there are many points to consider. If this proposed bylaw passes, residents are able to raise chickens as early as June. The proposed by-law raises much debate from Vancourites. Some are in favour of this new policy, but some residents and animal welfare groups are against the idea.
Eco Tips
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 10
When preparing for school lunches, consider these simple ways to reduce waste.
- Use a lunchbox, re-usable container, or thermos to hold lunches instead of paper bags.
- Avoid anything that is disposable, including paper napkins, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, Styrofoam (contain CFCs which contribute to ozone depletion => more UV rays => greater chances of skin cancer), and plastic forks/spoons.
- Opt for aluminum/stainless steel water bottles. Over long-term use, plastic water bottles will release deadly chemicals and collect harmful bacteria.
- Dispose of fruit peels into the grey compost bins at school! In landfills, food takes much longer to decompose and often get locked in by layers of plastic, which takes thousands of years to naturally break down!
http://www.globalstewards.org/lunch.htm
http://www.marinefm.org/
http://www.ghchealth.com/people-who-frequently-reuse-their-water-bottles-may-be-risking-their-health.html
Valentine’s Day
By: Jenny Ho, Grade 10
In present day society, Valentine’s Day is most often a holiday celebrated between lovers. Fancy chocolates, gorgeous red roses, heavily decorated cards, and other lavish gifts are exchanged by couples. There are many theories about the origin of Valentines Day, but the most common one is about a Catholic bishop.
Saint Valentine was a Roman bishop in the 5th century. During that time, Emperor Claudius II placed a ban on marriage over the Roman Empire; he had a theory that single men made good soldiers for the army. Saint Valentine on the other hand, persisted in performing marriage ceremonies. Later, Saint Valentine was imprisoned, and formed a relationship with his jailor’s daughter. Sadly, he was put to death on February 14th. Before his death, his farewell message to his loved one was brief and sweet: “From your Valentine.”
Cupid also plays a major role in this celebration. Known as a mischievous, winged child who pierces arrows through the hearts of his “victims,” he originates from Roman mythology. Cupid is the son of Venus, Roman goddess of beauty and love. In Greek mythology, he was known as Eros. He is often seen in a diaper, and sometimes blindfolded, symbolizing the figure of speech, “love is blind.” Cupid makes the majority of his appearances on Valentine cards.
Yet, in reality, Cupid is a two dollar Hallmark card. Saint Valentine is a name of a day for lovers to express their passions for one another through a day of non-stop romance!
New Years Resolutions Questionaire
by Nicole Yu
Kylie Rondpre, Grade 9: Oh. I will give more to the needy; I will help raise awareness [for] poverty, not only other countries, but also our own; I will reduce waste; I will gain super powers and save the helpless; I will show my appreciation for others, [and] I will accept what comes to me.
Nicole: That’s great!
Kylie: I will also read to old people, hahaha.
Allison Ferreira, Grade 8: In 2009, I will… hm… I will try to volunteer in the community more!
Eco-tips
by Jenny Ho
Even though it’s chilly outside, there are a few things we can do to reduce our energy usage while keeping our feet nice and toasty!
- Lower your thermostats in the evening and while you’re out of the house. Just by turning it down a couple of degrees, you can reduce heating costs by about 5%.
- Bundle on the sweaters! By wearing a few more shirts and a pair of cozy slippers, you can keep your thermostat lower all the time.
- Make the most use out of your windows. In the daytime, open your blinds to allow the sunlight to warm your house naturally. At night, be sure to close them to maximize their insulating ability.
The Science Behind Santa (Stuff Your Physics Teacher Never Told You)
by Jenny Ho
Sometimes you may wonder, “How many homes does Santa visit on Christmas Eve?” or, “How does he do it?” Here are the answers, according to Stanley Teitel, a physics teacher from New York.
How many stops does Santa have to make?
There are 2.2 billion children. Assuming that most Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish children won’t be expecting a visit, 85 percent of children can be subtracted. There are about 2.5 kids per home, and at least one good child. “If we’re assuming that there are approximately 132 times 10 to the sixth,” said Teitel, “that’s 132 million Christian homes worldwide.” Therefore, Santa would have to travel about 175 million land miles across all the time zones!
Student Life Questionaire
by Jenny Ho
Welcome back, Warriors, to a new school year! After [two] months of hitting the books and studying, a handful of students were asked for their opinions about the first month of school. Anyways, I hope you do your homework, have a ton of fun, and keep reading The Word!
How was your first day of school?
“Everyone was very nice. The students and teachers were supportive. Everyone answers when I ask questions.” – Christopher, grade 8
“I couldn’t find my friends…I had to look for them! It was annoying too, [when] I found out that we have permanent lockers!” – Jessica, grade 11
How do you feel about the locker arrangements this year?
3 Things About Hitler You never Learned in Socials
by Jenny Ho
If you thought Adolf Hitler was only a man of warfare, you’re wrong. Actually, he is endlessly fascinating. In 1998, Congress passed the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act. Since then, over three million classified files have been released to the public. The following interesting (or strange) facts were from a secret profile of Hilter in 1942, compiled by the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). These are only a few of the very many released.
1. Hitler’s mother considered giving him up for abortion at one point, but her doctor talked her out of it. It’s amazing how one decision could change the world forever.
2. Hitler loved the circus. It amazes me how he took pleasure in the idea that all the underpaid performers risked their lives to entertain him.
In 1933, he had sent costly flowers and chocolates to female performers. He remembered their names, and would worry about them and their family, in event of an accident!
3. The Nazi press secretary, Doctor Sedgwick, wanted to talk Hilter into two options: Shaving his trademark moustache, or growing it out. His reply? “Do not worry about my moustache. If it is not the fashion now, it will be later because I wear it!”
Hilter wasn’t just only interested in war, but other things, too. Hitler had a very interesting personality, and a very unique personal life. Moreover, he has made quite an impact during his lifetime, and will remain in our social textbooks as a mysterious and powerful historical figure.
