2012 Earth Day Parade & Celebration
By Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 11
Almost a year ago, a group of students from Windermere organized Vancouver’s first-ever youth-led Earth Day Parade and Celebration. The intent was to engage the community and raise awareness of serious issues concerning the people and the climate of our planet, as well as to empower others, especially youth, to take action. With the planning for the second annual Earth Day Parade well underway, the group (appropriately called “Youth for Climate Justice Now”) and their legacy have continued to grow. This year’s parade will be happening on Sunday, April 22nd. People will once again march down Commercial Drive, but this time the ensuing celebration is to be held at the recently renovated Grandview Park. Brilliant speakers will be there to inspire and educate, local performers will provide lively entertainment, and different organizations will be present a variety of opportunities to get involved.
The Interthugs: November 2011
By Nicole Yu and Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 11
What type of phone do you have? As most of you may know, RIM’s recent network meltdown left BlackBerry users with no texting, no instant messaging, and no internet use for three days. The incident definitely has caused some bitterness and fuelled some complaints from users. On the other hand, Apple’s new iPhone 4S has beaten the
single-day pre-order record of 600,000, set last year by iPhone 4, with a previously unexpected pre-order number of 1,000,000. Without a doubt, mobile phones are beginning to dominate our lives. As a result, we want get an idea of what the battle between iPhone and Blackberry is like at Windermere! (Android has also been included because of its recent rise in popularity.) (more…)
The Revolutionary United Front
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 10
Revolutionary United Front, or RUF, for short; what does that name suggest to you? The first word, “revolutionary,” seems to imply that there is great change taking place, while the word “united” is synonymous with “combined.” The last word “front” seems to refer to a movement or campaign. Strung together, all these words create a definition along the lines of “a group fighting together for something completely different.”
Does that seem familiar? It should be, because it’s a thought that surrounds us every day. You can find it in the political parties of the countries around the world, all competing to promise things to their people. You can see it in all the environmental activists demanding a sustainable future, as well as in the homosexual community advocating for their legal and social acceptance. It can even be found in the groups of students fighting for their education to be properly funded. Most of those are all problems of today, though; what about before that? This idea is not new. In fact, it is an idea seen constantly throughout our world’s history. In the past, women had fought for their right to vote (and by extension, their equality), and the poor peasants in the 17th-century France eventually rose up to fiercely protest for their starvation. People had always been fighting for change; the Revolutionary United Front is just another example from the past.
The original ideal of the RUF was to bring equality to their people, as they claimed that the government was greedily managing Sierra Leone’s rich mineral resources (particularly diamonds) while the rest of the country rotted in poverty. It sounded like a good cause; “No More Slaves, No More Masters. Power and Wealth to the People.” was the slogan put out by these rebels. They planned to overthrow the corrupt government. It must be ironic, then, that the rebels quickly became interested only in gaining power and controlling the diamond industry, just like the corruption they had initially fought against. Now there were two power-hungry groups looking to dominate Sierra Leone, which only set the stage for massive conflict.
The RUF first made their move to overthrow their country’s corrupt government in March 1991. Invading from Liberia, they violently attacked the towns bordering the two countries, with former army corporal Foday Sankoh as leader. Sankoh was following the example of Charles Taylor, who had overthrown former Liberian president Samuel Doe the same way in 1989. They killed thousands of innocent men, women, and children and displaced about half the population, sending many to refugee camps and neighbouring countries. Easily crushing any weak government troops sent out to stop them, their unstoppable conquest continued until 1995, when they were almost at Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown. It was then that the government hired EO (Executive Outcomes was a South African military company) mercenaries to counter the rebels. Additionally, the Kamajors (local Mende hunters as militia) were also instrumental in successfully repelling the RUF. After a failed peace agreement in 1996 and a few effective interventions by ECOMOG troops (the joint armies of multiple African countries) in 1998, the civil war seemed to drag on endlessly. In January 1999, the rebels captured Freetown, leaving many civilians devastated or killed. However, on July 7 of that same year, the Lomé Peace Accord was signed by Sankoh. Foday Sankoh and other members of the RUF were given positions within the government that they didn’t hold for long once RUF forces swiftly broke the agreement. It wasn’t until January 18, 2002 (after British intervention and disarming the disbanded rebels) that the war was officially declared over by Sierra Leone’s president.
With the war (just over a decade long) finally over, you would think that it no longer affects anyone. Yet, the RUF left a lasting impression on the world in various ways, notably evident in their trademark practice of amputating limbs. As they went across the country in their horrific campaign, the rebels not only killed a great deal of people, but they maimed them, too. With elections planned for a new government during the 90’s, citizens were told that “the future was in their hands,” so the RUF chopped off hands to stop people from voting. Using machetes and axes, they frequently amputated feet, legs, arms, and hands of thousands, including children. Sometimes they didn’t, though. Instead, one might be kidnapped and turned into a child soldier. Given cocaine and other drugs, child soldiers were made to do atrocious acts of killing and maiming. Young girls were often taken as sex slaves in addition to being child soldiers. While some have escaped or been freed, all are left traumatized by what they have witnessed and done.
With all the activities it undertook during the civil war, there is still a missing piece to the puzzle, which is how the RUF was able to fund all of its efforts. The answer to that lies within the land of Sierra Leone; the rebels, or more appropriately, the people they kidnapped, mined diamonds to sell for weapons. These diamonds were infamously termed conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds. It was odd, because Sierra Leone was ranked the poorest country in the world at the time. This was most likely due to the immense amount of smuggling these diamonds underwent to countries where they could be illegally certified. These diamonds became an extremely controversial topic during the late 90’s, when their existence gradually began to be revealed through the media. When shoppers discovered that their favourite jewellery stores were supplied by companies (De Beers being the biggest one) who knowingly bought these stones, they were outraged at the unacceptable exploitation of the source countries and their people. The Kimberley Process, started in 2000, was created in hopes of preventing blood diamonds from entering the mainstream diamond market.
Indeed, the effects that the RUF had had on their country and the world still linger today. The masses of amputees and child soldiers left scarred by the conflicts are all dark reminders of that turbulent war. Foday Sankoh was never formally punished for his actions, though, but died quietly in jail in 2003. Three other prominent rebel leaders within the RUF had not been sentenced until February 2009. The failed RUF political party that formed after the peace accord eventually merged with the All People’s Congress in 2007. Despite all that, it seems as though they were able to live up to what their name represented: a group of people fighting for things to be completely different. While they may not have achieved all the things they had set out to do, the Revolutionary United Front had indubitably managed to turn thousands of lives upside down during the course of Sierra Leone’s civil war, and beyond
References
http://64.176.9.117/sl/causes.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/01/99/sierra_leone/251251.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3110629.stm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/sierra_leone.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ruf.htm
http://www.economywatch.com/economies-in-top/poorest-countries-of-world.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1065898.stm
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/smm-mms/busi-indu/kpd-pkd-eng.htm
C3: Climate Change Conference
By: Kaitlyn Fung and Lucas Chan, Grade 10
During the pinnacle of the global movement for sustainability, passion sought to touch the hearts of others and instill within them a burning desire to fight for change that many have waited so long to see. Upon the day of December 10th, 2010, a group of inspired youth from Windermere Secondary School launched an event that would forever leave its mark upon not only the district in which it was held, but the whole Lower Mainland, and possibly the whole world.
The event was named, “Climate Change Conference (C3): Enter the Athabasca Tar Sands”; its purpose to act as a venue for spreading information about the Alberta tar sands and not only how it affected the communities of Alberta but also its impacts upon the whole country. Not only was this event created to spread truth and awareness about this environmental catastrophe, it was also an opportunity for an assembly of youth to take part in an important component of the green revolution.
The student-led conference began with two keynote speeches from two unique authors. First there was James Hoggan, author of the critically acclaimed book Climate Cover-up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming and also the president of his own PR firm. His speech dealt with the issue of false information about the tar sands being distributed by companies supporting the tar sands. Following that was Andrew Nikiforuk, a prominent environmental journalist and writer for the online magazine The Tyee. He spoke with an engaging and detailed focus specifically on the tar sands.
However, the day had only just begun for the participants because the motivation to take action continued when they went on to attend three workshops that they had chosen beforehand. A diverse array of speakers presented on various topics related to the tar sands, such as its social and environmental impacts, the politics and media surrounding it, and its effects on the First Nations people. The last part of the day was spent altogether in the school’s gym for mass group activities such as writing letters to the prime minister, singing a song about freedom and empowerment, and interviewing two members of parliament; Fin Donnelly and Don Davies.
A highlight of the day was how sustainable and zero-waste the organizers strived to make the conference. Advertising and registration was all done online; participants brought their own utensils and containers to eat their organic and local food with; compost and recycling bins were scattered throughout the school; signs were made from recycled newspapers.
However, the most impressive highlight of the conference was probably how much the students learned from and connected with each other. By the time the souvenir “C3” seed paper was distributed at the end of the day, people were energized and eager to take on the world. Hopefully everyone there that day was educated on something they had never known, and perhaps they even left with a smile.
“ C3: Enter the Athabasca Tar Sands,” would not have been possible if it weren’t for the mentors of the conference’s core committee, for their rays of inspiration has touched our hearts deeply, so much so that the ideas of this conference have taken root because of it. Furthermore, this conference was allowed to become a reality with the help of Windermere Secondary’s Culinary Arts program, led by Ms. Shirley Wong, who provided the wonderful lunch for the day. Of course, this conference couldn’t have happened without its marvelous speakers: James Hogan, Andrew Nikiforuk, Ben West, Matt Price, Andrea MacDonald, Suzi Bekkattla, Peggy Lam, and Neelam Khare there to serve as not only workshop leaders, but also as inspirational figures. Last but not least, there is a shout out to all of the participants of the conference for being an enthusiastic and open minded group of inspired youth, the inspiration that was brought to the conference by the participants made it infinitely more enjoyable.
2010’s Climate Change Conference was surely one that left a great footprint upon this country in the realm of sustainability. The cries for change that have arisen from the results of this event will echo throughout the province and may even reach the farthest corners of this country or even the whole globe. This echo, powered by the passion of youth, will continue to network and spread into the hearts of many more people, until this it solidifies into a strong wall of passion and awareness that will seek to sweep across every acre of land possible. As this force continues to expand, the inspired activists of tomorrow may trace the magnitude of the movement to one of its origins, “C3: Enter the Athabasca Tar Sands.”
The Revolutionary United Front
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 10
Revolutionary United Front, or RUF, for short; what does that name suggest to you? The first word, “revolutionary,” 
seems to imply that there is great change taking place, while the word “united” is synonymous with “combined.” The last word “front” seems to refer to a movement or campaign. Strung together, all these words create a definition along the lines of “a group fighting together for something completely different.”
Does that seem familiar? It should be, because it’s a thought that surrounds us every day. You can find it in the political parties of the countries around the world, all competing to promise things to their people. You can see it in all the environmental activists demanding a sustainable future, as well as in the homosexual community advocating for their legal and social acceptance. It can even be found in the groups of students fighting for their education to be properly funded. Most of those are all problems of today, though; what about before that? This idea is not new. In fact, it is an idea seen constantly throughout our world’s history. In the past, women had fought for their right to vote (and by extension, their equality), and the poor peasants in the 17th-century France eventually rose up to fiercely protest for their starvation. People had always been fighting for change; the Revolutionary United Front is just another example from the past.
The original ideal of the RUF was to bring equality to their people, as they claimed that the government was greedily managing Sierra Leone’s rich mineral resources (particularly diamonds) while the rest of the country rotted in poverty. It sounded like a good cause; “No More Slaves, No More Masters. Power and Wealth to the People.” was the slogan put out by these rebels. They planned to overthrow the corrupt government. It must be ironic, then, that the rebels quickly became interested only in gaining power and controlling the diamond industry, just like the corruption they had initially fought against. Now there were two power-hungry groups looking to dominate Sierra Leone, which only set the stage for massive conflict.
The RUF first made their move to overthrow their country’s corrupt government in March 1991. Invading from Liberia, they violently attacked the towns bordering the two countries, with former army corporal Foday Sankoh as leader. Sankoh was following the example of Charles Taylor, who had overthrown former Liberian president Samuel Doe the same way in 1989. They killed thousands of innocent men, women, and children and displaced about half the population, sending many to refugee camps and neighbouring countries. Easily crushing any weak government troops sent out to stop them, their unstoppable conquest continued until 1995, when they were almost at Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown. It was then that the government hired EO (Executive Outcomes was a South African military company) mercenaries to counter the rebels. Additionally, the Kamajors (local Mende hunters as militia) were also instrumental in successfully repelling the RUF. After a failed peace agreement in 1996 and a few effective interventions by ECOMOG troops (the joint armies of multiple African countries) in 1998, the civil war seemed to drag on endlessly. In January 1999, the rebels captured Freetown, leaving many civilians devastated or killed. However, on July 7 of that same year, the Lomé Peace Accord was signed by Sankoh. Foday Sankoh and other members of the RUF were given positions within the government that they didn’t hold for long once RUF forces swiftly broke the agreement. It wasn’t until January 18, 2002 (after British intervention and disarming the disbanded rebels) that the war was officially declared over by Sierra Leone’s president.
With the war (just over a decade long) finally over, you would think that it no longer affects anyone. Yet, the RUF left a lasting impression on the world in various ways, notably evident in their trademark practice of amputating limbs. As they went across the country in their horrific campaign, the rebels not only killed a great deal of people, but they maimed them, too. With elections planned for a new government during the 90’s, citizens were told that “the future was in their hands,” so the RUF chopped off hands to stop people from voting. Using machetes and axes, they frequently amputated feet, legs, arms, and hands of thousands, including children. Sometimes they didn’t, though. Instead, one might be kidnapped and turned into a child soldier. Given cocaine and other drugs, child soldiers were made to do atrocious acts of killing and maiming. Young girls were often taken as sex slaves in addition to being child soldiers. While some have escaped or been freed, all are left traumatized by what they have witnessed and done.
With all the activities it undertook during the civil war, there is still a missing piece to the puzzle, which is how the RUF was able to fund all of its efforts. The answer to that lies within the land of Sierra Leone; the rebels, or more appropriately, the people they kidnapped, mined diamonds to sell for weapons. These diamonds were infamously termed conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds. It was odd, because Sierra Leone was ranked the poorest country in the world at the time. This was most likely due to the immense amount of smuggling these diamonds underwent to countries where they could be illegally certified. These diamonds became an extremely controversial topic during the late 90’s, when their existence gradually began to be revealed through the media. When shoppers discovered that their favourite jewellery stores were supplied by companies (De Beers being the biggest one) who knowingly bought these stones, they were outraged at the unacceptable exploitation of the source countries and their people. The Kimberley Process, started in 2000, was created in hopes of preventing blood diamonds from entering the mainstream diamond market.
Indeed, the effects that the RUF had had on their country and the world still linger today. The masses of amputees and child soldiers left scarred by the conflicts are all dark reminders of that turbulent war. Foday Sankoh was never formally punished for his actions, though, but died quietly in jail in 2003. Three other prominent rebel leaders within the RUF had not been sentenced until February 2009. The failed RUF political party that formed after the peace accord eventually merged with the All People’s Congress in 2007. Despite all that, it seems as though they were able to live up to what their name represented: a group of people fighting for things to be completely different. While they may not have achieved all the things they had set out to do, the Revolutionary United Front had indubitably managed to turn thousands of lives upside down during the course of Sierra Leone’s civil war, and beyond.
References:
http://64.176.9.117/sl/causes.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/01/99/sierra_leone/251251.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3110629.stm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/sierra_leone.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ruf.htm
http://www.economywatch.com/economies-in-top/poorest-countries-of-world.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1065898.stm
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/smm-mms/busi-indu/kpd-pkd-eng.htm
The Revolutionary United Front
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 10
Revolutionary United Front, or RUF, for short; what does that name suggest to you? The first word, “revolutionary,” seems to imply that there is great change taking place, while the word “united” is synonymous with “combined.” The last word “front” seems to refer to a movement or campaign. Strung together, all these words create a definition along the lines of “a group fighting together for something completely different.”
Does that seem familiar? It should be, because it’s a thought that surrounds us every day. You can find it in the political parties of the countries around the world, all competing to promise things to their people. You can see it in all the environmental activists demanding a sustainable future, as well as in the homosexual community advocating for their legal and social acceptance. It can even be found in the groups of students fighting for their education to be properly funded. Most of those are all problems of today, though; what about before that? This idea is not new. In fact, it is an idea seen constantly throughout our world’s history. In the past, women had fought for their right to vote (and by extension, their equality), and the poor peasants in the 17th-century France eventually rose up to fiercely protest for their starvation. People had always been fighting for change; the Revolutionary United Front is just another example from the past.
The original ideal of the RUF was to bring equality to their people, as they claimed that the government was greedily managing Sierra Leone’s rich mineral resources (particularly diamonds) while the rest of the country rotted in poverty. It sounded like a good cause; “No More Slaves, No More Masters. Power and Wealth to the People.” was the slogan put out by these rebels. They planned to overthrow the corrupt government. It must be ironic, then, that the rebels quickly became interested only in gaining power and controlling the diamond industry, just like the corruption they had initially fought against. Now there were two power-hungry groups looking to dominate Sierra Leone, which only set the stage for massive conflict.
The RUF first made their move to overthrow their country’s corrupt government in March 1991. Invading from Liberia, they violently attacked the towns bordering the two countries, with former army corporal Foday Sankoh as leader. Sankoh was following the example of Charles Taylor, who had overthrown former Liberian president Samuel Doe the same way in 1989. They killed thousands of innocent men, women, and children and displaced about half the population, sending many to refugee camps and neighbouring countries. Easily crushing any weak government troops sent out to stop them, their unstoppable conquest continued until 1995, when they were almost at Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown. It was then that the government hired EO (Executive Outcomes was a South African military company) mercenaries to counter the rebels. Additionally, the Kamajors (local Mende hunters as militia) were also instrumental in successfully repelling the RUF. After a failed peace agreement in 1996 and a few effective interventions by ECOMOG troops (the joint armies of multiple African countries) in 1998, the civil war seemed to drag on endlessly. In January 1999, the rebels captured Freetown, leaving many civilians devastated or killed. However, on July 7 of that same year, the Lomé Peace Accord was signed by Sankoh. Foday Sankoh and other members of the RUF were given positions within the government that they didn’t hold for long once RUF forces swiftly broke the agreement. It wasn’t until January 18, 2002 (after British intervention and disarming the disbanded rebels) that the war was officially declared over by Sierra Leone’s president.
With the war (just over a decade long) finally over, you would think that it no longer affects anyone. Yet, the RUF left a lasting impression on the world in various ways, notably evident in their trademark practice of amputating limbs. As they went across the country in their horrific campaign, the rebels not only killed a great deal of people, but they maimed them, too. With elections planned for a new government during the 90’s, citizens were told that “the future was in their hands,” so the RUF chopped off hands to stop people from voting. Using machetes and axes, they frequently amputated feet, legs, arms, and hands of thousands, including children. Sometimes they didn’t, though. Instead, one might be kidnapped and turned into a child soldier. Given cocaine and other drugs, child soldiers were made to do atrocious acts of killing and maiming. Young girls were often taken as sex slaves in addition to being child soldiers. While some have escaped or been freed, all are left traumatized by what they have witnessed and done.
With all the activities it undertook during the civil war, there is still a missing piece to the puzzle, which is how the RUF was able to fund all of its efforts. The answer to that lies within the land of Sierra Leone; the rebels, or more appropriately, the people they kidnapped, mined diamonds to sell for weapons. These diamonds were infamously termed conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds. It was odd, because Sierra Leone was ranked the poorest country in the world at the time. This was most likely due to the immense amount of smuggling these diamonds underwent to countries where they could be illegally certified. These diamonds became an extremely controversial topic during the late 90’s, when their existence gradually began to be revealed through the media. When shoppers discovered that their favourite jewellery stores were supplied by companies (De Beers being the biggest one) who knowingly bought these stones, they were outraged at the unacceptable exploitation of the source countries and their people. The Kimberley Process, started in 2000, was created in hopes of preventing blood diamonds from entering the mainstream diamond market.
Indeed, the effects that the RUF had had on their country and the world still linger today. The masses of amputees and child soldiers left scarred by the conflicts are all dark reminders of that turbulent war. Foday Sankoh was never formally punished for his actions, though, but died quietly in jail in 2003. Three other prominent rebel leaders within the RUF had not been sentenced until February 2009. The failed RUF political party that formed after the peace accord eventually merged with the All People’s Congress in 2007. Despite all that, it seems as though they were able to live up to what their name represented: a group of people fighting for things to be completely different. While they may not have achieved all the things they had set out to do, the Revolutionary United Front had indubitably managed to turn thousands of lives upside down during the course of Sierra Leone’s civil war, and beyond.
References:
http://64.176.9.117/sl/causes.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/01/99/sierra_leone/251251.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3110629.stm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/sierra_leone.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ruf.htm
http://www.economywatch.com/economies-in-top/poorest-countries-of-world.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1065898.stm
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/smm-mms/busi-indu/kpd-pkd-eng.htm
Today’s Troubled Turtles
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 10
Turtles are often thought of as timid, gentle, and slow-moving creatures. While this may be true, though, many of these
reptiles are plummeting to their demise at a ferociously quick rate. It’s been said that over 40% of all freshwater turtles in the world have fallen into the category of threatened species. As a lover of turtles (terrapins, sea turtles and tortoises included), I have known for a while that many species of turtles have been endangered, so this doesn’t come as a huge surprise. However, beyond the usual suspect of habitat loss, I still find myself wondering what could possibly be wiping out these animals so aggressively.
First of all, let’s review some basic knowledge about freshwater turtles. What comes to your mind when you think of turtles? You might know that, as reptiles, they are cold-blooded and are covered from head to toe in scale-encrusted skin. They breathe air, lay eggs, and spend a lot of time underwater. You might even know that the ancestry of turtles can even be traced all the way back to the time when the dinosaurs were still roaming on the planet. Nonetheless, the first thing you probably have thought of is the protective bony shell that turtles are so well-known for, and sometimes even regarded as defining characteristic.
In the wild, turtles usually feed off insects and plants that are plentiful in freshwater ecosystems they live in. Wetlands, rivers, and ponds are just a few examples of their common habitats. Unfortunately, like the turtles, these environments are at high risk due to poisonous water pollution and the damming of rivers for hydro-electricity – both reasons are associated with humans. However, they are only part of the deadly equation; additional human contribution to the bulk of decline in turtle species is the hunting of turtles for pets and food.
In some parts of Asia (e.g., China, Vietnam, and Indonesia), it is believed that turtles have medicinal properties. As a result, farms have begun to breed the reptiles for human consumption; sadly, the demand for their meat (and their eggs) is so high that people are still resorting to the unsustainable act of hunting. This unconstrained hunger for turtles is still doesn’t complete the picture, though, because it still leaves us with the hunting of turtles as pets. The prettier and rarer the species is, the more desirable it becomes. Often, people tend to prefer wild turtles that have not yet reached the mature age of 15, causing a drastic decrease in the chance of reproduction and, consequently, the population.
Collectively, all these factors are responsible for the gradual demise of freshwater turtles across the globe. However, despite the severity of the issue, people are still having hope for the survival of these creatures. Captive breeding programs seem to be the best (and sometimes only) option for a majority of the turtles left in the world, but most of the fight is in limiting the number of wild turtles hunted. After that, the biggest concern would lie only in preserving the turtles’ habitats and maintaining laws and restrictions on turtle hunting.
These are few steps needed to rescue these reptiles, but they are yet to be done. Keeping those ideas in mind and displaying much care to these living creatures, there is still a good chance for these shelled reptiles to re-establish a peaceful existence.
References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11254358
http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/environment/freshwater-turtles-in-decline-globally/
http://www.conservation.org/newsroom/pressreleases/Pages/shell_shock_turtles_in_danger.aspx
Interthugs: Viral Videos
By: Kaitlyn Fung and Nicole Yu, Grade 10
We’re baaaaaaaack! Nicole Yu and Kaitlyn Fung are here again, now dubbed as the ‘Interthugs’! Every month of this
school year, we will bring you some new tidbits about fantastic things on the internet. Last year, we showed you our top 20 memes, but that’s not all that the amazing global network has to offer! There are many other things, including viral videos, social networking sites, webcomics, and other even more glorious things! Hopefully, this year, the Interthugs will help you get in touch with your computer. We’d love suggestions from you Warriors, so go ahead and tell us if you want us to research and write about a topic in particular! We don’t want our readers to be bored!
This year, we’re going to start off with a bang, a factor of the internet that almost everyone knows: Viral videos! So, what exactly is a viral video? Here’s what a viral video is NOT: A video containing a virus that will attack your computer. However, it does have something to do with the way viruses spread. Basically, a viral video is a clip that has gained so much popularity on the internet that it spreads rapidly in a way like viruses in a host. This month, we will examine what we think are the top ten most popular viral videos!
1) Rick Roll
This is one of our most favourite memes! “But we’re never gonna give it up. We’re never gonna make it cry. We’re never gonna run around and desert it.” Do those lyrics sound familiar to you? If yes, congratulations! If not, you need to spend more time on the internet. Rick Roll is simply the 1987 music video for ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley. People use Rick Roll by linking somebody to the video under the name of something else, which means that it would be completely irrelevant to what people would expect to see. For instance, Internet User A would say “Look at this picture of Obama!”, but in fact it is a picture of Rick Astley singing. Most likely, the users of 4chan (an infamous image board website consisting of many other memes) came up with this meme and had promoted it into a famous viral video.
2) Old Spice:
On February 8th, 2010, more history was made for viral videos. Old Spice, a brand of grooming products for men, launched what was one of the most entertaining, creative and successful advertising campaigns. The commercial called “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” features actor Isaiah Mustafa who quickly demonstrates that “anything is possible”, if you use Old Spice body wash. It starts off with Mustafa in the shower before suddenly transitioning to a scene of him being in a boat as though he just teleported. Then, the scene smoothly moves into showing Mustafa on a horse. All the while, Mustafa holds an Old Spice body wash and explains how it supposedly makes amazing things happen. The clever and witty viral marketing campaign worked like a charm and has now inspired more “sequels” and many parodies.
3) Numa Numa:
“Nu mă, nu mă iei, nu mă, nu mă, nu mă iei.” Does that line sound familiar? If you’ve been on the internet for a while, then you should know it very well. “Dragostea din tei”, better known as ”The Numa Numa Song”, is a Romanian song by O-Zone that is frequently associated with Gary Brolsma’s “Numa Numa Dance” video. This video, released in December 2004 on a website called Newgrounds, features Brolsma lip-syncing to the song with hilariously exaggerated facial expressions and body movements. The lively video, being an instant hit, was reposted, parodied, and copied countless times. The original Newgrounds video itself has over eighteen million views.
4) Chocolate Rain:
Is there something wrong with the weather? Or have scientists finally done it? Actually, it’s neither. “Chocolate Rain” is a song and music video by Adam Bahner, who is better known as TayZonday on YouTube. Posted on April 27th, 2007, Adam was shown singing into a microphone, in a repetitive tune and with an unforgettably deep voice, about racism. In addition, the caption near the beginning of the song – “**I move away from the mic to breathe in” – has become quite memorable. Although the reason of its popularity is not clear, the video began to be shared and parodied many times, quickly sending the song on its way to viral video status. Since posting the video, TayZonday has become an internet celebrity and gained lots of attention from the media.
5) Pants on the Ground:
What’s the best part about American Idol? Is it finding the best singer in the batch or just listening to all the great singing? Some might argue that the audition reel is the real highlight of the reality TV series. While there are many unique, inspiring, and ridiculous auditions to recall, there is one in particular that has become quite a phenomenon. During the auditions in the 9th season of American Idol, a then-sixty-two-year-old ”General” Larry Platt decided to present something fresh to the judges, so he sang his own original song called “Pants on the Ground”, which mainly said: “Pants on the ground, pants on the ground. Lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground!” Furthermore, the effortful dancing that accompanied the singing made the video even more wildly popular. This video was heavily shared and remixed over and over again, and the song was released as a single on iTunes (although without his knowledge).
6) Double Rainbow:
Do you recall hearing the phrase ‘so intense’, ‘so vivid,’ ‘what does this mean’, or ‘double rainbow all the way across the sky’? Or even hearing all four of them? Nevertheless, you probably have heard of Hungrybear9562′s famous video of himself filming a giant double rainbow. He became so awestruck and emotional that he started to cry and yelled ‘What does this mean’. The video was taken in January, but its entry was added to KnowYourMeme.com in July. The video was so popular that a user, Schmoyoho, created an auto-tuned remix of the video. Soon, different remixes of the video were made all over YouTube. The meme was even popular enough to be referenced in a couple webcomics. The next time you see a double rainbow, make sure you film and channel a video of it and your sob about how intense it is. To find the video, simply look up “Double Rainbow original” on YouTube.
7) Trololo
“Ahhhhhh yah yah yaaah, yah yah yah yaaaah yah yah.” Recognize this anyone? And what about ‘I am very glad because I am finally home’? No? Oh well. This video was first posted in November 2009 by RealPapaPit. The video is of a Russian vocalist, Edward Anatolevich Hill, poorly lip-syncing to his own voice track. During the chorus, it seems that he is pronouncing ‘LOL’ over and over again, as though he is laughing at the viewers. And, laughing at the viewers he is! Near the end, he starts singing ‘Hahahahaha!’ four times and points at the audience. Although the singing could be seen as just plain weird, he is singing in a type of style – vokaliz. Vokaliz (pronounced like the word ‘vocalize’ in English) is the singing of vocal exercises. Trololo may be dying in popularity now, but it will always have a special place in our hearts.
8) Charlie Bit My Finger:
In this video, there are two cute little English brothers sitting together in a chair. The younger one, who isn’t old enough to know better, bites the finger of his older brother and the bitten brother says: “Charlie bit me.” Very shortly after, the elder boy manages to get his finger bitten by his brother again. This time, however, he makes more of a commotion by yelling “Ouch! Oh! Ow! Charlie, that really hurt!” before repeating his famous line “Charlie bit me.” The adorable exchange between these two siblings was all captured on camera by their father and uploaded to YouTube in May 2007. The video, with over 220 million views, has now become both an instant classic on the internet and a great way to get a little laugh.
9) Leekspin:
Have you tried twirling a leek around lately? If so, did you feel like singing a Finnish folk song sung by a Finnish quartet named Loituma? If you do, you probably have seen the “Leekspin”, or the “Loituma Girl”, viral video. This video first appeared in 2006, showing the main girl character Orihime from the Japanese animation Bleach spinning a leek to an audio loop of Loituma’s performance. Since then, a loop of the audio with a timer began popping up in many websites, counting how long she’s been spinning the leek. Remixes of the video and videos with Orihime being replaced by other characters have been made. It’s actually quite entertaining to watch her spinning the leek, and frankly, Loituma’s sound is almost addicting.
10) Leeroy Jenkins:
“Alright, it’s time! We’re ready to go back in! Leeroy, make sure you don’t screw up again. So, if we just go in from here and make sure we kill all of these and then avoid these we will last the raid for sure. Make sure you’re stocked up on potions and stuff, get all your gear checked and your armour brushed up. Okay, let’s go over the plan again, just so everyone knows. But first, everyone should go take a break just in case you need to go to the washroom, Leeroy, what are you doing? Alright, times up, let’s do this. LEEROOOOOOOOOY JENNNKINNNNSSS! That IDIOT! He ruined your plan again! He totally disregarded our plan and dove in! Now we’re ALL going to die!” Believe it or not, this popular meme is a viral video, too! And, it is hilarious!
Alright everyone, that was our list of the top ten viral videos. We hope you enjoyed educating yourself just a little bit more about the crazy topics on the internet. Now that you know, you might just be the one to create the next big online sensation. Will you twirl leeks or audition for a reality TV show? Oh, maybe you’ll become a lip-syncing master! “Anything is possible,” right?
See you next month!
The Interthugs
Internet Memes
By: Kaityln Fung, Grade 9 & Nicole Yu, Grade 10
Hello, everyone! This is the second and final part of our article on internet memes! Last month, we introduced the concept of a meme and began sharing our top 20 memes. If you find yourself having difficulty remembering what a meme is, don’t fret! Here is a simple explanation:
An internet meme, (pronounced meem) is a big inside joke shared on the internet. Memes often stem from anime/manga, video games, movies, and pop culture in general. They usually spread rapidly from user to user, and can be very popular for a long time, or have a short burst of popularity. Some can last a month or two, and some can last for years.
Internet Memes
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9 & Nicole Yu, Grade 9
Have you and your friends ever had an inside joke that only you understood? Imagine if that inside joke was shared with world through the internet – an inside joke that mostly everyone on the internet knows. That is called an internet meme, and we will share with you our top ten favourite internet memes.
First of all, what exactly IS an internet meme? An internet meme, (pronounced meem), as said earlier, is a big inside joke shared on the internet. Memes often stem from anime/manga, video games, movies, and pop culture in general. They usually spread rapidly from user to user, and can be very popular for a long time or have a short burst of popularity.
Now, without further ado… #20 to #11 of Kaitlyn Fung and Nicole Yu’s Top 20 Internet Memes!
Change: Friend or Foe?
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9
The world is all about change. Things, such as fads, are exciting and popular when they’re new, but then they get old. It’s then that everybody moves on to something else. Whatever was left behind is considered obsolete or stale and is soon to be forgotten. Change can be annoying but it can also be a relief. Some people love change while others hate it, and many fear it. Is change good or bad? It’s probably best to know some examples before answering that question.
Technology is, perhaps, one of the best examples of change. Have a look at some of the many computer operating systems from Microsoft: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000, 98, and 95. If you own a computer, you have probably experienced having to change from one version to another to avoid becoming stuck with an outdated version. Not having the most current version is often extremely inconvenient; you can’t run a lot of the newest programs, your computer may not be compatible with newer computers, etc. Even if you don’t like to switch, eventually there would be a point where you would have to give in to the change you are being forced into.
2010 Olympics: Women Still Can’t Jump
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9
With the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games coming soon to Vancouver, many talented athletes from around the world eagerly wait for their chance to shine. From February 12-28, amateur athletes will be able to show off their skills while competing for gold. At the same time, as the media covers each of the competitions, some athletes will be able to gain good exposure. In the duration of seventeen days, figure skating, ice hockey, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing are just a few of the exciting events taking place during the Games.
Backstage, there is a massive and meticulous amount of preparation in order for our city to be able to host the Games. This includes choosing and building venues, providing accommodations for the athletes, distributing advertisements and merchandise, and determining which sports will be part of the Games. Additionally, not unlike many of the Olympics in the past, there is a fair level of controversy about the Games to be dealt with.
Putting the Scissors Away
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9
Dedicated to Nickel; a toast to our thoughts.
For me, the beginning of second term marks the end of those chaotic weeks of taking tests and completing projects. I can allow myself to relax for a while. Things will be easier for the next couple of weeks as I get back to my normal pace. This also allows me a bit of time to rest and prepare for the next term. Unfortunately, this is also the period of time when I start getting lazy. Several times in the past, my procrastination has cost me dearly, but I usually wake up and get to work in the nick of time.
I wonder why I become so lazy during these periods of time. Why do I work harder when the term is about to end versus the start of a term? I figure it’s because working extra hard toward the end will give a little boost to my percentage. It’s true: working hard does give you better results. Though if I’m concerned about getting a certain grade, why don’t I do my best regardless of where we stand in the term? In my case and perhaps in other’s as well, it’s a lack of motivation. Without the encroaching ‘last day to hand in work’, there seems to be no reason for the extra stress. (more…)
Girls are Fluff, Boys are Rough
By: Lucas Chan & Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9
Back in the medieval days males were considered more superior than females. Men were supposedly stronger, more intelligent, and were believed to be better than women in many ways. On the other hand, women were thought of being 
delicate and not made for physical labor, but rather for bearing children and taking care of the house. Today, we have more equality amongst females and males. For example, females are generally allowed to take on any job a male can. Even though there is much more equality between genders, there are still many people who believe that one’s gender determines his/her abilities, characteristics, and many other attributions. There are still many men and women out there that use stereotypes against one another. However, many of those stereotypes have been classified as being sexist and have been proved to be incorrect. People tend to assume that girls aren’t fit or strong, but are either smart or shallow. Girls are often said to be smarter than boys in the academic category, but when you actually look at some of the test results, the results of males and females are very similar. Acknowledging this, many people tend to think modern girls care more about their appearance than their grades, prompting such sayings as: ‘a pretty girl is a pretty dumb one’. If a girl cares about her appearance, does that necessarily mean that she can’t be smart because of that? Appearance and intelligence are very different and do not affect one another.
Hallowe’en
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9
Hallowe’en is older than you think. The holiday originates in the 10th century, but back then it was known as All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows Day. All Souls’ Day (a day to pray for the dead) and Samhain (a Celtic festival meaning ‘summer’s end’) are also believed to be where Hallowe’en originates. Although for most people it’s a fun night where kids can score some free candy and dress up. So what are you going to dress up as this year?
Sonali Saxena, Grade 8- Something extreme. What’s extreme?
Kaitlyn- I don’t know. What do you think?
Sonali- A serial killer.
(more…)
The Vending Machine Experience: An Interview with Nate
By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 8
The vending machine: a wonderful contraption that will dispense snacks for less than two dollars. But what happens when it doesn’t work? Who fixes the vending machine? He’s a senior, he’s tall, he’s awesome, and he’s Nathanael Leung; but he prefers to be called Nate.
First off, why do you even take care of the vending machine?
Nate: Well, it’s a leadership project, and I’ve always been interested with food. It was actually quite fun for me. It looked interesting to handle.
Have you ever been really frustrated with this job?
Nate: Yes, yes. Um, because I get 5-6 calls a day about problems, like things getting stuck in the machine. I call the companies but they say there’s nothing they can really do. With 5 calls a day, about 35 calls a week, you can calculate how many calls I get in a month.
Introducing Vancouver’s New Convention Centre
By Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 8
Four years of construction and a budget of $495 million. What does that add up to?
Recently, I had the chance to take a look into the new convention centre that Vancouver now boasts, or more specifically, the expansion of the convention centre. While the main (and rather obvious) purpose will be to host conventions, this massive building will be the hub for media activity concerning the 2010 Olympics.
Personally, I didn’t really find anything that grasped my interest immediately, but it’s an attractive place with big rooms and high ceilings. There were numerous little conference rooms and a huge ballroom that included a spectacular view, and the exhibition hall was very spacious as well. Even the escalators rides were extended. In short, everything was just kind of big. However, there was some hype about its green features as well, especially about the green roof.
The Half-Way There Survey
By Soraya Ahmad Parwani, Grade 8
Our replies, if any, have been inserted :)
Also, if you would like to answer any of these questions, feel free.
If you were to change one thing, and keep one from the paper, what would it be, and why?
“I’d definitely keep the advice column, seems like it’s helping a lot of the student body indefinitely and for a change…to be honest I wouldn’t change anything, it’s great!
Cheers” – Elton. Grade 11
The January Blues
by Kaitlyn Fung
Not so long ago, school was out and we could sleep in, but now we must settle back into our normal routines. With a brand new year ahead, the beginning of the first month, January, is here. However, late January is often said to be a very depressing time of year for various reasons, and it’s easy to get a case of the January blues.
One reason why people might be depressed is because the holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day and others) are over, which means no more celebrations with family and friends. These are some of the things that most people look forward to in the month of December, and many will miss the spirit and cheer (and in some cases, the gifts and treats) when it’s over. Also, some might be quite bored or lonely after all the activity of the holidays. Visiting friends, spending time with family and shopping for gifts are all things that most people do more often during the holiday season, so the schedule might not be as busy as before.
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!
What’s Really Going On In Iraq?
by Kaitlyn Fung
“In just 2 years, USA has killed 1.2 MILLION Iraqis, leaving 8 million Iraqis needing medical assistance. 10,000 people were killed in Chile, but none of these peoples’ stories were told. It’s the soldiers that make the news, but the thousands and millions of civilians killed are unmentioned. Dahlia’s last message: “In campaigns, you hear to ‘support the warriors, not the war.’ Would you support the rapist, and not the rape? The murderer, but not the murder? The killer, but not the kill?” Again, SO powerful.” – Emily Chan
The war in Iraq has been going on for some time. That war that you usually hear about in the news, because more innocent people are getting killed. In case you didn’t know, this war has been going on since 2003. That’s five years of killing that hasn’t amounted to anything. Anything positive, that is. The U.S. army has been there the whole time to help, but are they really helping? No, they’re not helping at all. This is the exact point that Dr. Dahlia Wasfi tries to get across in her speeches about Iraq.
“What do you want for Christmas?” Questionaire
by Cassandra Ly
Chanel Ly: A newer, shinier, faster, red road bike.
Nathan Dinh: A better, faster, stronger city bike.
Chanel Ly: Are you talking about your own bike?
Nathan Dinh: Nooo… I’m just trying to make fun of yours.
Dan Calud – Grade 10: Money and goodies.
Mr. Rymer: Jaguar XKE 1967-1969.
Cassandra: Would you like a new watch with that?
Mr. Rymer: Sure, definitely!
(more…)
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?
Questionaire
Interviewer; Cassandra Ly
Would you rather have a fairy godmother like Cinderella or be able to fly like Tinkerbell?
Emily Chan – Grade 10
“Be able to fly. So I can see the world in a different view. Hehe! “
Mr. Castilho
“Fly for freedom…but as long as I don’t cause any pollution.”
Angela Wong – Grade 9
“If I choose to have a fairy godmother, can I wish for the other?“
Cassandra: “Sure, why not?!”
Angela: “Then a fairy godmother! “
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Athina Pilarinos – Grade 10
“A woodchuck would chuck A LOT of wood, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.“
Mr. Griffiths
“2 root 2!“
Madame Begg
“A woodchuck can’t chuck wood!“
Would you rather grow your hair like Rapunzel or have a full grown Santa beard?
Mitchell Agostinho – Grade 11
“HMMM… good question… I would go for the beard.”
Mr. Zitka
“None of the above…due to BUNSEN BURNER safety.”
Mr. Hamlen
“Long hair like Rapunzel. The hair on my face just doesn’t work for me…”
Cassandra: “Too itchy?”
Mr. Hamlen: “Yeah, too itchy!”
X-ray vision or invisibility?
Christopher Ly – Grade 8
“Invisibility… So, I can hook up with ‘Ms. Invisible.’”
Kaitlyn Fung – Grade 8
“Invisibility powers. Then, I could sneak around and overhear evil plans!”
