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…)
Enter: Ophiuchus
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 10
Have you ever read your horoscope? Maybe it was in the Province, or the Vancouver Sun, or maybe in this newspaper that you’re
holding right now. Let’s say that your birthday is September 29th, making you a Libra. Well, some may tell you that you are wrong, wrong, WRONG! As of January 13th, 2011, you are NOT a Libra! You would be a Virgo! Why is this? That’s because… um… some astrologists said so! And the sky’s moving… yeah! Also, if you were a Sagittarius, you are now an Ophiuchus! What’s that? Why is this happening! I hate science, and astrology is totally stupid! Right?!
No. Here’s a nice tidbit of information to calm people’s nerves. There are actually two zodiacs: the sidereal zodiac and the tropical zodiac. Most astrologers in the west use the tropical zodiac, which has not changed at all. This is because the tropical zodiac is based on where the sun was compared to the constellations, back when the Babylonians discovered them. For example, the sun comes to the first degree of Aries on the first day of spring, thus marking the first day of the Aries zodiac sign. The tropical zodiac is designed to stay based on where the constellations were 3000 years ago so it will never change, unlike the sidereal zodiac. This zodiac system is based off the constellations, and alters as they seemingly ‘move’ because of the Earth’s ‘wobbling’ axis. Both zodiacs were created at the same time, though the sidereal changed while the tropical did not.
Of course, galaxies are always moving; stars shifting and planets tilting as they revolve around their stars. This is the same for Earth. The Babylonians observed the constellations, which became visible, one by one as the year went on. These constellations were the zodiac signs. Each zodiac sign is visible for 30 degrees of the Earth’s revolution, for a total of 12 signs in 360 degrees. And as you should know, the Earth rotates on a tilt, thus causing the seasons. However, that tilt has wobbled a tiny bit in the since the Babylonians created the zodiac signs 3000 years ago. Because of this, the dates where the constellations appeared for the sidereal zodiac changed by almost a month. That is why your zodiac sign is ‘different’ now. But really, it did not change at all, because we use the tropical zodiac. And of course, the good ol’ tropical zodiac hasn’t been altered at all.
And what’s this about Ophiuchus? The thirteenth sign, Ophiuchus, was discovered by the Babylonians back when they established the zodiac signs. However, they only wanted to make 12 zodiac signs, so they did not use Ophiuchus. Recently, in 2009, the Ophiuchus constellation reappeared and became visible once more along with the other zodiac constellations. Only now have astrologers made it public that they have added this thirteenth sign to the zodiac, but by carefully using the right words to make a gigantic fuss about it and causing panic to everyone across the nations. And even if you were following the sidereal zodiac, calm down. The change in dates won’t even affect you, assuming you were born before 2009, which is when Ophiuchus was officially added to the sidereal zodiac.
It’s funny how a silly little fact spirals out of control, and we have people complaining, freaking out, spazzing about how the tattoo on their back isn’t what it’s supposed to be; all this pandemonium just from some less-than-carefully phrased words. See? It isn’t that bad, right? This is like the Chilean earthquake last year. Scientists said that the earthquake was so powerful, that it rocked the Earth off its axis, ergo, the days became shorter. What they didn’t mention is that the days were shorter by about a couple decimal nanoseconds and that everyone should stay calm and relax. These days, things are engineered to spark controversy everywhere. Hopefully in the future, people will learn to check their facts and get them straight before spreading false information all over the place.
http://www.boston.com/news/source/2011/01/new_zodiac_sign.html?rss_id=Top+Stories
http://www.examiner.com/new-age-in-denver/new-zodiac-sign-dates-denver-residents-respond
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/style/113100139.html
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/13/no-your-zodiac-sign-hasnt-changed/
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/entertainment&id=7896643
Slaves to Technology
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 10
Over the years, I’ve noticed how much quieter the Skytrain or the bus is. Not because of fewer people using the public transit
system… but because all of the people plopped down in their seats are either listening to their mp3 players or texting. Sometimes, scattered people will be calling their friends, but that’s not very likely nowadays. Ten years ago, the cars of the train would be packed with people, split into groups. Friends would talk and chat about the latest gossip or sports. Even if most people sat alone, it was still noisier back then compared to now.
Back to the people on the Skytrain; iPods, gaming systems or cell phones clutched tightly in their hands. Almost all of these people will be booting up their computer or turning on the TV once they get home. Some will start using both, and most wouldn’t be turning either device off anytime soon. As the evening goes on, at least one phone call will have reached the house. Whoever was the closest to the nearest phone would have most likely dropped everything and booked it to the phone as soon as possible. Because we can’t miss a phone call, right?
The point is that we tend to rely on technology a bit too much. Remember my last article, ‘Addicted to Technology?’ Wouldn’t you think that perhaps we may be far more than just ‘addicted’, but maybe even ‘slaves’ to technology? Just think. How many times do you use technology in a day? With most teenagers owning cell phones, computers, TVs, gaming systems and iPods, that number most likely has two digits, or more. Some don’t even think that they’ll be able to survive without their phone or iPod. But remember, there was a time before all of these devices barged through into our lives.
Imagine today, 25 years ago. The first PCs were just recently invented, one by IBM, two by Apple and an OS by Windows. Back then, there was no email, instant messaging and there definitely wasn’t Facebook. A cellular network was established in the United States for the first time three years ago, but not many people used them. They preferred to use the phones that they had at home. Instead of wasting the day away chatting with friends on Facebook, they instead wasted the day away talking with their friends in person. Back then, you didn’t rely on technology for entertainment. Teenagers would go out to eat, or hang out at the park, or go watch a movie.
As the years went by, many services and such handled by humans became dominated by machines. For instance, most products are manufactured by machines, compared to the workers assembly lines back then. Many people have also left it to the internet to tell them the latest news about current events, instead of a newspaper. Email is replacing snail mail to the point where most of a household’s mail only consists of bills. Sometimes, packages may find their way to someone’s house since the recent boom of online shopping. Sure, technology is helpful to us; but is it affecting us in negative ways? Some say that this burst of technology is disconnecting families and is ruining our chances to enjoy life in simplicity.
However, this current revolution of technology isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon. Better, faster, more desirable versions of current gadgets will always be pumped out by companies, and corporations will always be copying each other to be the best. Once Apple comes out with the iPad, other companies are suddenly designing their own versions of the famous Apple device. These devices will be constantly updated with a new version of the hardware almost every year; the iPhone, for instance. This cell phone by Apple currently has four versions, though a fifth one is scheduled to be released this year. Also, it seems like almost everything comes fragile and breakable, too. Have you ever had a phone or laptop you loved and have it break right after its warranty expired? And then you have to buy a brand new phone or computer to replace the broken one, thus shelling out more money. And as long as we keep buying these companies’ products, they’ll keep designing to keep us happy and to make sure that we’re buying their stuff.
And if things are getting scary now, what’s going to happen later? People have already been working on contact lenses that project computer screens onto your retina. Does this mean that everyone will be plugged into the computer 24/7? What if they create a type of cell phone that is implanted into your brain, sending waves to your friend wirelessly with your thoughts? Has anyone else wanted a holographic computer? We are capable of amazing technology, but everyone knows what happens when you have too much of a good thing. What would happen if all technology disappeared? Satellites rebounding cell phone signals stopped working, the internet ceased to connect everyone around the world? Perhaps electricity might not exist in a hundred years, rendering all of these devices useless? I know, this is a bit of an exaggeration, but really. What would you do if you couldn’t go on the computer, couldn’t text your friend, play video games or watch TV? Would you even think to go and read a book? Maybe hang out with your friends in person? Or would you just sit in your room, pouting and twiddling your thumbs, anxiously checking your favourite device every five minutes to see if it was working again?
People watch science fiction films and sometimes, they mention the fact how real the plot in the film could become in real life. “Wow… That could actually happen! We could actually become so advanced of a human race that we don’t even need laptops. We would just go on the computer through glasses!” Humans are so capable of doing anything we want to. We could be a race of advanced technology, like in books and movies. But aren’t we capable of accidentally destroying ourselves in the process? We have so many opportunities. However, the question is… what will we do next? Will we become such slaves to technology that we can’t tell between digital life and real life anymore? Or will we ever realize that we honestly don’t need to be this dependant on technology to survive? I know that I’m one of the most ironic people to write this article, with my many hours spent on the computer, but I want to ask you. If you had a choice to direct the human race, what would you do?
http://www.cm-life.com/2008/09/26/slavestotechnology/
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/med_hou_wit_tel-media-households-with-television
http://gorumors.com/crunchies/cell-phone-ownership-teenagers/
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_history_of_communication.htm
http://www.inlightimes.com/archives/2000/12/hess.htm
Separate: Survey!
I was curious if Windermere Secondary students were slaves to technology, so I went around and asked some students some questions.
- How many electronic devices do you own? Do you use them on a daily basis?
Navi Rai, Grade 10: Does a computer count?
Nicole: Yes. iPods, phones, computers, TVs, stuff like that.
Navi: I own 5 and yes, I do use them allllll the time.
Nicole: Would you be able to specify?
Navi: iPod, camera, phone, computer, TV.
Nicole Andrade, grade 9: Uhh, I would say 4-5 things and yes, I do use them on a daily basis. :)
- 2. How much do you rely on your electronic devices?
Darius Davidson, Grade 11: Umm, a lot.
Nicole: What do you mean by a lot?
Darius: Okay, here. Let me rephrase that. I use electronics daily, so I guess I rely on them a lot.
Tammy Lee, Grade 11: I like to rely on my electronics because I am way too accustomed to using them daily. If I had to, I could live without them.
- 3. Would you be upset if I took away all of your electronic devices?
Eric Lam, Grade 11: No.
Jenny Ho, Grade 12: Only if you took away my cameras.
- 4. What do you think would happen if all technology disappeared?
Hannah Gee, Grade 10: Well, we’d have to start from square one, pretty much. Because a lot of people wouldn’t have supplies and most don’t have gardens.
Nicole: What do you think would happen if we couldn’t restore anything? Even from starting over?
Hannah: What? Like, if we couldn’t pull together?
Nicole: Yep.
Hannah: Communities would have to work together. We would obviously lose communication with people from around the world. Actually, not just communities would have to work together. Countries would have to work together and become more independent.
Tony Kim, Grade 12: We become cavepeople and live in a united cavepeople nation!
Zodiac Signs
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 10
Nowadays, most magazines and newspapers have a special page dedicated horoscopes. These little blurbs claim to be
able to predict the future by looking at stars. They’re split into twelve horoscopes, one for each sign of the zodiac. But what’s the deal with these signs? Are they more than just a symbol somebody is born under, or are they just a sign? Believe it or not, zodiac signs are more sophisticated than you think.
Each zodiac sign originated from one of the constellations mapped by Babylonian astrologers. They noticed that it took twelve months for the sun cycle through the sky and back to its original position, and twelve specific constellations were associated. They named them: Aries; Pleiades; Gemini; Praesepe; Leo; Spica; Libra; Scorpio; Sagittarius; Capricornus; Aquarius; and Pisces. These constellations were arranged on the ecliptic, an imaginary annual path of the sun. The Greeks brought the information of these constellations back to their kingdom and shared the knowledge. They changed the names Pleiades, Praesepe, Spica, and Capricornus to Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, and Capricorn. And, they gave each sign a special significant attribute based on the strengths that surrounded it. The Greeks used these zodiac signs to predict a person’s strengths and weaknesses. This was all based on the date of which they were born, since they believed the course of one’s life was decided before birth. Over time, the Greeks began to use astrology to read a person’s horoscope, which they believed could predict every life-impacting event that one would experience in the lifetime.
As time went on, stories were created to explain why the zodiac constellations were in the sky, as with all constellations. The stories were passed on through generations, refined or changed over the years. The zodiac signs became split up into four groups, named after elements fire, earth, air, and water. People whose signs are in the group of fire are considered to be enthusiastic and outgoing. They need to have a lot of ‘fuel’ to keep them going and are always looking for something new to entertain themselves. Those with zodiac signs falling under earth are solid and reliable, and tend to be attracted to the fire signs because of their desire for change and excitement. The zodiac signs of air are always on the go and are constantly moving. Their minds are always racing from one thing to another, and they are often the most talkative. Finally, the zodiac signs that are represented by water are compassionate, loving the comfort of home, and caring deeply for their family. What’s your zodiac sign? Take a look below to read about yours and perhaps learn something new.
Aries – The Ram, March 20 ~ April 19
Aries is mostly considered the ‘first’ zodiac sign, since it’s at the start of the ongoing cycle. This sign’s season is spring, its ruling planet is Mars and its elemental group is fire. Aries are usually competitive, are quick mentally and physically, and come up with strong ideas. It is said that Aries was the golden ram that could fly, and many stories tell about its brave heroics and how it was placed into the sky in its honour.
Taurus – The Bull, April 20 ~ May 20
Taurus is the second zodiac sign in the cycle, part of the season of spring. The ruling planet of Taurus is Venus, and its element is Earth. Those who are in Taurus are slow and careful and are usually wary about change. One story suggests that Zeus turned into a bull and approached a beautiful woman named Europa. She sat on the bull’s back, and it jumped into the sea and swam to the Crete, a Grecian island. He married her, and the place of their marriage is now called ‘Europe’, named after Europa.
Gemini – The Twins, May 21~ June 20
Gemini places third in the cycle of the zodiac signs, and is the last sign in spring. The planet that rules over Gemini is Mercury, while its element is air. A Gemini tends to have a restless nature, but is outgoing and sociable. Most creation stories of this constellation include the twins, Pollux and Castor. These two boys were inseparable, but a tragic accident causes the death of one of the twins. The other twin eventually takes his own life due to grief, and Zeus places them in the stars to represent their everlasting friendship.
Cancer – The Crab, June 21 ~ July 22
Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac, placed in the season of summer. Its element is the flexible water, and its ruling celestial body is the Moon. Cancers focus on their feelings and the feelings of others, therefore they are usually loyal and protective towards whom they love. The stories of Cancer’s constellation revolve around the 12 trials of Heracles. During his fight against a hydra, Hera sent down a crab to help. Heracles was annoyed by the crab and stomped on it, and Hera honoured the bravery of the crab by placing it into the stars.
Leo – The Lion, July 23 ~ August 22
Leo is the fifth sign in the zodiac cycle. It is the second sign placed in the summer season of summer, given fire as its element and the Sun as the celestial body watching over it. Leos are warm and generous and are good leaders. The stories behind this constellation are linked to Cancer’s – they take place in the 12 trials of Heracles as well – except that the Lion of Nemea was one of the trials. Heracles’ objective was to slay the lion; except it was immune to every weapon. Finally, Heracles used his amazing strength to strangle it. It was a great battle, and Zeus put placed Leo in one of the constellations to memorialize the lion.
Virgo – The Virgin, August 23 ~ September 22
Virgo has the sixth placement in the zodiac cycle. It is the last sign that occurs during the summer, and its element is earth. Virgo’s ruling planet, like Gemini, is Mercury. A Virgo is extremely organized and makes a good leader, but sometimes a Virgo focuses solely on details and misses the full picture. Virgo is one of the few zodiac signs that are represented by something other than an animal. It is said that Astraea, the Goddess of Innocence and Purity, was caught up in the opening of Pandora’s box, releasing all the evils into the world. Astraea lived on Earth and was the last one to return to the heavens. Her constellation was created to remember this event.
Libra – The Scales, September 23 ~ October 22
Libra is the seventh sign in the zodiac, found in the season of fall. Libra’s element is air, and the ruling planet is Venus. People whose sign is Libra are bright, sociable, and often peaceful. Not as many stories about this constellation are known, however, one includes Astraea. This time, though, she is the Goddess of Justice who holds the scales. It tells about how during each era of Earth, she was there to make everything fair and just. However, when one final era came and war took place, Astraea gave up and went back to the heavens. Her scales were remembered for keeping everything peaceful for so long.
Scorpio – The Scorpion, October 23 ~ November 21
Scorpio, the eighth sign that’s found in fall, has water as its element and Pluto (though it is not considered a planet anymore) as its ruling celestial body. Scorpios care for others emotions and are highly intuitive. The story of Scorpio’s constellation is interesting; it tells about how Orion made Apollo jealous, and how Apollo conjured up a scorpion to kill Orion. After the struggle that resulted in Orion’s death, both Orion and the scorpion were placed into the stars.
Sagittarius – The Archer, November 22 ~ December 21
Sagittarius is one of the last signs, being the ninth, and it is in the season of fall. The element of Sagittarius is fire, and its ruling planet is Jupiter. Those who are Sagittarius love to travel and have a need to always be in the outdoors. The story about this constellation tells about a heroic feat. Cheiron, a centaur archer, was shot with a poison arrow. Yet, Cheiron was immortal and had to live forever with a massive pain. One day, however, one of Cheiron’s friends was trapped, and the only way for him to escape was for someone else to take his place. Cheiron agreed to save them and died. In memory of this event, Cheiron was placed into the stars as Sagittarius.
Capricorn – The Goat, December 22 ~ January 19
Capricorn is the tenth sign of the zodiac and the first sign of winter. Its element is earth, with Saturn as its ruling planet. Capricorns are said to be very responsible and are strong leaders, but often seen as lazy. There are many, many stories about Capricorn. One tells how Capricorn was the goat that Amalthea fed to Zeus when he was a child. He was thankful for her, thus creating this constellation.
Aquarius – The Water Bearer, January 20 ~ February 17
Aquarius is the second last sign in the zodiac, the eleventh. It is the second sign of winter with the element air and the ruling planet Uranus. An Aquarius is bright and theoretical, but can be a bit absent-minded at times. A short one among the many stories about Aquarius tells of the great Deucalion flood. Zeus poured water over the earth to wash away all evil, and meanwhile a new mankind was created.
Pisces – The Fish, February 18 ~ March 19
Pisces is the last sign in the zodiac cycle, being last of winter. The element of Pisces is water and its ruling planet is Neptune. Those with the sign of Pisces are intuitive and imaginative. The story sets in a time when the Goddess of Love and Beauty, Aphrodite, and the God of Love, Eros, were taking a walk together down a river. Suddenly, Typhon appeared and threatened to kill them. Aphrodite and Eros were turned into a pair of fish by Zeus to swim to safety. The Goddess Athena let the fish swim up to the stars and become a constellation.
References:
http://members.bitstream.net/~bunlion/bpi/Sign.html
http://park.org/Japan/NTT/MUSEUM/html_st/star/seiza/seiza_e.html
http://www.spiffy-entertainment.com/zodiac.html
http://www.astrologers.com/history/
http://homepage.mac.com/kvmagruder/bcp/zodiacal/zoo.htm
http://www.vivianweaver.com/signs2.html
http://www.historyofthings.com/history-of-zodiac-signs
http://www.bizymoms.com/astrology/history-of-zodiac-signs.html
Addiction to Technology
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 10
Did you hear that bell? Hey! That means school’s out! Alright then, let’s go home. But, ooh, what’s that sound? Is it your brand new smartphone saying that you have a new text message from your friend?! If so, might as well check your Facebook while you’re at it… … (Time speeds forward.) You’re now at home, walking through the door and sitting down at your laptop. You routinely log onto MSN and Skype on the left side of the computer screen, going on to check Facebook again in case of any new updates. Meanwhile, your Formspring, Twitter, and Tumblr are running on the right side of the screen. But, wait! What about your homework? Oh, forget it! That can wait until you’re finished with updating your Myspace and Xanga… … (The clock’s hour hand spins in circles several times.) Bed time! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wasn’t there homework to do? Well, you can always google all the answers and let the printer spew them out. Done!
Does this sound familiar? It just might be a little exaggerated, but this scenario is a mixture of many statistics connecting teenagers and their apparent addiction to technology. According to a study by the Cranfield School of Management, over half of all teenagers (59.2%) admitted to taking information straight from the internet and using it for schoolwork without reading it, nor changing it. Also, almost a third of the teenagers (28.5%) think that this is an acceptable thing to do, even if it indeed is plagiarism. Although plagiarism is not illegal, it is against the rules in all schools.
Although the internet is a useful thing, it’s also full of social networking sites that are known to be addicting. Websites like Facebook, Twitter and Formspring are rising in popularity that doesn’t seem likely to decrease anytime soon. The same study shows that students dedicate 1-2 hours on average to these social networking sites; 73% of the teenagers and young adults each have at least one social networking profile.
With cell phone technology growing and improving endlessly, smartphones have been launched into the world. A smartphone is any type of cell phone that has additional features such as access to the internet, email, and instant messengers. Since a miniature of a computer is now always ready in your hand, it’s no wonder our generation is considered desperately addicted. However, even regular cell phones can cause an addiction. Over 71% of the teenagers in North America own a cell phone; an average teenager sends and receives almost 3000 text messages per month and spends more than 600 minutes in voice calls. Considering these statistics, you would see what people mean when they say that we are addicted to technology, wouldn’t you?
Not only teenagers are becoming good friends with their cell phones, though. Have you noticed the alarming amount of elementary school kids with cell phones in their hands, texting back and forth? While volunteering at the Cooking Club of an elementary school one day, I suddenly heard the snap of a phone sliding open; and I could see a light of the screen of glass a little girl attempted to hide under the table. The girl held the device, looking down to check her text messages, and I told her that it would be taken away if I saw it again. Then, I thought, why am I asking a 9-year-old to put her cell phone away? Thus, sadly, it’s more than high school students that are becoming good buddies with mobile devices. According to a study by the C&R Research, 22% of young children aged 6 to 9 own cell phones; with 60% of older children aged 10 to 14 in the same situation. Also, producers of cell phones are now creating ‘child-friendly’ cell phones: bright, attractive colours, easy-to-access features that are overall more appealing to children have been added. It is estimated that 54% of children aged 8 to 12 years will own a cell phone within the next three years. In addition, most teenagers at a driving age or an age near (specifically, 84% of teenagers aged 15 to 18) will come to own a cell phone. Did you know, though, that accidents caused by cell phone use during driving have contributed to approximately 20% of all fatal car accidents?
So, are you convinced yet? Are we really addicted to technology? Who’s at fault? Is it the consumers that are inflicting harm upon themselves? Or, is it the producers of devices? Who knows? People think today’s young generation is addicted to technology, but the fact is even they are the same. Still, there is always someone more or less attached to these electrical machines. Overall, we may not be as addicted as others say, but with the technological world growing faster than we can ever imagine it to be, it’s without a doubt that these numbers will increase rapidly. I’m scared of thinking about what the world will become then. Will it be an amazing world full of advanced technology that saves lives and aides the population? Or will it be a wasteland, filled with ruins of electric devices that were once thought to be saviours of everyone’s daily life? Perhaps, I think, it will be somewhere in between the two – an amazing world full of advanced technology that runs everyone’s life, making us slaves to technology. Don’t think about it too much, though. Instead, why don’t you put down your cell phone, or get off the computer, and go outside with your friends to get some fresh air?
http://www.devhardware.com/c/a/Opinions/Addicted-to-Technology/
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/39574.php
http://graphics.ms/blog/877-social-networking-statistics-2010/
http://ezinearticles.com/?Teens-and-Cell-Phone-Addiction&id=3136619
http://www.cmch.tv/mentors/hottopic.asp?id=70
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/whos-calling-some-more-than-others/
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
Hogwood vs. Dogweed
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 10
Another summer has passed and now it’s time for a new year at high school, whether it is for the first time or for the
second, third, fourth or fifth. Wow, pretty soon you’re going to be graduating! Wait, what do you graduate with, again? There’s that name for the special diploma all British Columbians graduate high school with. What was it called? The… Hogweed? Hogwood? Dogweed? No, wait. It’s the Dogwood. How could you have mistaken a dogwood for a hogweed? They’re very different plants!
The two do share some similarities, however. For example, the two very similar sounding words are both plants that grow across Canada, and both produce white flowers. Although the words are mixed up frequently, the dogwood and hogweed are fairly different. The dogwood is a tree, and its flower is the provincial flower of British Columbia. Students in this province graduate with their high school diploma, semi-formally called the Dogwood. The giant hogweed is an extremely toxic plant that contains a sap that can cause painful blistering, swelling, and lifelong skin damage. If it comes in contact with eyes, the sap can cause permanent blindness.
The giant hogweed plant, formally known as the Heracleum mantegazzianum, was first introduced to England from Russia in the 1800s. Because of its size it was very popular as a decorative plant before its toxic effects were commonly known. The hogweed plant is very tall; it can grow up to 7 metres, though usually its final height ranges from 2 to 5 metres. The plant has compound leaves, which means that its leaves are made up of different parts. The leaves are very big; they can grow up to 1 meter in diameter. The leaf itself separates into leaflets which have rough, serrated edges. The stems of the weed are wide and hollow, with reddish purple flecks. Commit its appearance to memory; it can be easily mixed up with other plants, such as the wild carrot and the water-parsnip.
Currently, the weed is spreading across the US and Canada, making lovers of nature cautious. People are told to remember what the plant looks like so they will not accidentally touch it and harm themselves, because the plant is phototoxic. This means that the sap contains photosensitizing compounds (furanocoumarins). When it comes into contact with human skin along with UV radiation, like that in sunlight, it leaves a painful chemical reaction. After about 24 hours of contact with the sap, the skin begins to redden and swell, and after 72 hours, an inflammatory reaction will occur. Effects can last for several months, leaving the skin sensitive to UV light for years. If you get the sap on your skin, avoid sunlight and wash it off immediately. The Giant Hogweed is a pest for field owners. They try to get rid of it, but the plant grows back. Hopefully, nature will take care of the phototoxic plant with natural causes, wiping the plant out sooner or later.
Resources:
http://www.ontarioweeds.com/weed.php?w=HERMZ
http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/features/section5/dogwood/dogwood.htm
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!
Style Watch
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 10
This month’s subject, Ms. Singh!
How do you feel about being chosen for this month’s style watch column? It must be exciting. Tell us about it!
Flattered.
What are you wearing?
Pants, shirt, cardigan, pumps
Describe your style.
Classy, chic, sophisticated
What are your favourite shopping destinations?
Aritzia, Aldo, Nine West, Banana Republic, Jacob
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.
February Survey
By Nicole Yu and Tammy Lee, Grade 9 and Grade 10
1) What are you looking forward to most in February? The beginning of the Olympics, Chinese New Year, or Valentines Day?
2) Is there any significant reason to why you are looking forward to Answer to (1)____?
3) Would you like to be anonymous?
JAMES WANG, GRADE 10
1) I’m not looking forward to any one in particular.
2) I look forward to them all equally. ;)
11-year-old Mom
By: Angela Ho & Nicole Yu
Imagine that you are an 11-year-old girl who is six months pregnant. You have no idea how babies are made, let alone what contraception is and how to use it. You are not ready to be a mother, nor are you ready to leave your childhood behind so early. You will have to raise your child when you are still a child yourself…
Wait, what?
This is exactly what happened to 11-year-old Kordeza Zhelyazkova.
When Kordeza’s grandmother noticed that her granddaughter was putting on some weight, she also found out that her granddaughter was seeing a boy. She immediately went out and purchased a pregnancy test. The result left the two stunned. “I just thought I’d been eating too many burgers,” said Kordeza, when she found out that she was about six months pregnant.
December Horoscopes
Aries – It’s been raining a lot lately, but don’t despair! If you look hard enough, you’ll see the silver lining in even the darkest of clouds!
Taurus – Lucky You! This month, every test will seem easy, though that doesn’t mean you can give up on studying. So study hard! That way, when you get your cake, you can eat it too.
Gemini – Have you ever been afraid of something? This month your fears are going to end up in one of your dreams. Don’t be scared; stare your fear in the eyes and laugh in its face.
Nicole’s Guide to Making a Better Password
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 9
Nowadays, the internet can be a scary place. It’s full of hackers, imposters and all sorts of suspicious activity. The key to staying safe on the internet is to make an excellent, secure password. How do you make a secure password? Follow these steps to find out.
Step 1: Pick a random word, preferably in a different language.
Example: pleut
Step 2: Scramble the letters so that they are unintelligible.
Example: tlepu
Athena Showcase
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 8
What is the Athena Showcase? The Athena Showcase is an event in May where all the Athena Arts students here at Windermere show their annual accomplishments to their parents, teachers and friends. This year’s Athena Showcase was on May 13th. During the past year, the Athena Grade 9’s practiced using Flash in Science, creating little funny scenes, shown on the projector. They also made book trailers, which were hilarious, sad, happy and/or scary, depending on which one(s) you watched. The Athena Grade 8’s acted out a scene from the famous play, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, directed by Mrs. Grunwell. They also performed the first number from next year’s musical, ‘Smathalot’, and a song in French, ‘L’arbre Ungali’. It was a night of fun, as the ‘High School Mathical’ soundtrack CD was released on the same night. All in all, it was a great and eventful night. See you next year, everybody!
Chinese New Year’s Traditions
By: Nicole Yu, Grade 9
Another year has come and gone, according to the lunar calendar. Now, most Chinese people in Vancouver are
finished celebrating, but people who live in China just finish celebrating after a whole week. Chinese New Year is one of the most important and celebrated holidays to the Chinese, and there’s a lot of preparation and things you have to follow for it!
Before New Year’s Eve, you have to do various things. You have to clean the whole house and get rid of all things that have to do with the old year, like calendars. You also have to buy red money envelopes, oranges, flowers, lucky candies, a circular candy tray, and hang a lucky red sign on a door upside down, all so the luck won’t fly away from the house.
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!
