Some Good News and Some Bad News
By Tammy Lee, Grade 12
SOME GOOD NEWS
Good-bye, Bottled Water!
Vancouver Community College has decided to ban the sale of bottled water on its campus starting in spring 2013. This marks the college as one of the first in the Lower Mainland to cast aside the society’s illogical preference for convenient plastic waste over reusable bottles. The executive director of VCC Student Union, Tiffany Kalanj, said: “It’s really a common-sense solution to sustainability on campus and it’s so much cheaper to have tap water, and Metro Vancouver . . . has the best water in the world.”
Should Walmart’s Health Label Be Trusted?
By Tammy Lee, Grade 12
In recent years, eating healthy food has become the latest trend. From fads such as vitamin-infused drinks to the demand for organic food, more retailers are taking advantage of conscientious consumers in a way that allows the retailer—in this case, Walmart—to label what the company believes is healthy and should be well regarded by its customers. Coming soon to the Walmart near you is a green “Great for You” label that the multi-national retail giant has decided to launch.
Editor vs. Editor: March 2012
By Max Miller & Tammy Lee, Grade 12
Max: Whoa there, what are you eating?
Tammy: Om nom nom nom, these chocolates are amazing!
M: What the… Heart-shaped box, huh? Someone must have gotten lucky on Valentine’s Day.
T: Yeah, my best friend bought it for me. Isn’t it huge?! It must have cost a lot of money. I’m so lucky to have a friend who loves me this much.
M: What? … I mean, do you really measure your friendships like that?
T: Of course! Compare this to the paper card you made me! What the heck was that? You just took paper out of your printer. I bet it didn’t even cost you any money.
M: If that’s really how you judge your friendship, what do you think when it comes to all the time and effort I put in to make that card? I bet I took more time to make that card than your friend did to do some quick shopping for those chocolates.
Pizza a Vegetable?!
Written by Editors of the Word
The U.S. Congress has done it again! It is not the first time that the Congress has frustrated the American people. But instead of doing so by spending almost $1.3 trillion on wars, the brouhaha they’ve caused this time stems from the passing of a bill that blocks regulations of tomato paste, potato, and salt in school meals. The law now declares the tomato paste used on pizzas as a viable replacement for vegetable as a source of nutrition. So, does that mean that the Congress is affirming that pizza is a vegetable?!
For the sake of argument, Tammy and Max have each taken a side. As for me (Winnie), I am going to sit back, relax, eat some popcorn, and watch them fight for a win.
Meet Two of Vancouver’s City Council Candidates!
On November 19, 2011, Vancouverites will cast their votes in to choose 1 Mayor, 10 Councillors, 7 Park Commissioners, and 9 School Trustees in the municipal election. With the big event just about a month away, the Word’s editors have interviewed two great individuals, both of whom are candidates of this fall’s election. From Vision Vancouver, we have Kerry Jang, a Professor of Psychiatry at UBC and a current City Councillor, as well as a Windermere alumnus from the 1980s! On the other hand, we have Bill Yuen from the Non-Partisan Association (NPA). He is an engineer and a former school trustee whose children both graduated from Windermere. Both Jang and Yuen are residents of our neighbourhood, and it has been a pleasure meeting them. We would like to thank them for making time for us in their busy schedules to create this segment!
So, without further delay, let’s get right into our interviews!
Kerry Jang on September 21, 2011:
Q: What are your responsibilities in the community as a City Councillor?
A: There are two roles to my position as a City Councillor. First of all, all Councilors are essentially responsible for things like city budget, making sure the roads are clean, and ensuring that police and fire departments have money. But, more specifically, Gregor Robertson asked me to look into the issues of homelessness because that’s what I’ve been trained in. So a lot of my work is to do with homelessness, as well as the sex trade and how to protect women and young girls who might be lured into the trade.
Q: Why did you decide to become a City Councillor?
A: Because of my interest in mental illness. I got involved through working with homeless people. I set up the Saturday Breakfast and Shower Program at the Collingwood Neighborhood House to address homelessness in our area. It was unique for its time because we looked at what the homeless people needed instead of what we thought they needed. We asked, “What do you actually want?” and a guy answered, “I’ve got kind of a place to live but don’t like sleeping here. What I really want is a place to come and shower – because I stink – and a place to wash my clothes and have breakfast.” The whole point of the breakfast program was to create a place where they could be found. We made sure all the healthcare and mental health workers were there on Saturdays to see what they needed. So, that’s how we got them treated. It was great! Sometimes we could see people from the healthcare saying, “I finally found him. I’ve been looking for three months! He can finally take his medication today!” *High five!* Also, we made sure that a homeless count would be done in the city every year. Windermere students have helped with that, I believe. This tells us what kinds of services are needed. Why would I build a big, fancy healthcare centre if they’re not even here? We have now reduced homelessness by 83%. There had once been 1,000 people living on the street, and now there are only 145 left. It’s amazing!
Q: Is there any way students like us can become more involved in our city’s politics?
A: Absolutely! We have the Vancouver Youth and other advisory groups in the city. The Youth Justice Council and Restorative Justice are both very good examples. Also, there are a lot of community consultations where youth can come and leave their comments, which are the most important to me. I’m just a few years away from reaching fifty years old now, so I’ll be seventy when the stuff I’ve been planning comes to fruition! On the other hand, you guys will still be at the prime of your lives, so you will be the ones to take the actions and carry out the initiatives. If any students want to get involved in the city’s politics, they can contact me directly and I’ll hook you up. In January, if I get re-elected, I’ll be happy to take applications from students who want to sit on our advisory boards.
Q: What was Windermere like in 1980?
A: We were just coming out of the Disco era, so lots of guys were walking around with afros. Girls didn’t wear makeup – t-shirt and jeans were all they wore. We had a reputation as a tough school; my teeth actually got punched out one time. We were really mouthy, really street-smart. There was a real spirit in the school, though, and the teachers were fantastic! They really worked to make sure we focused on what was important. They also understood that a lot of us came from a poor background – I did. They tailored programs to help us out because we couldn’t afford tutors. In fact, we all had to work and give money to our families. Right after school – bam – a lot of us would head out to our jobs. It was a very different time economically.
Windermere was our place and we wanted to protect it. It had been a good experience here. I joke about the fights a lot, but they only happened once in a while; it wasn’t a warzone in here. When I went to my 30th high school reunion, I saw that everyone was doing really well. They owned businesses, they were professional, and one was a stand-up comedian! Despite the reputation we had when I was here, everyone turned out really well.
Q: Where did you go after graduating from Windermere?
A: I graduated from Windermere – barely – with a GPA of C-. My teachers told me to go to Langara for a year or two. There, I found something I really wanted to do, which was psychology, and from there I went to SFU, then to the University of Western Ontario, where I did my PhD, and afterwards I went to UBC. Now, I’m a full professor with tenure. It’s really all because people gave me time and understood my background, and that’s what Windermere was about. We were all tough kids. You guys are in a better place, I think, and you’re a lot smarter.
Q: Earlier this year, Vision’s creation of the bike lanes downtown was scrutinized for being rather inefficient, and a waste of space. What are your thoughts on that?
A: The bike lanes have been on the city’s transportation plan for 30 years. We finally decided to implement them because we noticed from data that car trips had decreased about 50% and more people were riding bikes than ever before. Without bike lanes, cyclists slowed down traffic. By creating dedicated bike lanes, we’ve actually increased traffic flow throughout downtown. Businesses thought that they would be impacted, but none of that happened. Instead, their profits went up because people without cars are now willing to go downtown. My favorite argument was that it destroys parking, but we did a study and there are more than ten thousand excess spaces along Hornby Street’s bike lane alone. I drive downtown and I’ve never had a problem finding parking, so I don’t buy any of those arguments. What we’re actually seeing is an increase in the number of bikers – it has skyrocketed. North American culture, though, is that we love our cars. This is why we need youth to change our perspective.
Q: Any advice for the Windermere students?
A: Do what you love! The money will come with it.
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Bill Yuen on September 24, 2011:
Q: Can you introduce yourself to readers of the Word?
A: I’ve been in Canada for almost forty years and Vancouver is very special for me. I met and married my wife of thirty-five years and raised my family here. I’m also glad that I’ve had the opportunity to help the community for the past twenty years. I had been a school board trustee; on the city of Vancouver’s Planning Commission; on the board of the Vancouver Public Library; and a council member with the Ministry of Children and Family Services. I also headed the PAC of Windermere at one point. I have done volunteer work at community centers and all sorts of fundraising for several public organizations.
Q: Your children went to Windermere, right? What do you think of the school?
A: I think it was one of the smaller schools in Vancouver, but it’s pretty close-knit and a pretty good school. Both of my children got into UBC and one of them became a lawyer.
Q: If you were to be elected as a City Councillor, what would your responsibilities be?
A: Well, certainly I would be responsible for providing services to Vancouverites and for dealing with issues that come up within the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Taking care of various orders and supplies and Translink – that is part of the City Council’s responsibilities.
Q: So, you want to direct your main focus to the engineering aspect of the city?
A: Well, no, actually. I would probably have to look into the all the different aspects. I find that Vancouver needs to be more than just a green city; it has to be competitive and affordable in order to survive. What I see with young people nowadays is that it is getting tougher and tougher for them to live in Vancouver, which makes holding down taxes one of my aims. If you look at the last three years, they raised taxes by 8% in the first year with an increase in the price of houses. Just coming into the market has become an issue for them. The second area that I can work on is streamlining cumbersome regulations to improve services. My experience over the last twenty years as an industrial engineer has shown that different processes and programs can be streamlined. This way, I can make it easier for the small businesses in our city.
Q: Gregor Robertson was elected in 2008 on the platform that he would make Vancouver the world’s greenest city by 2020. What is your take on the environmental issue?
A: I support Vancouver in becoming a green city – we all want to live in a green city – but it needs to have a balanced approach. You need to balance the needs of other constituencies. For instance, bike lanes are being built on existing sidewalks and some citizens did complain to me. Once, I saw an 84-year-old with a walker having to walk past the bike lane down a hill before he can get to the car parked beside the street. I see the current government really stuffing this down our throats, saying that “this is [their] way and this is the only way.” As a matter of fact, I talked to some nearby residents and they came up with really good alternative ideas, but there hasn’t been any meaningful consultation with citizens like them.
Q: What about the store owners along the bike lanes? Have they encountered any problems?
A: Like I said, you have to look at the overall impact. Something can’t just be implemented for a special interest group. It has to be inclusive; you need to look at the interests of all Vancouverites. Going green is a good initiative, but it can’t be carried out at the expense of others.
Q: What should be the number one issue for a City Councillor?
A: I would say it’s accountability at this point. It’s important that we are accountable to our citizens and willing to find out what they need. From what I heard from people in Vancouver, affordability is number one and they don’t want to see any tax hikes, as well as money being spent unwisely. Why expand the mayor’s office or create a new lunchroom? Why would they spend millions of dollars on secret bailouts? Why spend money to make shelters for homeless chickens?
Q: Homeless chickens?
A: The government created a shelter for homeless chickens – chickens that, say, people raised but then released. That’s something the current City Council is building. Citizens don’t want us to waste money like that. That’s why I’ll certainly go for more financial transparency if I get elected. Right now, there’s just too much money spent on things that people don’t know about.
Q: Recently, parking has become an issue in Vancouver. There have been areas on Kingsway, for instance, where they have suddenly included parking meters. Is this actually a good thing for the city or just a way for them to exploit the citizens?
A: I will say that it will definitely have some impact on local businesses and I don’t think that’s the way to go. It comes back to the bike lanes downtown. They have taken away the parking there and they have to get parking fees elsewhere, so they pick places that have good businesses and a busy traffic. The bike lanes were put in so fast that there wasn’t time for any good consultation.
Q: Do you have any advice for our readers still in high school?
A: Well, hard work! I think there’s no substitute for hard work. The real world is tougher than school, you have to be educated and be prepared. No matter what your post-secondary plans are, hard work always pays off. You have to work in the community, do volunteer work, and help others. Be a good citizen!
Editors’ Message
Hey Warriors!
Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year! We hope everyone had a restful and fun-filled summer break as it is time to get back into the swing of school!
After 68 days of relaxation, you might notice that quite a few people are finding school to be anything but smooth. Without a doubt, the start of a new school year is a big transition for most, if not all, of the students. This is especially the case for those who have been oversleeping and feeling lackadaisical almost every day over the last couple of months. However, there is no need to worry at all! Hundreds of students around you feel the same way too. And like any other high school year, you will soon find yourself enjoying the time you get to spend with your friends – both old and new – and looking forward to your favourite classes.
On the other hand, if you are a grade eight student who has just begun your high school life, you might find yourself facing a number of problems in the first few weeks. Unlike elementary school, high school carries much more pressure and responsibility. At times, you might even find yourself feeling somewhat stressed out due to a heavier workload and increased number of tests and quizzes. But nonetheless, amidst the stress and studying, there are many other good things about this new stage of life. It may sound cliché, but it is true when people say that high school is one of the best times a person could possibly have. Over the next five years, you will be given numerous great opportunities to find friends whom you may cherish for life; meet teachers whom you can trust and confide in; map out your future by discovering your area of interest and how you can thrive in it; and, most importantly, enjoy the wonderful years of youth by challenging yourself and doing the craziest things you can possibly think of – without breaking anything or hurting anyone of course. One way or another, you can definitely make your life here at Windermere enjoyable and unforgettable.
Finally, after all that we have said, please remember: SPREAD THE WORD!!
On behalf of the Word Committee,
Tammy Lee, Winnie Liang, & Max Miller
Burns Bog, “The Rough Diamond under Tons of Garbage”
By Tammy Lee, Grade 12
Burns Bog is a remarkable natural site located in the suburban region of Vancouver, and it is the largest raised bog on the west coast of North America. Although it may not be as acclaimed as the “gem in the city” we know as Stanley Park, Burns Bog is considered to be the “rough diamond buried under tons of garbage”, due to the endless garbage disposal at the landfills located right on the edge of the peat bog. Burns Bog is a self-sustaining ecosystem that provides shelter to over twenty-four different species of mammals. It is home to over one-hundred and fifty species of birds, as well as many plant species. Sadly, many of them are on the verge of extinction. Despite the Bog’s scientific significance at both the local and national level, the public just isn’t told enough about this jewel. What makes the situation worse is that the government is doing nothing to help protect this area, but rather, destroying it.
In recent years, there has been much controversy regarding the future of Burns Bog. Although environmentalists have been trying very hard to preserve this land, they are struggling with cleaning up the mess caused by the clash of government-run projects and natural disasters. However, this in turn has raised people’s awareness about the plight of the Bog. As the government continues to be scrutinized for its actions regarding, the greatest question for the community is what its future will be like. Will it eventually be destroyed by development? Or will it be protected as a treasure?
Ownership caused some of the biggest environmental problems. Although First Nations people have lived on the land for thousands of years, they are not given any rights to harvest and gather in Burns Bog, whereas the City of Vancouver owns a share. Western Delta Lakes, a major private landowner who also owns one of the mountain resorts in the Lower Mainland, owns a majority of the Bog. In other words, Western Delta Lakes could easily do what they please with the land and no one could stop them. However, it seems that not all governments are good at using its power of land control wisely. In the past, the city of Delta has approved the bulldozing of over 32 hectares of the Bog for cranberry farming. The construction of a radio tower and the clear-cutting of private land along the Bog’s edge only showed the government’s negligence. Above all, permitting the establishment of private landfills along the northern edge is greatly disappointing to those who initially thought the government would be happy to help protect the environment. The Bog’s ecosystem, which sustains a wide variety of flora and fauna, is disrupted by these dumpsites, as well as by the City of Vancouver Landfill found on the southern part. In 1993, it was recorded that an estimated 830 tonnes of waste, generated from land clearing and construction, were dumped. Almost two decades have passed since then. Considering the massive boom in population, it’s easy to say that the amount of waste being dumped nowadays has doubled or even tripled. In short, the government’s conservation efforts are best illustrated by what Delta mayor Beth Johnson said years ago, “There’s not much we can do to preserve the bog, given so much of it is somebody’s private land.”
So, what other problems are apparent at Burns Bog? Since Vancouver was ranked the most liveable city, Metro Vancouver has become much more populous. New residents are moving into the area monthly, and many move towards the Surrey and Delta areas. As a result, more cars are driving into, and out of, Vancouver than ever before. Naturally, roads have become too congested, and the government believes the best way to solve this problem is to create more roads. But what does this have to do with Burns Bog? Well, the government’s South Fraser Perimeter Road Project is planned to plough right through the Bog, destroying hectares of magnificent ecosystem. If this project indeed proceeds according to plan, we will be saying goodbye to the natural site whose beauty many people have yet to appreciate. It’s a pity that the government is willing to destroy it without a second thought.
On the other hand, thousands of people are determined to protect Burns Bog. Many protesting groups around the Lower Mainland, such as the Wilderness Committee, Burns Bog Conservation Society, and the StopThePave.Org, are utilizing their rights as citizens to fight for what they believe in. The best course of action would be to reach a compromise with the Government of BC, who needs to understand that Burns Bog is essentially the “lungs of the Lower Mainland” and its destruction will be devastating. Not only would destroying the Bog affect the plants and wildlife in the area, it would also affect us. The amount of greenhouse gases released upon the disappearance of the peat bog would result in a huge negative impact on our environment. In 2004, over two thousand hectares of Burns Bog had been purchased to be protected as the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area, with its four shareholders being the Province of British Columbia, the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), the Corporation of Delta, and Canada. Although Burns Bog has yet to be placed under the world’s spotlight, it has been nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. The title has yet to be granted.
Editors in Collaboration: An In-Depth Look at 2011 England Riots
By the Editors of the Windermere Word
On August the 6th, a large riot broke out in Tottenham, North London, and the disturbances quickly spread to other areas of England, such as Bristol and the Midlands. The scale of chaos was unlike anything the city had ever seen. The riots lasted for five days, during which five people were killed, another two hundred injured, and more than $300 million worth of property was stolen or destroyed. Nonetheless, tragic as the riots were, they shed light on a number of social justice issues the citizens face daily.
A Death that Sparked Massive Riots
The sporadic violence that took place from August 6 to August 10 in England is believed to have been sparked by one man’s death.
Mark Duggan, a young 29-year-old father of four, was allegedly linked to Tottenham’s Star Gang. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said that Duggan was shot dead during a planned arrest by the police in Operation Trident, which is responsible for investigating gun crimes within black communities. However, contrary to the police’s description of Duggan as a “gangster”, his friends and family described him as a “loving family guy”.
On Thursday, August 4th, a shot fired by a police officer from London’s Scotland Yard brought about the death of Mark Duggan, who was last heard of by his fiancée through a text message. “The feds are following me,” he allegedly wrote. Many media outlets reported that the gunfight started after he resisted police arrest and fired a shot at a police officer with a handgun. However, fragment ballistics showed the contrary – Duggan was indeed killed by police-issue ammunition, but the handgun retrieved from the scene showed no evidence of him firing any shot.
Shortly after his death, a supposedly peaceful vigil commenced in Tottenham, but eventually spiralled out of control. It was the beginning of the riots in England.
The most troubling question about Mark Duggan’s death is why he was shot in the first place. Until further investigation yields any solid evidence, many will continue to ponder whether or not his death can be tied to England’s long history of racism, for Duggan was of African descent.
Social Media Yielded as a Double-Edged Sword
Similar to the recent hockey riots in Vancouver, social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry Messenger played a large role in the riots. Our always-connected world made it easy for the rioters to organize and execute their plans with speed and efficiency. Within minutes of the beginning of the Tottenham riot, social networking feeds were abuzz with reports concerning the matter. It wasn’t hard for potential rioters to meet up and join in.
Earlier this year, social media sites such as Twitter were shut down in Egypt by its government as a result of massive demonstrations, but such drastic measures have not been taken in any other countries; governments seem to have realized that these networks can be used for peaceful purposes as well. Upstanding citizens have been using the same networks to organize large-scale clean-ups, and police officers have been able to monitor the riots’ movements in real-time and respond accordingly. Furthermore, Police was able to use social networking sites to apprehend suspected rioters and looters by posting pictures and videos online to ask the public to help identify them.
Controversial Sentencing
After over four days of rioting, the nation tried to get back on its feet, struggling to restore calm. Meanwhile, police worked around the clock to hunt down those involved in the riots. By Wednesday, August 17, already over 3,000 arrests were made by U.K. police. On the same day, London’s Scotland Yard said more than 1,000 people had been charged with riot offences.
Due to the extensive damage caused by the previous week’s widespread disorder, many politicians and innocent citizens whose lives were affected demanded tough punishment. They believed such “exemplary sentences” to be the best deterrence against further public order offences, regardless of the fact that a vast majority of the people who appeared in court aged no more than 25, with many between 11 and 17.
That being said, these sentences have provoked backlash from critics, MPs, and justice campaigners, who consider the punishment is retributive and too harsh. For instance, 22-year-old Anderson Fernandes was warned of a possible jail sentence by a magistrate judge; 23-year-old Nicholas Robinson had to pay for a £3.50 case of bottled water with six months of jail; and 22-year-old Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan was jailed for four years for Facebook incitement to riot.
“It’s dangerous when politicians try to do the sentencing,” said Lord McNally, Liberal Democrat Justice Minister. “How can this make sense? How does it compare with other crimes? This is not government. It’s a series of wild panic measures seeking to claw back popularity.”
Above all, did charged rioters express regret because they were caught? Or did they actually recognize the damage they inflicted?
Riots Rooted in Social Deprivation and Inequality
On August 11, 2011, British Prime Minister David Cameron addressed the Parliament in an emergency session, condemning these “sickening scenes . . . of people looting, vandalizing, thieving, robbing, scenes of people attacking police” as “criminality, pure and simple”. The root cause of the countrywide mayhem and fear is, according to Cameron, the rioters’ “lack of individual morality and responsibility”. This view is largely echoed in the British political establishment. And like London Mayor Boris Johnson, some even went on to openly dismiss the need of examining the situation more objectively by taking a sociological approach.
Instead of portraying the incident as a simple matter of law and order and unreasonably tarnishing the entire nation’s reputation, different theories have been suggested on the causal factors of the riots in England. Perhaps the most controversial of them all is the suggestion that social deprivation and inequality are the underlying causes. To observers, this may seem fair and sensible. But to the people whose homes and businesses have been affected, this is just an excuse opportunistic criminals use to justify their looting and violence. So, which side is right?
According to Kids Company charity founder Camila Batmanghelidjg, many youths in Britain see little hope for their future in a society in which the “established community is perceived to provide nothing… It’s not one occasional attack on dignity, it’s a repeated humiliation, being continuously dispossessed in a society rich with possession.” Most of the cities where rioting took place are among the poorest areas in Britain. For instance, London’s highest and Britain’s 10th highest unemployment rates are both found in Tottenham, where arson attacks have reduced buildings to ashes and a regular borough to a war zone. And like other deprived areas, Tottenham is seeing anything but benefits from the massive spending cuts on public services.
On the other hand, a long history of social exclusion has fuelled strong police resentment. Christina Patterson of The Independent, a British national newspaper, said: “Too many black men have been killed by the police. Too many black men and women have been treated like criminals when they’re not. This is not the cause of these riots, but it’s there in the mix.” Statistically, killings of black men and women significantly outnumber those of white people in Britain, yet black communities have long been feeling discriminated against. The most glaring example would be Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which gives police the powers to search anyone in a designated area without suspicion. Last year’s analysis of government data by the London School of Economics and the Open Society Justice Initiative revealed that the number of stop-and-searches under Section 60 has massively increased since 2005. Naturally, one would assume that such ‘security’ measures could prevent outbreaks of youth violence. Unfortunately, whereas the use of Section 60 has only risen more than 300% over the last five years – which is already very shocking – its use on black youth rose by more than 650%!
So, was David Cameron right when he said that the looting and violence showed “slow-motion moral collapse”? Or is there more to it? Instead of pessimistically considering what happened as a sign of moral decline, it can be seen as a reminder of how important it is for the government to take poverty and social exclusion seriously. Even though opportunistic theft and violence terrorized the homes of many, no one can deny that the years of neglect and deprivation might very well have gone unnoticed by the rest of the world if it weren’t for these riots.
Days of destructive rioting and looting shook the entire Britain. The spark created by Mark Duggan’s death quickly developed into a fire of hatred, opportunism, and anarchism that engulfed London and other British cities. Although weeks have already gone passed us since the chaos, the wounded nation is still struggling to cope with the aftermath. In a city four thousand and some miles away from England, Vancouverites may be reminded by the news about the Vancouver Canucks riot in June. After all, they both consisted of looting, angry mobs, destruction, and shame felt by citizens afterwards. But the stigma of rioting is where the similarity ends. We experienced what uninhibited anger, vandalism, and anarchism could do to a city. However, it is incomparable to the England Riots that not only brought a “climate of fear” to British cities, but also triggered controversy and scrutiny over politics, social injustice, social networking, parenting, and – this is not joking – the existence of conscience. Skeptics may wonder if the violence had any real purpose. But if anything, it made the news, and people worldwide have actually started to examine the root causes of rioting and the social issues that may have haunted deprived British communities for a long, long time.
For B.C. Ferries, Money is Everything?
By: Tammy Lee, Grade 11
Don’t you hate the days when you enter a store with a gift card, hoping to purchase something nice for yourself, only to find out that your gift card has expired? Although gift cards no longer expire (Yay!), customers of a particular sort of service still publicly display their outrage over expired cards.
Last month, a lawyer in North Vancouver filed a class-action lawsuit towards B.C. Ferries on behalf of ferry riders. Why? Because B.C. Ferries had cancelled a refund policy last year, and as a result, B.C. Ferries has obtained $1.2 million in pre-paid fares.
Pre-paid fares? Are those like the fare savers (that were actually a bargain if you bought them years back?) for Translink?
Pretty much! But, just imagine these pre-paid fares to be even more expensive!
In past years, the validity of the pre-paid cards had been two years, and it was possible to reload the cards. Since last year, however, B.C. Ferries had changed their policy, making the cards valid for two years, and can only be reloaded for an additional six months after its expiry. After that, they are nothing but useless trash. What happens to the cash that was added onto the card? Well… You can say good-bye to your money, because you’ve just lost it to B.C. Ferries.
Lawyer Jim Poyner said that the termination of prepaid fares by B.C. Ferries in April 2010 was “a breach of contract” with customers. He also added that at least one hundred people are involved in the claim. An estimated fifteen thousand trips were paid for with the pre-paid fares, and B.C. Ferries has refused to reimburse these trips. Countless customers are appalled with B.C. Ferries’ actions. Deborah Marshall, media director for B.C. Ferries, told the Record that the two-year expiry has existed since 1983, but it was only recently that they started enforcing the rule. Marshall stated that the corporation has indeed made sure to tell passengers to be aware about the two-year expiry. But doesn’t the real situation tell us that B.C. Ferries hasn’t really done a great job telling its customers about the expiry?
B.C. Ferries may continue to say that they had warned their passengers ahead of time of the circumstances which have occurred, but this doesn’t mean their passengers are just going to accept it. The trust between the corporation and the consumers has been torn by this fiasco. B.C. Ferries has tricked, or if you may say it, secretly pocketed money from their customers. Obviously, B.C. Ferries should have realized that they have lost the important trust of the customers they relied on the most for merely $1.2 million dollars, which would not have been hard to earn considering the large number of people utilizing the services it provides nowadays. But hey, as long as they have money, what do they have to worry about?
A Penny For Your Thoughts
By Tammy Lee, Grade 11
Pennies are probably the coins in your wallet that weigh you down; they’re practically worthless, and you’d rather have just as many quarters as you have pennies. Since 1858, pennies have circulated across Canada as a currency to purchase goods. It may be hard to believe, but a couple pennies could have purchased a lot of stuff in Early Canada. Would you miss the penny if it was abolished from circulation?
To be honest, I couldn’t care less if the Royal Canadian Mint ceased production of the penny. After all, you can’t really buy anything with a penny; it’s just extra weight for your wallet. Most vending machines don’t even accept pennies. Plus, if you intend to pay for something at the market with just pennies, you’re bound to get a couple dozen of strange, confused looks, not to mention that the cashier is going to recount your pile of pennies just to make sure it’s the right amount. It’s too much of a hassle. Why use pennies when you can settle for quarters and dimes?
Today, pennies are made of mainly steel, and a small percentage of copper. In the past, a penny consisted of mainly copper (95- 98%) until its composition was changed in 1997 due to the rising price of copper. There are an estimated twenty-two billion pennies circulating in Canada, each costing Canadians an estimated 1.5 cents.
“The penny has simply outlived its purpose,” said Senator Irving Gerstein. “It is a piece of currency, quite frankly, that lacks currency.” Gerstein also adds, “By some estimates, the production and use of the penny represents hundreds of millions of dollar every year in direct costs to taxpayers and lost productivity,” ending his statement, “there would be costs associated with eliminating the penny, as well.”
Canada should cease its production of the penny. With an estimated twenty-two billion pennies circulating in the country, it’s evident if they want to save their cash, they might as well do the smart thing and stop the production. When it comes to the pennies lying in our homes, it’s our choice as citizens whether or not we want to keep them as keepsakes, or to bring them to the banks and never see them again. I’d personally just keep the pennies that actually contain copper in them. Maybe I’ll score it rich in the future when copper is, sadly, more desirable than platinum. Too bad that might take a couple hundred years, though. Shucks.
Other countries have eliminated their one-cent coins. Both Australia and New Zealand removed their one-cent coin in the early 1990s. Even the United States of America is debating whether or not they should eliminate the penny from their currency. Well, Canada, what are YOU going to do?
“I believe demolishing it is a waste of human resource and energy. not only would it disrupt our style of living that we’ve been used to for decades now, it would also make purchasing more difficult and /less accurate/. Also, I like pennies.” – Anonymous, Surrey, B.C.
Resources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/8207231/Canada-Senate-calls-for-penny-to-be-scrapped.html
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2010/05/04/f-penny-one-cent-coin.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_%28Canadian_coin%29
My Eighth-Grade Self
High school students were asked the question: What advice would you give your eighth-grade self?
- Moderation is your god. – Justin Fok, alumni
- BE YOURSELF… too many people are pretending to be who they’re not, changing for all the wrong reasons, to be accepted by all the wrong people. – Jenny Ho, grade 12
- Enjoy your time in high school while you can. Try to be productive but at the same time, be at a steady pace so that you can enjoy and appreciate everything around you. Try as many things are you can while you’re still in school… – Tammy Lee, Grade 11
- Worry less about finding that one ‘special’ person and focus on studies. – Matthew Le, grade 11
- Get a catchphrase; something funny that won’t wear off until late grade 10. – Mitchell Agostinho, alumni
- You think you have something to be angsty about? Wait another few years. – Jessica Poon, grade 12
Are Your Suds Really Duds?
By: Tammy Lee, Grade 11
Not all soaps are made equally, and not all soaps are equally good for your body. It probably doesn’t really trouble you, but have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a bar of soap? Considering the largest organ in our bodies is our skin, you should try to get the best for it. But if you looked at the ingredient list for a bar of Dove Soap, the highest-recommended mild soap (soap supposedly made without harsh chemicals), you would be surprised at how many times the word “sodium” pops up. Without knowing anything about all those ingredients, I first thought I was smothering salt all over my skin with this soap. Am I… preserving myself? And that’s moderate? Is this really soap? Will I eventually end up like a snail and shrivel up? What madness is this?!
I lied to you.
Dove isn’t actually soap. It’s a detergent by law. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to lie to you like that. Soaps are created by a chemical reaction between water, lye and oils. Companies make their products look like soap when they’re actually detergents. Go; find the list of ingredients for the so-called “soap” you buy at the market. How many times to you see the word “sodium” in the ingredients list? Do you even know what the ingredients are? How many of the ingredients can you even pronounce? Do you know if it will actually clean your skin without harming it with chemicals? I certainly don’t.
Detergent bars strip the natural moisturizing oils from your skin. If your skin feels dry after taking a delightful shower, you can either blame it on the extremely blistering shower you just took…or you can blame your soap. Another terrifying fact is that numerous mass produced soaps are made from petroleum. Gee, that rings a bell! Where have I heard that word before? Oh, that’s right; petroleum is one of the primary ingredients for gasoline… which fuels vehicles! Are you a bit frightened to hear what else is in that detergent camouflaged as soap that you conveniently purchase at the store? Alkali is also found in many detergents, which is almost certainly the cause of your dry, itchy, irritated skin. This is just another reason to why we ought to read and comprehend the labels on the goods we buy prior to when we actually make use of them.
So, what’s an alternative we can use rather than these detergent bars? My recommendation would be glycerin-based soaps. These soaps are known for their translucent, rich amber color. These soaps are produced with glycerol, a naturally occurring biochemical substance that is a component of fats and oils, which makes it safe for sensitive skin. Glycerol exists in our bodies in a form of sugar alcohol; it helps break down the nutrients from the food we eat into a useable form of energy. In our case with soaps, glycerol is preferably extracted from vegetable oils through a rendering process which requires the use of lye. Mass-produced soaps remove the glycerol so that it can be used in other industries. The benefits to using glycerin include leaving your skin hydrated and soft. As well, glycerin can be beneficial for those with skin disorders such as eczema and acne.
After I learned what was really in those detergent soaps I bought at the stores, I immediately switched to glycerin soaps. I regret nothing!
Resources:
http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/whatinsop.htm
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/cd_soap.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/all-about-glycerin-soap-451341.html
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.
The Warrior Warehouse
By: Tammy Lee, Grade 10
Since its grand opening on February 20th of this year, the Windermere Warrior Warehouse has been doing 
exceptionally well. As the warehouse continues to display great potential in the future as well as many more great goodies, I have asked Nathan Dinh, one of the many students in the marketing classes in charge of the Warrior Warehouse, a few questions.
How is the store doing so far?
It’s just fabulous. The marketing classes are getting hands on experience from working in the school store, and we’re actually getting regulars visiting us frequently. As well, we are aiming to get the whole school to know our presence!
What would you say makes the Warrior Warehouse special from anything else in the school?
Definitely the service and experience it gives.
Why are you so involved in the Warrior Warehouse? You’re working alongside with Mr. Wong to deciding what’s allowed to be sold, and what promotions go on in the store.
I’ve always wanted to work on the school store in the past, but unfortunately, I could not due to time table conflicts and the lack of opportunities. With the support of the business department and the marketing classes, the school store is how it is today!
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. ;)
Survey – What did you do?
By Jenny Ho, Grade 11 & Tammy Lee, Grade 10
What did you do during the winter holiday?
- Lots of eating, lots of sleeping, and lots of video games! …No studying whatsoever J – Veronica De Villa, Grade 10
- I didn’t do much. I ate, slept, played games, and went out. – Jason Yee, Grade 11
- I was sick, but got to spend time with family and friends. Wish it snowed. – Brett Wong, Grade 12
- I partied with my family, and at my friend’s house, as well as eating out. – Rosalina Chu, Grade 10
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution?
- My New Year’s resolution is to start paying attention in social studies and math class. – Mike Chen, Grade 10
- Nope! Too lazy to keep any even if I actually made one. – Cynthia Mo, Grade 11
- Uhhh… to graduate! – Anonymous, Grade 12
- Yes, to focus more in school. – Anonymous, Grade 12
- My resolutions are to stay fit, and read more leadership books! – Shaelynn Leung, Grade 9
- Nope, I didn’t make a new year’s resolution because I’ll probably end up forgetting it =) – Stephanie Nguyen, Grade 10
Windermere Organic Garden
By: Cassandra Ly, Grade 10
There is nothing better than being able to walk outside into the school’s courtyard to see the wide variety of fresh and organic vegetables and fruits that are being grown. In only 2 years, the organic garden has flourished with potatoes to broccoli to tomatoes and even raspberries and blueberries. With the dedicated work of students and teachers, Windermere’s organic garden has become very, very successful. Recently, 7 new beds were built, adding on to the previous 5. These 12 beds will be the holders of parsley, cilantro, onions, lettuce, and many other vegetables, coming soon in the spring. On top of that, a salad bar will be in the cafeteria very soon, giving students the opportunity to make their own salads. The organic garden also has a great composting system, where students empty out the distributed bins throughout the school every few days.
