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The Energy of the Future: Nuclear Power

Claude Lu
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In the new millennium one of the biggest issues we face is the rising sea levels and melting of the ice caps. Island nations are predicted to be fully submerged if sea levels continue to rise at their present rate. Global Warming a phenomenon with the average global temperature rising since the 1880; has progressively worsened as industrial powerhouses like China and the United States try to meet demands and CO2 emissions increase as a consequence. The immediate effects of pollution from factories and automobiles can be observed in China with vast amounts of smog covering the Beijing skies affecting the respiratory health of the citizens. Unfortunately, these dangerous health problems plaguing the Beijing people has not deterred the government of China to reduce carbon dioxide emissions anytime soon. However, a new method to generate electricity known as Nuclear Power has gained popularity in China. As of today, China has 37 nuclear reactors operating and 20 more are under construction. Nuclear power generated 3% of the electricity in China in 2015. Nuclear Power could be an alternative to burning coal and fossil fuel to generate electricity in the future.

 

Neutrons are hitting the nucleus of Uranium-235, splitting the nucleus into two smaller nuclei and releasing energy

 

Nuclear power plants use heat produced from the splitting of uranium atoms, Nuclear Fission creating steam which drives turbines and generates electricity. Nuclear power has its own pros and cons that make it both a viable and non-viable method for generating electricity.

Reduces output of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Proponents of using nuclear power as an alternate energy source argue that less quantities of fossil fuels are burned and less toxic by products such as CO2 and SO2 are released. The burning of fossil fuel releases toxic pollutants that harm lung health and cause cancer. Greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere to be breathed in by people damaging their internal respiratory system. Long-term exposure to air pollution causes premature death and accounts for 5.4% of all deaths worldwide. Ultimately if drastic measures and standards are in placed to prohibit the burning of fossil fuels Global Warming would cease to exist. A alternative method such as nuclear energy would replace fossil fuel without creating toxic pollutants. Unlike burning fossil fuel, nuclear power does not release any emissions into the atmosphere and produces nuclear waste instead.

Beijing enveloped in a shroud of smog

Nuclear Waste

Opponents of Nuclear Power argue of the waste produced from spent nuclear fuel which is highly radioactive and contains toxic chemicals such as plutonium. The radioactive waste must be cautiously stored as it poses a threat on humans until it naturally decays. Exposure to radiation can cause changes in DNA and long term exposure has been associated with cancer.  Ocean disposal and simply burying the toxic product have been implemented throughout the years. If properly disposed nuclear waste does not pose a threat and will eventually become safe as it decays over thousands of years. Nuclear waste can be safely disposed of without inflicting permanent health damages on the citizens unlike CO2 emissions which are regularly inhaled as it is part of the air we breath.

Accidents

Over the years of generating electricity through nuclear energy, a few accidents have occurred leaving the surrounding areas of the facility completely inhabitable. Chernobyl and Fukushima are some of the most disastrous nuclear accidents in the late 20th century and early 21st century. Examining Chernobyl’s case one of the reactors experienced an accidental power increase resulting in an explosion in its core. Radioactive isotopes were released into the atmosphere causing an open-air fire. Evacuation of nearby cities such as Pripyat took place as the radioactive contamination spread. Today the area contaminated with high levels of radiation is known as the Exclusion zone stretching an area of 2,600 km2 . Nuclear accidents like the one in Chernobyl are dangerous to all forms of life with high levels of radiation that can cause cancer. Making the area inhabitable for humans in the next 20,000 years estimated by Ukrainian Officials.

Nuclear power will most likely be the energy of the future as it solves the 21st centuries’ major problem Global Warming. With the current rate that the average global temperature is rising at, it will leave irreversible and devastating effects on the people and the environment. Substantial reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions must be implemented to reduce the effects of climate change. Nuclear power will generate the electricity of the future as burning fossil fuel will be limited or restricted and a alternative method of providing energy to the people will be required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image Source 1, 2, 3, 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_waste

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Exclusion_Zone

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-effects/

http://www.un.org/climatechange/blog/2014/11/climate-change-threatens-irreversible-dangerous-impacts-options-exist-limit-effects/

 

 

 

 

 

Vancouver Trip: Part 1

Ananya Arya
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Vancouver Trip: Part 1

After having waited what seemed like forever, I was finally on my  way home this year. Ever since the ninth grade, I wished to go on the Vancouver band trip, the Seattle nor the California trip excited me as much as this one. The reason I call Vancouver home, is a reason that deserves its own piece, a story for another day. Speaking of which, I will be doing a short series this week about my trip to Vancouver and a few other aspects about it.

Tuesday, April 18th

Since the ninth grade, (when I first moved to Calgary) I had been looking forward to going with my band to Vancouver to celebrate my last year in high school. About a month back, I was finally able to do so. I could barely sleep the night of Easter Monday, I was so excited. There was nothing that could ruin this trip. Tuesday morning, I was up at 5 in the morning after just three hours of sleep. I got myself ready, had chocolate cereal from India (my favorite thing for breakfast all my life) and was all packed and ready to go to school. I bought some last minute snacks to eat during the six hour journey. I was thankful that no one was sitting with me on the bus, because that meant that I could stretch my legs and sleep however I wished to, and I got the window seat without having to fight for it.

Most of the way to Salmon Arm I slept, and when I woke up, I was genuinely content, I was finally in B.C.. I can’t speak for others, but when I’m in B.C., my mood, my mindset, it all changes. I’m more optimistic, more out there (if thats even possible) and I just feel better as a whole.  We performed in the Centenoka Mall, and though it was for a small crowd, it was in a big hall, where the sound rang nicely and loud. Afterwards we headed to the hotel to get changed, and go bowling and eat at a Chinese buffet. All I remember is that we couldn’t stop laughing over one of my friends fortune that he got. “Valuable information will be supplied by a child.” I don’t know why, but at the time this was good enough to make me and half the table fall from our chairs because we were laughing so hard!

Wednesday, April 19th

The next day, we finally were headed home, to the highlight of our trip, Vancouver — the best part in my opinion. We were up at 7 a.m. and ready to go to Abbostford for a short lunch break at 8:15 a.m.. Most of us either went to McDonald’s or Tim Hortons, but we didn’t end up staying long. I used to live in Mission, the next town over from Abbostford, so I knew the area well. It was a whole new level of comfort to see something I hadn’t seen in so long.

When I saw just the signs for Burnaby and Coquitlam, I was over joyed. As we crossed the bridge and saw the skyscrapers of Vancouver, I was finally at peace — at my centre. We drove through downtown and all of its workings, a wonderful journey for me. When we got to our perfect hotel in downtown on Broadway Ave, we had basically 30 minutes to get ready, which was a massive time crunch. Half of our rooms weren’t ready, so there were basically eight girls to each room, with two mirrors. Although it was chaotic beyond measure, we all made it, and were headed to Frankie’s Jazz club. This was an experience for all of us to cherish, with an amazing pianist, drums, bass and saxophone player, we heard live jazz music. An experience none of us had done before. With 50+ kids walking in, all the adults in the room just stared at this band of youth walking into this sophisticated club, wondering what on earth we were doing there. We ended the night by going to a pool on the edge of Vancouver for a few hours. We cheered on our band mates who dove off the three and ten meter boards, we chanted each and everyone’s names who dove. It was just a day for us to take a break and enjoy ourselves.

Thursday, April 20th

We were up at it again at 7 a.m. and today was our big performance and adventure day. But before we began having our own adventures, we visited the Emily Carr University. There were some truly stunning pieces made by students as well as short films. Then we walked over to Granville Island, and no, it’s not a literal island, but its a whole separate part of Vancouver in itself.  We had a few hours to look around the island and eat, before and after our performance.

This was actually a part of Vancouver I never had a chance to explore. So my friend and I sought out every shop, every ally, and every corner of this place. The toy wonderland, all the chocolate stores, the farmers markets inside the building, the docks, and everywhere in between. Between eating and exploring the island during our performance, we attracted a lot of tourists and locals, we even had this adorable little two-year-old girl dance to the performance by our jazz group. Our conductor’s baton ended up falling out of his hands, rolling on the wood, and slipping though the cracks of the dock, it forever is now gone into the ocean. In the middle of one our last songs he was just very dramatically waving it around to put emphasis on our notes and help us crescendo even more.

Our final destination before bed, was the Museum of Anthropology in UBC. Vancouver was the first place I came to and lived, in Canada. We drove though the cherry blossom lane, and they were just starting to bloom, nothing says spring like flowering cherry blossoms. I was able to see my god parents, as well as my childhood best friend and her little brother. This was the first of our two days in Vancouver, and I couldn’t have been happier.  Though I was not able to see much of the museum it didn’t frankly matter too much, because I was where I needed to be, and who I needed to be with.

This trip was already heaven for me, and this was just the start. 

 

5 Podcasts You Should Listen To

Dylan Zhao
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Before I ever actually listened to one, I thought that podcasts were basically just a mirror of any news that you may hear on the radio or see on TV. It would just be some guy speaking with a monotone about the latest developments in politics, right? Why would I bother listening to that when I could get all the information I wanted much faster, with just a few clicks and keystrokes?

I couldn’t have been more wrong. As I eventually discovered, after various recommendations by friends for which I am very grateful, podcasts can be so much more than just news or politics. Not only are there series available for practically every conceivable topic, from economics to sports to even something as obscure as a podcast that discusses the variations of burgers constructed on the TV show “Bob’s Burgers” (yes, that is an actual podcast that you can actually  listen to), but on top of that podcasts can be extremely insightful, interesting, or just downright hilarious.

For the prospective podcast listener, I’ve listed some of my personal favorites below. The next time you feel even slightly bored with your music playlist, give some of them a listen! Even if none really catch your eye (or I suppose I should say ear, in this case), you can still check out podcast catalogs like podbay.fm to look for something more suited to your taste. There are so many great podcasts out there that I truly believe that everyone can find something that they will love. And for those of you who already listen to podcasts and have your own favorites, maybe you’ll find something you like below that you can add to your subscriptions!

 

1. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

This is my favorite podcast of all time, hands-down. Writer and narrator Dan Carlin delves into history from a “storyteller” perspective, by breaking down the past in such a way that makes history just as interesting to listen to as any audiobook of your favorite novel. Carlin sets the stage for all of his stories extremely well, and by the time he is really starting to explain the narrative and the events that happen, you don’t realize that two hours have already gone by. In my opinion, the real beauty of this show is that there is no need for Carlin to “dumb down” or exaggerate history to make it more interesting or easier to understand, but over the course of listening to him, you will actually realize that history really isn’t super complicated in the first place. Motives lead to actions which lead to consequences, and Carlin presents these events in a way that is super entertaining. I’d highly recommend the WWI episode arc “Blueprint for Armageddon” as a great place to start with this podcast.

2. Freakonomics Radio

A podcast about economics, presented in such a way that you don’t have to be an expert in economics to greatly enjoy it. A spinoff of the 2009 book Freakonomics, the show essentially combines pop culture and economics while assessing various social issues. Listening to this podcast, you’ll hear “Why Uber Is an Economist’s Dream” that shows the benefits of Uber way beyond simple ride-sharing, or even “How to Win Games and Beat People” which draws on the opinions of experts to find the secret to winning any game. So don’t be discouraged by the title! You would actually be very surprised at how frequently concepts of economics will appear in issues that you would not think have anything to do with economics, as the podcast itself also argues with its tagline of “Exploring the Hidden Side of Everything.” This podcast will definitely change the way you think about certain issues, and you’ll have a lot of fun listening in the process.

 

3. 99% Invisible

“Ninety-nine percent of who you are is invisible and untouchable.”

With its name drawn from the above quote, 99% Invisible is a fantastically creative and informative podcast about design, architecture, and dozens of other topics in-between. Have you ever wondered why those long inflatable men are at every used car dealership or why revolving doors came into existence? Would you like to know? This podcast examines the effects that designs can have on your life without you even knowing it, and it does this through great analysis as well as fun little stories from both history and today. It’s really actually quite difficult to explain, just because of how many different topics it covers, so the only thing I can do is highly recommend you try it out! “Used to Be a Pizza Hut,” is a great episode to start with.

4. Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast

Straight-up fun. If you’ve ever watched Bill Burr do stand-up from one of his Netflix specials, you might know of his cynical take on comedy and utter disregard for political correctness, which turns out to be absolutely hilarious. His podcast is essentially the same thing, with Bill speaking off-the-cuff and without any reservations about various issues and his thoughts on them. He also frequently invites celebrities and other comedians onto the podcasts for interviews as well. Overall, if you’re looking for something that is easier to listen to and might require less attention, but can still be fiercely entertaining, I would say this podcast is a great choice. (However, I would say that it may not be for everyone, as some people may not be super comfortable listening to Bill as he really doesn’t have much of a “filter.” However, if you are unfazed by that type of thing you probably will enjoy his podcast.)

 

5. Planet Money

I’m not going to lie, you might find this podcast to be a bit more technical than others, in discussing concepts and ideas that your average Joe might not be super aware of. However, that does not make it any less interesting if you’re willing to give it a listen. Launched after the financial crisis of 2008, the podcast looks into economics concepts, but unlike Freakonomics Radio, when I say that this podcast looks into economics, I really mean economics. In fact, this podcast is even used at some universities as a supplement for micro and macro economics courses. But hopefully that isn’t too discouraging, as it is still great to get into if you start from the first episode and really follow the overall narrative that the podcast establishes. If you want to learn more about economic systems and the way that money really works, I’d highly recommend this show.

 

Remember! You can always find more podcasts to suit your interests, either through iTunes, Google Play Music, or catalogs like podbay.fm.

Banksy ~ Influencing the Social Climate for Change

Malika Daya
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And so they tell us, be grateful that you live in a world of freedom. But what exactly defines our freedom? And how precious is freedom, if our voices are being suppressed by the amount of money in our bank accounts or number of degrees associated with our names? What good is liberalism, if we are drowning in such a self-obsessed world?

And in our efforts to be heard, we are often times silenced. Why? Because we cause mayhem within society. ‘Hush Hush, file a complaint and we will deal with it,’ or ‘we don’t have the money or time to listen to you right now.’  Irrelevant we are told, we are known to be complainers, leaches, those socialists, and the attention-seeking.
But hey, maybe if you actually listened to us, you’d understand.
Too bad you don’t.

Here’s to Banksy and his efforts to create social reform.
Here’s to an artist, fighting against the constraints of conformity and the limits of our Freedom to Express.

Thank you for inspiring the rest of us to raise our voices. 

Sources:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

Why Words Matter: My Story

Aaron Wen
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The first time I was ever called “fat” was in grade one.

To be completely honest, the person who called me fat was not wrong. At the age of six, I was approximately 120 pounds, more than what some of my friends are today. At a whopping four feet seven inches, one could probably roll me down a hill and achieve the closest thing to perpetual motion. (Yes, that’s a fat joke). Looking back on it now, I could only laugh at my naivety, but remember the lessons I learned that day.

As a child, I had never been bullied much. My parents were always to protective and caring of me, so I rarely left my house before my education started. Perhaps it played a role in being a relatively sensitive person that I was, where even a millisecond of time, a period of sound that floated through the air, only caused a pang on my chest and a shiver down my spine. In summary,  the words mattered. Some people showed sympathy; others simply laughed. Either way, they struggled to see what those simple letters truly meant to someone like me, and who could blame them? They didn’t understand my story.

The day was forever in my head. I was on the school bus for the second time ever, sat my seat in an empty bus. A few minutes later, a group of high schoolers got on. They all seemed to be in Grade 11 and 12, many years above myself. I gave them all a glance, and went back to reading my book. One of them shouted:

“Hey, Fat Boy! Why don’t you try running to school? Could help fix that problem of yours!”

They all laughed, howling at what they figured was a funny joke. To me however, the moments after that line were a completely different story. It initially started with confusion, a wonderment as to what was just spoken. It then brought on embarrassment, as I was being targeted, scrutinized and mocked for my actions. Finally, it was shame and self-consciousness. I had a “problem”, and it was obvious. It made me realize that I was not only possessing a problem, but I was also a problem to other people. It brought shame to my size, shame to the fact that I was over 120 pounds at the age of six. I felt shame, that people were ashamed of being near me, afraid of being around me, around the “fat kid.” The following events that happened could only be explained as the most natural and expected actions that a six-year-old adolescent like myself could do.

I cried. Tears rolled down my face. All it did was make me seem weaker, dumber, stupider. No one emphasized with me, they either distanced themselves away, some began to nickname me: “Fat boy.” I never had many friends throughout elementary, and stopped going back onto the school bus, afraid that the same people would point out my “problem” again. Quite simply, it altered my life.

I never went on to live that name down. The only reason why it became less and less significant in my life is because I was fortunate enough to meet people who embraced me for who I was, to accept me as someone who was “fluffy”, not “fat.” However, even with the kind euphemisms that people gave, the idea of being “fat” never left me. It was a label that was forever stuck to my 6-year-old heart, all the way to today. As I grew older, I compensated for my appearance through my personality, and I was able to find my place in the social community. Perhaps that part of bullying changed my life for the better, but the scars never faded away.

Words could forever change the world. We always heard of the inspirational speeches that people have, the ones that used words for the powers of good. We saw debaters, lawyers, public speakers, politicians, all who used their words to help us in our daily struggles, the ones that voiced their opinions and helped others. But with every power, came responsibilities. Words were dangerous, they caused conflict, they could bring emotion, they could label, tag and stereotype a person for something that they were not.

So please, the next you speak, always watch your words. You never know who you might accidentally hurt next.

Reference Photo

Video of the Day: history of the entire world, i guess

Kandace Peroramas
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After completing three gruelling weeks of I.B. exams, I decided to reward myself by watching the YouTube videos I’ve missed. Succumbing to BuzzFeed videos, I did, however, also stumble across a video that was going viral called, “history of the entire world, i guess.” The last thing I wanted to do was watch a 19-minute history video when I just finished writing countless essays for I.B. History, but curiosity got the best of me. It was so worth it in the end.

The creator, Bill Wurtz, is known on YouTube for posting content so short but creative, you can’t help but laugh. However, gems such as “history of the entire world, i guess” and even the 9-minute “history of japan,” which are much longer than his usual seconds-long videos, are just as funny and way more relaxed than the documentaries you usually watch in social class.

I’ve got a weird sense of humour, so watching this video with its funny graphics, text, and cheesy music was very entertaining. I may complain about having to write essays about the French Revolution and the Cold War, but I do enjoy a history lesson when it is as funny as the video above. It isn’t in-depth enough to get sufficient information from, but it reinforces parts of history you do know and condenses it to the point you are able to understand the context of when things happened. 19 minutes seems like a lot of time invested into a video, but this one is especially perfect for the times you want to learn but don’t want to think too much about what you’re learning. Summer is just around the corner, so when you need a good laugh amidst the stress of final exams, look no further! And whenever you need a break from practicing written responses or studying concepts of liberalism, I hope you find yourself watching this.

Best wishes,

Kandace  🙂

De-Extinction: Bringing Species Back to Life

RunLin Wang
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Have you ever imagined living in a world full of dinosaurs as a child? I definitely have. With progressions in the field of resurrection biology, otherwise known as de-extinction, the possibility of witnessing real, live dinosaurs becomes an imminent possibility. De-extinction is the process of creating a species from the DNA of the fossils of extinct species, essentially bringing extinct species back to life.

The most promising method for de-extinction is made possible through state-of-the-art cloning techniques. First, DNA from fossils and other preserved animal tissues would have to be extracted from existing sources. After these are obtained, an artificial nucleus (the part of the cell that holds the DNA) would be created, holding all of the extracted DNA. Then, the egg cell of a living organism that is closely related to the extinct species would have its own nucleus extracted and the artificially created nucleus inserted in. This egg cell would then be allowed to develop regularly in its mother as if it were a regular offspring of the original animal, so that the once-extinct animal would quite literally be “reborn”.

There are many benefits to bringing species back to life. It would increase the biodiversity of our ecosystems when many species are constantly becoming endangered. It would allow humans to right the wrong that we have done in the past, which was causing the extinctions of many of these species in the first place. And most importantly, it would just generally be really cool to see sights like a woolly mammoth wandering around in the ravine.

Needless to say, there are huge detrimental factors that prevent the further advent of de-extinction technologies. Further developing of current technologies to be functional for bringing species back to life would be extremely costly, and scientists have often suggested that this money could be better spent protecting living, endangered species from going extinct. Furthermore, not all species can be brought back to life, such as animals that have all their DNA already degraded, and not all species should be brought to life for safety reasons, which unfortunately also includes the dinosaurs. Resurrected species may also have very limited gene pools, thus decreasing genetic variation and chances of the survival of the species.

Despite all these negative considerations, scientific progress is continually being made in genetics and bioengineering. Who knows, maybe one day you will have passenger pigeons as pets or see woolly mammoths in zoos! I don’t know about you, but I’ve got my fingers crossed for a dinosaur exhibit somewhere in the world!

 

Image References: 1, 2, 3, 4

 

Inspiring Fashion Fears: PARKSHOW 2017

Malika Daya
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You can never be overdressed or overeducated.
~Oscar Wilde

As time evolves, so do we and so does our style. I for one, no longer wear my neon pink crop top from middle school or those hippie headbands from the early 2000’s. My wardrobe tends to have a variety of subtle colours with pops of red, blue, and purple. My taste in fashion is constantly evolving with me, as I continue forth on my own journey. And my inspiration? Well I tend to enjoy indulging in the creativity of the fashion gurus to guide me through my constantly varying interest in trends that work for my body, my personality, and my comfort.

On the other hand, I’m also an artist craving innovation and seeking out what’s unique in the world around me — my tolerance for risk tends to be quite high alongside my passion for recreating who I am. The adrenaline attached to triumphing a fashion fear is an ecstasy like no other. You can feel your mind being stretched out in a million directions as you think to yourself, “Do I look okay?” or “Is this too scandalous?” or even better “Do I look hot?”

But once you gain the confidence you need, it’s like you’re worth a million dollars and you’re almost okay with being self-obsessed for the day. Let’s be real, you know the feeling, when you check yourself out in every mirror you see or flip your hair vicariously while batting your eyelashes at the cute guy across you (or yourself in the mirror.) It’s a form of healthy self-flattery for the day, right? Yes of course!

But where does one even find the inspiration to indulge in a fashion fear? Well, it is all about scoping out the right opportunities to indulge in the beauty of creativity. PARKSHOW 2017, is an annual night of culture celebrating fashion, music, and art. It’s my night to dress up, enjoy the company of other art lovers, and be inspired by the creativity of others. This season PARKSHOW will be a weekend long event May 26th-28th, featuring the Market during the day and the Fashion Shows in the evening. The Market will consist of the works from Canadian designers — it’s a great time to get a feel for their collections and purchase any pieces that catch your eye. And the fashion show, well that is where the magic of innovation comes to life, as the models walk the runway in collections manifesting a story unique to each designer.

PARKSHOW is the perfect weekend out to cultivate a new sense of style, find a new fashion muse that fits your current state of mind, or to find your own fashion fear and pursue it.

The Featured Designers are:

  • LUXX Ready to Wear & Indicity
  • S.P. Badu
  • Alex S. Yu
  • House of Nonie
  • Urbanovitch
  • U.N.I. Co
  • Seed
  • Malika Rajani
  • Lennard Taylor
  • Kate Hewko
  • YEAR of the RAM
  • Suka Clothing
  • Gypsy Soul
  • Rad Hourani

To learn more about the designers visit the PARKSHOW 2017 website and explore the artists’ worlds of creativity for yourself! The show will be taking place at Yellow Warehouse in Inglewood this year, if you’re interested in attending, buy your tickets here!

Books everyone should read

Nina Zhukova
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There are some books that are just pure art. Books that transform you into somebody better from the moment you read it to the rest of your life. Those are the books that show a part of the human spirit and what it means to be human. After reading, you are left wondering how a mere human could have wrote it down and have it touch so many people. These books aren’t necessarily hard to read, but make you feel much wiser than you were before. The books in this list are all amazing, but also short, so it is easy to finish each of these books in a short amount of time.

The Penelopiad by Margret Atwood

Image result for the penelopiad

Margaret Atwood is a well-known and respected author with lots of noteworthy books, but this book mixes the Greek myth of Odysseus and his wife, Penelope. Although throughout history scholars and authors wrote about Odysseus and how brave he was, he did leave his wife all alone. Atwood uses this lesser known woman in Greek mythology and transforms her into a dynamic and deep character who has a lot to say. This is a novel but throughout the book there’s acts much like a play or musical that give us more insight on how it would have been like to live in this time period. Especially on how it would be like to be a female slave  in this time period.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Image result for the alchemist book

Paulo Coelho is another respected author, The Alchemist is probably his most notable novel. The fame comes with good reason, this book is deep, without being dense, and is easy to digest. The book deals with themes of destiny, dreams, and knowing what you want and getting it yourself no matter what anybody else says. Although this book is relatable and easy to understand, the book also mixes in magic-realism and spirituality. Throughout the novel the plots opens up to being more and more surreal and fantastical, especially since the beginning is very grounded  and realistic beginning with the humble life of a Shepard.  The book is fiction but it’s also very inspirational by stating that everyone has a “true path” and how everyone should find it.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Image result for the great gatsby

By far the best book I’ve ever read, The Great Gatsby deals with the life of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious Millionaire living in New York during the 1920’s. New York in the 1920’s is a fun and exciting time-period, but mixing in Fitzgerald’s beautiful writing style, the novel is transcended into a gorgeous piece of art. The novel centres around Gatsby and him getting Daisy, a wife of another millionaire to love him again. With the help of Nick, who is Daisy’s cousin, Gatsby’s goal is made even more possible. Although Nick is in the territory  of America’s richest, he gets to see how that lifestyle isn’t all lavish as everyone thinks it is. He gets to see how selfish and horrible some people are when they have money. The novel isn’t just a lovey-dovey novel, there’s themes of despair and greed and it also has memorable characters who embody those themes.

Image Source 1 2 3

Featured Image 1 

Fortissimo: An Original Poem

Aaron Wen
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Fortissimo!

The sound of rough calluses against the ivory key.

The sound of Mallets beating against string.

The melody flows, a river so free.

A whisper of sound when I hear you sing.

My hands sting for my love towards you.

 

“Fortissimo!” you say, as I play like it is my last.

The sounds of our love, story of our past.

The sounds of playgrounds and music class.

Where I would gaze out the window to see your reflection in the glass.

And I would play, louder, and louder.

“Fortissimo!” you would say.

 

“Fortissimo!” you would say,

All the way back, in high school days,

Memories of ice cream, soccer, homework all day,

Living life with no beginning or end, we play.

Going home, back to the piano,

To slowly sweep the dust away.

 

“Fortissimo!” the sounds I play,

On the evening of our wedding day,

Your gown of white silk drapes across the floor,

And I finally found happiness, happiness once more.

You waltz across the house with such elegance and grace,

The keys of the piano bring a smile to your face,

And I finally found happiness once more.

 

“Fortissimo.” you utter, on the hospital bed,

With the electric keyboard that we kept in the shed.

I amble to my chair, and take a deep breath.

As I play the melody that grants you sweet death.

Oh, how I wish I could join you, but the piano chains me here.

 

Fortissimo.

Now I sit in the darkness of an empty room.

One only illuminated by the memories we share.

The tears that fall on ivory, are now everywhere.

My fingers move like robots, no rhythm or flow.

Stuck between levels of fast and slow.

 

Fortissimo. I scream. The world splits in two.

The only thing holding it together is a piano in the room,

I sit down again, my hands on the keys,

Smashing the sounds of mallets against string.

It’s coming, I feel it here, choking my neck, tightening my chest.

I can no longer breathe. 

 

I fall.

Before I go, all I hear,

Fortissimo.

On This Mother’s Day

Bhavana Vel
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At one point in each and every single one of our lives, we’ve all taken our mothers for granted. Whether it’s forgetting to say a quick, “love you!” before heading off to school or, “thanks!” for doing something, it’s happened, and none of us can deny it.

Mother’s day isn’t about how you wish your mum or honouring the good parts about her. It’s about who your mum is and how she’s affected you and your life.

Our mothers are the reason we are all alive today, and our mothers are the first people we see when we come into the world.

My mother is the reason I am who I am today, and I will forever be thankful that I have someone like her in my life.

To my lovely mum:

Mum,

Today is your day. Today is your day because you make the other 364 days in the year my day. You selflessly care for me in a way only a mother could, and I owe everything to you for that.

As the world celebrates the strong women in their lives that have impacted them, I look to you because you are always someone worthy of celebrating.

It’s hard to put my feelings into words because describing what you have done for me is beyond words.

I know I can be frustrating. In fact, sometimes I even frustrate myself.

Thank you for putting up with me through all the stupid things I do, no matter what.

Thank you for showing me what unconditional love is.

Thank you for being someone I can talk to. Something not many people can say is “I tell my mother everything,” but I can.

Thank you for putting up with my weird obsessions (*cough* One Direction *cough*). It’s probably just a phase, like all the other weird obsessions.

Thank you for going out of your way to make sure I am happy. This year especially, I’ve felt more down than happy, but my happiness is because of you.

Thank you for the rides to school when I miss my bus because I took too long with my hair.

Thank you for caring about me.

Basically, mum, I just really love you. A lot. So I’m also sorry for all the times I’ve forgotten to show you I love you. Because yes, today is mother’s day, but really, every day is mother’s day, because someone like you deserves to be celebrated and loved all the time.

You’re my favourite person in the world, and even though we do have our time to time disagreements, it doesn’t change the fact that you are the most solid relationship in my life.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

– Bhavana ♡

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Riverdale: A Review

Hilary Guo
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If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past few months, you’ve probably watched or heard of a show called “Riverdale.” It’s streaming on Netflix and has caught the attention of quite a large audience. 

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Riverdale is based on the Archie Comics (hence the name) so all the characters featured in the show are the same as the comics… but with a little twist. 

See you have your leading boy: Archie Andrews played by the talented KJ Apa. He portrays a construction worker’s son whose mind tells him to play football but his heart tells him to play music. Though as cute and innocent as he might seem, there may be a few mysteries behind that sweet smile of his. 

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Next up we’ve got Betty Cooper. Riverdale’s sweetheart. Which is true for the most part. Lili Reinhart shows amazing acting talent as Betty Cooper: writer, detective and smartest girl ever. Don’t be fooled by her bright eyes and cute hair, there could be something dark behind that perfectionist grin. 

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Veronica Lodge. Goals, am I right? Props to the Casting directors for choosing Camilla Mendes for this role because she kills it as Veronica. Veronica is just as she seems. Beautiful, confident, prestigious and believe or not, the nicest girl. But instead of being Betty’s frienemy in competition for Archie like the comics, in Riverdale, Veronica lodge is the daughter of a rich (imprisoned) businessman from New York. Flawless outfits with matching bags and accessories, what’s not to love about this new Veronica? She’s just as new to this as you! Having just moved Riverdale, Veronica has to find out little by little the secrets hidden within this small town. 

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Jughead Jones. Writer. Narrator. “Weirdo.” Played by the one and only, Cole Sprouse. Jughead Jones goes from not to hot! Mysterious, quiet, artsy. Jughead Jones, are you what dreams are made of? But in this dark twist on the original comics, perhaps Jughead has a few secrets tucked under that hat of his… 

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The story starts when the town’s all-star boy, Jason Blossom, was found shot dead in Sweet Water River. Archie and his friends find themselves tangled up in this murder mystery. Together and individually, they begin to find out bits and pieces of clues, getting one step closer to finding out what happened to Jason each time. Secrets will be revealed, backs will be stabbed, and jaws will definitely be dropped. 

I for one, am a HUGE fan of Riverdale. If Netflix hadn’t released an episode a week, I would’ve pulled an all-nighter finishing up the first season.  I am so addicted to this show, it’s kind of what keeps me going. The characters are so interesting and full of secrets I’m still waiting to find out, the plot is captivating yet not too complicated that you couldn’t keep up and the filming is SO GOOD. I love how every episode I learn something new about each character, looking past the tip of the iceberg. These characters have so much more backstory than you can imagine. Is Betty Cooper just a perfectionist with a strict mom? Is Jughead Jones just an artsy white boy? Is Archie Andrews just a simple redhead with an easy life? Truth is, you never really know. This show keeps you guessing, it’s not predictable. 

Riverdale is a show 100% worth your time. I guarantee it will keep you on the edge of your seat. But be warned, once you start, you won’t stop until you’re finished. Never mind if it takes you all night, there’s no way you could stop watching. That’s right, it’s binge-worthy too. 

Suspense? Check. Mystery? Check. Romance? Check. Comedy? Check. The most gorgeous actors and actresses on earth? Check. Do not miss out on Riverdale! I’m ending this post right here so you get out of here and start watching RIVERDALE!!!!!

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FREE Event Invitation: Youth Are Calgary Conference

Hui Wen Zheng
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FREE Event Invitation: Youth Are Calgary Conference

Due to your insight, dedication, and value to our city and its future, you are invited to…

WHAT:

Youth Are Calgary Conference

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WHEN:

June 10th, 2017

10am-4pm

WHERE:

The event will take place in the Main Atrium of the Calgary Municipal Building

800 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary, AB T2P 2M5

WHY?

The Calgary Mayor’s Youth Council would like for you to share your opinions on important local issues and your innovative ideas on how we can solve them so they can compile your feedback into documents that can be presented to the relevant policy makers and community groups. This is your chance to play a role in influencing the future of our city!

YOUR DAY:

The conference will bring together passionate and interested youth from all across the city in round table discussions about the following topics:

  • Youth Homelessness
  • Educational Reform
  • Civic and Political Engagement

Between facilitated discussions, snacks, lunch, and networking, you will also get the chance to speak to our many guest speakers, who will be imparting their knowledge on the topics at hand:

  • Jeff Dyer, CEO of The Boys & Girls Clubs of Calgary
  • Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary
  • Dr. Matt Cristison, PhD, Principal of Robert Thirsk High School
  • The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre

 

No background knowledge on the three topics are needed to attend this conference, and no prior preparation and research is needed! Our speakers will provide you a background on the state of the topics as they stand in our city and communities, we simply want to hear your authentic feedback and suggestions!

SIGN ME UP!

All who are interested in attending are encouraged to complete a brief application expressing your desire to come to the event! The questions are short and the process should not take longer than 15-20 minutes out of your day! The application is considered your proof of interest and those who complete the application will be invited to attend.

The event is 100% FREE and will include food, snacks and drinks, supplies, and a great time!

 

APPLY HERE: https://youthcentral.com/myc/youth-are-calgary-conference/

and in case you are still not convinced…

 

WHY SHOULD I ATTEND?

  • NETWORKING: Meet other like-minded and involved youth from around the city that you otherwise would not have the chance to meet!
  • INVOLVEMENT: This is your chance to get involved in your city to make a positive change and give back to your community!
  • ACTIVISM: By attending the conference, you will be speaking up about local issues and helping solve them, which is part of being an active and civilly engaged citizen
  • FREE FOOD: Speaks for itself.
  • GUEST SPEAKERS: Ever wanted to chat with a community leader? Now is your chance! Not only are the speakers attending the conference to impart their wisdom, they are also there to speak to YOU! Use this as your chance to chat with them and learn from these successful and smart individuals
  • NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE NECESSARY: Unsure if you want to attend as you don’t know much about the three issues? Unsure if you would have anything to contribute You absolutely do not need to complete any prior research to prepare for this conference (though you are of course welcome to!). The Mayor’s Youth Council wants to hear your opinion and outlook, and especially your personal experiences and stances on teh three issues at hand. The discussions will be facilitated and moderated so everyone gets a chance to share their voice on the topics at hand and to guide you to an insightful answer.

 

SEE YOU ON JUNE 10th AT CITY HALL!

 

Questions? Comment below or email mycengagementincitypolitics@gmail.com

 

Six-Pack Short-Cut

Fatima Saleem
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I can eat fat, and lose fat at the same time? Whoa, tell me more! 

A strong core is essential for almost anything, whether it’s to feel good in your own skin or perform daily activities without a hassle. Regardless of whether you want a bad mood repellent to ease stress, want to feel confident and strut your way through your school hallways, or simply get healthier, we’re here to help. You’re not alone!

Tip #1: Sleep and Eat Healthy

Before we get started on the workout portion, did you know that sleep has a direct correlation to building abs? From personal experience, I can definitely say that getting at least eight to nine hours of decent sleep has given me more energy for my early morning workouts. Think of sleep as a recovery period for your body, where your body rests from the workouts of the day before and is all ready for the next day, performing at its optimum levels. Moreover, during this recovery period, your body produces muscle and allows for a high metabolic rate. How amazing is that? The entire time, your body is developing the human growth hormone more rapidly, and the significance of this hormone cannot be undermined. You need it for growth stimulation, cell reproduction, and so much more!

Did you know that sleep encourages better eating habits? Without this sleep, your body fails to produce enough leptin. And, personally, when I heard of the leptin hormone, I couldn’t care less, until I found out that this hormone has been stopping me from eating all the junk food I could possibly devour. Thank you, leptin! If you ever wake and want something sweet with carbs, lower leptin levels are probably the villains.  Oh, the dangers of not getting enough sleep!

Warning: Consuming too much water at a time will give you a belly ache! Ouch. 

  Eating well consistently is just as vital as getting proper sleep. I know ya’ll have heard this again and again, but aim to consume a gallon of water a day, spreading the amount out over time. Drink up!

 

Abs are made in the kitchen

 

Make sure you don’t have any caffeine after 6 in the evening, or try to avoid caffeine all together! I know it can be hard, especially with all those late nights studying, and procrastinating.  If you want to go a step further and don’t mind the smell of fish, make sure to include fish in your dinner. Not only will this trim fat from your diet, but it will provide you with omega fats that allow for a lean figure. And, who doesn’t want that? But, remember not to fry it in a ton of saturated fats. Yuck.

Next is protein. It’ll keep your metabolism rate high, prevent lean muscle mass loss and don’t even bother stressing about feeling hungry afterwards. You’re going to be losing fat and building muscle at the same time. Another incredible benefit of lean poultry? It burns calories by almost 35%.


Oh, and don’t forget about your fat intake. I know what you’re thinking, and don’t you dare reach towards your pantry for another packet of chips. Nope, I’m not talking about chips or a bucket of delicious, marvelous, and oh so yummy chocolate ice-cream. Your safest bet is to finish light at the end of the day, and consume olive oil, peanut oil, nuts and avocado throughout the day. Remember to eat in moderation. Too much of anything is terrible! Vitamin-C rich foods are another way to go, keeping you trim and fit. Try peppers, broccoli and Brussels sprouts! Vitamins can lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can cause your body to hold all the terrible fat with low density cholesterol in your belly area. Ewh, cortisol!

Tip #2: Put in the Work 

Less screen time and more time spent outside jogging or performing any sort of cardio are key. No weights or equipment are needed for this workout, so no excuses!

Does it burn yet?
Want more calories burned in an even shorter period of time? High intensity resistance training is the way to go! Burn calories prior to and after exercising.

Tip #3: Haul your butt out of bed, and exercise by doing something you love!

Small changes can truly make a difference! If you’ve been hitting the gym religiously just for a week, and you can’t spot abs yet. Don’t stress. Things take time, and you can even workout at home, or simply sit in your kitchen drinking green tea!

Abs don’t equate to happiness. Happiness is a choice. Take on a positivity pledge, and remove all negative feelings from your mind; a healthy mind ensures a healthy body.  Barbie is not possible, but healthiness is!

 

 

 

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The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Silver Ceremony: A Shift In Perspective

Talia Santarossa
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The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Silver Ceremony: A Shift In Perspective

Established in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program has now expanded and now reaches youth in all four corners of the world. Aimed at helping young people develop essential life skills and to encourage well-rounded personal development, the Duke of Ed currently has over 50 000 participants across Canada. In each of its three levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold), participants challenge themselves in three categories (Skills, Service, and Physical Recreation) and complete an Adventurous Journey, and at the Gold level, a Residential Project. The Duke of Ed is currently in its 40th year of operation in Alberta. 

If at this time last year, you had asked me about The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program, I would have had no idea what you were talking about. In only the past several months, I have been introduced to the Award, and have thrown myself right off of the deep end into the Gold program, the highest level of the award, which demands the longest time commitment and amount of dedication in order to complete. My journey with the Award is only just beginning, but on Friday, April 28th, I had the opportunity to attend the Silver Awards Ceremony, and take part in celebrating the successes of twenty-five young people from twenty different communities across Alberta. They have already attained a greater level of personal achievement than I, until quite recently, even knew was possible for young people in Canada.

Upon arriving at Government House, where the ceremony was to be held, I was greeted by the building’s warmth, and welcoming, charming character. A part of me was expecting something larger and less intimate, but I was pleasantly surprised. I arrived well in advance of the ceremony, and was invited to attend the VIP Reception which took place before the ceremony was to commence. I was there to attend the ceremony, but to be completely honest, the part of the evening that had the most personal impact on me was this reception. The room was filled with people, all of whom had some form of connection to the Award, whether they were former participants, council members, or others whose lives have been touched by the Award in one way or another. The reception gave me a completely different perspective on the Award; as much as participants or those looking at getting involved might tend to be focused on what the Award can do for them right here and now, the impacts are long term and far reaching. What is often forgotten is that the influence that such a program has on one’s life does not end at the award ceremony, but is still only just beginning.

During the ceremony, each individual recipient had their bio read, which added a very personal touch. Most, if not all of the awards ceremonies that I had been to in the past basically entailed recipients’ names being read off without further comment. This is what is so unique about the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award; everyone’s path to achieving their Award is different, and it is these differences that make the Award so special to celebrate. Every young person at Government House that evening had their own story, aspirations, and ambitions. Time was taken to honour all of them individually, and it was this peek into the lives of the award recipients that made the ceremony, and the Award in and of itself, so significant.

Finally, I would like to close with the words of The Honourable Lois E. Mitchell, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, who presented the Awards and who is the Division Chair for the Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut Division of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. In speaking about the recipients’ achievements and being present to celebrate with them, Her Honour stated,

I always come away knowing that our future is in great hands.

To me, these words perfectly sum up what The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award does for those who choose to take part in it. It gives young people the motivation to improve themselves, and a framework in which to develop the skills that they will need moving forward in life, and in moving the world forward with them.

All images courtesy of Ken Hutchinson of the St. Albert Photography Club, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. 

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