YOUTH ARE AWESOME
Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth. YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them. Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.
Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.
For the approximate 200,000 years humans have resided on Earth, we’ve accomplished a lot. From agriculture to electricity, humans have experienced rapid developments and huge breakthroughs in various fields. However, in this process, one important thing was forgotten – how these actions impacted our planet. Fortunately, we are starting to take notice now. The Green Book (printed on one hundred percent recycled paper, no less) by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigan, contains many little steps we can take to help save our planet.
Here are a couple of their tips (paraphrased):
– Recycle electronics: electronics need to be disposed of properly, since they contain toxic chemicals that can leach into groundwater when discarded in a landfill, or create air pollution when incinerated.
– Don’t be careless with water – don’t leave it running: only 20 per cent of the world’s population has running water, and 884 million people lack access to safe water supplies.
– Buy rechargeable batteries: you’ll also save money over time, and one rechargeable battery can replace up to a thousand single-use alkaline batteries.
– Download your software: this will reduce the number of CDs that end up being tossed.
– Double-side your photocopies: if one in four office workers double-sided all of their copies, 130 billion sheets of paper would be saved.
– Keep your tires fully inflated: this could improve your gas mileage by 3 per cent, and your tires will last longer.
Again, these are only some of the many tips that are mentioned in the book. I highly recommend you check it out!
Source:
http://www.universetoday.com/38125/how-long-have-humans-been-on-earth/
Primal Grounds Cappuccino Bar and Eatery (click here to see their website) is located 3003 – 37 Street SW (37 street near Richmond Road). I was fortunate enough to get a gift certificate to Primal Grounds to review it, and since my visit, I’ve been hooked on Primal Grounds. Why?
The Mac and Cheese
As the server laid my bowl down on the table, the freshly prepared dish steamed, the scent of cheese wafting through the air. The macaroni had just the right amount of cheese, making for a well-done bowl o’ mac and cheese. The consistency of the macaroni was saucy but not milky, full of flavour but not too rich. There was just a bit of pepper to give it a kick, and we got a choice of a side salad or soup.
The Famous Roast Turkey and Cranberry Sandwich
The owners of Primal Grounds claim to have based their business on this sandwich, and I’m not surprised. It’s a a delicious sandwich. No matter the time of year, you’ll see it advertised on their roadside billboard. Consisting of turkey, cranberry sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, alfalfa, and more, the sandwich is what I like to call a “two-hander.” The dual combination of a healthy sandwich and a turkey dinner makes it irresistible. It’s sultry and satiating. None of the ingredients are overwhelming, but instead enhance the overall falvour. The cranberry sauce is surprising and sweet, adding an element of originality to the sandwich. It’s especially good after a work-out, and is particularly filling.
The Home-Made Soup
The soup had the zest of tomato flavour, but tasted light and not too salty. It was tasty and hearty without feeling oily and fattening as many soups do. The soup contained a mixture of vegetables and chickpeas to satisfy your conscience and fill you up, and yet the soup tastes good enough to feel as if it were an indulgence.
The Atmosphere
With its inviting warmth, entering Primal Grounds feels like walking into a kitchen. But not just any kitchen: with its “primal” theme, the eatery feels exotic because of the primitive cave painting decor. Primal Grounds has been featured in the Calgary Herald for its creative interior design. The mood is casual and relaxed, fostering creative conversation and comfortable dining.
The Extras
We got generous thick slices of fluffy, home-made bread with our soup. The side salad with our mac and cheese was also great- I’m not usually a fan of spinach salads, but it was delicious! Extra mandarins, cranberries, and nuts added interest and flavour. In fact, I might bring my mother to Primal Grounds for the salad alone!
The Health Benefits
A great appeal of the restaurant is not only the quality of the food, but the nutrition it offers. Everything tastes delectable, but is greatly enhanced by the sense that you’ve made a healthy choice. Primal Grounds offers gluten-free and vegetarian options, making it popular for those with diet restrictions. Furthermore, the cafe has the appeal of home-cooked meals, complete with a warm, inviting atmosphere and home-style menu choices.
It’s located right next to a coin-laundry place for those of you looking to multi-task. It’s also relatively near Marda Loop, Westbrook, and Westhills. Fortunately for me, it’s close to my school, Bishop Carroll, making for an excellent lunch outing. The same goes for students at Mount Royal University, Ernest Manning, and A.E. Cross.
All in all, I love Primal Grounds. I’ve been taking my friends to the 
eatery at lunchtime, selling them on the sandwiches and soup. Primal Grounds takes home-style food and adds sultry twists to everyone’s favourite recipes, be it throwing mandarins into your salad or sweetening your sandwich with cranberries. I look forward to trying the rest of the menu, and highly recommend Primal Grounds to anyone looking for a healthy, hearty, home-style bite to eat.
Hey YAA! (Did you just read that as “heya!” ?)
So, I’ve been having problems uploading my videos to YouTube in Full HD, so for next week it’ll only be in 720p.
Also, this weeks video has been rendered almost completely obsolete by recent events… The Canadian government has handed down an ultimatum to the CRTC, saying that if they didn’t rescind the ruling, they would do it for them. As for Egypt, the rioting has subsided a little, and President Mubarak has announced his end of term! Anyway, enjoy 🙂
[youtube I25zbZkpAtE]After reading this book, I often wondered if I read the same “The Lovely Bones” that everyone else is talking about. Because to be honest, my opinion greatly differs from that of the
majority.
Basically, this is a story about a girl who was violated, murdered and now in heaven. but she is restricted to a small portion of heaven because she’s unable to let go of her life and her relationships on earth. At the same time, her family is torn apart by her death; her father wants to find the killer and her mother just wants to move on.
What a great idea for a story, which is what makes this book such a disappointment. Despite all the idea holds, the majority of the novel is spent on relationships and character development. Also, the story tries too hard to be deep and artistic, this makes all the metaphors, similes and personifications seem fake and stupid (on top of being pointless in the first place). Here’s an example “She asked for coffee and toast in a restaurant and buttered it with her tears.” What a ridiculous thing to write in a novel. I can easily see Alice Sebold sitting there for 30 minutes thinking “what pointless metaphors can I add here to make this book seem deeper that it actually is.”
Now here’s my main problem with this book; it lacks plot. A plot is what makes the story – it is the actual events that occur in the story, and it is the only thing that stands the test of time. Why? Because it is by far the most important aspect of a story. So it is therefore unacceptable for something considered as a story to lack plot. “The Lovely Bones” is more like a cluster of irrelevant events mixed with discussions about emotions and relationships. Therefore the story does not have much of a plotline nor does follow the classical plot diagram. Like any plotless story, the ending was terrible; it made no sense, there was no justification or explanation offered so the reader just have to accept that “it just happened.” On top of that, the ending poses an interesting question… what was the point of this story?
Bottom Line: this story had great potential, and offers something original; there were also times when the story gets rather deep. Unfortunately the story is extremely slow, lacks in plot and tries too hard to appear deep, artistic and meaningful. Furthermore, the ending was laughable. I give this story a 2.5/5
This weeks AMV of the day is Requiem for the God Emperor by rini10010 from YouTube.
Coldplay’s Viva La Vida goes together perfectly with the character of Lelouch Vi Britannia, the character labeled as the Emperor for the AMV. Through his story and its development and his ascent to the Britannian Throne as the 99th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire followed by his global hegemony creates the mentioned perfect collaboration. Lelouch’s ultimate sacrifice for the world and those who yearned for the future is one example of his worth to this song. Literally having becoming the king of the world and a person who “ruled the world” is another. Finally, one of my favorite examples, is that Lelouch fought tooth and nail to achieve his throne for completely altruistic reasons; making him, in my opinion, of the best protagonists whose story has been told.
Enough with the spoilers, watch the Anime if you’re interested in his story. Definitely worth your time :D!
Anime: Code Geass / Code Geass R2 (second season)
Susan Boyle
[youtube RxPZh4AnWyk]I enjoy watching :44 and then immediately at 3:21 afterwards.
Lin Yu Chun
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A magnificent jewel that can be found in the heart of the vibrant community of Calgary is Calgary Opera, a company that enriches the lives of many Calgarians through their amazing productions of timeless classics and modern performances. Calgary Opera is committed to showcasing and developing great Canadian talent and new opera works. The evening’s performances of world premier of The Inventor, by John Murrel and world renown composer and conductor, Bramwell Tovey, proved to be visually astounding and explosively resounding as an excellent cast and crew literally ignited the stage.
Taking place on the grand stage at the Jubilee Auditorium, WeiJia (a fellow blogger) and I were fortunate to arrive early to the production to discover the phenomenal accompaniment of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra to the performance of the Inventor. Situated in a open “pit” right below the main stage of the Jubilee Auditorium, an open lip between the stage and the seats of the audience allowed curious audience members to peer into the well lit “pit” and observe, at quite a close distance, members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra rehearse on their musical instruments, which was personally for me, a treat and delight to able to observe world class musicians superb technique and expression of music up close.
Throughout the opera, wonderful scores playing on the themes of ambiguity, animation, and fragmentation often revealed the true identities and motives of characters in The Inventor trying to hide behind masks of disparate actions and thoughts.
A recount of the devious and tragic life lead by the larger than life scoundrel, Sandy Keith, the prologue depicts Sandy revisiting a tragic memory from his past, being the son of the Keith Clan, a famous Halifax brewing family, have gathered friends and family for merriment and celebration of Christmas. However, unsatisfied for receiving no presents, the foreshadowing of events that follow after the havoc he creates lead Sandy into an inescapable journey of schemes, deception and self destruction. Prospering from shady dealings with rambunctious and unpleasant conspirators from the United States, fate brings Luther Smoot, another Southern, and Sandy Keith together into the a risky scheme that questions what Sandy is willingly to sacrifice for the prospect of riches.
Many of you may be unaware of this but a new fashion trend coming up for the spring and summer are feathers that are used as a feature on accessories. Whether they are real or synthetic, they are definitely a fit for the bohemian-chic look towards the warmer weather. Here are a few examples:
A Short and Simple Trend
With this look all you need is the accessory, whether you find it in a store or simply make it on your own. You can basically wear these with with any outfit. For example, a feather necklace can dress up a very casual look of a t-shirt and jeans, and black elegant earrings can suit a dress (as long as the base/hook is silver or gold and not rusty). I’m sure that it’ll become apparent to you that this is an uprising trend as stores will begin to expand their selection. My personal favourite are peacock feathers, which are beautiful and slightly harder to style as you need to find complimentary colours to wear it with. If you hate feathers then I would avoid this trend, but if you are interested then they are readily available, easy to wear, and completely adorable!
Well no, it didn’t. But in the near future that statement could become reality and your internet bill could skyrocket through the roof.
Canada’s Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has passed about two days ago a bill that would require all internet service providers (ISPs) to not only charge a flat start-up fee for their services, but also charge accordingly to the amount of internet usage a client may utilize. The bill will legally be in effect on March 1, 2011.
Without a doubt there is already a huge outcry against this bill and multiple petitions have already started around the nation. Many ISPs will be forced to cut down the cap for monthly data usage from 200 gigabytes per month to a measly 25 gigabytes per month for their plans and for every gigabyte over ISPs may charge you $1.90 (and to no surprise, $2.35 if you live in Quebec.) This annoys anyone who frequently downloads music off iTunes, watch movies on Netflix, play games on Steam, or anyone who uses the internet often as 25 gigabytes is not a lot of downloading capacity for today’s netizens and any more than 25 gigabytes will cause your next bill to have a large number on it. Furthermore the ISPs may allow services such as music and movies to be available for a cheaper price, but it will be through their programming system such as Video On Demand, which severely handicaps the consumer’s freedom of choice.
Though the obvious side reaping the benefits are the ISPs (and maybe the government due to taxes), there are few aspects that do benefit some people. Most notably, people who do not use a lot of internet will now no longer need to pay the same amount as one who does use internet a lot and it makes sense that instead of all people paying a flat rate, people pay for how much they use. Moderates can accept the idea of usage-based billing, however they disagree with the high overage price and the low capped initial data limit. Many people are calling out for a lower base price, a higher data limit, and a lower overage price. However the bill is still relatively new and none of the major ISPs have announced any of their plans, so the issue remains quite ambiguous. If the flat rate is low and the overage price is reasonable, I think most people who agree it is fair to pay for the service you use. Whether this bill will even be grasped by the consumers can only be told in time.
Have you ever played a game and wanted to message your friend at the same time? Did you ever want to log on MSN but didn’t want to minimize your game screen? Well, have no fears, Steam is here!
Okay I admit, that was a lameduction intro. But I needed to get your attention! So many people who play games on the PC (personal computer) are missing out on Steam, a wonderful and free program that provides a lot of features for gamers. Developed by Valve Corporation, an indie company known for its Half-Life series created it. Basically it’s a software that distributes games digitally, as in you don’t need a disc to play your game. It’s a program that can store all your games in one convenient place and also give you an enriching multiplayer experience!
Now you’re still probably wondering what makes Steam so awesome and why I’m advertising it. No, I’m not getting paid for this; I’m just a youth that wants to introduce useful programs to other youth. Like most websites, you have to create an account (well, duh). With this account you can buy games (there’s a store) and instantly have access to them! You don’t have to pay for taxes or shipping and handling fees or even go to the store and experience that awkward moment where a sales associate tries to persuade you to buy Wii Music (It was thoroughly disappointing for a first-party game) for a gift. There’s no line ups, rowdy customers or the inconvenience of going to the store to find a game that you’re dying to play. I guarantee that your most-wanted game will be available to purchase on Steam, reducing your time and gas/transit tickets used to go to the store. Except for Blizzard Entertainment products (World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo); I don’t think they want to be associated with Steam at all (which totally stinks for those who want Diablo 3 on Steam…like me).
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The second semester is coming soon! And many of us may have great individual plans for a new start, especially Grade 12 students. As an ESL student myself, I would like to focus on a big tips for English.
Read a lot!!! We have to be flexible readers through skimming and scanning. Skimming is an important task to pre-read the texts and it helps us to get general ideas of the reading passages. Most students might suffering with timing on ELA tests, especially, because there are lots of reading but we do not have enough time. So, in this case, we need skimming skills. If we have brief ideas, it makes huge difference when answering questions. Did you realize that with many of the questions from the ELA comprehension test questions, we are able to answer the questions without reading a text? Thus, if we skim first in 2-3 minutes, we will be able to answer most of our questions without wasting our limited time on reading. Then we have to scan if we need to only the specific part where we have to know the details.
Vocabulary is key. A better vocabulary boosts your mark, especially on essay. Reading, of course, give us a tremendous vocabulary. Vacabulary always helps us to understand everything more obviously and contributes to write more accurate sentences with deeper meanings. Reading also provide us many knowledges and ideas of different are of study which would helpful to write an essay or understand some specific articles.
See more benefits of reading from Google research and be aware why reading is so important in our life. Read a lot and give a few minutes to yourself to read every day.
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So I changed my mind. I did a quick Google search and found my advice in a previous column very common if not downright cliche. The majority of students can find the advice I offered and much more from the average website. Therefore, I will not continue my ramble on how to apply for university.
Now, let me tell you some things that I could not find from other websites.
Yep, that is all. I will try to get you some links of good websites next week. For the next little while, get started if you haven’t and finish up if you already started!
