DRAGON
THE
February/March 2014
February 2014 Dear Reader, The ongoing school year is halfway over, and with this year came several notable anniversaries. These days bring forth a forgotten event—from twenty-five, fifty, a hundred, one thousand years ago—and give them a second look. Some of them are well publicized, receive media attention and worldwide tribute. Others are overlooked. Truth-tellers—writers, legendary orators, poets, and photographers—saved us a piece of the past. They should not be overlooked either. 2000 years before 2013 or 2014, the first emperor of Rome, Augustus, died. The month August was named after him. 1400 years ago, the Islamic prophet Muhammad began preaching. 800 years before ago, Genghis Khan conquered Jin Dynasty China and Pope Innocent III called the Fifth Crusade, in which Christians plundered Jerusalem in the name of their faith. 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves, and Yosemite National Park was created. 100 years ago, World War I began. 25 years ago, the Loma Prieta earthquake shook San Francisco, and calls for democracy in China were crushed in Tiananmen Square. Ten years ago, Facebook was launched into cyberspace and the Iraq War began. Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his infamous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, John F Kennedy enacted the still-standing trade embargo against Cuba, and Alcatraz was closed to inmates. All of these events were recorded by journalists of sorts: whether they be scribes, poets, or reporters. Also fifty years ago, a Supreme Court decision shook the principles and practice of journalism. The New York Times had ran an advertisement that spoke badly about the police in Montgomery, Alabama, who had resisted the Civil Rights Movement. Sullivan, a city official, claimed that the ad had defaced his reputation, and won a libel suit against the Times (because of a factual error in the ad). The Times contested the ruling, and it made its way through the Judiciary. The Supreme Court decided unanimously that the First Amendment (guaranteeing freedom of the press) allowed newspapers to publish false information, as long as they published without malice or knowledge of falsehood. This decision allowed newspapers to report on the Civil Rights Movement without fear of retribution. It eliminated a lot of the self-censorship of the day, but censorship is still a problem. For newspapers’ right to publish classified or sensitive information has been contested. A few years later, the government claimed the power to stop publication of classified information (Daniel Ellsburg’s Pentagon Papers). The British government intimidated The Guardian over its publication of Edward Snowden’s intelligence agency revelations. Publication in Turkey, Egypt, Laos, China, Syria, Ecuador, and many other countries must exercise self-censorship, for fear of a government’s shutdown of the paper, physical attack, or worse. Even business as usual in the United States has a certain degree of self-censorship in the media. Publication of unsavory information, particularly about a government or a powerful corporation, may provoke condemnation or litigation. This idea even applies to The Dragon. The Dragon is not the Chinese American International School “state media.” The views published here do not reflect that of the administration. Marketing employees and teachers do not breathe down our necks or coerce us to publish favorably. This publication can probably be protected under the same First Amendment and same rulings as other more prestigious publications. But it’s interesting to consider how there is still some degree of self-censorship, given our status as students attending this school. We’re not eager to publish everything contentious and hidden from us. If a teacher went on unannounced emergency leave, we’re not going to greet the teacher with a barrage of personal questions upon their arrival. We won’t compile a list of who has been disciplined, or publish the latest in middle school gossip. This is not a revolutionary publication, and we are not perpetually campaigning against school administration. These facts should be no surprise to you. It’s just mean to publish things like that. But, this alludes to how we are not a publication completely dedicated to truth-telling at almost any cost, but a benign venue for exploration by our reporters and fun, unconstrained writing. But as someone interested in deeper questions, and harder questions, I wonder: how can I pose these questions without being anything but a teenage contrarian? There is an integral element of hierarchy in the school environment: adults have authority. This is how it should be; that’s the job of schools. But I’m interested in the implications of this on our journalism class, and on the ultimate truthtelling goal of journalists in general. For example, how can I report on potential issues at school? If I believe that the discipline system in the middle school can be improved, how much can I say about that? How far can another reporter go if they’re questioning the ethics of weekend homework in the lower school? As a person subject to the higher authority of the school, can I judge its administration as a peer? After all, we owe this publication to this school. There are red lines, much more snug than our First Amendment rights, which dictate what is appropriate to publish here. I’m preparing an article about the program that this school is famous for: its Chinese. I’m worried that the subject may not be engaging older students as much as it should, due to use of memorization as a means of evaluation/testing, probably among other things. But how can I report about a program that I’m a part of? I have to consider my Chinese teachers, too. I have to be extremely careful about tone; I’m not trying to irritate administration or flame its programs; there’s no point in telling the truth if I am just seen as a teen-angststricken upstart. Would this careful moderation count as self-censorship? Is it necessary? Is it ethical? Is it appropriate? Such is the complicated position of some aspiring journalists at The Dragon. As an amateur publication made up of young students who likely do not know better than school administration, can we publish anything antagonistic to the school? And to what extent? How far can we go with our truth telling, which should be the ultimate goal of any journalist? What is different about a school publication (subject to the rules of a school, similar to how a newspaper is subject to the power of a government)? These questions are considered by The Dragon’s reporters as part of their investigation or writing. They don’t have concrete answers. Maybe as you read through this issue of The Dragon, and through other publications, you should consider these questions too. But I’m sure, as always, that you will enjoy plenty of benign, friendly, fun content, produced by our 4th through 8th grade reporting staff. Welcome to the second 2013-2014 issue of The Dragon, the school publication of Chinese American International School. Warmly, Zachary Ngin Editor in Chief The Dragon Magazine
Dragon Lists
a collection of lists on a variety of topics, put together by the Dragon Magazine writing staff. 1. On The Media— On The Media is a radio program on all things media. It is news, about the news. For example, On The Media discussed the flurried and counterproductive coverage following the Boston bombings last year; it condemned outlets that feel the need to fill silence with redundant or unconfirmed information. It also examines aspects of journalism, such as freedom of information, media trends, evolution of journalism in the digital age, and ethics. For example, On The Media reviewed the rights of reporters in Turkey, one of the most repressive nations in the world regarding journalism. The hosts discussed the government’s efforts to squash dissent. Other eye-opening tidbits included a segment on foreign reporting, and how the economy is forcing publications to cut foreign correspondence. The program warned of an increased disconnect between Americans and the rest of the world. Another interesting segment discussed the ethics of undercover reporting, and what makes it necessary. On The Media regularly features inter-
views with reporters themselves, as well as commentary on recent journalism. I recommend this program to anyone interested in journalism and what happens beyond the newspaper headlines and the television screen. In San Francisco, On The Media airs at 2 PM on Sundays on 88.5 KQED, via National Public Radio. Segments can be downloaded individually as an iTunes podcast, and from www.onthemedia.org. 2. “Can’t Remember to Forget You” by Shakira featuring Rihanna— Unfortunately, I’ve developed a bit of a reputation as a Rihanna fanatic. I can’t say that I’d like to marry the Barbados-born pop singer, as many have suggested, nor do I salivate over her risqué Instagram pictures or attack Rihanna dissidents with death threats. But I do closely follow her music releases. Following “The Monster,” a popular collaboration with rapper Eminem, Rihanna announced the release of a single with Columbian singer Shakira, who is known for
Zachary’s Top Ten songs like “Beautiful Liar” and “Hips Don’t Lie”. Rihanna’s roots in reggae/ dancehall, and Shakira’s trademark Latin rhythm prompted prediction of a funky, rhythmic, exotic song. And at least some fans got what they were wishing for. “Can’t Remember to Forget You” is an uptempo reggae/rock song. It laments over a heartache (“What I Continued on page 32. Zachary’s Top Ten
The Dragon Magazine Staff Box The Dragon Magazine is the Chinese American International School Journalism Club publication for the 2013-2014 school year. All opinions expressed in this publication are the opinions of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of the school or its staff. This is a student run publication (under the supervision of the Journalism Club advisors) and therefore the writing, layout, and editing are done by the students who make up the staff. Questions and comments may be sent to The Dragon Magazine, 150 Oak Street, Room 399, San Francisco, California 94102 or emailed to The Dragon Magazine (Dragon_Magazine@cais.org). Editors: Zachary Ngin, Mari Fong, Caitlin Farmer, Rene Fong, Evan Lim, Oliver Chessen, Jet Sze Staff: Zachary Ngin, Mari Fong, Caitlin Farmer, Rene Fong, Evan Lim, Oliver Chessen, Jet Sze, Grace Carroll, Ian Tang, Madison Han, Cassie Eng, Andrew Mortazavi, Kira Ngai, Rory Kustner, Nate Berson, Gianni Brattesani, Kai Chang, Lila Chen, Io Gilman, Mia Silberman, Brooke Gieselmann, Max Guo, Madison Ho, Devon Carlson, Colby Condon, McKayla Ly, Yuxin Berson, Henry Frazier, Alyssa Yin, Ethan Kraus, Melissa Chow, Madison Laymon, Jackson Laymon, Sophia Hsu, Madison Han, Beatrix Kim, Joey Silberman, Spencer Li, Vinnie Fong Advisors: Ron Morris, Carol Xie
Opinion Section
Pumped Up For Tpumps By Oliver Chessen and Evan Lim
Have you been to the best boba tea place in the Bay Area? Well, if you have or you think you have, it's called Tpumps, which has two locations. The first location is in the outer sunset on Irving Street in San Francisco . The second location is in downtown San Mateo. Why we like Tpumps We think Tpumps is the best bubble tea shop in the Bay Area becasue of three reasons. The experience of tpumps and the quality of the drinks themselves. The experience of tpumps gives you the abiltity to customize and put your personal stamp on each of your drinks. The other reason is that the overall quality is very good. You are able to see them make your drink using steeped tea and good quality milk. The sweeting is also more natural then other majors bubble tea shops such as quickly and tea way. The drinks itself test so much better. The final reason is for the price. The small sizeat tpumps is a large size at quickly, and the cost is cheaper at tpumps!
“I really enjoy the taste of the tea and tapioca. My favorite flavors are peach and mango Tea with normal sweetness and boba." Beatrix Kim, 5th grade “I like tpumps, because it has a variety of flavors. My favorite flavor is regular." Ethan Chin, 5th grade
"Tpumps is good because there are so many options to choose from and all the flavors. They even ask you how What do other cais students think? sweet you want your drink to be! My favorite flavor is coconut+lychee. I like “I like tpumps because I can create my very own drink. It also tastes so good, it with the milk and the honey boba. it feels like I'm in a different world. I really like the honey flavored Boba. They Not too sweet, with extra bobo.,” never mess up my order, and they have good service.” Ethan Khoo, 7th grade Martha Chessen, 4th grade
Do you think February Break is too short?
Junk Food Survey
By Madison Ho, Henry Frazier
By Alyssa Yin
Do you think ski week should be shorter or longer? Do you think ski week is too short, or too long? We interviewed a few kids from CAIS and this is what they said:
So this is a survey asking what people’s favorite junk food is. I have asked many, many students what theirs were, giving them a choice of the following: Skittles, soda, White Rabbit Candy, gummies, nian tang (Chinese New Year candy), lollipop, chocolate bars (this includes Twix, Kit Kat, and so forth), any type of gum, caramel, Guava Candy (!), cupcakes, and finally, ice cream.
“It’s too short,” says Jamie W. “It’s way to short,” says Rosa M. “I would rather have ski week be much longer,” says Madison H.
“Yes,” says Henry F. “Yes!’’ says Yu Xin B.
Basically everyone thinks it is too short. So, maybe we should at least consider giving ski week an extra week. What do you think?
Skittles got four votes. Soda got eight votes.
CAIS’ Favorite Vacation Places By Kai Chang Everyone wants to know everyone’s favorite vacation places, so the Dragon took a survey and here are the results. The Dragon hopes you use this information while choosing your vacation destinations!
Kauai’s Na Pali Coast in the state of Hawaii.
FROZEN treats fans to fun action and hit songs By Cassie Eng, Lila Chen, and Io Gilman
You have probably seen Kristin Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, and Idina Menzel’s stunning performance in the blockbuster film “Frozen.” It’s album is at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 album chart. Here is more about the topic. You must be wondering, “Who are these people?” Well, I can answer your question, here is the background of the actors who play the main characters… 1. Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress and film producer. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. (from Wikipedia) She is currently married Dax Shepard in 2013 and now have a child named Lincoln Shepard. She is currently in the show “House of Lies.”
3. Jonathan Drew Groff is an American actor and singer. He originated the lead role of Melchior Gabor in the award winning Broadway rock musical, Spring Awakening, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination in 2007. (from Wikipedia)
4. Joshua “Josh” Gad is an American film, television, stage and voice actor known for playing Skip Gilchrist in 1600 Penn, Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway 2. Idina Kim Menzel is an musical The Book of Mormon. (from Wikipedia) He is now currently married to Ida American actress, singer, and Darvish. songwriter. She rose to promi5. Santino Fontana is an American stage actor, director, and composer. Fontana gradnence for her performance uated Richland High School in Richland, WA in 2000. His Broadway debut was Sunas Maureen Johnson in the day in the Park with George in 2007. (from Wikipedia) Broadway musical Rent, a role which she reprised for the 2005 feature film adaptation. (from Wikipedia) Recently se divorced from Taye Diggs after 11 long years.
You might also be wondering “What is this movie about?” Here’s the synopsis:
(SPOILER ALERT!)
When Elsa accidentally hits Anna, her sister in the head with her ice powers, Anna’s memory is wiped of all trace of her sister’s powers. But Elsa accidentally reveals her powers during her coronation. She flees, and puts eternal winter over Arendale. Anna automaticly goes to save her sister and Arendale with the aid of mountain climber Kristoff, snowman Olaf, and reindeer Sven. Will they be able to bring back Arendale’s summer? A day after the so-called polar vortex plunged much of the country into an ice-encrusted deep freeze, Billboard announced that the soundtrack to Disney’s “Frozen” is at No. 1 on its new album chart.
The album, written by Robert Lopez and Kristin Anderson Lopez, sold 165,000 copies between December 30 and January 5. It beat Beyonce’s new album, the previous top-seller, by a 55% increase. Beyonce’s album was bumped to No. 2 after 3 weeks at the top. “Frozen” is the second soundtrack album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts after “ Les Miserables,” which got there in January of 2013.
We interviewed Mia Silberman, who is currently in 5th grade, about the movie. Dragon: Who is your favorite character in Frozen, and why? Mia Silberman: Elsa, because I feel like she is the only character who isn’t snobby and she is the only character I would want to be friends with. Dragon: What is your favorite song? MS: Ah, “Let it Go.” Dragon: Which scene is your favorite scene? MS: The part where Elsa makes the ice castle, because the animation is well done, and it’s so pretty!
Siblings By Spencer Li
Question: Are siblings annoying? Hypotheses: Yes (sometimes)
a Dragon Magazine investigative report “Siblings are incredibly annoying and obnoxious. My two sisters (younger and older) have an attitude geared towards negativity and anger against me.” Oliver 7th grade
Do you have siblings? Do you like having siblings? Are they annoying? If yes, why? Here is some evidence I collected during my investigation. (parents, you might want to listen (read) to this):
“My siblings are annoying because they yell and scream.”
“My siblings scream, cry and basically are (annoying).”
Alyssa 4th grade
Henry 4th grade “My sibling is not annoying because she’s cute. “
Koa “She is super annoying, constantly 2nd grade calling me names.” “He’s nice because he buys me candy.”
Joey 7th grade
“My sister is very annoying, she constantly tells on me and gets me in trouble , and always wants to fight (I win).” Spencer (me) 4th grade
Conclusion: After all this the evidence overwhelmingly shows that siblings are annoying.
Reflection: But sometimes, my Vinnie sister is really nice and shares 4th grade “My brother is annoying because he everything with me, so I don’t just is, like he is always making weird want you to think I don’t like my “She’s super annoying, probably her noises.” sibling. brain problems.” Franky 3rd grade “Annoying, because she’s over talkative.” Jasper(3rd grade) “He is annoying because he is so full of himself.” Dexter 3rd grade “He is annoying because he punches and calls me names.” Madison 4th grade
Mia 5th grade
Parents, please do not bust or ground these kindhearted (?) kids who made a comment that you might not have liked. We asked them to be honest and appreciate that they were.
Ask What is your favorite Spirit Day? Ian By Colby Condon and Yu Xin Berson
“I would have to go with Pajama Day because you don’t need to What’s your favorite spirit get dressed in the morning.” day? Skylar W., There are many different ones to choose from: Pajama “I think it’s Pajama Day because Day, Crazy Head Day and Ca- I can just wake up and go to reer Day. school.” Here is what some stuMckayla L., 4th Grade dents at CAIS said: “Pajama Day because I get to “Pajama Day because you don’t sleep in a little because I don’t need worry about what to wear have to change.” in the morning.” Devon C., Martha C., 4th Grade “My favorite is Pajama Day. Because we get to run around the school all crazy and weird in our pajamas.” Vinnie F., “Fashion Disaster Day. Because you don’t need to worry about if you look good or not because you’ll blend in with a messy crowd.” Alyssa Y., 4th Grade “Pajama Day because I like it.” Nate B., 5th Grade “Pajama Day because you don’t need to change in the morning.” Min G., 5th Grade “Pajama Day because I got a prize in kindergarten.” Mien K.,
Where did last names come from? By Ian Tang
Ever wondered why you have a last name? A long time ago, in Ancient Greece, people didn’t have last names. Each person’s name was We like Pajama Day be- cause it’s fun and we don’t need unique, and that’s how you could tell who to call who. to change in the morning. But over time, a lot of counPJ Day wins! We should tries had too many people, so people have more pajama days. had last names to distinguish different people with the same name. The way last names worked was that each son had a last name from their father’s first name, so someone who was named Paul but was a son of John became Paul Johnson. It started in a lot of different countries at around the same time. The name could also originate from their job, so Bob the blacksmith would be Bob Smith, and Michael the cobbler would be Michael Cobbler. It was a pretty simple system, and although there are people with the same first and last name, it is not very common that they would be close enough to not know who was who. Do you have a question for Ian? Send it to: Dragon_Magazine@cais.org.
Book Review
The Perks of Being a Wallflower Reviewed by Zachary Ngin
Wall∙flow∙er noun (wôl’flou’er) 1. A person who from shyness or unpopularity remains on the sidelines of a social activity Rating: JJJJJ Author: Stephen Chbosky Genre: Young adult / Epistolatory / Coming-of-age Target Audience: Mid-late teens, adults Difficulty: Medium Content: Mature and explicit, but concerns issues that many high school students face The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a book about growing up. It chronicles a high school boy’s life through some great literature, petty drama, an unstable family, illegal narcotics and even a nod to infinity in the iconic line: “And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.” Charlie’s letters strip him to pure vulnerability and personality more so than some people’s thoughts would; they’re controversial, chilling, devastating, and definitely thoughtful. “Standing on the fringes of life,” our 15 year old protagonist battles his way to truly reach the antagonist, who I believe is life itself: not the quality that distinguishes a cat from a boulder but the conscious freedom and enjoyment that is truly all life can offer. The beginning is bleak: Charlie is entering high school. His only friend committed suicide. Straying from the path most taken, he observes with clarity that almost reaches clairvoyance. The stereotypical “introvert”,
minus the Tumblr blogging and the artsy photos. As Charlie’s English teacher Bill says, sometimes people use thought to not participate in life. I don’t believe that he is genuinely living at the beginning of the book. The ending is a mess: All his friends are going to college. The love of his life slips out of his grasp because of his earlier passivity. He’s in the hospital after a terrible realization. But it’s those hopeful, happy bits in the middle that matter. They let a little bit of light into the crushing, cavernous thing: life. One of these hopeful little bits, much like a chocolate chip in a stale, old cookie, is when Charlie meets Patrick and Sam. They come to be little happiness trees in his life. You see, in some strange alternative universe, Charlie is standing in a meadow of grass. Green grass, pink grass, polka-dot grass; any kind of grass you’d like. These two happiness trees sometimes find it fit to drop a happiness-fruit, which gives Charlie one of those special little things, like a perfect song for a perfect drive that could make him feel infinite. When he first meets these two siblings, he begins to find his own place in the world. He finds a circle of friends and pursues Sam, his love interest for the duration of the story (though “straggles after” might be a better phrase, considering that he retains his introverted, passive quality throughout). Of course, everything comes crashing down sooner or later, but it’s the hopefulness that distinguishes The Perks of Being a Wallflower from Animal Farm, except for, you know, the animals and allegory and politics.
Characters, especially Charlie, are central to the development of the book. Most fiction writing is based off of the connection between character and reader, but author Stephen Chbosky welds a special connection so intimate that you know Charlie by the story’s end. From this connection, you can see that this is a book not just about growing up, but concurrently growing up and living (not the cat-boulder kind, the liberty and enjoyment kind). When you’re growing up, it’s not about the destination. You can learn how to pay the bills and keep yourself healthy later. You should “participate” as much as you can before it’s over. You can see Charlie struggling with this concept throughout the book. Sometimes, particularly when there’s a happiness-fruit present, he seems to be, excuse my use of an overused expression, coming out of his shell. Sometimes he shrinks back into passive observation. By the end of the book, you may want to think that Charlie’s general lifestyle is quiet and civilized. But I think Chbosky does not want us to think that this lifestyle is the best way to ride through life. At an emotional climax in the book, Sam shows Charlie that passivity is not always a neutral, solid, ethical way to act. Passively acting like you’re okay with something when it’s not? Dishonest. Unwilling to make a move towards personal fulfillment? Unsupportive. Chbosky’s dialogue itself says it best: “Charlie, don’t you get it? It’s great you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn’t need a shoulder. What if they need the arms or
something like that? You can’t just sit there and put everybody’s lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can’t. You have to do things. Like take their hands when the slow song comes up for a change. Or be the one who asks someone for a date. Or tell people what you need. Or what you want. But right now I’m here with you. And I want to know where you are, what you need, and what you want to do.” I can feel this novel’s message so clearly because I am so connected to the story’s characters and plots that wove this theme. The characters in The Perks of Being a Wallflower are as real as the reader, the recipient of Charlie’s anonymous letters. You learn to love them, hate them, and relate to them in a network as complex as your own middle school’s social spectrum. Chbosky’s language is clear and concise, though events depicted are anything but; many a reader both teen and adult will find this novel a shocking inversion of their own coming-of-age, whether haunting or nostalgic. I believe that the meaning of art is to trigger emotion and to express a message. The very best sculpture, poetry, painting, music, and film all invoke a certain emotion. In fiction literature, this is incredibly important because it’s very easy to make up a story, but difficult to make a reader care. Most writers use characters that readers can relate to as the bridge between message (what they’re trying to convey) and the reader. The intimacy of Charlie’s musings on the phenomenon that many adults have lost touch of, growing up, will have you laughing and crying with him as you relive the first high school relationship, the first touches of drugs, sex, and drinking, and responsibility for yourself and others in a way that can’t be expressed in a simple lesson or sentence. People who consider themselves artsy, thoughtful, an outcast, or introverted will enjoy this epistolatory novel, regardless of the legitimate state of affairs. While light on obsolete/unnecessary vocabulary and expressions, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is heavy in themes: both moral themes and as in “suggestive themes”. Drugs, drinking, sexual orientation, discrimination, sex, abuse, and abortion all play a role in the plot; they are not central themes of the book but they are also not simply mentioned in passing. This content is not there for the sake of being there or for controversy (though the book was number ten on the American Library Association’s list of the most banned/challenged books of the decade). I think these themes are necessary to set the stage for the reality of this novel: growing up as a high school student. It’s not frivolous; it’s used in a powerful way. I think this book is best for mature teenagers (I believe the target audience for this book is mid-late teens and adults). Younger readers may find the content either difficult to comprehend or traumatizing. Above all, this novel is powerful. It’s nostalgic and intimidating; humorous and dark. This book has been marked as a modern classic, and deservingly so. It may be an acquired taste not quite appropriate for a younger audience, but the reality of Charlie’s words will strike a tone in many readers. Remember how writers use characters to make a reader care? Chbosky’s words, pictures, and characters will resonate in the most intimate way to make you truly care about Charlie’s world that straddles reverie and realization, and for better or worse, maybe even make you muse about your own coming-of-age.
Which of these three animals would you be?
Maddie and Kira’s Top 10 Music Artists By Madison Han and Kira Ngai
1. Miley Cyrus 2. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 3. Justin Timberlake 4. Kanye West By Alyssa Yin 5. One Direction 6. Katy Perry 1. In your free time, you can be found… 7. Drake A) outside 8. Bruno Mars B) at a friend’s house C) doing after-school activities 9. Lorde 2. Which of these three colors would be 10. Lady Gaga your favorite? A) green B) yellow C) red
3. If you dress up for Halloween, what do you dress as? A) vampire B) ghost C) mummy 4. What is on your Christmas list? A) Grow Your Own Weird Plants Kit. B) The Book For You And Your Friends. C) a membership to the Save The World club. 5. What can be found in your backpack? A) Shhh! Don’t tell… your pet grasshopper and his cage. B) Something to show your friendswho knows what? C) A butterfly plant to plant in the schoolyard (you got permission already). THE RESULTS ARE IN! If you got mostly As, you would be…A dog. You just loooooove being outside in the fresh air… Aaah. If you got mostly B’s, you would be… a penguin. You enjoy being in groups and are a “people person”. If you got mostly C’s you would be… a bee. You love teamwork and helping out anyone, from royalty to homeless people.
TOP TEN SONGS By Madison Ho and Henry Frazier
10. “You Belong With Me” -Taylor Swift 9. “Wake Me Up” -Avicii 8. “#thatpower” - Will.i.Am ft. Justin Bieber 7. “Safe& Sound” - Capital Cities 6. “Demons” -Imagine Dragons 5. “Counting Stars” -OneRepublic 4. “Burn” -Ellie Goulding 3. “Neon Lights” -Demi Lovato 2. “On the Floor”-Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull 1. “Timber” -Pitbull ft. Ke$ha
CAIS Chinese New Year Mass Greeting
By Ian Tang and Oscar Wong This Chinese New Year is going to be the Year of the Horse. The mass greeting is an annual event in which all grades participate. There is Chinese music and dancing, and the most famous dance, like usual, the sixth graders perform the lion dance. There are numerous drummers, plus many Buddhas. There is repetitive choreography, being the same every year. At the end of the lion dance, the lions kick cabbages at the crowd, and the crowd stomps on bubble wrap. Being a lion myself, the hardest parts of the lion dance are rolling and jumping onto your partners thighs. Each grade sings a song or performs a dance, or plays instruments. There is also a part of the Mass Greeting where all of the teachers of the school get together to be thanked by the students. The Mass Greeting altogether is to give thanks and bring luck for the new year. This year, the mass greeting was as fun as it always is!
Life on Stow Lake Volunteering to help the butterflies on Strawberry Hill by Sophia Hsu In the middle of Stow Lake, there is an island called Strawberry Hill. On Strawberry Hill, there is a habitat for several different kinds of butterflies. For instance, the Pipe Vine Swallowtail, the Western Tiger Swallowtail and the Anise Swallowtail all live there. I’ve gone there a couple of times with my family and have enjoyed walking around and looking at the plants, trees and, of course, the butterflies. I sometimes wondered how the park takes care of the butterflies. So I decided to find out. It ends up that the park allows volunteers to help maintain the butterfly habitat at Stow Lake.
“I saw a beautiful orange butterfly near me just as I finished planting one of the different butterfly plants.” - Sophia Hsu
Sophia Hsu and her brother help the butterflies by pulling some weeds on Strawberry Hill.
For over three years, the SF Parks Alliance has be running this volunteer program for butterflies. This program is organized by Julia Brashares. The reason why they’re doing it is because many butterfly habitats are being destroyed, even though most people like butterflies and know how they help in spreading pollen from flower to flower, helping the plants grow. On every second Saturday of the month, you can volunteer to help the butterflies to continue to have a home on Strawberry Hill. Volunteers sign up and meet at the Boathouse in the morning around ten o’clock. The group then walks to the island in the middle of the lake, and up the hill.
In the morning, you don’t start right away, because first, Julia and Andy, the two directors, teach you about different kinds of plants. To help expand the habitat, we mostly just pull all the weeds out of the ground. The reason why we pull up weeds is because we are helping the good plants to have more room to grow. Sometimes, though, you get to plant some plants that the butterflies like to eat. These plants are either Dutchman’s Pipevine, Willow, Coastal Buckwheat,or the Sticky Monkey Flower. If you don’t want to get a little dirty but you want to help, just plant one of these plants in your garden or backyard.
Once, when I went to volunteer I saw a beautiful orange butterfly near me just as I finished planting one of the different butterfly plants. It was the second or third butterfly I had seen in all the times that I have volunteered for this project. I hope that we will eventually be able to see more and more as we gradually begin to help the butterflies by making new homes for them at Stow Lake. We try to do it rain or shine, so if you want, try to come! I think that both people and butterflies will be glad to see that you have come to help. The sessions are from ten o’clock to two o’clock, so if you want to stay the whole time, just bring a lunch to eat during the break time. If you would like to help our butterflies continue to have a home at Stow Lake, please sign up!
To sign up, go to: www.sfparksalliance.org/events/1392/ strawberry-hill-butterfly-restoration-project.
Taipei Personalities 5th grade Taiwan Exchange Trip, Part 1 By Mia Silberman This year is the year that the current 5th graders get to flap their arms and fly to Taipei, Taiwan. Many 5th graders are totally ecstatic! Yeah! (As you can see I’m talking about others and ME!). I’ve interviewed some people and asked them what they think of this awesome opportunity. “I am excited about the trip, but I am nervous that my Chinese will be bad and I won’t get a good buddie.” said Cassie, a 5th grader who is excited to attend this amazing event. I agree, because I am so excited to go also, and nervous is also included in that package. But I disagree because most people in the 5th grade have been going to this school for at least six or seven years, so our English better be good enough. Our Chinese won’t be as good as theirs, but it is still really good. The Taipei buddies have to go through extreme testing to be our buddies. We have forty kids in our 5th grade here at CAIS, and they have four hundred kids just in the 5th grade over at Ren-Ai. They are practically fighting over us for being their buddies. “I believe kids should experience a different setting of life, culture and language. When they return, they will have learned so much, not only academically, but something about
themselves and who they are as a person.” Says Caitlin, an 8th grader. I agree with her, and her quote is probably what was word for word what the coordinators were thinking right before shouting “Eureka!” when coming up with this fantastic idea. “It’s gonna be awesome.” says Micah, a 5th grader who’s super excited to partake in this international activity. Micah has some thoughts about who his ideal buddy would be. “He would be friendly, he would like sports, he would like playing Mine-
craft. Since I have a sister, it would be nice to have a boy that plays ball with me,” he said. “The Taiwan exchange has been going on for nine years. The reason that the organizers started the exchange is because Kevin Chang has friends at the Ren-Ai school, in Taipei, Taiwan,” said Jonas Crimm, the CAIS coordinator of the exchnage program. “I think that the 5th graders are totally responsible enough to experience this amazing trip. Of course, their buddy’s family may want to do
5th Grade Taiwan Exchange Trip Continued from previous page. things that the 5th grader doesn’t really want to. For example, the student may be tired, but they will still go to the night market. Or if they don’t feel like eating noodles that night, but since that’s what the family’s serving, they’ll eat the noodles because its polite,” he continued. Mr. Crimm has strong felings about exchange programs from his own personal experiences. “Once, when I was in 11th grade, my high school choir went on a trip to china for a 10-day musical exchange. But of course, it was very different because we didn’t speak any chinese at all. I still had so much fun though, so I thought, when I joined CAIS, I wanted to create the same feeling for the 5th graders,” said Crimm. The 5th graders always go to Taipei for their program. When students get into middle school, they take a trip to mainland China. “The reason we send the 5th graders to Taiwan before sending them off to China is because China has a very complicated history and is much less americanized then Taiwan. China is also very much poorer than Taiwan,” said Crimm. Since many of the middle schoolers have already been on the Taipei trip, I asked them for advice on how to make the trip really fun. Many people said NOT to get too techy, meaning to spend time with your buddy and follow our school motto: embrace chinese. I also asked Luxi, a 6th grader what her experience was like and she said, “It’s so fun! It leaves such good memories! I loved the dumpling and the ice park! But I still think that hanging out with my buddy was the best part of the trip.” I can’t wait until the Taiwan trip, and I think many other 5th graders are also as as I am.
Taipei Videos
By Beatrix Kim and Kira Ngai Every year, the 5th graders go on a trip to Taipei for 2 weeks. They stay with another kid their age ( their Taipei “buddy” ), and visit their school. The 5th graders go with some of the teachers instead of their parents, as chaperones. When the 5th graders come back from Taipei, their buddies stay at their houses, and visit our school CAIS. As a project, we are uploading videos - onto a website called “Edmodo”, where the kids in Taipei can see what we post - about places in our school that they will come to see. Each group in 5th grade has 4 people making one video. For example, one video was about the Music Room. That group was responsible for presenting and showing what the Music Room is. We took the videos using iPads. First we filmed it, then we put it together. If you wanted bloopers then you put it in towards the end of the video. We created the video in an app called “iMovie.” In iMovie you can edit footage, add text, and add music, and much more. At the end of the video, you can also add in credits. After we are done we put it on Edmodo and on Youtube (but if you look for it, it is on a private account). To make the groups, we took post-it notes and wrote down 5 people we wanted to work with, and the teacher found a way to put people together, but only with people that we could concentrate with. On Edmodo you can see stuff that people in your grade and in Taipei post, and people can see what you post. So that is why we put our videos on Edmodo, and other projects too.
School Security with Antonio By Henry Frazier Henry: So Antonio, how long have you been at the school? Antonio: 16 years. Henry: What is the best part about your job? Antonio: The best part of my job is helping people. Henry: What is your backround? Antonio: Before I worked here, I worked at BMW of San Francisco doing security for 5 years. Henry: Has there ever been a very bad situation that you had to help out with at CAIS? Antonio: I’m going to say, ‘yes,’ but not give you details.
By Nate Berson
“I think One Direction is Fantastic! I “Liam and Niall! My Favorite thing like the song Nobody Compares. My A lot of people do not like One Direction. I did some research to about One direction is their songs. favorite singer is Harry styles.” Kira, 5th Grade find out why and found the following I Don’t have a favorite song because they are all so good. ” reasons from Yahoo Answers: Cassie, 5th Grade “I think One Direction is the best One person wrote: band ever!!!! My favorite song is Best “My favorite song of one direction is Song Ever! I like Liam most of all. I personally do not like One Direc‘One Thing. ’ My favorite One DirecMadison, 4th Grade tion that much because I like old mution singer is Niall. I like One Direcsic, like Ray Charles and other 90’s music. A lot of my friends HATE One tion because they sing really good “All I can say is that I do not hate music.” them.” Direction, but I’m just not a fan. Chen Lao Shi, 5th Grade Teacher Min G., 5th Grade Another wrote a list of reasons that guys don’t like One Direction:
“I like the songs ‘Story of My Life,’ 1. Almost all teen girls love them in- ‘Last First Kiss,’ ‘Best Song Ever,’ ‘Live cluding the hot chicks whom they are While We’re Young.’” crushing on. Yuxin B., 4th Grade 2. These guys are of almost the same age as them, but they are already famous. 3. They sing pop songs and guys find that it’s better to listen to rock or house or electro I also interviewed some CAIS students to find out what they thought of One Direction. “I personally love One Direction. They make people laugh and be happy! My favorite One Direction singer is harry, niall and Louis.” Nate Berson, 5th Grade
Famous Lines by Famous & Not-So-Famous YouTubers! By Mari Fong There are MILLIONS of users on YouTube, and the majority of them have channels and upload videos. Many are well known, like Ryan Higa, or NigaHiga, Adam, or SkyDoesMinecraft, and Tyler Oakley. They all have famous sayings, like how Ryan says "TeeHee" at the end of his videos, or how Adam always mentions Budder. But there are also not-so-famous YouTubers with many fans who have famous lines. Here are some hand selected by me for your enjoyment! PeanutButterGamer PeanutButterGamer, aka PBG, aka Austin Hargrave, is a gamer and a YouTuber. He loves the series “Legend of Zelda (even has a month dedicated to it),” “Harvest Moon,” and multiple computer games, like “Minecraft” and “Terraria.” His Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PeanutButterGamer “You can eat apples, right?” PeanutButterGamer 2013 MC Hardcore #2! - Pt 1 (Feat. NCS, ProJared, and Kyrak!) “Hack a computer, hack a computer, I’m a detective so I hack a computer,” PeanutButterGamer 2012 DerpSims Agents -PBG (100K Subs!) “Fumbuckets!” PeanutButterGamer 2013 Top 10 Mario Games! -PBG “Glitch Crushed!” PeanutButterGamer 2011 To Kill an Avatar -The Many Deaths of Link
ProJared ProJared, aka DMJared, aka Jared Knabenbauer, is a gamer and a YouTuber. He often does One Minute Reviews, which is his attempt to review a new game in under one minute. Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/DMJared “Celebrate your favorite consumer of souls by wearing her directly on your chest.” -ProJared 2013 Nuptup T-Shirt! Limited Time! “I got apples!” -ProJared 2013 MC Hardcore #2 Pt 1 (Feat. NCS, ProJared, and Kyrak!) “If you want cookies, you have to work hard in the mines!” -ProJared 2013 Minecraft HC #2! - Part 4 (Nice Slave Driver!)
Deanelazab A friend of PBG, Dean is a gamer and a YouTuber. Although not one to update his channel very often, he has posted videos of him playing various games and is often featured in PBG's Hardcore series. Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/deanelzab "How do you make a pickaxe?" "How do you make a sword?" -Dean 2012/2013 Minecraft HC - Part 1 (Ft. JonTron and The Completionist!) / Minecraft HC #2! - Part 1(Ft. NCS, ProJared, and KyrakJellyman!) "Not like this!" -Dean 2012/2013 Minecraft Hardcore (#2)
Mark Parsons The creator of the Adventurous Adventures of One Direction, Adventurous Adventures of One Direction 2, and The Saddest Story Ever Told, Mark Parsons is a YouTuber who is famous for AAOD. He voiced every character in the two videos, and has even met the British boy band himself. He was previously known as chimpshrimp, and has even wrote a song especially for AAOD 2. "A good shell is hard to find, and a hard shell is good to find." -Mark as Harry Styles, AAOD "Carl was policeman." -Mark as a Narrator, The Saddest Story Ever Told "Stupid, stupid Spoonses..."-Mark as Golem-Liam Payne, AAOD 2
SkyDoesMinecraft SkyDoesMinecraft, aka Sky, aka Adam, he was originally JinTheDemon, which he played Runescape, hence the RS in his minecraft username. He loves the minecraft item, gold ingots, which he calls Budder, and despises the Minecraft mob, the squid. He is also in the minecraft group, Team Crafted, which he and 6 other minecraft player-youtubers live in a house in LA. "Budder. Budder." -Sky 2011-Present "Squid!"-Sky 2011-Present "Hey. Hey. Stop it. There are kids watching." Sky 2013 "I'm too pretty to die!" Sky 2011-Present, Survival games/ Sky Games
JeromeASF JeromeASF, aka Fluffy, aka Jerome Robert Aceti, is a YouTuber as well as a hardcore minecraft player. He was part of a gaming channel mainly for Call of Duty, called AwesomeSauce Films, hence the ASF in his minecraft and YouTube usernames. He is often called fluffy or a stinky Bacca (by fellow minecrafter, youtuber, and pther half of Merome, a bromance) due to his minecraft skin imitating a Chewbacca from the Star Wars series and movies. He claims to use Parmesan deodorant, and loves the diamond axe, which he names Betty. "Chop chop, buddy. Chop chop." "Hey Sorry guys. I just kicked my brother off. I just had to take a giant turbo dump. Your brother is one smart guy. (Xrpmx13) Yeah, I keep him in a cage most of the time. (A few minutes later) What's your brothers name again? (Xrpmx13) Jeremy. It's spelled the same way as Jerome."-Jerome and friends, Minecraft: The DONKEY Walls FUNNY (w/ Mitch and Friends!) (BajanCanadian's Channel) (Pun only works verbally)
TheBajanCanadian http://www.youtube.com/user/thebajancanadian BajanCanadian, aka Mitch, aka Benja, aka The Canadian, is a YouTuber who posts daily minecraft videos. He has recently hit 3,000,000 subs. He was also part of ASF, along with Jerome, NoochM, and Hippoloqqih. He has known Jerome since 4th grade, and in a livestream over the summer, they admitted their bromance, Merome, was real and kissed on camera for their fans. Although Jerome now has a new girlfriend (he and his ex broke up about a month before the livestream), their bromance continues. “No, plz!”-BajanCanadian, Any Hunger Games Video “Heeeyyy Biggums!”-BajanCanadian, Any video collaboration with Jerome or Robert (Mr. Woofles) “POWER MOVES ONLY”-BajanCanadian, Any video with Ryan (xRPMx13) and Jerome “Yeah, Bodil, we keep our calculators in cages and take them out when we need them.”-BajanCanadian, Minecraft: The DONKEY Walls FUNNY “Too Strong!”-BajanCanadian, Any video
That Crystal Necklace Prologue Maisie looked enviously at the black stone. It was so beautifuI. Why would it slip through her powers? Sure, it could be magical too, but that was unlikely. She stared into the crystal sadly, pushing back her straight black hair. But her eyes finally penetrated through the stone. She let the incanta tion flow from her tongue.
One I bought that necklace because I thought it looked cool, sort of gothic trendy at the same time, you know? I never would have thought it was cursed. It was at the curiosity shop, but you still wouldn’t have expected magic. The necklace was silver with a dull tinge, and had a black crystal set in the middle. My name is Serenn. I have straight black hair, long and silky. It goes down to my waist. Sometimes that’s a disadvantage, but who ever said I cared? I love texting and IMing and emailing and pretty much anything online. I whip out my cell and start texting my BFF, Bella.
got awesome new necklace!
The reply is almost instant.
cool! send me a pic!
So I send her this:
do or say the wrong or right thing, the bauble will bestow either a blessing or curse upon you. You have been warned.
like it? OMG so pretty where u get it?
Curiosity Shop, around the corner from where we had that awesome build-yr-own-website camp. Oh hey, I got my tote bag from there. the tie-dye one w/ sparklies. I don’t see how it’s a curiosity tho.
by Alyssa Yin
Yeah, me nEther.
Sorry, mom calling me 4 dinner. Good nite.
Good nite.
Wait! How much was it?
19.99. Good nite
I may be done texting, but that doesn’t mean I’m done on the Net. I scroll down to the “Horoscope” option, like I do every day. I always like what I get. But this time what I read startles me. Capricorn You have bought a bauble that is beautiful but dangerous. Be careful what you say and of your actions. If you
It couldn’t possibly be true, right? It was just some words. I reassured myself of this as a flipped shut the top of my Sidekick and trudged home. But the words kept running through my mind. You have been warned… You have been warned… You have been warned…
Two When I get home, my mom asks me, “Have you done your homework?” She asks this every day. Every day, I say no. Except for today. I did it beforehand. “Wow! It’s a miracle!!!” she exclaims. Just then, I feel an adrenaline surge as I realize that my necklace has just trembled! And words start rushing through my mind, words that are not coming from my own brain. This is your ancestor, Maisie. I am inside your crystal. You have done a good deed, no? Did you see your horoscope? That was me. You have now gained the power to speak to animals. Use it wisely. I feel a fuzzy feeling in my head, and I see what you see when a television connection is bad. Then my dog, Mondo, comes into the kitchen. “Woof, woof! I am hungry!” I wait for my mother to leave the room, then say, “Mondo, did you just speak?” “I have been speaking forever.
It is just now that you understand me.” “Oh.” “Look on your desk in your room. Maisie has left something there to intrigue you.” “Maisie? How do you know Maisie? If she was my ancestor, would she not have passed away already? “Oh pish, you know nothing, child.” “Whoa there, Mondo! No speaking to your owner like that!” “Yeah, whatever, go to your room.” The walls of my room are a soft lavender color. In the corner farthest away from the door lies my neon yellow canopy bed. There is exactly 14 throw pillows on it, all of them orange. In the corner closest to the door is the door to my bathroom. It has 19 different shades of blue tiles, ceramic or glass, on ceiling and walls. The bathmat looks like a texting home screen. And in the last corner is my desk. Something on the white bulletin board looks unfamiliar. Cautiously, I venture over and pick up the bottle. Drink me. Huh. My life was turning into a weird modernday Alice In Wonderland. But then Maisie comes back. Listen to your Mondo. He is very trustworthy, only speaking what I tell him to. Except for when he said ‘oh, pish’. And ‘whatever’. And ‘you know nothing’... But just open the bottle. I do, and a honeylike fragrance fills the room, making the air thick and sweet. It is very calming, and I sip the bottle’s contents. Aah. It cools my throat and warms my tongue. It also makes me lightheaded, but it a good way. Then they’re back. The mystic words. Hi, Serenn. Through this potion I have given you the ability to communicate with me, just as I am doing with you right now.
The Dragon Literary Quiz Each set of clues refers to a literary work (book, short story, poem). If you think you have all the right answers, fill out the quiz, and turn it in to a Dragon Magazine staff member. A drawing will be held for all those who get 100% on the quiz and one winner will be chosen. This contest is open to anyone in the CAIS community (students, parents, teachers, and staff). Good luck! 1. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Gryffindor 2. Logan, Miles, Daisy, Philip 3. Sally, the Cat, Thing One, Thing Two 4. Duckling, Bus Driver, Pigeon 5. Luke, Annabeth, Percy, Grover 6. Stanley, Zero, X-Ray, Armpit 7. Jack, Sky, Miss Stretchberry, Walter 8. Fern, Templeton, Wilbur 9. William, rain water, white chickens 10. Praiseworthy, Mountain Jim, Cut-Eye, Jack 11. Johnny, Soda, Dallas, Darry 12. Greg, Rowley, Rodrick, Fregley 13. chocolate cake, two pears, a pickle, a lollipop, Swiss cheese, one apple, salami cherry pie, a cupcake, ice-cream, a sausage, a slice of watermelon 14. August, Jack, Julian, Summer 15. Effie, Rue, Gale, Primrose Answer Sheet 1. ___________________________
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You may email your answers to Mr. Morris at r_moris@cais.org or handed in directly to anyone in journalism club.
Dragon Horoscopes By Madame F.
Aries March 21-April 19
Leo July 23 - Aug 22
Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21
This week may bring about a fight with your mom or dad, but staying cool is the way to go. Being flexible will keep things nice and quiet at home.
You’ve got tons of confidence this week, so you better rock it! Stay away from all the negativity– no bad attitudes can get you down this week.
You’re not really feelin’ yourself this week, and it could for sure get you down. Don’t let that mess you up.
Taurus April 20 - May 20
Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22
Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19
You’re always super great with Your parents and your friends This week your schedule is jam tough situations, but this week could be all over your case this packed, but don’t over do it – you should listen to music or week. But if you turn off your you gotta give yourself some read a good book to keep your stubborn-vibes and switch on a time to relax. mind off things. Move on from bright and shiny attitude, everyfriends who don’t get you, but thing will be amazing. Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22 make sure you give them a chance first. Gemini May 21 - June 21 The atmosphere is totally tense this week, so it could cause ma- Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18 You have a bunch of opportuni- jor trouble with the close relaties coming your way, but that tionships in your life. It’s defi- You’ve been eating one too many doesn’t mean you should take all nitely not the time to make any M&M’s or biting your nails this of them. Take a step back and be long-term plans, either, so wait a week and you’ve decided it’s time ultra choosy – one option could bit to do that. for a change – go for it! Changleave you oh-so happy while aning is hard at first, but there’s no other could be a bummer. Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21 better time than right now. Stick to your plan and your habits are Cancer June 22 - July 22 Misunderstandings with friends sure to change. or siblings might lead to an ughSome not-so-good stuff could worthy week, but there’s always Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20 happen this week, like a fight a way to get through it. Dowith your friends, but if you talk ing things your way will totally School could be hectic this week, it out, it could make your friend- make you smile by the end of the but keep laughing with your pals ship even tighter. week. through the stress. They’ll always be there to help you out. Don’t let tough coaches or unreasonJoin the fun! able teachers get you down too CAIS Journalism Club much.
Fridays from 3:30 - 5:30d
Zoo Wee Momma! Are you an artist? Publish your comics in The Drgon
by Zachary Ngin, Editor-In-Chief
Zachary’s Corner
The Plight of Justin Bieber
into Germany, so it was confiscated in Munich, placed into quarantine, and eventually relocated to a zoo. The government in Berlin is still waiting for the $10,000 it paid to look after What an icon. We know him Bieber’s monkey. His exploits while for “Baby,” a song of epidemic pro- on tour have drawn unpleasant media portion. This signature song has attention. sold about four million copies in the He has also engaged in heated United States, and peaked in the top rants against the media and public figfive on the Billboard Hot 100 singles ures on his social media. The “Never chart. He has had many hit songs, and Say Never” singer has also been inhas attracted a huge fan following, volved in threats against paparazzi which is mostly young and female. that document his every move, docuRecently, his third studio album, Be- mented by assault/battery allegations lieve, spawned popular songs like and explicit video. He’s sprayed graf“Boyfriend,” “As Long as You Love fiti in Bogotá, the Columbian capital, Me,” and “Beauty and a Beat. He is Australia, and Brazil. He was accused Justin Bieber, a teenager who has bro- of defacing the Argentine flag when ken records. he was playing a show in Buenos Ai Lately, I’ve paid a lot of atten- res (he dragged the flag across the tion to this artist. But I’m not a true stage with his foot). It is a concern Bieber music fan, or a Bieber video that his erratic, and often illegal, befan. I constantly misspell Bieber as havior shows little sensitivity for the Beiber. But I think he is an iconic en- law, for culture, and for manners. tertainer in his own right, though not just in the conventional sense of song and dance. The Ontario-born pop singer has gone through quite an ordeal following the release of Believe, which has been both interesting and a little horrific.
He begun with a clean image: a teen crooner with a voice that impressed a tween/teen female target demographic. But following the release of Believe, one thing on top of another came tumbling down. When touring Believe, he was booed at London’s O2 Arena for showing up late on a school night. At another show at the O2, he fainted backstage and was taken to the emergency room (he later gave the thumbs-up to his fans with a shirtless picture posted to Twitter). He was criticized for taking his shirt off at airport security in Poland. He adopted a capuchin monkey, a native of South America, named Mally. However, he did not have the proper paperwork for bringing the monkey
On top of everything else, prosecution is pending following Justin Bieber’s recent charges in Miami for drag racing, resisting arrest, and driving under the influence of alcohol. Law enforcement investigation is also underway in California, where prosecutors are investigating an egging incident at his neighbor’s residence. As of January 27, goose eggs were found at his house in Calabasas, deepening suspicions of vandalism. His residence has been raided for drugs, and illegal substances have come up throughout his trek in cities like Stockholm. He recently turned himself in to police in Toronto, where he is wanted for assault charges. A petition on the White House website wants the “dangerous, reckless, destructive, and drug abusing, Justin Bieber deported”. Within a week of its creation, it has almost double (170,000) the signatures needed to warrant an official response from the Obama administration. By the end of the one-month allotted for the col-
lection of signatures, the petition had over 250,000 signatures. The Obama administration has not responded, and I am curious as to what an official would say about the singer. Many have debated whether public figures (actors, musicians, and other celebrities) are ethically obligated to be a good role model. I think that artists should, of course, have the right to free expression. But I condemn celebrities that flaunt their vast wealth and celebrity status as an excuse to be “above the law”. Justin Bieber is required to follow the law wherever he goes, and if he breaks it, he should be held accountable for his actions. He is a teenager, and many teenagers get involved in things they’d later rather forget. He has grown up in the public spotlight, and this places
enormous pressure on him. Even with all his affluence and fame, he has a career in the public eye perhaps as taxing as some public officials, though absence of public responsibility makes it easy for him to spin out of control. Ultimately, the notion that everyone must follow the rules, and show respect for those around them, is what I hope will influence his fans more than his reckless spurts of rebellion. I hope that Bieber’s troubles can be brought under control, at least for the relief of a few nations. Some may see the Believe Tour path of destruction as amusing, but it is also somewhat troubling. Maybe he’ll be deported, but it seems unlikely. Regardless, he will remain a public figure and an icon for many years to come. I hope that in twenty years, most will
remember Justin Bieber as a musical icon who shook the world’s culture, not for worse but for better. Follow this issue: Justin Bieber is a Canadian pop singer. He contributes to social media on several platforms like Twitter. His official website is www.justinbiebermusic.com. You can buy and listen to his music at www.iTunes.com/justinbieber and at other physical/digital/ streaming services like his YouTube account www.youtube.com/justinbiebervevo. You can view the White House We The People petition calling for his removal online at https:// petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/ deport-justin-bieber-and-revoke-hisgreen-card/ST1yqHJL.
Zachary’s Top Ten Continued from page 3.
tend to do/When it comes to you/I see only the good/Selective memory”). Personally, I don’t feel great love for Shakira’s vocal, but I appreciate the rhythm and the tune, and of course, Rihanna’s contribution. I’m sure this will get people talking once more about my Rihanna obsession, but I’ll be enjoying this catchy and different song. “Can’t Remember to Forget You” is available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon, and has been released to pop radio. It will be featured on Shakira’s upcoming selftitled album. You can stream the single from Shakira’s VEVO on YouTube. 3. 94 Seconds— Writers for the Associated Press and the New York Times have recently written about their surrender to “addicting” smartphone games, particularly Candy Crush. Even though I have an insatiable hunger for candy, I had never felt a great love for Candy Crush; I was riled by the limited lives, and how the game beleaguering me to buy more. But, I have had several other smartphone addictions, such as Angry Birds and Subway Surfers. My most recent one is 94 Seconds. Developed by Scimob, this app implores you to name something within a category, starting with a certain letter. For example, you may be asked to name a vegetable starting with K, such as “kale”. Or you might have to name a country’s capital city starting with W, such as Warsaw. The goal is to answer as many of these questions as you want within 94 seconds. You can also buy power-ups, new categories, and skip questions you don’t know. You can play against friends, random opponents, and yourself. I think it’s a great game that you can play quickly, that somewhat enhances your knowledge (of random facts, at least). And plus, it’s easier to put down, for each round, of course, is only 94 seconds. 94 Seconds is available to play on the App Store, Google Play, the Android Store, and Facebook. It was developed by Scimob independent game studio, and is free to download. 4. My Pencil Case— I find great pride in the fact that I still have pens and pencils to use at school, even though the school year is half over. Every year, I drag my mother along on an excursion to Office Depot or equivalent retailer of overpriced of-
fice supplies. At least the sleek, elite, finepoint ballpoint pens I like are overpriced. Indeed, every August, I end up with half a shopping cart of “needed” paraphernalia, ranging from a dozen highlights to a prone-to-malfunction whiteout pen. My annual Office Depot toiling is often so extended as to provoke my mother into almost dragging me out of the store. To add to the insult, I can sometimes, unfortunately, lose my pens and pencils and other goodies, and demand an additional midyear office supplies shopping spree. In what I consider a fantastic omen, I still have many pens and pencils left from my August 2013 shopping spree. I am fiercely proud that I was able to preserve at least three or four of my pack of a dozen pens. My pencil case, poked full of holes from uncapped pens and inked with absentminded Sharpie, is a source of distilled ego: a representation of my proactive, productive, progressive eighth grade life. I’m very hopeful that I can endure the last few months of school without indulging in another $20 of office supplies. We’ll see. 5. Biking in the Presidio— I love to bike. When I have free time, I like to leave my homework behind and set out pedaling, usually alone. I live fairly close to the Presidio, westward Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park, and other public land such as Land’s End. In addition to the city’s management of Golden Gate Park, the National Park Service is responsible for a relatively big swathe of land within San Francisco, and preserves the natural beauty within the city. I love biking into the Presidio. With much of it part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, green space in the Presidio is protected. As a result, the whole Presidio is a seaside paradise: full of green hills, eucalyptus trees, bridge views, fun activities, and nostalgia. When I was very young, my parents used to take me to Crissy Field to run around and find starfish and climb on the stairs and do other innocent things; even buying a hot dog from a stand along the bay promenade gives me such a sense of nostalgia (I’m very prone to looking back up to the “simpler days”). The Golden Gate Bridge is toll free for bikers and pedestrians, and offers glorious views of the city and the ocean. Even the old army buildings that dot the lawns and hills of the Presidio are charming. There’s nothing like feeling the wind snatching at the straps on your bike helmet, seeing the
towers of the Golden Gate loom in sun or fog, and feeling the spray of the ocean on your face. In fact, I wish I were there now. 6. Trolli’s Candy Eggs— I’m kind of addicted to sweets. Gummy candy, as an institution, contributes a feeling of redemption and self-esteem to my life. Candy helps me forget my troubles, and makes me feel better about my self on an existential level. Gummy eggs, made by manufacturer Trolli, are a form of godsend not seen since the bicycle or the sundial. I can admit to slightly hyperbolizing the appeal of these small, chewy candies. There is no need to invoke gateway addictive substances, and I can say with relative certainty that Trolli does not package addictive additives into its products. But, these fruit-flavored bites of goodness, sugar, and food coloring are too delicious to resist. Online, you can even order a three-pound package of these candies, and every review tagged to that product is overwhelmingly positive. There’s nothing negative to say about the candy’s appearance, taste, texture, or overall divinity (by the way this content is not sponsored). Mea culpa for the slight exaggeration at the beginning, but if you are ever feeling down, you can count on Trolli’s candy eggs for a dose of plasticpackaged heaven. 7. The Ethicist— The Ethicist is a weekly column for the New York Times Magazine, currently written by Chuck Klosterman. It tackles questions posed by readers concerning the ethics (the rightor-wrong of our choices) of everyday life. It’s similar in format to an advice column: the reader asks for an “expert’s” opinion on moral ambiguity. For example, a reader asked if it is ethical for doctors to apply the research of Nazi Germany to modern medicine. Nazi Germany conducted brutal human experimentation on its prisoners. The medical community has used this data to treat patients and for research in spite of its terrible origin. Regarding whether use of this research is ethical, the Ethicist says that the knowledge cannot be forgotten, and is best used to save lives today. At the expense of human lives and dignity, we have been uncomfortably presented with this knowledge, but it is best to use it to promote lifesaving techniques and research today. He said “We can’t ignore lifesaving information because someone died in the process.” But who is the Ethicist anyway? What
makes him such an expert on everything? His validity was questioned after a controversial response to the ethicality of reusing school assignments for multiple classes. Klosterman said that it didn’t hurt anybody, and that the work was still rightfully the work of the student, and so this practice is ethical. A score of professors and academics forcefully responded, citing academic dishonesty and chiding Klosterman for his response. The Times’ public editor even addressed the criticism (who does he think he is?) by referring to him as a single man presenting his opinion on these questions (“this isn’t the word from Mount Olympus). But she says, and I agree, that the column is interesting, challenges conventional wisdom, and is thought provoking. The Ethicist is a weekly column in the New York Times Magazine, and can be read online at http://topics.nytimes.com/ top/features/magazine/columns/the_ ethicist/. 8. Pokémon— I make by Poké-universe debut by either watching the animated TV show or playing with Pokemon cards. I loved the cute little figures that could unleash storm and fire on their opponents, and was thrilled by the sheer epicness of the Pokemon world. When I was around eight, I was given a Nintendo DS and a couple Pokemon games, and since then I’ve been hooked (though I can’t say that I’m as much into it now as I was). I was addicted. In total, I’ve probably spent at least a couple hundred dollars on Pokemon paraphernalia. The Diamond game, the epitome of my Nintendo game obsession, has hundreds of hours of gametime logged (I’ve completed the National Pokedex, for those of you that actually find meaning in that accomplishment). Whole friendships were built on the shared indulgence in Pokemon moves like Ice Beam and Roar of Time; at any given playdate, my friends and I would gather with our devices, and show each other the shininess of our gym badges, our underground hideouts, and of course, our Pokemon: their moveset, their statistics, their plumage, their shimmer, their fangs, their mystique, and their ability to crush opponents in the ultimate test of power: Pokemon battling. I fondly recall spending hours and hours training my Pokemon to an extremely high level, pulverizing whatever opponent I had, and effectively ruining the challenge of the game. Even warmer in my heart is the
times when the game power would shut off, and I would throw my console onto the ground, irate over the lost progress. Even now, I feel a tremendous amount of nostalgia when I pick up my Pokemon games, though my aging DS soon deflates my desire for a throwback to the good old days by turning off and losing my progress. For aspiring Poke-maniacs, I have but one piece of advice for you: remember to catch them all. 9. Parks and Recreation— This is a TV show that I like. That is saying a lot, because I usually glare down at broadcast news, television, and movies (I prefer music, the Internet, and reading). Parks and Recreation is a wonderful show about the dysfunctional government of a fictional town in Indiana. It stars Amy Poehler as a bureaucrat within the Parks Department named Leslie Knope. The show stars this woman trying to get things done for the good of the people, within a government that is hopelessly irresponsible and a nightmare of a town called Pawnee. The series begins with Leslie Knope being approached by a concerned citizen about a dangerous pit that someone had fallen into. She decides to turn this pit into a new park, but is hindered by a slow, dysfunctional government and angry citizens in the town. Progress on the park, even with the focus shifting to other events as the series continues, is painstakingly slow and always in the background. But the series expands to be about so much more. There is lots of humor, lots of drama between characters, and lots of amusing, heartwarming, and frustrating events revolving around Leslie Knope’s lovable, devoted, hardworking, and public serving but also emotionally erratic and workaholic personality. The show is filmed in a “mockumentary” style, with characters speaking their minds to the camera. It is a comedy, with undertones of political satire. The show is now well into its 6th season, and I suggest that you give it a watch if it sounds interesting to you. Parks and Recreation is a sitcom television show aired by NBC. It was conceived by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, and stars Amy Poehler as a public official in the town of Pawnee. You can watch the first five seasons on Netflix or Amazon Prime streaming; NBC also regularly airs the show.
10. The Associated Press— The Associated Press is a nonprofit news service based in New York. It was founded more than 150 years ago, and has won over fifty Pulitzer Prizes. Its wide distribution to news organizations, in the US and abroad, liberal and conservative, means that it is the icon of objective, accurate, unbiased reporting suitable for any outlet of information. According to its website, it covers every state legislature, as well as notable events worldwide. It distributes content to news organizations, and in turn takes content from local news outlets. As a result, the Associated Press is a source of detailed information from all over the world. AP’s website says that its correspondents have broken news such as the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor, the success of Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Apart from the good things the organization has to say about itself, I truly believe that the Associated Press is an outlet of objective journalism. I’ve been impressed by the variety of articles offered in its flurry of daily reporting: from Washington, from Syria, from Ukraine, and on every notable topic. The coverage is comprehensive and is held to a high standard of objectivity. One fantastic feature of its mobile app is that every day, it gives you a list of the top ten events of the day and a one sentence summary: a perfect way to stay informed, even when you only have a minute to spare. The eclectic collection of member newspapers that partners with the Associated Press ensures an unbiased (both liberal and conservative newspapers embrace AP releases), and worldwide perspective. Thousands of organizations trust the Associated Press as a source of accurate information, and that half of the world’s population allegedly sees content form AP every day. I love to read content from the Associated Press, and I’m always impressed by its commitment to objectivity and ethics in its journalism. The Associated Press distributes international reporting to print and broadcast news outlets including the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, and the New York Times. You can download its official app, AP Mobile, from the Apple and Android app stores. It’s website is ap.org.
Animal Style Oliver Chessen’s
By Oliver Chessen
Lets Talk Takin! What’s a Takin?
The Takin(talk-in) is a species of Caprinae (Goat-antelope animal). They live in southern China and Bhutan. The habitat of the Takin is generally forested valleys to rocky, grass-covered alpine zones. They are very closely related to the musk ox in many ways. Many people believe that the Takin and Musk Ox are both species of oxen. Although they look like an ox, think about it’s shaggy coat. The Takin is actually a goat.
Features of the Takin The Takin has a very long and shaggy coat to protect it from the cold in high elevations. The coats of a Takin are golden creamy, dirty gold, light brown, and on some coats hints of purple can be seen. All takin have short curved horns. Takins stand between 97 to 140cm (38 to 55 in) at the shoulder and measure between 160–220cm (63–87 i=n) in head-and-body length. The tail is only 12 to 21.6 cm (4.7 to 8.5 =in).
Takin: Fun Facts The takin is at the highest level of protection in china along with the giant panda. There have been 50 takins born at the San Diego zoo. They are the national animal of Bhutan.