SPARTANS SPEAK MAGAZINE |
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About Us
SPARTANS SPEAK MAGAZINE
WHO WE ARE Spartans Speak is a student-led magazine at North Surrey Secondary School. Run completely by students from Grades 8 - 12, the team is dedicated to providing a platform for the North Surrey community to engage in collaborative discussion. To date, the Spartans Speak team has published eight editions and printed more than 1000 copies, with more than 90 followers on Twitter and Facebook. We are passionate about promoting student engagement in school clubs, events, academic activities, and extra-curricular opportunities. We encourage social responsibility, investigative and critical thinking skills through collaborative and creative projects. We emphasize the importance of leadership, innovation, responsibility and creativity - all of which have made Spartans Speak how it is today. As a club, we provide unique hands-on opportunities for students to improve and advance their writing, editing and design skills. We are a diverse, open-minded team that focuses on what you want to accomplish - and our five department heads will help you strive for success.
DEPARTMENT HEADS President & Head of Editing- Michael Salloum Head of Writing- Henry Guo Head of Design- Celina Chang Secretary & Treasurer- Tyler Fairbrother Communications- Sukhdip Gill WRITERS Victoria Hyein Lee Zhichao Guo Tyler Fairbrother Miles Robinson
We don’t do sign-up sheets; we don’t do commitments until you take the initiative to sign up for a task or an article. When that happens, you’re responsible - and once you complete the task, you become an official Spartans Speak team member. Until then you are free to choose whether or not to come to the meetings, to participate in discussions, and to try out our departments to find the one that fits you. We welcome all grades to join Spartans Speak and be immersed in North Surrey’s very own student magazine. Let us know what you’re passionate about and what you’d like to do. Be engaged. Join Spartans Speak Magazine.
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EDITORS Michael Salloum Henry Guo
(Frank Ju)
Franklin Leung Akhil Reddy Betty Mizuki John Yang Harkeet Nagra Gursimran Grewal
DESIGNERS Celina Chang Rachel Wang Virginia Chang
Ms. Cameron and Ms. Hall are the proud sponsors of Spartans Speak.
JOIN US It’s really easy to join the Spartans Speak team - come to one of our meetings at lunch on Wednesdays in Room 222.
The TEAM
STAY IN TOUCH Stay in touch with Spartans Speak to get the latest information on magazine releases, special articles, and much more.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @SPARTANSPEAK
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: FACEBOOK.COM/SPARTANSPEAK
Thank you for your continuous support! Front cover photo by Celina Chang Back cover photo by Rachel Wang
Foreword
BY MICHAEL SALLOUM
F
all is upon us once again Spartans; the trees are shedding their leaves, the rain is washing over the streets, and the cold breath of winter is lingering in the air. Yes, the sombre season of autumn is back! Don’t be afraid though, because Spartans Speak has you covered with our newest issue of Spartans Speak Magazine—the November Edition. It has been a while since our last publication, but do know that with this long wait comes the thrilling promise of exciting news and changes coming to the magazine in the near future. Not only are we promising you an exciting reading experience from the articles of our new writers, designers, and editors, but we are also here to let you know that this year Spartans Speak will be prioritizing what it was set out to do in its very beginning: provide students with an outlet of expression and integrating the community with student-led activities. Rest assured, we have not forgotten about these goals; however, I will be the first to say that we have not been upholding them as firmly as we should. This magazine was made for students by students, but it seems that we are missing the biggest component in that equation: the voice of the average student. Well, that is all about to change
Spartans, because we have a new approach to this magazine that we hope will lead to further collaboration amongst the student body. To add on to this initiative, we will also be holding various events and fundraisers in our school in the hopes of achieving a few things: one of which is the hope of running our first ever design and writing schoolwide competition. Also, the winners of the competition will also get the opportunity to put their mark on the pages of the magazine. Be it a slogan or a logo, this contribution will persist through all future renditions of the magazine. With this we are taking the stand to you Spartans and opening the floor for all submissions! Information for the competition will be posted readily in the upcoming weeks, so be sure to stay on the lookout for it! Now, I encourage you to turn your attention towards the contents of this issue. Since we have reaffirmed the goals upon which this club was established, we have tried to continue in this tradition with our November Edition. This version of Spartans Speak is most exciting yet! Being the pilot for future versions of this magazine, we decided to experiment with a range of writing and design styles. With our writing, we tried to integrate the ideas and submissions of a range of people
outside of our club. Having these ideas put forth, we then proceeded to implement them in our issue; everything from thrilling reviews of upcoming books and movies to the raging rants of our gamers, this issue has it all. Even further, with our design, we have tried to include the work of more Spartans and so have requited the aid of our dedicated Photography Club for the bulk of our pictures as well. So with that Spartans, I leave you to enjoy this new style of Spartans Speak—the only magazine for you in our school. On a final note, I wish to remind all of our viewers that we are always trying to uphold the standards of community and the goals we set out to achieve in the beginning—that is not lost on us. So please remember that no matter what, we here at Spartans Speak Magazine will always work day and night to provide you with a publication for you to enjoy. Not only does our team devote its time voluntarily, but we do it for you Spartans and no one else. I have to say that I am truly grateful that we can at least provide such an outlet in our school. Spartans Speak President and Editor,
Michael Salloum
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Table of
Contents 02 03
04
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About Us
TECH
Foreword by Michael Salloum Table of Contents
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HEALTH
FEATURED
Transitioning Skincare into Autumn by Victoria Lee
Bard on the Beach by Zhichao Guo
MOVIES
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Diwali by Sukhdip Gill
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Me to We Day by Akhil Reddy
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The Movie Column by Gursimran Grewal and Khoa Nguyen
FOOD 18
RAGE COLUMN 10
Surface Pro 2 by Franklin Leung
Creativity Cancer by Miles Robinson
BOOKS
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Mac & Cheese Recipe by Tyler Fairbrother
SCHOOL Tips on Studying for School by Betty Mizuki
Tinkers by John Yang
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Bard on the Beach by Zhichao Guo
“One of Canada’s largest non-profit professional Shakespearean Festivals.”
B
ard on the Beach is one of Canada’s largest non-profit Shakespearean festivals. Each year, the company performs Shakespearean plays including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and many others. To capture the full magnificence of Shakespeare’s work, the fair is situated at Vanier Park where the stages are set in front of the beach so the audience can have a beautiful view while enjoying a wonderful show.
and love with an especially heart-warming ending, with the audience giving a standing ovation at the end. It cannot be emphasized enough how much a live performance enables an audience to truly appreciate Shakespeare’s work. Being able to see live actors bring characters to life accompanied with mood-setting soundtracks surpasses simply reading a play.
“The performance was full of wit, humour and love.”
Two classes of North Surrey students were fortunate enough to attend the 2013 festival and watch Twelfth Night. The story is about a ship-wrecked survivor named Viola who, while searching for her lost twin brother, disguised herself as him and went around Illyria causing all sorts of trouble. The performance was full of wit, humour
In my opinion, Bard on the Beach is an incredible event that all should attend at least once in their lives. To see the past come to life through the creativity of humanity, to realize there are better alternatives to entertainment than just TV and games, and to fully appreciate William Shakespeare’s genius, I urge everyone to attend a live performance at least once.
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The Sikh Origin of by Sukhdip Gill
O
riginally, Diwali (The Festival of Lights) used to be celebrated by the followers of the Hindu religion. It originated thousands of years ago based on the tale of Ram and Seeta, also known as Ramayan. Almost three hundred and ninety five years ago, a fusion in Diwali occurred. On the Diwali of 1619, the Sixth Guru in Sikhism returned from prison to the holy city of Amritsar with fifty two princes. The occurrence of this event leads to joining in to celebrate Diwali.
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diwali
It all started off when the sixth Guru (Guru Hargobind) succeeded his Father Guru Arjan Dev after his execution. Guru Hargobind began taking action to strengthen Sikhism, so he constructed a wall around Amritsar. He also constructed the Fort of Lohgarh on the outskirts of Amritsar. The Guru had seven hundred cavaliers, and sixty artillery men. All Sikhs were encouraged to try martial sports such as horse riding, and wrestling.
On the other hand the Golden Temple had become a place of teaching and praying. Here, Guru Hargobind gave advice to Sikhs and problems were discussed. This encouraged Sikhs to solve their problems on their own and help others do the same. However, the Mogul Emperor Jahangir did not tolerate what the Sikhs were doing and decided to imprison Guru Hargobind. The Guru set on his journey to Delhi, on
the request of Jahangir, after with fifty two strings attached to consulting many others. it, so that all of the princes could be released. On the day of their When the Guru arrived release Guru Hargobind went at Delhi he had to appear to Gwalior Fort with his special before Jahangir in his court. A cloak, and walked out of it with debate went on between the each prince holding onto one of Emperor and the Guru about the strings. the Sikh Religion. Jahangir was already very angry and ordered The release of these the imprisonment of Guru princes took place a few days Hargobind in the Fort of Gwalior before Diwali. On the day for three years. Guru Hargobind returned to At the end of this period, the Amritsar, Diwali was being governor of Lahore, and an celebrated. As Guru Hargobind admirer went to Emperor arrived in Amritsar, the city was Jahangir, in order to release lit up with divas and candles Guru Hargobind. like never before. Everyone was happily celebrating the return After his release Guru of their Guru, by illuminating Hargobind approached Jahangir the darkened atmosphere of and requested the release of the Amritsar. other fifty two Hindu princes who were also being held as This historic event later on prisoners in Gwalior Fort. became known as Bandi Chorh Fortunately, Jahangir agreed to Diwas throughout Sikhism. release the princes because of Diwali, and Bandi Chorh Diwas pressure from Muslim leaders were originally on separate days, who were the Guru Hargobind’s but they have now been merged and are now celebrated on the day of Diwali. Today over a billion people from five different religions worldwide celebrate this festival of lights. Diwali is celebrated between mid-October and midNovember. The phases of the moon determine the exact date of it, and Diwali falls on the one with the new moon. This year Diwali fell on the third of November, which was a Sunday. Next year it will be on the twenty friends. However, Jahangir third of October. set one condition for Guru Hargobind: he agreed to only On the day of Diwali release the number of princes people visit the temple to light who could hold on to the Guru’s divas and candles. People share Cloak. The Guru got a cloak made sweets with their friends and
“Today over a billion people from five different religions worldwide celebrate this festival of lights.”
“People should stand up for others’ rights, just like Guru Hargobind did on Bandi Chorh Diwas. “ family and ignite fireworks. Some people also use it as time to get together with their friends and family, but commercialism seems to be crushing the true meaning of Diwali. People in this generation are starting think that people are spending too much money on entertainment such as fireworks. For example, on Bandi Chorh Diwas Guru Hargobind had stood up for innocent prisoners who had no voice, and ended up freeing them from Gwalior Fort. In order to keep the true meaning alive, thinkers of the new generation are saying that the money spent on fireworks should be donated to a cause. People should stand up for others’ rights, just like Guru Hargobind did on Bandi Chorh Diwas.
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Me to We Day T
he show started with Martin Luther King III walking on stage. His first words were greeted with a thundering applause from the crowd. His words resonated with the spirit of his father: Martin Luther King Jr. With such passion he exclaimed, “Spread the word, have you heard? All across the nation, we are going to be a great generation!” At 7:30 in the morning of October 18, a group of nine students (including myself) hopped onto Skytrain embarking on a journey to Rogers Arena. Getting off the train and heading towards the stadium, a thrill of excitement coursed
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by Akhil Reddy
through us as thousands of youth of the United Nation. The minute stood on the paved area below he walked in, I turned around to the towering building. “We Day! see one of my peers stagger on the We Day!” Everyone cheered with tips of her toes. During his speech, painted faces and I could not believe colorful clothing. that I made it all the “Our jaws dropped Climbing the steps way to We Day. You to our seats, our in awe as 20,000 cannot buy a ticket to jaws dropped in awe We Day but you can people flooded the as 20,000 people earn your way in by flooded the stadium. making a difference stadium.” Many performances, in local and global such as Down With issues. After more Webster, Hedley and even Avril performances Romeo Dallaire Lavigne, took place as the silence walked on stage. “A generation broke into a loud booming concert. without borders” was what he After the show, another famous said. That line truly inspired me speaker walked on the stage - Kofi because it is now our time and Annan, former secretary general we are the only ones who can
who can provide a fundamental tool to give the impoverished self dignity and motivate them to make a difference in their lives. Another speaker said, “We are not only the generation of tomorrow, but also the generation of today.” Once the program was over, I was feeling refreshed and my mind set had totally reversed as I knew I wanted to create change. A small spark can kindle into a bright flame as shown during “We Day” – a global celebration of a movement of youth creating significant change. Gathered at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, young adults from twelve other cities across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K, came to hear inspirational words from humanitarians and some very young speakers. Standing in a crowd of 20,000 adolescents and hearing motivational words from Martin Luther King III, Kofi Annan and Romeo Dallaire as well as listening to world-class performances left us all inspired.
We Day is the spirit of coming together as one because as individuals we are a drop of water, but together we are an ocean flowing with ideas and motives to inspire. A change can only happen if we get involved; it requires effort. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
This year’s main objective is to see a beacon of education in every impoverished country around the world. Literacy is the fundamental building block for people to transform their entire lives. Education is a vital tool that can be used to make a change in the world.
Seven steps to changing the world from the We Day “How to
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Be the Change” handbook: 1. Find your passion. (Alleviating poverty or hunger? Encouraging education?) 2. Get a team and enlist a crew. 3. Hold a meeting – brainstorm with goals and objectives. 5. Make it happen! Take action!
“Why We Day? And We Act? Because we can.” In the spirit of We Day, I challenge each and every one of you to light a lamp of literacy because our generation can only make a difference if we act together.
6. Keep it real. Photos courtesy of Akhil Reddy
7. Most of all, have fun!
BE THE CHANGE
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RAGEbyCOLUMN: Miles Robinson
CREATIVITY CANCER
Metacritic sucks. No, it really does, under its little façade as this adorable harmless little review aggregator who doesn’t even present its own opinion, it is an evil, evil thing. Ever since its launch in 2001, it has gained more and more influence and perhaps with it, more power (and we all know what absolute power does). First of all, it’s not fair. Metacritic is as biased as a Republican on gun control. Though the premise of Metacritic seems clear, reality seldom works that way. Metacritic is supposed to provide an aggregate of all the reviews on the internet, when it’s obvious that you can’t include all the reviews – even the one made by that nerd living in mom’s basement posting cat photos – they decided to only count “major” publications’ reviews. Initially that may seem ok, who cares about what that nerd thinks anyway? The problem is their company policies allow them to decide which sites to include, and which sites to thus profit from the traffic. This allows them to essentially control other sites and ban/allow them from Metacritic with motives of profit. Second, even if they allow you on their site, they’re not making an average, not in any way shape or form. There are 3 types of averages commonly used in math: mean, median, and mode. Check most given aggregates against all 3 and you would find that none of them fit. Why? Because the site uses a so called “weighted average” to make sure reviewers get the influence they deserve. Again, this sounds
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reasonable – even if your publication, cat blog got recognized as a major publication, surely your opinions still doesn’t count as much as IGN, right? This is valid until you realize that the formula used to weight reviews is guarded like some sort of industrial trade secret and likely changes over time. Meaning even if 99.9 percent of the critics say it’s great, technically Mr. Cat Blog Nerd’s review of “OMG ENDING SUCKS 1/10 >:(” can outweigh that and the product will end up with an “average” of 2.5/10, just because Metacritic wants to. Now I’m not saying that practically the folks will give Mr. CBN that much power, but they do use their powers to subtly distort what image of the product they want to present.
We took the time to ask them how their weighted average works (not really, but it’s asked enough to be on the FAQ), above is their answer. metacritic.com
The biggest problem, however, is the fact that people believe the website. It’s no secret that Metacritic affects sales, but the problem goes a little deeper than that. A number of game publishers have openly incorporated Metacritic into a part of their company policies, influencing game designs and even paying the developers differently depending on what their game received on the site. Those behind Fallout: New Vegas, for example, were promised a bonus if they got 85+ on their game, which isn’t an easy milestone to reach. Still, they tried the best they could, hoping to get a little more something to show for their years of effort. Yeah…. That’s not the end of it, either. Creative Assembly of the Total War franchise claimed to shoot for a 90+ on every title they release, so how do they do that? By making genuinely good games that are creative but is assembled in a solid manner like their name would imply? Nah, don’t be silly, they’re just going to focus their attention on making features that have been well reviewed in the past instead! This is hurting the gaming industry; it is literally more profitable for some to create games that please reviewers instead of gamers— the people who give them money and, more importantly who will actually enjoy the games. Good job, Metacritic, you killed creativity.
Book Review:
tinkers by Paul Harding Review by John Yang
A
s George Washington Crosby lies helpless in the house that he built decades ago, his mind wanders as he falls through the oak floor. He stares at the ceiling of his living room, now a full two stories above him. Then, George Crosby felt the second floor collapsing on his bed. Along with the second floor comes segments of past memories - photos depicting him throughout each phase of his life, now in disarray along with the clocks that he had been fixing. The roof shortly followed, causing a small gap at the top of his house where George could see the sky. As he stared out the roof of his house, the clouds themselves plummeted down along with the blue of the sky. Next came the stars, falling like golden bells pulled free from the heavens. Lastly, the black of the universe slowly fell and covered the chaos that surrounded George. Paul Harding tells the story of George Crosby, a clock repairman, who is dying of kidney failure and cancer. As George hallucinates in his final moments, the visions bring back memories of his past. Although some are of repairing clocks, most of his visions are of his father, Howard Aaron Crosby, a tinker who travelled on his horse and wagon to sell household items in order to earn a living. However, due to recurring wild seizures his job was unsuitable for him. His epilepsy made it very difficult for him to be around his children, and George learned to be afraid of and for his father. As the book progresses, Howard is put into a situation where staying at home would benefit neither him nor his family and is forced to find a new life in Philadelphia.
Tinkers is the memoir of George’s life as much as it is a book based around what makes life what it is. In my opinion, the most beautiful aspect of Tinkers was the choice to make George into a clock maker. “George said, okay, okay and the blood in his veins and the breath in his chest seemed to go easier as he heard the ratchet and click of the springs being wound and the rising chorus of clocks.” Even though he understands that with each tick of the clock his death is drawing closer, George is soothed by the sound of the clocks ticking. Finally, as a clockmaker, George realizes in the end that life was not marked by time, but by the hardships he overcame, by the feelings that resulted in his growth, and by the memories of his family. Although the plot of Tinkers revolves around the father-son relationship of George and Howard Crosby, I believe that the success of this book relies on the underlying and poetic message of the truth in mortality, from the terrible moments in one’s life to the greatest feats accomplished. The vivid description of a seizure, “in an instant so atomic, he became pure unconscious energy” and calling it “a bit of the same thing as death, but from a different direction.” gives the reader an idea of how inspiring Paul Harding is as a writer. The slightly comedic conversations such as when Howard and his customer discuss soap, to events such as the striking moments of Howard’s seizures, and the emotions felt by George as he slowly understands that death is inevitable and that everyone dies alone, makes this into an insightful and incredibly detailed novel that I suggest everyone takes the time to read. SPARTANS SPEAK MAGAZINE |
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Surface Pro 2 by Franklin Leung
Microsoft Corp. released two new Surface models –Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 – along with an expanded portfolio of accessories on October 22nd. The Surface Pro series, is a revolutionary new form factor for computing, combining a laptop with a tablet. Capable of running a full version of Windows® operating system, combined with a full HD screen, a digital pen with Wacom® digitizing technology, cameras, a magnesium body and wireless technologies, Surface Pro is a true laptop replacement. It is portable and simple as a tablet, but still offers the performance, and flexibility of a laptop. Surface Pro 2 has benefited from many improvements from its predecessor. The most notable is the upgrade to a fourth-generation Haswell Intel® Core™ i5 processor. This enables up to 75% longer battery life and up to 50% graphical performance increase compared to its predecessor. The processor is clocked at 1.6 GHz with an Intel Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz and includes an Intel HD Graphics 4400. From our experience, the Surface Pro 2 lasted five hours when under a heavy load, like gaming and nine to ten hours under normal usage. Surface Pro 2 charges in 2-4 hours and lasts 7-15 days on standby. Surface Pro 2 is addressing complaints by introducing new features such as an adjustable built in kickstand and improved color accuracy. The full version of Windows 8.1 Pro can run all your favourite apps, from office suites, to video games. Also, Surface Pro 2 can connect to your corporate or
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school networks, allowing you to log in to your network profiles with ease. You can use Microsoft OneNote® to take notes using the built in handwriting recognition or use Adobe® Photoshop® software to edit photos. A full sized USB 3.0 SuperSpeed port, allowing you connect peripherals, is included. Surface Pro 2 comes with Bluetooth 4.0 for connectivity, a microSDXC slot for storage expansion and a mini DisplayPort to connect to projectors and monitors. Surface Pro 2 comes with a TPM chip for enterprise security. Everyone who purchases a Surface Pro 2 will get several Microsoft services, including a year of free Skype calling to landlines and Skype Wi-Fi hotspots, and 200 GB of SkyDrive storage for two years. Although the Surface Pro 2 comes with tons of features, some downfalls, such as the controversial Windows 8 still exist. The user interface is difficult to learn, especially if you are used to older versions of Windows, although the tile based user interface makes sense as Surface Pro 2 is a tablet with 10 point multitouch. Windows 8.1 includes a start button, along with other improvements, which was launched shortly before the Surface Pro 2. The internal storage is less than expected, compared to similar products, as the Windows operating system does take up a considerable amount of storage. Another con is pricing. As of the
launch date, Canadian retail pricing for the basic model with 64 GB of internal storage and 4 GB of memory starts at $899 and more advanced models ranges from $999 to $1799 for the 512 GB storage and 8 GB of memory model. While this may seem exorbitant for a tablet, laptops with similar specifications and features range from $1000 to the $2000. The Surface Pro 2 I have for reviewing is the model with 256 GB storage and 8 GB of memory. The Surface Pro 2 feels very sturdy due to its VaporMg construction and doesn’t feel very heavy – much lighter than a textbook – and weighs about two pounds. The screen is fantastic and the touchscreen is very responsive. The pen is pressure sensitive, perfect for the artists out there, but the pen drifts around the edges of the screen. During testing, the unit was really quiet, with the fan itself nearly silent, only turning on after an hour of gaming. The tablet is very responsive when gaming. While playing games like Civilization V and League of Legends, the frame rates were playable, constantly maintaining above 30 frames per second (fps) and only dipping down to 20 fps during team fights. Games like Skyrim and World of Warcraft were playable when on low settings, averaging about 20-25 fps. The autobrightness for the screen is useable, unlike the older Surface Pro, and the screen is useable in all conditions, from dark rooms, indoor and outside. There is a small amount of backlight bleeding around the edges. The tablet is very practical, allowing me to consolidate all my textbooks in an electronic format, do homework while on the go, watch TV shows, listen
to music, edit videos, and numerous things that require a computer in an even more portable format. The tablet can be carried around while you use it, which gives it an advantage over laptops. The Surface Pro 2 is able to use BCeSIS, Master Grade, Microsoft Office, and other educational software on the go, or walking around a classroom, for the teachers who are interested in this. For students, the tablet can run programs like OneNote for note taking, record videos, and run creative programs like Adobe Creative Suite. For entertainment, the Surface Pro 2 includes one year of full Skype, 200GB of SkyDrive storage, and 6 months of Xbox music streaming. Microsoft has also released new accessories. The new touch and type covers, which double as keyboards, are now backlit, thinner, sturdier and lighter. The covers are available at retail locations and will come in a variety of colors. Other accessories include the Power Cover, which extends battery life to around 10 hours of intensive work and will be available in early 2014. A docking station, available now, will allow you to connect to an external monitor, provide additional USB and Ethernet ports, speakers, and power. Overall, Surface Pro 2 is a well-built product with a small footprint. It fits in your bag, is light, and versatile. Although expensive, the Surface Pro 2 It does everything you can do with a computer, in a handy tablet format. The graphical tablet functions is a huge plus for people doing creative and design work. I would stay away if you are planning to get this for web browsing or other non-intensive work, but I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who can afford it because they might find great use for it in the line of business, design, or even as a consumer product. Surface Pro 2 really expands the horizon, building the framework for future highend ultra-portable devices.
Microsoft, Surface, OneNote, and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Intel, Ultrabook and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Wacom is a registered trademark of Wacom Co., Ltd. Adobe and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Any additional company and product names mention in this article may be trademarked and/or registered as trademarks. Mention of third-party products and technology in this article is for informational purposes only and constitutes nether an endorsement nor a recommendation. Spartans Speak is not affiliated or endorsed by any third-party members.
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Transitioning Skincare into by Victoria Lee Changing the closet for autumn is a must when the weather gets colder, especially for ladies. However, most people forget about something just as important as choosing the right outfit – skincare. The transitional period from summer to autumn can be considered the time when the skin is most sensitive. You must make sure that extra care and effort is incorporated into the skincare routine. Here are some tips and tricks to help you maintain great skin!
1)
Stay Hydrated
You’ve probably heard this over a million times because of its importance. However, many people forget that this applies to your skin as well. It is important that you drink lots of water and apply generous amounts of moisturizing crème on your skin. Do not forget that providing water for your body is actually more important than physically applying it on to your skin. Water cleans out your body – a slice of lemon added in will help detoxify as well. How much do you weigh? Take your weight (lbs) and divide it in half. That is how many ounces of water you should drink everyday!
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Autumn 2)
Exfoliate
3)
Sunblock
4)
Eat the right food
After being in the intense summer heat, the skin tends to become darker and thicker, leaving the surface very dry and rough. Skin cells usually have a life span of 28 days, but the cells lose their ability to naturally die and shed off if not taken care of. Eventually, the dead cells will accumulate on your skin. This is why regular exfoliation is crucial. Remember that frequent exfoliation can be very harsh on the skin – 1 to 2 days a week should be ideal.
Many people believe sun block is unnecessary or useless when used during winter. What people fail to realize is that the temperature has decreased, but the sun exposure is still the same. Although sunlight can provide vitamin D, it is the number one reason for aging and wrinkles! You may think that it is too early to worry about aging, but it’s never too early! Not only that, sunlight can cause various skin diseases. It is very important that you apply sun block 30 minutes before going outside and re-apply every 3-4 hours.
It is now time to move on to inner beauty. You skin is not going to look great if your insides
Photo by Yuya Sekiguchi
are in terrible condition. Therefore, we must make sure we are healthy inside as well. Here are some foods with many beauty benefits:
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are very rich in vitamin C; therefore, are great in preventing dryness and melanin hyper pigmentation. Melanin hyper pigmentation causes melasma, which are the dark spots of discoloration on various areas of your face. They are also great for brightening, whitening, and detoxifying your skin. Cooked tomatoes are high in lycopene, which helps prevent aging.
Salmon
Salmon is the answer to discoloration – it is the solution to the dark under eye circles! Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D which helps maintain moisture and elasticity as well as preventing wrinkles.
Green Tea
Green tea strengthens your capillaries, making your skin look radiant, not to mention the anti-aging factors that follow. The tea bag used for brewing tea can be used for cleansing your face afterwards.
Walnuts
Walnuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. They also include protein, vitamins, and cellulose. It improves
blood circulation, moisturizes, and leaves the skin looking glossy.
Carrots
Carrots contain high levels of vitamin A so they are especially great for autumn. They help restore damaged skin cells and allow blemishes to heal faster! Carrots also contain carotene and minerals that are necessary for softening skin.
Lastly, here is an awesome method of cleansing your face that is gentle, keeps moisture locked in, and cleanses effectively. Use the cloth for wiping glasses or a powder puff – add some of your favorite cleanser onto it and make a good amount of foam. These have fine textures that work better than your hands, while keeping the cleansing process very gentle. Your skin is not meant to dramatically improve just because you have done something to it one day. You need to treat your skin consistently in order to achieve results. Make sure you provide yourself with enough sleep and adequate amount of nutrients and don’t forget – stress is the worst enemy to your skin!
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Movies
by Gursimran Grewal and Khoa Nguyen
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Released on November 22nd, 2013 After making millions the action-packed thriller known as The Hunger Games returns with a highly anticipated sequel which is expected to hit the theatres on November 22, 2013. As Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark return from a successful victory in the 74th Hunger Games, rebellion has spread like wildfire all throughout the District Panem l. These two victorious and influential tributes create a spark that develops into a full blown revolution. The Capitol, infuriated by the sudden outbreaks, threatens Katniss and Peeta’s lives in order to manipulate their image and ultimately stop the revolution. Now these two tributes are forced into making the ultimate decision between choosing to ally with the Districts and overthrow the Capitol or side with the Capitol in order to protect their people as they participate in the 75th annual Hunger Games. Join Katniss and Peeta and experience the action up close in theatres very soon.
Ender’s Game Released 0n November 1st, 2013 In the future of humans, a great enemy is arising in the hope of destroying the human race. Ender Wiggin, an independent and strategically wise boy, played by Asa Butterfield, is chosen by the international military to be trained to save humanity. Taken away from his family and his loved ones, Ender is brought to a military training school in space orbiting the Earth. From there he learns to lead an entire army to fight against a common enemy of the human race. Not only must he fight to ensure the survival of humankind, but he must also fight to ensure a future for his race. As he overcomes the various difficult challenges that stand in his way, he realizes his true potential and gains respect from others that stand united with him. Will he be able to save the human race, or will Earth be doomed to the aliens? Get ready to find out what happens as the epic battle unfolds!
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Disney’s Frozen Released on November 27th, 2013 Disney is in their element again as they get ready to release another possible classic, Frozen. The beauty of summer is in full effect in the kingdom of Arendelle while a great enemy is lurking. A bright, optimistic girl, named Anna, experiences along with her people the true powers of Elsa, the Snow Queen, who traps the entire kingdom under her icy spell, bringing the deadliest form of winter upon the kingdom. Accompanying Anna is Olaf, a one of a kind humorous snowman assisting Anna in her journey to save her kingdom. Facing her are the extreme Everest-like conditions and the various obstacles her sister has left in her way. From the creators of Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen breezes its way into theatres on November 27th, 2013!
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Released on December, 13th 2013 The highly anticipated second installment of the award-winning novel: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is coming to theatres this December 13th, 2013. After successfully crossing the Misty Mountains, the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, must seek help from a mysterious yet powerful stranger as he takes on the dangers along with his fellow dwarves that lie within the Mirkwood Forest. As frightening as this task may be, Bilbo Baggins must remain fearless and complete his journey to the Lonely Mountain; where upon, he has to locate the Secret Door that will allow access to the treasures of the dragon, Smaug. Not only must Baggins face the most terrifying enemy of his life and survive, he must also bring back the treasure to Middle Earth.
Gravity Released on October 4th, 2013 Do you like space and adventure? Then Gravity might just be the movie for you. A veteran astronaut, Matt Kowalski, is on his last mission before retiring and is accompanied by a brilliant medical engineer, Dr. Ryan Stone, who is on her first shuttle mission. However, disaster strikes on what seems to be a simple routine spacewalk to the Hubble Space Telescope. The shuttle is completely destroyed, leaving both the doctor and astronaut completely alone, tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into space. Dr. Ryan Stone and Matt Kowalski must attempt to survive avoiding the debris field and find another way to get back into another space station, where they will be safe to navigate back to Earth. An amazing adventure, be sure to check it out in theatres!
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Mac &
Cheese by Tyle r
Ingredients 1 box of elbow pasta 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup 3 cups of grated cheddar (Reserve 1 cup for topping) ½ cup of chopped ham
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Fairbro th
er
This is a great recipe for anyone wanting to try cooking for the first time. It is simple, easy and it delicious. This is just a base recipe so if you are feeling creative you can experiment with different things. You could add chicken or bacon in place of the ham or try adding a chopped onion to your mac & cheese.
Instructions 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 2. Fill a large pot with water and put it on the stove on medium high heat. 3. When your water starts to boil, add the pasta to the water and cook for about 8 minutes. 4. Drain the pasta. 5. Add cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups of cheese and the ham and stir till combined. 6. Put the mixture into a 9 by 13 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and put in the oven for about 25 minutes. You’ll know when it’s done when the cheese has melted. 7. Take out of the oven and serve.
Tips on
Studying for School by Betty Mizuki Tests are no fun, especially the pressure that comes with them. To help lower the stress, here are some tips on how to study for a test:
#1 Never cram.
Instead, make a schedule of when and what you’re going to study. This way you will feel less rushed and absorb the information better.
#2 Write your notes #3 Choose your surroundings wisely
down on a sheet of paper instead of skimming over them. when studying. That means it’s probably not a good idea to have the T.V. on or have the music on full blast. Instead, try a quieter atmosphere where you can concentrate.
#4 Pay attention in class
and finish your homework. This might sound obvious, but is in fact one of the best ways to get a good mark because the information will likely be what you need to know on the test.
When you understand the concept of what you’re learning, your brain will hold on to the information better. Will these tips work? Go ahead and see for yourself.
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