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Saturday, February 13, 2016
CdM FBLA Southern Section Conference
On Saturday, the CdM Future Business Leaders of America chapter competed at the Southern Section Conference. One hundred eleven students represented the chapter in over 30 events in five different competition types: objective (multiple-choice tests), production, speaking, interview, and role play. Later during the day, a motivational speaker named Wes Rowlands inspired the chapter to follow their passions and give it their all. He explained his own story where he was raised by a single mother, and they were evicted from several homes. However, he is a rag-to-riches man as he now works on Wall Street.
CdM also competed in a Shark Tank-like event. Those who wanted to compete must devise a plan to deal with e-waste. E-waste is electronic products, such as cellphones and computers, that have reached the end of their life and are no longer useable. Teams must submit a creative idea, and the top 15 will get chosen to pitch their one-minute idea. Two teams represented CdM, and both had wild plans on how to deal with e-waste. One of the teams called Kip & Co. had the more practical idea of the two, and their plan was to insert a SIM card. The other CdM team called Project 'Murica planned to reuse e-waste as weapons to target terrorist groups such as ISIS. Despite their enthusiastic approaches to recycle e-waste, both CdM teams did not win the grand prize of a $25 gift card.
Finally, the awards were ready to be given out. CdM finished 5th place overall in the Southern Section with more than 25 individual medals in 18 events. The chapter won three 1st place medals in the following events: Introduction to Financial Math, Public Speaking 1, and Sports and Entertainment Management. Those who medaled were in the top 5 in their events and are eligible to compete in the state conference.
Business Law competitor and FBLA member Katie Gilliam defines FBLA as an important high school moment. "Before I joined, I was a naïve individual that had no idea how the world worked. Joining FBLA, I've learned about how to dress and behave for job interviews and how to basically succeed in life," she explained.
FBLA is certainly an organization that everyone should join to learn how to run businesses and learn about that area. Becoming a part of the chapter will grant you the chance to learn how to professional at young age. Most importantly, winning these events look terrific on college applications, and joining the chapter satisfies the Academy of Global Studies requirement to participate on an academic team! Congratulations again FBLA for an incredible conference!
The Trebuchet Project
Over the past couple weeks, students in Peter Selby's Physics class were constructing a catapult-like object - the trebuchet. In groups of three, students concocted a plan to maximize the trebuchet's performance such as having a sturdy base, so the whole thing doesn't fall over during the launch. Also, they had to measure and puncture holes appropriately into the throwing arm to get the farthest throw. On one end of the arm are heavy washers that act as counterweights to make the smaller washer on the other end fly high and far. In order to get the full mark, students must have the small washer hit 20 ft with four counterweight washers. This was no problem as many trebuchets could throw as much as 10 ft more than that with four washers.
An extra credit opportunity was also presented to the students and their trebuchets. Called "Project: Storm the Castle," students would have to guesstimate how far they would be able to hit a castle with 4.5 washers. The closer you were to your prediction, the more likely you would earn the extra credit. The top three students in each period would earn extra credit and a spot on "Ye Old Hall of Fame" on the whiteboard.
Junior Molly Morrison, a student in Selby's Physics class and extra credit earner, enjoyed the project because, "I like to build, and I thought it was fun to see how far it could." After doing the project, students will have a better understanding of how machines work. In addition to that, their engineering skills will improve and apply to constructing in real life.
School projects can be fun, especially when it helps you learn and remember key concepts. Some day, you may have to you those concepts. Just keep an open mind, and you will absorb all the knowledge and fun.
The World Love Organization Club Writes Letters to Kids in Swaziland
In November, the World Love Organization Club met on Thursday in Dave Rinehart’s room, 331, to write letters to kids in Swaziland. They had a selection to write to Sinethemba, a 9-year old girl, or Lungelo, a 13-year old boy. Sinethemba is a shy girl who loves to play basketball and wishes to become a nurse when she grows up. Her favorite school subject is English. Lungelo enjoys playing soccer, hoping to be an international player, and also would like to be lawyer when he grows up. His favorite school subject is also English.
Here are the some of the responses for why members chose their kid:
“I chose [Sinethemba] because I could relate to her more, since I’m also a girl.” –Secretary Brenna Roberts
“I felt I could connect with [Lungelo], since we both love English literature.” –Treasurer Katie Gilliam.
“I can relate more to girls because I have three sisters and no brothers.” - Vice President Emma Place, who chose Sinethemba.
“I chose [Lungelo] because he likes the same subjects as I do and he seems interesting to get to know.”- Member Amanda Saari
“I chose [Sinethemba] since she wanted to be a nurse when she grows up, which I can relate to since my dad is also a doctor.” – Member Amanda Milliken
Though the club has a mere nine members, Lungelo and Sinethemba will get lots of love sealed in envelopes. In a few weeks, the members will receive responses from their kids. This is a pen pal relationship starting to blossom.
Humans of CdM - Molly Morrison
Mankind has only explored 5% of the ocean; the rest is a mystery. Strange creatures thrive on the ocean floor. Marine biologists have worked constantly to find those creatures as well as study life in bodies of water. Junior Molly Morrison wants to be one of those people.
Not only does Morrison find peace with the ocean, she also loves learning about it. When she was in elementary school, Morrison did marine biology camp. She also took Marine Biology when she was a sophomore.
“One thing I remember was trying out the blubber (which keeps animals warm) against ice, and then, I put my hand in the ice, and we saw how long we lasted,” recalled Morrison.
“I learned especially about the universe, and how it affects the oceans,” she said. Marine Biology was a fun class for her. Not only did she make new friends, the class also deepened her passion for the ocean further.
For her senior project, Morrison plans to intern at Sea World and be an orca trainer. “They are intelligent animals, and they are simply breathtaking. There is just something about them that grabs my attention,” Morrison explained. She also jokingly shared that she wanted to kidnap an orca in Florida and bring it home to Puget Sound. So if you swing by Sea World next year, you might find her training Shamu to do flips for the next show.
Her dream school is Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as it has a great marine biology program. When she goes to college, Morrison plans to major in the research field, calling herself a “marine researcher.”
This career path is interesting yet adventurous. Exploring and learning about new animals that we didn’t even know that they existed is like finding a long lost treasure chest. Morrison, for sure, will experience exciting opportunities to study the oceans, researching through the 20,000 leagues under the sea.
Cross Country Banquet
On Wednesday night, December 2nd, the CdM cross country team concluded their season with a banquet at Oasis Senior Center. After everyone was served their dinner, head coach Bill Sumner acknowledged everyone who has helped the team achieve a terrific season, from the coaches to friends and family. Each of the coaches called up the teams they coached to go the front of the room and receive their certificate of participation and a paperweight. The coaches delivered tributes to the athletes and gave special awards such as “Most Valuable Player” to standouts. For varsity girls, junior Raquel Powers received the MVP award for her commitment. For frosh-soph boys, sophomore Jake Tsubota received the MVP award, who also received it last year as well. After all the teams were presented their awards, the seniors gave their hilarious yet inspiring speeches to end the night. Great job Cross Country on a terrific season!
Friday, February 12, 2016
Teaching English in Taiwan
There are around 7,000 different languages currently used in the world with English being the most internationally popular, according to the Linguistic Society of America. It will be an exciting adventure if one volunteers to go to a non-native country to teach kids English in remote areas. Not only is it an incredible opportunity to encourage kids to learn English, but it is also a culture-enriching experience. Before going to a foreign country, it is best to study the local customs, weather, and food. Also, knowing some basic dialogue of the local language will make it easier to warm up and communicate with the students.
I have accompanied my family to a number of orphanages for charity in five different countries since I was little, and took part in several entertainment activities. I played games with the children and did arts and crafts while my sisters and other adults were busy with their charity work. Fortunately, in last summer, I had the chance to go with two college students to teach English at the Christian Mountain Children’s Home in Southern Taiwan. Before we taught, we prepared 20 songs of music accompanied by a flute, 200 simple everyday conversations about greetings and favorites, and 100 pictures of fruits, automobiles, sports and daily goods. Because they are teenage students and already have learned basic English, it wasn’t difficult for us to teach them. The most interesting part of teaching was doing interactive word games such as hangman, as it was easier and more fun for students to learn from playing. Everyone enjoyed it.
Christian Mountain Children’s Home is located in the mountains of Southern Taiwan. Every morning when I wake up in the quiet surrounding of woods, I could hear the insects chirping and birds singing. There were geckos climbing up the walls, insects on the floor and flying around the room. I have to suffer from constantly scratching fresh mosquito bites from the previous night. However, the pain eventually subsided as I got used to it.
The heads of the orphanage were a couple, gracious and with warm hospitality. They helped prepare meals for us with vegetables grown in their back garden. These exotic-looking vegetables are actually nutritious, and certified by the local Forestry Research Institute. We crowded around a tiny round table with a lazy Susan – a turntable in the middle seen at many Chinese restaurants. One volunteer sitting next to me was left-handed, so it was a bit inconvenient as our chopsticks kept clashing. The atmosphere was cordial and heart-warming, as we all felt we were doing something good and meaningful.
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| A Lazy Susan (center) is used to distribute food easily among the table sitters by spinning it. Photo courtesy of George Louis |
Before this volunteer trip, I rarely think too much about the meaning of life or soul-searching, but when I returned, I realized even though I’m young and not knowing much, I could do simple things to help with others such as teaching English. In addition, having been raised in both the western and eastern cultures helps me appreciate different cultures and customs more easily and communicate with others. Most importantly, I realize that when you are finding ways to contribute to the society, it also changes you in the process.
8 Tips for Waking Up Early in the Morning
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| No one should wake up cranky with bloodshot eyes, let alone looking like this. Photo courtesy of picgifs.com |
Getting out of bed for school is every student’s daily struggle. Having to peel their eyes open between 5-6AM makes them feel groggy, uneager to learn and start the day. Alarm clocks are rendered ineffective when all students can just press snooze over and over again. Here are a couple of tips to drag you out of the bed and make you feel sprite.
1. Walk to stop the ringing. With alarm clocks, what you want to do is place it far away from you. Whether it’d be in the room next to you or in the corner of the room, it will force you get out of bed to turn it off. Otherwise, you will have to listen to the incessant ringing.
2. Drink water! It is preferable because overnight, you become dehydrated, so the best way to replenish the lost fluids is to gulp down water the first thing when you wake up. At the same time, you will become more alert and better to not snooze off again.
3. Sleep with the curtains open. Getting exposed to light will signal your body that daytime is about start. Many students wake up before the sun rises, so another way to wake up is using a bioluminescent clock, which is like an alarm clock, but instead will gradually become brighter to wake you up.
4. Wash your face! My personal favorite and daily morning routine. Splash cold or warm water on to your face and apply some soap or facial cleanser. The act of splashing water that is a different temperature than your skin will slap you out of your sleep state. Not only are you waking yourself, but you are also starting a day with clean, pure face!
5. Have some hot drinks! This one is certainly not new, but it is a helpful tip. The warm aromatics of tea, hot chocolate, or coffee will wake the shut-eyed brain. Sugar and caffeine will stimulate blood flow to the brain; therefore, energizing you! NOTE: Do not drink more than four cups of coffee a day as it will cause restlessness, irritability, and muscle tremors, according to the Mayo Clinic.
6. Eat breakfast! Something that students unwillingly do is skip breakfast. You need calories to be energized, and by not eating anything, there is no fuel to power the rest of your body. Therefore, you will be tired for the rest of the day. If you are in a rush, grab something to eat in the car, bus ride, or walk to school. Nutrient-rich foods to bring include fruits (bananas and oranges), yogurt, nuts, trail mix, and a small bag of cereal. You can also buy breakfast at the school’s cafeteria. EATING SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING! :)
7. Start the day on a psychological level. Everyday is full of surprises, and if you think positively, you will be cheery to wake up and explore life’s new adventures.
8. Pull off the blanket! If all else fails, have a friend or relative stomp into your room and strip the covers from you. Have them also repeatedly yell at you until you rub your eyes open.
If you find yourself getting less than seven hours of sleep, go to bed early! You won’t wake up refreshed, and if you lose one night of sleep, brain functions are impaired for four days! Sweet dreams and good luck!
Undelivered Syrian Letters
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| Birthday Letters to the Syrian girl along with a photo of WLO members. |
In Syria, the ongoing, brutal civil war devastates millions of lives. Half of the population is forced to flee to neighboring countries and Europe. Even though some countries do not welcome them, the Syrian refugees do not have a choice. They will perish if they stay home. An estimated 670,000 children are deprived of education, according to Reuters.
In my life, the thought has never crossed my mind if there is going to be food on the table in the morning. Seeing the starving children in war-torn Syria really opens my eyes to a suffering world outside the America. There are days students dread waking up to go to school, yet kids in Syria want an education but can’t get one. As a high school student, I want to do my part. I ask my club members (World Love Organization [WLO]) to help sponsor a girl in Syria. WLO has sponsored 21 kids in seven countries since 2008, and we write to them every month. We are very proud to see them grow, and hopefully someday they can be out of poverty.
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| WLO-sponsored kids from the Philippines, Zambia, Nepal, the United States, the Honduras, Switzerland, and India. |
Since November 2015, WLO has been sponsoring the girl, and to help celebrate her birthday on Jan. 23, my members were busy drawing and writing cards before Christmas. Unfortunately, when we went to the post office to mail the birthday cards, the worker told us there is currently no service to Syria. Our little well wish for the girl can’t be delivered, which made us disappointed and frustrated.
I know international politics are complicated, and human conflicts have been around for as long as the human history. I only hope this crisis in Syria can be resolved as soon as possible. Everyone deserves to live a peaceful life on Earth.
Now Watch Me 2015: #YouTubeRewind 2015 Reminds us of Memorable Memes and Moments
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| Memorable scenes from this year’s YouTube rewind. Photo courtesy of justiaredjr.com. |
As 2015 comes to a close, we can only remember what has happened over the past year. In the entertainment world, YouTube has put together another rewind recapping the moments of 2015. It certainly delivers, and after watching the video once, I can only press the replay button once more. The memes, music, dancing, and YouTube personalities keep you in your seat until the very end.
The video begins with a dancing skeleton, who is revealed to be Lilly Singh, aka IISuperwomanII. She runs against a rainbow-colored backdrop, representing the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States, and jumps into a ball pit. Several other YouTubers are also in the ball pit, including Connor Franta and Rosanna Pansino. The song “Cheerleader” by OMI plays in the background as everyone cheerfully has a ball fight.
The camera then pans to a beach, where another group of YouTubers dance and play soccer. OMI himself makes a cameo playing the trumpet.
Why is this awesome? So far, the introduction to the rewind is upbeat and makes you want to join in on the fun!
Another scene is then shown with popular YouTuber duo PrankvsPrank. They perform moves that accompany the song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” by Silentó. When they dance, they are wearing 1920-style outfits. As they keep dancing, their clothing changes and modernizes to the 1950s, 60s (oh goodness), and 80s. Eventually, when they are wearing present-day outfits, a group of people and them hold a red rewind button. One of the kids in the group presses the button, which causes the camera to pan again.
Why is this awesome? PrankvsPrank in wonky outfits somehow pull it off! In their 2015 outfits, they show that we should enjoy the present.
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| PrankvsPrank (woman in plaid shirt and man in fedora) with a group of people about to hit the red rewind button. Photo courtesy of YouTube. |
The next scene shows two more skeletons dancing, who are revealed to be Yuya and HolaSoyGerman, two Latino YouTube personalities. They are dancing on a moving bus, while other Latino YouTubers are also dancing with their heads poking out the windows, and one of them is dressed as a shark from Katy Perry’s Super Bowl halftime show. The song changes to an EDM hit “Lean On” by DJ Snake and Major Laser. The drivers of the bus are English talk show host James Corden, and hilarious YouTube personality Grace Helbig. They bop to “Lean On” and lip-sync the lyrics.
Why is this awesome? Not only do you want to wave your arms in the air, but this scene has non-American YouTubers (excluding Grace Helbig), which shows that YouTube is internationally loved.
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We then see a man holding a sign saying, “Will you marry me? Day 365,” referring to the viral video 365 Day Proposal. Miranda Sings is actually watching him on an iPad, and after she finishes watching, we are in for a real treat. Sings, along with other YouTubers from around the world, parody Shia Labeouf’s “Just Do It” speech. They fiercely yell inspiring words to the viewer watching. Not only that, more non-American YouTubers yell out the “Just Do It” speech in different languages, including Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, and Hindi.
Why is this awesome? Not only does this scene make you break into laughter, but also you feel invigorated to accomplish their dreams if you take it literally.
After everyone yells, “Do It!” talk show host John Oliver, holding the red rewind button, yells, “Just hit Rewind! Hit It!” He then hits it, causing the viewers to blow away from him, and we then see a skeleton doing ballet, and it turns out to be YouTube gamer Markiplier. The following scenes pay homage to the horror video game, Five Nights at Freddy’s. The song also changes to the pop tune “Can’t Feel My Face” by the Weeknd. As Markiplier walks through a dark hall, he sees other gamers who appear zombie-like. He then meets with fellow gamer CaptainSparklez, who appears frightened. What they don’t know is that a large animatronic bear appears behind them. As they both turn around, they scream.
Why should you love this scene? If you look at past rewind videos, gamers, who are the most popular in the YouTube community, are excluded. Also, theFive Nights at Freddy’s scene gives viewers a creepy chill.
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The animatronic bear then walks into another room containing a number of people, and a cage – the same cage that was used for Sia’s controversial music video “Elastic Heart.” In the cage are two groups of people: people dressed in black and blue, and people dressed in white and gold. That’s right folks; it’s the oh-so annoying dress. The two teams dance off and lip-sync to “Can’t Feel My Face”, trying to prove which team prevails. Popular YouTubers that appear are Timothy DeLaGhetto, Bethany Mota, iJustine, and Ricky Dillon. After showing off impressive moves, the black and blue team drop the mic, symbolizing that they are the winners of the battle as the dress in real life is black and blue.
Why is this scene memorable? Two controversial topics – “Elastic Heart” and the dress – why not mash them together? The result is a positive effect as there are flips, flashing lights, and pumped-up crowds.
The black and blue team hold the red rewind button, and one the members hits it. As a result, the camera pans again to another pair of skeletons. This time they are the Swedish gamer PewDiePie, who is the most subscribed YouTuber at 40 million, and beauty guru Zoella. PewDiePie and Zoella converse with each other about if they should “do it.” They agree, and Zoella sets a departure and arrival date, a time machine sort of, on a digital blackboard behind her. She sets the arrival date at February 14, 2005 – the day YouTube was born and welcomed into the world.
PewDiePie then hits the red rewind button, sending the viewer to watch a montage of popular videos, memes, and events that were viral. Scenes in the montage included the infamous “Friday” song by Rebecca Black, which shows her and Buzzfeed’s Try Guys in a car jamming together. Another scene, reenacted by amazingphil and danisnotonfire, is the 800 million-viewed video “Charlie Bit My Finger.” Rhett and Link appear in one scene with Judson Laipply, the star of one of the most classic viral videos, “Evolution of Dance,” dancing and grinning widely together in unison.
Why should you love this scene? The rewind pays homage to YouTube’s tenth anniversary by putting together classic videos that we have talked, commented, shared, and tweeted about. It’s like looking back into our childhood, remembering what YouTube has done for the world.
In the final scenes, we watch some of the faces from this video smile and have fun, replaying what has happened so far. The credits roll as “What Do You Mean” plays by Justin Bieber.
If you thought it was over and are about to click the “X” button, don’t! At the very end of the video, the beloved Fine Brothers are shown to have watched the YouTube Rewind video along with the viewers. A confused Benny, the one with glasses, exclaims why the creators of the video didn’t put PewDiePie in. Rafi, his brother, explains to him that PewDiePie was with Zoella. However, Benny continues to get confused and the video ends in laughter.
Why should you replay this scene? Is there any need for an explanation? This just shows that you should watch every video until the end. There might just be a sweet surprise!
So it’s your turn! Go ahead and watch the video below. Be sure to catch all 16 hidden annotations in the video for more exclusives! I am sure you will enjoy it!
A Vanishing Paradise: The Maldives Expected to be Swallowed by the Ocean in the Future
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| One of the water bungalows in the Maldives |
On the equator and deep in the vast Indian Ocean lies a captivating group of over 1,190 coral islands – the Maldives. None of the islands have mountains or rivers, and the islands are merely two meters above sea level, making them the world’s lowest country in elevation.
In 2004, a tsunami swallowed two-thirds of the country. As a result, over 20 islands were permanently erased from the map. The Earth is currently undergoing a climate change of historic proportion, with sea levels rising noticeably from the melting of glaciers and icebergs. If the trend continues, the Maldives will be completely submerged in 30 years. One should start planning soon as the Maldives is disappearing under the ocean.
The islands were formed from underwater volcanic eruptions. The year-round warm weather, endless white beaches and inviting water make the Maldives an exotic and scenic paradise on Earth, and a perfect getaway for vacationers and honeymooners. According to the International School Network, 80% of the tourists are for romantic getaways. Around 80 islands are major tourist attractions. A single resort operates each tourist island, and each island is not big. Therefore, providing a quiet and private spot sought after by the newlyweds.
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| Incredible white beaches that are fine like powder |
Though it is a desirable place to visit, its resort fees do not come cheap. If you go there during May to October, the low season, you can snag great deal information at tripadvisor.com. The low season is also a raining season brought on by the monsoon, but it rains only for a short period. When you arrive at Malé International Airport, the nation’s main gateway, you can take a public ferry, a speedboat, or a seaplane to go to the island you are staying. Speedboat transfer is for resorts closer to the airport, and the fees are lower. It costs much more to travel by a seaplane to islands far away from Malé airport.
My sisters and I have enjoyed traveling since I was little, and we are budget globetrotters. Last summer we visited the Maldives and stayed in a more modest resort closer to the airport – Adaaran Club Rannalhi – on the South Malé Atoll.
We stayed in a water bungalow, and when I opened my eyes the next morning, I saw the vast Indian Ocean. It felt like I was sleeping in the ocean. As the sun rose, the ocean color magically transitioned from emerald-green, light blue to deep blue. The sky and the ocean blended into each other, and it felt like I was in another world.
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| Snorkeling is another activity you can do here. Have fun exploring colorful fish! |
The bungalow has a balcony in the back where we jumped directly into the ocean and snorkeled. Surrounded by the tropical fish and corals, it was an amazing scenery. Other activities for tourists include sailing, windsurfing, jet skiing, and canoeing. While many of these water activities are common in beach resorts around the world, the Maldives is very quiet and peaceful. It is a retreat from the world.
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| You can surf, canoe, jet ski, and do other fun water sports |
Although each resort is isolated geographically, Wi-Fi is available for you to instantly share your incredible experience with friends and family.
In 2012, the Maldivian government stated that they intend to purchase islands in Australia, Sri Lanka or India to relocate their people in the event the Maldives is no longer habitable.
Global warming is an urgent problem that needs to be remedied immediately. I don’t know what will happen to the Maldives in the future, but the prospect looks dim. Hopefully, countries will take drastic measures to prevent climate change from sinking the Maldives. In the end, we don’t want an Atlantis: The Lost Empire to come to life.
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Let the Games Begin! 2016 Summer Olympics - New Athletes, New Sports, and New Issues
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| The colorful sport icons for the 2016 Summer Olympics (left) and Paralympics (right) are unveiled. Photo courtesy of my.umbc.edu |
Victory brings an energizing feeling that everyone is driven to achieve. The Olympics are the epitome of victory, and this summer, the excitement of the games will once again crawl out of its four-year hibernation.
Next August, Rio de Janeiro will welcome 10,500 athletes from 206 countries. It will be the first South American city to host the Olympics, and two new countries, Kosovo and South Sudan, will be competing for the first time. The Olympians will test their skills against the world’s best in 42 sports. Golf and rugby are revived after having been excluded from the games for nearly 100 years.
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| Rugby and Golf will reappear in the Games since being abandoned for nearly 100 years. Photo courtesy of telegraph.co.uk |
Even though the Olympic Games are several months away, students are already hyped to see their favorite events.
“I like seeing the different strokes in swimming, and the routines and flips [in gymnastics that] I can’t do,” said freshman Brenna Roberts.
However, some are not that enthusiastic about watching the Games. An anonymous student said, “I would rather play than watch. It’s really boring to watch.” Another student said, “Sports don’t have that much plot potential.”
This year will mark the final Olympics for some of the greatest athletes of all time, including Usain Bolt, the fastest man on Earth, who holds the 100-meter world record at 9.58 seconds, and Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympic athlete in history with 18 gold medals. Bolt will go head-to-head against American superstar, Justin Gatlin, who ran the 100-meter dash in 9.8 seconds six times. Phelps, who competed in his first Olympics at the age of fifteen, still wants to show the world that he won’t go away quietly in another highly anticipated showdown with fellow American swimmer Ryan Lochte.
“It’s sad to see him go, but he did a lot in his Olympic career,” Roberts said.
Junior Suzanne Arenal, who participated in the 2015 Doha Paralympics, plans to compete in the Rio Paralympics. First, she will have to go through the time trials in June in North Carolina to qualify. If she does, she will represent the United States in the 100 and 200-meter sprint races in track and field. At the end of November, Arenal will go back to a tough workout schedule after recovering from the World Championships and Pan American Games. Her workouts mainly “consist of speed training the majority of the week, work at the gym, and Pilates.”
Currently, 39 events are being tested to ensure no complications will arise during the actual games. During the tests, some athletes have already exhibited their remarkable skills. In archery, according to the official Olympics website, South Korea dominated both the men and women’s events. In the men’s event, Kim Woojin hit the bullseye 11 out of 15 times. In the women’s event, Choi Misun shot 15 of her 21 arrows in the bullseye. As a result of their outstanding performances, South Korea took gold in the test event. Other nations to watch out for include France in cycling, the U.S. in basketball, and China in table tennis.
While athletes display their talents in the test events, Russia, however, faces scrutiny and could possibly be banned from participating in the Summer Olympics. According to various sources, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found numerous doping scandals in the Russian Olympic program, particularly in track and field. Doping is cheating in athletic events by using performing-enhancing drugs. More than 1,400 urine samples from Russian athletes were destroyed to evade testing. In addition, Russia’s Federal Security Service was present at the anti-doping labs in the Sochi Olympics to ensure that athletes would not be accused of cheating. They were disguised as engineers and tampered with the samples. The International Association of Athletics Federation has provisionally suspended Russia from all international competitions, including the Olympics. However, if Russia is able to reform itself clean by January, it may still be eligible to participate.
Another major issue is the unsanitary water venues in Rio. The Associated Press discovered virus-contaminated water in Copacabana Beach, Guanabara Bay, Rodrigo de Freitas Lake, and Ipanema Beach, where the swimming, rowing, canoeing, and sailing events will take place. The problem surfaced eight years ago when former Olympian Kalyn Robinson was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease after competing in a swim meet in Rio, which ended her swimming career. More recently, at this year’s rowing test event, 13 out of the 40 members U.S. team were reported to have severe cases of vomiting and diarrhea. Though Brazilian officials claim that the water is safe, the sick athletes and reports of bacteria and viruses prove otherwise. According to international experts, it is too late to fully clean the water, and more than 1,400 athletes competing in the water sports will be at risk when they compete in the polluted venues.
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Despite these issues, the 2016 Summer Olympics is highly anticipated and billed to be an incredible experience and an opportunity to cheer for national pride and support your favorite teams. Hopefully, there is still time to remedy the aforementioned problems, so athletes can compete safely. Soon, we will get to cheer a runner carrying the torch up the stairs at Maracanã Stadium. Let the Games begin!
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Water on Mars - Our Sister Planet is Becoming a Twin
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| The dark lines on the slopes are RSLs. They found to contain calcium perchlorate – a compound that attracts and holds water from its environment. Photo courtesy of planets.ucla.edu. |
“Bleep! Bloop! Take me to your leader.”
A strange green, three-eyed alien holds a ray gun at point-blank range. You shake fearfully, and you desperately scream for help, but the alien silences you and is about to pull the trigger. You let out your last cry and cover your face with your sweaty palms. When you remove them, you find your parents hovering above your bed wondering why you are acting like a crybaby. That alien was a Martian, and you are relieved that it was only a dream. Aren’t we glad that aliens don’t exist?
We may not be correct. Scientists have long speculated that there is water, one essential component for life, elsewhere in the Solar System. They have found five places that showed signs of water- Mars, two of Jupiter’s moons Europa and Ganymede, and two of Saturn’s moons Enceladus and Titan. Through years of digging for answers, scientists last September confirmed that Mars has water, and lots of it.
Over the past few years, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been photographing Mars’s surface. From the photos, scientists found Recurring Slope Lineae (RSLs), dark streaks that trickle down Mars’s steep slopes seasonally during the warmest times and fade away when winter arrives. When the RSLs were first discovered, scientists did not know why they occurred. Scientists now believe that it was because of an ionic compound— calcium perchlorate—in the RSLs. According to SPACE.com, this chemical can attract and hold water from its environment, and it exists on Mars as a brine, or hydrated salt. This brine is stable enough to substantially lower water’s freezing point and raise its boiling point, the same principle used for spraying salt on icy roads in winter after a snow storm, so flowing water can exist for longer periods of time without much evaporation. This finding presents the strongest evidence to date of the presence of flowing water on Mars. Even though this is a tremendous discovery, can we just pack our bags, hop on The Enterprise, and fly to Mars in a heartbeat? Not so fast.
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| In this spectrometer, the red and yellow areas indicate high elevation while blue and green areas indicate low elevation. The black diamonds mean RSLs are found there. Photo courtesy of bibliotecapleyades.net.
Unfortunately, calcium perchlorate is toxic and corrosive, and can kill a person within seconds. However, scientists concluded that extraterrestrial bacteria could thrive in this water. This leads to the unavoidable question: “Do aliens exist on Mars?” Though many are eager to further explore what Mars’s perchlorate-containing water has in store for us, scientists caution on the possibility of contaminating Mars’s ecosystem with our Earth bacteria.
“[Our] goals would be harmed, perhaps permanently, by the introduction of Earth organisms into environments on Mars where they could grow and reproduce,” said John Rummel, a senior scientist at Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
This situation proves to be a catch-22, but which is stronger: our curiosity to find biological life forms on Mars, or to preserve them?
Another challenge is the amount of time to travel from Earth to Mars. The two planets are 34 million miles apart at their closest point, as both planets orbit the sun in different trajectories.
“When we travel outside of Earth’s magnetic field, we lose a valuable shield. Astronauts would be constantly exposed to radiation that could go right through a typical NASA ship. A Mars ship will need to have a way to protect the people from this exposure. One example shield is to have water storage in the walls of the ship,” said Peter Selby, a Physics teacher at Corona del Mar High School.
The trip to Mars can also deteriorate one’s mind, as it will be long and boring. Selby explained that the voyage would be “at least six months and likely longer,” and would also likely “be a one-way trip.”
Selby also commented that “a ship that brings everything from Earth would be too big,” and we should instead “take advantage of some materials on Mars.” He pointed out that Andy Weir’s The Martian is accurate in terms of surviving on Mars (the book depicts a character stranded on Mars who has to live in an artificial habitat for survival). If we do get to Mars, we might start growing our crops and use Martian soil and our feces to fertilize them.
No doubt that NASA and other research teams have made a giant step forward for mankind, but we are years away from making the travel to Mars a reality until all the obstacles can be overcome. We are all ecstatic at the news, and here at Corona del Mar, students are discussing the boundless opportunities with future Mars exploration.
“Finding water on Mars is important since it could mean life may also exist somewhere else within our own Solar System, and even possibly for human to maybe one day live on Mars,” freshman Celine Niu said.
“The discovery of water on Mars is a potential “game changer.” If life (ancient or current) is found, then we know that life has existed somewhere other than Earth,” Selby added.
Someday when we fly to Mars, there is one thing that we can all say: Earth is our home, Mars is our neighbor down the street, and the Solar System is our community. We are all one, big, happy family.
Student Opinions
If you traveled to Mars, what would you want to see?
“Olympus Mons. It’s three times higher than Mt. Everest.” – Freshman Emma Place
“Mars’s red color up close.” – Junior Molly Morrison
“A Martian civilization.” – Freshman Brenna Roberts
“I would want to see where they found the water.” – Sophomore Lauren Anderson
“Space unicorns.” – Freshman Christine Seaman
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