unit-e magazine: march edition

UNIT-E MARCHHHH.indd 1 3/24/2011 9:56:27 AM

Contents

Name of MagazineIssue

Founders

Communications DirectorEditors-In-Chief

Column Editors

Head of FormattingFormatting Team

Head of ServiceHead of Finance

Finance Team

Writers

School Representatives

UNIT-EMarch Edition (Issue No.7)Amelia ZhangErnest LiHelen LeungEugene LingKatherine TsenUNIT-E: Katherine Tsen & Eugene LingAcademics: Nicole ZhuFashion: Amy WanStudent’s Opinion: Heather BudimuliaThe Arts: Dan ZhangChillax: Tessa BrownePictorial: Connie Kim & Jonathan ChangChloe ChiaChrystal LiJohn WongMatilda LeeMinJung KangNicole NgSeungYeon NamSteve ShengZainab SamadDan ZhangHenry LuHelen LeungJunting YeungKevin MaoMichelle LiuMaura DentinoNicole ZhuMona XiaAdiel PollydoreAmy WanDan ZhangJodie NgJonathan ChangRachael SenningSophie RutseinChrystal LiHenry LuHawkens Bory-BoarCamila Ochoa MendozaZainab SamadZainab AtiqBellamy TangMin JungTommy SiuMona XiaJanet WriteSeanConnie KimJunting Yeung

UNIT-E magazine is a non-profit, non-commercial publication circulated for use by its staff, sponsors, affiliated schools and other related parties only.

Disclaimer: Statements and opinions expressed in the UNIT-E magazine are solely those of the author or authors and may or may not be shared by the staff of UNIT-E. At the end of each article, the author’s name and school are provided. UNIT-E publishes the articles with no intention to offend or upset anyone in any way.

Tel 136 8108 2142 136 4106 1338Email [email protected] www.unit-echina.co.cc

Complimentary copy, not for sale

2 | [UNIT-E] MARCH2011 MARCH2011 [UNIT-E] | 3


CONTENTS March Issue 07

UNIT-EP.5 Letter from Editors-In-ChiefP.5 About UNIT-EP.6 UNIT-E’s Vision and PhilosophyP.6 UNIT-E Recruitment

ACADEMICSP.8 University Profile: University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignP.10 Why Creativity is DeadP.12 Local vs. International Schools: Which is the Better Choice?P.14 Words of Wisdom

FASHIONP.16 Breaking Down the Perfect Prom DressP.18 Fashionable Shows and Movies

THE ARTSP.21 Editor’s Music Picks: DubstepP.22 Art FeatureP.24 “Where’s Kanye when you need him?!”: 53rd Annual Grammy AwardsP.29 The Influence of the ArtsP.30 DIY GreenP.31 Heatseekers

STUDENT’S OPINIONP.33 How Green are you?P.34 Old School Technology or Modern TechnologyP.36 Needed: Sports for Un-athletic PeopleP.38 Being Green: Is it Enough?

CHILLAXP.41 I Like Facebook Because...P.42 American Football vs. RugbyP.43 The Death of the term “Gamer”P.44 Recipie of the Month: Mango Sorbet

PICTORIALP.48 Mini Concert (BWYA)P.50 Charity Fashion Show (ISB)P.51 Swimming Gala (DCB)P.52 Love and Care Association Trip (Hui Jia)

P38

P8

P23

P30

P362 | [UNIT-E] MARCH2011 MARCH2011 [UNIT-E] | 3


UNIT-E UNIT-E

UNIT-E

MARCH2011 [UNIT-E] | 5


UNIT-E UNIT-E

Letter from Editors-In-Chief

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the March edition of UNIT-E!

This month’s edition is dedicated to the colors of St. Patrick’s Day and Earth Hour—green! We hope that you will enjoy the especially green articles (both in color and content) we’ve put together alongside the non-themed articles. UNIT-E has done its part in being a greener publication by processing the entire magazine electronicaly (except for the occasional meeting notes and the 1000 hard copies we print out). You can help us be even greener by sharing your paper copies of UNIT-E with friends and family, visiting the online version of our magazine on http://unit-e.weebly.com/ . Additionally, you can cut or take out articles from the magazine that you find particularly intriguing or interesting (i.e. the tips on how to be green on page 30 or the recipes) and make the most of UNIT-E. Of course, you are welcome to keep a collection or archive of UNIT-E’s to read over in your spare time !

There are numerous exciting things happening with UNIT-E like the UNIT-E Publication Workshop which will be hosted on March 19th (registration ended on March 12th but if you would really like to go please send an email to [email protected]). We have invited experts from publications like The New York Times, The Beijinger and Little Star to speak at the event. Details on this event will be available in online and in the next issue of the magazine.

Hug a tree!Katherine Tsen and Eugene Ling

PS-Corrections: Oops! We’ve made some mistakes in the last issue and wanted to makes sure we correct ourselves. You can find a list of corrections and corrected articles (for the last and any following issue) online at http://unit-e.weebly.com/. Please email us at [email protected] if you have any comments, suggestions or complaints about errors that need correction.

About UNIT-EUNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.

UNIT-E's Vision and Philosophy

UNIT-E is dedicated to its service as a medium for the empowerment of international school students through writing and expression. The publication strives to support students in becoming proactive world citizens and developing strong involvement in addressing social issues in Beijing.

Beijing international school students' individual efforts to address a vast array of social issues have resulted in numerous small accomplishments that are successes in their own right, but have little impact on the large-scale issues which these projects address. UNIT-E believes in the synergy embedded in a dedicated core of proactive youths, whose united effort harbors an impact far beyond the small-scale. UNIT-E believes in the harnessing of this life-changing power - the ability for youth to create substantial improvement in any community through cohesive and comprehensive efforts - and so envisions UNIT-E as a framework for any and all Beijing students to engage with local Beijing and make a positive impact on the status quo.



UNIT-E

Academics6 | [UNIT-E] MARCH2011


In central east Illinois lies the sprawling and beautiful campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign (also know as U of I or UIUC). Founded in 1867, U of I is ranked within the first fifteen public college universities in the USA and is one of the top universities for business as well as engineering. With seventeen colleges and instructional units, the University of Illinois has a great deal to offer in terms of education, but its benefits for students go far beyond academia. U of I’s campus town has much in the way of recreation. First and foremost, there is the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), a giant workout facility that students visit frequently, complete with basketball, racquetball, soccer, badminton and volleyball courts, a weight room, a swimming pool, a sauna, a rock climbing wall, an indoor track, and more. U of I is also home to the Krannert Art Museum and the Spurlock Museum, an anthropological museum, for the artsy and intellectual types, in addition to Assembly Hall,

a humongous on-campus arena that holds events ranging from Broadway shows to concerts with various famous headliners like Rascal Flats, Passion Pit, and Jay-Z. As for outstanding dining options around the campus town, the University of Illinois website touts a plethora of eateries, including a vegan restaurant, an International House of Pancakes (IHOP), the unquestionably delicious Chipotle, and, naturally, plenty of bars. U of I also offers numerous work opportunities in and around campus. All the campus departments post “want ads” online for clerical work and other miscellaneous jobs for students. For those looking for ditch the white collar, there are always plenty of restaurants around town that are hiring, though students apparently most often find work opportunities in the campus dining halls and in the ARC. For those looking into Greek life, U of I has around fifty different chapter houses on campus to choose from. Joining a fraternity or sorority brings obvious social networking benefits – during the pledge process, you spend time with your year group several times a week, and over time they can become your dearest friends. Your year group also often socializes with Greek groups of the opposite sex, heightening your chances of some “action”. There are also advantages to Greek life in terms of professional networking. Older members in your frat or sorority can land you a job at a bar, which as regarded as the more desirable jobs around campus. The pay is good, the late hours don’t conflict with classes, and you’re surrounded by alcohol – what could be a better job?

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:


ACADEMICS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Greek life at U of I does have its downsides. First off, it is not unlike a caste system. There are top tier, middle tier, and bottom tier frats and sororities, and they dare not intermingle. Also, the recruitment process for sororities can be fairly intense, involving various interviews and cross-referencing to gradually match a girl to a house. U of I undergraduate Sal Filardi compares it to the sorting hat from Harry Potter if it had “an even bigger smart mouth and danced Hogwarts cheers while choosing what house you get into”. If you fear the idea of surrounded by thousands of Midwestern suburban kids during your college experience, it’s nice to know that U of I has a pleasantly diverse student population as well. However, according to Sal, the international students tend not to “soak up the culture”, and form cliques with others from their own home country. The same goes with the different ethnic groups around campus, with African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Middle Eastern students who all having their own Greek systems. As one of the leading public universities in the USA, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign serves as yet another viable option for those taking on the challenge of picking and applying to colleges – all the opportunities and cool stuff to do around campus are just added bonuses.

Maura Dentino,International School of Beijing


ACADEMICS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


When was the last time you wrote a story, composed a piece of music, directed a movie, or experimented in the kitchen just for fun? More often than not,

the answer is “I can’t remember.” Lack of time is just one of the many reasons creativity is slowly becoming obsolete. However, other culprits are also responsible for its decline, among them are the very institutions that encourage creative expression.The changing nature of school and education itself is requiring us to be increasingly more analytical than creative, despite the fact that they also encourage creativity. Madi Hockaday and Kathy Summers, students who take IB HL Music and IB HL Art respectively at the International School of Beijing, agree that the International Baccalaureate “sucks the fun out of the arts.” The very nature of any art is the ability to freely interpret or express feeling. Though assessments often require creativity of some sort, whether it be for a sculpture or a performance, there are often numerous restrictions and rubrics by which students must follow. Even IB Art requires students to come up with a certain theme that all their works will be based around for the two-year program, thereby inhibiting complete creativity. Of course, there must be structure to such courses in order for learning to take place, but analytical skills are taking the place of creativity. English classes primarily deal

with literary analysis of themes and structure rather than student-produced works. Math and science involve theory, application and experimentation centered on learning objectives. Education may allow the exchange of knowledge and teaches the importance of analysis at the expense of exercising creative expression. However, without structure, school would be chaotic, and with structure, places boundaries and restraints on inventive or original ideas. Consequently, there must be a fine balance of both that schools have unfortunately not yet achieved.The lack of options of co-curricular activities can also be attributed to the death of creativity. For some schools, sports often conflict with the school newspaper or the theatrical production, and most opt for the former. Model United Nations requires that students take on the position of a country to debate possible solutions to global issues, many of which are simply researched and taken from pre-existing resolutions. Other activities are dedicated to debate or math, but few are completely student-run. The presence of a teacher advisor often impacts the range of expression by narrowing it to an amount that the school deems appropriate. Censorship is often a primary factor, particularly pertaining to school publications, and students are encouraged to be objective unless they are writing an opinions article. This may deter students from joining such groups and opt for something where their ideas are not consistently shot down

Why Creativity is Dead


ACADEMICS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


or changed to fit an appropriate mold.Time is also a key factor because there is often never enough of it. Few people are dedicated enough to be willingly creative when they have other pressing issues of homework, sports or music practices, or studying for standardized tests. The measly hours of free time that are left are then often occupied with social time or engaging in activities like watching television that require virtually no mental effort. The transfer ideas from the brain to something concrete like paper or music takes time, time that unfortunately no one has. Maybe we don’t put enough emphasis on creativity, so there is less incentive (a reference for all those economic students) for people to do so. Being “unique” is no longer defined by whatever fantastically original product you can produce; rather it is the activities you’re involved in and what position

you hold. Come time for the college application process, if you raise pigs during the summer or have climbed Mount Fuji, which is what is considered “unique.” Where is the APAC or ACAMIS or ISAC for art or film or creative writing? Why aren’t there more applicants for APAC Theater? Bottomless questions can be raised, but the fact of the matter is that creativity is being slowly dragged to the grave without protest.When college applications roll around, you’ll start struggling to think of creative ways of portraying yourself often through a narrative. The practical applications to creativity are endless. We just need to exercise it and integrate it more into our academically and socially rigorous lives before we’ve lost that skill completely.

Nicole Zhu,International School of Beijing


ACADEMICS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Pick one of the two. What would you choose? On the surface, the two choices don’t seem to differ too greatly from one another. One with a bit more classes but longer breaks in between and the other one with no study periods. It doesn’t get complicated until the actual learning gets involved. The Chinese are very well known for their rigorous public school education system that sends students slaving away memorizing formulas, poems, texts and repeatedly doing calculation problems. This is their form of learning. In the same city, private international school systems are stereotyped as a very free way to learn. Not a lot of homework, too much free time, and students are known for acting mature and sophisticated.

Now how much of all of that is actually true?Well it’s true that Chinese parents are strict on their kids when it comes to academics, which reflects the kind of schooling they believe in. On top of that, with the mass number of students in China, it’s hard to organize a lot of creative thinking and assignments with real life application, when merely correcting test papers has become a big hassle. These factors have combined to form a strict education system that relies only on standardized testing as a way to determine a student’s intelligence. On the other hand, international schools often deal with a much smaller student body and more funding, which allow the learning environment to be more luxurious than local public schools. And granted, international schools like to promote more interactive ways of learning simply because

Local vs. International Schools:

Which is the Better Choice?


ACADEMICS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

MARCH2011 [UNIT-E] | 1312 | [UNIT-E] MARCH2011


they can. This is a place where progress matters even more than the final grade.Chinese teachers (especially the female ones) can be very fierce when they’re rubbed the wrong way. Ever heard those rumors of petite women reducing boys twice their height and girth to tears? Well, guess what, they’re true. Now it’s an exaggeration to say they’re all like that, but don’t underestimate their power over students. In class, teachers don’t often encourage group work because in a classroom of around forty students, it gets difficult to monitor conversations. The teachers spend most of the class talking and leave little discussion for students. Instead, all the information and knowledge is handed to them directly. Outside of the classroom, the teachers are also involved. Although Chinese teachers are stereotyped as being mean and intimidating, the truth is many of them are pretty approachable when they’re not teaching or giving lectures. They also like being a bit nosy and usually always hear about the newest gossip before it even spreads around. Granted, it’s a quite strange at first, but it’s not hard to get used to it!Foreign teachers are a bit more unpredictable than Chinese teachers because they all come from different schools with different education systems. However, generally, foreign teachers have a very different set of rules than Chinese teachers. For example, not invading privacy is a very important rule to maintain with foreign teachers, but to Chinese teachers, the boundaries are not very clear. However, there are many fewer cases of student-teacher relationships that border friendship in international schools

than in local schools. Because many foreign teachers are very insistent on maintaining students’ right to privacy, they often don’t try to ask into the students’ lives. Thus, international school teachers usually know less about their less students than local school teachers. In contrast with the local school system, teachers enjoy conducting class discussions and having everyone share their ideas. The materials being taught also give room for more creativity than many local schools do and some materials are even meant to be self-taught. However, many students abuse this privilege, which is what forms many people’s opinions of international schools. That definitely doesn’t mean the course isn’t rigorous. In fact, some Chinese teachers have claimed that the IB course is equally difficult to the local school courses. What with the essays, reports, presentations and much, much more, parents and students really need to double think about choosing international schools if they thought it would be an easy course. Overall, there is no absolute better choice. Both of the systems have their ups and downs. It’s really up to the individual student’s way of learning. Some would do better in the local school system and others would do better in the international school system. Think about it. Which one would you prefer?

Mona Xia,Beijing City International School


ACADEMICS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



14 | [UNIT-E] MARCH2011

ACADEMICS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Fashion14 | [UNIT-E] MARCH2011


FASHION FASHION



The Arts



THE ARTS



When the sun hits the horizon and darkness takes charge,The stars switch on, guarding the night sky.Every night their robotic, systematic, automatic.But on a particular night, the riot of colours begins.

Colour flashes all around, echoing the gunshots in war.Ambushes of noise causing awakening at nightfall.Visible for only a single moment, the sound dimming with distance.Instantly, a new set of armies substitute the lost.

A grand eruption of beauty, a painting on twilight.The sparks minuscule, decaying to nothing.For a single night, they are the spotlight, mesmerizing all,Soon to be forgotten, annoying, messy.

Projections of shapes and hues manifesting into a movie,Dialogue of explosions mirroring the voices belowTiny whispers even more so covered, diluted by powers.Are they cries of help or flares of celebrations?

The rainbow appearing instilling awe into our sight.One by one they show what they can offer, an audition to a play.We judge and we observe. We conclude and we infer.They're all so beautiful, so violent, so surreal.

A sea of people shuffling amongst the crowd,Replicating the ripples on the sparkling ocean.What's so special? It happens every year.They are the Sirens, alluring not only seamen

They leave the soil not to meet the GodsBut to entertain the dead, the ones with no souls.Lighting a match within, offering a sense of escapeThey soar like shimmering rockets. The stars are dancing.

Individuals leave the endless stage, audience craving more.The army retire peacefully, withdrawing oneself.The colours are gone, the mosaic of figures. Demolished.Once what was confronting lingers into our heart revealing beauty.

Jodie Ng,Western Academy of Beijing

Fireworks

ART FEATURE

“Let a Hundred Oil Drips Fall”Samuel Bernier Cormier,

Western Academy of Beijing


THE ARTS


ART FEATURE

“Let a Hundred Oil Drips Fall”Samuel Bernier Cormier,


“Untitled”Jonathan Kaw,


“Untitled”Katie Young,

Interational School of Beijing


THE ARTS


Lady GaGa: Okay, did she just come out of an egg? Don’t think anyone can top off her insanity, she’s just “born that way”.

B.o.B x Bruno Mars x Janelle Monae: Wow. Now this is what music is. “Nothin’ on You” and “Grenade” were ingeniously flipped.

Cee-Lo Green x Gwyneth Paltrow x The Muppets:Hands down the funniest performance of the night. Cee-Lo dressed up like a colourblind Big Bird and letting slip an f-bomb on international television. What more could you ask for?

Norah Jones x John Mayer x Keith Urban:Sometimes I wish this were more than just two minutes. I really wanna see the results of something like this happening in the studio.

Eminem x Dr. Dre x Rihanna x Skylar Grey:Disappointing. Rihanna was almost completely off-tune from the beginning (Skylar Grey, who wrote it, should have sang it; she was really good live), Dr. Dre kinda sucked out the life of the performance by Eminem (much respect to the man still, though). And maybe one day, we’ll get to see Skylar Grey’s face. Detox out in 2027!

“I see you flyin’ round town with the bird I love, and I’m like…pluck you!”- The Performances I Remotely Care About

Mick Jagger:Now THIS was pretty awesome. Seems like all the people who wanted to have fun killed it, but the people who wanted to be taken seriously were disappointing.

Most Revealing Costume: Rihanna!Revealing much? Shift that up a few inches and Houston, we have a problem. Please consult your stylist, RiRi; no wonder Chris Brown made a song called “I can Transform Ya”.

Rihanna x Drake:Poor excuse for a song. Disappointing performance. Chris Brown must’ve really hit her hard for her not to remember her name and resort to asking her nana. Oh na na, I don’t wanna hear this song anymore.

Arcade Fire:I think their first performance gave me an epileptic seizure…

“Where’s Kanye when you need him?!”:

53rd Annual Grammy Awards


THE ARTS


Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals:

Airplanes (Part II)- B.o.B feat. Hayley Williams & EminemImagine- Herbie Hancock, P!nk, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No. 1, JeffBeck, and Oumou SangareIf it Wasn’t for Bad- Elton John & Leon RussellTelephone- Lady GaGa & BeyoncéCalifornia Gurls- Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg

Notes: Honestly I didn’t hear this rendition until they announced the winners of this award, but it isn’t too bad; how it managed to top the catchier pop records nominated is still slightly strange to me.

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal:

Take my Time- Chris Brown feat. TankLove- Chuck Brown, Jill Scott, and Marcus MillerYou’ve got a Friend- Ronald Isley & Aretha FranklinShine- John Legend & the RootsSoldier of Love- Sade

Notes: First award I’m more than happy with. But how Chris Brown was nominated for the most boring track on his most recent album leaves me puzzled.

Best Rap Solo Performance:

Over-DrakeNot Afraid- EminemHow Low- LudacrisI’m Back- T.I.POWER- Kanye West

Notes: YES. Most sensible award of the night.

The Red Carpet Awards for <Insert Award Here> goes to:Most Disturbing Entrance & “Eggs-It”: Lady GaGa!Eggs-it? Get it? Exit: eggs-it? Wordplay aside, I didn’t think GaGa could outdo herself with the meat dress, and here she comes in an egg. Not next to, or accompanying, but IN an egg.

Johnny Depp Rip-Off: John Mayer!Honestly? For a second, you had me fooled there; I didn’t know Johnny Depp could play a guitar virtuously. On that note, you didn’t bother memorizing the tribute to Dolly Parton? Really, Mr. Swagger-Jacker?

Awkward Juxtaposition: Paul Wall!What’s with the beard? Also, tattoos and tuxes mix as well as chocolate and mayonnaise. Just because they taste nice separately, doesn’t mean they taste nice together.

Flintstones-meets-Bride-of-Frankenstein: Nicki Minaj!And so the hip-hop Lady GaGa has convinced me that if the costume isn’t utterly ridiculous, she won’t wear it. What in the name of my grandmother’s Chihuahua is that thing on her head?

Record of the Year:

Love the way you Lie- Eminem feat. RihannaNothin’ on You- B.o.B feat. Bruno MarsEmpire State of Mind- Jay-Z feat. Alicia KeysNeed you Now- Lady AntebellumF**k You!- Cee-Lo Green

Notes: Okay, HOW did Cee-Lo not win this? That song is absolutely genius.

Best Urban/Alternative Performance:

F**k You!- Cee-LoLittle One- BilalOrion- Carolyn MalachiTightrope- Janelle Monáe feat. Big BoiStill- Eric Roberson

Notes: And the Grammy committee finally admits that America is insane for letting such an awesome song with such an expletive title soar to the top of the charts.

The Elvis Hairdo: Bruno Mars!If Bruno Mars’ hair stylist was thinking King of Rock n’ Roll, he definitely nailed the look; musically, Bruno still has a long way to go before I’m willing to even consider him coming close to Elvis.

Ke$ha likes your beard: John Campbell and Chris Adler of Lamb of God!Don’t think the Agnus Dei of metal needs a shave; although I think exposing their long hair would actually make me recognize them posthaste.

Victoria’s Secret Angel Reject: Katy Perry!You may be a California Gurl’s teenage dream, but honestly when I’m thinking of you, my facial expressions are like E.T; your costume is hot and cold, as though you’ve woken up in Vegas after a night of kissing girls under the fireworks. If we ever meet again, those Halloween angel wings won’t make me that starstrukk, ‘cause it’s not like the movies.

The Infuriating “Show”


THE ARTS


Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:

Nothin’ on You- B.o.B feat. Bruno MarsDeuces- Chrids Brown feat. Tyga and Kevin McCallLove the way you Lie- Eminem feat. RihannaEmpire State of Mind- Jay- Z feat. Alicia KeysWake Up Everybody!- John Legend & the Roots feat. Common and Melanie Fiona

Note: If Hov’ didn’t walk away with this award, I would be genuinely surprised.

Best New Artist:

DrakeEsperanza SpaldingJustin BieberFlorence+the MachineMumford & Sons

Notes: Some random jazz bassist is better than Bieber! Yayy! But where’s B.o.B and Bruno Mars?

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group:

Shutterbugg- Big Boi feat. CuttyFancy- Drake feat. T.I. & Swizz BeatzOn to the Next One- Jay-Z feat. Swizz BeatzMy Chick Bad- Ludacris feat. Nicki MinajLose my Mind- Young Jeezy feat. Plies

Obviously, the Grammy committee knows nothing about hip-hop. If Plies even wins an award, it’ll be disgraceful. And although the category winner is a good song, it’s in no way the best collaboration of the year.

Best Contemporary R&B Album:

Graffiti- Chris BrownUntitled- R. KellyTransition- Ryan LeslieThe ArchAndroid- Janelle MonáeRaymond vs. Raymond- Usher

Notes: Excuse me? Usher, CB, and R-Les’ albums are good, but in no way are they worthy of being regarded as the top 5 R&B albums of the year. Now with the insanely innovative Janelle Monáe one, I wouldn’t mind.


THE ARTS


Song of the Year:

Love the way you Lie- Eminem feat. RihannaF**k You!- Cee-Lo GreenThe House that Built Me- Miranda LambertBeg, Steal, or Borrow- Ray LaMontagneNeed you Now- Lady Antebellum

Notes: Aren’t these two the exact same award? Nice song and lyrics, but I don’t think it was the undeniable best song of 2010…

Best Rap Album:

The Adventures of Bobby Ray- B.o.BThank me Later- DrakeRecovery- EminemThe Blueprint 3- Jay-ZHow I got Over- The Roots

Notes: For once, the nominees are fairly decent ones. I wouldn’t mind any of these guys winning this one.

Jonathan Chang,Dulwich College Beijing


THE ARTS

Full time School teachers will get 20% off of regular price for hair services.


Sara Bareilles- King of AnythingBeyoncé- HaloNorah Jones- Chasing PiratesLady GaGa- Bad RomanceKaty Perry- Teenage Dream

Notes: So some nonsensical chorus from a ridiculously addictive song wins this award? And didn’t Beyoncé win last year with this song already?

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals:

Hey, Soul Sister- TrainDon’t Stop Believing (Regionals Version)- Glee CastMisery- Maroon 5The Only Exception- ParamoreBabyfather- Sade

Notes: Good nominee choices for popular pop-rock. And the best-selling single of 2010 clinches it.

Best Pop Vocal Album:

The Fame Monster- Lady GaGaMy World 2.0- Justin BieberI Dreamed a Dream- Susan BoyleBattle Studies- John MayerTeenage Dream- Katy Perry

Notes: Surprise, surprise. There was about a 1% chance GaGa wasn’t leaving with this award.

Album of the Year:

Arcade Fire- The SuburbsRecovery- EminemNeed You Now- Lady AntebellumThe Fame Monster- Lady GaGaTeenage Dream- Katy Perry

Notes: Wait, what? A random indie band I’ve never heard of trumps every major popular album out there now? The Grammy committee’s obviously made of die-hard rockers.

Producer of the Year (Non-Classical):

Danger MouseRob CavalloDr. LukeRedOneThe Smeezingtons

Notes: Honestly, this came off as a bit of a surprise. Dr. Luke (and Benny Blanco is responsible for nearly every number-one smash in 2010, and the Smeezingtons have been the go-to producers for an acoustic sound. And where is Stargate?

Michael Bublé- Haven’t Met You YetMichael Jackson- This is ItAdam Lambert- Whataya Want from MeBruno Mars- Just the way you AreJohn Mayer- Half of my Heart

Notes: So it doesn’t really matter now if you win American Idol or not, yeah? I mean…look at Taylor Hicks. On a different note, about time somewhat remotely urban won something…

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance


THE ARTS


Dance, theatre, music, painting, drawing, and sculpting are very different forms of art. But at the same time they are also incredibly interconnected. Similarly, art intertwines with our daily lives even if we do not consider ourselves “artists”.The pump of adrenaline you experience from being onstage or the feeling of accomplishment after finishing a work of art stems from one thing that all the arts have in common: expression. For those who are truly passionate about the arts, their creations—be it a dance, a song or a ceramic figurine— embody a part of them. Exploring the arts is not only a way to relieve stress, pass time or have fun, but can also be a means through which people can discover who they are by expressing their ideas, thoughts and emotions. You do not have to be in an art course, the band at school, or in dance classes to “do art”. It is true that not everyone can draw perfectly round circles or memorize dance moves, but talent is not the only thing that makes art. Singing in the shower because you’re in a good mood (no matter how out of tune you sound) is a way you can express yourself through music. Even if you are not a fashionista, what you choose to wear can also be considered a form of art. Many of us might see art as something only “artists” can do. But we are all, to some extent, artists when we choose to communicate creatively.Art is really anywhere and everywhere. Imagine a day without being able to listen to your iPod or not seeing advertisements as you look out of the bus window. There would be much less to see and to sense in this world. We incorporate the arts into our daily routines without even realizing it. Perhaps we take art for granted and do not see just how much they can influence our lives. Every film we watch or interpret, each song that gets stuck in our heads and every novel (yes, even the required readings)we read is a form of art that can impact our lives and shape our ideas. We go through each day with the arts as a large and important part of our lives, whether we choose for it to be or not. We are not all artistic geniuses like Mozart, Picasso or the art kid whose paintings look like photographs, but we all have in us an artistic spark.

Rachael Senning,Western Academy of Beijing


THE ARTS


Got an empty jar laying around? Perhaps a vinyl record or two? We all know that most of these things are used once, only to make their way into the trash never to be seen or thought of again (at least by their users, the trash collectors would say differently). Here are some fun ideas for creative things that you can make out of objects that you may have lying around your house.

• Safe for your valuables • Vinyl record bowl

#1: Now I don’t know just HOW safe this safe will be, but it will definitely fool most people.

Materials:JarSmall trinketsPaper towel roll (without the paper towels) Cardboard (or thick paper)

1. Empty out and clean the jar – remove the label from the front 2. Cut a circle from your cardboard sheet that will fit nicely at the bottom of the jar3. Cut your cardboard tube (paper towel roll) to the height

DIY GREEN

of the jar 4. Glue the end of the tube to the cardboard circle and place in the jar (circle at bottom)5. Fill the jar (not inside the cardboard tube) with little trinkets, something that is small and that you have many of (almost anything can work for this)a. Marblesb. Beadsc. Crumpled pieces of paper6. Fill the inside of the tube with whatever you want to keep hidden7. Close the lid of the jar and it looks as if the jar is filled with whatever you chose for your trinkets… no one will ever guess! 8. *OPTIONAL—you can also decorate the lid of the jar with a name or even a misleading phrase like “old stuff”


THE ARTS



#2: A vinyl record bowl or plant pot for anyone who loves the oldies

Materials:Vinyl recordMedium sized bowlOven

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Celsius2. Place the bowl upside down in the oven3. Place the record on top of the bowl4. Heat for 5 minutes (no longer)5. The record will be warm and malleable now so that you can mold it into the shape you want6. If the record cools before you get the shape you want simply place it in the oven againa. This time put the bowl right side up and have the record sitting inside it so that it gets more of a bowl shape7. Once you are done leave it to cool and use it for whatever you need! (Caution: do not use it for eating)

These are just a couple of things you can do with the objects laying around your house that might be headed for the trash can soon. Be creative and see what you can make out of would-be waste!

Sophie Rutstein,Western Academy of Beijing

HeatseekersSong Name Artist(s)Give me Everything Pitbull (feat. Ne-Yo, Nayer, and Afrojack)I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now Lupe Fiasco (feat. MDMA)Beautiful People Chris Brown (feat. Benny Bennassi)What are Words Chris MedinaPrice Tag Jessie J (feat B.o.B)Where do we Go from Here? Chris Brown (feat. Pitbull)Eyes Wide Shut JLS (feat. Tinie Tempah)The Sky’s the Limit Jason DeRülo

Shakin’ my Head (SMH) Detail feat. Flo Rida

Your Love Brandon Heath

Jonathan Chang,Dulwich College Beijing


THE ARTS



Student’s Opinion


STUDENT’S OPINION{ } STUDENT’S

OPINION { }

Student’sOpinion


How Green are You?

Now let’s see where you rank on the Green Scale!

1. How long do you take to shower?Under 5 minutes5-10 minutes10-15 minutesMore than 15 minutes

2. Do you walk or bike to places (ie. school, a friend’s place) when you can?

Always! GREEN TEAM FTW!If it’s not too much trouble, sureWhen I get sick of waiting for taxisNever. Ew, exercise?

3. What do you do with used paper?See if I can re-use it, if not, I recycle itToss it in the recycling binCrumple it up and throw it away. Doesn’t matter whereDip it in toxic waste and flush it down the toilet

4. What kind of food do you eat around Beijing?Seasonal, organic, locally-grown fruits and vegetables! All kinds of food that are produced in and around ChinaA mixture of imported and Chinese produceHeavily packaged, imported products

5. How often do you do the laundry?Once a weekEvery three to four daysEvery other dayEvery day

6. How late do you stay up (how long do you keep the lights on)?

I finish my homework and go to bed by 9 o’clock every night!10-ishUsually around 11I’m a creature of the night and I’m not afraid of the dark

7. How do you feel about the environment in Beijing?We should take a step back from industrialization and look at the bigger pictureWe need space suits to protect ourselvesDevelopment has its costsDoesn’t matter ‘cause I have money in the bank

8. Would you hug a tree?TREES ARE MY BEST FRIENDS!Depends… how hot is the tree?That’s dirtyYes…with a chainsaw.

If you scored mostly… GREEN: You are now green in more ways than one. BLUE: Good effort! BROWN: TRY HARDER. BLACK: You are so evil.

Chrystal Li,International School of Beijing



OPINION { }

Student’sOpinion


Words are perhaps the most important thing we learn during the early stages of our life and we should cherish them. Whatever our race, nationality or culture, communication is one of

the most essential forms of social interaction. With advances in technology, the way we share what’s on our minds has morphed into something quite different, but is it better? First of all, ‘communication’ is a broad term which encompasses spoken and written words through all methods of transmission. To follow up, “technology” is responsible for changing face-to-face conversation into video calls and written text into instant messaging. Phone-calls and Skype dialogue still retain the key elements of verbal communication, but written words seem to have gotten the short end of the stick. Written words all began with meaningful letters or short

messages on postcards that took what felt like decades to receive. With technology, this practice has now evolved into something more convenient, something we have all come to know as email. However, letters are more than just words that happened to be on a piece of paper rather than your computer screen, they hold an essence that an email fails to capture. “Letters are definitely more personal, I think all handwritten things are.” says Darren Tang, a student from Dulwich. Nowadays, the feeling of opening a letter and reading words actually handwritten for you is a rare one. The practice of writing letters has become an anomaly and to an extent, has become a hassle since quicker alternatives are available. “My best friend and I email each other because we live so far away from each other, but we’ve taken to sending letters through couriers because they hold so much more value.” ISB student, Heather Budimulia, shares. It’s true that emails and instant messaging can bridge the gaps between continents in the shortest amount of time but it seems that letters will always remain the most meaningful form of written communication.

What used to be elegant diction has now developed into ugly slang such as “sup”, “brb”, and the infamous “lol”.

OLDSCHOOLTECHNOLOGYORMODERN TECHNOLOGY?



OPINION { }


The growth of technology has also led to the fall of language. What used to be elegant diction has now developed into ugly slang such as “sup”, “brb”, and the infamous “lol”. These “shortcuts” disgrace the language itself and are gradually creeping their way into our dialogue. Vivian Gan, an eleventh grade student at WAB expresses “It’s fine when spoken online but in everyday conversation, it sound ridiculous”. Surely, it might save us a couple of milliseconds by not typing in a few extra letters but why do we use these abbreviations? Are they really necessary? Melani Carrie, also from WAB, believes we use it simply because “we’re lazy”. Though it does convey a message somewhat concisely, all “chat-speak” has really done is to create an illusion and distort a beautiful language. In the interest of saving time, words such as “a lot” have become one word instead of two and apostrophes have been entirely removed from words such as “thats” and “whats”. It would be wrong to even call them words as they are not; they are what used to be part of the English language. For some students, the outcome of prolonged instant messaging is the belief that “you’re” and “your” are interchangeable which

results in these mistakes being repeated in schoolwork. Technology’s achievements in instant messaging have not only exacerbated our spelling and grammar, but deprived us of the privilege to communicate face to face. The necessity to carry a conversation in real life is vital as it is hard to understand the emotions and true meaning behind words if they’re just figures on your computer screen. The perils that come with instant messaging can be epitomized by the term “mixed messages” and we’re falling more and more susceptible to them as technology takes over.Technology has undeniably made it more convenient for people all around the world to stay connected with friends and family. As international citizens, we can only imagine how hard it would be to keep in touch with our loved ones without the wonders of email and instant messaging. As much as we depend on technology, it should not eliminate the forefathers of communication and certainly not at the expense of our language.

Jodie Ng,Western Academy of Beijing



OPINION { }


We all have “that friend”. The one guy in PE who is the easiest target

to hit in dodge ball, the kid everyone outruns in mere warm-up

games, and the dude who’ll stand around the pitch doing nothing in

fear of tripping over the ball. Think hard, because we all have “that

friend”. Although their lack of strategic analysis, hand-eye coordination

and raw skill would drive aficionados insane, athletically-

challenged people are actually the victims. How in the name of my

grandmother’s imaginary Chihuahua can the athletically-impaired

continue to coexist with the future generation of sport stars?

Excuse the dramatics, the answer is simple: someone has to create

more sports for the athletically-challenged.

Balloon VolleyballYou’ve probably played this game without meaning to but if a name is put to it, it’ll sound much more professional. The younger, less athletic, cousin to proper volleyball deserves a league of its own and a team of players dedicated to keeping the balloon off the ground. Get your feet moving and serve, set and spike that balloon!

Trainer’s notes: This sport will work on players’ hand eye coordination as well as their on-court communication skills.

Needed:Sports for Un-athletic People

Morning Circuit

Wake up in the morning (feeling like P-Diddy)

but before you grab your glasses push yourself

up from bed into the plank position and hold it

for 30 seconds. Power-walk to the bathroom

where you will engage in the vigorous exercise

of brushing your teeth and then down the

stairs for the grand finale: the x meter dash. In

all the confusion of working out, you’re late for

the bus: it’s time to sprint like you never have

before and “hit this city”. Enjoy!

Trainer’s notes: Do 7 repetitions of this circuit

a week; you’ll find that it fits seamlessly into

your regular schedule.



OPINION { }


But as the cruel world turns ever so slowly, you might end up

liking “that guy”. You might start feeling that pang of sympathy

whenever he wipes out during conventional sports after tripping

over nothing. Perhaps this player will still be viewed as athletically-

challenged in your eyes, but remember that it could be that “that

guy” just wasn’t playing the right sport. How would I know? I’m that

guy. Jonathan Chang,Dulwich College Beijing

ListingsIQAirWhile little can be done about outdoor air pollution, we can certainly have an impact on the air we breathe inside our homes and offices. IQAir has been providing air-cleaning solutions since 1963. Swiss precision and technology go into every unit, creating an excellent price-to-performance ratio. 1. Head OfficeRm 2201, Air China Plaza, 36 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District. (8447 5800, [email protected]); 2. Seasons Place Mall4th Floor #417 Seasons Place, No.2 Jin Cheng Fang Street, Xicheng District (6622 0179, [email protected]);3. Solana Mall2LY1-05 Solana, No.6 Chaoyang Park Road, Chao Yang District (5905 6768, [email protected]); 4. Euro Plaza Mall4/F, Euro Plaza, 99 Yuxiang Lu, Tianzhu, Shunyi District. (8046 1260, [email protected]);5. Shingkong Place Mall 5th Floor, Household Appliance Area, Shin Kong Place, No 87, Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100025 (57382401,[email protected])6. 400 650 1266, www.iqair-china.com [email protected]

羽毛球教练林立健他一直致力于青少年羽毛球教学和训练为国家队. 福建省羽毛球队省, 市重点羽毛球学校, 输送多名专业人才为国家和福建省羽毛球事业做出很多贡献.2008年4月来北京发展, 在刚刚结束的2009年北京市中学声羽毛球比赛中他的学生(中关村一小五年级同学)王虞童在97-98女子比赛中获得第二名的好成绩.

资深羽毛球教练羽毛球世界冠军的启蒙教练原董烔羽毛球俱乐部专业组教练

手机: 15010854917

FoursquareKick it old-school and get out on the court.

A great way to socialize and get heart-rates

up, foursquare gives people a chance to

use the skills they’ve picked up from other

sports in a combination of different ways.

Maybe you didn’t try out for tennis because

you couldn’t serve, but here is a prime

opportunity to perfect your backhand and

put it to good use hitting the ball back over

the chalky boundaries.

Trainer’s notes: This game can be modified as

pleased with adjustments such as changing

the size of the ball or making it a “hands only”

or “feet only” game.



OPINION { }


Climate change is perhaps the most-discussed topic in the world today and “green” has become a catchphrase and a trend of its own. Our headlines are peppered with terms like alternative energy, carbon tax and geo-engineering. Attempts at being “green” can be seen in countries, companies and eventually at the individual level.China is now the largest emitter of greenhouse gases and our contribution to that is undeniable as we are all living here. It always seems to boil down to this question: what are we, as individuals, really doing to combat this? Sure, we are all taking measures to become more “green”, such as turning off the lights, recycling paper, planning to buy a fuel-efficient car and really, the list can go on and on. Here’s another question: Is all of that really enough? China’s goal is to almost halve its emissions intensity by 2020 but just halving emissions won’t be enough. The attempt is like trying to put out a fire by only pouring half as much fuel on it, but at least it is a start. However, this means we have to contribute more as individuals to stem the tide of global warming if only until the solution, if any, is developed. In the meantime, here are some things that you can do that you probably haven’t heard of:

Eat less meatIf not for health reasons or animals rights, do it for the Earth. Livestock is actually the third largest source of greenhouse gases in the world, only behind electricity/heating and transportation. Millions of animals are bred each year to fill our hamburgers and steaks and cattle produce an exceptional amount of methane gas. Therefore the less meat we eat, the smaller our footprint is. Turning vegan is not necessary, but you can cut back on the meat that you consume. Perhaps make it a resolution to only eat meat on weekends, or only for one meal a day. Eating greens can make the world greener!

Turn down the thermostatIn terms of pollution, heating is a much bigger problem than transportation. How do you think your home and school are kept toasty warm in the middle of winter? From burning coal and gas of course, and lots of it. Don’t fret: this doesn’t mean you should watch TV and do your homework in five layers of clothing, it just means that you should turn down the temperature if it’s warm enough or in rooms that no one is using like the guest bedroom. Think of it like lights: if you leave it on when it’s not being used, it’ll waste energy.

Being Green: Is it Enough?

GREEN EVENTS!Earth Hour: March 26th, 8:30-9:30 Earth Day: April 22nd



OPINION { }


Throw less stuff awayMost people don’t realize that the trash they throw away leads to emissions of greenhouse gases. Every kilogram of waste will emit about a kilogram equivalent in carbon dioxide. That’s right, every time you agree to take the trash out, you’re contributing to global warming! You might have heard of a slogan that goes “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, so follow those steps by reducing your consumption, reusing and recycling whenever you can.

Buy a used carIt’s a common misconception that hybrids like the Toyota Prius are fuel-efficient and contribute less to global warming. In fact, before they’ve hit the road, they could have polluted more than any other car, even a Hummer. Nickel is mined in Canada, shipped to Europe to be refined, then to China to be made into “Nickel Foam”, then to Japan to be made into a car and finally to wherever it’s bought. Therefore the pollution that comes with the transportation and refinement process is extraordinarily high. The next time you see a “politically correct” person with a Prius, bring it up and see what they think. If you actually want your car to be “green”, buy a used one. Alternatively, just take the subway; it’ll probably be faster anyway.

These are just a few of the ways you can do your part to mitigate global warming. There are thousands more innovative ideas for cutting down emissions on the internet, and some may be more suited to you than others. UNIT-E urges you to do your personal best to live a “greener” 2011 and hopes these ideas would start you off on the right track.

Henry Lu,Harrow



OPINION { }


Chillax


CHILLAX


The Teacher’s PetI like Facebook because I can friend my teachers and keep in touch with them! I just love them so much!Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The (Soft-core) GamerI like Farmville Facebook because I can play Farmville, Restaurant City, Mafia Wars, Texas Holdem and Tetris Battle! Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The LoserI like Facebook because it gives me time to think of comebacks. Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The JockI dig Facebook because chicks always comment on my profile picture. I guess they must really like my muscles. Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The EmoI don’t not like Facebook, but that’s kind of depressingFriday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The Facebook StalkerI like, no, I love Facebook because well…isn’t it obvious?Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The VampireI like Facebook because I can post on Edward Cullen’s wall.Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The Drama QueenI seriously like, like Facebook ‘cause I can share all my emotions and problems with everyone by updating my status every three minutes. Sometimes though, it creates all this drama and I never know why.Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

The Facebook Stalker likes this

The Technologically ChallengedOMG1!!11eleven! How did you get on Facebook?? Do you have to use a “Prague-see”?Friday at 2:39pm • Like • Comment

Katherine Tsen,International School of Beijing

Disclaimer: No actual high school students were interviewed. The above content intends to only entertain and not offend. Any and all similarities to actual persons living or dead, past, present, or future (except maybe Edward Cullen) are completely coincidental.


CHILLAX


There are some very striking similarities between the two sports, from the ball shape to the methods of scoring. But there are also things that distinguish them from each other.

American Football is more violentDue to the fact that everyone is wearing protective gear, American Football players will throw themselves around the field less regard for their own well-being than rugby players. This means flying tackles and acrobatic leaping catches. Despite all the protection, serious injuries are all too common.

Rugby is more physicalYou never stop running in Rugby. The required level of fitness required is enormous as everyone from the smallest back to the biggest forward needs to be able to run continuously for 80 minutes. Anyone who’s ever been in a scrum or ruck will be able to tell you how physical it gets.

American Football is more complexWith pre-planned plays and the forward pass, American Football is a hugely tactical game. Each player must remember more than 500 plays, and what they and the players around them should be doing in these plays. The typical American Football playbook is as big as three encyclopedias stacked together.

Rugby requires quicker thinkingUnlike American Football, the clock never stops in Rugby and there are no huddles or planned plays. Everything depends on spontaneity and

American Football is played on a field 120 yards by 53 yards, the actual field is 100 yards and each end-zone is 10 yards long. The 45 member team is split into Offense, Defense and Special Teams which are individual teams and play on the field at different times. There are 11 men on the field at any one time. During play, the ball can be thrown forwards, or run forwards and blocking is allowed. The games can get rough so helmets and padding are worn. Each play is pre-planned with a huddle between plays and there are frequent halts in play when different teams (Offense, Defense or Special) go on and off the field. Players score by kicking field goals, or getting the ball into the end-zone for a touchdown.

Rugby is played on a 100m by 70m field with anywhere from 7 to 15 men on the field. Players are split into backs and forwards depending on their skills and body type. Backs are usually speedier whereas forwards are bigger and stronger.One rule that sets rugby apart from other sports is that the ball cannot be thrown forward. All passes must be backwards and there is no blocking. The players wear no padding except for mouth guards and scrum caps. Scoring methods are quite similar to American Football: you can kick goals or touch the ball on the ground in the goal area (called a ‘try’).

American football vs. Rugby has always been a hotly debated topic between Americans and…well, everyone who’s from an English-speaking country not in North America (Britain, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand). There is a great deal of mockery and contempt from both sides regarding the other, but a lot of this is stereotyping and misconceptions. First, let’s look at some basic information about the two sports.

American Football vs. Rugby


CHILLAXCHILLAX


“Gamer” is an odd term but it doesn’t seem to require an explanation. As it implies, it pertains to almost anyone who plays games and is at the core of the debate of gaming as an art form. For some people it’s a badge of pride but for other people it is something they are ashamed of. No fan of any other type of media has a catch-all term that defines them. People who love books aren’t “readers”, people who love music aren’t “music-ers”, and people who love movies aren’t “film-ers”. I have spent countless hours reading, watching movies, and even more time listening to music but because I play games, I’m a gamer. This is the label I’ve been reduced to. Why are games all that can define “gamers”? Are games really so unconventional that they would need their own label? The term “gamer” creates a stereotype we all know: the cheeto-eating, the never-leaves-the-basement-and-still-lives-with-their-parents-sort. But that is not fair and not even necessarily true. This stereotype is poisonous and there are many who would be afraid to play games in public, whereas nobody would be embarrassed reading in the open.This is because gaming is still a budding art form. As it stands now, it is just a hobby, something everyone assumes we will grow out of and reject once we mature. Video games are unlike any other sort of medium, they allow us to experience the story in a way film or books cannot. They provide a fully interactive experience. Gaming is growing in almost every way. Social games, such as those on Facebook (like Farmville) are reaching a level of un-ignorable popularity. This medium needs to be recognized for what it is, as so much more than a killing-simulator. How can we allow games to be slandered on Fox News, and still expect any progress to be made in appreciating this medium? It creates full experiences and enhances lives. An excellent example can be found in Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption, or Bioware’s Mass Effect 2.While games are escapist, they are not a place to hide. A book lover would be proud of the way his favorite medium has enriched his life, and gamers should be proud too. The term “gamer” and the stereotype surrounding it needs to disappear because gaming is finally becoming the norm.

Hawkens Bory-Baar,International School of Beijing

The Death of the Term

“GAMER”

quick decision-making. Despite the lack of forward passing, balls can be kicked forward, which adds an extra dimension to the game.

In American football, everyone is actively involved, on every playAll 22 men on the field in American Football are involved at all times. Because there is blocking, the 21 guys without the ball are pushing, shoving and crashing into each other. In Rugby, the other players tend to be supporting the person with the ball or setting up plays, but are not physically involved.

In Rugby, every player needs to be able to do everythingIn American Football, everyone has a specialized position and they just do their jobs, whether it is to run very fast and catch, block defenders or run with the ball. A quarterback rarely needs to tackle, and an offensive lineman will not be able to pass rush. In Rugby, forwards must stay with the speedier backs in order to protect rucks. Backs have to be able to ruck when forwards aren’t there. Everyone has to pass and everyone has to tackle.With so many things to compare regarding the American Football and Rugby, it is hard to compare and come to a conclusion on which sport is better. The two sports are similar skin-deep, but are actually very different when looked at in-depth. They are two completely different styles and methods of playing, but both focus on physicality and strategy. Both are extremely enjoyable to watch, and even more exciting to play.

Henry Lu,Harrow


CHILLAXCHILLAX


Mango Sorbet

Recipe of the Month:

1Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

2Beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth.

3Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm/½in thick.

4Cut into rounds or fingers and place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with icing sugar and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Prep Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 20 minutes

2 fresh ripe mangos (for more on fresh mango, see below)1 cup white sugar3 Tbsp coconut milk1 tsp lemon juice1 cup whipping cream

Try this fantastically easy recipe for Mango Sorbet! Quick and simple to make, and there’s no stove involved. You’ll need only a blender or food processor. This sorbet is creamier than most, halfway between sorbet and ice cream, but still light and full of mango flavor. Makes a beautiful dessert to serve company, and easy too, since you can make it well in advance. Delicious as is, or serve with slices of fresh mango OR with a little coconut rum/liqueur drizzled over (my favorite!). ENJOY!


CHILLAXCHILLAX



CHILLAXCHILLAX


Pictorial



PICTORIAL PICTORIAL

Mini Concert (BWYA)



PICTORIAL

PICTORIAL



PICTORIAL PICTORIAL

Charity Fashion Show (ISB)



PICTORIAL

PICTORIAL

PICTORIAL

Swimming Gala (DCB)



PICTORIAL PICTORIAL

Love and Care Association trip (Hui Jia)



PICTORIAL PICTORIAL



PICTORIAL


unit-e magazine: march edition

Documents

unite marchhhh

unite recruitmentacademicsp

emarch2011 unite

edition of unit

staff of unit

amunite uniteunit

amunite uniteletter

unites vision