JUNE 2, 2014 VOLUME V, ISSUE VI
CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2014 WEARABLE TECH By Dayanara Martinez-Lozano I am writing about wearable tech. One of the specific things that I want to talk about is the Moto 360.This reporter interviewed David Gallaher of Wearable World News. Q: How much do you predict the Moto 360 will cost? David Gallaher: I expect it will be priced competitively with other smart watches on the market, so likely in the $299 range. Q: Do you expect it to succeed? DG: That’s a tough question. The wearable technology market is changing very quickly. If the watch hits the market before the rumored iWatch does, it might gain enough momentum to succeed, but there are also a lot of other competing products on the market too. Timing is everything. Q: What makes the Moto 360 different than other smart watches? DG: The bold design, circular watch face, and wireless charging all put the Moto 360 lightyears ahead of most smart watches. Unlike the Pebble, for instance, the Moto 360 is designed to be more elegant -- and can be paired with a nice leather band to give it the appearance of a much more expensive Rolex watch. The wireless charging is a nice feature too. Plugging a wristwatch into a socket feels so silly, the wireless charging feature eliminates that. Q: What are your impressions so far? DG: From what I have seen, the Moto 260 is impressive. As Google’s answer to the iWatch, it certainly shows a lot of innovation. Dayanara Martinez-Lozano lives in Echo Park and she’s 11 years old. She loves pie and playing video games and playing sports. She goes to Clifford Street School, which just became a California Distinguished School.
GOOD TIMES FREE
THE GGG EFFECT (GOOGLE GLASS IS GREAT) By Gem Anthony Galiciano Google Glass, a type of wearable tech that goes over your eyes, it is made by Google. It’s made out of featherweight titanium and it has a tiny prism that goes over one of the eyes which is the only thing you can focus when you’re using it. As mentioned on the Google Glass website, people are using Google Glass to search for recipes, to take a class on a field trip without leaving the room, and also to save lives. It can do all these cool things by the sound of your voice or the motion of your head, somewhat.
Google Glass is cool, but some things make this new piece of high tech equipment pretty regular. I had hands-on experience wearing the glasses. It was really hard to turn it on, but when I got it on it was amazing.
For example, people can record a video by just saying “Google Glass, record video,” and users can turn it on by jerking their head upward -- not too fast or they will hurt their necks. But, it is not perfect yet. Sometimes it won’t register voices and it will not do the thing that they say, or it will not turn on when they jerk up their head. Instead, it takes some tries.
Google Glass -- even though it’s kinda glitchy -- will turn heads and it is much better than phones and tablets.
Those aren’t the only things that Google Glass can do. Soon people can play games on them, and there will be a game that the Google Glass programmers will be putting in. It will be like Duck Hunt, an old ‘80s game from Nintendo. It will be just like that, but with skeets. The way sound can be heard without headphones or speakers is through bone conduction technology, which is when sound vibrates through the skull.
By Yamilka Martinez-Lozano
By Ana Martinez-Lozano
I am writing my article on technology in education using a laptop computer and using the internet to research it. Everybody who is writing for this newspaper is using technology. Google Docs is the program I use to write this, and Safari is the program I use to surf the internet.
Ana Martinez-Lozano is in 4th grade and attends Clifford Street Elementary School.
My name is Gem Anthony Galiciano and I go to Bancroft Middle School. I like mint chocolate chip ice cream and I like 826LA Good Times because I can improve my writing while making cool and informative articles.
According to LA Times Reporter Salvador Rodriguez,
IRON MAN SUITS
There are many differences between the Iron Man suits from Marvel comics and the military’s iron man suits. The military’s iron man suit doesn’t completely cover one’s face, instead it covers only the top (eyebrows up) and bottom (chin down) of the face, leaving the rest vulnerable, instead of bulletproof. In the movie and the comics, Tony Stark’s face is completely protected. The military suits attempt to blend into their surroundings, whereas the suits of the comics are much more attention-grabbing and are designed to look cool. The military suits don’t use lasers or electricity balls unlike Stark’s suits. Experts are saying that the suits are more like the exoskeletons from Alien.
One thing is that it only comes in five colors which are the starter colors, one suggestion for Google is to give Glass some new and more vibrant color like with Apple which has gold, silver, yellow, bright green, and so much more.
Just like phones and tablets they must have apps. The most popular app is Google Now, an app which allows people to see how their favorite team is doing (for sports fans), weather, directions, and etc. Google Glass is worth about 1,500 dollars and if a person has a prescription for special glasses, they can buy an upgrade for 225 extra. Plus if the person wants sunglasses, it is 150 extra which raises the price to 1,875. People can order it, but then they have to go to a specific location to pick it up. It comes in five different colors: black, gray, red, white, and light blue.
TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
Obama said that he was making iron man suit and he made a joke out of it and he said they were going to release the iron man suit in August 2018. The first iron man suit came out in 1963 so that means that it is 51 years old.
Google has no competition from any other major company like Apple because they’re the first company to make “smart glasses”. But they are the only company that didn’t make a “smart watch.”
I went to edweek.org and found out that technology is moving very fast, and schools have trouble catching up. There are so many tools and gadgets that are being made. The iPad is a new educational gadget. It has apps where you can draw with your fingers, like Sketchbook Pro, and write articles, like Pages. The iPad is used in my school for testing, like ST-Math and reading. A program is called an app on the iPad. I used the Disney Animated app for the iPad. It taught me how they invented the snow patterns in the movie Frozen. You draw lines on the screen, and then snow appears over the line. The snow moves very fast, and comes in different sizes: small, medium, and large. The iPad is different from the laptop because the
laptop uses a keyboard. The iPad, you touch the screen directly, like when you draw snow on the Disney Animated app. I prefer the iPad as an educational tool because you can learn by touch. You can’t draw animated snow by touching the screen on the laptop like you do on the iPad. YouTube has a lot of videos to teach you things. My favorite series is Nerdy Nummies which is about making different cakes that people want the host to create. My favorite video was when she made the iPhone cake and little cakes of app icons: like YouTube and Reddit. First, she showed you the ingredients, then she showed you how to make the cake by mixing them together. She used fondant to wrap around the cake for the iPhone case, and for the apps on the screen. Watching her make the cakes was fun. Art is my favorite subject in school and I like drawing on the iPad with Sketchbook Pro and learning animation on the Disney Animated app. I hope they use the iPad more in school in the future. I also learn a lot from YouTube videos like how to make different cakes, so technology is important for education in many ways. Yamilka Martinez-Lozano is in the 3rd grade at Clifford Street Elementary School. She likes to draw, and her favorite sports are soccer and kickball.
GOODTIMES HACKING? GOOD? BAD?
CLONING DOGS
By Eddie Song
By Andres Mah-Candelaria
I confess that I am a hacker. I hack games and also some online sites to cheat out surveys or crack a little annoying password for locked compressed folders. I know it is not right, but I do it for fun or to test if the download is fake. Hacking can be very serious when stealing credit cards, turning off lights, or hacking into the government to find secret information.
Did you know that you could clone dogs, but primarily in Korea? When your dog is cloned it will look like a twin but it doesn’t have the same personality. In the New York Times it said that the most difficult thing about cloning dogs is not telling them apart, but why they don’t look exactly alike. According to ABC News, to clone your dog you need about $100,000.
A hacker is a person who finds weaknesses in computer security and uses it to breach other information. Some people use the information to expose top secret government spying, such as Edward Snowden, who released the fact that the government can listen to all your calls, look at all your texts, and access your phone data. Some call him a hero but the government wants to arrest him for spying. Right now he is in Russia under political asylum.
On the website Wikipedia an article said that the first commercially cloned pet was a cat named Little Nicky. The owners of a dog named Missy cloned her multiple times for 2.3 million dollars. A lot of people think that cloning pets is bad because the dogs that help the cloned dog stay alive will be killed. When you clone dogs the surrogates are female dogs who are sent to dog farms to get killed or eaten. Other people say that cloning your pet is good thing because the new dog will be younger than the real dog and it will have a longer life. In The Guardian it said that a cloned dog will not behave the same way as the pet you cloned. When you clone dogs the clone may die soon because of abnormalities. A website which is against pet cloning said that there were many abnormalities for the clone. For example, a dog was supposed to be black and white and it was greenishyellow when it was supposed to be white.
Hackers can serve a good or bad purpose and each has a different name. “Black hats” steal information and violate computer security. A “white hat” hacker just tries to explore and have fun while looking at info. Most white hat hackers use hacking to strengthen their security. “Grey hat” hackers notify the security administrators that their security is weak and offer to strengthen it for a fee. One of the biggest recent trials of black hatters involved four Russian hackers who cracked into many major companies such as 7-Eleven, JCPenney, and various banks. They stole over 160 million credit card numbers. At a trial in New Jersey, one man was sentenced to 20 years in prison. An example of a white hat hacker is James Forshaw who went after a posted bounty and found security holes in the Windows 8.1 update. Microsoft paid him $100,000 which was the most Microsoft ever paid someone to find bugs. An example of a grey hat hacker incident was in June 2010, when computer experts known as Goatse Security exposed a flaw in AT&T security which allowed the email addresses of iPad users to be revealed. The group told AT&T but the FBI still investigated them. Sometimes hacking is part of international conflict. For example the Chinese government hacked the United States government to get information that could be used to disrupt the operation of critical infrastructure in the country. This included power plants, chemical factories, and air-traffic control systems. A more recent case occurred where five Chinese officers hacked into major companies for trade secrets. These secrets can lead to China gaining access to America’s plan to make money and giving them a business advantage. The future of hacking is even scarier. Experts say that in the future hackers may be able to get into your brain, change your DNA, and control objects in your house. Now that you know the seriousness of hacking you may be saying… BUT EDDIE, YOU HACK! BUT EDDIE, THEN YOU SHOULD BE IN JAIL! I am a white hat hacker. I don’t use information for maliciousness and I don’t hack into the government or other serious sites. Eddie is a 6th grade boy who goes to Walter Reed Middle School and is a self confessed white hat hacker. He was born in August 9, 2002 in Michigan. Eddie Song likes journalism because he can express his feelings and also have fun while typing/writing his article. The symbol of a good hacker is a white hat.
Andres Mah-Candelaria is nine years old and goes to Eagle Rock Elementary. He likes journalism because he gets to write articles about things.
VOLUME V, ISSUE VI
WHEN WILL FLYING CARS REPLACE REGULAR CARS? By Raeonnya Iverson Flying cars are already a reality, but maybe not the way you imagined. They don’t necessarily have polka dots or sleek propellers, like in Spy Kids or Henry Hugglemonster, and they’re more like small planes that you can drive. If you’re anything like my mom or dad, at a red light you might get frustrated and say, “How long is this going to be? I wish I had a flying car.” Even when they are available, it may be a long time before that simple solution is an option. First, there is extensive testing that needs to be done to make sure the car is safe, otherwise people are going to crash and get hurt. Safety is the most important thing. In the meantime, many cars are being imagined. There is a car made for helping people who have been in accidents. The car, the Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk, is being made to help people in trouble. The car flies to accidents and fires. It will be made to move around buildings and wires. Another company, Terrafugia, has made a flying car that looks like an airplane. Both cars look beautiful. Raeonnya Iverson is 10 years old and is in 4th grade and while she likes technology, right now she is really into “What Does the Fox Say.”
OPINION: CHEATING THE SYSTEM By Ivan Paz Xbox is a console that offers services to people, such as free games, Hulu, Netflix, and other entertainment services. The Xbox was created for entertainment, but many services must be paid for before you can use them by purchasing a membership. Why do we have to buy the membership when we can get these services for free elsewhere? Xbox Live Gold Membership gives access to services, but is it worth the annual membership fee? The Gold Membership offers online gaming access and gives you the privilege of buying entertainment that you may already pay for. With the Gold Membership you have to pay double so you can have access to the apps that are already included with the basic account. Other competi-
tive devices include the same apps, and more, which you can use for free. Should Xbox Live really make us pay for what other devices give for free? People have found ways to get Xbox Live for free by typing in codes found in other countries or embedded in games. While this sometimes breaks their Xbox agreements, people are tired of paying for services. Xbox should listen to the complaints of their customers and change before the customers switch to another console. Microsoft, the company that makes Xbox, is trying to make a profit off of entertainment services and doesn’t offer any benefit to its customers. Ivan Paz is 11 years old and goes to Gabriella Charter School.
VIDEOGAMES: TRAVELING BACK IN TIME By Joon Kim You probably know Minecraft, or you might have played Mario Kart two or ten times. Well, let’s travel back in time and take a look at the classics. You should know, first of all, that you had to play these games in arcades in malls, not consoles at your own home. They were not released in console form until later. If you’ve only played the new ones, then take a look at the old ones. So get ready and pack up, because we are now looking at the earliest video games ever made. Computer Space might be the very first game of all time, but most people think Pong is the first one. You control a spaceship that needs to avoid and destroy flying saucers. The arcade version came out in 1971. There was a debate about whether this game or Pong (which you will learn about later) is the very first game. There isn’t much to say about this, so let’s move on. Pong is a tennis game that was released in Atari version in 1972. It had two lines on each side that used a square as a ball. This was probably the most well known old game. Tetris is a puzzle game released in 1984, which involved using your brain to win. In order to accomplish
the game, you have to get the same colored blocks in a row. Pac-Man is a maze game where you go around eating strange pellets and cherries while avoiding ghosts. The only time when you get to eat them is when you eat the jumbo pellet. This game came out in 1980 and was made by Namco. Donkey Kong is an arcade game where Mario, who used to be named Jumpman, is trying to save Pauline, or by her old name, Lady, from Donkey Kong while jumping over barrels. Mario’s mustache was made because a mouth was too difficult to make. His cap was made because they couldn’t animate hair, and to see Mario’s hands moving, they added a colorful overall. This was on sale in 1981. Now you learned about the past video games, instead of playing your modern consoles, why don’t you go to the arcades to play Pac-Man or Pong? If you always wanted to travel back in time, then this is the way. Come on, do it! Joon Kim is a 4th grade boy. His favorite thing about 826LA is doing comics and weird horoscopes.
GOODTIMES Erbaviva: An Interview with Robin Brown By Ana Sotomayor and Arianna Mah-Candelaria
ingredient, but rather for the highest level of therapeutic properties possible that will nurture the skin, regardless of the cost. We also have long, trusted relationships with small organic farms, producers, and distillers that provide exceptional ingredients.
Erbaviva is an organic skincare company that produces lotions, sunscreens, chapsticks, and more. The founder, Robin Brown, let us conduct an interview via email. We learned that she targets under-developed, poverty stricken communities, and helped establish Kopila Valley Children’s Home and School in Nepal.
GT: Why did you choose the name Erbaviva?
The Good Times: What are your goals for Erbaviva?
GT: Do you test on animals?
Robin Brown: My goal for Erbaviva is to maintain our current vision, values, and philosophy while making quality, beneficial, organic products that are good for the body and for the planet. I see the company growing into a household name with respected ethos and ideals.
RB: No, we have never tested on animals. That would go against our philosophy of honoring all living things.
GT: What made you decide to only have organic products? RB: The company was started 18 years ago, at a time when there were no organic products on the market. In our lives we were supporters of organic food and agriculture, and we became very discerning about what we put in our bodies, on our bodies, and what we were washing into the environment. The skin care options for momsto-be and babies were not only limited, they were also very unhealthy and full of chemicals and toxins. In some baby products numbing agents were being used to cover up harsh ingredients. Our decision to create organic skin care products stemmed from the feeling that there was a need for them. Since newborns and pregnant women are most sensitive to chemicals, we started with the baby and pregnancy line making soaps, body butters, and balms with pure, clean, and organic ingredients. GT: What makes you different from other organic companies? RB: The growth of the organic movement and organic personal care products is an exciting development for our planet. But Erbaviva is one of the pioneers of organic skin care products, so we have never been influenced by market trends. When we became USDA certified organic we did not have to change our practices because we were already using the highest quality organic ingredients possible. Due to this distinct commitment to pure products and sustainable practices, we formulate our own products and manufacture them in our Southern California manufacturing facility, which runs on 100% renewable energy (and soon will run on newly installed solar panels). Inspired by philosophies of aromatherapy, we carefully handle each botanical ingredient using substantial yet balanced percentages of the essential oils and extracts to benefit the mind, body, and spirit. When we source agricultural ingredients we do not look for the lowest cost
BACK IN TIME By Natalie Sanchez Do you ever wonder how technology was invented? If you don’t wonder then the world has no interest in you! Let us go back to the 1800s where it all began. Close your eyes, imagine there is no electricity, no phone whatsoever, no cars, and no T.V. It is a time of peace. But then the steam engines, steam boats, and rocket locomotive come to town. They were like, “There is only room for one of us.” If you are devastated about not having phones, well don’t leave, stay because in the later 1800s they invented the telegram. The telegram sends messages to the person you want to talk to. The other thing is that you should not open your eyes because there will be LIGHT! What this meant was that the light bulb was invented. OK. Open your eyes. Look around get used to the light.
RB: Anna Cirronis, co-founder of Erbaviva, is from Italy, and the name Erbaviva is rooted in Italian. Loosely translated it means “living herbs.” We also felt like the name was elegant and poetic.
GT: Your products offer a lot of relaxation. What drove you to make products that give your buyers a serene state of mind? RB: Erbaviva products are aromatherapy and spainspired to promote holistic well-being for the mind and body. In our modern world, finding ways to reduce stress can be big part of increasing well-being for everyone from irritable babies, to pregnant women, to tired school kids, and working adults, who all need relaxation. We do have a few bath and body items that create a different type of mood, such as the Awaken or Embrace lines, but overall the products that create a sense tranquility and serenity are loved by our customers. GT: What inspired you to create the company? RB: As we shifted to using organic foods and products in our personal lives, we started to educate ourselves on the benefits of organic products and the concerns of conventional products. We were shocked with some of the ingredients that were being used in skin care products. A health study we read revealed the average woman absorbs 2 kg of chemicals into her body from conventional cosmetics every year, many of which are carcinogens which add to the body burden. It seemed that newborns and moms-to-be truly needed products that were healthy instead of unhealthy. We wanted to find a way to push the organic movement forward and increase awareness about the benefits of organics. Our love of the planet and all living things moved us to create Erbaviva and build it from the ground up. GT: When you were 13, what did you want to be when you grew up? RB: When I was 13, I wanted to be an organic farmer. I have always been interested in agriculture and farming and have been against the use of chemicals.
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RB: My father was a landscape architect, so my upbringing lead me to respect nature and embrace the plant kingdom. This connection to nature made a deep impression on me when I decided to leave my career as a cinematographer and build my own business. My parents also emphasized doing my best at all endeavors. I’m a perfectionist at heart and that has made me uncompromising when it comes to developing Erbaviva’s products in a business arena where it was easy to cut corners. It is important to me that our products are the healthiest and purest possible and that our standards never waver. I would say there is a connection to that conviction and my childhood. GT: Why did you pick The Blink Now Foundation over all other organizations? RB: Before I choose a philanthropic organization to support, I ask myself the following three questions: 1) Is this a worthwhile cause? 2) Is what I am supporting aligned with my values? 3) Can I trust that my donation will be used for what it claims to be needed? Blink Now’s mission answers these questions in so many ways. The roots of what has now become a successful foundation started with a 19 year old who gave herself permission to think outside of the box! Finishing high school while most of her friends were packing for college, Maggie Doyne took a sabbatical year to travel the world. It was in Nepal that she developed a personal bond. Her college money savings were used to build the foundation of a children’s home instead. Today it houses hundreds of otherwise homeless children and has extended to a school of 350 students. The birth of a women’s center has been a recent and vital addition. Our company, Erbaviva, cares deeply about the planet, with a focus mainly on women and children. Nepal is also the country of our daughter, who was born in Kathmandu. We met Maggie, several years ago, and have witnessed her remarkable commitment, her tireless passion, and the gratefulness she feels for every small donation. Every dollar goes straight to being used in a beneficial way. For all these reasons, we feel very good about giving to Blink Now and are honored to be part of a global change. Arianna Mah-Candelaria recently turned 13 and is attending Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School. She lives with her mom, dad, sister, brother, and dog Charlie. She wants to grow up to either be a doctor or a singer. She loves to go to 826LA because it helps her writing skills increase immensely and she thinks that it is fun and exciting.
GT: Does anything in your background connect with your products?
Ana Sotomayor is a 14 year old who attends Sal Castro Middle School. She lives with her mother and her younger sibling. She wants to become an author. She likes to go to 826LA because she enjoys meeting new people and getting to do her passion, writing.
Now, this article will present you with Cat. No, not a cat like a pet, but a person named Cat. She is a wonderful person. This reporter interviewed her and asked four questions.
Cat: In 1995 or 1996 you could get online only by your phone line. It was crazy slow. If someone called you, you were kicked off. And the crazy thing is that for six hours a month it was $30 or now $50.
Natalie: What was it like to see the cell phone be invented?
Natalie: What was the craziest time in the world lived in?
Cat: Well it was cool, but the battery was so bad that it would be used in an emergency only. In college the phone became popular because at night the phone calls became free. Natalie: What was it like to have a computer for the first time? Cat: My computer was huge, but with a tiny screen, with no Internet and I taught myself to type for writing stories. Natalie: When was the Internet crisis?
Cat: 1998-2000. That is when the Mac was popular. See the history of your phone is not that bad. All you need is a fun way to look at it. Now you can tell everyone what you learned or you can go on with your day and forget what you read. Pick the first option, because what was the point of you reading this? My name is Natalie Sanchez. I go to Clifford Street Elementary School. I am in the 6th grade and I am 12 years old. I like going to journalism because it is fun and I like meeting new people.
GOODTIMES
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Mars One concept art
DEBATING WHETHER LIFE EXISTS ON MARS By Ryuichiro Nonomura Scientists are not sure if there was or is life on Mars, but there could be life on Mars in 2024 because Mars One says that they will send astronauts there. “Scientists do not have conclusive evidence that there is life on Mars at the present time,” says Dr. Andrew C. Schuerger, a professor in the Space Life Sciences Lab at the University of Florida. “Searching for Mars life is a key goal of NASA’s and the European Space Agency (ESA) exploration programs, but so far, scientists have come up empty handed.” Some think that there was salt water but no clean water on Mars. But no one is sure. I think we need clean water for humans to survive. I also think salt water is good because we can get fish and other smaller things that live in salt water. But even with water on Mars, it is hard for anything to survive.
equipment,” Schuerger says. “But the surface of Mars is VERY harsh to Earth life, and most bacteria or fungi will be killed off within a few days on Mars.” One reason scientists think Mars might not have life is that Mars can freeze, burn, and has 100 times less oxygen than Earth. This is important because things that freeze or burn or can’t breathe won’t survive long. But at Mars One, they have a different idea. Mars One is going to send people to Mars. In 2018, they are going to put food and other things needed to survive on Mars. In 2024 they are going to blast off and go to Mars, but they are also taking people. Mars One says that the people who go are never coming back to Earth. I think it is unfair that the people who go to Mars are never going to come back because they have family members on Earth and they also cannot do things like having a birthday party or watch T.V. I also think it is a bad idea because some say that life can’t last on Mars. I think it is sad that if there was any life on Mars that they might die immediately.
Hi my name is Ryuichiro and I am nine years old. I live in Los Angeles and I am a Young Author Award-winning writer at 826LA. I like to eat everything, especially Japanese food, and I like to draw. I like space and I draw space art. Additional research for this article came from CNN.com (“NASA: Yes, Mars could have hosted life” March, 2013), UCLANewsroom.com (“Top scientists debate whether life could survive on Mars,” February 2013), Mars-One.com, and, for better or worse, Wikipedia.
Quiz Question: What do scientists call a “Mars day?” A single day on Mars is called a “sol.” Why? Because the day on Mars is slightly longer than a day on Earth, so scientists wanted to have a different name to keep a Mars day and an Earth day clearly identified.
“If humans go to Mars, they will bring some of the microorganisms from Earth along on spacecraft surfaces and
COMMON CORE FIELD TEST By Christina Lee The new CST (California State Standard Test) is being cut off into a Common Core Field Test. In April LAUSD students will take a new online assessment. It will start somewhere between March 24 and June 6. The Common Core Field Test is now used with technology. Students did face some glitches such as logging in, clicking on the answer using an iPad, and Internet crashes. Before the test is released to the class, the class will take a practice test. The test will be on math and english. If the questions are mostly wrong the test will get easier, but if the questions are mostly right then the test will get harder. Grades third to eleventh will take the test. iPads and computers will be used to answer the questions. States like California, Connecticut, Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota decided to involve all or at least most of their students. The states that pledged loyalty to the new program need to see that they can rely on the test. The Federal Department of Education said that the Common Core Field Test will give California a waiver from federal law. Christina Lee is 10 years old and goes to Eagle Rock Elementary. She likes journalism because she is away from her family.
THE CURRENT POSITION OF TELEPORTATION By Ana Sotomayor Have you ever wondered about the strange phenomenon called teleportation? Teleportation is the act of instantly moving from one place to another in the blink of an eye. Teleportation has been either a superpower (X-Man Nightcrawler’s ability) or part of a technological scheme (like in The Fly, where a man decides to teleport himself, unaware that a fly is in the teleporter with him, and he transforms into a half-man half-fly creature). In the real world, teleportation is a really (emphasis on really) difficult task but it’s not impossible (it’s actually happening!), although it requires tons of money and a bunch of geniuses. According to Lloyd Armstrong Jr., Professor of Education and Physics at the University of Southern California, “However, the current experiments are not terribly expensive to do on the scale of modern scientific experiments.” So teleportation in this modern world with growing technology isn’t completely out of reach. According to Paolo Zanardi, professor of Quantum Physics at USC, a realistic teleportation theory was introduced in 1992, and they finally were able to accomplish it in 1997 in Rome. In the modern world, single photons (they’re particles that transmit light) are teleported several kilometers away. It could be built with the technology of
photonics, lasers, and optical fibers. According to Zanardi, during real-world teleportation, “Quantum physics tells us that the original copy is unavoidably destroyed in the process: you don’t want to be teleported!!! Neither does your kitten.” So, unfortunately, you can’t teleport matter or humans. Well, without killing them and cutting them up into tiny little pieces so the transportation machine can scan their whole body. I hope that in this world, in the future, teleportation would be able to occur so people won’t rush to school late (ahem, me) and life will become easier. If I were to teleport somewhere I would go to North Korea (because you can actually get out if you had teleportation) and I’d also go to Peru to visit my family. With teleportation, people will be able to go anywhere with no hassle and there’ll be no impossibilities when it comes to geography. But the year still being 2014, we still unfortunately have to conform to basic reality that we, humans, can’t teleport. So that means I’m still going to be late for school. Sad face. Ana Sotomayor, 14, attends Sal Castro Middle School. She lives with her mother, her younger sister, and her beta fish, Blake. She’s Peruvian and enjoys writing fiction. She wants to become an author and buy a ton of cats to grow old with.
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VOLUME V, ISSUE VI
3D PRINTING By Kaylin Lopez Have people heard about the latest in printing? There is a cool new printer that can print in 3D! Many of the uses are for good, but people have realized they can make things like guns or other weapons. Some good things include replacement body parts. Some smart people created things they wouldn’t want to buy, like a television or phone. The 3D printer has been around since the 1980s. Chuck Hull created the first 3D printing machine in 1984. The 3D printer can print arms and legs for people who have lost them. The biggest problem is if the artificial limb doesn’t fit it can cause aches and blisters. It was later discovered that Bridge Nylon was a better material to use. The 3D printer has a 3D scanner. This scanner scans both the working and not working body; this helps so that the artificial one will be symmetrical. The artificial limb is able to be characterized and personalized so that it looks more realistic and identical to the real one. Things like tattoos can be added to the artificial limb and make it look like it’s part of the body. Artificial limbs can also be personalized by the look and comfortableness. Some people use the 3D printer to make artificial limbs for the army or just people who might have lost a leg or an arm. There was an article where a young African american boy lost a hand when some bombs were thrown by his village. There was video showing when he got his prosthetic arm. He was very happy when he could feed himself again. Kaylin is a 7th grade student at Bancroft Middle School. She enjoys journalism because she is getting writing practice. Her personal opinion is she has become better at writing articles, compared to when she first started journalism. She enjoys working with great tutors.
GOOGLE SELF DRIVING CAR!!!!!! By Monica Lee Tired of driving with your hands and feet? Tired of forgetting which way you were going? Tired of wanting to call or text on your phone while driving? Tired of waiting for Google’s self driverless car? Hopefully the new driverless car will be ready by 2017. This new car is going to impact the economy. The company claims that the car reduces traffic accidents by 90%. Besides that, it also saves more energy by 90%. Google is in some “competition” with other car companies. After all, who wouldn’t want to invent a self-driving? How Google allowed the car to self-drive is no secret. According to Erico Guizzo from IEEE SPECTRUM, “The device, a Velodyne 64-beam laser, generates a detailed 3D
THE INCREDIBLE iPhone 6 By Rachael Kim The iPhone 6 is Apple’s newest and highly anticipated iPhone. A website called Cnet reported that Apple hasn’t even confirmed it’s working on a new iPhone. Also, Cnet reported that it is likely that the new iPhone will come out near September or October. In the last three years, Apple introduced their iPhones in the fall so it is likely that the iPhone 6 will come out in the fall. A Good Times reporter sat down for a cup of info with Salvador Rodriguez, a tech reporter at the LA Times. “We don’t know what exactly it’s going to have for sure, but there are a lot of rumors about it. Those rumors say it’s going to have a bigger screen than any iPhone before. [The current iPhone] has a 4 inch screen, the next one’s probably going to have a 4.7 inch screen.”
map of the environment. The car then combines the laser measurement with high-resolution maps of the world, producing different types of data models that allow it to drive itself while avoiding obstacles and representing traffic laws.” As you can see this car allows people to drive wherever their destination is located. This is a very big help. Especially for people with disabilities. Many test drivers have driven 700,000 miles in self-driving mode. So far there have not been any accidents. Besides having a laser on top, it contains other tech gear. Erico Guizzo wrote that, “A vehicle also carries other sensors, which include: four radars, mounted on the front and rear bumpers, that allows the car to ‘see’ far enough to be able to deal with fast traffic on freeways; a camera, positioned near the rearview mirror, that detects traffic lights; and a GPS, inertial measurement unit, and wheel encoder, that determine the vehicle’s location and keeps track of
According to a LA Times article by Rodriguez, the iPhone 6 will have two versions, a 4.7 inch version and a 5.5 inch version. “It’s probably going to be even thinner than the iPhone 5,” he said. “It’ll probably be faster than the last one. Like a more powerful processor. Hopefully it has a better battery. Whenever they come out with a new one a lot of people want to buy it. Sometimes people want to buy it because their phones are getting older. It’s good to upgrade it every once in awhile but this year it’s probably going to be a really big update.” Rachael Kim goes to Third Street Elementary School and will be in 4th grade. She likes journalism because she likes bringing ideas to life.
its movements.” With all these parts in the car, there’s a high chance that this car can be trustworthy enough to drive. Going anywhere you want without lifting a finger is amazing to think about. This new car will influence people’s lives. Now knowing how amazing this car is, you might want to start saving now. No one knows how much the car is really going to be. People are estimating that by 2025 it is going to be about $7,000-$10,000. People would enjoy this car. We won’t have to have a driver’s test and this car is for everyone. This car is going to be very popular. So hurry up and try to save your money up now! Monica Lee is 12 years old. She goes to Eagle Rock Jr./Sr. High. She doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. She likes going to journalism, because she can improve her writing and can meet new friends.
GOODTIMES
VOLUME V, ISSUE VI
HOROSCOPES by Joon Kim
Aries
Leo
Sagittarius
(March 21 to April 20)
(July 23 to August 22)
You will be invited to a party in outer space.
Your least favorite food will taste like ramen.
(November 23 to December 21)
Taurus
Virgo
(April 21 to May 21)
(August 23 to September 23)
You will be betrayed by a person who dressed up as a clown.
You will encounter a swarm of wasps and survive.
Libra
Gemini
(September 24 to October 23)
(May 22 to June 21)
You will have asparagus stew with shrimp.
You will skydive down the Grand Canyon.
Scorpio
Cancer
(October 24 to November 22)
(June 22 to July 22)
You will go to Candyland and get a stomach
All of the vegetables you eat will taste like tofu.
ache from eating too much jelly doughnuts and gummy bears.
You will have a bed made out of bubble wrap.
Capricorn (December 22 to January 20) You will break a strange world record.
Aquarius (January 21 to February 19) You will be a test subject for a pill that will make you a super-bionic superhero.
Pisces (February 20 to March 20) You will enter an abalone-and-oyster-eating contest and win, but end up in the mollusks coma.
ABOUT 826LA AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING
WORKSHOPS
From Monday to Thursday, students rush to 826LA after school for free individual tutoring in all subjects. Once homework is completed, students read books from 826LA’s library and write stories based on a monthly theme. Students submit their writing for inclusion in chapbooks, which 826LA publishes throughout the year. To celebrate students’ hard work, 826LA unveils these chapbooks at book release parties, where students read their work to thunderous applause from their tutors, families, and peers.
826LA’s workshops bring students together with artists, writers, and professionals for creative collaboration. Whether the subject is journalism or preparing for the zombie apocalypse, our workshops foster creativity while strengthening writing skills.
IN-SCHOOL SUPPORT Because not all students can come to us, 826LA brings specially trained volunteer tutors into under-resourced public schools. There volunteers provide oneon-one assistance with writing projects. 826LA works with teachers to craft all projects, which are designed to engage students while targeting curricular issues. This year, 826LA will provide year-round programming at Manual Arts High School in South L.A. through a grant from AmeriCorps VISTA!
FIELD TRIPS Weekday mornings, public school teachers bring their students to 826LA for a morning of collaboration, creativity, and writing. Whether the topic is Storytelling & Bookmaking, Choose Your Own Adventure, or something entirely different, these three-hour field trips are always in high demand. Every student leaves with an individualized publication of the finished story under his or her arm, complete with illustrations and an author photo! 100% of teachers report that their students take a new excitement for writing back to the classroom thanks to 826LA’s field trips.
VOLUNTEER AT 826LA!
The Good Times is written by the students of the 826LA in Echo Park Journalism workshop.
826LA, a non-profit tutoring center for students and budding literary enthusiasts ages 6–18, is looking for adult volunteers in every shape, form and skilled capacity, and for all hours and days of the week.
Write to us at: iwanttohelp@826la.org Check out our website at: www.826la.org
1714 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026