School Edition July 2016 by CP School Edition

004 001

Edition juLY 2016

COVER STORY

Inhumane Humans

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FEATURES

PART 2: we’ve got your back even in the exam hall

how things work

how do pencil erasers work?

Yes, it is okay to make mistakes - all thanks to the pencil eraser. Here, we find out how they work.

KES KAJIAN - SEJARAH Nilometer di mesir

Limpahan air sungai boleh membawa bencana ataupun kemakmuran. Ketahuilah cara masyarakat Mesir Awal meramalkan paras sungai Nil.

Case StudY – Science HENRIETTA LACKS AND THE IMMORTAL HELA CELL LINE

Find out how one woman’s cells outlived her and led to great discoveries that subsequently eradicated polio.

Case Study - Business BLACK HAT MARKETING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Read all about black hat strategies that could get your business one of two things, an unfair edge or a tarnished reputation.

Case Study – English CAN YOU CATCH AN ACCENT?

Find out if you’ll ever catch a British accent or if your only hope is to inherit one, right here.

Case Study – IT

DOES DATA ENCRYPTION BLOCK JUSTICE

All private communication should remain private. Find out if law enforcement agents agree with this, here.

Case Study – Global perspectiveS SUSTAINABLE BIODIVERSITY & VEGANISM

Here, we examine the ethical and environmental implications of veganism. 2

CONTENTS

feature

As D-day approaches, get the inside scoop on what to expect and how to best tackle the dreaded SPM by its horns.

SCHOOL ED

COVER STORY

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND BUT THE CRUELTY STILL CONTINUES

Read all about the lesser known atrocities committed against our furry friends.

SIGHTS & INSIGHTS FROM THE EDITOR

takenote

JULY 2016

FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL

THE TEAM Mac Sivanesan

Publisher

MAC@CMR.MY

Editorial Director

Subashini Nair

Deputy Editor

Geetha Bai

Writers

Eusoff Andrei

SUBA@cMR.my

geetha@cMR.my

eusoff@cMR.my

Nur Amira Nazeha Abd Aziz

MIRA@cMR.my

Christopher Yee Seng Hong

chris@cMR.my

Contributors

Nadhirah Rafidz

General

Editorial

CREATIVE

NEWSDESK@CMR.MY

Art Director

Suzanne Chuah

Senior Graphic Designer

Lam Jian Wei

Junior Graphic Designer

Ahmad Faidhi

Visual & DI

Kamil Haziq

ZANNE@CMR.MY

jw@cMR.my

FAIDHI@CMR.MY

CORPORATE

very day around the world, animals are fighting for their lives. They are enslaved, beaten, caged and chained for the benefit of the humans. These animals are kept in small cages and mutilated so that we can kill and eat them. They are poisoned, blinded and cut up alive in the name of “science”; they are skinned alive so that people can parade around in their coats and god knows what else. It’s heart breaking and infuriating to see how some of these animals suffer at the hands of the human. It’s even more so when we realise that the everyday choices we make—such as what we eat for lunch and the kind of body wash we buy, may be directly supporting some of these abuses. As difficult as it may be we can’t stop these animals from suffering if we look the other way, ignore or pretend it isn’t happening. It is happening and we are part of this vicious cycle! Our animal issue this month is dedicated to our animal friends and we do hope we are able to shed some light in how you can make a difference too. If you’re looking at getting cruelty free products, then flip to page 24. There is a list of products that have not been tested on animals and you can still look beautiful using them. We are also delighted to introduce our first Bahasa Malaysia section and Sejarah case study on page 40 as we make our presence felt at several Government schools in the Klang Valley. Last but not least, we would like to wish all our Muslim friends a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Sub

HAZIQ@CMR.MY

Corporate Communications

Nancy P

Events Managers

Jeyasekhar M

Haziq Hilman

nancy@CMR.MY

jeya@CMR.MY

HILMAN@CMR.MY

Biz Development Manager

Eva Lee

Biz Development Executives

Derrick Wong

eva@CMR.My

Derrick.wong@CMR.My

Jonathan Tan

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SCHOOL ED

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NEWS

JULY 2016

Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) has announced their new Internet Sharing feature for their Digi Postpaid plans which makes it easier to share Internet quota with up to six supplementary lines. Not only is it easy to get started using this feature with any Digi Postpaid plan but it is also easy to use for managing accounts and topping up Internet quota for family members, offering a seamless Internet experience for all. You can also manage your Internet quota between your devices with just a few taps on the MyDigi App.

Despite the heavy downpour preceding it, the spirit of the 15,000 Electric Run participants were not dampened in the slightest way, as they moved for two hours at the Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan to bring hope to the disabled wishing to regain their mobility. Official Freshmoves Partner Rexona set up motion sensors which were placed around the concert area and detected every freshmoves made by participants where the accumulated movements were converted into a cash donation. The proceeds will benefit five disability charities, namely Pusat Harian Kanak-kanak Spastik, Legs for Legless by Rotary Club of Bandar Sunway, Society for the Orthopedically Handicapped (POCAM), Special Children Society of Ampang (SCSOA) and Pertubuhan Amal Sosial Masyarakat Penyayang Malaysia. Performances for the night included Nico & Vinz as well as Rexona Ambassador SonaOne. 6

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An Interior Design student from The One Academy finished on top in a shoe make-over competition at the 7th Malaysia International Shoe Festival (MISF) 2016 held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). With the theme ‘Sole of the Nation: A Colourful World of Shoes’, Tee Khai Ming worked his magic in art through an innovative and vivid design on blank slippers using Siamese fighting fish as his inspiration. This competition has been supported by the Tourism and Culture Ministry for the last 7 years. Tee also emerged victorious in last year’s festival where he finished as the first runner-up as well as received the most liked title thanks to his creativity in producing a short film entitled ‘The Slippers’. He mentioned that The One Academy has helped him learn a lot about design development and concepts that can be applied to art and the experience allowed him to see art in the smallest things.

NEWS

SanDisk has announced its upgraded lineup of Mobile Memory Solutions (MMS) for the Malaysian market at the cosy Yellow Apron in Petaling Jaya. Designed exclusively to meet the evolving storage needs of digital consumers, the unique storage devices have been engineered to offer a seamless user experience while storing or transferring content. SanDisk’s upgraded Mobile Memory Solutions range now comprises of the reinvented SanDisk iXpand™ Flash Drive, 200GB SanDisk Connect™ Wireless Stick, SanDisk Extreme PRO® microSDXCTM UHS-II card, SanDisk Ultra® Dual USB Drive 3.0 128GB, and SanDisk Ultra® USB Type-CTM Flash Drive.

In partnership with the Department of Social Welfare (JKM), Systema launched the “Start Right Brush Right. Healthy Teeth for Life” campaign that correlated with World Oral Health month. The campaign was launched by Deputy Minister of Women, Family & Community Development, Senator Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun. The objective of the campaign was to encourage Malaysians to cultivate better oral care habits so that they’ll be able to maintain good teeth when they reach 80 years old. 8

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With Eid just around the corner, the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC) hosted the â&#x20AC;&#x153;California Raisins Raya Fiestaâ&#x20AC;? at the Berjaya University College of Hospitality with Celebrity Chef Anuar Draman and his delicious array of California Raisins bakery & dessert creations which included steamed cakes, cookies, puffs, and tarts. The event aimed to create awareness on the many ways California Raisin can be used, their nutrition, as well as their versatility in dishes, pastries, and desserts. Tropicana Medical Centre Clinical Dietitian Ms Tan Yen Sing also shared about the health benefits of raisins at the event. She explained that raisins are indeed a healthy snack with natural sugar and is also a suitable sugar replacement for many recipes when cooking and baking.

ARTS & CULTURE

JULY 2016

Musical Mahsuri (and other peculiar tales):

Malay legends in motion

If only history lessons are this captivating. Melt’ On became the venue of the latest local theatre production by Liver & Lung Productions, Musical Mahsuri (and other peculiar tales).

t’s not news that eccentric Malay legends have been told countless times and in various versions but I have not seen one quite like this. I must say, after a few experiences watching theatre of the same genre, I arrived at the venue with no expectation. To my delight, the performance was amazing. The main plot revolved around a young boy struggling to understand and accept anything else other than facts and numbers. After the loss of his mother, his sister took over the role and cared for him in between shifts at a coffee shop. The brother had a panic episode, forcing his sister to find ways to calm him down. A book of Malay legends seemed to do the trick and we were sucked into the past with the Boy (Badrish Bahadur) as the narrator. Although he mumbled some words, Badrish’s portrayal of a dishevelled introvert was engaging. With little faith in made up stories, we saw how he struggled to understand

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the logic and values within each story. The boy’s sister (Badrika Bahadur), her boss (Nabilah Hamid) and colleague (Iz Sulaini), as well as super cranky customer (Phraveen Arikiah), transformed into different roles from four legends; Mahsuri of Langkawi, Bawang Putih, Puteri Lindungan Bulan and Pontianak. I won’t delve into the synopsis since we’re sure you have the gist of what each story is about but I can definitely tell you that the cast did the stories justice. The script was cleverly written based on the actual tales without taking straying too far from the main plots. Each story was different except for one similarity; somebody died. These Malaysian folk tales were cleverly told in the modern light which made many in the audience understand and appreciate these tales better. This musical subtly educates the audiences by touching on relatable issues such as feminism and westernisation in our society. Not only that,

it also reached a certain level of emotional depth that people could connect with. A full musical production in a small space-all I can say is hats off to them. With only five cast members in the play, each one shone through the multi-characters portrayed. Their singing voices were solid and beautiful. Even though everybody did well, my personal favourite would be Phraveen Arikiah. It was a joy watching him slay in each character he played (including Bawang Merah) with such sophistication, humour and a touch of his own personal character injected in the role. The actors who played Bawang Putih and Bawang Merah deserve a special mention for adding humour and a creative twist. One also cannot simply ignore the band behind the great music accompanying the musical. Truly a job well done! Overall, it was a double E; entertaining and educational and we can’t wait to see this production’s growth in the future. SE

Evolution

t r A of

oming back with his fourth solo exhibition named RETROSPEKTIV, Nicholas Choong who goes by the name of Nicky C displayed some of his best work over the past few years at PORT (People of Remarkable Talent) commune in June 2016. Nick C, an award-winning DJ for 17 years had never expected that he will someday make his other talent, painting, into a full-time career. After years of being in the music scene, it is difficult to maintain the life that comes with it and he realised that it wasn’t a conducive and ideal environment for his now 11-year old son. So he started painting and selling them to friends and galleries and discovered that he could make a living out of this. Now, five years down the road, he’s making a name in the industry, thanks to his creativity and raw talent. Growing up, Nicholas credited his talent to an art teacher who taught him to paint when he was 14 years old. Although the art class only lasted a year, he continued learning through reading and observing another artist. The transition from a successful DJ to a fresh young artist must’ve been a leap of faith but Nicholas didn’t find it difficult as he was accustomed to managing his own time. As for his style when creating art, he prefers to experiment with all kinds of mediums from traditional painting to oil painting and acrylic, so that he didn’t limit himself to just one. Talking about the future of the art industry in Malaysia, he thinks that there is no shortage of art infrastructure in the country and it’s slowly advancing. We have

a lot of veteran artists and young upcoming artists in Malaysia. He added that there’s a new movement coming out; The Urban Sketching, where a group of strangers meet up to sketch and have tea, as well as live drawing sessions that’s popular among young artists.

RETROSPEKTIV RETROSPEKTIV

RETROSPEKTIV was an exhibition to display some of his best art from his studio of artwork he’s built over the years. Growing from a simple idea of showing his art pieces in a big venue, an opportunity was presented when PORT commune offered their gallery for the exhibition. The inspiration behind this exhibition was to show the audiences his years of work and how they have grown and progressed over time. RETROSPEKTIV varied from watercolours and prints to acrylic painting; each with a different story behind it. Nicholas wanted his art to be able to speak for themselves and allowed viewers to fabricate their own thoughts and perspective when looking at them.

“I didn’t plan to have a career as a painter, it happened naturally”

What’s What’s next? next?

Nicholas Choong has a lot on his plate. He is currently producing music for 3 music labels that he owns aside from writing short stories and welcoming 2 new interns under his wings. Art-wise, he is planning to at least run an exhibition every year and continue experimenting with his creativity to ensure that he is always learning. Furthermore, he also expressed his interest in collaborating with other local artists in the future. SE

Nicholas Choong

WEIRDWACKYWORLD

www the signs es of the tim

JULY 2016

Stricken by Genius

In modern society, violence is something that is often looked down upon. It is barbaric, causes a lot of unnecessary pain to the receiving party involved, and involves a lot of recuperation after. But that isn’t to say that there hasn’t been anything good to come out of violence. Jason Padgett, a former furniture salesman from Tacoma, Washington, used to have little to no interest in academics. A self-described jock and party animal, he cheated in all his tests, has never cracked open a book, and has barely studied anything beyond pre-algebra back in school. However, after being assaulted brutally by two men outside a karaoke bar in 2002, Padgett has not only recovered, but has gained a miraculous mathematical genius. He now sees the world differently from us – in “discrete picture frames with a line connecting them, but still at real speed”, and with that came an amazing talent to draw using math. Experts call this rare phenomenon ‘Acquired Savant Syndrome’. Though, please refrain from hitting yourself or your friends over the head. Acquired Savant Syndrome is incredibly rare, and all you’ll get out of it is a splitting headache (or even split your head open) and a monumental hospital bill.

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Signs, a restaurant recently opened in Toronto, Canada, is a restaurant like no other. In order to order anything here, you’ll have to sign it with your hands in the American Sign Language (ASL). But not to worry – in order to aid any first timers, the menu has instructions on how to order food using the language, and the waiters there are always more than happy to help. Patrons will not only learn a bit of the silent language, but will have fun doing so. The brainchild of Anjan Manikumar, Signs Restaurant aims to not only provide the deaf community in Canada with a chance to shine, but also aims to promote the study of ASL amongst the hearing community to promote better understanding between everyone.

When we think about the country of Sweden, the first thing that comes to mind is their cheap and stylish furniture as well as their delectable meatballs. However, have you ever wondered what else the Scandinavian country has to offer? Well, just call up a random Swede and ask them! In order to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Sweden being the first country to abolish censorship, the Swedish Tourism Board has set up a phone number, +46 771 793 336, that, when called, will connect to a random citizen in Sweden who has the corresponding app. From there, you can ask them about their country, or maybe even how to make their meatballs. Some have even connected to the Swedish Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven. Granted, you will be charged the international calling fees, but learning the recipe to meatballs might just be worth it, no?

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outof COVER STORY

out of but the cruelty still continues

Every second of every day, an animal is slaughtered so that it can end up on our dinner plates. How would you like to be born into this world with an execution date already planned for you? How would you like to be shoved into overcrowded pens, artificially inseminated and separated from your child just so that the milk you produce can be sucked out by machines? How would you like to endure psychological torture and dismemberment (sometimes while you’re still alive) just so you can end up as a burger?

Most animals raised for slaughter don’t even get to see the light of day or breathe fresh air because they are kept in cramped and disgusting conditions from birth till their scheduled “murder”. Are freedom and the right to live, exclusive to the human race only? Reality is… • Animal food production is one of the world’s leading causes of climate change-even more than the smoke belching transport industry and electricity generators. According to studies, if Americans chose a plant-based diet, the environmental impact would be the same as removing 46 million cars from the road. • 13-20 pounds of grain fed to a cow produces 1 pound of beef. If we stopped consuming beef alone, we would be able to feed 13-20 times as many people as we do today. This shows that by

BY: NADHIRAH RAFIDZ

e know of poaching atrocities across the sea and cry out against pet abuse gone viral but animal abuse is actually closer to home than we think. Ignoring it or not having first-hand experience in it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or that it will go away.

Consuming meat ironically contributes to world hunger

•

consuming less meat, world hunger can be curbed. The fishing industry has wreaked havoc on the world’s marine life till scientists fear the extinction of all commercially

fished species within several decades. To make matters worse, 200 million pounds of “by-catch” is discarded by fishing industries every day.

Heavy fur-lined coats, edgy leather jackets, trendy snake skinned purses-they were all once innocent, breathing beings. Of course that was before we captured them, tortured them mentally and physically then brutally killed them for their hides. Sometimes, the animals are not even put down before their skin is ripped off their backs. Ignorant to the barbarity and cruelty, we purchase and wear these accessories with pride. We all know God didn’t create crocodile skin Birkins along

with mankind so why don’t we take a moment to wonder where all this finery comes from? All in the name of fashion… China is the world’s largest fur exporter and there’s no penalty for animal abuse. The animals are handled roughly causing them to be psychologically traumatised to the point of chewing on their own limbs and throwing themselves against cage bars. Before the skinning commences, animals are yanked from their cages and violently bludgeoned or held by their tails and smacked repeatedly on the ground-they’re usually not killed by the first blow. What is worst is that some animals are still alive when their skin is ripped from their flesh. They writhe from the excruciating pain only to get stomped on the neck by annoyed workers. When the fur is finally peeled off and the flesh-bare animals are thrown dismissively

into a pile of other hairless bodies, you can still see some raggedly breathing and blinking through the blood and agony for another few minutes.

Picture this: you’re stuffed in a cage, wide-eyed and terrified behind bars, the sharp smell of chemicals sting your nose and men in white lab coats shuffle around with instruments of torture in their hands-waiting to play with you. This is a life of an animal used for cosmetic testing. They’re subjected to all sorts of cruelty. Animals have been purposely blinded, made to suffer seizures, had their skulls cut open for electrocution and force fed chemicals that cause all sorts of brain damage. Painful tests… Caustic substances used in cosmetics are placed in the eyes of conscious rabbits to test product safety. This causes excruciating pain for the rabbit and they would often scream in pain and break their necks in attempt to escape their restraints.

It’s hard to imagine zoos and circuses as places of animal cruelty-it seems so contradictive towards its purpose of existence. Our precious memories of these places are filled with happiness, innocence and excitement but little do we know they’re actually a sinister prison for animals. Whales were not born with an inherent habit of waving their fins at us and neither do monkeys ride unicycles in the jungle. We’re so blithely unaware that these animals have endured physical punishment and mental torment their entire lives for our brief amusement of seeing an animal behave like a humans. Malaysian zoo horror • Orangutans are kept in prison-like conditions in the Melaka Zoo. They’re locked up all day in a tiny cage that has hardly enough room to move. Imagine being stuck in a toilet stall

•

all day, every daywouldn’t you go insane? Shirley, a fellow orangutan inhabitant of a Malaysian zoo collects cigarette butts, thrown into her enclosure by patrons, in order to satisfy her smoking vice.

The most sadistic show on Earth Ringling Bros. Circus is anything but wonderful- it’s a mobile torture camp, especially for elephants. Baby elephants are torn from their mothers upon birth and are forced to stand on the hard concrete ground for 23 hours a day with no rest, no respite. Trainers at Ringling rule with an iron fist, or rather bull-hooks and whips. The elephants are brutally beaten for the smallest of mistakes and their cries of pain go unheard. When they’re not being trained and roughly disciplined, they’re chained or piled into boxcars for hours on end as the circus makes its way to the next stop. This is the torturous life of a show elephant. Why are they tormented so? For our brief

moment of amusement under a red and white tent.

Horrified? So was I when I first found out and I was wretched with guilt for unwittingly supporting these barbaric industries. Don’t beat yourself up though, now you know and you can make small changes in your lifestyle that will go a long way for our fellow fauna. Remember, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Go vegetarian or vegan! Let’s say “no” to meat that has been put on our plate at the expense of the suffering of another living being. Let’s say “no” to the mindless and inhumane killing so we can have that black pepper steak. If you’re

sceptical or unsure about going vegetarian or vegan, there are a couple of powerful documentaries (which are now on Netflix) that will show you exactly why this is an ethical cause to commit to. Mock meat and animal products Thank God for mock meat made out of soy protein right? They have a fishcake-like texture and taste great when cooked right. You can find all sorts of mock meat in supermarkets from chicken to beef to prawn. Although it is not the healthiest option as it is processed, mock meat is a painless way for carnivores to take that first step into a vegetarian lifestyle. Meatless Mondays or Pescatarianism If you feel that going vegan or vegetarian is way too

big a leap, then opt for meatless Mondays or a pescatarian diet! Pescatarians do not eat any meat except seafood and this is a great stepping stone if you’re thinking of transitioning into a vegetarian lifestyle. No matter how big or small your effort, it will all add up into something substantial. Cosmetic brands that don’t choose animal testing How do we determine if a company is cruelty free? • The finished products were not tested on animals • The ingredients were not tested on animals • The company does not test on animals when required by

There are plenty of cruelty free options to choose from

Help the animals who have no voice of their own by raising awareness among your friends and family. They probably don’t realise what goes on beyond their dinner plates and leather boots in slaughterhouses and farms. Social media is a powerful tool that can make a huge positive impact when used correctly so, decide to make a change today! Share videos, promote articles, write about it in your blogs or even upload a YouTube video about it. There are so many things you could do and every contribution, no matter how small, can go a long way. You can even look out for cruelty free logos which are the Leaping Bunny, Caring consumer and CCF Rabbit. Check out our Beauty Buzz section of the magazine to see our top seven cruelty free makeup and beauty products available in Malaysia (the full list can be found online).SE

law (i.e. products that enter the Chinese cosmetics market)

Ladies and gentlemen, it is 2016, why are we still stripping the skin off animals for our bags and purses? Why are we skinning minks and rabbits alive for a fur coat? Vegan leathers that are cork or kelp based or made of PVC are now available almost everywhere so why doesn’t the cruelty stop? Faux fur exists and to be honest, it looks just like real fur so why are foxes being hunted for their fur? Let me tell you why, because customers dictate the market and “When the buying stops, the killing can too”. Don’t worry; you’ll still look helluva stylish in those vegan leathers and faux furs!

“With great power comes great responsibility” -Ben parker

BOOK REVIEWS

JULY 2016

Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

If you like the movie, Ocean’s Eleven, this book is perfect for you. In the cutthroat streets of Ketterdam, criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is planning to make it big by taking on a perilous heist with his crew of misfit thieves or die trying. This book is an epic adventure of magic, dark pasts, witty characters, action and subtle romance that should not be missed by anyone.

It’s practically criminal to have not read these books. You must be thinking “Nah, I already know the story” but I assure you, you don’t even know half of it! The movies only give a fraction of the epic experience that is The Harry Potter series and once you finish reading it, you’ll realise how the movie adaptations pale in comparison to the books. Your life will never be the same.

The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride #1) by James Patterson

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

This is a story of six special (and extremely sassy) children, alone and running for their lives. Homeless and desperate, all they have are each other and they will fight tooth and nail to protect one another. You will never be bored reading this book and you’ll find yourself snorting with laughter from the witty dialogue as these children fight for survival. Oh, did I mention that they have wings?

Vampires were so last decade right? Well I bear good news, the Faerie lore has blessed our shores and it ain’t no Tinkerbell. To feed her starving family, Feyre kills a beastlike wolf in the woods. As retribution, she’s held captive in the treacherous and beautiful land of the Fae by Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court. There, an ancient evil dwells and Feyre must find a way to stop it from consuming Tamlin’s world forever.

Advertorial Amie Vantomme

Alex Mills

Leicester offers one of the best places to study School of Art at DMU Leicester Whether you’re a sports fan, a fashion aficionado, an IT geek or someone who loves history, Leicester, one of the oldest cities in England offers a juxtaposition of all things fun, vibrant, cultural and educational

Emma-Jane Rule

true city of champions, Leicester is still buzzing after De Montfort University (DMU) partner club, Leicester City FC won football’s Premier League. As Leicester City’s official higher education partners, DMU students enjoy hundreds of opportunities at the King Power Stadium, ranging from more than 100 work placements with the club, to actually playing on the famous pitch. Steeped in rich history, the city of Leicester is home to Britain‘s most multicultural high street, just a stone‘s throw from the DMU

campus. In addition, the £350 million Leicester Highcross centre has transformed the shopping experience, connecting city centre streets and quirky lanes lined with independent boutiques, big brands and upscale restaurants. Always looking to the future, and strengthened by a proud industrial heritage, Leicester is equalling London in producing the fastest-growing businesses in England. Since last year it has acted as the perfect headquarters base for IT giants, IBM, which has provided DMU students with work placements and keenly snapped up our graduates. Adding to the many reasons to study in Leicester is DMU’s Vijay Patel Building, the stunning new home to visual arts, architecture, design, and fashion and textile courses. Opening this summer, it will provide students with inspiring creative spaces and sector-leading facilities. Students will be able to make use of a cutting-edge Digital Arts floor, an experimental space for new developments in visual culture, along with excellent facilities for traditional objective drawing, making it an unrivalled environment in which students can create and express. The building will also house printmaking, casting and photographic facilities, as well as workshops traditionally associated with the design disciplines such as glass, ceramics and rapid prototyping. In addition, exhibition facilities will inspire students and visitors by displaying both student and external artwork.

For more information about your very own chance to study overseas, meet new people and experience new cultures, head on over to www.mabecs.com right away!

ANIME

JULY 2016

Whenever an anime is mentioned, the limelight is almost always shone upon the humans, what with grand stories of their great powers, struggles and achievements. And often, the animals take a back seat. This time, let us shine some light on some of the famous non-humans of anime, and why we love them so much: be it for the aww factor, comic relief, or simply because of the unbreakable bond they share with their human counterparts. 2. Pikachu (Pokemon) 1. Tony Tony Chopper (One Piece) While looking like a plush toy and a pet, this adorable reindeer is a full-fledged member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Gaining the ability to turn into multiple forms after consuming the Devil Fruit Hito Hito no Mi, Chopper is a capable fighter, and is fiercely loyal to his crew. The chibi reindeer is also an accomplished doctor; and is the one who holds the lives of his crew in his hands.

4. Tetsuya #2 (Kuoroko no Basuke) Taken in by Kuroko, the adorable little Shiba Inu (I think, I’m not exactly sure) almost immediately attached himself to his owner, to the hearts of fans worldwide, and even managed to get Kagami, who is mortally afraid of canines, to accept him. (By pooping in a worn-out shoe that might have harmed him if he continued using them, no less). Despite being just a normal dog (which is actually quite rare in an anime, honestly), #2 is incredibly intelligent, and can tell when the team has made a good shot, often barking excitedly in support. 22

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Honestly, who hasn’t heard of this adorably iconic electric rodent? Ever since its debut in the 1997 anime, Pikachu has invaded popular media in the form of plush toys, figurines, art, and even costumed dancers, and is widely considered the poster boy (or mouse) of the Pokémon franchise. Despite getting off to a rough start due to mistrust and an aversion to Pokéballs, the bond between Ash and Pikachu have grown to be one of the closest in anime history.

5. Totoro (My Neighbour Totoro) Spawning straight from the creative mind of Hayao Miyazaki himself, this mysterious guardian of the forest has become a sort of cultural phenomenon, and is widely considered the mascot of Studio Ghibli. Appearing in a multitude of mashup artworks, references, it is almost impossible to not know of this adorable, umbrella wielding creature. Which is ironic, considering the fact that only a select few can see him in the original movie. Gentle and curious, Totoro quickly makes friends with the two girls he meets, taking them on wondrous adventures, and to see their mother.

3. Akamaru (Naruto) This is one that many fans have literally grown up with. From the days of Naruto to Shippuden, Akamaru has matured from a tiny puppy that can fit in a hoodie to a large dog that can be ridden on. A ninja dog (ninken) from the Inuzuka clan of the Hidden Leaf village, Akamaru may not be a human, but still stands amongst the strongest of ninjas. With the ability to perform super-natural feats such as high speed attacks, transforming into a clone of Kiba and even combining with him to become a fearsome two-headed dog, Akamaru has become an invaluable member of Team Kurenai.

6. Kuro (Ao no Exorcist) A form of demon called Cat Sidhe, Kuro may sound menacing, but is really no more than a normal, playful and energetic cat (if you discount the fact he has horns, two tails, is really old and can grow several times its size). An old god of harvest for silk-farms, Kuro was confronted by exorcist Shiro Fujimoto as he went on a rampage in response to the destruction of his shrine. Through catnip wine and a nice talk, Shiro managed to calm the demon cat down enough to convince it to become his familiar. He currently resides in True Cross Academy as a guardian, and has become the familiar of Shiro’s son, Okumura Rin after the death of Shiro.

BEAUTY BUZZ

JULY 2016

Do you know how many animals are poisoned, burned, and blinded in cruel product tests? A lot! So, if you want to look flawless without putting the lives of these creatures in danger, here is a list of The Leaping Bunny (CCIC) certified cruelty-free brands. 1. Urban Decay Urban Decay is a big supporter in ending animal testing. They take action by ensuring that all their certified suppliers use raw materials that are not tested on animals during manufacturing.

2. The Body Shop Despite being under fire in 2014 for selling products in China that upholds the policy that all products must go through testing (which includes testing on animals), The Body Shop is still certified as a cruelty-free brand by The Leaping Bunny. They claim to carry out audits by themselves every two years to ensure they adhere to the animal-welfare guidelines.

3. 100% Pure A true animal lover, 100% Pure is as pure as you want your cosmetics to be. Awarded with the Courage in Commerce Award by PETA, this philanthropic brand protects and gives back to both humans and animals. Eva Mendes and Taylor Swift are some of the A-list celebrities that support and use this brand.

4. Chirp Cosmetics Company With a unique collection of artisan cosmetics, Chirp Cosmetics Company that is based in Canada provides 100% cruelty-free, high quality artisanal products. Founders, Liisa and Tyler Perin started the company due to their interest in creating cruelty-free makeup in hopes that everyone else can do the same.

5. Cuccio Naturale One of the top nail polish brands, Cuccio Naturale, is also one of the few certified by The Leaping Bunny. These include their personal care products such as body wash and foot care and the ingredients are perfectly natural and proven to be free from animal testing.

6. Marks & Spencer Yes, M&S has a cosmetic line and no animals are harmed during their production. M&S products range from makeup, body wash to fragrance. Just like the clothing lines, M&S beauty collections are also trendy and elegant. The fact that they are cruelty-free only makes it more attractive.

7. Badger Badger is a healthy body care brand that offers the best for your skin. The concept of Badger is to restore balance in your body by providing support for its ability to heal itself. It sounds very natural because it is, and just like the friendly badger as the brand logo, Badger is absolutely cruelty-free.

FEATURE

T PAR 2

We’ve got your back even in the exam hall

JULY 2016

“Okay, so now what?”

rep time is over, D-day is here. What’s the next step? Do you just go into the exam and answer to the best of your abilities? Yes and no. While you do have to answer to the best of your abilities, you also have to tackle the exam in the best way possible−the smartest way possible. Here’s how you do that.

by writing your essays in paragraph form. Each main point along with its elaboration or examples should have its own paragraph−no sharing, no combining (even if the paragraph is only three lines long). It will definitely be easier for your examiner to allocate marks for your answers and who knows, show a bit more leniency because he/she is in a good mood.

Essays in paragraph form

Handwriting matters

Most of us think that the paragraph format only applies to language subjects right? Wrong! You always have to remember that your paper is being marked by a human being who is, unfortunately, susceptible to frustration, boredom and mood swings. Therefore, it’s your duty to ease the examiner’s tedious work as much as possible

Nothing turns off a marker like a messy scrawl across a page−it just burns their eyes. While time is of the essence during your exam, you really can’t sacrifice your handwriting quality. You’ll just put your marker in a foul mood and your paper will probably be relegated to the bottom of the stack. Also, if you make mistakes or want to squeeze in a couple of words at the top of the line, do so as neatly as possible. Don’t cross out your mistakes with a gazillion lines−one is enough, the examiner gets it!

Timing is everything An exam is pretty much a race against time−every second counts. Always have

a plan in mind and give a time frame for each section of the paper−yes it can get that intense. Keep checking the clock to make sure you’re on schedule and if you’re not, you know it’s time to get cracking or risk sending in an incomplete paper. Tip #1: Skip questions you don’t know how to answer and come back to them after answering the rest. This is especially helpful for Math and Additional Math Tip #2: If you really don’t have enough time and you’re definitely going to send in an incomplete paper, focus on all the questions you do know and forget about the ones you don’t. This will hopefully maximise the marks you get.

Strategy 101: Essays (BM and English) Despite having close to three hours to complete Paper 1 which contains two essays, we students never seem to have enough time. Towards the end we are writing a mile a minute and half the time we aren’t even sure if we’re making sense. There are two strategies when facing this time crunch: TIP #1: Divide your time accordingly. Some students even calculate the time frame for each paragraph! Don’t forget to include 5-10 minutes of brainstorming at the start and for checking at the end. TIP #2: Start with the longer essay that has a higher mark allocation. This way you maximise

the marks of the more important essay (which is usually out of 100) because the quality will be better and if your shorter essay (usually out of 30 marks) isn’t as stellar, it’s okay because you won’t lose out on as many marks as you would’ve if you botched up the longer essay. Tip #3: If you’ve memorised fancy idioms and poems to “wow!” your examiners, write them down immediately on the front page of the question paper before starting−this provides easy reference while writing.

Essays for science subjects Do you ever feel rushed and unable to think when doing your science essays because you spent so much time on your subjective questions? If yes, try starting your paper by doing both the essays first. Essays require a lot of careful planning and critical thinking so why not attempt it when your mind is still super sharp? You’ll also feel less rushed and will be able to make a better decision on which essay to attempt. Tip #1: I would advise you to spend around 15-20 minutes maximum on each essay before proceeding to the subjective section. Tip #2: Always add one or two more points than necessary in your essays as backup and include whatever details you can remember− don’t be stingy when it comes to answering your essays. Tip #3: After finishing your two essays and the subjective section, do a really quick check on your answers, then start a third backup essay. This backup essay might just save you as it has for me−numerous times!

Never ever use the erasable ink pen Tonnes of students nowadays use these erasable ink pens−they’re the greatest invention after correction tape! Wrong! They are your doom in disguise and if you use it to answer your exam, don’t be surprised if you come back with a big fat G for “gagal”.

Unbeknownst to most, the special ink used in this pen “disappears” from the paper when exposed to hot conditions (i.e. being left in the car) and when you live in a country like Malaysia, you can pretty much bet that your paper would be exposed to heat. All your writing will fade away like it was never there and the marker will be left puzzling over why a student has handed in an empty paper−but that makes his/her job so much easier because all he/she has to give you is a nice “telur itik” (duck egg). Stay away from these pens like the plague. SE

WIREDUP

JULY 2016

Leagoo Shark 1

With an extremely large, 6300mAH battery packed under its hood, the Leagoo Shark 1 is a smart phone that packs a massive punch. On standby mode the Shark 1 can last up to 770 hours and with general everyday usage, the Shark 1’s battery power can keep it going strong for up to three days. Apart from massive battery size, the Shark 1 is also equipped with a 6” full HD display and a 13 megapixel SONY rear facing camera. For those smartphone geeks who crave massive power, worry not as the Shark 1 comes equipped with a 64-bit 1.3GHz octacore processor and 3 gigabytes of RAM. Price: RM999

SanDisk iXpand 32GB Flash Drive

Offered in sizes ranging from 16 gigabytes to 128 gigabytes, the iXpand Flash Drive is one of the easiest ways Apple device users can expand their storage. The flexible lightning connector works with most Apple devices that are equipped with a lightning connector slot, and the USB 3.0 connector plugs into Macs or computers easily, making file storage quick, clean and simple. The iXpand Flash Drive also includes passwordprotection software to keep your sensitive files secure across your devices. Capacity 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB. Price: from RM179 to RM529

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Asus ROG GX700

Notably marketed as ‘the world’s first liquid-cooled gaming laptop’, the Asus ROG GX700 is a laptop that can rival the computing power of the CIA! Well, not really… but the liquid cooling module that comes with the laptop enables the GX700 to achieve ultra-high processing speeds that definitely thrashes other laptops out there. The GX700 is equipped with a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX980 graphic card with 8 gigabytes of GDDR5 VRAM and 32 gigabytes of RAM to ensure that this laptop performs without a hint of lag. Price: RM18,999

TP-Link Neffos C5

The Neffos C5 represents TP-Linkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first step into the competitive world of smartphones. Packing a 1.3GHz quadcore processor along with 2 gigabytes of RAM, the C5 performs well without a hint of lag or screen stutter. The high resolution 5.0-inch HD IPS display gives its users a more immersive view of images and pictures making it the perfect canvas for showing off the photos taken off its 8MP rear facing camera. Selfie lovers will also appreciate the C5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5MP front camera equipped with a wide angle lens. Price: RM539

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet

Available with an Intel Core m7 vPro processor, the ThinkPad X1 is a mobile tablet which can outperform some high-end laptops. Its Windows 10 operating system enables this tablet to perform with unprecedented speed and fluidity. Plus, its internal battery can keep it going for up to 10 hours, increasing its level of productivity. Price: RM6,699

Acer Aspire E14

With a Turbo Boosted Intel Core i5 Processor, the Aspire E14 laptop is aimed at the younger, college student market. With a 2GB GDDR5 graphic card by NVIDIA, the Aspire E14 is perfectly suited for day-today productivity. Acer has also put in extra effort in making this laptop sleek and sexy, offering various colour options and a stylish textured metallic finish. Powered by Windows 10, its familiar but intuitive operating system delivers an improved user experience. Price: RM2199

MOVIE REVIEW

JULY 2016

The ninth installment of the X-Men franchise is loosely anchored to a plot that is overplayed throughout the years but small elements in the movie became its saviour from the taste of failure.

he idea that humans can possess dominant mutants are repressed by weaker humans and powers and be more than who they he is on a mission to ‘correct’ the Earth by wiping out are has always been intriguing. all humanity with the help of the Four Horsemen and Creators of X-Men have been toying remake the world with survivors from the demolition. with the idea and built a global franchise by Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), one of the most empowering the underdogs and the misfits powerful mutants living at the time became the perfect through eight sequels of kickass movies vessel for Apocalypse’s soul and thus the race to save starring Hollywood’s hottest names. However, him as well as the world from destruction begins. the ninth is a combination of chaos and With the epic 1980s backdrop and an unexplored potential making immortal Egyptian villain, the it hard for me to lump it in “Everything they’ve director deviates the focus to with other successful comic so many other things and built will fall! And and superhero movies we’ve it gets pretty distracting from the ashes of been treated to this year. halfway through the movie. their world, we’ll The whole story is build a better one!” Apocalypse is supposedly developed around the rise the most powerful mutant of the world’s first mutant, Apocalypse (Oscar to ever walk the Earth and it’s barely Isaac) or also known as En Sabah Nur, ‘The translated in the movie. Instead, we morning light’. Apocalypse woke up from are served with a quiet diplomatic a long slumber to the world that he did not villain that somehow I can relate to. envision and it despairs him greatly that all The director tried to recount each 30

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characters’ back story but X-Men is not made up of two people, so everything felt compressed. What is more frustrating, the epic final battle that was built up initially fell flat with a shambolic fighting scene where we saw a pinch of greatness here and there, but it was simply not enough. Seriously, it’s not worth holding your bladder over. Furthermore, the return of Moira Mactaggert (Rose Byrne) seemed undervalued since she only functions as the passenger pigeon and Xavier’s old muse. The debate that X-Men is milking Jennifer Lawrence’s popularity might not be just crazy talk since Mystique/Raven’s appearance has increased considerably in the last two X-Men sequels. She became the emotional glue that unites the original team as well as the fresh faces that regard her as a hero after the incident in the previous movie. Having said that, I wouldn’t dare to categorise this as a bad movie because the whole graphic productions were delivered impeccably and again, some characters rose above expectations to save the day. Quicksilver (Evan Peters) and Magneto (Micheal Fassbender) stole the show. Quicksilver once again became a fan favourite, thanks to his humourous and quirky character whereas Fassbender’s interpretation of a more human Erik (Magneto) deserved a trophy. In addition, I also have to give it to Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-Mcphee) and the newest member of X-Men cast Psylocke (Olivia Munn) for the great portrayal of their respective characters. It also pays to see younger versions of Storm, Cyclops, and Jean Grey before the Wolverine era, which is quite enthralling. Overall, I do not despise the movie but I feel no exhilaration walking out the cinema hall like I usually do after an X-Men movie and that in itself is a testament to how bland the movie was. SE

MOVIES

JULY 2016

PREVIEWS

Ice Age: Collision Course

Our Kind Of Traitor

STARRING: RAY ROMANO, JOHN LEGUIZAMO, DENIS LEARY, QUEEN LATIFAH, JENNIFER LOPEZ, NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON, JESSE TYLER FERGUSON, SIMON PEGG, JESSIE J

STARRING: EWAN MCGREGOR, NAOMIE HARRIS, STELLAN SKARSGÅRD, DAMIAN LEWIS, ALICIA VON RITTBERG, VELIBOR TOPIC

RELEASE: 7th July 2016

Scrat’s journey in pursuit of his acorn leads him off the face of the earth (literally!) and he accidentally sets in motion a series of events which transform and threaten the planet. With danger dawning upon them, Manny, Sid, Diego and the rest of the herd go on a journey to exotic new lands where they encounter colourful new characters.

A British couple on holiday in Marrakech get involved in a Russian oligarch’s plan to defect. As their meeting with the Russian businessman lead them into a tortuous journey through Paris, the Swiss Alps, and London, they soon find themselves between the Russian Mafia and the British Secret Service – neither of whom they can trust.

Ghostbusters

The Man Who Knew Infinity

STARRING: MELISSA MCCARTHY, KRISTEN WIIG, KATE MCKINNON, LESLIE JONES, CHARLES DANCE, MICHAEL KENNETH WILLIAMS, CHRIS HEMSWORTH

STARRING: DEV PATEL, JEREMY IRONS, TOBY JONES, STEPHEN FRY, JEREMY NORTHAM, KEVIN MCNALLY, ENZO CILENTI, DEVIKA BHISE

RELEASE: 14th July 2016

After 30 years, the long-awaited reboot of this franchise is back. Having co-written a book positing that ghosts are real, Erin Gilbert’s position as a lecturer at Columbia University a few years later is short-lived when the book resurfaced. With ghosts invading Manhattan, Gilbert teams up with her co-author Abby Yates as well as nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann and subway worker Patty Tolan to save the world.

Based on the 1991 book of the same name, this movie follows Srinivasa Ramanujan. A poor mathematician from Madras who gains admittance to Cambridge University after World War I. He becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories under the guidance of his professor, G.H. Hardy. All in all, this movie speaks volumes on how immigrants were treated back then, regardless of their actual potential.

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MUSIC

REVIEWS

JULY 2016

7/27 | Fifth Harmony

Dangerous Woman

This American girl group’s second studio album, which features Ty Dolla $ign, Fetty Wap, and Missy Elliott, is upbeat with just the right amount of emotion added in. Overall, this is one of those albums that you probably wouldn’t listen to often but it would put a smile on the edge of your lips when you do. Besides hit single ‘Work From Home’, look out for ‘Write on Me’, ‘I Lied’, ‘Squeeze’, ‘Scared of Happy’, and ‘No Way’.

Grande’s third studio album is, in short, surprisingly good. Focusing on more mature content compared to her previous two albums, the album features collaborations with Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Macy Gray, and Future and is primarily pop and R&B with house and dance-pop influences. Aside from the title track of the album, tracks of note include ‘Be Alright’, ‘Side To Side’, ‘Greedy’, ‘Leave Me Lonely’, and ‘Touch It’.

Last Year Was Complicated [Deluxe Edition]

Wrong Crowd [Deluxe] | Tom Odell

| NICK JONas

The youngest Jonas’ third studio album features Tove Lo, Ty Dolla $ign, Big Sean, and Daniella Mason. Following the release of the album’s lead single, ‘Close’, many of us were ready for this album long before it arrived. Given that he went through a break up after starting work on the album, the raw emotion behind this album is hard to miss. Aside from the hit singles, look out for ‘Champagne Problems’, ‘Good Girls’, ‘The Difference’, ‘Under You’, and ‘Unhinged’.

| Ariana Grande

Wrong Crowd is Odell’s first major release since his debut studio album 3 years ago where hit single ‘Another Love’ shot him to international fame. Upbeat, energetic, and emotional in its own right, the album was co-produced by Odell with Jim Abbiss who has worked with the likes of Kasabian, Adele, and Arctic Monkeys. Aside from the title track, look out for ‘Magnetised’, ‘Constellations’, ‘Still Getting Used to Being On My Own’, ‘Daddy’, and ‘Mystery.

WELLNESS

JULY 2016

Tips and Tricks for Better

hile many may boast over Malaysia’s “summer allday-everyday” kind of weather- making it a perfect tropical getaway for those dying to escape the harsh winter and cold toilet seats, there are a couple of icky setbacks. The heat and high humidity levels leave our skin feeling slicked in oil, sweat (despite turning into a shower shut-in) and ravaged by an invading horde of acne *shudders*. Contrary to popular belief, we do not perspire more due to high humidity levels, but rather our sweat stays on our skin longer because it is unable to evaporate quickly. The humid air also stimulates sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum (which is a complex mix of dead skin and lipids) causing the skin to feel oily and more prone to hostile acne takeovers. Therefore, it is more crucial than ever to take care of our skin (particularly our face which is the most sensitive) in order to look good and feel good. Here are 5 tips, tricks and “do’s and don’ts” for all you girls (and guys) out there who don’t have the time to religiously follow the latest “10 step cleanse” or “Ultimate skincare routine” which involves a laundry list of products in order to keep your face clear, fresh and rejuvenated all day long.

Yay The holy trinity of skincare Sounds ominous doesn’t it? The holy trinity of skincare is the most basic skincare routine which should be incorporated into everybody’s daily regime much like brushing your teeth every night. It is made up of (in this order): Cleansing, toning and moisturising. Cleansing (twice a day) removes the impurities and oil from your face thus unclogging your pores. Your face will be left feeling clean and refreshed. Remember to use warm water and to wipe your face down with a soft towel to avoid irritation! The second step- toning, smoothens, softens and “calms” the skin. Choosing an alcohol free toner eliminates excess oil and should be applied to the “T-zone” which is, in a nutshell, the oiliest part of your face. Moisturising your skin in an effort to degrease it may seem counterintuitive but in actual fact, oil glands are more active during dehydration. Pick a moisturiser that is oil-free and is coupled with sunblock to block out harmful UV rays from causing “the ABC”- Ageing, Burns and Cancer! Also, keep an eagle eye out for non-comedogenic moisturisers which do not clog pores or cause blemishes.

it’s good to pamper your skin with face masks and exfoliation DIY face masks are all the rage now. Step aside Superman because DIY face masks are a girl’s (and the occasional guy’s) new superheroes! You can find a face mask solution for almost any skin related crisis- from pimple scar removal to the extermination of pesky blackheads. They’re super simple, requires only two to four ingredients and are fun to do together with your friends. Face masks containing lemon, egg white, honey and cucumber are popular for excess oil removal. Exfoliation clears away dead skin and should be done at least twice a week to

Nay

water: your best friend Water is essential to keep your skin cells hydrated and acts as a natural cleansing agent by flushing out toxins thus keeping your skin clear as day

dairy products Surprised? Well dairy products stimulate our body to produce more hormones that cause oily skin so limit yout dairy intake

omega-3 fatty foods Food such as salmon, tuna and soya beans are nutritious and anti-inflammatory

added sugar Besides ruining your diet plan, added sugar like high fructose corn syrup causes excess oil production

anti-oxidants Berries, beans, apples and spinach are wonderful anti-oxidants

fatty meat Rich in saturated fat and harmful to our skin

fibre Fibre flushes out toxins so aim to add food like brown bread, oats, corn and citrus fruits into your diet

oily food (duh) It would only be obvious to combat oily skin by avoiding oily food, right… so rid yourself of that deep fryer and goreng pisang!

prevent accumulation of dirt which leads to a surplus of oil excretion.

KEEP YOUR GRUBBY FINGERS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE! Yes, we have all been guilty of having itchy fingers - constantly touching our face or prodding your newest pimple (probably right this instant). STOP IT NOW! Touching your face is one of the easiest ways to transfer germs (after all, your fingers have been in contact with everything from toilet doors to grubby escalator handrails) causing acne to break out with a vengeance.

the inside out rule No, I’m not going to tell you we have a set of multi-coloured minions called Oil, Sweat and Pimple controlling our skin with an extensive console in our brain. Basically, the inside out rule is a derivative of the age-old saying “you are what you eat” whereby we have to understand that whatever food we put into our body will show on our exterior- the skin.

make an active effort to de-stress yourself Stress seems inevitable in today’s day and age regardless of whether you’re a college kid, fresh grad working 9 to 5 or an 80 year old retiree. Even watching a football match with your friends at night can lead to stress when you get worked up over a referee’s bad call. Stress stimulates the production of androgen and cortisol hormones which causes an increase of oil production (not to mention the tendancy to binge on a large

bag of chips or other sinful delights you can get your hands on). Therefore it is important to set aside an hour each day for a mini R&R. Activities like physical exercise, meditation, listening to music and reading are best for shrugging off the weight on our shoulders even if its just for a short period of time. Sleep is especially important at night because your body recovers and revives your skin while you are in la-la land. Aim for a minimum of seven to nine hours of sleep but do not go over 10 hours- thats oversleeping!!

HOW THINGS WORK

JULY 2016

How do

Pencil Erasers work?

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nyone who has never made mistakes, has never learnt anything new,” said Albert Einstein, long before the undo, backspace and delete buttons became our best pals. Probably quite the advocate for the humble pencil eraser himself, Einstein was indeed right. We make mistakes on a daily basis, a wrong letter in a sequence impedes coherence, a wrongly circled answer could cost you your grade and a bad stroke could ruin an entire sketch. Isn’t it a good thing we don’t have to deal with our mistakes forever? So what makes pencil marks erasable? To answer that, we first need to understand how pencils work…

What is in pencil lead? Have you ever wondered if pencil lead is toxic? The

metal, lead is toxic and can cause poisoning. However, what we refer to as pencil lead actually has no lead in it. Pencil cores are made of something called graphite. Graphite is non-toxic and actually is simply carbon. Clay is added to the powdered graphite in different proportions, giving us pencils of varying hardness.

So, what makes pencil marks appear on paper? By now, we would all be fully aware that pencil marks rarely appear on other surfaces, besides paper. So what makes these strokes stick on paper? The answer lies in the nature of paper itself. As cellulose forms the main composition of paper (since paper is made from trees), their structure is fibrous. Graphite molecules are easily etched into these fibres when you slide your pencil on its surface leaving you, pencil marks.

And…so what makes pencil marks disappear from paper? While graphite particles from pencil marks are held by intermolecular forces onto the paper, they are not tightly bonded. The simple act of lifting up these graphite particles would remove them from the paper. The act of rubbing an eraser onto a pencil mark causes friction which heats up the rubber thus increasing its stickiness while softeners added to erasers prevent the paper from tearing. Graphite particles prefer the stickiness of the eraser and willingly leave the paper and voila, it’s like you never made a mistake in the first place!

So, what did people do to erase pencil marks before erasers were invented? Rubber erasers have reportedly been around since 1770. If you’re curious enough to know how pencil marks were removed before that, the answer lies in bread. Yes, you heard right! Bread. Slightly moistened and balled up, these worked well in removing pencil marks. This wasn’t an ideal solution as bread gathered mold, besides being a little more suitable for the palate than for paper. As with most things, the invention of the eraser was accidental. A scientist had actually picked up scraps of what was then known as vegetable gum (now known as rubber) instead of bread only to discover that they did an excellent job in erasing and voila, the concept of the eraser was born! Oh… and that’s how rubber got its name! SE

BERITA

JULAI 2016

Upacara perasmian logo Dengue Patrol 2016 terbaru oleh , Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan, Dato’ P. Kamalanathan di SK Seksyen 7 Shah Alam

Meningkatkan Penyertaan Warga Sekolah Membanteras Gejala Denggi

engue Patrol 2016 merupakan satu program usahasama antara Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kementerian Kesihatan dengan Sanofi Pasteur yang menyeru kepada sekolah rendah dan menengah di seluruh negara untuk memperkasakan pelajar menjadi pemimpin dalam usaha pencegahan denggi, dan telah dilaksanakan dengan jayanya selama tujuh tahun. Kempen tahun ini dilancarkan secara rasminya dengan upacara pembukaan tirai bagi logo terbarunya oleh Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan Yang Berhormat Dato’ P. Kamalanathan di Sekolah Kebangsaan Seksyen 7, Shah Alam, Selangor. Objektif Dengue Patrol 2016 ialah memperkasakan pelajar-pelajar sekolah agar memainkan peranan yang lebih proaktif dalam aktiviti pencegahan denggi serta menjadi agen perubahan yang berkesan kepada masyarakat. Sekolah-sekolah yang mengambil bahagian melaksanakan kempen kesedaran dan pencegahan denggi bersaing untuk menjayakannya secara paling kreatif 38

dan berkesan dalam tiga kategori iaitu penglibatan masyarakat, media sosial dan seni persembahan. Berbekalkan pengetahuan yang diperolehi melalui program ini, mereka boleh menyebarkan pengetahuan dan mengetuai usaha pencegahan denggi di kalangan rakan-rakan serta keluarga mereka. Dengan ini, usaha pencegahan denggi akan lebih menyeluruh dan mencapai tahap yang lebih tinggi.

“Risiko jangkitan denggi adalah tinggi di kalangan para pelajar yang bakal menjadi pemimpin masa depan negara. Oleh itu, pendidikan tentang wabak dan pencegahan denggi harus dilaksanakan semasa di bangku sekolah lagi. Apabila para pelajar diberi pendidikan dan pendedahan awalan, mereka boleh menjadi pengaruh kepada perubahan yang berkesan, walaupun pada usia yang muda,” kata Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan, Yang Berhormat Dato’ P. Kamalanathan, di dalam ucapannya. Sempena pelancaran program Dengue Patrol 2016, pameran dan ceramah tentang wabak denggi turut diadakan bagi meningkatkan lagi kesedaran tentang bahaya denggi. Langkah-langkah pencegahan denggi turut dipraktikkan melalui aktiviti gotong-royong membersih dan menghapuskan tempat pembiakan Aedes melibatkan pelajar-pelajar serta guru Sekolah Kebangsaan Seksyen 7, Shah Alam disertai wakil-wakil Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kementerian Kesihatan.

| SCHOOL ED

Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan, Dato’ P. Kamalanathan berbual dengan pelajar di pameran Denggi di SK Seksyen 7 Shah Alam semasa acara perasmian Dengue Patrol 2016

asterChef Malaysia, Brian Chen atau lebih dikenali dengan gelaran Abang Brian, kepada peminatnya menjalankan program “Eating Smart Assembly” baru-baru ini di Sekolah Kebangsaan Puchong Batu 14 (SK Puchong), Selangor. Program tersebut melibatkan persembahan interaktif tentang pemakanan sihat dan kehidupan cergas bagi membantu pelajar memahami tubuh mereka, serta cara pemakanan dan tabiat baik mempengaruhi kehidupan mereka. “Ia penting bagi kanak-kanak untuk mula mengamalkan tabiat pemakanan yang sihat pada peringkat awal kehidupan mereka kerana apa yang bakal mereka pelajari akan memberikan kesan jangka panjang kepada mereka. Jika mereka menjadikan tabiat buruk satu kebiasaan, lebih sukar bagi mereka berubah kepada amalan sihat nanti. Melalui “Eating Smart Assembly” kita harap dapat memupuk kesejahteraan secara menyeluruh kepada kanak-kanak dengan mendidik mereka tentang kepentingan pemakanan seimbang serta kehidupan cergas,” kata Chen. Program itu juga melibatkan kaji selidik tentang makanan serta pengagihan sarapan berkhasiat kepada pelajar oleh sukarelawan dari Mondelez Malaysia dan MakanLah!, yang bertujuan membantu ibu bapa dan pentadbir sekolah dalam perancangan makanan berkhasiat bagi kanak-kanak di luar waktu pembelajaran. “Saya yakin apabila Mondelez berkongsi rangka kerja “Joy Schools” mereka dengan saya kerana saya dapat melihat manfaat yang dapat diraih oleh pelajar dengan

Membawa Pemakanan Baik dan Kehidupan Cergas Ke luar Bilik Darjah jelas. Pembelajaran seharusnya menjadi pengalaman yang menyeluruh yang bukan sahaja berlangsung di dalam ruang bilik darjah, tetapi juga di luarnya. “Eating Smart Assembly” merupakan contoh baik yang menjelmakan konsep ini, di samping menyediakan persekitaran pembelajaran yang menyeronokan bagi penglibatan

pelajar dalam pelbagai bidang,” kata Pengetua SK Puchong, Cik Noor Zilah binti Mohamad Rejab. Selain gembira bertemu dengan idola kegemaran mereka, pelajar yang melibatkan diri dalam program ini juga berkata bahawa mereka kini lebih memberi perhatian kepada pemakanan.

Sukarelawan dari Mondelez Malaysia dan MakanLah! mengagihkan sarapan berkhasiat kepada pelajar untuk menekankan kepentingan pemakanan sihat

Pelajar seronok mendapat peluang belajar di luar bilik darjah dengan Brian Chen dan sukarelawan dari Mondelez Malaysia tentang pemakanan sihat dan kehidupan cergas

KES KAJIAN SEJARAH

JULAI 2016

NILOMETER

DI MESIR

| SCHOOL ED

ungai merupakan sumber utama bagi manusia awal, yang membolehkan mereka terus hidup, bercucuk tanam, mencari makanan dan sebagainya. Masyarakat awal membina petempatan mereka berhampiran lembah-lembah sungai. Masyarakat Mesir awal yang telah menetap di lembah Sungai Nil sejak 5000 tahun dahulu, berkembang pesat dengan adanya sumber air yang menggalakkan aktiviti pertanian. Kerajaan agraria tersebut membina peralatan sistem kawalan air dan terusan bagi meningkatkan kesuburan tanah. Selain itu, Sungai Nil juga berfungsi sebagai sistem pengangkutan air yang penting. Kemajuan masyarakat awal ini boleh dilihat dalam perkembangan sistem pendidikan mereka yang melahirkan ahli perubatan, serta pakar matematik dan astronomi. Kepakaran mereka dalam bidang metamatik dan astronomi ini membolehkan orang Mesir Awal mencipta alat kawalan banjir Sungai Nil, yang melanda sekali setiap setahun. Pada mulanya, masyarakat Mesir Awal mengalami kerugian besar akibat banjir yang melanda. Mereka kehilangan tempat kediaman, tanaman dan ramai juga yang kehilangan nyawa. Tapi lama-kelamaan, mereka menyedari bahawa banjir melanda pada bulan Jun setiap tahun. Kebolehan mereka menjangka ketibaan musim banjir membenarkan mereka merancang kegiatan tanaman setiap tahun. Mereka memastikan tiada tanaman yang ditanam sewaktu banjir, dan sejurus selepas banjir surut, mereka akan menanam tanaman seperti barli dan bijirin lain di atas tanah yang telah menjadi

subur akibat limpahan air banjir. Tetapi, limpahan air banjir ini tidaklah sekata, dan ketibaan serta parasnya setiap tahun sukar diramal. Ada kalanya paras air sungai meningkat terlalu tinggi sehingga membahayakan penduduk sekitar dan memusnahkan tanaman, dan ada pula masanya air sungai tidak naik langsung lalu menyebabkan tanah menjadi gersang dan tanaman tidak menjadi, lantas menyebabkan penduduk kebuluran. Oleh itu, masyarakat Mesir awal terpaksa mencari jalan bagi membolehkan mereka menjangka keadaan yang bakal menimpa. Kepakaran dan kemahiran orang Mesir awal ternyata, dengan penciptaan sebuah alat khas yang dikenali sebagai Nilometer bagi tujuan tersebut. Nilometer di Cairo merupakan salah satu struktur unggul yang dibina

pada 715 S.M., yang terdiri daripada sebuah telaga penenang yang mengunjur ke bawah sehingga paras sungai Nil. Nilometer sebenarnya ialah sebuah alat pengukuran yang cukup besar bagi memuatkannya dimasuki seseorang yang bertugas sebagai tukang ukur. Struktur ini terletak di dalam ruang tengah yang kosong dengan tanda senggatan besar berukuran unit hasta, dan tanda senggatan yang lebih kecil, kira-kira selebar jari. Tukang ukur itu boleh menuruni tangga di ruang dalam untuk memeriksa paras air sungai lalu menandakannya pada tiang pengukuran. Kepentingan Nilometer kepada masyarakat Mesir Awal ini tidak ternilai. Ia bukan sahaja penting bagi menentukan kejayaan hasil tanaman, tetapi juga digunakan untuk menentukan peratusan cukai yang harus dibayar. Cukai terhadap tanaman hanya dikenakan apabila paras air

meningkat mencapai 16 hasta pada ruang pengukuran. 16 hasta merupakan ukuran yang sesuai bagi memperoleh hasil tanaman yang memberangsangkan. Ukuran 16 hasta ke bawah mungkin menandakan kemarau atau kebuluran bakal melanda. Ukuran 16 ke atas pula menandakan kemungkinan banjir buruk berlaku. Senggatan pada nilometer menandakan peristiwa yang bakal berlaku Nilometer merupakan binaan istimewa yang merupakan tempat penentuan dasar kerajaan dari segi cukai bagi tahun tersebut. Oleh itu, ia juga dijadikan tapak keraian yang mewah, khasnya apabila hasil tahun tersebut diramalkan membawa kekayaan. Jadi, pemerintah Mesir akan turun ke ibu kota dalam perarakan yang berlangsung selama beberapa

hari. Pada upacara penutupan perarakan tersebut yang berlangsung di tapak Nilometer, pemerintah yang ditemani para hakim, akan mengukur paras air dan langsung menentukan cukai yang bakal dikenakan. Mereka juga akan menentukan kadar SENGGATAN PADA NILOMETER YANG MERAMALKAN KEADAAN YANG BAKAL DIHADAPI

Paras air sungai

Bencana

Hasil tanaman memberangsangkan

Keselamatan

Kebahagian

Penderitaan

Kebuluran

pengagihan air pada tahun tersebut. Jika tahun tersebut banjir dijangka akan berlaku, pintu di Magra al Uyoon akan dibuka bagi membenarkan air berlebihan mengalir melalui bandar tersebut. Renungkan dan buat kajian anda sendiri untuk menjawab soalan-soalan berikut: â&#x20AC;˘ Apakah struktur atau binaan lain yang penting dalam tamadun Mesir yang masih wujud pada hari ini? â&#x20AC;˘ Apakah kepentingan sungai yang lain bagi pembentukan tamadun awal? â&#x20AC;˘ Adakah Nilometer masih penting bagi masyarakat sekarang? Buat laporan berdasarkan hasil kajian anda. SE

CASE STUDY SCIENCE

JULY 2016

Henrietta Lacks and the Immortal HeLa Cell Line

| SCHOOL ED

ells generally have a finite

lifespan. Normal, living cells go through a cycle of growth, rest and division. This allows an organism to grow and cell numbers to

31 in 1951,

multiply naturally, allowing a multicellular organism (an

after suffering from cervical cancer leaving behind a husband,

organism with more than one

children and a legacy. Henrietta first sought

cell) to replace other cells that have been

treatment after suffering from

damaged by injury or disease, or have

what she described as a

died. For the purpose of tissue repair and

â&#x20AC;&#x153;knotâ&#x20AC;&#x153; in her abdomen,

regeneration, cell multiplication is vital.

followed by severe

Different cells in different parts of the body

pain. She was

have different life spans. Upon reaching

referred to John

was cancerous. These

the end of their natural life cycle, cells lose

Hopkins Hospital

samples were then given

their ability to multiply and thus have built-

in Baltimore City.

to a physician, George

in mechanisms that cause them to die. This

After a series

is a natural process, and a very important

of hospital

one. This process is regulated by various

admissions,

enzymes that act to cause cell suicide, upon being instructed by DNA. Sometimes however, there are defects in this regulatory system, causing cells to multiply uncontrollably. This can be caused by viruses, or mutations. Cancer is a disease characterised by uncontrolled cell growth which in turn causes tumours to develop. Tumours are made of cell masses, and may continue to grow, altering cell function. Some remain at the location where they first develop, and are less dangerous. Other more malignant tumours are able to spread to other locations, interfering with healthy cells and destroying them. Cancer cells have been known to be immortal, and even outlive their human host. This leads us to the story of a poor tobacco farmer, Henrietta Lacks who was born in 1920, in Virginia, United States of America. She died at the age of

a biopsy was then performed, by removing tissues from her cervix to examine them. Part of the tissue removed was healthy, while the other

Gey without obtaining her permission. These cells were then grown in the laboratory. In those days, cells grown outside the body rarely survived for long. They died soon after being removed. This made it difficult for testing cells in the laboratory as

great advancement

they could not survive long enough to undergo the battery of tests. Dr George

in the field of gene

Gey however managed to grow the

mapping. This gave

cells he obtained from Henrietta Lacks,

great insight into the

and named this cell line, HeLa by

role of genes and how they work.

taking the two initials from her first and last names (He)nrietta (La)cks. He performed this by isolating one single

cells were used in

Having greatly

numerous studies conducted by researchers

contributed in various

cell, providing it with sufficient nutrients and

and doctors. In fact, the immortality of

scientific fields, and the fact that the HeLa

allowing it to undergo multiplication-what

these cells allowed researchers to study

cell lines are still available today in modern

we call cell cloning today. Soon, he grew

and perform various tests leading to

laboratories all around the globe, the

to realise that these cells underwent rapid

amazing revolutions. These cells were even

question of ethics has surfaced. We are

multiplication and did not die, displaying

transported via postal mail and propagated

talking about a cell line that has been used

completely opposing characteristics from

even more scientific research.

in laboratories all over the world for great

Prior to this, poliomyelitis, commonly

other cells.

scientific advancement. As scientists mass

known as polio was known to have existed

produce HeLa cells, and as researchers and

breakthrough for science. The implication

since ancient times, and identified as

scientists develop cures and create vaccines,

of this discovery was multitudinous. Despite

caused by Poliovirus, a type of virus. By

we are looking at huge monetary implications

her death, Henrietta inadvertantly and

1954, Jonas Salk an American physician

as well. Biotechnology companies have made

unknowingly became a huge contributor to

and researcher was studying this disease

millions from these cells, given that the cost

science and remains so to this day. HeLa

and developing a vaccine in hopes of

for a single vial of HeLa cells could go up

eradicating it. Scientists were already mass

to 10,000 dollars (40,000 ringgit)! However,

producing HeLa cells in the laboratory for

Henrietta’s husband and children were not

profit thus enabling these cells to be used

aware that a part of her was still alive and

in evaluating the vaccine developed by

thriving in laboratories all over the world for

Salk, and the day the vaccine was declared

almost 20 years. They were also left in the

safe and successful, Salk was hailed a

dark over how her cells helped cure Polio and

national hero.

other diseases.

In 1951, this was an anomaly and a great

Given their immortality, HeLa cells were

The subject of bioethics comes into play,

studied in various ways, and was even

especially in a case such as this. Scientists

sent into space by Nasa, in the Space

these days are required to adhere to stricter

Programme, preceeding any astronaut! HeLa

guidelines when it comes to extracting

was also important in studying the infection

human tissue and cell samples. They would

mechanism of the human immunodeficiency

need to obtain prior written consent from

virus (HIV), used in the study of tuberculosis,

the patient or his/her family.

and also played a vital role in proving the link between the human papilloma virus

Some points to ponder over and

(HPV) and cancer, earning the discovery

discuss are;

•

a Nobel Prize.

is removed for medical procedures?

contributed in various

•

science and research? •

study or use biological samples from

research including genetics

humans in various fields of study?

and biotechnology. HeLa creating the very first cell hybrid. These fused cells were then studied and allowed

What would the implications be if scientists were denied the right to

viruses to other fields of

cells were fused with mice cells,

Should a patient have a right on deciding how their cells are used, in

fields, from virology, which is the study of

Do you think a patient and his/her family should be informed when any part of them

HeLa cells

•

Should a patient or his/her family have access to part of the profit made from the usage of such cells?

CASE STUDY BUSINESS

M a SO r Bl k CI e ac AL ti k n H M g a ED O t N IA

JULY 2016

| SCHOOL ED

thics in marketing is basically about doing the right thing. It is about responsibility, honesty and fairness in marketing or advertising. While it may be tempting to resort to backhanded marketing techniques to get an unfair edge for your product, unethical or illegal marketing techniques could cost you and your business a lot of money, or even damage your reputation and may ultimately result in customer exodus. Ethics are generally subjective, lacking hard and fast rules to govern it. These days almost all businesses market their products online, on digital platforms such as social media. An online presence is often important in reaching out to consumers and customers, and also helps a business owner gauge the response and reception towards their product or service. It provides you a platform for customer engagement and is a great marketing tool, as it allows you to provide real time updates. A common ethical dilemma, in the social media universe is the act of purchasing likes and followers on various social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Some business owners or even bloggers who run product

endorsements on their sites buy followers and likes on social media. In what seems to be a numbers game, gaining followers translates in to actual profit! So, what drives the idea of buying a following? The quest for more likes and followers seems justifiable. A higher number of followers and likes on social media will get you noticed in an otherwise saturated market. It works for your image, brand or your product, giving it a seemingly large fan base. They give you the much

needed exposure, especially if you’re just starting out. While it is a good way to stand out and get you noticed, these bought followers however, as their moniker “zombie accounts” would suggest, is basically a dud. They are not active accounts, they may look real, but cannot be expected to comment on, share or even like your posts. This does nothing for traffic generation in the long run. Then why the popularity? If celebrities and politicians are doing it, there must be sound backing behind this popular black hat strategy. The bandwagon syndrome comes into play here, real users tend to follow accounts that already have a large existing following, and this can work to your benefit as well. For instance, if you’re running a

flower delivery service, a potential customer may run an online search to gauge the following your service has. In such instances, a higher following definitely puts a good word out for you. This helps you in terms of competition. While your business may just be starting out, your number of followers (real or fake), could attract customers that may have in turn chosen a better known competitor instead. As you get more real followers, traffic to your site improves and so does the activity. Some of these followers translate into actual business and may even turn out to form your core clientele, over time. Buying a following also saves you time and money, resources that would otherwise be spent on rigorous posting, updating and coming up with regular interesting and engaging content. Where there is a demand, there would be a supply! As such, there are sites dedicated to selling followers for this purpose. With numerous sites offering various packages, it is possible to buy 1500 Instagram followers and 500 likes for US$15 (RM60). Some sites even offer smaller packages for as low as US$3 (RM12). These sites operate by maintaining fake or zombie accounts. Upon purchasing, you will receive the number of likes or followers accordingly on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Most of these accounts will seem legit, with real

names and profile pictures. They may also have content posted from their accounts, most of which are usually harvested off the internet. It is pretty tempting to buy all that credibility for your business with just the click of a mouse, given the ease and affordability. While it is perfectly legal, your black hat strategy could be found out! The question you have to ask yourselves, ethical implications aside, can it be detrimental to your image or that of your business in the long run? Social networks are wising up to this practice and purging fake followers. It could also lead you to lose your entire following upon being black listed. Social media users are also better aware these days. They are capable of distinguishing real followers from fake ones. One dead giveaway is the sudden spike in followers or likes. This trend analysis is available on social media sites such as Facebook, in an easily interpretable graphical format. Certain tools such as FakeFollowersCheck is also available online, allowing users to identify Twitter accounts with fake followers. So what happens then, when your cover gets blown and your social

media marketing page is identified as a fake? We’re looking at social implications, rather than legal ones, which would include public humiliation as well loss of reputation and credibility. This could irreversibly damage your reputation and that of your business, leaving you in the mercy of the “share and shame” styled mob justice of social media. This would translate to actual loss of business, and could jeapordise your entire business and its survival, especially if you’re a startup to begin with. Some points to ponder over and discuss are; • As a new business owner, trying to establish your brand or product in the social media universe, what could be the possible ways for you to generate actual followers and likes without resorting to black hat social media marketing strategies? • What are some traditional marketing techniques that you could tweak and customise to be applicable on social media? • As a customer, would your perception towards a business that has been discovered employing black hat strategies in marketing change? If yes, would it be possible for you to overlook or justify this shift in perception? SE

CASE STUDY ENGLISH

JULY 2016

44 52

| SCHOOL SCHOOL ED ED

ave you ever wondered what makes people who speak the same language, English, speak it differently in different parts of the world? Ever tried to sound more sophisticated and sexy by speaking in a British accent, or tried to employ a Texan drawl to sound like your favourite zombie slaying TV character? An accent is basically how you sound when you speak. Your accent is made up of many things, how words are emphasised or stressed, the type of expressions that you use, intonation, rhythm and so on. There are basically two types of accents, one is which the style in which you speak your native language, and then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another type known as a foreign accent, which is the way in which you speak a nonnative language. People with the same native language also do speak differently. This is mainly influenced by their experiences as well as social backgrounds. People who occupy the same localities tend to have similar accents, it usually differs from how others from neighbouring localities speak. This could be due to the influences their native languages have on the way they speak English. Often times,

someone who is learning a new language would use pronunciations from their own language to substitute those of the new one. Accents are however very subjective, a foreign accent is simply a style of speaking in which you can pick out in others, because you do not use it yourself. People normally experience difficulties pronuncing sounds that they were not taught as children. This is usually the case when these particular sounds were absent from the native language(s) they learnt growing up. All humans are able to perceive and produce any sound from any human language, and babies are well capable of learning two very distinctive languages at the same time, allowing them to speak each language flawlessly throughout childhood. However, the lack of use of a particular sound will cause the child to ignore them, and slowly lose their ability to make these sounds, especially after the age of one. As they grow up and pick up other languages, their inability to pronounce certain sounds becomes apparent, and this is sometimes hard to change as they grow. Then what makes British and Americans, who are both native English speakers,

sound so different? Typically, English accents are classified as rhotic, or nonrhotic. This determined the way in which they pronounced words and spoke, particularly in the way they pronounced the letter r. Surprisingly, accents do evolve and change. Before America was declared independent, the British and Americans spoke just the same way as traditionally, the English spoken by both was rhotic English. So now we know that back in the 18th century, they sounded alike, as the accents hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t diverged! This means that the British accent we hear and love today was not in existence then, and only developed in the past two centuries. Nonrhotic speech, although a more recent development, is widely spoken in the Britain we know today. It came about as a means for the people of lower birth rank, who

had amassed wealth during the industrial revolution to distinguish themselves from others of similar rank. They adapted the more sophisticated non-rhotic pronunciation to appear more upper-class, breaking free from their roots. Now that we have a better understanding on accents and how they develop, have you ever caught yourself mimicking an accent when speaking to people, particularly to those with different accents, even one you’re just hearing for the first time? Or have you caught yourselves switching accents based on where you are at a particular time? Are accents contagious and can you catch one or do you simply inherit one? Humans have been discovered to subconsciously mimic accents, albeit badly. So yes, you can catch an accent! This act of accidental mimicry is normal social behaviour, according to psychologists and it’s related to our inherent need for social acceptance and to make friends. If you find

yourself in a foreign country, and need to have a sense of belonging, you’d most likely want to fit it, and this would lead you to speak like the people in your surroundings. This is not done mockingly, but instead complements the psychological theory known as “the chameleon effect“. This idea states that humans tend to imitate or mirror others, much like the chamelon itself-the shapshifter of the animal kingdom. We copy people in many ways, their gestures, the way they sit or stand or place their hands and legs, their voice modulation, intonation and also their accent. We subconsciously do this to appear less threatening and seem more approachable. There is also another important aspect of imitating accents, which stems from the simple basis of humans being creatures that need to be understood. Research has found that it does help the other person understand you, even if you’re not doing a great job at it. We copy accents, even those completely unfamiliar to us, to help others grasp what we’re saying-all in the name of effective communication. SE

JULY 2016

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

| SCHOOL ED

CASE STUDY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

he world recently witnessed the tussle between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and renowned communication giant, Apple. Widely known as the FBIâ&#x2C6;&#x2019;Apple encryption dispute, this case received particular interest and coverage all over the world. It started out simple enough. An iPhone 5C was recovered from one of two shooters responsible for the death of 14 people and the injury of 22 others. In the ensuing shootout with police, both shooters at the scene destroyed their personal phones before succumbing to injuries. A work phone was recovered from the scene, an iPhone 5C, and this had a security featureâ&#x2C6;&#x2019;the device was hardware encrypted. What this means, is the phone contains an encrypted file system that would scramble up both user data and the operating system and then unscramble everything back when the phone is used by a rightful owner. How this is determined is through a security feature. In this case, it was a four-digit passcode which protected the user and the data on the phone by destroying all content stored on the phone, on a maximum of 10 failed password attempts. Now, investigators paid particular attention to this phone, in hopes of gathering more information about the criminals, and also to probe further for links to terror organisations. This new operating system (OS) built by Apple, was significantly advanced in terms of data encryption. This meant that no one, neither the developers

nor law enforcement agencies would be able to retrieve information from a device without obtaining the passcode first. What this translates to, for criminal investigation and enforcement agents is that Apple had shut off access to information on criminal suspects. This meant that the plethora of information that could be gathered, from text messages, photos and other modes

of communication, that could have been used to gather information on criminal links was no longer accessible. This stoked the ire of law enforcement agencies, who argue that stronger encryption would prevent criminal investigation efforts and in turn, threaten national security. The FBI had requested that Apple disable the feature that would lock them out after failing to crack the password after 10 tries or create a software that could overwrite this feature. The FBI has since been successful in unlocking the phone. However various mobile applications have since jumped on the bandwagon of data encryption, WhatsApp being one of the more prominent apps recently. So the question is, why are technology companies big on data encryption? According to the WhatsApp Blog, “The idea behind it is simple: when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to. No one can see inside that message. Not cybercriminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us. Endto-end encryption helps make

communication via WhatsApp private – sort of like face-to-face conversation.” The gist of it is this, technology companies and app developers believe in one fundamental goal, which is to create a new digital era that prioritises cyber security. Tech companies do not discredit the importance of law and security enforcement, and how data encryption may ultimately be in conflict with this. However, their priority remains in keeping communication private and safe. Users also argue that the ones more in need of protection are the phone owners themselves. Encryption is a safe method that prevents thieves from using these phones or accessing private and sensitive information. Reports have shown that

phone theft is rampant, and a lot of the theft results in cybercrime. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook is an advocate of encryption. “Let me be crystal clear: Weakening encryption, or taking it away, harms good people that are using it for the right reasons,” he said at a conference earlier this year. Some points to ponder over and discuss are; • Reports have shown that criminals are hiding behind data protection and encryption, preventing evidence against them to be gathered and subsequently used in courts. What are some ways that developers can use to ensure that criminals don’t get away with it? • Criminal investigators should have access to various sources of personal data when conducting criminal investigations. Are you for or against this statement? Discuss and present your opinions. • Do you think data encryption is important to you, personally? Elaborate on your argument. SE

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JULY 2016

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CASE STUDY GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

egans are a group of people who do not consume, and do not use any animal product or by-product, such as eggs, milk, leather, or even honey. Vegans choose this relatively restrictive diet and lifestyle driven by two main motivations. The first is to promote the ethical treatment of animals as eating their meat or products would encourage the breeding of life stock thus contributing to animal cruelty. Vegans care about the abuse and trauma faced by animals bred for meat and other products and try their best to dissociate themselves from any inhumane practices. The second would be the environmental impacts caused by meat and animal product industries. These industries have been known to destroy natural habitats and even threaten the entire population of certain species. In their aim to be more animal friendly, vegans focus on sustainable alternatives to reduce their impact on the environment. An abundance of vegan options are available in various industries not only in food production but even fashion. One such common alternative-palm oil, has been used in quite a number of vegan products as it is free of any animal by-product. However, despite being free from animal products, farming and agriculture can also lead to the destruction of natural habitats, which does not leave us completely guiltless. In Borneo and Sumatera, rainforests are rapidly felled, giving rise to

acres and acres of palm oil farms. As nearly half of all items commonly found in your home, from soap and shampoo to a pack of roasted peanuts contain ingredients made from palm oil, the demand for this versatile product seems to skyrocket. The demand for palm oil comes from all over the world and from various industries. This has led to the clearing of massive amounts of jungle. This, and the aggressive use of chemical fertilisers to boost production and meet this demand is very destructive to other plant and animal species by causing illness and death. As these chemicals seep into the ground, they pollute groundwater while palm oil effluent seeps into waterways. The list of animal species suffering as a consequence of this is growing, from tigers, orangutan, rhinos and the Bornean sun bear to name a few. Deforestation and loss of habitat leads to the displacement of animals. As land is cleared, usually by slash and burn practices, these animals either choke to death on the smoke, or are burnt to death while only a handful manage to flee. There is more abuse documented as poachers, who once did not have access to the deep regions of the forest have now gained access to the depths of the forest with

the construction of roads as a result of palm oil farming. Not only do these animals face starvation, they are beaten, have their limbs cut off, and are also burned. Some animal babies are captured and sold to pet traders or animal entertainment industries as they fetch a huge price. Others have their body parts harvested and sold as medicine. Orangutans are also increasingly hunted for food in these areas. The palm oil industry has also been reported to have negative impacts on people, with reports of child labour and the exploitation of indigenous land for the financial benefit of large palm oil corporations. Having lost their land, people have turned to the consumption of wildlife species for their own survival and sustainability. Other vegan alternatives also do pose a threat to biodiversity and the environment, such as soy farming, and also the production of vegan

leather. As the number of vegans keeps increasing, so would the demand for nonanimal based products. Therefore, the question to ask is if veganism really is as environmentally sustainable or as ethically viable as it promotes itself to be? Are we all guilty of conserving and protecting the things that are apparent while neglecting to understand the indirect implications of our choices? Some points to ponder over and discuss; • How reliable do you think the information in this article is, based on the information you’ve managed to gather from other sources? • How reasonable are the claims made with regards to the correlation between the practice of veganism and the loss of biodiversity? • How reasonable is the claim of consequences caused by veganism as suggested in this article? Can you spot any exaggeration? • How good are the reasons and evidence given to support the view of the author? • Can you spot any opinions pretending to be facts in this article? • Has this article made you rethink your views on biodiversity and sustainable ecosystems? If so, how? • Has this article made you rethink your views on veganism? Has it changed your mind in any way? If yes, how? And

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if no, why? In your view, does all life matter? Are animals, humans and plants equally important? How do you justify your views? • How does your personal perspective affect your take on this article? What sources support your personal perspective, and what sources are against them? • How does your personal perspective link with different national and global perspectives? (Examine the perspective of palm oil producing nations and their economies, as well as their responsibility towards the environment. Also examine the perspective of the countries that export palm oil products). SE •