Well, that year went fast.
From The Editors
It’s December. We’ve gone through all tweleve months of our oh-so-short calendar, and another one is around the corner. We’ve gone thorough another term, , and all our exams and projects are over as we unwind into the winter break. During at the previous year, The Review has definitely grown; 2015 brought a new era to The Raven Review.We have improved on our quality articles, made new, eye-catching designs, and nearly quadrupled our writing staff, from a petite group of thirteen, to a mass of forty-six. Although it’s the end, it’s also the most wonderful time of the year. Snow Rain is falling, shoppers are scurrying, and carolers are singing; there’s just so much holiday cheer from everyone you see. Here at The Review, we’ve brought some holiday cheer to you. In this issue, you can find holiday-themed reviews, letters to Santa, and holiday wishlists, submitted by our readers. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. Sincerely,
David Yang, Josh Ralla & Yuiki Shirohana Editors in Chief
What’s Inside
Bantam Basketball
Senior Year
Promising starts to the basketball program
A look at the fashion of 2015
09 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 21 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 32
School Closures Senior Year Fashion Show StuCo Report Raven Athletics Weird World News Friday the 13th TV: Supergirl Movie: The Peanuts Movie Anime: Charlotte Book: The Gospel Truth Gaming: Smash Bros. 4 Arrogance Not What He Seemed Ninja Squad Plagarism Policies Irani’s Advice Political Correctness Wang’s Weird Trivia ThoughtBubble Canucks’ Corner Holiday Recipe Holiday Horoscopes There is a Santa Claus Holday To-Do List Letters to Santa Holiday Wishlists Winter Polls
Supergirl It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s.....
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Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus The reply to a little girl’s now famous letter.
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Editors In Chief Josh Ralla Dennise Leung
Managers David Yang Tina Kuan
Editors Alex Choinski David Yang Hanah Dhanani Josh Ralla Judy Huang Robin Li Ryan Chong Tina Kuan Yuiki Shirohana
Journalists
Join Our Team Journalists: You don’t have to be the best at writing to be a journalist! You just need to be curious and energetic. You can start your own column and write about anything you want, from food to sports to entertainment. You can also help out with an existing article, such as MacNeill’s news or reviews.
Editors: These are the guys and gals who should be pretty good at writing, as they check each article for grammar and fluency. This is a pretty relaxed position, so if you just want to join us but aren’t ready to be a full journalist, this is the job for you!
Want to join? Contact us online, talk to one of our members, or listen to the announcements for our next meeting!
Alexandra Bustos Askari Sayed Austin Lee Edmond Wu Erica Caalaman Giovanna Gowmez Irene Wong Josh Ralla Justin Salinas Manolya Sag Marc Chua Matthew Liu May Wang Ralph Li Yuiki Shirohana Yuki Xia
Winter Edition December 2015
School District Contemplating Closures “Residual Capacity equal to five average-sized elementary and two average-sized secondary schools” - District Report
School District 38 Offices on Minoru Blvd.
JOSH RALLA & ALEX CHOINSKI
IMAGE - JOSH RALLA
Journalists
T
here is a good chance schools will close in Richmond in response to declining enrolment and sudden population growths around the city. School district executives are urging school trustees to make a decision regarding the closure of schools “to ensure facilities are used in an effective and fiscally responsible way”. A report by the district reveals that the excess capacity between all the schools is equal to almost five average-sized elementary and two average-sized secondary schools. This makes three-quarters of Richmond schools under-utilised, according to Ministry of Education guidelines. The situation of under-utilising schools is made worse by the fact that the district had a budget shortfall of $2.5 million for the 2014/15 school year, according to a report by the BC Teachers’ Federation. The district had a decrease of $4.7 million in operating grant funding during the 2014/15 year in comparison to the previous school year, and the Funding protection supplement covered only $2.1 million of that decrease. Another report emphasizes that Sea Island Elementary operates at four times the cost of the average Richmond elementary school.
Closing schools isn’t as simple as booting out its students. One factor the district looks at is whether or not the neighbouring schools would
Sea Island Elem. operates at a significantly higher cost than other elementary schools. IMAGE - GOOGLE STREET VIEW
be able to handle the influx of new students from the closed school. They also factor in large expenses, including seismic upgrades. As stated in a progress report of the Ministry of Education’s Seismic Mitigation Program, 23 of the 38 Richmond elementary schools are in need of major seismic upgrades. If trustees do go ahead with closures, they would most likely close a facility that would suffer great damage in an earthquake to save the capital expenditures of upgrading those schools. The report also lists that Hugh Boyd Secondary is a high risk secondary school, while Matthew McNair Secondary and RC Palmer Secondary are at moderate risk of
damage during an earthquake. One possible option (not mentioned or acknowledged by district), a Richmond teacher suggests, is to “close Palmer, and funnel its students into MacNeill and McNair”. RC Palmer is projected to be more than twenty-five percent below capacity in the next three years, and operates at more than twenty-five percent above than the district average. “Palmer has so many empty classrooms during the day,” this teacher tells us. “I teach part-time and still have a classroom to myself.”
schools would be able to offer more classes, clubs, teams and programs to supplement the increased student population. This all comes in the middle of a transition period for the School District. Six-year superintendent of schools Monica Palmer announced her retirement, due for this December. She leaves behind seven school trustees, including four who were elected November 2014, to handle the prospect of school closures.
The closure of schools will also bring an added benefit to the remaining schools: an increase in course selection. At AR MacNeill, a total of 16 courses were collapsed for the 2015/16 school year due to low enrolment. That number would significantly decrease and
Monica Palmer - Six Year SD38 Superintendent IMAGE - SD38
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 > Palmer’s operating costs are 25% higher than the district average. IMAGE - WIKIMEDIA
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9% Decline in FTE Enrolment Since 2010 < CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Over in Vancouver, an audit released by the BC Government reported that the closure of 19 schools would initially save $750 million and provide an additional $72 million in annual savings. The ministry reports that approximately 10 000 seats are left empty in Vancouver Schools. Student enrolment in District 38 has seen a 9 percent decline in the past five years, according to a Ministry of Education report. In the 2010/11 school year, there was a reported enrolment of 23 201 students, which dropped to 21 305 for the 2014/15 school year. The decline in enrolment is expected to continue, as 2 200 grade 12 students graduated this past Elementary School
year, while only 1 400 kindergarten students are anticipated for this year. The district also expects 750 fewer students this year, a loss of $3 million from the Ministry and 20 teaching positions. The only gain in the district is an increase in International Students. Last year, there were 750 international students enrolled, which is expected to increase to 875 students this year, an increase of $250 000 coming into the district. So what would a closure look like? What would become of MacNeill’s now-grade-eights in their 2020 grad year should MacNeill cease to exist? Well to find out, one need not look further than Richmond’s own Steveston-London Secondary School. In 2007, SLSS
SLSS is the result of the merger of Steveston and London Secondary. IMAGE - ANGELA HU
opened its doors for the first time, with all of the previous students from London Secondary, all the students from Steveston Secondary, all the staff members from both previous schools, and all the chaos that comes with introducing 1200 ‘new kids’ to a
Operating Costs greater than 25% above district average
Major Seismic Upgrades Also Needed
Burnett
Cambie
MacNeill
Blundell Gilmore Grauer
Kidd
Secondary School
‘new school’. What the school board eventually decides to do, and which schools they ultimately decide to close has to do with money, or more precisely the lack thereof. Thus people should look not to the school board to express any possible dismay, but to our current provincial government, and perhaps our next provincial election will give the past few years’ battle over our education system a little bit of closure. The school district held five open houses during October to discuss the impending school closures, the results of which have not been released yet. The district is taking feedback and conducting surveys at letstalksd38.ca This article first appeared in the October 2015 Issue of The Raven Review.
Operating Costs greater than 25% above district average
Near City Centre* *
* *
McNair
Lee
Palmer
Maple Lane
McKay
Richmond School District Policy 904 - Retirement of School Facilities reads:
1. A school may be considered for closure when there is sufficient space to accommodate the students in neighbouring schools. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must exist: a) The present and the three-year enrolment projection is 25% or more below capacity; b) 20% or more of the children in a catchment area do not attend the school; c) 20% or more of the children attending the school are from outside the catchment area; d) The operating cost per student is above the district average; e) There is a need for significant capital expenditures to keep the building operational; f) The facilities restrict appropriate educational programming; g) The facilities have inappropriate accommodation for pupils and/or teachers; h) Any schools with a total enrolment lower than 100 full time students.
McNeely Sea Island Tait
Thompson
Woodward
Elementary and Secondary Schools projected to be 25% under capacity in the next 3 years. *Potential school closures near City Centre could be relieved by future residential development. RICHMOND NEWS & MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SEISMIC MITIGATION PROGRAM
School Year
Student Enrolment
2010/11
23 201
2011/12
22 479
2012/13
22 138
2013/14
21 811
2014/15
21 305
Total Decrease (2011-2014)
1 896
Student enrolment has declined by 9% since 2010. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION STUDENT STATISTICS - JANUARY 2015
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December 2015
PHOTOS: Senior Year Fashion Show
LEFT: Jasmine Jawanda & Jenessa Miyazaki | ABOVE: Annie Wang & Cindy Xu
YUIKI SHIROHANA
IMAGES - JOSH RALLA
Journalist
T
hursday, November 26th, was a special day for this year’s grads. Over the duration of a week, the lounge slowly transformed from the plain MacNeill atrium, into a High School Musical-themed stage, and hype began to grow as preparations for the annual grad fashion show got underway. Many students, parents and guests alike attended the stylish night. A multitude of raffle prizes were won, including a two-night stay in Las Vegas which went to the grads’ own Benson Wang. The models were also at their best as they confidently strutted down the runway. Aside from the formal wear and casual wear, there was also a segment about the grads, showcasing them with their siblings and making the audience coo. Allinall, another MacNeill tradition starts and ends without a hitch. Good job!
RIGHT: Don Sanares & Karen Wang BELOW: Vickey Chan, Don Sanares, Matthew Ho, Angelo Isidro, Matthew Lam & Cindy Xu IMAGES - JOSH RALLA & DOMINIC SERIANI
Alison Lau, Vickey Chan, Janis Moy, Jessica Butler, Annie Wang, Cindy Xu and Karen Chan pose for a group photo during the intermission. IMAGE - DOMINIC SERIANI
Winter Edition
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Student Council Report By Josh Ralla
O
ctober was a busy month for MacNeill’s Student Council, as it hosted the annual Haunted House, “Phobias,” and the Halloween Dance, “The Graveyard Gala”. This year welcomed the return of both events after a year MIA, due to the BCTF strike of last year. Both events brought in a combined total of about $800 in revenue and all canned food donations were given to the Richmond Food Bank. The dance was very successful despite low attendance. Internally, Council has begun meeting in four smaller committees under the new executive structure: General Affairs, Public Relations, Treasury & Inventory and Grade Reps. Each committee is assigned its respective chairpersons and may meet separately from the General Council to discuss specific details. This move was brought forth to boost the efficiency of Student Council.
Committees: General Affairs Committee: Manmohan Singh Hunjan (12) & Matthew Cheng (12) Public Relations Committee: Josh Ralla (11) Treasury/Inventory Committee: Wilfred Lai (12) Grade Rep Committee: Serena Yeung (10) In December, Student Council will host the annual Breakfast With Santa on the 18th, the last day before winter break. This event is one of Council’s largest events in attendance numbers and organizers expect a large turnout. Partial proceeds of Breakfast With Santa will go towards supporting the Richmond Food Bank. Council encourages all staff, students, and family to join MacNeill’s tradition of celebrating the festive holidays. Student Council wishes everyone a safe and happy holidays. ADVERTISEMENT
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December 2015
We’re now on Snapchat! Add macneillstuco!
Raven Athletics Sports Report Scores as of Monday, December 14.
D. Salazar (8) takes the ball down court at the Ravens’ Home Opener. IMAGE - JOSH RALLA
JUSTIN SALINAS
Bantam Girls’ Basketball (8)
Bantam Boys’ Basketball (8)
Game
Result
Game
Dec. 2 vs RHS
W 19-13
Dec. 7 @ Burnett
W 39-34
Dec. 7 vs Burnett
W 33-14
Dec. 9 @ RCS
W 30-8
Dec. 9 vs RCS
W 72-21
Dec. 14 @ Cambie
W 50-32
Result
Junior Girls’ Basketball (10)
Juvenille Boys’ Basketball (9)
Game
Result
Game
Dec. 7 @ RHS
W 35-18
Dec. 7 vs Burnett
Result W 57-48
Senior Girls’ Basketball (11/12)
Senior Boys’ Basketbal (11/12)
Game
Game
Result
Dec. 7 vs Burnett
W 63-37
Dec. 14 vs Boyd
W 74-43
Result
Dec. 7 vs Burnett
W 101-60
Journalist
T
he 2015 MacNeill Bantam Basketball Tournaments were in full swing on December 4th and 5th. MacNeill’s Bantam Basketball teams were pushing themselves and trying their best, striving for that coveted first place. In the end, both Raven teams placed second, and we applaud them for their awesome work, both as athletes and as a team! MacNeill hosted RYBL and Steveston-London, along with schools that weren’t in Richmond, like Eric Hamber and Sir Winston Churchill. Coach F. Chiang described the tournament as a “great weekend for both teams”. This was the first time that either the boys or girls teams actually made the championship games in the five years that the school has hosted this tournament. Hudson Swaim and Wesley Hung were named MacNeill Boys MVPs. As for the girls, Amy Leung, Michel Doria and Abigail Sim were honoured with that title. When asked about their opinions of the tournament, Omar Abumalouh and Michel Doria both said they were nervous going into the weekend’s games. Abumalouh said he just needed to “relax to play well and this [went] for everybody. When we played calmly, we played well”. Doria said that she was “really excited because it’s nice having support from the other athletes on the bleachers cheering you on”. If they could describe their games in one word, Doria would say “insightful,” while Abumalouh would have said “teamwork,” crediting teamwork for their success. “Without [the] teamwork we had in this tournament, we would have not come second.” As for Doria and insightfulness: “I got to know what my team was capable of and what we [will be] able to accomplish later on into the season”. Congrats to all you guys, and good luck in the upcoming season. We also applaud all teams for their great effort, even though we know the true winners of this tournament! Go Ravens!
M. Doria (8) with the ball at the Ravens’ Home Opener. IMAGE - JOSH RALLA
Winter Edition
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Weird World News GIOVANNA GOWMEZ Journalist
A man sets fire to a Gas Station because of a Spider
I
f anybody is scared of spiders and has nothing to do this holiday, this is a great time to get over your fear. A man was pumping gas for his car, when all of a sudden a giant spider appeared! It was big, hairy and most of all, terrifying. The man was horrified and went with his first instinct. He saw fire as his only option, flaying the spider. This, of course, caused not only the spider to burn but also the gas station. The employee on call saw the fires and immediately stopped the pump from running. Quickly, she called nine-one-one.
IMAGE - YOUTUBE
Meanwhile, the man with the irrational spider fear was coming back to his senses. Hastily he grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. His car received little damage though the gas pump was destroyed. He left the scene, but came back the next day to apologize.
Pet Matchmaking Service Will Find You Your Perfect Pet
I
t can be so hard to find the perfect pet. Cats and dogs can live for up to fifteen years, so its important to find a pet you’re happy to spend the next decade with. “PawsLikeMe” is an organization that will match your personality with a loving dog! They have you take an online test to get to know your personality a bit more. For example; if you are happy and lazy you will be matched with a list of pets that are also happy and lazy. The test also asks if you prefer large or small dogs. They also consider lifestyle and home environment. There is a 90% accuracy in regards to pet companionship. As well, as a bonus, all the dogs are from shelters! ADVERTISEMENT
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December 2015
IMAGE - NEXTSHARK
The Darkest Friday the 13th Ever
People holding French flag in solidarity following the November 13 attacks.
YUKI SHIROHANA
IMAGE - AP PHOTO/THIBAULT CAMU
Journalist
F
riday the 13th is reknowned as the unluckiest day. This year, on November 13, 2015, it became known as the worst Friday the 13th in history. A series of coordinated attacks were launched in Paris, France on that fateful day. The first incident occurred at 9:50 PM, in which 3 suicide bombers attacked the front of the Stade de France, where a game was going on. Next came a mass shooting
at several cafes and restaurants. A local music venue, the Bataclan theatre, was also struck during a Eagles of Death Metal concert, where 89 out of 1,500 people were murdered. In total, about 130 people were killed and for the first time since WWII, the French government imposed a curfew and lockdown, which remains in effect to this day. Many people were left stranded on the streets with nowhere to go, which
The Bataclan Theatre, closed and surrounded by police after the Paris Attacks. IMAGE - MICHAEL DEBETS/PACIFIC PRESS/LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES
began a trending tag on twitter: #porteouverte where Parisians would tweet their address with the tag, indicating that they had room in their house for the stragglers wandering in the streets. However, while most people and media outlets were focused on the Paris attacks, they were unaware that on the same day, a series of unfortunate events also occurred in different places in the world. In Baghdad, a suicidebomber attacked a military funeral, killing himself and 19 others. Nobody has claimed the responsibility, but authorities believe that it may also be ISIS, since suicide-bombing is one of their tactics. In Beirut, a double-suicide bombing struck during rush hour in a busy Shiite shopping mall, where approximately 43 citizens were killed and at least 200 injured. ISIS has claimed responsibility for these attacks
and has released a warning of many more. Finally, in Japan, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck off-coast to the northwest of the Ryuku Islands. Luckily, there was little-to-no damage and the earthquake was not strong enough to cause tsunamis, in Japan or the North American west coast.
People and soldiers gather in Beirut. IMAGE - REUTERS/ AZIZ TAHER
Winter Edition
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TV Review: Supergirl
IMAGE - CBS
By Irene Wong
E
veryone knows the story of Superman. His home planet Krypton’s sun goes supernova and his parent’s jettison him from the planet in a pod set for Earth, right before his home planet explodes. What most may not know of is his older cousin Kara Zor-El, who was jettisoned right after her baby cousin, meant to look after him on Earth. Due to a series of events, Kara ends up on Earth 24 years after her cousin arrives, despite still being the same age she was when she left Krypton. Now, 12 years after her arrival on Earth, Kara finds herself embracing her superhero side, after an incident with an airplane, all while balancing her job as an assistant to Cat Grant. Supergirl is a fantastic show with a brilliant start, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. The show has a rom-com like feel, with two separate love triangles going on at the same time. Despite this, the focus of the show is Kara and her struggles to be recognized as a legitimate superhero and not simply as Superman’s cousin. As well, the show often talks about the different
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December 2015
expectations between Supergirl and her cousin, ranging from being asked questions about her ideas of starting a family during interviews, and receiving much more criticism from media, because as Cat Grant says “Every woman worth her salt knows that [women] have to work twice as hard as men to be thought of half as good.” However, while the similarity between Superman and Supergirl has its merits, there is a line. With both working in media, both friends with Jimmy Olsen, and sometimes even dealing with the same villains, it feels as if sometimes the writers of the show simply took Superman’s story and changed the man into a girl. Supergirl is a great show with a solid start, but if it wishes to maintain its steady run, it would do well with further defining Supergirl as more of her own person. Positives: Funny, exciting, with a little romance thrown in. Story ties in with the Man of Steel himself. Negatives: Sometimes too tied to Superman. Could do with a bit more independent story line. Rating: 4/5
Movie Review: The Peanuts Movie
By Alexandra Bustos
IMAGE - 20TH CENTURY FOX
S
easonal films come and go, and with them come classic stories that get recycled into bigpicture films. The Peanuts Movie is a subtle film revolving around some of our favourite Peanuts characters, such as Charlie Brown, Sally Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Linus, Lucy, and the rest of the gang. Our lovable protagonist, Charlie Brown, finds himself on a grand adventure for the holidays as a new girl arrives in the neighbourhood. Later on, Charlie Brown must prove himself worthy to the new girl, his friends, and of course, Charlie Brown. The experience throughout the film was enjoyable. The Peanuts Movie had itself coated in clean, subtle humour (perhaps a little too outdated humour), but nonetheless kind-hearted and forgiving. Overall, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d give the Peanuts Movie a whopping 9/10, as someone who enjoys clean humour and the sensation of bubbling kindness with good character development. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d recommend seeing the film with a friend, family member, or someone who really just needs a big cheer up!
IMAGE - 20TH CENTURY FOX
Winter Edition
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Anime Review: Charlotte
IMAGE - ASCII MEDIA WORKS
By Edmond Wu & Yuiki Shirohana Summary: uu Otosaka is your normal, average highschool student, but when he discover that one day he has the superpower to take the mind of a person for 5 seconds, his ideas for life change drastically. Yuu begins using his power to cheat and obtain the highest grades in the school, which eventually leads him to be accepted into a prestigious high school, while also turning him into a narcissist. Until one day, a girl named Nao Tomori, approaches him. She reveals that Yuu, along with many others, also wield strange powers and that her mission is to stop all of them from abusing their powers, as Yuu did. Nao manages to persuade Yuu to transfer to her school, and as they begin to seek out the other power-wielders, a larger enemy lurks. Will Yuu and the others be able to stop them?
Y
Positives: Very interesting concept and a great set of characters to go with it! You will feel mixed emotions throughout the whole adventure with Yuu Otosaka and
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Nao Tomoari. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be disappointed with the content. In fact, you will always be on your toes jumping to see the next episode. The opening is also sung by Lia, who sang the opening for Angel Beats!, making it an anime that is definitely worth checking out! Negatives: The first episode was quite bland with not much action. I had high hopes for this anime, since it was by the Jun Maeda, the creator of Angel Beats! and Clannad, but I felt a bit disappointed by how the story was laid out. The story had so much more potential, but the ending felt quite rushed, since it was all pushed into only one episode when it should have been expanded a lot more. Genre: Comedy-Drama, Supernatural, School, Super Power, Romance, Comedy, Sentimental Episodes: 13 Rating: 4/5
TheRaven Readers Report The Gospel Truth
Title: The Gospel Truth by Caroline Pignat Members Present: May Ng, Manolya Sag, Ayesha Rehan, Ms. Phillips Story: Phoebe, a sixteen-year-old slave girl living on a Virginia tobacco plantation in the 1850s, risks her life to escape along the Underground Railroad, helped by a Canadian ornithologist. Food: Corn bread (slaves’ food); caramel pecan pie (on the picnic and the dr’s visit is traded for pie); lemonade (on the picnic and the ubiquitous drink of the South)
What We Liked: »» Everything! It’s concise, powerful, and full of individual voices. »» The novel in verse style. It read like a regular novel, but it’s just shorter sections »» Characters are dynamic. Phoebe and Shad are especially real, and they change significantly. »» The sadness at the end of the book was very moving, especially Shad’s fate. »» William is a heroic character but he’s also a very real human. (I would date him!) »» I was interested in the universality of the message and the internalizing of oppression »» The imagery of the birds and freedom, and the poetry! »» The whole thing is a story of hope – the ending is unresolved but we have hope that she will find her mother and make her way to freedom in Canada. »» The history really came alive. »» The unresolved ending creates many paths to different possibilities. »» The “reveal” of who Phoebe’s father is – it’s subtle and interesting to follow. »» The secret songs that are a code between slaves »» The vividness of the world that is created.
Not So Much: »» »» »» »» »» »»
The poetry was off-putting at first (but I got used to it) Canada is idealized – we had our racism as well at that time The description of skin-tone and social status was upsetting. Her prospect of being sold as a “fancy girl” was horrifying The unresolved ending Tessa was a horrible person (but we all agreed she had been taught to hate)
What We Found Interesting: »» The plot is similar to Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker »» The slaves communicated through many underground ways – quilts, songs, stories…
Rating: 4.9/5 Ravens One of our top scoring books!
Coming Up Next:
Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies The story: An amateur production of The Tempest provides a colourful backdrop for an hilarious look at unrequited love. Mathematics teacher Hector Mackilwraith, stirred and troubled by Shakespeare’s play, falls in love with the beautiful Griselda Webster. Date: December 15, 2015 Place: Library couches Host: Manolya Sag New Members Always Welcome!
Winter Edition
15
GamingReview: Super Smash Bros 4
IMAGE - NINTENDO
By Austin Lee & Matthew Liu
S
uper Smash Brothers 4 is the most recent game in the Super Smash Bros series. With a much wider roster, updated gaming mechanics, and its ability to birth an enjoyable atmosphere with friends and family, Super Smash Brothers 4 makes its way to Raven Review for the Holidays. Reincarnating classics is always difficult, whether in movies or literature, and recreating the original isn’t always going to be perfect. Throughout the years, the series has had games such as Super Smash Brothers Melee, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl, which was released previously before the 4th rendition. However with faults such as easier gameplay for more casual battles, or messier side-games for prepping, standing at an 8/10, we at the Raven Review find the game very suitable for the holidays.
game. Grabbing a smart bomb, and then a golden hammer, essentially guarantees the death of somebody. However if you’re more ofa skillful type, you will be pleased with the omega version of all the stages; this is essentially the Final Destination map layout with other stage backgrounds. There are a variety of game modes available in smash. Brawl is the standard free-for-all but there is also special brawl with custom settings. The newest installment in Smash features 8-player brawl, which at times can get hectic and confusing, but it’s still a blast. What makes smash even more appealing is that a player can link their 3DS to the WiiU system and use the portable device as a handheld controller. Thanks Nintendo! One thing is for sure about smash; playing it with friends and family will lead to a SMASHING good time.
Gameplay “I fight for my friends!” says Ike, the radiant hero. In Super Smash Brothers 4, you definitely have the option to fight for your friends, or if you want to be the crazy berserker smashing everything on the screen, feel free to go ham in an all-out “brawl”. Sporting a cast of 49 Nintendo favorites, players can utilize all sorts of skills, anywhere from making elaborate combos with characters such as Fox or Lucina, to destroying their opponents by spamming one move continuously. The variety of stages and items allows for different elements to be incorporated into the
Roster Size Super Smash Brothers includes a vast roster. Although a majority of the playable characters are from games featured on Nintendo’s own systems, it is hard not to find a character that you would want to play as. Characters from Pokemon to Ryu from Street Fighter are among the list. As of the publication of this article, this game contains fortytwo characters. This tremendous roster does not come at a sacrifice either. Every character features its very own unique attacks and sounds. Rating: 8/10
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December 2015
Arrogance A Short Story By Yuki Xia
I gently swept my hair back behind my ear with my perfectly-manicured fingers and threw a warm, charming smile at the man sitting across from me at the candlelit table. He was dressed in a fine, pressed suit that must have costed hundreds (but probably barely even make a dent in his bottomless wallet.). His hair was combed back with gel and his crisp white dress shirt was almost wrinkle-free. He carried himself with an air of confidence and power that could only be described as hubris and arrogance. I hated that man. I let out a small sound of laughter at something he said. It sounded fake and forced to me, yet he didn’t seem to notice. He was so caught up in himself, it was disgusting. Yes, December 25th and I was spending it pretending to be buddies with my worst enemy. Merry Christmas to me. My gaze landed briefly on my reflection in the wine glass. My face was embellished in make up, my hazel eyes framed by long, curling lashes, my lips a pretty shade of rose. My artificial-blonde hair was perfectly curled and styled and I was wearing a crystal pendant on a silver chain. I looked like an airhead model. There was no trace of the brunette who was always covered in leaves and dirt because of her love for nature, the girl who hated anything that could be called girly and was always the top of her year. That girl wouldn’t have been caught dead where I was sitting, in a five star restaurant wearing a cocktail dress. I ripped my gaze from the wine glass as I noticed my expression slipping into a frown. The man, thankfully, didn’t notice. I was still furious at myself though. How could I have been so careless? One mistake, no matter how minute, could have ruined all of my hard work. All these days living in a painstakingly and delicate planned-out lie. Every word said, every movement made, calculated and measured, so that no one would suspect that I wasn’t who I said I was. I was so close to my revenge, I could not let anything compromise my plans. Maybe it was the time of the year, with all of those people, warm and happy and surrounded by family. I didn’t even remember the last time I saw mine. The last time I called my mother had ended when I hung up on her. She just hadn’t been able to understand all of the work I put into my revenge. I took a delicate bite of my salad and nodded at something or other, trying to gather my thoughts and refocus on the task at hand. It worked, but only for a while, as I slowly tuned out of the conversation again. I wondered how they were doing. Were my parents hosting another one of their famous Christmas parties where all of our relatives and neighbourhood would drop by? Were they eating puddings and singing carols? How was my brother doing? Does he even remember me, the sister he hadn’t seen since he was five? I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I barely even registered that I had been asked a question until I realized that the man had stopped talking. “Sorry,” I said, giggling a bit and smiling sheepishly “Could you repeat that again, Roger?” Roger smiled at me and took a sip of his wine. “Don’t worry about it. I was just talking about how gorgeous the view is. You know, speaking of that, I once went on a business trip to Provence.” He launched into a detailed account of his trip to the city. The story was entirely pointless and boring, but it kept the man occupied so that I could get my act together. I really didn’t know what was up with me. I never messed up, ever. There just seemed to be something about this one Christmas.
Winter Edition
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At a nearby table, a family of three were enjoying a nice Christmas dinner. The little girl was dressed in a pretty green dress and was chattering excitedly about the many things she wanted for Christmas. It was a common sight, nothing special, and I was about to turn my attention away from them when I heard the little girl say something that made me pause. “-but what I love most is getting to spend Christmas with you!” The words churned in my mind, the gears and cogs turning wildly, fuelled by an odd feeling in my chest. I turned back to Roger with sudden determination and gently cleared my throat. “I’m sorry but I just remembered that I still have an important appointment tonight. I’ll have to excuse myself.” Without waiting for an answer from the slightly confused man, I left the table and left the restaurant. Taking my phone out of my purse, I dialed a number I hadn’t for a long time. It rang once. Twice. “Hello, Mom?”
Not What He Seemed A Short Stoey By Giovanna Gowmez
I hear the clicks from his dirty, dirty boots and I know. I know he’s here. I take a deep breaths in and out. ‘Don’t mess this up now,’ I think. I have waited the whole year for this! Finally, I’m going to see who the man in the red suit really is. He comes once a year on Christmas Eve. The greedy little pig eats all our cookies and milk. Every year, he steals all my cookies and milk. Why does he only eat the Girl Guide cookies? Couldn’t he just take the ones that my wife made? I hate that man. Every year he does something scandalous and it’s always different. Two years ago, he kissed my wife. I asked her about it but she doesn’t even remember! Only my son does. Last year, he kissed me. I only knew about that because I set up cameras, trying to catch that sneaky man. Most disturbingly, the man claimed that the present my wife and I gave to our son was from him! I also saw him in the camera, snooping through my son’s window, checking up on my son if he’s sleeping or not. What a creep! He should not be allowed around children. There! He’s here, right there! I am so close to uncovering this disgusting man. As he scooped up the cookies and stuffs them in his mouth, I grip my flashlight and run out from my hiding place. The light flashes into his eyes. “Freeze!” I yell. Oh my God. I finally know the truth, the identity of this secret man. The man who took my cookies. The man who kissed my wife. The man who was ‘Santa Claus’. It was my neighbour. Bob. ADVERTISEMENT
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December 2015
Ninja Squad By Ralph Li & Askari Sayed
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AR MacNeill Student Council Meetings every monday at lunch in room b222! New Members Always welcome. Seep page 8 for more
Winter Edition
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Our Pitiful Plagiarism Prevention Policy By Alex Choinski
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gasp of relief, the test is only one sided. A student takes out his phone and places it behind his pencil case, just out of sight of the teacher. A password and loading screen later, and he is looking at the answer key, effortlessly writing down the correct letters on his Scantron sheet. He is relieved. He will not be failing anymore. Then, he hears something behind him; he looks up at the teacher’s desk: empty. Turning around, his worst fears are realised. He has been caught. What happened next is a matter of systemic laziness and conservatism. He his stripped of all possible awards and recognition, scholarships and bursaries, with a possible suspension, a fate dreaded by even the most ardent of masochists. All this for what? Seemingly, to serve as an example, a warning to others; Beware, do not cheat or look what will become of you! But will this public display of discipline really stop everyone from cheating in the future? Probably not. In fact, it only hinders the casual cheater, for whom the risk does become too great. This retributive tactic will inevitably punish those who are the most desperate; only those who will still commit the crime, knowing the consequences. These are not the students who need an administrative beating. These are the students who need counselling, whose circumstances are dire enough for them to attempt to cheat. The system of punitive action, appearing more often as the veiled threat it is than the true repercussion it represents, has a more effective alternative. Where the current system sifts through infractions and assigns to each a moral and fair punishment, the other system would disconnect the illegal and immoral, and prevent practically all cheaing. What if the teacher ,in the beginning of this article, had taken it upon himself to collect all of the phones at the beginning of the class? What if he’d taken the time to write a new test, one for each block, each year? This
would be a practical solution, and make cheating almost impossible. Academic misconduct would no longer require a moral ruling, it would be unachievable. Who benefits from this solution? Everyone. Students who would cheat, could not. Teachers who discipline need not. Putting such impossibly strict rules around test writing may seem harsh to the student, but, in reality, it would protect them from the potentially horrific: being caught cheating. While it may seem that students should know better than to cheat; and therefore, deserve consequence, that attitude does not affect anything! Prevent it practically and no longer in our agenda will it state that “students are [merely] expected to adhere to a high level of intellectual integrity,” If measures are in place that make misconduct impossible, we would achieve the ultimate goal of our school’s philosophy, with fewer student casualties. Regardless, something should be changed as the current deterrent is silly. I do not know anyone who takes counsel from their agenda. A high school agenda does not a moral code make.
Irani’s Advice Q: Candy canes or Gingerbread? A: “Candy canes.” Q: Best holiday song? A: “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” Q: Best Holiday Movie? A: “Home Alone.”
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Q: How can I be a better person? A: “Try to be more like me; be more good looking, intelligent and have an amazing down-to- earth personality.” Q: What’s your New Years’ Resolution? A: “Be less good looking to make others feel better about themselves and be more like Mr. Wang.”
The Error in Political Correctness By May Wang
T
he most ridiculous case of common political correctness I’ve seen came from a book that I read in Grade 9, while walking up a flight of stairs in the school. It was a book on essay word usage, and it was a surprise to see that topic mentioned, out of all places. To summarize, political correctness works by taking words from their original, “offensive” usage to neutral, “clean” words. Businessman, serviceman, etc. are changed to businessperson, serviceperson, etc. which are common. But, the weird and the outrageous vocabulary comes from changing words like manhole and civilian casualties into “person-hole” and “collateral damage” to bureaucratize and desensitize people to the flaws of reality. It’s dishonest, and honestly is needed for function and growth. A horrible mark of political correctness is happening now, with the African-American Missouri and Yale student protests with a platform on “Black Lives Matter”. The protestors opposed a white professor’s statement because it offends them, using “safe spaces,” areas of no controversy, threatening to call out the media for their “unsafe” opinions, and bemoaning that the Paris Bombing was sapping support from them. Thsee objections can feel like a cringing parody of every cartoon satire, down to the signs. (Some Safe Space signs were taken from South Park) Even things that we take comfort from aren’t safe.
Comedy, aka The News is being sanitized by major broadcasting channels to the point that saying the word “gay” outside of “Deck the Halls” would get you cut out from the program. The late-night host Jimmy Fallon, while on Saturday Night Live, listened to a joke in the comedy writers’ group, saying he didn’t like it. Famous female comedian Amy Poehler replied to his critique on her joke, “I don’t care if you like it.” Even in school, we are not safe from over-sanitation. Some teachers will not tolerate swearing, even if it’s part of a neutral phrase or expression, part of a song or video, and especially if not used in its proper context. Some will not tolerate any infractions, regardless of circumstances, and treat it as “one crime fits all,” rather than question their approach. Worst of all, some dismiss or judge a student idetified problem, justifying or blaming the student for speaking out. We are past the age of being sheltered. Yes, threats and bigotry are still not an excuse for poor behaviour. Yes, we grew up in age of the Internet and there will always be people badly influenced by that. We need to tear down our walls to see the real danger: ourselves, and the real flaws that we will never varnish over with word. We need to be more open and honest with ourselves, and stop hiding under the shield of popular hypocrisy. That is something that political correctness will never be.
Wang’s Weird Trivia 1. Which of the following is true? a) It is illegal to have clothes lines in your back yard in Kanata, Ontario b) It is illegal to park your own car & block your own driveway in Montreal, Quebec c) It is illegal to paint your house two or more colours in Beaconsfield, Quebec d) It is illegal to climb trees in Oshawa, Ontario e) All of the above are true f) None of the above are true 2. Which of the following is false? a) It is illegal to kill a Sasquatch or Bigfoot if one is ever found in BC b) It is illegal to tie a male horse next to a female horse in Wetaskiwin, Alberta c) It is illegal to water your lawn when it’s raining in Nova Scotia d) It is illegal for clear non-dark pop to contain caffeine in Canada e) All of the above are false f) None of the above are false
3. What are you legally allowed to do on a Sunday in Switzerland? a) Hang your laundry out b) Wash your car c) Mow your lawn d) Flush your toilet
Go to page 25 to check your answers!
Winter Edition
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ThoughtBubble: The Perfect Baby is Not the Answer By Manolya Sag
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he perfect baby. It is something all parents-to-be would hope for, to have their future child be healthy,free of genetic disorders that may make life harder for both parent and child. But the answer does not lie in modifying our own germ-line tissues, not when we as the human race have not accepted that Darwin’s natural selection applies to us, because we are the ‘superior species’. We already corrected many of the little things that would have been wiped clean, but our choice of who we produce our offspring with has created the diversity that makes us human. Given that evolution applies to our species, our time here on Earth should not be spent genetically modifying our offspring into something that doesn’t define the human race and disobeys natural selection. It must be understood that we humans, have taken over planet Earth, and that we are destroying it piece by piece as we try to make ourselves survive long enough to see the universe collapse in on itself. To go to the next step and make ourselves superior to other living organisms, will make things worse not only for the planet, but also for ourselves. As the saying goes, “whatever you do, nature will undo,” and this saying also applies to genetically modifying our eggs and sperm. Nature has already given us the chance to live, and our intellect has given us the chance to live differently from other species. We must accept that ridding ourselves of anomalies may be a nice escape from hardship in life, but it is not in our hands to play ‘God’, or ‘Mother Nature’. Nature has to run its course, and we are in its path just like all other living things. We have to remember that we are just like all other living things, ranging from the simplest of prokaryotes to the most complex organisms here on Earth, and just like all these living organisms our cells can make a mistake during replication. They can make an error in transcription, or simply not express what genes need to be expressed, and that error can give us some of the most unfortunate diseases. We can choose to surround ourselves with radiation that can shatter our genetic makeup in our gonads, creating more anomalies for the next generation. The answer still is not to apply gene therapy to our germline tissues; it must come to our attention that a part of the reason why we have this problem is because we created it. The wonderful creation of smartphones, for example, has helped us tremendously, but they also emit radiation and many of us, like the intellectual beings we are, keep our
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smartphones in our pant pockets, right next to our gonadsit should not be a surprise that there might be a spike in genetic disorders in our next generation. However, there is also the case of a harmful allele that can also be passed into the next generation, but that is something we cannot toy with. It just happens to be a part of what makes us, humans beings. As much as the idea of ridding ourselves some of the most excruciating disorders or diseases is appealing, we still have to remember that little lesson in history: when humans have created something beneficial for us, it has also ended up in ruining either us or Earth. With that little lesson in mind, there will surely be a consequence if we apply the theory of manipulating our germ-line tissues. It must also come to our attention, that if we have the ability to remove a genetic disorder before a child is even born, we will also have the ability to toy with what we want our future child to look like. We will have the ability to shatter our genetic diversity, eliminating the characteristics that make the human race survive. The human race, the ‘superior’ species to all other living organisms, should remember that we are still a part of nature, and that we have to continue obeying natural selection. We must remember that we cannot play ‘God’, because all we will do is harm humanity. We need to accept that we are just like other organisms here on Earth, and just like all organisms, we will make errors in our bodies or pass on those errors. Gene therapy to our gonads does have good intentions, but we as a human race will only abuse the power and lose what defines us as humans - our flaws.
Canucks Corner
By Marc Chua & Kyle Ching
F
ollowing their loss against the Dallas Stars and a disappointing seven-game eastern road trip with a 1-4-2 record, you might be asking: What is happening to the Vancouver Canucks? The beginning of the season looked so promising to the newly reformed team, but the opposite is true right now. What is wrong with the Canucks? What happened to the team that has become a yearly contender for hockey’s greatest prize, The Stanley Cup? Their prospects for the Cup look dim right now, but it’s still early in the season and the team can come back if they can improve on three simple things. First, special teams. Currently, the Canucks are 16th in the league with a 18.4 power play percentage and 19th on the penalty kill, with a percentage of 79.8%. If they want a shot at the Cup, they have to improve these numbers. Vancouver has to use their man advantage well. They have to get pucks to the net and stop over-passing the puck. Reclaiming their 85.7 PK percentage from last season wouldn`t hurt either, and would definitely give them a better shot at the Cup that has been so elusive to the Canucks. Second, the Nucks’ need more players scoring 40+ points. Aside from the Sedin twins and Radim Vrbata, nobody has scored over forty points, and that has to change if they want to haul themselves out of second-last place in the standings. It is risky to rely on the first line too much; if a key player gets injured, it may just cost the Canucks their season. This season marks the first time - in the better half of a decade - the Canucks have had their top draft picks on
The Sedin twins are among the only Canucks with over 40 points. IMAGE - JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES
the roster competing for top-six positions. Bo Horvat, Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann, and Ben Hutton are all promising stars on the rise in Vancouver, and they’ve displayed glimpses of their high-end potential on many occasions this year. Unfortunately, Coach Desjardins of the Canucks continues to shelter them in games, reducing their ice-time. Instead, he chooses to distribute this ice-time to grinders and enforcers on the 3rd and 4th line, who, although undoubtedly play with passion and grit every game, don’t have the offensive toolset to put points on the board consistently. Coach Desjardins has got to be willing to give the rookies a shot. Third, they need to win more overtimes. Out of the eight overtime situations that the Canucks have found themselves in this season, they have only come out on top once. That’s six points they could’ve won. Last year the Canucks were one of the best teams when it came to sudden death 4 on 4, but this year they are not doing so well, partly because of the new 3 on 3 overtime format and the fact that their superstars, the Sedins, don’t have the stamina and pace to keep up with the intense, back-and-forth, style of hockey 3 on 3 demands. Overtime hockey is inevitable as the season continues, and the Canucks need to find ways to win in those games if they want to scavenge for points. Even though the Canucks’ record as of now is 11-12-8, their season has only just reached the midway mark. There is still hope for Vancouver. Let’s hope the Canucks can make it through these early speed bumps.
Winter Edition
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Sweet & Simple Holiday Bark
By Tiny Tina Ingredients (Serves 6-8): 2 cups of Semisweet Chocolate Chips Any toppings of your choice Suggestions: Dried fruits (Cranberries,raisins, blueberries, apricot, etc.) Shredded toasted coconut Toasted chopped nuts (Pistachios,Pecans,Walnuts,Cashews, etc.) Peppermint candies (crushed) Steps: 1) Melt the chocolate chips either in the microwave or over a double boiler. 2) Spread the melted chocolate onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet into a thin layer (about 1 cm thick) and immediately sprinkle over the topping. 3) Allow the chocolate to set for a few hours. 4) Break apart into large chunks or chop it using a large sharp knife.
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December 2015
Holiday Horoscopes By Miss Fortune
Libra (September 23 - October 22)
Aries (March 21 - April 19) I’m seeing good fortune this holiday season! A compliment on your outfit, good grades on assignments-- the possibilities are endless. As long as you stay positive and keep a good attitude, you will have good karma over the winter break.
My tarot cards states that something surprisingly great will happen sometime before Christmas begins. It is unknown if it will be outside or inside school but, be wary of what will come. Watch out, Libras!
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
My tarot cards read that stress will take over your body if you don’t know how to control it! It may affect others around you and might even hurt others along the way. Take some time off this winter break to let your mind and body heal.
I can sense that you are taking things real slow and taking your own pace to finish work on time. May the gods from above grant you good karma for all the hard work you have done this year.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20) My crystal ball shows me some surprises ahead of your winter vacation. Be careful on how you act, since karma will determine whether your surprise will be a good one or not.
The gods from above are telling me to warn you about the bad karma that may harm you this holiday season. Take this time to reflect and see what you’ve done wrong. See what you can do to receive good karma with Christmas.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
I sense that you seem pretty stressed out because of all of the tests and assignments you received over the course of the school year. Never fret young Cancer! Take the time over Winter Break to hang out with friends and family this holiday season.
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
Leo (July 23 - August 22) The gods from above are telling me that you shall receive some good and bad karma before winter break starts. Be wary of what you say or do.
Virgo (August 23 - September 22) The stars give me a sign of good fortunes for you before the holidays start. Keep in mind that there may be sudden changes or surprises that may pop up before winter break begins.
Answers to Wang’s Weird Trivia
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
The stars give me sign of wonderful fortunes for you. Be on the lookout for good marks, loose change on the ground or receiving surprise gifts from friends!
I see that you are quite busy this time around and may not have time to relax. Don’t push yourself too hard or else you’ll end up burning out the little energy you have. Ask for help if you need it.
Pisces (February 19 - March 20) My Crystal ball is giving me a sign that you’ve been overworking yourself this past year. You, my friend, deserve a break that you need this Christmas. So go ahead and hang out with friends and family. Spend time with the ones you love this year.
Spoilers ahead! Be sure to read Wang’s Weird Trivia on page 21 before reading the answers!
1. E. 2. D. For many years, caffeine and caffeine citrate have been permitted in cola-type beverages to a maximum level of 200 ppm caffeine. In March, 2010, after an extensive review of all available science, Health Canada authorized the broader use of caffeine and caffeine citrate in all carbonated soft drinks (both colatype and non-cola-type carbonated soft drinks). The maximum level of use in cola-type beverages remains 200 ppm and the maximum level of use in all other types of carbonated soft drinks is 150 ppm. 3. D. Until 10 pm. After that, you can be fined for excessive noise if you live in an apartment. A male can also be fined for urinating standing up after 10 pm. No, seriously.
Winter Edition
25
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
By Justin Salinas
D
o you believe in Santa? If not, why not? Was there ‘the incident’ when a present in your stocking looked like something your mom bought you from Costco? Well, I believe in Santa (Shh, keep the illusion alive for us grade eights!) and there is nothing, yet, that proves that he isn’t real. In the September 21, 1897 edition of The New York Sun, eight year old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the Sun, asking if Santa was real. The letter wrote: “Dear Editor: I am eight years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says ‘If you see it in The (New York) Sun it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O’Hanlon. 115 West Ninety-Fifth Street” Little did Virginia know, this letter and the answer that would come after would later become an important part of Christmas folklore in the United States and Canada. The editorial wrote: “VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They
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IMAGE - JOSE LUIS PELAEZ VIA GETTY IMAGES
have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus,
but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.” This editorial was written by Francis Pharcellus Church, and every year, at their Yule Log ceremony, it is read at Church’s previous school, the Columbia College of Columbia University. The original letter was sold on the PBS show Antiques Roadshow and was estimated to be worth $20,000-$30,000.
Virginia O’Hanlon’s famous 1897 letter to The New York Sun. IMAGE - WIKIMEDIA
If you *still* don’t believe in Santa, You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
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Mondays Winter Edition
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Alex’s Holiday To-Do List By Alexandra Bustos
So, the holidays are coming up and you don’t know how to up your game? Maybe want to get your holiday spirit on “fleek”? Or perhaps you’ve just got nothing to do for the holidays and you can’t stand boredom? Never fear! I’ve got your Holiday to-do list right here:
1. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING Let’s be honest, it’s time for happy wallets to come to an end. But hey! The same joy recycles and makes its way to your heart through Christmas shopping. Long line ups, busy shops, but we’ve all got to get it done sometime.
2. BUNDLE UP With no intentions to exercise motherly care, please do bundle up. Recently, it’s been quite chilly outside. If needed, venture your way into the nearest mall to gather some clothes and bundle up! Stay warm, Ravens.
3. FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS No, not the ones that were held during the summer; Christmas lights! Held in Vancouver, down Oak Street, VanDusen Botanical Gardens hosts The Festival of Lights annually, showcasing a grand display of Christmas lights. It’s a beautiful sight to see, and very enjoyable for groups of friends, family, or a loved one.
4. EAT ALL THE HOLIDAY FOOD Oh, please. Who doesn’t enjoy warm food on a superbly chilly day? Whether hot cocoa, hot soup or hot coffee, enjoy yourself in the winter while you’ve got the time to! Look around and try new things, and don’t forget to enjoy life as is.
VANDUSEN BOTANICAL GARDEN FESTIVAL OF LIGHT IMAGE - VANCOUVER 4 LIFE
5. WRITE A VALID NEW YEARS RESOLUTION YOU MAY ACTUALLY FOLLOW We’ve all done it, don’t feel guilty. Can’t give up chocolate or stop biting your nails? That’s A-okay! But hey, New Year, new you! Start it off with a bang and return to school with new goals, but make sure you’re aware that it’s a possible goal! I mean, let’s face it. None of us are going to Hogwarts or becoming Jedis, sorry.
6. SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND/OR LOVED ONES Cliché? Oh yeah, definitely. It’s good advice, though. However precious our breaks may be, whether for hibernating in a man-cave with video games and Netflix, or shopping away the shopaholic that’s been ravaging inside your soul, it’s always a good time to appreciate the people around you. You’re not going to be with them forever, so make every moment count.
7. CONGRATULATE YOURSELF Every year will get more difficult as you grow. Soon you’ll be in and out of high school, and into the world a little more than you are now. Life will be hard, times will be tough and sometimes, life is going to hand you a bunch of rotten lemonades, you absolutely cannot make lemonade with. But you made it! Steal some time to really think about how the year went, who you are as a person and what really makes you happy. Like I say, New Year, new you. Make simple goals to grow up healthy and strong, happy, wise, smart, and great. And kudos to you for making it this far bud, high five!
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Letters to Santa ear Santa, D My name is Mikee and I’m 17 years old. I live in Richmond, BC and this Christmas, all I wish for is to have a... puppy! :) Besides wanting a white Christmas, a fluffy cute puppy would be ideal. They not only make you happy but you can also tell them anything and everything. Having a puppy may have a lot of responsibilities. However, they bring so much joy and you can never get bored with them. Any colour is fine as long as it’s a fluffy one. Preferably a Shih Tzu or a Pomeranian, but in all honesty, any kind would already answer my wishlist. Thank you for taking your time to read this, Santa, and I hope that you’ll have a very Merry Christmas!
- Mikee D. (12)
a,
Dear Sant
Please acknowledge that I’ve been trying to be good all year but 2015 has been a bumpy ride. With Zayn leaving One Direction, Nicki Minaj calling Miley Cyrus at the VMA’s and Adele releasing a song that will make you miss a man you never even had, it’s been hard to keep a positive attitude. I’ll try and make it through the rest of 2015 looking at the painstakingly funny Pepe memes. P.S.: A new laptop would be nice.
- Haley T. (9)
a, t n a S r a e D
This year for Christmas I’d like you to get my friend Shania a turtle. She’s been dreaming of having one since grade 9. Although she says she doesn’t want one anymore, we all know she’s just saying that cuz she’s given up on her dream. While you’re at it Santa, could you also get her new shoes? All of hers have holes in them. Please and thank you!
- Valantina Y. & Esther U. (11)
Winter Edition
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Holiday Wishlists Dear Santa,
A free pass for unlimited donuts for the rest of my life! #donuts4lyfe men - Car
Please get me Mr. Irani for Christmas this year. There are not enough Irani’s in this school. It would make my day because he’s an amazing teacher! . (11)
All I want for Christmas is YOUUUUUU… L. (9)
- Cineplex movie tickets - Starbucks gift card - 2015 Raven Wear drawstring bag - William T. (11)
- Khaled A. (11)
nny
- Ma
I would love to have the new Black Ops 3 game, a salamander-man costume and to meet Papa Franku. ks L.
- Feli
My crush <3 tin - Jus
(9)
S
- Pizza - 2 pizzas - 3 pizzas with extra cheese AND CAKE!!! - Ethel W. (10)
J. (8)
- A joyful Christmas break - Stress-free holidays - White Christmas - VIP tickets to see Bieber - To get better grades
HAPPINESS. - Megan L. (11)
I’d like an M48 series double-bladed tactical tomahawk by United Cutlery.
- Clothing - A bae White Christmas A trip/vacation
Nice shoes. Lots of nice shoes. . (11) na Y
Dear Santa, this year I wish for a cool train set with a train, and train tracks.
anti - Val
- Harsunder S. (8)
A MacBook Air
My Christmas wishlist this year is to have a white Christmas! I know many people don’t like snow, but I just want to make a snowman without going to the mountains. It would be great to see snowflakes falling down and to step on fresh white snow again. . (12) ee D - Mik
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December 2015
- Sophia L. (11)
- McDonalds - Money - A car - More money - Even more McDonalds - Simran S. (12)
8)
a E. ( - Lar
- Justin Bieber tickets - Teleportation powers - Snow - A Longer winter break 10)
e O. (
- Jad
Dear Santa,
I want a movie ticket, an iPhone 6+ rose gold, a few pairs of shoes and it would be great if you can give me a few thousand dollars. Thnx! (I especially want someone to finish my projects for me! ;)
- A car :P - Money $$ - Chocolates - Accessories - Phone case - Kat Von D makeup
I wish I had better studying tools to use. I also wish that there was a Muji store in Vancouver or Richmond. - Edmond Wu (12)
) F. (11 thia - Cyn
I want a Xbox One for Christmas ‘cause my other Xbox broke. nny
- Joh
- A boyfriend - A rich boyfriend - A rich boyfriend who buys me things
L. (9)
- Good grades :) - New friends :)
- Nice clothing - Pizza - Headphones - Cash!
- Esther U. (11)
- Wacom - Assassins Creed Syndicate - White Christmas - To get into Boyd - To get a higher GPA
- Stanley Cup - Connor McDavid rookie card - Paul Henderson 1972 summit series jersey - Vancouver Millionaires Jersey
- Dollar bills - Model Car - Sweater
- Kelvin C. (11)
- Jacob B. (12)
All I want for Christmas is love!
A cheat sheet for the Enriched Pre-Cal midterm.
World peace, M8 and chocolate too.
I want a boyfriend! . (11)
na M
- An
- Jaspreet G. (8)
- Brian H. (11)
To finish typing up all these wishlists. A box of Kinder Eggs! :) (Chocolate <3)
Raven Review Print Designer
I want concert tickets to Justin Bieber’s Purpose tour, because it’s expensive and I’m broke ;-; - Carli N. (9)
. (10)
dy C
- San
What I want for Christmas is a very special person in my life. This person’s eyes are out of this world. I get lost in them when my eyes meet theirs. I am awestruck and just completely speechless. I cherish the time when I’m with you. Active, always on the go. Radiant, it’s your personality. Cheerful, a joyful presence. <3
I wish for a Starbucks gift card :D
- Razer Headphones - Razer Keyboard - Razer Mouse - Katana
l P. (11)
- Migue
- Arielle P. (10)
Two free Cineplex movie tickets. I want my dad to be with me this Christmas. - Anna M. (11)
Winter Edition
31
Winter Polls What’s your favourite holiday movie? The Home Alone Series Elf The Polar Express How The Grinch Stole Christmas A Charlie Brown Christmas Other
What do you plan to do over the break? Hang out with friends Holiday dinner with family Christmas/Boxing Day Shopping What social life? Do Homework Play Sports #BallIsLife Go on vacation Play Fallout 4
When did you put up your Christmas tree? We never took it down! Right after Halloween! Beginning of December A week before Christmas We’re too lazy We don’t celebrate Christmas
32
December 2015
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Find this issue online: issuu.com/ravenreview
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
bit.ly/RRDec15