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China Now at Harbourfront Centre

7/19/2014

By Voice K Summer Camp

Chinese culture arrived at Habourfront last weekend. The place was jam packed with Chinese art, craft, dance and outstanding food.

“ It’s amazing to have 70 artists from China to perform at this festival”, said Rodrigo Fritz, Senior Artistic Associate and Project Coordinator at the Harbourfront Centre. The China Now event lasts three days starting with an opening showcase on Friday, July 11th, 2014.

“The hardest part to organize was the opening showcase that involves 7 artist group. Coming up with the correct schedule and getting everybody together is the most challenging part," said Fritz. It took Habourfront over a year to organize the event. They started discussions with the Ministry of Culture in China and their major partner, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington about a year ago. Between different departments there were at least a hundred people involved.

“We are very fortunate to live in a multicultural society,” said Dr. Nelly Ng, the chair of Can 4 Culture, a not-for-profit organization that connects culture. "My goal is to by introducing this magnificent art, for people to understand one another better."

China has a history of five thousand years. Some of the crafts, such as the clay figurine and kite making has a history of two thousand years.

"Because we don't know much about China and its rich history, and we get fascinate about it, and we hope more people get to see it. I think through art, we are connected." said Dr. Ng.

This is the first time Harbourfront Center hosting a festival solely focused on China. be sure to check it out yourself!

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An OMNIMAX Movie Production: Island of Lemurs: Madagascar

7/13/2014

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Have you ever seen an IMAX Movie Production before? We bet you have. But what about an OMNIMAX Movie (A IMAX film that is projected on an angled dome)? On June, 24th, Voice K visited the Ontario Science Centre to see one. We saw a documentary about the highly endangered lemurs that arrived in Madagascar as castaways millions of years ago. It was called Island of Lemurs: Madagascar. The movie comes out into the public on Friday June 27th for everyone to see. It’s amazing, and much bigger than your imagination. If you don’t believe us, just wait until you’ve seen it yourself, and be prepared to be amazed!

The Ontario Science Centre looked the same when we came in, but there were two registration tables. One was for regular visitors that wanted to watch the film, and one was for all the journalists that came from different media groups. I took a quick peek at the list. Of course, Voice K was on the list. Andrea Mus, the media relations officer at the Science Centre who we also met at the human body exhibition, handed out Lemur T-Shirts. She also gave out posters, little pins and some cute little stuffed lemurs. There were also a stack of kids' activity sheets for other kids that happened to come.

When we first entered the theatre, there was a sloping walkway. If you don't live in a loud and noisy city like Toronto or New York, or don't hear deafening noises daily, you will probably be surprised by the loud sound the movie makes. Normal IMAX theatres are still flat screens, but in an OMNIMAX theatre, the seats are steeply raked. You would look at the ceiling in a relaxed position. Instead of projecting the images onto a flat screen, it is projected onto an entire white dome, and the image almost fills your entire vision. Why is it so big? Each frame of the Imax film’s is ten times bigger than the normal 35mm frame film. The projector is huge, and we mean HUGE.

The movie was exhilarating. The film captured cute dancing lemurs. In one scene, the lemurs were moving so quickly, everyone got dizzy by looking at them. The film also introduced Malagasy and Western scientists who were working on saving the lemurs. We got to hear the haunting song of the Ingri (pronounced IN-jree) that once echoed across Madagascar, but now is fading. We also learned two very interesting facts. One, lemurs arrived as castaways and thrived on the island, and, two, lemurs are the only primates that put females in charge. Even the baby female lemurs have authority over the strong males!

At the end of this lovely 39 minute-long movie, there was a Question and Answer Period with David Douglas, director, and Drew Fellman, producer. There were several raised hands, but one particular question perked up our ears.

“How can we, in Toronto, help the lemurs?”

“Oh, well, go to Madagascar! Be a tourist! Well, because tourism brings in the economy which is very valuable. People will begin to understand that animals have values to the outside world when they’re alive.”.”

After everyone had left, we started our interview. It was quite short.

During the Question and Answer period, Voice K received the opportunity to ask them a question, “Why did you specifically focus your topic on lemurs, while there are thousands of equally as fascinating endangered species out there?”

Mr. Douglas asked, “Like what?”

We replied, “Maybe the … giant panda?”

He then said, “Maybe our next documentary will be on the giant panda!” He and Fellman chuckled.

We also wanted to know if the people in Madagascar would act more and more on saving lemurs.

The reply was, “Yes-more and more. They plan to stop burning down the forests and to make sure the lemurs’ population doesn’t decline.”

We then asked, “Are Doctors Wright and Rasamimanana going to continue their research to help bring the lemurs off the endangered species list?”

Mr. Douglas answered, “Yes, and I think they’re going to work really hard.”

Voice K had a great time at the Ontario Science Centre watching Island of the Lemurs: Madagascar and getting to know a little bit more about David Douglas and Drew Fellman. We hope that you can spare some time to watch Island of the Lemurs: Madagascar in an OMNIMAX theatre to get the full experience.

Hello. My name is Michelle Zhou. I am currently in grade four. I go to Silver Stream Public School. I enjoy reading comics and writing short stories from the top of my brain. I have an identical twin sister named Amelie. I like doodling, skiing, making myself dizzy, and doing handstands under the water. I like experimenting with computers, but I get into trouble. The only successful pets I have now are two nine-year-old fish without names. If you were to put me into one of the categories, Girl or Tomboy, I have one half here, and one half there. I will do almost ANYTHING possible to continue sleep- ing in most cases. That is all you need to know about me.

Hi, my name is Amelie Zhou. I am nine years old and I am in grade four. I go to Silver Stream Public School (SSPS). My favorite color is purple and my favourite animal is the horse. My favorite series of books is “Redwall” by Brian Jacques. There is a lot of adven- ture inside. I also like the riddles in it. I like skiing and swimming. I have two pets. They are both fish. I might get two birds later. I have an identical twin named Michelle. She is one minute younger than me. Something special about me is that I treat some non-living things like they’re living, especially my toys. I still hang on to them, even if they’re very old.

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Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Golden Egg

7/13/2014

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There was a theft of a golden egg from the harness - maker's shop, and it was your job to find out who the culprit was!

By Amelie Zhou (Age 9) , Michelle Zhou (Age 9), Edward Wang (Age 9)

On March 14, 2014, Voice K journalists went to a very fun event that required us to think a lot. The event is called Sherlock Homes and the Mystery of the Golden Egg hosted by Black Creek Pioneer Village.

There were lot of other families there too, participating in the event. The building looked nice and well- decorated; we enjoyed looking at the sight. There was a gift shop, we wanted to see what they had, but we had to interview and solve a mystery first. When we met with Erika Wilson, our guide, she led us through a hall. Then we sat down at a table. We chatted for a few minutes with her before our tour. We asked why was the event created and she told us that this is a new event and it is very different from the past years.

When I asked her if they have any mascots, she replied: “Yes, we do. We have Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.”

Erika told us that if she would change one thing about the event, she would add more suspects. The most interesting place to Erika is the Harness shop.

When we asked Erika if her job is fun, she answered: “Yes and no. Yes, because I get a lot of time for types of arts and crafts, and no, because I have to do a lot of typing.”

Then we went on to become one of the detectives solving the mystery. We first watch a short video that give us information about the mystery. There were four suspects: Flora, a villager, Ruby, the doctor’s wife, the peddler, and Miss Moriarty, the new seamstress. Children get a junior detective notebook. Inside was a coded sign language letter left by the thief. There were other pieces of evidence, too, like a piece of torn fabric and three fingerprints. We went around the village looking for clues and questioning people. Often, in a building, there would be a clue, an activity, a character to question, or one letter to gradually build up our note, until we knew what it said. It was written in sign language, so we had to decode it. Sometimes, there would be a green sign with a black silhouette of Holmes holding a red magnifying glass outside of a building to give us a hint of what we should do.

The Tinsmith’s shop is the probably the first place you would go to. In his shop, there would be a hint to the first letter. There was a piece of paper with red patterns on it, and a piece of red glass plastic. You would hold it over the paper to decode the patterns. It told you what one hand sign meant. A straight palm with a thumb folded over meant B. The tinsmith also told us a little secret. “You can’t lose,” he told us. “If you get it right, your mummy will congratulate you. If you don’t, get mad at them and ask them why they gave you the wrong answer.”

We also visited the post office. You would decode a message in Morse code and follow the instructions. It led us to a “bunny-ears” hand sign that meant V. One of Voice K Journalists, Edward, didn't find it until his mother pointed it out to him in a little box-like shelf. Apparently, there was nothing because he hadn't looked at the correct place. He followed the tinsmith’s advice and asked his mother why she told him to look in the big mailbox.

We went to the brewery, too. There weren't any particular people to question or any clues, but there was an activity upstairs. You could make a secret spy name tag/badge, or a “disguise”: a mustache, a bow-tie, or lips. You made up your very own spy name. You would use the first three letters of your last name, combined with the first two letters of your first name. For example, if your name was James Morton, your spy name would be Morja, or Mor Ja. Heather Lapsia, Laphe, or Lap He. What’s your secret spy name?

The Blacksmith’s Shop was dull and dreary. A lot of metal poles were on racks attached to the ceiling. You could question him about any suspicions seen from the suspects lately. He told me that all he had seen was Ruby going out to Ms. Moriarty’s in early hours: a little too early for business hours. It also seemed she was in a rush. I thanked him.

Amelie, a Voice K journalist, pointed out a sign that read: Outside is the bird of ﬁ re, The ﬁ rst letter is what you desire. It sounded mysterious, and there was a sign language hand beside it. I studied it while Amelie went outside. I looked at the Phoenix over the door, and I told her it meant the letter P because the clue said, “The fi rst letter is what you desire.”

There are many rooms and places you can visit, such as the doctor’s house, the weaver’s shop, printer’s shop, and much more. There are a lot of games to play and a lot of clues to fi nd. From the expression and body language of each suspect, you can see who lied and who told the truth. Sometimes clues can hide in most unexpected places, so you need to keep your eyes open.

In the end we went to another short video to tell us the real answer to the mystery. It was Ruby, the doctor's wife. We also learned a lot about the culture during the pioneer time period.

We had a great time at Black Creek Pioneer Village. The mystery was fun to solve and very exciting. This event is a great place to test your detective skills. If there is a Sherlock Holmes mystery at Black Creek next time, be sure to try it out! You will not regret it!

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How to Adopt a Pet?

7/6/2014

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Do you want to help a fuzzy animal to find a new home? There are many cute animals early waiting for a lifetime companion at the Toronto Humane Society. They are pets for adoption.

The Toronto Humane Society was first inspired by an anonymous $2 donation to aid an old, white workhorse. In November 1886, an ordinary Toronto resident sent a letter to the World, a daily newspaper, regarding the workhorse. “Why don't we have a society for the prevention of cruelty?” asked a young reporter, John Kelso. In responding to the question, an anonymous donor sent a 2$ donation to the newspaper office the following day.

A presentation to the Canadian Institute on February 19, 1887 by Kelso launched the humane and children's aid movement in Ontario. And so the Toronto Humane Society was born. The one hundred and twenty-five year old institution can still be found today on River Street, with eager pets ready for adoption.

Getting back to how to adopt a pet. Well, the process is anything but simple. But we wouldn't call it complicated either. Let's explore the steps, shall we?

First of all, if you are not 18 yet, you need an adult to help you.

You must visit the Humane Society's building in Toronto, and look around for the right pet.. Naturally, it is best if you consult one of the many volunteers there for help in finding a good mach. When choosing a pet, many factors come into play. First, you must take into consideration your own living conditions and habits. For example, allergies will prevent you getting some pets. Also, you wouldn't adopt a golden retriever if they laze on the couch all day because a golden retriever is very active.

It's not just the potential adopter's traits that matters, for we must also take into account the pet's as well. If a cat has a bad history of being abused by previous owners, then it may be very scared and tentative around other humans. Or, if it feels threatened, it may lash out to defend itself. Of course, this type of pet isn't entirely impossible to tame, but it would need someone experienced in the domain, which most people aren't. A first time pet owner would most likely not be able to accomplish such a feat, and they may get hurt.

After finding the right pet, you must let the pet meet the other members of your family, or anyone that will be living with the pet. The Toronto Humane Society call this process the 'meet-and-greet”. If they get along with the pet, then you can start filling out many forms for adoption. Then, you pay a sum of money of around one to two hundred for the pet and necessary items for the pet like a litter box and food. You can find the price for each type of pet Toronto Humane Society’s website.

We interviewed Shannon Caulfield, the Marketing and Events Coordinator at the Toronto Humane Society.

One question she was particularly surprised to hear was: Have you ever met anyone who was against pet adoption? To which she answered that no, she hadn't met anyone who was openly against adoption. At most, they did not prefer it.

“There are around 400 different pets to adopt in the Humane Society. 600 volunteers work on-site to feed and care for the animals, 300 work off-site to foster some others. Literally waking up in the night to feed them every two hours,” Caufied said with a smile. We could tell that she is very passionate about her job.

Not all adopters can cooperate with their pets. The THS offers canine training with the behaviourist and help for bonding the two together. “We are not looking for someone who can just take the pet out the door; it’s really about giving the pet a forever home. That’s why we go through a lengthy process to make sure the animal is safe with the perfect owner.” Caufield informed us.

Caufield loves animals. She bottle-fed her first kitten when she was 8. She also volunteered for the Etobicoke humane society when she was around 15. At the Toronto Humane Society, Caufield also bottle-fed baby squirrels and raccoons. She has been a vegetarian for 21 years.

And so our little explanation on pet adoption draws to a close. We hope you now know how to adopt a pet now, and perhaps even go out there and adopt one yourself!

My name is Grace Zhang, a gamer and writer, but just call me Wolf. I love all sorts of games and stories, especially those in the adventure genre. I’m 12, and I go to Erin Center Middle School. I’m naturally good with all things related to technology, and know some basic coding and scripting. My favourite colour is black, and my favourite animal is a wolf. I’m mostly a loner and an extreme tomboy, hence the name ‘Wolf.’ My dream is to become a game designer and work with Square Enix, which is in my opinion the best game company! Well, that’s all for now, see ya!

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China Now at Harbourfront Centre

An OMNIMAX Movie Production: Island of Lemurs: Madagascar

Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Golden Egg

How to Adopt a Pet?

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