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The Game of Go

5/21/2013

 
Game of GoDesign by Helen Witkowski
By Richard Bao

I started the game of Go in January 2012. Go (aka Weiqi in Chinese or Baduk in Korean) is a game of territory. Go is interesting because it is so vague and abstract on terms of good moves. Because of this, computers will never go further than humans. Go’s strategy is all about style, how you want the game’s flow to go, your depth in technique and reading ahead and your practice. Go is approximately 4000 years old, one of the oldest board games along with shogi (Japanese Chess), which is about 3700 years old.

Go is a game where there are 361 points on the board. You need to try to get more points than your opponent, playing
 as either Black or White. When you surround all four sides of an opponent’s piece, you remove it from the board as a
point. After every place on the board is filled, you count the points that you have surrounded. However, as Black would
get the privilege of the first play, White would have compensated points (6.5 points to eliminate draws).

This is how I started. I was in school one day, and I had all my work done, so I got bored. I picked up the first book I saw, and it turned out to be a manga called Hikaru No Go. Manga stories are Japanese comics that were developed in the late 19th century. Manga is usually in black and white, but there are many colourful versions that exist now. I started reading the comic about 6 months before I started playing. After I got a little further into the manga, I couldn’t really follow along anymore. So then, I started trying to learn online how to play Go. In the beginning, I thought the rules and play were really simple and I thought I could master it very quickly.

Then I got interested in the actual game; I decided to find out as much information as I could on the internet about tactics and strategies. That’s when I found out that Go was actually a very complicated board game. 

Coincidentally, I happened to have a friend in my class who was stronger at Go than me at that time. He taught me some of the basics and played with me whenever there was free time. At that time, he was able to beat me easily, on a 19x19 Go board. 

Soon, I was looking online for any free audio lectures I could find. After little success, my parents found out about the Golden Key Cultural Centre, a place that offers Go lessons in Mississauga, during the month of May, 2012. On June 18th, I started taking Go lessons in the beginner class. After ten weeks, I advanced to the intermediate class, along with other classmates. Around that time, I also started playing online Go on the KGS Kiseido Go Server. With the useful lessons from the Go teachers, I gained more strength and soon, I was able to beat my friend easily thanks to the professional lessons I received. Now, I still learn Go at the Golden Key Cultural Centre and look forward to it every week. 

Children Play Go Illustration
Illustration by Vicky Liu
Meet the Journalist
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Hello, greetings to anyone who just happens to be or is intentionally reading this. My name is Richard Bao. I’m 12 years old, in the grade six. My birthday is on April 9th. I attend Thomas Street Middle School. I live in Mississauga,
and some of my hobbies are listening to rap music and a little bit of classical music. I also like playing soccer, playing Go, and I like to hang around with my friends. I’m pretty different from others because I have never wished to be someone else in my life. If anyone has a problem with that, then buy a happy meal.

Want to share your experience about Go? Support by leave comments below.

How to Recycle

5/21/2013

 
By Saraniya Raveendra from MCKINNON PUBLIC SCHOOL

Do you know of another area to throw out garbage?
 
Well, if you guessed recycling, you are correct! Recycling means reusing things that can be used again. Recycling is a way not to waste everything you have. If we don’t, then we could run out of our supplies. Well, how do we recycle?

There are many things you need in the recycling process. You need a
recycling bin, paper products, recycling carts, energy, raw materials, a pulper, a paper machine, and a cone-shaped cylinder. These are things required in the process of recycling.

Firstly, if one uses a paper product, DO NOT scrunch it up. Throw it in
the recycling bin, because it is better for the environment.

Next, the paper product travels to the recycling center. They trade paper
products with cash.  


Then, residents use recycling carts to take the paper products. After that,
they clean and separate the paper products.

Later, it is taken to the paper mill.  There is a pulper that chops the paper
down into small pieces. The heat shrinks it more, and the old paper changes to pulp.

Mills clean the pulp in the large cone-shaped cylinders, where it gets spun. Things that are not mushy, like staples, go in the garbage after it is removed.


Sometimes, the pulp must go through a “pulp laundering” operation, which
is called deinking. This process is used to remove in and sticky stuff, like
glue. There are two types of deinking: washing and flotation. The process of washing is when little areas of ink are removed. Flotation is when larger areas of ink and sticky stuff are removed with air bubbles.

The pulp is beaten to make the recycled fibres swell, making paper.  They will be bleached with hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide, and oxygen, to make it whiter and brighter.
 

The clean pulp is ready to be paper now. The pulp is mixed with water and chemicals, to make it 99.5% water.  There is a huge, flat wire the pulp goes on and it moves very quickly. The machine that does this is called the paper machine. Then, a person takes out the water in the pulp and heated
metal rollers dry the watery paper and a coating smoothes out the paper.

Finally, the finished paper will be removed from the paper machine.  One roll can be thirty feet wide and weighs twenty tons. The paper will be cut into smaller pieces. As a result, the recycled paper is made.

Recycling is important to learn because the garbage spreads toxic waste everywhere, which is poisonous. We wouldn’t want to spread toxic waste everywhere. Recycling is a safe way to throw out all your scrap paper.


Illustrations by
Saraniya Raveendra


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Spring 2013 Fashion Guide for Kids

5/7/2013

 

Spring is finally here! Discover what's new and what's you!

Article By Sravya Medasani
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If you are anything like me, you probably cannot wait for winter to be over. Chunky knits, dark utilitarian cuts and lace-up combat boots were all the rage this winter season, but I can’t wait to wear some shorts again. Speaking of, printed shor ts are going to be huge this spring. Ever ything from tribal to fl oral prints are in, and the brighter the colour the better
Lace has been popular in the fashion
industry for a long time, and it’s not faltering
anytime soon. Pair a lace top with some
denim cutoffs and a straw fedora to add a sweet, girly twist to your look. Go the extra mile by finishing off this outfit with a pair of sassy sunglasses, or, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, try a pair of lace shorts!


Skater skirts, affectionately coined circle
skirts are a fun alternative to the classic A-line. For those of you out there that prefer some more edgy duds, one of these , a unique graphic print top and some chelsea booties are the perfect new pieces to add to your wardrobe.

A huge trend this spring/summer is going
to be stripes. Seen on runways everywhere from Tommy Hilfiger to Marc Jacobs. Small stripes, big stripes, fat stripes, thin stripes and everything in between, it is going to be stripes galore this season. Try a pair of pinstriped leggings for an edgy, effortless vibe. 
Prefer something more quirky? No problem, pair a striped top with some red shorts or pants for a nautical impression.

Not one for stripes? That’s cool. This spring, tribal and floral prints are going to be everywhere. Having gone shopping recently, every single store was positively plastered with these two prints. Want to add a refreshing new take on your sundresses? Get some with cut outs, both gorgeous and flirty; paired with your choice of accessories, and you will definitely make a statement.


Remember when neon were the hottest thing for spring and summer? While bright colours are still big for the warmer months, this year, black and white are taking over. Pair bright neon with contrasting white or black fabric for a varied stand out look. For example, punctuate a pretty floral dress with a sharp white belt to add structure and definition.
What's your favourite spring fashion trend? Share it with us!
comments powered by Disqus

Girls' outfit:
Short sleeve lace shirt - http://www.everythingbuttheprincess.com/
Flower skater skirt - http://www.stylewinner.com
Chelsea boots - http://www.kidsinchic.com/girls-pink-leather-chelsea-boots-bisgaard/
Boys' outfit:
Strip t-shirt and cargo pants - http://www.gapcanada.ca

Top Ten Spring Room Decoration Ideas for Kids

5/7/2013

 

What does your ideal room look like?  Here are some decoration ideas!

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Written by Dea Yu (age 7), Illustrations by Michelle Soong
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1. Paint your room your favourite colour. Paint is an inexpensive thing to buy and the wall colour can change the look of a room dramatically.
(Ask your parent to help you with your project, remember safety comes first!)
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2. Use your favourite art supplies to make a one-of-a kind mobile or chandelier for a ceiling decoration
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3. There are all kinds of wall stickers called Stick-On wall decor that you can use to decorate your walls. If you ever change your mind about them, you can easily peel them off.
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4. Choose your own bedding. Make sure it is your favourite
colour and pattern.
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5. Re-arranging furniture doesn't cost a penny, and the room will look new and refreshing.
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6. Make your own art pieces. Put your drawings in fancy frames and hang them on the wall. They will look FANTASTIC!
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7. Decorate your bed with funky pillows and stuffed animals. (Dolls)
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8. Pick your toys up so nothing is lying on the floor. Voila! It is all clean! Nobody likes a messy room.
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9. Use your or your parents’ camera to take some nice
pictures
and print them out.


Jazz up the picture frames with stickers and hang them on the wall.
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10.
Make a “My Room” sign and decorate it, then hang it on your door.

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