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How to Draw Science Tools

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For this week’s “Science” theme, Chelsea teaches us how to draw science tools–may come in handy in Chemistry.

By PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AP ART STUDENT EXTRAORDINAIRE Chelsea Xu

Heyo guys! I’m back with another drawing tutorial. This week we are going to learn how to draw science tools. I’m betting this is going to help you with your scientific diagram.

So follow along, and get started!

This time is a bit different than the last time. I put the steps on the paper since I drew multiple tools at once. 

And ta-da!! If you are satisfied with your drawing, feel free to show off your drawing skills. And if not, try again! Art is about trying, just like doing labs in science class.

I hope this tutorial helps, and have a good day!!

Science Editor: James Zheng

Once in a Lifetime Experience

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This week, James takes his turn as editor. He has assigned the Blog Team the theme of “Science.” When we say “Science,” this is what Luke thinks . . . .

By Luke Langlois

Isn’t it nifty how words on a screen can instantly strike an image into your consciousness? For example, when I say MAD SCIENTIST you see a dimly lit room with a chemical-explosion-covered person laughing maniacally. Typically, there are also steaming Erlenmeyer flasks sitting in the background filled with eye-popping neon pink liquid. Don’t forget the conveniently timed thunderstorms! It is (probably) safe to say that this stereotypical mad scientist does not exist outside of our science fiction. But, we have REAL mad scientists out there who have some pretty “out there” ideas. Then again, most ground-breaking scientists have to be at least a little mad, but that’s a different matter. 

Anyway, this post’s mad scientist is not actually a scientist at all. He’s an artist who used scientific principles in a now-notorious design. In 2010, Lithuanian Ph.D. candidate Julijonas Urbonas from London’s Royal College of Art came up with the “Euthanasia Coaster.” Urbonas had an experience working at an amusement park, and it was such an inspiring tenure that he decided to design a roller coaster that would send twenty-four passengers to the end of the line. His goal, of course, was to elegantly take a human life.

You may be asking yourself how that would work. Anyone, who’s taken their chances with a roller-coaster has imagined typical scenarios that would result in gruesome injuries. Well, maybe it’s just me. What if a piece of the track mysteriously disappeared? What if we started going backward on that steep hill the coaster climbs? Certainly, the result of those mechanical failures would be no fun, but Urbonas’s coaster design has no dramatic collisions. The coaster would instead use the power of the gravitational force equivalent, more commonly known as g-force, to reach its terminal point. The coaster’s track would take its passengers on a brisk climb to 1,670 feet. Once there, the coaster would take a 1,600-foot plunge, accelerating the coaster to 220 miles per hour. For reference, Splash Mountain at Disneyland has a drop of 49 feet. After reaching this speed, the coaster would make its way through seven clothoid inversions, which is commonly known as a corkscrew loop in the typical amusement park world. Does it sound fun, you DAREDEVIL? I’m sure it would be a blast if you could withstand the lethal 10 g. The coaster’s speed and inversions would make its passengers suffer from an insufficient amount of oxygen to the brain (cerebral hypoxia). The passengers would quickly experience symptoms of g-force induced loss of consciousness. The seven loops ensure that they permanently remain in this state. 

Researching the “Euthanasia Coaster” has made me realize a couple of things. For one, I have another layer of respect for the team of engineers and designers that build our roller coasters. Thank you for making them fun and not lethal. More importantly, though, just how amazing is the human mind for coming up with this! I defined it as “mad science,” but it is BRILLIANT science. At the end of the day, all I have to say is be mindful of your amusement park choices. 

Sources

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/human-plus-science-gallery
http://julijonasurbonas.lt/euthanasia-coaster/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_Coaster
A rendered concept of Urbonas’s “Euthanasia Coaster”

Editor: James Zheng

Homesick

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By Katelin Mei

I grew up in Canada, and lately I’ve been missing it. There are many things that remind me of Canada and make me feel at home.

  • The Metric System — In Canada we use the metric system. It made everything much easier to understand. We didn’t use Fahrenheit, so whenever I see the degrees measured in Celsius rather than Fahrenheit, it makes me feel at home.
  • French — Canada is a bilingual country, so I was taught French at a very young age (since kindergarten). The French language makes me feel at home because I am very familiar with it, and, because of that, I am taking French class now.
  • Ferry boats — I grew up on an island, so I am familiar with having to take a ferry to the mainland to buy groceries. Ever since I can remember, my parents have been taking me with them for a ferry ride to get groceries, go shopping, or just visit the mainland. The ferry’s foghorn used to scare me, but now it just reminds me of when I was younger and helps me remember my home.
  • Pine forests and daisy fields — I grew up in an area that was practically in the middle of a forest, and vast evergreen forests are something that we don’t really have here. I miss the smell of pine and the climbing ivy. There were also sprawling, fragrant daisy fields. Evergreen forests and daisy fields are some of the things that make me feel most at home.
  • Wildlife — Since I grew up in a forest, I am quite familiar with different types of wildlife. My family and I used to feed the deer. There were constantly caterpillars — eagerly munching — on track to become butterflies.

Editor: Renée Vazquez

Where is Home

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Editor Renée assigned the Blog staff the subject “Home.” She plays along herself, contributing these thoughts on “Home.” What do you have to add?

By Renée

We’ve all felt loss

Felt emptiness

Felt lonely


We want to go home 


Home is where 


We feel secure

Feel loved 

Feel accepted


We can rest


Where is home?

A Local’s Guide For Tourists: Kunming, Yunnan, China

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By Travel Guide Extraordinaire James Zheng

When we ask where is “Home”? James answers, “Kunming.” He adds, “It’s better than heaven.”

Where am I from? In terms of cities in China, most people have only heard of  Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou as these are popular spots for visitors. However, there are plenty of places worth visiting in the interior provinces, like my city, Kunming.

Kunming is the capital city located in the center of a province called Yunnan. This whole province is full of popular must-see destinations, but most of them are only known by local residents. I’m giving you the insider’s guide.

Here is a brief introduction to Kunming. Kunming has one of the most temperate climates and has the best air quality in China. The weather is not too hot or too cold. The season in Kunming is always spring; therefore, my city is also given the name “Spring City.” This climate has attracted many people who move from other crowded cities when they need a well-deserved vacation. Geographically, Kunming is located near some south-eastern countries, being closer to Burma, Vietnam, and Laos. But it is also close to Thailand, Bangladesh, and Cambodia. This makes it a place of international cultural exchange and a cultural melting pot.

Here are some of my recommendations for local foods and places to visit in Kunming:

Places to see:

  • Golden Temple Park: A palace that was built during the Qing Dynasty (1368―1644), it contains historical meanings everywhere. The main structure is yellow bronze, so it was also categorized as one of the Chinese grand bronze palaces. It is preserved as it originally was. There is also a huge mountain surrounding the palace, and with all the forests, it is tucked into a natural environment. You get to see lots of flowers as well.  
  • The ancient town of Guandu: Guandu used to be an independent region; now it is one of the districts within Kunming. The only thing you might be interested in here is the old-styled building and some exquisite handicraft. The initial construction of Guandu started from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and mixed with some culture generated from Buddhism. You would see some temples and towers as well. 
  • Southern-east-Styled City: This place does not have the same size as a city, but it is one of the most commercialized and well-developed areas inside Kunming. There is an exhibition called Southern-east Cultural Exhibition, which is held each year. During the exhibition, you get to participate in cultural activities and buy interesting gadgets from Southern-east. Even if it’s not for the purpose of going for the exhibition, you can also hang out there and find fun things to do. 

Food to Try: 

  • “Cross-the-bridge rice noodle”: This is a unique style of rice noodle invented by Kunming locals. You serve this rice noodle with hot soup. Along with separate fresh side dishes, you cook the rice noodles instantly by putting them into the soup. It is popular in Kunming.
  • Varieties of Mushrooms: The Yunnan province is given the respectful name “The Kingdom of Mushrooms,” since we have thousands of types of mushrooms. Most of them contain valuable nutrients. The mushrooms are a main incentive attracting tourists to visit Kunming. 

And that is generally all I would say about Kunming. Depending on the motivations of the travelers, you could discover more about this heavenly city I call “home.” I hope this helps you know more about China!

Editor: Renée Vazquez

KING OF MY HEART

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  By Philosopher-Poet Quintus Ni

In keeping with this week’s “Home” theme, assigned by Editor Renée Vazquez, Quintus reminds us “Home” is being yourself. Don’t let anyone or anything disturb you. Be king of your heart. Be yourself. Be home.

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the land construction and conditions in China were underdeveloped, so that waterway transportation was the only choice for travelers and merchants. Cangbumen was the most prosperous section in Wuwei County in my grandfather’s hometown, in the countryside of southern China. A lot of boats docked at the town’s terminal, waiting for passengers to get on and off the ships and stevedores to load and discharge goods. With the ships whistling, abundant resources like wood, coal, and grain surged in.

Cangbumen was my hometown. I lived on the widest and most prosperous street, as I remember. I still remember the yo-heavy-ho of the freight hand pallet and the trackers when climbing the slope; I remember the ancient city wall and Hualin Bridge, as well as my olive canvas schoolbag and the white canvas sneakers.

People have similar experiences. When we were young, we longed to go out to the furthest place and seeing a different world. But as time goes by, we get so tired of the exhausting life in our different cities, we miss the quiet, slow, and comfortable days we once had in our hometowns. And we become so eager to return to them. Every generation has its fate. After experiencing unemployment, housing reform, and so-called “worldly wisdom,” we realize half our lives have slipped away already.

Looking back at the history of the city, reform and urban development brought a brand new look to this city. We can see the high-rise buildings, prosperous shopping malls, and green plants everywhere, and see that people move into commercial houses happily. Everyone here walks fast. I want to share my hometown memories with my future child. But I will always feel a little bit sad because there is no scenery left unchanged or a memorial to commemorate that time. No longer is there neither bluestone road nor black bricks, nor tiles, nor mottled phoenix tree shadows in the shattered moonlight. The time back then seemed to pass by so slowly.

I can’t help but think of an article I read that said western countries don’t change appearances easily. Any change to the city or school must be voted on and must obtain civic permission. If it’s really necessary, slight change could be allowed, thereby protecting the appearance and look of cities or schools, and letting people always remember the origin of the place. This is different in China. A lot of construction only reproduces identical modern cities with no special characteristics. Old features are lost. 

Life is a process of losing good times gradually. Although it may seem negative, it’s true. People like forging ahead and seeing rapid changes instead of being immersed in the sadness of watching old things fade. However in such a noisy world, maybe everyone feels melancholy deep inside. Walking into an urban and crowded world, we see the shining lights and people slipping away from us. Among so many lights, there is no one for me. Whatever. I have become stronger in life; I am now used to the toughness of the reality of being alone in a new world, and I will never feel pain from the harm I suffer. I know the stars are always there in the dark night, indicating my direction, helping me forge ahead.

A Nordic song, named “My Home is my Heart,” sings about the impressions of an old city, and the experience of half a life…

 —  My home is myself.

                                                                                            I am the king of my heart.

Editor: Renée Vazquez

How to Draw a House

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By PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AP ART STUDENT EXTRAORDINAIRE Chelsea Xu

Hello everyone!!

Today I’m going to show you guys how to draw a house based on the “home” theme for this week’s blog!! 

Before we begin, I just want to say this is different than the previous post when I taught you guys how to draw anime heads. Houses are mainly based on shapes and perspective. If you are good at drawing shapes and have steady hands, you’ll get the hang of drawing houses pretty quickly. And, if you don’t, all you need is some more practice. 

In the meantime, follow along, and let’s get started!!

Step #1

First, draw a trapezoid towards the upper side of the paper.

Step #2

Then, draw a rectangle right beneath the trapezoid.

Step #3

Draw a small triangle in the middle of the house; it’s also where the trapezoid and rectangle meet.

Step #4

Draw two more parallel lines and a bottom line that is a little below the rectangle.

Step #5

Add the door! Draw another rectangle (vertically) in the center of the front of the house. 

Step #6

Chimney time!!

This step is totally optional; it’s totally up to you if you want to add a little chimney to your lovely house or not. If so, please follow the instruction and do the best you can! You can add windows as well!

Step #7

Background! This is a simple background that you can try on. While simple, it adds complexity and perspective to the picture as a whole.

Step #8

Gently (if you are on paper) erase your helping lines, and ta-da!! You have completed your house!!!

I hope this tutorial helped you!! I’ll see you next time!!

Editor: Renėe Vazquez

“Objectively The Best Grade”

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thebirdonfire.org rotates editors weekly. This week, Renée Vazquez takes the helm. With the power inherent in being editor comes the charge of naming the week’s THEME. Renée charges the Blog Team with writing about “Home.” Luke opens discussing how PVS is “Home” to our Class of 2020.

By Senior Luke Langlois

Greetings one; greetings all. If you haven’t noticed, the class of 2020 is HERE. I can certainly imagine that you have noticed us, since, according to Charles Schnell, we are “objectively the best grade.” He later clarified to me that this line was ironic, but does his irony make something untrue? Anyway, we weren’t always the tippity top dogs of the school. We don’t think about it too much as we carry out our daily lives, but the senior class is a culmination of thousands of days at Palm Valley. We’ve done billions of worksheets and have made even more exclusive jokes that ONLY SENIORS would understand. So, I recently sent out a survey to the entire class asking what it means for them to be a senior. 

  • What does it mean to finally be a part of the traditions that have been performed by countless classes before us? – I was personally expecting some snarky answers; it’s part of the rebellious teenage culture to be apathetic towards school. Surprisingly, everyone made a positive contribution. As one senior put it, “It’s pretty awesome… but it’s super surreal.”  That’s probably where I’d gauge myself. Many of us ask, “Wait, I’m graduating soon?” Monotonously going to school every day has become a part of life, so it coming to an end feels quite strange. Some are more excited about being a senior. Claire, for example, says she’s “so jazzed it’s unbelievable. I’m living for this. All my dreams are coming true.” That sounds like pretty legitimate excitement to me! Another senior brings us down, saying that there is a lot of work to do before we’re anywhere. Hopefully, we don’t succumb to senioritis before then. 
  • Could you name a way that Palm Valley has become like a home to you? – We spend more working time at our school than we do at home. I suppose we seniors do because we love Palm Valley very much. One senior remarked that they have never felt more welcome at any other school and that they cannot wait to come back and visit Palm Valley when they have the chance. Another said that they felt their old “home” was unwelcoming, and that being here has given them a clear goal in life.  Josh Tyer reminisced on the people that have made him who he is, “ I could never give up the family I’ve made at Palm Valley.” In one way or another, we students have a connection to our school if you dig deep and look. Even if you’re not a senior that may help motivate you to keep hitting academic heights; it’s for your home! Or, you see life like Wilton Zuniga who thinks the student lounge is somewhat of a “cozy living room.” 
  • If you could create a NEW senior tradition, what would it be? – Traditions are the best way to keep the generations of students connected, whether it be an alumnus who graduated fifty years earlier or a current senior. Traditions can be pretty whacky. Palm Valley’s seniors have some ideas that correspond with that theme. One senior had the idea of a “handprint wall,” where every graduating class would put their hands in and leave their mark forever. Another senior suggested “Senior Dorito Day,” which is exactly what it sounds like. Claire Jenkins pulled an idea from her daredevil spirit and said all seniors should go skydiving. Perhaps one of you non-senior student readers can make one of these concepts a reality one day. Please, skydive. 
  • Do you have any senior prank ideas? – Palm Valley School is not known for its senior pranks, but seniors in general certainly are. As such, I asked the class what kind of pranks they would like to see. One senior, insightfully making fun of the way I phrased my question, said “Yes.” In all “seriousness,” though, Lawrence Nelson would be interested in filling the student lounge with BALLOONS. Doesn’t that sound delightful? Perhaps we could bring in a clown as well to strike coulrophobia into the younger students. Charles Schnell ponders about pooling our money together, buying a kayak, and leaving the kayak up at the graduation seats instead of us. Uh, how creative! One senior wishes that they could install League of Legends on every school computer because everyone could use a competitive gaming session. Claire, with sleep on her mind, says every senior should bring a sleeping bag and take a nap in the lobby. I do not actually condone nor condemn, senior pranks (nor does Ms. Zachik), but they are hilarious to think about.

There is your somewhat brief look at the musings of the class of 2020. Unfortunately, not all of the seniors responded to my survey (you know who you are). By the end of the year, I may do this again to see how we’ve come along. No promises, but stay tuned. 

Editor: Renée Vazquez

Introduction . . . before the story starts

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By Doreen Yuan 

Welcome back to school everyone! This is Doreen. Over summer vacation, I learned about urban legends that were created by mysterious profiles on 2Channel. I want to share it with you here. But before I do, let me explain what 2Channel is.

2Channel (2ch)

It is an online Japanese textboard (a simpler version of a forum).

Management

The website’s scale and management style is unique. It currently has more than 1,000 active boards. They are categories such as “Social News,” “Computers,” “Cooking,” etc. These categories make it the most comprehensive forum in Japan. Each board usually has hundreds of active threads. Each thread contains up to 1,000 anonymous comments.

Software

2ch operates on forum software that was considered innovative at the time of its founding (1999). It represented a major departure from the bulletin-board systems of the 1980s. Everything can be done anonymously. A post in a thread will “bump” the thread, making active posts high on the overall thread list. Each thread is limited to a maximum of 1,000 postings, and a new thread must be opened by some anonymous user (self-elected) to continue discussion. This prevents the “rotting” of old threads and keeps active, fascinating topics refreshed. It also saves bandwidth, which is a major concern on a forum as large as 2ch. Old threads are moved to an archive where people can still view them until they are eventually deleted.

Anonymous Posting

One of the most remarkable features of 2ch is the complete freedom of anonymous posting. This is quite different from most English internet forums that require some form of registration. They usually require email validation to further confirm personal identity. On 2ch, the name field is available but rarely used. If you enter a real name, you will be considered a novice, an administrator, or someone trying to become an internet celebrity. 

The urban legend below is based on the premise of using the comment section of 2Channel.

The Mysterious Personal Profiles

as presented by Doreen Yuan

Meet the Characters:

Profile photo:

Online ID: No longer human

Sex: secret

Age: secret

Address: Japan-Yokohama

Character: cracks jokes, frivolous, outgoing and active.

What’s up: The real things are apt to be deviant.


Profile photo:

Online ID: Carry

Sex: /

Age: /

Address: /

Character: /

What ‘s up: /

Now, begin:

Join my Urban Legend. Make a mysterious profile yourself and become part of my story…. Below are some rules you need to know before I start to tell you my Urban Legend in the next post (check the comments).

1. The comment section is part of the story. Pay attention to it.

2. Anonymous users in the comment section are part of the story. Pay attention to them.

3. The characters named No longer human and Carry, who add comments, are part of the story.

4. Readers can leave messages in the comment section but should not intentionally destroy or try to confuse the coherence of the story.

5. Readers can respond to any anonymous character interaction in the comment section–that response may change and contribute to the story.

6. Do not use inappropriate language.

7. The roles and anonymity in the comment section are created by the primary story author himself.

8. The time of all messages is based on the time of writing.

9. Have fun, and enjoy it.

Editor: Luke Langlois

James Jams to “Jay”

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By James Zheng

Hello, everyone. I know we are reminiscing about our time during summer, but do not forget to enjoy the new school year. You especially must check out our school blog every DAY! Last year I did most of my posts about anime, movies, and games. This year, I will try to bring new and more creative posts to readers.

During my summer, I rediscovered a Chinese singer named Jay Chou. My only impression of him was from my childhood; the first time I listened to his songs, I  disliked his “lazy” singing style where you don’t know what he is saying unless you look up the lyrics. I did not have a good impression at first. However, one day I clicked on a video talking about the comparison between the top ten Chinese songs of 2005 and 2015. One of his songs was at number one in China 2005, and that made me interested in him again, and the things I used to dislike actually made him unique. 

Jay Chou’s career has always been marked by his dedication to the Mandopop (Mandrian Popular music) realm. When his first album came out in 1999, it was played everywhere on the street and soon made the top ten songs chart. Once Jay realized the opportunity was there, he charged up his music career and released more and more albums. His songs never get old, even though he has been making music for nearly twenty years. Each of his albums is still overwhelmingly popular nowadays around the whole of Asia. To give a personal comment on his songs, the complex level of lyrics and songwriting is still beyond most songs in recent years. 

So here are some recommendations. Some of them are more “James” subjective, while most of them are commonly recommended in the Mandopop realm. 

  • “Can’t Express Me (开不了口).” Released in 2001, this is the song I like the most. The change of the instruments adds a lot of improvement and meaning to the whole song.
  • “Secret (不能说的秘密).” Released in 2007, Chou also made a film with the same name. “Secret” is a light rock song.
  • “Common Jasmine Orange (七里香).” Released in 2004, this song is one of the most popular in Asia, awarded “Song of the Year” by the Asian music confederation. The lyrics are full of poetry and romantic meaning.
  • “Sunny Day (晴天).” Released in 2003, this is a charming song played with guitar. Nowadays, it is even more popular than “Common Jasmine Orange.”
  • “Nocturne (夜曲).” Released in 2005, this hit the top number one most popular song among the Mandopop realm. The rhythm is quite tranquil and smooth. Jay Chou also adds some Hip-hop into his vocal style.
  • “Silence (安静).” Released in 2001, the whole song remains almost the same speed and rhythm while being played with the piano. The song also has a strong emotional atmosphere.

And that is what I have for you guys. Chou still has tons of amazing songs to listen to, so check them out if you are interested. Try searching on YouTube, Spotify, Google Music, or Amazon Music. Lastly, I know that everyone doesn’t understand or usually listen to Chinese songs, but why not try it out just to see if you like the beat or the vocal style. You might want to welcome something fresh. New year, new music!

Editor: Luke Langlois