This n' that
Meet Hello KittyBy Audrianna McCormick
Meet Hello Kitty! This little cat’s birthday was on Saturday, November 1st. Her hometown Tokyo, Japan recently had a huge parade honoring this character. According to Sanrio Co., she was originally named Kitty White before changing her name to Hello Kitty. Her birthday was specifically chosen to be November 1st because this is the birth date of Yuko Shimizu, the creator of Hello Kitty. Sanrio Co. strives to keep Hello Kitty as current and trendy as possible by creating new fashion trends and collaborating with other cartoons to guest appear on. Kitty strives to be seen as the cutest cartoon image there is. She was first was first popularized in Japan, was then discovered in the United States and Europe, and is now known world wide. As Kitty has gained popularity over the year, her creators have also upgraded her image. She has gone from wearing reds and yellows, to pinks and blues. There is also no longer a black line outlining her face and body. She has also started to appear more frequently on posters, bags, stickers, and jewelry. Hello Kitty is represented in an amusement park ride called ‘Baby Kitty’ found in Drusillas Park, East Sussex, UK. The ride spins you around numerous times and has become a phenomenon. Hello Kitty has become an international brand, appearing on laptop covers and cases, portable karaoke machines, and in coloring books. She is also found in magazines, MAC makeup products, and has a deal with the shoe brand Vans. Today this popular Kitten is featured on over 50,000 products in more than 130 countries worldwide. Now a makeup company, Kiss, makes beauty products and fake nails. Hello Kitty even has luxury spas in her honor located in Bangkok, Thailand, and Dubai. Hello Kitty has certainly made herself an iconic and well-known cat. |
Make a wish for 2015By Zeel Patel
New Year's Eve is an amazingly fun and joyful time of year. Some families like to celebrate by thinking of this year's successes, improvements, challenges, and wonderful moments. A popular event that takes place on New Year's Eve is The Times Square celebration in New York City. For 110 years, Times Square has been the center of worldwide attention on New Year's Eve. This began when the owner of One Times Square held a rooftop celebration in 1904 to welcome in the new year. On New Years Eve, the whole world celebrates together, which makes this holiday even more spectacular. It’s interesting to see how the new year officially starts at different times for different parts of the world. Times Square offers a variety of delightful entertainment on this magical night. Since 1907, a ball covered in Waterford Crystal triangles sits on a flag pole until 11:59. In the final minute of the year, it begins to descend down a poll and millions of voices countdown to the new year. The ball provides a kaleidoscope effect and acts as a universal symbol to welcome the new year. You can also add your wish to the night. Participants from around the world can have their new year’s wish written a on a piece of official Times Square confetti. These wishes flutter down at midnight on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve at Times Square features many pleasurable activities. There are multiple musical performances to enjoy and sing along too. No matter if it rains or snows the show still goes on. This event is available on TV or you can view it in New York in Times Square live. Let’s bid farewell to 2014 and give a warm welcome to 2015! Remember you can still make your wishes a part of the New Year’s Eve confetti at: |
Back to the future or back to reality
By Kailey Lewia
The Back to the Future movie trilogy was made in the 80’s. It starred Michael J. Fox, who played Marty McFly. He traveled to the past in the first movie, but in the second movie he travels to 2015, or as they said back then, the future. Since this movie is supposed to be placed in 2015, everything is futuristic and different. You wouldn’t believe what they thought 2015 would be like! In the movie, business men wore double neckties! Apparently one tie didn’t look professional enough! They also have food hydrators, or food enlargers, where you would simply stick a tiny pizza in and it would come back out the size of a large pizza within seconds! They also had hoverboards! In the movie we saw flying cars, but is it true? No, unfortunately we are a little behind the 1980’s version of the future.
However did you know some of these predictions were correct? In the movie there were giant in-wall conferencing systems similar to Skype that hooks up with certain flat screen TVs. There were also Nike Air Mags, self-tying high top sneakers! Guess what...in 2011 Nike released replicas of the Air Mags but they only made 1,500 pairs. However, this year they will bring back the designs, and they might be made with with self-tying laces! So even though we don’t have flying cars, food hydrators, hoverboards, and double neckties, perhaps these incredible things all could happen in the distant future
The Back to the Future movie trilogy was made in the 80’s. It starred Michael J. Fox, who played Marty McFly. He traveled to the past in the first movie, but in the second movie he travels to 2015, or as they said back then, the future. Since this movie is supposed to be placed in 2015, everything is futuristic and different. You wouldn’t believe what they thought 2015 would be like! In the movie, business men wore double neckties! Apparently one tie didn’t look professional enough! They also have food hydrators, or food enlargers, where you would simply stick a tiny pizza in and it would come back out the size of a large pizza within seconds! They also had hoverboards! In the movie we saw flying cars, but is it true? No, unfortunately we are a little behind the 1980’s version of the future.
However did you know some of these predictions were correct? In the movie there were giant in-wall conferencing systems similar to Skype that hooks up with certain flat screen TVs. There were also Nike Air Mags, self-tying high top sneakers! Guess what...in 2011 Nike released replicas of the Air Mags but they only made 1,500 pairs. However, this year they will bring back the designs, and they might be made with with self-tying laces! So even though we don’t have flying cars, food hydrators, hoverboards, and double neckties, perhaps these incredible things all could happen in the distant future
Holi
By Zeel Patel
Holi is an amazing, joyful, and beautiful Indian festival that welcomes spring. Indian people believe spring is a season of hope and pleasure. This festival is celebrated not only through the four corners of India, but worldwide by Hindus and Non-Hindus too. Holi derives from the original word, “Holika”. This word comes from an Indian legend. Holi is celebrated in various ways across India. There are different legends and beliefs of why it is celebrated. A popular event that takes place during Holi, is the throwing of colored powder. This is why Holi is often known as the festival of colors.
Days before Holi, markets are flooded with powdered colors made from rice flour along with the enormous piles of colors on the streets. The colors are meant to represent the enjoyment in your life. The colors are powder that is super bright. Colors such as pink, blue and yellow are often seen during this festival. Many people even make their own colors from home with flowers, this is believed to have the fragrance of love. On the festival day every inch of the street is filled with people and of course, colors! The auspicious meaning of the colors is they fill the atmosphere from millions of hands throwing them to mark the arrival of Spring. It explains the end of the Winter gloom and the start of the spring bloom. Everyone smears the colors and wishes each other, “Happy Holi.”
Another Holi tradition is the breaking of the pot. This comes from when young Lord Krishna, a Hindu god used to steal buttermilk from any accessible house in the village. Women would hang the pot in high places to prevent him from reaching it. During this tradition, a pot of buttermilk is hung high in the air above the street and men form a human pyramid in which the person at the top breaks the pot with his head. Women sing Holi folk songs and throw buckets of water.
On the eve of Holi, there is a lighting of the bonfire to show the triumph of good over evil, which is associated with several legends of Holi. The next day is when it is time to play with the colors. This festival usually takes place after the full moon in early March. This year Holi was held on March 6th. For Hindus Holi is religious, colorful, it brings people together, and it spreads enthusiasm to millions of people across the globe. Holi surely puts a smile on our faces!
Holi is an amazing, joyful, and beautiful Indian festival that welcomes spring. Indian people believe spring is a season of hope and pleasure. This festival is celebrated not only through the four corners of India, but worldwide by Hindus and Non-Hindus too. Holi derives from the original word, “Holika”. This word comes from an Indian legend. Holi is celebrated in various ways across India. There are different legends and beliefs of why it is celebrated. A popular event that takes place during Holi, is the throwing of colored powder. This is why Holi is often known as the festival of colors.
Days before Holi, markets are flooded with powdered colors made from rice flour along with the enormous piles of colors on the streets. The colors are meant to represent the enjoyment in your life. The colors are powder that is super bright. Colors such as pink, blue and yellow are often seen during this festival. Many people even make their own colors from home with flowers, this is believed to have the fragrance of love. On the festival day every inch of the street is filled with people and of course, colors! The auspicious meaning of the colors is they fill the atmosphere from millions of hands throwing them to mark the arrival of Spring. It explains the end of the Winter gloom and the start of the spring bloom. Everyone smears the colors and wishes each other, “Happy Holi.”
Another Holi tradition is the breaking of the pot. This comes from when young Lord Krishna, a Hindu god used to steal buttermilk from any accessible house in the village. Women would hang the pot in high places to prevent him from reaching it. During this tradition, a pot of buttermilk is hung high in the air above the street and men form a human pyramid in which the person at the top breaks the pot with his head. Women sing Holi folk songs and throw buckets of water.
On the eve of Holi, there is a lighting of the bonfire to show the triumph of good over evil, which is associated with several legends of Holi. The next day is when it is time to play with the colors. This festival usually takes place after the full moon in early March. This year Holi was held on March 6th. For Hindus Holi is religious, colorful, it brings people together, and it spreads enthusiasm to millions of people across the globe. Holi surely puts a smile on our faces!