Sports, Life, Health

"The glory of sport is born at the moment when the game and the person become one, when all the complexity of one's life finds a moment to emerge in the game." -Timothy Shriver, Ph.D.

Did you ever ask yourself, what are 'sports'? Well let me tell you. sports are entertaining and skillful activities requiring skills, physical power, commitment, and often a competitive nature. In a kid’s life, sports are very important and have many benefits, like getting better grades in school, a less chance of using drugs or alcohol, getting sports scholarships, and some health benefits.

The biggest trick for playing sports as a child is being injured. Some people might not play sports because of their gender, but the sport opportunities for females have been rising since the passage of Title IX in 1972. The percentage of females playing sports and the participation of girls in the interscholastic athletics is about 39%.

We made a survey for a couple of seven and eight graders because we wanted to see what their opinions are, and this is what we got:

Some said:

"I play sports for almost 2-4 hours per week, it brings me happiness and joy."

Some agreed and some disagreed;

"No, sports are not my thing. I'm too lazy and I don't have time, I have more important things to do in my life."

Which road would you like to take???

Written By: Ghena Haikal, 7c

             And Tala Nassar 8b

Fictionalism in Mathematics

“Fictionalism in the philosophy of mathematics is the view that mathematical statements, such as ‘8+5=13’ and ‘π is irrational’, are to be interpreted at face value and, thus interpreted, are false.” You’ve probably went through the same series of thoughts thinking that what you’re taking in math just might be nonsense. Fictionalists are typically driven to reject the truth of such mathematical statements because these statements imply the existence of mathematical entities (state of existence), and according to Fictionalists there are no such entities.

                What does all that mean? Fictionalism is an anti-realist report of mathematics in that it “denies the existence of a realm of abstract mathematical entities”. This means that people are trying to prove the non-existence of math.  Although Fictionalism says that mathematical statements implying the existence of mathematical realms are false, there is a sense in which these statements are true—they are true in the story of mathematics. This uses an idea form literature-fiction, where statements like ‘Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit’ is false, well, because there are no such things as hobbits, but they are true in Tolkien’s story.

            Referring to the Hobbit example, let’s take the simple and most known mathematical statement: 1<> 0. In the mathematical story, this is true in fact, but a recent mathematical equation discovered this is false.  We are going to prove that 1=0. Start with the addition of an infinite succession of zeros

Then recognize that 0 = 1 − 1

Applying the associative law of addition results in

Of course − 1 + 1 = 0

And the addition of an infinite string of zeros can be discarded leaving

This is just one of the many mathematical statements proved false.

All in all, Fictionalists are constantly trying to promote the mathematical fallacies or mistakes and there are people who oppose and try to prove otherwise, which is to say, they are trying to prove that Hobbits do exist even in real life. What do you think?

Written by:- Jenny Jumaian, 10

3D Printers

In the ever-changing world we live in, inventions are everywhere. New gadgets are being created, while older ones are being improved in ways deemed impossible just a few months ago. And just when one starts to think, “There’s nothing left to invent anymore!” BAM! A jaw-dropping creation astonishes everyone and they can’t help but sit there and drool at its shiny modern awesomeness. Then, just when people start to think, “This is it! The real deal! This is the best invention ever!” An even better one comes out, thus creating the never-ending cycle of the competition between inventions.

An awesome invention (which I’m sure will be very important later on in life) is the 3D printer. I know what you’re thinking: "A printer that looks 3D?" Or, "a printer that prints paper, but you have to wear 3D glasses to see what’s written?"  No, and no. A 3D printer prints actual objects instead of paper. How does it do so, you ask? Well, the next paragraph or so talks about how it works.

    How they work

   A typical 3D printer is quite similar to normal inkjet printers we use      every day. What the printer does is build up the 3D model to be printed one layer at a time, from the bottom to the top. It does so by printing repeatedly over the same area. It takes a few hours for the printer to create the model. It turns the three-dimensional Computer Aided Design (or CAD for short) drawing into numerous two-dimensional, cross-sectional layers.

The 3D printer does not use ink to make the 3D objects, since ink does not build up volume. As an alternative, the printer uses layers of molten plastic and powder and fuses them together with adhesive or ultraviolet light.

In simpler terms: a 3D printer works by taking a 3D computer file and then layers of material are laid down. Each layer or slice is then printed on top of the other, thus creating the magnificent 3D object.

Okay, so who would need to use a 3D printer?

Basically, if someone needs a prototype of something, it is much faster and cheaper to print the object using the 3D printer than to make one by hand. 3D printers are reliable and safe. They are also easy to use.

More information

The printer costs from $25,000 to $50,000. However, cheaper machines are now beginning to appear. These printers are becoming more popular in design and engineering schools.

A disadvantage of 3D printers is the choice of materials. When printing the object, the colors may be crude since only one or two materials have been used. The texture of the object may not replicate what was intended at the first place.

3D Printers and the future!

It is believed that in 20 years, 3D printers will start to print body parts. Yes, you read correctly. BODY PARTS. Researchers in the Computational Synthesis Laboratory at Cornell University are working on a 3D printer which will print body parts, all the different tissues included. So if someone loses a finger or an ear, they’d just print you a new one!

Resources:

·         http://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-3d-printers-work.html

·         http://p2pfoundation.net/3D_Printing

http://www.pcworld.com/article/220264/3d_printer_will_print_body_parts_within_the_next_20_years.html

Written by:- Sara Almasri, 10 

Inflation in Jordan

It seems like every time I check the price of those adorable sandals that I've had my eyes on for a while now, a digit or two seems to have been added to the number making the price tag all the more obnoxious. However, when looking beyond those not so profound gadgets, we notice that there’s a general inflation going on around us. Prices for all kinds of goods and services have risen to include food, clothes, cars, electronics, fuel, gas, real estate and all the way to a citizen's legal right to things such as education and health insurance.

Skimming through the past and finding the main reason for this inflation would probably lead us back to the global recession that occurred a couple of years ago. It started in the USA back in December 2007, and it seems appropriate to say, infected the world from there onward. This caused the stock market to drop or crash in some cases, prices to rise, industries to halt, private and public corporations to collapse and thus many partnerships to cease. Consequently, a general rise in unemployment rates caused a “general” drop in the flow of money which resulted in a “general” decrease in demand for products being produced, and thus fewer products were produced to match up with the demand rate.

Going back to the main point, a country such as Jordan, which lacks primary resources and doesn’t have enough money to put its very few resources into work, depends a lot on importing basic goods and services from other countries. That’s why we were affected to a great extent when economies of other countries started to crash down and fall apart.

So, while the exterior factor is somewhat incontrollable and probably out of our reach, handling the situation has to be from within. Also, while handling money worldwide has a new meaning now, we still maintain our old mentality and firmly hold on to it. Business owners, advisers and consumers are refusing to compromise. Profit margins are still maintaining the same heights and customers want products and service with the old expectations. This by all means defeats any economic or business rule.  Therefore, entrepreneurs should resign themselves to the fact that profit margins might face drops every once in a while. After all, that’s part of the game. This is emphasized and amplified to the organizations that are claiming to be non-profit and yet their prices seem to rise beyond what’s needed to cover the initial cost for the good or service.
For what it’s worth, members of society should be well aware that our country is going through a rough patch; so while we were all here to benefit from the economic boom that occurred in Jordan during the beginning of the 21st century, we should be here to take the heap when the going gets tough. After all, you can’t expect to eat your piece of the cake without cleaning your dish.
 Written By: Tara Nazzer, 10

With the Help of: Shahd Al-Ouri, 10

A Rapid Revolution

There are very few moments in our lives when we have the privilege to witness history taking place. This is one of those moments. This is one of those times. The people of Egypt have spoken, their voices have been heard, and Egypt will never be the same.

1952 Revolution

In 1952 Egypt witnessed a very strong and effective revolution that resulted in the overthrow of King Farouk I and the establishment of a republic.  On Wednesday, July 23, 1952 a military revolution occurred in Egypt.  It was carried out by the “Free Officers," but the real power behind the revolution was Jamal Abdel Nasser who eventually became the leader of Egypt.

2011 Revolution

What happened recently was the largest popular revolution in the history of our world and of the entire Arab nation. The sacrifice of our martyrs has built the revolution and they have broken through all the barriers of fear. They didn’t give up until the unjust "leaders" and their corrupt systems were overthrown.

Hosni Mubarak entered the Presidential Palace in 1981 and left the palace in 2011 after a revolution against him, making him Egypt’s longest serving ruler since Mohammed Ali Pasha after 30 years of rule.  In February 2011, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced that Hosni Mubarak was going to resign from his position as head of state and leave the office.

The 2011 Egyptian Revolution took began on January 25, 2011.  The Egyptian population demonstrated in front of the diplomatic building demanding the resignation of Hosni Mubarak.  Marches consisting of millions of patriotic people took place in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, Luxor, and many other cities calling for the immediate change of the government. 

The protests were not officially organized by any party or organization. They were only discussed on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking software to simply represent the people's views on poverty, unemployment, government and corruption.  In every street of Egypt the sound of freedom was called. The protests were peaceful, however some violent clashes occurred between the protesters and the security forces.  These clashes resulted in death, robbery of national museums, and destroying public properties. 

After plenty of protests and several weeks of continuous anger and unrest, President Hosni Mubarak’s vice president announced on national television that the president will be resigning from his position as head of state.  This brought joy to people’s hearts and smiles to their faces, and it was a peaceful, spontaneous, overwhelming and rapid revolution that succeeded. 

The Egyptian people were determined to change the government, and with hard work and persistence they managed to reach their aim.  Their unity enabled them to get through a tough period; hand in hand they survived this hard-hitting incident that eventually gave them their demands.  It is the will of the people that changes the world. 

Written By: Hoor Al-Amin, 10

And  Leen Kurdi, 8

Heed the Fire Call

On March 17, 2011, civil defense men came to the Ahliyyah School for Girls and showed us how to deal with fires.  They showed us how to lift and use a fire extinguisher, and they taught us the difference between types of extinguishers.  The men gave us some fire safety tips such as standing with the direction of the wind when using a fire extinguisher.  They told us to stand about a meter or two away from the fire for more safety.  Then, they lit a huge fire in the center of the courtyard and everyone began to get excited. They had the teachers practice putting it out and then some students got a turn.  It was literally breathtaking.  Smoke and ashes flew all over the place.  One of the students asked an officer, “How can we lift such a heavy object as a fire extinguisher?”  He replied that the human body is stronger when under pressure or in danger and adapts quickly in order to survive.  

Written by:- Zein Al-Alami, 7

With the help of:- Lara Nassar, 7

I am Number Four – A Review

I Am Number Four is a book that is written by the author Pittacus Lore. The events of this book revolve around a fifteen year old boy, John Smith, who is an alien that comes from a planet called Loren, and eight other aliens, each with their mentor, after their planet got destroyed. The Lorien aliens escape to planet earth after fear of being killed by another species of aliens called the Mogadorians who seek to destroy their kind. A certain sequence is taking place when it comes to the murders, and John is the fourth to come. 

The plot of the book impressed many people, which led it to being turned into a motion picture before the publishing of the book itself. The movie was directed by D. J. Caruso (the director of Disturbia) starring Alex Pettyfer as Number Four, Timothy Olyphant as Henri, Dianna Agron as Sarah Hart, and Callan McAuliffe as Sam Goode. 

Many readers seemed to be blown away with the content of the book, paving way for an urge to watch the movie and experience what was described so wonderfully in an even better manner through the film. The movie however seemed to let people and their expectations down. In many cases, when books are turned into movies a lot of chapters are cut out and some events are altered due to the time limit. This movie however had changes that were eccentric and extreme. An example of this was the change in the powers that Number Four possesses.  In the book, he had telekinesis, immunity to fire and the ability to light up his hand, while in the movie he had telekinesis and the ability to discharge an extremely powerful light from his hands to kill the Mogadorians. 

Moreover, some questions were left unanswered after the movie ended, or to be accurate, many events were left unexplained. Number Six, for example, is a supporting character in the book that appears only in the last few chapters, while in the movie she appears from the very beginning. This misleads those who haven’t really read the book to not understand what is going on.  Furthermore, a lot of tense moments that gave the plot life were simply taken out of the movie's story which didn't make any sense to all those bewildered readers out there. To add to that, the important events that explain to the viewer a main idea were not even mentioned, like the time when Number Four found out the history of his planet while learning to control his powers.  This was of utmost importance to the development of this particular character.

All this does not disregard the efforts that were put into the movie, especially those of D. J. Caruso and his cast. In a better scenario, these efforts could have been presented in a much better manner. Therefore, the movie is left with a rating of 4.5 out of 10.

Written by: Haya Haha, 10

With the Help of : Marah Zada, 8

Innocence

When you see a child smile, or when you see a child laugh, isn't there some sort of magic in the air? Something so unique, so exquisite? It is the wonderful quality that children are divine because of innocence.

You might question why your child is not paying enough attention to what is really important, or in other words, what you think is important. Why aren't they even bothering to watch the news?
Why do they feel upset whenever you tell them that they have to go inside and do their homework?

Why is it that whenever adults discuss the complicated, sometimes very negative aspects of life, such as war, massacres, assassinations, child trafficking, poverty, starvation, cruelty, abductions and death they seem to be flabbergasted?  They can't seem to understand these concepts properly.  They seem so strange, so out of place; it is a totally other world.

Children have an innocence that only exists within them. They have a way of taking life quite simply, and they have a way of not fretting over what we may consider a total catastrophe.

The world is such a strange place to them outside the playground and their bed; they stumble onto a world of strange mentalities, of strange thoughts, of scary people with scary natures.

I once was discussing something with a friend about the earthquake in Haiti when the girl's little sister, who I believe was about 4 at the time, came over and asked me, "What are you doing?"

I told her that we were talking about the "bad" thing that happened in Haiti, and eventually I had to explain the meaning of the word "earthquake" to her. She demanded to see a picture of the "thingee" that happened in Haiti, so I opened the computer and googled it. I told her that these were the people from Haiti who have lost their homes and families to the tragedy.  Then she asked me a very queer question.  She asked me, "Why don't they sing 'Twinkle Twinkle'? That song always makes me happy!"

Even at 13, I feel as if I'm centuries away from understanding the mentality of children.

Children are unbelievably simple and yet, unbelievably complex.

I wonder if we brought the children of the world together, and let them tell the world what they are thinking, what would they say?

Children don’t have an obsession about race the way many teens and adults do. If you put an Asian child with an African child, and an Arab child and with a European child, I can promise you, that unless they were raised wrongly, they would love each other and like each other regardless of what their epidermis and their face is. It is something so easy for them, but it is something quite difficult for adults.

Children are a handful, children are curious, and children want to know more about the world. They have a soul for exploration, for adventure, for fun, and as much as you may disagree, for knowledge.

But regardless of the situation and the way the child might be living, when you put aside all the toys and gadgets, there is only one thing a child desires more than anything in this universe: love.

Written and done by: Meera Maaytah, 8

An Eco-School At last

The Ahliyyah School for Girls Eco School participants started enlivening the school’s landscape by replacing the dead, useless plants with those that are fresh and lively. Haya Hayek, the student vice president, was one of many who played farmer for a day: “We planted thyme, sage, and mint. We also removed all of the rocks in Natalie's area since we want to plant flowers instead.” 

              The Eco School group has been working on the improvement of the school in radical ways by doing various projects. This group started with two simple words: Go Green! Going green, students researched, built, made business trips, and calculated expenses with the supervision of Mr.Qais Al Hinti. The first four months have been “wild rides” full of meetings and plans, until they reached the point at which they had to start acting and working. Last Monday, it all started.

            On Monday, the long awaited flowers and plants arrived at the school. They were given to the students responsible and stored in safe places for the next day. Twenty four hours later, the girls shoveled the soil to get it ready for the appointed moment at which the members of Eco School will proudly and permanently create a new home for the plants and perk up the ASG playground. Wednesday and Thursday were the most fruitful to date, as the plants and seeds were placed firmly in the soil with lively, fun, memorable moments and many black spiders!

            When interviewing some girls from the Eco School society, they all had different viewpoints regarding this wonderful process. “I love to see my school more green, and the last few years the gardens looked miserable,” a student proclaimed.  Another member also stated that young girls randomly came to watch them make the school a better place, and they were taught how to take care when it comes to the plant life. Another girl involved in Eco School added: “Yes, there is always more room to improve and go extra green, especially when living in a world of pollution and global warming. But we, as the Eco schools team, have a plan, and we started working on it. Hopefully, at the end of the plan, we will find ourselves happy for contributing to creating a greener environment, a cleaner atmosphere and a better world.”

             This successful and profitable event was one that will be recorded in the school’s history, as it taught students how to be productive and work to succeed. It was a learning experience that came out of dedication and love for the school and the environment. What is next is hopefully going to be even more dynamic, as Eco School is starting to build bird houses to make the Ahliyyah School for Girls a place not just for plants and humans, but also for animals. This is really one of the most creative, dynamic events of the year, and it is going to turn out to be a great success.

Written By: Natalie Fasheh, 10

With the Help of : Aseel Al-Bana, 8

Top 5 Books You Haven’t Read

5. Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons:

This story is both humorous, sad, as it talks about the journey of a girl trying to find her way in life. In other words it is mysterious, surrealistic and heavily symbolic. The story unfolds as the 13 year old Salamance Hiddle is entertaining her grandparents by telling them the story of Pheobe, who is a friend of hers. The story has a strange air around it and is certainly entertaining. If you are interested you can find it in our school library.

4. Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey:

It wouldn’t be accurate to call this book unknown, but it is probably one of the least known of Austen’s books. Northanger Abbey is a gothic parody telling the story of 17 year old Catherine Morland as she becomes an adult. The book, like all others by our dear Jane Austen, has all the complicated relationships and love stories with the addition of having imaginary ghosts and murder stories. To me, this book is perfection in itself, so you can't expect anything but positive reviews on it from me. If you wish to disagree with me, you’re still going to have to read the book.

3. Diane Setterfield - The Thirteenth Tale:

"You have given nineteen different versions of your life story to journalists in the last two years alone."

She [Vida] shrugged. "It's my profession. I'm a storyteller."

"I am a biographer, I work with facts."

As you can see, the story is wrapped in mystery and history, two of my most favourite things in the world.  The novel tells the story of Margaret Lea a historian writing the biography of the famous novelist, Vida Winter, who has kept her life a secret from everyone. However, Vida is not the only one spilling the beans about her life.  See, it is only fair for it to be one secret for another.

2. T.H. White - The Once and Future King:

To be fair the once and future is not strictly a novel it actually is a series of stories one of which is more than just known (that is the sword in the stone the second? Story in the series) however as whole series it is still not that widely spread. Basically the book tells the story of King Arthur from his simple childhood as the adopted Wart to his escape from his own castle which lead to everybody thinking that he was dead. Now, if you like stories about valiant soldiers and wizards and dark forests you are defiantly going to want to add this books to your library.

1. Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451:

This book is one of my favourites, and personally, I find it somewhat prophetic. The book is set in future America, where books are forbidden and instead people only watch TV. To make matters worse, no one thinks for themselves, and instead the people follow everything the government says. The story stars a fireman called Guy Montag, who burns books with the rest of the firemen in the city. Guy, due to a number of events I’m not telling you about but you can find out by reading the book, rebels against this system and, well, one can say that things take an unexpected turn. In short, we love the book and so will you. It is the perfect piece of proof to convince somebody that books are of utmost importance.

Written by:-  Shatha Degachi, 10

With the help of:- Jude Khashman, 7

We Can Make a Difference

Everyone says that the youth of our communities can change the world, but until now we haven’t witnessed any example of that. Hundreds of teens have been and still are standing in the midst of their corrupt countries chanting words for change.

"Facebook people", as some might call them, have just opened their eyes to the real lives they are living. Reality is more than getting good grades and or checking what is on the computer screen. Opinions are now being heard, people are being acknowledged, and problems are being solved.

Destructive leaders are finally being noticed by the world. Their crimes are being revealed to the public, and the public in return is finally standing against the evil ones on the thrones. Those neglected countries can finally have a place in the world and be equal to any other country there is. People can now actually believe that they can make a difference.

Written by :Shahd Al-Hadid, 7

With the Help of: Ghalia Abu-Sitte, 8

Skin care

Every girl dreams of having perfect skin, and I found just the answer: HOME MADE RECIPES!

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is an effective natural bacteria-fighting agent that contains many vital minerals and trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon and fluorine that are vital for a healthy body.

It is so healthy that the father of medicine, Hippocrates, used this vinegar around 400 B.C. for its health giving qualities. It also fights the effects of aging, which makes it suitable for treating age spots. It has amino acids, which gently dissolves dead skin and fatty deposits on skin’s surface.

Do not use ordinary vinegar.
Ordinary vinegar does not have the effective nutrients because it is distilled. It is also too strong for your precious skin.

Honey is just as important to this recipe as the vinegar is. It works with the vinegar to help calm your skin. It is a natural acne treatment, and helps the skin retain moisture. It reduces redness and swelling of the skin and stimulates skin cell renewal.  It also has anti-aging benefits and is a natural skin firmer.

Green tea has been a popular Asian beverage for centuries, often hailed for its significant health benefits. Its popularity has become more prevalent in recent years due to its ability to fight cancer, protect the heart, and even aid in weight loss. It unclogs pores and reduces the appearance of large pores.

Sugar
Natural glycerin moisturizes the skin and softens the texture. It also works as a scrub.

Facial mask:

1 Teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 Teaspoon green tea

5 teaspoons sugar

-          Stir     -

1 teaspoon honey

2 final teaspoons of sugar

Apply on face for 10-15 minutes.

Then wash it off and feel the difference!

I personally tried this mask.  It did wonders to my skin!        

        

  Written by: Mais Abu Shamat, 8