2Nd Year Bachillerato 1St Term

2nd year Bachillerato 1st Term

STOPPING THE SPAM

You open an e-mail with “HI FRIEND” written in the subject line. Instead of a friendly message, you receive information about camera prices! These annoying e-mails are known as spam, or unwanted commercial e-mail. Spam is an aggressive means of advertising. It is also the most deceptive way to advertise because you are tricked into reading ads. The first spam e-mail was sent in 1978. But it wasn’t called spam then. In those days, the word only meant “canned meat”! Many believe that the name acquired a new meaning – namely, something that is repeated to the annoyance of others – as a result of a humorous TV scene. In it, a group of Vikings sing endlessly about “wonderful spam”. However, it wasn’t until 1994 that the name really became popular after two lawyers sent a mass posting to advertise their services. Spamming companies send spam messages to billions of unsuspecting computer users daily. But how do they track down e-mail addresses? They use several methods. First, e-mail addresses are easily elicited from online newsgroups and chatrooms. Second, spammers create search engines called “spambots” to check websites, searching for the “@” sign used in e-mail addresses. Furthermore, they use special software to detect genuine addresses in large service providers that host e-mail, such as Hotmail. This method is known as a “dictionary attack”. Can spam be stopped? Spam filtering software identifies keywords in the subject line of e-mail messages and deletes the messages. However, filters sometimes block authentic e-mails because the subject line contains “suspicious” keywords. Another way to block spam is by detecting the IP address of the computer from which the spam is being sent. Unfortunately, spammers change their IP addresses frequently to avoid detection. Moreover, they sometimes send viruses to personal computers. Once computers contract the virus, they become “zombie machines” because spam e-mails are sent through them. Looks like we’re stuck with spam!

CHILD MONARCHS Childhood was probably the most carefree time of our lives. There were almost no worries and no responsibilities. Yet some children literally carried the weight of nations on their shoulders. These remarkable children ruled countries and governed their people at a very young age. Probably the youngest child to become a monarch was Mary, Queen of Scots. She became Queen of Scotland in 1542 when she was only six days old. When she was crowned nine months later, she wasn’t even able to walk. At the age of six, she was promised in marriage to the future king of France. Mary was sent to be raised in the nursery in the King’s palace until she would be crowned as Queen. After her young husband’s death, Mary was forced to leave France. Elizabeth I of England, who worried that Mary would try to replace her as the future Queen of England, ordered Mary’s arrest. Mary was imprisoned for 19 years until she was eventually executed. Child monarchs continued to rule into the 20th century. The Dalai Lama of Tibet, who was born in 1935, was named the 14th Dalai Lama at the age of four. He was taken away from his family at the age of six and lived a secluded life in a monastery. China, which had given independence to Tibet in 1913, decided to invade the country and seize control again in 1950. The Dalai Lama became the head of state, head of government and spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhists at the age of 15. He was forced to flee to India, where he still lives in exile, far from his country and his people. What could be greater than ruling a country? Although child monarchs might enjoy wealth, fame, grandeur and adoration, their lives can also be lonely, desperate, unstable and dangerous. GOING BACK IN HISTORY

I Have you ever visited a historic site and wished you could see what it looked like “way back when …”? If so, your wish may soon be granted with the aid of a new system called the “Intelligent Tourism and Cultural Information through Ubiquitous Services”, or iTacitus for short. II The iTacitus is a special mobile phone that instantly supplies information typically found in a guidebook. However, it also offers a virtual tour of the site under the guidance of a computer-generated historical character. In addition, it is able to show how the area looked at different times throughout history. This is done by superimposing images on top of a photograph taken by the phone’s camera. As visitors tour the site, they will see the area from different angles, and the images on the camera will change accordingly. III Originally, the system used a small computer, but testers found the machines inconvenient to carry and difficult to view. Now, iTacitus depends on two features regularly found on “smart” phones – a global positioning system (GPS), and an Augmented Reality (AR). The GPS tells the main computer where the phone is and the AR uses special software to supply the stored images about the site. IV The system is already in use at two European sites. At the Palace of Venaria, near Turin in Italy, iTacitus enables tourists to see the ancient frescos and ruined temple in their former glory, while at Winchester, England, a virtual King Arthur shows visitors around the castle’s Great Hall. Plans are now underway to extend the system to cover the Colosseum in Rome, where it will be possible to view a gladiator fight, the Parthenon in Greece and London’s St Paul’s Cathedral. V Publius Cornelius Tacitus, who probably lived from 56 AD to 117 AD, was a Roman senator and a famous historian. It seems fitting that it is his name that is used to identify the new system. CLOTHES THAT CHANGE COLOUR

Imagine changing the colour of your clothes to suit your mood. What about changing the colour of a sweater that you received as a gift in blue, but would prefer in green? Well, soon you might be able to change the colour of your clothes in a few seconds. Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Yoel Fink and his colleagues have developed a fibre which combines thin layers of plastic and glass. This fibre can reflect light so that clothing can be one colour suitable for daytime and then change to a colour more appropriate for the evening. Clothes made from Fink’s new fibre will be equipped with a tiny, lightweight battery pack that can be activated by turning on a switch. This will send an electric charge through the fibre that will change the colour of the clothing. The fibre can also be used to change the colour of bags, hats, scarves and other accessories. The first use of this fibre will be for military purposes. The army intends to weave the new thread into uniforms to make an optical bar code that will enable soldiers to differentiate fellow soldiers from the enemy in situations like night patrol or during a firefight. Gregory Sotzing, a professor at the University of Connecticut, USA, has also been working on ways to change the colour of clothing. He has created threads from materials known as electrochromic polymers which adjust their colour in response to an electric current. Raising the polymer’s electron level causes the fibres to absorb light of different wavelengths, which results in changes in colour. To date, Sotzing’s team has developed fibres that can change from orange to blue and from red to blue. His objective is to make it possible to change clothing into any colour. Changing the colour of clothing might soon be as easy as turning on a switch. It will be a lot easier and more convenient than standing in a queue to exchange an item for another colour. And even more important, it will be considerably less expensive than buying an extensive, colour-varied wardrobe. 2nd year Bachillerato 2nd term

THE CHANGING FACE OF VIDEO GAME CHARACTERS

As any player knows, imaginary characters in computer games come in many forms, such as wizards, witches and fairies. However, the humans in these games show less variety – the majority are young, male and white; there are very few characters who are very old, very young, female or from ethnic groups such as Latino or Native American. Researchers in the United States recently surveyed the most popular computer games to find out which characters are most, and least, represented. Children and old people, as well as women and certain ethnic minorities, were found by researchers to appear less frequently than would be expected. Certainly, their appearance in games did not match their percentage in the general population, or even among game players. Women, for example, make up 38% of all game players, yet only 15% of game characters are female. Latinos are also under-represented; only 2% of game characters are Latino, although 12.5% of all game players are from that ethnic group. One reason for this imbalance may be that the characteristics of humans in games reflect the characteristics of the game creators, who are mostly young, male and white. However, the effect of the misrepresentation worries researchers; on a philosophical level, does the lack of variation among game characters give a distorted idea about the importance of minorities in US society? On a more practical level, the under-representation of certain characters may indicate a neglected marketing opportunity: would more female and minority characters lead to greater sales? One way to correct the imbalance is to allow players to customise the characters in the games. The trend towards such customisation has been growing in recent years, and is featured in many popular multiplayer online games which were not included in the survey. If it continues and spreads, then perhaps we will soon see princesses rescuing children, or old women falling in love with old men in video games.

LIVING IN GLASS HOUSES

Building houses with walls of glass is the newest trend in architectural design. This type of innovation, however, presents many challenges, from privacy issues to structural difficulties. Glass is thought to have been first created around 3000 BC, during the Bronze Age. Although glass has been used in building for 2,000 years, the technology required to produce large sheets of glass was developed only in the 19th century. Special treatments then had to be developed that could be applied to large glass frames in order to enable them to resist shattering. Richard Meier, the world-renowned architect, is known for adding glass residential buildings to the Manhattan skyline. Glass homes offer a living experience, he believes, that cannot be equalled. The advantage of glass is that it provides maximum light in areas where light is blocked by high-rise buildings. In addition, glass walls provide the opportunity for spectacular views while giving rooms a sense of space and greater dimension. On the other hand, glass buildings present several disadvantages. The major disadvantage of glass buildings is the lack of privacy. Although people who reside in cities are accustomed to living close to their neighbours, all-glass apartments may give them the feeling of living in a fish tank. In addition, the intensity of the light can make reading difficult and television viewing and using laptop computers almost impossible due to the heavy glare. Cooling the sun-baked flats is also a problem, as air-conditioning has great difficulty keeping the temperature tolerable. The intensity of the sun penetrating through the window can fade the colour of furniture fabrics, kitchen cabinets, wood floors, artwork and even books. In addition, insects are attracted to the glass walls, as are birds, which can crash into the glass, mistaking it for an open space. Despite the disadvantages, some glass-tower residents insist that they wouldn’t give up their glass houses. We’ll just have to have a closer look through their windows to see if they are really as happy as they seem. THE DEATH OF THE BOOK

In February 2009, Amazon launched the Kindle-2 – an upgraded version of the first electronic reader, introduced in 2007. The Kindle is a handheld device on which you can read digitised books, or e-books. These books can be bought from an online store and downloaded onto the device in less than 60 seconds. The improved Kindle has several attractive features. The screen is not illuminated, thus reducing glare. Electronic ink looks similar to ink on paper, making reading easier. A web browser facilitates access to websites. The five-way controller, used for note-taking and highlighting text, is useful for students. New audio features allow you to listen to stories via speakers or headphones. Although the Kindle-2 has its own unique features, all electronic readers share one main advantage: they are light and portable, when compared to the weight and bulk of printed books. When considering the convenience of electronic readers, it is not surprising that many people are concerned about the future of the publishing industry. Will e-books eventually replace traditional books? Perhaps not, since electronic readers also have drawbacks. First, these devices aren’t cheap. Besides, downloading an e-book costs about $10. Some titles are more expensive than the paperback version! Second, black-and-white e- books cannot compete with the colour of print. Furthermore, you don’t actually own a downloaded e-book. You only have the right to store it, whereas printed books can be lent or resold. Printed books have power. They have aesthetic value, they’re social and we have a cultural affinity for them. Reading a book is a sensory experience, too. Journalist Sarah F. Sullivan says she loves the smell of a book and “the sensation of flipping through the pages”. So is the novel dying out? Not according to famous author Stephen King. While King enjoys the new technology, he still chooses to read mostly in print. EDIBLE INSECTS

Imagine going to a restaurant and finding an insect in your food. Chances are that you would never return to that restaurant again. However, people who once couldn’t stand the sight of insects are now adding them to their diets. Entomophagy, or the practice of eating insects, is gaining popularity all over the world and more and more people are putting insects on their plates and into their mouths. Eating insects is common in many cultures in different parts of the world, such as in Central and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It is believed that people eat 1,700 species of insects in at least 113 countries. There are many advantages to eating insects. Breeding insects is good for the environment. Much less space, water and food is necessary to breed insects than is needed for other food sources. Insects also breed more quickly, so food supplies can be produced much faster. Advocates of entomophagy point out the many nutritional benefits. Many insects are very low in cholesterol and are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are also low in calories. One hundred grams of crickets, for example, contain only 121 calories, yet they are a good supply of protein and iron. The potential hazards of eating insects is that some of them may release toxins that could poison our bodies. Therefore, it is wise to cook them to make sure they’re safe and to improve the taste. Eating insects, however, is culturally unacceptable in many societies. People have a strong natural aversion to eating insects. Yet, unknown to them, insects are already a part of their diet. Food laws in many countries don’t ban the use of insect parts in food, but limit their quantities. There are traces of insects found in grain, for example. Flour, bread, chocolate, coffee, as well as many other products may contain ground bits of insects. You may soon eat insects as a gourmet treat or as a nutritional addition to your diet. However, it’s probably best not to serve them to your guests. 2nd year Bachillerato 3rd term

A GREENER GANESH

Ganesh, with his elephant head and human body, is instantly recognisable to many people. But although he is worshipped as a Hindu god, environmentalists are concerned about the pollution involved in Ganesh festivals. Ganesh is said to be the son of the gods Shiva and Parvati. He represents both the soul and the physical existence of the human being. He is admired as the god of education and knowledge, wisdom and wealth. He is also the god of success and the destroyer of evils such as vanity, selfishness and pride. Ganesh’s birthday is celebrated for up to ten days during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival. Traditionally, a model statue of the god, ranging from two centimetres to thirty metres in height, is made from clay. During the festival, the statue is clearly positioned in homes for family members to see and admire. Prayers are said and offerings of food and flowers are made to the god. Eventually the statue is taken by a procession of family members to a river, lake or the sea and placed in the water. This causes the statue to dissolve, thus representing the cycle of creation and death. The god is also supposed to carry away mankind’s grief with him. This ritual is widely celebrated, but lately it has become a concern to environmentalists. One reason is that the traditional clay used for the statues has recently been replaced by plaster of Paris. This material is cheaper, but it does not dissolve easily in water and so causes pollution. Another concern is the toxic chemical paint used to decorate the statues. Fortunately, some attempts have been made to “green” the festival. Statues that are not made of clay can be re-used every year. Alternatively, immersion of clay statues can take place symbolically in a tub of water, and finally, vegetable dyes are suggested for decoration. As long as such guidelines are followed, the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival will continue to bring joy and happiness to Hindus without the risk of harming the environment for us all.

HAVING AN UNUSUAL PET

You might not be able to walk it down the street or play with it on the sofa, but having an unusual or exotic pet will get you noticed. Today, the trend is for people to have unusual pets. Unusual pets help express their owners’ individuality by distinguishing them from other people. The owners become the centre of attention because people are interested in talking to them about their pets. An unusual pet also offers a unique opportunity to observe creatures living in habitats that simulate their natural environment. Watching snakes, tarantulas and iguanas, for example, move around in their glass enclosures offers a chance to learn about them. There are also many practical reasons why people acquire unusual pets. Many landlords often don’t allow pets like dogs or cats in their buildings. Therefore, unusual pets are a good alternative since they take up very little space and they also aren’t noisy. Another reason is that some people may be allergic to cats and dogs, so they look for pets that won’t harm their health. In today’s hectic world, there are people who want a pet, but don’t have the time that is needed to care for a dog or cat. Therefore, they choose unusual pets that don’t require a lot of maintenance. You don’t need to walk them, change their litter box or clean their cage often. They eat small amounts of food, so that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on their food or to carry heavy food bags home from the shop. It might be nice to play with your friends’ dogs or stroke their cats. But at home, you can enjoy your own pet without having to brush fur off your clothes or keep it from jumping on the sofa. THE MILLIONTH WORD

On 10th June 2009, the Global Language Monitor (GLM) website chose the millionth word in English. The GLM team, run by Paul J. J. Payack, analyses the use of English throughout the world. To choose the millionth word, the team considered several factors: the number of times new “words” have been used, the different countries and situations they are used in and how often the “words” have appeared in print and on the Internet. In order to qualify as “real words”, each one had to be used 25,000 times. Payack’s team created a list of 15 finalists for “the millionth English word”. The list contained several hybrid words (a combination of English and a foreign language). Two of them were from Hinglish, a mixture of Hindi and English. These words were Jai Ho (It is accomplished!) and slumdog (a child living in an extremely poor area). The winning word, Web 2.0, comes from the Internet. It means the next generation of web products and services. However, some linguists don’t accept Web 2.0 as a real word. They claim that Web 2.0 doesn’t follow the rules of English because it has letters and a number. Others disagree, since Web 2.0 isn’t the first word to include numbers. Catch-22 (a no-win situation) is one example. Although English is only about 1,500 years old, it has gone through many changes. English was originally introduced to England in the mid-5th century by Germanic tribes. In the 8th century, following the Scandinavian invasion, Danish and Norse words were added to English. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, French became dominant in England and about 10,000 French words entered the English language. Similarly, Latin words were imported during the Renaissance. As a result of the Internet, English continues to grow even more rapidly than before. Today, more than 1.5 billion people all over the world use English for business, education or social interaction. It is a dynamic, global language. SECURITY CAMERAS IN THE CLASSROOM

You might want to think twice before you send a note to your friend across the classroom or talk during an exam. The camera attached to the classroom wall is recording everything that is taking place in the room. The growing concern over school violence has caused schools to invest large sums of money in security cameras. These cameras can deter intruders from entering classrooms and they can alert security forces if intruders try to enter the school building. School administrators are pleased with the addition of the cameras. They say that not only do the cameras eliminate the danger of intruders entering the school, they also reduce violence, vandalism and theft within the school. The cameras also improve discipline, which results in increased learning and higher test results. Students express mixed feelings about the cameras in their classrooms. Some admit that the cameras make them feel safe and consequently, they can concentrate more on their studies. Others argue that the cameras interfere with their privacy. Students are not the only ones who are critical of the security cameras. Parents, for example, believe that the cameras replace teachers as the disciplinarians in the classroom. They insist that students must be taught to behave properly because it’s the correct thing to do, rather than behave only because of the presence of a camera. Teachers are also disturbed by the cameras. They say that the cameras make them feel like they are not trusted. They worry that they are being closely monitored and that this might put their jobs at risk. Moreover, they believe that the sums of money that are needed to buy, install and operate security cameras could be better used for teaching materials. Security cameras can bring down the level of violence in schools. Yet the presence of these cameras may not really bring the level of comfort that schools are looking for. It might be a good idea for schools to study the subject more thoroughly before they install security cameras in classrooms.