The Origin of Computer Games

Computer games are a symbol of the development of computers.

The reason that I feel that way is because computer games are always the first benefiters from the development of the computers. Many new technologies were and will be used on the Computer games to make them more entertaining.

Back in the 1970s, gamers can only paid games by typing code into their computer. There was still no developer like Blizzard, Ubisoft, 2K, etc. Hobbyists from different places came together and made their own games. For sure, their graphics, system, and methods are not as sophistic computer games nowadays.

             (On the left, this is how the games in 1970s look like. Simple and easy)

            Nintendo and others game consoles soon brings the pc games to a peak of that time (16-bit era). Their resolution is 640 * 400 which surpassed all their former computers. This also allowed people to make some better game designed than 1970s.

            In 1990s, Hovertank 3D was first published by id software and this was the very game that influenced whole genre. This game is a landmark in the

3^rd person shooter games. Comparing to this game,

Many games that was designed at the same era was not

as fast as this one does. Also, the fight mechanism is

better than other games.

            However, the games came to a stop at the end of

1990s due to the limitation of DOS system. For different

Games, one may need to modify the top CPU usage for

That specific game alongside with other configuration.

And this is when Windows came into people’s sight.

            Windows systems give designers a lot more choices than DOS time. The Physics Machine System, 3D acceleration graphics, and advances memory cards allow people to have some real coooooooooooooooool games such as Call of Duty, Halo, WOW, Destiny etc.

             Take two of them as examples: WOW, the short name for World of              

Warcraft creates a legend of MMORPG history. It was well known for Giant map and openness as a MMO Game. Halo, in another hand, brings people another viewpoint about games. It shadowcased a lot of real world politics withing the game.                                                

                                                                                                                     

The Legion of Boom: Seahawks

            NFL, as known as The National Football League, is a professional American football league formed in 1920. It is divided into two conference, NFC and AFC, consisting of 32 teams. It is one of the four major professional sports league in the North America, and also the highest professional level of American football in the world. NFL has 17 weeks of regular season; each team will have to play 16 games. The conclusion of the regular season will advance six teams from each conference to playoff, which is also call the Super Bowl. In game, two teams can send 11 people to the field. Every team  has a defense team and offense team.

            The Seattle Seahawks is one of the teams in NFL as a member of the league’s NFC West division based in Seattle. They joined the NFL in 1976, and have nine division titles, three conference championships, and one Super Bowl championship. Their current head coach is Pete Carroll, and there are about sixty people in the team. Some of the star players in Seahawks are Doug Baldwin, Earl Thomas, Michael Bennett, Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, and Russell Wilson. The logo of the team is a head of a sea hawk in the color of college navy, action green and wolf grey. The home field of Seahawks is in Century Link Field.

            Almost all Seattle people are crazy about Seahawks. You could often hear people yelling “Seahawks” and cheering for them with jerseys on the road. Obviously, Super Ball is a big event in Seattle, if Seahawks win the play off. Two years ago, I went to a domestic friend’s home to support Seahawks for the championship game of Super Bowl. Almost every single person in Seattle was watching the game either in the field or live on TV. Everyone got crazy when they won the championship, and that is the first time I have chance to get a sense of the relationship between local sports team and people.

Birthstones

                                                               Birthstones

A birthstone is a gemstone that represents the month of a person's birthday. The birthstone for each month kept changing through out history and they are also diverse in different cultures, such as American, British and even Hindu. The birthstones I am going to introduce are from the U.S culture in contemporary time.

January: Garnet
A garnet is a hard and shiny stone. It is found in many colors including red, orange, yellow, green, purple, blue, and colorless, with reddish shades most common.

February: Amethyst
Amethyst occurs in colors from a light pinkish violet to a deep purple. It may also exhibit one or both secondary colors, red and blue. The color is often laid out in stripes parallel to the final faces of the crystal.

March: Aquamarine
An aquamarine is a blue variety of Beryl, appearing the color of pale blue. Its color fades to white when exposed to sunlight or is subjected to heat treatment, though the color returns with irradiation.

April: Diamond
A diamond is a transparent crystal. The most notable physical characteristics are its extreme hardness and thermal conductivity.

May: Emerald
Emerald is also a variety of Beryl, having the color of green. Their toughness (resistance to breakage) is classified as generally poor.

June: Pearl
The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes occur. They can be dyed yellow, green, blue, brown, pink, purple, or black. The very best pearls have a metallic mirror-like luster.

July: Ruby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone. The brightest and most valuable "red" called blood-red or "pigeon blood."

August: Peridot
Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color, an olive-green. The color of individual peridot gems can vary from yellow to olive to brownish-green and the most valued color is a dark olive-green.

September: Sapphire
Whilst typically associated with the color blue, natural "fancy" sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors. Sapphire also has a remarkable hardness.

October: Opal
Opal is the national gemstone of Australia. The internal structure of precious opal makes it diffract light, making the color varies in a wild range. Of these hues, the black opals are the most rare.

November: Topaz
Pure topaz is colorless and transparent but is usually tinted by impurities; typical topaz is wine red, yellow, pale gray, reddish-orange, or blue brown.

December: Turquoise
Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue.

References:

 Kunz, George F. (1913). The curious lore of precious stones. Lippincott. pp. 275–306.

 Grande, Lance; Augustyn, Allison (2009). Gems and Gemstones: Timeless Natural Beauty of the Mineral World. University of Chicago Press. p. 335. 

 Knuth, Bruce G. (2007). Gems in Myth, Legend and Lore (Revised edition). Parachute: Jewelers Press. p. 294.

Photography

In the Northwest School, we have about thirty art classes which are broken into four big categories: visual arts, dance, theater and music. Every student is required to take two art classes every year, and required to complete all four categories by the end of senior year. Out of all these amazing art programs in the Northwest School, my favorite class is Photography class without any doubt. I have taken both Beginning and Advanced Photography classes and I have learned many different ways to add more to the photography than just taking photo by doing various projects and experimenting with cameras and while the developing process. We also learn about many famous photographers and look at their works and sometime do research and presentations to classmates.  

In Beginning Photography class, we take pictures with black and white camera and we develop them step by step in a dark room, because exposing the paper in the sunlight will ruin the process. When I first joined the class, I was not expecting to take black and white photos and learn how to develop a photo step by step. It was shocking but I remember how exciting and satisfying it was to do all the work in order to produce a single of photo. We live in a society with high-technology, although there are countless advantages to it, I think that we often don't even think about the process we need to do in order to create something and we often don't even have the opportunity to experience the joy that comes with it. In that sense, this photography class did not only taught me how to develop a black and white photography but how to appreciate many things we tend to forget, Moreover, this class require creativity. There are many different ways to make the white and black photography interesting, such as painting part of a photo and spraying the developing solution on the paper instead of soaking it so that the photo will only be partially developed.  

In my junior year, I took Advanced Photography class. In Advanced Photography class we have the choice of taking black and white films as well as color films. We can even take photos on our phone, use the photo-shop program on computer to edit. I worked with more technology than I did when I was in Beginning Photography but it was really interesting to see what the computer can to do to make them interesting. I was consistently amazed by the technology in Advanced Photography.  

  

(This is what the class look like)  

(Dark room) 

(Black and white photos I took in Beginning Photography class) 

(photo-shopped color photo I made in Advanced Photography class)  

Supernatural Prediction of Character - Brief Intro to Zodiac and the Years of Animals

Although people are born and raised in diverse conditions, those who have similar birthdays tend to share some characteristics. The most common way in the Western society to predict the characteristics of newborn children is the Zodiac. There are twelve signs in the modern zodiac. 

• Aries, the first constellation in the Zodiac, meaning The Ram in English, has a duration from March 21 to April 19. Aries are often cheerful, childish, straightforward and reckless. 
• Taurus, meaning the Bull, are people who have birthdays between April 20 and May 20. Taurus are found to be conservative and a little stubborn. They prefer stable lives and are good at financing. 
• People who are born during May 21 to June 20 are Gemini, the Twins. They are likely to be changeful and shrewd. 
• Cancer, unlike its aggressive name, has a meaning of the Crab. Cancer, are born between June 21 and July 22, tend to be emotional, sensitive, consistent and loyal to families. 
• Like its name, Leo (the Lion) is confident and dominant. People whose birthdays are located between July 23 and August 22 are Leo. 
• Virgo means the Maiden and has a duration from August 23 to September 22. Many Virgos are perfectionists, therefore some think they are picky. 
• From September 23 to October 22 is when Libras are born. Libra means the Scales, as most Libra are impartial and peaceable. 
• Scorpios, meaning the Scorpion, has a duration from October 23 to November 21. They are often mysterious, rational, sensitive and forethoughtful. 
• People who have birthdays between November 22 and December 21 are Sagittarius, meaning the Archer. Sagittarius are brave, decisive and independent. 
• Capricorn, the Sea-goat, are born during December 22 and January 19. They are mostly patient, realistic, responsible and diligent. 
• Aquarius, meaning the Water-bearer, has a duration from January 20 to February 18. Aquarius are friendly, creative, tolerant, and unique. 
• Pisces, the Fish, are people who are born between February 19 to March 20. Many of them are emotional, romantic and gentle. 

(Important Note: The durations of Zodiacs differ by one to two days every year.)

The years of animals, also called Chinese Zodiacs, are originated from ancient Chinese traditions. Each year is symbolized by an animal and the initial date of the year is determined by lunar rather than solar new year. The order of the animals are fixed: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. They circulate every twelve years (ex: This year (2016) is the year of Monkey, the next year of Monkey will be twelve years later, which is the year of 2028). Similar to Zodiacs, Chinese Zodiacs are also used to predict one’s characteristics according to the year in which one is born. Rats are prudent and diligent. Oxen are responsible and consistent. Tigers are straightforward and impulsive. Rabbits are gentle and honest. Dragons are brave and mysterious. Snakes are concentrative and idealistic. Horses are confident and realistic. Goats are meek and emotional. Monkeys are curious and cheerful. Roosters are sensitive and creative. Dogs are conservative and loyal. Pigs are rational and quiet. 

The wisdom of our ancestors provides us with various ways to predict one’s characteristics by analyzing one’s birthday. Although the predictions do not apply to everyone, Zodiacs and the years of animals are interesting and relatively precise methods to understand ourselves and people around us. 

Source:

“Zodiac Signs and Astrology Signs Meanings and Characteristics.” 12
         Astrology Zodiac Signs Dates, Meanings and Compatibility, N.p., n.d.
         Web. 21 Oct. 2016.

  www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com/.

Chenqi

Barber of Seville

Count Almaviva	the young count who persue Rosina’s love
Bartolo	Rosina’s doctor and guardian, also want to marry Rosina
Rosina	The girl the young count and Bartolo both love
Figaro	The barber who helped count to marry Rosina

Recently, my school orchestra has been doing an interesting piece. The piece is the overture for the opera, Barber of Seville. It is also called The Futile Precaution. The composer is Rossini. Barber of Seville is an opera which is written based on French comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais. The story describes a young Count Almaviva, named Lindoro, who pursues a girl called Rosina with a barber, Figaro’s help. Lindoro hopes that Rosina loves him not because of his money. Bartolo who is Rosina’s doctor, as well as a guardian wants to marry her, so he prevents Rosina from meeting people. Figaro, the barber of Bartolo, who is previously servant of Lindoro, gets paid for helping Lindoro. Finally Lindoro successfully gets married with Rossina.

Gioachino Antonio Rossini

Rossini was born in Pesaro, in 1792 in a musical family. He composed 39 operas, as well as religious music. In his late years, he had depressive disorder. His second wife accompanied him until he died in Paris. His funeral was worthy and big.

Some famous piece:

The Thieving Magpie, Cinderella, William Tell, etc.

The most famous version- Gioachino Antonio Rossini

The first version is written by a highly respected Italian composer, Giovanni Paisello, of the Classical period. When Rossini was asked to compose a new one, he asked for Paisello’s permission in order to show respect of the 1^st original piece. Rossini used only 13 days to complete his piece. At the beginning, especially the first performance, audiences made noises to disturb the show because people think that was extremely disrespect Paisello, who has a high reputation among audiences that he composed a new version. After a week, this situation finally begin to improve. As time went on, the Rossini version becomes the most famous piece in operas and orchestra concerts. And it is the peak of western comic opera history. Although those two pieces all defined as Classical period music. Because Rossini is a romantic period composer, I believe that his version contains more Romantic elements such as emotion and unpredictability. For example, you can clearly hear difference between forte and piano notes (strong and weak). Comparing to most Classical music, which is more rational, due to the environment people persue at the time and also the instruments people used. These two pieces are in different styles somehow.

            

Tyson Nguyen

November 2nd, 2016  

Of Coffee, Coast and Rain

Space Needle - Bryce Mann

Distinct from the crowded and bustling atmosphere of New York City, the seething party vibe of Los Angeles, or the freezing temperatures of Minneapolis, Seattle has its own uniqueness.

“It rains nine months a year in Seattle.”

As Dennis Reed has described in the 1993 iconic Romantic piece Sleepless in Seattle, the city seems to carry herself with the melancholy vibe of a dismal January day. The sequence of continuous raining days has deeply influenced in the culture and perspective of Seattleites, depicting a soothing romantic painting. Being embraced in those heavy layers of misty rain, Seattle reveals its own distinctive characteristics. Indeed, Seattle has been regarded as an analogy to a beautiful woman who sheds tears “nine months a year,” yet, in a way that you can still find her beauty under her teardrops. For wanderlust, the beauty of Seattle might be hidden under the Northern Downpour; only a person who lives in the city for a long time can truly understand its unique beauty.

Pike Market Center - Daniel Gregory 

As referred as an Emerald City, Seattle is indeed a combination of a metropolitan area and extraordinary natural gifts. Embraced by Elliot Bay, surrounded by the Cascade Range, Seattle carries the blend of the sea-breeze from the ocean and the scent of pine trees from the temperate forests. The combination of ocean, forests and a metropolitan city provide citizens and tourists an exceptional opportunity to experience both the city and nature. Pike Market Center, located in the heart of downtown Seattle, facing towards the Elliot Bay, provides the freshest oysters, Dungeon crabs and salmons of the Northwest Region, giving the opportunity to enjoy fresh seafood cuisine in the middle of the metropolitan area. Within the area of Pike Place Market, Seattle-based first Starbucks coffee house has given Seattleites the most original and natural Espresso and variations since 1971, introducing branches of over 50 Starbucks stores around the city, and thousands of retail stores globally. 

Mount Rainier - Denella Sydow

To get an authentic nature vibe, within only two hours from the heart of downtown Seattle, tourists can experience and enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest temperate forests or have the opportunity to ski on the 12,000 feet Mount Rainier, as well as other activities such as hiking or yachting.

With all of its elements and perspectives embedded in the city, the Emerald City—Seattle—is unquestionably the place that is worth experienced for both metropolitan or nature enthusiasts. "It rains nine months a year in Seattle." But Seattle carries her beauty twelve months a year.