December 2009 · Volume 1 Issue 1

dingknow it all.

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dingDecember 2009

Table of ConTenTs

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a guiTarOvit, nobitaqui cuptium nos nonserspit es acilla coreriam re

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THe lasT HowlOluptatu restest, ipsuntem re num fugiatus el iducium aut

Check out all

the neat stuff

in this issue of Ding!

ding4

December 2009

Hey everyone!

I’m so excited to have you here with us for the first issue

of Ding!. My name is Dingo, and I’ll be your guide through the

magazine. I’m from Australia, but Ding! gets to take me all

around the world, and lets me do all kinds of fun things, and I

hope you’re ready, ‘cause I’m going to take you with me!

In this issue, we’ll be traveling to Japan and meeting its

Emperor, visiting the inside of a crayon factory, learning how a

video game machine works, and making awesome holiday decorations

to make your home really sparkle this winter!

I really hope you enjoy this issue. You see, Ding! is about you

and the world you live in. It’s about what came before you in

history, what’s going on around you, and all the neat things you

can do. And I’d love to learn more about you, like what you’re

interested in knowing about, what you’d like to learn to make, or

where you live and the things you do there. So if you’d like to

let me get to know you, you can write me a letter here:

Letters to Dingo

PO Box 12345

Chicago, IL 60606 USA

I hope I get to hear from you soon! Until next

issue,

Dingo

George Washington is a dude. Assum lique prat eaquodic test, cum alit voluptatur maximus apelit harcipsaped esciatem et, consequam

George Washington is a dude. Assum lique prat eaquodic test, cum alit voluptatur maximus apelit harcipsaped esciatem et, consequam

George Washington is a dude. Assum lique prat eaquodic test, cum alit voluptatur maximus apelit harcipsaped esciatem et, consequam

December 2009 5

dingknow it all.

December 2009 Volume 1 Issue 1

ConTribuTors

FOUNDERS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFPUBLISHER

MANAGING EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTORART DIRECTOR

“CREATE” EDITOR“EXPLORE” EDITOR“IMAGINE” EDITOR

COPY EDITORWEB EDITOR

STAFF WRITERS

Caitlin Haskell, Regina Kinney,Samantha Lawsky, Jeannie Harrell

Bob DiggityPharrell & Williams, Inc.Winston Churchill

Pepper-Ann PearsonDoug Diggity

Winona RyderChristian SlaterShannen Doherty

Stormy PinknessMarge DiggityTito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, LaToya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Randy Jackson, Janet Jackson, Andrew Jackson

ding6

just the facts

Fried foods with lots of oil, such as potato pancakes and doughnuts, are eaten during

Hanukkah to symbolize the oil that burned for

eight days in the holy Temple in

Jerusalem.

Practically every

location in the United States has

experienced snowfall—

even Florida!

Florida farmers grow more than 120,000 Christmas trees every year.

Holidays

The letters that appear on the dreidel

stand for nes gadol haya sham, which translates to “a great miracle happened there.” But dreidels in Israel say nun, gimmel, hey, pey, which stands for “a great miracle happened here.”

In America, Christmas was deemed a national

holiday in 1890.

Jingle Bells, written by James Lord Pierport and published in 1857, was not originally written to be a Christmas song.

Kwanzaa was founded in Oakland,

CA, in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga.

South Africa celebrates

Family Day on December 26.

nun gimmel Hey sHin

December 2009 7

Recently, U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize! And this month, he and his family are going to Norway to receive it. This is a very important award, and each year the person who receives it is very proud of himself or herself. But what does a person have to do to win the Nobel Peace Prize? And how does he or she get picked? Here are some facts about the Nobel Peace Prize.

X A wealthy inventor named Alfred Nobel started giving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1896.

XAlfred said that the Nobel Peace Prize should be given to someone who has worked very hard to keep peace among the nations of the world by stopping war and encouraging warring countries to come to peace.

XThere are many people who can win the Nobel Peace Prize, including presidents, kings and queens, teachers, and judges.

XA group of people called the Norwegian Nobel Committee votes for one of the men and women nominated for the Prize.

X Each year, on December 10th, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize goes to Oslo, Norway to receive the award from the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

XThe winner is called a Nobel laureate and he or she is given a diploma and a medal.

THe nobel peaCe prize

There have been many great men and women who have won the Nobel Peace Prize over the years, and three have been Presidents of the United States! Besides Barack Obama, President Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906 for helping to end the war between Russia and Japan, and President Woodrow Wilson won in 1919 for founding the League of Nations.

Congratulations, Mr. President!

now & then

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ding10

the great outdoorsBuilding a snowman is a piece of cake: make three balls, stack them on top of one another, and voila, you’re a pro. Take it to the next level and show off your creativity by constructing something unique. Using items you have lying around the house, you can create an end-less variety of characters with flair. Why not take advantage of the next big snowfall and try out some of our creations? Here’s how!

HippieRock on, dude! Get this started by building a basic snowman. Give it long hair using twigs or long strands of yarn. Instead of making small eyes, try to find larger rocks or use pipe cleaners to make round glasses. Get festive with colorful scarves and beaded necklaces.

December 2009 11What other character snowmen can you come up with? Take it to the Great Outdoors and put your skills to the test. And when you’re done, send your ideas and photos to greatoutdoors@ding.com. We might just feature your creations in an upcoming issue!

wizardSend sparks flying with this magical snow-man, starting with the basic structure. Give it a magic wand made from a medium-sized branch. Cloak its body with a piece of fabric or a large silk scarf. You can make a crafty wizard’s hat by forming a teepee triangle with three branches on the top of its head!

roboTInstead of making the basic snowman with three balls, you’ll need to shape three squares for this creation. Stack them as you would with the others, and create robotic arms and legs using the thickest branches you can find! Using tin foil, give your snowman a shiny outer coating. Rocks and other small objects make cool gadgets and buttons for your robot companion!

noT your aVerage snowman

China

Russia

noRthKoRea

southKoRea

s e a o f J a pa n

p a C i f i C o C e a n

JapantoKyo

TOKYO FACTSPopulation 12,790,000

Area 844.4 square miles (1% of this is water)

Official flower Cherry blossom

Official tree Gingko

ding12

go! Tokyo, Japan

sHibuya CrossingThe crosswalk outside of Shibuya station is one of the busiest crosswalks in the world! When the stoplight turns green, people can cross from street to street, as well as diagonally from corner to corner. The buildings around the crosswalk have gigantic TV screens showing advertisements—don’t get distracted when you’re trying to cross!

Talking THe TalkKon-ni-chi-wa!.......................................... “Hello!”O-gen-ki de-su-ka?............................. “How are you?”A-ri-ga-toh.................................. “Thank you.” O-i-shi-i!....................................“Delicious!”Sugoi!...........................................“Wow!” Wa-ta-shi no na-ma-e wa ... desu .....................“My name is Dingo”

In Japanese, each letter is one syllable.

ko

n

ni chi

wa!

From the Ding! offices here in Chicago, it takes about ten hours by plane to get to Tokyo, Japan. It’s a long trip, but when you get off the plane it feels like you’re in a different world! Here are some things to look out for when you’re in Tokyo!

December 2009 13

From the Ding! offices here in Chicago, it takes about ten hours by plane to get to Tokyo, Japan. It’s a long trip, but when you get off the plane it feels like you’re in a different world! Here are some things to look out for when you’re in Tokyo!

One of the major religions of Japan is Shinto. This big red gate guards a Shinto shrine in downtown Tokyo. The two vicious statues are of Fujin and Raijin, the Shinto gods of wind and thunder. The lantern in the middle reads ‘Kaminari-mon,’ which in Japanese means “thunder gate.”

kaminari-mon

imperial palaCe This beautiful palace is where the Emperor and his family live. The palace spans nearly three square miles right in the middle of Tokyo! Aside from the Emperor’s family, staff, and personal guests, nobody is allowed inside the Palace except on the Emperor’s birthday.

meeT THe emperorAkihito was born in 1933 to Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun.

Though he grew up as the Crown Prince of Japan, after Hirohito died in 1989, Akihito took his father’s place as Emperor. He and his wife, Michiko, have three children and two grandchildren. His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will be the Emperor after Akihito dies; after Naruhito dies, the Emperor’s grandson, Prince Hisahito, will take his place. Emperor Akihito will be 76 this month. Happy birthday!

Tip: When in Japan, never refer to Emperor Akihito by his name! Japanese people call him His Imperial Highness the Emperor, to show respect and honor their cultural leader.

14

friends like YOU

The world can seem awfully big at times—take your school, for example. Do you know everyone in your class? How about your grade? Think of how many other schools there are in your city, your state, or in the entire country. There are millions of people out there with different faces, different beliefs, different stories. However, we all come together under one roof—the planet Earth. We share this space and therefore, we probably share other things too. You might not know it, but there are plenty of people out there just like you! Follow Dingo on his trip as he explores the lives of his new friends across the globe.

CANADA Amy Matthews, 12 Canada is our neighbor to the north—it is also located in North America and is very close to some American cities, such as Buffalo, NY. Amy visits the U.S.A. very often to see her cousins, but she doesn’t forget why she loves her home so much. “Canada is so friendly! I live in Montreal and many of the people here speak French. I’m learning it in school.” Montreal can get very cold—snow is a must! Amy and her friends love building snow forts and exploring the woods nearby during the winter. Her favorite traditional food is poutine, which is French fries topped with gravy and melted cheese. Mmm!

FRANCE Clementine Dumont, 9 Clementine is a student at an International School in Paris. She likes to go horseback riding on the weekends at the local stable with her friends from school. Her favorite TV show is Hannah Montana, a favorite in both France and America! Clementine lives very close to Disneyland Paris, and hopes to visit Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, one day to see if they are similar. “Disneyland Paris is cool, but I know the one in America is bigger! I want to visit with my family one day. You should come to France to see what our version is like!”

December 2009 15

CHINA Hui Cai, 10 China is the largest country in eastern Asia, making it a hotspot for culture and interaction. Hui is from Shanghai, an urban area similar to New York City. “I love the skyscrapers! They are not just rectangles going straight up, but circles and sticks and all different shapes!” Indeed, the city of Shanghai is filled with spectacular buildings. The Oriental Pearl Tower is perhaps the most intriguing, and Hui’s favorite.

ISRAEL Amit Nissim, 12 Amit has two older brothers and likes to play soccer with them. After school, he tutors younger children in Jerusalem to help improve their English. His favorite spot in Jerusalem is the Mahane Yehuda Market, which is where he and his family go to pick out meat, vegetables, bread, and other delicious items for their Friday night Shabbat dinner. “The market is crazy!” Amit says, “But I love it. You see so many people you know, and you can sometimes buy cool new toys along with your food!”

SRI LANKA Dilipa Chandrasekera, 14 Sri Lanka is an island located right below India. Dilipa lives in Galle, a part of Sri Lanka that was hit by a terrible tsunami in 2004. Dilipa and her older sister helped their family rebuild their home after it was destroyed by the tsunami. She loves the beaches near her home, and with good reason! The weather in Sri Lanka is perfect for spending days on the waterfront. One day, Dilipa hopes to study architecture at an American university. “I’d like to learn how to build and fix buildings so that I can help other people if their homes get destroyed, like mine was.”

NEW ZEALAND Carl Washer, 9 Carl is an only child who loves all things science! “I made a model volcano once, and it was the coolest thing ever!” When he’s not experimenting, Carl likes to practice his tennis skills with his dad. New Zealand is an island located near Australia, and Carl hopes to travel the world one day to visit as many countries as possible. “I love New Zealand, and I want to see what all the other countries are like. America seems awesome!”

ding16

We know that winter is all about cookies and candy, but you have to eat something other than sweets! There are five other food groups for a reason, and it’s really easy to make yummy meals with all of them included. Plus, cooking your own food is always fun, especially when you have some helpers in the kitchen.

Martha Stewart is someone who loves to cook. She creates easy recipes for tasty, healthy food that you can make at home! Martha told us all about why she loves cooking during the holidays, and then she helped us put together one super holiday recipe that you’ll be able to prepare in your very own kitchen.

Ding! When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?Martha When I was young, I wanted to be a teacher. I loved my third grade teacher, Miss Irene Wire, and my fifth grade teacher, Miss Mitchell. Both of my parents were teachers. So until I was in college, I wanted to study to be a teacher.

Ding! What’s your favorite food?Martha I love all kinds of fish, but my absolute favorite is salmon with lemon butter sauce. When my daughter was little, it used to be her favorite dish to help me prepare, so we made it a lot!

Now, there’s nothing better on a cold winter night than a warm and cozy dinner. That’s why Martha chose to share her recipe for Chicken Pot Pie with a puff pastry. The recipe makes enough to serve eight to ten people, so make sure that your family and friends are hungry! When you and your helper are ready to start cooking, here’s the list of ingredients:

• 1/3 pound Puff Pastry• 5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour• 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter• 1 large onion, chopped• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces• 12 ounces of small mushrooms, stems trimmed• 2 cups of chicken stock

• 1 cup of milk• 5 cups of roasted chicken• 1 cup of shelled green peas• 2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped• 2 tablespoons of thyme• 3 teaspoons of salt• 1 teaspoon of pepper• 1 large egg• 1 egg yolk• 1 teaspoon of water

Ready to get cooking? Be sure to read the recipe first so you know what you’re doing!

17

Enjoy!

At least four hours before you make the chicken pot pie filling, roll out the puff pastry so it makes a ¼ inch-thick square. Place it on a baking sheet, wrap it with plastic, and chill it in the refrigerator.

After at least one hour, take out the puff pastry and place it on a cutting board. With your helper, place a large mixing bowl upside-down on the dough. Trace around the bowl with a knife, making a circular piece of dough. Put that circle back onto the baking sheet and chill it in the refrigerator for another two hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large heavy-bottom pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, potatoes, and carrots. Stir the vegetables every

few minutes until you can stick a fork in them easily. After ten or twelve minutes, add the mushrooms and flour. Stir it for one minute. Then add the chicken stock and milk. Let it simmer until it’s thick and bubbling. Keep stirring every few minutes. Finally, add the chicken, peas, parsley, thyme, salt, and

pepper. When everything’s added and simmered, move your pie filling to a 3-quart casserole dish.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk, and water. Take your dough out of the refrigerator and brush the mixture over it. Then, place the dough on top of your pie filling in the dish—but leave enough dough hanging over the side so there can be a crust when it’s done baking. Press on the sides so they’ll stay in place. Brush some more of the egg mixture on the top of the dough. Before you place it in the oven, make sure you poke a fork through the dough so the steam can come out while the pie’s baking!

Bake your chicken pot pie for thirty-five minutes.

Martha’schicken pot pie!

Like what you’ve written? Send it to us! Ding! Magazine PO Box 12345 Chicago, IL 6060918

the write ideaEveryone loves to tell stories! There’s nothing better than

sitting with your family or your friends, remembering

true tales or making up funny new stories. Those times

are great! But do you ever wish you could be having

more fun? Try acting your stories out by writing a play!

Writing a play takes some patience, but if you have your

parents or your friends help you, everyone shares the

experience. The more people who want to be a part of

the play, the more creativity you’ll use, and the more fun

you’ll have! Once you have an idea, some paper and a

pencil, you’re ready to begin!

seTTingAfter you have your character list, pick a time and place. You can set your play anywhere you want—outer space, the rainforest, your backyard. And it can be a long time ago, like when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, or just yesterday when you played kickball in gym class. That’s what makes writing a play so fun—

you’re in charge!

CHaraCTersThe very first thing you want to do is make a list of all the characters in your play. Make sure you put a few little words or phrases to describe them after their name, so you can remember their role in the play. For example, you might write something like: “Susie—ten years old,

little sister, likes to play soccer.”

sTage direCTionsNow you’re ready to start writing the action of your play. Before you write any of the conversations your characters have, you’ll want to set up the scene for everyone who reads your play. At the top of the first page, include who is in the first scene, where they are, and when the action is taking place. You might write: “SUSIE and MARK are reading books on their blue

couch. It is the afternoon on a Saturday.”

aCTionStart the conversation! Now you get to write your story with dialogue. Have your characters talk, laugh, fight, travel, ask questions, and have

fun!

plays

1919

look inside!THe sTaTue of liberTy

A symbol of our country, the Statue of Liberty represents freedom and opportunity in America. It was built in the late 1800’s and was given as a gift from France to the United States.

The statue is comprised of many different layers. Did you know that the original statue was actually a copper brown? The statue was made

from copper, which eventually turns green when it reacts

with the weather and outside conditions.

The base is shaped like a star and has many areas for visitors to relax in before heading inside the statue.

There are 192 steps from the base of the pedestal to the base of the statue. Some visitors can continue their climb to the top of the statue’s crown!

A small, winding staircase runs up the statue from the top of the pedestal to the crown. It’s another 162 steps up, but the view is great! The statue is made of a very flexible copper material so that it can move with heavy winds and not fall over. How cool!

The crown has several observatory windows that you can look through to see the New York City landscape. It’s a small space, but worth the climb! The seven spokes on the crown represent the seven continents of the world.

The flame within the torch is made of gold leaf, which allows it to shine its light out to visitors. The torch was replaced in 1986 and the original version sits in the lobby of the statue’s pedestal.

dingJanuary 2010

vol 1 issue 1

CoveR aRt: Bill Revill