Multiple Intelligence Test

1. My strongest area was Music

2. My strengths were Music and Linguistics... okay, I'm good at remembering music and I have a good ear, and I like reading a writing too... and I was least visually and "myself" smart. Everything else was right in between the highs and the lows. It does give a sort of an idea of what I'm good at, but it's very rough, and sometimes it's way off. 

Dear Bobby,

I heard that you started smoking a while ago. I can understand why you did it, but if you keep doing so, you'll just hurt yourself and those near you. 

You are only twelve years old. Because of this, you can become addicted to cigarettes extremely fast. Adults- people over the age of 18- become addicted over several months, or even one or two years. However, people your age become addicted much more quickly. Even a few cigarettes are enough to make this happen. I don't know why this happens, but the immune system of young teens is not very strong. 

Now, I know that people your age don't smoke very much. There is no reason for you to smoke; there aren't so many people who smoke. Okay, so there's a fair chance that some of the boys in your class smoke. But whatever, who really cares about them? So what if they're like the big bosses of the class? They probably won't end up in the best futures.

Bobby, if you start smoking now, you'll end up wasting time that could've been spent playing video games or sports with your friends. Instead, you'll spend that time thinking of ways to make money, so that you can buy more cigarettes. You might say, oh, I'll get a job to pay it off. But you're only twelve. You don't know how cigarettes can drive people to desperate measures. My best friend Billy is in juvie camp at this very second because he was apprehended while stealing cigarettes. 

And when you're a grown man, unable to control the addiction you've had since you were a child? Then you will see the effect it has. Not only on your own health, which will deteriorate with every cigarette you smoke, but also the health of your wife and children, who breathe the same air as you.

Please, Bobby. For the sake of your own life, but also the lives of your family and friends, make the right choice now. save your loved ones untold suffering. Give up cigarettes. 

Sincerely, 

Lua

Smoking Statistics

• Girls are more likely than boys to smoke after the age of 14. 
• At the age of 13, boys smoke twice as much as girls.
• Around 37% of 16-year-olds smoke. 
• At the age of twelve, 10% of all boys smoke, whereas only 5% of girls do so.
• 10-year-olds are very unlikely to be smokers- less than 7%- but the numbers grow steadily with their increasing age.

Becoming a Jogger

There are many positive things about coming a jogger, which is in any case a wonderful way to spend your free time. 

A study in Denmark shows that joggers are more likely to live to higher age- to not die prematurely- than other people. The horror stories about joggers dropping dead at the age of, say, 50, are just urban myths that are perpetrated by those afraid of physical exertion. But since you attend SparksGym, that cannot be the case! Joggers often lose several pounds a month just by going running once in a while. It doesn't take any kind of  power food- just going jogging for a few minutes each day does the trick! Added to this is the advantage of the fact that when you run to the bus stop, you won't get red in the face like most of those inferior non-joggers. This is always an advantage. 

Joggers have to be very good at discipline. Going out every day, even for a few minutes, can be tough. But the discipline is very good for a person's mentality. There is no need to go quickly: it can even be at a brisk walking pace. It's best for you if you're going at a pace that allows you to chat with people. This means that you are doing something that's good for you both mentally and physically.

If you would like to become a jogger, there are a few simple steps. First, you need to go running on a treadmill, at a very mild pace, for two minutes. This should be repeated every day, adding a few seconds to the time. If you feel you are ready, you can take the plunge and go for fifteen or twenty minutes- but this should only be attempted after you have been jogging for at least two weeks. Once you can go for longer periods of time- the aforementioned fifteen to twenty minutes- then you can go jogging outside, in a park or on a bicycle path. Voila! After a few months, you will feel fit and fresh, all thanks to jogging!

Mystery Biography

She was born in Yate, Gloucestershire, on July 31st, 1965. Her sister Dianne was born when out mystery person was almost two years old. This person attended St. Michael's primary school; Alfred Dunn (the principal of the school) inspired a similarly named character in her writing.  

When she was a young teen, her great-aunt gave her an autobiography of Jessica Mitford, who became our mystery person's heroine. In high school, her best friend owned a blue Ford Anglia, which also appeared in her works. 

However, it wasn't until she was on a four-hour delayed train from Manchester to London that the idea for her well-known books sprang into her head. She said that it had all started with the sudden flash of inspiration for the bespectacled hero, and the rest of the ideas for the book came flooding in after that. 

Her mother died in 1990, after which the mystery person moved to Portugal. Within the next three years, she got married, had a child, got divorced, and moved back to England. In the last few months of that time she went through severe clinical depression. This inspired one kind of monster in her books, based on her feeling that she was having all her pleasant feelings sucked out of her. 

Her series is the best-known one for children of this day and age, although many adults enjoy it too. 

Do you give up? Here's her name (highlight this): J.K. Rowling

The Weirdo With a Beardo

Gregory Rasputin 

            Gregory Rasputin was born in 1869, into a Russian peasant family. He became a monk when he was an adult, and travelled around the country for many years. In 1905 he insinuated himself into the royal crowd. He was accepted by the tsar and tsarina because he could do what nobody else could- stop the bleeding of their son, who had haemophilia. In 1914, Tsar Nicholas left to fight in the war as the general, and the leading of Russia was left to Tsarina Alexandra. Unfortunately, by this time Rasputin had worked his way up into the inner circle of the family, and he governed by her side, making rash and unwise decisions. 

                For a supposedly holy man, Rasputin was involved in a lot of worldly things. He liked his wine and cakes, as well as good clothing. He was supposedly holy at first, but as he and the tsarina messed Russia up more and more, he became less so. He himself admitted that he was a devil, where before he had been holy. The noblewomen of the Russian court idolized him, because he was a mystic who magically solved their problems. 

          However, a good part of the Russian nobility disliked him. The feelings were shared with the commoners: what he and the tsarina were doing caused the country to go downhill. A group of noblemen planned to poison him one night. However, an apparently lethal dose of cyanide had no effect on him. Prince Yussoupov, losing his patience, gave up and shot Rasputin in the the back. The doctor they were working with declared him dead; this was incorrect. A few minutes later he leapt up and tried to strangle Yussoupov. The prince ran outside, hotly pursued by Rasputin, until finally the corrupt monk was shot, clubbed to death, and thrown in an icy river just to make sure he was completely dead.

Charles Schultz

Charles Schultz is arguably the most famous American cartoonist of all time. His comic strip, “Peanuts,” ran for fifty years, ending with his death in 2000.

            He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on November 26, 1922. He began studying art when he saw an ad titled “Do you like to draw?” It turned into his lifelong passion. He said that for him, it was all he could imagine doing, because cartooning was vitally important to him. In his later years, he spent much of his time at the Redwood Empire Ice Arena, playing hockey and drinking coffee. He contracted cancer of the colon in 1999.

            Many people have said that he is the most famous cartoonist of all time. One of his fellow cartoonists and friends said that if any cartoonist was to be remembered a hundred years from now, it would be Schultz. He won several awards for cartooning: the Reuben Award, which is the most prestigious award for cartoonists, was his twice, in 1955 and in 1964. He was also voted International Cartoonist of the Year by over 700 cartoonists around the world in 1978. Another award was supposed to be his until his untimely death.

            He is best known for his comic strip “Peanuts”. It started 1947, and it was called “Lil’ Folks”; however, in 1950 it was bought by a syndicate. They changed its name to what it is now (apparently the cartoonist didn’t originally like the name). What makes the Peanuts so lovable is the way they remain the same; Snoopy still regards Charlie Brown as “the kid” who brings him his food; Sally is just as pert. The readers of Peanuts are fiercely loyal to the cartoon.

            Charles Schultz’s life was full and he spent it doing what he loved. The man considered by many to be the greatest cartoonist of all time died on February 23^rd, 2000, in his sleep.

Peace

Many people agree that what the world really needs is peace. The United Nations was created just for that reason. But what exactly is peace?

It's hard to capture the essence. But what I know is this: peace is more than an end to war. Whenever people talk about world peace, they speak as if ending all the wars in the world automatically causes peace. In my opinion, that's like saying that if you took away darkness you'd have light. 

Peace is not something that can be made my removing violence; even if you've stopped two people from punching each other, you haven't ensured their friendship. Peace is made up by building up a feeling of fellowship. If you put two people- who perhaps didn't get along before- in close situations where they need to help each other, chances are they will become friends. Not because they've been forbidden to fight, but because peace has been built up between them. 

Also, peace can be a preventative measure. So many people think that war is what destroys peace- and in a way they are right. War prevents peace from happening, because you can't build something when there's a roadblock in the way.  I think that peace is not only a way to stop war, though; it's what makes sure it never happens. That's why I think it's so important- it's the building block of the planet. 

Basically, it's like a vaccine for war. It's something to be built and then kept, not vice versa. There isn't any peace yet, though; stopping wars isn't enough. Peace is a concept of its own; it's not just a lack of war, it's what is going to cause it.

Mahatma Gandhi's Philosophy

The evolution of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into the 'Mahatma ' of our times very much hinges on the principles that were the guiding light of his life. Till his last breath, Gandhiji unflinchingly adhered to these philosophies often referred by the collective term 'Gandhism'. Over the years the thoughts and the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi have inspired generations across the world and they have often been the bedrock of civil rights movements waged against oppressive regimes.

Truth
Truth or 'Satya' was the sovereign principle of Mahatma Gandhi's life. The Mahatma's life was an eternal conquest to discover truth and his journey to that end was marked by experiments on himself and learning from his own mistakes. Fittingly his autobiography was titled 'My Experiments with Truth.' Gandhi strictly maintained that the concept of truth is above and beyond of all other considerations and one must unfailingly embrace truth throughout one's life.

Satyagraha
Gandhiji pioneered the term Satyagraha which literally translates to 'an endeavor for truth.' In the context of Indian freedom movement, Satyagraha meant the resistance to the British oppression through mass civil obedience. The tenets of Truth or Satya and nonviolence were pivotal to the Satyagraha movement and Gandhi ensured that the millions of Indians seeking an end to British rule adhered to these basic principles steadfastly.

Nonviolence
The principle of nonviolence or Ahimsa has been integral to many Indian religions and Mahatma Gandhi espoused for total nonviolence in the Indian freedom struggle. He was determined to purge the Satyagraha movement of any violent elements and incidents of violence by Satyagrahis in Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh led him to call off the civil disobedience movement. Gandhi's adoption of vegetarianism is often regarded a manifestation of his faith in the principles of nonviolence.

Khadi
Khadi, an unassuming piece of handspun and hand-woven cloth, embodies the simplicity synonymous with Mahatma Gandhi's persona. After renouncing the western attire of his advocacy days in South Africa, Gandhi embraced the practice of weaving his own clothes from thread he himself spun and encouraged others to follow suit. Mahatma used the adoption of Khadi as a subtle economic tool against the British industrial might and also as a means of generating rural employment in India.


Source: www.thecolorsofindia.com

Purple People Eater...

...In case anyone else was really, really confused during Chemistry class today.

Mario Frangoulis

Mario Frangoulis was born in Zimbabwe to Greek parents, but went to school at the Campion school in Athens; during this time he excelled at drama class and starred in school plays. After graduating in 1985, he went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London to study acting for three years, graduating in 1988.

In the following years he won two different musical awards and played starring roles in both Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. He also studied with the famous tenor Carlo Bergzoni. 1996 brought Frangoulis' first film role ever- in Symposium- and in 1999 he recorded his first CD, Lover's Moon. Later that year he performed in the Millennium Concert at the Acropolis (in Athens). The year after that, he recorded a CD related to that, titled The Acropolis Concert. He also played the role of Tony in West Side Story. 

In 2001 he debuted as a classical actor in the play The Bacchae, and toured Europe with the Moscow Opera Company. He released his third CD soon afterwards; it was titled Sometimes I Dream. In2004 he opened the Paralympic Games in Athens, and his US debut concert took place the following year in May. 

Centenarians

What is a centenarian? Good question. It's someone who's lived at least a hundred years or more. Let's take a look at some statistics: 90% of them are are female; and centenarians who are women are twice as likely to have children after the age of forty than women who live to the age of 73.  Centenarians usually report good health into their 90s, which is quite an achievement, and 15% of them live by themselves. 

But what's the secret to longevity? Well, studies have shown that healthy lifestyle has an affect on it. An optimistic outlook on life also increases lifespan. But how about centenarians themselves: what do they say? 

There are 50,000 in the USA alone, but this is to be expected in a country so big. However, there are certain 'hotspots' of longer lifespans scattered throughout the world. One of these is the Greek island of Ikaria. Residents of this island have said that a close-knit circle of family and friends is a greatly contributing factor. Also, their diet and the fact that a good portion of them still do work of some kind on a regular basis is a distinct reason for longevity. Being a centenarian, they say, is all about lifestyle.

For all my besties

This is for all of my best friends... you all know who you are :)

The teenager song

Yeah, cause teenagers totally act like that. Actually, in some ways it's scarily accurate *shiver*

What Halloween's Like in Oakvale (English HWK)

Halloween in my home town is never a boring occasion. It all started one Wednesday late in October, on the front stairs of the school...
"What are you wearing for Halloween?" asked my friend Kinnie excitedly, brushing her bangs (which this week were dyed purple) out of her face. "My mom's helping me make a costume. I'm-"
"Wait, no no... let me guess. You're going to be an ALIEN!" said our friend Josh, laughing at her. Kinnie is always, every year, without exception, an alien for Halloween. It's been like this for years: each year a different suit (yellow, purple, orange polka-dotted...), but each year, without fail, an alien.
What she said next made my jaw drop to the floor.
"Actually, I've decided to be the Statue of Liberty this year." Then, with a farewell wave, she left me and Josh standing on the front staircase of the school like retarded goldfish.
As soon as he had regained the ability of speech, Josh asked me, "What just happened? Is she serious?"
I could only shrug and wonder what tonight's Halloween party would bring.

Josh Sherman and I have been neighbors for years now, so we always get into our Halloween costumes at his house. This year he was going as a vampire. Milly (my sixteen year old sister) was going to her friend Melissa's party as a cat that somewhat lacked paws. Or, for that matter, fur.
"What's that thing on your head?" I asked her as we headed over to Josh's house to help him and his two siblings to get ready for trick-or-treating.
"Ears, obviously," she said, like it was the clearest thing in the world. I muttered something about diseased pieces of cabbage stuck to a hair accessory as we knocked on the Shermans' door. Josh opened it. His black velvet cape was hanging haphazardly from one shoulder, and half of his face was bone-white while the other half was his normal skin tone.
"Milly! Tessa! Thank goodness you're here! I need help. Brandon can't get his T-Rex tail on straight, Tracy won't let anyone braid her hair for the princess costume, and my parents are gone because Sheldon fell down and sprained his wrist!"

Josh let us into his chaotic house. His family weighs in at nine members, including his parents, the baby twins, his three younger sibs, plus their two pets (a guinea pig and a dog) and Josh himself. Needless to say, the cacophony of the Shermans' family can be ear-shattering, and there's things lying around everywhere. On our way to the playroom, Melissa and I stepped over several Barbie dolls, a broken bicycle wheel, and a spilled glass of Coke. 

Brandon, who was five, kept stepping on his T-Rex tail and it wouldn't stay on straight. After I had rigged up a tail holder with some string and Milly had successfully braided Tracy's hair, we headed out to trick-or-treat.

"Alright," I said to Brandon, "We can do two more houses and then you gotta get home to your mom, okay?" He nodded solemnly. Brandon was an extremely well-behaved five-year-old, but he had a tendency to trip over anything that was within three feet of him. He had already fallen down three times tonight. 

"Yeah," said Kinnie. She had turned up, in full Statue of Liberty regalia, to help me take Brandon around the neighborhood. Her copper-colored sheet ('I don't want to be the rusty version, I want to be the real Lady Liberty' was her response when anyone commented on the color) was losing its stiffness and her torch, which she had long ago tired of holding above her head,  hung on a string around her neck. 

Our last trick-or-treating house belonged to the Roshvilles. They were a family even bigger than Josh's, with ten kids ranging from age 2 to 25. Their driveway and lawn were strewn with toys, wheeled forms of transportation, and the occasional wooden plank (used for tree house construction). 

As we were walking up the driveway, a black cat walked across it. 

"Kitty!" shouted Brandon and started running after it. 

Unfortunately, the Roshvilles' front lawn was a danger zone. As he ran towards the midnight-colored cat, Brandon tripped over a mini hula-hoop and stepped right onto a board, which happened to be supporting a bucket full of water. 

The bucket, propelled by the board, flew slowly into the air. It landed (in a most comical fashion) right on Kinnie's head, drenching her in muddy water. 

Kinnie has always had an apt sense of theatrical timing. Standing there, with a bucket over her head and dripping with a dirty liquid, the next words out of her mouth were, "I think I'm going as an alien next year."

Suddenly we realized that Brandon had hurt himself on the board. We made 'uh-oh' faces at each other and quickly called Mrs. Sherman. 

We rushed him to the emergency room. It turns out he broke his ankle when he tripped over the hula-hoop and had to put a cast put on. He cried a lot at first. But don't worry, he loves the cast now- hops around all day trying to get people to sign it. 

Halloween in my hometown is most certainly never a boring occasion.

The best shoes ever!

I love these shoes! Lucky me, I actually HAVE a pair :)

But mine are cooler. Much cooler.

First is the worst...

Hey... so this blog is actually for English class. But technically we're allowed to put on anything that's cool, interesting, or just downright craaaaazy. Within the limits of sanity, of course (heh, which are slightly wobbly in my case).