Project 4

Today’s article comes from a young boy who has an interesting take on what Christmas means to him. Let’s see what what this kid Ralphie has to say.

Dear Santa
This year for Christmas I think I’ve finally figured out how this holiday works.
In school and church we are taught that this is the day Jesus Christ our lord and savior was born in a manger. Surrounded by his mother, surrogate father, an inn keeper, barn animals and three kings from across the land. To celebrate his birth he was given gifts gold, frankincense and murr all very valuable presents at the time by these kings. So from what I gather to offer our respect to Jesus, each year on his birthday we give the gift of sharing by giving gifts to people in need.
Today though it doesn’t seem to be so, the rich get nice gifts while the poor still find it hard to receive any help during the holidays. I hear my mom and dad always talking about Christmas prices and how they jump so high after thanksgiving and I still come to question what Santa has to do with all of this. A great jolly old man rides around on a sleigh with flying reindeer and delivers gifts, made by his elves in the North Pole to every household in the world in one night. If Santa makes his gifts at the workshop then why are my parents so worried about store prices since they only have to write him a list and he will provide? Why don’t poor countries ask to be rich? Or, are there certain rules that people have to follow like a magic genie or something? I don’t know, the politics behind this whole Santa fellow baffle me. I’ll just stick to rules laid down by my parents.
The more I try and think of the meaning of Christmas, the more I find it’s not as much to do with sharing and giving but more of the receiving end. I’ve never personally bought a gift for anyone yet every year but I seem to get a mountain gifts under the tree, from parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and all sorts of family and I can’t forget ol’ Saint Nick. It’s like another birthday except I get presents for going to another kids party. When you think about it, Christmas is all about me. In church I was told to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and Christmas should be no exception. He had every kid’s dream to have a birthday at a petting zoo, a personal spotlight shone on him which could be seen for miles, a band singing songs about him and some random people giving him gifts, our modern day Santa. If you think about it he had it good so this Christmas I think I will ask for something real nice like that new compact BB gun the Red Ryder.

Sincerely,
Ralphie



The Real Saint Nick

Santa Clause, also known as Saint Nicolas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle is the figure who brings presents on Christmas Eve. The stereotype we see about this person is a fat old man, wearing a red coat with black leather belt and boots. The American legend says that he is married to Mrs. Claus and they both live in the North Pole surround of elves,which are Santa’s helpers, and they all together create toys, candies and other presents in order to give to the children on Christmas.
This story actually has a story. Every country and culture around the world has a different story about santa, some of them says that this person never existed some of them say he did.On of the story is that Santa Clause begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. He came from a wealthy family. His parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. He dedicated his life to serving God and used his whole inheritance to help the people in need. He served the people who were sick and suffering. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor” he always was giving gifts to the little kids.
Another story tells about a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value, a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges,are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.
Despite of all stories , what excite people about christmas is the fact that there is gifts to give. For the kids it is very common to tell that is Santa Clause who comes on christmas eve and jumps through the fireplace to get into the house in order to leave the presents under the christmas tree. Christmas is celebrated all around the world, in different ways, but in most of the places they celebrate it with the image of Santa Clause.


Christmas Factoids

· A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.
· According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy 37.1 million real Christmas trees each year; 25 percent of them are from the nation's 5,000 choose-and-cut farms.
· Christmas caroling began as an old English custom called Wassailing - toasting neighbors to a long and healthy life.
· Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.
· During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States.
· Jesus Christ, son of Mary, was born in a cave, not in a wooden stable. Caves were used to keep animals in because of the intense heat. A large church is now built over the cave, and people can go down inside the cave. The carpenters of Jesus' day were really stone cutters. Wood was not used as widely as it is today. So whenever you see a Christmas nativity scene with a wooden stable -- that's the "American" version, not the Biblical one
· St. Nicholas was bishop of the Turkish town of Myra in the early fourth century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.
·  At midnight on Christmas Eve 1914 firing from the German trenches suddenly stopped. A German brass band began playing Christmas carols. Early, Christmas morning, the German soldiers came out of their trenches, approaching the allied lines, calling "Merry Christmas". At first the allied soldiers thought it was a trick, but they soon climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the German soldiers. The truce lasted a few days, and the men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings, sang carols and songs. They even played a game of Soccer.








Christmas is a Holiday where you receive and give gifts, but it is not only about that, what it really matter is to care and to share with your significant others. People sometimes misunderstand what really Christmas is about. They think that it’s only on spending money and giving gifts, but they haven’t seen the positive side about this holiday. Christmas is a holiday which should be celebrated with the ones you care, your family, your friends and everybody that you treasure.In North America, the holiday when the families get united is on thanks giving. They tend to travel more than they do on Christmas. In South America, Christmas is more important. They say that is all about reuniting with the family and treasuring all the special moments.On this holiday there a lot of decoration going on. People look after putting their Christmas trees and the lights all around the house. In some cities they decorate the streets with lights and sometimes with illuminated sleighs, snowmen, and other Christmas figures. What makes this holiday so pretty is the fact to see the innocence of the children waiting on Santa Clause to come and bring the gifts so they can open it the next morning. They are always thrilled and excited about this holiday. The New York Sun perhaps captured the essence of the holiday best in its famous 1897 editorial, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus": "He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy... The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see... he lives and lives forever."Every family has their own way of celebrating Christmas, it doesn’t matter if they give gifts or not or if they make a big dinner, what really matter is to have a great time with the ones you really love and care. Make sure they know how much you love them. Share with others and never forget the magic of Christmas.May these ancient words be fulfilled this year and every year: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14).

In the News

GM

Gm as company has been struggling for years and has need financial aid several times. The government feels a right to help bail companies like this for one, to keep the production of American automobiles so the country isnt reliant on foreign products, and two to keep jobs for Americans. If Gm were to close their factories then many americans would find themselves without jobs, helping the ever increasing unemployment situation.

In the News

Job Losses
I think the more jobs can be created by the US government to help provide incentives for small business start ups. With more businesses opening this can provide more and effectively pump more money back into the US economy.

In the News

I think that Obama won the election by simply out performing his opposition McCain. Using clever strategies to relate McCain as being the same as Bush since they are in the same political party. Bush not being very favored by the people it made it easy for America to choose Obama, "No McCain, more of the same"
Barrack was a different change being his ethnicity and the goals he stood for. Pulling out of war and increasing job oppurtunities made a very welcoming change.

Project 1

I believe the saying every cloud has a silver lining. To truly believe in such a statement a person has to see the world for what is in an optimistic perspective. Not to say these people are oblivious to any challenging situation, ignorant to common emotions of fear or worry but to recognize the good which can come from the bad, the dawn after the dusk and the silver lining.

As an eighth grade student it was hard for me to take any sort of belief into my life except for the belief of being accepted. Short, overweight and awkward my only real ambition was to be cool and popular alongside with my equally as blessed counterparts Tom and Christien. Together we unknowingly made a brotherhood of who threw rocks at each at lunch time, bought water bottles merely to throw on the girls and held our own fear factors to see who could eat the most bugs. Yes we were your typical non- athletic, talented kids who stood out for our utter weirdness.

One day after lunch we went to the bathroom to clean up after a good rock war. “BAM”, aloud smacking noise went off followed by laughing. While I was washing my battle wounds it kept going off.

“Hey man what’s that sound?” I asked the ever so puzzled looking Tom.

“I dunno dude but let’s check it out”, he replied. With the return of nod we all made our way to the back of the bathroom stalls. The sound was the aftermath of fists and feet colliding with the wooden door followed by the laughter of fellow classmates. I refer to them as my classmates but in reality they looked far to mature to be compared to us. Fuzzy like hair wrapped around the opening lips of the guy in middle, which bellowed out, “ Aye, watch’u looking at?”

As if this was the beacon to lead me to popularity, I seized the moment with a witty comeback. “Nothing much, you wimps punch like girls. Lemme show you how it’s done.”

“Ok, chubby checker go ahead make a hole in the door if you’re so bad.” In my head I thought this would be the perfect chance to show what I have. I looked over my shoulder to see my friends’ responses but they were nowhere to be seen. Alone I felt, a lamb with a pack of wolves, I had no support. Fist clenched I approached the door examining it for any weakness I could find. Ah there a crack, obviously where those ogres’ fists had struck it before. Without hesitation I cocked my arm back ready and loaded, a split second I pulled the trigger and fired my entire arm through the wooden door. Amazed at my own work I looked back waiting for praise for art of destruction. Nothing, except for a shove out of the way as they rushed to open the hole even wider using their fists and feet as tools. The adrenaline had worn off and I had realized what I did, all I could do was bolt away presumably in the same fashion as my loyal friends.
Weeks had passed from that incident and the memories had left my mind. Everyone was excited for the upcoming trip planned for next week, a weekend class trip staying at one of the sister islands. All the preparations were set, the class raised the money through bake sales and car washes all we had to do was wait one week. Then while discussing who was going to get shaving cream on them at night, the intercom spoke, “ Will Christopher Duty please report to the principal’s office.”

My heart sank and I could feel stomach trying to squirm out of my body. I rose from seat and walked to the door slowly stalked by whispers from other classmates at the back of heels. I had the same questions, my mind was blank, and I had no idea what I could have done wrong. The two minute walked seemed like ten before I had reached the principles chair. It was nerve racking, I could barely find the strength to raise my eyes towards her.

“Chris do you know what you have done?” she asked but no sooner then she finished her question , she answered it for me, “ I’ve been informed that you broke down a bathroom door with a couple of boys.”

It had all made sense now and my hidden fear had been revived. “Yes, ma’am I did.” As I responded I could feel my eyes start to glaze over.

“I’ve called your parents and informed them of your situation. Because you neglected to come and tell me about this like the other three boys, I cannot give you the benefit they have received of a two day interschool suspension. You will have four day external suspension and lose your rights to go on your class trips.” All of this said she kept her composure without raising her voice and keeping calm. I admired and feared that aspect about, it was almost robotic.

Day four of my suspension I had many thoughts running through my mind while walking the dog along the beach. I missed the greatest weekend with my friends to try and impress people who would essentially sell me out. What makes jerks like them cool and why does something like this have to happen to me. Head down, heavily weighed because of my thoughts I could only see the ground. A large green lump stopped me in my tracks, I could barely see the tightly wrapped rubber band around it. My heart finally found the strength to rise again as unwrapped this bundle. Sprinting I rushed back to my house and locked myself in room. I sat and counted for about an hour to finally conclude that I had stumbled across one thousand dollars. Not knowing of any dangers of such large amounts a kept this new reward with a grin on my face. I believed that my dark cloud was clearing with this chance of fate being my silver lining.

Journal Entry 7

• George Orwell says that the English language is in a decline. One point that he says his that people are not producing meaningful sentences but merely hollow statements by stringing words togethor which do not relate to the original point that which they started on. Writers are trying to make themselves seem more intellectual by using larger words which could simply be expressed by using smaller words with the same meaning. This just makes it harder to read and less appealing for the reader.

• In todays society I think that the way english is written is far worse than when Mr. Orwell was complaining about then. With instant communication such as hand helds, computers, and mobile phones people are able to talk to one an another faster then they would have 40 years ago. The time it took for a letter to reach one person to the other would be quite a while so whatever the person had to say was put in more detail and clearly so the other person to understand. This instant communication now relies on sending messages as fast as possible soo the language is shortened to speed things up. Words are over simlified in this way and this can also reflect in a persons writing.
• I think that Orwell's rules are quite effecient in structured writing such as essays and informational documents such as news articles, text book information and so on. This rule though only applies to these situations. In the instance of writing a novel, whatever the genre maybe, using long winded sentences could be used to capticate the readers mind and give vivid descriptioon of something which could be told very simply.

The Maker's Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts

1. When revising my first draft of Project 1 i can look at each step and try to apply them to my story. When looking at the information in my story I decided to use an alternate means of telling the story by giving little bits of information, piece by piece for the reader find out as the read. The information i used was personal and true events so it was a retelling of a past event that I found myself quite interesting. When looking at the perspective of the audience I think that the way I layed out the story was a little confusing. Jumping back and forth between time in each paragraph. When relating this to the structor of the manuscript it seems very muddled. The tense in which each paragraph is written does not support the time periods which I am trying to project. In development I think there may not be enough information for the reader to assume the final conclusion of the story on their own without asking questions. The Voice of my story seems to be present giving each situation enough detail to clearly map what is going on the readers mind.

2. After reading the essay I think I would make serval changes to makeit easier to understand. Firstly I would like to keep the structure of the easy jumping back and forth between different times but maybe with a larger word count I could expand each situation making it easier for the reader to follow. Enabling me to expand the essay i can also add more information which would lead to more development in coming to the conclusion of the story yet still leaving some sort of mystery to it. Another thing I would change is the tense situation, clearly defining punctuation that will let the reader understand what point in time they are reading.

3. I think with quoting from other authors gives the writing another dimension. He is reinforcing his own views by using these authors' quotes which are similar to his own so it doesnt seem so much of opinion but more fatual. Compiling quotations relieves the reader from the same monotonous essay and also gives the reader an idea of where the auther may have got their own theroies and opinions from.