South Africa

South Africa agrees with what America is doing and fully agrees with them sending soldiers in. I am allies with America but we also care about everyone elses safty and we don't want the Taliban going around with Pakistans nuclear weapons risking peoples lives. No matter if they say they have everything under watch and control, people who want to be bad things always, always, always find ways to get what they want. They could get a hold of the weapons if they try hard enough, and that is NOT what any country wants to happen. So America sending in troops to watch over everything is a very good idea.

Simun!

Simun was an amazing experience, like nothing I have ever done in my life before. It was thrilling because I was always on the edge of my seat because my mind was ALWAYS racing for what I wanted to say; agree with them or not? Who should I side with? What could my country really do in this situation? I knew that my country wasn’t very wealthy and I could never really give as much aid or money or help to the extent that I wanted to but I knew I could suggest ideas and ask others to do what I couldn’t. The way that everyone in my group worked together to solve solutions was amazing, considering that most of us knew who everyone else was. I knew about half of the other people in my group, and my older friends defiantly helped me a lot in what I should do and how I should react to things. Most of the other freshmen seemed to have the same thought in their heads “what should I do?”

I honestly think I did pretty well, compared to how much I speak up in class; I really did participate in everything. I think I really handled the first scenario; it was focused right on my country and also Zimbabwe and as soon as I read it all I could think was “this is exactly what I didn’t want”. But I think I handled it pretty well.

By preparing I knew who I would be caucusing with and who I would be mostly agreeing with because they were my allies. Then I also knew all the information for when they were focusing on my country and I could answer all the questions I needed to. When all the other countries would confront me with questions or comments or ask me why I made that decision I could back myself up because I prepared. I searched things for hours at a time on official websites like bbc.com and I actually had fun learning about a different country and their back round. I found it all really interesting after a while and I compared all their information to what I knew about America’s information.

Next year I will for sure search a little bit more about my own country but also about others countries because I think if I knew more about them, I could compare myself more and know who exactly to talk to in certain situations.

Does my head look big in this?

Muslim: a believer in or follower of Islam. Amal Mohamed Nasrullah Abdel-Hakim: sixteen year old girl, living in the modern age, wearing a hijab in the perkiest prep school in Australia.

Amal is a different but normal at the same time; she prays five times a day, but is obsessed with Cosmo, she believes in no physical relations, no boyfriends, no dating, but she has a huge crush on the class hottie Adam. She is a strict believer in her religion and strives to do more, so she decided on her own to start wearing the hijab full time. And in the Muslim, that is a big step for women. The hijab is a spiritual scarf that Muslim women wear around their head to cover their hair and neck, only leaving the face visible. They are mostly supposed to show as little skin as possible as well, but the exception is you are allowed to take it off around family and when there are no men around. In American culture we don’t have any rules like that, we don’t have anything special that were supposed to show and what we’re not supposed to show…well for the most extent. Strong believers in the Muslim world pray so many times and so long because they believe strongly in Allah and his powers.

For a teenage girl to decide to wear the headdress full time is a big religious thing, and Amal is proud to make this choice of wearing it all by herself. Her parents actually doubted her wearing it because her school has a “strict dress code with their uniforms”. She fought for her scarf to be an exception with the principal and won. Now everyday she wears it in different colors and fabrics and still faces her challenges as a junior in high school.

Strategies.

One bright, bright sunny Friday, I was on my way home from school in my new, clean, blue green 2009 Charger. Windows down, sunglasses on, radio blaring and the rush of warm air screaming through my hair. Life was good.
I had a good ten, twenty minutes before I would be home; depending on the traffic. So I tried to enjoy myself after a stressful day of learning, and focused on the “me” time I had while I did. Just as I leaned back into my seat and relaxed, one of my favorite songs came onto the radio and-even though I couldn’t see my face-I knew it lit up in joy. I reached over to the knob and turned it up almost as high as it could go. Ignoring the smug glances and cursing looks; I had a mile wide smile. Cruising down the road one hand on the wheel, I let my cares fly out the window along with any thoughts of ever stopping this car.
I merged onto I-96 and took quick glances around before I distressed again. I leaned back and listened to the radio hosts debate about something that had no interest to me. Completely mellow and calm I started to day dream, thinking about my weekend and my plans and my friends. I noticed something out of the corner of my rearview mirror and snapped out of it. I looked; nothing there. Getting a weird look on my face, I looked forward again. Then I heard tires squealing and whipping my head around I saw a car speeding towards me. Gasping for air I attempted to wheel my car out of the way so I wouldn’t get hit. But it was too late. An old, rusty, white car slammed into my bumper. Crushing his whole front side, and sending me flying down the high way and collapsing into my driving wheel after knocking my head and arms around a few times. Barley conscious, the last thing I remember seeing before blacking out is two more cars swirling towards me; one coming at me from the side hitting my back seat, and the other coming at me straight dead on, throwing the opportunity at me to dance with the devil and fight for my life. Then, darkness.
I couldn’t move. I was weak. I felt cold and I had the sensation of floating. Then I heard my mothers’ voice and realized I was being pushed around on one of those body carts. I was at the hospital. I thought I was dreaming that this was a figment of my imagination. Then I remembered my crash; intense and terrifying. I tried to open my eyes and the lights burned, everything was fuzzy.

Morning wake up facts.

I wish there was more time in the morning before school. All though, every kid does. We all once in our lives say, “why can’t school start at 2:00 and end at 2:10?” I wish it was true, because I get up way too early for a person like me that gets as much sleep as I do. I maybe get about five hours or less of sleep every night, because I’m either up to my nose in homework or I have practice or chores, or something like that, and I never get to sleep. And then I’m completely dead in the morning while I sit on my floor in front of my mirror straightening my hair. I stare at myself waiting for it to heat up and I wonder, “Why am I up right now? Oh yeah, school, that.” Then I sigh and start on my half an hour worth hair, randomly grab something to wear and hope it matches while I pull it on walking down the hallway to go down stairs and brush my teeth.

Another big problem; I never have time to eat in the morning. An article from dietblog.com says that, “According to a recent study of 2000 teens, those who skipped breakfast weighed an average of 5 lbs more than those who ate breakfast.” Now I’m not worried about my weight or anything but I find it interesting, that kids weigh less because they eat. I am guilty for not eating and I bet if I got up maybe five minutes earlier I could, but that’s not going to happen. I already get up at six; you’re not catching me any earlier. But listen to these other facts that are on this website, it’ll blow your mind;

-The breakfast eaters, despite being leaner consumed more calories throughout the day
Breakfast eaters were also more active. "While they ate more calories, they did more to burn those off, and that may be because those who ate breakfast did not feel so lethargic." Said Mark Pereira - Author of the study.

-Around 25% of the group studied regularly missed breakfast - this was particularly problematic for adolescent females.

-"They (females) skip breakfast because they worry about weight gain - and it's ironic that the ones who aren't worried and eat in the mornings are the ones who keep their weight down." Pereira

It’s funny that only girls really never eat breakfast. All though it kind of makes sense because we spend so much time on our hair and makeup and clothes but still, we should eat, I would think it’s first thing to do because we complain so much you would think we would but I guess not. Some girls choose not to eat, but me, when I don’t eat-which is pretty much every day-I don’t because I don’t have time and I’m running out the door.

So ladies, think about these facts, and go look at some others ones, and next time in the morning while you’re waiting on your bus or your mom in the kitchen and you see that apple and think, “I won’t finish it in time or I’m not that hungry.” Or something like that, think about those little five pounds that are going to show up during swimming in gym class. ;)

Recess to the max.

One May moist day, back in the days of elementary, class was letting out for recess. The loud high-pitched voices of little children rummaging out the doors to hopscotch and first come first serve soccer balls. I was part of the last bunch out, along with my friends; Hannah, Drew, and Lucie. We made our way slowly and taking our sweet time to the track around the playground to start walking and gossip about totally useless things.
“My guess is Hunter only acts that way just to get attention from you.” Says Lucie. “I think he is just shy.” Hannah debates. “Well Drew, don’t take it too seriously,” I told her,” He still is a good friend.” As Drew shakes her head in agreement she kicks an acorn down the path and puts her hands in her shorts pockets, “you’re right.” When she looks up to add another comment another acorn comes straight down onto the top of her head from the tree above. “Ow!” She cried, “What was that?” She rubs her head and looks to the underdeveloped seed. “That acorn doesn’t like you very much.” Lucie laughed. “How could that have fallen off the tree, it’s so small and it’s not even brown yet?” Hannah asked to no one in particular.
Drew picked it up and threw it to the side. Just then, three more acorns fell and one onto my jacket sleeve. I pinched it between my fingers to take a look, and I saw claw marks down the side. With a puzzled look I glanced up at my friends. A drizzle of acorns were now falling from the old tree and a state of panic was starting from Hannah and the others. We ran to duck and cover to the monkey bars, with acorns flying at our heads.
Once we reached safety, or so we thought, Hannah breathed “What’s going on?” I searched for an answer just as Drew pointed to the top of the tree, “Look!” We all glanced and saw squirrels running around the branches chucking acorns in our direction. “Are those squirrels?” I emphasized. Hannah replied, “Yeah and they are trying to kill us with acorns, what did we ever do to them?”
Then the attack stopped, the thumping of amo hitting the ground went silent, and the little rats stood still. One squirrel started its way down the tree and about seven feet away from us stood his ground. We looked at each other with confusion and the same thought in our heads, what will happen next? The animal cleared his throat, “Pardon me, but did you say, ‘What did you ever do to us?’” Our mouths hit the ground. “Did it just talk?” Lucie asked. “Yes,” It replied, “I did. And I’m not an ‘it’, I am a him. My name is Chuck and you have destroyed our bait! That’s what you did to us!”
After a good full five minutes of Chuck explaining how the acorn Drew kicked before hand was a special flavored but poisoned acorn that Chuck and his clan of “Tree Huggers” were using to lure in the opposite squirrel clan of the Roosevelt park; “The nutcases”. They have been fighting for years over rights to the forest in the park, and this was supposed to be the Tree Huggers year. Feeling pity for the little animals, my friends and I discussed we would help them win the generational battle.
We supplied Chuck and his clan with little armor and weapons for a surprise ambush to their homes. They devised a plan to capture the other leader; Woody, and force him to surrender. “Thank you kind female humans, we owe you the gratitude of a thousand acorns.” He bowed to us. “No, no that’s okay; just let us know tomorrow how it went.” I said to him handing off the last of the walnut shell shields.
The bell rang, we went back inside. The sun set and rose again and once again, recess was let out. Today us four girls were the first to race to the playground and to the tree were yesterday we encountered our new friends. “Hello?” Hannah shouted. We waited impatiently, until finally we saw Chuck emerge into the sunlight. Our faces glowed with curiosity and excitement to find out how the battle went. He climbed down the tree and rested at our feet while we squatted down to hear the news. “How do you do ladies, I am guessing you want to hear what happened.” We shook our heads in agreement. “Well….we are now announced owners of the forest and forever shall be!” We all jumped up and down in happiness and screamed in joy. For the rest of recess we all sat around the big tree and listened to Chuck tell the tale of the historic battle.
After all of recess was over and the bell rang, we all stood up and looked at Chuck. “Will we see you again?” Lucie asked him. “Don’t worry dear friends,” He answered, “you will always see us around.” After the much needed reassurance we raced back into the school building happy as little school girls, well, we were little school girls but you get the point. So from that day on Hannah, Drew, Lucie and I always made sure to watch our step whenever there were acorns around. The end.

Haiti's angel; Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton is an international hero, while going to Haiti and helping them pull together and survive.

In one day, Bill Clinton, the former president, has raised $2.6 million dollars from 30,000 donors, not counting donations from text messages. That’s just proof of how he can work his magic to get people to listen and actually care for Haiti and go out of their way to save those miserable lives. The response he is giving to this tragedy and the effort he is putting into raising money is astonishing considering he isn’t president anymore, but he continues to make his mark in the world.

He is giving all the power he has to raise money for food, water, shelter, and first aid supplies for the poor people of Haiti hugely affected by this tragic act of god. “He has promised to hand deliver the cash donated for Haiti through his foundation.” Says Bill Clinton and Haiti from the UN DISPATCH. He is also being a huge leader in the Flash Appeal through the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, where they ask donor countries to contribute funds quickly to an emergency. Over and all, without Mr. Clinton, there is no picture of where Haiti would be right now-probably still in a panic and uproar-he has cared so much and people of the world recite “God bless Bill Clinton.”