Blog #6

King Johnathan is having a welcoming ceremony for his new arrivals at the castle, so that he may show the rest of the kingdom what he processes in beauty and power. While Alanna was getting ready for the ceremony, she had her ears pierced and actually fainted, incredible right? Being that she is a full blown knight and all. George was amazed at how beautiful Alanna looked descending into the hall, partly because of how much he was in love with her but also that she had learned the ways of the rogue and the royal and been able to decide which she loved and cared for more about. The next morning after the ceremony was over, the king to be held a meeting to discuss the nature of events that was taking place as they spoke. They debated and discussed many issues including the topic of Duke Roger which many people were skeptical of and about. After the meeting was over, Johnathan and Alanna had a talk about their future and what it held for both of them. Johnathan wondered if Alanna still wished to marry him, but she said thank you but no. Throughout the history and stories of all of the books I have to say that they were very different people and I wonder why they ever fell for each other but maybe that why they did fall for each other, for the fact that they were different. I believe that Alanna and Johnathan would’ve been right for each other and the kingdom woul’ve flourished underneath their rule. But I have to say George and Alanna are better suitable for each other.

Blog #5

Alanna has finally recovered the Dominion Jewel and has kept it in safe procession under King Johnathan’s orders. It is the first time, in a long period of time that George, Johnathan, and Alanna are reunited and can act as friends should around each other. Johnathan is introduced to Thayet, an outcast of her royal family and it is love at first sight which bothers Alanna to a certain degree. Alanna and Duke Roger are finally able to talk face to face since the night of Duke Roger’s death. They both show very intense undertones with each other and are back to their rival stands against one another. Open war was declared. It looks like some information surrounding Alanna’s background, Thom had let slip or had been forced into giving. Gary and Alex and Raoul all had individual tournaments against Alanna and of course Alanna was the victorious of each one. People of this kingdom needed to know that it was powerful because some lacked the confidence because of the latest death in the royal family, that of the king and queen. It would be a great deal if the new king Johnathan, would be able to control the Lioness because then more people would respect and honor him as a King. I think, that understanding the power the lioness holds and befriending her to have her strength and skill on their side would be the best thing they could do for their kingdom at the moment. I thought that it was great that Alanna, George and Johnathan were able to reunite because its been a long time since I was able to read about them hanging out together and discussing normal things such as the goings on in their kingdom like gossip.

Blog #4

George had gone to visit Thom, Alanna’s brother, at the castle because strange things were beginning to happen and people were starting to get worried. Thom was the sorcerer to raise Duke Roger from the dead because of threats from Princess Josiane about Thom not being powerful enough to cast such advanced magic. George had discovered that Thom was very warm, and he was beginning to glow. Which in sorcery is very bad because it means that you are proceeding or getting closer to death because your magic is being drained from yourself. Thom refuses to ask for the help of his previous master, Si-cham because he thinks that there would be nothing better than the masters of the Order of the Mithros seeing him caught in a giant mistake of his and unable to repair his mistake. George had passed on information about another secret meeting that was going to take place about attempting another assassination against the throne. So Prince Jonathan and Lord Provost laid their plans to catch the conspirators. They brought Duke Roger with them when they headed down the secret passageways to listen to the conspirators. They tried to trap Claw and the rest of the men, but Claw escaped and knew he was known throughout the entire kingdom by his royal name. I think it was very self-centered of Thom to believe from another that he is not powerful enough and knowing he’s made a mistake to not fix what he’s done or acknowledge that another person might be able to help undo what he’s done.

Blog #3

“A noble gone bad, my lord. There’s no stopping him, not at all. He will say that he is owed something, and he has come to collect it.” The story is getting very intense and things are becoming heated between the nobles and the rogue. Alanna’s friend and lover, George Cooper who happens to be King of the Rogue is being attacked by Claw. Claw happens to be a noble who used to go by the name of Ralon of Melvan. Ralon of Melvan left court many years before because of the feud that he created between Alanna and himself. So in and of itself, Claw is wanted for treason against the crown and the reward for bringing him in is 1000 gold nobles. Ralon of Melvan is working hand in hand with Delia of Eldorne and Duke Roger (the man who attempted to kill his nephew and relatives so that he might attain the crown). George has had to move his mother and niece into the palace to live with Myles who is a knight and the father of Alanna. It’s becoming too dangerous to live among the commoners especially for the King of the Rogue. While all this is happening Alanna is away fighting to gain the Dominion Jewel to bring back for Tortall to make everything peaceful again and to have a new and powerful and everlasting kingdom, one fit for Jonathan to rule and her by his side. I think that people who go bad who are rich usually don’t return to their happy and normal side of life because they are powerful and commanding but the more I think about it the more it’s directed towards anyone with a lot of power will stay bad.

Blog #2

Alanna, as everyone well knows is one of the few women knights in the land of Tortall. Her entire life she has wished to meet a Shang warrior, and where else does she meet a Shang warrior but in Berat (the town that she traveled to that is located on the journey to the Dominion Jewel). The Shang dragon that she meets is most commonly called Liam who teaches Alanna the master of Shang fighting. Alanna, Liam, and Coram run into trouble while visiting an old friend of Sir Myles’s. What kind of trouble you may ask… the kind of trouble that wanted to kill Alanna. How unfortunate! Alanna learns much from her practice fighting with Liam. Sometimes I think that this story is real because it seems so alive and happening. Shang fighting is a very special type of combat; people (meaning children) at very young ages begin to train at a Shang School in far off land. Not many (or very few adults) were ever able to master Shang fighting to the point of the highest quality or such to the skill of Alanna’s ability. It seems that her journey keeps taking different paths, and changing other people lives (in a positive way of course!) Never underestimate someone because they are different from you, because in more than one instance they will outdo you and your efforts. Lioness Rampant; she is called that name for multiple reasons one of course is for her superior fighting skills, her magic power that she wields, her protection of the Gods, and her many friends and family she has and that cares for her.

Blog #1

Hi Alanna,



I am just amazed by all of your adventures in and out of Tortall. I am really proud to know that a woman has reached the ranking of a knight, a full fledged knight! What did you think of the Tortallan Desert, is it much different than Tortall or the city of Berat? I understand that Myles took you under his wing and now you are part of his family, I am just curious as to where you think your home really is… (the Tortallan desert, Tortall, on the road, or Trebond and Olau)? I have heard of the cat (Faithful) that travels with you and he has violet eyes, is it really true? After hearing about all your travels, I think you may have been chosen by the Gods. I wish I could have the opportunity to meet you sometime, but how can people recognize you with your cat shield covered all the time by magical enchantments. You are the lioness of the lands, be proud to be a knight! Will you get involved in the War in Sarain, it has been eighteen months or so since it began. Does your father (Myles of Olau) have many agents that he sponsers, because it must take a lot of money to take care of so many fortunate people. The War in Sarain is tearing herself to bits, the K’miri tribes hunt lowlanders throughout the mountains and sometimes even the Southern Plain itself. Anyways its getting very intense and I hope you will come to our aid even if for a small amount of time. You are truly the greatest warrior of all time.

Thanks for your time,



Emma Eberlein of Edina

Written Reflection

For my fourth quarter book, I will be reading “Lioness Rampant” written by Tamora Pierce. Lioness Rampant is the fourth and final book in the series I’m reading. This book interests me because the heroine is a girl named Alanna who overcomes many obstacles while a page and squire and lasting into her knighthood. She is considered the first female knight, in the book. I love to read books where women save the day and medieval setting books. In the fourth book, the back cover states that a new challenge comes into play and must be recovered “The Dominion Jewel” which is supposedly a legendary gem with enormous power for good-but only if placed in the right hands. Also Alanna’s archenemy, Duke Roger is back from the dead and more powerful then ever. Sometimes her life might seem overly complicated and frustrating but for some reason she is able to overcome every obstacle she faces.
When I read the previous three books, they were very intense and they seemed real and vivid. It seems to me that when a book can become real, the author has really done their job by writing a best-seller. Alanna has been put in many tough situations like take for example when she was battling Duke Roger and she was revealed as a woman. Or when she had to battle a man who was part of the Bazhir tribe in order to become a real tribesman. You never really know where life will take you unless you decide to take a giant leap and await the unexpected.

SOMEONE OVERCOMING THE ODDS

All over the world, every day someone is overcoming the odds and everyday I pray more so that more people do. Connor McKemey was in an accident in which he suffered third-degree burns. Connor has overcome huge odds by surviving sever burns without developing deadly complications. When I hear of burns, I understand how badly they must feel because sometimes I burn myself accidently and it hurts terribly. Connor’s mom finds it too painful to discuss the accident because she knows that she will have to recall every second, every milli-second all over again. She herself suffered second and third degree burns as well as her husband. Because of the severity of his burns, which covered 87% of his body doctors kept Connor in a drug-induced coma for more then 2 months. Third degree burns cause excruciating pain and a patient must lie extremely still. He has definitely overcome the odds, this boy is a hero.

Talbot Balasco, Mary. "Burned teen is overcoming odds, but still has way to go." charlotte observer. 15/3/09. The Charlotte Observer. 22 Mar 2009 .

LOVE

Love is eternal, no matter where you go or what you see or whatever happens to you there always seems to be love. I feel sorry for those few people who are chosen early to leave this Earth and be taken away from their loved ones, just recently Natasha Richardson died in a skiing accident. I can only imagine the beacons of love her family is giving her every second she grows fainter in their memories. Love is something special we all have, and we all like to share and give to other people. Liam Neeson (her husband) is very saddened by his (and his family’s loss). To me, I think that the separation between individuals who are very much in love strengthens and becomes much stronger then there was before. Love is something we find in our life that blossoms like a single violet at the beginning of the summer, or something that you see in the eyes of another, love is eternal and will last that way until the very end.

Herald and Weekly Times, "Star Natasha Richardson mourned with Irish love." Herald Sun. 23/3/09. Heraldsun. 22 Mar 2009 .

Defend Democracy (Text on War)

We fight today in Iraq alongside Iraqi people who wish for the same freedoms we enjoy in our country every day. We are only destined to prevail if American people will start to realize the importance for the world to be made safe for democracy. To call the War in Iraq separate and distinct from the larger War on terrorism is inaccurate. We must show the people in the Islamic World that democracy can deliver; and (non-socialist) opportunity can replace despair. What we are fighting against is the prospect of a Radical Islamic Caliphate that would suppress the freedom of its people and threaten every other nation’s security and people. I think in order to understand our enemies’ intentions you have to hear what they say and please let me make this clear, this is what our enemy said.
In his February 1998 "Declaration of the World Islamic Front for Jihad," bin Laden said "to kill Americans and their allies, both civil and military, is an individual duty of every Muslim ... every Muslim who believes in God and hopes for reward (must) obey God's command to kill the Americans and plunder their possessions wherever he finds them and whenever he can."
The sad thing is 80% of the people who read this won’t believe it, actually they won’t even read it. I can’t have a debate with half the liberals at my school because they don’t know the facts, and the sad thing is that half the people who disagree with me (who voted for Barack Hussein Obama) don’t know the facts either. My intentions are clear, I want a capitalist government with low taxes where I can retire early and where I can live with the healthcare I want.
Senator Lieberman. "Iraq is a Crucial Battle in the War on Terrorism ." FDD. (no date). Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 14 Mar 2009 .

Colonization

Africa is a large continent, and during European Colonization they called it “The Dark Continent”. When most of the world had been under European authority, Africa held out until the early 19th century from full European control. Even with bits of Africa colonized, a majority of the continent remains unexplored, even to this day there are parts of Africa people like you or me haven’t heard of. Africa is bordered by some of the harshest deserts on Earth, many of which are impenetrable which sort of explains why it wasn’t colonized until the beginning of the 19th century and in most of the Equatorial Zone it is covered by rainforest and jungle. Many of these situations caused great difficulty for Europeans penetrating the interiors of Africa. Africa is an incredibly beautiful continent though many people every day battle the many hardships Africa has. History is an incredible utensil to learn of our ancestral past.
"no name", "The Dark Continent: European Colonization in Africa." NJIS and the World. 2/7/09. NJIS and the World. 14 Mar 2009 .

National/ Global Holiday

Christmas is the day of celebration throughout most countries in the world. Many people have heard of “The Wise Men”, and still to this day people inscribe in chalk the initials of the three kings over doorways in German speaking countries on the eve of January 6th to protect their home. C. M. B. (the initials of the three kings) is originally supposed to mean “Christ bless this house” which comes from the Latin words “Christus mansionem benedicat”. In many parts of Europe, Christmas is twelve days in length. Many of our American Christmas traditions have originated in Europe, like “Silent Night”. One Christmas tradition I still hear about is the advent calendar, its surprising how a little gift every day makes all the difference. Christmas is a wonderful holiday, every year I look forward to it. I can see why so many people celebrate, it really is worth celebrating, I have so many memories of this holiday I could write a book with the knowledge that I have acquired.
Flippo, Hyde. "Christmas in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland." German Christmas Customs. 1997. The Germany Way and More. 14 Mar 2009 .

Global Issue

It is easy to spend, but it is hard to earn the money you spend. Until just recently I thought my parents were set for retirement, but since Obama finds it difficult to hold onto the little money our country has my parents won’t retire until their older. This is becoming a global issue, since Obama wants to throw us into debt with other foreign countries (and already has done so). Its simple, encouragement brings development and criticism brings declining of a society. If you’re wondering about where your money might be going consider this, our president wishes to give loans to illegal immigrants, he has been spreading fear and doubt (two words I would’ve never thought a president would say). He is destroying good businesses, bankrupting responsible people and wiping out conservative financial institutions. Every time he speaks he is sending the markets down and stocks crashing and if you don’t believe me than look at the Dow Jones and compare it from its prices a year ago all the way to today, it was not the fault of the Bush Administration but the fault lies with the Obama Administration. THE MARKET COLLAPSE MADE IT EVIDENT THAT IT IS OBAMA WHO IS THE PROBLEM, AND IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH ME TRY LOOKING AT THE FACTS INSTEAD OF ARGUING YOUR SIDE BASED OFF OF NON-FACTUAL EVIDENCE. I will not let our country dig itself further into debt, and I am not worried about where we are going but I know we will recover no matter what our president says, we will recover stronger than ever and bring strength to the weaknesses we had before.


Morris, Dick. "It’s Obama spreading panic ." The Hill. 2/24/09. The Hill. 9 Mar 2009 .

Bollywood... the other Hollywood

It’s a Bollywood plot, kidnapping, mysterious disappearances and serious drama. Chandigarh, India is where there have been many terrorist attacks that have occurred in the past year. Chander Mohan (deputy chief minister of the northern state of Haryana) made a questionable announcement to his people of Haryana. Mr. Mohan said that he had converted to Islam, he is 43 years old and a husband and already a father of two and he said that he had wed a second wife who had also just converted to Islam. The problem this country is facing is since this country is viewed as a democracy what will people say if a high ministry official has two wives? So once Mr. Mohan had married his second wife, he was kidnapped by his first wife and children but a little while later they returned to their home. My opinion is that he shouldn’t be reelected and his first wife should divorce him and the state should make sure he doesn’t get another high-end government job later on in his life.

Trofimov, Yaroslav. Holy Matrimony:Indian Politician Converts, Takes Second Wife, Vanishes." Wall Street Journal 25/2/09, natl.ed.: A1.

Why do we look towards a newly elected President's wife for fashion designs in the US?

Clothing in the US is made from a variety of people who enjoy incorporating different designs and fashions into our country today. The latest news on fashion and clothing is coming from the media (what a surprise…); they have noticed a particular individual, Michelle Obama, who has chosen to wear some (stylish) clothing, as the media calls it. Not to mention, the prices for the clothing she buys is astronomical. Why, all of a sudden do we as Americans look towards a newly elected black President's wife for fashion designs but in the past for Presidents like Bush and his wife do we not notice the clothing she or her daughters wore? I find it interesting the amount of faith people of the US have in a President, who has earned hardly any experience and would like us to become a Socialist Society and then when the media (which is corrupt) decides to report on things like Michelle Obama being in style and having the right fashion is just absurd. If people would begin to believe in the facts and the hard evidence and if they would begin to try to achieve the type of society our ancestors created our county to be, we would be a better country today then our country was the day we elected Barack Hussein (yes, I will say his middle name) Obama to office. As long as people want our country to fail, and become a socialist society, I will speak out against all those who go against our very own founders fathers of the Unites States of America, until the end.

Trebay, Guy. "U.S. Fashion’s One-Woman Bailout? ." The New York Times . 1/07/09. The New York Times. 28 Feb 2009

Change is what has brought hope to Acer Inc.

Even with the constant pessimism from the media and newly elected president, there are still companies who wish and have been succeeding in our down market. If anyone new anything about playing the market, they would understand that at times people will succeed and other times they will fail but there is always another mountain to climb. Taiwan computer maker, Acer inc. hopes to benefit from the down market and to expand what it has to offer. This company is planning to overtake dell inc. by 2011, and it might even be next year. Mr. Wang has brought change to our market and created a new outlook on what a down market really is. Mr. Wang, who is the controller for the acer inc., says that this is a true opportunity for success. With all of this opportunity, why are people so concerned about this down market?? I believe this a true opportunity, for the successful businesses to thrive and the others to fail. There is still hope, I just wish our media and President would come to terms with it and let us thrive.
The Wall Street Journal
Tsai , Ting-I. Acer Hopes to Thrive in Downturn." The Wall Street Journal [Minneapolis/Saint Paul]17/2/09, natl. ed.: B7.

The Road to Middle Class, (Hope)

To those who don’t understand money, money is earned not taken. To those who want to earn money and to those who want to succeed it’s a long journey, but if you walk the path it is sure to lead you to greatness, hard work pays off, lousy work gets you nothing. Here’s something to consider, Liberals want everything for nothing, and they want the world for nothing. As said in the article, if liberals get a majority in congress they will make the most God Awful expensive welfare state plan that will suck us dry to the bone. We are not made of money, money does not come from the sky or grow from the ground or is plucked from someone’s ears, it is earned and at a high price. The days when President Bush was in office, he suggested reform after reform from education to social security but what happened (you might ask), the Democrats weren’t happy, it wasn’t enough money, it wasn’t enough to make them happy. One thing you might consider to think about when reading this is that when a politician speaks out he doesn’t do that to only fight enemies and lead people to safety but also to get elected. Democrats crave power, another suggested name that comes up as an equivalent for them might be a socialist government. I hope one day people will understand the idea of limited government and the powers it gives to its people. Limited Government is the glorious vision of hope, this day will come sooner than one might think, and then the American people will reclaim its once forgotten powers and we will again be the country of opportunity.

http://www.roadtothemiddleclass.com/oped325_there_is_still_hope.html

Chantrill, Christopher. "There is Still Hope." road to the middle class. 17/2/09. road to the middle class. 17 Feb 2009 .

Hinduism

There are so many different religions in our world that it’s hard to be able to recall and remember and know every one. I decided to research Hinduism because it’s the third largest religion in the world after Christianity and Islam. Something that people find unique about Hinduism is that it does not have one single founder; it is combined together from all the different religious groups since 1500 BCE. This religion is regarded as one of the oldest religions in the world. Until a short while ago, India’s government was controlled by a Hindu Nationalistic Political Party, which led to the separation of Church and State. Interestingly enough the United States was not the only country who separated Church from State so this is a prime example of when the Church has too much control and power the country fights back. I find it to be interesting the similarities each religion has to one another maybe there is only one religion and it is the combination of all religions….
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm
Robinson, B.A.. "Hinduism: The world's third largest religion." Religious Tolerance. 4/2/09. Religious Tolerance. 15 Feb 2009 .

We are a great country, and I remind myself of that of every year, of every day, of every minute that I take a breath

Women have made outstanding progress throughout history securing their rights for voting and being equally paid and so on and so forth. Every day women continue to make contributions to our society, but there are places in this world where women still to this day are thought of as being lower than men. Every day a woman speaks up, another woman does the same, we are improving our society day by day. I understand that there will never be a “Perfect Society”, and I understand there will always be people who do not respect others because of their gender. But think how far we’ve come, from where we were. Our country has made us a strong nation to where others dream of coming to our land because of the rights we’ve gained and the equality between all nationalities; we are the United States of America where all men and women are created equal and where all ethnicities are equal in and amongst themselves. I’m proud to be a woman, and I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2006/March/20060308161313amakteb0.4534571.html
Betka, Mark . "Women Play Key Role Shaping U.S. History, Society, Scholar Says." American Life. 8/3/06. America.gov. 14 Feb 2009 .

A piece of Chinese Culture

I chose the Chinese culture, but one part of the Chinese that stood out to me was their “Dragon Boat Races”. June is when the races began, and they covered the waters of all of Asia and Singapore and Macau. What I found to be interesting was the Macau’s dragon boat racers would all symbolize something different and unique (i.e. schools, businesses, restaurants, families…). On all the handcrafted boats, each end would be carved and painted to represent a dragon or other mythological beast. The reason these races began was thanks to a legend, but the one most heard of would be “Chu Yuan”. There are loads of people who come to watch these races, and cheer for their (i.e. favorite team, family, or friend…). People not only applaud for the rowers but also for the spirit of the day. I love reading about cultures other than mine, but even with the endless possibilities of being something other than what I am, I am proud to be part of the culture I live through every day.
"Dragon Boat Races." ChinaVista. 2/3/09. ChinVista. 7 Feb 2009 .

http://www.chinavista.com/experience/boatrace/boatrace.html

Spidee and Austin vs the monster Leukemia

When I went to search for articles talking of people overcoming a struggle or facing a difficulty, it didn’t take me long to find someone in need. A little kid named Austin is in a tough struggle fighting leukemia. He has enlisted the big “Spider-man” to help him defeat the evil monster “Leukemia”. Specifically he was diagnosed with APML Leukemia, which is rare but not uncommon. Currently Austin resides at the Children’s hospital with APML which was the first case found in 2008 and only one other case was diagnosed the year before. APML is a disease of the bone marrow. It’s difficult to battle something you don’t see but feel every minute that goes by, it’s a struggle that tests your limits and strength but not a battle that can’t be won, it defiantly can be defeated. When Austin is cured November 11, 2013 he will be 8 years old, and a hero.
http://www.spidermanfightscancer.com/
If you want to do something good for someone, visit this site and leave a message for these heroes.
http://www.cancerkids.org/Children/Stories/

Austin's parents (does not specify), "Spiderman fights cancer." Cancer Kids. 2/3/09. Cancer Kids. 3 Feb 2009 .

11000 miles per hour

I read an article called “Denali’s Fault” and it was written by, Laura Naranjo. It’s the things we hear about every day that happen that we don’t pay attention to or think it might be worthwhile to learn how to protect ourselves against, that are most commonly called natural disasters. It happened the afternoon of November 12th, in Seattle, the lakes were at unrest and began to cause frightening sloshing of water that knocked over many boats and as far away as Texas and Louisiana had the same effects too. The leading cause was Alaska’s Denali Fault that had been moving and caused a 7.9 earthquake. Unbelievable, right?
This earthquake lasted for a total of three minutes. It doesn’t seem especially long to you or me but when you are in the middle of a disaster and you begin to panic and worry, 3 minutes could seem close to 3 hours. This earthquake shot straight east at nearly 11000 miles per hour reaching another fault line and causing more havoc at far off states and countries. This was a natural disaster, things like this happen every day and its up to us to be prepared and ready to protect ourselves if the time does indeed come.
http://www.intute.ac.uk/sciences/hazards/Earthquakes-articles.html
Naranjo , Laura. "Denali's Fault ." Intute. (does not say). Intute. 3 Feb 2009 .

The escape from Ember

Lina loves her job as messenger and when she returns home in the afternoon one day, her grandmother was riffling through their closet and she came across a set of instructions which her sister Poppy chewed on (to make parts of the words illegible). Lina asked everyone she knew for help and Doon (her friend) is the only one who believes it will help the city and might be a possible way out for the people of Ember. When Doon and Lina were exploring in the pipe works, they came across the mayor who was stealing goods and saving them for himself. Lina reported this problem to the town guards (who were doing this same thing) and they arrested her and brought her to the mayor. The mayor was not happy and wished to put her in a holding cell but luckily the electricity went out and she was able to make a grand escape out of the building and to safety. One her way to meet Doon in the pipe works, she grabbed Poppy to bring her along. So Doon, Poppy and Lina had discovered a secret passageway in the pipeworks that led out and to safety but before they were above ground they had to walk miles upon miles and at the top was ground and sunshine and they were able to contact the rest of the people of Ember to escape.
The City of Ember
Jeanne DuPrau

Ember...

I’m reading a book called, “The City of Ember”. At the age of twelve in the city of Ember children are assigned work. The mayor comes to their class and he asks them to draw a job from the hat he brings in. Doon Harrow draws the job “messenger” (which is a very wanted job) but he asks Lina Mayfleet to trade and she drew the job (pipe works laborer). But now Lina is a messenger and she delivers messages across Ember for .20 cents each no matter how far she travels. Lina’s parents died early in her life so now she lives with her younger sister Poppy and Grandmother. Doon wants to be underground because that’s where the generator is and Doon knows that it needs to be fixed and he has ideas about how to fix it. Ember is a strange town that is lit by the lights on the street and not by the sun in the sky. Surrounding Ember is complete and absolute darkness. The lights in Ember are beginning to fade and the supplies and food are at there all-time low and Ember is beginning to lose hope except for the hope racing inside the lives Doon and Lina….
The City of Ember
Written by: Jeanne DuPrau

Foo...

In the beginning, a person (by the name of Antsel) from Foo came to Earth and buried a seed and delivered Clover. Following Antsel were shadows sent by Sabine who tortured him by fire because they needed to know the location of the seed. Antsel, died a short while after, never disclosing the location of the seed. The seed grew to be an enormous and magic tree, which was called Geth and the rightful heir to Foo. The person they now waited for was Leven and until he was fourteen years old, he lived a very boring life. When he was of age Clover introduced himself (who was to become the sidekick) and Leven also met a girl (by the name of Winter) who could freeze things. They were all pretty much waiting for Geth, the leader of their mission who would show them the way into Foo but Geth was a tree and the people who lived next to the tree decided to cut it down…. (so the complications aroused and the adventure began…)
Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo
Written by Obert Skye

Rhinos

Indian Rhinos are brownish-gray and hairless, and their skin appears to be built like armor, and they have a giant horn on their snout. The largest Asian Rhino weighs nearly 1000 pounds and is the Indian Rhino. The horn of an Indian Rhino grows to lengths of 18 inches or (45 cm). There are around 2400 Indian Rhinos living in Northern India and Southern Nepal, this particular rhino is underneath protection from poachers. Animals live and die, flourish and struggle and it is not our obligation to save them because its life. A special fact about rhinos is that they are herbivores. Rhinos have very small eyes which makes them have poor eyesight. If you were swimming in a pool and a rhino was at the other end (positioned around 25 meters away), the rhino would not see you. For a rhino, their best sense is there sense of smell.

Indian Rhinoceros- title of article
http://www.thewildones.org/Conflict/rhino.html

the ultimate cure may lie within one of the most unsuspecting fruits...

I read an article called “Grape-seed Extract Kills Laboratory Leukemia Cells, Proving Value of Natural Compounds”. Investigator and professor, Xianglin Shi has said in the journal of the American Association for cancer research that leukemia cells were killed by grapes. In the grape was a protein that regulated a certain pathway. What we all want is medicine (or fruit…?) that effects cancer cells but leaves normal cells healthy and well. Professor Shi says that even though it was proven that grapes killed the leukemia the research is not far enough along that people should eat grapes constantly. The good thing may be that Shi said it was promising research. A puzzling question may be why it does not affect normal cells; this is yet another important find in history for scientists. If you look at life in the eyes of those who see it most, a downfall leads to a discovery and yet to another downfall. Meaning that even if they find the cure for leukemia by grapes, there is always something else lingering in the shadows. One step is all it takes, one baby step to change medical history.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081231005257.htm