The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, has fascinated me each and everyday. The first event that impressed me was the woman's downhill moguls. At first I never heard of "moguls", but it is pretty easy to figure out. The mogul race is when you ski down a hill and turn around mounds of snow, and perform tricks off ramps. The scoring is based on how well you turn, your time, and a trick score. Hannah Kearney won the gold from the USA, and I was glad because she was by far my favorite mogul skier. Another event I wanted to see was the speed skating with Apolo Anton Ohno and J.R. Celski. I have never seen or even heard of speed skating until this Olympics. The was was very thrilling. Apolo was in fourth during the final lap until a terrible pass by the Koreans which knocked them over, and out of the race. Korea took the gold, Ohno took the silver, and Celski got the Bronze. It was the craziest race I have ever seen in my life.
The next event I couldn't wait to see was Lindsey Jacobellis in The Woman's Downhill Snowboard Cross. The snowboard cross is just a race to the finish on a snowboard. I was excited to see Jacobellis, compete again in the downhill cross after the 2006 Olympics in Torino where she fell down on the last jump and lost the gold medal and received the silver. Jacobellis made it through the preliminary rounds, but during the medal she went off coarse after the first jump. I was devastated to see that Lindsey came in 5th but was excited that Canada's Maelle Ricker took home the gold.
Speaking of gold, in Men's Figure Skating United States, Evan Lysacek, took home the gold after spectacular performance. He beat the Russia's, Yevgeny Plyushchenko, who was expected to win after his short program. Plyushcenko was Torino's gold medalist destroying the competition with a 10 point lead! That is amazing considering he only lost by 1 point this time around.
Lastly, I saw the Women’s Downhill Skiing with Linsdey Vonn. I heard she was amazing, but I had to see it for myself. She was the last to go,and I knew she had a bruised shin going into the race, so I was very nervous for her sake. It was a wonderful run, and she dominated the competition and took the gold, and the silver medalist was also from USA, Julia Mancuso. In conclusion, I can’t wait for even more Olympic activity this week.

When I was 10 I was at the Spree, a type of amusement park full of exotic rides and attractions. I and was about to face my fear, and ride the fireball. The Fireball is a massive ride where you go at least 200ft in the air, and come back down pushing back the skin on your face like you see astronauts faces when their in the spinning machine. Three people have died on this ride, but I was sure to ride it, and it would be a great feat for me. The day was June 27, 2005, and I was with my family. It was a scorching hot day in Michigan, at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit. We rode some other rides such as White Water which is a water roller coaster with a 100ft drop and a massive splash at the end. The Fireball was at the end of the amusement park hidden behind giant Weeping Willow trees. You could feel the intense breeze as it rushed down from the cloudless blue skies. At last we arrived at the Fireball. The sight of this ride made you feel tiny inside, but nevertheless I had to go on.
I went on with my older sister Jaclyn, she had been on the ride many times before, but I was always too scared… until now. I walked on to the metal platform that led to the ride. I felt a chill going down my spine as I was about to be seat on the cold, hard, plastic seats. I knew I was about to regret it, but I couldn’t let fear get to me. I remember a saying my grandma always say, “You only live once, so you better live it well.” At that moment that was exactly what I was doing. The carnival employee started the ride. The Fireball swung low to the ground at first, then higher and higher until it reached the sky. At that point I thought I was going to die, my short life flashed before me and I recalled all the memories that meant the most to me but... I didn’t. I survived! The ride came to a stop at the ground, and I got off, except I fell. I fell on the cheese grate like ground. Nothing happened to me at first, but as I walked back to my family my knee started bleed, a lot. All of the sudden I couldn't see. I cried in a panic and realized I cut my forehead, and the blood covered my eye.
My family was in a panic and so was I. My father picked me up and rushed me to the medical personnel.Father quickly handed me over to the medics, like a football. They stopped the blood, and cleaned my knee and the blood away from my eyes. I learned something that day, never again will I ride the Fireball.

The U.S. needs to follow through with devastating sanctions on Iran. America can stop Iran with these new sanctions, such as increasing the cost to conduct business in Iran. We can use this sanction to make businesses leave Iran, and causing their economy to plummet. This would devastate the nation, and would cause them to be stopped in making nuclear weapons due to a lack of funding. Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Iran was racing forward to produce a nuclear weapon,” and “This means not moderate sanctions, or watered-down sanctions,” he said. “This means crippling sanctions and these sanctions must be applied right now.” That is exactly what increasing the cost to conduct business in Iran would do…cripple them severely.
Another way the world can stop Iran by using sanctions is by sanctioning the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, which are in control of the nuclear facilities. If China and Russia, the main suppliers to Iran, would sanction the guards then, the guards could not control the facilities and an outer power would be able to buy it out. The country that would buy it out would be a stable country such as the U.S. or France. A brilliant strategy that would only work with the help of China an Russia. The U.S., China, Russia, and France need to attack Iran with powerful sanctions.

Do We Have More Time?
Iran, in the end, will eventually become a nuclear power. The main reason why Iran will become a nuclear power is because of China and Russia’s stubbornness. China and Russia are the main suppliers for Iran, and if they lose Iran as a business partner, then they will lose a major profit. They are way too stubborn to let go an excellent business partner leave, even if it creates a great threat to the rest of the world. According to New York Time’s journalist, Neil MacFarquhar, China’s UN representative, Zhang Yesui, said about the Iranian nuclear issue “needs some more time and patience.” This proves that China will keep giving Iran nuclear supplies for as long as possible. China has a known past for opposing sanctions, because they say they are waiting for Beijing conformation.
Another reason why Iran will succeed in getting nuclear weapons is because China will give enough supplies to Iran, before the sanctions are passes-if it is passed. The time it takes to us to decide what were going to do about Iran, Iran will have enough supplies to continue building their enrichment plants. Iran will keep us busy while they build their plants, and become a nuclear power.
Now you might say that the sanctions will pass and Iran will not get there supplies, but it is taking the world quite some time to figure out what they’re going to do with Iran. This situation is just like a race, and whoever finishes first will have a massive affect on our world. If Iran drags out these sanctions, and is able to build their uranium enrichment plants, then that area of the world is in trouble, but if we can pass the sanctions with Iran’s permission, or come up with a brand new idea, then the world will have one less threat to deal with. Therefore, China and Russia need to let go of their economic values and realize that if they continue to be stubborn then Iran will have nuclear weapons.

During this semester I learned so very much about writing and different forms of it. I learned how to do creative writing. On my First Day of School memoir, I learned that in creative writing you don't write an overview, and you have to be creative. On my first draft it was by far the most boring story I have ever read. So, when I got my grade back (which want so hot) he allowed us to redo it. Thank goodness for that or else I would have failed. On my redo I found out that you have to use adjectives and describe what you: taste,smell,hear,see, and feel. When I finished my redo I had to say that thanks to Mr. Fielder teaching me how to do a creative story really helped out my grade.
Next, I learned how to use a blog. At first I thought a blog was going to be a burden to do, but i quickly found out that blogs help you to express your feelings about all sorts of topics. Such as holidays, elections, experiences in your life, etc. With the blogs you have to have pictures, and by the help of fellow classmates, I discovered that pictures help your blog a great amount, because it gives you a visual on what you are feeling or what the topic is about.
In addition to learning how to write creatively, and how to blog, I learned how to read with more of an intellectual approach. I was taught how to margin note. Margin noting is when you read and article, book, newspaper, and so on, and question it or make comments, and later on go back to the question and see if you can find the answer. This is a very effective tool when you are reading a difficult paper, because it allows you to question something to see if it makes sense. Margin noting came in handy when we read a complex paper called the American Scholar. This article was written by a philosopher, so the language was difficult to understand and it had old terms that people don't use today. Thanks to margin noting I questioned what I didn't know and eventually went back and it helped me to clear the nonsense and understand what was really important.
Another concept I strengthened was that of capitalization. Now i though i knew everything about capitalization, but I was wrong. I learned that you capitalize "mom" and "dad" when it takes the place of a persons name, pretty much like a pronoun. Also I learned that you don't capitalize foreign names if it has become very common like french fries, but Asia Minor needs to be capitalized.
I think the most important concept i learned this semester was the cultures of the world. Cultures are as diverse as the people in the culture. There are 100s of different cultures and I learned about just a few of them this semester. I learned that minority cultures are sometimes forgotten about, such as in Australia and the Aborigines. When the British arrived in Australia they immediately discriminated against the Aborigines. The British believed that the Aborigines need to be erased from the world, and they came close to it. They put the Natives into camps where they would be breed with white men and the children would be one shade lighter than before. They also used the Aborigines as cheap labor, later on laws were passed to stop the elimination of the Aborigine culture, and they did. The Aborigine population is very low today because, new generations want lives in the modern world instead of living in the 40,000 year old culture.
Lastly i learned about the early origination of countries. South African was a country that really intrigued me. Here the Dutch were in charge, as they set up a strategic port for the the Dutch East India Trade Company. a group of rebellious Dutch called, The Boers, didn't like the lifestyle in the Cape Colony, so they started the Great Trek. They moved northward and encountered the Natives here call the Khoikhoi. The Khoikhoi were easily eliminated due to the spread of smallpox. At this time a Africa nation was starting to rise and it was run by the Zulus. The Zulus were fierce warriors and stopped at nothing to get what they wanted. They eventually would face the Boers and utter defeat when 3,000 Zulu men were killed by over 400 Boers. In the 1800s diamonds were found in Kimberley and the British wanted them, so the set up a colony in Natal. Natal was placed as a strategic base to get diamonds. The Boers had confrontation with the British, and this led to the Anglo-Boer war. Where the Boers were severely outnumber and lost the battle. I really enjoyed this semester and i cant wait for next semester!

In early colonization, Britain plays a huge role in the colonization of the early world. Britain is the reason why America was founded as a country, and why Australia was colonized as well. Britain did not have colonized South Africa, but they did play a major role in the swift development of the South African colony. First of all, Britain indirectly founded America. The pilgrims from Great Britain were trying to avoid religious persecution. So the British pilgrims set up colony in America, directly linking Britain to the United States of America. Next, Britain set up a prison colony in Australia. The British were extremely into the imperialism, but thanks to this many colonies were set up around the world.
Britain also utilized other territories for there own use such as Australia. They set up Australia as a prison colony because they didn't want criminals in there great empire. A very clever idea and by doing this they established a small prison colony on Australia. The probably didn't know how successful Australia would be, but as we know today Australia is a very popular country.
Along with this colonization came conflict with the natives. In America the British pilgrims came into contact with the Native American, which at first they used them to their advantage, but later on pushed them out of their land and put them in camps. Also in Australia they used the Aborigines as cheap labor, but not quite to the extent of slaves. They were very ruthless in the colonization, and how they treated the natives.
The British not only did the British colonize countries, they also helped other countries get there name put into the world. For example, in South Africa the British took a tremendous role in helping establish South Africa. The British were in South Africa before the Dutch. It is more of a reconnaissance to see what they could find, but they found no use in South Africa, until later years. The British did not find use in South Africa until the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley. The set up a colony at Natal as a useful base for their operations. While in Natal they had confrontation with the Boers. Which eventually led to the Anglo-Boer war which the British won. Overall, Britain crafted South Africa history and those of many other countries, due to their strong belief in imperialism.

I love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday, by far. You get to get out of school for two weeks, spend time with friends, and family, and just get to relax from all the pressures that are placed on you from school. Too bad that this year I didn't get to get out of school on December 18 like everyone else, and actually feel like I got out of school because of Christmas vacation. Instead, I was stuck at home with bronchitis. I was looking forward to almost being done with school on Tuesday, December 16. I would finally be done with swimming in three days! I should have known that I wouldn't make it to the end of the week. You see i have had a cough for about a week and it was getting pretty bad, but I made sure that I would stay in school for as long as possible, and I did.

On that Tuesday I felt so terrible right when I woke up. I was coughing had a headache, and I just felt plain tired, but I somehow made myself go to school, because I was so determined to make it through this week. First hour, I felt chipper even though I was sniffling like crazy. I felt really bad for all the people around me, because I knew how annoying my continuous sniffles were. I was feeling okay until I got to sixth hour... gym. Now this week was the last week of the dreaded swimming, so it would be a pain to have to make up any swim days. When I entered the swimming pool I started to cough so much that I thought my lungs were going to collapse. I just wanted to be done so badly. I made it through that day of swimming.

When I dried off everything felt odd. My skin hurt, I felt hot, and I was exhausted. Unfortunately I had to stay at school because my mom was working the Teacher Luncheon and I had to help. I tried so hard not to cough but it wasn't working. The harder I tried not to the harder I coughed. It was a nightmare. Finally, I went home and took my temperature, it was 101.3. I was glad that I could sleep in tomorrow but so upset that i had to miss a day of gym ,because I would have to make it up later on. I went to the doctor the on Wednesday and she told me I would have to miss the rest of the week due to my fever. I was devastated that I would have to miss the last days before Christmas vacation.