Happy 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Still the cloning issue!

As I think that most people have lack of information about cloning I decided to be more informed.
So to write this text I opened my biology book, I searched in several sites and I will write here my opinion.
During my search I found out that there is cloning in nature since ever. Some plants reproduce through this process because they give origin to beings genetically equal to themselves.
Nowadays we can clone cells that can save the lives of people who need organs´ transplants that can be used to cure diseases like cancer and can help infertile couples to have babies.
The problem is that cloning an entire person isn´t right because society would discriminate the clone, thinking that he is just a copy without value, being called lives of second category.
I confess that it would be strange to me to live with a person who is a clone.
I agree with cells ´cloning but I disagree with the cloning of an entire human being not just because of the facts I referred but also because of the pain they may suffer.


Rita Moura
11ºB nº24

Story of stuff

Cloning - a good and a bad thing...

To talk about cloning is not an easy task. We have risks, we have benefits and we have, of course, our personal opinion.

Cloning is good because it can help infertile people to have babies, it can lead us to the cure of many diseases like cancer and, with cloning, we wouldn´t need to use animals on experiments.

But it is bad because we´re not sure that the proces will be succeessful; clones can be discriminated against and a clone can be stranger than we are.

For me, cloning an entire person is wrong because of discrimination that the clones would suffer but also because we are special because we are different and cloning would change that.

However, I agree with the cloning of organs because this process could lead us to the development of cures of diseases like cancer.



Cristina Correia 11th B nº 12

My opinion about cloning

In spite of not being much discussed, cloning is a very delicate subject. There are so many benefits as risks and although many people are in favour of cloning, there are people who refuse to accept it.

Cloning isn’t a magical way of creating life, but it has benefits like saving many lives, cure diseases and let infertile couples have biological children of their own. In plants, cloning would help to produce high yielding crops, resistant to droughts and pests. Cloning animals could preserve endangered species and prevent hunger of humans.

Those who are against cloning justify it mainly with ethical and religion issues, like make persons replaceable or create something that only god could create in a unique way. But there are scientific risks, for example, cloning human beings can go wrong and produce deformed offspring or the most cloned animals would die before they are born or younger than normal animals. Plants with modified DNA are called trangenic. Genetically modified food has a possible inherent toxicity to people or wildlife and has tendency to provoke an allergic reaction.

Cloning technology will help, like I said before, infertile persons having babies and more than that, the organ transplants could save many people. I don’t think cloning has the potential to hurt someone, unless a person is forced to be submitted to cloning, and from this point of view only animals will be harmed because they aren’t capable of expressing themselves.

For me and for my family cloning should be approved by governments, but only for medical purposes, such as transplants. Maybe others will judge me, because to save a person I’ll be killing another (that is the clone), and for this I don’t have an answer. I think we have to wait and hope scientists find a good solution which includes not kill or hurt anyone.

Joana Barbosa 11th G

What are the possible implications of cloning to society?

The cloning issue is an issue that is much discussed. Some people support it, some people don’t. It’s what their moral tells them.
Cloning embryos can have advantages like the chance of developing a cure for cancer, those cells can help infertile people to have babies and make possible the chance of replacing our pets or endangered species.
But it has its disadvantages too. Most cloned animals die before they are born or younger than normal animals and one thing I think essential, cloning makes us all less special – the concept of being replaceable.
Of course, technology is an important factor on cloning. Technological advances allow us to evolve on research.
I don’t agree with cloning an organism and I have a few arguments to support my belief like those I presented before but the most important is the concept of being replaceable. I don’t care if it is black, white, woman or man… Each one of us is irreplaceable, we are what we are, whether we like it or not.
But I agree with cloning cells or organs because we can find the cure for many diseases and it’s “insurance” for us.
And we know scientists can clone skin on a laboratory but with the advance of technology we can hope that other organs may start being cloned like, who knows, the heart.


Cláudia Leite no 11 11th B

Cloning

picture

Today, cloning is a very serious topic.
There are people who believe that this science can change our lives for the better. However I think we need to be careful about its consequences.
There are people who say that cloned cells can be used to cure some diseases or to help infertile people.
On the contrary, I feel that there could be lots of disadvantages. I think that cloning can create situations where people are disrespected, because scientists may try “to build” the perfect human being.
So far, the experiences that we have seen are far from being perfect.
Personally, I think that governments should try to control these actions; otherwise things will be out of control.
Of course, I understand that when someone is suffering from a serious disease he/she wants to be saved.
Even so, I defend that we need to be careful about cloning.

Carlos Paiva, nº9 11ºD

Cloning: good or bad?

Clones are more susceptible to many genetic defects, illness and death yet it could be argued that the same conditions can, and do occur in beings born through the natural process of procreation. Cloned animals have reproduced and given birth to normal healthy offspring. Even cloning from an aged animal doesn´t create an aged clone. Diseases are normal. Whether a being is created from sperm and egg or cloned from a single cell fused with an egg cell form which the genes have been removed, there is no assurance that abnormalities may not occur.
Science may need experimentation in order to advance but other beings will always suffer from the advancement of technology, we reach an impasse where we must face the issues of human rights and animal rights as well. Therapeutic cloning is an alternative way of medical advancement that can offer hope to many people who suffer from conditions that otherwise would have no cure, so in my opinion cloning is not a disadvantage but an advantage for most people.

Diogo Moreira nº14 11ºB

A stranger in my head...

How can that be possible? How can I think about him all the time? Why can't I get him out of my head?
He's a complete stranger for me. I've talked to him once or twice but his face refuses to abandon my mind. Everytime I try to think about something else, I just can't. It's not possible for me. and I want to know why.
"Is this love what I'm feeling? This must be love what I'm searching for. Is this love or am I dreaming..." The radio sings and I turned it off.
It's not love what I'm feeling. it can't be. Like I said, he's a complete stranger.
Oh, God, come on, it's not fair for me. Damn it! It's always there. How can I forget him?Why doesn't he leave my mind? I hate him for making me think about him all the time. I just can't stop. It's something I can't do.
My heart screams that this is really love but my head doesn't want to accept that. I don't want to accept that.
Now, I'll try to sleep and most important, I'll try to erase that boy from my heart and my head . If that is possible...


Cláudia Leite, nº11, 11ºB

No title

When I wake up
And see the sun shinning on my window
Knowing that there won't be war anymore
Hunger is over
Hatred, anger, awe, anguish
Don't live on Man's heart anymore
That everyone realised that they were brothers
And give their hands and go through the world...
It will be an almost perfect day
Because just when I was by your side
In your arms
Wrapped in your hug
On that moment I'll have the power to stop the time
And taste that with you forever
Forever by your side...



Cláudia Leite, nº 11, 11ºB

Kids are quick!

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America .
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?
CLASS: Maria.
____________________________________

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

(I Love this kid)
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
__________________________________

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
_______________________________________

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I. '
MILLIE: I is..
TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
________________________________

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
______________________________________

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
______________________________

TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.
___________________________________

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher
__________________________________

What they have written about their holidays...

My holidays were amazing. I spent my holidays on the beach and at home. I went out with my freinds, I went to the cinema with my friends, but I broke up with my girlfirend and that was not very good.
Pedro Nunes, nº23, 9ºA


On my holidays I went to the Algarve with my family. It was great! I went to the beach, there were lots of people of different countries: France, Spain and England. We were there for 12 days. I like the Algarve because there are more activities for me, my family and the people of the hotel. There are cinemas, art galleries, concert halls, stadiums and theatres. I love the Algarve. My holidays were fantastic!
Carlos César, nº6, 9ºD



I went on holiday in August. I went to the beach in Vila do Conde with my parents and my brother. We went there by car. It was very hot. I ate chocolate, pizza and sandwiches. Sometimes I ate ice-creams. I went to the beach, I bought a ball and a pair of sunglasses.
Patrícia Ribeiro, nº11, 9ºA


I loved my holidays in Palma de Mallorca. I loved the sun! It had a good beach and magnificent landscapes. But I also visited beautiful places in Portugal. I had fun with my friends, I rode my bike, I played PSP, watched TV and had great fun with my pets. I had a fantastic holiday! I enjoyed myself a lot!
Davide Ribeiro, nº8, 9ºD


My favourite days were when I went to the beach with my parents, my brother and my sister. On my holidays I helped my parents with the housework. I went out with my friends, my parents and my aunt.
Diana Marisa Nunes Mota, nº9, 9ºA



Last holiday I went to Switzerland. It was very fun. I went to the stadium, cinema, theatre and the swimingpool park. I had some problems with the language because their language is quite complicated. I loved to travel there.
Paulo Jorge Ferreira, nº22, 9ºA


My last summer holidays were fun, actually, really fun...I´ve stayed in Portugal, but it was cool... I spent one week in Quiaios, near Figueira da Foz with one of my best friends. After that, I came home and I've spent some time going to the cinema and to the swimming pool with my friends.Then I went to the Barra beach in Aveiro and I've stayed there for four days.There were lots of cute girls, of course... Thess were my summer holidays. They couldn't have been better.
Pedro Mendes


This year I didn't go out of the country but I went to the beach many times because I like the sun and the heat.I was in Braga all of my holidays, that was great because I love the city.
Isabel Lopes 9ºD


My family and I went to Figueira da Foz and Algarve. It was very cool. We spent for 4 days in the Algarve and 8 days in Figueira da Foz. My family and I went to the beach, it was very hot. We visited Nazaré, it is beautiful. The holidays were great.
Rafaela Vieira 9ºD


I didn't like my summer holiday this year because I had to help my brother in the fair. My family and I were on holiday in June and August, eight days in each month. With all this I didn't have time for myself, time to be with my friends and to have fun.
Cristina Baptista nº7 9ºA


My father, my brother and I spent the holidays at the campsite in Vila de Conde.There was a pool and beach but I prefer the pool becauseI don't like sand or cold water, and there the sea is dangerous.These two weeks of holiday were very fun.
Francisca Ferreira, nº8, 9ºD


Last summer holidays I went to Alter do Chão in August. I visited a national stud and saw very nice horses. Alter do Chão is very beautiful, the weather was very hot and I went to the swimming pool every day. The landscape of Alentejo is very beautiful.
Inês Pinto 9ºD nº 9

My Holidays were well spent. My days were spent sleeping and playing computer. But that was until the day that my grandmother invited me to go to Spain, everything was so good and then... one day, but it was great fun... I went by boat, I'll always remember it because it was my first voyage in a boat... I will never forget that day and I will never forget being in Spain, either. The rest of my holidays were spent the same way: sleeping...
José Luís Sousa Bessa, nº18, 9ºA


I spent my holidays in Portugal, I stayed in Peniche and near Ermesinde. I went camping in bungalows with my father´s friends. They are very funny. In my camp there were two swimming pools, the camp was huge and it was near the beach. On the beach I like swimming in the sea and doing lots of other things like playing football and voleyball. Those were the funniest holidays I have ever had.
José Pedro Soares João Pereira , nº 19, 9ºA

This year, I went to the Algarve on my holidays. I visited Vilamoura, Quarteira and Loulé. I went to the beach and I saw lots of tourists, because Algarve is a hot place with a good beachs. I spoke Spanish with some guys and it was very fun! I liked my holidays very much but they were very short!
Ana Sofia


My holidays were fantastic. I went to the Algarve with my parents, my sister and my best-friend and I enjoyed the beach. I spent a lot of time on my swimming pool with my friends and family.In the Algarve I saw many people from different cultures. I visited my grandparents for a week. I did a lot of funnythings there.
Maria Marques, nº17, 9ºD

On holidays, I went to lots of places, such as: Vila Flôr, Póvoa de Lanhoso, Gerês and Galiza (Spain). I spent my holidays with my family.
I went to the beach because I love the sun and swimming at the sea. But, I went to the river, too. I like fishing with my father. It's a relaxing hobbie.
It was a great holiday! :)
Carla 9ºA

My family and I went to the Algarve. That was really cool. I met lots of people and I swam in the sea lots of times. I spoke English with my new friends and some guys were very nice and fun!
I just loved my holidays!
Maria Francisca Mota, nº20, 9ºA

My holidays were spent in Spain and Portugal. When I went to Spain (Vigo), I was with my parents, brother and my neighbour, those two weeks were a lot of fun, we went to the beach and shopping. I also spent some weeks on the beach of Mindelo with my uncles who are in Switzerland and I spent some really cool days there.
For the past few weeks I was at home waiting for school to start.
And so these were my holidays.
Cristiana Alves 9ºA nº6

My holidays were nice. I played football during the day from Monday to Friday.
On weekends, I was with my family and many times I went to the beach with them.
When my father was at home (on holidays), we went to the beach most of the times and after that I prepared the long year of school that was about to start.

Pedro Silva

President Obama's back to school speech

Below are the prepared remarks for President Obama's back to school speech, as released on the White House website.

Hello everyone - how's everybody doing today? I'm here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we've got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I'm glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could've stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.
I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn't have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday - at 4:30 in the morning.
Now I wasn't too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."
So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.
Now I've given a lot of speeches about education. And I've talked a lot about responsibility.
I've talked about your teachers' responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.
I've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.
I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working where students aren't getting the opportunities they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world - and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.
And that's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.
Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.
Maybe you could be a good writer - maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper - but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor - maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine - but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.
And no matter what you want to do with your life - I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can't drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You've got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.
And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You'll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.
We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that - if you quit on school - you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.
Now I know it's not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.
I get it. I know what that's like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn't fit in.
So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I'm not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.
But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.
Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there's not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.
But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life - what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home - that's no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That's no excuse for not trying.
Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That's what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.
Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn't speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.
I'm thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who's fought brain cancer since he was three. He's endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer - hundreds of extra hours - to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he's headed to college this fall.
And then there's Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.
Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren't any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.
That's why today, I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education - and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you'll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.
Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you're not going to be any of those things.
But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won't love every subject you study. You won't click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.
That's OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures. JK Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
These people succeeded because they understand that you can't let your failures define you - you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.
No one's born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. It's the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust - a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor - and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.
And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you - don't ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.
The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.
It's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.
So today, I want to ask you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?
Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you've got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don't let us down - don't let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

A special text

I am walking on the sand of an unknown beach. I feel it, the hot sand beneath my feet but I don't care. I don't care because this is the only place where I'm alone, where I feel that's really me. I don't understand, I swear I don't understand those people. They pretend to be what they aren't, they just want to keep up appearances and those are their biggest worries.

Why don't they, at least, try to understand me? Why is it me that is always wrong, and not them? Why do they try to change me, try to fight against who I am?

I guess I'm just another person that nobody understand. I am what I am. I have qualities and faults like everyone else. I accept myself as I am. Why don't the other people try to do the same?

I'm not perfect but I can do some things right. I am not an Einstein, but I know a few things. I can have a lot of faults, but I never abandon a friend when he needs me and I never turn my back to a challenge.

I'm an adventurer. I'm thirsty of challenges and something new in my life. What I have is never enough. I want more and more.

But I will forget them. I must forget them. If they don't like me, I don't like them either and I don't care about them.

On this beach, it's all about me, the sun, the sky and the sea. It's heaven... So, I'll lie down on the sand and try to sleep. And I hope tomorrow when I wake up, I will realise that this was just a terrible nightmare.

Cláudia Leite, nº 11, 11ºB

"An inconvenient truth", trailer

Set aside all the controversy in the science world, in which some scientists swear that they have scientific data that proves that the planet is getting warmer, and the other scientists who state they also have scientific data that proves the contrary, this documentary by Al Gore is, in my humble opinion, a very interesting one... If all the information included in it is objective, acute and true, that is another thing... I don't have the necessary background to be absolutely sure about that. One thing I'm positive: some of the facts portrayed in the film are scary and make us think.

"I need to wake up"... Are you wake up?

Melissa Etheridge sang in the Live Earth Concert and introduced Al Gore!

We have listened to this song in class too and we have concluded that it's time to wake up! You are the generation that is responsible for continuing this track...Some people had a big dream: to save the planet... Others have to follow this dream and preserve what was left!

Wake up, shake up and speak out!

NOW

We have watched it in class! "Earth song"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYHguBEXkac

You can watch it again if you want! Michael Jackson and his wonderful "Earth Song" video!

Here is the lyrics! So that you can sing all along!


"Earth Song"

What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain...
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?

Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah

What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores

Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah

I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far

Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah

Hey, what about yesterday
(What about us)
What about the seas
(What about us)
The heavens are falling down
(What about us)
I can't even breathe
(What about us)
What about apathy
(What about us)
I need you
(What about us)
What about nature's worth
(ooo, ooo)
It's our planet's womb
(What about us)
What about animals
(What about it)
We've turned kingdoms to dust
(What about us)
What about elephants
(What about us)
Have we lost their trust
(What about us)
What about crying whales
(What about us)
We're ravaging the seas
(What about us)
What about forest trails
(ooo, ooo)
Burnt despite our pleas
(What about us)
What about the holy land
(What about it)
Torn apart by creed
(What about us)
What about the common man
(What about us)
Can't we set him free
(What about us)
What about children dying
(What about us)
Can't you hear them cry
(What about us)
Where did we go wrong
(ooo, ooo)
Someone tell me why
(What about us)
What about babies
(What about it)
What about the days
(What about us)
What about all their joy
(What about us)
What about the man
(What about us)
What about the crying man
(What about us)
What about Abraham
(What was us)
What about death again
(ooo, ooo)
Do we give a damn

Aaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaah

Disney Pictures bought Marvel

Did you know that? It happened a few days ago when Walt Disney (the man) decided he wanted a new air in his corporation. Well, he doesn't know but I'll write a story that he will probably "steal" and say it's his own, but I don't mind.
This story begins in the far away land of Genovia (yes, that's a country). There lives Spiderman and the 7 midgets alone, till one day...
- Spiderman! Spiderman! - says midget nº4.
- What's up? - He asked.
- Nothing, I was just practising your name.
- Alright. Oh... Look!
- Yes?
- When Superman gets here I want everything ready for the welcome party.
- OK master.
Midgets are like a lower race for super-heroes, because of only one thing: their ugly necks. I mean, they don't even have necks...
- Ha Ha! I did it again! He claimed.
- Oh no, not again... - the 3rd midget said.
It seems that Superman had the bad habit of going around but never EVER did it as it was supposed to.
- Superman, did you remember what you had to do?
- What?... Oh no!!.... IRONMAAAAAAAAN...
- Who cares? Nobody liked him anyway. -said Spiderman.
- Yeah, you are right.
- So, where is my welcome party?
- What welcome party? You didn't do anything...
- That's not true. I saved someone!
- Who?
And then Kim Possible jumped out of his back and killed everyone.

THE END
THE END?
THE END.


Artur, 11ºD

What's my dream job?

I'm not sure if I know the answer to this question. Well, to be honest, I do. I would like to be a writer. You can laugh but this is the truth.
And it's not because of the money or the fame or to be recognised when I walk down the street; it's not about that. I don't care about that. I want to be a writer because I would love to tell stories to people, things that are inside my head, inside my heart.
When I write, I feel free, I feel extremely good. I abandon my body and I fly, I travel. I travel to the world of my imagination where everything is good. There, in that world, there is no place for mean people or for sadness or for other feelings that are bad for us. Everything is so perfect that we really want to live there.
I think the reason why there are so many people who don't like writing is because they don't know how to do it.
An idea is like a bulb. When it turns on we can't let it turn off. We have to grab it and work on it. Once we grabbed the idea, other ideas will show up and it becomes easy to write a text or even a book. I believe that's the secret!
And I'll try to do this everytime I want to write. But I don't believe that I could be a writer in the future. It's very hard to write books with quality.


Cláudia, 11ºB

Are you ready?

picture taken from: www.morningguyed.com/

When I was a teenager, going back to school was always an amazing sensation! I was anxious to meet my friends again and to make new ones. I loved school, the smell of the new books, the expectation of learning new things... Yes, I loved school and by the end of August I used to be completely fed up with holidays... Long boring afternoons were already driving me crazy by then. I used to be dying to be back to school, although you may think I was crazy, because there is nothing better than holidays (at least, that's what my students usually tell me).

So, get ready to start working again and to initiate a new stage in your life... Every school year is a whole new world of possibilities that become available!...

Love story - a romantic song for this season!

ENJOY!....

Holidays!

We deserve! You deserve!


For most of you, holidays are a reward that you have been longing for many months.


Now make the most out of it!



Adventure, sunshine, friends and experiences!


It's up to you to make of this Summer a memorable season!

HAVE FUN!!!

Some people are eternal...

Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the '80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time. In his prime, Jackson was an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and loads of sheer star power. His 1982 blockbuster Thriller became the biggest-selling album of all time (probably his best-known accomplishment), and he was the first black artist to find stardom on MTV, breaking down innumerable boundaries both for his race and for music video as an art form.

Whether as a pop icon or a tabloid caricature, Jackson always remained bigger than life.
He passed away, but his music will live on forever...
Listening to his music is the best tribute to his genius...

Exams and more exams

Times are for studying more now and you have to be strong enough to give your best on this final challenge! I know... The weather is great and you feel like going to the swimming pool or the beach or just relaxing with your friends! But you have to be responsible! You have to study a little longer so that in the end you have your reward!

HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN!....
Give your best now!
And... GOOD LUCK!

The village Earth

If we could turn the population of the Earth into a small village community of 100 people, keeping roughly the same proportions we have today on our planet, it would be something like this.

Welcome to our Global Village, the village Earth. In our village there are 100 people.

51 people are women and 49 are men.

61 people are from Asia.

12 people are from Europe.

14 people are from Norht and South America.

There are 13 people from Africa.

13 people don't have enough to eat, or are actually dying from hunger.

More than 40 people in the village live without basic sanitation, and 16 people live without water that can be drunk.

Roughly 14 adults in the village can't read or write. Only seven have had a secondary school education.

Eight people have a computer and four are connected to the internet.

Eight people have a car and ten percent of the houses are powered by electricity. Some people keep their food in a refrigerator and their clothes in a wardrobe; they have a roof over their heads and they have a bed to sleep in. These people represent about 75 per cent of the entire population of the village.

Six people in our village own 59 per cent of the entire wealth of all the people in our community. Forty seven people live on two dollars or less a day.

25 people struggle to live on a dollar a day or less.

If you have a bank account, you're one of the 30 wealthiest people in the village.

Of all the money that the village spends every year: about 5.5 per cent is spent on weapons and war, roughly 3.4 per cent is spent on education and something like 2.6 per cent is spent on keeping people healthy.

Next year, there will be 105 people in the village.

Work with passion,

Love without needing to be loved,

Appreciate what you have,

And do your best for a better world.

http://www.villageearth.org/

Time to change...

Nowadays, we can listen everywhere that our planet is in serious danger. However some people say that the situation of the Earth isn’t so bad. Curiously, these people are usually supported by the countries’ governments which are in the center of this environmental problem.
Everyone knows that if the Earth’s temperature keeps rising, the human beings and all the sustainability of the planet will be affected. So, the question is: “Do these people think that they are safe from the calamities that will happen in a near future?”. I think they know that if this situation becomes worse, the human beings will abide the consequences of their acts. But these people are moved by power and greed and they won’t stop unless someone does something.
This being the case, people must lose their fear and they must address all the people who ignore the fact that the planet Earth is being destroyed.
Even if our words seem insignificant and that our strengths seem to disappear, we must be persistent and we must think that sometimes a small sign can make a difference.

José Rui nº 13, 9ºB

Climate change: a problem with no solution

Nowadays, the human kind is concerned about exploring the universe, develop technologies, conquer countries, invent a new nuclear bomb to destroy an enemy country, etc. However, we don’t realize that all these problems are hiding another one which is much worse: The Pollution of the Earth.
This huge problem is killing us slowly: the global temperature is rising, glaciers are melting, rainforests and water are disappearing and one hundred billion species are being killed (including us!) and we just don’t care! All we care about is if our country’s economy is better, if we have sufficient money to buy something and finding a way to earn more.
How could we think about all these insignificant things if the place where we live is being destroyed?! Primitive species of human kind could live without all these technologies and habits. They didn’t destroy our planet to survive, so why do we? The Earth is a precious thing that we must preserve at any cost! It’s the only home we have, by now.
We must be taught to have green choices, such as recycling or saving energy and water. It is this thought that might save our planet and consequently our lives!

Ana Filipa Silva nº1 9ºB

Fast track to success!

I wish you all good luck for this final term!
You may expect a lot of hard work but I'm sure that your success will be rewarding!

Happy Easter!

Friendster Comments at Profile-Comments.com

An English teacher in Paris!

Yes, I've just arrived from Paris!

I went there for the first time and I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the city!

Amazing monuments and museums, beautiful gardens, wonderful buildings and a magical river where one can live romantic moments or just dream and smile and enjoy the beauty of life!

It was wonderful to feel the motion of the city while walking along the crowded sidewalks and streets!

On the opposite side of all that, the peace of the huge green gardens brought strength and warmth to my spirit...

PARIS: the city of light, the city of love! No doubt about it!...

"Beauty" 2

Through the years, many people tried to find a definition to a very controversial subject: beauty. Its large concept depends on our familiar surroundings, this is, it depends on everything that is around us and that influences our way of thinking and our ideals. One day, Luís de Camões, the greatest portuguese poet, said that "Mudam-se os tempos, Mudam-se as vontades": this is real because, with the development of our society, the behaviour and the tastes of the new generations are changing and, with them, the definition of beauty is changing too. After this, we can say that our idea of what is beautiful or not is part of our culture and who we are. Nowadays, teens live a trivial and consumerist life, where fashion takes on large proportions, influencing these young generations. In fact, almost all teenagers don't want to be ridiculed by their friends. In spite of being an injustice, this is what happens all around the world.

Zé Rui nº13 9ºB

Addicted to new technologies...

We can no longer live without technology.

I speak for myself. I'm addicted to it. I got hooked! Now I can't live without my mobile phone, my computer, my mp3 player... There is no way I can live without the Internet... It is so useful: I pay my bills, I do research, I buy things, I read the news, I look for information, I watch videos and listen to music, I talk to my distant friends... How did I manage to live before all this technology that surrounds me now? I don't know the answer, but I'm sure about one thing: life nowadays is much more interesting than 15 years ago... I don't know if you agree with me...

What is your opinion?

"Beauty" 1

In my opinion, the word "beauty" has a relative meaning. When we say that someone is beautiful, we can consider his/her look (outside beauty) or his/her personality (inner beauty). This meaning is different for each people. A person might think that somebody is beautiful and another one disagree with the first one.
This concept changes when we grow up. In our childhood, we consider that someone is beautiful when that person is nice and lovely. However, after this period of our life, beauty is to us what we see on TV, newspapers, magazines, films, etc. We are always comparing to the people we see in the mass media. Their look isn't real! All those pretty faces and perfect bodies are made to impress normal people and to make them buy what they want.
That's why teenagers try to copy celebrities. They want to be as much successful as they are. Teens are also trying to be seen and recognized as somebody important that everyone wants to be.
We should be what we really are. Even if we have some tastes that other people might think awkward, we should be true to ourselves. That is what defines our true beauty!

Ana Filipa Silva nº1 9ºB

Fashion, tattoos and piercings!

I know... Being a teenager is hard! You have so many problems to solve, so many inner-conflicts to analyse, so many options to make... I know!... And I also know that most teenagers care about the way they look. Fashion and style are important, being accepted and admired is essential when you are a teenager.

Am I right or wrong?

(Remember: I've already been a teenager myself!...)

How many times have you considered a radical change in your looks?

Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo or piercing?

What is your style?

Why is body image so important nowadays?

Space Exploration!

Is it important to explore new worlds in space?

Do you think that there is life in other parts of the Universe?

Students' wishes!

10º G

- I wish I were rich!
- I wish I could live in Jamaica.
- I wish I could have a very long life.
- I wish I graduated on the 12th form.
- I wish I went to University.
- I wish I could make a happy family in the future.
- I wish I could see you all happy in the future!
- I wish I were a lawyer.
- I wish I were still a child.
- I wish I were a professional football player.
- I wish I were a millionaire.
- I wish I had all the things I want.
- I wish I were a TV journalist.
- I wish I passed this year.
- I wish I could go to New York.
- I wish all my dreams came true.
- I wish I could forget the past.
- I wish I could find true love.
- I wish I could play more computer games.
- I wish I could learn music again.
- I wish I had magic powers.
- I wish I had more time to sleep.
- I wish I had more time to be with my grilfriend.
- I wish I could be happy with my Cinderella!
- I wish I could graduate from high school.
- I wish I had true people in my life.
- I wish I could pass the year.
- I wish I could go to Germany.
- I wish I could have a big house.
- I wish I could fly to see you.
- I wish I had many cars.
- I wish I had more time to be with my friends.
- I wish we had another Prime Minister.
- I wish our Minister of Education left the government.
- I wish I could find my true love and be happy with her.
- I wish I were taller.
- I wish I could go to Africa.
- I wish I could meet Chris Brown.
- I wish I could forget a person.
- I wish I went to Switzerland.
- I wish I found the perfect man for me!
- I wish hunger disappeared from the world.
- I wish I had a Summer job.
- I wish I could be transparent.
- I wish I could fly!
- I wish I could go to Australia.
- I wish I could live forever.
- I wish I could visit S. Paulo.
- I wish I went to Madrid.
- I wish I could go to California!

More wishes!

10º B:

- I wish I were a computer engineer.
- I wish I were happy!
- I wish I had lots of money.
- I wish I travelled to the Caribbean.
- I wish I were rich.
- I wish I could be a child forever.
- I wish I could be a child forever.
- I wish I had the car of my dreams.
- I wish I were immortal.
- I wish I could live with the boy of my dreams.
- I wish I could go to Africa to help poor children.
- I wish I were a doctor.
- I wish I met Jensen Ackles.
- I wish I could travel all around the world.
- I wish I had a good life in the future.
- I wish I had a Mustang.
- I wish I could fly.
- I wish I had a Mini.
- I wish all my problems went away.
- I wish I were a great woman like my mother.
- I wish I could help all the poor people in the world.
- I wish I had a lot of success.
- I wish all my dreams came true.
- I wish I had lots of friends in the future.
- I wish I could meet the boy of my dreams.
- I wish I had a good job.
- I wish I had a small rabbit.
- I wish I could travel to China.
- I wish I never lost my friends.
- I wish my father could get better quickly.
- I wish all the things with my family were OK.
- I wish I found my Prince Charming.
- I wish I had an Aston Martin.
- I wish I were a successful woman.
- I wish all the animals were well-treated.
- I wish I had a gorgeous, hot, attractive, cool, tender boy!
- I wish I could fly.
- I wish I had studied more.
- I wish I were famous.
- I wish I were a dancer.
- I wish I were the owner of the world because if so I could put an end to the war and poverty and all the people would live a happy and good life.
- I wish all my problems ended and that way I could be an even happier person.
- I wish I got married to the boy of my dreams and we had together six beautiful and very nice kids, just like their parents!
- I wish I travelled to LA and met Jared Padalecki because he's my idol!
- I wish I could keep my friends forever.
- I wish all the dreams of the people I love (including family and friends) came true!



-

I wish...!

What my students wish:

10ºK:

- I wish I could say to all the people: I love you!

- I wish I were happy with you, Fábio!

- I wish I could fly away with you!

- I wish I could share all my feelings with you!

- I wish I could cry and say I LOVE YOU!

- I wish this could last forever!

- I wish I could be forever happy as I am today!

- I wish I could be happy with all the people I like.

- I wish I could fly in my imagination.

- I wish I could smile by your side!

- I wish I could look at your blue eyes and touch you everyday!

- I wish I could reach the sky and dream about you in the clouds!

- I wish you smiled at me and felt what I feel for you!

- I wish I could feel this way forever!

- I wish I were a bird and I could fly!

- I wish I could always be in love.

- I wish I could do scuba diving in the ocean.

- I wish I could dance and be with my boyfriend for one night... or forever (I really love him!)!

- I wish I could spend more time with my boyfriend!

- I wish I could fly like a butterfly!

- I wish I had success in the future.

- I wish I could be happy in the future.

- I wish I could live in London.

- I wish I had a famous band.

- I wish I made a tour with my band around the world.

- I wish I could fly in the arms of my princess.

- I wish I could be a professional football player.

- I wish I were a psychologist.

- I wish I could be a teenager forever!

- I wish I were immortal!

- I wish I could fly to a new world!

- I wish I were a white angel.

- I wish I had a lot of money.

- I wish I could find perfect love.

- I wish I could travel around the world.

- I wish I could play in NBA.

- I wish that my parents could be happy.

- I wish I was never born, so that I wouldn't have to make these wishes. This way I wouldn't have to know they won't come true, ever...

- I wish I were a phisiotherapist.

- I wish I could be happy with my parents and my friends.

- I wish I could help somebody everyday.

- I wish I could live in a peaceful world.

- I wish I could help my mother and my family.

- I wish I could be a doctor.

- I wish I could live in the Algarve.

- I wish I could be a super-hero.

- I wish I could be Batman!

What will life be like 50 years from now?

What are your predictions for the future?
Do you think life will be completely different 50 years from now?
Will schools change? What type of classes and teachers will there be?
And our houses? Will they be completely technological?
Will robots be the slaves of the 21st century?

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!