Current Event

Ex-nurse admits in court she killed 7-month-old:

Yesterday in the south county court (Chula Vista) a former nurse pleaded guilty for second degree murder of a 7-month old baby girl. The nurse was the babysitter at the time (Eileen Villamayor, 33) around August 2006. In which she was a licensed vocational nurse, and told the police that the baby was crying and wouldn't stop which soon got her frustrated. Which was then when she grabbed the baby by the hair and threw on the floor, police reported last year. She is going to have mandatory prison sentence from 15 years to life.
The baby girl that died was Nicole Alegado. Her father attended a hearing, which is where he testified that Eileen was his girlfriend, and that they shared that apartment in National City from where the incident happened.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080129-0707-1bo29admission.html

Vocabulary words

Euphoria- a feeling of happiness. This picture is symbolizing happiness, because it shows the love from the baby to the mother, and how happy the mom is getting special kisses from her daughter. (own picture)

Eulogy- a set oration in honor of a deceased person. This picture is symbolizing Eulogy because the peopole in this picture are praying for ther person that died.

Erratic- eccentric; queer. This person is weird and unusual for dressing up as a cat. Which expresses the word Erratic, because the person is a queer.

Erode- destroy by slow consumption or disintegration. This mummy was disintegrated of its body by being buried for alot years, so the skin dissolved and slowly destroyed and left with maybe the bones.

Euthanasia- mercy killing. In this picture is a needle in which people have the choice to be put to sleep, or have a painnless death. Maybe for the reason that the patient will be paralized in their whole body for there rest of their life.

equivocate - to avoid making an explicit statement.

eradicate - to remove or destroy utterly; extirpate

escalate - to increase in intensity

esoteric - understood by or meant for only the select few.

Euphoria- a feeling of happiness.

espouse - to make one's own; adopt or embrace, as a cause

eulogy - a set oration in honor of a deceased person.

Euthanasia- mercy killing.

Erode- destroy by slow consumption or disintegration.

Erratic- eccentric; queer.

11) epitome - a person or thing that is typical of or possesses to a high degree the features of a whole class

Reflection:

“Why do we fight”:

In this documentary I observed that they had a touching story to contribute with the subject of the movie. And also put different opinions of different people from other places. I found interesting when they asked the public if we knew why we were fighting they couldn’t answer it. But then also asked people from Iran, and some of them did know why and some didn’t. They also asked them if where they live should be more like America, and they said no. It was interesting when they were telling the story of the father that lost his son in the 9/11 attack. But the part that really struck out to me was when he put his sons name on a bomb that was 100% successful and soon told the father that they weren’t sure if they were the ones who did 9/11.

Book Report

J. Rodriguez, Luis. Always Running. Willimantic, Connecticut. Touchstone:1993.

Reason, Type/Setting: The reason I chose this book was because a teacher (Alejandra) from the school was supporting this book and encouraging students to read the book. And she didn’t personally tell me about the book, but my friends told me that it was a really good book, and very inspiring which I found for myself too. So I was interested in reading the book for my book club. In this book it shares in detail of a the writers life, and all the things he went through just to make it up to the top, when he had nothing going for him as a gang group member in the streets of LA. This biography (story of his life) involves with teen romance, action, a lot of drama, but at the same time leaves you wanting to know what’s going to happen next every time you put the book down. He mentioned the dates of 1960s to the 1080s and up, but all the violence and discrimination that was described and violation of human rights feels like he was talking about today’s current date because it sometimes still goes on.

Plot: In this book there was no particular major conflict, the whole book was based on conflicts and how at the end he managed to get through them. But to start out with he always was picked on since a little a kid especially by his older brother, and kids older than him would always take advantage of him. But as soon as he entered junior high he saw how people had power just by claiming they were from somewhere, and people automatically respected by them if not they would pay a harsh price. He soon got into a gang with a couple of his friends, and started to ditch and try new drugs, and experience things kids at the age of 12 shouldn’t be experiencing. He soon got really attached to it, and became more involved he soon started getting into more fights at school, get into fights related to the gangs, and soon moved to three or four schools in one semester. After he got more involved and deeper in it, his mom kicked him out of the house for not being responsible or even trying to live for something. He lived with his friends and sometimes on the streets (he was around 13 or 14), after he knew he wanted to stay and represent his hood he started to work for them. He stole from houses; car and even people just get money to survive. His let him back in the house, he always gave her money because they poor too, after a while his mom didn’t acknowledge him no more because she didn’t see him like the same son anymore. After a while he started getting revenges from the main opposing gang, and started doing drive-bys, jumping people/family, and maybe even to the extent of murdering.

Character: The main character is Luis Rodriguez “Chin”, throughout the book he described a hard-living life to go through. I would never imagine myself going through that I wouldn’t know how to! But the ways he had to go through it, was tremendous! He had tattoos on his body by the age 13 and and tried every drug in the book by that age too. He was Mexican with both parents’ immigrants from Mexico, which made his appearance look Mexican descent. He had a handsome looking face but at the same time you could see all the fears and sacrifices he went through just stay alive. He had two younger sisters and two older brothers, which didn’t go through the crazy life like he did, except his sister as she started getting older. In a way he made it seem like he could have been the next mayor for that city, because he made possible many youth outreach programs, he helped get friends out of the streets, and even back into school. He helped stop a lot of fights and violence, and even at once try to bring both of enemy barrios together in peace (Lomas and Sangra). That was very hard for him, because he was not so long ago associated for a long time with one of the gangs of “Lomas” and “Sangra” was their most hated enemy. But he did it to help out the rest of them to show them that they are all the same they fight for one same reason, and they are more similar then they think. So why fight against each other.

Evaluation: I really enjoyed reading this book it had me every time I put the book down guessing what was going to happen next. It really opened my eyes, it made me feel how lucky I am to not even live that kid of life right now. And all the details that were expressed were very sharp and descriptive. I liked this book because it wasn’t those kind of books that you get bored of reading because there too descriptive and can’t get to the point but this book is great! And just like my friends recommended this book to me, I will pass on the recommendation to other friends so they could read it also.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Formidable- adj: of discouraging or awesome strength, size, difficulty, etc.; intimidating. This picture is showing how the short little men that are intimidated by the strong guy so they just get on the strong mans good side and ask for his autograph/

Aspire- v: to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, esp. for something great or of high value.In this picture it is showing 3 students graduating from college, which in there whole life have been shooting for the stars to get there.

Decorum- n: politeness, manners, dignity. In this picture it showing a busboy that works in a fancy hotel, and they always are very polite to their customers.

Despondent- adj: feeling or showing profound hopelessness, dejection, discouragement, or gloom: despondent about failing health. I think this picture symbolizes despondednt because the girl is showing no hope for her future, just because her mom kicked her out of the house because she is a drug addict.

Intrepid - adj:brave, courageous, bold. This a picture of being brave and courageous because personally i think skydiving is very risk taking because if any accident you could just die, and plus im scared of heights.

trepidation - n: tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation.

vacillate - v: be indecisive or irresolute.

desultory - adj: Moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected.

fallacy - n: A statement or an argument based on a false or invalid inference.

heritage - n: something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth; an inherited lot or portion.

guru - n: an intellectual or spiritual guide or leader.

Current Event

Stray bullet hits boy taking piano lesson, paralyzing him:

In Oakland, California; Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez was injured by a gun shot, while practicing his piano lessons. Across the street from his music school was a chevron where Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at the station attendent during a hold-up which is when he fired his gun shots. "The bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and lodging in his spine. The bullet barely missed the 10-year-old's heart".Doctors told his family that he was going to be paralized from the waist down for the rest of his life.
Before the shots had even hit him Christopher's mother had been waiting outside for him. But not only did she hear the gun shots but they were close to hitting her too, but did hit her car. Which she thought were noises as someone was throwing rocks at her SUV, and as soon as she did notice it was gunshots she raced to her sons lesson room. and saw him lying on the floor saying, "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!". And know him and his parents will suffer a challenging life, when he wasn't doing a thing wrong.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/01/14/boy.shot/index.html

Current Event

Brothers injured by tiger will not face charges, investigator says:




A 350-pound tiger that apparently scaled a 12½ foot wall surrounding its enclosure killed 17-year-old Carlos Sousa and injured brothers Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal. On a Christmas Day at the San Francisco Zoo. The police shot and killed the 4-year-old Siberian tiger, Tatiana. On January 2, zoo spokesman Sam Singer said police were examining a large rock, a tree branch and other items found near the tiger's enclosure to determine whether the animal had been taunted.
The habitat as the zoo prepares to reopen Thursday as the spokesman said. a list of security measures will be added such as raising a wall around the tiger habitat to 19 feet, adding security staff and installing a speaker system to alert visitors in the event of another emergency,.

Oppression

Blurb:(in Ocean Beach)

This picture represents "oppression" because this lot is trashed and not taken care of well. Although this may not be a person who has feelings, there are still people living next to it, as well as other businesses. This also symbolizes the lack of respect and responsibility some people have for unused property.