English Portfolio

Matt- for some reason the "link" button isn't working for my blog. But they might not be showing because it could possibly be my computer. So, I have posted one blog with the URL's (that unfortunately you will have to copy and paste into the URL bar)... and I also posted another blog using the "link" button in the blog editor. For me, this blog appears empty, but maybe for you the links might show up and work for you. I've had this problem before with the links and I think we've talked about it, but I'm sorry for the hassle!
Cat

URL's without Links for portfolio

Links:
http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/to-citizens-of-us.html
(letter #1)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/dear-soldier.html
(letter #2)(new post)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/faith-postsecret.html
(new post)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/wishing-no-memorieswar-no-more.html
(new post)(creative writing)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/google-war-collage-of-words.html
(new post)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/war-in-communication-reaching-others.html
(own design)(new post)(creative writing)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/collaboration.html
(group post)(photo analysis)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/reading-photograph.html
(photo analysis)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/la-tomatina-tomato-war.html
(post with medium other than photo/writing)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-remember.html
(creative writing)

http://catswarblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/rootless-tree-war-in-relationships.html (creative writing)

English Portfolio

Dear Soldier:

You must remember first and foremost: you have the support of many. Your family and friends, teachers, parents, children, even strangers, are all behind you. Your decisions have influenced the hearts of many, and everyone is proud despite the sadness you might feel. Being so far away is never easy. Some might enjoy it at first, but you've been thrown into a tough position. Continue to serve your country with pride and dignity. Do what you feel is right. Keep an open mind and strong heart. What you're doing is right, courageous, and most of all loyal. You have devoted yourself to something that many others would never consider in a thousand years. Stay strong even at the worst points. Stay positive. Do not let the hard times break you. As General MacArthur once said, "However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country is the noblest development of mankind." Listen to these words and believe them... consider their meaning. You are going to discover that life should not be taken for granted. Although you will learn the hard way, it's a lesson that few people will ever learn. You will appreciate life more than anything once you return home. You have sacrificed a lot for the lives of innocent people, and for your country. Count your blessings, and enjoy every day that is given to you. When you return home, continue to stay strong. The war can often bring a man down. Enjoy life, yet continue to work hard, and most of all, remember that you are loved. You are someone to be looked up to; being proud of you doesn't even come close to how we feel. There is nothing more important in this world in doing what you love, as long as you continue to make wise decisions along the way, help others, and enjoy life.
With love,
Your family back home

La Tomatina, Tomato War

Red mush, everywhere.
Smashed to pieces.
Fighting, screaming, yelling.
Adrenaline, drinks, 2 hours of madness.
Disaster, a mess, extreme clean up.
Preparation, battle.
winners and losers.
Rush.
In your face, up and close.
Tradition.
Strategy.
Rules.
The beginning, and the end.

No, this isn't your average war. This is the annual tomato fight, La Tomatina, in Bunol, Spain. A tradition from a Spanish rebellion in 1945. One of the largest, most exciting food fights in the world (or so I have been told by my dad) happens every year in one of the most culturally interesting countries. I can only begin to describe to you what the sounds and smells are like from hearing personal accounts... but thanks to the internet... pictures and sounds can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPQCH1b_LgE&feature=related
http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/fiestas/tomatina.asp
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/09/08/spains-annual-tomato.html

Descriptions of people, places, and things, are often one of the most interesting and exciting pieces of writings to read. Imagination is key in descriptions, and it's usually exciting to imagine in your own way how something looks. Thanks to blogs, however, with the click of a button any reader is able to see exactly what a writer is discussing. Descriptions are great as long as you have imagination tools, but everyone knows a picture is worth a thousand words (and descriptions aren't often that long). The modern technology of blogs now allows viewers to read while seeing an object that is thousands of miles away all simultaneously. So while you sit at your desk... you can visit another country and view the marvel of the largest tomato fight with a few clicks of a button.

Faith; postsecret

"Take some time to stop and smell the roses." How often do people actually follow this advice? As humans have evolved and as technology has changed our lives, people have become less interested in many aspects of life. Nature...relaxation...thinking...spending time with others... Often, the majority of human lives are spent entering dates and important meetings into the newest Blackberry phones or into our iCalendars in the newest MacBook's. As time goes on, people become more and more interested in their own lives, and less interested in caring about others. Why should we care? Don't we already have enough on our plates with school, work, family, going out, eating right, etc. etc.? So what about when we do take the time to stop and acknowledge the feelings, dreams, and hopes of others? Whether its friends or strangers... it often means a lot when you take time out of your day to think about someone other than yourself. Although we are all guilty of being self-indulged and self-involved we should probably look at this picture everyday. Someone felt better knowing that people were taking time out of their day to see how others felt.... what they were thinking... just simply what was on their minds. Caring for others often means more than we realize. A simple thing that we learned in kindergarten is seemingly forgotten in the modern world full of the newest designer clothes, new electronics, and an enormous amount of diet books (do these even ever really work?) The point is... take the time to stop and smell the roses... enjoy life for a minute, and ask someone how their day is going (but do this meaningfully). If this advice still doesn't get through to you, I recommend Baz Luhrmann's "Everyone is Free to Wear Sunscreen." It's all about the benefits of enjoying the brighter sides of life... something that everyone should do.

So what's my secret? Maybe I am guilty of forgetting about others and worrying too much about grades, my own problems, and many other things. But simple acknowledgments of others will now certainly mean much more than before.

song URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI&feature=related

Google: "war"; a collage of words

Vengence is the ultimate weapon,

any large scale, violent conflict
extension, the word is now used for any struggle
"war on drugs, war on terror"
90-95% of known societies engaged in at least occasional warfare
human beings are inherently violent
peace does not really exist.
war as an extension of animal behaviour, such as territoriality and competition
Psychological warfare, Guerilla warfare, Cyber warfare, Energy warfare, Biological warfare
60,000,000–72,000,000 - World War II (1939–1945)
907 - Falklands War (1982)

War was a multicultural American funk band of the 1970s from California
The year was 1969, and the band had the nerve to carry the name War at a time when peace was the slogan in an anti-Vietnam America. "Our mission was to spread a message of brotherhood and harmony," -Lonnie Jordan.
"Our instruments and voices became our weapons of choice and the songs our ammunition. We spoke out against racism, hunger, gangs, crimes, and turf wars, as we embraced all people with hope and the spirit of brotherhood. It's just as apropos today."

War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political communities. Thus, fisticuffs between individual persons do not count as a war, nor does a gang fight
War is a brutal and ugly enterprise. Yet it remains central to human history and social change.
Is war always wrong?

WAR was the first and most successful musical crossover phenomenon that forever fused rock, jazz, Latin, and R&B, while transcending racial and cultural barriers with a multi- ethnic line-up; a musical melting pot