Extra Credit Poem

Maya Angelou

Her name is Maya Angelou

I bet there is a lot you don’t know about her though.

For instance, she is a wonderful poet.

She would be so proud of this writing, I just know it.

She is an African American star

Even the first of her kind to drive a cable car

Her dreams and passions she never gave up.

As a single mother, she worked very hard and believed in luck.

But with her music and poetry she did  not want to stop.

Until she was in television and films was she at the top.

The sky was the limit when she set her bar,

As she did nothing that would ever settle for par.

Day after day, night after night

She continued to fight for human Civil Rights.

Malcolm X, she stood by, along with Dr. King

Maya even told why the caged bird sings.

She lives as inspiration to woman of all

Races, religions, even the old and small.

She is good friends with Oprah, no surprise there

The two together are quite the pair.

Now that you’ve read this you will always know

Everything there is about Maya Angelou.



I recieved my information from:

http://mayaangelou.com/bio/

http://www.biography.com/people/maya-angelou-9185388

Extra Credit Poem

Stephen Hawking, the Man Who Keeps On Talking

Born on the death of Galileo, a great thinker

Hawking looked for the answer, like those who study cancer

He thought of how us humans who started out in ruins, came to our existence

He knew his love - It was that world in the distance.

His mind helped him come up with phenomenal principles which were quite brilliant

He was a man who was resilient

Inspired by the sheer size of the universe

He may not have been able to say a word and converse

But he wasn't going anywhere, and definitely not on a hearse.

His computer made his problem quite minimal and understands his words

Which were subliminal.

His mind and body don’t get along

But he is a man who is strong, no matter what ALS might do

His brain will continue to construe the worldview on the world beyond the blue.

The sky is not the limit for hawking, whose disease could not stop him from talking

He believes “intelligence is the ability to adapt to change”

his success is one that proved he used his own guidance, and knew his goals were within range.

Hawking is iconic.

His ideas were chronic, when physicists took his tonic it made them feel as if they were travelling super sonic

With a PHD on black holes he soon defined Hawking Radiation, a theory that struck the nations.

A central theme in theoretical physics, his ideas were not at all gimmicks

To this day Hawking continues talking, sharing his ample knowledge and theories with the people

We regard his feats with awe, for it was quite substantial and proved to be a sample of his unique virtue.

Acquired My Info from Wikipedia.com

Extra Credit Poem

Michael Halpin

English 1110 at 5:45

Mike Lohre

12-03-12

Sally Ride Poem (Extra Credit)

I was born in the month of May

More specifically, on the 26^th day

I grew up in the city of L.A.

But there, I did not want to stay

I decided to pack my bags and go away

I soon landed a job with N-A-S-A

With a doctorate from Stanford, my knowledge I applied

As I filled American women with a great sense of pride

I guess you could say that I won the big race

Since I was America’s first woman in outer space

I achieved something great, my goals I did chase

The Astronaut Hall of Fame is a pretty good place

I know that I will always be thought of with such grace

And that my footsteps will always be something to trace

This very year is the year that I died

By now you probably guessed it, my name is Sally Ride

I obtained my information about Sally Ride from

http://www.biography.com/people/sally-ride-9458284

Global Citizens means Global reading

We know we need an awareness of what's going on in the world to understand the world.

Here are some links to short and medium length articles and opinions on events past our borders.  They are all thought-provoking.  The one on the woman who was murdered and found yesterday in Mexico is heartbreaking and inspiring.

Take some notes as you read.  And yes, I know you are not used to doing that, but give it a try.  It will help you for the Quiz on Monday and believe it or not, I do want you to do well.

All best,

Mike

This one connects to our discussions of social media, and unrest in China.

http://www.npr.org/2012/11/27/165933657/how-ordinary-chinese-are-talking-and-fighting-back

These two cover the murder in Mexico of this very brave politician.  Feels great for the U.S. to be Mexico's number one customer for drugs, doesn't it?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9706915/Maria-Santos-Gorrostieta.html

Maria Santos Gorrostieta

http://www.christianpost.com/news/maria-santos-gorrostieta-former-mexican-mayor-found-dead-by-roadside-85557/

These two deal with religion and environment in China.  They are both huge issues of concern in the West and East.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/13/opinion/china-challenges-water-security-hiscock/index.html?hpt=ias_r1

 

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/2011/06/2011629646319175.html

Enjoy, and learn! 

 

Exploration 11

“The compromises we have reached demanded sacrifices on all sides. It was not easy for the supporters of Mr. Mandela or mine to relinquish the ideals they had cherished for many decades.” (Page 633 in the Essay Connection, Frederik Willem de Klerk) This passage is important to me because it explains the situation and how they arrived at a solution. There is no beating around the bush with this passage. This passage does an excellent job of getting straight to the point. Currently, South Africa is having other issues past politics.

Huffingtonpost (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/28/rhino-poaching-south-africa_n_2202431.html?utm_hp_ref=green) wrote an article on the ever growing issue in South Africa. The issue of rhino poaching demands action, but no one has stepped up to take charge. This is an awful practice to partake in, but a profitable one at that. The article tells that the rhino horns go for the street value of cocaine in the US. This is because the buyers in Asia believe that rhino horns cure diseases.

The Dalai Lama is a high religious official in a sect of the Buddhist church. His country is under the control of the Chinese as of the invasion 50 years ago. Today in modern Tibet, there have been a lot of self-immolations happening in protest of China. Tibet clearly wants to be free of China. In my research, I had trouble finding any recent news on Tibet that were major issues.

Here is a good picture of the Dalia Lama showing that he is a peaceful man .

            

Exploration 11

In Nelson Mandela's speech, I feel that paragraph 36 means the most to me because it shows something new is beginning and starting fresh.  Then paragraph 37 is "Let a new age dawn!"  When I read this, it gave me chills and shows that things are better.

South African platinum mine workers were protesting and 34 of them were killed by police.  They were demanding more pay. 

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/21/massacre_in_south_africa_police_defend

The Dalai Lama is a man Buddhist who wears a yellow hat.  This started during the 14th century.  They believe in peace and enlightenment. 

In the picture is Tenzin Gyatso and he is the Dalai Lama today. 

Exploration 11

The passage when Mandela says, "This reward will not be measured in money. Nor can it be reckoned in collective price of the rare metals and precious stones that rest in the bowels of the African soil we tread in the footsteps of our ancestors" makes me realize that freedom is more than anything. We are so used to being free because most of us were born in America. I always know that I am being treated fairly when I do something wrong and that I receive a fair reward when I perform well in whatever I am doing. What I found interesting about Mandela was that he went to jail for planning to overrun the government with violence. Mandela was actually fighting against the violence ironically. While he was in jail his reputation became better because he refused to change his political views. Today in South Africa, President Jacob Zuma is likely to be re-elected as president. Five of the nine countries provinces support Zuma to be re-elected as president. This helps to show South Africa is growing if the population is willing to re-elect a president.

            The Dalai Lama is a Buddhist monk who is believed to have been a re-incarnated version of past spiritual leaders. His role is to help enlighten others on the Buddhist religion. The Dalai Lama just wants Chinese forces to leave Tibet and to have those who are not Tibetans to relocate. Ever since the Dalai Lama was forced to flee to India in 1951, China has rules over Tibet saying that China has "liberated" the region from the Dalai Lama. I feel that China should give back what is not rightfully theirs. They took over a peaceful country and from what I read, the inhabitants are not happy about it. China does not want to give this large amount of land up however.

           

11      http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html

22      http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/28/us-safrica-politics-idUSBRE8AR0VL20121128

33      http://articles.cnn.com/2009-03-10/world/india.dalai_1_dalai-lama-leader-of-tibetan-buddhists-chinese-officials?_s=PM:WORLD