Barack Obama about the war in Iraq ! Saturday, February 28, 2009

Finally the Iraqien people sees a end to the war !

Barack Obama promised in friday at north carolina that the US forces are living Iraq 31 August 2010, but not all of them because some of them will stay and educate the Iraqi army. They think that the Iraqien pepole need support to the parliamentary elaction that's in December this year. If the violence continues then there is a plan B says Barack Obama.

As now there is 142 000 soilders in Iraq and approx 35 000- 50 000 is going to stay. Barack Obama talked to the American soilders about the situation in Iraq and the words was meeting by tremendous applause from them. Some of the words was that thanks to your sacrifice the situation has changed in Iraq to the better. You have suffered for your friends and fight for a more light future for the Iraqi people and that is thanks for your work. But Barack says that Iraqi is not safe yet that worse days will come and that the violence will be among to the ordinarydays. A agreement between George W bush and the Iraqi prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki says that all of the soilders will be home at 2011/2012. John McHugh said that this plan can change if it needs he even said that they will change the plan if the violence will be worse.

I know that this task is late and Iam sorry. I fall asleep very early yesterday and forgot about it :(. It want happen again.




Source: http://sydsvenskan.se/varlden/article416566/Klart-slut-for-USAs-krig-i-Irak.html

Tupac dies in shootingdrama

Rapper Tupac Shakur was on the way home with Suge Knight, the record producer of Death Row Records, from a boxing match in Las Vegas, Nevada when a white Cadillac pulled up beside them and started to fire shots at Tupac and Suge. A total of 13 shots were fired, of which 4 of them hit Tupac.
An ambulance was called but Tupac died six days later from respiratory failor and cardiac arrest.
There is a theory that Notorious B.I.G. may have hired someone to shoot Tupac, but there are no evidence of that theory being true.

On 7 September 1996 at 11 p.m., Tupac Amaru Shakur or best known as Tupac, was shot in the car on the way home from a boxing match between Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tupac and Suge Knight, the record producer of Death Row Records, were in a black BMW driving home when all the sudden a white Cadillac pulls up beside them. Tupac usually wore a bulletproof vest and had a gun with him wherever he went, but this time he didn't have any of it with him. He got shot by someone in the Cadillac 13 times but only 4 actually hit him.

The car drove away and ambulance was called. The ambulance took Tupac to the hospital where he was treated, but after six days, he was pronounced dead at 4.03 p.m. What caused his death was respiratory failor and cardiac arrest. The doctors tried to revive him, but failed.

Nobody knows exactly why he was shot but some claim that Notorius B.I.G., who was Tupacs best friend until he joined another crew and then became his enemy, hired somebody to shoot him. Some say that it was because of jealousy that Tupac was the most famous and best rapper at the time, but since there are no evidence of it being true, nobody knows exactly why.

Picture: www.images.allmoviephoto.com

Marilyn Monroe´s death Friday, February 27, 2009

Maryin Monroe found dead, possible suicide.

On august the 5th, 1962 Marilyn Monroe got into a coma caused by an overdose of sleeping pills. She would never regain consciousness. The world could not belive it, Americas sweetheart was gone. The body was discovered early in the morning by two doctors who were called to her Brentwood home by a scared housekeeper. According to the police it all indicated a suicide. Her deth is one of the most debated conspiricy theories. Many of those theories involve the F.B.I and that they had something to do with it, she had an affier with the president John F Kennedy so she would jeopardized the presidential department. But there are no proofs.
Norma Jean Baker who was her real name was buried at Westwood Memorial Park in Los
Angeles. She was more than just a movie star and glamour queen, she was and is a legend.

Freedom fighter

Today I was going to write about one of the celebrity who is trying to do their best for man's best. He strive for freedom, one of his wisdom "Freedom is worth nothing if it does not include the freedom to err"



Freedom fighter

On 2 October 1869 was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who is also called by his people for Bapu (Father) and Mahatma (great soul). In the town of Porbander in India. Journey in life ended when he was murdered in 30 January 1948 at the age of 79 years in Delhi.

that day he was born is the national day for indier. Gandhi is very well known, he means a lot to his people who love him really. He was always happy and was good enough to explain and convince people why he did the right thing. He trained to counsel in the STB. When he worked in particular in South Africa, where he became a spokesman for the Indian minority against white discrimination. After that he began to organize resistance against oppression. Each time he was imprisoned, he was released after a period of time that he fasted for long periods. It was afraid that he would, which would weeks many emotions of the people who like him. Then when he returned to India he tried to support the poor and people who had lived lower level than the people who had lived a happy life. He came from a religious family, so he felt that all religions are equal "Yes, I am. I am also a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish." So he knew that in every religion heart was truth and love. Gandhi was murder shortly after India's independent by a Hindu because he could not accept what Gandhi did to solve the misunderstandings and the majority of Muslims. After his death mourn Peoples all over the world.

We need to know that there are no thing who corresponding freedom. there are people who are dying to get their and others freedom.

Eutanasi!

When transferring the right to his life right until his death?

But there may be people who become paralyzed in half of the body due a accident and can not move even though they are young. Some of them still think that live for that they have had a decent life and they want to be loved by environment and want to continue on as if he were normal. But there are also some that are the opposite of this that when they end up in a situation like they do not even know that there is life, although it is a dignified life to live. And there are how many people prefer to take care of them and love from their whole heart, and do they see as if they were the normal people any time.

My own attitude to euthanasia! And I’m aganist

I do not think you should help someone else to kill him / her. I believe that there are indeed doctors who both lead people to be healthy again and to kill when they are brain dead or paralyzed.Then I can find doctors to help patients to die might be a killer in any way despite the fact that doctors received blessing from the patient . I still think you should let the man go when he came to earth. People have come to Earth in order to preserve life and not to harm but to defend life from all evil and it has come to earth to know both good and evil but it can be in different ways no one has lived / live only good there is also evil. If I been the doctor I would never kill someone who is BRAIN DEAD even if he has given and that there is paper on it. I might have thought that there should have been better if he / she were dead than and lie in bed, it's easy to say but hard and do their own hands. So I still think he should die in the cool and quiet, no chemical medicines should be entered in his body to kill, although there are still some countries that it legal to kill humans in this way but the family may take on debt and consequences.

Tupac Shakurs death

Tupac Shakurs death

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born 16 of June 1971 in East Harlem Manhattan, New York. Tupac was a famous American rapper and an actor, he had two nicknames 2pac and Makaveli. Tupac had been shot five times before and he was even in a prison because of sexual abuse, he was in the prison on 8 month, but Suge Knight paid the bail, witch was at 1, 4 million dollar.

7 September of 1996 at 11 pm Tupac has been shot in Las Vegas. The same night just before he has been shot was Tupac in MGM Grand Casino, Tupac and Suge Knight abused Orlando Anderson in MGM Grand Casino. Tupac and Suge Knight was in a black BMW and theirs bodyguard was driving after them. Suddenly a car slowly pulls up on the side and pick up a gun that aim directly at Tupac. They shot Tupac 13 times but just four of them dotted him on his chest. The surgeon couldn’t stop the internal bleeding, 6 days after the discharging was Tupac Amaru Shakur dead.


They still don’t know who killed Tupac, but they accuse Christopher also known as Biggie, Orlando Anderson and Suge Knight. They accuse Biggie of the murder because Tupac singed a song about having sex with Biggies wife, the also accuse Orlando and Suge for planning to kill Tupac. Orlando wanted to kill Tupac because he wanted to revenge for the abusing that happened in the casino. Suge is accused because he was owed him a large sum of money.

The death of Patrik Jackson the biggest drugdealer and pedofile

9th december 2008 was Patrik found dead in his bedroom floor without a nose because Patrik had made so many noseoperation. The person that found him was his boyfriend, that was 9 years old, his name was Teddybear. When Teddybear found him he called 911 so the cops came at 16am. They looked after his nose, and they found it on the kitchen tabler. The nose was white because he took to much kokain. After they found nose the took him to the hospitale and the time of his death was around midnight. The cast of his deth was because he took to much drugs
because he was dipresst, and the cops find out that Teddybear and Patrik hade a fight because teddybear coudent move in to Patrik because he was to young and Teddybears parents didn´t know that Teddybear had a boyfriend that was 45 years old. Teddybear owned 20.0000$




By Jennifer

"UNNATURAL BEAUTY"

More and more women and girls are attracted to the plastic surgeon, beauty surgery. Women want to see younger and bautyful looking out of shape and sexy body, big breasts, stuffed and shaped lips, no hair on arms, legs and hips. Because, the sexy and stylish appearance makes women crazy!

Today's women think most of the sexy appearance of being satisfied with their beauty and above all to get attention for their beauty. So most choose beauty surgery or plastic surgery is "the unnatural beauty". Nowadays you will see women on TV, newspapers, on the web and in reality quite got and not a dirty noticed. This has become "usual" among people. Women who want to be and see younger select beauty operations although there are many different creams for wrinkles and to make skin soft and to see younger. But the easiest and quickest way is to make opreationer.

Beauty companies want to get more young girls to make beauty operations, why do they advertise, and who is the mutar for advertising? artists and famous idols. It is up to the beauty company that puts out advertising on the web. It is also young girls who are dissatisfied with their appearance, which enlarges the breasts or liposuction.

We can choose for ourselves the natural beauty or unnatural beauty. the most important thing is to have confidence and be satisfied with ourselves!!!

The Shocking Death of Heath Ledger

On January 22 Heath Ledger was found lifeless in his appartment. His masseuse, Diana Wolozin, found him in his bed. According to police statements his death was caused by a toxic combination of prescription drugs. With medical technicians unable to revive him, he was pronounced dead at 3:36 pm.

The beloved actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his appartment on Manhattan. When his masseuse, arrived 15 minutes early to their appointment, she found him lifeless in his bed. In panic she called one of Ledger best friends, Mary-Kate Olsen, to tell her about Ledger´s critical condition. A few minutes later she called 9-1-1. The parametics arrived at 3:33 pm but was unable to revive him, he was only 28 years old. Medical reports state that his death was an accident, caused by missuse of medications prescribed for insomnia, depresion and pain. According to police two of his doctors is now prosecuted for professional misconduction. Heath Ledger´s biggest dream was to play "the joker" in a Batman movie. That was the last part he ever played. He will be missed forever.

~Emma*

Bob Marley's Death !

Bob Marley was born in February 6 ,1945 and suddenly died May 11,1981.There's many rumers that he over dosed on the weed as they called for "Ganja" and got shot in one of his tours.But it's not how his death really happened.Anyhow he had a wife Rita Marley(Rita Anderson) and got married in 1966 and was famous for his music among others Reaggeaton.In August 23,1967 Cedella Marley was born shortly after was Rita pregnant again but this time with David "Ziggy"Marley and was born in 17 October,1968.

Bob Marley's skin cancer was discovered in July,1977.The medical for the skin cancer is called acral lentiginous melanoma,a form of melignant melanoma and needed a amputation but according to the Rastafaris belief that the entire body must "whole".He basically went against all surgical possibilities and even though his wife didn't agreed with his decision.He toured all over the world even Sweden(three times) but after a while his wife tooked him to the best doctors in the world so he could survive the cancer.The cancer had already spread around in his body.The organs which was infected was the liver,stomach,brain and lungs and had only three months to live.All the doctors said the same diagnosis.The month before his death he awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit.He was a member of Rastari movement and is a development of reggae,that culture is represented to Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and got baptized November 4,1980.There were some rumers that Bob Marley coverted to Christianity on his deathbed.Bob Marley died at the hospital Cedars of Lebenon,Miami,Florida at the age of 36.The date was May 11,1981.The state made a funeral for him May 21,1981 in Jamaica near his birth place and the funeral was combined with Orthodox Christian and Rastafari traditions.The cause of his death was that the cancer spread on to his brain and lungs.All his songs is much worthy now a days than when he was alive.Many people was depressed when he died,still now there are many fans of him.

Princess Diana

Diana was born year 1961 1 july and she grow up in the royel property in east England.
after Dianas parents separated , she begin on a boarding school in south England. When Diana leaved the school she became a child minder but at the same time she run the company in London. Year 1981 29 july were she the first wife to prince charles there they get married in paris and she got prince William and Harry. In august 1996 attempt Diana toget divorce.

At midnight the 31 august Dianas chauffer droved in theirs mercedes into a underground way. But at the same time they become persecuted off many french press photographer. The begining of the underground way,the car come off the road and over turned to the left sicle of the road and head on collision.
Dianas boyfriend Dodi fayed and theirs driver dead at place. but they saved Dianas life fron the car accident .They droved her to the hospital but after 2 hours later she died .

The media said that the chauffer who droved the mercedes was drunk and losed control over the car. They also said that the mercedes had serious technical problem , and that princess Diana died in the car accident and no one tried to kill her.

Its the pages that i bringed the fact from
http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prinsessan_Diana#Litteratur_om_prinsessan_Dianas_liv_och_d.C3.B6d

For and against Thursday, February 26, 2009

Today we talked about TV shows like Super Nanny. The purpose of those shows is to help families plan their daily routines better and in many cases tips and ideas of how to "discipline" a child are given on these shows.

Here is the American website for the show Super Nanny: http://www.supernanny.com/ Like I said in class these shows have been criticized for using both old-fashioned and cruel methods of discipline and their methods have been criticized in England as well as in Sweden. Here is an English article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1564292/Children-are-made-to-cry-on-Supernanny.html and here is a Swedish article on the same topic: http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/1.894935/super-nanny-gor-foraldrar-valdsamma

We read two articles on smacking and tried to find the main ideas of their reasoning. We discussed the arguments raised in the articles. We will continue working on how to write an effective argumentative text on Tuesday.

Don't forget your homework that is due tomorrow. See my previous posts.

In class tomorrow we will compare two argumentative texts and try to figure out how they are structured. See you at 8.30 tomorrow morning!

My news story

Marilyn Monroe is dead

The famous model Marilyn Monroes' lifeless body was founded on August 5 at the age of 36 by her home helper Eunice Murray in California. She was founded naked in her bedroom with sleeping pills behind her. The first Police department who went to the death scene believe that she has been murdered.


Marilyn Monroe was one of Hollywood's most popular performers and also a very famous model. She spended a long time of her childhood on foster home and when she grew up she had drug problems. What people think is that Marilyn died becuse of an overdose. But there is lots of theories about that and since her dead people have speculate and some people think that she commited suicide or was murdered. The president John F Kennedy and his brother is two men who were Marilyns' lover and because of that one of them could be the murderer.



I founded my fact about Marilyn Monroe on this pages at Internet:

http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article414549.ab
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/5/newsid_2657000/2657289.stm

Homework for Friday February 27 Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Your homework for Friday is to write yur own news story. In your news story you need to show that you are able to structure a news story like we did in class. Please see my previous posts about what you need to include in a news story.

You can pick any topic you like for your news story, but here are some ideas:

Write about a famous person's death, for example the death of: Tupac, Princess Diana, Bob Marley, Heath Ledger, Che Guevara, Kurt Cobain, Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, Olof Palme, Anna Lind, John Lennon, or Marilyn Monroe.

Or, write about plastic surgery, the Swedish police, global warming and other environmental threats, Victoria and Daniel's engagement, new technologies, the latest HIV research, a "cute animal story" or whatever else you can think of!

Good luck!

Deadline for this assignment is Friday February 27 at midnight.

Our two versions of the news story on Elvis' death

The King is Dead

The American singer and actor Elvis Presley died on August 16 at the age of 42. He was found on his bathroom floor by his fiancée Ginger Alden. The autopsy revealed that Elvis suffered a heart attack caused by heavy use of medication.

Crazy version:
Reliable sources claim that Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla, had broken into their home while Elvis and Ginger were out playing racquet ball. Priscilla waited for them to come home. When they came home they found a note on the front door that said: “I know what you did last Thursday”.

Reports say that Ginger was quite upset and that the couple had an argument about the note. Later Ginger went upstairs, to change, and was then attacked from behind by Priscilla. The weapon used was a frying pan, according to police.

When Ginger awoke from being unconscious, she went to the bathroom to freshen up. Still dizzy from the hard blow to her head she looked around to discover Elvis’ lifeless body on the floor beside her. Ginger was reported to have panicked and decided to get rid of the body.

According to investigations, she faked the crime scene and decided to drag the body into the bathroom. Reportedly Ginger made it look as if Elvis suffered a heart attack.

Decent version:

The King of Rock n roll Elvis Presley had reportedly spent the afternoon playing racquet ball with his fiancée, Ginger. When the Couple returned home Ginger went for a nap while Elvis went to the bathroom to take his daily medications. According to sources Elvis suffered from several chronic diseases. Later the same afternoon Ginger woke up to find Elvis’ lifeless body on the bathroom floor. According to the autopsy and the medical reports Elvis died from a heart attack caused by heavy use of medication.

Today's big news story

Princess to wed in 2010

Published: 24 Feb 09 13:55 CETOnline: http://www.thelocal.se/17792/20090224/

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria has announced her engagement to Daniel Westling, according to a statement from the Royal Court.

The engagement of the princess, 31, was announced after Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt met King Carl XVI Gustaf at a council at Stockholm's Royal Palace early on Tuesday afternoon. The wedding will take place in the early summer of 2010.

Daniel Westling is to receive the title Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland. The government must approve the marriages of senior royals, according to the constitution. According to newspaper Expressen, Reinfeldt visited Drottningholm Palace, the King's main home, on Sunday. At the meeting the King reportedly told Reinfeldt that an engagement was in the offing.

Daniel Westling, 35, is a personal trainer and owns a central Stockholm gym chain, Balance Training. He was born in Örebro, central Sweden, and grew up in Ockelbo, a town of 6,500 people on the east coast of Sweden. He met Victoria in 2002.

Picture: www.aftonbladet.se

News quiz Monday, February 23, 2009

Below is a news quiz for you to answer. Please type your answers as a comment to this post. The correct answers will be published here on Thursday Feb 26. Please note: if you don't know the answer to question no 8 - see me after class!!!

Tomorrow we will finish our news story. Class starts at 12:10. I have managed to get my hands on the laptop this time :) See you then.


1. All over the world, people discuss climate
change and energy. Last week, a specific energy
source was a big point of discussion in Europe,
where France has as much as 59 power plants.
What energy are we talking about?

A. hydro (water) power
B. solar power
C. nuclear power
D. wind power

2. Palestinians smuggle everything from food to
animals, to machinery and fuel to survive in Gaza.
A lot of it is smuggled across the Egyptian border.
How is most of it smuggled?

A. in tunnels
B. in trucks
C. on boats
D. on bicycles

3. There is intense fighting in northern Sri Lanka
as government troops move in to finish off the
rebels – the Tamil Tigers. Many civilians have been
killed and Doctors Without Borders and other
organizations find it difficult to help all people in
need. Where is Sri Lanka?

A. north of Australia
B. south of India
C. outside western Africa
D. near China

4. A couple of weeks ago, something unusual happened in
England. Schools and roads closed, and public
transportation stopped. What happened?

A. there was a heatwave
B. hot lava poured out of a volcano
C. there was a hurricane
D. there was heavy snowfall

5. The Security Council is an important part of the
United Nations. It has 5 permanent members and 10
nations that are elected for 2 years at a time. The
United States, Russia, China and France are four
permanent members. Which is the fifth one?

A. Denmark
B. Ireland
C. Germany
D. Great Britain

6. American John Updike, one of the great
novelists of our time, has died. Which one of
these novels did he write?

A. The Old Man and the Sea
B. The Lord of the Rings
C. Rabbit, Run
D. Of Mice and Men

7. The huge bushfires that have started in the
state of Victoria, may become the deadliest ever
in this country. Where is this taking place?

A. New Zealand
B. The United States
C. Australia
D. Wales

8. Serena Williams won the Australian Open in
tennis in Melbourne. Who won the men’s title?

A. Rafael Nadal
B. Roger Federer
C. Björn Borg
D. Andy Murray

9. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl
in American Football. They scored the winning
6 points with only 35 seconds left in the game.
What are these points called?

A. a goal
B. a field goal
C. a touchdown
D. an asset

10. World-famous heavy weight boxing champion
Ingemar Johansson died recently. He was 76
years old. What was his nickname?

A. Champ
B. Ingo
C. Jo-Jo
D. Bingo

11. His new album ”Working on a Dream” has
reached the number one spot all over the world.
Who is the artist?

A. Justin Timberlake
B. Kid Rock
C. Jay-Z
D. Bruce Springsteen

12. ”The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” with
Brad Pitt has been nominated for 13 Oscars. It’s
the bizarre story of a man who is born old and
grows younger. The script was written by the
same man who wrote Forrest Gump. It is based on
a short story from the early 1900s by a famous
American writer. Who?

A. F. Scott Fitzgerald
B. Jane Austen
C. Charles Dickens
D. Stephen King

Quiz taken from www.thequiz.se

Comments Monday, February 16, 2009

I have now got my act together and commented on your personal narratives. You need to go back and read the comments. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for sharing - all of you. The narratives were very interesting to read. I hope you are all having a nice and relaxing winter holiday!

Happy Valentine's Day Saturday, February 14, 2009

Read about Valentine's Day here. Have a nice day whether you are celebrating this day or not :)





Picture: www.images.google.com

Elvis Presley Thursday, February 12, 2009

Hello!

I forgot to submit the answers to questions about Elvis Presley.
but I thought having these here.

1.
I think the interesting part I thought writing about it was when Jack came to the person looked familiar. The rest came after when he looked straight at him and said that I'm Elvis Presley, sir. From the time when the person came out, Jack was shaking badly and barely able to control his truck. For it is not an easy thing to know that a dead man came back to life.
2.
It has not happened to me and I can not even imagine that it can happen to me. I am not as strong as jack that could process the moment he met a dead man. But you know what, though I fear such but I love to watch horror movies and have seen too many movies that are almost equal parts of this history. I think it maybe that someone sees a dead man who has come back to life, but it happens not all.
3.
I think that what happened to Jack was not incompatible, but something needed to happen, maybe it was determined that the special would happen to Jack. Elvis soul had not found someone else's soul, but it was the only soul who found that belonged jack where they have common features. Maybe Elvis knew that the guy will have more understanding of his situation. For it shows in the text that he believed in Elvis. Elvis wanted to say to Jack that he missed his house, there he had his memory left, and felt the warmth and security, minner as he had done during their living life. Because we know that there is nothing that gives the feeling than to be home. So I think Elvis would come a couple of times, when he tells Jack about how he has it .. but it need not be in reality as he did the first time, but maybe in his dreams.

nice holidays Åsa :)

The beginning of our news story on Elvis Presley's death

In today's class you were asked to discuss which parts of the Wikipedia article on Elvis that need to be included in our news story on Elvis' death. We decided on the following information:

Who was involved? Elvis Presley, his doctor/s and Ginger Alden, his fiancée at the time. (Click on the link to find out more about Ginger).
Where did it happen? In the bathroom of Elvis' home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
When did it happen? At 3:30 pm on August 16 in 1977.
What happened? Elvis died.
How did it happen? His extensive medicine use/abuse caused his heart attack.
Why did it happen? Elvis had health problems in the past, some of them chronic.

We studied the sample news story and decided that our headline needed to catch the reader's interest. These were our ideas for a headline:

The King's Death
The King is Dead
The Legend is Dead
The Shocking Death of Elvis Presley

We decided on The King is Dead since it is intriguing and it makes you want to find out which king we are talking about exactly. Since Elvis is sometimes referred to as "The King" it fits our news story well.

This is the lead (the introduction) to our news story:

(The American singer and actor) Elvis Presley died on August 16 at the age of 42. He was found on his bathroom floor by his fiancée Ginger Alden. The autopsy revealed that Elvis suffered a heart attack caused by heavy use of medication.

Body: Here we need to add more detailed information on what happened, but we did not get that far today.

Conspiracy theories: We also discussed whether to include different conspiracy theories such as: Ginger is the killer, Priscilla (Elvis' ex-wife) is the killer, the chef is involved, a rival in the music business is involved + the doctor, Elvis overdosed for various reasons etc.

Read about Elvis' and Priscilla's daughter Lisa Marie here.

In our next class on Tuesday February 24 we will wrap up our news story. After that you will write your own news stories.

How to Become a Better Writer in English Part 2: News Story Wednesday, February 11, 2009

In yesterday's class we listened to Elvis sing Suspicious Minds and you got to fill in the blanks. You're getting pretty good at catching lyrics, aren't you? We also read parts of this Wikipedia article on Elvis . We read the first paragraph and then we focused on how Elvis died (scroll down to the headline "Final year and death"). It is still a matter of debate what caused his death.

Your homework for tomorrow is to read the Wikipedia article again and underline the most important parts - the parts of the article that should be included in our News Story.

A news story
- tells about a recent event or issue
- provides facts
- answers the following six questions:

1. Who was involved?
2. What happened?
3. When did it happen?
4. Where did it happen?
5. Why did it happen?
6. How did it happen?

Please study the handout I gave you and the sample news story: Saving of Boy Attacked by Shark.

See you in class tomorrow!

Elvis performing Suspicious Minds in 1970 Tuesday, February 10, 2009

By the way: those of you who said that he sings "drops by to say hello", you were right :) Good pick-up, my mistake!

Please check back here since I will post a summary of today's class. I will also comment on your personal narratives. They are very interesting to read.

My Story

My life later, and after marriage

Life is very high, and it happens a lot with us, which could be bad or happy moments. It tended to be that our happy moments takes short time and the solid start that we must put away the old in our backpack and we expect it to happen new events.

Suddenly i got live a quite different life when I came here to Sweden, which was very tough to live because the person when needs to change their lifestyle. The tougher, I think especially for a girl who has a different culture that she must respect, and was accustomed to live among its people.

But that I could work on after a while when I could learn to balance between my old and currently lives, by that I have my thoughts cultures still left remain at my side and at the same time I have increased my knowledge the ability to learn me new things and to develop my way of life. Here I have also taught me to know many people including, I had come close to my relatives who lived here long. I have my friend who I got to live a large part of my life in her world. I have wonderful memories with her she is someone who meant a lot to me. She once said to me
"You would have to think about every thing you do and how it affects other around you. It made me feel that I must be strong so as not to make other disappointed. Lastly but not least, I really hope she can live happily the rest of his life.

Since I had grown up, so I got to know me that I had to take important decisions that would change my life. So I had to have my old life in my backpack in the same way when we put aside our old memories. It was time to say goodbye and leave everything behind me and start a new life. New step in the life that had been with them great responsibility and decisions. It brought many emotions in me. But I already knew that life is so.

Now after all these years, I have recently married to someone who suffers from the same problem I had a few years ago when I came here. I think he should work on that one day, we may hope so. But until that day comes, I will try to take order in our lives and help him so that it can continue, that he too teaches himself to live.

The life continues to move forward…

My biggest decision

As I woke op I felt the stress grow bigger and bigger in me, the fact that this day was my first day in school made my feel ill. So I got out of my bad and got dressed. A few minutes later I was ready to go and before I closed the door behind me I remind myself for the last time that every thing was going to be just fine. Outside my yard I saw my friend waiting for me and she was as stressed as I was. After a bus ride we were there, outside of the school. As we walked into the school we started to look for our classes. For a moment we got lost and went in a class which had older student but after a while we finally fund our teachers and got separated. Then a couple of minutes later my teachers walked me and my new classmates to our new classroom. The class we went to was big and looked quite boring. While I was trying to find an empty place I saw Gjejlan. Gjejlan was a former classmate of mine and she wanted to be a hairstylist so I got shocked seeing her there. But I didn’t say more then hi at the time. First thing I fund out about my new teacher were of curse their names. The blond one is Åsa and the one who has black hair is Paca. They seemed nice but after I saw the school rules I thought they seemed quiet strict. I even thought that I had chosen the wrong school because I don’t like strict rules and stuff like that. I felt that I didn’t belong there because there were so many expectation from the teachers and I was some how afraid to fail and to not achieve their expectations. I thought it might be better for me to change school. Then I got my positive thoughts back when I saw the schedule because I was going to finish school early every day and that made me in good moods. After all this was my own choice and the education I wanted to have in my future so I decided to hold out and give the school a chance. My stress didn’t calm down completely that day before I came home because the fear that I would do something wrong was to strong.
Now six months later my thoughts about the school have changed a lot. I think the school is okay. It was really worth to hold out and see how it goes. I like my class and our relationship among each other. Some days are better then others but the most important thing are that we have good teachers and good students after all.

Comment please ….

A Frightening Experience

My family and I were going on a summer vacation to Kosovo and we always take the car because it's more exciting and we get to see lots of different places on the way. We were all excited because we hadn't been there for a very long time and we hadn't seen our relatives for almost 4 or 5 years so we were anxious to see them and my youngest uncle was also having his wedding that summer.
We had a very, very long way to drive, I think it was almost 3000 km, and my brother, sister and I always fought in the car because we got so bored out and we always argued about who was going to sit in the front seat. And then when we were driving through Germany, something happened there that still, to this day, frightens me every time I think about it.

It was pouring rain and then all the sudden we see flashing blue lights up in the sky and we heard a noise that sounded as if somebody dropped a bomb somewhere near us, but it was thunder. At first we didn't got scared because we had seen thunder before, but then the rain turned into hailstorm and my father couldn't see anything and we didn't even know if we were driving on the road anymore, so he slowed down to about 50 or 60 km/h. The road got so wet that it became aquaplaning, then all the sudden we heard a truck honk and my father hit the brake so hard that we almost hit our heads on the windshield. I got very scared and then I heard my mother scream "stop the car! Stop the car!". And so my father did and then we could finally see what was in front of us. It was a huge truck and we were almost a couple of decimetres to hit it.

My heart was beating so fast and I shook so hard that I could barely breathe. It was like my life just flashed before my eyes. It all happened so fast. My father told us to drink something and take deep breaths so that we would calm down.

It was probably the worst experience I've had in a car and I thank God none of us got hurt and also other people in their cars around us. After that time I was afraid to get in to a car but now I'm not so scared anymore. It was after all a couple of years ago. But I hope that it never happens again, neither me or anybody else for that matter.

The First Day of My New Life

The first day i started in a ”swedish school” was a long time ago but i remember it like it was yesterday, it wasn´t so bad after all. I know that all the schools in sweden are swedish of course, but in some schools most of the students are from different countries. In a school like that i used to go to. I was happy there, it was the place i had all my friends, i knew the area like my own home, but one day my parents told me that we where going to move. I was very sad, i even cried.

I started in a school where all the students were swedish. I remember i was waiting in the schoolyard with the rest of the students, i felt like i had rocks in my stomach. Within minutes the school clock rang everybody started to line up, i thought it look like they were in the military. Suddenly a young man with eyes that look like an angels eyes, came up to me, and said:
- Are you Maria? The new girl?
- Yes,i said
- Okey, i´m Björn, your new techer, follow me, he said with a smile.

I walked in to the class room where 30 students were eager to find out who i was. The rocks in my stomach started to shake. I quickly did a presentation of myself and sat down on a chair. In the break i talked to my new classmates and answerd all the questions they had for me, i soon realized that they didn´t talk the way that my old classmates and i did. They had a diffrent pronunciation and didn´t use slang. When the school day ended i was very relieved. I missed my old school and my old school mates.

Now, a few of years later i look back and think, of that time. I met some very good people, friends that i will never forget even if i don´t really talk to them so much anymore. The time i spent with them is one of the best memories i will keep with me for the rest of my life. I was very prejudiced, i thought they were dorky and talked funny, just because they were swedish. The way i thought back then i now think is very stupid. People are all the same no matter were they come from, some people are bad and some are good. You just have to get to know them first. Every decision we make changes our lives, most of the time we don´t notice it, and when i started in “Djupadal skolan” it changed mine.

Personal Narritive

Personal Narrative

I will never forget the day I saw my best friend kept in a syringe and inject it into her arm, she was totally drunk that she barley recognized me. I did not knew she was a kind of the other drunked people. She lied to me. When I saw her at the school I asked her if she was with those guys, she ignored it and she went from there.

I couldn’t believe that she lied to me all the time, she pretended that she was a good person. I don’t like her anymore she is so fake. The person in the school was always said that she was not a good person but I did not believe them until I saw her with my own eyes. I was so shocked how I could be so stupid and believe her.

But now after a year, I don’t know something about her and I don’t want to know something about her, I don’t like her anymore she is a lier I hate her. If I see her I would never look at her face or say hi to her.

An Emotional Rush Like Never Before.

Everything started when I decided to enter the "Klippan Junior Tournament". I didn´t have very high expectations, because i had never gotten through to the finals in such a big competition before. But this time around something changed. Somehow I managed to play fairly good and made it through. I was very happy but at the same time, very nervous. The finals started at 1 pm and lasted for about 5 hours. During that time my emotions were all over the place. But in some way I managed to pull it together, and I won the hole tournament.

When mom, dad and I arrived at the bowling saloon in Klippan I didn´t know what to expect. I knew my competition, and I knew that it wouldn´t be easy. When the time came for the finals to start, my heart was beating very fast. We were 8 girls, all of us headding for the same goal. After the 1 round, only 6 of us would remain. I decided to take it all one step at a time. The 1 round was easy, and I secured my place into the next elimination round. Now 6 girls would become 4 and the bar had been raised. I got of to a good start, but as the final shot came closer. The 2 girls who were a bit behind, were catching up on me. When we were only a few pinns apart, my heart began to beat very fast. When it was time for the last shot I knew I had to spare. So I took a few deep breaths. I made the last shot and the final pin fell. The tention eased a bit, I made it by just a few pinns. I knew I had to step it up if I wanted to win. With only four girls remaining, it was time to play against eachother. One on one. Since I was in fourth place, I were to play against the leader. And the winner would get through to the final step of the finals. Josefin, the girl I was about to play against, was the same age as I was and I knew how good she was. So I thought to my self. " Play the best you can, but it doesn´t matter if you don´t win. She is more than a worthy aponent." I knew there was a chanse that I could beat her. But I didn´t know how big that chanse was. I would be happy to be in fourth place no matter what happend next. I was really really nervous when we started. I must have felt a little bit of everything in those 30 minutes. When I was in the lead I felt hopeful and happy. And when she was in the lead I felt pretty anxious. But I kept my cool and I won that lap. I knew, right then, that I would never forget how I felt when she said. "Congratulations, and you played very, very good." And then she smiled. Finaly it was time for the last step. And my aponent were Cajsa Wegner, a 10 year old girl with a real tallant for bowling. We were both very tiered and hungry, since we had been playing for about 4 and a half hours straight. I didn´t realy feel much of anything. I just focused on my game and did what I had to do to win.

Now, almost three months later, I realise how much that tournament meant to me and to my future. It was truly a life changing day. I proved to my self that I can play really good if I want to, and now my future within bowling looks very bright. I still remember how my dad almost screamed of excitment, when we knew that I was the winner. It was the best feeling ever. It was really an emotional rush like never before.

~Emma*

Going to Sweden for the first time...

Going to Sweden for the first time

It was 2001 the 11 January. I was at the airport. My family was there, my brothers, sisters and my parents. I was in Syria that day on the way to the airplane. It was the first time I saw the different technical things . I couldn't believe that I was on my way to Sweden, I sat at my place in my seat and they told me to put on the safety belts. When we lifted away, I felt something that was vibrating or no the shakes made me sick. They gave me some squared shaped drugs. I felt much better, and when I looked around me, my dad wasn't there. I asked my mother where he was and she didn't know where he was, I asked the same question to my bigger brother he said that he was on another plane that was much faster than the plane we where on. The steward came and gave us some Coca Cola and some pants. We where now half way to Sweden. We went to the toilet and I saw that the toilet where more different than ours. But I was lucky, I looked around and saw a button, pressed on it and came water, everything looked different.I went out and sat in my regular place, I didn't understood the pilot, but there were two minutes left and I looked out the window. I saw that it was much more snow than it was at home. Now we where landing. When I landed I saw my dad and my family members there. We said hello and got to visit their house. I wont go out to look around and then I came back, it was more beautiful than homeland but my homeland had more plant and more green like the nature.
Then seven years went and I could speak Swedish language and could write, and adapt to a life in Sweden.

I blame him, and he blames himself

A day I will never forget is the day I cought my ex boyfriend cheating on me. It was a regular day just like any other, and I was in town shopping with my sister. After a long day there, we went tired but happy to the bus-station with all our shoppingbags to head home. Waiting for the bus I saw a guy that looked just like my boyfriend, and when I realized it was him, my heart started beating a little faster, just like it always did when I saw him. But after a few seconds, I noticed he was talking to someone. It was a girl, and after they both started laughing at something, HE KISSED HER.

I couldn't believe my eyes. My precious baby that had promised to love me forever, had cheated on me. He had cheated on the girl he supposely loved so much, and I was heart-broken. I did not know what to do, and he saw me but pretended like he didn't, and later on that evening, when we spoke about it, he tried to make me think that he was standing there all alone waiting for a friend. I saw him with my own eyes and he still tried to lie about it. That was when I realized I didn't want anything to do with him anymore. He disgusted me and I thought to myself that I would never be able to look him in his eyes again. And so it was over.

Now, six months later, we speak as friends sometimes, after all he was my first love and we had been together for nearly 3 years when we broke up. I still love him, and a part of me always will, but I just couldn't stay with him after what I saw. And now he is the one that has to live with what he did to us, cause I blame him, and he also blames himself for what happened, with all right.

/by Gjejlan

Pesonal Narritive.

My mother and I move away from all troubles here in Malmö to Birminghamin in England.Many strange things happened in Malmö,like my father hanged him self because some drug lords who were after him.

By now you're intrested in the story and what really happened,well my family were big happy regulare family but my father got fired from the company and started off by selling drugs to keep providing for us.And you might be asking your selves "he just could working some where else?"But no no..its worse he was accused to killed a prostitute women in a hotel near by the work where they also had sexual intercourse several times and it might not been the firs time.You couldn't imagened what my mother felt like back then.Any how body wanted to buy some drugs of him because his white and out toppen of that he behaved like a cop and if he couldn't sell he could't paythe drug lords that got him the drugs.Our family were in a finance crisis and starved.One day me and y mother got out with some cousins and ate o resturang there they paid for and when we got home we saw it.The it was my father who hanged him self in the roof ofthe apartment.,it was horrible trust me you do not want to see thing lik that in your life.We had a simpel funeral and buried him in a coffin.
A week later we had everything ready for our move n birmngham and I' going to begin at a new school and it means new friend"yippi",ironical.Suddenly a saw the hottest guy in school and talked to me out of everybody.I felt like my body nombed and ouldn't move or say anything right but he just smiled at me as if I were intressting or pretty.After a year we are together and he sll finds e attractive which is odd but that doesn't care because he liks me and not the others in school which I'm glad for.

The day that we never again would return Monday, February 9, 2009

Now, the time was in. It was now we would be separated and there was no return. I was nervous, but most of all, I was scared. I hadn't slept for the whole night, not a wink. I looked at the clock. It was already half past nine, in half an hour, I would be there. I started to walk against the direction that led me to the school. There was already full of people, they seemed to be glad. Ten o'clock the whole school was standing out in the schoolyard. The choir was in full swing and the voices of the choir poured out of the speakers. Now I was happy, it felt peaceful. Just like everything would be fine. But that feeling started to disappear around half past eleven. With heavy steps, me and my classmates went to the classroom that had been ours for the last four years. Our teatcher hold a "speech" to us. But unlike all the speeches I heard before, this one sounded a little bit different.
- I have just been your teacher for about two years. When I came here and the headmaster showed me what class I would take care of, I was worried. I didn't really knew how it would go. You were the "hateclass" by all the teachers in this school and they didn't talked good about you in the teachers room. So well, this class have been going up and down just like a roller coaster.
Well, thanks for that touching speech...or not? Was I right, was it a couple of students going in nith grade which would leave this school today? Then usually you use to talk about how nice it has been for all these years and how much you appreciated the time that you had together? I didn't get anything, not the other either. I saw how the pupils' parents looked perplexed at our teatcher. But there she was, just as happy for it. A strange mood moved around in the classroom. A teacher who we had since we went in the sixth grade went up to the teacher's desk to say something. It was our favorite teacher. She read out a poem, a poem about our class. It was beautiful. I could really feel how the tears wanted to come out and I was dry in the throat. The teacher was crying, she could barely read. Then she told us how much she would miss us and wished us good luck in the future. Another teacher, who we just had for one year also had a few things to say. His speech was beautiful, I and probably all of the others suddenly felt appreciated.
- I have just been with your class for one year, thats a very short time. I wish we could have some more time together. You have truly enriched my life.
Now, most of the girls in my class was crying, me to. After a long goodbye cermony with hugs and tears, it was time to go home. It was the hardest thing to do that day. It was now it really was happening. I would never come back to this school again, and it scared me.

Now, a little less than a year later I can still remember that event as if it were yesterday. Me and my class had a special bond with each other. Everyone was so close to each other. You never needed to feel worried about going to school, because you knew how fun it would be and that you were going to walk home with a smile on your lips. Grades 6 to 9, were the four best years of my life.

My personal narrative...

It all happened so fast and I couldn't follow the events. My dad and I never talked much to each other but now it is different because of the changes as happened in our lives. It all started with my parents divorce. I blamed it all on my dad everything was his fault I thought. Me and my brother moved with my mother to an apartment in Sofielund which was a huge misstake. I don't talked to my father at that time but after a while I phoned him and wanted to talk more to him. I was looking for some communication with him.

I was so shocked and I couldn't belive that all this happened. Now afterwards I really understood that this was the real truth. I was very confined in myself and I don't saw the good things in life. I think that I was looking for some explanations for why everything happened like that and I was not sure about the facts either. My mother met a new guy which felt okey but she dosen't cared about me and my brother any more. Thats why I said that it was a misstake to moved with her.

Now two years later I now all the facts from the both sides. Me and my mother are on speaking terms today. Iam very happy that this happened it maybe sounds strange but I am because I would never have this communication with my dad like I have today. You learn very much only to listen and to see all the misstages people do around you. Try to always see the positive in things that will help you very much.

first day at the new school

I was very nervous the day before school, but was also happy and very curious about what is expecting me. I thought of how much would my friends be? teachers? and any other in the school? how should I go into a class where I do not know anybody? but then I came on to anyone else who should start in my class is also a beginner in the school and they feel the same thing. all students seemed nice, I think the first day. but almost all were shy to talk to each other (it was me too) but I knew that everyone should be able to talk to each other and get to know each other over time. teachers was also nice first day :)....... yes, I can not describe how it felt the first day but I can say that I was very pleased from the first day. a nice class with nice pupils and fun teacher, students can socialize with each other and have fun together during the lesson and at the break. and teachers who are always alert and full of joy, as always admire the class (not if you come late and have very absence ).... there is much talk about at this particular class from the second semester started. I intend to quit now, I hope it continues as in the class!;)

My personal narrative Sunday, February 8, 2009

Klass 9A

I can't understand why they chose just my class, our class. There was so many ninthclasses in Malmoe and they chose us. It cames like a shock. Me and my classmates went to the lecture hall because two adults wanted to talk to us. We didn't know about what. All of the pupils looked at each other. One of the adult started to talk about a project which would be about the Swedish school and after that they asked us if we want to take part in the project. First we tought it was a joke, we thougt they wanted to see our reactions. Then we understood it was truth.

The project started at the autumn subsequently. We were act in a film every day, and sometimes they take photos of us. We got eight new teachers which teached us in a whole term. We were worried about our marks, we thougt they would sink. But after a time we knew that the teachers were very good and they makes us feel better and be more interested of the schoolwork. Me and my classmates struggle with homework because we wanted to achieve good results. The project wants to show that the teachers have a big responsibility. They can change the negative reputation of the school. It works!

The classmates came closer each other and it works really good. Sometimes I thought it was hard to have a camera behind me every day at school and sometimes at home. But at the end, I were used to. I really loved the eight teachters, they teached in a very good and professional way. It is a experience I never in my life will forget.

Now about two years later I think about the project "Klass 9A" and I miss that time. The teachers could laugh with us and we had fun in class. I miss my old class and the teachers really much!

Homework for Tuesday Feb 10 Thursday, February 5, 2009

Your homework for Tuesday is to write your own personal narrative using the guidelines that we have talked about in class. Please check my post below for instructions on how to structure your text.

Post your personal narrative on the blog no later than Tuesday February 10, at 10 pm (22:00).

I will see you in class on Tuesday too :) Have a nice weekend!

An analysis of our personal narrative

Today we looked at the structure and the order of Seth's personal narrative that we wrote together. A personal narrative needs the following:

- The first-person perspective (use the pronouns I and we)
- Be told in the past tense (use verbs in the past, for example: betrayed, started, wanted, thought etc)
- Re-tell the story in chronological order (in the order that the events took place: use words like first, then, afterwards, later, suddenly, finally, the next day, the week after etc)
- Details to re-create events and feelings
- Dialogue to re-create what people said (we didn't have time to include all that many details and our text doesn't have dialogue either, but those two ingredients make your story more "alive")

In the text I have marked the words that indicate the story's first person perspective in red. I have also marked the verbs in the past tense using bold letters. My comments are italicized.


That Night on the Bridge (the title doesn't give everything away, just the time and the place to make the reader interested)

I will never forget that night on the bridge when my best friend betrayed me. It all started because of a cigarette butt. Adam, my best friend, or so I thought, wanted to show off. He flicked a cigarette butt on the windshield of a car. All of a sudden the car came up behind us, and three guys got out. They seemed (pissed off)/upset/angry. They wanted to know who flicked the cigarette. Adam wanted to act “cool” and blamed it all on me. That’s why I was the one who was beaten up.

The first paragraph gives the order of events and answers the questions: who was involved, where did it happen, when did it happen and what happened. Everything here is in the past tense.

I was shocked. I couldn’t believe that Adam had pointed at me. I was so disappointed in him. I never thought he would go that far, and betray me like he did. I felt sorry for him because he obviously didn’t know any better. When the guys drove off I just turned around and walked away. But what Adam didn’t know was that I called the cops to blame it all on him.

The second paragraph is a reflection of Seth's feelings, thoughts and reactions to what happened. It also gives us a clue to what happened afterwards. Everything here is in the past tense.

Now two years later we are on speaking terms, but we are not friends like we used to be. I could never really trust Adam again after that night on the bridge.

The last paragraph is Seth's personal reflection looking back on what happened that day. He sums it up and describes how he feels about it today. Here the verbs change into the present (we are), since he is talking about how he feels about it today. Notice how the very last sentence refers to the title of the story.

Two popular blogs Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Here are the two blogs I mentioned in class today: Kenzas blog and Nevnariens. Check them out if you are interested. Here you can sign up for your own blog at blogg.se that I also mentioned to some of you.
Have fun! :)

A personal narrative from Seth's perspective

In today's class we practised some collaborative writing: we wrote a personal narrative together. We focused on writing from Seth's perspective in the story On the Bridge. We did not have that much time, but we followed the structure of a personal narrative and this is our text:

That Night on the Bridge

I will never forget that night on the bridge when my best friend betrayed me. It all started because of a cigarette butt. Adam, my best friend, or so I thought, wanted to show off. He flicked a cigarette butt on the windshield of a car. All of a sudden the car came up behind us, and three guys got out. They seemed pissed off. They wanted to know who flicked the cigarette. Adam wanted to act “cool” and blamed it all on me. That’s why I was the one who was beaten up.

I was shocked. I couldn’t believe that Adam had pointed at me. I was so disappointed in him. I never thought he would go that far, and betray me like he did. I felt sorry for him because he obviously didn’t know any better. When the guys drove off I just turned around and walked away. But what Adam didn’t know was that I called the cops to blame it all on him.

Now two years later we are on speaking terms, but we are not friends like we used to be. I could never really trust Adam again after that night on the bridge.

Tomorrow's Class Monday, February 2, 2009

In class tomorrow we will write a personal narrative together. It is important that you are aware of how a personal narrative is normally structured. Study the handout I gave you last week. The personal narrative will be based on Seth's experiences in the story On The Bridge.

He did it and I'm all tears Sunday, February 1, 2009

Pic: www.marca.com

Love ya to bits, Rafa!!! Well deserving Australian Open Champion!