Smoking

Smoking is a dangerous habit that people should quit or not begin. Smoking is also a form of Tobacco. Back in the older days, cigarettes were able to be bought anywhere possible. Advertisements were everywhere. People were even able to buy cigarettes in the hospitals. Advertisements in the 1940s have even showed doctors recommending smoking as a way to relax! Now smoking is practically banned from most of the places that we go today. Especially public places like parks. Not even most restaurants or bars allow smoking anymore. This is because the message of “smoking is bad” is being sent out to everyone in many cities from bulletin boards to Television to Magazines. Now smoking is certainly more under control that usual. But still it doesn’t mean that people should start smoking from a really young age.

As most people know, smoking is dangerous and really hard to quit. People can addict to the chemicals inside one cigarette once they give one puff. It is possible to quit but really hard. There is a chemical inside a cigarette called Nicotine. This substance is a stimulant. Nicotine temporarily makes the user feel good or energized. Nicotine releases a chemical from our brain called beta-endorphin which makes people feel alert and calmer. Although people will feel calm and alert, this effect will wear off in a matter of minutes. Now the user will be back to normal, but won’t be as calm and alert. So in order to feel that way or “normal”, the user will start smoking and will have a terrible time quitting.

Not a lot of people that start smoking started as an adult. 4,400 teens in between the ages of 12-17 start smoking everyday because of curiosity. Most teen smokers say that smoking makes them look older and more mature. Others say that smoking makes them relaxed and feel more rebellious. Some say that they smoke because of peer pressure. Most smokers that start early are young women. They say that it makes they seem less heavy. Most smokers also start because people in their family smoke.

The body does not need tobacco as much as it needs food and water. Smoking can be a huge error in life. Smoking damages your insides and can kill you. It is terrible for your health. It can cause lung disease and cancer. Smoking is not that good for the clothing either. The cloth will absorb the fumes of cigarette and will become stinky. Having problems breathing would be one of the signs that smoking is killing you. The fumes from smoking would travel down the lungs and stay there making it hard to breathe and later will make the lungs a dark unhealthy color.

This concludes that smoking is a very bad habit that should not be promoted. Smoking will just kill and depopulate the world by doing so. And smoking will never solve personal problems. It’ll just make them worse by making the insides of the body unhealthy.

Games

Video games have been popular to children and young adults for many years. These video games can be fun, challenging, scary, etc. Now not only young people are crowding around games anymore. Now even adults and seniors are playing video games day and night. Why the sudden change? It is because technology has grown since past generations. Now game systems have the ability to help the human mind and the human body become stronger and more flexible.

In Hong Kong video games have been really popular for a while now. Almost everyone has to have a game boy or psp along side with them or else they would not feel comfortable. Professors in Hong Kong has done a lot of research and the results show that in a group of 6 people, at least 1 will be playing a game. Interview results also show that each person that gets addicted to these games, will play for at least 3-4hours straight. Almost everywhere you go you'll see someone holding a game with them and never taking their eyes off it until they win the next round or so. Even though these people are playing games just for the heck of it, many hospitals are using games to treat people with mind problems (the ones who can't think straight). Games are even being used in senior homes for the seniors' enjoyment.

For the game addicts that "sit" around games too long can be helped by please even "more" games. The Wii can help them exercise their body losing the excess fat that they do not need or want. Some brain games on the Wii can also help the ones that do not use their brain too much or never at all.

In conclusion, video games can be sometimes bad for you. But now, not all video games can do people any harm if they use them properly.

Track Events Gone Wrong (Hurdles and 4x100 Relay)

On June 6th 2007, I missed classes to compete at the York University Track Events with my school team. The competition went from 7:30a.m. to about 4:40p.m. The people that had early events had to take the cab to the track. But the people with late events took the bus and arrived to the track at around 9:30a.m.-10:00a.m. I was one of the late contestants. I was lucky that I actually got there on time for my first event, the hurdles.

I was called on the the track once I got there. I didn't even have time to change into my shorts. I had to run with track pants on and my legs were still freezing because I didn't get to warm up. So my legs were practically shaking from the inside. I had took forth place on the first try but then disaster strikes. My legs were really frozen now and my waste was hurt. I believe I twisted it too much so I felt a little pain in my waste. But I did not I have enough time for it to heal fully. Thus I was running the finals with an injured waste. Once the finals started I had a good start, but I tripped on the third hurdle and fell into another lane but got back into my lane with enough speed to get back into the race. Unforchunetly I got last place. But after an hour of judging I finally got the 7th ribbon. The last ribbon was the 8th ribbon so I actually wasn't all that bad after all. Even though I got through this race with a ribbon, things will get worse.

For hours I waited for my second event, the 4x100 Grade 8 Boys Relay. In the time I had left to prepare for the race(which was about 5 hours of free time) I played, cheered, warmed up, and even watched over competitors compete. I also got the opportunity to take pictures of some of my teammates. After about 5 hours, it was time. I had to run the 4x100 Relay. I was first to receive the baton so I was kinda running on a curve. I kind of had some problems receiving the baton from my teammate but I finally got it and I was a little behind. Although I was behind I charged up and got into first position. But my speed led my team into defeat.

Even though I am a fast runner and I ran really fast, I couldn't tell my teammate to run ahead to receive the baton in time. I accidentally bumped into him and stepped on his foot thus making the both of us slip and fall while other schools passed us. I then yelled "RUN!!" and I then thought to myself "What have I done?!". One of my teammates that were cheering from the sidelines ran down to see if I was okay. I was devastated of what I have done and I put everything on my back. I felt really guilty. I still remember what my teammate said to me. "It's okay. Everyone makes mistakes. Just think of this as an experience and you can be more careful next year. It's no one's fault. No one will blame you." These words were just about the same words that my teacher said to me. Right when I got back to our resting place under a tree, 1 of the teachers/couches from my school ask me about the relay situation. I didn't say a word and he could guess what has happened.

But before I walked back to our resting place, back on the track, the referee saw that my teammate and I had fell so he came over with a red flag to take a look I told him that we're
okay and that it was my fault that we fell. Not the other teams. The referee then raised the white flag indicating that everything is fine and no one is injured. Although the other team did not get into trouble there, they were disqualified at the next receiving point because of a false start by a teammate of theirs.

Later on, when everyone had left, we were the only school left with sad expressions on our faces. But in the end we all had fun and we even stayed 'till about 5:50p.m. to have some fun on the track.

Ants, Bees, Wasps and their Queens

Ants
First of all, I hope everyone knows that there are different kinds of ants. Even though that's a fact, ants are classified as one family.

It is believed that they evolved from a wasp like soil insects. These little special creatures belong in the animal kingdom. They sure don't look like it but they are defiantly animals. These creatures are related to the, quite dangerous, wasps and bees.

Even though they seem small and helpless, they can be really strong in groups. They especially work best in hunting while in groups. They can carry things that are heavier than their own weight. These fascinating creatures are classified in duties. There are worker ants, soldiers, the babies, the drones, and the Queen. There can be more than a million ant workers in one colony. The workers' jobs are to build and expand the spaces in an ant hill. An ant hill is a hill of sand that the worker ants dug for the rest of the colony to live in and them selves.

The soldiers are to protect the colony from any invaders like cockroaches or any other insects. These ants are needed in colonies. Not only do they protect the colony but they hunt for food as well. Some of these soldiers' duty is to either fight, protect, or scout around for the workers. After they start scouting and then if they find something. The workers will come help the soldiers bring the food back to the queen and some for themselves too.

The drones are just simply the only ones that have wings permanently. Their job is to mate with the Queen. First they fly into the air above the colony forming clouds and then the Queen will mate with the drones and the drone will die.The normal life span for a drone is about 2-3 days.

The Queen
The Queen is the larger than the workers and drones. The Queen is the one that keeps the colony together and working. It produces particular pheromones that makes everything and everyone working in the colony. The Queen also creates a distinct smell for the colony. Every ant in the colony smells just about the same. The Queen is the only one that is able to lay fertilized eggs for the colony. The Queen is practically the mother of the whole colony. The Queen is able to live for 15 years and mate only once in its life-span.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ants
http://www.bubblegum-productions.com/anthony/queen.htm http://www.answers.com/Ant%20Queens

Bees
There are many kinds of Bees. Some of which I can't even pronounce properly. Bees are like ants. The only different from most of the ants is that they are able to fly. All bees are able to fly.

Bees' are insects. Bees' are the ones we should thank for all the flowers in this world. They do something called pollination. Pollination is when the bees' flying around flowers and collecting pollens. While they do that, the pollen collects on their legs and while the bee finishes collecting, it'll start flying around again and the pollen will fall into and soil thus planting more flowers.

Bees are really protective. They can sting you for no reason and then die off.

All creatures must have some place to live in. Unlike ants, bees live in a nest. Inside is a big honey comb chamber. Inside each honey comb is either an egg or honey. Like ants, the bees are sorted be duties. There are soldiers, workers, larvae, drones, and the Queen. The worker's job is to build the nest and block off the larvae after feeding them in their chamber in the honey comb.

The Queen
The Queen of the bees are just about the same as the ones of ants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bees

http://www.answers.com/bees

Wasps
The wasp is like the ant and the bee, they are most likely to travel in groups. They are more powerful that way. The wasp is almost like the bee but except the part in between the body and the abdomen. Its thinner than the bees'. The wasp is an insect. There are many different species of wasps. The Yellow Jacket is an example of one. All wasps are like Bees. They sting!

The wasps fall in two categories. They're solitary wasps and social wasps. Solitary wasps are generally adult wasps that travel alone and do not tend to build nests. All solitary adult wasps are fertile.

The Queen

The Queen is like the Queen of bees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasps

http://www.answers.com/wasp%20

*Yawn*...OH NO I SPREADED THE YAWNESS!

Yawning is a proccess in which you exhale carbon dioxcide through your mouth after inhaling oxygen. There is a saying that if one person in a room of 3 or more people it can spread making everyone yawn after another until it goes back to the one person who started it. But how does it spread? Well I'm not sure how it spreads but I know it spreads. I GOT EVIDENCE!! Last night when my mom, dad and I were returning from our dinner, my mom began to yawn and then I yawned and then my mom yawned and my dad yawned and I yawned and so on. We were randomly yawning after another but it was spreading through the air!!

A Hero's Story......(Continued....Will this be the end?)

.........as I hid behind the bush the battle had begun. First the dog raised his paw and scratched the raccoon with his peircing claws. That feirce strike really did anger the beast. For the raccoons counter attack, it bit the dogs left front leg, but the dog didn't seem to be in pain, once the raccoon lifted his teeth from the leg of the heroic dog. This was when I realized that the battle had ended before it even really begun. With its last strike the dog ripped the raccoon in to peices. After a moment, the battle finally ended.

I raised from behind the bushes and I lifted my right leg over the bushes to make myself visable. Once my leg had reached the ground the dog had turned and stared at me with eyes as big as a loonie. I stopped for a moment and stared back. It seemed to have a tear drop run down its fury cheek. The drop was quite large. It really seemed to be in pain. It then turned his head and slammed to the cement floor. I sprinted over to see if it was ok. Unforchunetly it wasn't ok. I saw the wound when the raccoon bit his leg. The raccoon actually took a chunk out of its leg and he was bleeding to death. I realized that there was a nearby animal clinic. I quickly struggled to carry it as fast as I can to the Clinic. As soon as I touched him, visions started to flip through my head. I didn't care about those pictures for now, I just ran to the clinic. Once I got in, a nurse saw me carrying the poor dog in my arms. She quickly arranged a room for the dog to have his surgery. I handed him over to the doctor and they disapeared into the surgery room. I waited outside the room patiently sitting on a chair. I started to wonder if they would help him in time. I wouldn't be able to thank him properly if he goes. Then I started to wonder if he would make it or not, and what were those visions in my head.......

.......To be Continued......

Why is Laughter the Best Medicine?

Ok first of all laughter is a kind of emotion. Sometimes people even say laughter is the best medicine. Why? Maybe it's because whenever you laugh you save more cells than being mad and angry and furious all the time. Maybe it's because whenever you laugh, you forget about maybe about 75% of the angry things you were furious about. More friends can also be made with laughter. Laughter will also enlighten your life so you wouldn't be so dull.(IF you're dull)

Sometimes laughter can also be a good distraction for some people. For example, if your friends want to do something without the other person looking, you can always try laughing you head off to distract him or her =D.

Remember when I said laughter can enlighten our lives? Well I'm an example. Earlier in my life before I began to get use to laughing and joking around, I never had many friends. I was also very dull. Ever since I got use to laughing, I made more new friends and most of them I've known for more the 3 years now. This is why people say laughter is the best medicine. No matter what situation, laughter is always a Life-Saver.

Am I really such a bad guy?

OMG I HATE MY LIFE. Why can't I be like everyone else!?! Why don't I know what to say at what time!?! AGH I HATE MYSELF!! >=[

Chinese Lanturn Festival

Wow. I've never seen anything like this! I went to the Chinese Lanturn Festival on Monday August 6th 2006. It was awsome. Most of the Lanturns were based on chinese History like the gods and legands. Alots of the lanturns were also based on Dragons. I liked the Dragon lanturns the most because many of them were made of not cloth but chinese dishes, spoons, cups, bowls combined with light. I kept wondering how long it took them to think of this idea. Whoever thought of it must have been a genius. I also kept wondering what Dino World had to do with chinese culture. One of the festivals best ideas were to combine the lanturns with some chinese music so people that come to the festival will see and hear chinese history. This festival must have took hours and hours of work. This festival is located in Ontario place. To all the readers reading this. If you guys have time, go check it out. It's a chance you don't want to miss out.

A Hero's Story......Continued

As I laid still the raccoon came closer and closer. I could smell its oder from 5 inches away. As its claws reached my foot I thought it was going to be the end of me. As it got a little closer I heard a faint barking noise. As I forgot about the raccoon I listened for more barking. The barking came closer and closer and finally a dog popped its head out of a bush from behind the raccoon. The raccoon turned its body and faced the dog. I started to move slitely away from the raccoon as it crawled closer to the dog. Once I think I got far enough from where I laid, I quickly jumped behind a bush and watched the battle between the raccoon and the dog. I thought "hmmmmm raccoon vs. dog who will?'' So who will win the dog or the raccoon?......

...... To Be Continued ....

A Hero's Story......

I was going on a thursday morning walk to to the park, when suddenly a raccoon sprung out from no where. I was scared half to death. While on the ground I breathed heavily hoping the raccoon would stop gazing at me with those big brown eyes. I could see that he was hungry for some meet.
I thought this could have been the end of me. Then i thought to myself how it would be like to be full of rabies. I prayed, hoping that the raccoon would run away if i just laid still, but i was wrong. It came closer and closer untill one of its claws reached my foot. I felt its sharp claws like needles on a stormy day. I thought this could be the end of me..........


To be Continued..........