Reading Wisdom Response Essay by Walker Wright
"Tis the good reader that makes the good book." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Poets and authors export their beliefs and ideas into the world of literature through writings, books, and quotes of themselves. One of these miraculous people was Ralph Waldo Emerson. He exerted many poems and essays to the movement of American literature.
Ralph Emerson was born on May 25, 1803, in Boston, Massachusetts. After studying at Harvard, he attempted to join ministry and become a preacher. Later his wife died of tuberculosis, and his career in the church of God was over. A year later he set his sights on Europe to visit Thomas Carlyle, a famous Scottish writer. Carlyle had a persuasive way with his writings about materialism, and the driving force one individual has and can use to make the world a better place. The two intelligent men formed a friendship through their ideas and similar beliefs involving all the problems nations and people have in the ever changing world. Robert Carlyle’s concepts eventually set Ralph Emerson on his own path of poetic success. Once Ralph arrived back in America, his writings about the viewpoints on confronting the accustomed human thought spread throughout the New England area like a wild fire.
Emerson finally plopped into the town of Concord and was embraced into the
position of chief spokesman in the large movement of American literature, also called Transcendentalism.
As his life wore on, he continued to write books such as Nature which proposed the idea that every little thing is in a minuscule world of their own. Emerson’s poetry was bleak and out of tune because it didn’t seem to suit the ideal poem in people’s minds. In conclusion, Ralph Emerson wrote hundreds of books, poems, and essays to contribute to the changing world of reading and writing. His philosophies were based on challenging basic reality, but Emerson’s actions changed the human mind in a unique way. This quote by Ralph Emerson, “Tis the good reader that makes the good book,” has made my concept of reading a book drastically change. The quote appears to mean that a book is a bland stack of paper with inessential words flooding the pages with nonsense. Only a reader can digest the ink print and convert it into their imagination. Anything could happen in the mind of reader when they simply read the words laid out on the pages of paper. This has made me cherish my ability to enjoy the pictures swirling around my mind when reading a book. I no longer take for granted the work and many hours of writing authors do to simply help a person relax and have a delightful time. Books and writers are like the cherry and whipped cream atop this grey area we call literature. They are enjoyed and savored with much gratitude. From this point forward, I will always have the thoughts of my special gift of imagination and the writer, poet, or whoever put it there for me to enjoy.
Future by Elliot Kesler
As I walk down the afternoon street I hear the regular noises of greetings and cheers from a house not too far from mine. The moon rises from its slumber and the sun gets ready for sleep after a long, hard day. The noises wear down and the atmosphere becomes still, I look as these simple changes occur like every night. My ears adjust from the loud sounds as I can finally walk around in peace. To think that I would get sick of these complex gadgets that someone could look at for hours, for I still remember the stories that my mother told me about the time with no electronics. I though “what a terrible time to live in” I guess at the time I was too young to understand, because now I think “how lucky they were”. Still some good has come out of the time we live in, there’s joy around and the streets are kind maybe it’s for the best. I look around one last time and notice the great changes from the long time ago.
In the mornings there are no blue bells bound in a tower bouncing around as a man screams morning, instead there’s an alarm clock making the noise of a bird. After you awake the breakfast Tron something 300 and something bot makes a meal for the kings. Getting dressed is no problem for the clothes are already chosen by a bot and with the flick of the wrist and the press of a button there on. One by one the human race races to their hover cars, their flying bikes, their mini jets, their shoe wheelers, and their sling slackers. Everyone is on time to the big place, the party where everyone is. The dogs of the past, who needs those with time of effort their drooling and barking when you can get a robotic dog with no care and a dog that you can really adjust to your likings. With all this new gear there is no stress, no anger just happiness for miles to see. So if you look around maybe it is for the best that it happened this way, But if you look even closure you’ll notice there is no life no plants, no birds chirping, no wolves howling. This vision makes you realize that maybe this whole idea just isn’t the best.
I remember the time at about 1 clock in the neighborhood there was no life in sight. The kids are inside on their high tech devices and the adults have left to buy more. Those kids haven’t noticed how much things could be better. They think the food is for kings, but soon their find out that it’s for the king’s dog. There are no normal bikes, no basket balls, no hopscotch, no movement, no laughter, and the poor street has had its joy taken away. The atmosphere is always still aside from the movement of the cars and the sling slackers. There is no one in sight everyone is still in their cocoon. Maybe it’s just me who sees the cons with our modern time.
I see how they could stay inside on their devices trying to lose the rest of their mind. “It’s too hot” they’d say and I agree with them half way. It’s dusty and dirty out and someone could get sick or maybe a worse fate. I am glad we have devices to keep our selves sane I am really am. But if we can do all these amazing things then why not use it to help the world. These they all grow up spoiled into brats and mischief makers and the adults are no better. I’m glad we can do all these amazing things with our gadgets and devices and most of all our important sling slackers. “It’s dirty” you say well come out side and clean it all up. Oh if only my voice could get to them.
I hear a simple buzz fly past me and I see a hovering car. I see a man walk out of it and shout something undetermined. Not one not two need even four but six little ones come out from a door. I look deeply into their faces and I see joy all around and soon they quickly rush into to the house. Maybe there is hope after all for our future or maybe I’ve been doing monologue for too long. It take two steps before I hear a rattle. I look down at my feet and see a small bottle, another piece of garbage. I pick it up and look into it “maybe there is hope” I say as I put in a recycling bin and walk my way home.
Arrive Alive by Max Cass
If I’m in the car I’m trying to be safe
So if you’re in shotgun get your phone out of my face
And If I’m driving I don’t want to lose it
So don’t take the aux and pump all your music
I’m driving a car not trying to party
So when I break the radio I’m not going to say sorry
And I’m not speeding to put a smile on your face
For all I know this isn’t fast and furious 8
So stop telling me to go 90 in a 38
And if you think I’m not fun or even a loser
Then get out of my car and bother an uber
I’m sorry if I’m mean but I’m trying to arrive
And when I mean arrive I mean arrive alive
The Chicago World’s Fair by Charles Sanders
The Chicago World’s Fair was one of the biggest fairs in the United States. It was full to the brim of immense new technologies and ideas that had the potential of changing the world. People from all over the world would attend the fair, just to see the new technologies. In the year 2016 there is not a Chicago’s World Fair, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t new inventions, there are, and amongst them there is the Fusion Reactor.
The Chicago World’s Fair, also known as the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 was hosted in Chicago Illinois, although there were many other cities that wanted to host the fair, Washington and New York are amongst them. Chicago was eventually declared the host of the fair. It was organized to commemorate the day Cristopher Columbus made landfall in America and to showcase the new inventions of that century. It was a very significant part of Chicago’s history because many new inventions were on display there, and it attracted many people to Chicago which helped the economy of Chicago, and gave people a reason to move there and stay.
Many new innovations and inventions that we use in our everyday lives were showcased at the Chicago’s World Fair. Amongst them was Wrigley’s Gum which we take for granted nowadays but back then it was a very new concept. Another invention from the Chicago’s World Fair was the Penny Presser, the machine you see at Disney and Places that attract many people that take pennies and shape them into an oval with a picture on them. One of the most prominent inventions was the Dish Washer, invented by Josephine Cochrane. Also featured were the useful inventions of spray paint, Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix, and the Ferris Wheel (Ten products from the Chicago’s world fair). The Chicago’s World Fair was the home of many new inventions and innovations of the 19th century.
The Chicago’s World Fairs grounds were planned out by an architect by the name of Fredrick Olmsted (Novak, Matt). He designed the city while hundreds if not thousands of people were at his command to build the city. Many people visited and presented inventions at the Fair but one of the most noted was Nickola Tesla.
Who for those who don’t know was one of the men who made modern electricity possible. There were also many other notable inventors who visited the fair but Nickola Tesla was one of the greatest.
There were many interesting things that many people know about the Chicago’s World Fair. One of which is the fact that there were many murders during the fair. Most were done by a serial killer named H.H Holmes, he is said to be one of the first serial killers amongst the United States. He was an evil man who would trick young women into coming with him then he would murder them. Another interesting fact that many people don’t know is that Chicago was one of the first cities to have electric lighting throughout the area. These are only two interesting facts from the fair that not many people know.
Amongst the new inventions of the world there is the fusion reactor. It is a nuclear power plant that is about 4x more powerful than the common fission reactor. The fusion reactors use the same nuclear energy as the sun. It is such a new invention man has not been able to replicate it yet, but it is believed they will be able to use it commercially as an energy source of almost limitless power.
The fusion reactor will be used to produce mass amounts of energy. The fusion reactor requires isotopes that are very light weight and generally are from hydrogen atoms. The isotopes that are used are called deuterium and tritium (How Fusion Works). The isotopes are heated to extreme temperatures until they are stripped of their electrons and become a form of plasma. The isotopes then are forced together under great amounts of pressure causing them to fuse producing momentous amounts of energy to be released.
A fusion reactor will work by using magnets to channel the plasma in a container called a tokamak. Then the pressure will force the isotopes together creating a nuclear fusion reaction. When the isotopes fuse they will react by creating helium and a spare neutron (How Fusion Works). The heat of the reaction will then be used like a normal fission reactor produce power. The heat will turn water into steam that will turn a turbine, producing electricity.
The fusion reactor will have two applications one is the fact that people will have tons of electricity produced which will help the energy crisis. This will cost a lot at first because you have to cover the price of the reactor and maintenance. But after those prices are covered it will be almost limitless and free energy produced. The other application isn’t very important but it will be a way for people the get helium but that won’t be very important. Many people will find the reactor useful but the main people will be power companies.
The fusion reactor have many pros and cons. The pros are that it provides almost limitless power from practically nothing and it is a renewable resource. There are also a few cons though, one is that it is very expensive to get permits and set up a fusion reactor, like all other power plants, and another would be that it’s costly to maintain. These are only a few pros and cons of the fusion reactor. Consumers wouldn’t really be able to buy this piece of technology although they will probably be able to invest in stock. I think it is a good thing that the average person can’t buy one of these as if something goes wrong and they don’t have the appropriate precautions bad things could happen.
In the upcoming Roanoke World’s Fair I plan on presenting my invention in the form of a model reactor. I believe it will capture the audience’s attention more then something like a power point. I think it will especially stand out because I plan on adding lots if details of the invention and explaining how it works. As you can see the Chicago’s World Fair was a very important event in history, and that some very important inventions are still being made.
By Kaylin Grahame
1. Do what you love, do it often, and do it unapologetically
2. Pay more attention to your thoughts, what your thinking is what your attracting
3. Timing has a lot to do with everything
4. Not everyone thinks the same way you think
5. Silence says a lot
6. If an opportunity doesn't exist, create it; if an idea doesn't exist, create it
7. Your feelings are always valid, you're allowed to feel them, and you're allowed as much time as you need to heal them
8. Self doubt will be your creative downfall
9. It begins and end in your mind, what you give power to, has power over you
10. Breath in the future, breath out the past
11. The most beautiful things in life are moments and feelings
12. What you see in other people is a reflection of yourself
13. If it makes you nervous... it's worth doing it
14. Certain things will never go back to how they used to be, and that's okay
15. At your absolute best... you still won’t be good enough for the wrong person
16. If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done
17. Talk to yourself the same way you would talk to someone you love
18. Focusing on the negative in a situation destroys the positive
19. You can't find happiness in other people
20. Know exactly what you want and don't stop until you get it
The Ant by Weston Colip
There once was an ant named Bucky,
Who was very, very lucky.
He followed a trail,
And crossed a rail,
And ended up living in Kentucky.
HPV: What it Is and Why We Should Know About It by Emma Larsen
What I Knew
I recently visited my family doctor and she recommended the vaccine, Gardasil. It went right over my head. I had no idea what my doctor and mom were talking about, so I decided to do more research to get insight about this topic. I knew that when you are born, doctors give you vaccines to help prevent chicken pox, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, and several other communicable diseases. This controversial topic is of interest to me because I want to make an informed decision when it comes to my well-being and health.
What I Wanted to Know
I wanted to know what the human papilloma virus vaccine was. I asked my mom and she said this topic was very relevant and controversial today in America. Why do I need to get vaccinated? Is it safe? Does it actually work? Should I be against vaccines or should I follow my doctors’ recommendations?
Interview
I emailed my chiropractor and I still have not gotten a response back.
My Search Process
A source that suited my topic was obviously the Centers for Disease Control website, then I visited the World Health Organization website and read a few articles from there. The whole controversy about this specific vaccine is whether your child should or shouldn’t get the vaccination. Every parent has their opinion and different ways of raising their child. Some parents prefer not to vaccinate their child and others vaccinate their children right from the start.
What is making the human papilloma virus vaccine so controversial at the moment are the side effects it has caused. The Centers for Disease Control supports this treatment and recommends it to doctors to prescribe their patients. They recommend that children (boys and girls) should start this vaccine at ages nine through twenty-six.
The counter argument is whether your child should start this vaccination. This topic is mature but I believe that teenagers and adults need to have more awareness towards this issue. I didn’t quite get to the documentary that I wanted to watch but these websites were very informative.
My Research Process
I didn’t go to the library as planned because this topic is so recent, so I decided to look up some information. I started on the Centers of Disease control website and read about Gardasil. The informational was very valuable but it had only their opinion so I decided to go to the World Health Organization. Their opinion about vaccinations are neutral, they agree and they disagree. I went to the regular Google search and just looked up “vaccinations” I lead me to great website about a mother who wanted to show the world what the HPV vaccination did to her son. And then that lead me to the Dr. Mercola website.
What I Learned
“The biggest lie ever told is that vaccines are safe and effective” - Dr. Len Horowitz
This quote from Dr. Len Horowitz caught my eye as soon as I found myself on the Truth behind Cancer website. From 1990 to 2008, the US government recorded that 238,755 vaccine related injuries and deaths had occurred, and 90% of vaccine reactions go unrecorded. Majority of the time parents think they are doing the right thing and getting their child vaccinated but what they don’t know is what toxic ingredients that are in these certain vaccines. For example, an ingredient that majority of vaccines contain is the “toxic cocktail” which are live and dead viruses that have been gathered from monkey kidney tissue, cow tissue, goat tissue, pig tissue, and even human babies that have been aborted.
60% of women who get the Gardasil vaccine had have a higher risk of being infected with another type of Human Papillomavirus. Even though these “anti-cancer” vaccines have been not proven to prevent cancer, Gardasil and Cervarix have been tangled in controversy from the start. Gardasil was licensed after testing on only 1,100 girls under the age of 16, and Gardasil even has the highest concentration of aluminum than any other vaccine on the market.
As I have mentioned, why you should get the Gardasil vaccination or not; is it safe?
What is it? Everyone has their own opinion. The purpose of this paper is to educate myself and educate others about the safety of Gardasil. The manufacturer of Gardasil, Merck, has not done enough proper unbiased testing for safety and efficiency.
What This Means to Me
Searching for this topic was actually very difficult for majority because this topic is very opinionated. What I didn’t know is that you can’t always be dependent on the internet, it can be very difficult at points if you don’t have a good patience. This information has now forever impacted my life, and I think I will never forget what I have learned because it is such a big health problem.
The Fair by Kaleb Hedrick
Every year, a fair comes to Virginia for a couple of days. The fair is typically around the Roanoke or Salem civic center. I used to go to the fair every year when I was little. My dad would take me to the fair so we could have fun and ride cool rides. I still go to the fair sometimes, but not as much as I use to. I still have the memories of when I did go deep, hidden inside my head, only to come out and be remembered when I feel the nostalgia of going back.
The fair had many rides and fun things to do. My favorite ride has a title that I cannot remember. What I do remember is that it had something to do with the moon. The ride was basically one big circle that made you go upside down backwards, and forwards. I remember that when I rode it as a kid I would close my eyes because I was scared. I was too shy to ask to get off the ride before it started, so I had to deal with it. After the ride was over, I wasn’t scared anymore and I wanted to do it again.
Another one of my favorite rides was the Ferris-wheel. As a kid, it was exciting to see the whole entire fair from high up. At night time, all the rides and attractions lit up which made the view even better than before. Everyone below you would look like tiny ants crawling on the ground. The wheel spun around multiple times before letting you off. It also had to start back up again every time it let someone off to get the next people off. This made the
people in line a lot less patient. It felt good when you were on the right while everyone else was waiting.
The fair at more things to do then rides. They had food and drinks for when you’re hungry or thirsty. I don’t recommend eating fair food as it is kind of bad for you and isn't the best quality. The drinks are all things like brand soda and stuff, so those are fine. My favorite drink at the fair was their lemonade. They had a stand for Deb's Lemonade which if you didn’t know if literally the best kind of lemonade. It is very sweet and tastes more perfect than anything you could imagine. There lemonade is different because it is part slushy and part lemonade which gives for a neat texture. The drink is usually what we get at the end of the fair so we don’t have to walk around holding a cup.
This is my least favorite part of the fair (except for the drink) because we now have to leave because it closes around 10. Leaving the fair sucks because the fun is over and you got to go back home and wait until next year. When the place is closing, all the rides and carts each individual close up and/or turn off. It is sad, but knowing you had fun while you were there makes the whole experience worth it. I plan on one day visiting the fair again to have some more fun, like I did before. Until I go back to the fair, I will be stuck with the faded memories of it when I was a kid.
The Lunch Line By: Daniel Reeves
'Twas a blur, when time flew by, the restless days and nights
A obsession, now an addiction, of pizza oh my pie
Every day I travel time to get to the day of Fri
At last it's hear but oh I fear it makes me want to cry.
'Twas a blur when time flew by the truck of goods and sweets oh my,
The name brand stamp up on the side
Unreadable through my teary eyes.
'Twas a blur when the truck drove by carrying the last load of my pizza fries stuffed with goods inside.
The Red and white of the coca cola sign combined to make a sad design
the graveled rocks being thrown behind
‘Twas a blur when time goes by.
Now it's gone, that corporate truck, leaving me with my bad luck, no more cakes with the white dust, no more delicate pizza puffs.
Fast Travels by Jayna Reed
As I am perched on my seat inside the train, I look out the crystal clear window beside me. The pedestrians stand still with luggage in their hands. Their faces have eager looks on them as I see their expressions for a split second. The vibrant painting on the wall in the back reads, "New York City." As the train continues to zoom out of the station, I see bold sunlight approaching the train. The background changes from subtle to earthy. All of the trees blur together into one swirling forest. Maintaining its speed, the train continues on to its final destination.
What is Summer Without…? By Roshan Patel
What is Summer Without…?
Sunshine
Laughter
Akan Ndem
Sports
The Pool
Amusement Parks
Water Parks
Sleepover
Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton
The Olympics
The Running Man
Water Balloons
Ice Cream
Getting Cash
Friends
Family
What is Summer without Anything?
Orbiting Jupiter Rap by Zada Porter
Once upon a time there was a boy named jack
He needed a friend to really watch his back
A couple of days later he got that friend
Even if the two of them didn’t really blend
Instead of a friend Jack kind of got a brother
A brother that was raised by a whole different mother
This kid, was different in so many ways
Ways that would be too hard to explain
This boy had a child even though he was thirteen
He was split away from his lover when they were just teens
At first he was alone and then he met Jack
They immediately knew they would have each other's back
He has never met his daughter but he's wanted to forever
Jack used all of his power them back together
The boy ran away to find the rest of his family
One place he didn’t go was to the library
The foster mother was there and she was really confused
But she wanted to do everything to help the two
After a while the boy finally met his child
Even if he was a little wild
They went back home to their thing
Until a dad came by and was really mean
Everything was okay until he pulled out a gun
Putting it to the hip of Jack the son
The dad went away with the other boy
Then flipped into the ice like the truck was a toy
Everyone was sad and some of them where mad
But at the end they were all glad
Glad that they met a wonderful child like him
At times he was bright at others he was dim
But maybe he would have rose if
If his name wasn't Joseph
The Subway by Hannah Young
I'm waiting for the subway at the station in Washington D.C. Looking around, I see many different things. I see a geometric mural of jungle animals that sits in front of me. Vibrant shades of blue and green surround and attack the picture. The abstract painting pulls me into a deep trance that is hard to escape. I know that the graffiti on the subway station wall is probably illegal, but I can’t help to do anything but admire it. Suddenly I see a bright light and I hear a loud horn and I know a subway is going to pass where I am standing. I try to look in the windows, but I can only see a few things. I see a flamboyant, deep orange coat on the back of a little girl with bleach blonde hair. I also see a small boy and his mother talking and laughing as if no one else could even be near them. Their conversations are so bold, nothing could harm them.
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