Trick-or-Treating

The custom of trick or treating became popular around 1930. It is believed that stems from a practice that emerged in Europe during the ninth century called “Souling”, a kind of service to souls. On November 2, All Souls Day, Christians went from village to village begging for "dead cakes" (soul cakes), which were pieces of bread with raisins. The more cakes the beggars would receive, the greater the number of sentences that would pray for the souls of dead. At that time it was believed that the dead people remained in limbo, and that recited sentences, even by strangers, could expedite the entry of the soul to heaven.

The practice spread in the United States as an attempt by the authorities to control the excesses that occurred during the night of Halloween. By the late nineteenth century, some sectors of the population considered the night of October 31 as a fun time, probably inspired by the “Mischief Night” which was part of the Irish and Scottish culture.

Halloween. Origin of the name.

What we now know as Halloween is celebrated more than 3,000 years ago by the Celts, a warrior village who inhabited areas in Ireland, England, Scotland and France. On October 31, the Celts celebrated the end of the year with Samhain, a pagan festival. With European immigration to the United States, mainly the Irish Catholics in 1846, brought the tradition of Halloween to America. In Halloween you think of costumes, makeup, party, candy and children; but tradition states that its celebration was not always festive and cheerful, and the rites that were practiced through the night had a purifying and religious character.

By the eighth century, the Christian Church became the 1st of November at All Saints Day to honour all the saints who did not have a particular day of celebration. Over the years, these festivals were combined, and most people called "All Hallowmas" to All Saints Day. The night before was known as "All Hallows Eve" (Eve of All Saints Day). Over time, his name became Halloween.

Poem by Howard Simon

The low lands call
I am tempted to answer
They are offering me a free dwelling 
Without having to conquer

The massive mountain makes its move
Beckoning me to ascend
A much more difficult path
To get up the slippery bend

I cannot choose both 
I have a choice to make
I must be wise
This will determine my fate

I choose, I choose the mountain
With all its stress and strain
Because only by climbing
Can I rise above the plain

I choose the mountain 
And I will never stop climbing
I choose the mountain
And I shall forever be ascending

I choose the mountain 

Why do we need punctuation?

1. The men, in question Harold Keene, Jim Peterson, and Gerald Greene, deserve awards.
2. Several Countries participated in the airlift: Italy, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
3. 'Only one course was open to us surrender', said the ex-major, and we did.
4. Judge Carswell later to be nominated for the Supreme Court; had ruled against civil rights.
5. In last week´s New Yorker, one of my favourite magazines, I enjoyed reading Leland´s article' How Not to Go CAmping'.
6.'Yes', Jim said, 'I´ll be home by ten'.
7. There was only one thing to do: study till dawn.
8. Montaigne write 'the following A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself'.
9. The following are the primary colors: red, blue, and yellow.
10.Arriving on the 8.10 plane were Liz Brooks, my old roomate her husband and Tim, their son.
11. When the teacher commented that her spelling was pooe, Lynn replied: 'All the members of my family are poor spellers. Why not me?'
12. He used the phrase 'you know so often that I finally said No, I don´t know'.
13. The automobile dealer handled three maked of caras: Volkswagens, Porsches, and Mercedes Benz.
14. Though Phil said he would arrive on the 9.19 flight; he came instead on the 10.36 flight.
15. Whoever thought said Helen that Jack would be elected class-president?
16. In baseball, a show-boat is a man whi shows-off.
17. The minister quoted Isaiah 5.21 in last Sunday´s sermon.
18. There was a very interesting articled entitled 'The New Rage for Folk Singing' in last Sunday´s New York Times newspaper.
19. 'Whoever is elected secretary of the club Ashkley, Or chandra, Or Aisha must be prepared to do a great deal of work', said Jumita, the previous secreatary.
20. Darwin´s On the Origin of Species (1859) caused a great controvery when it appeared.
21. We had a great time in France; the kids really enjoyed it.
22. Some people work best in the mornings; others do better in the evenings.
23. What are you doing next weekend?
24. Mother had to go into hospital, she had heart problems.
25. Did you understand why I was upset?
26. It is a fine idea, let us hope that it is going to work.
27. We will be arriving on Monday morning -at least I think so.
28. A textbook can be a wall between teacher and class.
29. The girls´father sat in a corner.
30. In the words of 'Murphys Law Anything' than can go wrong will go wrong.

Some information about Michael Jackson´s films

The King of Pop, besides his famous career as a singer, he participated in many movies, which are important: The Wiz (1978), which is an American film musical directed by Sidney Lumet and performance by Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell and Richard Pryor. The film is an adaptation of the Broadway play of the same name. His role in this movie was as a scarecrow. The second one is Captain EO (1986), which was a mini filming recorded by Disney in order to show it in their theme parks (Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris). The third one is Moonwalker (1988), a film that is must indispensably watched by Michael Jackson´s fans. It was thought and produced by the singer in 1988 and, although it mixes a fiction history against drugs and abuse of children by traffickers, is a good compilation of his songs of his disc “Bad”. The last one is not recognised like a film, but a documentary: This is it. It covers his preparation, the recorded material while he was trying out to his performances in London 2009. It was a box-office video. It was said that it stayed only two weeks in cinemas. In addition of that, it is important to say that he had some small roles, such as in Men in Black II (because he admired Will Smith), in where he transformed in an alien, or in a bad film called Miss Naufragio (Mist Cast Away). Also, he could have acted as Edward Scissorhands or Xavier in X-Men.

Statue of Liberty poem

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

This poem was written by Emma Lazarus in 1883. 

Are you green?

Modern teenagers are supposed to be very environmentally conscious but I do not think so because of several reasons.

On the one hand, they think and do everything to be respectful, they throw rubbish into bottle bank, the do no buy pollution products, they take to the streets when something about air pollution is not respected… They do their best to battle the fight against non-conscious people, and this is awesome. On the other hand, when they hang out with their friend by night, they drink still get drunk. Thus, they leave or break bottles as they were crazy, leaving the environmentally topic behind, disturbing the balance. As a consequence, they pollute the surroundings, doing what they did not want people did.

However, I consider myself like a green person. I recycle every day, throwing away rubbish in each trash can, plastic into the yellow, glass into the green and paper into the blue. I take seriously the air pollution because each year the level of the water is increasing and the average temperature is increasing as well. Another problem is the exhaust fumes that some old cars have and, fortunately, new cars do not have that big problem, they are more ecological.

Eventually if we do not take short-term measures we will destroy our planet and we live with poor conditions.

Garden Under Lightning - Leonora Speyer

(Ghost-Story)

Out of the storm that muffles shining night

Flash roses ghastly-sweet,

And lilies far too pale.

There is a pang of livid light,

A terror of familiarity,

I see a dripping swirl of leaves and petals

That I once tended happily,

Borders of flattened, frightened little things,

And writhing paths I surely walked in that other life—

Day?

My specter-garden beckons to me,

Gibbers horribly—

And vanishes!

Summer

Last summer, I had my favourite holiday with friend Paco. That holiday was incredible because it was emotionally charged. Also,  we lived many adventures and did several activities that we have never done. We took a flight and, the most amazing thing, we did a cruise holiday. The travel agent was very friendly when we decided to do the trip.

First of all, we took the flight in the San Javier´s airport to go to Arizona. The first emotion was that we had to pay a debt a because of the weight of our heavy and large suitcase. Finally we took the plane, and I was sit down on the window seat, while my friend was sit down on the aisle seat. In conclusion, we arrived in time.

After that, we went to see beautiful scenery with steep hill and big mountains as well. In addition we also went to the town centre. Then, as I am a keen photographer, I took pictures of everything. Learning some English was also very interesting, and we met Amy Winehouse who showed us her private pool and jet.

Eventually, we had to go back to Murcia, but that was the best part because we did it by a crowded cruise ship. Since the ship my friend and I could see terrific views of the animals of the sea. Suddenly, my friend Paco got ill due to the movements of the ship, but by the time we arrived at the coast, he had already got over. Finally, we went to our house in Madrid.

From my point of view this trip was amazing because we lived an adventure we will never forget. We learnt very much of the American culture and we recomend to trip to open places if you live in a small city.

Zoos

On the one hand, we can find some advantages. Zoos are created in order to conserve and protect animals that are in extinction as lynxs, some eagle species, white rhinos, etc. Most of these animals are in zoos because people hunt animals and sell them parts, as the skin. Also, we can see poachers hunt for fun, and they eradicate animals. Babies caught by hunters are brought to circus or shows, in where tamers teach them things through punishment, bad treatments o something that changes animals.

Thanks to animal protection charities we can still contemplate amazing animals. In addition, we can say that zoos are places where scientists can study animals and their behaviour, and kids learn to respect nature and animals.

On the other hand, there are important disadvantages in zoos as well. The animal specie is born to be and grow in the wild life. They have the instinct of hunting, some of them at day and others at night. So in zoos they can´t do that because they see themselves in a jail where they have a limit space. Sometimes  in zoos, babies born they are brought to circus or shows, in where tamers teach them things through punishment, bad treatments o something that changes animals.

From my point of view, keeping animals in zoos is well if and when these zoos are equiped with the best technology that do not hurt animals. Finally, not all zoos are equal. While most zoos are constructed as beautiful mansions, others that lack proper maintenance can create poor living conditions for the animals.

Winning the lottery

Winning the lottery is a dream which everyone dreams with, but it is so difficult. Personally speaking, if I hit the jackpot I would squander a part money on luxuries and stuff my family need, because they are always giving me (if it they can) all I ask for. Another part I would donate to charities which make an effort to improve the quality of poor people. As see it, I won the lottery I wouldn´t go public and not tell to my friends because of I could become a sought person.

As far as I know, money usually change people. From my point of view, I don´t think the money is the solution to our problems. In fact, it is something that we must have just right, if not you will be a greedy person. If someone wins the lottery he/she will do all wanted to do as buying a car (Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, …), build a gold house or something like that. This is, people waste money on un-useful stuff with which money ends. After that, people came back to the beginning: being poor, being in debt, etc. In addition of this, many times people around of the rich person only like his money. The rich have to be very careful when they want to be friends because many people are interested in only their wealth.

Moreover, we can find some advantages an. The biggest advantage is that you can buy everything you want to have. There isn´t limited amount of money and doesn´t care how much things cost. Being a rich person afford to have their own servants. Having money is the dream of all people.

To sum up, money make us not to be humans.

Techno-lovers

Nowadays, all young people have a social network because they think this is very important in order to have “social life”, I do not think so.

On the one hand, we can find some pros about being a techno-lover of the social network or Internet in general. That it is, we are surrounded by technology, all move by technology. We have microwave ovens, laptops, tablets…, and we need someone to help us if they break. Modern teenagers just open the search engine and look for what they need, solve problems or downloads video games, and old people express them their gratitude for this. In addition, nowadays, young people have the ways to develop useful key breakthroughs and become available the technology to old people. Personally speaking, I consider that youngers buy more frequently by online shopping that in physical shops, but this could be a problem.

However, as I have said, there problems with the new technologies as social networks because the more increasing the technology, the more people can create problems. Nowadays youngers do not realise that can have people stalking on Facebook. Also, modern people attach photos, access a website, enter their address, reply to unknown people, etc., and it is dangerous because they can be kidnaped or hack into their computers and knowing all of them.

As I see it, technology has been good for us because, thanks to it, we have been able to develop the broadband connections, electric tin openers, electric toothbrush, we have been able to get better the quality of a photo in order to discover a murderer… Even though these help us, exist people addicted to Internet who can develop ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and this makes decrease their notes in high-school or worse, in their job.

Song lyrics - Diplo - Revolution (feat. Faustix & Imanos and Kai)

Can you see it?
The worst is over.
The monsters in my head are scared of love.
Fallen people listen up!
It's never too late to change our luck.

So, don't let them steal your light (Eh eh eh eh)
Don't let them break your stride (Eh eh eh eh)
There is light on the other side
And you'll all the raindrops falling behind
It's a revolution
Make it out tonight
It's a revolution
It's a reva, rev

Can you see it?
The worst is over
The monsters in my head are scared of love
Fallen people listen up!
It's never too late to change our luck

So, don't let them steal your light (Eh eh eh eh)

Don't let them break your stride (Eh eh eh eh)
There is light on the other side
And you'll all the raindrops falling behind
It's a revolution
Make it out tonight
It's a revolution
It's a reva, rev
Oh oh, ooo oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh, ooo oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh, ooo oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh, ooo oh, oh oh oh
Rev, rev, rev, rev

Pathetic things

As I see it, many modern kids usually go to parties in order to drink and smoke, thinking either this is correct when you go out, or because if you want to be cool you have to do it. Anybody does that despite the age difference. From my point of view, this is because people get together with those who have bad habits such as not going to class, badly replying to their parents… That is to say, it affects their mood and they can change.

Years ago, it did not happen because parents demanded high standards of their children. In those moments there were fewer terrible fights than now, and obviously, kids started drinking much after. In addition, they did not go out to drink, but they only were keen on hand out with their friends outside in their spare time. Also, you could give someone a lift somewhere without having fear if someone could appear drunk or smoked.

Furthermore, personally speaking, I think the behaviour is strongly influenced by the childhood, which could be happy or unhappy. If it was unhappy, the kid could show a relax attitude and happy-go-lucky. On the other hand, if the kid was in a clean and tidy environment he can have more attitude to do his responsibilities.

To sum up, some tips I could give to people are that if you want to have fun, you do not need to drink or smoke. If you have friends who think this is important you have to say them goodbye because they want you to drink. You would be able to find long-suffering friends who think as you and having fun without alcohol as well. You need not the drink to hang out.

Do you remember him?

Paul William Walker (Paul Walker) (September 12, 1973 – November 30, 2013) was an American actor. His first film was “Monster of the closet”, in 1986. In 2001 Walker achieved international fame thanks to his role as Brian O'Conner in "Fast & Furious" (2001), a film co-starring Vin Diesel who met several sequels. Paul Walker dead in a traffic accident, when his friend, who was driving the car, lost the control of the car and it crashed with a tree. 

The purpose of education

Education is a topic very talked recently. Many people have different points of view about that. For example, Chomsky says that exams do not must be cancelled, but they must be focused on information that it is basic. Is it necessary to come back to the traditional method? Are our children educated well? Modern education is something not useful to learn.

First of all, the kind of education is not very good, its demands are useless. Many kids in school try to learn something that it is useless to the real life, or that they do not like anything and forget in the following day of doing the exam. It is a waste of time for teachers and children, and the most important thing is children do not learn anything and they cannot defend themselves in their own real life.

On the other hand, it is important to mention how important exams are. Nowadays, exams that students do are very theoretical. They are questioned in development form, they do not question what you know, but you have memorized. Also, with this method, the student is not able to express correctly and not having the competence in the topic. In summary, the kids would be incompetent.

However, other idea very important is the equal level for everyone. Saying that all students are equal and that is necessary to reduce the level so that students are less intelligent, or they come from families with little resources and lived in a little intellectual environment is a mistake. If in order to get the equality is necessary to reduce the level, only unprepared students will be got.

Personally speaking, education is necessary, schools are necessary, but we do not forget that despite having them, we must focus suitable on what it is important and how to manage to improve the capacity of the students. Our modern education is not used for growing professionally, but only to complete what education system ask for. Examples of this are exams, mote theory that practical…

Space Debris

Out planet is just a little part among all we do not know. We have needed many years in order to develop starts, planets... Maybe, wi will even need much more tome to understand, for example, space debris. This unknown element can come from others planets or, even, thrown by someone/something. Nowadays, space debris have been fallen recently and it can destroy some places.

Space debris is the collection of manmade defunct objects in orbit around Earth (rocket stafes, old satellites and fragments from desintegration, erosion and collisions). Space debris is a problem that is gaining importance. These fragments make difficult going out to space. Experts recognize that this problem is complicated and expensive and would be difficult to solve it.

In addition, it is necessary, to solve this problem, sending cosmic debris truck to collect waste, but it is very cost, and this price can be around 600,000$. Some experts are trying to develop some techniques to destroy most of them, some of them are: building a lasers or harpoons.

We are surrounded by unknown things and we do not know enough about the space. Also, when we find everything about the space, it may be too late. How ever, we have enough experts to solve the problem of the space debris. When we finish with these elements we could go out to space more calmly.

Poverty

I. Thesis statement: Poverty is growing up because of the bad sharing among the countries in the world.

II. Number of the countries which have it.
    A. Which have the most.
    B. Wars inside.

III. Difference between poor and rich countries.
   A. Money earned by each person.
   B. Behaviour of people with this inequality.

IV. How people escape from their countries.
  A. Which countries are the most wanted.
  B. How countries have dealings with them.

IV. If we do not solve this problem, we will not achieve the human right we established time ago.

Magic final. Man on the edge - Hitchcock Presents (S02 E03)

After the scare in order to try to catch the cigarette and the intentions of the police to save him, the man, suddenly, saw something that was coming. From the background of the city, a strange noise could be heard and was mixed with the shouts of the people. It was King Kong, which was destroying everything it could.

Finally, when it came to him, it held and put him on its right shoulder. They both went to the house of the girl who left the man. He ordered the monkey to eat the girl as revenge. After that, they walked and walked saving people from the injustices all over the world, and they got to Springfield and they met Homer Simpson. They talked (even the monkey, why not) and decided to run the world and finish with the evil in the world.

However, not all people agreed with this. Obama realised that a monkey or Homer Simpson could not lead the Earth. Thus, he sent a missile to Springfield and destroyed to the man, King Kong and Homer Simpson. Eventually, live as we know it continued as always.

Syria unrest

Thousands of Syrians have to run in order to safe their lives. This problem is recent and it has been seen by many people in the world. Unfortunately, they have not any food or drink to survive. They are always risking their own lives without enemies consider them as innocent. Thus, they trip by feet to other countries or to refugee camps.

One solution to the problem of Syrians is to make people and nations aware by mass media. People must think about their hard situation, and help them donating some money to an organization which can help Syrians.

Punk music vs classical music

Punk music and classical music are very different, but they both are interesting. First of all, the clothes are not the same. The first one was developed in the 20th century.  Punk people always wear not colorful and unusual shirts, spoilt jeans and their hair is very original. This type of music, which uses electric guitars, drums, etc, is sung of rowdy way. In contrast, the second type of music, which was created many centuries ago, is played with elegant and stylish clothes, and it is not sung because there are not singers, only instruments such as pianos, violins, cellos, ... Finally, they both are listened to all over the world.

Opinion...

The Spanish education is so bad, and it has been like this through years. It must change.
From my point of view, there are a lot of inversions in things that are not important and there is corruption blocks oportunities of the students. Years before, Japan, USA or other countries established educational reforms which have done these countries are world powers. If you go out to the street, you will understand why our education is so bad: younger don not go to schools or high-schools and it is not pensalised adequately, they do not know anything about our history,... All of this you can watch on YouTube. Consequently, I think government must repair it, instead of arguing between both political parties if one did it bad or other did it worse. Finally, as far as I know, we are risking with our future and it is not a game.

Now, describe someone...

My mum has looked after me all this time, and I need her as people need air to surivive.She has a normal heigh for a woman and she is 51. She does a lot of the chores around our house. Also, she looks after my grandparents when they can´t go to the places alone.
My mum loves cooks (like me) and she always seeks recipes in all Internet. In addition, one of the most hobbies she likes is the fashion.
She always want to be positive and she wants everything goes well. When something misses, she finds out (like a magician). She listens  to all the problems of my family.
FInally, I have to say that my mum is a superheroine.

Guernica, Picasso

The several feelings showed by Picasso in the Guernica make me feel amazed.
In this painting, the author tries to explain or show what he had felt in the air attack to the Guernica. I am sure he had terror and he was scared because it was in the Spanish Civil War, a catastrophe. It is showed with all the figures distribuited for all the painting. I would feel the same if I had been in his situation. Each dispersed part means the result of the bomb: mums crying, mutilations,...

This painting is an artwork that represent perfectly the Picasso´s feelings.

Recipe.

I am going to write a recipe. This recipe was published in my high school´s magazine and I chose from the cook Rachel Allen. I hope you do it because it´s so easy. Let´s do that!

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Ingredients:
-225 grames of dark chocolate.
-225 grames of butter.
-6 eggs (separated).
-200 grames of ground almonds.
-325 grames of caster sugar.
-75 grames sifted flour.
-1 tsp baking powder.

For the icing:
-175 grames of caster sugar.
-275 grames of icing sugar.
-125 grames of butter.
-100 grames of cocoa powder
-100 mililitres of water.

Elaboration:

Preheat the oven to 150ºC and put butter on the mould.

Melt the chocolate with the "Baño María"´s method or use the microwave and  let it cool. After, in a bowl, cream the butter until soft with electric mixer.

Add the sugar and beat well. Also, add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each adittion. To this mixture, add the ground almonds, the meltedchocolate, flour and baking powder and mix it.

Pour the egg whites into another bowl with a pinch of salt and beat until stiff.

Mix both mixtures carefully and pour into the mould.

Bake for about 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean but moist. After, let it cool.

In order to do the icing, mix the icing sugar and the cocoa powder in a bowl. Pace the butter, caster sugar and 100 mililitres of water in a saucepan and set over a medium heat, until the butter is melt and the sugar disolved.

Mix all the ingredients and pout it onto the cake (once it is cool).

Eat and enjoy it!

Poem.

Fear of being alone.
Fear of not having her.
Fear of no having her laugh.
Fear of forgetting her.
Fear of not feeling.
Fear of not looking after me.
Fear of the end.
Fear of her death.
Fear of my end.
Fear of her cold.
Fear of her heat.
Fear of not having both.
Fear of not seeing her again.
Fear of cannot write her name.
Fear of getting crazy.
Fear of someone hurts her.
Fear of destroying.
Fear of not having her help.
Fear this day will end and everything will lose.
Fear of waking up to find you are no here.
Fear of not loving and fear of loving.
Fear that what I love never exists.
Fear of fear.
Fear of her.
Fear of my mum.
I´ve said that.

That day...

Last Friday, I had my first class of Prácticas de Redacción. In that class, I had to write a topic according to 5 themes and I thought I couldn´t do it, but I made it.

After that, we could choose between two writing techniques: brainstorming and doing a map with your ideas.
Brainstorming: It consists in writing all the words related to the topic that come to your brain.
Map with ideas: It consists in writing the related words and linking them. This is an amazing technique because you can write words related to the mains, and they can not be connected to the theme.

Maybe, that day I did a little step in order to start my hobby of writing...