"The Message" by Grand Master Flash

“A child is born with no state of mind

Blind to the ways of mankind.”

Quote from Rapper Grand Master Flash

This quote related to the book A Long Way Gone, because in the book children live such different life style than we do in America. They are free to roam throughout towns without telling anyone where they are going. They also are a really poor country and the children are born without a chance for education. They wakeup to crime and war. Infants are born in crime and war.

“God is smiling on you but he's frowning too

Because only God knows what you’ll go through.”

QUOTE FROM Rapper Grand Master Flash

This quote also relates to the book in the same way. Children are born into war and and lack of food. Most people can't relate because they don't have to live in the same environment and wakeup starving like the children do in the book A Long Way Gone.

RUF

Revolutionary United Front (RUF) is a terrorist group formed in the 1980s in Sierra Leone; seeks to overthrow the government and gain control of the diamond producing regions; responsible for attacks on civilians and children. In the end the Rebels lost the war although there are still people being tried for the acts that were committed.

Hip-Hop/Rap

Facts about Lovebug Starski

Starski recorded his first single, "Positive Life," on the Tayster record label in 1981.

Lovebug Starski and World Famous Brucie B also worked together at the Rooftop Roller rink in Harlem during the 1980s.

In the 1990s Starski began DJing again with his friend, DJ Hollywood.

He began his career as a record boy in 1971 as hip-hop first appeared in the Bronx, and he eventually became a DJ at the Disco Fever club in 1978.

Book review

O.K so I read the book Glass by Ellen Hopkins. It was an amazing book. I definitely recommend this book. Both guys and girls can read it but I think girls would enjoy it more. It is about a woman named Kristina, she had just had a baby and is trying to recover from her drug addiction to Crystal-Meth. Her life was going pretty well until the monster starts to haunt her again. Then her life is back to the vortex it was before her son Hunter was born. Things go from bed to worse when Kristina came home the last time high. Her mom kicks her out and now she is going to move in with her boy-toy’s cousin Brad and be a nanny. Living there was a twenty four hour party with her new friend and the monster. When Brad’s wife moves back home Kristina now moves into a motel. Soon after she finds trouble and her life is in a vortex again... Although this book looks long, it is a very fast read. It is told in poems and I recommend it to people that like to read about drugs and other shenanigans of that sort.

Review

This year has been amazing we went from crazy last year to mellow and better behaved this year and next year will be even better. As a class we grew and we will continue growing. I used the word impulse because last year we were impulsive separately and this year we were impulsive together as a whole. I can’t wait for next year.

Impulse

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

This book is about three teens who have very different lives. First of all the are all sent to this Rehab clinic/camp because they all try to kill them selves. The book shows the journey these three teens overcome while in this clinic/ camp. Vanessa is one of the charters who you will meet. She is beautiful and smart but her family history haunts her until she cuts a little too deep and her little brother finds her. Tony has had it rough too. He is a gay teen that grew up without a dad and a mother who could care less, and the pills and boos got a little too out of hand. Conner has what some people think is I perfect life, but to him he is pushed over the edge with all the pressure. He copes when he finds emma but when she is gone it all goes down hill from there. I loved how connected the three got during the book. Three opposite people with a bond that will last forever, or for a while anyway. I also loved how I related to each of them in away I felt like I was with them in the book like a fly on the wall. I recommend this book to Mature readers. It is a very intense book. It is for people who like realistic fiction. Impulse looks long but the poems are very short so it is a really fast read. The book is told in poems which is very cool. This book was very Intense but heart warming.

Tarot Vignette

I am bad for instance I sass my mom and get grounded

I am wonderful for instance I sit up late at night and type my mom’s papers

I am ugly for instance I am built like a man

I am beautiful for instance I have long dark curly hair

I am tough for instance I walked on a broken feet for two weeks

I am weak for instance I cry over almost anything

I am stupid for instance I know nothing about cars

I am smart for instance I have made high honors all sophomore year

I am mad for instance my dad really pisses me off

I am happy for instance I have a wonderful life with my mom and step dad

I judge for instance I look in the mirror and judge myself everyday