Patriot's Pen - Brinley Sullivan

Why I Appreciate Veterans

Did you know that there are over 22,658,000 veterans in the US? All around the country, there are veterans who served in the wars all over the world, just for us. Without veterans, where would our country be in the world today? Veterans have served our country well. I know so many veterans, and they are all so kindhearted and sweet. I appreciate them because they served for our country, they fought for all of us, and they dedicated their life so that we could be free.

(This is just the first paragraph because its way to long to post the whole thing)

Global Warming Is Real And People Are Causing It

Humans are causing global warming and it needs to be stopped. First of all, Earth’s climate is rising. Second, we are the ones causing it. Third the Earth’s rising temperature could outcome worse than you expect. You may think it’s not real but it is, and something needs to be done.

Research has been done showing that Earth’s climate is warmer than a century ago. The amount of CO2 is also rising. There used to have about 0.03% carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is a good a good thing. If the Earth had no carbon dioxide then it would be a giant snowball. If the Earth had 0.06% carbon dioxide then it would it would be extremely hot and could not support life at all. Now the Earth has over 0.035% carbon dioxide, which is more than before. You may be thinking, “What does the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere have to do with the climate?” It’s called the greenhouse effect. When a star’s rays hit a planet’s surface, they bounce back, making the rays go back into space. When there is carbon dioxide in the atmosphere it makes some of the rays go back to the planet. The more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the less rays go back into space, and the hotter the planet is. Scientists estimate that if humans keep putting greenhouse gasses into the air as they are now the climate will keep rising and rising so much it could become irreversible. The high temperature is also melting the polar ice caps at the poles. I’ll talk about that later though.

How do we know that humans are causing the CO2 levels and the climate to rise? Volcanoes spew out 500 million tons of carbon dioxide every year, but that is nothing compared to the 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide humans make every year. Not only that but there is a difference between volcanic CO2, and car and factory CO2. Volcanic CO2 is heavier than CO2 made by burning fossil fuels. So we know it’s humans. What we also know is that the climate started rising in the 20th century (the 1900s), just when burning fossil fuels started becoming popular. Well maybe it’s the sun that’s causing global warming. Nope, the sun’s solar energy output hasn't changed. Also, the Earth is warming more at night than at day, and more at winter than at summer. Which is the exact opposite of what the sun would do. If people started becoming more aware of what’s happening, than maybe people will change their ways. The bad thing is, carbon dioxide is invisible, but if we could see carbon dioxide, we would be seeing it around us everywhere. In places like New York and other big cities would be filled with it. You would see tons of it floating up from every car. And places with lots of factories, you would see clouds of carbon dioxide continuously coming from each of them.

The thing is though, there is another factor in global warming. There is a thing called positive feedback. Positive feedback is when something gets hot, and then causing things to get even hotter. For example, the polar ice caps are melting, but you may be asking, “Who cares if the polar ice caps melt?” But melting the polar ice caps make less ice, more water. Water is very dark and absorbs heat, keeping heat trapped in the Earth. Ice is very bright, reflecting most light. The increase in water causes the Earth to get even hotter, while there’s less ice to reflect the heat back to space, but the more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the more it’s going to make the reflected heat from the ice go back to earth, making it hotter. Therefor melting even more ice, making it even hotter. If you want to know what the Earth will be like if humans keep this up, think of Venus. Venus used to be just like Earth, but its CO2 levels naturally went out of control, and now it’s so bad it would never be able to support life. The reason that happened to Venus, is because it lost it’s ocean to space long ago, and without any water at all, the carbon couldn't be harvested by microscopic algae. That’s why it happened naturally. The Earth’s rise in carbon dioxide isn't happening naturally though. It’s happening because humans are too lazy and skeptical that they won’t even think about what they are doing to the Earth. If you don’t believe me, believe Channel One, believe Carl Sagan, believe all those scientists who spent years studying this.

Last winter was one of the coldest winters in a while. It snowed in St. George, and Santa Clara had snow on the ground for over a week. But there is a difference between climate and weather. Climate is the overall temperature over all the Earth. Weather is unpredictable, weather is like a dog on a leash. You never know what might interest the dog, he could go left and right but he is always with the owner. Look at the owner, not the dog.

Global Warming is real. Earth’s climate is rising, and humans are the ones causing it to rise. Even the people who don’t believe in global warming could at least think this, “If global warming isn’t real then that’s great, but what if it is. What if it turns out it is real and the all the species on the Earth are wiped out because of us.” So why take the chance? There has been a known solution to this whole problem since 1878, Solar energy. The sun gives out more energy than we will ever need, so if we start using solar energy instead of fossil fuels, it would be cheaper, easier, and not wreck life on Earth.

Poetry Contest

Remembering  9/11

By Luke Bryan

Sometimes I sit alone,

not knowing what to think,

but come to the conclusion

of a horrible intrusion

The day was not long ago,

when the world started to slow

and heard the sickening news

of America's great blues

Thousands of us had died,

and twice that many cried,

when we heard the sickening news

of Americas great blues

We still hold them in our hearts

and we miss there loving parts

but we will still remember

the grief of that September

Reversed protection

I saw a dark shadow following me it looked sad, lonely, yet mysterious. I didn't know what to think of him, or was it a her? I just started running, that's all I ever want to do. I looked behind me and, beep, beep, beep, it was only a dream. I dreaded the thought of waking up and going to another day of school. I slipped into some skinny jeans, a t-shirt and some red and white converse. Then I hurried down stairs to make myself some Strawberry Mini Wheat. Then I went around the corner into the hall that was connected to my bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror, I look like a wild animal was staying in my hair! My head was being yanked by all my snarls in my hair. I felt as if someone was trying to pull of all my hair. Finally I got my hair into semi good shape. I went back into the kitchen to look at the time and realized my bus came in five minutes! I ran into the bathroom to brush my teeth then yelled to my mom and dad, love you. Then scurried out the door. By the time I got on the bus I was panting for air. Hoping nobody would see my red cheeks and pounding chest. Hey Simone! I quickly turned around to see who it was and noticed it was just my friend Teddy. Her real name is Theodore because her family thought she was going to be a boy and didn't want to bother having to change it. I hurried and sat down before anyone could could notice me. Is my face still red? No she said without looking. Seriously! Fine, it's really not red. Okay thanks, I just sprinted all the way down here.

On the way to school I looked out the window wondering what I would be doing if it was still summer, but then my thoughts were cut of by a loud bang!someone had just shot a tire, then again another one was shot. Everybody was panicked and wondering what happened. I saw a shadow from the corner of my eye, it was the mysterious person in my dream. Then I saw him tumble to the ground being tazerd as I could now realized it was a man. Another bus came to get us but many parents came and got their children. We arrived at the middle school and proceeded with are lessons, when the school went on lock down. Everyone was saying they were never coming to school again and everyone was crying when the intercom came on and said it was a false alarm. We all went back to our business when a man walked into the room, he yelled where is Kenya! Kenya was my best friend and would do anything for me so I stood up and said, right here sir. What did I just do I thought. I was so stupid and careless. I was literally bawling inside but only small tears came down my cheeks. My head felt like it was about to burst because I was holding back so much fear and anger. I was angry because they said that there was a false alarm but it wasn't and now I could die. Will I see my family again? As I thought of these things I didn't realize that the man was walking towards me. He grabbed me by the arm and yanked me across the room. I fought him trying to get loose when everything went dark. 

When I woke up my head was pounding and I was tied to a chair. The guy who took me must have knocked me out to keep me from struggling. When the man came into the room he looked mad. He slammed down a piece of paper in front of me. It said DNA for Simone Frankwell on the top of the paper. He explained to me that Kenya was now in big trouble and that he was there to take her to keep her safe.

To hear more wait next month for more of the story.

                                 

Poetry Contest

Remember

By: Braden Christensen

I always like to remember

Although it is sometimes quite hard,

I sometimes forget that my dog is named Ember

I once got to remember Ember playing in the yard,

But that was very long ago

and I am beginning to lose it all,

now I am laying down low

with Ember at my side

I wish I could remember so much more

Watch Out Here come some GMFs

Watch Out, Here Come GMFs

Did you know that on average the american eats more than their own weight in Genetically modified foods? Now, I bet that a lot of you are saying”so what if it’s a GMF or not,” but the truth is that you should care about what GMFs are. I believe that we shouldn't grow genetically modified crops.One reason it is important that you care is because you don’t even realize that you eat more than your own weight of it every year. Another reason is because they are so recently created the long-term effects of eating such foods remain unknown. The last reason is because almost all of our food that is grown in the US is genetically modified.

A range of issues surround genetically modified food in the United States, including over consumption, a lack of long-term study, health studies, and government intervention. It found that every adult American eats an estimated 193 pounds of genetically engineered food annually. By comparison, the typical adult in the United States weighs 179 pounds. If you eat this much food each year wouldn't you want to make sure that it is safe to eat and that it has no harmful long term health effects.

In 1994, genetically modified produce, in the form of tomatoes, first appeared in grocery stores in the United States. Since then numerous other types of produce have been genetically modified, and consuming them has become common practice. Because the phenomenon is so recent, the long-term effects of eating such foods remain unknown. If you eat them every day of the year you should start to wonder about what these things can or already doing to you.Also because of the rapid growth of genetically modified foods in the United States, many people think that it is the role of the government in labeling these products. Many Americans want further studies done on (gm) food to make sure that it is safe to eat.

In recent years the growth of GM foods has skyrocketed. Corn has gone up from 25% in 2000 to 88% in 2012, cotton has gone up from 60% to 94%, and soybeans have gone up 33%. Don’t you want to know if all of this food that is being grown in this country is safe. I think that we should stop growing this unknown food and get back to the traditional food that we know is safe. It is either we do further testing to prove that this food is safe or get rid of it all together.

Now I know that you may say that you don’t need anything and that there is nothing happening to you. You also say that this is all  full of baloney well let me tell you something. Because of this recent growth of gmfs the bugs that are attacking the crops have almost completely stopped, But studies show that these insects are evolving and will soon begin to penetrate these “perfect” so called crops.

Now will you please all listen to me with your ears and heart. These things will destroy our countries food crops and may and might already be causing you health problems now and in the long run. Now that you all know that you are eating this much food you should want further studies done so that you can decide if this food is safe to eat. Now I ask you all that you will put this question into your mind. Do I care if I know that this food is safe to eat, or do I not care about my health and would not want anything done. This is the sole and only thing that I ask of you.  Thank You.

Accidents

I hear my phone blaring out “Fireflies” by Owl City I quickly get and see that is is a call from my mother’s phone.  “Hello.” I say.  “Hi is this the child of Frank and Sarah Lenny?”  says a deep gruff voice which I don’t recognize.  “Yes, who is this?”  “I’m deputy Canon, your parents have just been in an accident and are on their way to the hospital right now.”  “Please tell me this is a joke.”  I say as my voice cracks and tears start watering up in my eyes.  “Sorry miss, I never joke,” says deputy Canon, “an officer is on their way to drive you to the hospital right now, tell her to drive you to the Rose Foundation Hospital, on Maple way,  night miss.”  “Okay bye.”  I say as I hang up.  Quickly I run to the front door, look out the window, then I sink to the floor with my head between my knees and start to break down in tears.  

I stay there weeping for ten minutes when the doorbell rings.  “Is this the Lenny residence?” asks a deep feminine voice as I open the door.  “Yes.”  “I have orders to take you to the,”  “The Rose Foundation Hospital on Maple way.”  I finish her sentence as I see a brunette with a healthy figure and navy blue uniform.  “Alright come this way then”  I grab my phone, my keys, and lock the door on the way out.  I run out and hop into the almost pitch black car and put my headphones in listening to “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter.  “My name is Keyna, what’s yours?” says the officer.  “I like your name, mine is Ocean,”  I say wincing at how wild my name sounds compared to hers.  “but, I like being called O.C.”  “Nice to meet you.” says Keyna  “You too.”  After having that small conversation there was an awkward silence in the air.

After, twenty minutes of silence, we arrive at the RFH as the locals refer to it.  “Hang in there kid, it’s not as bad as it seems.” says Keyna  “Thanks you too.” I say as I hop out of the car and run into the hospital.  I see two police officers in the waiting room, an elder couple, and a few nurses running around.  “Are you Ocean Lenny?” asked the officer with blonde hair a strong complexion and a donut and coffee in his hands.  “Yes, are you deputy Canon?”  “I am, come with me.”  he says as he stands, brushes the donut crumbs off his uniform, and walks over to the nurse’s desk.  I have no choice but to follow him.  “Excuse me, Nurse Kay?”  he says  “I would like the room number for Frank and Sarah Lenny, this is their daughter.” he says gesturing towards me.  A dark haired woman walks into the room and checks her clipboard.  “They’re in room 235 on the third floor, I will take the girl to them,”  she looks me in the eye.  “come on this way, miss.”  she says with a voice like honey, as she starts walking towards the elevator.  

As I follow her, I hear a song I and not heard in the longest while run through my head “It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing.” by Shania Twain.  As we ride up the elevator to the third floor I feel butterflies in my stomach.  I am about to see my parents in a hospital bed with a small possibility of living.  “Hun, you look like a ghost do you need to sit down before we see your parents?” says Kay.  “I’ll be fine.” every word a lie.  When we at last reach the third floor, we walk down the hall for what seems like forever, but is only thirty feet we reach the room concealing my parents from me.  “The machines may look scary, but that is what is keeping them in a stable condition.” says Kay as she opens the door and walks in.