Lu's Story - IV

Now, so many years later, we know now what it was about: government and corporations had hired the “evil scientist” to create something that increases even more the American economy, no matter what the consequences were; so he had engineered the most powerful and harmful invention ever: the consumption!
They’d created a gas that aged our things and that made us change our likes from day to night. First, they had tried in mouses with spray caps, to then spoil the gas all over, in us, humans, which happened in that fatidic day when we went to the lab. Now all the things make so sense… Only if we couldn’t had gone to that lab earlier… Maybe things were better now, because this not only made people buy things an one hallucinatory rhythm ( which, in fact, had increased the economy) it also, brought us all of those environmental problems that now we can’t avoid, with all of the garbage that was made and bad use of natural resources.

About Lu's Story.... (facts)

I know it’s kind like a science-fiction story but behind all that it’s a little bit true: in fact, shortly after the World War 2, corporations and the government were figuring out how to ramp up the U.S. economy and the retailing analyst Victor Lebow (the “scientist”) articulated the solution that has become the norm for the whole system. He said: “Our enormously productive economy... demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption... we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate.”
So, what I tried to do was to metaphor that reality to make this text had, somehow, one goal: to alert people not to buy unnecessary stuff, because we are the only ones who suffer with that. Please get aware of consumption. It was the first step for Global Warming and lack of resources; it was the first step for the mankind extinguish.

WE ARE ALL TOGETHER!

Teddy bear

Everyone knows the famous teddy bear: one cute toy bear, usually stuffed with soft cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal across the United States, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items. Now, teddy bears come in various styles and people can dress them up in many different styles and articles of clothing. Teddy bears are also among the most popular gifts for children and significant others on Valentine's Day and other holidays. But... How was created this amazing cute invention?

The name Teddy Bear comes from former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was "Teddy". The name originated from an incident on a bear-hunting trip in Mississippi: A suite of Roosevelt's attendants, cornered, clubbed, and tied an American Black Bear to a willow tree after a long exhausting chase with hounds. They called Roosevelt to the site and suggested that he should shoot it. He refused to shoot the bear himself, deeming this unsportsmanlike, but instructed that the bear be killed to put it out of its misery, and it became the topic of a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902.While the initial cartoon of an adult black bear lassoed by a white handler and a disgusted Roosevelt had symbolic overtones, later issues of that and other Berryman cartoons made the bear smaller and cuter.

Morris Michtom saw the drawing of Roosevelt and the bear cub and was inspired to create a new toy. He created a little stuffed bear cub and put it in his shop window with a sign that read "Teddy's bear," after sending a bear to Roosevelt and receiving permission to use his name.

At the same time, in Germany the Steiff firm, unaware of Michtom's bear, produced a stuffed bear from Richard Steiff's designs. They exhibited the toy at the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903 and exported 3000 to the United States.

By 1906 more manufacturers had joined in and the craze for Teddy Bears was such that ladies carried them everywhere, children were photographed with them, and Roosevelt used one as a mascot in his bid for re-election.

Early teddy bears were made to look like real bears, with extended snouts and beady eyes. Today's teddy bears tend to have larger eyes and foreheads and smaller noses, babylike features that make them more attractive to buyers because they enhance the toy's cuteness.

By: Lu*

Socks

Socks are a knitted or woven type of hosiery for enclosing the human feet.

Socks are designed to:

- ease chafing between the foot and footwear
- protect footwear by absorbing perspiration and dead skin lost from the foot
- keep the feet warm
- soak up sweat, from the foot if sweaty

When only part of the insole is covered, leaving the forepart visible, this is known as a half-sock.

The foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat in the body, able to produce over a pint of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can evaporate the perspiration. In cold environments, socks decrease the risk of frostbite. So they are very very vey important!

Curiosity
Its name may have originated by the shoes worn by Roman comic actors called soccus in Latin. It was a slipper and fitted loosely so it could be taken off quickly.

By: Margarida

Blue Jeans

Jeans are trousers made from denim. Mainly designed for work, they became popular among teenagers starting in the 1950s. Historic brands include Levi's, Lee and Wrangler.
Jeans are now a very popular form of casual dress around the world, and have been so for decades. They come in many styles and colors; however, "blue jeans" are particularly identified with American culture, especially the American Old West.

History: The word "jeans" comes from the French phrase bleu de Gênes, literally the blue of Genoa. Jeans fabric, or denim, originated independently in two places: the French town of Nîmes, to which 'denim' owes its name; and in India, where trousers made of denim material were worn by the sailors of Dhunga, which came to be known as dungarees.
At the same time, denim trousers were made in Chieri, a town near Turin (Italy), during the Renaissance, and were popularised in the 19th century. These trousers were sold through the harbour of Genoa, which was the capital of the independent Republic of Genoa which was long an important naval and trading power. Early examples of trousers were made for the Genoese Navy, which required all-purpose pants for its sailors. They required pants that could be wet or dry, the legs of which could be worn while swabbing the deck. These were laundered by dragging them in nets behind the ship, and the sea water and sun would gradually bleach them to white. They were worn by Genoan sailors and stevedores in France.



Curiosity: The American population spent more than $14 billion on jeans in 2004.

By: Ciih*

"Just Breath" vs "Heavy Cross"

Hi everyone! You may be wondering why we posted these two songs on our blog together, when they have nothing to do in terms of rhythm or musical style. Well, if you pay attention to the lyrics you’ll find the similarities that made us post these songs simultaneously.

LU:
In my opinion, these songs have a common message: everyone make mistakes but we can always redeem ourselves with our friend’s help.

The first song tell us more specifically that it’s a natural human act to make mistakes, that may difficult our lives a little but that, at the same time, makes friends so important: because our friends are the ones who stay on our side when we fall and, more important, that help us to come clean: that’s why it’s so important and amazing to have them, and why we should conserve and support them too; so, when he says “did I say that I need you? Did I say that I want you? Oh, if I didn’t I’m a fool, you see… No one knows this more than me”, I think he’s kind like thank to their friends and remember them how much they are important to him and apologize haven’t told it earlier, which I understand because sometimes it’s very easy to forget how some people are so important in our lives.

The second song show us two different ways to live our lives: “play it safe” - don’t cross the line, follow a leader and the rules and not stand - that almost “protect” us from make mistakes or “play it cool” - try new things, break the rules and create new ones, be the leader and try to make difference in the world – that it’s much much more likely to error. We can choose one of them (we have to) but we must know that every mistake can be fixed, and as the world it’s too cruel to face alone, it’s very important to have people that can support us.

I may disagree a little bit with the message from the lyrics, because I think that every mistake will be paid and there is no such thing as “redemption”; it is only like a punishment itself so if we made a mistake we will (and we should) get punishment later, because that’s how it is. It’s important to have true friends because they are the only ones who support and hug us in the worst moments, when we are being punished and, above all, that forgive the unforgivable and smile and hold on when everyone turn their back to us.


Ci and Meh

Pearl Jam - Just Breathe

This song is about LOVE! Love is everything you need to live, love is what makes you happy. Love is something we can't explain but we can express. Some people have difficulties to do that but what really matter is that the feeling is real! If love is strong enough it can overcome all! We just have to give a chance to the person you love because you ill never be happy without he/ she. And remember: make mistakes is human!

"Did I say that I need you?
Oh, did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me
And I come clean, ah...

Nothing you would take
Everything you gave
Hold me til I die
Meet you on the other side..."

Just beautiful! :)

Gossip - Heavy Cross

We can see a message refering that our world is a "cruel world" and it doesn't make sense without fun "it's feels alright but never complete, without joy..." It also tell us that our living in this world is becoming difficult and we don't have to face it by ourselves! We aren't alone. We can do everything we want to do. We are free people and those who loves us will always be in our side no matter what happens.

We can make our happiness. Don't let the other decide for you!

Life is yours and you choose how you want to live it.

Sweet Dreams :D

Nelas' Carnival

Pirates, be careful ; D

Oh yea, we are sooo amazing :D

(Ci, Ribeiro, Lu, Tiih, Ju, Fá, Meh and Tány)

The authors: Lu, Meh and Ci

(Finally a decent and recent photo! :D )

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Mom!

You’re perfect: that’s all.

Thank you to be my mother, my sister and my friend, best friend ever.

(...and for this tiny little Rovisco's nose ;oD)

By: RoviscoJr.

Happy St. Valentine's Day

Hi everyone! Happy St. Valentine's Day ; )

16

Do you remember?



"with your big mouth" ;bb

Happy Birthday Bizum'zita :D

From... Guess who ;b

Modern Media

Modern media have an huge influence in our lives nowadays; that's a fact we can't deny. But it's that influence a bad influence or a good influence? Has it contributed to the development of our knowledge or laziness?

Well we think modern media and technological gadgets were just extraordinary inventions. They are simply amazing! Just look how commode gadjets like remote control, washing machine, GPS, ... turned our lifes much more esier; how radio, television, playstation and so on make us have so much fun; how amazing it is to have all the information, news, entertainment and communication we need inside our home or with us. Especially for handicaped people, who don't have abillities to have a "normal" life, technological advances, that lead to medicine and equipment improvements, turned their lives much more happier and give them a new hope. Yes, technological advances were awesome to improve our lifes. But how is it possible that some people think that it could rather be a bad influence and a bad thing in our lifes?!

Well that it's the bad side on this all story! People are getting either overweight or obese because they have all they need without moving. Some kind of technology emitts bad radiations that provoque diseases like cancer. How easy it is to make one research work nowadays? It's just open the internet, click and make copy and paste, change the style type, the size, formate and voilá, that's it. We don't even read it, we don't even learn. This is truly sad. But the fault is not from the gadgets, not even of the inventors. All these things were created to make our lives esier, population doesn't know how to use it correctly. Students nowadays have much more information but they don't use it correctly, they don's know how to use it. That is awesome how technology possibilited to everyone the same informations, so that is no excuses to don't do it. But, as we said before, we don't read it, we don't process the information we have. We have it but... what for? We don't use it. If we use it like students in the past used the (less) information they had in books, we were all geniuses, this will be a golden generation, but we don't use rightly, so it's becoming like a "lazy generation" and WE HAVE TO MOVE IF WE WANT TO PROCEED!

We made it be a bad thing! It's our fault. So that is a message for everyone: please take a good care of the use of these things. Let's take the good things that could gave us!!