Joe

Random facts

In my paragraph I am going to tell you about things you might not know about. They might be completely stupid or they might be interesting. I hope some of the things I said you liked.

What makes **Nerf** balls soft? Nerf foam is made from a solid, spongy cellular material that starts as a polyester resin treated with carbon dioxidde bubbles.

- Cats sleep 16 to 18 hours per day. There are 64 million house cats in the world.

- Elephants are the only mammals that can't jump.

- Unwinding a clock's hands counterclockwise while setting it is not necessarily harmful. It is only damaging when the timepiece contains a chiming mechanism.

- There are twice as many kangaroos in Australia as there are people. The kangaroo population is estimated at about 40 million.

Police dogs are trained to react to commands in a foreign language; commonly German but more recently Hungarian.

The Australian $5 to $100 notes are made of plastic. http://musingsfromthemiddle.wikispaces.com/Joe American car horns beep in the tone of F.

Here are some random facts I hope you liked my article. here is my sorce.

( http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~bingbin/)

By: Joe Greenough
 * The Victory**


 * Preface**

Have you ever heard of the Civil War? You might know that it was a huge war. In 1860 the war for the end of slavery began. The historical fiction story you about to read will give you a glimpse of what it was like to be in the Civil War.

**What is the historical setting for this story?** I’ve set this story in 1863 Kentucky. The main character, Jon Smith, a teenage boy of 18, goes to war. The Civil War was a war between the North and the South. The war started over the need of slaves. The South needed slaves for plantations and farming, the North didn’t. The north was called the Union or the Yankees, and the South was called the Confederates or the Rebels.

**What is true in my story?** In my story I talk about what type of gun he uses, and what type of clothing they would where. The setting is real I put real things and places but then I put my character in them and kind of mold around it.

**What is fictional in my story?** Well my character isn’t real, he is made up all my charters are made up. The setting is made up kind of, because there tavern isn't real but the land around it is, like the state of Kentucky -- that is real.

**If you want to read more about these topics, here are some of my sources:**

"American Civil War." 16 February 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wikiamerican_civil_War

"Civil War." 17 February 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_war.

" Population-based Case–Control Study of the Common Cold During Pregnancy and Congenital Abnormalities." 17 February 2010. http://www.springerlink.com/content/q5kk267q75127772.

"Life after the 13th Amendment." 17 February 2010. http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/douglass/part5.html

**The Victory** By: Joe Greenough The rain was pounding on the windows like the marching of the south. The rain scared me you could see from the flashes of lighting. I could see the out line of my dog. He whimpered. It kind made me sad. But I knew that he was scared to. I could see the out line of my brother Mark. He was lying in his bed. He looked so calm. You could see back go up and down. You could here mother and father ar guing down stars. “I think the south should brake away. We can’t make money with out slavery." Father said. "Slavery is awful and wrong." Mother argued back. They were arguing about the war. I have friends in the war, and kind wanted to go to. I though to myself. Would it be fun or sad?? I kept thinking about it, and then went downstairs and started talking with mom about how was going to do this year. “It’s going to be hard work.” She said. Of cores I didn’t want to do it. But I guess that's just being a farmer. Latter I got tired and fell asleep. The next day I was going to town. When I saw my friend Sam. "I haven’t seen you in a long time I said." "Yeah", he said. I’ve been fighting in the war. His voice seemed allot deeper, then the last tine I saw him. Wow, I kind of admired him. He was about 20 and I was about 18. Him and me used to be friends, but then he left for the war. “Well nice to see you again” he said. “Yeah you too.” I said back. Then we walked off. He must of grown about another inch. I though to my self. I was kind of thirsty so I walked into the musty horse. It was a tavern. So I went into the pub. “One beer” I said to the man at the desk. “Okay” the man said in agreement. I looked around and in the back of the room there was a stand with to guys they were both in blue suits. They were from the north! I thought back to Sam, and said to myself this would be the chance. I always wanted to go to war, and now I could. My heart was pounding like a lead weight. It felt so heavy, but at the same time so brave. I walked up to the stand in the back of the room. One of the men said “welcome” and pushed some parchment paper to me. “Wright your name and how old you are.” I nodded my head in agreement. I handed the man the paper. “Thank you” the other man said, and handed me a uniform. “Thanks” I said. “We will come by and pick you up in about two weeks.” “Thank you again” I said and walked off. I felt so brave but like no one could hurt me and they would respect me. Not like I was little kid but I was a solder. I thought all about this till I got back to my house. I walked in to see mark with a gray uniform. I was shocked but at the same time horrified to see my own little brother being a traitor. “MARK!” I yelled. “JOHN!” He yelled back. “What are you doing?” “What are you doing?” He said back. Father and mother walked in to the living room surprised to see one boy with a blue uniform and the other with a gray uniform. Mark raged past me out the door. He slammed into my shoulder like freight train. I was scared. What would mother and father think? Now I was really nervous. Father started to speak. “John what were you thinking?” father- my heart was pounding like a drum. Faster and faster. Then I spoke. “Father, I just saw Sam Marks in town. He’s been in the war for a year and him and me are leaving in the same group in two weeks. Father looked not sad but disappointed that I did this. But I could tell that deep down he was sad. It made me feel sad too. Him and me were there just staring at each other in silence. Two weeks later, I was marching in a group of about 100 men. I was kind of lucky to be in a group with one of my friends. Mostly people didn’t get to be in the same group with there friends. Tomorrow I was probably going to be killing other men, and see death. It made me feel sick. I heard some one yell—“3 more miles boys!” 3 more miles till what? I wondered? “Camp” the man next to me said. My friend Sam Marks was next to me. “Oh my gosh I cant wait to sit down” I groaned. “Ha” Sam looked at me and smiled. “Tonight there is going to be a feast in camp,” Sam said. “Oh cool” I was excited. To get to camp. Soon we came upon camp. Sam helped me set up my tent. Then he left. I just kind sat there in my tent, thinking what’s Mark doing right now? I just sat there thinking. By the time I got up it were about 6 and the feast was going to start soon. One month later, we marched into the camp of Slaughtersville. The south was going to be here any minute we could hear them they were yelling to the bet of 1234, 1234! I looked to the right of me. I could see a mans hands were trembling against his gun. He was crying, I could see the tears rolling down his face. Him and me were perched up in a tree. The man and me were a team. I could see Sam one the other side of the road. My rifle was light compared to his musket. My rifle was about 7 pounds and his was about 12. The marching got louder and louder. But then it stopped. You could tell that they were looking for something. But then all hell broke loose! Shots were flying everywhere. The man next to me jumped out of the tree and started to run but before he could take one step he was shot down. My hart stopped, time froze. That man was just killed. Time came back up to speed. I hopped out of the tree. A built fl past me head. I got be hind a tree quickly and crouched low. Men from the south were coming in my direction. I could here some one yelling, it sounded familiar, and then it popped in my head, “That’s Sam!” I took out my rifle there was a man crouched behind a tree I put my rifle against my arm and slowly forced—BOOM! The man fell to the ground. There was a line of men coming toward me. I forced my rifle 1,2,3,4,5, men in a row! Sam was getting closer. “Sam over here!” I yelled. I could see him he was dodging built, left and right! I could see a man be hind him. He was pointing his pistol right at Sam! I raised my rifle. BOOM. The man’s head went flying, blood everywhere. The man’s body was standing up still but then it slowly fell back. Sam slid right by me but then scrambled right up tight against the tree for some cover. ” You have a good shot,” he said, I thought you were going to kill me. He started laughing. I smiled. “We have to get to that building,” I pointed to a big gray building. “We’ll make a run for it on 3” “okay?” he said. 1,2,3 go! I yelled we ran about 50 yards zigzagging left and right. Then we reached the building not knowing that the confederates were in there. We walked up to the top floor. And heard some one talking. Then we heard the cocking of a gun right be hind us. We turned. It looked like a duel. I wiped out my pistol BANG! BANG! The confederate fell to the floor. Sam pulled out his sword. Sam was a corporal so he had a sword. He turned around the wall, I heard some yelling—and then I heard a shot. “JOHN!” Sam yelled. I wiped around the corner of the wall having my pistol out. Sam was on the ground. And a man in a gray suit—but then I realized it was my brother Mark standing there with his bayonet on Sam's throat. “Mark,” I said. I dropped my pistol and he dropped his rifle and for a moment we just stood there and looked at each other, then he ran up to me and put his arms around my back and started to cry. I started to pat him on the back. And then he let go. And then looked up at me and said— “Bye.” He walked over and picked up his rifle and then ran down the stairs and ran outside. Sam got up, and said, “What the hell was that all about?” We walked over to the window. And when Sam started to speak the window shattered and Sam fell to the floor. “Sam!” I yelled. He didn’t answer now there was blood all over the place. I grabbed his arm, and tried to feel for his pulse. There was no pulse. I let go. His eyes were cold. Sam. “No this can’t be happening. This cant be happening,” I said over and over. I got up and looked out the window. A man was running up the hill. I ran down the stairs and grabbed my rifle from my back, then put it on my shoulder, focused and fired. BOOM, the man started to roll down the hill. He looked young. He was rolling slowly, so I couldn’t really see his face—and then my eyes came to focus. It was a kid—but that kid was my brother Mark. My mind went blank. My eyes flooded like a rainstorm. I closed my eyes, wishing that I could just go home. The Confederates were retreating. We had won the battle of Slaughtersville.
 * May 27,1863**


 * [[file:I Believe.doc]]

Joe**

I am the white glisten of the snow I am the dark blue clouds in the sky I am the light that shines around your shadow I am the sparkle of the rushing water I am the wolf howling at the moon I am the volcano in action I am the snow falling from the sky I am the roaring of a Lamborghini You see, I am powerful I stand on the top of the world I stand on the bottom of the ocean I stand on the edge of a cliff You see, I am Joe

By Joe Greenough