Ann E. Dunwoody: The First Female 4 Star General

This is General Ann E. Dunwoody 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_E._Dunwoody

Dunwoody in the March For Equality http://beyondthebox.org/military-womens-long-ongoing-march-to-equality/

      

Seneca once quoted, “Success happens when preparation meets opportunity.”  As a child, Ann E. Dunwoody prepared to be a physical education teacher.  But, she joined the United States Armed Forces instead, and was eventually promoted to the first ever female 4 Star General.  General Ann E. Dunwoody is a smart, inspirational woman because she prepared for what was to come, followed her passions, and proved to all people that anyone can do anything.

Background

Ann E. Dunwoody prepared for the future.  She was born on January 14, 1953 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.  Her family history includes serving in the military.  Even her father was an Army Officer.  Dunwoody, as a child, was a hard core athlete and quite a tomboy.  At a young age, she decided she wanted to be a physical education teacher.  All her free time was spent getting physically fit.  She had absolutely no interest in joining the military.  That is, until she went to a 24-day arm training camp in her Senior year.  Ann got a 2 year contract and joined the army in 1974.  In 1975, she was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Women’s Corps. Army.  Her long career had only just begun.  

Ann E. Dunwoody 2012 ITA Achievement Award Laureate   http://www.itatennis.com/AboutITA/News/Archived_News/2012_News_Archives/General_Ann_E__ Dunwoody_to_Receive_2012_ITA_Achievement_Award.htm

              Event

As I mentioned before, Ann was always physically fit.  Being fit was her passion, the passion she followed to accomplish her dreams.  Just like anyone else, when Ann’s mind was set, she could do anything.  In fact, her mind was set on the Army so much, she served for 33 years! Ann loved the military so much, not only did she become the first female 4 Star General, but she also became the first female battalion commander.  That takes real passion.  So much passion, that President Bush nominated her as 4 Star General.  By law, the Army can have no more than eleven 4 Star Generals at a time.  General George Casey promoted Ann E. Dunwoody to 4 Star General on November 4, 2008.  It takes great passion to succeed at accomplishing both accomplishments I have informed you about.

Dunwoody getting promoted to 4 Star General   

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/veterans-day-grand-marshal-article-1.1507551#

Impact/Changes Since Then

Ann E. Dunwoody is a worldwide inspiration that proves anybody can do anything.  Since Dunwoody’s promotion, women have made up 14% of 1.4 million active personnel.  An order was made offering more positions to women in the military.  The Army is now allowing women in all ground positions.  Over 280,000 women served in combat zones during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.  This means women aren't excluded from combat anymore.  The new order could create military jobs for over 230,000 women.  Don’t you think it is amazing what can happen after one person?    

Percentage of military officers who are female, 2000-2011  http://s-walker1215-dc.blogspot.com/2012/11/research-and-delivery-further-research.html

Click the video above to see Ann E. Dunwoody get promoted to 4 Star Genral

About The Author

Jessica is a 6th grader who loves literature.  Though she loves reading and writing, playing softball, music (particularly singing and playing the violin), learning, and being outside are also her hobbies. One day, she hopes to work for NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) or be in the United States Air Force. She has no pets, but she does have one sister.  One day, she hopes to travel the world.

Works Cited

Albert, Melissa. "Ann E. Dunwoody (United States General)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. 

<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1 559968/Ann-E-Dunwoody>

“Ann E. Dunwoody.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 May 2014 <http://e n.wikipedia .org/wiki/Ann_E._Dunwoody>

Brown, STEPHEN R. “Veterans Day: Gen. Ann Dunwoody, Grand Marshal of America’s Parade.” NY Daily News. New York Daily News, 10 Nov. 2013. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.ny dailynews.com/news/national/veterans-day-grand-marshal-article-1.1507551>

“First Female 4-star U.S. Army General Nominated” CNN. Cable News 

Network, n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/23/woman.general/index.html?iref=storysearch>

Kraus, Stephanie. “Women in Combat.” Time For Kids. Time For Kids, 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://www.timeforkids.com/node/80371/print>

Lopez, C.T. “ARMY.MIL, The Official Homepage of the United States Army.” First

Female Four-star General Retires from Army. N.p., 15 Aug. 2012. Web. 14 May 2014. <http://www.a rmy.mil/article/85606/>

Lowen, Linda. “First Female Four-star General Ann E. Dunwoody.” About.com 

Women’s Issues. About.com, n.d. Web. 16 May 2014.   <http://womensissues.about.com/od/moveshakers/ig/%20Influential-Women-of- 2008/Ann-E--Dunwoody.html>

“Military Factory- US Army Ranks.” Military Factory. N.p., n.d. Web. 

14 May 2014 <http://www.militaryfactory.com/ranks/army_ranks.asp>

Stegon, David. “38 Years of Service: First Female General Retires.” FedScoop 38 Years of Service First Female US Military Fourstar General Retires Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. <http:/ /fedscoop.com/38-years-of-service-first-female-u-s-military-four-star-general-retires/>

“Sunday Standard- Online Edition. “Sunday Standard- Online Edition. Sunday Standard,  

n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.sund aystandard.info/article.php?NewsID=3993&GroupID=4>

We Will Rock You: A Musical by QUEEN and Ben Elton

On Sunday, April 6, 2014, I went to see We Will Rock You: A Musical by QUEEN and Ben Elton.  

This musical is about the iPlanet.  The iPlanet is the land ruled by Killer Queen.  In this land, nobody knows how to play an instrument because all the music is made on computers.  Everyone is wrapped up in their iPhones, iPods, iPads, etc.  Everyone thinks and acts the same.  Making your own music is illegal, but there are rebels.  The rebels call themselves the Bohemians.  Galileo, a teen who hears sounds in his head, goes on a quest to find the spot the legend describes.  The legend describes the spot where the last instrument on this planet, (an electric guitar), is hidden. Galileo believes that this place will help him show people what they are missing out on by not playing instruments.  Meeting people like Scaramouche, Oz, Brit, and Buddy, he works to find the Dreamer.  The Dreamer will help them complete the legend, help them defeat the Killer Queen, and bring true Rock and Roll to all the land.  But there are challenges that must be faced.  Killer Queen will do anything to stop him.  At every minute, he is in danger of being caught and punished for rebelship.    

The music in this musical is all by QUEEN.  There are songs like Somebody to Love, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Who Wants To Live Forever, We Will Rock You, and We Are The Champions.  I have inserted links so you can hear these songs for yourself.  These are not all of the songs, but some of my favorites.

Another big thing in the show was the comedy.  Song titles and song lines were used in context they wouldn’t normally be used in.  There were jokes about the songs, like, “I think of questions like ‘Who Let The Dogs Out!?’ “  Or, “You can’t change me, cuz ‘baby I was born this way!’ “  

I do not recommend this to young children, there is mild language.  But I really enjoyed how well the acting was.  It was amazing.  If you love Rock and Roll, you will enjoy this performance.           

The costumes were also fantastic.  The two main characters dressed in black.  The Bohemians dressed in hippie like clothing.  They wore bandanas, bright clothes, and had long hair.  Killer Queen had a dress that fit her personality.  And everyone else was dressed to emphasize the character and their ways.

I definitely recommend seeing this.    

This is QUEEN, the band the songs are from

This is a picture from the performance

This is me next to the poster before the show started

Links To The Songs:

Somebody To Love

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Who Wants To Live Forever

We Will Rock You

We Are The Champions

King Tutankhamun: Curse Or No Curse

King Tutankhamun was born around 1357 B.C.  Though we do not know a lot about him, we do know he was once the king of Egypt.

King Tut’s real name is Tutankhaten, which means the living image of Aten, or the life of Aten.  The ancient Egyptians believed Aten to be the Sun God.  

A pharaoh named Akhenaten wanted to change the traditional religion in Egypt.  The Egyptians worshiped many Gods in their traditional religion.  But Akhenaten thought that Aten was not only the Sun God, but the only god.  Tutankhamun fixed the religion and the people once again worshipped many Gods.

    

Just before Tutankhamun became king of Egypt when he was 9 years old, he married Ankhesenamun.  Tutankhamun ruled from approximately 1332 B.C. to approximately 1323 B.C.  

King Tutankhamun was a good king.  But unfortunately lived a very short life.  He died when he was about 18.

Tut was mummified and put in his tomb.  During mummification, the priest wore a mask of Anubis, the God of the Dead.  Pyramids are tombs of Egyptian kings.  Mummification took place like this:

1. Using a hook, the brain was pulled out of the nose
2. Near the left side of the body, near the tummy, a cut was made
3. All internal organs were removed
4. The internal organs were dried
5. The lungs, liver, intestine, and stomach were placed in a canopic jar
6. The heart was placed back in the body
7. Inside the body was rinsed with wine and spices
8. The corpse was covered with salt for 70 days
9. The body was stuffed with linen or sand to give it a more human shape after 40 days
10. The body was wrapped in bandages from head to toe after 70 days
11. Finally, it was placed in the coffin

King Tut was buried in The Valley of Kings, which is on the eastern bank of the Nile River near Luxar.  His death is a modern mystery.  Was he murdered?  Did a chariot hit him?  Did he catch a deadly disease?  We may never know.

Tutankhamun’s tomb is also filled with treasures.  The tomb is made up of 4 rooms, or 4 chambers.  One of which has over 5,000 treasures!

Tut’s life is a complete mystery.  We don’t even know who he is related to.  But his death is also a curse.  Or is it?           

Rumor has it that anyone who opens a Pharaoh's tomb will die.  That curse is called The Pharaoh’s Curse.  But people say that the curse is very strong in Tutankhamun’s tomb.  Some say there is evidence the curse exists, but others disagree.

It all started on February 17, 1923, when about 20 people went into Tut’s tomb to uncover its secrets.  Howard Carter led the expedition.  The tomb was filled with treasures.  But, now comes the controversy.  Two months after uncovering the tomb, the project’s financier, George Herbert, (Lord Carnarvon), died because of a mosquito bite.  His dog died shortly after.  Other people related to the dig started to die suspicious deaths. Such as Howard Carter’s canary being eaten by a cobra. Also, Carter’s friend Sir Bruce Ingham died due to his house burning down twice.  Some argue that it was just bad luck that can be explained by science.  Others believe the curse is real.  

What do you think?  Would you go to The Valley of Kings and uncover Tutankhamun’s tomb?  Or would you let The Pharaoh's Curse get the best of you?  Comment your ideas about the curse.  How can it be explained?  Or is it even real?

        

A Worldwide Hero With A Message For The World

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, South Africa.  He was a brave, courageous man that spoke out against segregation and racism.

Mandela was thrown in prison for 27 year because he tried to overthrow the pro-apartheid government of South Africa.  He was first imprisoned in the year 1962, and was released in 1990.   

Immediately after he was let out of prison, Mandela began working in order to make life better for ALL South African’s.  

Finally, in the year 1994, after a long, hard fight against the government, Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first black president.  After being president for 5 years, Mandela retired.

He won lots of awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize and the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen.  Along with winning multiple awards, he also quoted multiple quotes, including these quotes:

• Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

• I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.  The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers the fear.

• Let freedom reign.  The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement.

• Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.

• Forget the past.

But, unfortunately, on December 5, 2013, he died in Houghton Estate, South Africa, of lung illness.  Nelson was 95 years old.

The world lost a great man, a man with great courage and a dream of fair treatment for all people.  And, just like the people before him, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., and many, many more, he fought for his beliefs nonviolently.

Right now, take a minute to think about things you are thankful for.  Then, think about things other people are in great need for.  Visualize a perfect world.  How can you change the world to make it perfect?

You could do something simple, like, reduce the amount of trash you use.  Or, you could do something big, like show people that skin color, culture, and other reasons people are discriminated, are reasons to like them.

How would your perfect world look?  Would people be happy, and stop dying?  Will the greedy give to the poor?  How great would it be to live in a world where nobody was in danger?  I think that is the kind of world I want to be in.  Follow the dreams of people like Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.  There is always room for a positive change.

Thinks about this:  What can you do to change the world and make it a better place?  Comment your ideas, and maybe you can inspire someone else to make a difference.  

Catching Fire: A Great Movie Was Released In Theaters

The author of Catching Fire is Suzanne Collins.  The Hunger Games, the first book in the series, was a huge hit.  People of all ages were so excited to hear Catching Fire was coming out soon.   

Summary:  Katniss Everdeen won the Hunger Games last year.  The Hunger Games is a way for the Capital to show they have control over each of the 12 districts.  Each district must send one male and one female tribute between the ages 12 and 18 into The Arena to fight to the death.    Only one person comes out alive.  The prize is no longer being in jeopardy of having to go to the arena.  But President Snow wants Katniss eliminated.  She is giving the citizens of Panem hope.  They are fighting for their freedom, and the Capital is having trouble controlling all 12 districts.  Now, the victors (people who have won the Hunger Games) are all in jeopardy of going back to the arena.  The Capitol calls this the Quarter Quell.  And Katniss is one of those people!  Now in a fight to survive, she must decide who her allies are and protect herself, plus her allies, at all times.  But if only one comes out alive, is it wise to keep her allies?

Characters: Katniss Everdeen: a victor from the Hunger Games who is giving people hope

                   Peeta Mellark: the male tribute from the Hunger Games who also won the same                                                                                                                 

                                          year as Katniss.  Normally, only one person wins, but read the first

                                          book in the series, The Hunger Games, to get that story

                   Finnick Odair: a victor and one of the tributes fighting in the Quarter Quell

                   Johanna Mason: a victor and one of the tributes in the Quarter Quell   

                   Beetee: a victor and a tribute in the Quarter Quell

                   Wireless: a victor and a tribute in the Quarter Quell

                   Mags: a victor and tribute of the Quarter Quell.  She volunteered for Annie, and Mags

                              is a very old woman

                   Gloss: a male victor and a Quarter Quell tribute

                   Gale Hawthorne: a friend of Katniss

                   President Snow: the leader of Panem

                   Plutarch Heavensbee: head gamemaker (creates the arena for the Hunger Games)

                   Effie Trinket: the person who chooses the District 12 tributes and brings them to the  

                                        Capitol, where they train for and participate in the Hunger Games

                   Caesar Flickerman: the Hunger Games host

                   Primrose (Prim) Everdeen: the little sister of Katniss.  Katniss volunteered for her,     

                                                                which is why she was in the Hunger Games in the first

                                                                place

                  Mrs. Everdeen: the mother of Katniss and Primrose

                  Haymitch Abernathy: a victor who does not compete in the Quarter Quell, but   

                                                    who coaches Katniss and Peeta, (the District 12 tributes for the

                                                    Quarter Quell).  He plays as an alcoholic

                  Claudius Templesmith: the Hunger Games announcer

                  Cinna: the stylist for Katniss, who picks amazing costumes for Katniss  

My favorite part:  The ending was the best part.  Yes, the entire movie was very suspenseful, and had a lot of action.  Costumes played another large role in making this a great movie.  The scenery, especially in the arena, added emotion to the story.   But, there is a third book in The Hunger Games Trilogy.  I read that book, Mockingjay, last year.  But the movie made it so I have to read it again.  I would recommend this book to anyone who like violence, action, suspense, and a bit of mystery.

Books In The Series:  Book #1- The Hunger Games

                                  Book #2- Catching Fire

                                  Book #3- Mockingjay

I hope you love The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins as much as I did.  If you do end up reading the series or seeing the movies, please comment your thoughts below.  Also, if you read a book or see a movie that you really enjoy, please feel free to also comment that.  

An Unsolved Mystery of Outer Space

Scientists are in the process of finding out more about dark energy.  We know so little about it, and it’s invisible to all forms of electromagnetic radiation, including light.  This makes it impossible to investigate using current tools.  

First, you need to know that our universe is made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons that stick together to form atoms.  Also, you should know that about 68%-75% of our universe is said to be made up of dark energy.

Dark energy is a force that repels gravity and cause the universe to expand quickly.  Scientist believe that dark energy exists only because of the gravitational effect it has on galaxies/galaxy clusters.

But lets say that there really is dark energy out there, taking up 68% of our universe.  What is it?  Here are a few scientific explanations.  

Explanation 1) Dark energy is just a property of space nobody understands yet.

Explanation 2) Albert Einstein’s “Empty Space” theory is true.  This theory states that empty space is not nothingness, but that empty space has its own energy.  In other words, empty space is NOT nothing!

Explanation 3) Dark Energy is a new type of dynamical fluid or field.  It fills space, but the effect on the Universe’s expansion is the opposite of matter and normal energy.

Explanation 4) Albert Einstein's theory about gravity is incorrect.  In his theory, Einstein states, “Gravity is not a force, but a distortion in the shape of space-time.’’

Who knows.  Perhaps one of these theories about dark energy is correct.  Or perhaps there isn’t even any dark energy.  But if there is, what is it made of?  There are millions of questions that will be asked.  

Comment your ideas about what dark energy is, and if you think it exists or not.