The paradox of our time

John Garlin
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

ARTICLE

What lies ahead
Desi Tartova

Future is one of the most interesting topics for us, humans. And generally speaking, there are ones who think that the end of the world is not so far away; others who say that present is not half as interesting and fascinating as the future would be; and third ones who… haven't really thought about it. Nevertheless, I'm not sure what to believe in. I, personally, am not in any of these groups. Without doubt the world as we know it is getting better – life standard, technology and etc. But if we forget who we are and where we come from it would be equal to an end – maybe not to the world but to the people in it. It is easy to speak about the perfect new technology I imagine but I prefer to speak about the changes which human society would meet. People are becoming meaner and closed in themselves. Some look bored from life – as if they didn’t want to be here. Others are happy only if they had made someone's life harder. Is this really our best? We could be better and save our future. Start with something simple – when you walk to school or work tomorrow morning, smile to the faces you see – give an example. Who knows? Your smile could make someone's day better!

What lies

ahead?

Maybe it’s not rarely asked question, don’t you think?

There are so many and different theories dealing with the future.

That immediately tell us no one is sure about the coming.

Anyway, let’s check out some theories.

According to the Marx’s theory, the working class will overthrow the bourgeois ones.

There will be no more class struggle.

Taking these words, we can put one question – What they will strive for?

Well, people will become “afraid” to work in lower class, just because of the shame it will give.

Another theory says that the standard of living will keep getting better and better.

Until reaching the top, that means everybody will become too lazy, especially children.

Third one says that by the end of 2012 the life on the Earth will have finished.

The reason for that will be magnetic alteration, and that will lead to

turning the poles of the Earth.

Eventually, huge tsunami will take the life of the Earth.

Another theory tells us that the resources of the planet will gone away and we will have to turn the chemicals into food just for the living.

All in all, I don’t believe in any of these theories.

The only thing we should know whatever it happens, it’s important to respect each other by the end of our lives.

Angels and Demons- review

Angels and Demons is based on Dan Brown's novel with the same name and it is sequel to ' The Da Vinci Code' even thought the action takes place before ' The Da Vinci Code'. The director is Ron Howard and the main actor is Tom Hanks.
It it the time when the Catholic Church mourns the death of the pope. Vatican City prepares a ceremony, which will select the next pope. But the illuminati, a 400 year enamy of the church, kidnaps the four candidates and threatens to murder each one of them as a sign of revenge. The Vatican calls a proffesor symbologist ( Tom Hanks ) to thrack down the illuminati. As the mistery reveals the proffesor and his companions make a shoking discoveries about the illuminati and the Catholic Church itself.
Angels and Demons is best suited for those, who like misteries and unexpected endings.
If you decide to watch it you won't be disappointed.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End review

The third film from two others interesting and very successful films. The film is from 2007 year and it's still interesting. It' directed by Gore Verbinski who directed the previous two.
The film tells a story about a pirate named Captain Jack Sparrow who is lost at World's End and his friends should find him, because the song was singed and all the pirates should meet and talk. But things aren't good, because the deplomats of America start a war with the pirates.
There are a lot of characters, but the most interesting and loved by the audience is Captain Jack Sparrow who is played by the actor Johny Depp. Other interesting actors are Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and a lot more. The actors successed in playing their character perfect. There are a lot of interesting details and effects, like the ship which shows from the water and the crew who lives in it and his captain Davy Jones who looks like octopus. Johny Depp's character managed tohold the attention of the audience and the audience love Captain Jack Sparrow....
This is really great movie and is well worth seeing, if you've watched the other parts you'll love that film. You'll be surprised what more can happen to Jack Sparrow.

The Emperor’s journey review

The Emperor’s journey,

now showing on National Geographic channel, is a film made by
Luc Jacquet. It tells the story about Emperor penguin and how they bring their birds up in horrible weather conditions Male and female penguins make efforts to survive in these extreme conditions. The story centres around the march of the penguins.

Their main purpose is that to arrive in the safest place Antarctica and to see their babies alive.

The amazement is that when babies get a bit independent, they should go on alone and start their own life.

The film wouldn’t be the same without the effects. For start, the beauty of the nature make us feel vary exited. In addition, the special effects are absolutely original.

For me this film is spectacular. At first, you see how important is not to give up. Secondly, it shows that nothing’s matter when you want something. Finally, we see how we should work in team to succeed.

So if you are ready to see a real life story about the frozen world and power of nature you will be charmed.

Cvety

The Notebook - review

The Notebook is directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on the bestseller of Nicolas Stark and it is a movie based on one impossible love in the 40s. It tells the story of Noah and Allie – two people who never had the chance to be together forever.
Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams) are basically from two different worlds. She is a rich city girl while he is poor mill worker. Despite all the difference, they quickly fell in love. But there is always something which stands on their way… Many years later Noah thinks they can finally be together before he understands that Allie has Alzheimer. He visits her every day at her nursing home, reading their story from a notebook, hoping that she will understand who he is…
The Notebook is a heartbreaking story for which you should be prepared with a tissue in your hand.
If you find romantic movies interesting, you definitely won’t be disappointed. Nicolas Stark and Nick Cassavetes have done a great job here!

TwIlIgHT

Twilight, now showing at the Fortune Cinema in Sofia, is a film adapted from the bestseller by Stephenie Meyer. Twilight is a story for one imposible love. A story full with very advantures and danger.
The film tells the story of Bella Souln, who has allways been diffrent and unpopular. But when she moves to Forks everything is changing. There, everybody notice her including a strange unearthly beautiful boy called Edward Cullen. However, Edward keeps a dangerous secret. A secret, which reveal a new world for Bella.
There are no fewer than 20 characters in the film and the lead are taken by the young actors Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Swan. Robert's role as Edward is extremly successful.
Аlthough some scenes from the book are not included, the film succeeds in creating the same exiting atmosphere. The special effects and the good actors manage to reveal the supernaturaly happenings, which make the film very effective.
Twilight is a powerful production and is well worth seeing. And even if you don't like romantic stories, you will be facinated by that unusual story. So be sure that you won't be disappointed.

VERA

One Great Day

It was a typical school day. My alarm woke me up. Then I got up and made the usual procedures such as washing, brushing, etc. I though it was the same boring school day filled with lessons and lessons and only lessons. But I was wrong.
When I entered the school yard I was really suprised, because it was piled high with more and more students. I went near my friend and asked her what was happening. She told me within earshot that today we wouldn't study and instead of that we were going to hang out in some glade. I couldn't take my word! I was so happy that today would be some new different day.
So we went to the place and I was right. It was one great day filled with games, friendship and happiness.



The End

A lesson I’ll remember all my life!

 Some people say that it’s sometimes good to make mistakes because we learn from them. Well, don’t take their word for it – we learn, but sometimes it costs a lot.
 I was hanging around with a friend of mine. It was Friday night and the streets were piled high. She was talking about her trip to Australia with her family but it was all beyond me – I couldn’t even imagine going there. Suddenly, she stopped talking. I saw what she was looking – the boy she liked was coming to us. He said ‘Hi’ and told my friend within earshot something I could not fathom. But she smiled at what he said so I could guess what it was. I decided to give them some space and went to his friends. ‘I think he likes her, too’ I said optimistically. ‘He is just asking her for a CD she offered. So, you said she likes him! That should be interesting…’ answered one of them and started laughing. I wanted the ground to open up beneath me! I knew I shouldn’t have said it. 
 She was mad at me for a long time because he was now avoiding her. She forgave me after she stopped liking him… I don’t think I would ever forget that!

Traveling alone

All the story starts when my aunt, who has lived for 10 years in Spain called my father to invite us there. Of course, he immediately accept. Everything was great and may be this holyday was one of the most expected all summer. Suddenly one day when my father went back home he said that had lots of work to do and hang out. Actually I have a good mind to go, but alone. At first my father felt uneasy, but I have in out with him. Eventually I went to Madrid. All the people, the monuments, the architecture of the city was beyond me. I hang out there a mount. It was really unique travel, but something wasn't OK. I had missed the most crucial thing- my family. They were in Bulgaria. Spain is really beautiful place, but when you are without you family or people who love nothing has matter.

A weekend last summer

Last summer my family decided to go for a weekend in Sofia. In Saturday morning we were in the hotel. The reception was piled high and we wait almost two hours to check in. After we checked in I and my sister wanted to hang around the hotel. It was really huge. Take my word for it. It took us two hours to see it. We saw many tourists and one of them asked us something, but we couldn't fathom. After dinner we took off the restaurant and went to bed.

The other day we decided to hang out in the center of the city. It was very interesting. We saw a lot of teenagers with skateboards. Within earshot told Helen that I could never do that because it seems dangerous to me. After my words Helen asked one of the boys to give her the skateboard to try something. In that moment I wanted the ground to open beneath me. My sister fell off the skateboard and we have to go back in the hotel because there was a lot of blood and she was scared.

The other day - Sunday we went in the Mall and to the cinema to watch a movie. After the movie we took off Sofia.

HOW TO SPEND OUR SUMMER HOLIDAY

Summer holiday-this is the most expected vacation from the students. But when it set in, we don't know what to do. We have a change of heart for everything . And in the end we realise that we hadn't done nothing. So, before the holiday you should plan everything. Here, there are some ideas.
During the summer you can hang out some weeks in a small village,where you can take off from the school in a peaceful athmosphere. There you can relax and see beautifull landscapes.

THE SURPRISING EVENT

THE SURPRISING EVENT

This was a day one month before I uploaded one short movie to the web page of the “impulse”.There was a competition “share your funny moments”.

We had have filmed this short movie before a year, when I and my best friend George were dancing on the dance floor (at the disco).

However, we won this competition and the reward was two tickets to the Italy.

As you know, this was very surprisingly for both of us.

I’m really lucker cause before the uploading I had a good mind to do Italy, isn’t it real luck?

Of course there was a problem that we sow.

Both of us were under 18 so you couldn’t go traveling abroad.

“but there are only 2 tickets what we gonna do” shouted I

After this we’ve spent much time shouting who to go and who not .

Eventually, I told him “lets toss up for it, we can’t have it both ways”

Of course I won, but the victory wasn’t so sweet that I had thought (because I’ve really wandered to go together there :s)

I’ve change my heart and suggest to him just to gift the tickets and nobody go nowhere, this was the best solution I’ve ever done and take my words for it I’m feel so good.

Now I’m in great tune with my friend George.

Short story: The bloody lift

It was a sunny autumn day in London. I was stayed in one of the biggest hotels in the city. On this time of year London was great. I had a conference with famous journalists.

The wind began blowing just before I left my room. Two men and a woman was waiting for a lift so i decided to stay and to wait with them.It was impossible not to notice the one man. He was strong-looking and gray-haired, middle-aged. The other was round-faced with short brown hair. The woman was dark haired, youngish.

Suddenly my phone rang. It was my partner who had forgotten one document in our room, so she asked me to go back and to take it. However, I took the document, but the people and the lift wasn't there so I should call the lift again because i was late for meeting.

The lift came fast, but when the door was opened the picture was terrible. Blood, more blood and a numb, dead body. I started to scream, because I couldn't believe in what I see. It was one of the most terrible things I have ever seen.

After ten minutes police was in the hotel. All people was scared. One policeman asked me some questions, but I couldn't realise what had happened yet. All inside my head was the picture with the bloody lift.

A detective story

It was a hot summer afternoon in a small town near Manchester when the Sergeant phoned me. “There was a murder of a young woman” he said. She turned out to be one of my closest friends who lived in an apartment across my house.
It was crushing for me when I walked in the room and saw her pretty face limp and all in blood. She didn’t deserve to die… But I had to be a professional. The body wasn’t noticed for three days and because of the heat, it was very decayed. It was horrible. Other strange think was that the whole room was a mess which is very unusual for her – she was the tidiest person I knew. So that was definitely a murder. But who was the killer?
I had some suppositions. I went to talk to her ex-boyfriend first because I knew he hadn’t lived through the break up. He wasn’t very polite and he was all nervous while talking. I asked him when was the last time he saw her. He answered in defense that he wasn’t in her flat the last three days for sure. The only strange think was that we didn’t tell him when the murder was.
Then I went to talk to her present boyfriend who looked devastated. It was normal but there was also something weird here. If they loved each other so much, why didn’t he call her the last three days?
Was the murderer one of them? Or it was another person? Was it her ex-boyfriend who thought that if she wasn’t his, she won’t be anyone else’s? Was it her present boyfriend who was still jealous of her last man? It is still a mystery.


Dessy Tartova

Short Story: The strange mechanic

The strange mechanic

It was a freezing cold, a frosty night in London. A long line of paddengers queued impatiently for the 82 bus, stamping their feet in an effort to keep warm. An icy wind was blowing and temperatures had been below zero since just after midday. An earlier fall of snow had made the nearby small park look like aniced cake.

The bus came and the people went in. There was a grey-curly-haired, elder female. A dark-haired, smart-looking, tall in the middle aged man. A grey-haired, middle aged, tall, round-faced, of a mediun height male. And smart-looking with fair-hair woman.

The man with grey-hair was a mechanic and really interesting person. He was nervous and he looked every person in the bud, just like he was searching for someone or sometihng. And he was wearing suitcase. The bus was in front of a tunnel. When the driver drove in the tunnel it was dark. After a while the people were screaming because someone steals things from their bags.

When the bus stopped everything was in a mess. People couldn't find their bags or something really important like documents and other things. The person who stole the things had left his belt maybe because he was running. One old lady was had been shotted in the head and she was death.

Everyone remembered the person in the bus who was a mechanic. They looked at the belt and they saw that the things on it must have been carryed by him. They looked around them but the mechanic wasn't there. He was gone. But where was he? And why he did this?

Short Story: A MURDER FOR MONEY?

Although it was summer, it was cold outside. This night there were lots of clouds and there weren’t any stars in the sky.
While I was looking the sky through the window, the phone rang. It was the police officer, who told me that there was a murder in frond of the local school. When I heard that I grabbed my coat hurriedly and after 20 minutes I was on the scene of the crime.
It was dark and started to drizzle. When I got out of my car I felt the cold wind and yes, I was sure that it would be a long night. There weren’t any clues on the street, just a dead body. Then when I saw the victim I couldn’t believe on my eyes- the man who was lying dead on the street was my former class teacher Mr. Smith. I was wondering who could kill so polite and kind men like Mr. Smith. I thought that he hasn’t got enemies, but I was wrong. Somebody hated him so much, that he/she killed him.
Although the weather was bad, I started to inquire the witnesses. They were very scared and told me that they heard just a noise on the street. All evidences was useless accept one. The men told me that he had seen the crime. He saw a black Mercedes and the driver of that car was the killer. The witness told me that the first number of the car number was 8. Yes, this evidence was very useful for me, but there were lots of black Mercedes in the town, which first number of the car was 8.
After that I had to ask his wife some questions, but she wasn’t at home. It was strange, because their neighbors told me that she is unemployed. On the other day she wasn’t at home again. Then I visited some of her friend and asked then some questions about her. And when I asked then what kind of car she drives they said: a black Mercedes and the number of the car were 8689. And after that I still wasn’t sure that Mrs. Smith was the killer, because she hadn’t got a motive.
After two hours wondering what Mrs. Smith’s motive was, I realized that I didn’t inquire the victim’s mother. I was sure that she could know more than the others. And she knows. The old lady was their neighbor and she told me that 3 days ago there was a scandal between them. She heard that Mrs. Smith intimidated her husband with murder, it he don’t give her the money. “But what kind of money?” I asked the victim’s mother surprised. Then she told me that 3 weeks before Mr. Smith won 1000000 $ from the lottery. She told me that her son didn’t love her because of her bad character so that he wanted to leave her. And when Mrs. Smith realized that Mr. Smith wouldn’t give her the money, her last chance was to kill him and to still the money.

Yes, after this evidence I was sure who the murder was. The only one thing we had to do was to find Mrs. Smith. But this wasn’t not very easy.


VERA

The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean in which a number of aircraft and surface vessels (157) are alleged to have disappeared in mysterious circumstances which fall beyond the boundaries of human error, piracy, equipment failure, or natural disasters. Popular culture has attributed some of these disappearances to the paranormal, a suspension of the laws of physics.

There are still no explanation to this phemomen...

The hanging gardens of Babylon

The hanging gardens of Babylon also known as the hanging gardens of Semiramis. That is one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. The gardens haven't found yet. It might have build in Babylon. The building may consider lots of trees and plants. Because of the high, all plants and trees had enough light to survive. One theory was that the king of Babylon, build the gardens, because his wife grows up in mountain, so she was happy when saw this all around.
There are very few provements about existence, so this wonder still a mystery.

The temple of Artemis

The temple of Artemis is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is in Ephesus and it must have been built around 550 BC. In the temple there were a sacred stone. It might have been a meteorite. Although the temple was destroyed (it might have been destroyed when Ephesus was conquered), it is one most the most beautiful buildings in the world. It was described by Antipater of Sidon, who completed the list of the Seven Wonders. He said that he had set eyes on every of the wonders, but when he had seen the Temple of Artemis, those other marvels had lost their brilliancy.

The pyramids in Giza

The Egypt pyramids in Giza are one of the Seven Wonders of the World. They must have been built between 2700 and 2500 BC and they are the only one of the Seven Wonders from Ancient world that still exists. They may have been made for religious reasons or in respect for the imperators. Archaeologists suppose that slaves might have built a pyramid for 20 years with about 100 000 workers on it. There must have been used more than 2 million blocs. However, nobody knows exactly how the blocs were carried in those days. There are theories that they were lugged on mud but it is still a mystery.
Whatever the reasons and the ways are, those pyramids are one of the greatest constructions in the world.

Dessy Tartova

Life story

A son and his father were walking on the mountains.

Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!"

To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"

And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"

The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."

Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.

Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.

If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

Moral of the story "YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!"



Our life is simply a reflection of our actions, isn't it?

Mountain story

Maybe, this excursion to our pretty mountain Pirin was the most expected this year, because it was the end.


So everything was all right, while all around us became dark. All my classmates with our teacher should stay for a night in tents. But we decided to burn a camp fire and to celebrate our great year together. The party was great, we had great time. Suddenly, when we were ready for sleeping our teacher start looking for our friend George, who had gone for more woods. Our teacher. who must protect us from any danger now was very scared, because she hadn't control over the situation. Luckily, we were big group of people, but it wasn't vary easy to find him moreover when it was night.

Actually, George was fine when we find him. He had mistaken the path that he should go, but now all of us was afraid of the darkness. And now everyone know about dangers that mountain hides.

Story

It was a day to remember – the 3th of March – our national holiday. There was a big parade in every town and city in Bulgaria and happy faces everywhere you turn around. On that beautiful day, our school organized a small excursion to Shipka – a historical place to the top of the mountain. We were all very excited about it and ready to go. We set off at 3 PM as we were going to stay in a hotel for the night. When we arrived, it was almost dark outside so the teachers just told us to follow them to the hotel because we were going to climb up at the morning. It was all good until we understood that two of the boys weren’t with us and we all freak out! When we started to look for them, it was already really dark and scary outside. After hours of searching, everyone had a terrible feeling that we would never find them. The adults decided to keep on searching and let us go back with two of them. When we were walking to the hotel, we had lost any faith to find them alive… But exactly two minutes later, when we walked in, we saw them sitting to the fireplace wondering where everybody is. Silence, anger, silence again. We were all so pissed off when we found out that they were here all night while we were out shouting their names, fearing for their lives. It turned out that they were here earlier and go upstairs in their room… In future we’ll all are going to think twice before going out in nowhere searching for someone.

SHORT STORY

The nightly stories

It was a story which makes me feel fear when I think of that terrible event.

That day was pretty sunny; we had managed a little trip to the mountain Botev a week before.

I and my friends (Maria, Stoyan and Pavlina) got ready to the big adventure.

We’ve been walking whole day and we was totally exhausted.

When we set the tent we started to deal with fearing Storys, everyone had to tell at least one personal fearing story,

At the very beginning was funny but then the fun turned to real fear, just because of the surrounding darkness and all those sounds around.

The time to “go to the beds” came and everybody laid around the fire we had fired before,

Suddenly, we was interrupted by some odd noise, it sounded like a wolf.

At first everyone was totally numb and confused.

I could shout only one point “everybody follow me “

As fast as we could we got the flashing light and immediately gone somewhere in the endless dark?

After our running we stopped to listen to the sound, we had heard before, -no sound.

We noticed that everything was suspiciously quiet.

Anyway, we noticed that we got lost, moreover the battery was low and we couldn’t see anything.

Whole night we roved into the forest, I would beak my leg multiple times.

However, at the morning we still looking for the way back home.

Luckily, after terrifying roving whole night we founded the way…

Its was night that I will remember forever.

SUCCESS

Dear students

What better to start our blog with some thought about success? You will definitely find stories about successful people, entrepreneurs or simply people happy and satisfied with their life. All of them have their recipes for success.

Here are some you may find interesting:

Frank Lloyd Wright
I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and a devotion to the things you want to see happen.

Henry Ford
If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right.

Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time.”


Success
To laugh often and much;To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.This is to have succeeded.

Is success a question of chance?