Issue #3 7/28/06
Summer Edition
Giving Homeschoolers a Voice
A Pursuit Of Pleasure Now On The Web!
By: Rachel Naramore www.AmbassadorPaper.com
The essence of faith is being satisfied with all that God is Go to our website to learn about the
for us in Jesus. paper and the makers, get current
-John Piper- or old issues, and get involved. you
can still email us to subscribe at
An excellent friend recently gave me a book called Don't
ambassadorpaper@gmail.com
Waste Your Life, by John Piper. John Piper, for those of you who
are like me and didn't know much about the man, is a
contemporary theologian who subscrbes to a belief known as Get Involved!
Christian hedonism, the topic of the above book. At first glance,
The Ambassador is aimed toward
these words seem mutually exclusive--after all, how can a life of
achieving community among
self-denial be, at the same time, lived in pursuit of pleasure?
homeschoolers, so we would love for
Aren't we supposed to turn our backs on the flesh and all its
you to be involved. If you are a
lusts? But isn't that what pleasure is - pursuing all of our earthly
homeschool student in 8th grade or
lusts?
higher you are welcome to email
Well, no, not really. The words “hedonism” and comments or questions, as well as
“pleasure” have taken on cultural meanings outside what Mr. poetry for possible entry in our poetry
Webster and his descendants--of linguistics if not of flesh--would column, information about your
sports team for our sports column, or
(Continued on page 11)
even letters to the editor written by
you for publication in our paper. The
Sharing Life deadline is always the 25th of the
By: Chris Barber month before the issue is released.
For more information about this, or
any other involvement you can
My dad, a victim of a weak heart, was added to
check us out at
the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) transplant list in 2005.
www.AmbassadorPaper.com.
For months he underwent a complicated testing process. Now,
less than a year later, my father has undergone a successful heart
transplant and is living a healthier and more active life. This article Inside Look
will offer a brief overview of the entire organ transplant process
Pg.2-3 Summer Blockbusters
and bust several myths along the way.
Pg.4-5 The Spin Zone
History
Pg.6-8 L3vel unlokd
Although much attention has been given to organ Pg. 9 FIFA World Cup and
transplantation in the 20th century, medical transplants have roots The Book Nook
as far back as the 2nd century B.C. Early documents describe a
rhinoplasty (nose job) performed by the Indian surgeon Sushruta. Pg.10 Why Homeschooling
This procedure involved skin transplantation, but the early Pg.11 Pursuit of Pleasure Cont.
documents are vague as to the success of the transplant. The first
(Continued on page 12) Pg.12 Sharing Life Cont.
Pg. 13 New Resource For Teens
2 The Ambassador
Summer Blockbusters
By: Kaitlyn Kachmarchik
He’s Back!
Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow made a
huge splash at the theaters this weekend, and he
doesn’t disappoint. By all definitions, Pirates of the
Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest is a summer box
office breaking blockbuster; topping the earlier
debut of Spiderman at around 132 million in its first
weekend, a new box office record. It’s all action
and no substance. As long as you’re not troubled
by a lack of concrete moral center or airtight plot,
undead crew from the last film, and the Flying
it’s plain fun.
Dutchmen reference to Davy Jones is poorly
The swashbuckling cast hits it off right from conceived. In addition, the brooding monster from
the start. Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightely) and Will Alfred Lord Tennyson’s classic poem, the Kraken, is
Turner (Orlando Bloom) face heavy penalties for reduced to a giant pet octopus that comes at
aiding in the escape of a convicted pirate in the Davy’s beck and call to wreak shipwrecks. Though
previous film. The couple’s wedding is indefinitely we find out more about Will’s and Jack’s past,
postponed. To keep Elizabeth from the gallows, neither character develops further than what they
Will must find said pirate, one Captain Sparrow, had been in the last film. The only major character
and retrieve a certain “broken” compass from that develops at all is Elizabeth Swan, who finally
him. Finding Jack’s formerly elusive ship is a snap, succumbs to pirating and blackmail in the end. The
but getting the compass is not. Jack barters the good thing is she regrets it. As for the rest of the
compass with a quest. Jack is a hunted man. This crew, all are statically pirate as ever.
time he’s not after something shiny, but after
As in the first installment, the film is carried
something that will appease the forces that follow
by action, visual effects, and Johnny Depp. Scene
him. Davy Jones, the greatest undead pirate had
after scene, little pixels create a believable world
struck a bargain with Jack. Jack can captain the
of undead barnacled sailors, and their octopus-
Black Pearl for 14 more years and then must
look-alike Captain. (Wouldn’t it be nice if we
become his undead servant. (How this came
could have a living non-CGI villain in the next film,
about we don’t find out) Apparently, Jack forgot
just to shake things up?) And Depp is the spark of
about that little bargain after being abandoned
the story, with his many mannerisms, infamous
by his crew in the last film. Jack has to find the
swagger and even, perhaps, a change of heart for
Davy Jones chest or become undead and in
the ol’ pirate.
Davy Jones’ servitude for a hundred years. Will
Turner becomes the errand boy since Jack has Over all, Dead Man’s Chest is an
some coward issues when it comes to facing his improbable story based on a Disney ride that
past. Will’s past catches up with him as he goes makes huge bucks and huge buzz. No substance
in search for the key to Davy Jones’ chest, where to worry about, students. Disassemble your brain
lies Davy Jones’ living beating heart, the way to and come aboard.
control the fearsome undead master of the seas.
If, on the other hand, you appreciate a
For me, one of the disappointments blockbuster that keeps your brain intact, go see
was the underdevelopment of the legends. Davy Superman Returns. It might not be as popular as
Jones and his crew are a rehash of the last evil (Continued on page 3)
3 The Ambassador
everyone’s favorite pirate, but it is a wonderful cast works well. Newcomer Brandon Routh
film with a worthy message. mimics Christopher Reeve well and gives the role
its due respect. As Lex Luthor, Kevin Spacey walks
Superman returns to earth after a 5-year the line between ridiculous and clever with grace-
search for the remains of his home planet -for once, the villain of the story doesn’t laugh like
Krypton and finds that the world has moved on a maniac--and his counterpart Parker Posey does
without him. Even Lois Lane, the love of his life, a wonderful portrayal of the pooch-carrying,
wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning article entitled “Why dumb-yet-smart Kitty Kowaliski.
The World Doesn’t Need Superman.” As his
fumbling alter-ego Clark Kent is welcomed back The beauty of the film is not in the mouths
to the Daily Planet, he finds out that Lois has of its characters but in its gorgeous effects
done more than just write an article. She is sequences, where no dialogue is necessary. The
engaged to Richard, another reporter at the comic books come to life in those moments.
Daily Planet, and has a 5 year old son. Superman, suspended high above the earth
listening to the sounds of chaos, rushes down to
When Superman makes his grand save the day. Superman holding the Daily Planet
appearance, the Daily Planet rushes to cover all globe mirroring his life as the hero of world.
aspects of Superman’s life. Lois, however, is
much more interested in a mysterious power That said, making Superman fly is the least
outage that ravaged half of the east coast for of the movie’s accomplishments.
several minutes. Little does she know that the
villainous Lex Luthor is behind it, stealing Krypton The filmmakers behind Superman were not
crystals from Superman’s Fortress of Solitude to shy when it came to the Savior theme. The
cause the black out and to prepare for a much Christian imagery in the story is unmistakable.
bigger catastrophe involving the deaths of Superman’s father Jor-El says he is “sending you,
billions of people and a twisted real estate my one and only son” to earth, and the “father
project. Superman must struggle to win back Lois’ shall become the son and the son become the
love and save a world that has rejected him. father.” The film’s director doesn’t deny the
obvious Christ-like depiction of Superman: “I know
One has to admire the filmmakers’ guts. who Superman really is.” Superman Returns is not
It’s 2006. The last Superman movie was made 16 the big dumb blockbuster it might have been. It
years ago, topping the 6 year gap between the asks a question: does the world need a savior?
Bond films and even the decade between Star And it answers: yes.
Wars. For many, Christopher Reeve will always
be the one and only Superman, though like
Brandon Routh he was an unknown before
landing the role. For a movie that didn’t finalize
its director or script until late in the game, it’s very
well done. Continuity of the original story is
attempted, but lacking; it might have been
better had they started from scratch. And
nothing can quite compare to the cast from the
earlier movies. The main downfall is the
replacement for Margot Kidder’s original Lois
Lane, Kate Bosworth. In place of Kidder’s spunk
and ingenuity is another pretty face with a
shadow of the original reporter’s drive and spirit.
Otherwise, the
4 The Ambassador
The Spin Zone
By: Ben Whiteside
The Flaming Lips
The Soft Bulletin
I need to get a hold of myself. The condition I’m in is not one that caters well to
critical writing. But as I’m sitting here in my all-but-broken reclining chair,
listening to The Soft Bulletin, I can’t help but be overcome with a sense of
insurmountable joy. It’s as if my critical ability takes a vacation every time it
hears the victoriously strummed harp, crashing cymbals, and pompous
synthesizers (and I mean that in a good way) that open the Flaming Lips’ 10th
studio album.
The Flaming Lips formed in Oklahoma in 1983 and, due to multiple lineup
changes and an overall eccentric approach to music, they didn’t achieve
popular success until 1994, when their single, “She Don’t Use Jelly,” became a
top 40 hit. After the excellent Clouds Taste Metallic (1995), the group released
Zaireeka, their most ambitious record to date. Consisting of four discs meant to be played simultaneously
(you won’t believe your ears), Zaireeka cemented the Lips as one of the most progressive and distinct
bands around. But how do you follow up on something of that magnitude? Only the way a trio of musical
geniuses can: twelve innovative, beautiful, and sweetly emotional tracks melded together in one
amazingly cohesive whole.
Yes, of course I’m talking about The Soft Bulletin, one of the best albums of the 90's and
subsequently one of my favorites of all time. The opener, “Race for the Prize (Remix),” doesn’t waste a
second in letting you know what the Lips are all about. Huge, crashing drums (played by percussion
genius Steven Drozd), harps, strings, and synthesizers prepare the way for leader Wayne Coyne to deliver
his allegory of the human struggle in his trademark straining-to-hit-the-note style. Another highlight is “The
Spiderbite Song,” a relatively simple, yet achingly beautiful and tender ballad featuring rolling piano,
synthesizers, and bittersweet, Cinderella-esque backing vocals. But perhaps the most astounding aspect
of the song is Steven Drozd’s drumming: by realizing that computers can enhance the percussionist’s role
in a song, but without relying on drum machines to do the work, Drozd spins webs of humanly impossible
snare licks that sound astounding. Wayne Coyne’s insightful lyrics deal with the issues of loss and the
power of love: “Love is the greatest thing a heart can know/But the hole that it leaves in its absence can
make you feel so low.”
Near the end of the album, “The Gash” is very possibly the best track on this very consistent LP. The
middle part of a trilogy of songs about life and death, it is like nothing you have ever heard. Simply put,
the song consists of a driving piano, bass, and percussion (including a gong), and a huge “choir” (Wayne
Coyne’s voice manipulated into seemingly hundreds of parts, all harmonizing together). The lyrics concern
“the battle” of life, and the importance of not giving up once one has been attacked. Considering the
lyrics, the steady, thumping beat, and the larger-than-life choir, the song sounds like a marching anthem
for the army of man.
The Flaming Lips were one of the, if not the, bands that helped me realize how much I love music.
Even today, over three years after I bought the Lips’ great 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (my
introduction to the band), they are still my fifth favorite band of all time. Their forays into noise,
psychedelia, and dreamy soundscapes, while maintaining their exceptional pop sensibility, accessibility,
and emotional impact, is nothing short of astounding. So what are you waiting for? Listen to “The Gash”
already!
(Continued on page 5)
5 The Ambassador
Again, if you would like to sample any of this music, please contact me at phonejoan@juno.com
Right now, I’m uncharacteristically thankful for The Who. Don’t get me
wrong, I’ve been thankful for them since I first listened to Tommy about a year
and a half ago, but this gratitude is of a different breed. During my time
writing for The Ambassador, I have not had much of a chance to criticize the
music I’ve written about. This can be attributed to two very logical facts: 1) I
am doing everything I can in order to motivate you to listen to my lesser-
known artists, so it would be silly to list the bad things about them (those things
exist, believe me). 2) The two “greatly influential” bands that I’ve given profiles
of so far are my #1 and #2 favorite bands of all time, so I have chosen,
because of space limitations, to leave out my minor quibbles. I love The Who,
as you will see, but it turns out that they will be the first band that I actually
criticize.
Wait! Unclench your fists and lower your rifles all you Who fanboys (and girls): you’re in the safe zone
for a while, seeing that I’m crazy about 60's The Who (and I write in chronological order). The band formed
in the early sixties, under the moniker The Detours. They changed their name to The Who in 1964 and, with
the arrival of Keith Moon that year, the classic line-up was complete. For the next 14 years The Who would
be Roger Daltrey on lead vocals, Pete Townshend on guitar, John Entwistle on bass guitar, and Keith Moon
on drums. They saw various levels of success, changing their name to The High Numbers, hiring and firing
their manager Pete Meaden, releasing a few bomb singles, and finally scoring a hit with “I Can’t Explain.”
After the release of their first album, My Generation, which spawned many hits, the band was catapulted
into fame. But lead guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend had loftier goals than just pleasing the Mod
crowd in London with Kinks-style, (and, with hindsight, surprisingly punk-sounding) two-minute songs.
The band displayed its ambition in 1966 with A Quick One, an interesting
failure of an album. It did, however, boast the epic track “A Quick One,
While He’s Away,” a mini rock opera which proved to be an indicator of
what was to come. The next year they released The Who Sell Out, a
humongous leap forward for the band, and an amazing achievement. A
concept album that actually sticks with the idea throughout its entirety
(ahem, Sgt. Peppers), it’s twenty-three tracks of some of the Who’s greatest
melodies disguised as a live radio broadcast. It’s fun to hear the great “I Can
See for Miles” preceded and succeeded by advertisements for Odorono
(“The deodorant that turns perspiration into inspiration!”) and Heinz Baked
Beans.
1967 saw the release of Tommy, The Who’s greatest achievement and the best concept album of
all time (no, I didn’t forget about The Wall). It clocks in at 74 minutes with twenty-four tracks, and, due to
the exceptional music, linear story, and intimate, yet grandiose production, never drags for the entire
length. Boasting well-known Who songs such as “Pinball Wizard,” and “I’m Free,” and due to other great
tracks such as “Sparks,” “Christmas,” and “Go to the Mirror!,” I am constantly perplexed by its status
beneath Who’s Next (and sometimes even the band’s other, far-inferior rock opera, Quadrophenia) as the
greatest Who album.
VH1's 13th favorite album of all time, Rolling stone’s 28th, while also selling over 10 million copies,
Who’s Next has made an undeniable stamp as critic’s darling and radio smash. The album has some
great/successful songs (“Baba O’Riley,” “Going Mobile,” and “Behind Blue Eyes,” namely), but, again, ever
since I heard Tommy I’ve thought that Who’s Next betrayed the band’s art-inspired late 60's work for
(should I go as far to say boring?) arena rock. Furthermore, I am split in my appreciation of its influence on
(Continued on page 6)
6 The Ambassador
music in the 70's: on one hand it utilized synthesizers prominently (and to varying measures of success),
popularizing the use of the new instrument. On the other hand, it also popularized the overwrought
musical style that has become such a mockery today. Now I’m not saying The Who’s Next is as bad as
Whitesnake or Twisted Sister, but if it weren’t for the influential album... well, who knows?
With or without Who’s Next, The Who have had an incalculable effect on the progression of rock
music as art and entertainment. With several great albums and several flawed ones, I am, yes, very
thankful for this band. This artist profile seems unusually appropriate considering The Who (only Pete
Townshend and Roger Daltrey remain of the original lineup) will be recording a new album, tentatively
titled Who 2, in September. Then will then embark on a stateside tour from September 7th -October 10th
and November 5th -December 5th. To make things sweeter, Who 2 is rumored to have a new mini-rock
opera titled “Wire & Glass,” so here’s to a return to form!
L3VEL UNLOKD!
By: Chris Barber
It should be no surprise to you that we are indeed in the midst of the next generation of video games
and video game technology. On the other hand, we always have been. In the seventies, “Pong” was the
future of gaming as we knew it. In the nineties, 3d games like “Doom” revolutionized the industry. Nintendo
leads the way for portable gaming with a little toy called the “Gameboy”. Now, with last winter’s release of
the”Xbox 360” we stepped into the modern future of games. I’ve decided to use this impressive machine to
kick off my monthly series “Level Unlocked”, a look at the hardware, games and people who’ve contributed
to the video game industry.
The XBOX 360
Type: Home Console
Company: Microsoft
Release Date: November, 2005
Successor to: Xbox
Signature games: Halo 3?
Price: Core system: $299-Premium package: $399
Okay, here’s the scoop: The Xbox 360 is the only 7th generation console currently available on the
market. Sony promises their brainchild, the PS3 will be released no later than November of ’06 and the
Nintendo Wii, sometime in ’07. To date, 3.2 million Xbox 360 units have been sold. That number is likely to
ascend after the recently announced and steep price of the PS3. At this year’s E3 (Electronic Entertainment
Expo) convention, Sony released the info that the price of the 20 GB PS3 will be $499 and the 60 GB, $599,
meaning the 360 will be the cheapest next gen. console available for at least a year. Nintendo, although
close-lipped on the price, said the price of the Wii will be far cheaper than both consoles. Some Microsoft
representatives have teamed up with Nintendo to spread the word that for the price of one PS3, you can
instead buy both a Wii and a 360.
(Continued on page 7)
7 The Ambassador
Tech
Now, on to the technical specs, starting with the controller…
After a short testing period, Microsoft came up with a slightly
modified version of the classic Xbox controller. The buttons remain
basically the same with the addition of a large X power button in the
center of the controller which can be used to turn on and off the
console. The black and white buttons are gone and, instead, are
replaced by two additional shoulder buttons. On the $499 package, the
controller is wireless with a range of about 30 ft.
The console itself, unlike its predecessor, can stand vertically and
horizontally. Microsoft has also added the gimmick of buying,
customizing and interchanging specially manufactured face plates for
your 360. Overall, the white box looks pretty cool and is smaller than you
may think. Over Christmas, many gamers complained of frequent
crashes and dysfunctional hard-drives. Part of this may have been due to
negligent owners allowing the system to overheat. Still, some systems had problems before the owner ever
had a chance to play it. Although these complaints did reach the news, some believe the ordeal was
blown out of proportion. Despite this, Microsoft did consent to “voluntarily replace power cords” for
disappointed 360 owners. Mind you, because of the advanced power of the system, it is prone to over-
heating, but Microsoft does provide you with multiple signals installed in both the console and the
controllers telling you when, and when not to stop playing.
Now, on to the important stuff: the graphics…
Thou gamers who are tech savvy will be happy to know that the 360s’ custom ATI graphics
processor has a graphics clock speed of 500 MHz. Putting it in perspective, that is fifty MHz less than Sony’s
upcoming PS3 and over twice the speed of the original Xbox. The Xbox 360 is also capable of playing a
dozen different forms of media including CDs DVDs, MP3s and JPEG photo C.Ds. Finally, the 360 is
backwards compatible with fifty Xbox titles including the popular Halo 2.
Games
With the launch of the 360 in September hit games like Call of Duty 2, Project Gotham Racing 3,
Fight Night Round 3 and NBA 2K6. All of these games
looked stunning on the console, and definitely took
advantage of the all the console’s improvements on its
XBOX predecessor. Along with its strengths came some
weaknesses, Madden NFL 2006 was an utter
disappointment to many fans, and many games fail to
take advantage of the Xbox 360’s powerful hardware.
To date, the best selling game for the 360 has been the
recently released “Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion”, a massive
RPG (role-playing game) also available for the PC.
Despite the system hogging requirements of the game
which made some PC gamers wish they had a 360, the
game was a huge hit on both systems. Despite some
rough moments, many critics and I believe Microsoft was wise to leap into the market first. Their hit games
drowned out their mediocre ones and fans got a look at potential upcoming blockbusters at E3 last may.
(Continued on page 8)
8 The Ambassador
On the showroom floor of the L.A convention center, one of the more popular booths was that of “Gears of
War”, a 3rd person Sci-Fi shooter from Epic Games, the masters behind the “Unreal” series. From what I’ve
seen of it, the graphics and game-play are rich, breath-taking and astonishingly realistic. The majority of
360 titles at E3, including Huxley, Bioshock, and Prey, are all highly anticipated games expected to come
out later this year. Halo 3, despite the hype, is expected to appear in ’07.
Xbox Live
Before the release of the 360, Live was a highly renowned internet gaming service for the Xbox. Fans
will be happy to know, Microsoft doesn’t disappoint in the seventh generation. One of the things that make
Xbox Live a superior experience to online gaming on the PC or PS2 is the centralized server. For example, to
play online multiplayer through a PS2, you normally must create a separate account for every game you
play, unless you only own games distributed by a certain game company (EA, 2K, etc.). For an active
gamer this can be a hassle, because with every internet compatible game you rent/buy, you must create a
new screen-name, password etc. But through Xbox Live, you can access all of your online games through
the same account, one centralized service! Xbox does charge a yearly fee for this service, but a truck-load
of work is eliminated along with it.
As far as potpourri and miscellaneous are concerned, Xbox Live also comes with a marketplace
where gamers may download promotional content (videos, trailers, demos etc.) for upcoming games,
owners may also access the Xbox Live arcade where they can purchase a variety of retro, downloadable
games for about ten bucks each.
Final word
If you may be considering purchasing an Xbox 360, here are some things you should know. First,
decide whether you want a Core or a premium package system. You should understand how much you
want or need the extra equipment. The extra hundred dollars will get you a premium chrome finish, a
detachable hard drive (no hard drive on the Core model), an Xbox Live headset, a wireless controller, and
an Ethernet cable. Mind you, some of these things are purchasable outside of the package, so the most
financially sound combination is up to you.
Also, to take advantage of the Xbox 360’s power, owners are strongly advised to play on an H.D
(High Definition) television. Otherwise, you may notice only a small difference between the 360 and the
regular Xbox. Games today are becoming so realistic that technology upgrades are becoming more and
more expensive and less and less discernable. So, although the PS3 will probably look better than the 360,
it’ll be pretty hard to tell. As necessary as an H.D T.V is, it will significantly add to what is already a very
expensive investment. Remember this before you commit to purchasing one of these consoles.
For more information, visit the following web addresses…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360 or http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/index.html
About Chris
Christopher J. Barber is the webmaster and creator of the Ambassador
News website. An avid and aspiring writer, Chris hopes to find the time to write
articles for the Ambassador Newspaper this summer.
Chris is 15 and enjoys playing tennis, golf, curling and a variety of other
sports. Apart from writing, his other hobbies include computer/video games,
chess, music and reading..
9 The Ambassador
The Book Nook The FIFA World Cup Goes
By: Sarah Jones to…Italy!
By: Nicole A. DenBleyker
Happy summer everybody! Sadly, it will be
ending soon. Here are a few books geared mainly After a month of soccer matches among the
toward Middle students that might add fun and best teams in the world, it all came down to one
excitement to your summer days. game and two teams. Italy and France fought to
become the 2006 World Champs. On July 9, in
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, front of sixty-nine thousand fans at Olympiastadion
and The Wardrobe stadium in Berlin, Germany, Italy beat France 5-3
after a suspenseful and heated battle. Fullback
As many of you know this book appeared as
Fabio Grosso kicked the winning penalty goal to
a movie late last year and was a great success. This
give the Italian Azzurri its 4th Cup title in team
book is about four siblings, Lucy, Edmund, Susan,
history. The first title was won in 1934; the second
and Peter Pevensie from
one came four years later in 1938. It would take
England, and how they find
forty-four years for the Azzurri to claim it again in
themselves mysteriously in an
1982, and twenty-four more years to reach their
unknown land called Narnia.
fourth and current title.
Follow them as they meet
After the game, Grosso said, “It’s incredibly
many interesting creatures
emotional. Words can hardly describe it. Maybe
such as talking beavers, the
we still don’t realize what we have achieved. We
evil witch, who wants to take
really wanted to win, and in the end we made it.”
over the land of Narnia, and
For nearly two years, the team has been
the loving lion known as
unstoppable, charging ahead on a 25-game
Aslan. This book is a great
winning streak. They play with heart, character,
tale of adventure, bravery
and personality, and with it they achieved what
and friendship. C.S. Lewis
every team in the world wanted.
wrote this fantastic novel.
“I’ve won many championships,” coach
Where I’d Like to Be Marcello Lippi stated, “but this is a joy so big I have
never felt.”
The acclaimed author of Dovey Coe, Frances The 2006 World Cup series included 12
O’Roark Dowell, wrote this book. This story follows the stadiums, 64 matches, 147 goals and 3,359,439
life of orphan Maddie Byers who had lived in many spectators. The month-long series is over, but for
children’s homes, and so far, the current children’s many Italians and fans, the celebration has only
home is the worst. When a girl named Murphy just begun.
comes to the home, Maddie is astonished at her
past adventures, but is Murphy really telling the
truth? Maddie longs for a place she can call her
own. Can Murphy offer that or will
somebody else?
That concludes this months Book
Nook Reviews. These books can
be found at most public libraries
and bookstores. Until next time
keep reading!
10 The Ambassador
Homeschooling
Why Would A Teenager Choose It?
By: Rachel Payne
I'm sure that all home schooled teenagers have been faced with these kinds of
questions: "Why do you home school?" "Don’t you miss hanging out with other kids?" "I could never be
cooped up in the house all day! How do you stand it?" There are many reasons and benefits to learning at
home, but it can sometimes be extremely hard to explain this to "the world."
Possibly one of the main reasons parents choose to home school their children, or why
teenagers ask to be home schooled, is the absence of bad influences. Attending public, or even private,
schools comes with a unique and unavoidable set of risks. Children and teens are often bullied, teased,
made fun of, or made to feel inferior. Even well meaning teachers can say or do something that hurts the
student. Violence is also a concern associated with schools. Tragedies, such as the Columbine shooting
are possibilities for even small town schools. Teenagers also often feel tempted to use expletives around
friends, succumbing to peer pressure and attempting to look cool. The good news for home schooled
teenagers is that they do not have to be exposed to such horrendous actions. Parents can teach their
children about God, and center all of their curriculum on Christ. Home schooled teens have a far greater
chance of maintaining higher morals and living their life for God, rather than for their own glory.
Another positive side of home schooling is the one-on-one teaching the students
receive. Rather than having one adult teaching a large group of students, parents have time to teach
each of their children in the particular way that he or she learns best. If a student is having difficulties in a
subject, the "teachers" have more time to help them comprehend.
Flexibility is another aspect many people enjoy about home schooling. If a home schooling
teenager has an activity in which they want to partake that occurs during normal school hours, they still
have the option of doing the activity and finishing their school work later. Students can also work during
the summer or on weekends and even graduate early. There is also flexibility in the way the student can
be taught. Some people learn through doing, others through reading, and some through seeing. The
parent can choose how to instruct each of their "students" in the way they see fit. Structure, and the times
during which work is done, can all be manipulated to fit your particular schedule.
A common misconception about the home schooled life is a lack of socialization. Teenagers
interact with other people their age in many different settings. There are organized sports, church youth
groups, even youth gatherings specifically for home schooled teens. Associations such as Memphis-Area
Home Education Association (http://www.memphishomeschool.org) and many other local resources
allow parents access to other home schooling families. Although it is impossible to completely keep all
bad influences out of your daily life, a home schooled teenager can choose, for the most part, what other
people their age they befriend. Sometimes it is unavoidable; when your baseball team isn’t 100%
Christian, when a friend from church has not found God yet, when your best friend for years starts making
mistakes- then you have no choice but to be around those influences. Just because you’re home
schooled does not mean that you live in a plastic bubble! How would we learn to deal with situations
unless we faced them? It is in those situations that we, as Christians, must uphold our standards and set an
example for the lost world.
Time can also be better spent for the home schooled student. I, having been in public schools
until the eighth grade, can testify to the fact that time is wasted in public schools, especially for middle
school and high school students. Things such as changing classes, getting classes settled down, waiting for
teachers to return from an errand, or retrieving books from a locker all use up valuable time that could be
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11 The Ambassador
spent learning. There are also days when a substitute must teach, which often disrupts the learning
process. Being home schooled, there is a required amount of time (my school requires four hours) that
must be spent learning. Rather than spending eight hours in school, with a lot of time not spent learning,
I spend a smaller amount of time doing school work, and the entire time is dedicated to learning.
God-centeredness is for me the most important aspect to home schooling. Prayer is
allowed in school when your school is your home! You can take a Bible study course, and every subject
can be dedicated to God. Science can be directed to teach about God’s creation, and how
amazing and intricate it is. Psalm 139:14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Body can center
itself around that verse. Math helps us learn how to be good stewards over all that God has given us.
History can teach us about all the great founding fathers of America, and about the Christian
influences that have been present over the years. Every aspect of a Christian's life should involve God;
this includes our school work.
There are of course many other reasons people choose to home school. All of these
reasons are no doubt good ones. So the next time someone asks you why you like being home
schooled, just think of all the reasons it is wonderful! Smile and tell them how much you love it, and if
you’re a believer, tell them how you can center your studies around the Lord. Explain that you are not
an anti-social hermit. Maybe they will begin to see that home schooling, though not necessarily for
everyone, is wonderful for those who choose it. But most importantly, be an example! If you know
someone who does not know Christ, and is maybe giving you a hard time, show them through your
actions and treatment of others that something really is different about you. Whatever your reasons for
home schooling are, be sure you let people know what you love about it!
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tell us. Hedonism is, according to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, "the doctrine
that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good of life." Yes, yes, we already
knew that. But notice it doesn't specify from where we draw that pleasure. It isn't
'pleasure through sex' or 'pleasure through drugs' or any such thing. It's just
“pleasure.”
Piper tells us that our pleasure is to be found only in the pursuit of God. The idea
that we are created for His glory and the idea that he loves us perfectly and wants
us to be joyful are not mutually exclusive, for the very thing that will bring us the
most joy and, yes, pleasure, is to seek to glorify God. So our pleasure is not to be
found in the proverbial drugs, sex, and rock and roll lifestyle, but in God.
This doesn't mean, of course, that we can't enjoy other things, according to
Piper. After all, God gives us good gifts. However, he doesn't give us these gifts to
draw us away from Him, as they so often do, but to point us toward the gift-giver. This, says Piper, is the
wonderful all unifying force that people have so long looked for.
Attemptiong to fill God-shaped vacuum is, as I have shown in a previous article, the true
zeitgeist or “spirit of the times.” To use a somewhat clichéd phrase, we're so close, yet so far away in
our aims to do this. We either plunge into a world of worldly pleasure, or forget all about the joy of the
Lord in our legalism. We seem to forget, or never really realize, that the only true source of pleasure is in
intimacy, not with a human or with our rules, but with God.
12 The Ambassador
(Continued from page 1)
successful corneal transplant took place in 1905 by Austrian Eduard Zirm. In 1951, after numerous
failed organ transplant attempts in the early 20th century, scientist Peter Medawar suggested the use
of immunosuppressive drugs. He believed that immunosuppressives were necessary because the
body’s immune system often recognizes the newly transplanted organ as a foreign substance, virus
or disease. Immunosuppressives are used to temporarily shut down the immune system. This way the
body doesn’t attack itself. The drawback is the body becomes very sensitive to basic diseases like
the cold or flu. The first successful kidney transplant took place in 1954; first successful liver transplant,
1967; first successful heart transplant, 1967; first successful whole lung transplant, 1987.
Process
As scientists reach further into the dark corners of medical science, we realize that almost
every part of the body can be transplanted. We’re even more certain of this fact after the recent
exploits in partial face transplantation. But how does one go about attaining an organ transplant?
Well, the hardest part of the procedure is attaining a living organ.
Unlike other transplants, whole organ transplants require the organ to be alive and fully
functioning, to be a living heart, liver, etc. To do this, the organ must be taken from donors while
they are still alive. Now before you pry that sticker off your driver’s license, understand that UNOS
and the U.S government believe that it is unethical to “kill” a person for their organs. Instead, the
heart, liver etc. is extracted from the donor only after he is declared to be brain dead by a doctor,
surgeon or medical professional. After death, the body and its organs will continue to operate for an
extended period of time with the help of a breathing machine. Once the machine is removed, the
organs and the rest of the body will eventually shut down.
After the patient is announced brain dead, information is gathered on the patient as to the
potential for a possible organ transplant. This information involves blood type and overall health. If
the patient’s heart or organs are declared to be too weak or are unsuitable for a transplant, then
the family of the patient isn’t contacted and nothing is done. If the patient does have healthy,
working organs, then the family of the patient is contacted, and is given the run down of the organ
extraction and donation process and is asked whether or not they will approve of the procedure for
their relative. Fewer than 2% of the population will ever qualify to be organ donors at the time of
death, yet 84,000 Americans are waiting for life saving transplants.
If the family gives their approval or if the patient has signed an organ donation
form on their driver’s license, all billing for medical services to the family will stop
and the transplant recipient’s insurance will take over. After that all the
information on each organ will be put in the UNOS database and a nationwide
search will start so as to locate the best match for each organ based on blood
type, medical urgency and geographic distance. After it is confirmed that the
designated transplantee is en route for the specified hospital, a surgeon
removes the organ and has it transported to the hospital where the transplant
will take place.
Organs can only survive outside of a body for a certain amount of time. Hearts and lungs can
only stay outside a body for 4-6 hours, but a kidney can function without a residence for 2-3 days!
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13 The Ambassador
Myths
The following are some popular myths concerning organ transplantation, some of which
discourage people from becoming possible organ donors.
Myth: If you’re a registered organ donor, doctors won’t try as hard to save you in an emergency.
Fact: Medical personnel will always try as hard as they can to save you. They are also completely
separate from the transplant team who are only called in if the patient experiences brain death.
Myth: An organ donor cannot have a traditional open casket funeral.
Fact: The body of the patient is always recovered so that the body looks as it did before the
procedure.
Myth: Even if you make it through the surgery, the odds of living much longer are very slim.
Fact: Modern day organ transplant survival rates are growing constantly. A heart transplant gives the
patient 85% odds for surviving the first year, 75 % for five years, and we now have transplant survivors
who have lived longer than 25 years.
Myth: Whether or not you get your organ donation is based primarily on your fame and financial
status.
Fact: As mentioned earlier, UNOS finds the best match for a transplant based on blood type,
geography and medical urgency, not irrelevant things like celebrity or financial status.
Myth: It’s expensive to be a donor.
Fact: Being an organ donor is free for you and your family.
Perhaps now you have a greater understanding of organ donation and will consider
becoming a registered donor by signing the back of your driver’s license and donating $1 to organ
donation when you register your car next time.
For more information, visit www.dcids.org.
A New Resource for Teens!
Now there is a place for teens to go online for a confession, prayer time, challenge to do better, and
helpful resources for problems you face. The website is up and running now after weeks of long
hours constructing the site.
Please email, facebook, call or contact your friends and tell them to go look at the site, use it, and post
their thoughts. Any way you can spread this information by word of mouth through youth groups, school
friends, etc. would be appreciated. Share it with your youth minister and your friends at church.
The site is designed especially for teens and that is the target audience. However, there are some
resources that will be helpful for parents...example, on the movies/internet page there is a link to ratings
of new movies and we find this to be very helpful. Also, at the bottom of the home page is a verse that
changes daily. Review the site and send any feedback, suggestions, etc., as other things will be added
in the coming weeks.
The site is www.SinnersAnonymous.net Take a look at it and spread the word!