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The Worthington ALC Insider
Volume 2, Issue 26 May 5, 2005
What is Cinco de Mayo all about? The Fifth of May is not Mexican Independence Day, and Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday. So, why do people here and in Mexico celebrate Cinco de Mayo? 4,000 Mexican soldiers led by Benito Juarez smashed an invading French army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, on the morning of May 5, 1862. What was the French Army doing in Mexico you might ask? They came to collect debts Mexico supposedly owed France. The French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with complete confidence. They were not afraid of anyone, especially the United Sates because we were busy fighting our own Civil War at the time. But on May 5, 1862, the Mexicans won a surprise victory. Although fighting between the Mexicans and the French continued for another five years, the May Fifth victory was the most important battle. It made Mexicans realize that France could eventually be driven out once and for all. It also kept France from carrying out its plan to re-supply the Confederate Army through Mexico during the U.S. Civil War.	When the Union forces defeated the South three years later, Union General Phil Sheridan repaid the debt by making sure Mexico got all the weapons and ammunition it needed to fight the remaining French. In fact, he encouraged newly discharged American soldiers to keep their uniforms and rifles, cross the border, and join the Mexican Army! Many did and they helped Mexico crush the French in 1867. So Mexico helped the Union forces win the U.S. Civil War – even though that was never their intention – and Americans helped the Mexicans kick out the French invaders. Cinco de Mayo is the day to remember all of this.–From our archives

The Insider May 5, 2005 Page 2
Mother’s Day The first time mother’s day was celebrated was in springtime of ancient Greece. This honored Rhea, the mother of the Gods. England began to celebrate a day they called “Mothering Sunday” during the 1600’s. “Mothering Sunday” was celebrated on the fourth Sunday of lent. That Sunday was meant to honor the mothers from England. Back in those days women who worked as housekeepers or nannies actually lived with their employers. But mothering Sunday was their day off so they would be able to go home and be with their own families. Later on Europe had a celebration called “Mother Church.” As time went by the “Mother Church” and “Mothering Sunday” celebrations blended together. In 1872 Julia Ward Howe introduced the idea of Mother’s Day in Boston. She organized meetings in Boston every year to remember Mother’s Day. (Continued à)	Mother’s Day founder Ana Jarvis In 1907 Ana Jarvis from Philadelphia wanted everybody in the United States to celebrate Mother’s Day. She convinced her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia, that they should celebrate Mothers Day on the second anniversary of her own mother’s death – a date that coincided with the second Sunday of May. By 1911 Mothers Day was celebrated in almost every state. Three years later President Woodrow Wilson announced that Mother’s Day would become a national holiday celebrated each year on the second Sunday of May. – From our archives
Animation by www.millan.net

The Insider May 5, 2005 Page 3

The New Newlyweds By Vivian G. Britney Spears got a deal with UPN. She wants to be a reality show star, too, so Britney Spears and her husband Kevin Federline have signed up to star in their own unscripted show. It is still untitled. It will document their relationship from the beginning to their wedding day. It will be six episodes long and will run on UPN. It may later rerun on MTV and or VH-1. Britney hopes to counter the tabloid media’s portrayal of her life. Britney says that from the day she and Kevin met there have been constant rumors about their lives. She feels that tabloids ran her life. She’s excited that the new show will show her fans what her life is really like. Dawn Ostroff, president of entertainment for UPN, said that the show will be edited together from footage Britney and Kevin already taped themselves. They will act as hosts and walk the audience through each episode. There will be five half-hour long episodes and a one hour finale. (Continued à)

UPN believes that Britney and Kevin’s relationship is so special that even if it wasn’t a true story, it would still be interesting. According to Variety magazine, the show is a “documentation of love”. The show is expected to begin soon.

The Insider May 5, 2005 Page 4

‘88 CRX SI or ‘05 Mustang By Korey Stinehart When you buy a Mustang you get 300 hp and about 320 ft lb. Then when you look at the Honda CRX -- it only has 108 hp and 112 ft lb. Everyone says, okay, I want the Mustang. But you better look at the price. You buy a ‘05 Mustang for $25,780 -- that’s a lot of money for a Ford. Now look, if you picked up a used CRX for a $1,000 then you got over $24,000 left to spend fixing it up, right? If you gave a CRX a new engine, a turbocharger and supercharger, it will take any stock Ford there is. There is no way that a 2000 pound car with a turbo and supercharged H22a could get beat by a 3500 pound ‘05 mustang. And you would still have plenty of money to make your car look good. All that stuff -- engine, turbo, and supercharger -- all together will cost about ten thousand dollars. Then you would be kicking out about 300 or 350 hp, depending on how you tweak your turbo and supercharger. And you would still have about 13 thousand dollars to spend on a body kit and other nice things. (Continued à) Uncool ‘05 Mustang

Cool ’88 Honda CRX With that much money you could redo the interior and the exterior and you could change the paint and all the engine components. People like Kenny are still running their 300 hp in their 3500 pound cars. If you picked a rice burner, you chose the right thing because while you’re riding around in a CRX that can take that ‘05 mustang, Kenny will still be all stock. It’s not that Mustangs aren’t nice, and not that they don’t have a lot of hp. It’s just the fact that CRXs are cool and Fords aren’t even almost cool. Animation by www.millan.net

The Insider May 5, 2005 Page 5

My Grungy Poem By Heather Mondloch Many bugs crawl out her sheet, She has very grungy feet. She doesn't like to wash her hair, She doesn't even wash down there. She used to smell like pine tree sap, Now she smells like a word that rhymes with “rap.”. She always eats before going to bed, Now it reeks, reeks like she's dead. When she passes gas, the sheets curl up, It really makes me want to throw up. The garbage skids across her floor, I think it's creeping out the door. When you're in her house and it’s very late You better be very careful or you'll be bait. The mold is growing, growing really quick, That alone is enough to make you sick. She hasn't washed her clothes in many days It looks simply awful, like a twisted up maze.

The fridge full of the garbage By Michael Denison Go on an adventure in your fridge and you will find garbage, That’s old and moldy that is slimy and green. It churns up your stomach like old whipping cream. As you go to pull it out it loudly cries out: “I don’t want to be thrown away. I’m still good and fresh just try me, I’ll pass your test. And if I do you may stop trying to throw me away. Maybe you might even use me some day. But as I sit and spoil, it will make your mind toil, As you decide if I’m even good to cook or to boil. The saddest part is that you don’t know what I am. I look a little like ham or maybe I’m spam, maybe I came out of a can. I know what I am but I’ll never tell. Part of me ripened on a window sill. Another part came from a chicken or two. When you ate me all you did was chew. I tasted great at that time But now, I’m the most disgusting thing you will find. What am I, you ask? I am leftover tuna surprise.”

ALC Insider May 5, 2004 Page 6

What do you

think of Gothic

people?
By: Sergio Chaparro

   When you hear the word gothic, what do you think about? Do you think about Medieval times, or do you think of wild and out-of-control kids wearing all black and listening to death metal music. Well, the meaning is different to a lot of people.

We asked several ALC students what they think of when they hear the word gothic:

1. Nicole B. says "That if they want to be that way, let them. It's their choice."

2. Vivian G. says "Goths are posers." (WHATEVER)

3. Jasmine M. says "They are all just pot smoking, freeloading losers."

4. John M. says he sees the "Typical stereotype. With all black clothes, long black hair, white faces. You know, the typical stuff.”

(Continued à)

Our favorite gothic promsters…

Out of all the people listed above. None of them thought of anything that really relates to the true meaning of gothic – things like Medieval times, gothic architecture, or even the Renaissance Festival. People like Vivian don't understand us "GOTH" kids.

We wear all black because we like the color. We're not depressed. We dress how we want to dress. The only thing we "pose" at is trying to be cool with all people.

This week’s separated at birth…

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