The History of the NZ's Anthem...

Last week we started a topic in our KETE, famous things about New Zealand. There were 3 groups, which had different kinds of task for us to do. One of them was about the NZ flag, NZ national anthem, and the Crest. I was put into the NZ national anthem group and in there we had to research a lot of stuff about it. Also we were put into smaller groups, there was Ouu Ouu, Ranit, Keghan and I. I learnt a lot about the country and it was really fun. I learnt facts that I never knew before. So I wanted to share what I learnt. Here it is.

How can you make a successful vlog?

Hello guys, it's a me Axle. This term in cyber smart, we learn how to make a successful vlos. We got into groups of 2 and as usual you probably know that my partner was Vann. The reason is because, we don't really argue and we always come up with "amazing"(at least we think that) work. We had to make a DLO on how to make a successful vlog/video. Anyway, we decided that it was best to make it, short but informational as well. We talked about the visual, sound and entertainment(which I think is the most important thing that needs to be in a video). Even though it was short we still tried made it quite funny, to entertain. But yeah, anyway I think that we made a successful video, it was really fun when we decided to shoot it, and there were a lot of "slapping", I just want to say and let you know that, there were not "animals" hurt in this video (JK).

Here is the video hope you'll enjoy it, bye!

How to sew like a "Spider"?!

This term at Tech, we are on a project to make a draw string bag. It is still on the works but I think it's already amazing. Ohh, I forgot to tell you, our class is doing soft materials like cloth, etc. Our phenomenal and fabulous teacher is Ms. Liisa Laycock. This term, we looked at parts of a sewing machine, we also made a tissue holder and a lot more! I loved sewing, I sewed with my grandparents too when I was a kid. Anyway back to the topic, here are some picture of our creations, for now.

Sprinting like a Cheetah!

Last week at Friday, March 2, we had our Athletics day.  In our Athletics day we of course did sport stuff like shot put, sprints and some others. But anyway before we had our Athletics day, we had to choose five different categorise of sport that we wanted to do. The options were, high jump, long jump, 100 m sprint, 60 m, shot put and discuss. I chose all of them except for high jump (I'm terrible at it). Also when it was at the Athletics day, we had to wear a clothing that match with our house (houses are like a group, my one is green, and it is Shelford). Anyway back to the Athletics day, we did the different sports, I won first place some of them; like the sprints and the discuss too; but with some of the other sport I won too, but I was only second place. Any that's it for my post I hope that you liked it, have a nice day bye!

Here some of the pictures of the sport.

Sailing to the "Seven seas" (with Captain Jack sparrow/Click bait)

Hello! It's me Axle and now I'm in high school, yay! Last week the whole yr.7s went sailing, (like we did last year, in the same place). We rode a bus to get there but it was too far away, (I think, because I didn't really pay attention, because I was talking with my friends).

 But anyway when we got there we we're put in groups, groups 1, 2 & 3, (I was in group 3). After that, we had to form another group that only consist of 3 people. Then after we have form a group the instructors taught us things about sailing and blah bab blah/etch. Anyway after all that happened, we went sailing! But it wasn't that fun at first, because there was almost no wind; the boat we're almost not moving. Suddenly when we had to eat the wind got stronger, and then we went sailing again and it was amazing. While that was happening people went going on and on about swimming.

Long story, short we went swimming, then sailing and then we went home. I loved it especially when the wind got stronger, and I also loved it when we went swimming. But anyway, I hope that you liked this post and then again have a nice day, bye!

The Day of Athletics...

Yesterday, 28th of November we did Athletics in our school. Some of the things that we did was, sprints, long distance running/jogging, high jump, shot put, discuss and long jump; of course we also had rest time. All/most of the students, from junior to senior participated in every sport, we all showed resilience when things got hard for me I think the hardest ones we're the jumping sport because I don't really jump that high or long. But I did do a pretty good job at the long distance, sprint, shot put and discuss; I even got on the finals. In the discuss we had the finals today for the 11 year old boy and I threw the furthest, which felt good because I never expected it, the first throw that I did was 17. 6 meters and the second one was more further than my first one but I forgot how much further it got. I will practice more to get better if I ever do it next year. But anyway I hope that you liked my reflection about the Athletics day, have a nice day, bye!

The Story of "The Devil's Brother" and The Golden Age of Piracy

This term we started to make information reports about the topic that we liked. I choose The Golden Age of Piracy and to be specific, Blackbeard. Here is my information report about him and other pirates and what they did. I hope d that you will enjoy reading it as I enjoyed writing it. Anyway have a nice day, bye!

Pirates, they roamed the seas for ages and for more ages to come. They like gold and rum, they destroy or board their enemies ships and kill their enemies men. How much do you know about pirates? How many pirate names have you heard of? Do you know about the legendary Blackbeard or Edward Thatch and what monstrous things that he did? Do you also know that he was named ”The devil’s brother”? Have you heard of his ship, the “Queen Anne’s Revenge? Do you know that the legendary pirate that roam the seven seas was beheaded? Here are just some of the information that I will tell you in this report, so come and join me and learn about the “Golden Age of Piracy”.

(Fun Fact) - The name “Pirate” was the name given to the sea riders or people who uses ships to rob, kill, slaughter people.

The first sightings of pirates was in the 14th Century BC, the so called “pirates” were the “Sea people”, who were a group of sea/ocean riders that commandeered the ships of the Aegean and Mediterranean people.

But, that time or age was not the “Golden Age”.(Fun Fact: the “Golden Age was the time that pirates were most successful). It was at the 1650’s when “Golden Age” began, and it spanned out up to the 1730’s. There were a lot of great pirates at the “Golden Age”, like William Kidd, Anne Bonny, Henry Morgan, Bartholomew Robert, and of course one of the most famous pirate today, Blackbeard; yet those were not the only great pirates there were more, a lot more.

There were less pirates that were women; the thing is men thought that when pirates has women in their ship it would bring bad luck. But they were proven wrong, one of the legendary pirates that ever was “Anne Bonny”, it was not just the fact that she was more ferocious than the other male pirates that proved them wrong  it was also  the fact that she was a captain.

Anne Bonny wasn’t the only one to be considered legendary, Edward Teach/Edward Thatch more likely to be known as Blackbeard was another legendary pirate.

There are not that much informations about Blackbeard in his early except that he set off to sea as a young man. In the 1701 there was a spanish war which lasted up to 1713 while in that time he became a privateer, which means he was a legalized pirate, and he can steal from trade ships.  But when the war ended, he turned into piracy, like any other former privateers.

In the year 1716 he became a first mate and sailed under the command of Benjamin Hornigold. However, the year after that their crew attacked a number of merchant ships. Teach/Blackbeard’s former Captain, Hornigold wanted to give up piracy. Then shortly after that a man name Woodes Roger, a British Governor, was given a power to pardon any pirates that would accept their ways. Soon Hornigold sailed to the New Province and accepted the King’s Pardon.The “Concorde” was the last big captured ship of Hornigold and Teach, it was 300-ton frigate. Then after that, the ship that the duo commanded, The ‘Concorde”  was given to Blackbeard. Blackbeard customize it, giving it 40- more guns and giving it the name “Queen Anne’s Revenge”

Though there are many legends that says Blackbeard always likes to take things rough, that legend actually not true; it’s actually the opposite, he likes to take things more lightly.

Even though there were more successful pirate, Blackbeard was still one of the most formidable and fearsome. One thing that proved this was when he sank the one of the most powerful war ship which was the  (HMS -  Her Majesty's Ship) Scarborough a warship (warships were the biggest and the most powerful ships at that time).

Blackbeard was tall man and has a big booming voice. He, of course has a big black beard, and according to some reports, his black beard had grown down to his waist. Some parts of his beard was put into ribbons and some were even put in braids. There were also statements that say before any engagement or conflict he take ropes made out of hemp plants and he slips them into his hat and lights them on fire. He does that so when as the rope burns, and gives out smoke near to his face, he will look more menacing.

He was also known for carrying extreme weapons. In that times there were weapons like cutlasses, a cutlass is basically a sword like weapon but smaller; and of course there we swords and pistols. Usually pirates has a sword or a cutlass then a single pistol that’s ready to fire;(In that time only flintlock pistols were the only pistols available, and they can only fire 1 shot before reloading again). But Blackbeard was different. He had a sword and a cutlass in his sides and several  pistols in his holster!

But his sword and pistol wasn’t his best weapons it was his face, intimidation and his tactics. One of the things that prove this was in his lifetime he didn’t really have to fight to win. What he does is, scare his enemy with him ship and most importantly his face. He also use his smartness and tactics, like a chess player he was always a few moves ahead

Then after his death a historian author name Captain Charles Johnson wrote a book about him. This is what he said "Captain Teach assumed the cognomen [nickname] of Black-beard, from that large quantity of hair, which, like a frightful meteor, covered his whole face, and frightened America more than any comet that has appeared there in a long time.”

He went on, saying:”This beard was black, which he suffered to grow of an extravagant length; as to breadth, it came up to his eyes; he was accustomed to twist it with ribbons, in small tails … and turn them about his ears: in time of action, he wore a sling over his shoulders, with three brace of pistols, hanging in holsters like bandoliers [a belt worn over the shoulder]; and stuck lighted matches under his hat, which appearing on each side of his face, his eyes naturally looking fierce and wild, made him altogether such a figure, that imagination cannot form an idea of a fury, from Hell, to look more frightful.”

It was not just his looks and weapons that gave him the reputation of a monster, it was also his actions. He took off the limbs of  his captives and fed them to sharks, he also took ears of prisoners and fed it to them, he also took off the fingers of his victims that we slow to take their rings off. What’s even worst is that he turned to his crew, shot his men randomly, marooning them in a island, then roaming off when he didn’t want to share bounties with them . Either way, from all of that, I think, he really deserves the reputation and to be called “The devil’s brother”.

Not only that he sank the HMS Scarborough, he sank several more and even adding some of the ships that were captured into his fleet, to make him more stronger. He had a lot of men in his crew and fleet, the maximum was above 400 men that he personally commanded. Not only that but he made alliances with many powerful pirates at that time. He also had frigates, brigs (two of the biggest ships in that time), and other classes of powerful ship in his command.

At 1718 he stayed Barthe Town and started to capture ships passing by. The after that he went to Florida and encountered the “Revenge” a ship that was commanded by another famous pirate named Stede Bonnet. They became friends and each of them signed an agreement telling one another to sail as partners, but however after the agreement Blackbeard suddenly realized that Stede was a poor leader.

In that period Blackbeard started to add more ships onto his fleet, including the sloop, “Adventure”. Then after some months; in May 1718 he went to Charles Town (now called Charleston) and laid a siege. He seized about 8 ships including the great ship “Crowley”, a ship that transported Charleston citizens. That time though his crew we’re deceased at that time so Blackbeard made an ultimatum to a member of the Council of the Province of Carolina, Samuel Wragg and told him he needed medicines than money. Then saying all the people/prisoner and merchants that he captured from Charleston would be executed, then their heads would be delivered to the governor, he also said that he would burn the captured ships if he did not get the medicines; but if he did he would return all the people alive. Thankfully he received the medicine and he gave all the prisoners back and merchants alive.

In that time Blackbeard received a popularity during the siege, proving that he was not just a experienced ship captain, but also a fierce, formidable, fearless leader ready for any unexpected great adventures in the seven seas. The threat that he made and the gigantic plunder that he got made him the most reported pirate in the media in that era.

Unfortunately  at that siege after six months of having the Queen Anne’s Revenge, it got lost and sunken in the bottom of the sea after hitting shallow waters. Luckily he survived, then what Blackbeard did was, he got on a sloop that he captured earlier in that year, the “Adventure” and marooned 20-30 man in an island, took their valuables, booty and roamed of.

Thatch return to Bathe Towne and sold all his booty then bought and became an “innocent” citizen not only that but he was also was given a pardon from “old friend”. After the pardon he then settled on Bath, Plum point, North Carolina.

But Blackbeard became unhappy of his position as an old citizen. That’s why once again he sailed to the seven seas but not as an ordinary pirate but as a privateer. But again he started to capture, destroy ships. killing people and taking their limbs off! But that didn’t last long...At November 22, 1718, he had what seemed like an ordinary battle, not knowingly that, that battle was his last. The cause of his death was when one of his guns misfired, so the two enemies that he was fighting got close, and one of them sliced him in the chest and the other one sliced him in the neck. After that his crew surrendered, the enemy that they were fighting, (Navy) took his body then cutted of his head and informed it to the other pirates as a threat.

In conclusion I still think that Blackbeard was one, or even the most formidable in the pirate history. Even though his legacy was not that long, he still proved himself as a fearless enemy and a lad not to be messed with. With that saying I think that what he must have said to himself was “A short life but a happy one”. That is the end of the story of “The Devil’s Brother”