Yosemite National Park

General Information

Yosemite National Park is a reserve of land located in the central Sierra Nevada Mountain Range of California. One of the first wilderness parks in the US, it is famous for having spectacular cliffs, deep valleys, waterfalls, streams, and meadows, as well as a diverse range of plants and animals. Because of the important role it plays in wildlife preservation and biological diversity, the park was named a World Heritage Site in 1984.

Features

The park is popular for its mountains and cliffs that reach up to 4,000 meters above sea level. It is also known for having thousands of ponds and lakes, and it has about 2,600 kilometers of rivers and streams. It has one of the most popular rock-climbing destinations in the world - El Capitán - a huge sandstone cliff which overlooks Yosemite Valley. Other prominent rock masses include Sentinel Rock and Half-Dome, which rise to 900 and 1,450 meters respectively, from above the valley. There are also the Yosemite Waterfalls, the highest in North America, Lyell Glacier, the largest river of ice in the Sierra Nevada, and groves of the world’s largest tree specie, the Giant Sequoia.

Activities

The Final War of the Roman Republic

The final war of the Roman Republic was fought on September 2, 31 B.C., between the two most powerful leaders of the time, Octavian and Mark Antony. The event, known as the Battle of Actium, marks the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire.

Following the assassination of Julius Caesar, then Rome’s most influential military and political leader, an alliance was formed among Octavian, Caesar’s adopted son, Mark Antony, a politician who served as a general in Caesar’s army, and Lepidus, a Roman government official. Together, they ruled over the Roman state. When Lepidus was expelled in 36 B.C., Octavian and Mark Antony divided the republic between themselves.

However, the good relationship between the two leaders began to break down when Octavian found out that Mark Antony was having an affair with the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. Mark Antony had also granted Roman territories to Egypt, and he planned to form another Senate in Alexandria, the Egyptian capital. This prompted Octavian to convince the Roman Senate to strip Mark Antony of his official power and declare him a traitor. Mark Antony refused to acknowledge the Roman Senate’s authority, and so war was declared.

On September 2, Octavian and Mark Antony’s legions met in Greece. The naval battle put Mark Antony at a disadvantage; his fleet was less experienced than Octavian’s. In the end, Mark Antony proved no match for Octavian’s veteran forces, and he fled back to Alexandria. There, he took his own life. Shortly thereafter, Cleopatra did the same.

As a result of the battle, Octavian rose to great power and was named Augustus Caesar. With his newly established Roman Empire, he ruled over the Mediterranean. This was the beginning of Rome’s golden era.

Friday, January 27

Dear Mom,

I am having so much fun here in Berlin. I’m sure you remember how reluctant I was, at first, about being part of this student exchange program. However, I am so glad that I followed through with it. I’ve already met my host family. Mr. Oleg and Mrs. Lara are my host parents. Their two children, Liesl and Oscar, are a lot of fun. Liesl is 17 years old, like me, and her younger brother is 10 years old.

All of them have been really kind to me. Just last week, they took me to some historical spots in the city, like the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall at the East Side Gallery. They also took me to Tiergarten, Berlin’s largest park, and Reichstag, a government building with a large observation deck open to the public. It was amazing! I was able to see the whole city from up there!

As for school, I’m slowly adjusting to the environment. I’ve met some new friends in each of my classes. They help me study and give me extra books and materials for our lessons. They even teach me how to converse in German, which helps me a lot in the German classes that I am taking. I’m still having a little problem understanding the language, especially when they speak fast, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. It helps to practice my German by conversing with Germans, such as my host family and my school friends.

Anyway, don’t worry about me. I’m really enjoying my stay here, but I sure do miss everyone. I promise I will call and write more often. Take care.

Love,
Anna

Toyland Grand Opening

Toyland Enterprises, Inc. is proud to announce the grand opening of Toyland Store’s newest branch in Oakland City on Monday, September 16. The store is located at Redding Plaza, right in the middle of downtown.

The opening ceremonies will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., with various activities lined up for our customers. The activities will run throughout the whole day.

Right after the ribbon-cutting, customers will get an exclusive tour of the whole store, including our showroom and exhibit area. The showroom will contain models of the newest action-figures, as well as special collector’s items which our company has been gathering for the last 30 years. In addition, we will also be giving special discounts for all of our merchandise including your favorite gadgets and gaming devices. That’s not all! Lucky customers who spot special stickers located throughout the store will win various prizes, which they can claim at our giveaway booths and counters.

So what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars now!

For inquiries, you may call the Toyland Enterprises, Inc. Public Information Office at (457) 342-4343 or visit our website at www.toylandstore.com. See you there!