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The Pipeline Monologue Project

Posted by Jules James in World History - Block on

For this project, my assignment was to create a monologue that states whether the person you’re playing is for or against the Keystone XL pipeline. But before we was assigned this I had to research the pipeline and discover what it was and what the pros and cons of it. My monologue was how God didn’t want the pipeline to take place for reason that it will destroy his creation and also harm the water supply and nature altogether. As I looked farther into the details of it I learned that a lot of people went to jail to prevent this pipeline from being built for good reasons but also it will be good for our economy as well.


Constructor:

This damn bulldozer is so loud I can’t hear myself think but I don’t care. At least I have a job now. “What about the environment? What about the environment?” They scream. Who cares? Creating this pipeline is opening 100,000 jobs. So why are you complaining? This will get you off your lazy asses and getting you to work. You won’t be act like this when you have money in your pocket.

Wait. Don’t get me wrong I care about the Earth and all but I need the money too. I know if I help create this pipeline not only will I destroy the Earth but I probably won’t have any friends left either. I know that it’ll also might cause climate change and damage our water supply but think about how much jobs will be available, the money that will be coming in, or maybe how rich the oil company will be.

You remember when Obama said he wanted to create more jobs? Well here’s his chance. What the hell is he waiting for? There’s people sitting home doing absolutely nothing but watching television and collecting welfare and food stamp. I know I use to be one of them people but there’s three types of people who do that. There’s the people who is looking for a job but not having success finding one, there’s the people who have been injured and can’t work, and finally I the people who is capable of working but is either too lazy to find a job or gave up on finding a job and decide to live off the government. Now see I’m the person who was looking for a job but couldn’t find one until now. If people did what I did (not give up so easily) then they would have a job. But no, they like staying home. In conclusion, if the stupid environmentalist sit there asses down and let the people who want a job help build the pipeline then there would be nothing to argue about. To help you think, my question is do you want to live in a world where everyone is naked?

Over 6,000 items, most of them are everyday used items are made from oil. So think about it. If we don’t create this pipeline to receive cheap, close oil then eventually you won’t have paint, trash bags, dishes, clothes, and lots more. I’m a not mad or angry or anything like that. I’m just trying to convince people that building this pipeline will be a good thing to do if we want to improve this economy. There are pros and cons are both important to this world. But be realistic, do you care about money more than the environment or the opposite?


God Dislikes the Pipeline:
(Mad)
Why?! Why would you want to destroy my creation?
It took me years to create a wonderful world like this and now you want to go and destroy it.
And the pools of my tears. What if the the black, liquid gold accidentally spills into my rivers,  my lakes, and my oceans?
Would it still be a good idea then?
The oil company and I is in the ring and I refuse to give up.
Money, money, money.
That’s all they think about.
(Calm down)
But they decide to look past the risk of climate change or the risk of our water supply.
My friends will lose their jobs too when this pipeline give off more greenhouse gases.
There’ll be more sun rays than that wonderful sign of Christmas.
The white soft diamond that keep you inside so you can drink that hot chocolate.
(Chuckle) But you’ll learn.
You’ll learn that this the worst idea America have ever thought off and I refuse to let this plan get put into work.
Not only are you disrespecting me by doing this, but you’re also disrespecting the people who don’t want the pipeline for the same reason I don’t.
So go ahead a try to build your little pipeline, but I promise you... (Pause) it won’t happen.

The Sister Phone Call:
(The phone rings and pick it up)
Hello
What's up girl, how you been? (Happy)
Really? Oh no she didn't. MMMM.
Oh I'm fine you know life is good and all but raising this teen is a pain in the ass.
Yes child. (Laugh)
So how's Texas?
Oh I know what you talking about. You talking about that uhh…. Keystone XL pipeline.
That’s going to make a huge affect on you ain’t it?
I understand but at least it’s going to create more jobs.
I know that it will have a big affect on the environment it’ll also have an affect on the unemployed people too. Is your husband still looking for a job?
(Get angry)
Pause. Nobody trying to be up in your business. I just asked that because this will give him a chance to bring home so bread and stop using food stamps.
Ok. I understand that it could be a good and bad affect on people.
Sure the pipeline might cause oil spills but it’ll also be cheap and closer too.
Maybe you’re right. Maybe the environment is more important than the oil but what about the things we use that have oil in it.
What you mean like what? Toothpaste, clothes, dishes, and others.
So to you these things aren’t important to you?
I’m not putting words in your mouth I just asked a question.
Well, I say if you don’t like it then move so you won’t be affected by it. To be honest I think we need this to happen.
Ok I know what you're saying but I still say we need the money and the jobs.
Alright, I got to go. I’m about to watch the debate and I don’t want to miss a minute of it.
Yea that one. So I’ll talk to you later.
I love you too Sis.
Bye (Hung up the phone)

Six Facts About Keystone XL Pipeline. It could:
  • Tar sand oil is from beneath Canada’s Boreal forest - Tar Sands

Bibliography:

God Dislike Pipeline from Jules James on Vimeo.

The Pipeline Monologue Project

Posted by Betty Louis in World History - Block on
Introduction
For this project it was first shown to us a couple videos that give us a brief summary of what the keystone pipeline was about. Then after it was instructed that we explore more about it ourselves, done our own research, wrote down some notes and interesting facts that we found out on a table and share/discuss it with the class. Once we all shared and gained a full understanding of what the keystone pipeline was about, its pros and cons, and the background of it our teacher decide it was time that we create our own monologue from three different perspectives of characters that have an involvement with the pipeline. If working alone we were to pick three different characters (it could be anything you wanted.. ex. a teacher Australia, student in Kansas, a beaver up on a tree..exc.) that we would want to write about. My choices was a man named Maxwell a construction worker working on the actual pipeline, an unemployed autistic male named Sammy trying to make a living in this world for him and his kid daughter Alice, and my last character is a teenage girl named Kelly Stone who's mother is an environmentalist working on protesting against the pipeline. While doing this project I learned about a pipeline that is acting happening right now and this pipeline can affect the lives of many people in many different ways and perspectives. I enjoyed exploring those many different ways.

Monologue #1: I could say yes or no.
(The scene is maxwell coming to work signing in, taking to his co-workers, drinking coffee, then getting right down to business) he has flashbacks about the nes he had watched earlier with his wife about the pipeline, did a little research on it himself...)
(sits inside the machine while having his right hand on the lever) 
What am I doing? This isn’t in my decision to make. I could chose to move my hand up or down, continue on with the construction for this pipeline or not, lose my job and suffer or fight for what’s right. Right. What is right in this? I need my job for I have a responsibility to my wife and my kids but doing this will also affect the lives of many people and some don’t even know it.
(talks with anger)
What angers me is the fact that the people doing this don’t even care! Money, Money, and more Money is probably all they think about. Heartless bastards and I’m forced to follow orders or else. Else..
Nicole my gorgeous wife is probably watching the news right now seeing the this bulldozer knowing that I’m in it and to my left seeing the bunch of protesters by the gate chanting, forcing the words, “End The pipeline now or that means game over for the ozone” into our heads until it might actually find its way down our throats convincing us that this is wrong!
Alisha is probably in class learning about this in history; embarrassed to have me as a father... and my son sean as little as he is doesn’t even understand what’s going on.
Oh man, this is overwhelming! One push or pull of my hand can do so much I’m not sure if I can.. If I can
(stops and looks out the window)
Yeah, I’m alright. Yeah I’ll get to it. I think I drank some bad milk.
(covers mouth and pretends to burp)
But alisha, sean, and nicole. My family is all I have and jeopardizing their future is not an option. The thoughts of the risks of destroying their future probably is my bad milk that I “drank”. Well my decision has been made. I’m left with no other choice.
(yells out the window)
Ok. Lets get to it guys.
(pushes the lever)

Monologue #2: Sammy
(The scene is Samuel at work and is soon called in my the boss and is fired. He’s laided off. sitting on the couch sees a picture of his daughter and tears of the changes of losing will bring. His daughter Alice’s works on her homework with the other neighbors kids and he sits on the couch depressed, watching tv.)

(sits down on the couch looking at his daughter’s picture)

Got the eyes of her mother and my smile. Why has it come to this? Why me? I did nothing wrong. I followed orders. It’s not what people say a piece of cake finding a job when your autistic.

(looks aways from frame)

Dr. Browne is the only one who understands me. Yet she promised if I just followed the rules and look like everybody else everything would be fine. I did that. I know I did that.

(look back at frame)

Alice is all I have and all I want is to make her happy. I love my little pumpkin pie too much. I remember finding her on my doorstep with the letter her mother left. Sound asleep looking like an angel sent from God. God. I been so good. Now what am I going to tell her when she comes home from the neighbors. Um.. Hey honey, daddy doesn’t have a job right now. He didn’t do anything bad, he just had to be let go for a while. But don’t worry sweetheart everything is going to be alright ok? No, she’s only 8 and she doesn’t deserve that.

(looks around)

This little apartment is our life. All of our memories all started by that door

(looks at the door and back to the picture)

but this picture … this picture was taken on her 5th birthday and I promised her that I’d be there if she ever needed anything and I can’t fail now.

(sigh)

But what am I going to do?

(covers face and soon flips channel)  

Oh. the news -.- the channel on tv where people sit and tell you where you’re living sucks! Tell me something I don’t know

(listens closely for he hears sirens)

Example A, police sirens.

(shakes his head and looks back to the tv for he hears a word that catches his attention)

.. What?

(turns up the volume)

Keystone creates new job! and may destroy.. Whoow wait a minute, wait a minute! Create new jobs? *takes phone & dials* Doctor! Doctor! Can you please turn your tv to channel 6. Yes. Can you explain to me what are they talking about? Something about more jobs? The keystone pipeline? What’s that? What?! create 20,000 jobs in the U.S?! Well Dr. thats, thats a big number! But what? Can hurt the environment? They’re debating about whether to approve it or not. But those job can help the people. What’s the environment without helping the people in it first?

(looks at the picture and sighs)

We’ll find a way.. I promise ..

(listens back to what Dr.Browne is saying)
(Check the bottom of the page for the video of this monologue.)

Monologue #3: A new connection
(the scene is kelly in her room and flips the channel to new where it is said that the pipeline is being done in the area where she lives and is interrupted by the sound of her mothers downstairs. her mother is speaking to her associates about the pipeline on the phone kelly sits on the stair well and silently listens on.)
(In her room laying down when she hears voices)
What’s going on? Sounds like a crisis that needs to be saved? Wait.. I’ve never heard my mother so loud...
(moves and coches down to the stairwell and listens closely)
Let’s see. Might have to move? What?! No!!
(whispers to herself)
Oh, crap! I’m caught. Uh, hi mom. How’s .. you know.. stuff..
(sighs)
Are you okay?
Yeah, I figured. What’s wrong? The keystone pipeline? A little bit. I know that its a pipeline and that it can help create new jobs but at the same time hurt the environment. Its sounds pretty cool but I know since there’s an environmental issue that’s a big No No from us.  Oh wow, destroy. well thats a big difference from hurt. Well how? Wait, wait mom you’re talking way too fast! So, the mining of tar sands will worsen global warming, more polluted air and water, poisoned ground, a terrible climate, and extraction of our resources? But wait, if you’re aware of these things I’m sure the government is too so why are they still making this pipeline? Money! Of course! Like any of the other decisions made by the government didn’t involve money. Said to make many new jobs in construction? But only to polluted and hurt the people more right? There’s more? They’re mining it here?  Houston, Texas? Is that what you meant by us might having to move if things don’t work out? But that can’t be! Its not fair! ..  Oh Lord.
(walks over to statue and cracks as she begins to talk)
Dad’s dream was for us to live in a place that we can call home and not have to move around like he had to when he was child. He died working for us to have the “American Dream”..
(she pauses as she takes one last look at the birthday present statue that was given to her from her father and speaks with more strength within her voice
And we cannot fail him now!
(sighs and looks back to her mother)
Mom, I know I’m not usually all about the environment and your actions to pursuit its safety but this is much bigger than I thought.. So what can I do to help?
Appendix:
Some cool interesting fact about this pipeline is that it
-can help create 20,000 new jobs in the U.S.
- create a terrible climate
- create more pollution
- the oil that is being transmitted into that pipeline is tar sand oil which is the dirtiest oil of them all
- the U.S. is getting the oil from "a friendly neighbor" (Canada)
- It will be "game over for the ozone" when/if it is completed
-can help the jobless and unemployed but destroy the environment.  

This is my bibliography: 




Sammy from Betty Louis on Vimeo.

538- 4321

Posted by Terrance Oliveri-Wiliams on
4-
      A large majority of the people believes that Obama will win around 300 electoral votes.
      Obama has a 60% chance to win the popular vote
      Ohio has a 41% chance on being the deciding vote in the election, and Obama currently has a 66% chance on winning that state
      The “Solid South” is appearing to become majorly Republican instead of it’s usual Democratic edge.
 
3-
      Governor Romney has tied or even gained the lead on some of the polls on October 1 after trailing by 4 or 5 points, which apparently is the tell tale signs of a loss
      North Dakota, which is a predominantly white and conservative state is being won over by the Democrats, which has only been done 5 times out of 30 previous occurrences.
     I’ve seen many pieces of evidence that show Obama winning in a landslide, and others where Romney is right on his tail. The Electoral Vote Distribution chart for example shows that Obama has the greatest chance to win over 300 electoral college votes, which is more than enough to win, but the latest polls have Obama winning only by 1%
 
2-
 “Although Republicans have made modest gains in a few Senate races, the polls have been poor for them on the whole.” I don’t know if that’s right or wrong because at the top, Obama has only a 1 percent lead.
Lately, the reoccurring theme is that more states are starting to lean towards Romney, but it’s weird that Obama is still averaging more of the popular vote. Maybe Romney is on a comeback, but then how is the electoral and popular vote so far apart?
 
1-
 How much does the popular vote really matter if they are all after the electoral college votes?