Sunday, May 17, 2009

What is Power???

According to Google, what power means is possession of controlling influence. This year in 8th grade humanities we learnt that power is in different forms, it never stays in one place and how power is around the world. The main topics that we focused on was Africa and slaves, The World War 1 and 2 and the book that I read The Hunger Games.


The first thing that we focused on was Africa. The different parts of Africa and slaves that were shipped to America and other parts of the world. Mostly the white people had the power to take the Africans freedom away. The slaved were miss treated and if they tried to run away would either get killed or punished brutally. In 1884, Africa was divided into 4 parts. One of the reasons why African were the idea slaves was because there was an unlimited supply of them and they were resistant to white diseases.

The second reason is The World War 1 and 2. When WW1 finished, England had to borrow supplies and soldiers from USA just to fight. France had a heavy loss of manpower and everything was destroyed. Germany was defeated, the economy and government collapsed and they also had high inflation. Austria Hungry fell apart before the war even started. Russia pulls out of WW1 but started the Russia Revolution (1917). But USA was on top of the world. They had the greatest power, the economy profited and lots of people borrowed money from them. In WW2, the causes were the Treaty of Versailles failed, the League of Nations failed, the rise of fascism, appeasement, The German Aggression and the Japanese Aggression.

The last reason is the book that I read recently, The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games was about Katniss, a 16 year old girl from District 12. The Hunger Games is a game where 24 children have to fight till death and compete against each other. The victor gets an abundance of food and money as well as supplies. Katniss ends up winning the games but on the way to victory is challenges the Gamemakers. The Gamemakers are the people who control the arena. They can change the weather, start fires, droughts, monsoons, anything to make the games more interesting.

I think that power is the ability to control someone or something.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

What I Learnt from POP (even after we finished, the name still gives me the shivers...)

Something valuable that i learnt was how to write a 5 paragraph research paper. When we were talking to high schoolers, they said that every year you have to write one and since i am going to be here next year that is an important thing to know. Another thing is how to make a graph on the new excel. If it wasn't for POP, i would have never knew how to make a graph and change the x and y axis and other simple things. The last important thing was that i learnt how to balance my time with POP and other school work. In middle school the teachers are really easy on homework during POP (except Ms. Cullen) but in high school, they're not going to care about us and how much homework we have. So i learnt that instead of leaving everything to the last minute: i played out everything and what I'm going to do for the week. I ended up finishing a day early and got to go to the South African Nation Day.
:P

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Net Effect of Globalization



According to the World Bank, Globalization is the growing integration of economies and societies around the world. The net effect of globalization is both positive and negative. The positive side is that the middle class becomes richer as globalization continues. Secondly, there are more job opportunities in undeveloped countries such as India, they are able to communicate with different people. And thirdly, people get to purchase products from other countries.


The negative side is that as the middle class get richer, the poorer people get poorer. The second example is that countries are losing their traditions. Take India for example, people are wearing more westernized clothes. The third reason is that many companies are "out sourcing". Out sourcing means that a company closes down in American and goes and opens in India because its cheaper. And because of this many Americans are losing their jobs.


So as you can see, there are both positive and negative effects of globalization.

http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~rachelreeves/globalization.jpg

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Irony


The main visuals are the mom and dad and little kid sitting in the middle of the picture. Eating dinner. The issue that this cartoon is showing is how instead of talking to each other like how we used to, we are now using computers to do that for us. This is another example of how technology is ruling our lives and taking OVER THE WORLD!!! The cartoonists opinion is that the kid is too lazy to tell his parents how his day was instead they have to check the internet to find out. The parents expression and what the kid said to his parents is a way of how the cartoonist showed how he/she feels.

I AM BLOGGING RIGHT NOW THATS WHAT MAKES THIS IRONIC...!!! HAAHHHAHAHAAH

This picture shows how we let technology run our lives. How we are so dependent of computers and laptops that we cant even talk to the people around us without bringing the internet or facebook or msn into the picture. Young people probably wouldn't be able to live a day without a computer. We have revolutionized in technology but for the worst. The fact that the family is having dinner and that is mostly the time when families sit around and talk to each other about their work day or school day, this makes it more persuasive. And how the "TELL" is underlined and in bold writing makes the writing more bold and clear.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Feedback About Technology

The definition of technology is the practical application of science to trade or industrialize. There are not any top technologies because there isn't just one thing you need in order for it to work, there are a couple. For example: a cellphone you need a service provider, a sim card, money in order to make a call, and a couple of other things for the cellphone to be of good use. Another example is the laptop: you need internet, a hard drive, programs, charger and much more. In technology, you cant just have one thing to work and expect the rest to fall into place, you have to take it each step at a time.

I think that AES should use computers and laptops more often. It should be a necessity that everyone has their own laptops. That way if someone damages or breaks a laptop, it'll be their own one and the school wouldn't have to pay for anything. Plus we probably wouldn't use paper as much as we use it now because we could send our paper in via email. Life would be so much easier...

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Agreeing With Kurt Vonnegut

"What you can become is the miracle you were born to work—not the damn fool computer."

I agree with Kurt Vonnegut because we are the ones who are suppose to evolve not the computers. Technology has improves so quickly over the last few years but we have still stayed the same. I am a Luddite, I personally don't like using computers or laptops, I prefer to hand write or hand in a hard copy rather than sending via email.

In The Euphio Question, Lew and Fred had used the technology from space to make people happy. They broadcast a "hissing" sound over the radio and anyone near it would become happy and forget all problems. You didn't have to be in the room for the happiness to overcome you, the radiation would still get you. The conned people into buying land but the people are too happy to care. An unexpected blackout happened and Fred realized that the sound can hurt people and destroy lives, so he suggested that they exterminate the "hissing" sound. Lew on the other hand wanted to make millions and billions because one shot of the radiation and you didn't have a care in the world. Fred, out of anger, crushed the machine and destroyed it forever. Or so he thought. While talking to the Federal Communication Center, Fred was explaining to them that the sounds waves where bad and were taking over their lives, but Lew cleverly gave Fred a shot of the radiation and everyone went high.

I think what Kurt is trying to say; is that technology is taking over our lives. We are so obsessed with getting the latest gadgets that we are not living our lives the way we should be. Our grandparents keep saying, "That's not how we used to do it in the older days." But their right we have evolved but not for the best. We have become so preoccupied with discovering space and reinventing the Ipod that we don't even have time to think about our surroundings and what we are doing to the planet.
Hopefully we realized and notice the problem before its too late.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Feedback on goals!! 4th quarter

In the 3rd Quarter my goals were to:
1) Getting over a B-.
2) Score higher than an 80% on my quizzes and tests.
3) Keep doing my homework the night it is given.

I did not manage to get over a B- but missed it and got a C+. My quizzes last quarter i did pretty badly on. I was doing well en at the beginning but then something happened and i started to go down hill... But i did do my homework the night it was given, and hope i keep doing that in the 4th quarter.

My new goals:
1) Get over a B and ask for help when needed.
2)Score higher than an 80% on my quizzes and tests.
3) Keep doing my homework the night it is given and work each week on the POP Project.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

HOLY WAR!!

The definition of Holy is "dedicated or devoted to the service of God, the church, or religion." War is "a conflict carried on by force of arms, as between nations or between parties within a nation; warfare, as by land, sea, or air." Holy War is an oxymoron because the words are completely different. Ones represents peace and the other represents violence.
The people are fighting for what they believe in, the more people that die the stronger their religion becomes. Many people think that by killing your making your point loud and clear.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Can history Repeat Itself??


Believe it or not, we have discovered new ways of solving our problems. Not everything nowadays leads to violence. I dont thing there will be World War 3 in my lifetime because most of the problems that countries had with each other on 18's and 19's have being solved to a limit. Some people might still have hatred in their heart but no one can hold a grudge forever.


Maybe not in my lifetime but in the future their might be a World War 3 because of some stupid decision that the government . Even if there was another war, the country's weapons would knock out each other in a matter of minutes.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Letter from WW2

143 Mary Road
Pushland, Berlin 4051
September 4, 1939

Dear Nicole
This might be the last time I write to you. As i sit here in my cramped little tent dreaming of all the good times we have shared together, my love. Hitler has ordered us to triple the tanks, soldiers and blitzkrieg. But Poland seems srtonger than I had thought. All hope and faith has long gone from my body, now only the thought of you on my mind will keep a small light in my heart buring. The commander has given each of us food rations that might only last us a week but since there are so many of us, that is what we have to live with.


Innocent blood has been spilt at the hands of men that call themselves soldiers who are defending their country. We have not only defeated Poland but destroyed any means of them rebuilding their once great nation. The cystal blue sky that I gazed upon a week ago is now blackened with gun power from rifles and fierce bombings. The clean sweet smelling air is now filled with a rotting stench of innocent woman, children and men who never got to say good-bye to their loved ones. The ground that Polish children once rode their bikes on, is now covered with massive dents made by our atomic bombs.

Our living conditions are not the greatest but after a long day of fighting, our eyes just close and we drift away to a wonderful place. But are soon awaken by the sound of a loud man screaming at the top of his lungs. The air is damp and icy in the mornings but during the day we're too busy fighting for our country, that we dont really feel the chilly weather. I cant remember what its like to feel steaming hot water against my back, the smell of a clean, dirt free body or even the texture of a cotton towel alongside my face. My only wish now is to see you for one last time. And I hope that if I die you are able to find love again because i know that my spirit will always be alive in your heart and soul.

Your loving husband

Abe Longstockings

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Recipe for WW2

  1. Add two spoons of a Treaty of Versailles which solved nothing
  2. Stir in one cup of a failed League of nations
  3. Combined with the rise of fascism
  4. Then add 7 teaspoons of appeasement
  5. Mix gently with German Aggression
  6. And lastly decorate with 1/2 a cup of Japanse Aggression

Monday, February 2, 2009

Who you think you are??

I think that I am the the pigeons because if I know something or information, I would pass it on. Another reason is that most of the time, i shut up and listen and then pass the information on. And my last reason is that I dont pass information unless necessary and dont pass it inless the person thats information it is.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Tyranny, Injustice and Self-determination

On our blogs we have to show how tyranny, injustice and determination show in the characters from the book Animal Farm. In the book, at the beginning, Mr Jones is the one with the power over all the animals but among the animals Benjamin is the one who leads the animals into showing them that humans don't do anything but make them work hard and give them small amounts of food. When he dies the pigs take his place but don't rule for themselves they always see whats best for the farm.

Mr. Jones treated the animals injustice by making them do work and not giving them anything in reward. Towards the end of chapter three the animals plan to take over the farm and self-govern the farm.

The animals were also determined to take over the farm and not have to listen and take orders from Mr. Jones. They wanted to live in on the farm by their choice and not because they had to.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Fighting a Pointless War

Leaving their family and friends
The cries of wives watching their husbands face death
The thought of long time friends saying their final goodbyes
Mothers wishing their sons, "Good luck my boy, may you return safely"
Sand rising from the ground
Pieces of shrapnel flying into the bodies of innocent men
Bullets piercing the flesh of those who risk their lives
Defending their country, they will return victorious


Hiding below the surface of the ground
Guns peek through the tops of trenches
Feet blistering with pain and agony



The thought of taking another life, fills the body with resent
Nurses sewing skin together
Bandaging ammunition wounds caused by the opposition



Will they succeed or lose hopelessly?
Will fathers be able to hold their children close to them?
And say everything is going to be ok?
Would you fight for your country to protect the people that you love?




http://images.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://www.grunt.com/images-bs/iraq/wysong.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.grunt.com/scuttlebutt/marine-Corps-bs/iraq15.asp&usg=__Xn6RSMsGht0P5VYkYWreW8ljJ1I=&h=614&w=461&sz=50&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=wpzMxgcOAzsLbM:&tbnh=136&tbnw=102&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsoldier%2Bsaying%2Bgoodbye%2Bto%2Bhis%2Bchildren%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den
http://images.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42051000/jpg/_42051866_clusterbombafp_416.jpg&imgrefurl=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5310000/newsid_5316900/5316952.stm&usg=__YAfP8a7lr68LjuMkG-Ze-R_QPCg=&h=200&w=416&sz=20&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=n7Stsd0oeAyWIM:&tbnh=60&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbomb%2Bexploding%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den
http://images.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://www.healthline.com/blogs/outdoor_health/uploaded_images/blister-798033.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.healthline.com/blogs/outdoor_health/labels/blisters.html&usg=__hQYAbd44NDvWfnueYY7C7yu19sU=&h=300&w=450&sz=16&hl=en&start=11&tbnid=3ejbgWq46vaHJM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfeet%2Bwith%2Bblisters%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den
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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Compulsory Militry Service


South Africa does not have a compulsory militry service. I am happy because its the choice of the person whether they wanted to join the military or not. My second reason is that they might not be properly trrained and they must go into the war and end up getting killed without even trying to fight back. And another reason is that they might have a family to support and cant do that when their dead. My final reason is that the person might be against war and have choosen thos path to stop wars and fighting.

In conclusion, poeple have different opinions on fighting in a war. Aand you cant force someone to do something that they dont want to do.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/430275712_6262916254_o.jpg

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Allies

The people in the middle are Germany and Austria-Hungry. The main visual elements are some countries fighting and trading with each other. Dressed to fit the country that they represent. Some people have more hands then there suppose too. The cartoon is about how some countries went to war with other countries and how most of them tried to make allies with other countries by trading and selling. How everyone is trading with everyone. And how promises can be broken as easily as they were made. He/She could have made the trading more clear and show what they were trading.


Everyone is shaking hands with other people. Saying something but thinking another thing. And how everyone is trading with other people secretly.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Great Powers Game

Both Scott and I were Russia. When i was playing the game i felt powerful and really rich!! I dont think any of us had an advantage because all of us started near the same (armies, navies, industies and colonies). We were friends with some people that other countries were not. Some countries had things that we wanted and we had some things that other countries wanted.

I think that it was a good idea to buy a little bit of all. Because you dont really know who is going to attack you and you should always be prepared. I got a lot of industries but i should have bought way more armies. At the end, my allies stabbed me in the back so that was not good. I was not even going to stab them in the back but they thought i was getting too powerful so they went in war with me.

You cant trust anyone, have enought of everything and never get too powerful.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Feedback on Goals

My Goals for second quarter were to:
1)To get a B in humanities.
2)To get all of my TMTU's right.
3)To do my homework the night it was given.

So far I have accomplished two of my goals. I have gotten almost all of my TMTU's right and been doing my homework the night it is given. But getting a B in humanities has been harder that I thought but I will be achieving it in the near further.

My new goals:
1) Getting over a B-.
2) Score higher than an 80% on my quizzes and tests.
3) Keep doing my homework the night it is given.