Mind Chunks

Introducing...

2011-08-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is myself during school.
http://prezi.com/xhx7zsh3dxig/as-part-the-prologue-of-my-senior-year/

Reading List For 2012

2011-08-07T01:27:00.000-07:00

1984 (1948) by George Orwell was read by multiple friends and I never thought of finding the book when I required a replacement for a book that was ending. 1984 takes place in a dystopia where the freedoms of the people have been taken away. The book is an average length. I have already seen Orwell's style in Animal Farm. His style was not hard to keep myself caught in the story of the first book by Orwell that I read.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1917), a partial autobiography, by James Joyce shows the life of Joyce's alter ego and a connection to the myth of Daedalus. The novel is written with little dialogue and a third-person view. The book should not take a long time to read but appears to be a possibly interesting story of a man who resists the ideas he had been raised to believe.

King Lear was written around 1606 by William Shakespeare was found on a reading list for the past AP Literature exam questions. The play is considered one of Shakespeare's best works. The play is based on the legend of King Lear, who was a king of pre-Roman Britain. I have read Shakespeare's plays in the past, which means there shouldn't be a large amount of wondering what is going on during my reading.

Main Street (1920), written by Sinclair Lewis, is a story about a woman who moves from the city into a rural town in Minnesota. The physical appearance of the small town cause her to want to change the place, in her view, for the better. The people who had already been living there resist the changes and collect in their established group. I hope that the connections between this aged novel and today's events can be found by myself through this long story.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1929) by Erich Maria Remarque details the first World War as seen by the eyes of a German youth who enlists in the war. The book attempts to show the evils of the war as millions of the young men died in the war. Remarque, a German, can vividly show the events of the book due to his personal experiences as he served in the war. The writing style and length should allow this novel to hopefully be a painless read.

Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut takes place during World War II as a soldier is captured by the Nazis and placed in an abandoned slaughterhouse called slaughterhouse number five. The soldier, Billy, later travels through time and becomes captured by aliens. The novel is fairly short. The story, however, touches on different themes and gained the title of one of the best antiwar novels of the twentieth century.

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play by Arthur Miller. The play follows a failing salesman, who believes he is living the American dream. He attempts to influence his thinking onto his sons. One son begins to see the false lifestyle as a lie and resists falling into the society that his father believed was best. The play finds important themes in American society that should be able to be seen even today.

Things Fall Apart (1958) by Chinua Achebe explains two stories that both center around a man of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first story contains the man, Okonkwo, and his separation from the tribal world. The next story is modern with a clash between the tribal worlds and the European missionaries. The fairly short book appears to be structured simply with a more complex meaning underneath.

Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller is a satire on World War II that follows a pilot as he's caught between a suicide bombing mission and the inability to remove himself to the situation. The author fills the pages with bits of comedy to lighten the atmosphere of the novel. The book may be a challenge due to the length but, I should be able to find some enjoyment from the story.

Oedipus Rex was written by Sophocles was the second of the Theban tragedies that show the events of Oedipus the king. The play is part of the tragedy of the man who was cursed from birth and survived his parents attempts to save themselves from the curse. The style of the play may be a challenge at some times due to the extreme age of the play, although most of the versions of the play may have some help to reduce the aging.

That Happens in the World? (Reading Assignment VII)

2011-07-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

1. Mansfield seems to be showing the difference between the wealthier class of Laura with their perfect garden parties and lack of needing to care about the outside world and the poorer class of Mrs. Scott who now faces the loss of a husband and possibly the ability to feed her children. I believe this shows the differences between the wealthy and the poor classes of the story and the fact the wealthy class may not care for the plight of the poor class until something drastic happens.

2. The perfect weather and setting of the garden at the beginning of the story shows the quality of life for the wealthier class of the story. The fact that the roses were able the only type of flower to be known by the majority of guests can show that the class cares for nothing outside the normality of their life. The darkness of the poor people's section of the road contrasts the beauty seen earlier at the Sheridan's house.

After reading the other three responses, I would think that I began to the social differences and the fact that the wealthy avoid contact with the poor down the road. I could point out a few of the details leading to this conclusion such as the roses being the only flower the guests cared to recognize.

The comparison between Laura and Persephone adds to the idea that Laura's class believed themselves to be better then the poor below them. The comparison between the descent of Laura from her Olympus and Persephone gives a greater representation that she now entered a world unknown and different from her own. The comparison between Demeter and Mrs. Sheridan creates the character a greater meaning to the growing independence of Laura rather then simply being Laura's mother.

Scars Show Meaning (Reading Assignment VI)

2011-07-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

Interlude

An archetype can be thought of as a strong part of a story that other creators reuse in their own story as the archetype helps their own story and creates a connection between the other stories and the story being seen or read by the audience.
One archetypal story that can commonly found in fiction would be an unlikely hero fighting against a returning evil from the past. The Lord of the Rings may be one of the most famous versions of the story. Frodo, a normally peaceful hobbit, must rid the world of the ring to stop Sauron while the evil lord returns to hunt for the ring.

Chapter 21

The scar on Harry Potter's forehead sets him apart from the other characters in his world and even gives some sort of insight into his character. The shape also gives more distinction from a normal scar.
The scar on Harry Potter was given to him when he was a baby by the evil lord Voldemort. The evil wizard attempted to kill the child along with his mother and father. The lightning bolt left behind represents the second that the great evil was destroyed. The speed at which Voldemort was destroyed can be compared to lightning striking during a storm.
The placement of the scar on Harry's forehead may give a reason for the whispers of Voldemort to directly affect the young wizard's concentration and cause a headache. The scar's place on Harry's body shows where the connection between him and Voldemort lies.
The lightning bolt shape of the scar can give a representation of the reason Harry makes such an impact on the characters around him. Lightning announces itself in a great flash that nearly all in the immediate area can see. The loud crash of thunder that follows certainly disturbs the people that are close enough. Harry commonly becomes noticed in his environment and creates an even greater reason to be noticed after he has appeared.

Beaten Awake (Reading Assignment V)

2011-07-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

*Spoilers are possible*

The recreation of a character through a experience that they could have died from allows the character to do what they may have otherwise not done. In the movie, Kung Fu Hustle, the main character, Sing, desires to be a member of the murderous Axe Gang, who have become the biggest gang in Canton, China. Sing and his friend, Bone seem to be hopeless in their attempts to impress the Axe Gang due to a lack of ruthlessness. Sing eventually gains membership into the Axe Gang after using his ability to pick locks and releasing an assassin from prison.

Sing becomes the accidental target of the escaped assassin. The fight between the two men results in Sing's face being smashed deep into the ground. Two kung fu masters save Sing from the monstrous assassin and bandage the beaten Sing. When Sing emerges from the bandages, he has now become one of the greatest kung fu geniuses in history. Sing transforms into an entirely new person with skills and the desire to perform good deeds.

Fears for the Future (Reading Assignment IV)

2011-07-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

Aldous Huxley's Brave New World can definitely be considered a political novel. The story of the novel contains a world full of pleasure and lacking unhappiness and a world where the people live on the land with little technology. The world of pleasure contains a place where humans are grown in test tubes and the young children are conditioned accept sex as a recreational activity. The adults use a drug called soma in order to escape the world and have their own paradise.

The novel can be seen as a reaction to the growing use of sex and drugs in the culture of America. The novel was completed in 1932, after the flappers of the roaring twenties finished their rebellion of the traditional ideas of what a women should wear and do. The book, however, was written before a time where sex and drugs would almost resemble the society of Brave New World, the 1970s. The use of LSD and other drugs as a escape from reality into a personal paradise resembles the activities in the novel. Huxley warned of the change from reproduction to recreation for sex and the increased use of drugs in the every day society of the world. The novel targets the society of the world and attempts to show a new world that may deter or encourage the culture from the path it now began to follow.

Lurking In the Fog (Assignment III)

2011-07-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

The use of fog in the novel, Dracula, that accompanied the areas of Dracula's interest allowed a further detailing of the diabolical count. Each of the hero feared for their life as the fog dispersed the evil, allowing the monster to plan for their next encounter. The fog symbolized the mystery of the count as another part of the plan to infiltrate London began to appear following some of the fog. Van Helsing and his companions were generally ignorant on how to handle the situation. The count's fog trapped the fighters of evil in the ignorance until the fog dispersed. The departure of the fog allowed the men to discover a new knowledge for the fight against Dracula.

Linked Thoughts (Reading Assignment II)

2011-06-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

Chapter 5

Intertextuality is the connection between two separate pieces of writing that uses already used ideas or previous works to add to the meaning of the more recent writing.

The controlling of a person's life and position in the world are both parts of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Anthem by Ayn Rand. Both of these worlds contain a government that controls the job and status of a person, which they must continue to be part of for the rest of their life. The world places characters that are part of this world in social structures that try to disconnect the character from a certain group in the story.

The use of intertextuality can also be found between Anthem and The Giver by Lois Lowry. Both of these stories contain a person who has come of age in the society of the book. The main characters both gradually begin to believe that their society restricts the people from some of the joys in life. The main characters dream of a world that has regained the pain and enjoyment of the world today.

Chapter 7

In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George's dream of a farm where they can "live off the fat of the land" relates directly to the Garden of Eden. This connection gives their farm a greater relation to what the two men want. The dream of the farm represents the desire for a true paradise where neither have to worry about their own survival and can be happy for the rest of their lives.

Reading Assignment I

2011-06-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Enterprise of Death

1) The quester: an ex-slave Moorish female necromancer, Awa, who escapes all of her masters and captors but may die after ten years. The necromancer finds herself in western Europe after the Reconquista.

2) A place to go: the hiding place of the book used by Awa's tutor and last master who taught her necromancy. The book may be hidden anywhere the necromancer could convince the wind to carry within a few days.

3) A stated reason to go there: a curse placed on Awa will cause the necromancer to steal her body while destroying the girl's spirit. The book may hold the key to saving Awa before the necromancer kills her.

4) Challenges and trials: the Inquisition causes European commoners to afraid of the heretics and witches supposedly hiding in their world. Awa must also hide her Moorish appearance from the people. The training that made Awa into a necromancer and her history of slavery caused her to become disconnected from average people. The necromancer must also find her master's book before ten years when her body will be stolen.

5) The real reason to go: Awa finds friends and a family within the world that hates both her Moorish appearance and necromancy. The ex-slave becomes a part of the world rather than only befriending the dead.

To Raise the Status of Teachers

2011-04-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

The lower status of teachers originates from deep, enrooted problems of society, such as the ability and want to switch out products that still work effectively. Timothy Daly in his response to the article ", How to Raise the Status of Teachers," called the switching of teachers the "widget effect." Teachers at Batesville High School educate more effectively than their peers, yet those teachers appear the same as the other less efficient educators. The teachers with better abilities can be switched with less effective teachers. The habit to switch out an old product with a newer one has bled into other parts of the world. This habit causes teachers to be tossed around by the school system even though their method of teaching outstandingly works more than their replacement. If teacher abilities affect their job position, teachers who are not able to perform as well may become jobless and add to more problems of the country and the world. The teachers underperforming, however, should be even more encouraged to do well in order to not be caught in a switching and trash society.

Gatsby Analysis

2011-03-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

Fitzgerald's shadowy reflections defines a epiphany that the flow of time pushes back against the world's progression forward. Time cancels its own flow and leaves the world in the past with no true ways to proceed forward into the new future. The world as a whole has not changed in a great way like in the past such as the discovery of the new western hemisphere.

The famous final line of The Great Gatsby " , so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past, " causes the world as "boats" to sail against the ongoing flow of time in an effort to reach a new future as the flow of time continuously pushes the world backwards. Ideas from the past stay current without the forward movement of new ideas to replace the defunct ideas. Progression forward can not be achieved without new ideas to break the world out of the trap that keeps old ideas at the front and new ideas never form to conquer the old way of thinking.

As the world unknown to civilization came "face to face" with the old world in Europe, humanity stared ", for the last time in history," at a new opportunity to find a break in the current of time and the future. The Americas created a renewed longing for discovery and expansion. The following centuries all became plagued with ideas, products, and resources stemming from the entire continents before unknown to the majority of the populace. Our world now must find a new grand discovery in order to create a massive wave that places humanity in a future without any of the ideas or ways dominating the world stage.

Fitzgerald details the place the world now finds itself rapped and weakly fighting against. The faceless torrent of time shoves the population back. The reaction and push against the rush of time only allows the world to stay in the current time. The world must find a new discovery to quickly advance against time to bring new ideas and create a shining future for the world.

Reading List

2011-03-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

I read 3 books, the equivalent of 6 books.

Dracula, 364 pages
Stormage, 452 pages
Yu Yu Hakusho Volume 12, 208 pages

The twelfth volume of Yu Yu Hakusho begins at the end of the semifinal rounds of the Dark Tournament. Yuusuke faces Togure in the final round with the surrounding arena being demolished. I enjoyed this book since the show disappeared when I attempted to watch the series and the volume takes place during the highest action points.

Quote On Consumerism

2011-02-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of its filling a vacuum, it makes one. If it satisfies one want, it doubles and trebles that want another way. That was a true proverb of the wise man, rely upon it; "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith."
-Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

The people before the 1960's were not part of the mass consumerism. The poverty faced in the world before brought happier people, but now that much of the world can take part of buying large amounts of superflous items. The "Affluenza" disease has created a world vacuum that may possibly consume the world in a rampant devourment of everyone's wallets and happiness.

Recession Opportunities

2011-02-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

The economic recession affects the spending of many people around the world. The recession and a fast paced world created a opportunity for the gaming industry. With the possibility of content being sold online, companies began to sell all of their game's online content for a bundled price for those that wait or had no given the game a chance. The large game of the year tag also drags in more customers during the recession.

Drink to Nothing

2010-12-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

The rampant drinking of energy drinks may possibly be doing nothing to help the energy of the people who drink them. The studies and information in "Do Energy Drinks Improve Athletic Performance?" by Gretchen Reynolds show a connection between improvement of ability and the drinking of energy drinks may not exist. The amount of sugar in the drinks that I can feel while drinking an energy drink and the feeling after drinking the drinks seem to support this idea that energy drinks do not aid the person ingesting the fluid.

While reading the article and some comments, I started to wonder if the energy drinks act as a placebo for an energy starved and energy craving society. The studies in the article used varying amount of sugar in the drinks that showed different results that do not clearly show a different way to improve the reactions of the subjects. Reactions in one test came quicker with use of energy drinks but less accurate than the subjects who did not drink the beverages. The energy drink helped the people in the test but not in the correct areas. The drinking of energy drinks for the replacement of sleep do not help those injesting the caffiene.

The enhancement from energy drinks do not work to improve the performance of the drinkers. Drinking the highly caffinated drink act possibly act as a placebo for the cultures created that require the energy supposedly gained from drinking the energy drinks.

12 Sentence Story About Han Solo the Bearded Dragon

2010-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

Han Solo wanders a galaxy far far away; my bearded dragon, Han Solo, basks and eats in his personal world. Han waits quietly through the day, his legs outstretched, his eyes open, and his body flat on the ground. Bearded dragons, defenders of their own weird little galaxy, battle insect and green menace, rarely miss a chance to devour crickets. Does my personal galactic fighter pet tire of the same foods? Of Course. The tiresome schedule of the crickets and daily greens and the wonder of the new and exciting tastes in the world, both drove Han Solo to try something new. Han Solo waited until he would be handled which would certainly come and which would give him the perfect opprotunity to try the new tastes outside. I took Han Solo out of his tank and he scurried across my arm, across my chest, and onto the couch. On the couch, my pants Han could see. Han has a normal diet but none of his normal foods were so great. Tasting the pants, Han snapped and chomped and thrashed as his tasted the pants. The attack on the pants resulted in Han's return to his tank.

Cost of Space Exploration? Priceless.

2010-11-09T11:03:00.000-08:00

Achieving the goal of flying a human past the moon would only be another stepping stone to exploring even deeper into the solar system, nebula, and galaxy. However, the path to the closer landing of the moon proved to be a challenge that some were not prepared for. For every new test to solve the problem found, money must be spent in order to allow the technology to be engineered and research to be discovered that solves the problem. Some view space as a waste of resources while those resources should be spent elsewhere in our own planet's problems.

I disagree about the idea that the research and exploration do not help the world we currently live on. Preparing for the missions of just orbiting the planet involved many tests of many variables and circumstances. While reading the book, Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach, questions of the challenges that would be faced after the current challenges mentioned have been met. Those challenges mean even more money that needs to be spent in the name of discovery. The conquered trials bring more tests for scientists also give technology and a new understanding of the world.

Our planet is only one slight glimmer in the sky and very minuscule area has been glanced at. The lack of information should promote the desire for a better understanding of the larger world that we live in. The research discussed in the book must be completed and analyzed to bring the human race closer to the shortening and growing journey into the cosmos. Should the price tag matter if the reward represents the greatest achievement of mankind?

3 Books I Want to Read This 9 Weeks

2010-10-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

1. "The Box" by Richard Matheson

I chose "The Box" as something to read since the main theme of trading something for wealth though I did not see the movie version of the book.

2. "Packing for Mars - The Curious Science of Life in the Void" by Mary Roach

"Packing for Mars" seemed interesting because the book contains information about the different environment of being alone in space and simulating the environment on Earth.

3. "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose

"Undaunted Courage" is a biography about Meriwether Lewis and I chose the book for a very different change of reading.

2nd Quater Annotated Reading List

2010-10-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

Drew Karpyshyn exposes his talent of expanding the universes of well-known video games and movies in the final part of the Darth Bane story, Dynasty of Evil. Darth Bane struggles with the effects of age and loss of his orbalisk armor. His apprentice, Zannah, still has not challenged him for the title of Sith Lord and appears to lack the ambition needed to lead and continue the Sith way of life. In an attempt to make sure the order stays alive, Darth Bane begins to research Darth Andeddu, a Sith lord who unlocked the secret of immortality. Bane finds the location of Anddedu's holocron, which contains the secrets and memories of Anddedu. To distract his apprentice, Bane sends Zannah to Doan where a Jedi was murdered while searching for Sith artifacts. Zannah, however, knows of Bane's falling power and uses the opportunity to find her own apprentice so she can challenge her master. The novel contains two types of evil characters. One desires absolute power and sees no use in art or money. The other works towards personal gains of money and art in order to live a comfortable life. Both use the world around them with little care for the pain they cause towards others. Could one type of person described be more evil or do both seem the most evil in different ways? (319)

Karpyshyn, Drew. Star Wars: Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil. Del Rey, 2010. Print.

Including the story that inspired the movie of The Box, The Box: Uncanny Stories contains twelve short stories with varying characters and plots. The author, Richard Matheson, places his characters in different situations to test the true character and morals of any average human being. An example of the situations would be the use of the female character's powers in "Girl of My Dreams" for monetary gain through the use of blackmail. The most important factor in the short stories in the book of average people in very abnormal settings make the characters feel more like the reader and not some extraordinary hero who can not fall and always make the correct decision or be able to deal with the consequences of the wrong decisions. By use of these average characters, Matheson creates opportunities that make the reader wonder what would they do in situations like the characters in the stories. (272)

Matheson, Richard. The Box: Uncanny Stories. New York: Tor, 2009. Print.

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void shows the annoying and frustrating part of space travel not commonly thought of as people gaze at the sky, thinking of floating with the stars. Mary Roach explains the frustrations of scientist teaching astronauts how to function in a completely new environment to the world. The author uses humor and facts gathered from her personal research into sending humans into space with interviews and even some experiences that she saw personally. Roach explains the difficulty of learning to simply move across the room or eating food without floating in the chunks for the rest of the mission. The amount of delays and research needed to fix these problems amazes. Astronauts sign up for their positions and become babies again as the simple act of moving becomes a different set of movements. The lack of gravity causes complications that bring all those that wonder about life in space to think if their journey really can be as simple as shooting a rocket into the sky. (334)

Roach, Mary. Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print.

Reflection of Reading

2010-10-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

During the summer, I only read a few articles on different topics, mainly about video games and space. The school year started and I read for about an hour for two or three days a week. My reading after the seventh week of the quarter slowed down with only thirty minutes for a day or two.

The writing that I read was mostly fiction extending the story of a video game. "Brave New World" and the related articles seem to be the deepest level of writing and thinking that I read. Next quarter, I hope to read books about different topics than what I read and read more consistently than the first quarter. Right now, I am reading a book about the exploration towards the Pacific Ocean.

Socratic Seminar Reflection

2010-10-11T10:14:00.001-07:00

New ideas were introduced in the Socratic Seminar. My ideas were generally agreeing to the rest of my groups. The discussions caused the thinking and reasoning to look into a deeper level of thinking. The reasearch of finding the relation between real people of the world and characters in the book led to interesting distractions when looking at scientists and thinkers that helped inspire part of a character in "Brave New World."

I could not find a way to approach question with others around me thinking about the question and bringing more ideas. The main themes of the book came out in greater detail. In order to improve my part in the dialogues, I would prepared more in order to find even more different ideas to put into the discussion. Getting into the conversation seemed to be difficult with the idea quickly being taken by someone else in the group. The format for the Socratic Seminar can work with all of the members of the dialogue being able to enter into the conversation of the group.

Annotated Reading List

2010-10-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

"Mass Effect: Ascension" focuses on the story of scientist of the Ascension program for biotics, Kahlee Sanders, and pro-human terrorist group member, Paul Grayson. The ruthless pro-human group, Cerberus, wishes to put humanity in a position over the other alien races of the Milky Way. Paul worked as an assassin for the group before raising a girl with astonishing biotic potential, Gillian. Raising Gillian as his own, Paul follows the instructions of Cerberus' leader, the Illusive Man, to act as the young biotic's family while she studies at Grissom Academy in the Ascension program. The power of a biotic who surpasses all other humans would give Cerberus a major advantage when asserting humanity at the top of the galactic community. Space travel represents one of the greatest achievement of humans and the chance of other life forms in space becomes more likely each day. The way humanity handles the interaction between species could result in the demise or total rule of humans in the galaxy. Will humans be able to handle politics of space if the politics of just own home planet can be devastating to the race. (342)

Karpyshyn, Drew. Mass Effect: Ascension. New York: Del Rey/Ballantine, 2008. Print.

Continuing the story of Paul Grayson and Kahlee Sanders, "Mass Effect: Retribution" features another attempt by Cerberus to exploit a chance to advance the human race up the political ladder of galactic politics. The events in this book happen after the video game, Mass Effect. The pro-human group, Cerberus, acquire the technology left in the wreckage after the battle at the political center, the Citadel. The alien machinery contains technology greatly more advanced then the entire galaxy's technology. Cerberus views the machines as a chance to prepare for an alien invasion. Paul Grayson, after freeing his daughter from Cerberus' grasp, becomes a human experiment of melded organic and synthetic life. Kahlee Sanders receives a desperate message before Grayson is captured and rushes to liberate Paul from the monstrous atrocity he may become. The way to overwhelming power can come in various places and times. Limits of the person or group searching for the power restrict the lengths that can be taken to reach the power. Cerberus desires galactic control by any means. In the same way, tyrants of our past attempted to control the planet through brutal conquest. The same goals could be achieved by peace. (368)

Karpyshyn, Drew. Mass Effect: Retribution. Del Rey, 2010. Print.

Abundance Leads to Searching

2010-09-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

Pink's sarcastic humor begins to show that without the need to scavenge for items needed or wanted, Americans long to find purpose and meaning.

While looking through our technology in a store, Pink notices the competition of companies as they try to produce the greatest quality of goods. Technology that was created today will soon be replaced again by a bigger and better idea. Even with an already overwhelming catalog of items, people still look for something more. This search could possibly create the wanting to search for purpose.

The majority of people during the last century desired a home and car. As we enter this new century, people have much more than just a home and car. Americans now must throw away and find a place to store many items to be able to live without a mess around them. Many of the items thrown away were given little to no thought as they were tossed aside. Since people can get rid of many of their possessions, the people in our world look for a deeper meaning that will not be thrown away and forgotten.

All Power to the Slacks

2010-08-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Having almost no meaningful examples of ethos, pathos, or logos in today's world, the ad of "Slack Power" attempted to drag in members of the Black Panther party in the 70's. The ad was no successful even though there are attempts to seem closer to the audience.

Acting as a use of ethos, "Slack Power" makes use of the saying, Black Power, which was used the members of the Black Panthers. The person viewing the ad can think that the Black Panthers wear the slacks in the ad to truly be a revolutionary force.

Inside the text containing information about the slacks, the creator of the ad uses pathos to make an emotional appeal to the viewer. "Our Post-Grad Slacks have soul" could make the targeted audience feel connected. An object, person, or idea with soul had feeling inside that was for the actions of the Black Panthers. A Black Panther would feel close knowing the pants could create a look of support for the organization.

The ad did not require use of logos. The thoughts of support for the cause of the Panthers could cause a supporter of the party to purchase and wear the pants. Using logos could have possibly pushed the audience away by seeming to be for people not truly for the revolutionary party.

The ad of "Slack Power" makes use of ethos and pathos to connect with the viewers and potential buyers of the product. The ad leaves out logos in order to look like a required item for Black Panthers and not a product for people thinking being a Panther is fashionable.

Annotated Photo

2010-08-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

My annotated photo for the summer assignment.

Wiser Gifts

2010-08-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

The short story, "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry, can bring a point that material possessions are temporary. Some possessions may come back as they were while others become lost. When Della sells her hair and purchases a chain for Jim's watch, she gave a temporary possession for a Christmas gift. Jim's gift of the combs Della desired cost Jim his watch handed down to him from his father and grandfather. The gifts that Della and Jim gave to each other would have been perfect for the other if they both had not given up their prized possessions for a gift for the other person's possession.

"The Gift of the Magi" shows that material items are less important then the company of others. Jim worked for low pay with little money to save up for gifts and extra items that the two characters wanted. Della stayed at home with thoughts of how much money the couple had to spare. Both knew the money gained from Jim's job would not be enough for extras. Giving up a prized object for the other showed that no matter what the cost the characters wanted to give the other a gift to remember and give them happiness. Della and Jim were happy just seeing the other happy even with their loss.

Quick Doom

2010-08-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

H.P. Lovecraft's short story, "The Doom That Came to Sarnath", made the thought of a entire civilization being destroyed in a single night could unexpectedly happen at any moment. The accomplishments of Sarnath became useless against the return of an ancient conquered enemy, Ib. The falling of the city could happen to any city or civilization. The effects of the attack of the people of Ib rippled through the lands around Sarnath. The disaster inside a country today causes other nations to send aid for the victims. The loss of the resources and trade from the towns hurts places around the world. The effects may be worse and cause destruction inside bordering countries and continue to spread.

"The Doom That Came to Sarnath" made a thought that no civilization can avoid or predict the downfall of itself. Sarnath was home to worry free citizens and nobles who never thought the actions of the past would affect their success in the world. The real world has seen many empires and civilizations fall to the ground. Some dwindled slowly while others vanished in months. Sarnath contained riches and wonders with achievements the rest of the world could never accomplish. The city seemed to be eternal yet fell quickly and without warning. The world now many be very different in the next 500 years.

The Mind And The Dark

2010-08-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

The short story , "The Beast in the Cave" by H.P. Lovecraft, causes ideas of the unknown and the human mind under stress from life-threatening situations. Humans and the character in the story face uncertainty inside the darkness and survive with fearsome knowledge that doom can appear anywhere. Minds of different people react differently to instances where a overwhelming challenge demands all the power of the person.

The character's dismay of becoming lost can be compared to the idea that humans as a whole wander aimlessly through the universe with destruction around the wrong turn. Humanity like the character are defenseless against the monster attacking. Monsters against humans may be pushed back with the help of companions who can bring light to fight back the darkness. The unknown creates fear whether in school or a cave. The thoughts associated with fear must be pushed aside to conquer and make the fear disappear.

The thoughts of death from starvation or the beast of the cave made the character of the story flow through emotions. The thoughts weakened and strengthened his mind. The character wonders if he can ever see the light of day again or survive at all inside the cave. The beast causes a more gruesome idea of the cave as the sounds reach his ears after acceptance of potentially being lost forever. Fending off the beast and finding the guide gives the man hope of reaching the outside world away from the horrors of the cave. The unknown does not win the battle of the character's mind while showing that he was moments from dying.

Effective Animals

2010-05-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

George Orwell used animals to help portray the satire of Animal Farm. Animal Farm critisizes the Russian Revolution with comparsions of characters and events.

The characters in Animal Farm are mainly animal with a few main humans. Each animal uses their natural characteristics to become a comparison of the character of the book.

The character Boxer, a horse, represents the working class of Russia. Boxer works hard for the good of the farm until the leader, Napoleon, discards of the horse when Boxer becomes broken and useless in his work.

The use of a prize horse named Mollie as the upper class as Russia worked just as well as Boxer worked for the working class of Russia. Mollie does not care for the arguments of the farm and would rather live in her comfortable lifestyle rather than work with the rest of the animals.

George Orwell used animals to compare his novel with the Russian Revolution.

Of Mice and Men

2010-05-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Analysis of Detail

The Salinas River "runs deep and green" shows that the river appears to be full of life. The "strong and rocky Galiban Mountains" proves the mountains have lasted the elements and time. "Under the tree the leaves lie" can give the trees a protecting feeling over the leaves on the ground. "A path beaten" shows the path has been used by many people over the years who needed the path to go to the river. "The limb is worn smooth" gives detail that the limb has been a resting place for others walking along the path of the river.

Analysis of Point of View

The third person objective point of view solidifies the solitary these men lead. Crooks "on raising his eyes...a scowl came across his face." when Lennie came into the door. Crooks seems to be a loner from his scowl. Crooks actuallly merely values his privacy on the ranch. As Lennie caught the attention of Crooks, Lennie "smiled helplessly" wanting to be friends. The contradiction of a helpless smile gives evidence that Lennie yearns for relationships. The first look of Crooks's room shows a room "swept and fairly neat." Crooks appears protecting of his few possessions on the ranch with his clean and tidy room. Lennie appears in Crooks's room only to find the man not desiring his company. Lennie attempts to get close but, as "he advanced a step into the room, he remembered and backed" up. With the entrance and exit of Lennie in Crooks's room causes Lennie to be respecting of Crooks's space. The third person objective point of view solidifies the solitary the men in Of Mice and Men live in.

Analysis of Tone

The frank and optimistic tones in Of Mice and Men reflect the thoughts of the ranch workers that Steinbeck wrote the novel on. The word frank can be used for the tone of the novel. Every problem with a character never hides within the words as the characters interacted with others. The tone of the novel can possibly called optimistic. The author placed hope for change of their lives in the characters placed in the world where every man wanted a piece of land for himself to call his own.

Migrant Mother Photos

2010-05-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

The Great Depresssion happened duirng the 1930s. Masses of people struggled to eat and find work. Dorothea Lange took pictures of these hard times with the most famous being The Migrant Mother pictures.

Dorothea Lange captured the early aging of the mother and the dirt of the family. The mother looks worried and older than her real age with her children around her in unwashed clothes.

The photos show the desperateness of the families and individuals in the depression. The family uses tattered cloth to create a shelter from the sun and rain.

The Migrant Mother gives a glimpse of the depression of the thirties in the United States. Dorothea Lange's photos worked to keep the depression's memory inside everyone.

Boxes

2010-04-30T12:10:00.001-07:00

The rooms
will change.

With the old
clear of items,

the new will
be filled soon.

The new and
old bring joy.

Mask I Do Not Wear

2010-04-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

The mask lies away, hidden from view,
lying away in a deep hue of blue.
The idea of putting it on
will never cross my mind
as there lays the mask I will not don.

To wear the mask would defile
my face with its wretched vile.
The wearing of the mask would raze
myself like a tsunami does a village

So then the mask lies there.
The two of us never a pair.

What A Stand

2010-03-11T18:13:00.001-08:00

Many people take stands during their life if they truly believe in what they say. An example of when I took a stand would be when protected a little kid from a group of kids ready to pounce him.

The little boy was scared of the tallest of the kids while the others were only an inch taller than the scared boy. I intervened before the kid was harmed and drove off the bullies. The little boy thanked me giving myself a sense of guardianship against tyrants.

This time I took a stand was not the only time but proves an idea that I would be ready to stand for in a moments notice.

The Call of the Wild

2010-03-11T17:55:00.001-08:00

The Call of the Wild is a classic novel detailing a dog's journey back into the wilderness and his primal instincts. Jack London wrote The Call of the Wild almost 100 years ago, but the novel still causes the reader to feel as Buck makes his journey with his ancient thoughts.

The Call of the Wild is set during the Alaskan Gold Rush. The Alaskan wild proves deadly to many sled dogs with Buck, the main character, being a top survivor of the harsh weather.

Buck starts with a owner who owns Buck as a pet and hunting dog. Buck finds himself sold without his owner knowing. Buck becomes a sled dog for a courier. His new owner later sells Buck who learns that his masters change over time.

The novel uses the survival of the fittest as a central theme. Buck must prove himself the stronger of his opponents. The sled dog must show his strength with the cold weather beating him down all along his journey in the North.

With the test of time beaten for now, The Call of the Wild stands as a great book of survival and ancient instincts. I recommend The Call of the Wild for most people that have not enjoyed the novel.

Commitment of My Choice

2010-03-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

The Olympics showed the determination of many athletes as they represented their country with pride. If I were to make a commitment of the level the Olympic athletes make, I would make the commitment to music or movies.

Just like the athletes in the Olympics enjoy their sports or competition, I enjoy music and movies. Both of my choices drag me in for some reason and seem like a perfect option for me to pour my energy into making great music or movies.

The start would most likely be difficult but with time I would work to the point of quality that demanded attention. The rewards would definitely be better than the work. Of course, I would not need to win an award.

Even though I say music and movies, I probably have other areas I enjoy and would work at to the relative level of the Olympic athletes.

The Fellowship of the Ring

2010-03-11T12:40:00.001-08:00

The Fellowship of the Ring started the epic journey that found a way onto the move screen and video games. J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring grapples a reader the beginning of a quest on a long road full of dangers.

The Fellowship of the Ring begins in the Shire, home to the hobbits, with Frodo living peacefully with his uncle, Bilbo. Frodo inherits Bilbo's land after Bilbo vanishes from the Shire. Frodo also recieves the Ring. Frodo is thrown into a quest outside the Shire with his friends.

Frodo stands against dark forces that threaten life in his home and the homes of the other races during the journey. Even with fear, Frodo stands for his world against these evil creatures. Frodo uses the help of his friends to make it through the darkness.

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first book of Frodo's journey. I recommend this book for fans of the movies or fantasy.

523 pages

Winner in the Mental and Physical World

2010-03-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

Winning can mean many things. Winning happens the most noticeably when the reward appears in the winner's hand.

Winning can also be an idea. The changing of other's people's minds into a view that the person persuading them believes in could be winning to the person persuading.

A person can win while everyone says they lose. The physical part of winning is not always what the winner wants to achieve. The mental part of winning is more important in some cases.

Stand Against Cheap Work

2010-03-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

Through the course of history, people made stands against ideas that were unfair. Cesar Chavez took a major stand during his lifetime. He stand up against the unjust treatment of the grape in California and progressed to all farmers.

Chavez worked to gain higher wages for his fellow workers. The stand he made followed a peaceful path. Chavez achieved his goal with the conditions and wages of farmers increasing.

Cesar Chavez believed his cause and achieved his goal of correct payment for the grape farmers who worked to support their families.

Persausing Everywhere

2010-02-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

Persausion happens all around us espcially with the invention of the TV and internet. I use persuasion whenever the use will cause myself to benefit. What I try to persaude people into depends on the person.

TV uses many methods of persausion to convince the audience. Commercials can use the emotions of the audience to donate to their cause or to stop an activity that they do regularly. TV shows use persausion in the way books can by embedding a lesson.

I can persuade others more with one technique of persuasion and other people more with another type of persausion.

Why Did I Just Hear Danzig Around Here?

2010-01-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I went to Jonesboro to see what was at the mall there and get more bedding for my snake. The only store to contain more than one item I would buy was Gamestop. The rest of the stores contained nothing. One store in paticular, one that started as an underground music store, drove me insane with the now sadly out of place music.

The store, Hot Topic, used to be against the mainstream with people who actually listen to a band's entire albums. To draw in money and follow the trends, the store turned into a monstorsity that speaks of rebellion.

The true face of the story happens to be like the mainstream. Hot Topic tries to be different but with all the fake followers shopping causually, the store now would be attacked and beaten by the old version of the store.

Even with this, I will probably end up buying a shirt from the website to avoid the dread of seeing the people that shop there. There's always the band's personal website though.

Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales Of H.P. Lovecraft

2009-12-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

The Necronomicon puts together the best of H.P. Lovecraft throughout the year with writing from throughout his career. The Necronomicon's stories shattered the normal of its time and inspired many writers during the later part of the 1900's.

The Necronomicon has stories around the world with the focused area being New England. The characters in the book experience their horrors in dark, damp places with terrors lurking in each corner waiting to cause them pain or snap their mental sanity. H.P. Lovecraft details his stories with gruesome detail to the grotesque areas his places his characters in.

The main theme of all the stories is how people can be fortunate to not remember their terrible ordeals and the limits of the human brain to handle terror. Later stories go into a supernatural force that desires to destroy the world. The later stories emphasizes that Earth is barely a speck in the vast universe.

The characters range from simple farmers to educated doctors. Each either barely escapes his terror with his sanity, breaks down into a blabbering husk, or does not return at all.

The Necronomicon inspires the horror genre. I recommend this book or any of the stories contained inside the pages.

Et tu, Brute?

2009-12-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

Throughout his life, William Shakespeare entertained the masses of people in London for years with his plays that continue to be preformed. Julius Caesar was the first of his many plays written and preformed. Julius Caesar is a classic that will continue to be performed for many years.

The play detailing the events just before and after the death of Julius Caesar. The setting is Rome during just after Caesar returns from his conquests through Western parts of the Mediterrean. Julius Caesar, when the play was first performed, drew in the Londoners due to their fascination with the Roman and Greek people.

The play contains all the elements of a Shakespear play from solioquies to obvious ways around the limited space to use for the play. Julius Caesar was a first of a immortal playwriter and should be at least read by people today.

I Wish A List, Yes A List

2009-12-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

I demand a list of grievances of snake haters as my snake has seen complete intolerance in just the thought of him. This list should include the following:
1. An apology to me and my snake
2. Money for his food
3. Time to see my snake
4. An actual reason to hate a non-venomous snake with no fangs

This list will be required in my hand by the end of the year or punishment will go out.

Leaders Leading

2009-12-14T20:17:00.001-08:00

A leader can be just acknowledged as the one who has the most sense of a group generally. A true leader, however, sparks inspiration into his or her group into achieving greatness or surviving long enough for the day to come for a change in their dire situation.

One leader who was just a leader is one of the largely unknown kings. He is not remembered for anything but holding the country together until finally something significant happened to his country.

A true leader can be in thought like Ghandi or in a physical sense like George Washington. Both definitely spoke inspiration though Ghandi used pure though and George Washington later went to defeat the British in combat.

Leaders can be great or mediocre, although, none are truly weak as they do hold the burden of five to billions of lives.

Mind States

2009-12-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

Playing a few games, I wondered what state of mind would an actual person need to be in to say doom their entire home that they were born into. Of course, there are external forces in games such as demons or magic, there are real thoughts and objects that could symbolize those.

Some people are thought to just be pure evil in their nature. Those people could spread their hatred into others, forming a "demon". Words act as a form of realities "magic".

There of course is the much simpler mind state of the hero.

Heroes shine a radiance throughout them. Shunning evil, although some twists have become more common, with a righteous fury or even sometimes self righteous fury. The hero fights the unknown for everything they stand for without flinching.

With all the inspiration of this topic in a story, I still wonder if all the real world evils had some relation to some of the fiction evils such as Hitler or a martyr.

I am thankful.....

2009-12-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

As this was written around Thanksgiving, I thought of the things I was thankful for. With nothing popping out that did not sound terrible or overused, I finally decided on a few things. I am thankful for the fact my country isn't as terrible as it seems at times although it could use major improvements, there aren't bombs being dropped physically on this land.

Another thing I am thankful for is the freedom of artists to make whatever they choose. This is mainly movies and music for me since they are some of the best life enhancers I have during my week.

A last thing I am thankful for is how I don't really have to do much compared to the past or some places now. I generally do what I want and not need to do...generally

7 Habits

2009-11-11T14:02:00.000-08:00

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey shows a pathway to success as a common teen. 7 Habits dredges through its examples with the author's opinion on every page.

While all the habits only give ideas to some, habit 2 - begin with the end in mind attacks many people's way of life as they go through their life on instinct and impulse. This is not the only part of the book that focuses on one way of life the author sees as unhealthy and destructive. Many parts of the book feel like the same repeated warnings and sayings teens have heard from every adult in their life. The author portrays himself as a faucet of knowledge that needs to be listened to for success in someone's life.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey is an adknowledged source of self-help by many reviewers. This book, however, is falsely praised and I do not recommend this book.

Rise of the Horde

2009-10-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

In the effort to explain why things are like they are in World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment has authors writing deeper stories for the story of the game. Rise of the Horde shows the betrayal of whole groups of people as the Horde begins its descent into demonic rage.

Rise of the Horde begins with the orcs living as clans who fight over disputes but were generally at peace. The story is mainly seen through the eyes of the father of Thrall, Durotan. Durotan witnesses the misguided Ner'zhul persuade the orcs to destroy the draenei. With the destruction not progressing fast enough for the true commanders, Ner'zhul is overthrown by his apprentice, Gul'dan. Gul'dan works with the demon Kil'jaeden, who was the one giving orders to Ner'zhul, to give the orcs the power of the demons. This power gives birth to warlocks and the crazed bloodthrist of an orc warrior. With the destruction of the draenei and power of demons, the Horde is born and quickly requires expansion into a new world.

Rise of the Horde showed the sadness of the orcs with self-control as they saw their brothers and sisters become demonic monsters bent on destruction and the reasoning behind the orc and draenei hatred. I recommend this book to anyone who plays the game series and is interested into why the orcs are so savage with their brown brothers being peaceful.

355 pages

Arthas: RIse of the Lich King

2009-10-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

With the release of their top MMO's second expansion, Blizzard Entertainment begins to tell more about their expansion's main antagonist. Arthas: Rise of the Lich King expands on the existing story with deeper emotions from the characters to show why each does what they do in World of Warcraft.

Arthas, the main character of the book, begins his life as the Prince of Lordaeron. He dredges through his studies and prayer sessions as he's molded into a paladin of the Light and king of Lordaeron. All the events of the original games happen during Arthas' childhood. Arthas meets Jiana Proudmoore during her journey to study at Dalaran. Later in their life, the two fall in love with Arthas destroying the relationship only to further destroy it during the events at Stratholme. Arthas: Rise of the Lich King shows the reasoning behind Jiana's wanting to purify Arthas to the way he was as a paladin of the Light.

Arthas: Rise of the Lich King broadens the emotional ties of the lore in Warcraft. I recommend this book for anyone who plays the Warcraft games and takes an interest in the story of the game.

308 pages

The Time Machine

2009-10-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

The novel, The Time Machine, gave inspiration to science fiction to the writers in the last century and this century. When The Time Machine begins, the novel accelerates into a desperate struggle for survival in a bizarre and twisted future.

The main character, the Time Traveler, makes a massive claim to his colleagues in his own time on the idea of time travel. With his knowledge of technology, the Time Traveler tries to prove his ideas and jumps to the year 802,701 A.D. The setting of the story looks alien to the Time Traveler as he finds the decaying of society with 2 groups of devolved humans. The Eloi show interest in the Time Traveler and welcome him to eat and sleep with them. The nocturnal Morlocks come out of their machine filled caves to feast on whatever meat they find. The Time Traveler becomes lost in this time after his machine is lost to the Morlocks. The Time Traveler finds himself alone until he meets a Eloi named Weena. Though a language barrier prevents communication, the Time Traveler lets Weena cling to him as he works to find a way to his time machine.

The Time Machine changes from the current of his time and creates a story that helped change and create a entire genre of books. I recommend The Time Machine for any science fiction fan or someone wanting a book that drifts from their normal genre.

"Scar Tissue"

2009-10-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

The book I read tells the story of Anthony Kiedis's life, the sing of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Anthony Kiedis's Scar Tissue renders a picture of the life of Anthony Kiedis with its successes, failures, and renewals.

Anthony Kiedis used drugs for years and truly wanted to quit during the later years of use as he saw what the drugs did to him the next day and what the drugs did to those around him. Anthony Kiedis lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan until he was 13 and moved to Los Angeles, California. Anthony's drug life began while living with his dad. Anthony met the original line-up of The Red Hot Chili Peppers as he went through school. The band began after everyone graduated out of high school. With a surrounding of drugs, Anthony clung to his sanity as he switched drugs to keep from becoming completely useless. The band went through the years with band mates leaving and rejoining. Anthony's life changed drastically as he committed to sobriety after the dead of guitarist Hillel. Anthony, though tempted after every show, kept himself sober to this day even with the constant use around him as he toured and lived in Los Angeles.

Scar Tissue pulled me into Anthony Kiedis's past. The book should be a great book for fans of The Red Hot Chili Peppers or anyone who wants into the life of an ex-drug addict.

465 pages

Bubbles of Fire

2009-09-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

In Pre-AP Chemistry on Wednesday, the class was going normal with things being passed back out and worksheets being handed out for the first time to be done with work about the elements printed on all parts of the worksheets. Near the end, my teacher told the class that he was going to set up an activity that we would probably enjoy closer to the end of class. This activity happened to be lighting bubbles full of natural gas on fire.

The bubbles were made by putting natural gas through regular bubbles that little kids would play with. When everyone who wanted to try handling the bubbles, we proceeded to try and make a chain of bubbles so that the flame would go down a line of about 15 people. The chain died two times and didn't reach the end of the line like it could have if every had gotten bubbles before they started to go away.

This made me want to deal with fire for the rest of the day as the singed hairs on my arm were a constant reminder to my nose that i had dealt with the flame earlier in the day.