Outside Reading Post 19

For tonight's outside reading post, I will post on my Spanish homework and how easy it was to complete. The basis of the homework was on the subject of ir, meaning, to go. So basically, we had to figure out which form of ir to use in different sentences. The six forms are voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van; representing the forms for I, you, her/him, we, you all, and them. Well basically the concept is simple, but since I have nothing really to write about in my blog, I decided to incorporate what I did for homework, and use it in my blog. Anyways, I really just found out that doing your homework actually improves your skill, so I just thought that doing my homework in Spanish, despite the severe easiness, does aid my skill in the language. Phew, what a waste of a blog, sorry about that. At least I did it. Woot !

Outside Reading Post 18

For today's outside reading blog, I will comment on the symbolism of the book, The Giver, by Louis Lowry. The novel, The Giver, is about a utopian society created by some of the most intelligent people of the community. The main character, Jonas, soon learns the societies' secrets and then decides to abandon it all together. One particular item that I want to comment on that is a symbol is the apple. Within the story, everyone is color blind, except for Jonas. He soon develops the sense of sight, being able to see color, and beauty. I thought that the apple symbolized the change and new journey that Jonas was about to take on. It would lead to Jonas leaving the society, and learning about its hidden secrets. I also thought it represented change, not just the physically changed color of the apple, but hope for change within the society. Something that Jonas was to change physically about the society, to break it free from the secrets that control it. Anyways, I just thought it was a really good symbol.

Outside Reading Post 17

Today's blog post will be about Statistics, from my reading of my statistics book over the weekend. Why would I read my stat book ? Well obviously to learn! Anyways, I will just briefly go over the fact that it was unusually easier to understand the content of chapter 5 when I actually read the chapter. The chapter is about Producing Data with Randomization. The concept is quite simple actually, you basically just need to be able to produce data of a sample, a section of a population, by using random numbers from either a Table of Random Numbers, or a calculator that can simulate that for you. I found it quite interesting that you are able to answer questions such as, "A couple wants to have a girl in their family, they will continue to have children until they either have a girl, or have 4 children. Using the concept of randomization and probability, show the possibility of the couple having a girl in their family." Now I can finally do my math homework correctly !

Outside Reading Post 16

For tonight's blog post I will comment on the video I viewed in my AP World History class, Guns, Germs, and Steel. The video was on the fall of the Inca empire in the 1500s C.E. The Incas were the most powerful of all the mesoamerican empires, and its empire spanned from the tip of South America, to the tip of modern day Chili. The Inca fell to Spanish Conquestadors, led by Pizarro, a retired war veteran. He lead a group of 126 men to the Americas, and was able to take down the most powerful empire of the land. How did they do this ? Well, according to Jared Diamond, the narrator of the video, he explains that do to the geographic luck of the Spanish Conquestadors, they had already mastered the creation of steel weaponry, they had guns called harcubuses, which were similar to a shot gun, and they also possessed germs that infected the Inca empire. I thought that this video was oddly interesting; it presented its material well and was straight to the point. I also enjoyed the acting of the Inca Empire and Spanish Conquestadors, it seemed very accurate and very informal.