Quarter 4 Blog #6

In class we've started to read a graphic novel, Persepolis. I really find this book interesting because of the fact that it's a comic book! The read is quick and it's actually interesting. I feel that I can absorb more information from a graphic novel because each piece of writing is connected to a picture, so you can remember what you read. So far, I've learned about the Islamic Revolution and the overthrow of the Shah in Iran in 1979. I find it interesting because this story is told from the point of view of a 10 year old girl, which is a different perspective than we readers are usually used to. The book reading is going well and we are about half way through it, I'm not quite sure what's to happen by the end of the novel, but I assume the main character and her family will get caught in all the revolution happening and that will lead to something exciting.

Quarter 4 Blog #5

We have completed reading the novel, In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. The ending of the book was depressing. 3 of the 4 Mirabal sisters die horribly because of Trujillo's guards. In my opinion, the overall feeling of the novel was filled with good times leading to a sad future. I really enjoyed the fun events that took place on the way to the climax and eventually the resolution of the novel, but the ending really hit it home. The fact that the 3 sisters die at the end shows the main point of the novel, that even when you fight against what's wrong, you can always be taken down, in this case, with your lives. I found the book interesting because it was told in multiple point of views, but disliked it in the fact that it was pretty lengthy. It was a good book overall.

Quarter 4 Blog #4

Lately I've been reading the novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez. The book consists of accounts from the 4 Mirabal sisters, female revolutionists that go against the regime of a dictator in the Dominican Republic named Trujillo. In my opinion, the book is fairly interesting, especially how it was written. Its nice to jump from point of view to point of view every chapter, you are able to know all about the same situation from different directions. I really enjoy how the author is able to create an interesting story based on true events. We haven't finished the novel yet, but I'm sure it will be an interesting ending.

Quarter 4 Blog #3

The novel Runner by Carl Deuker is another suspenseful thriller that involves tons of action. This novel was extremely good. Basically, a poor high school student who lives on a boat with his dad gets into a smuggling ring, he gets paid well, but he ends up getting into a big mess. Eventually, terrorists are after him, and his dad ends up paying the price with his life. This book was a page turner because the chapters were very short, and the story flowed real well. I think Deuker's main idea of the whole novel was to make concious decisions because that seemed to be the main problem with the main character; everytime he had to make a choice, it was usually the wrong one. It really teaches a lesson as well as makes a point for all teenage kids who don't make concious decisions, and that's one of the reasons I enjoyed it. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Quarter 4 Blog #2

The novel, Code Orange, by Caroline B. Cooney, is a suspenseful thriller that really interested me. I finished the book a while ago and it was amazing. The plot was about a boy named Mitty, who lives in the suburbs of New York; he has to do a project on an infectious disease, which he chooses Variola Major, the virus responsible for small pox. As the story progesses, he gets sick from Variola Major and believes he has smallpox; so some terrorists kidnap him and try to use him to infect the city. In the end, you actually find out that he didn't have the virus, which is what really gets you. Overall, I thought it was a good book because of how the author was able to manipulate the reader with several key events to make you believe something and end up finding out she was leading you astray. I give that book two thumbs up.

Quarter 4 Blog #1

Book Title: Code Orange
Author: Caroline B. Cooney

So far, this novel is a pretty interesting read. The main character is an average teenager named Mitty who lives in New York City. As far as I've gotten, Mitty has to do a report on an infectious disease; he chooses Variola Major, scientific name for small pox. I really enjoy this novel because it was written in 2005, very up to date; also, the novel is read in 3rd person, so I like the fact that I can pretty much understand what is going on with all the characters involved in the plot of the novel. The novel is actually really interesting because it includes tons of facts on several viruses; I like how the author uses a unique combination of facts with her fictional story to create an interesting read. I've been reading practically every chance I get, and I assume the action will come within the next chapter or two.

Quarter 3 Blog #15

In many instances, people everywhere are determined to overcome hardships, even when the odds are stacked against them. On www.mayinstitute.org, "Eight-year-old Jeff, who has autism, was recently honored by Georgia’s Council of Exceptional Children as one of the most improved students in his suburban Atlanta school. His mom, Mimi, marvels at the progress he has made and credits the professionals of May South for helping to change Jeff’s life. “May South has simply opened up many doors for our family,” she says." Here, a boy with autism improves greatly academically, although it was mainly due to his parents determination, Jeff became successful. The determination of his parents and his willingness to overcome his disability eventually lead to success. This idea of overcoming obstacles can be related to the novel, Breaking Dawn, by Stephanie Meyer. Within the novel, the main character, Bella Swan, lives her dream of becoming a vampire. Although odds are against both her survival and ability to be around mankind are against her, miraculously, she survives and gains the ability to have the self control to be around humans. This was only accomplished by the determination of both Bella and Edward. Bella wanted to become a vampire and Edward wanted to protect Bella, so as the story progressed, their bond to each other became each others strength. Overcoming odds can be very difficult, but in the end, it is worth the effort.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog #15 :
"Overcoming the Odds". Success Stories. April 3, 2006. www.mayinstitute.org. March 25, 2009. http://www.mayinstitute.org/success/overcoming.asp

Quarter 3 Blog #14

Love makes the world go 'round. A short simple and to the point statement that can often be not so simple. According to an article by Caitlin Ascolese, "On the other hand, 'If someone’s attracted to you but they get the sense that you’re attracted to lots of other people, they’ll tend to dislike you.' The upshot? Prove you’re picky — and that this person fits your high criteria — and you’re well on your way to making this potential amour pick you, too"(Caitlin Ascolese). Here, the author explains a "strategy" to finding your true love. This just goes further to say that love is not as simple as people think it to be. This idea of love and misconception of the overall idea of love can be related to the novel, New Moon, by Stephanie Meyer. Within this novel, the main protagonist, Bella, is struggling with the fact that she has lost her one and only true love; as the story resolves, she is again reunited with her eternal love, Edward. Based on the events that take the reader through the novel, a misconception of love comes into play, and that is what creates and moves the plot along. Love conquers all, ha.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog #14 :
"Win anyone over". Caitlin Ascolese. May 17, 2008. msn.match.com. March 25, 2009. http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=10039&menuid=1&lid=429&ap=1

Quarter 3 Blog #13

Throughout history, war has been a common element for nations to expand, prosper, and conquest. A particular characteristic of war is the need or desire to stop it. An article by David Cole states, "But while the new rules reflect a significant retreat by the administration from its initial torture policies, they are anything but “clear,” come far too late in the day, and in any event are unenforceable"(David Cole). Here, this quote is referring to the torture ban that President Bush approved in 2007. According to the remainder of the article, the author explains how although President Bush is doing the right thing by approving the ban in Iraq, it won't do any good. This idea of a "desire" to end war is a recurring idea in almost every view of any type of war. For example, in the novel, Eclipse, by Stephanie Meyer, there is a constant battle near the end of the novel between two distinct groups of vampires; Victoria and her newborns, and the traditional Cullen and werewolf gang. Throughout this battle, there is a want for the complete stop of the war especially by Bella, the main protagonist. When this battle has concluded, peace is thus again reestablished. War leads to destruction, and makes way for a better, brighter future.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog #13 :
"Bush's torture ban is full of loopholes". David Cole. July 23, 2007. www.globalissues.org. March 25, 2009. http://www.globalissues.org/article/734/bushs-torture-ban-is-full-of-loopholes

Rough Draft For Research Paper - Body Paragraph 3

The entire western hemisphere was completely hidden from history until the late 15th century when exposed to the exploration of and colonization of European nations. The Americas were mainly populated by indigenous civilizations that did not experience the age of industrialization. Due to the impact of European influence on the western societies, indigenous civilizations were able to experience rapid population growth, an increase and diversity of crops and foods, and both livestock and manufactured goods from Europe. From a World History course website, "A variety of breeds of livestock, such as cattle, sheep, and swine, which formed the crux of a stable food supply in a land previously marred by protein deficiency, arrived to the Americas via Eurasia"(Willams Scott). From this quotation, readers understand that before the colonization of the Americas, nutrition wise, the indigenous people were not getting enough protein. This shows that the colonization of the Americas via Europe really helped the indigenous people. Another example from the website, "Crops, goods, and livestock in both continents fueled a population explosion at the onset of the Industrial Revolution as, for the first time in human history, famines, shortages, and commercial isolation were the exception, not the rule"(William Scott). Here, readers discover that due to the colonization of the Americas by the Europeans, both sides benefited; both experienced rapid population growth, surpluses in food supply, and healthier people. The European colonization of the Americas affected the indigenous people positively and allowed for the development and prosperity of the Americas later in history.

Research Project - Notes (Effects)

Works Cited

Williams, Scott. "World History." World History course and essays in Biblical perspective. 24 Sept. 2002. 20 Mar. 2009 http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t4w25spanishcolonization.htm.

"A variety of breeds of livestock, such as cattle, sheep, and swine, which formed the crux of a stable food supply in a land previously marred by protein deficiency, arrived to the Americas via Eurasia."

"Wheat, barley, rice, and oats, staple foods in the European diet, were now rendered available to Native Americans as well. Citrus, peach pear, and banana fruits, as well as grapes, coffee, and sugar were introduced from Africa with which Spain and Portugal had been conducting an active trade since the days of Henry the Navigator."

"Crops, goods, and livestock in both continents fueled a population explosion at the onset of the Industrial Revolution as, for the first time in human history, famines, shortages, and commercial isolation were the exception, not the rule."

"Even the scalding criticism of colonization on the behalf of men like las Casas was a matter of serious consideration for Ferdinand’s successor, Emperor Charles V, whose government in 1542 devised the New Laws of the Indies, outlawing Native American slavery, forbidding the Natives from being laden with burdens beyond their range of comfort, further reforming the encomienda system, and dispatching Audiencias, bodies of investigation and enforcement of said laws, to the New World."

Research Project - Notes (Causes)

Works Cited

Matusevich, Melissa. WWW Server for chumby.dlib.vt.edu. 27 May 2004. 20 Mar. 2009 http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/ReasonsEnglandColonized.pdf.


Notes from this source -


England wanted to establish an American colony to increase her wealth and power.

England hoped to find silver and gold in America.

An American settlement would furnish raw materials that could not be grown or obtained in England.

England wanted to open new markets for trade.

Research Project Multi Flow Map

Quarter 3 Blog #12

The colonization of the Americas began around the 16th C.E. A major player in the process of colonization of the Americas was Spain, who was able to almost fully colonize South America. Colonization refers to the migration of a mass of people into a new area to inhabit, culitivate, and place laws, religion and culture onto the people of that area. From publicbookshelf.com, "Colonies were established on the coasts of South and Central America, and in 1519 Cortez began that memorable expedition which soon subjected the Aztec empire of Mexico to his sway. From this region the Spanish dominion extended south throughout Central America, and northward to California and New Mexico, which Coronado invaded in 1540." The article goes further on explaining how the colonization of Spain in South America made way for the current status of South America being a primarily spanish continent. This idea of colonization can be compared to the novel, When Things Fall Apart, because later in the story, the Umoufia clan is constantly invaded by white people. For example, when the Abame tribe is completely destroyed by the white people because the villagers killed one white man. I haven't got that far yet, but I'm sure that these small encounters with the white men will further lead to the colonization of the Umoufia.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog #12:
"The Colonization of America". Hubert H. Bancroft. The Great Republic by the Master Historians. May 1912. http://www.publicbookshelf.com. March 12 2009. http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/The_Great_Republic_By_the_Master_Historians_Vol_I/colonizati_cb.html

Quarter 3 - Blog #11

The Global Financial Crisis is sweeping across the world and is affecting economies all over the globe. According to Anup Shah, the author of the article, "The global financial crisis, brewing for a while, really started to show its effects in the middle of 2007 and into 2008. Around the world stock markets have fallen, large financial institutions have collapsed or been bought out, and governments in even the wealthiest nations have had to come up with rescue packages to bail out their financial systems." Here, readers understand that this is a global crisis because it certainly affects governmental systems around the globe in a negative way. The idea of a global crisis or a global issue for that matter can be related to the idea of suffering around the world. The issue with a global financial crisis is that it affects everyone around the world because our world is very interconnected. Its a pretty simple concept, a problem with the economy poses a threat to the people involved in that economy, this refers to us, people under the governmental control of our individual country. We are affected by our worsening economies because we can't afford to pay for our rent, groceries, etc. This requires the governmental systems around the world to fix this problem, and in my opinion, they better do it quick.

Work Cited for Quarter 3 Blog 11:
"Global Financial Crisis". Anup Shah. March 02, 2009. www.globalissues.org. © Copyright 1998–2009. March 8, 2009. http://www.globalissues.org/article/768/global-financial-crisis

Quarter 3 - Blog #10

Halloween, the time of year where anyone can be whoever or whatever they choose to be. It's a time of gathering, tricking and treating, and celebration. Although many of us celebrate this festive time of the year, most of us do not know the origin of this celebration. According to an article on allaboutpopularissues.org, "The Celts of Ireland, Britain, and France divided their year into halves: the “light half,” roughly consisting of the spring and summer months when days are longer and nights are shorter, and the “dark half,” roughly consisting of the autumn and winter months when days are shorter and nights are longer. Celts celebrated the end of the light half of the year with the festival of “Samhain” (pronounced sah-wen), which they observed during the October/November lunar cycle." So from this article, readers understand that this whole "holiday" gig was based on a celebration centuries ago on the difference in seasons in a year. This idea of a holiday, or festive yearly celebration, can be related to the novel, The Giver, written by Louis Lowry. In the novel, a utopian like society celebrates the promotion of 12 year old children into their jobs/roles in society every year. The celebration is very festive gathering for the people of the society. Holidays/celebrations are great ways for masses of people to bond.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog 10:
"Origin of Halloween-Through the Years". May 13 2004. www.allaboutpopularissues.org Copyright © 2002 - 2009 AllAboutPopularIssues.org. March 9 2009. http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/origin-of-halloween.htm

Quarter 3 - Blog #9

The origin of Bollywood is a very interesting concept. Who created the term and how did it gain its popularity around the world ? Well, according to "The Origin of Bollywood", by Sabeen, "Bollywood is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based Hindustani language film industry in India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema.The name is a portmanteau of Bombay (the former name for Mumbai) and Hollywood, the center of the American film industry." According to the article, a women by the name of Bevinda Collaco first coined the term "Bollywood". From the text, "I got into film journalism by pure accident and knew nothing about Hindi films… I was given a studio beat to do. I was not happy with the name of the column Studio Roundup and thought of `Flipping around Follywood’, but it sounded too harsh. I settled for `On the Bollywood Beat’ instead" (Origin Bolly.). As interesting as it is to know how the famous film industry in India got its name, its really fascinating to understand how ideas become cemented into an area of interest, and then is built up upon to become something that no one would ever imagine later on. I found it interesting that the term "Bollywood" is now commonly used in a lot of places, it even has a spot in the Oxford English Dictionary. How cool is that ?

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog #9 :
"Origin of Bollywood". Sabeen. April 15, 2007 4:03 PM. Desi Galaxy. 3/02/2009. http://desi-galaxy.sabza.org/2007/04/15/origin-of-bollywood/

Quarter 3 - Blog #8

Culture shapes many societies around the world. Centuries ago, Africa's diverse culture helped shaped the cultures of many other nations around the world. From www.shivaunnestor.com, "Almost three times the size of Europe, Africa is a huge continent. It has 54 countries, hundreds of languages and many different cultures. Most African Americans were originally from West Africa, which has had a huge influence on many cultures around the world, including cuisine." Africa, in a sense, was a very diverse and beautiful continent, full of outstanding relics, numerous languages, and amazing architecture. So technically, Africa's culture came from these differences it had compared to the rest of the world. It's culture was very significant because it made an impact on other parts of the world. For example, when slaves were sold and shipped to the Americas, the slaves would bring along their culture; their language, their crops, their ways of life. Unfortunately I can't really relate this specific cultural diversity to any specific book I've read, but I can examine the effects of the the spread of African culture. If you look at our nation today, we have definitely integrated masses of people and assimilated them into our country, and because of that fact, we have a abundance of different cultures. I think its really interesting to learn about different cultures, especially when there are so many within accessible range.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog 8 :
"West African Culture". Background on West African Culture. 3/02/2009. http://www.shivaunnestor.com/archives/telehealth/food/index.html

Quarter 3 - Blog #7

According to, "The Top Nine "Changes" Barack Obama Would Make as President", by John Hawkins, Barack Obama had some very serious changes that would seriously change the United States for the better. Obviously this article was written way back when before Obama was elected for president, but its a great way to overview what he has in store for our nation. First off, I won't go through the top nine changes Obama has in store for us, so I'll choose my favorite from the lot. From the article, "#2) Losing the War in Iraq: Obama is promising to throw away the hard earned gains our troops have made in Iraq by immediately removing combat brigades each month, regardless of the situation on the ground, and by having all of our 'combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months'" (Top Nine Changes). I'd like to comment on the fact that this is probably the best thing Obama has in store for us other than the fact that he will better our economy. The war itself was none of our business until President Bush made it our business. Anyways, it's a big change and will affect our nation greatly. With our troops out of Iraq, we wouldn't have to continually send money and resources over there, and be able to help ourselves than a nation that doesn't want our help. This idea of change relates to the novel, The Giver, by Lois Lowry. The main character, Jonas, undergoes a physical change that sets him apart from the rest of the society. In the novel, the change that occurs in Jonas helps him throughout the novel to find out about his society's twisted traditions that are kept incognito. Change overall sets the stage for better, more stable life in these scenarios.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 Blog 7 :
"The Top Nine "Changes" Barack Obama Would Make as President". Friday, March 07, 2008. Copyright © 2009 Salem Web Network. All Rights Reserved. 2/22/09. http://townhall.com/columnists/JohnHawkins/2008/03/07/the_top_nine_changes_barack_obama_would_make_as_president

Quarter 3 - Blog #6

The current crisis in the Middle East involves two countries, Israel and Palestine; the crisis began when Palestine continued to fire rockets into Israel because they believed that the political state of Israel was not legitimate. They are trying to push the Jewish people out because they believe that that area is a Muslim area. Currently, from msnbc.msn.com, Israel is getting close to a decision on cease-fire with Hamas. The situation currently is that Israel demands for the safe return of a captive soldier by the name is Gilad Schalit; on the other hand, Hamas' top priority is to lift the blockade on Gaza and reopen the border that limits the Hamas government. From the article, "The blockade has caused widespread hardship in Gaza, particularly after the Israeli military offensive. Dire shortages of cement, glass and other building supplies make reconstruction virtually impossible until the borders reopen" (msnbc.msn.com Israel). This crisis in the Middle East reflects back to the element of hope for both sides, they hope for the betterment of their countries, even when times are tough and dangerous. This concept of hope relates to the novel, The Giver, by Lowis Lowry. Near the resolution of the novel, Jonas and Gabe are on the outskirts of the civilization they left behind, hoping to find a way out and find a new life; although the odds are against them as they travel, they don't give up hope, and by the end of the novel, they find their true home.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 - Blog #6 :
"Israel nears decision on cease-fire with Hamas". 3:38 a.m. PT, Wed., Feb. 18, 2009.© 2009 Microsoft. 2/18/09. msnbc.msn.com, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29253668/

Quarter 3 - Blog #5

Buddhism began in India around the early 400 B.C.E. It began with a man named Siddhartha Guatama who lived in the Indian sub continent. From the article, Buddhism, from Wikipedia, "Buddhists recognize him as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end their suffering by understanding the true nature of phenomena, thereby escaping the cycle of suffering and rebirth (saṃsāra), that is, achieving Nirvana" (Wikipedia Buddhism). Simply the belief in Buddhism relates to the author of Snow Falling on Cedars because he himself has struggled with his beliefs in religion. From another article, 'Intensely, Miserably Spiritual', by Anne A. Simpkinson, "David Guterson, author of the 1994 bestseller, "Snow Falling on Cedars," declares himself an agnostic, but a spiritual amalgam seems closer to the truth. Raised more culturally than religiously Jewish, the 47-year old former English teacher has studied Buddhism, and, while researching his just published third novel, "Our Lady of the Forest"--about a runaway teen who has a vision of the Virgin Mary--stumbled upon Gnostic ideas of the Divine Feminine." The interview goes on asking the author why so spiritually lost and such. Both the belief in a religion and the understanding of religions are two different things, I guess for Guterson, he'll just have to find one that's right for him.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 - Blog #5 :
"Buddhism" (2003). Wikipedia®. 2/16/09. wikipedia.org.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
"'Intensely, Miserably Spiritual'" 1/23/2004 4:48:27 PM. belief.net 2/16/09 http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Books/2004/01/Intensely-Miserably-Spiritual.aspx?p=3

Quarter 3 - Blog #4

The struggle between which gender is superior has been done again and again for centuries, ending up with no side satisfied with the results. The article, "Clear gender roles, equal respect," by Caitlin Allender, explains how we all have equal roles, despite what we believe our roles to be. Well to start, we each have different roles in society, whether its working in a law firm, or cooking dinner for a family of 4. Certain general roles like women stay at home and men go make the money have faded away; many women work professionally while some men tend to work at the home. Back then when roles were so gender based, it didn't imply superiority on a certain gender, it was just how it was suppose to be. For example, from the article, "When a man opens the door for a woman, holds her umbrella over her head or walks on the street side of the sidewalk to protect her from anything that may splash up onto her, he is not implying that he sees her as inferior.Rather, it shows that he esteems and respects her. And women, the recipients of these gestures, will come to esteem and respect the men in her life who treat her so kindly" (Allender, Gender roles).This ties in with the novel, Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson, because one of the motifs that are implicated in the novel are gender roles. Men are the providers of the families, but women are responsible for maintaining the family structure and society based relations. The article was not to bad and the book is a pretty nice reading, I suggest anyone to try reading the book.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 - Blog #4 :
"Clear gender roles, equal respect" 1/31/06. © 2006 Loyola Greyhound. 2/16/09. www.loyolagreyhound.com. http://media.www.loyolagreyhound.com/media/storage/paper665/news/2006/01/31/Opinion/Clear.Gender.Roles.Equal.Respect.Vital.To.Good.Manners-1544685.shtml

Quarter 3 - Blog #3

India is a very diverse and fascinating country to observe; even more appealing is it's festive and traditional culture. Based on the information provided by indianchild.com, "Festivals in India are characterized by color, gaiety, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals. Foreign travelers are struck by the scale and multiplicity of Indian festivals that have evolved in the society." Basically, festivals in India are so diverse and based on several aspects of life that they really stand out to people outside of the culture. This idea of being diverse applies to the novel, The Giver, by Lowis Lowry, in the sense that diversity is the key element that moves the plot. The comparison is very broad, but the fact that diversity is a key element in both scenarios, why not compare the two ? Anyways, in the novel, Jonas, the main protagonist, uses his diverse ability to eventually figure out the society's secret and escape the horrible future he doesn't wish to become a part of. I don't want to kill the book for anyone, so that's all I'll say about the novel; it's really good by the way, read it !

Works Cited for Quarter 3 - Blog #3 :
"Festivals in India", August 2, 2004. Copyright©2000.Indianchild.com. February 8, 2009. http://www.indianchild.com/festivals_in_india.htm

Quarter 3 - Blog #2

The reading that I did for this blog post was slightly different than my usual blog posts. Tonight I read a poem instead; it was a very touching poem called, "The Mourning is Over!", by Kevin Pace. I found this poem enlightening and inspiring because it really takes negative and makes positive, so to speak. From the poem,
"But the mourning is over! I now am confessing,
this burden I bear is more of a blessing.
I don’t fly through life like I did once before.
Enjoying the journey, you see so much more."
The author, Kevin Pace, is describing his Parkinson’s disease, a disease that causes neurologic movement disorders; basically is a disease that hinders your ability to move certain parts of your body, if not all parts. I really could understand how Kevin took what he had, and turned it around for himself. This relates to the novel, Nectar in a Sieve because of when all was going downhill for Rukmani and her family after the monsoon, when all of their crops were gone, food was in short supply, and they had to sell most of their belongings, they pulled through; whether it was because of hope or good faith, they made negative a positive.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 - Blog #2 :
"The Mourning is Over!" Feb 1 10:07 PM. allpoetry.com © Kevin Pace. February 4, 2009. http://allpoetry.com/poem/5013417

Quarter 3 - Blog #1

For my reading, I read an interesting article on a flood in Australia and how it was so bad and devastating that it had snakes and crocodiles in peoples homes! The article was, "Aussie floods bring snakes and crocs", by msnbc.com news services. The title of the article is pretty self explanatory, so I won't really need to summarize what happened; basically, a flood destroys lots of homes, people in danger as usual, and snakes and crocodiles invade. From the text, "'That's why I keep the broom here (at the front door) to chase the snakes away,' he told reporters. Some 2,900 homes have been damaged in Ingham and hundreds of people evacuated to a temporary shelter"(Aussie floods msnbc.com). I found this to be quite interesting and decided that it would fit perfectly with the novel, Nectar in a Sieve; not only because of the scene where Rukmani encounters a snake, but because of the scene where the monsoon storms destroy her village and marketplace. Both events, fictional and true to life, had major impacts on the societies that the disasters affected.

Works Cited for Quarter 3 - Blog #1 :
"Aussie floods bring snakes and crocs" msnbc.com news services. 7:31 a.m. PT, Wed., Feb. 4, 2009. February 4, 2009. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29013547/

Outside Reading Post 28

For today's outside reading post, I want to comment on the article, Disease, by Maggie McPherson, on MSN. This article was talking about how disease plays a big role in the development of modern medicine, and I found it kind of interesting to read about. One example she used was Polio. It's a rare disease, but it had killed a lot of people when there was no vaccine for it. The development of modern medicine found a vaccine for Polio, and now it's almost completely gone from our world. I found this article interesting because the author mainly used hard core evidence to prove her point. I looked into her evidence that she used and they really helped back up her point. Anyways, it just gave me ideas for essay writing and such.

Outside Reading Post 27

The movie "Mall Cop" is about a man who tries to overdo his job as a security guard at the West Pavillion Mall. The main conflict within the movie is that a group of gang members takes over the mall and tries to steal 30 million dollars, but Paul Blart, the mall cop, tries to save the day. While trying to save the mall, Paul is infatuated with one of the hostages held by the group of gang members, Amy. I don't want to kill the movie for anyone, so I won't say what happens at the end. I really enjoyed this movie because it was not only funny, but it was action-packed. It had a few interesting twists as well which really made the ending that more anticipating to watch. Overall, I give that movie 4 stars out of 5.

Outside Reading Post 26

For today's outside reading post, I want to comment on studying for finals week. Recently I've been reading about every textbook that the school has distributed to me and I find it really frivolous to go through each and every one of them just ace my finals. For example, while I was going through my AP World textbook, I not only felt pressured to cram things into my mind, but at the same time I felt that I needed to mentally update my head; I've apparently missed a lot of important information. That was my wake up call, I needed to up my game for finals week. Just from that little reading I did in my textbook, I somewhat remember the information because I think when people are under pressure, the brain tends to start working harder than it needs to. And by all means, if that must be done, let it be done. So for today, and the next two nights, I will do some hardcore studying; even if it turns out to not really help me at all. Goodluck to me haha.

Outside Reading Post 25

For tonight's outside reading blog, I want to comment on "The Trial of Galileo", by Doug Linder. The account was of how Galileo's belief in a Copernican Universe led to his eventual death by fighting against the Catholic Church. In the early 1620s, Galileo invented the telescope, which he used to confirm the idea of a Copernican Universe, a universe where the sun is the center of the universe, and the planets orbit around it. Everyone else believed in Ptolemaic Universe, where the Earth was in the center and the sun and planets orbited it. Galileo believed that he was right and this cause was worth fighting for. Galileo changed the views of many scholars with his telescope, but he could not alter the views of the cardinals and priests of the Catholic Church. In 1633, Galileo was accused of false injuction, from the reading, "As a salutary penance we impose on you to recite the seven penitential psalms once a week for the next three years. And we reserve to ourselves the power of moderating, commuting, or taking off, the whole or part of the said penalties and penances." I believed that his was way to cruel to sentence to a man who had different beliefs than the rest of us. It seemed both unfair and stupid to do such a thing. I guess the Church had a lot of power back in the days. I'm glad we have freedom of speech.

Outside Reading Post 24

For today's regular blog post, I want to just comment on a section of the play, "A Midsummer's Night Dream." This play was originally written by William Shakespeare, and then used to be acted out in a movie like fashion. One particular scene that I would like to focus on today would be the scene where Puck, a fairy under control by Oberon, uses the red flower to make Lysander fall in love with Hermia. In my opinion, I thought this scene was actually funny. I thought it was interesting that the plot would be affected so greatly by this one tiny mistake by Puck, it led to other complications with Lysander's true love, and also Hermia's true love. This play depicted how love affects human hearts and what love can do to human emotion. I really enjoyed that scene because of the fact that it was a small mistake, but with big consequences, which in turn actually made the play more interesting to watch anyways.

Outside Reading Post 23

Recently I surfed the web and found a bunch of interesting articles about science, I didn't read them all, but I did happen to read this one about hydrogen. The article title was, "Hydrogen, the most powerful of its kind." This article in particular focused on the the atomic structure of the element, hydrogen, H for its elemental abbreviation. The author, Dan Brown, is a college student who is completely fascinated with the uses of elements. For this particular element, hydrogen, he describes how destructive it can be; his main focus was hydrogen bombs. He explains how hydrogen bombs get its energy from a combination of nuclear fusion by hydrogen isotopes. This fusion of the isotopes has a mass smaller than the original size of a hydrogen atom, the difference thus appearing as energy. From the article, "The end product again weighs less than its components, the difference once more appearing as energy. Because extremely high temperatures are required in order to initiate fusion reactions, the hydrogen bomb is also known as a thermonuclear bomb." I also learned that there is a such thing as a nuclear nation club, a club for nations that have admitted to having the ability to create nuclear weapons and store them. I really enjoyed this article because it was so fascinating and very informal.

Outside Reading Post 22

For today's blog post, I will comment on the ending of the book, "The Giver". Personally, I didn't like the ending of the book. In my opinion, it was total bs ! The book didn't even end properly. It left the reader guessing about what happened to Jonas, the main character, and Gabe, another protagonist. I really hate open ended endings, they aren't very fun. On the other hand, I did enjoy the vivid imagery presented within the last chapter. From the reading, "I put every last image of warmth into his body, hoping that it would keep us through the blizzard." In this scene, Jonas has abandoned his community, and he is on a search for a new home; he and Gabe encounter a snow storm, and it's the last difficulty until they both finally find a home with a family in it. And that's where it ends, how lame right ? Utter fail, but I still recommend you all to read it !

Outside Reading Post 21

For tonight's outside reading post, I will post on the movie, Bedtime Stories,with Adam Sandler. Overall, I thought that this movie was very fun filled and a fun movie to watch. One particular scene that I really enjoyed was when it was raining gumballs, I enjoyed that dramatic irony; the character that Adam Sandler played was unaware that a candy truck had crashed and gumballs were falling down the bridge. I also want to comment on the vivid images that were presented during the story telling. The movie was a fun get away for people who needs a relaxing time away from reality, I give it 2 thumbs up.

Outside Reading Post 20

For todays belated blog post, I will post on the play, "All My Sons". First of all I'd really like to just comment on the overall thought of the play; it was very good except for the lack of change of scenes. The whole play took place in the Keller's back yard! I also would like to comment on the screenplay; I really enjoyed how the story kept itself moving, without filler scenes. One particular scene that I thought was very dramatic but at the same time important was the ending scene where Joe Keller kills himself. I really thought that this scene brought the whole play together, and introduced the moral of the story. I really thought that the moral was to not lie, but based on the ethical deliema presented within the story, I thought that Chris should have gave his father another chance. A son doesn't abandon his father for a mistake, b/c a father wouldn't do that to his son. Just a personal opinion I had about the ending of the play.