Humanities 8 Paolo

What is power?

2009-05-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

Power is a way to control a group of people through ideas, force or religion. Throughout this year we have studied different ways in which power has been used to control or lead people to achieve a goal. This essay will focus on some of the key things related to power we studied this year.

We first came across this point with the idea of the industrial revolution, were we explored how farmers had little power since they had close to no money, this lead to many farmers moving into cities to work in the new factories there. This did lead to them earning more money and in terms gaining more power, but as the poor got richer so did the rich. Since the rich now had more money they also had more power and they took advantage of this by spending the least amount of money possible on their workers to maximize their income. The more power you had the more power you wanted and that lead to countries like Great Britain to start colonizing other weaker countries this lead to the start of Imperialism.

Nations had limited recourses which were crucial to manufacture goods, so countries decided to colonize poor countries and to take their resources. Once again power comes in to play as every powerful nation races to Africa to find their needed resources. Now many of the most powerful countries had colonies to provide them with good but as the rich got rich and more powerful the poor got poorer. As you can see power can destroy lives and it did so again and again with great wars.

World War I left England as the strongest nation and it greatly contributed the USA’s economy but it also left Germany poor and starving. Hitler wasn’t ready to let his country die out so he took power of Germany and soon attempted to take over the world. His great ideas and brute force made him powerful and also filled his enemies with fear. But as we all now with “great power comes great responsibility” and Hitler wasn’t ready for that and thus he failed to lead. The Russian revolution was also lead by power as the peasants were deprived of it. They’re only hope was to take down the tsar and start a new government.

As you can see not much good can come from one person having all the power.

2009-05-03T23:05:00.000-07:00

After finishing Population Project I've learned new ways to manage time more efficiently this would be very useful in the future when other projects like this come up. Another useful skill I've developed throughout this project is how to expand on my research and ideas to bring up new questions and answers, this would be useful since it helps bring ideas to a new level. A final skill I developed was researching in general since the right information isn't always easy to find and when sometimes it just isn't available. Since I encountered this many times I was able to find alternatives and possible solutions like finding new types of sources like interviews or museums.

Cartoon

2009-04-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

The main visual elements of the cartoon are: the family eating at the table and the text at the bottom.
This cartoon seems to be about a family discussing their day at work or school and when the kid is asked how his day was he tells his parents to read his blog and find out that way.
The cartoonist seems to think that kids are to used to the internet that has become their standard form of communication, and that they can use the internet to express them selves better. The cartoon shows the parents surprised about the kids answer almost as if the change was over night and they had never seen it before. The kids expression is simple as if his answer was standard or common. This cartoon is ironic since usually children feel the most comfortable talking to their parents but here the kid seems to feel comfortable talking through his computer. What this cartoon shows is that maybe in the future people will communicate through computers.

POP project work time

2009-04-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

On Monday: Find information for my second graph and get my note cards started
On Tuesday: Work on perfecting my RP outline or start my RP 1st draft
On Wednesday: Finish (or try to) my data analysis and RP 1st draft
On Thursday: Start RP introduction
On Friday: Work on RP

Technology

2009-03-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Technology is the advancement of tools, for a better and more efficient new tool. Technology is basically the way humans improve old tools or items into new one with more uses or better uses.
Lots of items have been developed; 5 of the ones most used by us are:

Cellphone
i-pod
Laptop
Cars
Television

5 technologies we don't use as often are:

Airplanes
Lawnmowers
Microwaves
Hairdryers
Vacuum cleaners

I think AES has got a good amount of technology. It's a very modern school and uses it's technology wisely; as well as teaching their students how to use it and take care of it.

Kurt Vonnegut

2009-03-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

Kurt vonnegut seems to thinks all computers are bad, and in a way I agree but not to the point were I would destroy a computer. By what he writes in the Euphio Question it seems that he belives computers have the abillity to brainwash and overwhelm you without you being able to stop it, he gives an example of this by comparing machines to mariguana in pg 193 "Aperantly that's like walking past a field of burnning marijuana". I have to agree and say that computers can in a way brain wash but I belivve Kurt is underestimmating the capabilty of the human brain by think computers can take over our lifes. Computers are here to make our lifes easier not to take control of them. I think the reason Kurt Vonnegut writes about technology in this way is because he is scared of what technology can do, and he likes things the way they are because the future is unexpected and he doesnt like that.

Non-Coflict Poem

2009-03-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Cereal Bowl Poem
I poured myself my bowl of cereal, not forgetting his ally the milk;
Then I looked into my arsenal wondering what weapon to wield.
Eventually I deciphered that the spoon would be the best choice,
Because of its ability to shield my shirt from the pouring milk.
All of a sudden I launched my invasion into the unaware bowl of cereal,
The thrust of my spoon easily impaled the cereal; killing my hunger.
I kept the mobilization of my spoon as I read the propaganda on the box.
The containment of my appetite was liberating,
Making me feel full of strength for the day ahead.

Goals 4 quarter

2009-03-16T00:19:00.000-07:00

I think I successfully achieved one of my goals which was to understanding my reading beyond the obvious, I did that when we read Animal Farm by relating what happened in the book to the Russian revolution. Or when we read the 43rd war how it related to real life events.
My other goal was to improve my descriptive writing and I don't think I got a chance to impore at that so I want to have that as a goal for this quarter too.

My goals for this semester are:

improve my discriptive writting
read more often
work on Pop at least 30 minutes a day

WWIII?

2009-02-22T21:07:00.000-08:00

I don't think there could be another World War since most countries that were involved in the previous ones know that no good can come out of them. After the two previous wars I don't think that any countries leaders are willing to put their nation and people in that type of danger especially after what happened in Hiroshima, Japan. Also we now have the United Nations and other organizations that try to prevent these things. Another point is that right now there is no one think that is worth so much to country, that they would start a chaotic war to protect it, or posses it.

All countries that was part of a world war knows how much damage it can bring and aren't ready for another one. Earth is still rich in most of it's resources, and the ones that are scarce can be shared until a alternative for it is found. Countries learned from their mistakes and know another should be prevented for the good of all Nations.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Mushcloud.jpg/300px-Mushcloud.jpg

Battle Of Stalingrad

2009-02-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

Stalingrad, Soviet Union

26 August 1943

Dear Mom

I ‘m writing to let you know that I’m fine and that there is nothing wrong with me. But also to tell you how bad it is here, a few days ago the Germans dropped bombs over the city, over 1,000 of our soldiers died! As well as a few thousand more injured or ill from the bad conditions. And since Stalin decided to send all of his capable soldiers to Stalingrad for the battle, after he shipped all of the city's railroad rolling stock, grain and cattle over the river out harms way, he left the city starving before the battle began.

Hitler and his Nazi party started this since Stalingrad is firstly, a very industrialized city next to the Volga River, that Hitler wishes to posses because of its transport path connecting the Caspian Sea with Northern Russia. Secondly, because of the fact our leader Joseph Stalin has his name in the cities title making it a good source of propaganda if he brought it down.

Now after the bombing its hard to believe that the ruins we are walking on were once a great city full of life and peace, and that now thanks to the tyranny of one man the dust that lies lifeless beneath our feet covered in the ice cold snow was once home to someone. Mom the things we have seen here are cruel and hard to explain in one short letter so when I get back to Moscow ill tell you just how miserable we are here

Sincerely Your Son, Andrei Koslov

http://www.aish.com/holocaust/overview/graphics/he05n18a.jpg

War Recipe

2009-02-11T06:55:00.000-08:00

Recipe for war

Take a failed treaty and
An angry Germany.
Add in a power hungry Hitler and
A few weak countries to colonize.

Don’t forget a resentful England and France
And an unstable communist Russia.
Throw in a broken alliance and
A angered fascist leader.

And finally pour in a bombed Pearl Harbor
And a few drops of nuclear explosions.
With some new raised army
And you have a World War.

Enjoy your hard work.

Animal Farm Movie

2009-02-09T06:16:00.000-08:00

The Animal Farm movie certainly showed most of what happened in the book but it wasnt quiet accurate though. Even though the movie had many of the events of the book on it in the right order they still missed out a few thongs, for example they didnt show the windmill falling over due to the storm and the many times Napoleon blamed Snowball, another part they got wrong was when they showed Napoleon took care of the baby dogs after their mother died in the battle of Cowshed when in the book it said he took by force from their mother and they also showed Napoloen drinking the cows milk when in the actual story Napoloen took the milk to the puppies. These were among the things the movie got wrong.
In concclusion the movie wasnt as acurate as it should have been.

What Animal Farm character am I least like

2009-02-02T01:22:00.000-08:00

I think I am least like the dogs. Firstly, I don't believe in punishment till proven guilty or any sort of punishment involving death. Also I dont just do what Im told without a reason. The dogs in the book though do show alot of loyalty which I think is somethin really important but the dogs seemed to just follow blindly with thought or hesitation. Just as well the dogs can't seem to get along with anyone but themseves and Napoleon and I think that trying t get along with everyone is important.

Tyranny in justice and self-determination

2009-01-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

tyranny is when a leader rules the nation with to much power and that is what happens in the book. Mr Jones rules over the animals as a tyrant with to much power not treating his animals well, like in page 5 were Major explains how the farmer rules "The life of an animals misery and slavery" also in page 9 during the song they sing " Tyrannt man shall be overthrown." Injustice means that not everyone gets treated the same someone is always treated better in one way or the other. there is alot of injustice in the book at the beginning since the farm has so much food but the animals are still under fed. This is shown in the book in page 6 where major talks about the injustice of man stealing the food they worked for " Man is the only creature to consume without producing." Injustice is also shown when the pigs decide they should get all the apples and milk for them selves " You dont imagine we pigs are doing this in spirit of hope and selfishness" pg 25 Self-Determination is wanting to have the right to make choices for them selves and that is exactly what the animals want to do with the farm by getting rid of farmer Jones. LIke in page 9 durong the son the y say " England shall be trod by beast alone.

We won’t back down.

2009-01-22T06:10:00.000-08:00

I can see the bullets fly,
I can hear the machine guns roar.
Countless people fall and die,
Yet no one wants to end the war.
Everyone wishes it would all stop now,
But for the pride of our country,
We won’t back down.

Everyone runs over the line,

As soon as the commander blows the whistle.
The line between life and death is now so fine,

Especially if you see a missile.

No matter what, everyone ends with a frown,
But for the pride of our country,
We won’t back down.

As I waited time struck me on the face,
While I wondered when the war would end,

And as I looked out at space,
I saw the painfull death of my friend.
Then the gas filled our lungs till we drown,
Yet for the pride of our country,
We won’t back down.

No, we won’t back down.

Picture: 5
"Last German soldier to fight in WWI dies without fanfare and survived by three Britons Mail Online." Home Mail Online. 20 Jan. 2009 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-509925/Last-German-soldier-fight-WWI-dies-fanfare-survived-Britons.html.

Picture: 1, 2 and 4
"The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Emma Gees, by Herbert Wes McBride." Main Page - Gutenberg. 20 Jan. 2009 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20655/20655-h/20655-h.htm.

Picture: 3
"chemical weapon -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 20 Jan. 2009 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/108951/chemical-weapon.

Military Choice

2009-01-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

I wouldnt join the Italian military unless I was forced in. I find wars to be needless disgremewnts and I don't belive a disgrament can be great enough to let people die for it, I also think that fighting is not the only way to solve something unless acting in self defence for itself or others. Also wars never end with a winner everyone loses something in the battle. So even though joining the army can benefit my country in ways I don't think it would benefit my countries people.

Political Cartoon

2009-01-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

This image focuses on the men exchanging what seems to be gold or information, this cartoon seems to represent the amount of alliances made before or after a war. The illustrator seems to think that peace is the answer but the woman in the side crying seems to mean that something can or will come out of this alliance, if the cartoonist wanted to show that this alliances are being made to be broken he could have had one of the representatives of a country with fingers crossed behind his back.

This image strongly relates to our great powers game in the way that at some point every country was friends with some team or the other.This also shows how you can't always trust your alllies cause they could always turn their back on you.

Reflection

2008-12-01T00:56:00.000-08:00

Here are some good points about imperialism:

They tried to civilize the Africans
They brought tools and technology to the Africans
Modernized education and medicine
Joined the Africans under common languages

Here are some bad points about imperialism:

They enslaved Africans
They did not pay their workers correctly if they even payed them
Increased racism
Took over without permission
Destroyed the Africans culture
Forced into a new religion
Denied them of their rights
exported them as goods
killed innocent
Gave Africans weapons

HIstory and culure of Southern Africa

2008-11-17T01:34:00.000-08:00

For 1000's of years the Africans were living simple lives hunting animals and building communities. The Khoisan were one the biggest tribes in southern Africa, they were divided in to many ethnic groups and lived mostly of hunting and herding. Another big tribe was the Bantu who brought with their migration a lot of new languages and tools. Great Zimbabwe was an empire built by the Shona for trading purposes, the word Zimbabwe meant great walls.

many Europeans such as Dutch, French and German settled in certain regions of Africa, their descendants were called Afrikaners. Because of the Europeans in Africa a new language was developed, it was named Afrikaans after the the Afrikaners that developed it. Afrikaans is a mix of dutch and Khoisan and a few Bantu words but through time it has been adapted with German, French, and English.

By the 1900's South Africa's goverment was ruled by white Afrikaners thus increasing the amount of racial discrimination in the country. As a result the ANC ( African National Congress) was formed in 1902

Scramble for Africa

2008-11-15T21:07:00.000-08:00

1.Our strategy was to try and get around countries in a peaceful manner. We did that by focusing on getting the countries we needed first then getting valuable land to trade such as Angola and Botswana.

2.What me and Scott were most concerned about while we claimed land was who wanted that land the most since we were willing to trade but not so much to battle unless we had no choice.

3.I think France won the game since they conquered vary valuable, and manege to get most of the east coast which was required for their goal.

4.i think Portugal lost since all their land seemed to be spread around Africa with no actual strong and valuable pieces of land

Southern African Physical Geography

2008-11-11T19:48:00.000-08:00

Southern Africa is region with a large variety of land forms and resources. Most of Southern Africa is located on a plateau up to 1,22o meters above sea level, and at the east of the plateau at the escarpment (the edge of a plateau) the Drakensberg Mountains are found. The Okavango is one of many rivers in Southern Africa but unlike most the Okavango does not reach the coast its basin is located in the middle of Botwana were it is host to many animals like crocodiles and hippos. The east of Sothern Affica is were it is driest in what is now known as the Namib Desert.

Can We Trust "To Be A Slave"?

2008-11-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

I think we can trust Julius Lester because he does include interviews and letter of former slaves who lived through this. Another reason is that he shows cases of owners being bad such as in page 49 were the slave says "They zamine you just like they do a horse" showing how they were treated like animals instead of humans but he also hows cases of owners not treating them as bad like in page 31 and 32 were Byrl Anderson explains how here master was actually a good man who was against slavery "He called up a old sow of 13 pigs all different colors, you see those pigs are all differnt colors but they all have the same mother, they are all brothers and sisters." Julius Lester hows differnt stories from many slaves all having a different view of slavery showing how it was bad to some and good to others and thats why I think we can trust him.

2008-11-07T00:22:00.001-08:00

Movement:People come from all over the world to see it. The stones and materials traveled long distances to get there.

Region: This was a complicated structure that shows key Inca architecture.

Violence Leads To More Violence

2008-11-02T19:38:00.000-08:00

I think that the quote "Violence Leads To More Violence" is true since whenever a war starts someone always has to hit first. In 'Julius Caesar' violence leads to more violence when in page 131 Act 3 scene 3 Cinna a innocent man was killed for no real reason but for what his name was. Violence leads to violence and death when Brutus kills him self(In Act 5 scene 5). Violence is usualy started and ended by more violence another example is when Flavius and Marullus two of Pompey followers are executed for acting up in Luprecal( Act 1 scene 1). War is one of the worst forms of violence and it starts in the play when of Octavius and Antony decide to avenge Caesar death in Act 4 scene 1. In conclusion I belive that violence is always followed by more violence.

Caesar or Rome?

2008-10-20T01:51:00.000-07:00

As Brutus I would have chosen to fight for the freedom of Rome, since Julius Caesar has to much power and is not likely to use for the benefit of Rome. Also as the book states on Act 1 scene 2 Brutus says "If it be aught towards the general good, set honor on one eye and death i' the other" (If what you have in mind concerns the good of Rome. I would face honor or death to do what must be done) this shows that Brutus is willing to put himself in danger to defend the rights of Rome and their people. Brutus also says that the "abuse of greatness is when disjoins remorse from power. And to speak truth of Caesar, I have not known when his Affections swayed more than his reason. But this common proof that lowliness is young ambitions;s ladder" meaning that he belives Caesar will rule with his head rather than his love for Rome and its people.

Imperilism Summary

2008-10-13T01:58:00.000-07:00

Imperialism used similar methods to concur less developed countries most of them were either violently, by using force and just taking over without a warning or through lieing and plotting, were they promised things that they weren't going to do/give or that were impossible.

In most cases imperialism brought civilization to undeveloped countries, they introduced previously unknown technology to countries in Africa, South America and even southern Asia. Telegraphs, telephones, dams and bridges were among the few of the things introduced by the British and other countries. Also the cheap labor .

2008-10-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

I think I improved my writing skills but there is still space for improvement and I still think I should push myself to reach that.

I wish that I could contribute more in class when in discussions by raising my hand up.

One of the biggest aspects i need to improve on are my study skills at home, maybe to improve them I should get a partner to study with on weekends or after school.

Captalist Cartoon

2008-09-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

I think the author of the picture tried to get the point of upper class people taking advantage of the less fortunate working class people across by showing the big capitalist man taking advantage of the small working man. The capitalist man is shown big and over weight to represent how greedy and selfish he is with the money he gets. And the working class man is shown small and weak to show how insignificant and worthless he is to the Capitalist.

The author clearly disagrees to the way people in the lower class were being affected by factories and unemployment, he shows this with the image of a small worker being intimidated by his boss. He also seems to dislike the way factory owners and most rich men are making their money, this is shown by the money falling from the worker and by the money bags labeled “Profit from child labor”.

To make this cartoon more persuasive the author could have shown the where the workers live in comparison to where the capitalist live or compare the amount of work to pay ratio of both classes.

2008-09-14T20:36:00.001-07:00

1870’s stock market reflection

“A fool and his money is soon parted” I think this phrase means just because you made a few lucky buys or sells don’t make irrational decisions by letting the money get too your head. So you should always take time look at the facts and keep your mind clear don’t get to excited or depressed

My Goals Update

2008-09-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

Goals Updates

I think I have paid attention and contributed in class but that my descriptive writing hasn’t improved as much as I would have hoped so I will continue to work on it and hopefully be better by the start of the second quarter.

My Goals

2008-09-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

Improve my descriptive writing abilities before end of quarter.
Participate actively and efficiently during class at all times, putting my hand up to answer questions and paying attention when the teacher or others are talking.

2008-08-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

Roller Coaster
In the agonizing heat I stand in a queu that seems to never end, waiting for a chance to expirience the thrill. As I see the end of the queu getting ever closer I feel the relief. When I get on the coaster I can feel the fear of the passengers as we enter the unknown, the coaster starts of smoothly like a calm ride but as we head upwards I can feel my heart beeting faster and faster till it sounds like a drum and then....... my heart stops as we rocket downwards, the screaming of both men and women are deafining while my hair is being pulled back like a hand was holding on to it. I can feel my face being forced backwards, my mouth widning and my eye balls flatnig. Then out of nowhere the coaster slows down, I turn around and we're no longer going down hill, with the coaster still moving at high speeds everything around me seems like blur, Ican see ahead of us a turn and as we hit it I can hear the wheels against the metal roaring like a lion while sparks fly. After constant turns I can finaly see the end, I think I'm rielfed but I know I wish it go on for longer and then BANG!!! Out of nowhere my wish comes true and we fall in too a dark steep tunnel. It's impossible to see but after the screaming you can hear the sounds of bats echoing arond the tunnel in the pitch silence. The end is near you can sence it the smell of pure air, the sound of people chating without stop and the bright beam of light of a hot summer day. After the expirience I can't help and say "I want to go again".

Paolo Fiocco

2008-08-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

I Think the phrase ”Necessity is the mother of invention” means that: most inventions were made because people needed them to make like easier on them, like the cotton gin it made removing cotton seeds easier, quicker and more efficient. Other inventions related to the phrase is the light bulb that Thomas Alba Edison made to help himself and everyone else see in the dark which was a need since candles weren’t as reliable. Another great example of necessity being the reason for an invention is Alexander Graham Bells telephone which helped people communicate important information at great speeds without using the limited vocabulary of its predecessor the Morse code.

Paolo Fiocco

Lerning

2008-08-17T22:26:00.001-07:00

Humanities 8 Period 5

I think I’m an auditory learner, I learn best when discussing opinions with class mates since it helps me see different points of view that I did not come across. Lectures do help my learn since taking detailed notes is something I’m used to but to many long lectures are difficult to follow since missing one point of information for any reason can change the meaning of the sentence or even paragraph. Lectures are may also be hard to follow if the information is misunderstood or doesn’t make sense. So to help in this class you could include discussions between students and a few lectures.

Paolo Fiocco

My Gang

2008-08-12T00:46:00.000-07:00

My friends. The friends I think support me the most right now would have to be my friends in Dubai because I haven't been here long enough to get to know any one that well.
The members of my "gang" are Clark, Andrew, Imran, Cesar and Nathan. They are the ones I would come to if I needed allot of help because, they are understanding and helpful all the time. Everybody is good something and together they are very helpful.
Cesar is good at keeping secrets so you know you can always trust him while Clark isn't as good at keeping secrets but he always knows the right thing to do no matter how hard it is. Imran is the helpful one and he can help you out with anything, Andrew isn't as eager to help but he can make you laugh even when everything as going down heel.Last but not least is Nathan and even though he is not the most helpful one of us he is certainly important since he is the one that holds the "gang" together with his wits and charisma.