Power.

Power is the ability to help, and control the people around you, and to make decisions for yourself and others around you, even if the outcome doesn't make a profitable outcome for yourself. Power is a strength, a quality that is able to influence people,  to your way of thinking. Power is also the ability to be decisive. 

Thinking about Globalization

The Main visual elements are:

• A young Girl
• Her dad
• The words, No, you may not outsource your homework to India

This cartoon is about the issue of globalization, specially, outsourcing.

I think the cartoonists opinion is that he doesn't agree, because he mad the dad say no to her outsourcing to india. 

This cartoon relates to our study of globalization because we learnt about outsourcing.

Feedback - May 5th, 2008

The three most valuable things I learned from the Population Project process were, organisation, preparation, and judging the value of information. The are the three most important important things I learned, because, they will help me in the future, in high school and college.

Organisation will help because it will make me more able to meet deadlines with homework and major projects in the future.

Preparation will help me in the future, because, I will be able to prepare the information I need, accurately, so that I can organise it in to the final product, to meet the deadlines.

Judging the value of information will be very important in the future, because, everyone will be telling me different pieces of information, and I will need to be able to tell how accurate each piece of information is.

Feedback 23 April, 2008

Equality means, that everyone one is looked upon as equals, no one is thought about differently, however, sameness means that everyone is the same; everyone is forced to be the same. In a nut shell, equality to me means that everyone is thought about the same, and sameness is when people are forced to be the same. As defined by dictionary.com sameness means lack of variety; monotony, and equality means the state or quality of being equal; correspondence in quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability.

In the giver, the word equality is used because, all the people are ranked by there ability to do jobs, Asher is given director of recreation because he is able to make people laugh and have fun (P.G 56.) In animal farm the word sameness is used because the animals are forced to be the same by the pigs. The word sameness is also referred to in the giver (P.G 85.)

I think that Lois Lowry uses the language more precisely because she writes about so many things that make everyone equal, ribbons in the children’s hair, and the are split into age groups until they are 12.

Feedback 21 April, 2008

1. When does one become an adult?

In the book one becomes an adult at the age of 12. But in our world legally someone becomes an adult at the age of 18. You are considered an adult when you can work to support yourself and family, you are given responsibility.

2. What does it mean to be an adult?

To become an adult is to be able to support yourself independently. To become an adult is all so to be able to work and care for younger people.

3. At what age are people no longer useful to society?

People are useful to society as soon as they finish their education, because they are now a responsibly and educated person. Once you have finished your education you can help and support other parts of the society.

Feedback Monday April 14, 2008

1. Data analysis – 22^nd April
2. Research Paper – 28^th April
3. Creative expression & Independent investigation – 30^th April

M- Put info in order

Start Research paper

T- 1^st ½ of class Data Analysis

2^nd ½ Research Paper

W- 1^st ½ of class Data Analysis

2^nd ½ Research Paper – Rough Draft

TH- Peer Edit

Type up final draft with corrections

F- 1^st ½ Data Analysis - Finish

2^nd ½ Research Paper – Finish

What are the main visual elements?
The visual elements in this cartoon are the 3 family members, Dinner table, The house, the words, "Yes we could look at your blog... Or you could just tell us!"
What issue is this cartoon about?
The cartoon is about the fact that everything that is done nowadays, is done on a computer.
What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?
I think that the cartoonist is trying to say that it is not a good thing because the parents are trying to persuade the kid to just talk to them.
What evidence in the cartoon supports your opinion on how the cartoonist feels?
Because the Dad and mum are trying to get the kid to talk to them instead of showing them on a blog.
Why is this cartoon ironic?
Because I am writing on a blog, and the main viewers of my blog, are my parents.
What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?
Use the fact that the kid doesn't want to talk to the parents at all, only show them on the computer, he could have typed up the words instead of saying it.

Quote

Vonnegut is very opinionated about the idea of technology, he regards it as something terrible, and life ruining. Personally, I think his ideas are right and wrong. He clearly states that computers are taking over our lives and changing the way we life, but he thinks this is a bad thing, I too think on some levels this is bad because anyone can get their hands on technology anytime, and anywhere, this is not good because anyone can get any information they want, But technology is good because it is making the way we live easier and more time effective. However I think Vonnegut is a hypocrite because without technology his books would not have been published.

Quote evaluation

Vonnegut is very opinionated about the idea of technology, he regards it as something terrible, and life ruining. Personally, I think his ideas are right and wrong. He clearly states that computers are taking over our lives and changing the way we life, but he thinks this is a bad thing, I too think on some levels this is bad because anyone can get their hands on technology anytime, and anywhere, this is not good because anyone can get any information they want, But technology is good because it is making the way we live easier and more time effective. However I think Vonnegut is a hypocrite because without technology his books would not have been published.

Technology Post

What is technology?

Technology is an invention that is needed, or wanted by people to make their lives easier.

How do you feel about the amount and use of technology in the school?

I feel that amount of technology we use in school is good, however sometimes it makes things harder, because you can loose important documents, and pieces of work that you need. But I think, that its good that the school uses more technology than lose leaf paper, because its good for the environment.

What are the 5 most important and 5 least important technologies in use today?

Most important :

1. Vehicles

2. Electricity

3. Medicines

4. Computers

5. Fridges

Least important :

1. Driers

2. Weapons

3. Shoes

4. Flags

5. Soup spoons

Feedback March 10, 2008

An oxymoron is two words that don’t belong being used together. Why is the phrase “Holy War” an oxymoron? Why is it that so many conflicts in the world today are based upon religious differences yet all major world religions condemn killing?

The words Holy war is an oxymoron, because, the word holy means 1. dedicated to god or a religious purpose 2. morally and spiritually excellent and to be reversed. (P.G 678 Oxford dictionary) Religions preach that people should not harm others, thou shalt not kill, and wars result in killing. Religions are supposed to be peaceful and give people hope, holy wars do not bring hope to people, it brings sorrow and grief. Therefore the words Holy war, is an oxymoron.

I think that most conflicts in the world are based on religious differences, because, there is a lot of prejudiced against different religions, for example, some people say things like all muslims are terrorists. So to conclude I think that religious wars are created by bad outlooks on groups of people.

Cold War Debrief

1. Which country were you? What strategy did you use to try to win?
I was the USSR, the strategies we used to win, were, to gain as much power as possible, meaning gaining all the large countries, and trying to haggle for the country, and the smallest price possible, so we didn't use so much of our military and aids.

2. Who won the game and why? Who won the “real” Cold War?
I think that USSR won, because the won the most allies, meaning that most of the world had chosen communism. The real cold war was won by USA because, the world didn't actually turn communism.

Feedback March 3, 2008

What were the two best and two worst aspects of the conflict video project?

To create a video using Visual Communicator there are a few steps you have to take, first you have to have an idea, then you have to write up your idea onto a design sheet, then put your ideas into action! Open up Visual Communicator and follow the simple steps, and you will be making professional looking news casts in no time!

Three design tips I have are:

1. Choose a simple background so you don't take away the viewers attention
2. Make sure the volume on the mic is up, so that you can hear every word
3. Make sure you have memorized your lines, so you can look into the camera

The two best ways about using VC is that you learn new and advanced ways to present information, and that you are pretty much left to decide things for yourself, so that you can decide how to make your presentation good.

The two worst things about using VC is that its hard to use some of the great things that VC offers, and that its easy to mess up, and if you do, you can't edit it out, you have to start over.

1. 
   

Animal farm, The film.

The film was very different to the book, alot of the key points of the book were changed in the film to make it better, but then it changed the story, and made the story have a different outcome.

The following things were changed in the movie:

1. The beast of england song, was different
2. The song was called beasts of the world
3. Old major died at the meeting
4. Old major was chopped up and feed to Jessie
5. The flag was different in the movie
6. There was a film shown to the animals every evening
7. The wind mill was blown up, instead of being ruined by a storm
8. Mr Jones slept with a lady, at the begining of the film
9. The farmers attacked the farm at night
10. The farmers put a microphone in the barn yard
11. The animals entered the house noisily, and found dead animals inside
12. The animals put old majors head on a stick
13. Boxers quote, "I will work harder" was changed to "I must do this"
14. There was a song made by the ducks about Napolean
15. There was a new owner of the farm at the end
16. There was a hide out in the farm yard
17. In the book the story was told in third person, but in the movie it was shown in 1st person by the dog, Jessie
18. In the movie Boxer didn't hurt his foot in the movie
19. Molly didn't run away, she just wasn't in the movie any more
20. Moses didn't run away, he just flew, and wasn't shown in the movie anymore.
    

My part of the script.

The United States and Great Britain as well as other nations outside Nazi Europe received numerous press reports in the 1930s about the persecution of Jews. By 1942 the governments of the United States and Great Britain had confirmed reports about "the Final Solution" -- Germany's intent to kill all the Jews of the Europe. However, influenced by antisemitism and fear of a massive influx of refugees, neither country modified their refugee policies. Their stated intention to defeat Germany militarily took precedence over rescue efforts, and therefore no specific attempts to stop or slow the genocide were made until mounting pressure eventually forced the United States to undertake limited rescue efforts in 1944.
In Europe, rampant antisemitism incited citizens of many German occupied countries to collaborate with the Nazis in their genocidal policies. There were, however, individuals and groups in every occupied nation who, at great personal risk, helped hide th ose targeted by the Nazis. One nation, Denmark, saved most of its Jews in a nighttime rescue operation in 1943 in which Jews were ferried in fishing boats to safety in neutral Sweden.

"KIDS Report February 2, 1999: Holocaust." Madison Metropolitan School District. 13 Feb. 2008 .

Feedback February 11, 2008

The animal I most resemble in Animal Farm is Clover because, I am caring towards the people that mean the most to me, like family and friends (Orwell Pg. 2). I am also like Clover, because I try to take care of the people who are hurt, especially if its my family (Orwell Pg. 30). Another reason why I am like clover is, I like to know the truth about things, and so does Clover, especially when Mollie says that she was not stroked by the human, and then Clover goes to Mollies' stable and checks for clues that she was stroked by a human, and finds sugar lumps.

Feedback - 4th Feb 2008

In some countries, joining the military is mandatory, in other countries, optional. For example, in Israel and Singapore both men and women are required to perform two years compulsory military service right after high school. Does your country require military service? If so, how do you feel about this? If not, under what conditions would you ever join the military to defend your country?

England is my home country, and you are not requried to join the military. If my family was under threat from danger then I would join the army to protect my family, or if my country was under threat from war then to save lives I would join the military.

Feedback 28th January 2008

The Forty Third War takes place in the Central American country of Guatemala. Many Spanish words are spoken in the story, which broadly pinpoints that it is set in Central America. In the story, the volcano Atlcatl is mentioned frequently, and the country has many volcanoes that erupt periodically(CIA Factbook). Another clue we had was that the country was politically unstable. On researching we found that Guatemala has had many revolutions too, just like the country in the book. One of the main exports was bananas, and Uno's job whilst in the village was packing bananas onto a ship. Lastly, at the end of the story, Ignacio says that he shall cross into Mexico and then go on into the U.S. Guatemala is one of two countries that borders Mexico, but Belize has had political stability for many years(pg. 85, Collins). All this evidence combined tells us that the story was based in Guatemala.

We think that the author might not have given an absolute location for fear of retribution. Child soldiers are a sensitive subject and the use of them is usually denied by the government accused. The story portrays the revolutionary side, and does not say any positive thing for the government. If the absolute location was stated, the readers might jump to a conclusion and think that the scenario was real, and that the story was non-fiction.


"Guatemala." Collins Nations of the World Atlas. 1996.
"Guatemala." CIA World Factbook. 28 Jan. 2008 .

Decleration of Independance

When people feel they are being badly treated by the government, and want to brake away from the government, they must tell the government why they fell they are being badly treated. Everyone is equal and everyone has rights that cannot be taken away, these rights are life, liberty and happiness, when the government is taking away these rights that is when you should brake away. The king of England was bad to America and that is why you must now change work to change the government, but you my not change the government for small unimportant things, but only things that take away all of your rights.

King George the third, has done some terrible things to the people who he ruled over such as, cutting off trade with parts of the world, putting taxes on us without asking us first, thirdly took away our rights to be us judge by the trial by jury, he sent soldiers to the villages when we were peaceful without asking our permission first, finally he has transported us over seas for crimes we did not commit, as you can see these are terrible things, so we change our government.

King George the third is a king who’s character is only thought about when you think of the word tyrant, he is therefore not suitable to rule the people of America. We have tried to talk to the soldiers about how we felt we were being treated, however the refused to listen to what we were saying. We therefore declare that America is a free country however when in war with Britain we are enemies but when we are not we are peaceful and harmonious together. So from now on we the representatives of America declare that America now is a free country and not under the laws of King George the Third.

Feedback January 22, 2005

What are the main visual elements?
• Snake all chopped up
• Letters
• The words Join or Die

What issue is this political cartoon about?
The issue of the post is that America is being all chopped up into 13 colonies, so the snake is being all shared out between the 13 places, meaning that, america is being all chopped up to share between the 13 colonies.

What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?
The cartoonist doesn’t like the 13 colonies because he compares it to a snake

What evidence in the cartoon supports your opinion on how the cartoonist feels?
Because he compares the 13 colonies to a snake, all chopped up. And because the cartoon says join or die, join the 13 colonies or someones going to kill

What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?
Maybe he could have used a scarier animal other than a snake, because it not very scary.

Feedback January 19th

We can trust To Be A Slave because, there are many people giving their own experiences on slavery and their all similar. Another reason that it could be trusted is that, the experiences all lead up to the same ending, that slavery was bad, however the book is biased. The book has no show on how people who thought it was a good thing were thinking, also it shows no side of the story on how the book benefited some people including some of the slaves. A second reason that it could be untrustworthy is the book could be untrustworthy because they could be made up experiences because some of the experiences are anonymous. ( P.G. 51 Lester) It also could be untrustworthy because the book was written after slavery, Julius Lester wasn’t actually alive during slavery time, his information was told to him or taught to him, he wasn’t there to see it at first hand, meaning that his information might have been biased in the first place, that is unfair because you need to look at both sides of the story before making a decision.

I am still not sure if I trust of don’t trust the book but more signs point at not.


Lester, Julius. To Be a Slave. New York: Dell, 1971.

Great Powers Game Debrief

My country was Ottoman Empire, it felt frustrating to build an empire because at the begining we could only get 4 things, so our country was weak at the start. USA and Great Britian had an advantage at the beginning of the game because, they got the most amount of economic points, so they could buy more and they were stronger. My empire was weaker than other empires because we had the least amount of economic points so we had the smallest amount of everything at the start, however as the game progressed we became more and more stronger and became the 4th strongest empire in the class.

It was more important to buy both industries and armies because, if you were declared war upon then you needed armies, and the more industries you brought the more economic points you gained.

We did well buying most of the time half industries and half armies because we then were prepared for war and gaining economic points. If we played again and did something differently I would not start of buying navies, because armies were stronger than navies and navies were only half of an army so you had to spend more to start a navy where as if you just brought armies you were stronger and not having to buy as much.

We were a smaller and less threating empire so we made alliances with everyone and they helped us when we needed them however one alliance could not be trusted Lucas and Jake (not sure what empire, italy I think) because they doubled crossed us they said they were our alliances but then turned around and then declared war on our half of the room!

5. What are three specific things you learned about conflict from this simulation?
I learnt that in real conflict its probally not the best idea to put all you're faith in your alliances because they can just change their mind if there is another empire thats offering them some payment or something better then they will just go with them. I also learnt that its good to have a strong army and a large income, finally I learnt that too be a strong empire its not just about having loads of colonize its also about having a strong army and income.