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Sunday, March 30, 2008

Kids, Parents, Blogs, Feedback

Please analyze the above cartoon and post your ideas to your BLOG. As part of your analysis please address the following questions:

  1. What are the main visual elements?
  2. What issue is this cartoon about?
  3. What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?
  4. What evidence in the cartoon supports your opinion on how the cartoonist feels?
  5. Why is this cartoon ironic?
  6. What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?

1a. The main visual elements would happen to be that they are eating the dinner table and that there’s a mom, dad, and a kid that all look unhappy. The parents have tall, long heads, while the kid has a football head, maybe the kid is adopted.

2a. The issue that this cartoon is about is that maybe parents are getting too lazy with their lifestyles and their kids. The kid took all the time to create the blog and to post what they have done in that day, each day, yet the parent just asks the kid what they did instead of taking the time to look at the kids’ blog. To see the effort that was put into making it. Basically, it looks like the parents just don’t FEEL like it, they would rather just HEAR about it.

3a. The cartoonist’s opinion on this issue would maybe be that his parents were more caring than this when he was young, but now parents have gotten too lazy to bother doing anything. Instead of reading about it on ablog, they would much rather just hear it and make it easier for themselves.

4a. First of all, the phrase really is what made me think that this was so. Asking the kid to just tell them what happened during the day, rather than looking it up. And the fact of the way that the cartoonist created his/her characters. They are large, per say, and they have long, uncaring faces, and just staring at the kid, waiting for him to tell them.

5a. This cartoon is ironic because as we speak, we are reading and creating a post on our own blogs, And this kid has created his own blog and asking his parents to look at it.

6a. The cartoonist could have made the parents sit/lie on a couch, eating their dinner, to show the emphasis of how lazy the parents are. The kid could be sitting, eating over a table, just a little neater than the parents, that way the parents look sloppier and uncaring.

BUT THIS COULD ALSO BE VICE VERSA BECAUSE THE KID COULD BE TOO LAZY TO EVEN BOTHER TRYING TO TELL THE PARENTS WHAT HE DID AT SCHOOL, HE IS TRYING TO GET THEM ON THE INTERNET SO HE DOESN’T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT!




Monday, March 24, 2008

Newfangled Contraptions

Using examples from “The Euphio Question” and current events evaluate the statement:

“Do you know what a Luddite is? That’s a person who doesn’t like newfangled contraptions. Contraptions like nuclear submarines armed with Poseidon missiles that have H-bombs in their warheads, and like computers that cheat you out of becoming. Bill Gates says, “Wait till you can see what your computer can become.” But it’s you who should be doing the becoming. What you can become is the miracle you were born to work—not the damn fool computer.”

- Kurt Vonnegut


Vonnegut is right because, even though the people build the computers, there are thousands of people that do not build those computers and just sit around for the computer to do it for them. For example, calculators have taken over this era of math basically. A teacher of mine said that when she was a kid, people used to always use pencil and paper to figure out math problems. However, now, we are not so good at mental math because we expect the calculators to do it for us. As well as that, people also just have another excuse for war when they have those nuclear bombs and “newfangled contraptions” that can destroy anything that gets in their way. People could become something better if they didn’t have the constant worry of what’s going to happen to them next. For example, the Americans in Iraq are using weapons and what-not to help defend themselves and to destroy places in Iraq and vice versa.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Introduction to Technology

  1. What is technology?
  2. How do you feel about the amount of and use of technology in schools?
  3. What are the 5 most and 5 least important technologies used today?

  • Technology is basically tools that helps us develop into the future. Technology in the new era is mostly electronics, however, technology doesn’t necessarily have to do only with electronics. Technology also helps people become more comfortable and get things done quicker.
  • I personally feel okay about technology in our school. Our school is very developed, because, honestly, I don’t really like to write on and on, but I do not mind typing on and on. So that really does help a lot. However, there’s that little thing called, malfunctioning. Whether the computer is being slow or won’t respond, that can not help in any way for somebody, especially not make it quicker.
  • The 5 Most Important to Me:
    1. Laptop
    2. Cell Phone
    3. Pencil/Pen/Eraser
    4. Camera
    5. iPod
  • The 5 Least Important to Me:
    1. Plastic Surgery
    2. That robotic vacuum cleaner
    3. McDonald’s toys
    4. Laser toys
    5. Mug Comfort Holder thing

Monday, March 17, 2008

End of Quarter 3 Feedback

Go back and review your goals for quarter three in humanities. These can be found in the January Archive of your BLOG in a posting titled,” End of Quarter 2 Feedback”. Evaluate how well you have achieved those goals. Include specific evidence from the quarter to validate your evaluation.
In addition to your evaluation please create three specific goals that you have for quarter four in humanities. Remember that a good goal is realistic, measurable and specific. List them at the end of this BLOG entry.Please title this entry: End of Quarter 3 Feedback

My Quarter 3 Goals:
I want to read 30 pages a day of my AR books.
I want to get atleast 25-30 points in AR.
I want to ba able to plan out everything I will do for UBD, so I dont get behind on ANYTHING!

For the first goal, I know, sadly, that I did not achieve this goal because at one point homework became too much and I wasn't able to stay up for too long. I would read a lot on the weekends to try and make up, but for the most part, I was not able to.

For the second goal, I also did not achieve that because I had planned out wen I was going to read a specific amount of pages, but since the due date for AR was shortened, I could not take the quiz, and I did not get 25-30 points.

And lastly, I think, so far, I have been able to keep up with UBD, I have already come up with my creatie expression and gone on the field trip for it, and for the Independent Investigation, I have already taken a class on how to make a bilingual brochure. So, for right now, I am handling UBD pretty well.

My New 3 Goals:

1. I want to, first of all, keep up with what I am doing with UBD. Keep looking at that calendar!!!

2. I would like to read more because I know that we will not have AR this quarter, but for me, I would like to read more than I ususally do, which is really not that much.

3. Lastly, I want all classwork to be finished as soon as possible. Nothing should be late or even hav to be excused. Also meaning I don't want to have a sick day, otherwise I am going to et behind on both my schoolwork and UBD.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Oxymorons

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?

I believe that the phrase "Holy War" is an oxymoron because something holy is something that belongs to a religion and a war is something that religious people say they shouldn't do. They are told not to kill. So the phrase "Holy War" means a war where the people are fighting for their religion when their religion is saying not to.
War is, in all, killing so you will be going against your religious bases for your religion. That doesn't quite make sense to me and the sentence is basically being contrasted.
Now, I believe that so many wars are based on religion because, well, they think that the more they fight, the stronger their religion will be. However, that's not necessarily true. The religions could be fighting for the publicity of their religion, for more people to join, or they could be doing it to help their religion stay strong. Also, this doesn't necessarily mean that they are proud of themselves. They could, the whole time, be thinking that this is a shameful act, but if they keep it up, it might be able to help whatever their need is. So, the people could be thinking they are part of this religion by trying to help, but at the same time, they could be thinking they are not part of their religion for fighting in war. I think it all depends on their thinking of how devoted they are.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Cold War Simulation

1. Which country were you? What strategy did you use to try to win?
2. Who won the game and why? Who won the “real” Cold War?

Answers:
1a. My country was one of the superpowers: the USSR. Well, at first, we were trying to get as many of the military, economic and food aid as we could get because we figured that we would want all the people possible n our side. However, that backfired at us because we did not buy enough Space Racers to support ourselves. The USA decided to bomb us with nuclear bombs, which they had quite a lot of, so they were able bomb us quite a few times without us being able to support ourselves. After that, we tried to buy A LOT of Space Racers, yet it turned out that we STILL did not have enough Space Racers to defend ourselves, which pretty much made us go just about bankrupt.

2a. Who won the game, you ask? Well, I believe that nobody won becuase the USA, even though the USA was able to keep as many points as they could, and they were able to bomb us with nuclear bombs, and they had MORE points then us, I still do not believe that they won by themselvs. For example, the USA was able to get a lot of alliances, however, the USSR was able to steal most of those alliances from the USA because we were able to give better deals. So, I believe that nobody won in this simulation. Now, in the real Cold War, I believe that the US won because they were able to stand their ground and they got quite a few countries to become capitalist democracy. The USSR however, was only able to get about four countries to become communist and they eventually gave up and said, you know what, we need to get our economy back on track so we have to let the US export goods into our country. So overall, I really do think that the US won because of the reasons stated above.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Describe the general process (from idea to completion) for creating a video using Visual Communicator. What are three design related tips to remember when creating a VC presentation? What were the two best and two worst aspects of the conflict video project?


To create a visual communicator, you have to choose the topic that you would like to talk about( Vietnam War). And so, then you want to create your script, which you'll hear about a little later. Then you really want to create a storyboard. It will help you so much when it comes time to put in those effects!

Now, to get started, you have to bring up the screen that lets you choose the format that you would like for your presentation. Then, you yourself select what you would like in your presentation, and you're just about ready to record. So, first you have to auto set the green/vc screen by clicking the tab for visual. But don't forget that nobody can be in the picture while you auto set it! Now, you want to copy and paste your script into the body. After that, you should choose which actions you want to show up while you talk. For example, you might want to change the background, so you click on the effects tab and choose the action that you would like to show up. Then, you can also move around these actions to get it precisely how you like it. Then, after you have rehearsed and think that you have got it, you're ready to record! Now, after you record it and you think it's perfect (or close enough to perfect) you're all set to publish. After you've published, don't forget that you have to save, don't just exit!!!

The best two things about a VC presentation is that you actually look like you are there where you want to be instead of just looking awkward. For me, it's the best system that can give that effect. Also, it lets you put what you want into your presentation. You can choose your music( out of a selection that they give you of course) and you can choose how professional you want your presentation to look or even if it is just for a little kid presentation.

Now, the worst two things about the visual communicator is that you may have problems with the V-Screen and the camera. You sometimes really have to deal with it or you can try and adjust as well as you can but there's no guarantee. And then, sometimes, if you make a mistake, it's really hard to go back and try to fix it. For example, I'm talking about if your setup isn't correct(your name or the PROFESSIONAL background, not the picture that you choose for a background).

ADVICE: ... For the visual communicator, if you choose to display a background picture that you choose, you would want to save that picture on the desktop before trying to put it inside the visual communicator storyboard. It can become very complicated.
Now, do not choose a picture that it's too small to see because if you try to enlarge it, it is going to become very pixelated and you really do not want that for a professional presentation.
Lastly, don't forget that you want to create everybody's script and presentation separately. Out of my own personal experience with my group, we kept losing our info so we decided to do everything consecutively instead of having to put everything together. Now, if one person messes up, you have to start all over, and let me tell you, IT'S NOT FUN. You really have a hard time because if you mess up, that's your grade, you have to keep going. You get to that point where you don't really want to care anymore.
So, this is my advice, whether you take it or not is not my problem, but it would be really beneficial for yourself and your group(if you have one).

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Animal Farm Book and Movie

To start off, I didn't think that the movie was at all like the book. I mean, of course it had the same concept in mind, but there were a huge list of items that were very different from the book. For example, in the very beginning, when Farmer Jones was having Boxer pull along a contraption for a part of the land, Jessie (a dog) came down running a knocked over Farmer Jones because he was hurting Boxer. In the book, nothing like that happened. The book started off with Mr. Jones closing for the night and that's when all the animals were gathering for the meeting (pg 1). Jessie wasn't even mentioned in the beginning. Also, for myself, I hadn't pictured Old Major the way he was in the book (slobbery and just plain disgusting). By the way the author described Old Major, I imagined him clean, well-fed, but not that fat because of the way that he was so respected (pg. 1). A little later on in the book, I also didn't know that Mrs. Pilkington went into Farmer Jones' room for the night. Another reason that I found the movie very different from the book would be that when they were supposed to sing "Beasts of England", (pg. 7), the animals sang "Beasts of the World". When Old Major died in the book, it seemed to have been that he died of natural causes, (pg. 9), whereas in the book, Old Major died by being shot. In the book, Mrs. Jones never went to visit her sister. When the rebellion happened, the animals had forced the people out on their feet, (pg. 12), while in the movie, the humans had left the farm in a car. It also wasn't just Farmer Jones that had left, there was Mr. Pilkington and a few others as well. As well as all the people leaving together in the car, I had never read that Mr. Jones ever had "gatherings" with other people. I also did not read about Mr. Jones and the others ever going to a pub and telling anyone what had happened with the Rebellion.
Now, later on in the book, I hadn't read that Pincher (a dog), had gone to a ceemony to be declared a "guard" of Napoleon. Also, after the people were kicked off the farm, the people placed michrophones and wires in the house/farm. I especially never remember Jessie's puppies being taken away from her and even when she tries to get them back, she is forced to go back and not to try and see them again. When Mr. Pilkington was trying to bring up trade with Napoleon, Mr. P never offered any of the pigs whisky. He would always just trade and leave the farm. Now, relating to the windmill, in the book, Mr. Jones did not blow up the windmill with dynamite( pg. 47). When Napoleon decided to slaughter the animals, he had done it through a movie in the movie while in the book, it was flat out explained that he did it in plain sight for all the animals( pg. 56, 57, 58). Once again, all the animals hear news through a movie. For example, when Squealer was talking to the animals about the horse slaughterer whereas in the book, it was told directly to the animals( pg. 82). As, you can see, the movie was created very diferently from the book. Even though you see many reasons stated here, there are many more explanations that could have been given if I didn't want to bore you.