Burning

a) The main difference between Mohamed Bouazizi and “The Burning Monk” is Mohamed did it out of frustration and the monk did it as a sacrifice.  The monk grabbed the most attention from Vietnam and all the other countries, no matter how close they are to them.  Bouazizi mainly just captured the Tunisians’ attention, but with few other countries interested.  Mohamed would of caught my eye more though because he was in the median preparing for death, while the monk sat himself down on the side.  Bouazizi might have caused more pain to his people even though they ended up over turning their government.  The police threw tier gas to cease the crowd; they brought out snipers to scare the crowd and slim them down.  The monk’s was a peaceful perspective of death.  He sat there in his lotus position.  At the end people bowed to him as in worship.   Although, Mohamed caught the attention of the politicians, who visited him at the hospital.
b) The spectators said he himself and in the clouds showed Buddha himself looking at the crowd.  The police ended up ignoring the Buddhist monk, they just walked around him in circles at the astonishing sight.
c) “Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music,” Angela Monet.  The monk really did “dance,” did he not?  Who would not "hear the music," possibly the police? The politicians?   “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow,” Albert Einstein.
d) The monk had someone else assist him putting gasoline on himself and lighting him.  What would you do if that was your friend?  How would lighting your friend on fire feel to you?  He says it was for the greater cause, but do you think otherwise?  You both are true followers of Buddha, is he more important?  Will you say yes if you were his friend?  What if your friend was now your brother?  Would that change your mind?  Would you light yourself on fire if given the option by your savior/god/lord?  Is losing a scale for the second time enough to aggravate you to the point of suicide?

Option 1/ Literary Analysis of WWI

I will be describing the memoir of Captain Henry Huebner titled Service in the German Army, 1914.  Captain Huebner's narrative begins with his enthusiastic and patriotic departure for the front.  Learn more about the life in the German army and the German army itself here -http://www.worldwar1.com/sfgarmy.htm.

Here is the part of the memoir:

Before reaching Louvain we bivouacked near a large well-built village, and here we had the wettest and merriest evening in the whole campaign.  Some of our battalion water-carriers discovered a wine-cellar in the village.  On going into a cellar they noticed a stack of fagots, and guessed that they were put there with a purpose.  The fagots were quickly cleared away, and behind them appeared a door.  It led to a cellar filled with thousands of bottles of wine.  They loaded themselves inside and out with the precious liquid, so that it is no wonder they walked into camp with unsteady gait.   Louvain, which afterwards attained so sad a fame, received us in quite a friendly manner.  The inhabitants put vessels of drinking water in the streets.  During a long halt in one of the suburbs they willingly brought us food, drinks, and cigars.  Towards evening we marched past a splendid red sandstone building, the Congo Museum.  It is surrounded by a beautiful park, through the trees of which we caught glimpses of the royal palace, Tervueren.  Soon afterwards we entered the southern suburbs of the Belgian capital.  The streets re-echoed the tramp of thousands of feet and the marching-songs of the troops.  Thousands of the inhabitants lined the street, watching the endless columns with curiosity and dismay...  August 23rd brought us into touch with the hated English.  A report came that about 30,000 English were in position on the other side of the canal, and our two divisions had to attack them.  Our regiment was in reserve in a forest intersected by a railway.  As we marched to our position in the forest we could hear the rattle of rifle-fire and the thunder of artillery in the distance.  But we were soon ordered forward.  We marched over a railway crossing, and at the quick step along the wide, dusty street of a large village with a burning August sun overhead, while the kindly villagers handed our men supplies of water and fruit.  A short halt was called under the high wall of a park, and there we learned to our great joy that the artillery had successfully bombarded the station at J-, near Mons, thus preventing the detrainment of English troops.  In advancing we passed the munition wagons of our heavy artillery, then, taking a path to the left, crossed meadows straight for the village.  A part of it was already in flames, and the rifles were cracking in the park of a large chateau on the right.

You can find the rest of the document here - http://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/huebner_memoir.htm

Through his experiences with the German army it sounds like mostly marching, without too much fighting.  His first paragraph dives you straight in and showed the bad conditions some soldiers had it.  He says, the spent their night in a very small village outside, through the rain.  That sounded like it would be easy for someone to be sick or get a disease.  He goes on to talk about after his squad searched the town and nearly saved their lives.  They found a wine cellar, when the water carriers were about to run out.  That is a tremendous feeling knowing that, hey I’m for sure going to live for another day.  After a long campaign it shows the feeling of completion once they finally reached the Belgian capital in the suburbs.  It must at least show great condition.  This document shows how soldiers had the rough life, especially, when they were forced into joining the army.  At least the US gave us the option and limitations to join or not to join.  Germany’s military power could have been so strong because of their decisions the current dictator, which in this case is Kaiser Wilhelm II, had made that everyone nearing the age had to be recruited to join the military.  This would give them the number advantage.  Who really wants children attempting to fight?  Besides the numbers, you will be dropped out faster and lose more men because of the lack of skill.  You can’t just hand a child a gun and say try to aim and pull the trigger.  People go through many wars just to learn how to kill a person and if their lucky maybe be promoted a small rank up.  In August the 23^rd they are told by the scouts that Britain is set up at the next checkpoint for their regiment.  The British had 30,000 men there.  The British must have felt threatened to send out 30,000 men to take out a regiment.  The villagers just covered them up as they walked through the city to the fields.  The villagers must of also felt threatened by the Germans if they, out of the “kindness” of their hearts, they took their stuff and hid them.

The White Man's Burden and Imperialism

1. The Western culture has had an obligation to help other countries/people in need, whether they wanted it or not.  Kipling was trying to justify his this conquest by showing our habit of helping the less fortunate.
2. I don't think Kipling justifies imperialism because the poem sounds like he is showing a type of charity towards other countries.  He seemed to try to show how the USA is really, truthfully, and technically on everyone's "side."  In stanza 3, line 2-4, he expresses that if you are going to try to stand up for something, hide all thoughts and symbols of true fear of their military and political figures.  It also tries to symbol that pride isn't established from how many countries you can take over and rule, it is established by how your people act and how you create your country and show it around, along with how you lead it and respect the other countries.
3. It could be appealing to the kings, queens, and dictators of that time because after you have ruled, if not a true ruler, everything will go to your head and you might think you control everyone in the world and must have every place in the world.  Also, if you were a real leader, you could be wanting land to improve your nation or so you thought, until the option of the power came to you.  This has, in my mind, drove some people to assume the position of "crazy," at this I think Hitler was down right insane or the power made him that way.

Self Reflection: Reconstruction Debate

1) How did I feel during planning this presentation? Why did I feel this way?  It felt like it was a never-ending task.  I could not think of one thing to plan out to right.  I sat there for the hour just reading and thinking.  I needed some walls to rise up and give me a structure to bounce around in.  I wanted some structure, not go work and good luck.  A group member just ended up putting a random task in the storyboard for me to do.  It all just seemed we were doing the exact same thing.  It turned out that way too!  We didn’t exactly work as a group either.  One person would be hiding under a desk, another would be of in a corner, one would be messing around, and the other two tried to work.  It didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to and I’m not surprised.

a)  I felt this way because there was no teamwork involved.  I may not have been there for the outcome of this group, but what I’ve heard it did not go well at all.  I thought and truly felt that it was the true beginning of 2^nd semester.  Just as Ms. Bailin described, you will be riding a boat relaxing as you sail as she shoves you over the edge.  Just trying to paddle your way back, and that second she’s gone, sailing away.  You are thrown with a group of people to accomplish your tasks.  If you don’t complete it, you’re doomed to swim forever.  I barely accomplished a thing in class, except a paragraph, a lonely paragraph introduction.  I ended up stressing over the weekend, and being distracted by a game.  Freaked out Monday morning, and had to do it all then, that’s not why I wasn’t there though.

2) How did I feel prior to presenting? Why did I feel this way?

It was the first time I was actually kind of excited and anticipating a     debate/presentation.  You can say I backed down or ditched them, I don’t really care it wasn’t my fault.  The first debate was well written, but that one I might have been a bit of a coward.  One mess up in this class sends you to like a month of being shunned.  I felt this way because I figured it was going to be like last time.  I must have been called a chicken fifteen times that day.

3)    How did I feel while I was presenting? Why did I feel this way?

When my group was presenting I was more or less flipping out, literally.     Between not being there to support them, to having a day of mourning.  It was my Grandpa’s birthday; he’s been passed away for a while.

4)    What did I personally do well?

I really can’t think of one thing I did well, but maybe that’s my lack of confidence kicking in.  I didn’t focus in class, didn’t focus at home, and didn’t really work well together.  If I was here for the debate/presentation probably would of froze in front of the huge crowd.

5)    What did not go as desired in this presentation?

Our content did not go as desired in this presentation.  We had the exact same content. You could tell how horribly it was planned out.

6)    On a scale from 1-10, how well do I think I understood the content? 2

         Explain.

I didn’t even understand what I was typing in my script.  I all really      understood was that there was 10% plan and a 50% plan.  The rest I just grabbed of some websites and pvOnline.  Without the structure I had setup for me, I would be lucky if I had two lines to say.  I just sat there researching and reading over and over again trying to get the idea of what its about.

7)    How do I think my group members perceived me? Why do I think this?

I think they perceived as a slacker on this project.  I got my work done, somehow, but just because I have to pay some respects to a loved one I get dirty looks and become shunned.

8)    How do I think the 8^th graders perceived me? Why do I think this?

The 8^th graders perceived me as a coward and a chicken because I hadn’t shown up.  A few of them stopped by me just to tell me that.

9)    Knowing that I can only control how I act and react, if I could do this presentation again, what would I change about my actions to make it a more ideal experience?

To make it more ideal I would work harder in class to get more work done so I don’t end up procrastinating over the weekend and completing it that morning.  I might try not to get so distracted.  My parents even ask if I was done with all my homework.  I would of course say yes just to get another 15 minutes to play a game.

10)    What are my strengths in groups?

One of my strength in a group is somewhat of a content producer, if I can find sites to get my information from.  My main group strength is probably the silent ability to just follow the main overview of the plan.  I’ll just get the idea and try to produce something from it.

11)    What areas do I need improvement?

Areas I need improvement is definitely my reliability.  Everyone shows how much they want to work with me, but it might not turn out the way you want it to.  I also need to improve public speaking.  I’m always so excited to do and produce the work, but not exactly provide the work to the class.  I just shake my way up there, shake my way through it, and shake my way back to my seat.  It even seems to happen when I am just going to the front of the room to just hit play on a project.  I probably should improve my self-confidence too.

12)    What is the most important thing I learned about myself? Why is this so important?

The most important thing I learned about myself is you can’t just “sit on some ones shoulders,” and piggyback ride my way through life.  You can’t always rely on the person holding you up.

Reflective Blog Entry

I think I have had a major improvement socially and technologically.  On the first day of school, I didn't even know a Mac existed, or even how to close out of a browser.  I'm almost getting better with Macs than I am with PCs.  Socially I have improved in a major way in my opinion.

I am proud of my improvement and my two scenes.  And to think I was about to drop out of this school in the beginning of the year! The two scenes were probably my best projects for being so short.  In my opinion the others are completely horrible!

The most challenging project so far was probably the Thematic Causes.  I had so many problems trying to reach the time constraints.  I ended up just adding a few no movement slides and talk about it to waste time.  I had major problems in the beginning of the year, mainly making friends.  If you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the most outgoing person here.  I figured new school, new me.  I used to be that outgoing, loud mouth kind of person, but would you of noticed if I ever wrote this? Would you of thought of it? Would you of ever asked? Ask yourself.

My hope for the next semester is to drastically improve my projects.  Maybe also improve my public speaking.  My goal is to become more of a "everyone's friend." A little less silent maybe.

My favorite moment for the year is when we had the "How many gifted kids does it take to turn down the temperature." Ms. Bailin asks Riley to turn down the temperature.  She thought she would rip it off the wall.  So three more kids have to go and attempt to help her open the thermostat.  They all just can't get it open!  So, Ms. Bailin gets up and does it herself.