Dahl,Roald. James and the Giant Peach. Puffin 1996
Reason: the setting changes greatly. The beginning of the book the mood is amazing-as his parents live in such a great place and they dream of someday visiting New York City. I selected this book because I remember reading it when I was younger and I remember forgetting all about it and wanting to read it again. I mean its spring break so I figured I’d pick a book that I really wanted to read. The book takes place in the 1900’s sometime. I do not exactly know when because I do not believe that it is ever completely specified.
Plot: The story is based around a young boy named James. His parents die after a terrible accident with a rhinocercerous. He is then forced to live with his two seemingly evil aunts- Spike and Sponge. He always dreams of visiting New York City, as his parents always talked about visiting such a place. At one point in the book his dream comes true. This is when a stranger appears with a “bagful of magic”. Among others things it changes insects into real life characters and causes an ordinary peach to grow to enormous proportions right inside his backyard. Him and the insects all travel to New York City within the peach. James is the leader of the group. James comes up with a plan to fly the peace away from the “marauding sharks” . they plan to do this by getting the insects to use their varied talents for the benefit of the others. Long story short- they escape the dangerous Cloud-Men who throw all kinds of weather at the peach. After a while the crew finally lands on the Empire State Building-located in New York City. There is a huge city parade after which James lives in the pit of the peach in Central Park and tells stories of his breathtaking adventure.
Character: James is the main character. I pity him so much but I do not believe that he is someone that should be pitied. I feel like he can really handle his own stuff. He seems strong but he is so young. But he shows everyone that he could handle himself when he takes the leadership role within the peach.
Evaluation: I liked the novel. I thought it was a good break from the serious reading that I have been doing recently. I think everyone should read it because it is seriously such a good book.
This book really doesn’t compare to real life whatsoever, but the lesson that I took from it is that life’s not that bad.
I think I would of acted in the same way as James because if I was that young I wouldn’t of known what to do.
Author- Roald Dahl has surprisingly created many famous children’s novels. At this point in my life I don’t think I’ll read anymore of his work unless I’m in search of a laugh or unless I’m reading it to my future million kids!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
A new study on drug use in Australian Aboriginal communities had found that restrictions on alcohol and petrol have led to an increased use of marijuana.
The 5-year study period involved the researchers in observation, and structured and unstructured interviews with young aboriginal people and adult community members.
The study highlights the importance of looking at indigenous substance misuse in the total context of indigenous poverty, poor health and lack of opportunities.
To put the problem into perspective, Australian national statistics show that marijuana use is common in Australia with at least 11% of the urban non-indigenous population using the drug - when it comes to the indigenous population this number doubles to 22%. It is also suspected that the rates of marijuana use may be much higher in remote indigenous communities throughout the Northern Territory.
This is significant becuase if they choose to ban alcohol in the united states this is what could potenitally happen.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35948
The 5-year study period involved the researchers in observation, and structured and unstructured interviews with young aboriginal people and adult community members.
The study highlights the importance of looking at indigenous substance misuse in the total context of indigenous poverty, poor health and lack of opportunities.
To put the problem into perspective, Australian national statistics show that marijuana use is common in Australia with at least 11% of the urban non-indigenous population using the drug - when it comes to the indigenous population this number doubles to 22%. It is also suspected that the rates of marijuana use may be much higher in remote indigenous communities throughout the Northern Territory.
This is significant becuase if they choose to ban alcohol in the united states this is what could potenitally happen.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35948
volatile - tending or threatening to break out into open violence
Boxers are very volatile.
mimic - to be an imitation of
The purse was a mimic of chanel.
inchoate - not yet completed or fully developed
A baby would be a inchoate object.
imitate -to mimic; impersonate
The girl imitated me as I blew a bubble.
bulwark - a wall of earth or other material built for defense
The moat served as the bulwark of the castle.
scuttlebutt - a cask on a ship used to hold the day's supply of drinking water
hubris - excessive pride or self-confidence
dearth - famine; an inadequate supply
deference - respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another
emulate - to try to equal or excel
endemic - prevalent in or peculiar to a particular locality, region, or people
aborigine - one of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a country or region.
precursor - one that precedes another
Boxers are very volatile.
mimic - to be an imitation of
The purse was a mimic of chanel.
inchoate - not yet completed or fully developed
A baby would be a inchoate object.
imitate -to mimic; impersonate
The girl imitated me as I blew a bubble.
bulwark - a wall of earth or other material built for defense
The moat served as the bulwark of the castle.
scuttlebutt - a cask on a ship used to hold the day's supply of drinking water
hubris - excessive pride or self-confidence
dearth - famine; an inadequate supply
deference - respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another
emulate - to try to equal or excel
endemic - prevalent in or peculiar to a particular locality, region, or people
aborigine - one of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a country or region.
precursor - one that precedes another
Monday, March 3, 2008
Creative Writting- When does graffitti become art?
When asked to think about this question my mind honestly goes crazy. When I say crazy I do not mean that with a smile on my face. I say that with a frog in my throat and a stern look- like looking at something like this I am literally going insane. My mind is exploding with thought. From this explosion has created a new life of thought that I am so afraid to explore. The explosion has been caused by the stuff that I have done prior. Explosions in my mind are just a simile to represent something so magnificent- that so many people feel rots a mind. I feel like my mind is only expanding. Who can sit her and say expansion is negative?
I look at this picture and so many things come to mind. You know how people say a picture is worth a thousand words? I believe that every picture that I have ever seen –well any type of art work- is worthy of my thinking of a thousand different worlds. Something that sticks out more than anything to me is the background- all of the different colors of paint. The color that sticks out most to me is the red. I think about the red and wonder how everyone else sees the color red. I think its ridiculous how I can see a different red in comparison to everyone else. We never really know if we are normal because there’s no definite thing that defines world. I not only look at the red paint like that but I look at how thick the brush stroke was- what type of brush was used? Was it beautifully splashed amongst the canvas-each stroke depicting a separate meaning or is it just splashed upon the canvas-still beautiful but not representing as much meaning. However- is it still just depicting just as much meaning splashed on as it would be planned? Like depicting a broken life of shit? Or representing crazy times. You don’t even know and that scares me. Another thing I think about when it comes to the red paint is where the paint came from-what type of water was used within the paint? Where did the water come from? Was it purified in a factory? Did it come from a famous persons sink? Where did the ingredients from the paint come from? Everything comes from something and I really think we need to appreciate that factor. It is kind of funny how no matter how little something there is always something smaller that represents a story of how it is there.
I don’t think anything can represent graffiti because that terminology takes upon such a negative connotation. Art on the other hand sounds so plan and boring. I do not really think that that term art properly describes the blood and sweat that goes into the work that the “artists” do. It is so much more than a three letter word. Its indescribable.
I look at this picture and so many things come to mind. You know how people say a picture is worth a thousand words? I believe that every picture that I have ever seen –well any type of art work- is worthy of my thinking of a thousand different worlds. Something that sticks out more than anything to me is the background- all of the different colors of paint. The color that sticks out most to me is the red. I think about the red and wonder how everyone else sees the color red. I think its ridiculous how I can see a different red in comparison to everyone else. We never really know if we are normal because there’s no definite thing that defines world. I not only look at the red paint like that but I look at how thick the brush stroke was- what type of brush was used? Was it beautifully splashed amongst the canvas-each stroke depicting a separate meaning or is it just splashed upon the canvas-still beautiful but not representing as much meaning. However- is it still just depicting just as much meaning splashed on as it would be planned? Like depicting a broken life of shit? Or representing crazy times. You don’t even know and that scares me. Another thing I think about when it comes to the red paint is where the paint came from-what type of water was used within the paint? Where did the water come from? Was it purified in a factory? Did it come from a famous persons sink? Where did the ingredients from the paint come from? Everything comes from something and I really think we need to appreciate that factor. It is kind of funny how no matter how little something there is always something smaller that represents a story of how it is there.
I don’t think anything can represent graffiti because that terminology takes upon such a negative connotation. Art on the other hand sounds so plan and boring. I do not really think that that term art properly describes the blood and sweat that goes into the work that the “artists” do. It is so much more than a three letter word. Its indescribable.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Vietnam War Book Report
Downs, Fredrick. The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War. 1993. W. W. Norton
Reason: I chose this book honestly because it had the best cover and the best summery on the back. It’s setting is in Vietnam during the “Second Indochina War”. Long story short- The Killing Zone tells the story of the platoon of Delta One-six, capturing what it meant to face lethal danger, to follow orders, and to search for the conviction and then the hope that this war was worth the sacrifice. The mood is very indifferent/apathetic. The soldiers really didn’t want to be there, in combat. This book is very raw and uncensored.
Plot: This book is just basically a summery of the war. It is very, very non-controversial in my eyes. As it just states the obvious and what happened. It doesn’t so much give opinion about the things that had happened- it just simply states the events that occurred. Its basically how the platoon of Delta One-six, captured what it meant to face fatal danger, to follow orders, and to search for the conviction and then the hope that this war was worth the sacrifice. The really were confused about the war back then- as they didn’t know if it was pointless or not. After the documentary and everything I can definitely conclude that this war was a pointless one. The main character, Fredrick, was in infantry lieutent. His body actually ended up being mangled pretty badly. Honestly, it’s pretty gory more than anything and tells how a lot of people got killed during these times,. This is not something I really like to go in context about. Reading it, the descriptive details almost made me throw up he arrived in Vietnam in August 1967. his job was the US Army and was a combat infantry platoon leader. His job was to lead a platoon of infantrymen into combat patrols and they worked up in, he was part of the fourth division, third brigade, first is fourteenth infantry. And, they worked up in what they call Icorps, which is the northern part of South Vietnam. And, they worked along the coast and Duck Fo, Chu Li, Kam Kee, worked back up in the central highlands. In the central highlands, they fought the North Vietnamese Army, generally, and then down in the coast they fought the “Vietcong” ha. Two different types of fighting entirely. And, in January 11th, 1968, while they were on a combat patrol in the Chu Li area of near Kam Kee, and I stepped on a Bouncing Betty landmine. And that is how his body got all gross, as described in the book :/
Character: The main character, and by far the most interesting, would be Fredrick. He is actually a very smart man and is just out of high school when the story begins. As most people in the war he is drafted. He is unhappy about this but makes the best out of it. He grows as person and soon becomes pretty mangled and bloody in the war.
Evaluation: I would suggest this book to anyone looking to get a honest account of the war. It is very raw and I really regret choosing this. It made up the war to be bad- but I mean- what war is actually good?
This easily relates to real life because it actually happened. I am very indifferent towards the war after reading this.
Author: The Authors name is Fredrick Downs. Basically to get an accurate account of him read the plot, as it is surprisingly his life. That really shocked me. he has no other books- as this is just an autobiography of the war.
Reason: I chose this book honestly because it had the best cover and the best summery on the back. It’s setting is in Vietnam during the “Second Indochina War”. Long story short- The Killing Zone tells the story of the platoon of Delta One-six, capturing what it meant to face lethal danger, to follow orders, and to search for the conviction and then the hope that this war was worth the sacrifice. The mood is very indifferent/apathetic. The soldiers really didn’t want to be there, in combat. This book is very raw and uncensored.
Plot: This book is just basically a summery of the war. It is very, very non-controversial in my eyes. As it just states the obvious and what happened. It doesn’t so much give opinion about the things that had happened- it just simply states the events that occurred. Its basically how the platoon of Delta One-six, captured what it meant to face fatal danger, to follow orders, and to search for the conviction and then the hope that this war was worth the sacrifice. The really were confused about the war back then- as they didn’t know if it was pointless or not. After the documentary and everything I can definitely conclude that this war was a pointless one. The main character, Fredrick, was in infantry lieutent. His body actually ended up being mangled pretty badly. Honestly, it’s pretty gory more than anything and tells how a lot of people got killed during these times,. This is not something I really like to go in context about. Reading it, the descriptive details almost made me throw up he arrived in Vietnam in August 1967. his job was the US Army and was a combat infantry platoon leader. His job was to lead a platoon of infantrymen into combat patrols and they worked up in, he was part of the fourth division, third brigade, first is fourteenth infantry. And, they worked up in what they call Icorps, which is the northern part of South Vietnam. And, they worked along the coast and Duck Fo, Chu Li, Kam Kee, worked back up in the central highlands. In the central highlands, they fought the North Vietnamese Army, generally, and then down in the coast they fought the “Vietcong” ha. Two different types of fighting entirely. And, in January 11th, 1968, while they were on a combat patrol in the Chu Li area of near Kam Kee, and I stepped on a Bouncing Betty landmine. And that is how his body got all gross, as described in the book :/
Character: The main character, and by far the most interesting, would be Fredrick. He is actually a very smart man and is just out of high school when the story begins. As most people in the war he is drafted. He is unhappy about this but makes the best out of it. He grows as person and soon becomes pretty mangled and bloody in the war.
Evaluation: I would suggest this book to anyone looking to get a honest account of the war. It is very raw and I really regret choosing this. It made up the war to be bad- but I mean- what war is actually good?
This easily relates to real life because it actually happened. I am very indifferent towards the war after reading this.
Author: The Authors name is Fredrick Downs. Basically to get an accurate account of him read the plot, as it is surprisingly his life. That really shocked me. he has no other books- as this is just an autobiography of the war.
bookreport
Mayer, Elizabeth Lloyd. Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind. New York, New York. February 2007
Reason: Recently, I have become way too occupied with the human mind. I have took it was far as already picking my major in college- physiology. I have become so ridiculously entertained-as I believe that the human mind is infinite. Infinite to though- infinite to everything. A bigger reason as to why I chose this book is because I remember going into Brian Delgado’s office and telling him that I couldn’t wrap my mind around forever- he gave my example and clarified forever and gave me a piece of paper wrapped in a familiar sign- an infinity sign. A sign that mathematicians use so often-solved my entire life. We discussed Gurus. Think of your mind as a radio- the Gurus program there mind to the same channel as everyone else-that way then can get into your mind. One time there was this guru that met this young women, he sat with her-not even saying one word and he softly said “don’t worry, your father will never touch you like that again”. When Brian told me that I was disgusted but more fascinated by the way the Gurus mind had worked in such eloquent fashion. This book relates to that because of the fact that a guy at Berkeley pinpointed the exact location of a flute. I find that absurd. There are so many flutes out there. That is just the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. The book takes place in California and the character is just like a person. It is very weird because almost anyone can relate to this book.
Plot: A lot so basically this book is just about how people just "know" things without rational explanation. I look at the word rational and I just get freaked out about it. What is rationale? A lot of people call the author a “skeptical source” however I have learned that there are a lot of of trained scientists, physicians and psychologists have had extraordinary paranormal experiences, but feel constrained by the academic/scientific fundamentalists that they refuse to talk about them. I absolutely feel encaged by ideals and morals when I read that. I feel as if other people are trapping us in a web of what we should believe. And so many other people have other ideas that they never share with the world because of this web that there so afraid to step out of. For instance, when I went into Brains office he asked me if I’d done anything other than pot these last couple of months. I just think a lot. I don’t find it absurd however that I got asked that. If somebody came into my office with the exact same mindset as me I would be ridiculously worried about that person. I look at this book and it’s just ridiculous. The thoughts that have arisen from my mind due to this book are not of this world. I can’t even correctly explain it. It’s just due to a flute and the findings of a flute that such significant questions have arisen. This kind of thought process is often ridiculed by the religious AND the scientific communities but for different reasons. The scientists -because it is difficult to explain how ESP works. The religious -because if humans were to develop their ESP abilities -then we would all be prophets. This book analyzes multiple studies that support some amazing mental powers that the human mind appears to be capable of performing. Unfortunately, none of the studies are sufficiently referenced to allow an interested reader to review the actual data.
Character: I am going to analyze Dr. Mayer. It is kind of funny because Dr. Mayer took this as quite a jock. Dr. Mayer graduated from Berkley. He actually didn’t leave his Arkansas home when finding the flute- he did it all in his mind- which really trips me out. How can you do such a thing? I have learned through the book that many people actually can do that and it really trips me out.
Evaluation: I loved this novel. It gave me so many new mind boggling questions to explore within my ever-infinite mind. I would suggest this book to everyone. To an extent I kind of want everyone to have the same mind-set as me- but at the exact same time I want to know everything they know and experience their perception. It is so ridiculous- there are people who think more than I do. I just don’t see how you can ever get bored within your own mind when your thoughts are infinite.
This book easily compares to real life- as it is based upon a true story. It is really mind boggling and is trippy! This book is so important for others to read- or at the very least I believe everyone should read a book like it.
Author: the authors name is Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer, Ph.D., was an internationally known psychoanalyst, researcher, and clinician, the author of groundbreaking papers on female development, the nature of science, and intuition. In addition to her private practice, she was associate clinical professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and also taught at UC Medical Center, San Francisco. She died just after completing this book. I really think she died because she was getting to close to the truth.
THIS STUFF IS SO TRIPPY!
Reason: Recently, I have become way too occupied with the human mind. I have took it was far as already picking my major in college- physiology. I have become so ridiculously entertained-as I believe that the human mind is infinite. Infinite to though- infinite to everything. A bigger reason as to why I chose this book is because I remember going into Brian Delgado’s office and telling him that I couldn’t wrap my mind around forever- he gave my example and clarified forever and gave me a piece of paper wrapped in a familiar sign- an infinity sign. A sign that mathematicians use so often-solved my entire life. We discussed Gurus. Think of your mind as a radio- the Gurus program there mind to the same channel as everyone else-that way then can get into your mind. One time there was this guru that met this young women, he sat with her-not even saying one word and he softly said “don’t worry, your father will never touch you like that again”. When Brian told me that I was disgusted but more fascinated by the way the Gurus mind had worked in such eloquent fashion. This book relates to that because of the fact that a guy at Berkeley pinpointed the exact location of a flute. I find that absurd. There are so many flutes out there. That is just the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. The book takes place in California and the character is just like a person. It is very weird because almost anyone can relate to this book.
Plot: A lot so basically this book is just about how people just "know" things without rational explanation. I look at the word rational and I just get freaked out about it. What is rationale? A lot of people call the author a “skeptical source” however I have learned that there are a lot of of trained scientists, physicians and psychologists have had extraordinary paranormal experiences, but feel constrained by the academic/scientific fundamentalists that they refuse to talk about them. I absolutely feel encaged by ideals and morals when I read that. I feel as if other people are trapping us in a web of what we should believe. And so many other people have other ideas that they never share with the world because of this web that there so afraid to step out of. For instance, when I went into Brains office he asked me if I’d done anything other than pot these last couple of months. I just think a lot. I don’t find it absurd however that I got asked that. If somebody came into my office with the exact same mindset as me I would be ridiculously worried about that person. I look at this book and it’s just ridiculous. The thoughts that have arisen from my mind due to this book are not of this world. I can’t even correctly explain it. It’s just due to a flute and the findings of a flute that such significant questions have arisen. This kind of thought process is often ridiculed by the religious AND the scientific communities but for different reasons. The scientists -because it is difficult to explain how ESP works. The religious -because if humans were to develop their ESP abilities -then we would all be prophets. This book analyzes multiple studies that support some amazing mental powers that the human mind appears to be capable of performing. Unfortunately, none of the studies are sufficiently referenced to allow an interested reader to review the actual data.
Character: I am going to analyze Dr. Mayer. It is kind of funny because Dr. Mayer took this as quite a jock. Dr. Mayer graduated from Berkley. He actually didn’t leave his Arkansas home when finding the flute- he did it all in his mind- which really trips me out. How can you do such a thing? I have learned through the book that many people actually can do that and it really trips me out.
Evaluation: I loved this novel. It gave me so many new mind boggling questions to explore within my ever-infinite mind. I would suggest this book to everyone. To an extent I kind of want everyone to have the same mind-set as me- but at the exact same time I want to know everything they know and experience their perception. It is so ridiculous- there are people who think more than I do. I just don’t see how you can ever get bored within your own mind when your thoughts are infinite.
This book easily compares to real life- as it is based upon a true story. It is really mind boggling and is trippy! This book is so important for others to read- or at the very least I believe everyone should read a book like it.
Author: the authors name is Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer, Ph.D., was an internationally known psychoanalyst, researcher, and clinician, the author of groundbreaking papers on female development, the nature of science, and intuition. In addition to her private practice, she was associate clinical professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and also taught at UC Medical Center, San Francisco. She died just after completing this book. I really think she died because she was getting to close to the truth.
THIS STUFF IS SO TRIPPY!
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