My New Humanities Blog

I now have a new work blog at this address

http://www.jv-hill.blogspot.com/

Due Tuesday 4/24 - The press in times of crisis

I couldn't really tell if it was Pro or Con. But I really don't think that the press should ever be banned in thimes of war. I want journalists over in the town, on the front lines, at the meetings so that the American people can understand what is going on overseas. I don't think that they should have to think that the Army and the Navy are doing the right thing when thier blowing up and bombing towns.

Like in the movie that we saw ub class today. I'm glad that the reporters were there to capture and film all of the destruction that was happening. I'm glad that the American people got to see what was going on first hand from the news stations. Not having to believe that we were doing good, helping the Vietnamese and saving there country when we were reallyburning down their homes and burning up their towns.

It' hard for me to have to think that the Army and the Navy are getting tons of support and credit for things that are not even good for the people of South Vietnam. It's almost u DISCUSTING!!!

DUE THUR 4/19 Don Imus Controversy

ANSWER ALL THREE QUESTIONS and post on your blog. Don't forget to put the questions in bold.

Short Answer: a few sentences for each question:

1. According to the NAACP, why should Imus be silenced?
Because he called some black college backetball players a very bad name. Also becasue he saying that has made a big controversy. He calling the players the name that he called them kinda is saying that all blacks are...

2. According to Frank Rich, why should Imus not be silenced?
Because he thinks that he can say it because Glenn Beck assumed that the first Muslim congressman was a terrorist, and also called him a "faggot." So because nobody did anything to her when she said that stuff, then he thought that he could say the things that he did.

3. Do you think Imus should be silenced? Why?
I really think that should not have been fired. If Gleen Beck and Mel Gibson can say what ever they want about anyone and not get in trouble for it, I think that Imus shouldn't get all beaten up about it. The biggest reason of him getting fired was becasue of the NAACP. I really think that they should not have gotten involved with this. Since the players didn't say anything to them, they should have just stayed out of it. Its not a big deal, tons of people say those kinds of things and don't get introuble for it so why should he?

DUE WED 4/18 Plato Reading and Blog

Read all of section c. pp. 85-93 (start where the section begins on the bottom)

Answer one of the following questions or develop your own. Post the response on your blog. Don’t forget to include the question in bold on your blog.

1. Why should plays, and acting in them, be regulated? What is potentially beneficial or harmful from acting in a play?

One way that I think that plays and the acting in them are harmful because what they aer acting out to us may not be true in some was. That way we are not getting the true story so we are liking something that maybe if they told it as it really was we would not like. But I think that not doing it right can also tell you something else that could make the story more interesting to the audience or anyone who is viewing. I really don't agree or diagree with the assumptions that acting isn't the harmful or beneficial, but I do think all of those things.

DUE TUE 4/17- Helpful Blog Comments

Review the comments that classmates have made on your blog and choose two or three of them that you found particulary helpful. Write a short paragraph for each one explaining why it was helpful. Be specific. What is helpful about it and why.

Michael Murillo
Excellent JV! I lone how you fill it with metaphors. I also noticed how you related the bird to what it does, instead of what it is. The only thing that could be improved on is your grammer and your sentence structure. For instance this sentence could be worded differently and structured: "Once I am finished lazily working to please I must then clean up the mess the vacuum eating the seed like an Anteater sucking up the seed like as ants."

I really like how Michael told about the good things that I said but also told me about what I could change. This was helpful because he told me that I nedded to change something and because I didn't see it I now know that I need to look over my work more. I found what Michael was talking about and I could see how it would make my paragraph look and sound better if I change it. So that's why I think that it was helpful.

Jessi
this is an interesting rage. I myself have never really experienced the game part, but I do know how you feel about parents coming home right when you start to enjoy yourself. I think that you could use a few more discriptive words and metaphores. Other than that, great job.

I really like how jessi told me that she knows how I feel when this happens. It lets me know that I'm not the only on that sometimes feels bummed out when your just starting to have fun and your parents come home. She also tells me that I could use some more descriptive words that would make my piece more interesting. That's how she was helpful.

Justin Ureta
Actually, I diagree here. i think the things she mentioned (Other that "Didn't firemen used to put out fires?") was something everyone would have noticed, but simply never have the time to.

I really like how Justin disagreed with what my assumption was. I really like how he told me the part that I was wrong about and later in class explained to me what I could do better next time. with what he siad, it made me go back and read over that part of the book again and realize that all the time he was right and I was wrong.

DUE THR 3/22 - Prep for Seminar

Prepare for Socratic Seminar by writing at least one-half page on at least one of the following prompts, or create your own prompt. If you create your own prompt remember it must be an interpretive question, meaning there is more than one possible answer (but you only have to provide one answer in your response).

1) In your opinion, is it ever right to harm somebody? Why or why not? What would Socrates and/or Thrasymachus say in response to your answer?

I think that you do have the right to harm someone. Say that someone did something really bad to you that inflicted pain and you want a way to get back at them. I think that you have the right to hit them back. They deserve it, I really think so. Thats what I would do. But getting back to the point. You would want to hurt them back to show that you can defend yourself. Its not about just hurting them, its about showing that you not afraid of them.

You should hit them back, but if they didn't do anything that bad like just steal something from you, ya I would take something of theres of the most value. They would never see it again. But thats just me, not to be mean, but to give them what it is like to have something valuable to them.

DUE WED 3/21 Republic Assignment

Write your reaction to the following statement: Whether or not an action is right or wrong is less important than wheter or not it benefits the interests of the agent.

I think that this is morally wrong. An honest person with some kind of moral center would never put himself before deciding whether an action is right or wrong. an honest man would always consider his actions, choose his words carefully, and in the end, make others and himself happy. So really, this statement is directly linked to a person's happiness and ability to stay within what is right by the standards of the law of their governing body. Some might say that the governing body is the agent in many cases, but a government who actually cares about its people would always put itself and its own prosperity after that of their people. There has never been a government truly like this, and that is why we have war, pain, and suffering being caused by many governments around the world. That includes ours.

Due Tuesday, 3/20 Republic Assignment

In your opinion, is Polemarchus definition of justice, derived from the poet Simonedes, an improvement from his father’s definition?

Well, that is really difficult to decide because of how he revered both. However, I definitely lean more towards it deriving from Simonedes.

What is Simonides definition of justice? Has Polemarchus interpreted him correctly?

Simonedes says that justice is to help your friends and hurt your enemies. That is really how Polemarchus interpreted him, and it was correct I believe.

What problem does Socrates see in the phrase, “helping one’s friends and harming ones enemies”? Why is this not an accurate definition of justice?

Well, he sees that man is generally incorrect about things, and that they base their decisions on their likes and dislikes, so a friend might not be actually good and an enemy might not be bad. But that doesn't stop the person from helping the friends and harming the enemy, which is the reverse of what Simonedes meant. It is not an accurate definition of justice because it is based on emotion.

What lesson do you think Socrates/Plato is trying to prove by having Polemarchus give in to Socrates when his father (Cephalus) would not?

I'm not sure if there really is an underlying meaning. The only thing it could do is cause a rift between father and son, or show that the inexperienced are more likely to change their mind than the experienced.E) Whose argument do you find more convincing, Polemarchus or Socrates? Why? (This should be a longer response, short paragraph, about 5 sentences).When you think about it, Socrates really doesn't have an arguement! All he is trying to say is that Polemarchus is wrong, not putting forward an arguement. Nonetheless, he completely dis-assembled Polemarchus' arguement, and in doing so, took away all credibility from it.

DUE FRI, 3/16 Republic Assignment

Answer the following questions – short answer (about a couple of sentences or more)

1) Who are Cephalus and Polemarchus?

They are friends of Socrates, who he decided to see before he left. Cephalus is the father, and Polemarchus is one of his sons.

2) What is the profession of Cephalus?

A Business man.

3) What was Cephalus doing right before the discussion that took place?

He was preparing/taking part in the daily sacrifice.

4) According to Cephalus, what are the virtues of old age?

You have already been down roads that the young have not yet traveled, roads of hardship, and are in turn more experienced and wise. The flip side, is that you know death is near, so many men are afraid that what they have heard in their many years about the afterlife (the horrors and the judgments) are true/false.

5) What are Cephalus’ view of justice?

He believes that justice is paying back your debts and not lying.

6) What is Socrates response?

His response is best described in his analogy, he proposes a situation where you have borrowed a weapon from a friend, but then that friend is deemed mad, at which point you shouldn't return the weapon (paying back the debt). So basically, there are situations where you have to lie or not pay back debts, all Socrates is doing is exposing a flaw in Cephalus' idea.

Write a one paragraph response to the following question

1) Do you agree with Cephalus or with Socrates? Why?

If you don't agree with either of them, write about which one you think makes the stronger arguement, even if you think it is not "right" - and why? To be honest, I don't think that Socrates' knowledge and philosophical way of thinking can out-weigh years and years of experience. I believe that Cephalus is more in the right because of him having a lot of experience with life and because all Socrates has been shown to do so far is find holes in the ideas of others, and not really put forward an idea of his own.

He spends his time going against what others think, and frankly I am not sure of where he stands on justice yet. So, by default, I am siding with Cephalus. But, don't think its just automatically chosen completely, I truly believe that not lying and paying back your debts are a part of justice, just not the whole piece. His statement is only half-way in a sense. Try to give this a shot, if you can’t answer it that’s okay: What do you think Cephalus represents? What is particular or unique about his view of justice compared to the others you have discussed in class? Well, the main thing that Cephalus represents in my mind is experience. He is the one who has seen the most, lived through and dealt with the worst, and he truly has the backing for everything he is saying. Like an elder.

He could also be one of those prisoners who has had a glimpse of the light. He is partially enlightened and is trying to spread what he understands about the higher knowledge, though it may be limited compared to what Socrates has seen and understood. The main part of his idea of justice that is unique is that it completely coincides with what "justice" is defined as "doing the right thing".

DUE THUR, 3/15 Similie of the Cave Reading Questions

1Q) Compare and contrast what Socrates says in “The Simile of the Cave” with Fahrenheit 451. How are characters like Mildred similar to characters in “Simile of the Cave”?

1A) Well, they are exactly what Socrates speaks of. Those prisoners who are just chained up and don't question anything. They believe whatever is shown to them is real, and don't dare or don't care enough to really think about what is behind them. In F451, the society was controlled socially by the government, and brainwashed into believing that whatever the government said was real, and there was no need to question it because there wasn't any room for it to be wrong. They are prisoners who choose to be imprisoned. If you make a decision to be ignorant, like Mildred and many people used to do, then you are solidifying your belief that everything you are given by the governing body or belief is true, whether you really believe it or not. Its a conscious decision being made to not question anything, and often times, that is the sign of a weak mind. A mind that does not question will never discover anything of use. Those "drones", those "prisoners", they are the ones who make up the basis of any society, and that is what is the important similarity between F451 and "The Simile of the Cave". In both, there are far more "prisoners" than those who unshackle themselves and see the light, and truly find that higher knowledge. That is what links them, and in both cases, confines them.

DUE WED 3/14 - Personal Reflection (Plato)

1) Recall a time that you heard a statement of “fact” that was later found to be untrue. It can be from a parent, a teacher, a friend, a government official, a book, or a film. How did you find out it was untrue and how did it make you feel? Did it change your outlook on anything?

I remember this one thime when one of my clos friends told me that every year you eat at least a spiders in your sleep; thats why sometimes whe you wake-up thats why you have that bump on you lipe he said. It sounded so real and so true that I scanned every word he said in to my brain. It was so creepy to now know that each year I scarf down 8 nasty spiders. When I told my aunt she said that what my friend said was not true. She said that it would be hard to swallow a whole spider without feeling it move around in your throat. Now what she said made me really think about what my friend had said. That made me loose some trust in him saying and making my believe that you eat spiders asleep. So when my class went to the science fair in Del Mar I asked some people and they to said no. It started sounding really stupid once I realized that i would be almost impossible to swollow a live spider while sleeping. Even thougth its not true, I still like telling people.

DUE FRI 3/2 Personal Reflection

Write about a time that your pride had negative consequences (or related to that, your inability to forgive). You can also write about someone else or write about pride in another book.

When I was in 5th-6th grades I used to be a troublemaker. I would do lots of things that were unacceptable. In other words, some of the things I did got me in trouble with the teacher. My 6th grade teacher was a very interesting person, he would eat his lunch and other snacks in front of us as he was teaching the class.

Getting back to the question; It was a regular day, the sun was smiling, the birds singing and me about to get into trouble. We were at the park and there was a little stream of water that was going down the sidewalk. There were ants that were trying to cross it; to us a little stream of water is small, but to an ant its like a big roaring river. I was a mean little boy back then so I asked my friend for his eyeglasses. They were such a high prescription that when he put them on his eyes were three times the size. I took his glasses and started to burn the ants and watch them scurry all around. As I was doing that the principal of our school came over and told me that those are Gods creatures and to stop burning them. It was really fun to me and I liked to do it.

So that day when I got home I took the magnifying glass and started to burn the ants that had been peacefully going about their duties. Then I thought to myself; "maybe if I got some tissue and made the ant crawl all over it the maybe I could light it on fire." So that’s exactly what I did. As I was burning it my dad was watching me the whole time through the window. I was in big trouble, because when he came out you could see that he was ticked by the look on his face. I was in big trouble because I wasn't supposed to be playing with that type of stuff. In the end, after doing it again about three more times, and him seeing me; I got all of my things taken away, all because I was having fun burning things.

How was your pride, or the other person's, similar or different to that of Achilles?

I think that me and Achilles’ pride was some what similar, and we both had great consequences. Achilles got punished by Zeus and got shot in the heel by a poison arrow and died. For me, my dad is like Zeus; except he didn't punish me by shooting my heel; he punished me by taking away all of my prized possession which made it feel like as if I died.

DUE WED 2/28 Iliad Assignment

What was your opinion of Achilles before reading Book 9? Does it change after reading Book 9? Explain why or why not.

From what I had heard about Achilles, I thought that he was a very cool guy. He was fearless, not easy to kill, those types of things. Achilles seemed like a big hero to me. He was half god half man. But when I started reading the book I still thought he was cool because he sounded indestructable. But as I read on, I learned that he was killed by a poison arrow. I was so confused, I thought that he could not get killed. I thought, how could he have gotten killed. Mr. Jana then said that when he got dipped in the river, he got held by his heel. Since his heel didn't get dipped it was the one part of his body that didn't become indestructable. I really don't think that my opinions of Achilles have really changed. I still think that he is pretty cool, I think that even thought hes going to die I think that he's a very good fighter and. For him to be fighting on Agamemnons side and not fighting under his orders, I think that is ver cool. It shows that he somewhat likes to be independent.

DUE THR 2/22 Iliad Reflection - Book One

If you were an ancient Greek, which of the following statements would you agree with?

A) Achilles’ rage is justified and I support his decision not to fight, even if it means the Greeks might lose lots of men, or even the war itself.

I support his decision not to fight because I really don't hink that he should have to fight if he does not want to. I think that Achilles can choose the dicision not to fight because he know that he does not have to fight. he's just fight for Agamemnon so that the Greeks can win the war. If I were Achilles I would just not fight, I would not like being used by a king who is just a greedy person who knows that the only way that his side could win was just simply to have me to fight the war for them.
Like in the movie when he is in the boat, he says to his people that they are under his control. He is not going to take and messing around from Agamemonon. He just wants to go to war is because he know s that if he dies that he will be remembered for being the brave knight who killed tons of people all by himself and a few other people.

DUE THR 2/22 - Disagreements and Fights ...

1) In your blog write about a time when you had a big disagreement with a friend or other person that led you or the other person to regret things that were said or done.

There have been many times where I haven't gotten along very well with my friends. A time that I disagreed with my friends, alot of the times are when we are in socratic seminars. I get so frustrated, its like when someone say something that I don't totaly agree with, then I get mad and don't really like that person like I did before the seminar. There are times like in the seventh grade
when I got really angry and completly disagreed with the person, and just yelled out that I completly disagreed and practicly spit in there face telling them why they were wrong! I don't like people who don't totaly agree with the things that I say. Thats all that I think about my disagrements. I really never have any fights at a seminar or with my friends.

DUE WED 2/21 Iliad Reading

1) Ask questions about things that confuse you about the reading. Be prepared to share them with the class.

I am not confused about anything. But I was reading and thought that this sounded much like "Troy". Is it about the Iliad, and does it have some connetion with the Movie that we are watching?

2) Give short bullet point summaries of the most important things that happen in this reading selection.

Page:89 Line: Whole Paragraph

When Achilles is crying and thinking about his mommy. When he reached out his arms and started praying for hi morther. "Mother! You gave me life, short as that life will be, so atleast Olympian Zeus, thundering up on high, should give me honor." I like that part of the reading and think that is important becasue he is realizing that his mother gave him life and is praying for his mom to pray for him because he knows that he is going to die in the battle.

Due THR 2/15 Iliad Assignment

So Basically all that I really want to know is where is the girl that they are fighting over. There isn't alot of mentioning of her in this story. I kinda want to know whats going on with her while all of this is happening!!!

DUE WED 2/13 The Iliad Assignment (Late okay - Due 2/13)

1. Write a summary bullet for each stanza

• So basicly what they are saying in first paragraph is that Thestor's son is scanning the birds and thinks about the things that are happening are going to happen and did happen.


• So what happens in the second stanza is that Achilles is ordered to explain Apollos anger.


• So Achilles wants to make a deal with Zeus to defend him. There is a man that he will make mad, He is a mighty King and he is way to strong to fight.


• So here Zeus is saying that he will pretect Calchas so that no one will be able to touch him when he will be fighting.


• So here In this stanza The priest and Agamemnon are talking about the girl that had gotten talken away as a war prize. The priest does not want any ranson and there is no price that Agamemnon can say that will interest the priest so that he will give up the girl.
  

2. Write a question for each stanza - be specific - don't just say "I don't get it" say "I don't understood who Calchas is on p. x "

• I do not have any questions for these stanzas.
  

3. Make a prediction when you finsish the three stanzas.

• I think that this war is going to go for along time before Agamemnon will get his women back since the priest will not take any ransom for the girl.

DUE TUE, 2/23 - Iliad notes (Late okay - Due 2/13)

1. Summarize with one or two quick bullet points per stanza - ones that you will be able to understand when you read your notes later.

• So basicly what these stanzas are saying is that there is an old man that is terrified. He had taken orders to go down the shore line to where an old priest was praying for the son of Leto.


• There is also a god who is being shot with arrows in his back and falls to his knee.

2. Ask questions about the reading from one or more stanzas.

• Why was the God (that went on his knee) getting shot by arrows in his back?

3. Predict what will happen next.

• I really have no idea what is going to happen next. This is just the most confusing thing that I have ever read!!!

DUE TUE, 2/12 My Rage - Cause (Late okay – Due 2/3)

It is Monday morning and I am so sick. I ask my dad if I could stay home because I don't feel good. So my dad leaves the house. I think to myself saying " what is there to do now". I go onto the computer and go to Myspace.com. There is no one on and I feel like nobody in the world will talk to me. I start to get mad and want to go back to school. But at the same time I realize that I am t sick to even go to school. So I wait and think and wait and thing some more and come up with a solution. I will play online with my PS2 but then I see that nobody is on because they are all at school.

So I just play my games alone in the house with my dog by my side acting like a cushin for my tired arm. Hours go by and I am still in a rage from not having anyone to play with. I hear my dad coming to the driveway. That was a horrible sound to here, I didn't want him to come home because I am starting to have fun playing my games. Now I am even more mad because I won't be able to play my games.

DUE THR, 2/7 Descriptive Writing Assignment (Late okay - Due 2/8)

Bottom of Page 119:

Montag only said, "We never burned right..." "Hand it over Guy," said Beatty with a fixed smile. And then he was a shrieking blaze, a jumping, sprawling gibbering manikin, no longer human or shot on continuous pulse of liquid fire on him. There was a hiss like a great mouthful of spittle banging a red-hot stove, a bubbling and frothing as if salt had been poured over a monstrous black snail to cause a terrible liquidation and a boiling over of yellow foam. Montag shut his eyes, shouted, shouted, and fought to get his hands at his ears to clamp and to cut away the sound. Beatty flopped over and over and over and at last twisted in on himself like a shared wax doll and lay silent.

Rewritten:

"What do you mean by that? Here, hand it over before you get hurt! All of the sudden a burst of flames is towards me I try to jump but the flame was just too fast. I could feel it hitting my hands, face, and legs. I realized that there was nothing I could do but run around and try to get the flame of me. I can't see, but I can feel all of my skin that was now under this cover of flames bubbling up and popping and sizzling. I just can't take the pain and fall to ground in agony."

My Terrifying Dream - WED 1/30

So what happened was that I woke up. My dad told me that I had been sleeping for 30 years. I was astonished, and like anyone who had slept for 30 years I wanted to see what new buildings had been developed. So we went out side and got into the car. It was a car I've never seen before. He told me that he got it just 3 years ago. As we pulled out of the drive way I looked around and saw that there were funny looking cars like they would have in the future.

After driving around for awhile we decided to go walk around in the neighborhood, and as we were walking we heard two gun shots. It was coming out of a church that there were people running out of. Me and my dad ran to the other side of the street and watched.

Finally we saw who the shooter was. It was and old lady that was obviously really high on something. She was coming over to our side of the street where I was telling people that she was coming. In no time she was on our side. She looked at me, looked away, and shot the lady next to me. She then looked at me again. I was so afraid that I just broke out running and trying to dodge the bullets. As I was running she was chasing me still shooting.

I fell, I'm trying to get up before she gets to me but it was too late. She stood right over me and shot two individual shots, one in my arm and the other just to the left of my heart. I tried to get up, struggling to get up onto my knees. I get it but I fall right back down onto the ground. The police arrived minutes later. I could already feel it getting harder and harder to breath. There was nothing that the cops could do but sit there by my side and watch me slowly die a painful death. I thought that I was going to die from bleeding to death.

I was thinking of the fun things that my dad and I did. How I never really listen to what he had really had to say most of the time. I was regretting all of the arguments and all of the fights over school and wished that I didn't give him such a hard time.

I see them putting me into the ambulance and see everything went dark. I can barley feel the needles they were sticking in me that would usually hurt. I was realizing that the time had come, I was dying. My hearing was going away and I could fell my heart stop. I'm dead.

Waking up in bed I am crying. Thank God I'm Alive!!!!!

DUE, WEDNESDAY 1/30 Fahrenheit 451 pp. 154-165

What does it mean when Montag says "And when they ask us what we are doing, you can say, "We're remembering."?

I think that he is remembering what life was like before the war had begun. They also were remembering how society was, how it was always so peaceful; how nothing really went wrong. I think this is important because you sometimes need to realize what has happened in the past to know what desicions should be made in the future. That’s why it's a good quote, and that is why it is important in this book.

DUE TUESDAY, 1/29 Fahrenheit 451 pp. 138-154

Read Pages 138-154

How has Montag changed from the beginning of the novel to this part? In writing about this you might want to notice that the environment has changed from the city to nature. Is this a coincidence or is the author trying to say something by contrasting the city to nature in relation to the ways Montag has changed.

I think that he has changed in many ways. like in the beginning of the story he was a fireman that just burnt books. Now he's running from people who want to get him.

I think that he has also changed emotionally also in the beginning of the story he was happy and really was aware of things. Now he's just like this crazy psycho who burnt his boss and is now running. away from the people who want to kill him.

DUE Monday 1/29 Fahrenheit 451 pp. 126-137

Question: At page 39 at the top, why were they counting to ten?

Read pp. 126-137

Find a line from the story or a paragraph that you like and explain why you like it.

I chose when the author says "Montag ran. He could feel the hound, like autumn, come cold dry and swift, like a wind that didn't stir grass, that didn't jar windows or disturb leaf shadows on the white sidewalks as it passed."

I like how Ray chose an interesting way to tell how quietly and gracefully the hound was chased Montag. Its also interesting how he used metaphors like when he says "he could feel the hound, like autumn."

DUE Friday 1/29 Debunking Assignment - Flight 93

The Wreckage

Claim: Short summary in one or two sentences.

So what they are saying is that since there is no wreckage of flight 93 around the area of where people say that it crashed. They suspect that Flight 93 had been shot down by a heat seeking missile.

Fact: Short summary in one or two sentences.

They are saying that the reason why there is so little debris is because it hit the ground so fast that it broke-up into small pieces. They're comparing the plane crashing to an egg. " You can liken crash debris to an egg. At a low speed, dropped from your hand, the impact will crack the egg and you'll have large pieces of shell." However "if you take an egg and drop it from a 20 story building you will have small pieces of shell leftover.

DUE Friday 1/26 Debunking Assignment - The Pentagon

Intact Pentagon Windows

Claim: Short summary in one or two sentences.

After Flight 77 hit the Pentagon a lot of the windows around the point of impact were still in one piece, even the ones right above the crash were in one piece. Since a lot of the windows are still intact provides support for the theory that it was actually a missile or a smaller plane that hit the Pentagon.

Fact: Short summary in one or two sentences.

The reason why the windows withstand the impact of Flight 77 was because "that is exactly what they were designed to do." The windows in that part of the Pentagon were blast resistant. The windows had been placed there weeks ago because it was a part of a "massive Pentagon modernization plan." The old windows where installed way back in the 1940s. Weighing in at approximately 1,600 pounds a piece, the new windows where laminated glass that had a thin polymer interlayer which was in between two or more panes of glass.

What do I think:

I don't think that just by chance a big Pentagon modernization plan was in progress when the crash happened. The funny thing is that the point of impact just happened to be in the only section of the Pentagon that had blast resistant windows installed. Also why would they even install blast resistant windows. It's like as if they knew that this was going to happen.

DUE Friday 1/26 Debunking Assignment - The Pentagon

Big Plane, Small Holes

Claim: Short summary in one or two sentences.

In the side of the Pentagon there where two holes right after the attack. There was a 90 foot whole in the building wall. In ring three there was a big round whole in the wall. Both of those holes were to small to have been made by a Boeing 757. How is it that a plane that is 125 feet wide and 155 feet long fit through a hole that was only 16 feet across.

Fact: Short summary in one or two sentences.

So when Flight 77 hit the wall it created a 90 foot in the building. They say that the reason why the hole made by the jet was 90 feet wide was because there were pieces of the wall falling off. One reason why they say that there is only a hole on the wall is because both of the wings were damaged because it hit light posts on it way into the building, and that the reason why there is no debris from the wings is because the fuel that was stored in the them got ignited and disintegrated them.

What do I think:

I think that the disintegration of both wings is possible, but I would think that light the surrounding vegetation on fire.
I don't believe that a plane that is 125 feet wide only made a whole that was only 16 feet wide. Even that’s not a big enough hole to have been made be a Boeing 757.

DUE Friday 1/26 Debunking Assignment - The Pentagon

Flight 77 Debris

Claim: Short summary in one or two sentences

So what they are saying is that how could Flight 77 have hit the Pentagon when there is no Debris. Wouldn't the plane make a the biggest mess of wings and engines and wheels. Well there was none of that all there was was a engine turbin that was not even the standard engine for that type of plane.

Fact: Short summary in one or two sentences

What others are saying is that it wasn't an air plane that hit the Pentagon, it was actually a cruise missile; that’s why there aren't any holes that would have been made by the wings. Also how could the witnesses have seen a plane if they weren't even paying attention. Allot of people said that they just heard a big BOOOOMMMM and suspected that it was an airplane that hit the Pentagon. It very possibly could be true that it was a cruise missile. You can't tell what hit the Pentagon from looking at the security cams didn't catch the plane. All there was on the film was a white blur. Who knows what it was.

What do I think:

I think that it was a planned attack on the Pentagon by the Government. On the security cam film there was a small blur. A plane as big as a Boeing 757 would not be a small blur.

DUE FRIDAY, 1/26 Fahrenheit 451 pp. 110-125

My Question: What does the author mean when he says "And he shot a bolt of fire at each of the three blank walls and the vacuum hissed out at him?"

1. Summarize what happens in one or two sentences:

So what happens in this part of the book is that there is a carnival that’s going on down the block. Guy is talking to Beatty and then goes crazy because of something that he said that has to do with burning down his house. Then Guy gets a flamethrower goes into his house and starts burning everything that reminded him of Mildred. While he was burning the house Beatty was behind him talking to him, Guy wasn't listening so Beatty punch him in the head which made Guy fall to the ground. Beatty was somewhat threatening Guy. Guy got feed-up and pressed the trigger and lit Beatty on fire.

2. On your blog, copy down one sentence from this reading selection that strikes you as particularly descriptive. Which of the 5 senses does it appeal to? What verbs, adjectives, or figurative language are used and why are they effective in describing a certain action, person, or thing?:

"There was a hiss like a great mouthful of spittle banging a red-hot stove, a bubbling and frothing as if salt has been poured over a monstrous black snail to cause terrible liquefaction and boiling over of yellow foam."

I think that this appeals to sight because if you just read that you can imagine Beatty's skin bubbling frothing. There was a lot of figurative language that makes this sentence sound much more interesting. Like when he says "bubbling and frothing as if salt has been poured over a monstrous snail." From thinking of what a snail looks like from when we pour salt on it I can see a clear picture of what is happening to Beatty.

DUE THURSDAY 1/25 Fahrenheit 451pp. 91 - 110

My Question:I'm getting confused about Guys name. People in class are using Montag, I thought that it was Guy?

Summarize the two main scenes in the selection of Fahrenheit 451

The Living Room:So what happened is that Mildred has Mrs. Bowles and Mrs. Phelps over so that they can chat for a while. They were watching some weird show on the parlor and then Guy flipped a switch in the wall which turned off the parlor. As a result of him doing that the woman gave him a dirty look and started talking. Then from what I remember Guy went to go get a book of poetry, read some, and then leaves the woman in the room while they are crying.

The Fire Station with Beatty:Guy goes to the fire station because he is frustrated. Then he sits down at the poker table and he and Beatty play poker. Then Beatty says to Guy, that after he had been called a fool, how they are just little sheep who leave the herd every once in a while.

Descriptive Writing - Figurative Language:The Quote that I chose was:"Not good night. I'll be with you the rest of the night, vinegar gnat tickling your ear when you need me"I think that this quote is effective because he uses interesting metaphors like "vinegar gnat tickling your ear". That’s another way that Faber is telling Guy that whenever he needs to say something that Faber will be with him the whole time.

DUE THUR 1/25 Debunking 9/11 Myths Chapter Two

Summarize the Claim: As each tower collapsed there were very visible puffs that came out of the towers as they were falling. They suspect that there had been bombs planted into the towers to help them fall into a nice "pancake" pile.

Summarize the Facts: Some of the facts were that the security at the twin towers after they fell would not let a clean-up crew clean up the mess. In stead of a clean up crew they had demolition people clean it up. Also the Mayor of New York had even made the case more interesting because he sent a lot of the rubble all the way over seas.

Well, I take side with the writers. I say that there were bombs planted into the towers so that they would fall. Because how could both towers coinsidently have visible puffs, smoke and debris falling out of the buildings before that floor even goes down. Also if there was nothing to hide like bombs, then why would the Mayor of New York send most of the debris over seas to dump sites there? We have plenty of dumps in America; why not use those? Why would the security not let a clean-up crew clean up the mess? Those are very good questions and I want them answered.

DUE WED 1/24 Debunking Assignment - Military Intercepts

Summarize the Claim:
So what happened is that the military should have been able to intercept the hijacked planes because that is what military pilots regularly do in this type of situation. They are saying that it is a standard operation to shoot down off-course planes that don't respond to air traffic controllers.
Summarize the Facts:

A decade before 9/11 NORAD fighter planes intercepted Payne Stewart's Learjet. They say that at 39,000 feet the plane lost its cabin pressure and crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board said that the plane was lost at 9:33 eastern daylight time and was intercepted at 9:52 central daylight time, making the total time 1 hour and 19 minutes for the fighter to reach the plane. What actually happened was that the plane that intercepted Payne's plane was already in the air and did not have to be scrambled so the actual total time for the jet to chase down the Learjet was approximately 50 minutes. Another point is that the transponders on hijacked planes were usually turned off. The transponder on Payne's Learjet was active. Making it easy for the jets to find it. However the planes on 9/11 were not that easy to track because the transponders were turned off.
On August 12, 2002, an Associated Press story had proof that NORAD had mounted more frequent interceptions of domestic flights. The article says that from September 11 to June 2002, NORAD scrambled jets or had diverted combat air patrols 462 times. That is seven times more that the usual 67 scrambles from September 2000 to June 2001.

Now because of all that had happened on 9/11 the FAA an NORAD increased cooperation setting up hotlines between air traffic control centers and NORAD command centers and establishing an ADIZ zone over Washington D.C.

DUE WED 1/24 Descriptive Paragraph - Fun in the Forest

There is a place that is nestled between two mountains like a hotdog in a bun. Where ever you go there are the coolest people who will take you on the journey of a lifetime. Riding on top of a horse playing a game of tag like as if we were being chased by a friendly murderer. Flying like an Eagle softly gliding towards the ground at 40 miles an hour. Over the snaking rivers we ride out of the forest to the feasting area. Giving away Green and Black printed onto wicker white paper to please my excited taste buds with a milk shake. Walking back to the cabin through the dark with my ears searching the area around my cold body like a radar. Finally getting back to cabin I realize that I left my wallet at the snack shop...

DUE Wednesday 1/24 Fahrenheit 481 pp. 81-91

A Question that I have it is that why is Guy reading the bible, I thought that it was illegal to have!!!

Question: Faber jokingly proposes a plan of action and then starts to discuss it seriously with Montag. What is the plan of action? More importantly, why does he say it won’t work? Analyze his answer. Why won't it work?

What faber wanted to do was to travel around the country and hopfully have firemen's home's burned down by putting books in in the homes. Faber then says that it will not work because firemen are not the problem. What happend is that tons of people have stopped reading. So the firemem are just sort of beeing like the clean up crew by burning the books.

Due Tuesday 1/23 - Fahrenheit 451 pp. 71-80

Question A. What does Montag mean when he says that books "point, one way or another, to Clarisse?"

I think what Montag means when he says that books "point, one way or another, to Clarisse" is because Clarisse seems to know alot about things that an average person would not know right off the top of their head. I mean how could someone get so smart just from knowing ordinary facts. There is the possibility of them learning things from watching TV, but I don't think so. She also could have gained knowledge from attending school. She must be reading books, thats how she knows alot of what she's talking about. She's obviously more intelligent than Montag because when she asked him "was it true that back then firemen put out fires?", Montag said that that was not true. Thats one reason why Montage thinks that books point one way or another to Clarisse!

DUE MONDAY 1/22 Fahrenheit 451 pp. 40-68

My Question: I thought that Guy and Mildred weren't that close. My Question is how come when Guy went into bed Mildred came over and wanted to know if he was alright?!?!

A to Question 1: I think that its better to be aware, educated and disturbed with the world, because when you are aware you know what is going on around you. When your educated about something then you are aware. Being disturbed at the world will show that you are aware of your surroundings.

A to Question 2: Captain Beatty tells this to Montag because he asked questions about why they burn books. He tells him that they burn the controversial books. They also burn books because from reading them people can get bad ideas. Then Montag says that firemen are supposed to make people happy. Beatty then says, "Colored people don't like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don't feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin. Burn it." So basically all that Betty is saying is that by burning books that people hate that that is what is making them happy.

Class Work Friday 1/19 (will accept by Monday 1/22)

Walking through the hallway I see a light at the end, its a room with a ferocious finger eater trapped within a cage squawking and crying out. Reaching into the cage will be a mistake, knowing that I could easily be wounded. Walking to the sink to get some water I think that I need to get paper towels for the King in the cage. Working like a servant to please his needs is hard to do for such a picky eater. Once I am finished lazily working to please I must then clean up the mess the vacuum eating the seed like a Anteater sucking up the seeds like as ants. It is done, finally i have time to rest on the couch watching my television.

Due Friday 1/19 Fahrenheit 451 Assignment pp. 21-40

Fahrenheit 451 pp. 21- 40

Question: Why does the Mechanical Hound hate Guy so much? Also, where is the wife when all of this is happening?

I think that Clarisse seems older because for a seventeen year old she seems to know a lot about the past. She also knits, I don't know any seventeen year old girls who knits sweaters and go for walks. most seventeen year olds that I know they just like to do somewhat crazy things, and are really social, but Clarisse is like an old lady; she isn't a very social person. I think that Ray Bradbury (author) made the contrast between the two might be so that guy would have someone to talk to in the story or maybe he made Clarisse is so that we can get to know Guy since she asks so many questions.

I think that Guy and Clarisse are very different as it shows in the story how Clarisse likes to ask personal questions, like when she asked Guy "How come you don't have any children". Guy is like a thinker, almost on every page it talks about him thinking about something. I think that the Firefighters at the station and Clarisse are somewhat similar. The reason is because the Firefighters like to sit around and play cards when there not having to work. Clarisse likes to sit around like it says in the book "...once he saw her sitting on the lawn knitting...".
Those are my thoughts.

Due Thursday 1/18 Fahrenheit 451 Assignment pp. 3-21

Fahrenheit 451 pp. 3-21

Question 1: How come when Guy stops at her Clarisse of at her house she asked him if he was happy? Why did she ask him that?

Well it was kinda obvious that he and his wife arent very close is that when he came into the house Mildred was not there to greet him. as a matter a fact, the author made it sound like as if Mildred was not even in the house.