Burning

Both the "Burning Monk" and Mohammed Bouazizi's deaths were major sparks in revolutions of their country. The had both burned themselves in protest of what they believed in and they also gave major criticism on the nation's leader of the time. They also both led to a change in government and the dictator fleeing the country. However, there are a few small differences. The "Burning Monk" was a monk in South Vietnam protesting the prosecution of Buddhists, whereas Mohammed was just a normal, hard-working street vendor in Tunisia angry at the dictatorship in his country. There is also a large time difference. While the "Burning Monk" killed himself in the year of 1963, Mohammed Bouazizi died very recently, January 4, 2011.
I think that it is great that they were protesting for what they believed in. However it's horrifying that they took this to the extremes and decided to burn themselves. But I do know that everything great has to start with something tragic. One good poem of Sri Chinmoy about death and how it sometimes is not the end.

Death is not the end
Death can never be the end.

Death is the road.
Life is the traveller.
The Soul is the Guide

...

Our mind thinks of death.
Our heart thinks of life
Our soul thinks of Immortality. - Sri Chinmoy

Triple Entente, Triple Alliance, and the Poem of Fear

The Triple Entente was the result of various alliances of France and Russia, France and Britain, and Russia and Britain. All of these groups were formed solely because of the rise of the Triple Alliance of Germany and allies Austria-Hungary and Italy. The three countries came to be know as some of the most feared countries in Europe, and several treaties and alliances were made to protect themselves from these powers, one of which was the Triple Entente. For more information on the the beginning of World War I and the tangled web of European alliances, please click here.

2. Fear
Written by Montana Hohensee

fear fear fear your not my friend
fear fear fear you are the end
fear fear fear will you ever cease?
fear will consume
fear will kill
because we kill out of fear
fear is a killer
fear tears us apart slowly and painfully
fear will never cease
because fear is unexpected
and fear will kill us all
but fear can be conquered
only by brave soul

For original, please click here.

3. Although I doubt the author did not purposely connect their poem with World War I, they did make an excellent example of the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance. "Fear fear fear, you're not my friend" is how the Triple Entente was not allies with the Triple Alliance, which in the poem is know as "fear". "Fear fear fear, you are the end," This line relates to how Germany and his allies were a worldwide terror and how many small countries believed that the Triple Alliance could end their society. "Fear fear fear, will you ever cease?" This could be compared to how the naval fleets of Britain and Germany would not cease to grow and would try to outnumber each others fleets. It can also refer to the rise in imperialism and how the German Empire would not settle for the empire they had. "Fear will consume, Fear will kill" These lines are nearly straightforward and tells how the Triple Alliance were terrifying killers; however, the first line can be an example of the empires in the Alliance would consume third-world countries and take over their land. "Fear tears us apart slowly and painfully" The large tangle of alliances during the pre-war time was getting out of control, and one little dispute could get out of hand fast, and get out of hand it did. When Serbian men assassinated the Archduke of Austria-Hungary, a war between the two countries turned into what we know today as the first World War. "Because fear is unexpected, And fear will kill us all" These lines show that it is unexpected how powerful one country can possibly be, but these countries gain power through each other and their alliances, making them worldwide terrors, and believed by smaller countries, their end. "But fear can be conquered, Only by brave soul" This can relate to why the Triple Entente was formed. The three nations knew they could not defeat fear on their own. But together as the Triple Entente they knew they could finish of the German and the German allies together. And together, they conquered.

The White Man's Burden & Imperialism

After one look at the poem, it didn't seem to make sense. Then after a few times reading it and paying closer attention, there seemed to be connections to slavery. After a while I concluded that the White Man's Burden was meant to be the stop of imperialism and the taking over the weaker countries and territories, especially in that of Africa. Kipling seems to believe through his poem that imperialism could be compared to slavery. He also believes that, even though ending the conquering of the weaker countries was a good idea to him, to a white man the idea was, as he put it, a "burden". His justification on the subject I believe was mainly supposed to appeal to the American audience. This is because the United States just left a gigantic Civil War which slavery was a large part of no later than 30 years beforehand. Kipling most likely wanted to see the U.S. take action against the spreading empires.

Self Reflection: Reconstruction Debate.

1. How did I feel during planning this presentation? Why did I feel this way?

I felt overwhelmed by the presentation and slightly pathetic in the group. By the time I was done with what I was doing, most of the group debate questions were already answered and I did little to nothing on the questions. I then took two days after I was supposed to finish my slides to complete them.

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

Before I started to present, I started to feel distressed, fearing that I might stumble upon my own words in front of the audience, making a fool out of myself.

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

While I was presenting, I became nervous and alert, trying hard to think ahead and fix my mistakes before I made them. I’m pretty sure that I failed to do so, constantly stuttering and trying to remember the mental script I made.

4. What did I personally do well?

I think that I personally did well on my slides and how they transitioned through the debate.

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

I believe the presentation didn’t go very well overall; there were tech issues in the middle of presenting, stuttering and forgetting our lines brought down the presentation, and there was not as much content in the slides as I hoped.

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

I personally think I do not understand the concept very well, but I have memorized a decent amount on the topic, so I would give myself about a 5.

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

I believe my group would see me as slightly lazy, considering that I did not do much to help our presentation.

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

I think that the 8^th grade DLC students would see me as a nervous wreck that knew little on the subject that makes stick figures rather than studying.

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?

If I could redo this, I would attempt to contribute more to the group, add more content to my slides, and go through my presentation more to avoid any mistakes in my speaking.

10. What are my strengths in groups?

My strengths in the group are mainly working on the animations, which are mainly working on stick figures.

11. What areas do I need improvement?

In my opinion, I really need to work on organizing tasks done on time so I will not let my group down. I also need improvement on my public speaking.

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

I think that it’s really important that I found out about my uncontrollable ability to procrastinate. This is important because I have now learned how to control it better and I found new ways to manage tasks better.

13. Are there any other things that I need to express?

I am unsurprised that I did not do a good job on the presentation, and I saw that I would not work well with the group from start to finish.

Reflective Blog Entry

Since I have entered the Digital Learning Center half a year ago, I have grown very much in some areas. My technology skills have rapidly increased. My first video I made for the DLC was very basic, with small phrases, narration, pictures transitioning in and out, and occasionally loud, abrupt music here and there. But since then, I have been able to effectively incorporate images taken from Google and shapes made directly from Keynote, incorporate appropriate music throughout, and make each slide come to life, and make it seem like a movie animation rather than a slideshow presentation. I have also changed my perspective of technology skills and content in pieces of work. Back when I started, I would have probably believed that most animations were impressive and show lots of skill. Now I have a more critical mind at technology and videos, especially ones created by me. I also learned to Google my questions, and that Miss Bailin doesn’t like to be asked too many questions.

I’m proud of nearly all of my projects. My welcome video was a great start and the older DLC students thought it was a very impressive start. I also liked my start of Keynote “animations” in the Lorax video. The refrain in my opinion is annoying and may haunt me forever, but at least now I’m stuck in their brains. My Glog was very cool, as my RBOC book cover and Gettysburg brochure. I also liked the professional look of my Stephen Douglas ad campaign, and the creativity of my original Stephen Crane video.

I think that my most challenging project was my group redo of the Stephen Crane video. At the time, the class was also working on our Lincoln-Douglas Debates, and I was mainly focused on the debate because my partners weren’t exactly as focused as the others. The group never really came together on that project, and it ended with a total disaster. I should have known it would be hard to do, because some of my peers even warned me that it‘s hard work making an impressive movie trailer. I guess that was good advice that I just didn’t take, and I ended up rushing to finish at the last minute.

My favorite projects were probably my most recently finished, The Red Badge of Courage scenes. The descriptive and metaphoric passages gave me more creativity than the other projects, and were not as structured as other projects. Also in my opinion, the RBOC scenes were my best work yet because of their epic nature. I think they were epic because I chose two of the most epic scenes in the book, the scene where the youth finds a dead man in the forest, and the final scene where the youth dies.

I hope in the second semester I will be able to master all the tools and effects on Keynote and iMovie. I expect that next semester there will be many challenges and hardships, but I will be ready.

I hope.