WE CANNOT DIRECT THE WIND, BUT WE CAN ADJUST THE SAILS.

-The first Windmill.

IMAGE SOURCE

-"I went to sleep dreaming of Malawi, and all the things made possible when your dreams are powered by your heart."- William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba the author of the book "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind:Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope" says that if you have your mind set, and if you are willing to believe,persist and put in the commitment then nothing is an improbable task. It is said that it is what you do not what you say that makes you who you are. Kamkwamba endured the hardships of poverty that were inflicted on him and his family that lived in a small village in Malawi. His school required an annual fee that was equivalent to eighty U.S dollars, and with only one meal a day his lack of nutrition and immunity forced him to abandon school and his education. But it didn't stop there. Determined to acquire a proper education and his will to assist others motivated him to keep on pushing and trying. He religiously visited a public library and discovered his fascination of science and inventing. He was captivated by the images and diagrams that he did what he could to learn and learn despite his difficulty with reading. Then his passion inspired hope. He miraculously composed a windmill out of nothing but Blue gum trees, bicycle parts and other miscellaneous materials he gathered at a local scrapyard. After this success and huge triumph which had an immense impact on his family, he kept pursuing his dreams and later created a solar powered water pump that provides the first drinking water in his village and has created two additional windmills. His dreams were powered by his heart- his passion for inventing brought hope to his family, his village and now an entire nation. To be ambitious is to have that blazing desire to obtain success and to achieve your goal. I believe ambition was the one,special quality William Kamkwamba possessed. He embarked on something grand, he aimed for the impossible, yet he was ambitious - he had the quality which drives one to excel. Kamkwamba showed us how ambition can inflict incredible change. We cannot direct the wind yet we are the choices we make, we adjust the sails to see where the wind takes us. I believe ambition is something significant in life, if you choose to be ambitious then I believe you will excel and the wind will push you beyond the depths of the mightiest of seas. I believe ambition is worth fighting for.

Before Kamkwamba discovered the wonders of science he was just an ordinary child who worked in a country full of poor farmers. However, in 2001 Malawi was struck with incredible misfortune as they experienced an abysmal famine. Food shortages and scarcity led to a domino effect of starvation, BBC news claimed that 25% of all children under the age of 5 were severely malnourished and within five months Malawians began to starve to death. Due to limited money and meager food with only one meal a day Kamkwamba was forced to drop out of his school and completely abandon his education. However, he was determined to keep pushing on to learn and learn and to be educated. So he visited a charity sponsored library regularly where he discovered a profound interest in science, especially Physics. He could not read very well yet he was so intrigued by the diagrams and pictures that he observed them closely and learned and learned. There were so many obstacles hindering him in his path of success yet he conquered them one by one with ambition. He had such a strong desire to achieve things such as an education in such a poor country where he would barely get any food that he did not give up and in the end he achieved his goal. These actions performed by Kamkwamba demonstrates the prominence of ambition because it drove him to excel and achieve something great such as education that most people would consider impossible based on his background and all the hardships that were endured by him and his family especially during Malawi's most difficult time.

It wasn't long before an idea sparked into William Kamkwamba's head. An idea which many would consider impossible or a "futile attempt." Even his own mother said that he was crazy. Yet he did not let go of his dream and his ambition, to invent and to create. After religiously visiting that small, Charity sponsored library and after being captivated in the world of science, and after watching his family struggle he decided to act. His village of approximately 60 families there was no electricity and no running and filtered water. One day he found a book entitled "Using Energy" which included some Windmills on the cover and in the inside of the book described the function of the Windmill and how they are created. William acknowledged that his village suffered countless problems due to no water and electricity and he also acknowledged that his his village often became very windy. So after this realization dawned on him he at the age of fourteen decided to create a windmill to succor and possibly rescue his village. He visited a local scrapyard and collected random items using his creativity such as a tractor fan, shock absorber, bicycle frame, PVC frame, PVC blades (after melting) and a bicycle generator. And then the boy who dropped out of school and who barely got a meal a day fulfilled his dream and created the machine. With the assistance of the Windmill came the first light. Then four lights with switches and then even a circuit breaker. Ambition is what helped William to conquer those obstacles and it impacted his family immensely. This miraculous invention of the Windmill exemplifies that if you are ambitious you will excel and you will achieve your goal and fulfill your dreams no matter how far- fetched they may seem.

William's invention first saved his family and after a while people who passed by his machine which was situated in the middle of land where there was no electricity caused them to to marvel at the creation. One day, William woke up to see cues and cues of people lined up to charge their mobile phones. He was overwhelmed with joy to see how not only did he accomplish his aim but now he could also help others. However, the poor, African boy who once suffered tremendously was determined to use his talent and his ambition to rescue others who were trapped in that inevitability. After his first glorious success, he created a water pump that supplied water for irrigation which was vital to all the poor, Malawian farmers around him and this water pump also saved so many people because it supplied the first ever drinking water in his village. His work caught the attention of journalists and reporters, which led to bloggers and then finally a call from something called TED where he could share his story, his aspiration with the entire world. He later even became an author of a best selling book. This shows how ambition brings change and allows you to accomplish the impossible and William has inspired many others such as me to pursue your dreams no matter what.

We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. William could have been like a regular person who would have just carried on with life he could have just let the wind guide him. But no. We choose our path in life. However the choices we make don't always end up the way we want them to. Commitment and diligence is necessary. To choose to educate yourself and to pursue your dreams when you are a poor African boy who was forced to drop out of school due to poverty and hunger seems absurd. Yet, when you are ambitious and when you have that one desire to achieve, that desire that is so strong your dreams will come true. Kamkwamba's windmill still stands in his village, symbolic of his choice to be tenacious and to never give up. Without the windmill ever being there the wind would just keep pushing him in the same direction as everyone else who did not adjust the sails. But he did. The wind pushes against it's panels and creates currents of electricity and hope. His ambition drove him to excel and accomplish something which appears to be impossible. Never let go of your dreams. For if you have ambition and if you strive for them you will achieve them. Therefore, ambition is something worth fighting for.

"I tried and I made it. So I would like to say something to all the people out there, like me. To the Africans and the poor who are struggling with your dreams. God Bless. Maybe one day you will watch this on the internet. Trust yourself and believe, whatever happens never give up."

-William Kamkwamba

(Just in case)Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kamkwamba

http://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind.html

THE FIRE THIEF

The painting of Prometheus created in 1817 by the German artist named Heinrich Fuger emphasizes that Prometheus is a hero to all mankind. In this painting there are several perspectives of prominence which indicate the hatred between him and Zeus and that he is a hero to mankind for succoring them to create a new civilization by giving them the gift of fire. Heinrich Fuger also suggests that fire symbolizes knowledge. Fuger implements these ideas through facial expressions, body language, body positioning and the colors he utilises in the background.

The bottom part of the painting shows a world of darkness and despair. However, light is shining on Prometheus which gives the viewer the thought that he is a hero ,as it is like the spotlight which suggests that he is a hero. The artist(Fuger) also gave us the image that Prometheus is a bridge which connects the heavens with the world of darkness.(Earth) This is true, because based on the myth of Prometheus he gave mankind the gift of fire from above to the world of despair underneath in the dark. We know that mankind was dwelling in an abysmal world of darkness,because the man in the shadows has his head slouched. This symbolizes that man was neglected and was situated in an inevitable cycle of despair. Also, judging by Prometheus’s standing posture it gives the image that he is a potent and heroic person and half of his body is in the Earth and the other half is above in the light. This gives us the image of a bridge, as it is linking the heavens with the Earth. It is fire,a heavenly gift which was given to man. This is why the artist(Fuger) mainly is emphasizing that Prometheus is a hero ,as more light than darkness is shining upon him. This lead to Prometheus’s inevitable punishment from Zeus.


If you focus on Prometheus’s face you can see that half of it is in light and the other half is in darkness. This is so,because this is indicating that he may be a hero, yet it could suggest that his action may be unheroic. If you observe his eyes and his left hand, this shows that he is looking at Zeus and signaling silence. This is because he stole fire from Zeus and deceived the King of all Gods and does not want Zeus to know. This therefore suggests that his action is dishonourable. However, Prometheus had a reason to do this, as Zeus was an unreasonable ruler and didn’t care about the suffering of man. On the contrary, Prometheus thought this was wrong and had the courage to confront the mighty Zeus. This is why Prometheus is more of a hero than a traitor or a rebel.


So this shows that Prometheus may be a hero to mankind for liberating them from a world of despair,yet to Zeus and his followers he is nothing but a thief and a rebel. However, I see Prometheus as a courageous and reasonable person. Zeus did not treat all souls with equality.
Prometheus, realized the suffering of mankind and acted upon his reason. This is why this painting implies that he is an enemy of the King of all Gods, yet he is a hero for saving many, standing up for many and suffered for his act of courage for all mankind.

Laughter's Spell

Source:http://hellogiggles.com/laughter-therapy-say-hello-to-giggles

"A day without laughter is a day wasted."-Charlie Chaplin

The joker of the early 20th century claims that a day without laughter is futile. Laughter brings the joy within our heart- someone who laughs shows us that he/she has a positive view of life. We all savor laughing and we all have a warm joyous feeling after doing so. It is said that laughter is the best medicine. Then why not laugh? We take life too seriously and sometimes we even despise it. We forget about the good things in life and we are plunged into our own world of negativity and cold,limitless darkness. Yes, we live in a media-rich and industrious world where we have limited time to laugh. Yet, I believe laughing is essential and a day with laughter is a day full of joy,optimism and all the other factors that make life worth living, whereas a day without laughter is a day full of nothingness-a day that is wasted. Therefore, I believe laughter is definitely something worth fighting for.

The sound of laughter is far more contagious than any cough or sneeze. It binds people together with joy and enhances intimacy greatly. Nowadays, many people who are serious and stressed think of others who tend to laugh as halfwits and as inconsiderate. Yet, a person who laughs is optimistic and therefore excels in life. Also, if you are the one laughing you will never think of yourself as foolish or inconsiderate. In addition to laughter being something positive and having an inevitable "knock on" effect of happiness it also inflicts change on various health issues. It gives you an ideal amount of energy, it extinguishes pain and most importantly it conquers stress! Also, according to a recent scientific study, laughter limits the perilous risks of heart attacks drastically. If laughter is something easy and enjoyable and if it is advantageous due to the fact that it helps strengthen your immune system and rids you of health problems then why not laugh? Laughter is a miraculous thing that is beneficial and this exemplifies how laughter in general makes life far better.

Furthermore, laughter is something worth fighting for because it will spark positive change in our world of today. Today, we dwell in a modern world full of magnificent buildings and an unbelievable quantity of technology. However, I believe this is the very thing that makes everything so very complex. We lose sight of simplicity and we appear to perform repetitive and apathetic actions. We stay engrossed with our fancy,new media products,we stress about things far too much, we barely have any time to rest we are so focused on what we're doing that laughing is an improbable task. Yet, laughing is something beautiful that we fail to acknowledge. Laughing could be something private, it could be a hidden smile or a little chuckle it sometimes happens abruptly and naturally. When our words slur we laugh, we laugh when we do something wrong. Laughter is the simple solution to everything. When things are dark,gloomy,sad-when you are trapped in negativity's cold embrace you must laugh. Go home read some jokes,call up some friends do something hilarious, just laugh. Laugh and you will forget everything, you will be reborn and ready to face the challenges life has to offer with a positive attitude. This demonstrates that laughter is the most simplest solution and how it brings out the greatest things in life.

You may disagree. You might think I'm wrong. You may believe that there are better, more significant things to do in life. Nobody seems to talk about anything positive. Everybody babbles about things such as Global Warming, poverty in Africa and basically the end of the world. I feel so demoralized and depressed when I walk past a group of people who have their heads down and are isolated from everyone else, in their own little,closed world. I feel like joy elbowed me in the stomach and said how I'm just insane and how laughing is completely pointless. But I don't care I laugh anyways. I laugh as loud as possible. Some people stare at me so intensely that it feels like a slap in the face. However, I can see the smiles that appear on some of them and I can hear their giggles and that is when I know that for that exact moment of laughter they forget everything they were worrying about and together we lose ourselves in the hearty feeling of joy. And I know what I did was right and that I might as well have changed that person's day. Laughter hugs us closely together and it shares everything positive and wonderful about life optimism,joy and friendship. This tells us how laughter is something that has a positive impact on life and once again how it makes life worth living.

Laugh. Laugh and live a better live. A life that is without laughter is a life of boredom and a life full of the one thing that drags us down and never enables us to perform better in life,negativity. If you want to live life as a person who is negative, a pessimist. If you want to live a life full of anger,sorrow,misery,desperation and all those other factors that compose a horrific life then don't laugh. You will begin to hate life. Curse it. But if you just forget all the troubles of the world if you just want to let go and flee from the relentless blitz of worries and fears than just take a second to laugh. Feel it overwhelm you-feel the joy flow through you and once your done. You actually will want to face the obstacles of life you won't just sit down and cry,you will laugh your way through all the obstacles that hinder you in your path of success. Laughter is something worth fighting for, it is something beautiful and healthy. So let go and just laugh. And feel its magical spell.

"A sense of humor......is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life."

-Hugh Sidney

A COMPASSIONATE LEADER- THE FINAL PIECE IN CREATING A JUST SOCIETY

"But the hearts of men are easily corrupted." - J.R.R Tolkien

J.R.R Tolkien, the author of the "Lord of The Rings" trilogy claimed that it is the darkness that dwells in the hearts of men that provokes injustice and corruption. Throughout history we have seen the rise of dictators and oppressive rulers who all sought to possess power and control. Many leaders lost sight of things and once they found that burning desire raging in their hearts they did whatever they could to accomplish it and sometimes that was what awoke the darkness and evil within them. Due to this many citizens have had injustice inflicted on them and have been deprived from their rights and their voice. In the past this has caused the fall of societies both mentally and physically. People lost their hope and their pride whereas in many cases there has been war between the Government and citizens which has led to catastrophe. Additionally, in our world today there are still leaders who oppress and subjugate their citizens such as in North Korea and Libya. So, due to the fact that a leader is the one who speaks for his/her's people I believe that "democracy" is worth fighting for, so citizens can elect their own ruler who will not go against their will and who will compose a just and peaceful society.

Although many leaders did wrong for their own personal benefit or for some other reason some leaders misused their power and committed atrocities because they believed it was the right thing to do such as "Mahmud of Ghazni". Mahmud was a devout muslim and despised "idol worship." Therefore, he and his succoring and relentless army demonstrated their hatred for "idol worship" by performing many raids on Hindu land as well as stripping sacred temples from their riches. Mahmud just couldn't get enough and so he portrayed his hatred even further by ordering the deconstruction of the holy statue of "Lord Shiva." And he savored doing it. Although, Mahmud was a brute and a selfish man he still manged to transform the city of Ghazni into a beautiful and brilliant place. However,he did not do it for the welfare of citizens but for his own pride and when he was required to succor his people he used limited money. So due to Mahmud's greed and the violence he displayed on sacred ground the Ghaznavid Empire was despised by many. Also, because of his greed and his minimum expenditure of wealth for his own people - after he died the Ghaznavid Empire began to decline and fall apart. This demonstrates that because the citizens of Ghazni were not capable of electing a ruler in which they could ensure their trust they ended up nowhere.

There are many different listed events that show us the cruelty of oppressive rulers. However, the memory and legacy of those leaders that have done good and committed virtues lives on. In 712 a 17 year old named Muhammad bin Qasim led the raid of "Sindh",India (Now a part of Pakistan) and conquered all of Sindh and acquired power and control over it by 713. However, Bin Qasim showed great compassion and love for the citizens who were dominantly "Hindu" and at that time most Muslim raids on Hindu land would lead to bloodshed and catastrophe. Yet, Bin Qasim demonstrated his kindness to the people by banning the killing of cows and allowing anyone to worship as they please. As a result many people showed great respect towards Bin Qasim and some even became Muslims out of their own free will. This exemplifies that a society led by a compassionate and caring ruler that citizens approve of will prosper and excel.

Democracy is an immense element that helps form a just society. A society in which there is limited freedom or equality and where there is an oppressive leader is no just society. A leader is the voice of a society. It is what shapes the society and impacts the society greatly. A good leader has ambition which drives the society to excel. However, more importantly a good leader listens and acts according to the wishes of his/her's people. Therefore, a society in which there is democracy, in which citizens approve of their leaders and are joyous is a huge step towards making a perfectly just society. And therefore democracy is something worth fighting for.

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy."

-Abraham Lincoln

A JUST SOCIETY, THE KEY TO A NEW WORLD

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems. For issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same- Albert Einstein

I believe that if every society in the world is a just society, than everyone will be given a voice- an opportunity to have their say and assist their leaders to make decisions that will impact society in a positive manner. A just society is a place where everyone receives a proper education, everybody is given shelter, the needy are looked after and the color of your skin or your race does not determine where you stand. Everyone is equal and are given equal liberties and rights. A just society is where no one can dictate you, it is something that will embrace people of all kinds to live together in harmony. Therefore, if I were to give a characteristic that would help shape a new world I would make the world a society that is "just." It is something that will make the world a better place and is the key to creating a great,new world.

Throughout history there are many listed events which indicate that people have had their voice deprived from them and were oppressed. This happened throughout the entire second world war after 1933, when Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party rose to power. Citizens thought of Hitler as their savior from the struggle and depression of the hyperinflation which began in 1923,because of Germany's failed attempt to fulfill the promise of the "Treaty of Versailles" which was too pay a lot of money to make up for the damage Germany caused during the first world war. Hitler used propaganda and soon acquired the loyalty of many. With Hitler's party succoring him and gradually getting more powerful he managed to persuade the nation to help him annihilate every Jew possible. He gave Jews a bad name and utilized propaganda as a tool of justification for killing them. This led to the elimination of about 6 million "innocent" Jews. Even now there are many oppressive rulers that exist and continue to perform atrocities, such as in North Korea, Burma and Libya. Also, oppressing and subjugating citizens has backfired in the past and still does. It causes rebellion and creates resilient dissidents that turn to violence as a solution. In present day Libya , Muammar Gaddafi (the government) refuses to lose power and continues to do whatever he can, to any extent to achieve that goal even if it means killing his own people. For months the rebel-nation have been fighting for their liberty and to overthrow Gaddafi. They are both succeeding in nothing but heading towards the catastrophe of a once peaceful nation. This all exemplifies how injustice reigned and still reigns in our world and how societies are still unstable; and how citizens are deprived from basic rights such as democracy. And how we could all do much better without it.

Additionally, I believe it is essential for every society to be "just" and to have a form of law that approves with citizens and ensures their safety. This is because during the years of 1975 to 1979 the potent communist movement called "Khymer Rouge" had all of Cambodia in their domain. Together under the rule of their leader "Pol Pot" they managed to overthrow the Cambodian government. They performed atrocities such as evacuating cities,closing schools, massacre and they eliminated skilled and educated citizens and as a result about 1.5 million people were assassinated. This demonstrates how leaders could be ruthless and neglect their own people. They stripped the citizens from their homes, their family and their prerogatives. It portrays the irrationalism and the misuse of power and control. The citizens had their voice taken away, they could not speak up. They were completely powerless. Therefore, I believe the most prominent element in composing a new world is to have people live and get accustomed to societies that are just. Where citizens should have the choice of choosing their own leaders who they trust and approve of. Where they would be given a voice in which they can speak freely to their leaders and their leaders should listen and act accordingly to prevent terrible events such as the "Holocaust" or "The terrible crimes committed by Khymer Rouge" to reoccur.

Albert Einstein said that "In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems. For issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same." This quote implements that religion,race or gender does not impact your lifestyle in any way. Your actions and your character is what shapes your identity, it is what impacts your lifestyle and is how people deem you as a person. Everyone has power. No one can subjugate anybody.

Envision every society to be a society like this, a society that is just.

This I Believe Essay-Faith

I believe in faith. Faith is the most powerful thing in this world. If you have faith you will exceed your expectations. Growing up I was incapable of overcoming any of my problems or fears. I never had the will- power or strength to act, as I would always wish to do thing, but in the end I was to incompetent to speak out or act. When I wanted to ask a person if I could participate in something, or when I wanted to ride an immense roller-coaster, as a child, or when I wanted to perform magic in front of people, I became isolated and neglected. However, when I had faith in myself, I excelled and when I already knew that “I could”,.....I did.

Life is full of mysteries. There are so many unanswered questions in this world. When I was young I learned about God and how he composed our universe. Yet, certain questions always dwelled in my brain. “Can you see God?” “Where is God?” “Does God really exist?”

I was so perplexed when I found out that scientists claim that it wasn’t the doing of a supernatural being that created our universe but it was the “big bang” and the aftermath of the explosion that created this universe. I didn’t know what to believe. This is because science is able to tell us how things work and the processes of many things. Yet, science is incompetent of telling us our purpose in life and our responsibilities as human beings.

One night I looked out the window and gazed at the moon and the stars, and I wondered how such marvellous things can appear out of nothingness. Yet, I realized that no matter how they were created they are there, whether it was God or just happened. I discovered that incredible things exist no matter how they came into existence and that everyone has to accept that fact.
This illustrates how different people may have different beliefs and faiths yet people still trust and have confidence in what they believe in which helps them to walk into the outside world with pride and determination.

It was then when my questions were finally answered. I realized that nobody can see God, Nobody knows where God is, and nobody knows if he really exists. -“It’s your own faith.” Nobody has sufficient evidence that proves the existence of a supernatural being. Yet, many people have faith. They believe even when there is no evidence. They act upon good reason and virtuous values.


Therefore, faith is the most prominent and potent force in this world. If you have faith and believe in things, even the impossible,you are capable of doing anything. I acknowledged that faith does not only have to be a certain religion or belief and that there is a supernatural being controlling your fate, but fate can also be to believe or to trust something whether it is yourself,someone else or something. However, they both make you strive for what you believe in.

Faith is an impenetrable and strong shield. Whenever I have faith I can walk into the outside world with confidence and pride. When I have faith I feel protected, I feel that nothing can prevent me from achieving my goal.

Faith is something that took me a long time to realize its true meaning. However, when I acquired its true meaning I am now capable of doing anything. I believe faith gives us tenacity and ambition. It fills us all with confidence and pure determination that will drive every being in this universe to excel. This I believe.

Image From: http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR4dIuV64TZmLwHMjuFaEZ_E7MSsuNPqY0ejOA7LdeCoD0gdwCN-w

Hunger Games Project/Interpretation

We were assigned to compose a project based on the novel,"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and I chose to make two Menues, (one of the miserable and poor "District 12" and the type of food they get over there and the other menu for the wealthy Capitol), a propaganda poster, and three posters that portray different parallels between Panem and our world.

The reason why I chose to make menues is too portray the irrationalism and cruelty that is in Panem and how the "Capitol's" injustice reigns. In the "Capitol" there is a meager level of poverty,everyone is well fed and provided with basic requirements. However, an immense quantity of the rest of "Panem" endure daily under the oppression of the "Capitol." Therefore, there is a lot of variation between the two menues. One has a lot of variety of food and the other is limited.

I created a "propaganda poster" (which is meant to persuade others to join your cause) which is designed to persuade others to join the rebellion against the "Capitol." The poster portrays darkness and gloom, as there is an image of a person screaming in the background which symbolizes despair. It shows the despair that dwells in Panem and it also shows the irrationalism and lack of justice and equality, as there are two different images situated on the poster one that shows ordinary people in the Capitol savoring food and the other image shows the immense level of poverty that dwells in the rest of Panem.

I also created three posters that show parallels between Panem and our world. One poster shows how rulers from our world link to the the leadership from the Capitol. It portrays different rulers that ruled in different countries at different times and the atrocities they performed.

Another poster I composed portrays rebellions/uprisings that took/are taking place in our world and how they link to the rebellion that took place in Panem.

The third poster I created shows the parallel between Panem and our world of how we all savor brutality at different times and different levels. At times when disasters or perilous situations take place, we sort of neglect the suffering of others and sometimes care only about entertaining ourselves, such as when the media approaches people who have endured a lot we usually want to know what happened and what they had to go through and ignore the suffering the other person is going through. Similarly, in Panem the people savor violence and gore a lot and in our world also we enjoyed violence and we still enjoy violence, due to the fact that when gladiatorial combat existed people loved it and nowadays people still enjoy violence, as they enjoy watching things like wrestling and boxing.

This project was actually quite enjoyable, as we had the opportunity to select what we wanted to do and this assignment assisted me to view this novel (The Hunger Games) in many different new ways as I learned about themes that occurred in this book and discovered many parallels between Panem and our world. I am looking forward to doing something like this again.

PROPAGANDA AND ITS IMPACT

In 1933, the notorious leader Adolf Hitler was named chancellor and formed a campaign of propaganda with his followers to give a false image of all Jews. Hitler completely brainwashed everybody, including children. This hatred of Jews gradually spread throughout the nation, depriving all Jewish citizens of their rights and liberties.

Jews have been responsible for many things in the past and this sense of vengeance grew. Hitler hated Jews and fed all Nazis and the public with propaganda, causing them to perform atrocities, such as raiding houses and killing. This night of violence resulted shattered glass to appear everywhere and therefore this was called "Kristallnact", which is German for "Crystal Night."

This hatred forced everybody to act inhumanly. There were broken friendships,betrayal,abolished businesses and despair. The first concentration camp was established on March 1st, 1933 at Dachau. Jews were expelled from the civil service and universities. They were also imprisoned without a trial which was part of Hitler's Nuremberg Laws. The personal greed of one man dispersed everywhere. Everybody approved that "they" were the reason they lost the great war. They neglected "their" misery and only cared about retrieving the fatherland's glory. Jews fled but had no where to dwell, no one accepted them, they were trapped in an inevitable cycle of despair. It was only "pure" German. It was harsh,cruel,unreasonable and most importantly unessesary.

The Jews eventually became isolated and different. Hitler targeted children knowing that soon they will be the ones to rule the fatherland. They learned to dedicate everything to Hitler, they were taught that he was their savior. They were taught to despise Jews to think of them nothing more than low-class scum. They took oaths, promises which ensured their loyalty to the Fuhrer and to the fatherland, and their hatred for the so thought "traitors."

I was startled at how so many fell so easily into his trap, how so many began to hate,blame and lie. Although there were so many supporters of Hitler there were some who did not believe his decisions were reasonable. However, these people failed to stand up, failed to prevent this propaganda to grow. However, one decision which was logical and brave, was performed by a 12 year old boy named Andre. (whose name is mentioned in an article.) Andre was part of a Hitler youth group who were requested to throw stones at Jewish shops. Andre did not despise Jews and had nothing against them. He was fearful that if he did not participate in this his family's image would be given a bad name. However, his parents decided to leave the country. This is an epitome of courage. It is a small act like this which prevents power and injustice to grow.

The painting above named, "Man, Controller of the universe" by Diego Rivera has a strong connection to propaganda and responsibility. The meaning of the painting is that man is responsible for many things, that man is a potent force in the world. However, it also means that man is responsible for things which may be positive and negative. Similarly, Hitler was a man with a good purpose which was to get rid of despair for his people and restore its previous glory. He deemed that he could have brought hope for the "fatherland." However, the steps he took to accomplish this impacted so many innocent Jews in a negative manner, but brought Germany its sense of superiority and pride. Yes, and it was he who was responsible.

"Krystallnacht", was a turning point of history. Thousands sought assistance but died. They were deprived from their voice. It portrays how hatred could lead to despairful consequences for so many. It shows how propaganda encouraged so many to hate and lose compassion for others. One man monopolized everything. This one event changes everything, because now there is no superior race we are equal and we always will be.

Painting From:http://www.google.com.my/imglanding?q=man+controller+of+the+universe&hl=en&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&tbnid=wGnJG5p6sfsj8M:&imgrefurl=http://reference.findtarget.com/search/Man,%252520Controller%252520of%252520the%252520Universe/&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Palacio_de_Bellas_Artes_-_Mural_El_Hombre_in_cruce_de_caminos_Rivera_3.jpg&ei=n7FjTcC6KtDRrQfd_7y8AQ&zoom=1&w=2560&h=1920&iact=hc&oei=n7FjTcC6KtDRrQfd_7y8AQ&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=182&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0&biw=1366&bih=667

MY ASPECT OF LEARNING

I recently found out my learning profile and how I approach new skills,ideas and knowledge through a series of tests which determined my learning profile. I learned that you're brain is divided into two hemispheres, the left which is more logical,linear, and systematic, and the left is "gestalt", which is learning through patterns,visualization,movement, and images.





I find it difficult at times to communicate and obtain new knowledge which may seem uncertain and cause stress.Therefore, I find it easiest to learn new things when the instructions are evident and when I am free from stress, and through movement. I find it difficult to concentrate on occasions where I just sit still and stare at something. However, during classes and certain occasions such as P.E and sports I can keep my brain functioning, but during classes that do not involve much movement I keep fidgeting or playing with things in my pocket to help me focus.

In order for me to learn new things it is essential that I need a clear picture and context of something in order to understand it. Since I am a gestalt learner I don't prefer to follow step by step instructions, I like to find another way to accomplish my work. When I am stressed I must keep moving and express myself to clear my head.

Some things that would help me learn better are exercise,such as jogging, performing hand movements or gestures that help me remember what I just learned, and continuous foot tapping which would keep my brain active.

I would be pleased if my teachers are aware that I work better in the front of the classroom or any place where I can concentrate individually. I usually work better when I am free from distractions and can express what I have learnt through gestures and movements.


I am a double "J", a visual learner who approaches creative ideas, rather then following a particular system or format. I learnt some intriguing things about my self and the way I act. I really had a great time identifying my learning profile and learning how to improve on my weak areas of my ability to learn. I hope it will succor me in future situations.