Say sorry.

Dear people of Australia,

After the treatment of the Aboriginols, we believe that it is time you said sorry for what occured, that only really ceased a few years ago. We realise that at the time of your arival in the land, the Aboriginols must have seemed like aleans to you. And we realise that when you saw the Aboriginols ways, you might have thought that they needed help. They didn't have the same technology as you, or the same anything really. But they had a culture of their own, just like you had your culture. What my people do not understand, is why you don't understand that. Does the fact that you wear clothes and have guns make your culture better? I wonder if it ever occured to you, when you people first arrived in Australia, that perhaps the Aboriginols were happy with their ways and culture. Sure, they didn't have grand cities like you did back in England, but the fact they were living and prospering in that harsh land is enough to compensate for that. You didn't have to try and teach them your way was The way. You and the Aboriginols could have lived together in harmony without needing to have any conflict. But, I suppose thats all behind us now, so what we need you to do is simply say sorry, for what you did. Be warned, this is harder than it sounds. You have to mean it. You have to show some empathy, and admit what you have done, and admit that it was not a good thing to do. You have to realise that you almost destroyed a whole culture, and believe it or not, thats not a good thing. Once you have done that, you need to keep doing it and show that you are all equal in your day to day life. Things like, not treating Aboriginols like dirt, and not having Aboriginol slaves, and letting Aboriginols do whatever you do, weather it be managing a bank, being a supermarket cashier or being Prime Minister. So in a nutshell, this is just one groups plea to ask you to say sorry.

Mollys Character in Rabbit Proof Fence

In the movie, Rabbit Proof Fence, three Aboriginal girls get stolen and sent to a camp for Aboriginal children to become British. Molly, the oldest of the three reveals her character a lot in the beginning of the film, when they first get captured and plan to escape. She is stubborn, optimistic and compassionate. After they were brought to the camp, the three Aboriginals saw what happened to a girl who tried to escape. Molly refused to change her mind about escaping, even when her sister and cousin begged her to stay for fear of receiving the same treatment. But Molly would not listen, and insisted that they would make it. This represents her stubbornness, and her refusal to believe that they might not make it. This also shows her optimism. Molly believes that they can escape and make it back home. She supports her companions, and tells them that they will make it out. She has a good attitude, and does not let the situation they are in stop her from helping and supporting her younger relatives. You need to be pretty compassionate to do all these things, and that is exactly what Molly is. She cares for her younger sister and cousin, and keeps there spirits high, when she herself must feel terrible. These are some of the traits that make a good hero, and Molly seems to definately be the hero in this situation. To be able to not think about what might happen if you fail, but continue as normal, and keep fighting without worrying to much about yourself and more about others. The only flaw is her stubornness, which may represent a problem in the future. Other than this though, Molly is good hero material.

Ethnocentrics

When the British first set sail for Australia, they didn't know what they were going to find, and they were very ethnocentric about their culture. They instinctively thought that what ever they find would be inferior to them, and that would cause a lot of conflict. What they found didn't surprise them. They saw the different culture of the Aboriginals and because it was so different, treated it with disrespect. What the British saw was a few tribes, with uncivilised savages running about the place. They just didn't understand the different culture. As the British started investigating into the Aboriginals, and exploring more of Australia, they started to feel more and more superior to them, who, to the British, were nothing more than animals. The Aborigines began to feel like their land was being overrun and not treated with respect and because of the culture differences between the British and Aborigines, the British didn't know about the connection the natives had with the land. The ethnocentricity of the British led them to not bother about learning about the Aboriginal culture, and so they just plowed through the land. The Aborigines did not take kindly to this at all. War and rebellions broke out many times between the British and Aborigines, but the British always were victorious. Because of the ignorance the British had and their ethnosentricity, the British ignored the Aboriginals culture and ways of living and went deeper and deeper into the land, killing it when the Aborigines culture had so much to do with living in harmony with the land. This was the main cause for the conflicts that brought about the slaughter of so many people when the British came to Australia.

Julius Caesar duet acting.

The context of this passage is that Brutus and Cassius' relationship is falling apart. The war is going badly, and Brutus needed some more money for the war effort, but when Cassius sent it, Brutus never received it. Now Brutus is acusing Cassius of getting the money in a dishonest manner.
The significance of this passage is yet more characterization of Brutus as still desperate to find an honourable way out of the mess that he has got him and the conspirators in by doing it the 'honourable' way. Cassius has known all along that this would not work, so now it has come to the inevitable conflict between the two very different characters.
Act IV SCENE III. (lines 1-120) Brutus's tent.
Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.
CASSIUS
That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein my letters, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.
BRUTUS
You wronged yourself to write in such a case.
CASSIUS
In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment.
BRUTUS
Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm;
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.
CASSIUS
I an itching palm!
You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
BRUTUS
The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
CASSIUS
Chastisement!
BRUTUS
Remember March, the ides of March remember:
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What, shall one of us
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman.
CASSIUS
Brutus, bay not me;
I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,
Older in practise, abler than yourself
To make conditions.
BRUTUS
Go to; you are not, Cassius.
CASSIUS
I am.
BRUTUS
I say you are not.
CASSIUS
Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further.
BRUTUS
Away, slight man!
CASSIUS
Is't possible?
BRUTUS
Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
CASSIUS
O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?
BRUTUS
All this! ay, more: fret till your proud heart break;
Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour? By the gods
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

My Learning Profile.

I was quite surprised at my learning profile. I suspected that I would be logic, but I didn't know that my letter meant that I was straight in the middle of logic and gestalt. Apparently I learn best by not having any external sensory stimulation, so it doesn't help if I listen to music while working. Also, I don't need to bounce ideas off another person, I can think internally. So I learn best by being in a quiet, calm environment. It is good if I have some quiet time alone, and I need to be able to sit where I can think quietly inside my head, and that I should maybe doodle or fiddle with something while listening/ working.
I need to have a balance of art, music, movement and inter/intrapersonal skills, with brain endeavors. Also, it is good to do activates that require both hands to get both parts of the brain working, such as drumming, piano, writing and drawing with the non-dominant hand.
Some strategies that would help me learn are, as I said, being able to fiddle with something (clay, doodles) in class. Massaging the Temporal Mandibular joint (upper jaw joint) will help with my communication. Also, being in a quiet, relaxed environment.
I would like my teachers to know that I learn better working alone, because I process my thoughts better internally, and that I cannot function well when I am stressed, and may have trouble communicating my ideas. Aside from that there is not much else to say, apart from the fact that I am really glad to have learned all this, because now I understand a bit more about my self.

Leonardo da Vinci, a true Renaissance man.

Leonardo da Vinci can be characterized as a Renaissance man through his ability to observe, his attention to detail and his imagination. Da Vinci was one of the few artists that looked at everything around him and question it. He always carried a notebook and drew whatever interesting things he saw. He examined everything closely, and tried to find answers within it. Not many people actually observed their surroundings, they saw, but did not observe. Da Vinci also paid very close attention to detail in the things that he studied, these are clear in his various drawings of anatomical accurate bodies and muscle forms. He noted everything he saw in the things he examined, and in cases like when he was disectiong bodies, even looked at how the insides worked. Da Vinci's observation skills and ability to notice detail helped his imagination hugely.
Leonardo's imagination lead to the creation and design of many of the ideas he had because he had observed every little detail in what had inspired him. The flying machine he had designed and the Vitruvian Man that he had drawn was clear evedence of this. His imagination helped him think of things that others could not, and his various ideas came from his observation of things around him. Leonardo Da Vinci was truly a great Renassiance man, his observational skills, ability to look at all the details and his great imagination lead him to think of things well ahead of his time. I think that if he had been borna few hundred years later he would be very rich indeed, because that was when all of his various ideas became possible.

What promted Brunelleschi's Dome?

In my view, Brunelleschi's creativity prompted the construction of the famous Florence Cathedral dome. Brunelleschi was a brilliant sculptor, as seen in his Jesus statues, and a fantastic architect. This was because he thought outside the box, which no one at that time had ever done before because their world was cut off from imagination, because the church restricted everything. But now that the Renaissance was here, the church did not play as big of a part in daily life. Brunelleschi was creative in thinking that he could build a dome with no scaffolding and no cement. But now he needed to prove to his commissioners that his logic was sound, or else they would not hire him for the job. He failed at first, but after intense study he came back, this time with a creative trick up his sleeve. He thought so creatively that he connected an egg, with the idea of the dome and asked his viewers to stand an egg on it's bottom. This, of course, didn't work, but then he asked them to lightly tap the egg, and break it's bottom, so it was flat. When they stood the egg up again, it worked. So amazed were Brunelleschi's commissioners that they grant Brunelleschi immediate control over the construction of the dome. They were surprised at the creativity at Brunelleschi's idea at using an egg, and realised that Brunelleschi wasn't a complete nutter. All in all, Brunelleschi was an incredibly successful man. He used a creative method for the dome, opened the eyes of people to the world of thinking outside the box, and he succeeded in the construction of the dome. All because of his creative leadership.

Where in the world do you get ideas from?

Ideas. Do you get them from a magical fairy land? Does some mystical force just plop ideas in your head? No. I think not. But ideas do come from a lot of places. These places could include, your brain, something that someone else has said, or what someone else has done. It is not often that you get completely new ideas from your brain, they are usually based on experiences you have had, or are from your subconscious that has seen things with you not knowing it. In fact, I think you would have to have a really exceptional mind to create something that has no relation to anything else in the world. Nowadays you might think that there is not much to be invented, but I bet that before we had phones, or ways of communicating long-distance people thought that to. But there are those you dream of such things. Sure we have ideas and dreams about things all the time, but some people are doing things to make that happen. Just look at all those studies with nano-technology. Otherwise we get most of our ideas from the things around us. You could get inspiration from a painting, a building, even an animal. If you try thinking of something creative, or just made up, with your eyes open, I can almost guaranty that what ever you think of will be based on something in real life. Look at Leonardo Da Vinci, he got his flying machine idea from birds. If there were no birds in the world, I doubt people would even think about being able to fly. Things that people say can trigger ideas as well. They might remind you of something or just say something that makes you think about it, and maybe connect other things with it to form an idea of some kind.
Overall, I think that you can get ideas from almost anything, but it is very hard to get completely new ideas, that are not based on anything else in the world. So no, you don't get ideas from a magical fairy land. You get them from everything around you.

My Favourite stroy from the Short Story Unit- What Makes a Good Story?

Over the whole Short Story unit my favourite story would have to be the "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl. This story really drew me in because of the unexpected turn of character, such as Mary Maloney, the perfect housewife. Then she whacks her husband over the head with a frozen leg of lamb. The plot was full of twists and turns, which made you want to keep reading and you never really new what was happening until afterward. It didn't tell you what was happening, it showed you what was happening. A good example of this is when Mary is forming her alibi by going to the Grocer's and coming home to find her husband dead. The conflict of the story was really interesting because it had so many. Mary vs. her husband, Mary vs. society (police) and Mary vs. herself. All of these were hard to figure out, Roald Dahl really made you read between the lines. All in all, "Lamb to the Slaughter" was a great read, with just enough of everything, even sadistic humor, like when she whacks with the leg of lamb. It has great characterization, plot and conflict, which are all the things that make good stories.

Home Cooked Food.

As I got out of the damp, freezing bus, I thought about what a drippy day it had been. Even the weather reflected it. It was hot, muggy and raining. That and that hour and a half long bus ride was enough for me to want to collapse in a heap by the front door. I looked at my watch. Half past seven! I had left at six, and the house wasn't that far away. Utterly depressed, I opened the gate and walked to the door. But as I opened it I was pounded with the delicious smell of roast chicken sitting in the oven just waiting for me to come and devour it. It was lovely and warm inside, just what I needed. And out of the kitchen came mum saying, "Welcome home."

Home cooked food. That is what comfort and safety is all about. Coming home after a cold, winters day into a nice cozy warm house with the fire burning and a hot meal waiting. It's the kind of thing that just sends your spirits sky high. It shows that some people actually do care, not like that teacher that gave you a truck load of homework and told you that you have your final exam tomorrow. Home cooked food gives you a sense of welcome, security and comfort. This is what I felt when I walked into the house. It doesn't even matter what kind of food it is, as long as you know that someone took the time to make you feel good.

For me, home cooked food represents more than just a good meal. When I think of home cooked food I think of a nice house, lit by dim orange lights and a big fire, while there's a great big storm billowing out side. And then out comes a massive warm comfy meal and, again, it doesn't matter what it is. And after the meal you put your dressing gown on and sit in front of the fire with the cat and a good book. It isn't just the home food, its the comfort and welcome that goes with it.

What's great about home cooked food is when your whole family comes to stay, like at Christmas. Christmas always reminds me of home cooked food sitting at the table when the whole family is fussing about to get the table ready, or serving the food, or waiting for the potatoes to be ready or whatever, it's just always really relaxed and chill. The thing I love most about home cooked food with the family (apart from the eating it) is the preparing for it. When we set the table and pour the drinks and drool over the meal that's being cooked. Home cooked food always smells delicious, especially when it's something like roast chicken or turkey. It's never too formal or serious. My brother, my sister, my cousin and I always just sit in the lounge and play PlayStation or cards or just sit there, anticipating. That is my sense of comfort and security and welcome. You can just be your self around home cooked food, that is why I believe in it.

The Battle of Hastings Game

The Battle of Hastings game is a simple strategy game when you can either be Harold Godwinson or Duke William of Normandy. The game gives you choices for what you can do and you need to select the right choices to win. If you have studied the Battle of Hastings you can win very easily because the right choices are the ones which are historically accurate. I enjoyed the satisfaction of knowing that my historical information was accurate and winning the game. Whilst playing the game I learned how clever you have to be in a battle strategically because if you were William you needed to know just what choices and what risks you should take that would lead to victory. In the Battle of Hastings Harold Godwinson had just arrived at Hastings having walked 200 miles North to fend off Harald Hardrada, King of Norway. His men were tired and weak and barley fit for battle. Harold posted his men on the hill outside Hastings and made a shield wall. This benefited them because it meant the Normans needed to charge up the hill into the shield wall. Sometime in the battle, the Normans thought that William had been killed, and they started to retreat, and the English started to run after them. Then, William stood up and said he was not dead, and to keep fighting and the English were out in the open now and were caught unawares. William used this strategy many times and he eventually succeeded in killing Harold and won the Battle of Hastings. This game is a valuable learning experience because it gives you choices and it helps you see the logic and reasons for why a certain choice did not workout.

Catherine Called Birdy, What's it All About?

Catherine Called Birdy, the historical fiction novel by Karen Cushman, is about a simple knights daughter dealing with the difficult life of the medieval times and the restrictions of being a lady. This novel deals with the themes of, freedom of marriage, gender suppression and the control of ambition. Catherine longs to be able to marry who she pleases, like the villagers. This is seen all throughout the book when she gets rid of all her suitors and wants to marry George or Geoffry, but knows she cannot because they do not have the certain amount of wealth that her father wants his son-in-law to have. Catherine is under great gender suppression. She cannot do anything because of her lady training. This stands out in the novel wheb she cannot stand more lady tasks and wonders why lady's cannot climb trees or throw stones into the river. The control of ambition relates to Catherines suppression. Because she is a woman she is not allowed to do anything apart from being a lady. In the novel, she always wishes to become a monk or a crusader.
All in all the medieval times were an extremely tough time, especialy for noble lady's. Catherine has a lack of freedom to marry whoever she wants, she is suppresed and she cannot fuful her lifes dreams. They are in the middle between the villagers who can do what they want and the royalty, who also can do whatever they want. Where Catherine is, the fathers treat the lady's like chattle.

Shmuel

"Who is that?" I thought, looking at the chubby figure walking towards me. He's not on this side of the fence. Oh no! could he be a soldier? I thought I was safe from them here! But I was relieved to see that it was just a boy walking towards me. I must admit, I was frightened- not as much now- but he would surly be coming to bully me. As if I wasn't weak enough already. But again I was relieved that when he reached me, he just sat down on his side of the fence. "Hello," he said, looking at me in a strange way- as if I were an alien. He spoke with a foreign accent, but he had kind eyes, even though I knew he was a German. I was curious, so I said, "Hello," back...

10 Questions about the Holocaust

1. Go to the site and to the Education for students section. Click on the antisemitism section. Describe the look on the peoples faces in the cartoon.

2.What does Antisemitism mean?

3.Go back to the page before this and click on the next category; Life for the Jews in Europe before the Holocaust. How many Jews lived in Europe before the Holocaust?

4.What country in Europe had the largest Jewish population?

5. Click on the small map. read the paragraph. Where did the Jews mostly occupy?

6. How many Jews were in Russia(Soviet Union) at the time?

7. Go back to the Education Page and click on the next category, Nazi rise to power. Click on the Reichstag Fire. Describe what happened.
8. Go to the 5th paragraph. How did the propaganda go in Hitlers favor?

9. Go back one page. Click on the poster. Why do you think Hitler put up posters like this?

10. Overall, why do you think the people liked Hitler?

Jason and the Argonauts Answers

Question 1: I think That Jason and the Argonauts fits very well with the cycle of a hero but it is in a different order. First, he is born, and his uncle Pelias tries to kill him but he fails. Then, after being taught by Chiron, he sets off to to get his kingdom back from Pelias but Pelias sends him to get the golden fleece, which is the call to adventure. Before this, Chiron teaches him, which is the helper part. Jason crosses the threshold by building and setting sail on the Argo, his boat. One of the tests he faced on his journey was when he tried to get through the clashing rocks before the island which held the golden fleece, after he had recruited the Argonauts. Before this though, he ad to find helpers, which were the Argonauts he recruited through out his journey. The final battle was when Jason fought Medea to get the fleece, then, once he had retrieved the fleece, he escaped on the Argo. He then returns to his right full kingdom and shows Pelias the fleece, the return and elixir stage. Finally he becomes king of his home, the home stage.

Question 2: I think they have represented the hero accurately but in other myths I have read the hero was not so drippy; in the cartoon version of Jason and the Argonauts Jason was very dependent on other people, and like the documentary said, he was more normal than someone like Odysseus or Hercules. I think the helpers, or the Argonauts in this case, were smarter than in other myths like the myth about Odysseus. In that myth they just followed Odysseus blindly where ever he went.

Question 3: I think that the Argo and some of it's voyages could have been real. I don't think Jason and the Argonauts or the quest for the golden fleece were real though. But the documentary we watched in class proved that a ship like the Argo could be made, and the same materials used in the myth were found. Also many of the places the Argo was said to have travelled exist, such as Lemnos and the Clashing Rocks, so a great journey through those places could have existed weather it be an explorer, or a writer inventing stories about the places.

Curiosity, safe, or dangorous?

The African myth, Orphan Boy, and the Greek myth, Pandora, warn us of how curiosity can often challenge authority. In the myth, Orphan Boy, the boy could be described as the one with authority, and the old man could be humanity. The old man challenges the boys authority by following him even when the boy told him not to, he was just too curious, this led to the suffering of humanity. In Pandora, the god, Zeus, sent a box to Pandora to punish Prometheus' brother for being curious about humans. This myth shows 2 sets of evidence for my thesis because Pandora could not resist opening the box, and that led to the suffering of humanity as well. Why did those in power squash those with questions? Is it because they are afraid of rebellion? Or do they just not want to get suggestions from there followers?

My name

My Name

Why was I named Daniel? Because my mom and dad liked it that’s why! They had no idea that it meant, “God is my judge” in Hebrew, or “Attractive” in Irish. They just thought, “let’s name him Daniel” my sister on the other hand, who was 6 at the time, decided she wanted to call me, “Buzzy Bee” After 12 years, I still can’t imagine why.
From when I was about one, I was called “Foo” at home. I think it was my brother who home happily yodeling “Little rabbit foo foo” so I guess it just stuck with me but after 7 years I had had enough. I thought I was manly enough to be called Daniel at home as well as in public.
Now back to when I was named Daniel. Apparently my parents named me Daniel because it was common, but not that common and it sounded a bit conservative and smooth, not like “Brick” or “Thud”
What about my last name, Beaumont? Well for a start, Beaumont is French for beautiful mountain and I’m from New Zealand. I suppose way back when, I had a French relative who climbed a mountain. I think Beaumont is a nice, smooth name as well and I think Daniel Beaumont fits all right, not like Thud Beaumont.
Over the past few years I have really just started to think about my name, and I’ve realized that I quite like it. I think I suit it. And I think it suits me. So I think my parents made a great choice.

Common Elements in Creation Myths

Pictures by Alexandre Calame

As the Greek poet, Homer, wrote, “All men have need for gods.” This quote fits with a few of the common elements in myths. These elements are; good vs. evil, great sacrifices and the idea of a supreme being. These fit into many of the creation myths from around the world which is odd because all of these myths come from completely different places. Good vs. evil fits
in perfectly with a Norse creation myth with 2 opposite worlds waging war against each other. This myth comes from Scandinavia and the Vikings (the exact author is unknown) and there are many other creation myths with this same element further south such as a Babylonian myth which also has a war between 2 worlds. Phan Ku, a Chinese creation myth, deals with great sacrifices and a supreme being. It is about a giant scary supreme being who starts to create the world, and then sacrifices himself to finish it. This next myth also uses a supreme being, and it comes from Canada. That’s nowhere near China! It is an Inuit myth and has a kindly raven to create the world and man. In a way it is very much like Phan Ku but without the Supreme Being appearing giant and scary. This proves that the idea of a Supreme Being is truly a common element in creation myths. How did these common elements appear in so many different places? “All men have need for gods”. Well, why? I think Homer was right. It is human nature to be curious and ask questions so if man did not believe in anything, they would have no answers and in those days they did not have the science to explain their world. In a way, we still use myths to explain our world with religion because we are only just working out how everything came to be. I wonder if we will ever find the answers we need to live without myths or religion.

Why I chose the quote and the picture.

"There must be a beginning to any great matter, but continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory" Francis Drake
That is the real quote, but I had to cut it to get it to fit in the title.
The quote says that completing the journey is what matters. If you give up half way through, you will receive nothing, but if you complete it, you will get the rewards. Even if you don't get any physical rewards, you will get plenty of mental ones.
I chose this picture to go with the quote because it signifies a journey. This ship could be on a journey to get through the storm, but it is turning away because it thinks it cannot complete the journey.

Pills of the Giver

In class today we did a fishbole about the Giver so far, mainly on the pills Jonas takes. I think Jonas needs the pills to stop wanting to get married and have children, I think that is for everyone. Because the government gives you a child from the birthmother and you can't have your own, the government stops you from wishing you could have the certain feelings that you have when you have kids. I think Jonas' dream is kind of similar to adolesence because he had the feelings that you get when you are in puberty years. I think they have to share dreams and feelings to see if anything is different to what it is supposed to be, so that the other people there can alert the government about it.