Free Write

I had two mango trees in the backyard. They were tall and touched the sky. I remember the fruit was so high I couldn't get to it. So I climbed. I cut myself so much trying to get up. Didn't need a ladder, jus steady feet and a strong grip. Determination and hunger drove me. Boredom as well. Yearning for the sweet juice and meet in the center, I missed the smell, I missed kissing the sky at the top of the trees when I picked the fruit from a branch 20ft from the ground. Two years had past since the last time I had been up in those trees. Shared the same air with the birds. Picked the friut at the top. Now theres only half a tree left. My father cut one down to 10ft. No fruit there. I have to wait till it produces again. Mangoes the size of both my fists. No more. The other tree was totally chopped because its roots were growing under our house and breaking our foundation. Had to kill it. I haven't eaten a mango off the tree in years. I miss it, still remember what it was like, still remember kissing the sky at the top of the trees as I picked one from a branch 20ft from the ground. Determination and hunger drove me. Boredom as well. Yearning for the sweet juice and meet in the center. I'll wait another year.

Lit Circle Moderator: Exodus

Moderator:

Do you think Adah will make a good doctor?

Has Adah found a new passion and love for life and the world around her? Describe these new feelings and why exactly shes having them?

Are all the Price's really changed in the end? In what ways?

Have all the Price women changed for the better? In what was have they and haven't they?

What do you think has happened to Nathan? Do you see him being excepted by the Congolese people?

Why do you think Adah has changed so much? Do you think she will make a good doctor?

What are your feelings about Rachel is she changing for the worse? Using men to her advantage and betraying friends?

Why do you think Orleana is good at gardening but in taking care of her own seedling children she falls short?

Mosquito Coast and P.W.B. Differences and Similarities

Lately in English we've been reading the Poison Wood Bible, we've also watched the movie featureing Harrison Ford, the Mosquito Coast. The movie the Mosquito Coast if very similar to the Posion Wood Bible in many ways. The movie is about Harrison Ford plays an inventor in the 60's I think who is fed up with American life and American living and decides to go on an adventure and drag his whole family along for the ride. His family consists of his wife, two sons and young twin girls. They go to a small country in the Banana republic and settle down in a tropical rain forest village that they bought. The village is very much still primative in its appearance and ways of living of the people. Harrison's character is very optimistic about creating a new civilization from scratch. But things go terribly wrong and he takes it out on the people of the village and most of all on his family. He refuses to go back to real civilization, he'd rather stay in the jungle and tough it out, no matter what the costs.

Some similarities we as a class found in the two, Posion Wood Bible and Mosquito Coast, were the roles of the fathers in both stories. Both fathers are very independant, very determined and stubborn. They do not take to mind the health of their family when they do things. It seems always that they want to do thing their way and will have it no other way. The two characters are very proud of themselves and they will not allow others to persuade them away from their set beliefs. Both fathers neglect the reasoning of their wives and they show up to be very upright and just. Both families feel the same way towards the head of the family, the father. That feeling is not good at all, both set of children have a small degree of hate for the father, beyond the normal dislike that most adolecent children feel towards their fathers. The family set ups are similar as well. Both families in both stories have big families. The Price family consisting of 4 children, and the Mosquito Coast family consisting of 4 as well. Two other similar characters are the oldest boy in the Mosquito Coast family and Leah in the Price family. They both follow the same journey through the story, from following in the foot steps of their fathers and really admireing and revering their fathers. Then in some different stituations they lose trust in their fathers, they tend to stray away from the father's footsteps, and they finally they disobey and dislike their fathers all together. This is important to see in the Poison Wood Bible that Leah is very much like the oldest son in the family, even though she is not the oldest and is not a boy. More similar character's I've found are the wives in the stories. Both are very unwilling to go against their husbands. They both are very passive personalites. Its very clear that both are very alike. Another similarity that we've found in class was the comparison of the really big ice chest in the Mosquito Coast movie and the bible and christianity in the Poison Wood Bible. They are similar because they are both two advance things that the fathers in both stories try to bring and introduce to the new societies that they are in. They almost so far as force these things onto the people and the people seem to not need it but the two fathers are determined to bring whatever it is they want regardless.

Lit Circle "Bel and the Serpent"

Psycological Critic

Rachel Price

Rachel Price is changing alot over the time during this chapter. It is very interesting to see her mature and then de-mature all in the same chapter. She is not getting the attention she feels she deserves from her parents. She is very annoyed by Tata Kunduvu and is desperate to get rid of him. It is very prominent that she will go to any means to get away from Tata Kunduvu and from Kalinga all together. She hooks up with Axelroot of all people and they pretend to be engaged so that Tata Kunduvu will leave her alone. In this great scam she begins to find a liking for Axelroot, she enjoys the idea of Axelroot but not Axelroot himself. She likes the fact that he is an older man, he is independant, he takes care of her and most of all listens and gives her attention she does not get from her parents or from anyone in the family. This way she uses Axelroot as a sort of back route to all her problems. The two become very close and she suddenly does not seem so annoyed by him. Axelroot tells Rachel of the secret plan to assasinate Lumamba. She has changed from helpless Rachel to adventure seeking desperate do it herself Rachel. This is very important because she finds herself on the path to independance much like the Congo itself. She has also found a new appretiation for animals, this is a great change because Rachel is not the apreciative type at all. "As soon as Eeben Axelroot came back I was determined to use my feminine wilds to my own advantage. No matter what it took, I would get him to take me away from here in his airplane." p. 355

Leah Price

Now Leah is down right done with her changing stage. She is a new woman she has found her real self in the midst and shadow of her fathers ruly hand. I commend her for doing all that she feels is right in her eyes, but I think she falls short of the big picture that they must stick together as a family or they will all fall apart. And I think this also showed in the Death of Ruth May. Leah is now even more distant from the family than she was before. I think she is following more to what Anatole is giving to her as 'right'. The two of them have become more into eachother. But I think the most notable change in Leah Price is that now she is downright being disobediant to her father. This is much like the change in adolesent boys. They go from loving their fathers and wanting to be exactly like them to the rebel stage when the wander off to find themselves. It is pretty wierd but it makes sense that Leah, of all the girls, would take this journey. She decided to be an archer during the hunt, despite her fathers discourages. She turns her back away from father and does not get punished for it. Maybe Nathan is finding a new respect for his daughter? I think its just that he feels she's too under him to even try to bring her back to the path he so dictorialy put infront of her. "Leah slung her bow over her shoulder. "I'm going with the men and thats final."" Here is what Rachel says she saw when Leah downright disobeyed and disrespects her father.

Essential Question

In my other essential question post, i sought to answer these questions, "How do we help the world? Are we focused on the right problem? Is giving money the solution?"

Is money the solution? We take so much pride as Americans in wealth, we are drowned by local media to keep getting more, spend more money, get more things, better yourself. We are brain washed into thinking what we have is not enough, what we buy is not enough, or that we are not enough. Reading the "Poisonwood Bible" Anatole tells us of the kikongo perspective on money and wealth. Which is totally opposite from ours. He says the people of the village give away what they do not need, alot like how the Singer Solution presented us, and Zel Kravinsky too. He used the example of one of the fisher men in the village who, when having an abundant catch, comes back to the village and gives away all his fish, and even to the people he doesn't like. In fact he gives the most fish to that man he hates. Leah shoots back with the fact that he has to give away the fish, because its impossible for him to eat it all, and it would spoil if he kept it. Anatole said this is the same way the congolese feel about money, if you keep it too long it will spoil. I thought this was a very weird way to think of money, like fish. Both are very important but as an American I guess I build up money to be worth alot more, because it can buy so much in America. Fish has the same power in Africa. I think this is a very key idea if we want to help the world. I like hearing it from Anatole's point of view in the book, I didn't really feel as obliged to give when I read it from Zel or the Singer Solution. I guess Anatole just sounds more sincere.

Essential Question

In my other essential question post, i sought to answer these questions, "How do we help the world? Are we focused on the right problem? Is giving money the solution?"

I first saw this video in english class, it was posted by Afton. The video was about these three highschool boys who went to Africa, specifically the Sudan, in order to get to the bottom of the genocide and problems going on in the contry. The boys did it on their own free time and with their own money and on their own motivation. They documented the whole trip and it was very moving. The focus of their documentary was on the children of the Sudan, whose parents died of Aids or of other things. These children walk around every night trying to find somewhere to stay. They are trying to get away from the government rebels. Which are a group of men lead by a terrorist and they look for young male children to abduct and brainwash into doing the work of the rebels. From killing, to stealing and abducting other children. It is pretty insane that these kids have to go through so much at such a young age. These American boys go on their own time and with their own money. They were motivated enough to want to go. At the end of the video it says that they need our TIME! This was the first thing they wanted. So here is one way we can help the world! GIVE some TIME! I feel this is very important! The last was money, money is very essential but I do not think it is as affective as giving your time. Alot of American rations, as shown in the video, were provided due to monitary donations, so indeed money is very vital to giving to the world. There is so many creative ways we can give back, like this video which helps to spread knowledge about this crisis in the Sudan with these invisible children. Creativity was the second thing we could give. We need to be more open minded, we need to give creatively. All in all I think its fair to say we need to do something!

Lit Circle Reflection #2 "Judges"

This week in English class we were reading "Judges". We discussed alot in class as a group. It was a very interesting chapter.

Judges

-Ants Attack!
-Ants are hungry
-Looking for food and water
-There is drought
-Ants=Congolese
-Pg. 308 quote. Congolese people = Congo ants
-nsongnsya=Ants

-Rachel
-Congo is sucking life out of Rachel
-Tata Ndu wants to marry her
-Releive price family by taking Rachel
-believes she will entertain other wives
-Rachel pretends to be married to Axelroot.
-Rachel takes to Axelroot
-Rachel enjoys his company
-Rachel's mirror breaks
-symbolize transformation
-Rachel is doing more around the house
-Rachel's 2nd missed birthday.

-Adah
-No prominent change in Adah
-She is talking alot more to Nelson
-We learn of Baza, twins = Bad
-Adah is attacked by ants, wants to die.
-Ants attack pg.306

-Ruth-May
-Sick
-Does not take Malaria Pills
-She is ghostly
-Nelson says that the Owl has taken her soul
-After she gets better she is still ghostly
-She is not lively
-She is given the charm from Nelson to make her disappear

-Leah
-Leah is losing her religion
-She loses faith in her father
-She teaches with Anatole
-She has fallen in love with Anatole
-The two are to marry
-Anatole gives her a bow
-The kikongo people think she is very manly

Vocab
-Bangala=Poisonwood
-Baza=Twins
-Baptiza=Baptize

Lit Circle

“All my life I’ve tried to set my shoes squarely into his footprints, believing if only I stayed close enough to hiim those same clean, simple laws would rule my life as well. That the Lord would see my goodness and fill me with light. Yet with each passing day I find myself farther away. There’s a great holy war going on in my father’s mind, in which we’re meant to duck and run and obey orders and fight for all the right things, but I can’t always make out the orders or even tell which side I am on exactly. I’m not even allowed to carry a gun. I’m a girl. He has no inkling.” p. 244

This quote is from Leah. I think this is a very important quote because it shows how Leah and the rest of the family are drifting away from Nathan. I think this is very prominent because Leah is like Nathan reencarnated into a young girl. Leah also says how she always wanted to be just like her father, but now she, along with the rest of the family, find themself astray from Nathan and his teachings and his orders.

“I knew when I went down. Someone’s bare foot wsa on my calf and then my back, I was being trampled. A crush of feet on my chest. I rolled over again and again, covering my head with my arms. I found a my way to my elbows and raised myself up, grabbing with my strong left hand at legs that dragged me forward. Ants on my earlobes, my tongue, my eyelids. I heard myself crying out loud -- such a strange noise, as if it came from my hair and fingernails, and again and again I came up. Once I looked for my mother and saw her, far ahead. I followed, bent on my own rhythm. Curved into the permanentsong of my body: left...behind.” p.306

This quote is from Adah, she thoroughly describes her experience of the ant attack on her, her sisters and her mother. I think this maybe a symbol or foreshadow of things to come. It is a very good picture when we see all the ants all over her body and pulling her down.

Congo History

Congo History 1955-1966

Patrice Lumumba started being teh regional head of the Cercles of Stanleyville and helped to educate some of the people of the congo in 1955. He was arrested that year for ebezzlement of post office funds. He was released in July 1956 where after he founded teh non-tribal Mouvement National Congolais in 1958, which was a peaceful organization for people in the congo to protest. He was president. He also formed the All-African People's Conference that year as well.Congolese independence was established on June 30, 1960. The Belgians finally gave into the Congolese idea of independence. In 1960 Ptrice Lumumba gave his famous speech in front of the Congo, important Beligians, and King Baudouin. Patrice was elected to be prime minister, and his president would be a man named Kasavubu. Soon after in July Congolese soldiers mutinied and, along with civilian mobs, began raising hell, raping white foreiners, and destroying property. The UN's task force restored peace. Lumumba's reign was short lived as teh province of Katanga took independance from the congo with Belgian support. They were headed by a man named Moise Tshombe. In September, Lumumba was taken out of office by his fellow president Kasavubu. Lumumba tried to get back and take away Kasavubu's presidency. Kasavubu had Lumumba arrested, with help from a man named Joseph Mobutu who would later become dictator Mobutu. Lumuba was arrested in December of 1960 by Mobutu's troops. Mobutu's reasoning was that Lumumba would be tried for trying to lead an army to rebellion. Supposedly the U.N. try to tell Kasavubu to tread Lumumba according to due process of law. The U.N. and the Soviet Union fight over the release of Lumumba. In an attempt to apeal to local UN troops he was flown to Leopoldville and appeared beaten and humilliated infront of journalists and diplomats. The UN did not accquiest to his plea due to orders from New York. Lumumba was beaten again during a flight to Elizabethville on January 17, 1961. It was there that Lumumba was executed by command of Katangan authorities, in the presense of Belgian officials and president Tshombe. In 1964, UN announces that they are going to leave in the Congo that June but are annoyed by tribal rivalries revolting against government. In November of that year, armed government forces launced an offensive against the People's Republic of the Congo on the reasoning that they were being supported by communists, in particualr China. They threatened the rebel capital of Stanleyville. The rebel learder announced he had taken 60 americans and 800 Belgians as hostages. UN forces started a rescue force task and saved 2000 American and Belgian hostages. Some unlucky hostages were killed before aid could reach them.

Congo Events 2000-2007

Patrice Lumumba is still a very prominent figure in Congolese government. He is praised for his acheivements in gaining Congo's independence. He is immortalized on the 1 franc bill.

Essential Question

"Be ever mindful of your right to speak your mother tounge. Be ever mindful of your right to life and education. Be ever mindful of the lives once slain for your gain. Be ever mindful! Let them not have died in vain."

Tears, sweat, blood, flesh, stained the streets. Premature lives offered in the name of freedom dated June 16, 1976. On this day thousands of students self led a peaceful march against the white goverment and a passed law that they shall only speak english tounge in their schools. 10 Highschools in Soweto, South Africa, led a march to peacefully protest. They had enough of the white boundaries they were taught in school. They had enough of the restrictions they were forced to live with every day. So they decided to do something. Thousands of students marched. Thousands of them angry. Thousands of them were masacred. The black and white picture of the young man holding a little boy was printed all over the papers of the world. That little boy was Hector Peterson. He was 13 years old. He was the first of the children to be shot. No one knew Hector, but they planned on avenging his death. "And a child shall lead them."

They all marched and planned to meet in a designated spot. They did not make it there. They were stopped by white police officers who, unprovoked and without reason, open fire on the students. The students ran away. Angry, they came back, and they rose hell. The video tells of the mayhem that occured on that June 16. The mayhem caused by Highschool students who wanted to make a difference. Highschool students who learned the hard way that nothing is for free. Many of them were unarmed. They took up bricks and threw them. They burned government buildings, schools, police cars, everything. They wanted to be heard. Many of them died. Many as young as 8 years old. The movie "Sarafina", is about one of these Highschools whose students marched on that day. The movie shows you alot about what happened that day. What fueled the movement, and how they changed South Africa. I remember a part in the movie where they show the white police officers gathering hundreds of Highschool students into their prison for investigation. They wanted to know who started and who was leading the march. They tourchered and killed most of those kids. The walls of the prisons were covered in blood, bodies piled high. Broken promises of freedom, life and education.

We've talked alot in class about giving. It's quite evident that these deprived kids don't need whats in our hands, but our hands themselves. They needed our care, they needed our help. Money is good, but help is better. These Highschool students changed a their education system. Together they helped free South Africa. I am a Highschool student, we are Highschool students. What is our Potential? What can we change?

Essential Question

I have a new Essential Question,
"How do we help the world? Are we focused on the right problem? Is giving money the solution?"

There is more wrong with the world than poverty. There are things worse than poor people. Things worse than starvation. Things that have been prominent from the dawning of time. As old as Can and Able. Hate. War. Power. Greed. Why can't we give help? Why can't we as Americans share democracy with other countries? Why can't we share our freedoms with other countries of the world? Most don't want it. We'd just be forcing our way of life on other people. Just like Nathan Price. Plus who says we even want to give. Govenments don't want countries to have the same freedoms as we do. Why? Its makes for cheaper goods. More gold, diamonds, cheaper oil. Life is easier for us, we are richer. We could give money to those people in Africa, we could give money to people all over the world. But it seems to be a pattern that money flows to those with power. Those with power only want more power. Power in the form of weapons means death to those who don't have power. Thats most of the people in the world. I am against giving money away blindly. I, unlike singer, would much rather take myself to the problem and help myself. That takes alot more heart. That fills the heart. You have a human interaction. Give money to a corporation, thats all it is, you give money to the corporation. You give money to the kids you see on T.V., who are mostlikely dead when the money gets to them. If indeed the money even gets there. Helping the people in Rwanda, remember that? Or did everyone forget? How many died? Men, women, children. Hate is worse than poverty. We can give all the money in the world, but that didn't erase the age old rivalry and hating of two African tribes, won't help wars.

Here's a youtube video I found. I can't post it because it is very graphic and explicit. But thus is the world. Thus is America.
I don't recomend you watch this if you have a weak stomach. Or if vulgar language offends you.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=0P26mFohLzc

Imagine children younger than you who have to go through life this way everyday. Imagine a 12 year old African kid taken from his family, given an AK-47 and direction to kill anyone that he does not recognize. Imagine the psycological affect that would have on him. Imagine a whole tribe of these kids 20 years after the fact. Where is he now if he's not dead? Hate, and all the things that stem from hate will always be present in the world. Prejudice, Greed, Jealousy. Since the days of Jesus, and before. How do get rid of it. Take a good look at this video. How long ago do you think these tapes were. Obviously not that long ago, the video's in color. I'm guessing in the past 20 years. Imagine the atrocities that are occuring now. Wait until someone posts that on youtube, you can watch it in High Def. Open your eyes to the vast problems in the World and ask yourself. Is charity the answer? Or are we just running around in circles? I agree with Landon's post. The Deliver Me post, I the world doesn't need charity and sympathy, they need help.

Lit. Circle Reflection

During our Lit. circle my group have discussed a number of different things about the current chapter we've been reading about the Poison Wood Bible.

Our first main point was about Nathan Price.
Nathan Price
-selfish
-only wants things done his way
-is very stubborn
-will not listen to others
-believes his way of life is best
-wants others to live life the way he says
-he in a way creates his own bible in his house hold without knowing it
-he physically and emotionally beats his family
-he is inconciderate of his family, especially his wife

The second biggest point we talked about was Orleanna Price.
Orleanna Price
-very submissive, passive
-cannot stand up for herself
-coward
-is very obedient to Nathan
-she has her own ideas she is not able to share
-she is very scared
-she is very unstable
-she is not a good role model for her daughters

These are the two main things we talked about in our first Lit. Circle.

I Live Ewa

The sun shines unforgivingly like the firey eyes of God himself raining balls of fire burning down Sodom and Gomorah. This is Gods country. The bottom of the food chain. Take Fort Weaver road down straight down into the pit of the lake of fire. Countless cars pour into the God foresaken land in the late afternoon, the sun burning their faces as each car slowly inch down through the Weaver. Once you pass all the fake poster town houses in the beggining of the Weaver, once you hit the end of the golf course, you've reached old Ewa, the beach. Home of Crack heads, drug pushers, wanna be gangsters, and people with a dream of one day leaving. The roads are smoothe untill you reach old Ewa. The grass is green untill you reach old Ewa. The Weaver is lined with countless houses. Everyone's crap gets treated here. Don't forget the old nukes left over from World War II. Yea, their in Westlocke, which is somewhere out here in Ewa. My pops knows where they are. He served his country for a little less then 30 years. If Alkaida wants to put a hit on the U.S. No doubt Hawaii will be the first on the chop block. We are a big military base and a smart strategic target. Japan saw that, why wouldn't everyone else. And whose gonna get hit? Why Westlocke, so much nuclear power in those bombs that we in Ewa would be dead and not even know it. All we would hear is the screetch of the bomb slicing through the air like a dead wounded animal, and when it hit we'd be dead instantly. No ones supposed to know about Westlocke and the nukes. And with new technology and rockets, our enemies wouldn't need to do more than just push a button. Just a little secret no one wanted to tell us. If I know, why wouldn't our enemies know. Every mourning the Weaver is lit again with the lights of cars. You have to wake up really early to beat the traffic. The houses here are just that, a place for the working people to rest, eat and leave all over again. It takes an hour to get out of Ewa. And once you get out, everyones heading toward town for work, so you have to deal with another hour or two fighting that traffic. If theres an accident on the Weaver, you might as well turn right around and go home. No one really wants to be here, just that here is easy on the wallet. This is my country. The place I return to everynight to rest my head. A hell of a home.
I go to church right up the road. I wear a ie faikaga to church since it is a church for the Samoan people. The faifeau or reverend, pastor, gives his sermon in Samoan. The sunday school I go to is strictly based on teaching us the gospel in the Samoan language. My teachers and elders don't want us the youth to lose our language. In a way Samoans are like the Congolese. Just we've submitted ourselves to the Lord. We've Americanized our culture. If this is possible I don't know. I feel with the influence of American it's tainted the way of Samoans and our culture. We've shunned our island gods and dieties and accepted Jesus. Mufi Hanneman's father signed the document in Samoa that we would be a Territory of America, where we submissed to God. I still wear a lava lava, pareo, sarong, skirt, at home and around where I live. My father is first generation to Hawaii. We are still live life pretty close to Samoan culture. Its very awkward when my home life gets mixed with my life at school. Life there is very, how do I say, American. I hate when people use part of my culture and language without knowing what the hell it means. That "chee hoo" that alot of locals here say, for example, "Ho brah, cruise parteh tomorrow cuz! CHEE HOO!", stems from my culture. It's called a fa'aumu, and it's has only two functions that I know of. It's used when dancing traditional Samoan dance, and it's during meetings of high chiefs and giving of Ko'ogafine mats, which serve as a type of money. When people do it out in public, at random and not during one of these two, it is very disrespectful. I've gotten a slap or two for doing this.
I live two lives. The one at school and the one at home. Every knows the life I have at school. Everyone at school has the same life. We all walk class to class like brainwashed guinepigs being spoon fed peices of food through a maze of confusion. Some of us find our way though, some us stay in one place, some of us go backwards. Not many people know of my life at home. Not many people care. I don't really care. E le kea a'u.

Literary Circle

Lexicographer

1. Dima- Congolese Lime tree.

2. Dimba- Kikongo word for listen

3. Tata Ndu- Kalinga cheif

4. Nganga- Kikongo priest of traditions.

5. Gree-Grees- African god necklace.

6. kakakaka-

7. Dundu- kind of antelope.

8. Nganga- Kikongo priest such as Tata Kuvudundu. Teaches the sacred african traditions and culture

9.Lenzuka- The poor people and people with bad luck in the village. They all attend Nathan Price’s church as a last resort.

10.Kamikaze deseise- acute viral infection involving the respiratory system; an acute febrile and highly contagious disease.

11.Episcopotamians- different type of missionary. Catholic?

Essential Question pt. 5

"If your afraid now, be afraid, be very afraid."

Heres a newer idea of technology, brought up by Robin Williams. Internal technology, technology implanted into your body. Phones, music, computers. How close are we to this becoming a reality. What human rights will does this violate? Do you want to become part computer. It seems very sifi right now but this concept is very possibly in the future of humanity. Today in English class we talked about our blogs and if they were really better than just writing a paper up on word document. I remember hearing Mrs. Watson say that she is amazed how we, with the html codes and stuff are teaching the computer to show and display us as we want to be displayed and showcased. But how much are we teaching and showing it, so much as it is teaching us and showing us. I mean we have to learn a whole different language in order for the computer to recognize what we want and show what we want, in terms of HTML and stuff. Not to mention learning how to type as well. We learn the computer language, why can't we just speak it it reagular english and have it know what we're talking about? Why do we have to type, why can't it learn to speak english and communicate with us? Why is any of this important? Why do I have so many ideas of how to better my own life? It's human nature. It's greed, it's laziness.

Essential Question pt. 4

Are you serious? Yes, unfortunately here is one of the newest progressions in the clothing industry. Whether this will be come a fad in the future is beyond anything I can conjure up in my mind. But of course anything can happen. Heres the latest fashion in Africa. In America we're putting lights in our clothes. In Africa they're still getting used to the idea of wearing clothes. My essential question again is what do we as human beings value more, Progress or stoping Poverty and Peace. I do not think you can do achieve both at the same speed. If you advance in one, the other will slow up. When I say progress I mean in technology and the highest notch of human living.

Essential Question pt. 3

The new iphone seems like everything a 21st century teenager could want. It's all your basic nesecities in rolled into one phone. It it the epitamy of the article we read in the beggining of the second semester english. The article that was essentially a users manual to some hardcore technological device much like the iphone. Again my essential question is what do we as human beings, or as Americans value more? Progress or peace. I do not need a phone that takes pictures, plays movies and music, can be used as a remote control, is a computer as well as countless other unimaginable roles. But in a way this iphone is just one step closer to the next big advancement in humanity. One day we won't need any of those things. We'll just keep advancing and advancing untill all we have now is obselete to that of future inventions. American companies such as Apple, could use there money to help starving people in Africa, but they don't. Why? No one knows. Could they take a year off from advaning to help give to people in need all around the world, yeah it's possible, but it doesn't happen. Of course if I could make iphones that I probably would not take a day of when there is money to be made, and personally, when stepping back and looking at that fact, I feel pretty bad. It's horrible that this is how I feel but I think this is just human nature. I pray for the "human nature" of future generations.

Portal Game

Lately in English class we've all touch grounds on where exactly all of us were in the book. Page 64. Being this far in the book, our substitute teacher thought we were pretty well informed about most of the characters we've been introduced to thus far in teh book. So he decided that we do a little game. And that game was called the "Portal". The object of the game was to take on a character in the book and become him/her. We would become him or her when we walked through the door of class into the new world. We were to write, using the voice of that character, about everything we saw outside the classroom doors. Our job was to capture and immitate that character's voice to the best of out ability. So here is my attempt to become Leah Price, the Price family's Congolese maid.

I don't remember how I came to arrive here in the future year of our lord 2007. Nothing that I had seen in my life in Georgia could have prepared me for this new America. It seems that I have arrived at some sort of school, probably a highschool. The way people dress these days are so vast and different. All the boys wear different assortments of collared shirts, nothing like I've seen. The colors here in the future are brighter more noticable and full. And the girls, well Rachel would be amazed at how the girls dressed here. If father thought painting nails were signs of prostitution, then I was standing in the lowest parts of hell itself. The girls here wore tight shirts and painted nails, peircings every where. Father would give these girls the whole bible for the verse. I really did not like this place. If this is what the future looks like I hope I don't live to see America fall this deep into sin. I pray for my children if ever I have any.

Poisonwood Bible Quotes

So we've recently been reading the Poisonwood Bible, and we've been asked to find two quote from each chapter that have significance in the story, and to explain that significance in this blog post.

"The airport police wore khaki shirts with extra metal buttons and , believe you me, guns."

"Each one of us arrived with some extra responsibility biting into us under our garments: a claw hammer, a Baptist hymnal, each object of value replacing the weight freed up by some frivolous thing we'd found the strength to leave behind. Our journey was to be a great enterprise of balance. My father, of course, was bringing the Word of God-- which fortunately weighs nothing."

These two quotes from Leah's first part in the book gives a very good view on how things are going so far, and where exactly we are. She gives us a very strong sense of setting in Africa as she explains the airport scene with the guns and stuff. I chose the first quote because it sets up the setting so well. I chose the second quote because it shows how much the trip is weighing down on the family, especially the girls. I think this is a metaphor for how the whole trip together will be. I think it is a very good metaphor. As we see all the things that weigh down the girls, on the contrast, Nathan Price brings the Word of God, which just so happens to weigh absolutely nothing.

"Leah runs everywhere and climbs trees, but Adah can't, she is bad on one whole side and doesn't talk because she is brain-damaged and also hates us all. She reads books upside down. You are only supposed to hate the Devil, and love everybody else."

"So Noah cursed all Ham's children to be slaves for ever and ever. That's how come them turn out dark... Their day for the Zoo is Thursday. That's in the Bible."

These two quotes are very key, especially coming from the youngest sister of the family. Ruth May Price gives us alot to look at in her small chapter. She gives alittle perspective on her older sisters Leah and Adah. She tells us of Adah's deformity. She tells us that Adah hates all of them. Here is a very significant part of what I think her role is in the story, which is repeating everthing she hears. She says, " You are only supposed to hate the Devil, and love everybody else." This is a prime example of that, in which she probably learned this in sunday school of from her mother or father. The second quote I like as well, it is about the famous story of the Curse of Ham. She, again, is just repeating what she heard or learned from father or from another religious person. I took the liberty of doing alittle research on this story. It is a true story in the Bible, but I have found that no where in the Bible did it say that the decendents of Ham were dark skinned. BUTHam, I think, from some shaky internet sources, the Hebrew translation of the name Ham, is dark, burnt, or very hot. The other two brothers' names mean fair and dusky. TAKE THAT MRS. WATSON!!

"Boy, what a place. Already i was heavy-hearted in my soul for the flush commodes and machine-washed clothes adn other simple things in life I have took for granite."

"I shut my eyes tight, but even so, the tears ran down. I wept for the sins of all who had brought my family to this dread dark shore."

These are the quotes from Rachel's first narrative of the Chapter. the first one i chose because it shows a little of the feelings of the girls when the first arrived in Africa. We see that they are finally wiseing up the fact that there are less fancy things where they are. They are begginging to be greatful for what they had and sad for what they took for granite. This I feel is very important because they can learn alot from these feelings and it will be interesting to see if they do learn, especially Rachel who is the most materialistic of all the members of the family. The second one is just more emphasis on what I've just said. Rachel, obviously really does not want to be in Africa. I think she is very angry and sad because she had to leave America out of nowhere and stay here in a place where she is very uncomfortable.

"These women are pillars of wonder, defying gravity while wearing the hohum aspect of perfect tedium. They can sit, stand, talk, shake a stick at a drunk man, and reach around their backs to fetch forth a baby to nurse, all without dropping their piled-high bundles upon bundles. They are like ballet dancers entirely unaware they are on stage. I cannot take my eyes from them."

"It is true I do not speak as well as I think. But that is true of most people, as nearly as I can tell."

These two quotes i believe are very important. Comming from Adah, the disabled one of the family, they are very observant and very descriptive. I like Adah's narrative more than all the others. The language she uses is so interesting and grasps my attention. I can see alot of what she describes easily, alot easier than that of any of girls. I like the first one because it is a very good parallel or use of measure that I plan to use with Orleana Price. Here we see the role of African women, who Adah describes very reveringly and majestically. Then we see that she is very fond of these women, I think that the girls will ultimately take alot and learn alot from these African women. The other quote, I chose because it tells alittle more about her. This chapter we learn of Adah's disabilities and challenges. But we also learn alot about her many strengths and views of herself and views of her sisters.

"But father needs permission only from the Saviour, who obviously is all in favor of subduing the untamed wilderness for a garden."

"Some people find him overly stern and frightening, but that is only because he was gifted with such keen judgment and purity of heart. He has been singled out for a life of trial, as Jesus was."

These two, are from the second narrative of Leah. I chose the first one because it has alot to do with the Genesis quote at the beggining fo the book. I think the quote is a metaphor for Africa and taming the people by spreading the word of God. Which is the ultimate goal of Nathan Price. The second one shows Leah's loyalty to her father. She compare her to their Saviour Jesus Christ, maybe Leah puts her father right up there with Jesus in sense of her influenses.

Price Girl Roles

Recently in English we've been reading the Poisonwood Bible. I have started reading the first chapter Genesis, where we are introduced to the four Price girls, daughters of Nathan Price, an Evangalist Baptist missionary who takes his family out of Georgia into the uncertain, unstable Congo, Africa. With the hopes of spreading the gospel to the 'heathen' Congolese, the daughters in chapter one each give their accout of what happens in the beggining of the mission. Each daughter with a vastly different perspective on the purpose of the trip and of the people they meet in the Congo.

LEAH PRICE
The first daughter we hear from is Leah Price. My first impression of Leah from the beginning of the book was that she was that she was very obedient to her father. This is reinforced as you read on through the chapter where Leah narrarates. We see her obedience to her father when they go out to this field and plant some Georgia squash, and pumpkins like back at home. She slaves right next to her father and tends to his hand and foot. Leah admires her father very much. She is a tomboy as she claims in this chapter as well, "Mother claims I have the manners of a wild animal myself, as I am a tomboy, but I never fail to be respectful of my father's garden" p.64. It seems we can get a sort of boyish point of view on the events and things that go on in the book. We will sort of get a open view of what her father might be thinking since he is a great influence in her life.

RACHEL PRICE
Rachel Price is the oldest daughter of Nathan Price. She is a very straight forward character. She is the polar opposite of Leah. She is very girly. She is hates the fact that the family has to leave civiliation and life with the Congolese people. Leah quotes father, telling us that "Father feels makeup and nail polish are warning signals of prostitution," Rachel Price loves all material things. She is very light skinned. She has very long whitish blonde hair which all the villagers of Kilanga adore. "Everwhen she goes out, whole bunches of little Congo children run after her on the road a-reaching and a-yanking on her long white hair to see i fthey can get it to come off." It is quite evident that she will be the devile advocate toward everything that goes on in Kilanga. I think this is good because then we get to see the perspective a girl who is very wrapped up and immersed in the American way of life and thinking. So we can see the trials that she goes through and we can observe how she reacts to everthing that is put infront of her.

RUTH MAY PRICE
Ruth May Price, the youngest of all the sisters, has a very key role in the telling of this story. She is still very young and in her youth she is still learning a great deal about the world and how she is supposed to live in it. She gets to follow the lead of her father, mother and sisters. She is basically a small mirror that reflects the thoughts and ideas and values of the family. She basically repeats everything she hears and is given to her, though she does tend to probably distort things alittle, she is a good reference. She already has a few American culture values imprinted in her, but she is still young and can easily be swayed into new ideas and new perspectives. She is very stubborn though, it says in one chapter that Ruth May is so stubborn, and that she would do anything to win a game. Leah says that she hid in the fire box when they were all playing hide and seek. "Ruth May is so intent on winning Hide and Seek, or any game for that matter, she would probably go ahead and burn up before she'd ever yell and give herself away." p.65. This is very intresting because she is very young and I think this makes her strong in her youth. I guess all kids need to feel a sense of strength and control when your young.

Adah Price
Of all the Price sisters, I think Adah is the most interesting. From her I think we'll get a very interesting point of view. When we hear the first descriptions of her in the beggining of the story she sounds like a menataly ill girl who cannot function correctly. But as we hear her in her narrative, she is far from mentally ill or disfunctional. She is amazingly functional, I think the most functional and comfortable in herself and what she believes. She will give us the "out there" point of view, the deep hidden meaning type things. The thinking outside of the box, all of this I think will be done by this sister. She will pull everything together and put up for observation. She does not speak and all she truly does is observe all thats going on around her and criticize. She is good at what she does, she is quite, she believe is her quiteness she learns alot more. It is an excelent theory. I think she will give us alot through out the book.

Genesis 1:28

And God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:28

Just when I thought bible study would end after sunday school at my church in Kunia, here God's word has managed to follow me to school. A school which I consider so unbias in terms of religion and beliefs. Sure we have chapel once every cycle but the faith in God or Gods varies like the colors on the robe Jacob gave his favorite son David. Just like that robe Punahou is alot different than other schools on the island. Lately in english class we've started reading the Poisonwood Bible, which by the reading we've done so far, is about a Southern Baptist family who moves from Georgia to the Congo to do missionary work in Africa.

Our questions were, What do you think this quote means; in other words; interpret the quote. Then tell what it implies about how people should behave. Then explain how the quote might frame chapter 1 - based on this quote, what do you think the chapters in Book One will be describing.

Genesis means the beggining. A very fitting title for the beggining of a book. I think the quote is pretty straight forward and obvious in terms of white Southern Baptist missionaries in the middle of the Congo. Nathan Price, the father of this family, has an obligation to mankind and to God himself, to venture into the "heathen" areas of the world and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. So that they may be saved and too share the kingdom of heaven. God speaks to Nathan in this quote, pretty much giving him divine consent to enter Africa and spread the word of God. "multiply and be fruitful" By spreading the word of God, enlightened Africans are 'reborn', as in Christian belief, and they are cleared of all their sins when they except Jesus Christ and are baptised. You multiply by spreading the word.

God tells Nathan, we are to rule the earth, "and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth". God wants Nathan to control the earth. God says, "replish the earth, and subdue it," subdue? Yea, I guess this can foreshadow some unforgivable act or acts that Orleanna Price, the wife of Nathan, has hinted in the beggining of the first chapter. I presume this was one of the many scriptures in Genesis, and in the bible itself that white supremesists used to justify crimes such as murder of 'heathens' be them African, Indian, Mexican. There are so many good quotes from the bible that showed gods "approval" of the acts of hatred the whites in those days showed towards the Africans. The one that is most prominent in my mind is the famous Ham quote from, I believe Genesis as well. When Noah and his sons just got off the boat after the flood and throw a big party. Noah gets drunk and is running around naked. Ham, his son, laughs at him and does not do anything to help Noah. Noah two other sons see this and immediately jump to help their father. When Noah sobers up he curses Ham, saying that his decendants will be slaves to his brothers decendants for all eternity. It is assumed that the Africans decended from Ham. And the White and Asians from the other two brothers. This is the Christian explanation, excuse, for enslavement of Africans, for the KKK, for Jim Crow laws, for the apartide in Australia, for the hungry and dying children in Africa.

From the Genesis quote and the base information about the book you can assume that Nathan and his family will start the process of 'reforming' heathen Congo, and maybe even all of Africa. I think it will show how forceful the family will be on trying to convert the people. Maybe they will aggitate some of the Congolese.

Cycle paper.

"If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."
-Thomas Edison


Much is expected of those to whom much is given. What have you been given, and what, if any, expectations do you think people should have of you? What expectations do you have for yourself?

I believe the guy on Spiderman said something related to this. Peter's uncle I believe, "Remember, with great power, comes great responsibilty." -Uncle Ben, Spiderman, like much of us in the world, is given a gift of this super cool mutant power. He is alot stronger than normal people and he can do things that normal people cannot do. Therefore his uncle highlights the fact that there is alot expected of him because of his abilities. I think he too has alot of expections about himself, he has to be stronger than the normal person because of his mutant power. He takes it apon himself to help those who need his help and to fight evil doers. I think after a while the people of the city expected alot from spiderman as well.

Spiderman wasn't the only one who had alot expected of him. Batman too, who didn't really have super powers, but had a ridiculous amount of money to blow on fancy gadgets and martial arts training. Batman was fearned by the people of gotham at first. But when they got to know him and how he was. They began to expect him to help out. They even built that light signal which they projected in the sky whenever they needed his help. The people of Gotham expected him to be there and fight the bad guys.

What difference is there between these super heroes and or government and national leaders. Should we expect anything different from our local police officers and firemen. When there is trouble, we expect them to be there, to be proffesional in what they do because our safety is on the line. When the twin towers were bombed who did we look to. Of course we looked to president Bush, we elected him to deal with this stuff, we gave him this great power, therefore we expect him to protect us and lead us down the right path.

What difference in expections should we have of ourselves and what we are given. I was given a great opportunity to go to Punahou, a private school and the best one on the island. Being a minority I am already expected to do better than the majority of my race. Being Samoan I am expected to be a good athlete, due to the line of great football players of Samoan ethinicity. Being Samoan, I am expected to be very big. People are suprised when they find out that I am only 5'6. Alot of my cousins who don't play any sports go from high school straight into the army. My father was one of those people. Not saying that that is a bad path to follow. Going to a school like Punahou, it is already expected of me to go to college, since almost all Punahou graduates go to College. Going to Punahou, it is expected of me to get a good job. Since a lot of very key people in our government and our world have graduated from Punahou, for example, Barak Obama. "If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."- Thomas Edison

I think these expectations are very reasonable ones. I have these same expectations for myself. I think the expectations you have of yourself are the strongest. Seeing that no one knows you better than yourself, and you know what you are, and are not capable of doing.

Interview

Passi: You've read the Zel Kravinsky paper right Will?

Will: Yes I have.

Passi: What was your first impressino of the piece?

Will: After I read it my first reaction to it was that this guy was either really smart or really dumb. To me he had all this money he could have given to his family to better thier lives and his own but instead he decides to give all of it away. I really wanted to know more about his family life. I question if he knew or felt a true sense of family in his life. Especially since giving all his money still didn't make him happy.

P: While we're talking about family, What is your definition of family? Describe this "true sense of family" that you were just touching on.

W: Family to me is a tight net/group of people who would give or do anything for that other person. People in a family would put eachother above anyone else, this is of course, in contrast to what Zel believes and displays to his family.

P: And how do you feel about valuing others over the lives of your family and over your life like Zel Kravinsky showed us in his paper. Would you take from your own personal health to give away and help another stranger in need?

W: I would if the person was in need and I could help them. I would give a part of my life to them. I don't know if I would give my whole life for a stranger. I feel its a matter of morals and beliefs. Of course my answer would differ from the next guy.

P: That is true. Do you think by excessive giving that Zel Kravinsky will finally achieve happiness? Maybe he just haven't given enough yet to be truly happy. Is his family happy with what he does?

W: I think it will give him some sort of immediate satisfaction. But long term, I do not think he will be happy. In the paper it said no matter how much he gave he was never happy. If you think about it, Zel never really saw the impact that his money was having on the people and organizations he helped. Maybe he just needs to see that his aid is being appreciated. I remember the ox video Mrs. Watson showed us and the man that gave the ox away was very satisfied after he gave his gift to the poor chinese family. I think one of the reasons why he was satified was because he got to see the emotions and appreciation that the family expressed when given the gift. I think this gives a mental and spiritual satisfaction that stays with you. Maybe Zel just has not expirienced this.

P: Thats a very good point. We're going to go off a little due to lack of time, and I really want you to answer some of these questions. Will, could you live life off the basic necesities, like Zel proposes in the paper? Is it wrong not to give excess earned money that you don't need for those basic necesities

W: I think it depends where you live, or the type of people you live around. I don't think I could live off the basic necesities. I could not just go to school and go home all my life. It's very possible for me to live this way, but I am not willing to live without the things you purchase that make life fun. I don't think it is wrong to keep the money you don't essentially need.

P: Lastly, What do you value more, Peace or Progression? I think we can both agree that the two cannot go together. The absence of peace, history has shown, that progression explodes exponentially. During times of peace, progression still occurs, just not as fast.

W: I would really like a balance between the two. you don't have overwheylming poverty. And you don't advance too fast. I think if you had either one to the extreme it wouldn't work out.

A Place for Friends

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Myspace is quintessencial. ADD ME! COMMENT ME! CHEAK OUT MY SITE! Just a small taste of myspace lingo. Now myspace is not just a site for emo kids. It's hard to find kids my age who don't have myspace. Social outcasts.This is my second year into myspace. I am a selfproclaimed myspace addict. This means continuous use of myspace daily and whenever possible. You know your a myspace addict when you have more friends on your myspace than you do in real life. You know your a myspace addict when the scroll bar to your page is tiny due to the ridiculous amount of pictures you post of yourself on your page. You know your a myspace addict when your page takes 3 days to load because all of the pictures you post of yourself up on your myspace. You know your a myspace addict if you tweaked your myspace so that the online sign doesn't show up when your on, that way no one knows your camping. Definition of "myspace camping"; someone who sits on myspace from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. in the morning. I am guilty of myspace camping. It's a very hard concept to grasp, "myspace camping", when there are a limited amount of things you can do with myspace. You can talk to other people by commenting them on their page. But they do not respond until they are signed on or if they even feel like replying at all. You could write a blog, which is pointless because no one on myspace reads eachothers blogs. And lastly you could spend all that time "pimping" out your myspace. Definition of "Pimping out myspace"; searching through the internet for different codes to copy and paste into the html boxes so your myspace looks different. It's hard to truly understand what people find in myspace. Myspace is an online journal. Myspace is a way to communicate with friends. Myspace is a complete waste of time. I believe we need this waste of time. Myspace allows me to keep in touch with people I don't see everyday. Myspace is a way to put a piece of myself and who I am out in the 'cyber world'. It helps me to define who I am. My page is who I am. My blogger is who I am.

Singer Solution

In class we read the 'Singer Solution to World Poverty' to be honest, I really did not enjoy it. It was very brutal on his behalf to write such a paper on world poverty. Singer proposes two different situations, one of Dora and the other of Bob. In Dora's situation she takes a boy to an orphanage and is paid money so she can buy her big t.v. she always wanted. Unfortuantely she finds out that the boy is not going to the orphanage, instead he will be killed and his organs will be donated. Dora is overwhelmed with guilt but she really likes her new t.v. and is reluctant to give it up if it comes to that the organization she gave the boy to wants their money back.
The second situation is with Bob. Bob is a train track operator. One day a train is running of the wrong track and is heading for a little boy who is on that track unaware of the train coming. Bob can do nothing to warn the boy because he is out of calling distance. Bobs only option is to flip a switch that will throw the train off the tracks and into a parking lot. That way no one is killed. But he is stuck because if he flips the switch and the train goes into the parking lot, it will crush his favorite car. His car means everything to him and Bob refuses to voluntarily destroy it. Bob does not flip the switch and the boy dies.
Singer twists the situation putting us in the place of Bob and Dora. He proposes that we live in situations like this every day of our lives. He gives us the organizations that we could donate to and help homeless and starving children in poverty. He said our decision not to help and not to donate is just like not flipping the switch. Its like us valueing our material things over another persons life.
My opinion is that yes all this is partially true. But our situations in our lives differ a lot from the situations of Bob and Dora. For example Bob and Dora's situations affected the lives of their children more directly then ours do. Its pretty messed up that he would write us off as murderers. I do give often to the McDonald house, I've been there and helped out and so I am moved to donate to a organization I have seen work with my own eyes. It is pointless to donate to an organization you would not trust. I would not give my money to help children in Africa if the money is not totally going to help children in Africa. There are so many fake and corrupt organizations in the world.
In some ways I do agree with Singer. The fact that we choose to buy $70 shoes instead of giving some of our extra money to a charitable organization is money that will never help homeless children. But you have to find a line or a boundary that says where enough is or where a good amount of money is. I believe $1 is enough if you're giving it with a willing heart. I truly believe it is selfish to give money just because it makes you feel better about yourself and you care nothing about who its going to and who it is affecting. Singer touches apon this as well in his paper. There are so many questions that go unanswered.

My Essential Question

In my essential question I asked how my life makes an impact on the world and how do I make a difference in how the world is. There are many things that we do in life that affect the world in different ways. I have littered in one way or another. I know my life will not directly impact some poor person in Africa. But there are small things that people can do that can help your community and help the world all together. I'm not all sure if I myself have been doing these small things that will benefit the world.
I go to school where education is $15,000. I don't know how you can put a price on education and knowledge. Knowledge is life, that's how teachers give back to the world. They influence the minds of the young, they prepare us for the world, they arm us for the war that rages outside school campus. Knowledge helps me, maybe some day my knowledge can help someone else. I've received a lot of help from some really generous people and organizations that aid me in paying for my education. I cannot stress how unequipped my family is when it comes to paying $3000 per class. I really appreciate that help that I get from these people, maybe their generosity will be shown through me. Like paying it forward. Some day I will be moved to be generous, or maybe just be moved to be more generous in my life.
With everyday that passes I always wonder what my life will add up to when education is done and I have a job. I wonder what job that will be, I hope that it will be one that affects the world in a good way, whatever small way that it does. I still have no idea how my life affects the world and changes the world in anyway. I am a small person in this huge world, I would like a bigger part in it.

Second Response to Essential Question

At first this seems really creepy. Probably because it is. But think how many people actually do this. It's an option now with the new cool phones that have come out. It's pretty awesome I think. But this makes you ask yourself exactly what kind of world do we live in? It's hard to know if we've gone too far in advancements. An essential question of mine is what do we, as humans and together as mankind, value more? Progression and advancements? Or ending world peace and poverty? I don't think these these two can go together hand in hand. If we were to totally do away with all of the poverty all over the world, everyone would be one single class of normal people. No one richer or poorer than the other. We would all be at the same economic status. Wether this is good or not, I still have not decided. I'm leaning more to this being bad.
If we were to crush all fueds between countries and establish, finally, world peace. Of course that would be great! But you have to ask for how long will this peace really last? History has shown that during times of war and times of stuggle human advancements and inventions have flourished the most. In asian studies the Zhou dynasty fought amoungst eachother for some long brutal 600 years. But during those years the most advancements in iron tools and weapon making occured. With out world war II I don't think we would have had nuclear power until recently. I think the biggest motivation for advancements are those that you do in order to protect yourself and kill others. The local Pidgeon language was semi formed during world war II. There are so many things that we would not have if our country did't go to war, or even if there were no wars to begin with.
My question therefore is, "Which do I value more, peace or progression?"

I Believe

I believe in non-destructive release of agression. I'm for prescribed pain killers and against any consumption of illegal drugs.I believe every stressful enviornment should have a punching dummy, feel good Bob Marley music, and a life time supply of yohoo's. People who lose their tempers easily annoy me. People that cannot laugh at themselves annoy me. I believe a daily dose of laughter unconciously saves lives. Long live class clowns, pranksters, and self proclaimed stand-up comics.

Intro: I Live Ewa

I know it takes an hour and a half to get from my house to school on a clear day. Three years have passed and I still wake up at 4:50 a.m. every morning. I know the Government plans to put 15,000 more houses where I live. There’s only one way in and out of Ewa. Kapolei is supposedly going to be the new City which means new jobs waiting for new workers out of Ewa. Yeah right. I know that’s not going to work. I don’t know what time I’m going to have to wake up after 15,000 more cars need to get out of Ewa. It’s almost like no one wants to be here.
I know our economy needs more people to live and ‘buy’ Hawaii. I know that Ewa side needs more attention. I don’t know if more houses will fix the drug problem, the gangs, or the education. I know that we need to crack down harder on law breakers and better educate the youth. But what do I truly know, I go to school on the other side of the island. My typical day starts in Ewa and ends in Ewa, I wake up and sleep in Ewa, thats about it. I don’t know what goes on while I’m gone. But I have a good idea.
I know who I am. I’m very proud of that. It’s pretty obvious any way. I am the missing link in the human evolutionary track, right after big foot and before the cave man. I’m five foot six, width wise I know that. I’m alright with that fact but there are some days I wish I was six foot five in regular human height. I know that’s human nature to want to be greater than what you are. Seeing that my middle name is Fiasili which means ‘wanting greatness’, I wasn’t any exception. I know that the Nazi’s killed thousands of Jewish men, women and children over one man ‘wanting greatness’. I know that thousands of people have died because of another man ‘wanting greatness’. Some big man higher up the social latter (a.k.a. ‘the man’) is getting a lot of greatness with the building of 15,000 more houses in Ewa. I know Greed is in evident. It’s a natural human feeling. It’s my middle name. I don’t know how many people I have hurt in my strive for greatness and I don’t know how many more people. I hope not more than 15,000.
I know how a war starts. It starts with one man wanting more. Like the old Christian missionaries who spread their God into Godless parts of the world, Africa, India, Asia, Mexico, Polynesia. I know change is in evitable. Some people would fight and die trying to keep things the same. The Aztecs fought the white man. The Africans fought the white man. The Asians fought the white man. The Indians fought the white man. The Polynesians fought the white man. The white man fought the white man. I know greed was the reason for all these fights. If people weren’t so greedy, countless people would have gotten a chance to live a little longer. Then again, I don’t know where I’d be right now. I’d probably be living in a grass shack wearing a tapa skirt and learning how to hunt pig. I don’t know if ‘wanting greatness’ is good or bad. I don’t know if my middle name is a blessing or a curse.

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