Rule the World

Bias.
His favouritism, his prejudice, his discrimination.

He could rule the world.
Not mine.

Like a knife, he stabs at the heart.
When you least expect it.

He could rule the world.
Not mine.

You see what he has done.
You drown in what he hates.

He could rule the world.
Not mine.

Painting by Marc Scheff

Just the Way You Are

In today's world, the population have certain expectations that they think they are meant to exceed. This is all thanks to the media, magazines and advertisements. Females especially get affected by this, as a lot of advertisements today feature the "perfect" model of females. They are skinny, they've got perfect skin, they've got long legs, perfect hair, and the right looks. This can make girls, like myself, feel very conscious of our appearances. Fortunately, there are a lot of organisations out there that want to help girls feel better about themselves, such as Confidence Coalition. Their cause is trying to make girls feel more confident about themselves. You can sign their pledge here. I think that self-confidence is worth fighting for.

Some other organisations that are trying to make girl, or guys, feel better about themselves is TWLOHA(To Write Love on Her Arms). It is an organisation that brings awareness to depression, suicide, and the people feeling unloved. Doing this can show the people that are depressed, feel unloved, and the ones considering suicide that a lot of people care about them. How do you exactly show this? You write "love" on your arms. Another organisation that is trying to help girls feel better about themselves is Operation Beautiful. It has a lot of participants, and all the participants have to do is just post a sticky-note in a random place where a lot of people can find it and it has to say something about the reader being beautiful. 

Self-confidence is also worth fighting for because if people are more confident, then less people on this earth will feel worthless and think of what we are able to achieve! Seventeen Magazine is also doing something that is called "The Body Peace Treaty". It is a treaty that states that you are not to judge others by looks, you are not to let anyone influence how you feel about yourself, and several others alike. There is a saying that in order to be loved, you  need to love yourself first, and I think that it is true. Personally, when a person is really shy and not confident, I sort of feel awkward and I won't know what to say and if the person is confident, I tend to feel more comfortable.

Without these organisations, I think that the world would be really different. For instance, I think that more girls might have eating disorders and that not a lot of girls would be as confident. Saying this, I do not support arrogance, I support confidence. I think that these organisations are really inspirational because they all probably started from experience, and that can show people that they are not alone. You are beautiful, just the way you are(: 

Picture:

http://operationbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/IMG_20111110_200442.jpg

The Rainbow Warriors

© Les Stone / Greenpeace

“It wasn't the Exxon Valdez captain's driving that caused the Alaskan oil spill. It was yours.”
-Greenpeace advertisement, New York Times, 25 February 1990
Greenpeace is an organisation that is trying to create and energy revolution, defend our oceans, protect the world’s ancient forests, create a toxic free future, and campaigning for sustainable agriculture. It encourages us to consider fighting for the environment by taking huge risks, such as their activists risking their lives and getting thrown into jail, which can inspire people, such as myself, to also fight for the environment. Environment, I believe, is something that is worth fighting for.

The environment is worth fighting for because it is one of the things that we pass on to future generations and if we destroy it now, then what will the coming generations have? Our environment is what provides us shelter, food, and water. These are the 3 main things that we humans are not able to live without. Greenpeace is fighting for the environment so that we leave enough resources for our future generations, and maybe the coming generations will be greener than we are and they can rebuild what we tore down. Greenpeace can inspire people and they can be the impetus of change to the environmental world. Greenpeace has stood up to Mattel for using paper packaging that comes from rainforests in Indonesia, coming from a company that is leading in deforestation in Indonesia and destroying the habitats of Sumatran tigers, and has made the company stop using paper packaging from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP). This can cause other companies that use packaging from rainforests to change their ways and go for a greener way to use their packaging.

If we do not fight for the environment, then we will destroy the habitats of other species, which will then affect their population. Humans need other species to live because we depend on each other to survive. Our environment houses all of our food sources, which we are abusing by using techniques that are not sustainable, such as and blast fishing and drift netting. This is a part of defending our oceans, as the creatures that live in the ocean contribute to cleaning the ecosystem and every species has a right to live. Greenpeace has peacefully protested against Princes, one of the leading brands in seafood, as they used destructive fishing methods that accidentally catch fish that we have no use for and would probably just throw it back in the ocean. Some consumers (like me) refuse to use products that are not green, so if other companies decide to go green, they can pick up more customers.

We might not be able to keep a sustainable way of living without organizations such as Greenpeace because we humans have grown greedy and it seems as if some of us do not care about the environment and animals. Greenpeace is inspirational because it all started with a dozen people who wanted to change the world and they are now supported by millions of people worldwide. One idea can make a large impact in our Earth.

Title explanation: The Rainbow Warrior is one of Greenpeace ships

Pathway of different doors

Paths

As we sit in class,
Children are desiring,
Desiring for a class,
The one you and I sit in this very moment,
That road that will lead us to success,
One that some children are not able to take,
The ones that you and I have been led to,
A pathway with a lot of different doors,
Every single one is different,
Which one will you pick?
The one the children desire?
Or the ones that we all detest?
Education is our guide,
Fight for it.

This showcases what I think is worth fighting fighting for as this poem is all about education. It is about how some kids do not have the rights to education and we are one of the lucky few that can afford to have good education and have a wider choice in life. Education is important to fight about as it is what enables us to have a wider choice of what we can do in life, stated in the poem. The last line is not the strongest in the poem, but it brings out a clear message that education is something that is really worth fighting for, as the future of humanity depends on it.

Out of Dark Comes Light: Raden Ajeng Kartini

Raden Ajeng Kartini was born to a wealthy and powerful Javanese family, when Java was still ruled by the Dutch Colonies. She was allowed education until she was 12, when she is eventually secluded at home and is prepared for marriage. During school, Kartini learnt how to speak fluent Dutch, which allowed her to acquire some pen pals in Europe, whom she wrote her desire to improve the living conditions of indigenous women, who had very low social status. She also read a lot of books, all were in Dutch during her life. It was from books that caused her to desire the improvements for women's living conditions.

At age 24, Kartini married Raden Adipati Joyodinigrat, the Regecy Chief of Rembang against her wishes, but she married him (already with three wives) because she does not wish to disappoint her father. He [Joyodingrat] allowed her to establish schools for women, as women were not allowed education in that times.

Kartini died on September 17th, 1904. Just a few days after her only son was born. She was only 25.

After her death, her letters to her friends were published with the title "Out of the Dark Comes Light (Door Duisternis tot Licht)" and the English version called "Letters of a Javanese Princess". In her letters, she protested the way that the Javanese culture does not let women develop, she wants women to develop and learn. She also doubted religion, and how the Qur'an must be memorized even if you do not understand it. She wrote "Religion must guard us against committing sins, but more often, sins are committed in the name of religion".

Kartini may not have brought change directly herself, but by her husband building the school for women, they have raised the living standards for women, as they are now educated and are able to get a job. Kartini's dreams are what caused change, as reaching Utopia require little baby steps.

Education: The Key to Developing a Country

Utopia: an imaginary place or state of things where everything is perfect.

My Utopia would be a place where everyone has the rights to at least 5 years of education. Why 5 years? Because in elementary school, you learn all the basic things you will need to get a job. You learn to read, write, do simple mathematics and also you learn social skills as you go to school. You may also learn English at school, and this is important because if you learn English, you are able to communicate with most of the others.

Reading and writing are basic knowledges that is needed to be able to get a job. 28.7% of the population in Niger is literate. Being literate is important as if you are unable to read, you will not be able to understand what certain jobs need in their employees. Writing is also important because, as I know it, you will need a description of yourself, and you will need writing for that.

Some jobs only accept people who have been educated for 5+ years. This is also another reason why everyone must receive education. So they are able to get jobs and fund their families. This may also help with the economic issues. School is also important because the schools may teach things about the environment and tell the students how to conserve our planet.

If there is no education in countries, they might not go forward, such as Ethiopia, which is an LEDC, while Finland is an MEDC, and it is caused by the fact that most people get education there. If there is no education, the country will not be able to develop.

"The Key to Success" by Sofi Martinez

Education is relevant for a person to be successful. Education empowers a person to become a leader. Great opportunities are presented to professionals. The future of a Person can be unpredictable if she lacks education; an uneducated person does not have the knowledge of what the future has to offer for her. Education is an essential tool to make a pleasant and stable living out of a simple quotidian life. High Education contributes to the increase of the graduate in her social economic level. Education is the main Factor for one to become wealthy, Millionaire, or even Multimillionaire. Education offers the opportunity for a person to become the owner of a mansion. Education brings one the opportunity to please herself. Perhaps, getting to travel often to interesting countries/places, or to be the owner of the latest new brand sport car. Education enables one to reach success. Education makes one become influential. Education gives one the opportunity to be at the top with the highest wage. Education gives one self-fulfillment. A thief can take away money, a car, a property from a person. but is definitely impossible to take education away from someone. Education is worth $10,000 $50,000 $1,000,000 One puts it value! Education is certainly the main Element to become successful and overall to reach one’s goals and dreams.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-key-to-success/

Photo Credits:

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2009-05-15-Malawi4.jpg

Huffington Post

Kristallnacht- The Night of Crystals

Kristallnacht- the night of crystals. This tragic event happened on November 9th 1938. The day of the death of Vom Rath, assassinated by a Jewish Youth in Paris, which triggered the event. The Nazis were furious and started a riot. They destroyed Jew-owned business and burnt down 267 Synagogues, but only smashed Synagogues that were near non-Jew owned business. The Germans did not want to stand up, because if they did, they will get in trouble with the Nazis and will get sent to concentration camps. The Nazis made the Jews pay for the damages, which cost 1 billion mark. They were forced to give up possessions. 30,000 men were put into concentration camps, but the Nazis did not have a plan for mass murder of the Jews. Most of the Jewish people left wanted to leave the country, but the US only takes in 15,000 Jews/year and Canada only takes in 100s/year. The Jews were not able to immigrate because they refused to leave their families. Most of the Jewish population of Germany found refuge in Great Britain, which took large amounts of Jewish people in.

Propaganda: information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group,movement, institution, or nation. In Hitler's case, it's to Harm the Jews. Hitler started to brainwash people from a very young age, which started in kindergarten. The Antagonist of picture books were always Jewish people. They put in bad images of Jewish people everywhere. Hitler's Youth was a big part of his "Final Solution", he seduced children, particularly young boys, to go to his Youth Programs. Children as young as 10 would get in to the academies and would be given military training. Violence was highly recommended by the leaders. Some of the injuries were fatal, but they just said that German boys don't cry.

I think that Kristallnacht isn't really fair because the Jewish, who were the victims, were forced to pay for the damage that was targeted at them. Just because one Jewish man assassinated the diplomat, that does not mean that all Jews are the same. I also think that Hitler is trying to create "The Perfect Race" because he does not like difference. I think that what Hitler is trying to reach is like "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, in which the people of the city has absolutely no difference. Everyone was the same. I also think that Hitler is using the children in the youth so that they can go to war and wipe out an entire race.

I. am. the. Artist.

Last week, Mr. Whiting and Mrs. Narsiman helped the students in our humanities class determine their learning profile. A learning profile is based on whether you are gestalt or logic, and your dominant eye, ear, hand, and leg. My profile is an I.

When I am learning, I learn best through movement and by focusing on the whole picture. I need to be able to doodle on my notebook or somewhere. I tend to get distracted very, very easily and I need to feel a subject's emotional elements to learn it well. When learning, I need pictures because I am a visual learner and I can remember things easier when there are pictures involved.

I need to be able to doodle while learning. I don't necessarily need to move a lot, and just making small movements help me. I am a Visual and Auditory learner, which means I do well with pictures and listening. I am a Gestalt, which means that I don't like instructions at all and like to imagine my end results (although sometimes the end results are not what I expected). When I speak, I need to be relaxed so that the details can be communicated more efficiently. When I am under stress, my communication and movement is limited. The parts I am able to access while at stress are my arm and leg.

The strategies that would help me is to draw pictures, because I am a Visual learner, I am also an Auditory, but I work well with most teacher's teaching style. When I am under stress, writing/drawing with my non-dominant hand, walking, and Tai Chi can help me while I am at stress. Cross laterals are also useful. Soccer can also help, but I am not a very active person, and tend to stay indoors.

My teachers should know that when I am not looking at the speaker, I am still listening to them, and when I doodle, it helps me on my work and it makes me do my best. I think that sitting in the middle of the class might help me because I am able to access all my dominant parts. Pictures also tend to help me more, but words work equally as well.

Gita Skywalker