The Tao Of Facebook

The Tao Of Facebook

The impact of the social network Facebook has been huge around the world. This social network interacts with other friends with pictures, videos, and being able to comment on them. In Facebook you can upload photos or videos, contact your friends and talk to them. You can also join groups and causes based on your interests. You can find old friends as well as meeting new ones. Facebook has become in something known worldwide, it also became something almost everyone has that connects them with their friends. It is a revolutionary invention created by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, and now it is available to everyone in the world. Facebook has become in the social network everyone talks about and everyone has because it is a excellent way to socialize with your friends and people everywhere.

The Tao Te Ching (道德经) is an ancient Chinese writing that was written in the 6th century B.C by Lao Zi (老子). In Chinese, Tao means “way”, Te means “virtue”, and Ching means “plan”. The Tao Te Ching has been translated into many languages and has had a great impact on many cultures. The Tao Te Ching has a very deep thought about life that amazed me in my reading of it. Besides, it has created a great question about is the Tao everywhere? Sometimes I think it is, and sometimes I think it is not. You can find the Tao in video games, movies, cartoons, music groups, but I wonder if you can also find The Tao of Facebook, this social network that has become part of the lives of many of the students including myself.
“All can know good from good only because there is evil” Two. OF course, Facebook can be seen in different ways, it can be seen as good, since it can unite people and help them socialize with a lot of people. Facebook can be also seen as a tool to hurt people or even get kidnapped. In Mexico, a kid who wrote in Facebook his phone numbers and addresses got kidnapped thanks to Facebook. Also, Facebook can be used to say things about others that they don’t want anybody to know. In fact, we have seen this in CNG, where a group of girls created a Facebook account to gossip about others. This is one way where we can find the Tao in Facebook, it is good but it has evil so we can know there is good.

The Tao Te Ching also tells us things that everyone should do and that are correct that apply to Facebook. “In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. In speech, be true.” Eight. The Tao of using Facebook is never lying, always being true, being gentle, if not it is not used properly. Lying through Facebook is what the Tao tells you not to do, you should be true in speech, if not you are using Facebook for evil.

The Tao tells you to “Accept disgrace willingly”. This is something everyone has to have while socializing and especially while using something like Facebook. The Tao tells you not to get jealous about others and to accept being unimportant, that shouldn’t affect your way, your virtue. As many people can get very affected, the Tao tells you that don’t let these types of things affect you.
The Tao is very wise; it tells you what you should be like. Not only how communication with others, it also says things that are important. The Tao is everywhere, in what we do, in what we feel, in what we see, in what we listen. The Tao is the way you have to take and: “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao” The Tao is eternal and because of this it is everywhere, even in the modern world, even in Facebook.

Thinking Beyond

“Look, it cannot be seen-it is beyond form. Listen, it cannot be heard-it is beyond sound. Grasp, it cannot be held-it is intangible. These three are indefinable.” 14. The Tao Te Ching has a very wise point of view on everything it talks about. It is very convincing and you almost start thinking it is correct. For me it was very persuasive in many of its points. It tries to explain to you how things should be and it says it in a way it can actually convince you of many things. For example in the quote I stated above, it says something that took my attention. Three things which we experience every day but had never thought about them in the way the Tao Te Ching does. This fact convinced me into looking at simple things I witness every day deeper. Asking how and why they happen. It makes you think on how complex things we think are simple can be.

Good..Evil?

As in the Analects, the Tao Te Ching says very wise things. It seems these Chinese people were very intelligent and knew a lot of things that are very interesting. As you read you think about everything they say and in my case, I agree with the most of what they say. It’s rather impressive to see how the Chinese say things which are completely relevant to everyone and not only to their culture. My image of the Chinese was that they were very close minded but after traveling then last year and reading the Tao Te Ching and the Analects I found out they are not close minded at all.

“All can know good as good only because there is evil” Two. This thing about good and evil I believe I heard about before. Ishmael, The Bible, Gilgamesh, and the Analects all talk about good and evil and the difference between the two and so many theories about them. Once again we find it in the Tao Te Ching. What they say here is true, with no evil, there would be no good. If everything was good then it wouldn’t be good, it would simply be the same.

Baneficial.

Beneficial. A word used by Confucius that made an impact on me. Beneficial: conferring benefit; advantageous; helpful. I found that beneficial is the thing that everyone looks for, that everything benefits them. That is why the world has taken this path; everyone is ambitious and looks for their benefit. This is a point which I remember from reading Ishmael. We have all become Takers and after reading Confucius I wander if he would have lives in the 21st century, would he also be a Taker or would he be one of the only Leavers.

Is it "worth pursuing"

“If wealth were something worth pursuing, then I would pursue it, even if that meant serving as an officer holding a whip at the entrance of a marketplace. Since it is not worth pursuing, however. I prefer following that which I love.” 7.12. This is one of that many things that Confucius says that made an impact on me. It explains what Confucius would do in one of the very big questions everyone gets after graduating from school. Should I study something that gets me a lot of money, or should I study what I love to do and see if I am able of succeeding through that. Confucius would go for what he loves and what he enjoys doing. I would say that through time, this thought has changed, for example in the present it is very hard to succeed sometimes, I would go for something that will make me have a good future, not taking chances.

Chinese Role Model

Confucius doesn’t get tiered of saying incredibly wise things in the Analects. He says things that make you agree completely with his thoughts and his way of seeing life. He uses words that emphasize on what he is saying and give power to his writing. He uses words like “Goodness”, “gentlemen”, and “Master”. Confucius’ writings consist in the same thing almost all the time. “The Master said” is the most used phrase in starting a new sentence. Each time after repeating this phrase, Confucius says another intelligent and interesting this which makes you think about and later probably agree with him.

I would say Confucius is a great role model for everyone. He is one of those Wiseman from the past that influence the present. Thinking on what a great role model Confucius was, I remembered the beginning of 9th grade where in PDR class we studied about role models. At that time I thought about people like Abraham Lincoln, Alexander the Great, or Mahatma Gandhi. Now when I think about a role model to society I think about Confucius, Moses, Gilgamesh, or David. As I get to know more historical characters, each time I find more role models to life and to the world.

Obamas Acceptance Speech

As Obama speaks he never reads anything which adds a lot of credibility since you get the perception that he is confident on what he is saying. He increases his tone of voice at times to emphasize more on what he is saying and giving more strength to it. Another thing that stands out is the hand gestures that go with the speech perfectly, they don’t distract the audience.

Job.. Holocaust?

The Holocaust is one of the worst massacres in the story of human kind. The Night as other books I have read talk about this horrid part of history. For example the book The Cage which also talks about a family during the Holocaust. Even when I traveled to Berlin in 2006, you can visit the concentration camps in Germany there is something that gets to your heart, you actually feel the war, and it’s a horrible feeling indeed. It gets you thinking about all the people who suffered during that war. The museums and everything in Berlin related to the war is impacting, even the soccer stadium which has Nazi architecture.

The Bible relates to this since all of the people in Europe like Africans, Asians and mainly Jewish people suffered a lot even though they did not do anything. The same as Job, Satan wanted to test Job and ended up losing everything. The difference is that God gave everything back to Job while the people affected by the Nazis in the World War II didn’t get everything back. They lost people close to them and there was no one to pay that back. They last uncountable things and in difference to Job they didn’t get those back.

Rewards

After all that Job went through in his life, the LORD God finally rewarded him. After he let Satan prove that he was capable of “avoiding evil”. Also everyone, including his wife tried to convince him on cursing God but he never did. This is how God expresses that if you are able to continue being faithful, even though you might get horrible things like Job, he will recognize it and pay it off. Job got everything beck, and even had new children and that was the prize for being faithful to God no matter what happened. God doesn’t have a direct relation with everyone, but is still thoughtful for everyone and everyone who continues to rely in him no matter what, will be acknowledged. I would say is an awesome way of convincing humans to be faithful and always trusting in God. If people know they will be acknowledged there is a better chance that humans actually continue to believe in God. If they never said this in The Bible, less humans would continue to believe in God since they would start to think that they wont get nothing for believing.

Satan??

“And Satan answered the LORD” Job 2-4. For the first time we encounter the commonly known Satan, also known as the devil. Feared, and known as the responsible for all evil. In the book of Job they relate the encounter with the LORD God and Satan. They actually encounter each other a couple of times. Something that I would really like to know would be the history of Satan. When and how did he appear? I have heard stories that say he was an angel and became evil but don’t know exactly. Is Satan the opposite of God?

As you start to read Job, you see something we are used to see in The Bible. “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright.” Job 1-1. Another one of those who were favored by God, or at least that were leaders and in a way the perfect role models that God wants us all to be. Job doesn’t have any strait conversation with God but any way God knows about him and in a way this shows us that the LORD actually does know you if you act as he wants us to, and he doesn’t only favor those who he talks to like for example Moses or Abraham

Sidekicks? Opposites?

David’s life was very full of adventures and different things. One thing about the text which really stood out to me was this on Samuel 19-9. “And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul.” The evil spirit from the LORD? In The Bible they have always described the LORD God as almighty, as wonderful, incredible who always wants the best for his sons. To hear about his evil spirit is quite shocking. Besides you might have heard about the devil may be as his opposite. Now I make the connection to Gilgamesh, is there a sidekick for the LORD? I have seen sidekicks for Moses and even for David but I would say the LORD doesn’t have a sidekick. But does he have an opposite? Or something in him that is not perfect?

David's Example

The Bible sets more examples than any other book. With many role models, they express how humans should act in their lives. Mores, Abraham, David and even Adam, they are all positive role models of how we should be. My image of these role models is humble people, who care in the people more than in themselves. They have an extremely close relation with LORD God. Since they are honest people like them and they become leaders and trustworthy people.

Here is where I find how The Bible actually has an enormous impact on modern day society. Not only with all the stories have which all Catholics known but also on the role model of society. Even the people who do not follow any religion have that role model of how they should act and that comes through The Bible. Even though not everyone follows it, everyone knows about it.

This is the example David gave us by slaying Goliath. He accomplished the unexpected by throwing a stone at him. Just as in soccer and most other sports. The small, weak team always has a chance to beat the big teams and in fact as in David and Goliath it does happen sometimes.

Thou Shalt...

In difference with the Genesis, which we read earlier, Exodus gives tons of details to the story. I recall that in the Genesis they told many different stories, but never as detailed and specified as this one. The story of Moses has a lot more to it than only the simple story we are all told when we were little. It’s not only that he told the people to get out of Egypt and go to another place and in the way he opened the sea. These are we could say the summary of everything that Moses with the help of God had to do to free his people. The main thing that I noticed in this part of the Exodus was when God said the Ten Commandments. I know that since I am Catholic there are Ten Commandments but I would not remember them. Besides I simply knew they were there and never when the appeared in the Bible or anything. In this part of the Bible they only give 6 of them. “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bare false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors’ house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbors’ wife.” Exodus chapter 20 verse 13-17. God seems to have a lot of control over the humans. Today it would seem that he lost contact with humans completely. He told us what to do and what not to do and we now got to a point where everyone forgot what he told us.

The Art of Persuation

Moses, another story most of us have heard many times through our lives. These stories from the beginning of the Bible have become part of our culture since we are little and everyone, at least the Catholics know them pretty well. Event though, it is very different to read it form the King James Bible than to hear it as a story or even in a kids book. Moses is the perfect example for the Bible. This man who God makes contact with and does everything that God tells him to, and of course everything will turn out for him.

What this writings of the Bible say is to believe in God. They describe as everyone who trusted in God and believed in him, got practically what they wanted. When the characters such as Abraham, or Moses did what God told them, they always did the right thing and God in a way he prized them. Of course people who read this will want to believe in this God Almighty since he can do everything and if you are loyal he would talk to you and make things work out for you. So I would say that if the Bible was actually trying to make people to believe in it, it makes a pretty good job.

Dr. JEHOVAH, Who Knows Everything

The Bible starts talking about Moses. The story most of us have heard throughout our lives at least one time of the child whom they were going to kill and got saved and grew up. I noticed God talks a lot to Moses and there is a lot of dialogue, at least more than in the Genesis. Also God tells you his name “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” Exodus Chapter 6, 3.

God tells Moses what to do and they express a lot of security, like God knows how everything will turn out and how he is sure about what will happen. He always talks in a way that makes you know he can control everything that will happen and that everything will work out perfectly. There is a very tight relation between Genesis and Exodus. I would say it’s one after the other, but not separate stories. In Exodus they refer to things that happened on Genesis like for example Abraham and Isaac. The main differences are that there is more dialogue and that Exodus doesn’t repeat itself as much, besides the language was easier to understand in my point of view.

Mr. Abraham

Genesis gets harder and harder to understand. The language doesn’t help and they way of writing is very antique which makes it even worse. On these chapters of the Genesis talk a lot about Abraham and his wife Sarah, also about their sons Isaac and Ishmael. Genesis seventeen through twenty four talk about Abraham and his life, but mainly his connection to LORD God. All of their conversations and the way his belief in God was so extent, he did whatever God said.

Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, now we start getting more common names, not like the ones in previous chapters that were long and complicated. Abraham became a very common name, for example Abraham Lincoln and even my 4th grade teacher Mr. Abraham. I remembered how he used to spit as he talked. That was sort of uncomfortable, especially for those on the front seats. Also Sarah is a very common name, in fact there are many in our schools. These names are all Hebrew so that is where they probably appeared.

THE Family Tree

In the Genesis form chapters ten through sixteen, explain the “family tree” and I would say it’s from here that comes the old saying that we are all brothers. What these chapters in the Genesis do is describe generation after generation showing the sons each one has. This book starts getting very hard to read, in difference from the beginning chapters. Now they give you many names. And they say these names over and over again. On then I noticed was that they had many sons per person, of course it is because they were beginning to fill the Earth with people. Today this is the opposite, as we face even laws in China stating that you can’t have more than 1 child.

At a certain point during the reading you might question yourself about is how they actually spread out into creating many different cultures and languages. At a certain point they say that “And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt.” Chapter 12, 11. Now they introduce one of the olden civilizations we know of, and that starts giving the text credibility since it’s a fact Egyptian civilization was one of the first civilizations.

Trying to master rhythym and rhyme

They laid beside each other,
But didn't know they were not alone.
They didn't even bother,
Until une day they found their clone.
They were so close but yet so far away,
Not even the love could cheer up their day.

Memories

As I read the King James Bible, I perfectly picture myself listening to my mother telling me all the stories about Adam and Eve and about Noah’s arch. Even though this Bible of course has very complex language since it was written in the 1600’s, it tells practically the same story only with more details. In the one about Adam and Eve has a lot more information about their descendants which I don’t recall to have heard in the kids stories. It tells you the “family tree” exactly and even the age on which each one died.

Another thing I read in the Genesis was that everyone had many sons with their wives. “And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice” Genesis 4, line 23. The first Pimp in history! The first one to have 2 women at a time, now, they aren’t so acceptable with that. Throughout history since Lamech, men had 2 or more women and it didn’t matter; now it’s different. Thing that I connected Genesis with is with Ishmael, because I remember Ishmael talking about Cain and Abel which now I know are Adam and Eve’s sons.

But... Why Gods Secretaries?

When I first started reading about this, I always had the question of why was the title God’s Secretaries. I had been waiting for this answer. As I read along, they talk about the sixteen hundreds and the political and religion in those times. They make reference to William Bradford, who was one of the founders of Plymouth in the “new world”. Also to things that happened in England like for example the introduction of golf and other things they say you might consider irrelevant. One of the things that make King James’ Bible so important is the words that he uses. “The king himself was obsessed with words.” Pg 182. In the first chapter we heard something very similar to this, they said that the King could translate the words from Latin to French to English very easily.

On page 184 I found something very important to the understanding of the text. The people first to write the Bible were, Gods Secretaries. The secretaries or helpers are what give a lot of the “force” to King James’ Bible. Normally, secretaries have no authority but King James takes away this law. Pg 184. Now this explains a lot better was this book of God’s Secretaries is and why it has that title which is a very big concern when you start reading.

Gods Secretaries 2

Defiantly, this writing is very complex in its reading. Right from the start we can see that it is a very old writing due to the complex and different language it uses, which we are not used to. It is much more elaborate than the modern language we are used to. At times it’s hard to understand and not very entertaining to read.

This chapter does not talk about James as much as the first one bout still refers to him. It talks a lot about England and about Catholicism. It also talks about the translators who were translating the Bible. “changes the world when the translation was being made, but also confirmed the Translators in some of their most deeply held beliefs” pg 107. The chapter is already talking about the translation of the Bible and since we skipped 5 chapters, there might explain how it started in those chapters, because it is hard to understand from this chapter.

Gods Secretaries

As you read the first chapter of Gods Secretaries, you learn about James' life and everything he was capable of doing. As I read through this chapter, I noticed some things that I could relate to other readings which we have read previously in this class. Mainly to Greek mythology. In some way I felt the writer looked at James with admire, and he wants to show how great hi is in his writing. "capable in sight of of turning any passage from the Bible from Latin to Fench and then from Frengh to English." Pg 7. Of course, the author exageretes a little on James' abilities. It is completely different from Greek mythology in which every thing was very exagerated with gods and monsters but it still says a lot of things. Also we can find part of a typical english story, Robin Hood. "James appeared one day as Robin Hood" Pg 15

Another writing that Gods Secretaries remainded me of was Gilgamesh. It is not so easy but in some way you can find the same companion relationship either with Elizabeth or with Robert Carey.

Overall Greek Myths

After being able to read quite an amount of myths, you can always find many similarities and of course, differences. You can identify the different themes the myths talk about, and relate the characters form one myth to another. It is very fun how you can relate the gods with mortals and vice versa. There are myths about heroes, wars, love, gods and mortals. The myths always talk about the gods to make their stories more extraordinary. I would say the myths probably did happen, but at a much smaller scale. They simply talk about monsters and gods to make the story more wonderful, and at the end this is what has made Greek myths prevail throughout history.

If the Greek writers would say the exact story, people wouldn’t have paid much attention. By seeing gods and different supernatural things, people get into the writings and this is why there are many Greek myths which since we are little, we hear about them and feel related to them very much. A great example of this would be Cupid, who is modernly the symbol of falling in love. Also all of the Greek monsters they talk of are very well known since they are marvelous creatures. The Pegasus, the sphinx or the Cyclops are all creatures we all know of.

CLICHES

Cliche Titles:
Something About Mary
The Chronicles Of Narnia
The Cronicles Of Spidewhick
Heaven Can Wait
The Way We Were

Cliche Plots

Pretty Woman: A millionare hires a prostitute and falls in love with her. Buys her elegant clothes and shows her as his girlfriend.

Love Actually: The couple ends up getting married after many inconvenients.

Spiderman: After all the troubles he faces, always ends up winning no matter what happens.

50 First Dates: You know that at the end they will find a way of being together eventhough she will always forget the day before.

Dodgeball: The improvised team beats the other team that has all the star players. You always know they will win even though they add thrill before they win.

Spelling Excercises

1. Where is my jacket? I wanted to wear it today, and if I can't find it, we're going to be late.

2. Jane wanted to go on the school trip, but her mother said that two hundred dollars was too much for the family budget.

3. As she waited for Rodney to become conscious , Selma was seized with an attack of conscience -- was there anything she could have done to prevent the accident?

4. The map lead the intrepid treasure hunters to a led box of precious stones.

5. Have you seen their coats? They're going to need them; it's cold outside. I last saw the coats over there .

6. After conducting careful research, Shufang had a brilliant idea; she'd write a paper on Thomas More's concept of the ideal society in Utopia.

7. Even though Bob would rather play video games than study, he decided to hit the books and then play some Halo.

8. Its easy to admire a business that puts so much effort into creating it's signs and window displays.

9. You're fortunate to have survived the car crash without a scratch; it must have been because you were wearing your seat belt.

10. I would advise you to seek qualified legal advice about how to handle this situation.

Friendship Preocupation

In contrast with other myths, we encounter caring of a god for a mortal, but in a different way. It’s not the same as other myths. This is not a lover relationship between the god and the mortal, but a more friendship relation. It might also be father-son relation between Apollo and Hyacinthus. In the way they are playing, and later the preoccupation Apollo falls in for what happened to Hyacinthus. “APOLLO was passionately fond of a youth named Hyacinthus. He accompanied him in his sports, carried the nets when he went fishing, led the dogs when he went to hunt, followed him in his excursions in the mountains, and neglected for him his lyre and his arrows.” We can see all the things Apollo did for him, like a father would do for his son. Apollo did care a lot for him.

As in other Greek myths, there is always an obstacle for the characters. “when the quoit bounded from the earth and struck him in the forehead. He fainted and fell.” Apollo was hurt by this. Even though it was not a love relation like Psyche and Cupid, it still affected Apollo and this is the similarity between the myths. The god is with the mortal, they encounter an obstacle and then they overcome it.

Contract

I, Daniel Agudelo, hereby understand and will abide by the Pre-AP/AP (Print your name)Academy’s expectations, obligations, and admission/drop policy outlined below with respect to my admission status and standing in the Pre-AP/AP Course,
Pre-AP English.(Print the name of the Pre-AP/AP Course)Pre-AP/AP Academy Expectations;• Maintain Acceptable GPA,• Motivated and Positive,• Responsible and Dedicated Work Ethic,• Attend Opportunity Day and/or Additional Review Classes, • Complete AP College Board Exam,• Sign Pre-AP/AP Student Contract. Pre-AP/AP Academy Admission/Drop Policy;• First Progress Report with Teacher’s Signed Approval…receive no course credit,• End of First Semester with Teacher’s Signed Approval…receive only partial course credit for grade of 6.0+. No partial credit will be awarded for any grade below 6.0,• Students who Drop Pre-AP/AP Courses or who Do Not take the College Board AP Exam will have the Pre-AP/AP Designation for that course removed from their transcript and they will not receive any grade or GPA enhancement awarded for taking that Pre-AP/AP course.Please note that at any time during the school year if the teacher deems that you are not meeting the expectations above for any or all reasons, then that teacher will require that you sign an additional academic probation contract. Your admission status and/or removal from the above identified Pre-AP Course will then be re-assessed based on your abiding by the academic probation contract signed and agreed to by you and the respective Pre-AP/AP Teacher.Student Signature of Agreement, Daniel Agudelo Date: September-23-2008

Inconditional Love

Another of the mayor themes we find in Greek mythology is love. As far as I have read, there are two types of myths that get repeated many times. First are the myths were they talk about a hero, and what the hero did throughout his life. The second myth that I find many times is the one that talks about love, and about how the people and even the gods did many things for love. Many times the love was caused by Cupid and his arrows. They also show how even the gods fell in love with mortals and vice versa. These myths always talk about how the mortals and gods do many things in order to be together.

In the myth of Cupid and Psyche, they show how they fall in live, which is very similar to the one on Venus and Adonis. “VENUS, playing one day with her boy Cupid, wounded her bosom with one of his arrows. She pushed him away, but the wound was deeper than she thought. Before it healed she beheld Adonis, and was captivated with him.” The Cupid arrow, which we still talk about a lot modernly, it’s a story everyone knows since they are little. And this myth talks in how Venus the goddess falls in love and doesn’t even go to heaven for being with Adonis. The same as the in conditional love that Cupid has for Psyche, his mother Venus has for Adonis, and it’s something we still relate to modernly since it happens to us a lot.

More Hero Adventures

I have now read about Perseus, Ulysses, Hercules, and now I read about “The adventures of Æneas.” This is the first hero which I had not heard of before. “On that fatal night when the wooden horse disgorged its contents of armed men, and the capture and conflagration of the city were the result, Æneas made his escape from the scene of destruction, with his father, and his wife, and young son.” Again they show you the main hero attributes. Perseverance, hard work, and of course the need for their family and the same as Ulysses, all they do to be able to live with them. Then this myth also gets compared to the one of Hercules as Æneas starts looking for a new plane to live, and the positive and negative effects.

The need for a home gets over Æneas. When you don’t have a place to sleep, people do anything. It’s the basis of being able to live with dignity. Æneas shows you this. He started looking for places to star building a new city, a new home. “and were preparing to build a city”. They tried this in many places, until they found the perfect place, in Carthage. They show how even modernly home and family become the main priority.

Editing Rubric "Mr. Rubric"

FLUENCY: 1. The writing is hard to understand, has unclear ideas, and fragmented sentences. 2. The writer gives unclear ideas, is not near and there is confusion in the writing. 3. The writer makes it easy to read, uses good ideas and the reading is very fluent.

WORD USAGE/GRAMMAR: 1. The writer has 5 grammar mistakes, spelling, punctuation, and sentence length. 2. The writing has no spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes. 3. The writer masters punctuation, uses complex words, and varies sentence length.

ANSWERS THE QUESTions: 1. The writing doesn't talk about a hero, and doesn't answer our QUESTions. 2. Talkes about a hero, the QUESTions are not completely answered. 3.The writer follows all of the guidelines, the heroe's values answer the QUESTions.

CRATIVITY: 1.The writer uses a blunt title, isn't relative to the content, and doesn't attract the reader. 2. The writer uses apropriate title, and includes an appropriate hook. 3. The writer has appropriate and creative title and hook.

The Cupid of Love

Cupid and Psyche represent in their myth the typical love story cliché. The same as the modern Hollywood movies or the classical books we read about. It even has similarities with Romeo and Juliet or any movie, example 50 First Dates. It’s the story everyone knows and many, many people feel related to because it is very likely to happen to you in your life. The impossible love. That love that people feel the need of but somehow, by any reason the people can’t be together. It may be even if one of them is a god or simply the two persons live in different places.

This stories we all know and always know the end. Even though dozens of obstacles fall in the way, the two persons end up together. Maybe like in this myth or for example in Romeo and Juliet or even in all of the cliché love stories that appear in Hollywood. Any way it’s a typical story and like many others we still remember them even though their origin is Greek mythology. And like most of the myths, we have used them to create new stories.

Greek Adventures

Hercules is a story most of us know. Maybe due to the animated movie made by Disney or it might also be because you actually read the real myth. As I have noticed form many Greek myths, they many times talk about the life of a hero and use exaggerations for it to look impressive. It is all the same with the Perseus myths, Hercules or even with the Odyssey. They describe all of the accomplishments and adventures of the heroes and add those divine interventions from the gods and encounters with different kinds of beasts and monsters. I would say that they used these to make their adventures more wonderful and outstanding. It’s more spectacular to say the hero killed a two headed beast than that he killed a simple animal.

They would not be considered the same as they are without all of the exaggerations, everything they said about them being sons of gods. If they tell you a story about a simple man who traveled a lot and was maybe a hunter, or was very strong you get bored. What the Greeks did in all of their myths, to add more emotion and interest, they made the animals huge monsters and the travels as going all the way around the world doing marvelous things, and being sons of gods. This is the reason why their myths are very popular and now many years later we still know about them and everyone learns them as part of their education.

Perseus and his Journey

Part 11 ok Bulfinch's mythology talks about perseus and all of his journeys and everything that he did. This included what happened with Atlas, Medusa and Andromeda, which are all very well known mythological characters. On these stories, they show about what Perseus did. This is kind of what happens to Ulises in Homer's Odessy. In Greek myths they talk about heroes and their accomplishments. Also they talk a lot about the gods and what they did to stop or to favor these heroes. This is exactly what they do in these stories. They talk about Perseus and the was he gets in toush with supernatural creatures and with the gods.

The language can get somewhat confusing. Right at the beginning, you know it is an older writing. This is because of the complex language. Sometimes it seems like it doesn't make sence and you have to re-read to get the content. The way the narrator expresses himself is very different to how a modern day story would be written. You can also take in account that these writings were probably written in Greek and later passed to english and other languages. This might also change the writing itself and the words it uses.

Bulfinsh's Mythology

Part 12 of hos mythology talks about the monsters and giants. All of the myths about super natural animals. "MONSTERS, in the language of mythology, were beings of unnatural proportions or parts, usually regarded with terror, as possessing immense strength and ferocity" This appears on the first part. It pretty much tells you the main thing about these supernatural animals, or beasts. These were a big part of Greek mythology, of course after the gods themselves. Many of these beasts are very well known in modern society even though we hace clear that such marvellous beasts do not exist. Another thing about these is that they are secribed as wonderful and they say they are huge and strong. They are mainly mixture between humans and animals, or between two animals.

The first one they talk about is the Sphinx. "It had the body of a lion and the upper part of a woman" Here we see how they combine the body of an animal with a human to make it more wonderful. The next onees are the centarurs which are very well known in modern day culture. These are the men with the body of a horse. Next they talkes about the Pygmies, which are the least known of all. "THE PYGMIES were a nation of dwarfs" These were not like the others, that thay describe as wonderful. These are simple dwarfs like in stories. Finally came the Griffin. This one is also well known although not as much as the centaur. "THE GRIFFIN is a monster with the body of a lion, the head and wings of an eagle, and back covered with feathers" This is exaclty again a mixture of two mammals to compliment one another to improve its look and majestuosity.

Gilgamesh Tablet XII

Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Neither World. This is the only tablet with a name and the only tablet thet is very different from the rest. I would say that this is a different poem about Gilgamesh and Enkidu. It has nothing to do with the rest of the epic. This tablet tells you a story about the Neither World. This is apparently the world of the dead. Gilgamesh looses his drum and his drumstick and Enkidu, being loyal as they describe him in the rest of the epic decides to go for it. They give him advice on what to do but he did completely the opposite that he was told. this is why the queen Ereshkigal of the Neither World and the cry of the dead kept him there. Here we find a coincidence with the rest of the epic. Again Enkidu is separated from Gilgamesh and again Gilgamesh feels incomplete without him. Gilgamesh goes to many of the gods to ask the for Enkidu. Finaly, the god, Ea, talked to Ereshkingal the queen and she lets Enkidu out. The next thing that happens is Gilgamesh and Enkidu get together again. Gilgamesh asks him many things about the Neither World.

For me the end of Gilgamesh was more on Tablet II. This tablet was more a different poem, but still reflected the same thing as the rest of it. Gilgamesh was not complete without Enkidu. On the first part, when Enkidu died, Gilgamesh suffered a lot. On this part, Gilgamesh did many things so that Enkidu could come back. One thing about the ending of this is I think it is incomplete. The tablets of this epic, were written in cuneiform and I would think that maybe there was some part of it lost because I think there has to be something more about the story of Gilgamesh. Even though, I still think that it is great having so old writings that help us a lot in understaning the past and of how people were, how much they idolized their leaders, like Gilgamesh saying that he was two thirds god and he was the strongest of all.

Gilgamesh Tablets X, XI

On tablet X, Gilgamesh starts various journeys. He first gets to the sea where he is todl that if he seeked Urshanabi, He must sail to a distant island. After he gets ther and destroys the Stone Things which makes everything harder. He has to cut down 120 trees to use in the deadly waters. After he gets these, he and Urshanabi sailed to the shore where the old man was waiting. This old man was astonished that someone had made it that far besides Urshanabi.

On the next tablet, which is the longest so far, Gilgamesh finally gets to what he is looking for, Utnepishitim. The old man in the shore was him who knew hoy to avoid the death. He tells Gilgamesh a story. This story I thought I had already heardd, and it is the same as the story in the Bible about Noah and his boat. In both cases, Utnepishitim and Noah were told by a God to build a boat and to put in it every living species for there wold be a flood. In both stories after the flood, they let free the birds. The the story of Utnepishitim change, the gods find out ther are humans who escaped the flood and get mad. This is how he avoided death. Gilgamesh says he wants to avoid death by puting himself th test of not sleeping for a week, which he does not accomplish. At the end they tell Gilgamesh there is a plant that grows at the bottom of the sea that makes you younger. Gilgamesh gets this plant but looses it to a serpent. Gilgamesh after this returns to Uruk empty handed.

Of course I was impactd with the similarities of this story and the story in the Bible. If thee are two different persons that say the exact same story, it means it might be true. This I think is very curious and i want to compare the two stories more closely. In these tablets we see that Gilgamesh has become less Enkidu-dependant, he doesn't mention him so much even though he still mourns for him.

Excersise 3

My brother was always my best friend when I was a child, especially as we two were almost alone in the world. We lived with our old grandmother in a little house, almost a shack, in the country. Whenever I think of him now I see a solemn, responsible boy, a boy too old for his years who looked out for me no matter what. Once there was a bully, John Anson, who looked enormous to me though he was probably an average twelve-year-old. John had it in for me because he liked Littice Grant who liked me. He decided to beat me up right before her eyes. I was lucky my brother came by, he didn't interfere any. He just stood there, somehow, though his presence gave me confidence I licked the stuffing out of John Anson. If my brother hadn't been there I don't think I could have done it.

Gilgamesh Tablets VIII, IX

On these tablets, Gilgamesh in some way feels empty without his companion, Enkidu. He moarns and weeps for him. He says that everyone in the kingdom may moarn for him. "May the young men of the city who fought the bull, may they mourn for Enkidu who protected them." Pg 46. He says many things similar to this and says that everyone may mourn for Enkidu. The next thing that Gilgamesh does is that he orders to get a statue of Enkidu made. "And commanded that there be made a statue of him." Pg 47.

The next thing that happens is that Gilgamesh thinks that since Enkidu died, he must die too. He decides he will search for Utnapishitin. "The only one of men by means of whom he might find out how death could be avoided." Pg 48. During this tablet they say many times t Gilgamesh is afraid and companionless. And entered the darkness alone, without a companion." Pg 51. Gilgamesh goes into a path of 12 leagues in the search for this man. the text is very repetitive and says the same thing over and over again. "He struggled to breathe, trying to breathe the darkness." Pg 52. At the end of the tablet, Gilgamesh comes to the endo of the darkness path and gets to the sea.

What I most noticed about these tablets is that they describe Gilgamesh different than before. He is now less egocentric and less confident. Many times during the text, they say he is afraid, which we had never seen him lie this before. It seems that with the death of Enkidu he is no longer complete. They state many times that he is now without a companion so now he is not perfect as he used to be. Enkidu completed him.

My Hero First Draft

Some time ago in Problematic City, lived a hero. I know you might already be thinking about Superman or Batman, but this was a different hero. One with powers of his own. Not with the typical super powers like super strength and flying. He didn’t even have a sidekick. Problematic City had many problems, but this hero dealt with them in his own way. Some may say his way was better than Super Man or Batman and some would say it wasn’t.
He was the hero everyone could get in touch with. The one that everyone seeked for advice. His power was one every human has but most of the time they don’t know how to use it. This is why he was superior. His intelligence was incredible. This was to the point where he could foresee things and events. This of course was perfect for the city. He prevented everything from failure in the economy, making wrong decisions, to simple common robberies. Practically he made the city a perfect place.
Making everything perfect was his flaw. All super heroes have huge flaws, like for example Super Man is weak towards kryptonite. This hero that made the city perfect started losing his mind. His intelligence was so incredibly huge that he felt he didn’t work for anything. With time he started not saying what the people in the city had to do and everything started going down. His thoughts started to get him mixed up in his head and simply couldn’t handle it. Robberies started getting very usual, the economy of the city went down due to wrong decisions, and the worst of all, and everyone started hating him. Him, who once made their lives perfect, was now hated by everyone. The city was practically in chaos. After seeing what he had done he got to the point of suicidal.
The hero who knew everything got defeated. Not by The Joker or by common robberies. He got defeated by something much bigger. Himself. This is the greatest enemy every human has. They are always in conflict with decisions and with what to do. Even the most intelligent and privileged of all have huge conflicts and many times lead to self destruction. Intelligence is the way to success but only if you know how to use it. If you do, you can accomplish many things for humanity.

My Values

My top values are:

1. Honesty
2. Responsibility
3. Respect
4. Equality
5. Friendly
6. Confidence
7. Intelligence
8. Trustwothy
9. Caring
10. Dedication
11. Passionate
12. Leader
13. Generous
14. Wise

Classwork Commas

Excercise #1

1. He left the scene of the accident and tried to forget that it had happened.,and tried to forget that it had happened.
2. Oil which is lighter than water,which is lighter than water,rises to the surface.
3.Madame de Stael was an attractive gracious lady.attractive, gracious lady.
4. Nice is a word with many meanings and some of them are contradictory.,and some of them are contradictory.
5. The contractor testified that the house was completed and that the work had been done properly.,and that the work had been done properly.
6. Some people refuse to go to the zoo because of pity for creatures that must live in small cages.,because of pity for creatures that must live in small cages.
7. Taxicabs that are dirty,that are dirty,are illegal in some cities.
8. The closet contained worn clothes old shoes and dirty hats.worn clothes, old shoes, and dirty hats.
9. The uninvited guest wore a dark blue tweed suit.dark, blue, tweed suit.
10. After surviving this ordealAfter surviving this ordeal,the trapper felt relieved.
11. Mark Twain's early novels I believe,I believe,stand the test of time.
12. December 7 1941December 7, 1941,will never be forgotten.
13. The field was safe enough wasn't it?,wasn't it?
14. Write the editor of the Atlantic at 8 Arlington Street, Boston Massachusetts 02116.8 Arlington Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116.
15. He replied,"I have no idea what you mean."
16. After a good washing and grooming,the pup looked like a new dog.
17. Because of their opposition to institutions that force creatures to live in captivity,some people refuse to go to the zoo.
18. Vests which were once popular,which were once popular,have been out of vogue for several years.
19. As a celestial goddessAs a celestial goddess, she regulated the course of the heavenly bodies and controlled the alternating seasons.,and controlled the alternating seasons.
20. I hope that someday he will learn how to be polite.

Excersise # 2

1. There was no question that John's painting a huge, colorful, and ugly mural, was the worst entry in the art exhibit.
2. Werner von Braun, Willy Ley, and Edward Teller, noted authorities in the field of rocket development, have done much to guide the missile program of the United States.
3. Mr. Cready's ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time is, I believe, amazing.
4. Running around the house, the dog was abruptly stopped by a fence.
5. If the opposition should winIf the opposition should win,If, the opposition should win, our candidate would never have any political future.
6. Gracefully, lightly, and daintily, the ballerina moved across the stage.
7. Glamour the woman's fashion magazinethe woman's fashion magazine,, the woman's fashion magazine, recently incorporated with Charm another fashion journal., another fashion journal.,another, fashion journal.
8. Joe was born on May 7 1955May 7, 1955May 7, 1955, and his best friend was born exactly two months later on July 7 1955.on July 7, 1955., on July 7, 1955.
9. Mr. and Mrs. Kwon , my parents' best friends, sat in front of us at the football game.
10. November 11 1918November 11, 1918November 11, 1918, the armistice ending World War I was signed.

Gilgamesh Tablets VI, VII

At the beginning of the tablet, Gilgamesh comes back from the journey and starts to wash himself. The goddess Ishtar saw Gilgamesh and fell completely in love with him. "By my lover, be my husband." Pg 29. Even thiugh she was a goddess she fell in love with him. "I have hithing to give to her that lacks nothing at all." Pg 30. Gilgamesh's response to the goddess is that he has nothing to give to her so they couldn't be lovers. Of course, Ishtar was furious with that response. She used the same argument to complain to her parents: "He has found out and told aboout your foolness." Pg 32. Due to what Gilgamesh had told her, she asked her father for the Bull of Heaven so se could punish Gilgamesh for doing that. When the bull came, Enkidu and Gilgamesh fought the bull together. "Two people, companions, they can prevail together." Pg 34. This is what they saw when they are fighting to believe they can do it. They finally killed the bull between the two of them.

On the next tablet, the gods get together and decide that Enkidu must die. This was because they had killed the Bull of Heaven and Huwawa so one of the two had to die. The gods Enlil and Shamash argumented nd decided Enkidu had to die. Enkidu started feeling worse and by the end of the tablet he dies. This of course is a main part since Enkidu was Gilgamesh's companion and the one who evened him out. He acted like his siekick who helped him make the correct choices. I related them to Batman and Robin of course Batman being Gilgamesha and Robin being Enkidu. Batman always outshined Robin but Robin was important for Batman. This was the same as Enkidu for Gilgamesh, they actually got very close to each other.

Gilgamesh Tablets IV, V

Gilgamesh and Enkidu started their journey. As it says in the text, they walked fifty leagues per day. They rested very little during the day endo only rested outside. On this tablet they describe a lot about Gilgamesh's dreams. Every night at midnight Gilgamesh woke un and asked Enkidu the same thing. "Did you call out to me, just now, in the night? Why did I waken? Was it you that touched me?" Pg 22. On the first dream he told Enkidu that he dreamed of a mountain that fell over them and they were little fliescompared to them. On the next he told him that he dreamed of a bull who thrashed over his body. Next, he told Enkidu he has dreamed of everything shaking and then he had seen total darkness. Every time he todl Enkidu about his dreams, Enkidu replied with the same response, "The dream you dreamed tonight was fortunate."

After, they got to the forest and they were very afraid as they encountered the demon Huwawa. Gilgamesh preyed to the god Shamash who rised thirteen storms towards Huwawa. Finally Huwawa surrendered and asked for Gilgamesh to let him cut the trees and help him. Enkidu convinced Gilgamesh that the gods wanted for hin to kill the demon and so they did. Again asi in the last tablet I easily comper this to modern day movies like The Lord of the Rings. I think of Gilgamesh as a hero who everyone liked and of Enkidu as his sidekick who advices him constantly into doing what is correct and what he has to do.

Gilgamesh Tablets I, II, III

On the first tablet of the Gilgamesh, as I read I couldn't avoid thinking about movies for example, The Lord Of The Rings. The dialogue, the names and the way they say things reminds me a lot of those kinds of movies. Gilgamesh, is a king which everyone in the kingdom admires and asks him for his advice on what to do. This is the same as a typical ancient kingdom story you might see in movies. They also describe Gilgamesh as being twice the saze of an ordinary man. They compare Gilgamesh, their king to being two thirds god and one third man.

On tablets II and III, Enkidu goes to Uruk which is the kingdom and fights Gilgamesh. "You are the strongest of all, the perfect, the terror." Pg 15. Even the strongest men admired him and he is describbed as being the best of all. The rest of this tablet says more things about the kong Gilgamesh and also describes how he ruled and things he said. They describe him as full of courage. Gilgamesh and Enkidu are going on a journey together to the forest and here is where the tablet ends.

Chapter 13

The book had to end some way. The author decided that would be the best, and I certainly agree with him. Ishmael died and that is how the book comes to an end. "Are you telling me that he's... dead?" "Dead is what he is, pardner." Pg 261. Ishmael had already passed all of his knowlege and it couldnt go on forever so I think that was the best way to end this. He died of pneumonia as they explain in the book. The man takes all of Ishmaels things with him, and also takes with hima all of his knowlege. At the begining he says all of his 4 apprentices were failures but this time, the narrator is not a failure. He is really interested in actually trying to use all of his knowlege into doing something to save help the world. In page 248 he asks Ishmael. "What do I do if I earnestly desire to save the world?" Here he shows the student really did get very involved and he is not just another failure.

For me this book was very informative. In a way, I thought of things that I agreed with totally which I had never thought of before. Many of Ishmaels main questions taught me many things that helped me understand why the world is the way it is. The author's terms like for example Leavers, and Takers teach you the difference between our ancestors and us. Also The term Mother Culture explains us the differense of how things used to be to how things actually are. I really think Daniel Quinn was interested in helping humanity and by writing this book, he is getting all of his thoughts through to other people and I think that was his goal in writing this book.

Chapter Twelve

As the book comes to an end, so do all of Ishmaels teachings and stories. Now is when everything falls together and all of the questions are answered. All of the questions they have stated for example, "How did man become man?" Pg 237 are being answered. Other important questions are "What do I do if I earnestly desire to save the world?" Pg 248. There are many things in this chapter which I consider of great value. At the end Ishmael tells the man their lessons are over, but before this he tells him many things.

"Man became man by living in the hands of the gods." Pg 237. What they also say that by living in the hands of the gods, man evolved and cam to be this way. After man became man and the Takers started taking over the world, they have put an end to creation. If they go on like this there will be no sucessor to life on this planet. There are many points of view to this. Personally I think that going by the book, it is almost impossible for man to go back to the Leaver life and due to this, evolution has probably come to an end. Another interesting part of this chapter is "The premise of the Taker story is the world belongs to man." then they say, "The premise of the Leaver story is man belongs to the world." Pg 239. Which of these is correct? The Takers think that they can do whatever they feel like. This has each time made the world worse. If we would have continued to the Leaver premise, in the other hand, we wouldnt have what we have now, but the world wouldnt be coming to an end. Both of these things are reason of debate. I actually think that it would have been imposible to keep man from wanting more than what they had so the Leavers would have to get extinct eventually.

Chapter 11

As I read through the book, and get to pages 213 and 214 the book states a very interesting statement which I understood as a question. "That's what makes the story worth knowing?" Pg 213. Ishmael has told many stories throughout the book but I had never wondered what made his stories worth knowing. Stories might explain to you something that happened in the past, or something that is supposed to happen in the future. There are also many types of subjects for stories, and many ways to interpret. The story might be worh knowing and also might not be, depending on how yo take it. So, are all of Ishmaels stories worth knowing? I certainly do think so, they have a point of view and I think it is good to know different points of view on many subjects.

In this chapter Ishmael and the man discuss human life before and after the agricultural revolution, and compare the hunter-gatherer life, or Leavers to the other life or the Taker. First in page 220, the man says something very important about hunter life. "Because it's a struggle just to stay alive." Leaver life is really a struggle and in many ways different to Taker life. Then to keep explaining this point, they say on page 225: "If the drought is very bad, then we too dwindle." Here the conversation betwen the two characters leads you to something that for me was very important in the book. If you are a hunter, you depend on an enormous series of things to keep you alive. It can be the climate, the amount of animals available for you to hunt or as they state in the book a simple drought can kill you. After humans started the agricultural revolution, they were not dependant on what happened. "When you have more food than what you need, the gods have no power over you!" That was the difference between the Leavers and the Takers. "The Takers are those who know good and evil, and the Leavers are . . . ?" "The Leavers are those who live in the hands of the gods." Now all of this Leaver, Taker theory comes togethes and was helps you understand about the people who loved before and humanity as we know it today.

The humans have been able to find a way to only depend on theirselves and that is what have made humanity prosper so much. It is probably one of the biggest answers to how things came to be this way.

Ishmael: Chapter 10

For first time in the book, the author changes the setting and the way the novel is going. Until now we have been in the same room, the same 2 characters and the same argument, Ishmael teaches all of his meaningful thoughts to the man. The chapter starts off by telling you that a relative of the man arrived at town. This of course keeps the man from visiting Ishmael for a couple of days. After this, the man finds himself having to do some work and is kept away from Ishmael for another 2 days. After all of this, when the man finally gets back to Ishmael he is no longer there. The man dedicates himself to look for Ishmael. After looking very hard for him, he finally found him on the Darryl Hicks Carnival. "Ishmael was in a dim corner as far from the entrance as it was possible to be". Pg 195. After some time they decide to continue their lessons from there. "There is no need for you to become failure number five. We can go on as before." Pg 195.

After all of Ishmael's valuabe lessons, the man starts to really think about things differently. He starts to feel the need of continuing the lessons. In some way he gets to a point where he looks for Ishmael so hard he seems desperate to finish the lessons. After Ishmael continues to teach, he tells the man something that really got me thinking. "Yes. And what we teach our children is how to make things. How to make more things and better things." "Why dont we teach them what works well for people?" "I'd say it's because we don't know what works well for people." Pg 203. This is something I agreed with on the moment I read it, even though I would have never thought about it. Ishmael has really taught me some very valuable things throughout the book.

Ishmael

Daniel Quinn's book, Ishmael is a book like no other I have read. The author is actually trying to tell you something important and does this in a very special way. He starts the book with a quote that already grabs you attention, "TEACHER seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person." Pg 4. This is how the author gets to you and starts telling you his thoughts. I think that he wrote this book to say what he thinks about humanity in the past, present and future. Here is when he introduces Ishmael, the gorilla.

In my point of view Ishmael is the author and it's the way he approeaches the reader. This gorilla is very wise and knows things about humans that are certainly true and that explain why man kind is the way it is. The book has 2 characters, Ishmael and the narrator of the story, which is Ishmael's student. During the book they show all of their classes and their dialouge. In this way Ishmael isn't only teaching the man in the book, he teaches the reader everything. Ishmael says things about humans that really get you to think and ask yourself the question of "how things came to be this way?" Under my point of view, the fact of Ishmael being a gorilla mekes it easier for you to understand he is teaching you something about humans. Being half way into the book, this is what I have seen and hope to finish reading it soon.

Homework QUESTions 1

A. What is the difference between a blog and a book?

A blog and a book have grate differences. There are both physical and content differences between the two. The physical differences are that a blog is online, and evreything that happens to a blog is through the internet. A book is simply a stack of paper which you read and get what the author is telling you. You cant reply to it in any way. In a blog you can comment on the entries other people post and ask questions and react to what they say. In reading a blog you follow many links and move from blogs to videos etc. That is very different than in reaing a book which is very strait forward.

B. How have blogs changes recently?

Recently, the blogs have become much more popular since their appearance in 1999. In the last months of 2007 there were about 100 million blogs. Of course there blogs in maany languages since it has become so popular. With technology you can see blogs very easily and fast. You can also see videos and photos.

C. Why might you read a blog

You might want to read a blog to see the opinion of other people abour the news, or political issues. Also you can discuss with people about you interests and get people that can answer any questions you might have.

D. Is there reason to doubt the objectivity of a blog? Why? Why not?

There is a reason to doubt such objectivity. Since anyone can go into a blog, they can say whatever they feel so that means they are not being objective at all. Objectivity is something very hard to get when you are writing in a blog since you bay be commenting on something and that is based completely in what you think.

E. If you kept your own blog, what would you title it?

On my own blog I might probably give out sports news and give anyone the chance to comment about what they think. The title of my blog might be The Sports Center.