Best of Today: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

The movies plot revolves around Rosencrantz and Guildenstern going to England, to deliver the note that Claudius has written, saying that Hamlet has gone insane and he should be killed. Their voyage there is filled with attempts of comedy but end up being annoying and seem pointless. For example, the coin flipping scene in the beginning of the film was ridiculous. The director was attempting to be funny by being as crazy as possible. The one good aspect I found with the film was the different perspective of Hamlet. And you get to learn more about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and the crazy games they play. Overall I would say that the film was not a good idea. I am sure loyal Shakespeare readers would be annoyed witht his movie, even if it is just for fun.

Best of Today: Early Homo Sapiens

While reading the Arts and Their Interpretation, I found the observations of Homo sapiens really interesting. It is amazing that some of the first works of art were cave paintings. I believe that it shows that while humans evolve, our intellect helps us to be more creative. This gave the earlier humans to create cave paintings. I found it interesting that the Homo sapiens drew a lot of animals. This makes sense though, because they were drawing about things that they knew and were important. I also found it interesting how detailed they drew the pictures. They made dsitinctions between male and female and even drew mammoths that were pregnant. The paintings were drawn to help the future generations learn how to hunt. They repeated the paintings as techniques improved. I believe the early humans wanted to preserve their rituals and traditions, which transformed into great art.

Best of Today: Wilson's Beliefs

While reading The Arts and Their Interpretation, I found that an important message being presented was that the interpretation of art can be considered a science. Wilson claims that both science and art need each other to coexist. He believes that many scientific discoveries can be considered great works of art. The process is similar, trial and error, persistency, and working off of other people's previous works. Wilson's website really interested me, it was fun thinking of the most exotic animals we could and looking them up on his search engine. Wilson's TED video was also really interesting. It was amazing to see all of the different bacteria there is on the planet. And to learn that most bacteria is actually good for you was a suprise. I also liked Mr. Allen's idea that when we read book swe enter other people's minds. I can share Wilson's great mind by just reading some of his published works. I find this amazing.

Best of the Week: Art with wire, thread, sugar, chocolate

This TED presentation was definitely the highlight of my week in humanities. The pieces of art that we saw were both unique and amazing. The pieces of thread he used to make some of his portraits were incredible. It looks like someone drew the artwork but it is actually yards and yards of thread. The creativity to be able to apply thread with art is amazing. I like the TED presenters outlook on art also. He encourages using an array of methods to create artwork, telling people to ignore criticism from others. He is proof that if someone has talent, it doesn't matter what form they chose to express their creativity. I believe that his most out of the box idea is his use of planes to make drawings in the sky. I believe that the presenter embraces a lot of aspects of humanities, and he definitely challenges the status quo with his innovative ideas. He is a good model to replicate because he goes into foreign territories and succeeds in impressing and producing great works of art.

Metacognition: Do You Mind

When I answer the Do you mind questions, I usually have to take some time to think about the question. I sometimes have to figure out my personality and answer accordingly. For example, A talent you wish you had, was one of the questions. I figured that I am a person who enjoys music and thought that if I could play some of the songs I listened to I would enjoy it even more. I believed that I would have a better understanding of the song if I actually knew how to play it. What suprised me about my thinking process is how I have to visualize myself in different situations to figure out what I would enjoy or want. This part of my process enables me to get a better understanding of myself. The Do you mind questions require us to think about where we see ourselves in the future and what we are going to be doing. These types of questions again require me to visualize where I will be in the future. I enjoy this aspect of my thinking because I can produce a vivid image and answer the questions in detail. Other questions that require us to dig into our past and pick out a rememorable moment is harder for me. I cannot always figure out what specific things in my past I find the most important. I dislike this part of my thinking because I am unable to make up my mind. The Do You Mind questions require a lot of deep thinking.

Connection: Hamlet and The Lion King

While reading Hamlet, I could not help but think of the movie The Lion King. There are actually a lot of similarities between the two stories. For instance, in both stories, the main characters' fathers are killed by their uncles. Each uncle is trying to improve their position and become king. Also Simba and Hamlet both want to avenge their fathers’ death and want to take their rightful place on the throne. The stories have a similar premise too both with villainous uncles. Simba and Hamlet are also similar in their visions of their fathers, both talking to the dead. Another Similarity between the two stories are Simba’s and Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz Guildenstern and are similar to Timon and Pumba. It is really amazing how many similarities these seeming unrelated stories have.

360 Degrees: Should We be afraid of Swine Flu?

The most prevalent epidemic that is occuring at the time is the break out of the swine flu. Spawning from a pig farm in Mexico, it has caused national concern with repeated reports of the disease. With an epidemic, comes a lot of speculation on how serious the outbreak is. Many believe that the swine flu will cause deaths in the United States, similar to the 150 people who were killed by the infectious disease. The president, Barack Obama, has asked congress for 1.5 billion dollars to help combat the disease. Reports have stated that the flu is spreading throughout the United States. U.S. officials however say that there is no need to panic over the flu outbreaks, since they are quite common each year. Those who are less alarmed about the outbreak point to new advances in a vaccine in early may. Swine flu is an enigma, I do not know whether to be overly cautious or go on as I usually do.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu

Carry It Forward:Hamlet

A common idea that reoccurs in our class discussions of Hamlet is the changing of ones' personality. Because Hamlet is part of a monarchy and is in a high position, he must act normally. People's perception of him must always be that he is strong mentally and in control of himself. This keeps the monarch looking strong and stable. When Hamlet is by himself, he goes on these rants of how horrible his situation is and woes for his father. He lets the hatred for his uncle show and a manipulative side is shown. But in the presence of his uncle, he must act civilly and show manners. The predicament he is in seems to be really frustrating and confusing. I can sort of relate to how he feels, when I am in the presence of my friends' parents I have to act differently. The context of my conversatoins and the words and subjects that I should veer away from. I act a lot differently when I switch from situation to situation. I do not know if it is a bad thing that I have to change my personality so drastically when adults are around. It may be a sign that I should control my tounge a little big better and not let foul language escape from my mouth so often.

Research: Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 to middle class parents. He was well educated where he was most likely taught latin grammar throughly. Shakspeare, at the age of 18, was wed to the 26 year old Anne Hathaway. He would later on become a notable playwright in London and Stratford, where he would divide his time. Shakespeare would often write his play in quarto texts, a sheet of paper folded four ways. His writing style would often change from poem to poem or play to play. Tragedies, histories, and comedies were the most common themes in his writing. All though Shakespeare was not revered in his lifetime, but would eventually be known as one of the greatest playwrights of all time.

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/122

Carry it Forward: Creating a Future

Answering the several daily questions at the beginning of class has been an interesting activity. They are peculiar and require me to think about my future. For example, what do you want to know what you don't know right now?, was a question that was asked. It instantly made me look into my future and wonder where I would be in the different stages of my life. What profesion I will choose? Who will I marry? Will I be successful? I believe these questions are meant to make us look at our futures and how we want them to turn out. I think we should constantly thinking about our next step so we are never stagnant. Constant application is needed to be able to make a difference in our future. These questions have made me wonder whether my life will have an affect on the future and how I can shape my life so success turns to present. I have realized that I should be looking at different career choices now instead of waiting until college to figure it out. And in college I will stay motivated by looking forward to accomplish what I am working for. I believe a person who lives an organized life is kind of like a psychic when it comes to their lives. They know that they are working hard to reach a goal and will succeed if they continue.

360 Degrees: Do violent video games cause aggression in kids?

One if the most popular past times for americand kids are video games. Countless of children spend hours on end pressing buttons to achieve a goal that has been set by the game. Unlike television, the child is actually controlling what happens on the screen, this makes playing video games a lot more intimate than just watching television. This interaction has risen questions about whether or not violent video games can cause aggression. Many parents are worried about this theory and want to know if they should let their kids play violent video games or not. I personally do not believe that violent video games cause aggression. I think that kids who play video games and get into trouble are born with an inclination to be mischevious. I think it's unfair for people to blame video games for aggression when it can be multiple factors, such as their environment and upbringing. If anything, video games give kids a way to vent their frustrations.
As I am writing in support for not blaming video games for aggression, I cannot help but remember the countless times I have been left pissed off over dieing or losing in a video game. I can get incredibly frusturated over something as insignificant as a video game. This gives me a different opinion about the affects of video games. I guess more research needs to be done to figure out whether or not violent video games really do cause aggression. Also, I wonder if playing video games actually is a good way to relieve oneself from frustration.

Connections: Two Leaders

In class, we watched Martin Luther King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech. It was easy to see how good of a speaker he was. All of his words were spoken with belief and conviction, the energy from watching just the video was amazing. This speech reminded me a lot of Obama's speech at the inaguration. Not only because both speakers are African American, but how similar the impact of their words had on the crowd. In Martin Luther's King's time, an idea of having an African American president was absurd. But now after forty years, America is welcoming their first African American president. Many of the dreams that Martin Luther King mentioned in his speech have come true, even one that was not mentioned.

Metacognition: Shadow: First Semester

I came into humanities thinking that it would be a class similar to the basic English classes I have taken through out high school, but from the first day I knew I was mistaken. More in depth thinking is required for this type of class and a willingness to attempt to think abstractly. I believe I have been able to succeed in humanities by first being open to what is in front of me and secondly, analyzing what is being said. Vertical listening has been an important technique because it forces you to pay attention and feel whatever is being present ed's full force.

Humanities has shown me many things I had never seen. Everyday there is a chance that I will get to experience something I have never even been aware of. This anticipation motivates my thinking and willingness to concentrate on a difficult concept. What surprises me most about my thinking is how visual it is. When we discuss Sophie's World I put myself in the characters shoes and try to experience the full effect of the story. This visualization is also one of the things I like most about my thinking since it can make most things really surreal.

I am surprised at how little thought I put into the events that are happening around me. While others are stressed out about what is happening in our society, I block out what I have learned is happening. I believe this is a problem with my thought process because I do not improve my understanding of a situation by ignoring it. There is little stimulation in my brain when it comes to comprehending societal issues. I believe that I can improve my awareness though by learning more about issues instead of ignoring them.