A. Guerra's English 6 Blog

Wake Up

2008-06-11T10:48:00.001-07:00

Wake Up

As most of you know, this situation has been brought to attention many times, however most people still don’t do anything about it. Ironically, they still complain about it. Many people are still oblivious to the truth. Things around us are signaling that the way the environment is disheveled is incompatible with how we react to the signs. Hopefully environmentalists and world leaders would compromise to delay global warming in some way being that it can’t be stopped. We should all be moral and vindicate going ‘green’. Many people view it differently though. The stubborn mind would just deplore with that idea and take things for granted and we all know that most people have skeptical beliefs since global warming is still a theory. Pretty soon all our world supplies would be depleted.
Everyday we keep hearing ‘’ let’s all go ‘green’.’’ Or we’ll see advertisements on streets, subways, buses or media about being eco-friendly. It’s all for a cause, but honestly it does get annoying how people feel as if they’re impervious to the truth. Truth is that we don’t really have enough time on our hands. We can’t stop global warming though, but the only other option is to delay it in some way as I’ve mentioned earlier. Every time you make a decision, it affects what’s going to happen. Documentaries such as ‘The 11th Hour’ or The Inconvenient Truth’ both provide messages for us and opens doors to our eyes. If we all were to just listen, then perhaps our narrow minds would be more dilated. In how it differs, is a question all on its own. The possibilities are endless though if we were open-minded about it.
Being that the United States are the number one country in consuming fossil fuel, we should do something about finding an alternative to consuming that kind of fuel. In my opinion, the attitude that most Americans feel is that our supplies of imported goods are abundant. If everyone were to do something to mitigate the situation, we wouldn’t have this nemesis. Perhaps, with future technology and research, we can consider turning the clock back a bit. What we did in the past, reflects what we did today and what we did today reflects our future.
Before the theory of Global Warming was only hypothetical, now it is very serious. The facts given from scientists to prove that the ozone layer is being by all the carbon dioxide we use, also known as the Greenhouse Effect has been nullified by the government to prevent people from panicking. Now, the fear of global warming has augmented since the year 2003. Increasing global temperature will cause the sea level to augment, and is expected to increase the intensity of extreme weather events and to change the amount and pattern of precipitation. Other effects of global warming include changes in agricultural fields, trade routes, glacier retreat, specie extinctions and increase in the ranges of disease vectors, and could be deleterious to living things.
Our time of jubilation is going to come to an end because of the harms global warming is doing to the Earth. Global Warming does perpetual harms everyday, for example, about one milliliter of sea level increases everyday, and it is impervious to prevent it, eventually the Earth will flood. And since we all use automobiles for transportation, it releases to much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing the ozone layer to disperse. We should find a way to suppress the way we use our cars, to decrease the harms done to the ozone layer, and try not to be so diffident about the situation and keep our planet embellished.

College Essay

2008-06-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

Throughout my life, there have been many people I have been raised from, I have my parents, my brother, and even my friends, and the enviroment I used to live in has shaped me into what I am today. I grew up in Jamaica, Briarwood, where the last thing people wanted to go was into an educational system, and neither did I. My mother and father always told me that education was the key to success, and after college, life would be so much smoother, my father once said that, and unfortunately for him, he never had a father to tell him what he tells me to do to succeed, which is why I appreciate my father for being there for me. My father grew up in Ecuador, Quito, and after high school, he came to the United States to work, and took a big risk coming here, but he did it because he heard that America was the best opportunity to work. That influenced me a lot because my father sacrificed everything he had so I would have a good future, he once told me knowing I graduated college, he can die in peace, and I will not fail him.

There are many reasons why I never wanted to go to school, but there was only one reason why I always went, it was because I don't want my family and friends to be disappointed in me. My family sacrificed so much ti see me grauduate from college, and I don't want to fail them. Many people I have been raised by have depended on me to go to college because they never had the chance to go because they believed working was the best solution was to succeed in this life.

The main reason I wanted to succedd in my education was so the people that raised me didn't waste their time, all the hard work and discipline they have taught me so I can finish school and be a professional. Everyone I know wants the best for me, my friends, my family, and even my teachers I have today.

Olaudah Equiano

2008-04-09T16:31:00.001-07:00

Alex Guerra

English 6

Mrs. Hyde, 4/8/08

Olaudah Equiano Speech

I hope to have the satisfaction of seeing the renovation of liberty and justice, resting on the British government, to vindicate the honour of our common nature. These are concerns which do not perhaps belong to any particular office: but, to speak more seriously to every man of sentiment, actions like these are the just and sure foundation of future fame; a reversion, though remote, is coveted by some noble minds as a substantial good. It is upon these grounds that I hope and expect the attention of gentlemen in power. These are designs consonant to the elevation of their rank, and the dignity of their stations; they are ends suitable to the nature of a free and generous government; and, connected with views of empire and dominion, suited to the benevolence and solid merit of the legislature. It is a pursuit of substantial greatness. - May the time come - at least the speculation to me is pleasing - when the sable people shall gratefully commemorate the auspicious aera of extensive freedom: then shall those persons particularly be named with praise and honour, who generously proposed and stood forth in the cause of humanity, liberty, and good policy; and brought to the ear of the legislature designs worthy of royal patronage and adoption. May Heaven make the British senators the dispersers of light, liberty and science, to the uttermost parts of the earth: then will be glory to God on the highest, on earth peace, and good-will to men. - Glory, honour, peace, &c. to every soul of man that worketh good; to the Britons first, (because to them the Gospel is preached), and also to the nations. “Those that honour their Maker have mercy on the poor.” “It is righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people: destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity, and the wicked shall fall by their own wickedness.” May the blessings of the Lord be upon the heads of all those who commiserated the cases of the oppressed negroes, and the fear of God prolong their days; and may their expectations be filled with gladness! “The liberal devise liberal things, and by liberal things shall stand,” Isaiah xxxii. They can say with pious Job, “Did not I weep for him that was in trouble; was not my soul grieved for the poor?” Job xxx. 25.

I have the satisfaction of seeing a renovation of liberty and justice from the British Government, although our government does not value our nature. And I hope I have your attention, especially men with power, that in these times you should reflect upon yourselves, and look at the cruelty of the inequality of oppressed slaves, and ask yourself if it has ever occurred to you to take pity on a slave?

As the inhuman traffic of slavery is now taken into the consideration of the British legislature, I doubt not, if a system of commerce was established in Africa, the demand for manufactures would most rapidly augment, as the native inhabitants would insensibly adopt the British fashions, manners, customs, &c. In proportion to the civilization, so will be the consumption of British manufactures.

The cruelty of slavery is now being recognized all over the British Legislature.

The wear and tear of a continent, nearly twice as large as Europe, and rich in vegetable and mineral productions, is much easier conceived than calculated.

The continent’s supply of natural resources is twice the amount as Europe, and even provides many vegetable and mineral productions.

A case in point. - It cost the Aborigines of Britain little or nothing in clothing, &c. The difference between their forefathers and the present generation, in point of consumption, is literally infinite. The supposition is most obvious. It will be equally immense in Africa. - The same cause, viz. civilization, will ever have the same effect.

In this case, the cost of clothing for Britain is like nothing. The only difference between Britain’s forefathers and this present generation is that in point of consumption is infinite, and it will be the same cause for the civilization.

It is trading upon safe grounds. A commercial intercourse with Africa opens an inexhaustible source of wealth to the manufacturing interests of Great Britain, and to all which the slave-trade is an objection.

Trading on the safe grounds, the society of Africa opens an opportunity of wealth to Britain, since you kidnap Africans, it should be banned.

If I am not misinformed, the manufacturing interest is equal, if not superior, to the landed interest, as to the value, for reasons which will soon appear. The abolition of slavery, so diabolical, will give a most rapid extension of manufactures, which is totally and diametrically opposite to what some interested people assert.

If I am correct, the manufacturing interest is the same, and if it’s not better for Britain, than they shall soon see why. The abolition of slavery will give an accurate extension of manufactures, which is the opposite of what the people wanted.

The manufacturers of this country must and will, in the nature and reason of things, have a full and constant employ, by supplying the African markets.

So, the manufacturers of Britain must have an employment and support of supplying African markets.

Population, the bowels and surface of Africa, abound in valuable and useful returns; the hidden treasures of centuries will be brought to light and into circulation. Industry, enterprise, and mining, will have their full scope, proportional as they civilize. In a word, it lays open an endless field of commerce to the British manufacturers and merchant adventurers. The manufacturing interest and the general interests are synonymous. The abolition of slavery would be in reality and universal good.

The population of Africa will bring valuables and many treasures will be revealed. Many industries, enterprises, and mining businesses will share the same concept, and many fields will be available for British manufacturers, and the abolition of slavery will change many lives around the world.

Tortures, murder, and every other imaginable barbarity and iniquity are practiced upon the poor slaves with impunity. I hope the slave-trade will be abolished. I pray it may be an event at hand. The great body of manufacturers, uniting in the cause, will considerably facilitate and expedite it; and, as I have already stated, it is most substantially their interest and advantage, and as such the nation’s at large, (except those persons concerned in the manufacturing neck-yokes, collars, chains, hand-cuffs, leg-bolts, drags, thumb screws, iron-muzzles, and coffins; cats, scourges, and other instruments of torture used in the slave trade). In a short time one sentiment alone will prevail, from motives of interest as well as justice and humanity. Europe contains one hundred and twenty millions of inhabitants. Query. - How many millions doth Africa contain? Supposing the Africans, collectively and individually, to expend 5£ a head in raiment and furniture yearly when civilized, &c. an immensity beyond the reach of imagination!

Many cruelties such as murder and torture have been practiced on slaves, and this is why the slave trades should be abolished, and have it done immediately. And many people of manufacturers have united this cause; accept manufacturers who are concerned for torture used items used in the slave trades. Europe has millions of inhabitants, and Africa will have at least 5 million as we keep expanding, it will be more than we ever imagined.

This I conceive to be a theory founded upon facts, and therefore an infallible one. If the blacks were permitted to remain in their own country, they would double themselves every fifteen years. In proportion to such increase will be the demand for manufactures. Cotton and indigo grow spontaneously in most parts of Africa; a consideration this of no small consequence to the manufacturing towns of Great Britain. It opens a most immense, glorious, and happy prospect - the clothing, &c. of a continent ten thousand miles in circumference, and immensely rich in productions of every denomination in return for manufactures.

Based on this theory and facts, it is an infallible one. If Africans are allowed to remain in their country, they would double their manufacturing every fifteen years, and cotton and indigo will grow constantly in Africa, and Britain has nothing to lose, Africa will be rich in natural products.

Chief Joseph's Speech Questions

2008-03-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

How is the art of rhetoric evident in Chief Joseph's speech? - When the narrator explains that a man that would sell his father's grave is worse than a wild animal. It explains that only animals wouldn't care about their family.

Whom do you think he is addressing in this speech? - He is adressing this speech to the white men that persuade him to sell his land to them, he explains how they cause war, and wouldn't leave them alone and keep coming back.

Who do you think he is indicting and why? - To the white men, because they molested his father for years to sell his land, but he refused. And for years, they tried to go into war with the Nez Perces.

Identify any heroic characteristics? - His father, Chief Joseph, has thought of his people before the white men wanted to his land, and he stood up to his people and explained that it is their home.

Why is this speech Protest Literature? - This speech is considered protest literature because it provides history about his father, and his fight for saving his land. Also, because he is indicting the white men of the harm they did to his people by bringing them to Washington, and causing war, killing 70 indians.

Letter To Wilfred Owen

2008-02-13T12:27:00.001-08:00

Alex Guerra
23-46 Metropolis, Smallville
Short Road, CA, 12340

Dear Mr. Owen

My name is Alex Guerra, and I am a student in Information Technology High School, and I have written you this letter because I have read your poem, Dulce Et Decorium, in class, hoping you will explain your poem to me.

In the beginning of your poem, it says "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge", it sounds like you are in mud and near a jungle, were you in tactical espionage? Later on in the poem, you mention your men marching and gas grenades were launched towards you. Did you and your conrades had the proper equipment to protect yourselves from the gas?

After you were attacked, you describe in the poem, "But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.--Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning." who was dying? Was it one of your conrades?

Then, you mention that the man who was drowning died, and you see that man dying in your dreams. Did you kill this man? "Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin, If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood, Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs" as described here it sounds like you heard him die, and you carried him to your auotmobile to save him.

Thank you for your time,

Sincerely, Alex Guerra

“I never saw a wild thing feel sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough Without ever having felt sorry for itself.”

2008-02-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

This quote is said by D.H. Lawrence, and he refers the bird to a person who is very outgoing and wild, and comparing the person to an animal because the person has enjoyed so much out of his/her life, they don't need to reflect on their personality or see who their real friends are, and barely know who he/she is.

I am nobody, who are you?

2008-02-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

I am the son of my father and mother, a friend, and brother. I am still a simple being in this Earth, trying to make my way through society. I am a teenager, and to most of my friends, a hero, what matters to me the most are my family and friends, I will always put them before anything else, even myself. I am generous and honest, I speak the truth, and if I lie, it is for a reason, to balance the situation. I don't know what the future has in store for me, but I want to do something extraordinary, for people to remember what I did in this world, at least one accomplishment not by only my friends and family, but the world.

Creation of Isreal

2007-05-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

Zionism is an international movement originally of the establishment of a Jewish community in Palestine of the support of Israel. It was founded by Theodore Herzi in 1897, the name "Zion" comes from pronounced "Tzyion" in Hebrew, called after a hill in Jerusalem. After the end of World War II, the Jews had established a movement to re-create a Jewish nation in the land of Israel, the UN embassy decided to separate the land of two states, 45% of the land was the Arabs, and 55% of land was Jewish. The adoption of the Partition Plan by the UN General Assembly, the Arab Commitee had rejected the plan, and threatened to strike on Jewish civilians, to attack neighborhoods. The attacks caused by the Arabs began a battle between the Jews and the Arabs, and began a civil war, for their independence.

Apartheid and Nelson Mendela

2007-05-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

Appartheid was a former policy of segregation, and it was a political and economic discrimation against Non- Europeans groups from Africa, it was a policy of the government from 1948 to 1994. There were many groups who opposed against the policy of apartheid, they revolted but were mostly beaten by officials, one of the famous leaders who lead his people out of apartheid was Nelson Mandela. He was a prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader of the African National Congress, but he was imprisoned for causing sabotage, and it happened in the year 1963. As he spent his 27 years in jail, he became a symbol of the anti-apartheid campaign. When he was finally released in 1990, he negotiated with the white government to put an end to apartheid. Four years later, he was elected the president of South Africa and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

African Independence

2007-04-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

There was a big change in Africa during a 20 year time period, 1955 to 1975. One reason why Africa changed so much was because the British Colony developed the first African colony in south Sahara to achieve independence, called the Gold Coast. One of the leaders that lead them to independence was Kwame Nkrumah, he was a former teacher, he helped liberate the Gold Coast from the British, by organizing strikes and boycotts, and was imprisoned. They receiving their independence, they took the name Ghana, and became the first nation that was governed by black Africans.

Neolithic Revolution

2007-04-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

The Neolithic Revolution was a time when the first agricultural revolution took place. It was a time where people would hunt and gather for food, and cropping skills and techniques were developed. Also, people would craft weapons and start armies, people would also start trading things to each other.

The European Union

2007-04-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

For many years, Europe has been through many wars, and all ended in bloodshed. Between Germany and France, England, Italy, etc., there were three wars, finally they relized that there should be peace in all of Europe. So, they united an alliance, 25 different nations, all united in the face of Europe, forming the European Union. This is a good thing because it would avoid another war, they are united economically, politically, and socially.

The Right Stuff

2007-04-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

In the film, The Right Stuff is based on the competition between the U.S and Russia during the Space Race. Who was winning at the time was Russians, because the were the first ones to send a man into space, while the U.S sent a monkey. Another reason Russia was winning was because they also sent a rocket into space first.

Cuban Missile Crisis

2007-04-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

In the period of the Cold War, there was a confrontation between the U.S and Soviet Union. They would compete against each other, the creation on nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union would deploy their nuclear weapons in Cuba, they were placed there to protect Cuba from any attacks from the United States (U.S) after the failure of Bay of Pigs Invasion. It started on October 19, 1962, and the Cuban Missile Crisis is often mentioned because it almost caused the begining of a nuclear war between both the U.S and Soviet Union.

NATO & The Warsaw Pact

2007-04-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and it is an organization that includes North America and Europe. The reason for this organization is to aide the countries that requested mutual defense alliance, if they were under any attack. The Warsaw Pact was an organization between Central and Eastern European Communist states, to counter the NATO alliance.

Night and Fog

2007-03-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

Night and Fog, shows us how the Auschwitz seems, 10 years after the Holocaust, and shows us what happened in the concentration camps, and the inside of the camps as well. This film was also as powerful as Schindler's List, but Night and Fog shows what really happened, the people that were in the Holocaust, people that died of starvation and how they burned them up, and how they kept piles of dead bodies in the middle of the camps. This documentary illustrates the Holocaust more than the film, Schindler's List, because in Night and Fog, it shows what they have done to the Jews in the Auschwitz, they would use the woman's hair to make cloth, and the skin to make artwork, and much worse. It illustrates what really happened in Auschwitz, it is very strong to see, and shows real facts on what the Nazis done.

Schindler's List

2007-03-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

The film, Schindler's list, illustrated the Holocaust because it shows what happened in the concentration camps, and what the Nazi's did to the Jews during that time. All of the scenes of the movie was very powerful, how they put the Jews into ghetto, how they separated the children from their mothers, and some of them died and were sent to be burned. How they shot the Jews in the ghetto was a scene that will stay with me forever, the Nazis came to evacuate the Jews, and began to shoot them, and beat them. What happened in Auschwitz was very messed up, the women that were mistakenly taken to Auschwitz, instead of being brought to Schindler's factory, the women had their hair cut off, and were about to be separated from kids. This movie was very powerful and moving, a movie that changes others.

US Atomic Bombing

2007-03-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

The atomic bombing of Japan was the number 1 story of the century. Because the bomb ended World War II, leaving many innocent people dead. There were more news stories in 1945, but if I were to change the list, I would make the Holocaust the number 1 news story, because it explains how cruel Germany was to all the Jews, and the hatred behind Hitler. Also because many people died in the Holocaust, also people that had nothing to do with the war.

World War II

2007-03-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Nazi propaganda poster has a cross with the name W. Churchill on it, his grave, on the white side of the land, there is a factory, a bed, and an iron glove punching Stalin in the Soviet Union. Propaganda is the spreading of ideas and information, like a public effect. The poster represents the attack of the Soviet Union after the switch of the Battle of Britain. At the bottom of the poster, it says "Europas Sieg dein Wohlstand."

Treaty Of Versailles

2007-02-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Germany was really affected by the end of World War I, at then end of the war, France built a treaty called the Treaty Of Versailles. This treaty was a peace treaty that ended World War I, that stated that Germany must accept responsibility for causing the war, and had to pay for the damages, and this left Germany without money and a depression in Germany. Germany was suppose to pay France and Britain, lost a lot of military power and were forbidden to use large ships. After 10 years, Adolf Hitler tried to overthrow the German government, and was placed in jail for 9 months, but he wrote about how Germany is to blame for it's weak government and made speeches that caught the people's attention, and blamed outsiders from Germany and blamed the Jews.

How Mustafa Kemal modernized Turkey

2007-02-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

Mustafa Kemal was the leader of Turkey, he was known as the Father of Turkey, and how he modernized Turkey was that he made the culture make it look more Western. Like, he thought Turkey looked too much of Muslim culture, and wanted everyone to be customed to American and European culture, wearing shirts and pants instead of robes, and Muslims would wear a fez, a kind of Islamic headgear, Mustafa encouraged the people to wear hats. Mustafa didn't like the behavior of women when they hid their faces with cloths, he wanted it to end. Mustafa made Turkey more secular, secular means like relating to other nations.

Gandhi

2007-02-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

Gandhi helped India gain it's independence by using civil disobidience, he encouraged the people of India not to purchase British Goods, not to send their children to British schools, and not to pay their taxes. Another way Gandhi helped India gain their independence was the Salt March, the government said that people must purchase government-made salt, and Gandhi went against the new tax on salt, and walked 240 miles to the sea to make salt, almost 60,000 Indians followed him.

Test

2007-02-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

Test