The last time I posted a big question I sort of just went on a mental rant that had very little thought before hand. So I left myself with a question that led to a dead end in interest. After much more though and a moment of enlightenment, I have changed my big question.
Can I change the world? This has been done by dozens of people in history books, but the question is that I a high school senior could use technology and tools that any average person has access to and touch millions of lives, and create a larger community that also wants to change the world (for the better of course).
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
vocab #4
obsequious - adj. attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner;attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
beatitude - noun one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed); a state of supreme happiness
bete noire-nouna person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear
bode - verb indicate by signs
dank - adj. unpleasantly cool and humid
ecumenical - adj. of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
fervid - adj. extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
fetid - adj. offensively malodorous
gargantuan - adj. of great mass; huge and bulky
heyday - noun the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
incubus - noun a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream
infrastructure - noun the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization
inveigle - verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
kudos - noun an expression of approval and commendation
lagniappe - noun a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)
prolix - adj. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
protege - noun a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
prototype - noun a standard or typical example
sycophant - noun a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
tautology - noun useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true
truckle - noun a low bed to be slid under a higher bed; verb yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
beatitude - noun one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed); a state of supreme happiness
bete noire-nouna person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear
bode - verb indicate by signs
dank - adj. unpleasantly cool and humid
ecumenical - adj. of worldwide scope or applicability; concerned with promoting unity among churches or religions
fervid - adj. extremely hot; characterized by intense emotion
fetid - adj. offensively malodorous
gargantuan - adj. of great mass; huge and bulky
heyday - noun the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
incubus - noun a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; someone who depresses or worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream
infrastructure - noun the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; the basic structure or features of a system or organization
inveigle - verb influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
kudos - noun an expression of approval and commendation
lagniappe - noun a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)
prolix - adj. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length
protege - noun a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career
prototype - noun a standard or typical example
sycophant - noun a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
tautology - noun useless repetition; (logic) a statement that is necessarily true
truckle - noun a low bed to be slid under a higher bed; verb yield to out of weakness; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
Monday, September 8, 2014
Vocab #3
accolade - noun a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
acerbity - noun a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
attrition - noun the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice; erosion by friction
bromide - noun any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark
chauvinist - noun an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
chronic - adj. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
expound - verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing;state
factionalism- noun a group or clique within a larger group, party, government,organization
immaculate - adj. completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
imprecation - noun the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
ineluctable - adj. impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
mercurial - adj. relating to or containing or caused by mercury;relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; liable to sudden unpredictable change
palliate - verb provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
protocol - noun code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
resplendent - adj. having great beauty and splendor
stigmatize - verb mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
sub - noun a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes;a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States; verb be a substitute
rosa - noun large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs including roses
vainglory - noun outspoken conceit
vestige - noun an indication that something has been present
volition - noun the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
acerbity - noun a sharp sour taste; a sharp bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
attrition - noun the act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction; a wearing down to weaken or destroy; sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice; erosion by friction
bromide - noun any of the salts of hydrobromic acid; formerly used as a sedative but now generally replaced by safer drugs; a trite or obvious remark
chauvinist - noun an extreme bellicose nationalist; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
chronic - adj. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
expound - verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing;state
factionalism- noun a group or clique within a larger group, party, government,organization
immaculate - adj. completely neat and clean; free from stain or blemish; without fault or error
imprecation - noun the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult); a slanderous accusation
ineluctable - adj. impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
mercurial - adj. relating to or containing or caused by mercury;relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; liable to sudden unpredictable change
palliate - verb provide physical relief, as from pain; lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
protocol - noun code of correct conduct; forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state; (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data
resplendent - adj. having great beauty and splendor
stigmatize - verb mark with a stigma or stigmata; to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
sub - noun a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes;a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States; verb be a substitute
rosa - noun large genus of erect or climbing prickly shrubs including roses
vainglory - noun outspoken conceit
vestige - noun an indication that something has been present
volition - noun the act of making a choice; the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Beowulf Essay
Beowulf exemplifies the heroic traits and the literary techniques of its time. Analyze this in the context of our class discussion and the commentary you read, and compare with a contemporary hero and the way his/her story is told.
Literature is a window into a different perspective. It teaches us about the person and time period it was written in. The same can be said about Beowulf, the way it illustrates a hero of a different time, however it shows us a hero that isn't too far different from heroes today. The zeitgeist of Beowulf is evident in the heroic traits and literary techniques used in the story, by comparing it to modern heroes it gives a better grasp of how society was during the time period this piece was written.
One of the most memorable things about Beowulf was his confidence, that can be reflected as almost arrogant through our more modern perspective. The way he volunteers to the hero's call even though he doesn't have to get involved, or the way he boasts about being able to take out Grendel naked, show how confident he is in his ability. He didn't ignore danger he faced it head on and tackled it. This shows us how society during that period valued confidence much more that humility. Compared to today's culture, a hero like Beowulf might be considered a jerk that is too egotistic. However this isn't the case for early English civilizations that wrote Beowulf.
Another characteristic we see in about Beowulf is that he relied completely on his brute strength and never really had to plan things out. He just came in storming and did his job. this is very different from modern heroes that are put through several tests and have to prove their intelligence as well as strength. This proposes a society that wasn't so interested in intelligence to determine leadership but brute strength. Beowulf didn't have to go through the typical heroes' journey like other heroes such as Odysseus. People simply saw his strength and excepted him as their leader.
One last thing that we see about the story in context to history is that their is only on e important female character, and she is a villain. Grendel's mother is all we can use to classify women of this time period, and the fact that they show her as a villain, tells the reader that society of this time period were sexist. women were seen as evil and worthless than men. Had this story been told through the perspective of a women, it probably would have never been told. Women during this time period were probably too scared to come up with such a story because of the social attention and segregation they would receive for describing such a controversial story.
The characteristics of Beowulf and the story have shown us glimpses of what society was like and how it compared to ours. Society valued power and confidence, as well as have a sexist view. We can see these things through the actions of Beowulf and how other female characters are described.
Literature is a window into a different perspective. It teaches us about the person and time period it was written in. The same can be said about Beowulf, the way it illustrates a hero of a different time, however it shows us a hero that isn't too far different from heroes today. The zeitgeist of Beowulf is evident in the heroic traits and literary techniques used in the story, by comparing it to modern heroes it gives a better grasp of how society was during the time period this piece was written.
One of the most memorable things about Beowulf was his confidence, that can be reflected as almost arrogant through our more modern perspective. The way he volunteers to the hero's call even though he doesn't have to get involved, or the way he boasts about being able to take out Grendel naked, show how confident he is in his ability. He didn't ignore danger he faced it head on and tackled it. This shows us how society during that period valued confidence much more that humility. Compared to today's culture, a hero like Beowulf might be considered a jerk that is too egotistic. However this isn't the case for early English civilizations that wrote Beowulf.
Another characteristic we see in about Beowulf is that he relied completely on his brute strength and never really had to plan things out. He just came in storming and did his job. this is very different from modern heroes that are put through several tests and have to prove their intelligence as well as strength. This proposes a society that wasn't so interested in intelligence to determine leadership but brute strength. Beowulf didn't have to go through the typical heroes' journey like other heroes such as Odysseus. People simply saw his strength and excepted him as their leader.
One last thing that we see about the story in context to history is that their is only on e important female character, and she is a villain. Grendel's mother is all we can use to classify women of this time period, and the fact that they show her as a villain, tells the reader that society of this time period were sexist. women were seen as evil and worthless than men. Had this story been told through the perspective of a women, it probably would have never been told. Women during this time period were probably too scared to come up with such a story because of the social attention and segregation they would receive for describing such a controversial story.
The characteristics of Beowulf and the story have shown us glimpses of what society was like and how it compared to ours. Society valued power and confidence, as well as have a sexist view. We can see these things through the actions of Beowulf and how other female characters are described.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
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