James’s Blog

After reading Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World and his quotes, it suddenly struck me that we are capable of many changes both personally and to the world outside. It was surprising at first to know that we as humans are the only ones who can make a change in our world apart from natural events that happen periodically. Unfortunately, many people in the world have used their lives that solely benefited them and not other people. As a result, some of them are considered the malevolent part of our society. Everyone has the opportunity to know what a better person is and the chance to become that person. I think that Gandhi’s philosophy helps simplify our purpose of existence to a level where everyone can understand what it means to change our lives and the world.

I think that the first part in using your life with value and purpose is by starting to change yourself. I’ve heard people referring to the fact that you are the only one who makes all the decisions. This can be a physical, emotional, mental, or even a social change in your life. Everyday, we have to decide upon many choices and make decisions that help individualize us to who we are. These choices can either be as simple as what to eat for lunch or as complicated to the point where your life in on the line. However for a change to happen, it must actually happen. I mean, people can’t just dream about it and do anything about it. Imagination and reality for two completely different realms and it takes some effort and perseverance for a thought to become real action.

Gandhi also said that we can help benefit other people as well as ourselves. Everyone has room for improvement and sometimes having a companion for assistance can help you motivate yourself to change or development. An everyday example of this is when someone is trying to stop smoking. Few people can attempt something like this on their own without the help of others and be successful. Therefore, by helping each other out, we can accomplish some tasks better than if we did it alone. The interdependency of people helps create changes. The bigger the interdependency, the more effective and the greater impact the change would be. That’s why many environmental and political campaigns try to get as many supporters as possible to create a big enough change.

Gandhi’s quotes can also be applied to the rich poor gap that I studied in my class. Even though poor people became poor because of luck, it’s the opportunities and decisions that change their lives. If these people don’t make good choices out of themselves, they won’t go anywhere. Fortunately, rich people are able to help them out. They see the good in these people and respect them as equal human beings. That’s why these worldwide foundations support and donate money to countries where many people are poor. The part where Gandhi refers to the fact that you are in control of your life can be connected to Flowers for Algernon, a book that I read for book club. The main character, Charlie, realized that he was the only one who can control his life and not these doctors who promised to make him smarter. Charlie also learned to forgive his mental condition and how to live with it in a society where people tend to disrespect other people from different intellectual classes. Lastly, Charlie was able to persist in uncovering his past in order to move forward in the future. This helped him understand who he really is and how other people perceive him. These changes that appeared during the course of this book show how a person in a situation like this learns how to adapt and change according to his/her personal influences.

I think all of Gandhi’s quotes can be applied to every human being because every human being is capable of changes. For me, being myself is a great start to great changes. Doing this will help me discover my potential, my limits, and my goals that I need to achieve. Also as the world changes, I need to adapt to different issues and situations. Many people tend to be stubborn when changing their habits which, according to Gandhi, “drives you into a false position”. The people who managed to be famous for their deeds and achievements started my changing themselves and enlightening people to change as well. If I want to change the world, I would have to start by changing myself and adapting accordingly to the outside world.

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Although there were many controversial arguments about whether or not the writing assessment was an accurate test to measure your writing ability or not, I agree that some people felt disappointed with their results. However, I personally agree that I had improved on my writing. Not only can I see this through the increased score on my writing assessment, but also on the other essays and assignments I wrote from the beginning of the year until now. From these writing pieces, I can tell that I improved on developing my content and plot well. My Connected World posts also show good improvement on my organization skills because I organize all the information and details into five paragraphs. Finally, the countless vocabulary assignments and quizzes we did helped me on developing my vocabulary usage. I will definitely continually improve my writing skills as the quality expectation increases over the years.

(Also known as Connected World – Journal Entry #7)

Week of May 18, 2009 – May 22, 2009

I’m sure many of you know the news about the swine flu pandemic. I chose to right about this because I think that this is a very important piece of news in the world at the moment. More and more countries are getting involved with taking proactive measures toward the outbreak as it continually spreads worldwide. So for those who are interested, here’s an update on swine flu in my region, North America.

As of right now, 74 deaths have been reported, and 3,734 swine flu cases have been confirmed in Mexico. I’ve read a news article in Google News from the Canadian Press that said that swine flu is able to spread worldwide through airplane flights from North America. Other experts say that swine flu can be around until this summer, but they still aren’t really sure when it will gradually fade away even though as temperatures increase in North America, the flu should begin to weaken. They also said that this was an abnormal pattern because usually, these types of flues are seasonal. The articles also says that many countries especially in North America, are taking proactive measures and preparing for more future outbreaks if there should be any. Unfortunately, mass vaccine production for this specific type of swine flu has not yet begun and it would take about another four to six months for these vaccines to be readily available. Some experts hope that the flu would not continue until the summer because the longer the flu stays in our society, the more people will get affected and the more chance for it to evolve.

In my opinion, this is a serious issue to consider because many people have already been affected worldwide. I think that it is a good idea for these health researchers to predict the path of the flu virus to see where it may go next. This way, these people will know when and where the flu will strict and take immediate actions towards it. Also, the fact that the flu will last until this summer doesn’t really surprise me because I suspected that at this time in society, flues and diseases will become more lasting and immune to simple medical cures. I think the best idea for people who have not been affected with swine flu is to be prepared and try to stay healthy and safe from things that may have anything related to do with the disease.

I think the best way to end this post is to include a few tips about staying healthy. I may not be an expert in this field, but I do know what you need to do, especially in an international school like this, to stay healthy.

1. Wash your hands – a simple task may save a lot of lives!

2. Stay away from people who look like they’re sick – if they’re really sick they shouldn’t go to school in the first place.

3. Be informed – being up-to-date in swine flu updates can help you stay prepared.

4. Keep tabs on your vaccinations – even though the real vaccine may not be available yet, getting an influenza vaccination can be your next best possible choice.

Well, that’s it for now. See you all next time!

Link to Article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jDXxBrEwQvOm1dqewmsjcki232nw

For those sixth graders who are moving into seventh grade next year, you better read this. I have several pieces of important advice to give to you next year. Even though seventh grade is a lot like sixth grade, there are some things that you need to take account to. One of them is that you’ll get a lot more homework, especially in your core classes. A good way to organize your assignments is to keep track with everything in your agenda and prioritize your homework assignments according to the due date. I find this method quite useful because it lets you know which assignment is more important and which one you should do first. However, if by any chance you are in Ms. Ulster’s Humanities classroom, then you’re in luck because she has a personal blog in which it displays all the homework assignments for her class! Many students find this type of online communication useful.

Organization is also a very important aspect in seventh grade too. I probably guessed that in sixth grade, your lockers looked somewhat like rubbish heaps. Well here in seventh grade, you better know where things are because many seventh grade teachers are pretty strict about tardies and the lame excuses for them! Try getting a watch; it helps a lot especially in managing your time between classes.

Besides that, I’m pretty positive that seventh grade would be a great experience for all of you. My last piece of advice is this: be prepared for anything because sometimes, something unexpected would happen and you have to be ready and take proactive measures for it!

Enjoy seventh grade,

James Siriwongsup, seventh grade student

#1: He reached the top of the hill, sweat streaming down his forehead. He had finally managed to climb to the summit of the hill just before sunrise. At this altitude, he could clearly see the wide variety of clouds that were gradually becoming more visible. He noticed that they were moving to the east, towards the gently rising sun. He thought that some of the clouds looked like soft balls of cotton and others looked gray and menacing. He could imagine it get bigger and more ominous as it slowly advanced toward him. He thought quickly and abruptly left the beautiful scene and tried to find some source of shelter before the storm came.

#2: The highway was filled with cars spewing out acidic black smoke. They were all heading downtown during the morning rush hour. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. He then decided to look up and stare at the clouds that were forming in the morning sky. Its gradual movement towards the sun reminded him that time was still going by and that he would be late for his meeting if the cars in front of him weren’t moving any faster.

#3: The school bus braked abruptly with a loud ear-splitting screech. As she got out from the vehicle, she looked up into the brightening sky. What a beautiful view! The clouds looked so calm and peaceful against the colors of the morning sky. Its movement was patient; slowly moving alongside the wind. She wished that all her teachers could be this way – calm and understanding. But then she noticed for the first time a shapeless gray cloud advancing towards the opposite direction of her school. It seemed to eat up all the other clouds that were in its way. She sighed and figured that not all clouds (and teachers) could all be the way that she wanted it to be.

Of all the posts I’ve read (including mine) about the importance of the Internet, all of them state that it is very useful in terms of homework and school use. It seems that many students (especially in the middle school) depend on the Internet to aid them during research and homework assignments. Also, a noticeable trend with the use of Internet is greatly influenced on games and social networks. This trend is rapidly increasing and it seems that more and more people are using the Internet as their main source of entertainment because there are a lot of options available. For example, there are an infinite amount of videos to watch in YouTube, millions of news articles added everyday in over a thousand news websites, emails coming in 24/7 and a continuous reminder that someone has requested you as a friend on Facebook. I could say that many people around the world solely use the Internet for that purpose. This lets them connect to the world outside more easily. Although the posts that I’ve read were quite similar to mine, something that I never really thought about and left out during my narrative is that many parents tend to criticize their children for being on the computer too long and wasting their time. Some of those parents on the other hand, are hypocrites and actually spend their own time like couch potatoes in front of the TV screen. I think it’s probably because they aren’t aware how the Internet is a significant part of the student’s lives as they never experienced that personal importance before during their time in school.

James Siriwongsup

May 6. 2009

Humanities 7/8

The Internet – Something that Changed my Life

Option 5: How has the Internet changed you in some way?

            Ever since I had my own computer, having access to the Internet has significantly changed my life. To me, the Internet is a great tool that can help me become more successful. For example, using the Internet lets me keep in touch with my friends via email and chat. This has helped me become a more social person. Also, the Internet has assisted me during school where I use it to keep track of my homework assignments and for web research. Ultimately, the Internet has motivated me to become a better, and more organized, person.

            In my opinion, having an access to my friends through the computer is much better than just through your phone or any other communication device. The Internet provides many choices to communicate with someone online such as Facebook, various email websites, and chat. Not only is most of these are free, they are also quick and reliable. My personal favorite is using my email because it’s safe, (except for those spam mail that comes once in a while) and a way to be able to communicate with someone, for example, my teachers, during the weekends when I can’t talk to them in person. Also, during school I use the Internet to keep track of my homework assignments and check my grades. To me, it is an efficient way of being up-to-date with your school work and helps me to become a more organized person. It has also helped me to become a better learner. Being able to use a computer independently and knowing how to use it to one’s advantage is considered to be a great reward for me.

            In another perspective, the Internet has become part of my life and I think it will continue to be this way. It is excellent way to access the outside world that is gradually becoming more worldwide. Right now, the use of technology and online resources has become more personally relevant in many people. Another important thing to be aware of with the Internet is that it can be your best friends or your worst enemy depending on how you use it. Even though the Internet may still have some problems to work out, I’m sure that the Internet will still be one of my personal favorite things to have.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

The author uses unique characters that are different from each other to create contrast in the novel. The main characters in the novel, George and Lennie, get affected by the plot and the different characters they meet. Each chapter of the book focuses on one or a couple of characters and an event that adds to the plot. The author also uses clever imagery to bring images into my head. For example, the author repeats the setting on the first chapter and on the last chapter, but its plot is completely different. Finally, the author uses a twist in the end to make the reader seem surprised at first. Before the ending, I thought that the novel would end in a happy ending, but as it turns out, Lennie was killed by his very own companion, George.

After reading this novel, I tried to figure out the real meaning behind George’s sudden decision. I was surprised by how the author decided to end it this way. Everything seemed alright, even with the climax where Lennie had strangled Curley’s wife. I have experienced all of these kinds of events through other novels I had read. But the fact that George killed his own friend struck me because it was totally unexpected. I think this is what makes this novel unique in the sense that it includes a theme or a moral that we normally don’t quite realize but it appears all the time.
From the book, I realized that sometimes, some people are not meant to be with each other as companions or friends. As a reader, I thought that Lennie and George would be great friends, despite the fact that Lennie had a mental disability. When they first arrived at the ranch, George even tried to assist and defend Lennie when he was confronted by both the boss and Curley. As it turns out, their friendship didn’t prevail. I guess it was because George was extremely depressed from the fact that he tried hard to not take Lennie as an obstacle between him and that dream farm he had always wanted. On a grim note, I learned that the bond between friends, however long it may be, might just break unexpectedly from events that may not be expected.
I think I relate to George the most. George had to decide upon a decision at the last minute about Lennie and chose to kill him. Many times, especially when I work in groups on projects, I sometimes have to face difficult choices. Sometimes the choices that my friends make are sometimes the only way that’s going to work. I might not exactly prefer it at first, but over time, I get used to it. Also, George is a sharp-witted man who gets along well with other people at the ranch. I guess I fall into that category too; I get along with my friends pretty well and make smart choices to myself.

Week of April 20, 2009 – April 24, 2009

Hi! It’s been a long time since I’ve written on my blog and I’m sure you guys out there would like to read more of my stories too. This week, I visited topix.com and chose a topic (or rather, topix) that interests me. Today, I will be writing about a major issue that occurs on the United States and Mexican border, illegal weapon smuggling. The issue focuses on two of my three countries in my region of North America. So, what are waiting for? Let’s get on with the story behind the issue!

For a long time, many drug trafficking groups are trying to smuggle weapons from USA to Mexico illegally. This has recently become a major issue on both countries when bigger and more destructive weapons are being taken from the US. Many grenades, launchers, machine guns, mortars, and anti-tank rockets are being smuggled consistently. Other drug gangs have also attempted to create improvised explosive devices that are similar to the kind used in Iraq or Afghanistan. As proof, soldiers have found 14 sticks of TNT among hundreds of other explosives inside a house in McAllen, Texas

One of the most crucial events of this week that relates to this issue was when a .50-caliber anti-air craft machine gun was stolen from Nogales, Arizona. It’s considered to be a powerful gun with a protective metal shield that can be mounted on top on an SUV. The gun was said to be dangerous if used against lightly armed police.

Last Wednesday, (the Wednesday before the week this post was written) 15 gunmen were killed but only one military soldier died when they fought against an illegal drug group in Mexico. This shows that the smuggler groups are far from overpowering the Mexican military, which has better weapon coordination. Therefore, Mexican President Felipe Calderon and U.S. President Barack Obama have agreed to leave the battle to the military force, rather than the local police.

 I agree with both the Mexican and U.S. government. I think they should take careful consideration about this situation as quickly as possible and take action immediately. I’ve heard a lot about the constant drug crisis around the Mexican-American border through the news, but I just discovered that they are also smuggling weapons also. I think that this is a dangerous situation and that if the government doesn’t somehow stop these rampaging drug groups, they might use those weapons for murderous purposes. Also, I’m quite surprised that the Mexican or U.S. security is low to the point that a highly dangerous weapon is taken illegally. I feel that the government should do something about this as well. Finally, I think it is surprising to see that this situation has been handed to the military to handle. This tells me that the government will need more advanced technology and weapons to fight this fast-growing crisis. Nevertheless, I hope that this situation will turn out to have a good ending and that the police force and help manage the country again.

 As always, if you have any suggestions, comments, or anything you what to write about, please feel free to comment on this post. If you’re interested in reading the actual news article, go to this link: http://www.buffalonews.com/nationalworld/international/story/644983.html Anyway, stay tuned for another blog post sometime next week. Bye!