Kim’s Blog

In the last few classes we have been playing a board game. You can either land on a Blunder or Stump. The Blunder cards describe an episode that happened when the NASA chrononauts went to the Renaissance. For instance, a few of the blunder cards we got were:

• You are at a huge dinner with loads of courses. There is exotic meats but there is one thing missing. As you reach for your fork, you notice there isn’t one. You then ask one of the servants for one. What’s the blunder?

The blunder in this case was that they didn’t use forks in that time. Forks weren’t invented until the 1600-1700’s. (We were in the 1500’s)

• · You are still in Florence and have no where to go. You really need to go to the bathroom so you ask a passer-by where the public toilets are. What’s the blunder?

The blunder here was that there were no public toilets in Florence until 1800’s that there were actual flushing, public toilets.

• · You are writing down all the things you have learnt since you came to Florence on the side of the street. You get tired of using the quill and as you’re about to call quits, you remember you have a Halloween pencil with pumpkins on it in your bag. You get it out but as your writing, a girl comes past and snatches it out of your hand. She looks at it curiously, smiles and gives it back. What’s the blunder?

For one thing, pencils weren’t invented till later in the 1600’s and also they didn’t celebrate Halloween as a good thing. It was more a holiday for pagans, witches and the sort.

Other cards you would have gotten were Stump cards as I said. These Stump cards had more writing involved. One was:

You are still stuck in Florence. You’ve been told by priests to make sure you have more than one escape route out of the city. Find a map to get from the Santa Maria Novella Church out to the San Spirito.

I learnt also that they were very greedy back then. I’m glad I live the time I live now!

Class yesterday was interesting. I learnt a huge amount about different important people in the Renaissance. As I was listening to the interviews, I felt as if I was listening to some type of radio station talking with all these people. It didn’t matter that they lived in different times it just seemed so natural. I heard names, dates and cities I had never heard of before. I learnt all about these important people what their interpretation was of their work. All these people had determination and a lot weren’t born nobly but died memorably. 
If I could redo my interview, perhaps I could have made it slightly shorter as mine was long comparing to the others. My words were clear and I’m sure that everyone did learn something. I enjoyed learning about the Renaissance people in this way. It was creative and something new.

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http://www.hschamberlain.net/kant/leonardo.jpg

http://www.latifm.com/artists/image/da-vinci-leonardo-mona-lisa.jpg

http://www.mostmerciful.com/last%20supper-in%20color.jpg

http://www.lairweb.org.nz/leonardo/john.jpg

                                     LEONARDO DA VINCI

Leonardo da Vinci was an amazing man. He grew up in Vinci. He never had a last name but da Vinci means from Vinci. He spent the first 12 years of his life in Vinci which with its lush landscape, Leonardo studied birds and other animals by drawing them in great detail. At the age of 12, his father, a successful clerk, brought him to Florence to take up an apprenticeship with Andrea de Verrocchio. There he learnt all the basics Leonardo had for the rest of his life, apart from his instinctive talents. He learnt how to mix paints, to make paints, what and when to use the different canvas types etc. At the age of 21 his apprentice years were over. in 1483 he moved to Milan. Here Leonardo had apprentices of his own. During this time he painted “The Last Supper”. Unfortunately he was experimenting with a mixture of paints which didn’t stick well to the canvas. Sadly, soon after the painting was completed in 1498, the paint started to flake away. At the same time he constructed a 24foot high model of the ruler’s father on horseback. In 1499, before the statue could be cast in bronze, Milan was attacked by French troops, who destroyed the clay horse by using it for archery practice. Leonardo then fled back to Florence. When Florence was in full battle in 1503, he came up with a way to divert the Arno River from the enemy city, but never completed it.� After the war , Leonardo took up painting. He completed his most famous portrait La Gioconda (Mona Lisa). He also wrote about and sketched the flight of birds and experimented with different designs for human powered flying machines. He was also�forced to paint a huge mural showing a Florentine victory in the Battle of Anghiari. Leonardo completed a full-size cartoon of the battle illustrating the horrors of war as he had seen them while in Florence. But he never finished the war painting, and in 1506 he was glad to leave Florence to go work in Milan. He also had time to continue his scientific studies of geology and anatomy, both human and animal, and to study astronomy. He also had time to continue his scientific studies of geology and anatomy, both human and animal, and to study astronomy. Bunt in 1514 he was forced to leave Milan once again. He went to Rome under the rule of a childish monarch. Because of Leonardo’s understanding of mechanics, he made many toys. He also wanted to continue with his study of anatomy but the Church wouldn’t let him cut up and examine dead bodies. So instead he got animal organs from the butcher from which he obtained an amazing amounts of knowledge how the human heart works. He studied optics and botany there as well. You can say that it was in Milan where Leonardo gave the most to the Renaissance. In 1516 when the Roman ruler died, Leonardo decided to leave Italy forever. He wanted to go to France so that’s what he did, went to Paris. It was here that the King of France appointed him the ‘King’s architect, mechanic and painter.’ It was here that Leonardo da Vinci died on May 2nd, 1519. Strange enough, we know where he was buried in the Church, but as the Church and graveyard were destroyed in the French Revolution, no one knows where the grave is. If it wasn’t for this amazing man, we wouldn’t know as much about human anatomy, astronomy, botany, mechanics, and life itself. All because of one man, Leonardo da Vinci.

leonardo-da-vinci.mp3

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/postphotos/orb/asection/2006-01-10/12.htm

Back ground info:

Two suicide bombers reportedly wearing Iraqi police uniforms struck the heavily guarded Interior Ministry headquarters Monday, killing 29 people as senior Iraqi and American officials attended ceremonies marking Iraq’s Police Day in an adjacent compound.Two suicide bombers reportedly wearing Iraqi police uniforms struck the heavily guarded Interior Ministry headquarters Monday, killing 29 people as senior Iraqi and American officials attended ceremonies marking Iraq’s Police Day in an adjacent compound. 

1. How are these two events connected?

These two events are both about suicide bombers who killed a few. These people think they will accomplish something but what has happened? They just kill themselves and others and create talk worldwide.

2. What did you find interesting about this topic?

I don’t exactly find this interesting, I just think it is amazing to have to courage to do this to your self. These people must have second thoughts the instant before they get blown up don’t they? They still have families out there who care for them, they just got into the wrong group of people. The people who get sent out are usually little nobodies who get persuaded by their superiors.

3. What did you like about the initial posting?

I liked the way Zaira could explain what happened and how she put alot of her own thought into it. She did really well. This was a big thing and Zaira made it seem like it aswell. Good Job!!

URL FOR THE SITE:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6562925.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6562925.stm

URL FOR MAP:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6562925.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6562925.stm

What is the issue?

Russia’s atomic energy ministry (Minatom) announced that the base unit for the plant had been prepared in Severodvinsk, in Russia’s Arctic north.  Russia’s atomic energy ministry (Minatom) announced that the base unit for the plant had been prepared in Severodvinsk, in Russia’s Arctic north.

The plant - to be called Akademik Lomonosov - will supply electricity to Sevmash, a shipbuilding firm which produces nuclear-powered submarines.

Who is involved?

So far, only Russia but as it is for nuclear power sooner or later the rest of the world will be talking about it especially the USA.

 Who is affected and how?

Well, the peoples of Russia are affected because they have to live with Russia having another nuclear plant. I’m sure none of them have erased memories of the last nuclear plant leakage. As soon as another country is involved, their peoples will be affected to because who knows what that country will do?

What would I do if I was directly involved?

Well, as the Russian population has had major nuclear leakages in the past, I would do anything I could do to help prevent that happening again. This time it wouldn’t affect the land as much but it would wipe out the ocean life around that area and as nuclear leakages usually lead to, populting the rest of the world. Now this would creat drastic changes as well.

I would see if this project was also integral. I would want to know the exact reasons why they need this on the ocean. Yes of course to supply a shipyard but why nuclear power? What’s so important there that needs so much power?

Personally I think this isn’t a good idea as Russia has had history with nuclear leakages which still cause deformities at birth in Northern Europe even though it was around 20 years ago.

A Renaissance Person, from my point of view could be Sir Isaac Newton. He was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist and considered the great figure in the history of science.  He invented the 3 laws of motion, decided that the world moves because of the same 3 laws; in optics discovered the reflective lens and discovered the doings of colour. In mathematics he invented the calculus, a confusing way of maths. He also studied the laws of cooling, stars and the speed of sound. This may all seem so simple at the moment but remember this was about 300 years ago. Newton would wake up in the morning and as he swung his legs out of bed, he would become transfixed by all the thoughts rushing to his head. He would stay like that for hours and hours on end. This man stuck a needle into his eye just to see what would happen. He also stared into the sun as long as he could to see what would happen. The first time, with the needle, he became blind in that eye and the second time he had to spend a few days in a darkened room untill his eyes forgave him. In all this man found out so much about this world that we live in that science nowadays is alot easier to understand.

Yes there are. There are still people all over the world (but mainly in third world countries) who devote their lives to their religion.

There are people who devoted themselves to helping a group, a race or a sex type. Women in the early 1900’s strove for women rights, so we could all be treated equally. There were men and women who demanded equality in both black and white people.

Today is the same. The people in the United Nations spend their lives trying to stop war and achieve world peace. They try it peacefully but then more drastic actions must be taken if the needed.

There are soldiers fighting in Iraq, in Lebanon, all over Africa. They may all fight under different flags but all are trying to achieve the same thing: peace. They devote their lives to helping in the war. They would die for their leader at a drop of a hand.

Some people also give up their lives for gold or money. Some give up their lives to find treasure that is long lost. Some people do anything they can in their power to help the sick. Hundreds of scientists from everywhere are trying to find a cure for AIDS and cancer. They’ll do anything they can to help the unfortunate.

The World Health Organization travels all over the globe fighting disease outbrakes and viruses from killing thousands. They try and find cures against them, they treat the sick everywhere and they will do anything to get in to worn-torn countries to help the sick.

There are many types of people trying to help out the world. Everyone of these people are making a difference as you read. Thank those people stopping disease and famine, and war covering the globe. They are the ones saving you.

Citation: High, Dick. “Japanese Whaler regains engine power and moves away from
Antarctica.”

North
County Times, 2007. Saturday, February 24, 2007. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/02/25/backpage/2_24_0716_21_00.txt (Sunday, February 25, 2007) 

Link to article: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/02/25/backpage/2_24_0716_21_00.txt Link to Hylke’s blog: Hylke 

Picture of event: 

Esperanza from Greenpeace pursuing the Nisshin Maru. 

http://www.shippingtimes.co.uk/images/ross-sea-southern-ocean-the.jpg 

Nisshin Maru, the Japanese whaling ship

http://www.whales.org.au/news/images/nmaru.jpg 

This is what the Nisshin Maru does:

http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/international/photosvideos/photos/minke-whale-is-transfered-onto.jpg 

http://www.whales.org.au/news/images/whalerjp.jpg 

1. What new information has emerged since?

The Nisshin Maru, an 8,000-ton whale-meat processing ship, was stranded in the

Ross
Sea after a fire broke out on its lower decks Feb. 15, and has been drifting, lashed to two other Japanese whaling vessels. One sailor died in the blaze. Greenpeace was shadowing the ship trying to persuade the ship to be pulled back into port in
Japan. They were afraid it might spill some of its 343,000 gallons of fuel oil in a desolate part of
Antarctica right next to the home to some 250,000 breeding pairs of Adelie penguins. But Japan was determined that the Nisshin Maru move under its own steam, even as summer in the stormy Southern Ocean was drawing to a close. The Nisshin Maru is now movies north but sadly it is not leaving the Antarctic, despite urging from
New Zealand and world-wide environmentalists. The International Whaling Commission forced a global ban on commercial whaling in 1986. Japan says its annual whale hunts are scientific research, but environmental groups say they are an excuse to keep
Japan’s tiny whaling industry alive. Meat from the catch is sold commercially, and canned or frozen whale can be found in most large supermarkets, though it is no longer an important part of the Japanese diet. Greenpeace wants the six-vessel Japanese fleet to leave the whaling grounds.
“If they simply sail out of
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, we will escort them and continue to offer assistance,” Karli Thomas, the expedition leader said. “However, if they attempt to start whaling again then we will take peaceful direct action to stop the hunt.”

1. What did you find interesting about this topic?

I found this topic interesting because it involves the world. If whales are going to be slaughtered in this way, the next generation will have no life forms left on Earth. The oxygen levels will drop and all life will diminish. I also find it interesting because the whole whaling concept just gets me hooked. How can any human being murder so many amazing forms of life? I’ve seen whales with my own eyes and they are amazing creatures. There is no way these amazing life forms can become extinct, it just wouldn’t be right.

1. What did you like about the initial blog posting?

I liked how Hylke got you interested by the way he talked. He got a lot of questions which a good sign too. To improve I think he could have found out a bit more a bit more about his topic as a lot of the questions he couldn’t answer. As an improvement on the blog he should add a map for a bit more information. But overall a great performance!

Religion to the people in the middle Ages was their life. Monks would shut themselves off from civilization in the name of God. They would pray more than anything else in their whole entire life. Sometimes they would take in a young boy to teach but not often. Friars would endure pain, hunger and thirst their whole life only to help the sick and preach about God. If sickness broke out no one would go find medication. No, they would go to the Church and pray. If anything went wrong God was blamed. You would get punished if you disobeyed the laws of the Church. You could be fined and sent for extra work or you could be whipped. Nobles would devote their lives to go on a pilgrimage (trip to the Holy Lands or to where Jesus Christ walked) and usually end up dead. People believed anything that was in the Bible and would spent their lives devoted to finding places or people. Villages and towns were built around the church. People would have to give up 10% of their yearly payment to the Church which more than likely ended up in the priest’s pocket than put to good use. Thousands would die in war in the name of God. Anything would be done for God. In other words, the middle Ages revolved around one thing; God.

Over the last few classes, we have been focusing on the Medieval Times in
Europe. One class I walked in to see this poem on the board,

“Ring o’ring a roses,

A pocketful of posies,

Tisha, tisha,

We all fall down.”

I had no idea whatsoever what Ms Nash was planning for this class. I then found out we needed to write what we thought this poem meant. I pictured people skipping around a ring of roses. Someone would then sneeze and everyone would fall down from the blast. But after reading a few paragraphs in a book, I found out this poem was about he Bubonic Plague. The first symptom of the disease was rings of red on your neck, (ring a roses). People would then carry herbs in their pockets to keep away the devil spirits (a pocketful of posies). Last of all, you would have a serious fit of sneezing and drop dead. Was this what you would expect this cheerful poem symbolized?

We then watched ‘Timeline’ which was the medieval news like we have BBC or CNN. This had interviews with all sorts of people all over
Europe in 1375 (or so). It showed doctors, priests, normal folk and reporters. Reporters just kept saying the update as they do nowadays. The normal folk often were sick and dying from this horrible disease or the healthier ones would be cursing the Jews for bringing this horrible disease upon them. The priests would say the human race had done something drastically wrong again (as this was the second large outbreak of the Plague) and God was angry with men. Blaming God or Jews just isn’t right. The Jews didn’t have anything to do with it. Didn’t the Christians notice the Jewish were having just as many problems as they were? If they blame it on the Jews, they may as well have blamed it on themselves.

When one died, the body was thrown on a cart which came through the city every day with someone announcing: “Bring out ye dead! Bring out ye dead!” These poor souls would be then dumped outside in a huge hole which was never covered until it was full. When the holes were all full, the dead were dumped on top and bodies were strewn everywhere. No proper burial no nothing. Most people had not enough strength to dig a grave for their loved ones.

The Plague spread all over Europe and even hit Cairo in
Egypt. It was said the sickness came from
Asia. Fleas would be infected which then dropped on rats which were on the trading ships. The rats would escape off the ship at the first port possible and spread the disease. Nothing would be kept clean so the disease spread quickly. As I mentioned before the dead bodies were strewn anywhere. When the bodies started to decay, the remains came into rivers and lakes, contaminating them too. Not thinking, whole cities would drink and wash in them, poisoning themselves.

We also read a packet about the same times but in different parts of the globe. In
Asia, they had similar problems but not as severe. Constinople was still under flourish. Moslem was spreading in
Arabia.  

Further in history, after the Bubonic plague, came the Crusaders. These were organized by Christians all over Europe to liberate
Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was a holy place for Jews (as there is a holy wall which is believed to be the west wall of the original city), Moslems and for the Christians (as this was where Christ was believed to be taught). These three religious people always fought over
Jerusalem, trying to claim it for themselves.

There were four main crusades. The first was quickly organized. Only a 1/3 made it to
Italy to be ferried across. Even less people made it to
Jerusalem which were all put on the sword. The second was even more hurriedly put together and were all killed. The fourth actually made a difference. They had enough soldiers or liberators as they liked to be called. Men only signed up for these Crusades because if you made it to
Jerusalem it was believed that you would be redeemed from all your sins.

There were also two children crusades. One was led by a child called Nicholas who believed God had told him to lead a crusade of children. Parents and elders thought this was an absurd idea but of course the children didn’t. Most ran away in the middle of the night to join the crusade. Out of these children less than half of them made it to
Italy. Lots dropped dead from exhaustion, malnutrition, and sicknesses. Nobody wanted to ferry them across so there went the first children’s crusade. The second children’s crusade was lead by a slightly older man. He also believed God told him to lead a children’s crusade. They wouldn’t take
Jerusalem by force but by words; well this is what they hoped. These poor children didn’t make it very far either because of the same reasons; sickness, malnutrition, exhaustion etc. Some more children made it to
Italy this time. After persuasion and bribes they found seven boats to take them across. Joyfully the children bounded onto the boats. Not far off the coast of
Italy, the boats sunk. Every person aboard died.

I could go on about these subjects forever but I’m sure I have bored you enough. I hoped you learnt something as well. I enjoyed these class discussions as they were interesting and informative.