Plato’s Cave Allegory: My interpretation

One application could be when people thought the sun went around the earth instead of the other way around, like we know today. The “cave” would be the people that believe that they are better than others, and the general population would be the “prisoners”. The idea that everything in the solar system goes around the earth are the “shadows and voices”, and people wanting to believe that they are better than others are the “shackles”.

                 

The escapee is Galileo Galilei and he finds that the sun doesn’t go around the earth, that in fact it is the other way around! (This, by the way, is called “heliocentrism”). Galileo tries to spread his discoveries (he is now rescuing the prisoners) of how the earth moves around a stationary sun, instead of the other way around. However, the “prisoners” don’t believe Galileo when he tells them of this crazy idea of the earth going around the sun, instead of the other way around?

               

Eventually, the “prisoners” escape because they finally come out of denial and see the logic in the “real world”. Galileo keeps trying to convince the “prisoners” but they keep refusing to believe him until he dies. However, even then, it takes them a really long time to realize that Galileo was right, and the “real world” actually exists.

Heros

To me, a hero is a person who performs the tasks they are required to do and beyond. A hero is a person who tries their hardest at what they are doing and does it because they want to help people. A hero is the person who does something for the benefit of others, not thinking about what will happen to themselves, only to the people around them. A hero is a person who gives hope in times where there is none. A hero is a person people turn to in times of need. This is a person who is a hero in my eyes.

                

A great example of this would be Mary Donnelly. I heard about her a few weeks ago on a news show called Sunday Morning, and I think she is the greatest example of a hero. She is 83 and lives on Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. Mary Donnelly is a nurse. What makes her a hero is that she goes directly to peoples’ houses to treat them. In the story they were doing, she picked up a stranded mother with an 8 day old baby to get them to the baby’s check-up. That is doing her job beyond the limits, helping people because she wants to. You can tell she does this for the good of people and not for herself because of the fact that she has been doing this for half a century.  Not only does she care to the physical ailments of the residents on Block Island, but their financial ones too. She is the person people go to when they are in the hole. She pays peoples bills, from college tuition to oil bills. Mary Donnelly is a true hero.

The Nile: How it Shaped Ancient Egypt

What would you do if you were thirsty? You would take a drink from your water bottle, right? However, what if you lived in Ancient Egypt? They didn’t have water bottles and couldn’t just turn on the tap. Ancient Egyptians did not have the technology we have today to perform simple tasks we consider easy, such as transporting heavy blocks for building. They couldn’t just turn a key to start a truck to transport a 2 ton block hundreds of miles. So,  you may be wondering, what did they do? Push the block? Tie a rope to it and pull the block? Of course not! They floated them down the Nile River in boats, but before we get any deeper, you need to know some background. Ancient Egypt started in 2920 BCE, when the first pharaohs united Upper and Lower Egypt into the powerful kingdom of Egypt, and ended in 30 BCE, when the Romans conquered the kingdom. Running right through Egypt was, and still does, the mighty Nile River in all of its 4,184 miles of glory, influencing the kingdom of Egypt in every way imaginable. Egypt’s cities were all along the Nile. Egyptians had three seasons, Akhet (flood season), Peret (planting and growing season), and Shemu (harvest season), all based on the flooding patterns of the Nile. To the north of Egypt, there was the Mediterranean Sea. To the east of Egypt was the Eastern Desert. To the west of Egypt was the Western Desert. The Egyptians were pretty closed off, so how did they survive? The Nile, of course! The Nile was an oasis in the desert for the people of Egypt. Now that you know the basics, let’s take the time to answer our real question. There is no doubt the Nile shaped Ancient Egypt, but in what ways? The next paragraphs will talk about how the Nile impacted worship, workforce, and trade and transportation. Let’s begin!

                

One of the things the Nile shaped in Ancient Egypt was how they worshipped. This was shown in the song “Hymn to the Nile” where it states, “Hail to you, oh Nile…who produces barley and makes wheat grow… if he is sluggish, noses suffocate, everyone is impoverished… If he rises, the land is in exultation, and everyone is in joy.” which, to my understanding, means the Nile lets food grow, and if it wasn’t there, people would die and everyone who did not would be extremely poor, and if it flooded just right, everyone would be happy and the land rich(Doc E). This shows how much they worshipped the Nile because, if the Nile flooded just a little too much, or just a little too little, their lives would be thrown in poverty. That’s a good reason to worship, right? This was also shown in their calendar where it says, “Akhet (flood season) June-Mid October: Fields in the Nile floodplain covered in water and fertilized by a new batch of silt.”, which said that the fields were flooded, so farmers didn’t have much to do(Doc B). No work=more time to worship, right? Again, the Nile’s flooding pattern affects people’s worship. Yet another example lies in a tomb painting from the tomb of a tradesman named Sennedjem (Doc D). The added note states “The afterlife of Ancient Egypt was a paradise called the Field of Reeds, shown in this tomb painting.”, so the people of Ancient Egypt worship gods so they could get into the Field of Reeds. The painting shows several boats, plants, and irrigation canals, all of which needs the Nile to work, or live. In addition, the borders show the Nile filling the irrigation canals. Even the things they worship to “live” in, so to speak, after death, they cannot escape the Nile.

                

Another one of the things the Nile shaped in Ancient Egypt was their workforce. This was shown in the illustration by Oliver Frey showing boats in the Nile (Doc C). This picture alone shows at least 5 occupations that rely pretty heavily on the Nile, such as farmer, rower, boat builders, cloth makers, and rope makers. This was also shown in the calendar, which has each of the 3 flood-based seasons (Doc B). Notice that each one determines what farmers will do during that time. Remember, farmers made up 95% of the population of Ancient Egypt. Once again, the Nile manages to shape 95% of the population of Ancient Egypt.

                

The 3^rd thing that the Nile shaped in Ancient Egypt was transportation and trade. Do you know how Egyptians got stones from hundreds of miles away from Giza to Giza to build the Great Pyramids? Do you know how Hatshepsut’s first trading phenomenon to Punt was accomplished? (Journey Across Time). By the Nile, of course! This was shown in the map of Ancient Egypt (Doc A). As you can see, the Nile Delta flows into the Mediterranean Sea, a perfect trading route to foreign countries. Another example is the illustration by Oliver Frey showing boats transporting goods to other locations (Doc C). One boat is carrying an obelisk, another a casket. They are carrying things in days what it might take weeks or months to carry on foot. Remember, these obelisks could weigh up to 2 or more tons!

                

Nothing in Ancient Egypt could avoid the Nile, not even their imagination, work, or even death. The Nile shaped just about everything in Ancient Egypt, and I think the most important were worship, trade and transportation, and workforce. However, other river civilizations did not work the same way with the same strong bond. For example, the Tigris and Euphrates of Mesopotamia’s floods were unpredictable and sometimes did more damage than good and did not affect Mesopotamia’s religion in the same way. The Nile also provided more natural defenses, such as the cataracts and waterfalls protecting Egypt from foreign attacks and eventually led to Egypt’s rise. The Nile is quite literally the “backbone” of Egypt, both geographically and politically.

Hammurabi’s Code: Was it just?

Imagine this: you are walking around in an outdoor market when you feel someone take your wallet. You turn around and you see a person. You accuse them of stealing your wallet and it gets taken to trial, when right in the middle a person comes in and confesses to the crime. Suddenly, the current trial ends and a new trial begins: against you. The judge decides to cut your hands off for falsely accusing someone while the thief gets away scot-free (Journey Across Time). I bet you’re thinking that it would be totally unfair to get your hands cut off while a thief gets away with stealing your wallet, just because you thought someone else stole it, then you are completely correct. However, if you lived during Hammurabi’s rule, then this situation might have actually happened. Hammurabi was an ancient king who ruled a small city-state in Mesopotamia, called Babylonia. Hammurabi ruled for 42 years from 1792 BCE (Before Current Era)-1834 BCE. Around Hammurabi’s 38^th year of rule, he created a law code which he carved on a large stone column called a stele. Now you know a little background, we can start answering our main question: Was Hammurabi’s Code just? I don’t think so and here are three reasons why.

Hammurabi’s Code was unfair to the victim. This is shown in Laws 48, 209, and 213. For instance, in Law 48 it says that “If a man has borrowed money to plant his fields and storm has flooded his field or carried away the crop,…in that year he does not have to pay his creditor.”(Doc D). In Law 48 it is unfair to the creditor because he got cheated because he never got his money back. How would you liked to have loaned someone your good money and have never gotten it back? Or in Law 209 and 213 when if a man hits a free girl and causes her to lose her child, he has to pay her 10 shekels of silver, whereas if you were a slave you would only get 2 shekels of silver!(Doc E). If you were that slave girl would you be satisfied? I wouldn’t! A child is a child all the same, no matter which working class.

Hammurabi’s Code was also unfair to the accused. This is shown in Laws 218, 129, and 195. For instance, in Law 218 it says, “If a surgeon has operated with a bronze lancet on a free man for a serious injury, and has caused death, ...his hands shall be cut off.”(Doc E). Law 218 is unfair because if you were the surgeon, you were just trying to help, right? And sometimes things just don’t work out, and then you get your hands cut off? Just for helping!? Or in Law 129 how it states that if a married lady is caught in adultery, then both man and woman will be tied up and thrown in the water. (Doc C) Law 195 is unfair because the punishment for striking your father is cutting your hands off!(Doc C) What if your father was being really mean and hits you because he was angry at someone else? Sometimes you have to defend yourself!

Hammurabi’s Code was unfair to society. This is shown in Law 23. For instance, Law 23 declares, “If the robber is not caught, the man who has been robbed shall formally declare whatever he has lost before a god, and the city and the mayor in whose territory or district the robbery has been committed shall replace for  them whatever he has lost.”(Doc D). This is unfair to society because they didn’t commit the crime. Why should they pay for it?

Even with these many examples, I agree some laws in Hammurabi’s Code, like Law 53, 54 which states that if a man has opened his irrigation trench and his neighbor’s field has flooded because of it, then the man who opened the trench must pay back the neighbor in crops(Doc E), are just and fair, overall Hammurabi’s Code of Laws are unjust because they had violent punishments for nonviolent crimes, and treated people differently because of their working class.

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a mysterious, fast-paced book with several emotional moments for the readers and characters alike.  The story begins when a peculiar newspaper ad shows up in Stonetown reading, “Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” dozens of children show up for a series of mind-bending, complex assessments, but when they’re all finished only four extremely special children will succeed. When Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance finally get some answers, they find the man and his mission behind all of the puzzling tests: Mr. Benedict. 

Their real mission is to stop the evil Mr. Curtain from corrupting every mind on the planet by going undercover in his school, L.I.V.E. or the Learning Institute for the Very Enlighted.  As the genius antagonist, Mr. Curtain cleverly disguised his evil plans through his school L.I.V.E. As his mysterious plans unfold, the team discovers all the terrible secrets in Mr. Curtain’s plan, layer by layer, each one more sinister than the last.  “For L.I.V.E. spelled backward, is EVIL.”, as Reynie realizes. While attending L.I.V.E., The Mysterious Benedict Society learn that friendship is more than just developing a friendly demeanor with each other but depending on one another and treating them like family, giving their lives for each other. Throughout their journey they find surprises everywhere they turn, in each other and in their new school. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society is truly an incredible book and I think it is very deep and meaningful in such a way that it glues your eyes to the pages. At times, the book made me want to cry. At others, it made me want to shout.  The author expressed the character’s emotions so well, you could almost feel it vibrating through the pages of the book into the deepest recesses of your mind. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society has won one award: The Noticeable Children’s award in 2008. Trenton Lee Stewart also wrote The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma.  

I think that the recommended reading age should be 8-14 years of age because it is a very deep book that you probably would not understand if you were in second grade and it might be too easy if you were in high school. The Mysterious Benedict Society is a great book. Read it today!

My Top 10 Books in Random Order

1. The Girl Who Could Fly
2. The Cabinet of Wonders
3. The Red Pyramid
4. The Series of Unfortunate Events
5. The City of Amber
6. The Mysterious Case of Albright Academy
7. The Mysterious Benedict Society Series
8. Call Me Hope
9. Eleven Birthdays - Wendy Mass
10. Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Angry Cheyenne

Cheyenne.  Say that name to anybody in Manifest, Kansas and they would imagine a image of perfect heaven:  curly long brown hair, freckles and bright blue eyes and the best humanatarian in town.  Only one problem:  anger.

Cheyenne was on her daily routine after school:  run through homework, help out at the nursery home, and tutor at school.  She was a very organized young girl and disliked anything out of the order.  In fact, she bottled her anger every day and did pretty well at school.  Anything not on her perfect schedule shouldn't be happening.

How did she get over this predicament?  One day she was called to the counsler of gifted education, Mrs. Brock.  She assumed it was about her "problem".  When she got there she sighed and repeated everything every counsler told her.

"Okay Mrs. Brock, whatever.  I said it.  Can I go now?  This is interfering with my schedule."

"No my dear,"  Mrs. Brock said.  "Today we're just having fun."  Cheyenne started to yell in protest, but Mrs. Brock soothed her in her calm ways and gave her a quiz.

Cheyenne loved quizzes, and Mrs. Brock knew that.  It softened up her mood.  Then they played games:  Hide-and-go-seek, Mystery Box, and board games.

One day Mrs. Brock turned her life upside down.  That day during math class she was called to the counsler. Mrs. Brock said she was excused from school today and she may not do anything other than have fun.

Mrs. Brock had a plan.  Cheyenne knew it, but she went along with it anyway.  Mrs. Brock had one strength in her plan.  Cheyenne knew she had a plan but she didn't know exactly what it was.

Cheyenne rode home on her bike.  She wandered around the house looking for something to do.  She finally gave into the cookies on the counter and grabbed a soda.  She sat on the couch.  Tried to do something.  Wandered around town.  Finally she went back to school.

Cheyenne complained to Mrs. Brock.  "All day, I wandered around town, doing nothing!"

Mrs. Brock only replied, "Just think about it Chey.  Just think about it."

The next day, Cheyenne's friend, Madeline, said, "did you see that CD that came out yesterday?  It was all over town!"

The it hit her.  Anger was why she didn't have fun.  Mrs. Brock was trying to tell her that.

After school, she came bursting out of the school and hurridly biked to the counsler's office.  "I got it.  I got it!"  Cheyenne bursted with anticipation.  "It's anger isn't it?  Right?"

"You got it!"  Mrs. Brock exclaimed.

Now Cheyenne accepts that there are better things to do than being angry.

Harry S Truman

Harry S Truman was the 33rd president of the U.S.  He was the only Missouri-born president.

Harry S Truman was born in Lamar, MO on May 8, 1884 to John and Martha Truman.  His parents owned a farm in Independence, Missouri and his parents also owned one in Grandview.

Harry was a whiz in history in high school, and then went on to Kansas City Law School.

As a young adult, Harry became the Jackson County Judge with the help of a famous politician.  Truman was also a member of the National Guard and fought in France in 1918-1919.  Truman became a U.S. Senator in 1934.  He founded the Truman Committee during World War II to prevent Congress frivolous spending.  He was also Franklin D. Roosevelt's Vice President for his fourth term.

Truman served 2 terms after being elected and reelected by the Democratic Party in 1945 and 1949.  During his 2nd term his Vice President was Alben Barkley.  During both terms he ran against Republican, Dewey.  During his reelection, Truman proved everyone's predictions wrong by triumphing over Dewey with almost 200 electoral votes.

On the other side of the world, World War II was taking place.  Truman ended the war by hurling 2 atomic bombs at Japan.  Meanwhile, in the U.S., millions of workers were on strike.  Another war was waging in Korea where the U.S. fought for South Korea.

President Truman passed the Marshall Plan shortly after World War II to aid western European countries.  He also passed the Presidential Successional Act which restricted Presidents to only 2 terms.

Harry was pretty well-known and well-liked President because he was an honest politician.