Book Review: The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen

It is beyond my understanding how this book became one of the Truman nominees. I really had high expectations for this book; it was a great idea. I especially liked how Bodeen brought up serious issues like world hunger and moral issues on bio-engineering to make a story. Growing humans that can photosynthesize  has great potential as sci-fi story material. Unfortunately, her character development practically stops when Mason, the main character, meets Laia, the human autotroph.

The narrative makes me feel like he was only helping Laia because she was pretty. Plus, I honestly didn't think that the science experiment was “gruesome”. Personally, I thought it was pretty interesting! I thought that Bodeen exaggerated Mason’s reactions when he was in the greenhouse and the plot was so predictable. The Gardener is his dad? Really?  That’s the best you could do?

Still, I’ve read plenty of books with predictable endings that I still enjoyed. Why? I think I simply didn't like reading this book. It was bland and boring. The whole story just seemed fake. It just felt like all of the thoughts and actions of all the characters were played out too perfectly by the author. If Bodeen had made it seem more real and less artificial, I think the story as a whole would have been much better.

Glog

Guns, Germs, and Steel Essay #4: Bronze v. Steel: Why Spain Trumped the Inca

Why were Spanish weapons so much more advanced than the Inca’s? Professor Jared Diamond of UCLA thinks this is due to geographic luck. Geographic luck is the term coined to describe the phenomenon of the fact that some people are placed on a better geographic latitude than others. Nevertheless, advanced steel swords were developed only in Europe because of geographic luck. First, Incan bronze knifes should be examined. Then, Spanish steel will be inspected thoroughly. Lastly, a side by side comparison between steel and bronze as weapon material will ensue. However, before conclusions can be drawn, Incan bronze must be studied in further detail.

Incan bronze was pitifully primitive. Its soft and malleable consistency makes the weapons made of this metal prone to breaks if heated to too high temperatures and inclined to bend if put under too much pressure. Such a weapon can make it dangerous in a fight; if it breaks or bends, it strands the owner without any defenses. Nonetheless, why did the Inca use such pliant material to make weapons? The answer is simple: they had to. First of all, bronze was the most reliable and most suited to weapon making material that they had. They also had a plethora of the semi-precious metal. In addition, the Inca could not make long burning fires required to make steel. Given that they could not create these fires, it was easy for them to use bronze since it was so easy to mold. However, this came at a price. Using the supple material made it easy to shape, but its effectiveness as a weapon decreased as a result.  If the Inca’s weapons were so hopeless, how did they become such a large empire?  Though the Inca could only make these weapons, the rest of the Americas were stuck with them. Since everyone had the same weapons, they could easily overpower others by sheer numbers or strategy. Having now evaluated the tools of the Americas, steel must likewise be appraised.

Steel was wickedly sharp and advanced. It was strong, but not brittle. It was flexible, but not soft. It was lightweight, but still weighted. It was long and maneuverable. How did it get to be this way? The answer lies in the lines. The geographic lines, that is. Since Spain lies on the same latitude as the Middle East, they got to inherit all of their special tricks. They got the secret of gunpowder. Developed and domesticated farming. Most of all, they got their centuries of metallurgy. Since the people of the Fertile Crescent had already started Europe off, Europeans had an easier time; instead of wasting time trying to find the secret of steel, they could begin right off perfecting it. They got a running start ahead of the rest of the world. In addition to having years of inherited experience, they also had large deposits of iron ore and generous amounts of forests to burn. Now, the Spanish had the experience and the materials that are needed to create steel. For another reason, the Spaniards were constantly at war with their neighbors, creating the element of competition. Spain had the wisdom, the resources, and the drive to make the best steel in the world. Now having examined both materials individually, a side by side comparison is essential.

Spanish steel is better than Incan bronze in many ways. Spain had sharp, hard swords. The perfect balance; neither pliable nor brittle. The Inca had blunt knives, unable to sharpen bronze to a point. In war, the Spanish can use the long reach of their swords to thrust, hack, and slash their way through a battalion of enemies. The Inca can only use their 5-6 inches of range. Spain can use their weapons without much danger of snapping or deforming their weapons. On the contrary, the Inca’s soft weapons bend easily, causing constant worry of warping a weapon. When all is said and done, it can be easily recognized that Spanish steel was a more preferable alternative to Incan bronze.

All things considered, Spanish steel is definitively a more beneficial weapon than Incan bronze. Incan bronze is a soft, pliant metal, unfit for making top grade weapons. Alternatively, Spanish steel is a deadly sharp and flexible metal, the best in the world for making swords. Since steel has so many more advantages, it is a metal more suited to making weapons than bronze. All in all, steel has more desirable characteristics as a weapon making material than bronze. But a person has to give it to them. The Inca can sure make a shiny knife.

Guns, Germs, and Steel Essay #3: Domesticated Animals to World Riches

Ever wondered how Europe became such a successful empire? Part of the reason is because of the livestock they owned. Their blessing of good latitude placement, or geographic luck, allowed them to have livestock, one of the most important factors in the development of a booming civilization. Animal domestication played a large role in the development of rich societies throughout the world. Livestock passed on smallpox, a crucial part in European conquest. Next, material items gave the societies in question a nutritional edge. Finally, domesticated animals performed important services that greatly improved the workings of a certain people. To start, however, an explanation of livestock in the development of smallpox is appropriate.

Smallpox was one of the ways that domesticated animals aided advanced civilizations. How is this possible? Well, among the general populace, it is a little known, although crucial, fact that smallpox was originally a cow’s disease. It was passed on through drinking their milk, eating their meat, and keeping them in close contact. How would this be useful though? Would being sick not be a disagreeable experience? Would a plague that swept over an empire’s population not be a bad thing? Here’s the thing. The answer is both yes and no. While in the short term it would dramatically reduce the inhabitants of the land and contribute to a declining economy, in the long term, a civilization would eventually breed against smallpox. Since only the strongest and most immune survive, the weak and sickly genes eventually die off. A plague is nature’s pruning system; breeding only the best and brightest allows the survivors to become more resilient. Consequently, in the case of the Europeans, they were able to “grow out of it”, so to speak, and use it as a weapon. Everywhere they went to conquer, where smallpox was a foreign disease, the indigenous people were swept off of their feet, bombarded by artillery and the more dangerous ailment of smallpox. On top of smallpox, livestock’s material items gave farmers a significant upper hand.

Domesticated animals supplied many material items that assisted considerably in the creation of great civilizations. It might be thought that materials may not give one much of an advantage, but in reality, the opposite is true. Meat and milk from livestock enabled societies that owned livestock to gain a sizable advantage over other empires. It gave them important sustenance food; a nutritious counterpart to other protein sources. Additionally, without milk, finding calcium would be difficult. Good nutrition is one of the most important things you can keep track of. Why do they teach about it in schools today? Livestock provided the extra head start for civilizations that owned them.  Domesticated animals provided tools. Their bones became weapons. Their hides became shelters. These primitive tools gave Europeans and other civilizations with domesticated animals a wide advantage. In addition to providing material items, livestock also executed services crucial to a society’s development.

Domesticated animals carried out key services for people in advanced civilization. In war, they rode horses into battle, giving them the ability to trample and scare their enemies. When Spain was battling the Inca, they scared off them with their giant horses, causing the Incan infantry to collapse in panic. This allowed Spain to capture and hold their leader hostage. That’s not all. In farming, oxen and donkeys plowed the land in a shorter time than it would take to do by hand. As a result, farming became a more efficient and, therefore, beneficial process. They were also able to move trade and ideas throughout their continent faster, making it more worthwhile to make a long journey. After analyzing the many services given from livestock, it can be concluded that domesticating animals was one of the prime reasons why certain civilizations became successful while others failed.

Through domesticating animals, civilizations were able to glean off of their benefits and, therefore, became rich and successful. Smallpox, which came from cows, made conquest easier for the occupiers in question. Material items procured by livestock allowed for good nutrition and tools. Services provided by domesticated animals gave advanced civilizations the edge in trading and battle.  To sum up, domesticated animals aided critically in the creation of advanced societies.

Guns, Germs, and Steel Essay #2: The Inca’s Fall to Europe

Even though the Inca had a mighty force of 80,000 men and Spain only 168, the Europeans easily defeated them. Why did this happen? Europe conquered the Inca without difficulty, despite their large numbers, because they were more advanced than them. They had many weapons on their side. One of their most deadly being the silent killer: smallpox. They had one of the smartest strategies, proven to work from previous battles.  And finally, they had top-notch swords and guns while the Inca had none. To look at this issue further, one needs to look at how European smallpox was one of the most potent weapons in history.

Smallpox played a key role in the Inca’s collapse to Europe. Smallpox was a deadly European disease that killed almost everyone who contracted it. According to Professor Jared Diamond of UCLA, 95% of indigenous Americans were wiped out completely by smallpox. So why didn’t the Spaniards suffer from the same fate? Well, turns out, they did. Smallpox was a disease that came from domestic cows. The Inca had no cows, only llamas. The Spaniards had, over time, built up immunity from smallpox. Over the generations, when smallpox was an epidemic in Europe, only the strongest of people survived to regenerate. So after many centuries, the Europeans had become almost a super-breed; practically immune to smallpox, they could fight wars without danger of a large breakout. However, the Inca had no helpful animal friends to develop any sort of resistance. Their vegetation did not serve as proper feeding grounds for cows. Moreover, they did not allow their llamas into their homes, nor did they milk them. Therefore, since the Inca had no cows, smallpox was a foreign disease. During the war, the Americans were either sick, nursing, or dead. However, while it is important to recognize that smallpox was a vital aspect concerning the Inca’s downfall, it is equally essential to realize that the Spaniard's strategy also played of utmost importance.

The strategy employed by the Spanish was one of the reasons they won over the Americans. What the Spaniards lacked in quantity was redeemed in brains. However, their brilliant strategy would never have come to be had the gift of writing not occurred.  According to Professor Diamond, the expedition’s leader had taken a page out of a war strategy from a few years ago. A former conquistador, Hernando Cortez, had written a book containing the surprise attack tactic. The Inca had no writing because of the continent they were placed on. Since the Maya had writing, it should have passed on to the Inca. But since they did not lie on the same latitude, it did not pass on. During the battle, they employed the scheme beautifully. When they fought, their priest showed the Inca’s leader, Atahualpa, their bible in attempt at peaceful conversion. But since Atahualpa had never seen books, he scoffed at the Spaniards and called for his massive army to attack. They obeyed, but foolishly fell apart into a mass panic when the Spanish brought out their guns. They thought the Spaniards were gods, sitting majestically on giant horses with lethally sharp steel swords, compared to their own blunt bronze ones. Now that the army was in a panicked frenzy, the Spanish promptly capture Atahualpa and force him to command his people to obey Spain and give the Spanish 20 tons of gold and silver. After they gather their riches, they kill Atahualpa, realizing that he was of no use to them. The Inca have now been cleverly reformed by Spain. Having examined this brilliant line of attack, it is imperative to note that none of the stratagems utilized here would have worked without Europe’s weapons.

Spain’s development in weaponry was superior to that of their adversary’s. First of all, Europe's guns were top of the line in the world at the time. They were developed because of gunpowder brought from China. The Inca never got to make them because China was an entire ocean away. Steel was also one of Spain’s fineries. They had the best in the planet, while the Inca had no steel at all! Incans did not have the proper climate to have long burning fires required to make steel while Europe had centuries to perfect it. They had inherited all of the Fertile Crescent’s metallurgy. Now that all of these have been examined, it can be concluded that Europe was more advanced than the Inca.

As can be seen, Spain was infinitely more sophisticated than the Inca, which is why they were able to defeat the enormous Incan army relatively effortlessly. Smallpox went on a rampage, making the Spaniard's job simpler by incapacitating most of the Americans. Then, their outstanding strategy involved staging a surprise attack, then capturing Atahualpa. Of course, the strategy depended on Europe’s fine weapons. Finally, on the whole, the reason why Europe’s exiguous cavalry overpowered the Inca’s extensive infantry was because of Europe’s degree of experience and good fortune was vastly superior to that of the Inca’s.

Guns, Germs, and Steel Essay #1: Geographic Luck in the European Domination of the World

Have you ever thought about how Europe became such a large empire? Jared Diamond, a UCLA professor, explains on the TV program Guns, Germs, and Steel, that it is due to geographic luck. Geographic luck is the term used to describe the phenomenon of the fact that people in some areas are just luckier than others. For instance, the Fertile Crescent got nutritious wheat and barley while Papua New Guinea got sago palm. However, Professor Diamond has the right idea. Geographic luck shaped the path to European dominance. Firstly, farming, which played a huge role in Europe, came through their good fortune. Second, key roles in Europe’s conquering spree came through their well-placed civilization.  Finally, Europe’s weapons, the finest in the world, came through their good geographic placement. In order to understand geography’s role in Europe’s superiority, farming and agriculture are essential subjects to look at.

Farming was a vital character in Europe’s progressive march towards global dictatorship. According to Jared Diamond, Europe’s domestic animals provided crucial items, such as shelter made from skins, bones for tools, meat, and milk. Using these, they were able to develop more as a society compared to other places without livestock. Domesticated animals helped Europe evolve against smallpox since smallpox was originally a cow’s disease. Over the generations, after the fittest and strongest had been put into the gene pool, the Europeans had become almost completely immune to smallpox. Europe’s livestock were also used for war and to plow land for nutritious foods that Europe’s geographic luck had pulled through for. While the Inca got bad land and the New Guineans got sago, the Europeans got arable land with nourishing wheat and barley to grow in it. As a result, Europeans became a more stable culture than hunter-gatherer nomads. In understanding farming’s benefit to Europe, it is also important to recognize how the Europeans were more developed than the empires they conquered.

Europe was superior to the civilizations they conquered in every way, except in numbers. Disease came to Europeans early, so they could suffer in an unimportant time when they were not fighting. The Inca and the Khoi San were not so lucky. According to Guns, Germs, and Steel, they were mostly killed by smallpox during the heat of war against Europe. Because it was a foreign disease to them, they had no resistance like the Europeans. Europe also had incredible weapons. Soft Incan bronze was no match for European steel. While Europeans frolicked about, defeating empires right and left, their victims had to fight against the most innovative weapons at the time, all while ailing through one of the most deadly diseases in the world. The final area to be examined is Europe’s authority in weaponry.

Weapons, along with Europe’s war power, came to existence only because of Europe’s environment. Europe inherited decades to centuries of metallurgy from the Fertile Crescent and had even longer to perfect it. The level of steel Europe had existed only because their climate was dry enough to create long burning fires required to heat the iron ore. While Europe had strong steel, the Inca were still using soft bronze weapons. In addition to top-notch swords, the Europeans also had guns. Gunpowder came from China. If the two empires were not on the same latitude, gunpowder would not have arrived at Europe for them to perfect the gun. Examining all of these factors, it can be confirmed that Europe was clearly influenced by geographic luck.

As can be seen, geographic luck helped Europe conquer the rest of the world. Farming allowed Europeans to form villages and develop advanced societies. It assisted them to evolve against diseases like smallpox. Farming also let them develop transportation and labor through livestock. Europe’s advancements in society were all due to their geographic location. It was the reason why they conquered other disease-ridden, primitive empires so easily. Plus, weapons and metallurgy were only developed through the good fortune of the European’s placement and climate. As a result, it is obvious that geographic luck paved the way to the Western-dominant present.

Round Moon (Haiku)

15th of 8th month,
the moon shines bright; the moon festival.
Eat mooncakes.

Brush and Floss! (Tanka)

Sweets rot teeth, you know.
I beg you; cease your feasting!
Bring not this shamed fate
upon you. Of repulsive
features, decayed molars win!

Beware (Diamente)

Ghosts
Spooky, Creepy
Floating, Gliding, Scaring
Bedsheets, Eyeholes...Wings, Wands
Flying, Granting, Casting
Sparkly, Magical
Fairies

Late (Tanka)

School starts on the first
of September at seven.
Wake late for the bus,
running down the muddy street.
Then stop to take in sunrise.

Life Cycle (Haiku)

Swirling down to death
The journey—big, yet small,
ends, healing within.

Thank Thankfulness (Cinquain)

Thank you.
For of the things
celebrated today,
our blessings I thank most.
Thank you.

Why Hare is Nocturnal - A Pourquoi Tale

Once upon a time, when the earth was still young, the hare still slept at night and worked in day like all other animals. One day while the hare was still in bed on a sunny spring morning, he heard a knocking at his door.

“What?” he mumbled sleepily.

“It’s me! Speeecial delivery!”

Hare slowly bounced to the door. He contemplated what this could be. Heron was the mailman for the entire country, and door deliveries were rare. As he sluggishly opened the door, Heron wagged his finger at him and held out a letter.

“You better be faster if you’re going to work for the king.”

“What? Really?”

Hare snatched the letter out of Heron’s hand and tore it open, scanning over the basics of the letter. It was true! He had been accepted as the Chief Courier to the King!

“You’re lucky that the king is accepting you after the incident with Tortise. You better be on your best behavior.”

Hare grimaced.

“I’m different now! Really! But I’m still faster than everyone else, and no offense, but even you!”

Heron looked at him skeptically and then shrugged, resigned.

“Whatever you say, Hare.”

The next morning, Hare was on his best behavior. He woke up at precisely 5:30 AM and got to the palace at 6 to meet the wise Elephant that Lion had given his crown to in his dying breaths. At the minute the sun’s first rays touched the king’s throne, he knelt with his head bowed respectfully. He heard King Elephant lumber up to the seat and sit himself down.

“Ah, hello Hare. Congratulations on becoming my Chief Courier. Not everyone can do it, you know. You did a very fine job on your intelligence test and your sprint times were amazing! But I’ll cut to the chase. I’ve found that you have not been very dedicated during previous events. Obviously competition does not spur you into action, as shown in your history. So I’ve decided to go on an honor system. If you deliver my letters and packages properly, nothing will happen. I’m willing to give you a second chance, Hare. So today, I’m giving you this packet to read by tomorrow. You can start delivering then. Since I just started my rule a few months ago, I have had few packages to send until now. Anyway, you may return to your dwelling and begin reading.”

Hare fidgeted uncomfortably, still waiting for Elephant to tell him he could rise. After a few minutes, the king realized his mistake.

“Oh, my apologies, you may rise. I’m really sorry, like I said, I’m new to this business.”

Hare looked up, grateful, when he saw the packet. His eyes bugged out.

“Ah, yes, it is a bit big, isn’t it? Well, I have complete confidence in you. Now, go on!”

Hare went back home and sighed. He looked at the packet again. He began leafing through it when after lunch, he began to feel drowsy. He thought to himself One nap couldn’t hurt, right? I have 17 full hours before I really have to read this. Plus, I am the fastest animal in all the savannah, so I shouldn’t have a problem. So Hare laid himself into bed and dozed off, dreaming about his job as  Chief Courier, racing around at top speed and being the hero of the entire country.

Hare was jerked back to reality and looked at the sun outside. Oh no! The sun wasn’t there anymore, just the moon. It was already 11 o’clock! Hare panicked and started madly flipping through the pages. Owl, who was nocturnal to begin with, saw this and he coined the term “Mad as a March Hare”. But that’s another story. So when Hare finally finished the booklet, it was already 5:30 and time to get ready for his first day at work.

King Elephant looked at Hare, standing at attention... kind of. Hare felt completely exhausted, but he couldn’t figure out why. He told the king that he was ready for his first assignment. The king skeptically raised an eyebrow but nonetheless gave him the package for delivery that was clearly marked in bold red print “IMPORTANT: TO BE DELIVERED TO COUNCILMAN FROG ASAP” Hare blearily focused on Elephant.

“So, um, who am I delivering this to?”

King Elephant frowned and pointed to the package. Hare grinned.

“Oh, yeah. I knew that. I’ll deliver it ASAP, Your Majesty.”

Elephant looked disapproving again, but still waved him away.

“Go on. You do know where Councilman Frog lives, correct?”

The king chuckled at his own joke. Even the smallest children knew where the infamous Frog lived. In the giant red toadstool house, the distinctive color was hard to miss.

“Well, maybe. The...um... purple one, right?”

The king looked at him incredulously and decided that he must be going along with his joke.

“Yes, yes, just go on.”

Hare rushed out of the palace and sprinted toward the purple house in the next district. He had the entire day to make a 6 hour journey, round trip. This would be a piece of cake! He hopped as fast as he could until he became unbearably tired. It was only 8 o’clock! He flopped on the ground surprised at the sudden bout of fatigue and his eyelids drooped. Well, I do have 22 full hours to make it to Frog’s purple condo and back right? So a measly 1 hour snooze wouldn’t make a difference.Even if I didn’t make it, I can run faster than the wind itself and make it to Frog’s house and back. Hare closed his eyes and drifted off to dreamland once again...

Hare bolted upright, startled at the sudden cry of “HOO HOO” in his ear.

“AHHHHH! What was that for?”

“Hoo! I thought you might be injured so I HOOed as loud as I could to see if you were awake.”

“Well, I’m awake now. Hey, I thought you only awoke at night, not the day.”

“Hoo! Well, if you use your eyes, it is nighttime. It’s 12 o’clock.”

Uh oh. Hare looked around and realized his dire situation. He jumped up and told Owl that he was going to Frog’s house to deliver his package.

“That might take a while. You’re 2 provinces away, right? Hoo!”

Double uh oh. Now Hare had only 6 hours to hop the full trip of... Hare did some quick calculations. Triple uh oh. The full trip of 8 hours. This might be a problem. He had to get going, pronto!

“Gotta go Owl! See you around!”

He ran off, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

The next morning, Hare looked even more disheveled than the day before. He had made it to the palace... at 8 o’clock. He looked meekly up at the king.

“Now, Hare, I would like to know what all this gossip going around is all about.”

Hare was stunned. His mind raced. What had happened? Gossip? What was there to gossip about?

“Why does Owl report that she found you sleeping in the next province over at midnight with your package still undelivered? And that you were sleeping the day before that and waking up at 11 to start reading as ‘mad as a March Hare’? And that she found you every single night before that partying or doing last minute work?? Many of your neighbors also report that you have been sleeping frequently throughout the day.”

Hare thought back. He had partied and procrastinated quite a few times, but it didn’t seem like that much. After all, he was so fast. He had never had problems.

“If you are going to sleep the day away and stay up all night, you might as well be nocturnal! Hare, I was obviously wrong about you. I know better know that you are unresponsible. But the best punishment is giving people the thing they want most. So I, as King, officially decree that you, Hare, and all of your descendents must be nocturnal and not do any day duties, instead doing night duties, since that seems to be what you love most!”

Hare slunk off, mortified, and was ridiculed by the entire country because of his procrastination. Added on to the previous Tortise Incident, the teasing and mocking was ramped up to even higher levels. Some animals even stayed up late just to tell him about it. But soon the craze had faded away into just a memory. Even to this very day, Hare still remains nocturnal in fear of further taunts of “Half-Asleep Hare” and “Slowpoke Sleepyhead”.

The Average Day of a Young Irmisosuan

During my travels as an anthropologist, I had the liberty of visiting a particularly interesting community by the name of Irmisosu. I was assigned to a family in this community that went by the name of Lai. The main subject of my research was the oldest child in the family, a 12 year old girl named Isabel. Though they may not seem especially unusual so far, I observed many strange quirks throughout my visit. Children in Irmisosu are ritually initiated into a strange repository at a young age. I also studied some of the habits of the youngest child. He was often found staring directly into a strong light source, burning out his retinas. However, no parental action was taken.  
         
In the morning the child would ceremoniously force herself to listen to shrill, high pitched tones. Then at the crack of dawn, would arise from the box that she slept on. Once off of her hard, angular box, she would proceed to yank a wooden club bristling with spikes through her hair and squeeze a thick, brown paste onto a plastic stick to put in her mouth. The people of Irmisosu believe that, without this paste along with long strands of string that often cause bleeding in the gums, their health will decay dramatically. Then she will proceed to bind every individual strand of hair into a formation involving using a piece of stretchy-string to secure the strands.
         
After this ritual, Isabel proceeds to walk, only to board a clunky, tawny colored metal box-on-wheels that takes her to the repository. At the repository, she walks around aimlessly for 30 minutes before a screeching alarm alerts them to each division, or work group. These work groups are commanded by a high master, a person whom demands the utmost respect and obedience from children. Between each work group, children must ferry around sacks that weigh 20+ pounds while navigating crowded passageways within a time limit of five minutes. In some of these work groups she does various things like jabbing with memorized strokes at a slab of plastic or staring at inkblots and telling the high masters what she thinks the inkblot means. Or reviewing and identifying various shapes. Or observing and identifying rocks.
         
Upon the completion of her seven hours of service to the repository for the day, she is shuttled to her dwelling in the tawny box-on-wheels where she is forced to work for 3 or 4 more hours, most of which involve using a device that worsens her vision by flashing sharp lights into her face, which in turn is magnified into higher proportions by the pieces of molded and heated sand she must wear over her eyes. Using this device usually involves mindless, repeated tapping on its surface to create and shape the inkblots the high master requests. It is unknown what exactly the high masters do with the toil of hours of labor that the children create, however Isabel did say that a number was assigned to the project and then returned to the child.
         
When the work is all finished, Isabel and the rest of the family participate in a ritual that is performed by most Irmisosuans. It involves stepping into a scalding-hot barrage of a very dangerous chemical that if inhaled, will cause imminent death. When in the small, claustrophobic chamber, one must now slather oneself with many thick chemical gels. Extra gel is typically provided for the scalp. Then the individual must painfully scrape the scalp in repeated motions. The ritual is completed when you attack your hair with a high powered jet-blast of oven-like temperatures.
         
To complete the day, Isabel would again apply the sticky paste to her teeth and gums, wash her mouth ceremoniously and climb back into her box, and get ready for another day at the repository.
         
In conclusion, the Irmisosuan culture is extremely interesting and should deserve further study in the field of cultural anthropology. From what I have observed so far, the Irmisosu people are very durable, especially the children who get sent to the harsh repository. Isabel even seems to enjoy her work at the repository. I personally would enjoy coming back to Irmisosu to conduct a more detailed study, especially on family dwellings and their inner workings.

A Trip to Hokkaido: Part 2

Hi! After my last article on the Daisetsuzan National Park, I will now write about 2 flower farms we visited.

I'm not sure what the first one was called, so I apologize about that. However, the name of the second farm was Farm Tomita. Both of them were very beautiful, but we were on a tractor ride for most of the part of the first one, so I don't have many good pictures of it. On the first farm, we got to sit on a ride. On the second farm, we had to walk. It was a colorful scene. It was really cool. It was orderly and neat yet chaotic. To top it off it was a cool, cloudy day! It's so rare to have a refreshingly chilly day in the summer. Here are some more pictures that are surely worth more than 1000 words. 

A Trip to Hokkaido

A few days ago, my family went on a trip to Hokkaido. For those unfamiliar with the geography of Asia, Hokkaido is the northern most island in Japan. 

Many highlights outlined this trip, including a few national parks and fish markets. From bike trips to mountain-top views. Flower farms(?) and marine parks. There was more of course.. So instead, I'll tell you about one thing everyday. I will go in chronological order for the 5 days we spent in Japan. 

In this article, I will be writing about Daisetsuzan National Park. We saw 3 waterfalls there. It was a cool day, only about 70oF (20oC) and it was perfectly tranquil what with the roaring sound of the waterfalls and the wonderful coolness, for a change. You felt inclined to be silent. Almost no one even whispered. It was breathtaking. There was even an added bonus of trees and gurgling creeks. I hope you enjoyed this description. I will leave you with some pictures of this incredible scene!

Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter (no spoilers)

When Pollyanna's dad dies, orphaning her, the eleven- year-old girl goes to her Aunt Polly's house in Beldingsville, Vermont.

Miss Polly Harrington has never been one for children or other follies. So when her deceased sister's husband dies, she is obliged to take in her niece, Pollyanna. Of course, this is all out of a sense of duty. Miss Polly is all about duty. Even if Pollyanna is the most RIDICULOUS name she has ever heard.

When Nancy, Miss Polly's servant, hears about Pollyanna, she wants to do everything she can to help her mistress's niece be glad about a stuffy attic room and a hostile aunt. To Nancy's surprise she finds that SHE is being helped instead of the other way around.

Pollyanna quickly befriends the rest of the town and finds that they have problems of their own ranging from life long invalidly to old lover's quarrels. The super optimistic girl is glad to teach them how to be glad through her father's "just being glad" game. Helping the entire town through their decided lack of gladness, Pollyanna is gladder than ever having so many friends.

Will Pollyanna be able to lead Beldingsville through her quest for happiness? Even when a tragic accident cripples Pollyanna forever? An endearing book that will warm the hearts of all readers.

My Top 10 Books in Random Order

1. Ranger's Apprentice Series
2. Percy Jackson Series
3. The Chronicles of Valdimir Tod
4. Maximum Ride Series
5. The Heroes of Olympus Series
6. Gone (not the series, just the individual book)
7. Lorien Legacies Series
8. Inheritance Series
9. Adventurers Wanted Series
10. The Hunger Games Series

The Most Advanced Civilization: Rome

What is civilization? Well, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, it is “intellectual and cultural refinement”. If you ask me, being an advanced civilization is not only that but passing on their ideas and advancements on to future generations. Not only does this mean that you are progressing human civilization in general, it also means your ideas were the most useful and advanced. So which was the most advanced civilization: Greece, Rome, or Byzantine? The answer is most obviously Rome. All of my listed reasons about the Roman’s advancement are passed on to other countries present day, most especially our country. Plus, if Rome was not so advanced, then how could they have survived and flourished for 1000 years? If you need any more reason, first, Rome’s architecture, law, and government were beyond its time. Second, their language, culture, and almost everything in their everyday lives were supreme in all others. Third, and most foreseeable, was their military commandment and accomplishments. In the next paragraphs, I will explain why Rome is so plainly the most advanced civilization of its time period, even while compared to Greece and Byzantine.

                

My first reason is that of architecture, law, and government. Their 12 Tables and three-branch method were pure genius. If not, then why are they still around today? America’s President was equal to the consuls’; the Supreme Court’s job matches those of the praetors’. For our legislative branch, we even have two “branches” off of that: the Senate corresponding to their Senate and the House of Representatives parallel to the House of Plebs. The 12 Tables established that all free citizens had the right to be treated equally by the legal system. Romans also created what was called the Law of Nations. It showed that the rule of justice was applied to all peoples conquered by Rome: a person is seen as innocent until proven guilty, people accused of crimes could defend themselves before a judge, and finally a judge had to look at evidence carefully before making a decision. Sound familiar? It should! It is the same basic rules that we use today. In architecture, many of our important government official buildings are based off Roman technique: arches and domes. They also have aqueducts and the famous sewer system: Cloaca Maxima.

                

My second reason is their language, culture, and almost everything in their everyday lives. Look at our language. Even with my very limited Latin vocabulary, I can pick up several words that are borrowed from Rome such as “person” or “sign” or “excel”. They are all derived from Latin roots or statements. Another example is that the Romans figured out how to make the ever-failing calendar work by using a solar calendar instead of a lunar calendar to keep in touch with the seasons. The Romans were also one of the only ancient civilizations to care about personal hygiene. A proper civilization should be concerned about their cleanliness so they were less prone to disease. Could you imagine not taking a bath or a shower except for maybe twice a year? Well, in ancient history, only the Romans took baths on a regular basis. This shows sign that the Romans looked beyond all the more political issues and took notice of the important details other less developed civilizations missed.

                

My third reason was their military control and skill. The Romans conquered more land and people than anybody else. Even if there were, nobody maintained the land and restrained the people for more than 1000 years! Roman militia did not fight like barbarians. Their generals were problem solvers. For instance, at first the Romans fought like the Greeks. Soon, generals found this method to be slow and clumsy. So they modified it. Their military was smartly divided into smaller groups of around 6,000 men called legions who were further divided into groups of 60-120 men called cohorts. These new smaller groups could easily cut through enemy lines like darts. They also enforced discipline into their soldiers. With this Roman cunning and efficiency and Spartan obedience, this new army was unstoppable for the next 1,000 years.

                

In conclusion, now you can see that the Romans can easily bypass the Greeks and the Byzantines with no problem. Both civilizations have too many flaws. The Greeks needed to be more united. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided cannot stand”. The city-state method was ultimately the Greek’s downfall. The Byzantines needed to do something memorable. They lasted 1000 years, but were they as efficient as the Romans? No. Were they first to do so? Nopes. Did they build any amazing buildings? No. Did they have great military might? No again. Rome had all of these things and more. Now, if you could not see before, you know that Rome is the ultimate, most advanced civilization.

Alexa Daley - The Dark Hills Divide by Patric Carman

“Your size is your strength... The only question is whether you’re big enough inside.”

Alexa Daley is a small, lively 12 year old girl that lives in the walled city of Lathbury in the Land of Elyon. Alexa is 4’6’’ and always has her honey-blond hair in a braid. However, every summer she visits the, also walled, city of Bridewell where her father is mayor. The road on which she traveled is also within large, 10 foot high walls. 

All her life, Alexa is within these immense walls which protect her and the cities from the so-called unnamed evil in The Dark Hills which lie outside the wall. Every year she yearns to explore what lies beyond the walls. But every time she tries to search, the mean, nasty captain of the guards, Pervis Kotcher stops her in her tracks before she can even begin. 

What is the unspoken of monster outside? Nobody knows. Well, nobody except for maybe the traveler and founder of Bridewell and the walls, whom of which also happen to be one of Alexa’s favorite people, Warvold. Just before Alexa can muster up the courage to ask him, Alexa finds Warvold dead right beside the wall. 

Then when she is at one of her favorite places in the world, the library, she finds something that could transform her dull summer into one filled with dangerous journeys that tell the truth about Bridewell’s past, present, and possible future. While she unravels the truth about what lies outside, she unearths some unexpected dangers, makes some new friends, and maybe even finds a spy! Alexa’s daring sense of adventure leads her to a quest that could save or destroy Bridewell. Join our heroine Alexa in this mystery concerning her homeland’s rescue or obliteration.