Ender's Game Movie

Enders Game the movie

    I think everyone is entitled to there own opinion.  How they present their opinion to the world is what really matters.  We live in a world that is very acceptable of people who are maybe a little bit different.  For example same sex marriage is beginning to be more acceptable in our society.  I think anyone can be who they want to be and not be judged, but if you are hurting people in the process then maybe you took it too far.  
    As for Orson Scott Card he has a very strong opinion about same sex marriage.  Like I said everyone is entitled to there own opinion, but Card is one of those people who has taken  his opinion too far and is hurting people in the process.  “Marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down."  Now he definitely went too far.  I can see how he likes tradition and such but the world is changing and he can’t hurt people in the process of voicing his opinion.
    My opinion on the book hasn’t changed at all.  I still think the book is great!  But I can see how keeping Card out of the limelight would help the Enders Game movie be more successful.  I think it is smart of Summit to do that because they want to attract all audiences and it seems to me that Card might not be helping with that.  Unless he starts to keep his opinion more to himself I definitely agree with keeping him out of the limelight.  Which is too bad because after all he did write the book and I think he should be recognized for that.  If you're affecting how the movie is going to do then that’s too bad .  
    I know I’m looking forward to seeing the movie and I wouldn’t want to miss it. So I don’t think it should be boycotted.  After all that’s only one person’s point of view and I think all the other people who worked hard on the movie should not be punished for Card’s beliefs.  It’s not like the movie is offending same sex marriage.  
    I definitely think Mr.Vack should continue to use this book in his classroom curriculum because this is a very good book to get kids excited about reading and just because the author thinks something doesn't mean you have to agree.  

Ode to the Ocean

Ode to the ocean

Waves crashing down

the smell of salt water fills the air

swish swash goes the water

harsh then gentle waves crashing down going in then out

sun sets on the blue ocean turning it pink, orange and yellow.  

The sun stays in the sea till morning

It lights the dark ocean for creatures to see

It brightens their day then it returns

to the top of the sea for all to see.

Ode to the ocean and its sweet surf in the summer days

I hope you stay with me for many days as we please.  

Ch 12-15

Emily

Ch 12-15

Ch 12-Bonzo
1. What Ender did to provoke Bonzo is he kind of teased him about how his father would be proud of him that he beat up a naked wet and alone ten year old with six other guys to help.  That upset Bonzo because it kinda made him look weak.  How Bonzo responded is he got mad then he went  in a stance ready to attack and he went at Ender and he tried to grip his back but Ender got away in the end Ender defeated Bonzo.  
2. Stilson is the guy Ender beat up at the beginning of the book.  Mazar told Ender that he actually killed stilson.  They didn't want him to know because they didn't want him to think of himself as a killer.
3.  Ender still expects help from the teachers because he just assumed that whenever older kids attacked in the battle room that the teachers would just be standing right outside the door.  If things got out of hand then they would step in and help.  Since he was also very valuable to the teachers he assumed they would try to do there best to keep him safe.  
4.  I didn't know that Stilson was dead at first until in the dream Ender had of when Stilson tied him up and he wasn't able to fight back and everything he had done to stilsons life they did to Ender in the dream.  Also Ender never heard about Stilson or saw him after he hurt him.  As for Bonzo I had a feeling he was dead because he graduated right after Ender beat him up or at least thats what they told Ender.  Also at the end of the chapter the ;leader people were saying how there has only been one death in the school and that was a suicide.  
5.  I think Ender was justified because Bonzo and both Stilson started the fight.  They didn't tell him of the deaths because they didn't want him to think of himself as a killer because they didn't want him to not want to fight the buggars.  

Ch 13-Valentine
1.  The quote means that Valentine is afraid to become who she is pretending to be, Demosthenes.  An example is one time I was pretending to be super smart like Kate and I actually became smarter.  
2.  No I don't think it is a good instinct for humans to be killers.  I think it is ok to defend yourself if it is very necessary that might even mean having to take someones life but that should not be a general instinct.  As for Enders case it is probably a good instinct to have if he didn't have that instinct then he probably would not of survived battle school.  
3.  The discussion Ender and Valentine had on the raft was about how he didn't want her to come because he was afraid that he still loved her and how he still fears Peter infact when Valentine brought him up Ender didn't want to talk about him.  Valentine tried to tell Ender that he has started to change.  Valentine also told him of Demosthenes and locke.  Ender told her how he didn't want to fight anymore or try to save the word from the buggers.  He revealed that he has really hurt some people at battle school and he doesn't want to hurt people or be a killer.  
4.  Valentine loves both her brothers she used to be afraid of Peter now she is part of a team with Peter with the whole Demosthenes and Locke thing.  She still knows that Peter is kind of crazy but she also recognized that he has started to change.  As for Ender I think her opinion might of changed a little bit since the day in the raft with Ender and he told how he has really hurt some people at battle school she might think that is a little bit like peter.  She knows both of her brothers are leaders but Peter want to take over the world and Ender was kind of force into being a leader because of his talent at battle school.  “He thinks he’s Alexander the Great.  And why shouldn’t he be?  Why shouldn’t you be too?”(236)
5.  Ender was beginning to question the war between the humans and buggers.  What Graff was explaining to Ender is the reason for the war is the buggers don’t speak they have a different way of communicating with each other and so we never know when they are going to attack or if they are going to attack.  “Ender believe me, there’s a century discussion on this very subject.  Nobody knows the answer.  When it comes down to it, though, the real decision is inevitable: If one of us is destroyed, let’s make damn sure we’re the ones alive at the end”(253).

Ch 14- Ender’s teacher
1.  The thing that disturbs Ender about Eros is the ceiling in the rooms were too low and the tunnels were too narrow also the floors sloped downward almost like they weren’t for humans.  What Ender figures out about Eros is that the buggers were originally there before the humans.  
2.  How Mazer is going to be the only teacher Ender has ever had is Mazer came and attacked Ender in his room but Ender didn’t fight back instead he let Mazer defeat him.  “I surprised you once Ender Wiggin.  Why didn’t you destroy me immediately afterward?  just because I looked peaceful? you turned your back on me.  Stupid.  You have learned nothing.  You have never had a teach.”(262)
3.  The reason Mazer was dishonest with Ender was because he wanted him to defeat the buggers without holding back.  I don't think Ender could've handled it because he didn't want to be a killer even though that was kind of in his nature.  He battles the fact that he is like Peter and also Valentine so the Valentine part of him wouldn't be able to kill a race of adults and children.  
4.  I think they did push the children pretty far but I don't think it was too far because they needed to be able to take on a lot of buggers.  It was definitely worth it because they won!
5.  The only justification of wiping out an entire race is the will to survive or the fear of being killed off they had to do that because they wanted to make sure if anyone was going to die it wouldn't be the humans it would be the buggers.  


Ch 15-Speaker for the dead
1.  I think Ender could definitely  relate to it because Graff and Mazer and all the other teachers took advantage of him and he never really controlled his own life.  
2.  After he heard the evidence of the deaths he didn’t really care about his reputation in fact he watched the videos over and over again he was amused by them all the murders weighed heavily on him but it was weird how he watched the videos over and over again.
3.  Valentine made sure Ender never returned to earth because she knew Ender would be put under Peters control because he is very powerful right now and she didn't want that to happen and Ender didn't want that to happen either.  
4.  What was ironic about Valentine’s statement is Ender has always been the kind one when they were little but he did have a little bit of Peter in him but then Ender turns out to be the one who murdered two people and kill a race.  Then Peter was always evil and Valentine and Ender feared him then he turns out to be the one who’s saving millions of lives.  
5.  The knowledge Ender gained that made him able to write the Hive-Queen is when he went to their planet it looked exactly like the Giants corpse  and had the same mirror Ender smashed.  When he pulled back the mirror he also saw the hive queens silk cocoon.  The buggers also build a place for Ender with a slide, swings and monkey bars.  Ender somehow was able to know what the queen knew and  he didn’t.  When the buggers first attacked the humans they didn't realize they were actual life forms so it was an accident and they were never going to attack again so Ender killed all those buggers for no reason.  
6. The reason  why Ender didn’t  use his name is because specker of the dead seemed more appropriate because he was telling people what the hive queen told him and he didn't want to take any of the credit he just simply wanted to tell their story and apologize for everything he did to them.  

C.E.J #5

Emily

2/20/13

C.E.J #5

The happiest and saddest states according to Twitter

U.S.A

Kelly Heather
CNN student News
February 20,2013
Technology
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/19/tech/social-media/twitter-happiness/index.html

    There has been a recent study at University of Vermont regarding the  happiest and saddest tweets on twitter with a  geotagged tweet.  The study uses words like LoL, hahahahah, sleep, good,nice ,wine and food as well as beach related words as happy words.  While sad words are mad, hate, no, boo, smoke and jail.  The tweets shows the mood of the states according to the  15% of adults that use twitter.  The happiest states are Maine, Nevada, Utah and Vermont according to the tweets.  The saddest states were Mississippi, Maryland, Michigan and Delaware while Louisiana was found to be the saddest state.  Higher obesity states were found to  have sadder tweets and they used words such as McDonalds, wings, ham and heartburn.  The happier states used terms like cafe, sushi, brewery and banana and that was in lower obesity areas.  Wealthier areas had happier tweets and coastal areas had happier tweets as well.  Twitter in the future will be used for more  census related things.  
    I think this is a very interesting study.  The study does make sense  that the saddier states would have higher obesity rates and the happier states were wealthier and had lower obesity rates.  I’m not saying it makes sense to be mean I’m mostly pointing out that wealthier areas will generally have more positive  comments on twitter about vacations and such.  I can see that twitter will be helpful in the future for experiments and surveys. 

Drones

Emily

2/12/13

Drones

    Drones they can be a wonderful invention or they can be a deadly mistake.  I find this more of a frightening topic.  For all we know we could have someone spying on us 247 with a drone.  Do we have any privacy left in our world?  Anyone could get them on the internet so maybe they're using them for recreation after all it would be kind of cool to have a toy plane thing that could go up to three miles in the sky and take a video or picture.  Drones also are pretty helpful to a lot of companies like Google maps and if a city needed to know what traffic was like they could take pictures from up in the sky with drones.  
    Drones do harm people though!  In the air force they put missiles on drones and can kill a target from a distance.  You control drones with an Xbox remote so its like you're killing someone in a violent video game except this time its for real.  It makes it easier to kill someone if its not up close face to face.  Drones can be a good thing or a bad thing we just need to hope that the right people are using them.   

Ch 9-11

Emily

2/12/13

Ch 9
1.I would definitely say that Peter was manipulating Valentine because he was putting on a act of some sort to his parents and to his sister showing them that he has changed but Valentine see’s right through it but Peter does manipulate her into helping him.  I also think that peter has ultimate power after all it was he who tracked the Russians for three years and he asked Valentine to help so it was his idea.
2.Locke was more of a quiet thinker and Demosthenes was able to lead his people against an oppressive government.  Demosthenes was more like Petter because they both tried to protect their people
and Valentine was more like locke because she was a quiet and sensible thinker.  
3.  Ender is still angry because he got too much respect from teachers and soldiers so much respect he wanted to scream and with his old friends there was no laughter just work.  
Ch 10
1.Ender was a good leader he got his soldiers in his army to do as they were told but he was quiet like his past commanders.  He was harsh and sort of mean and picked on small children one in particular Bean Graff picked on Ender the same way Ender picks on Bean.  He was also kind of like Bonzo.  
2.Ender was mean to Bean and picked on him because he knew that Bean was capable of being a really good soldier even though he was very young for a soldier just as Ender was.  Ender was picking on Beam just as Graff picked on him. Now Ender is wondering if he will become like his past commanders and if being makes good soldiers.  
3.Salaam means peace.  What this tells me about the power of religious identity is that all religions are sort celebrating the same thing peace.  Religion for Ender didn't exist in his family much to his parents dismay but he remembered his mom saying to him “think not that I am come to bring peace on earth.”(171)
4.The important thing at the end of the chapter was that Ender was never going to cry again because nothing will ever make him more sadder than when they used Valentine.  Enders reaction was the reaction that they wanted because they didn't want him to be sad anymore they wanted him to succeed and be happy.  well they wanted him to not be so sad so that he could become a better soldier for them.  
Ch 11
1. How the computer knows Ender so well is because he has always been watched.  I think the computer doesn't know him but he knows his reactions and how far he can be tested but the computer doesn't know him as a person.  
2. In the quote Ender was trying to explain to Bean why he has to win all his games because if he loses then he will seem like he isn't fit for the job or weak.  So he is asking Bean to help him.  
3.  The teachers are pushing Ender hard because they need him to be ready for when the buggars come and the teachers know he can do it.  They believe in him and they need him to reach his full potential.  Graff wants him to be a good commander and the best.  But on another hand the battle scedualls  are crazy usually they have a battle every two weeks but right now there one if not two a day.  Ender is on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.  
4.  Before Bean went to bed he thought of half dozen ideas that were stupid but that is exactly what Ender wanted he wanted Bean to come up with crazy and new ideas that no one has seen before so they could win their next battles.  Bean looks up to Ender and he wants to please him.  
5.  That is an appropriate chapter title because Ender did all those things in this chapter he won all of his battles and he conquered and he was able to put aside his emotions for his army.  He made the army one of the best in history.  

C.E.J #4

Emily

2/10/13

Northeast digs out after deadly blizzard; Midwest to get next storm

Northeast

Welch Chris, Snow Mary, Yan Holly
CNN student news
February 10,2013
U.S
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/10/us/weather/index.html?hpt=us_c1

    President Obama has called a state emergency for Connecticut with the highest snowfall of  40 inches.  As for  Boston,  New York, Pennsylvania, Maine , Rhode Island, and Massachusetts they also suffered severe snow damage.  Unfortunately seven people were killed  from  accidents related to the blizzard this past week.  In Connecticut  five people were killed, one in New York and one in Massachusetts.  The death in Massachusetts was very rare the way it accrued from the  snow .   A 14 year old boy went into the family car and turned on the heater to warm up and the engine was running and the exhaust pipe was blocked by snow, causing carbon monoxide to build up in the car which is how the boy's death occurred.    This past week more than 400 U.S flights  were canceled due to weather conditions according to  Flightaware.com.  In some states such as Pennsylvania and Maine residents are trying to dig as much as three feet of snow out of their driveway.  To look on the bright side children and adults get to miss school or work on Monday due to road conditions.  The snow was so deep that now that it is starting to melt and there has been some flooding in   Massachusetts and Maine.  It looks like some schools may be having a snow day for the next couple of days.  
    I am really jealous for some of those states right now I really just want it to start snowing in my backyard! It would also be cool to have a few days off  of school to go sledding.  There was also some unfortunate deaths in the northeast from the major snow storm that is really sad that some people had to die when such a wonderful thing is happening.  I was really surprised by how the boy from Massachusetts died.  To have your life taken when you least expect it must be a horrible thing to have happen.  It was also a good lesson for many people as well because often times when I’m in willow creek during the winter at the snow I often go and turn on the heat in my car and I never even thought of the consequences it may have.  This storm must be especially rough for people who are traveling on in the northeast.  Over 400 flight have been canceled I wonder how airports are managing that obstacle.  I hope that families of the Northeast remain safe during this snowy season.  

C.E.J#3

Emily

2/7/13

C.E.J#3

Body found under parking lot is King Richard III, scientists prove.

Leicester, central England

Jones Bryony
CNN
Feb 5,2013
World
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/03/world/europe/richard-iii-search-announcement/index.html

    Last august British scientist said that they believed that they found  King Henry iii remains in a car park in Leicester England.  They believe it was his remains because the skeleton was the age of the king when he died also the skeleton had   battle wounds and signs of scoliosis, or perhaps just a curvature of the spine  and the king was said to have a hunch back.  The king died during a battle nearly 500 years ago in 1485.  The scientist ran DNA test to see if it was truly King Richard the iii but there was one problem they need some of his family's DNA to see if it matched the skeletons.  Thanks to  Michael Ibsen, a Canadian cabinet maker and direct descendant of Richard III's sister, Anne of York the DNA test confirm that was the remains of King Henry lll.  He will be reburied at  Leicester Cathedral, close to the site of his original grave.  
    I think  that is a truly amazing find!  The fact that we have the technology these days to recover human remains from hundreds of years ago is incredible.   In 1485 when the King died that was before America was discovered that was a really long time ago . I think its really cool how a historical figure of the past can finally be discovered and returned to a burial fit for a king in Leicester Cathedral.  That is a event that will be written down in history for all to remember and know.  If we have technology to do this now what will we be able to do in a hundred years?!

Ch 6-8 questions

Emily

2/5/13

Enders game

Ch 6-8

Ch 6
1.The purpose of the giants game is to see Enders skills and how he handles himself dieing.  How Ender should evaluate himself in the game is that he did very well and “He won a game that couldn't be won.”(66) Graff was very impressed and now I think he looks very highly at Ender in fact he did so good that he was able to go into a different armie.  But I don't think Ender is a murderer he was just doing what he was supposed to do and I think its normal for guys to play violent video games anyways.  
Ch 7
1.Alai said “salaam” to Ender which means something forbidden or some private and powerful meaning for Alai alone well thats what Ender thought.  The kiss on the cheek between Alai and Ender is important because the kiss and the word maybe are somehow forbidden and it was part of a suppressed religion.  
2.”Just living” is basically a normal regular life for a kid like my life and my piers life  its living just to enjoy life where there is nothing to kill and nothing to kill you.   Ender thought of this when he was playing that game because he realized how nice it would be to live in a world of peace.  It is true that Ender has never really done “just living” before.   I think Ender wants to be normal in a sense but I think he also wants to be successful with battle school.  If I was Ender I would be very scared that someday I would actually have to kill someone and I may never be able to see my family again.  
3.Petra helped Ender by being nice to him and helping him at free time so that Bonzo would let Ender learn something when he was his commander and so Ender could fit in better and he could participate in the games.  Their relationship is an hindrance to Ender because he wants to be friends with Petra but he knows she isn't popular he doesn't want to be weighed down by her.  
4.He learns that you can't be weak if you are a leader  and you must act as if you know what you are doing even when you don't.  At times Bonzo was mean  to his soldiers but he showed Ender that you have to be tough and strong to be a leader and stand your ground or at least make it look like you stand your ground.   When Bonzo let Ender get his way he want standing his ground but to the other soldiers it  looked like he was.  
Ch 8
1.The quote means that Graff couldn't handle what Ender is going through.  “What I’m doing to him will bring out a genius.  if I had to go through it myself, it would crush me.  Major Anderson, I know I’m wrecking the game, and I know you love it better than any of the boys who play.   Hate me if you like but don't stop me.”(99)Graff is going to push Ender as much as he possibly can to try to make him as successful as possible but he wants to be very careful with Ender so he can make him a great commander.  
2.The Significance of the quote is  that Ender is trying to get Dink to teach him so he can be helpful but its ironic because Dink is basically telling Ender that he is on his own even though he is able to help and has experience  it shows how on your own you are at battle school.  
3.Enders response to the attack is significant because he’s done what no one has done before.  He tried something new and he succeeded and he did it in his own interesting way.
4.The scene with the snake and Peters reflection shows that Ender does have some similarities with Peter.  That scares Ender because he doesn't want to become his brother.  He doesn't want to have murder in his heart like Peter.  
5.The game knows because when he had the monitor they knew that Ender didn't like his brother so Graff since he creates it he thought he would put something in there to throw him off and see how he reacted.  They wanted to test his emotions to see how he would feel if he was a murderer.  
6.The importance of the last paragraph is that Ender feels he wasn't born to  be a killer or maybe wasn't even  born to live.  He has lost the will to live he doesn't care if he lives or dies  he has lost the will to live and he is very depressed.  

Video Games Responce

Emily

2/5/13

Video games

    I’m not much of a gamer, I never really play video games .   The only video games I enjoy playing every once and awhile are Fruit Ninja and Temple Run On my  iPod touch.   In Fruit Ninja there is fruit thrown up in the air and you have to slice the fruit with your finger.  Sometimes they will throw up a bomb in the air and you have to be careful not to touch it or its game over.  I really like it when they throw special kinds of fruit at you those  special kinds are worth like 25 points.  In Temple Run a guy is running away from these  monkey/gorilla things that are really creepy looking and if they get you then you die.  When you are running there are jumps and branches and you have to much sure not to trip and fall or the monkey  things could get you.  However far you get the more points you will receive.  
    I don't like video games where the object is too kill a  lot of people.  It isn't very good for your mental health to be sitting around all day and killing people in  a game.  I think violent video games is part of the reason why there are so many homicides today in our society.  I think games like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and Temple run are ok to play  sometimes but not all the time.  

C.E.J#1

Emily

1/31/13

Guns and Gun Control

New York Times staff report

Staff Report
The New York Times
January 31,2013
Times Topics
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/g/gun_control/index.html


    After the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown Connecticut there has been an ongoing debate discussing gun control.  At the beginning of the new year Obama called on Congress “to toughen America's gun laws.”   Obama wanted to discuss  mass shootings and everyday gun violence.  Obama proposed a ban again on assault weapons he also wants to put limits on high capacity magazines and expand background checks for gun purchasing as well as crack down on the spread of guns across America.  National Rifle Association has begun to play a huge role in this debate.  The N.R.A released a statement a few days after the shooting and I quote  “The N.R.A. is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to make sure this never happens again.”  The N.R.A has suggested to protect children in schools by using armed guards to protect them from violence.  They Believe cracking down on criminals and fighting violence in the media would be most affected.  According to polling data released in December by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, the public's take on gun control has only changed slightly  “Currently, 49 percent say it is more important to control gun ownership, while 42 percent say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns,” the center said.  As for the democrats only 22% say they have a gun in their home while  the republicans have a whopping 50% according to the General Social Survey in 2010.   There hasn’t been any recent expansion of gun control  rights at the federal level but Obama is determined to change that.  
    I personally hope that there will soon be a change of heart about gun control.  I think it would be best for our country if there was more background checks for gun users and infract maybe get rid of guns altogether.  Of course that would only work in a perfect world.   We still need to abided by the second amendment.  I do believe if people start cracking down on gun control there will be less homicides in the future.  After the Sandy Hook shooting I think America can't afford to take any more chances.    I  definitely think that the N.R.A is no help at all.  Who on  earth would feel comfortable  sending their kids to school with guards that are armed.   Of course parents would be sending their kids to protected schools but I wouldn't like living  in that kind of environment at all.  I just hope that Congress comes up with a law that would benefit both sides of the argument.  

C.E.J#2

Emily

2/5/13

Gas prices rise on investors bets

California gas prices go up!

Baker David

SF Gate

February 4,2013

Business

http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Gas-prices-rise-on-investors-bets-4250684.php

    It is a known fact that gas prices usually rise early in the year.  This year is different though the prices have begun to go up dramatically.  The average price for gasoline in the U.S jumped nearly 17 cents last week .  Unfortunately California's gas prices went up a bit more.  For California gas prices went up 23 cents last week!  That is according to AAA auto club.  The average American household spends about  $22,674 on gasoline in a 15 year time span according to a report from a Union of concerned Scientist.  In the past year Americans spent about 4% of their prepaid tax income on gasoline said the Energy information Administration.  Buying fuel efficient cars will help you save money in the long run on gas.   In the report done by U.C.S it compared two models of ford fusion there was one with a standard engine and one with a hybrid engine.  A hybrid does cost more but you save about $5,500 on gas in a course of 15 years if you choose more of a fuel efficient car.  "You can spend a little more upfront and save a lot over the long run. It pays off big-time." says Joshua Goldman the reports author.  
    At first I didn't really think 23 cents was that much but as I was coming home from school after I read the article and saw that it was like four dollars per gallon and I realized that gas is way too expensive.  I asked my mom how many gallons of gas our car holds and how often you have to fill it she said it holds about 18 gallons of gas and she has to fill it about three times a month.  That's a lot of money and that's coming from someone who doesn't work and we only have about a three minute commute to school five days a  week plus she has to take me to basketball in Mckinleyville and my sister to Arcata for swimming.  I can't imagine how much gas cost for people who lets say have a 45 minute commute to work.  I sure hope that prices start to drop sometime soon.