More Projection Work

So today Mr. Schick allowed us to finish our projection work and any other work if we were already finished with that. So, like yesterday, it was pretty uneventful and I don't think I'll be hitting my 150 word mark. That is why I'm going to rant on about how every projection is wrong and people need to WAKE UP. Everybody is despising the Mercator and loving the Peters projection. If anything Peters is even more incorrect. Everything feels pushed up and not at all natural. Some nations are disgustingly disformed. Countries that look normal on Mercator look like a pencil on Peters. If anything we should just be using a globe. And that concludes my pointless argument on maps and projections. Although it probably is better to have a nice piece of paper instead of a huge globe. But, I digress. Atleast I'll be enjoying a nice weekend in Ocean City where I currently am typing this blog from. I hope to have some fun and maybe bring Mr. Schick back a few antidepressants candies from Candy Kitchen. The class has been really harassing him as of late. Accusing him of murder and etc. Kind of feel bad, so this will be my way of paying back to a great teacher.

Projection Classwork

Sorry if this is late I immediately fell asleep when I got home and just woke up about 5 minutes ago. It is currently 02:43 at the time of starting to write this but I'll shortly go over what we did in class today. Mr. Schick reviewed some stuff with on maps with us and then gave us three different projections to work on. He gave us a Robinson, Mercator, and Peters projection. On these projections we had to mark the equator, Prime Meridian, nation(s) of origin, all seven continents (North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica), all five oceans (Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Southern Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean), the International Date Line, Tropic of Capricorn, Tropic of Cancer, and the John Carroll School. During this ordeal a orange party was proposed. I was quite interested in the idea and quite so more when Austin suggested Mr. Schick steal bring some of the babies from the hospital to the party. Mr. Schick saw many faults with this but I think it would be quite the site. We shall see what is to come next class.

Point of Maps

So today in class we went over some historical maps and how maps have changed and become more accurate over the years. The Earliest maps were reference tools, simple navigation devices to show a traveler how to get from point A to B. First World map was prepared by Eratosthenes (276-194 BC). Improvements were later made by Ptolemy. After Ptolemy advances in mapping were mainly made outside Europe in China and the Middle East. Contemporary mapping, shifting from simply a tool that provides location reference to a tool used by geographers to communicate geographic phenomena. Map scale is presented in three different ways; Ratio/Fraction, Written Scale, and Graphic Scale. Projection: Scientific method of transferring locations on Earth's surface to a flat map. Earth's spherical shape causes distortion when drawing it on a flat piece of paper. Four types of distortion: Shape of an area, distance between points may be increased or decreased, relative size, and direction. Geographic grid is a system of imaginary arcs in a grid pattern on Earth's surface. Meridians are arcs drawn between North and South poles. Parallels are arcs drawn parallel to the equator at right angles to meridians. East to West. Each is numbered according to the latitude system. Points on Earth's surface can be communicated using lines of longitude and latitude. Earth is a sphere divided into 360 degrees of longitude. Divide 360 by 24 hours to create time zones 15 degrees apart. GMT, Greenwich Mean Time, is located at prime meridian and is the master reference time for all points on Earth. 

OCSE's Points

The segment starts off with the OCSE (Organization of Cartographers for Social Equality) speaking with some of the white house staff on why the President needs to change the standard map to the Peters projection. The first point one of the OCSE members presents is that the map promotes European imperialism and creates an ethnic bias against the third world. This may be because Europe is bigger than it should be and so are many other areas. Personally to me this is just an error Mercator had when designing his map, but may also be positively intentional. Mercator didn't have the best of data when he created the map and he created it to be designed for sailors to use. It's simpler and makes continents and areas bigger so that they are easier to know where they are. We may never know if he had a negative intent when creating the map but it's most likely that he didn't. They also state that the areas at the poles are expanded to create equal lines to make it easier to cross an ocean. They just answered their own problem. The map was designed to help sailors not create an ethnic bias. I can understand their reasoning but it's always the simpler answer than it's a discriminatory map. The OCSE members then insist that it can be interpreted that the top is better than the bottom and that bigger is better. So the Peters projection shows North and South lines parallel with East and West lines creating right angles. They also insist that we flip the map upside down so that instead the southern hemisphere is on top instead of the bottom. While these may create "equality" for the countries that were once in the southern hemisphere you can then argue that the countries and people in the north are now lesser than the south. Instead of solving the problem you just create a new one. Both maps are wrongly proportioned. You can never properly proportion a sphere (like the Earth) onto a flat plane like a map. Mercator's map just makes it easier to spot things because they are larger. Maybe instead of changing the map we should change the way we perceive it.

Human Geography, what is it?

Today in class we discussed Human Geography and what exactly it is. Geography is the study of where things are found on Earth's surface and the reasons for those locations. Human Geographers ask two main questions. Where are people and activities on Earth found? Why are they found? Earth is such an abundant place of people and different cultures, so it would be understandable why human geographers exist in the first place. They are here to document why and where these people can be found. This in turn created maps. Cartography is the art and science of map making. So cartographers make maps for two main purposes. As a reference tool to identify an object's absolute and relative location. And as a communications tool to convey the distribution of human activities or physical features. This in turn helps people know where things are. If you needed to find the Polish nation and it's people just pull up a world map and look around. If you didn't know it was in Europe then it may take longer but you'll still find it because maps are simple and easy to use. They are like this because all peoples need to find their way around the world. It helps us document where these people are and how we can keep track of them. It's worked for centuries and will for many more.

The Problems with an Earth Map

So today in class we discussed the Mercator and Peter's Earth map projections. Although technically speaking, both projections are wrong, Peter's is proportioned closer to what it should be then Mercator's. A lot of people were stunned when they found out the common map we had been using since kindergarten (Mercator's), was less accurate than Peter's projection. Peter's proportions the continents and countries more closely to what it would be if you were to spread our ball earth into a flat map. Neither maps are correct in proportion terms cause they're not globes precisely representing the spherical earth we live on, but Peter's should be used because of its corrected proportions. Another "benefit" to Peter's projection is that if you want you can flip it upside down to account for the relativity of Earth from a different perspective. Peter's projection has started to come into some schools though. In Massachusetts they have started making it so Peter's projection is the standard issue map. Will other states and schools follow suit? But why use inaccurate flat maps and not a globe, come on guys.

The Test

So today we had our human geo test. It was on what we did over the past few days in class including Elbert Hubbard, A Message to Garcia, Socrates, and Ancient Greece. I started off the test strong and I think I did somewhat badly on one of the questions in the middle but I still think I fared well. I finished the essay questions and turned the test in. After that I was allowed to go to my locker and grab my biology book to study for biology which was the next period. After that Mr. Schick asked us how we felt about the test and it seemed that everyone said it was fairly simple and easy. Although Mr. Schick did have to tell us that this test was more of a trial run and that the next few tests would probably be harder. But that's to find out next time on human geo.

Mr. Schick's Gmail and "The Test"

On Monday we will be having a test on what we've been learning in the class for the past few days, Excellence. In order to prepare I will frantically go over my notes this weekend and try to cram all the knowledge so I can ace the test. We've learned a lot over the past few days and I've taken a lot of notes on everything we went over. Hopefully I'll do well. Sadly, we weren't able to do the lesson that was planned for us. Each person was going to present one slide of the original slideshow in their words as opposed to Mr. Schick's. But, the evil company Google wouldn't allow Mr. Schick to sign into his Gmail after multiple fruitless attempts. So, instead we went over our topics verbally, even though nobody really had any questions. Therefore, Mr, Schick allowed to start our blogs early and to study, and that is where we are now.

Socrates and his trial.

Today we learned about Socrates trial in Athens because of his actions in the Agora teaching kids to think for themselves. Socrates was charged with corruption of Athens' youth and impiety. In a trial of 500 men he was found guilty (279-221), he was sentenced to death by drinking poison hemlock. His students who were successful into getting into his cell and Socrates refused to escape. He believed in the Athenian system and he knew his fate. Looking back now we can see that Socrates was truly and wise man and that his death probably cancelled a age of greater knowledge with Socrates and his teachings. It's truly interesting to take a step back and think about what it would be if Socrates was found innocent. Would things have gotten worse? Would he be tried again? or Would Greece be entered in a time of greater knowledge and questioning of the world around us?

Ancient Greece and Philosopher Socrates

Today in Human Geo we learned about one of the great philosophers, Socrates. Socrates made his own method for asking people questions, not to judge them but to instead listen to their answer and their reason why. He would do this outside the Agora and mostly target the audience of younger minds. He would ask them a question about something, let's say for example "What do you think of Greece's government?" He would let his questioned individual answer and then ask him why he thought that. Through this he believed he could teach the people he asked questions to. Now, these people started to think for themselves and that would start to cause trouble. Most people stayed with their traditions and beliefs in God but like travelers, the individuals who strayed away from tradition would bring new ideas to the table and concepts which would defy traditional beliefs. Saying the sun was an object in space and not Achilles chariot stirred most people. Knowing how the world works, different ideas and opinions usually don't mix or end well. 

Delving into A Message to Garcia

Today, we dived into the essay A Message to Garcia and its meaning. We started by reviewing over the details of the book like the author, publish date, setting, etc. We went over the vocabulary of the text and talked about the words and what we thought they meant. Mr. Schick then took us over the actual meaning of the text that we read so we could better grasp it. As Mr. Schick put it the author is trying to say that employees are too dependent and that the author wrote this essay as a rant about how they should just be able to get their job done themselves. Mr. Schick explained that the author really thought and wanted said workers to be kicked in the rear with a steel-toed boot and be put in order and get their job done. We also reviewed Mr. Schick's favorite word so far in the year, Arete. Which is the Greek word for excellence. Something I'm sure Mr. Schick wants us to try and reach in his class.

A Message to Garcia, my interpretation

I just finished reading a snippet from Elbert Hubbard's book/essay A Message to Garcia. I've been asked by my Human Geo teacher to give my interpretation of the little snippet I have read. From what I can tell after reading this piece is that the author dreads for more people like Rowan in the world. No questions asked, they know how, and they get the job done, right. The author tells of the story of Rowan and his message to Garcia, he states how Rowan did not need help, he simply accepted his job, went out, and came out successful. The author talks about how General Garcia had died but there would always be another Garcia in the world. This to me means that there will always be someone on the other end of a job that either receives what he needs when he needs it or whenever the sender thinks he needs to finish the job. Then the author puts us, the reader, into a situation to test the matter. He puts us into an office, our office, with six clerks. We request one of the clerks to  “Please look in the encyclopedia and make a brief memorandum for me concerning the life of Corregio.” But the author gives us a dilemma. Will the clerk simply say "Yes, sir," and get to work? Or will he ask anywhere from a variety of questions. If we answer his many questions will the clerk even do his job? Will he ask us why we need it or how to do it? Will he get the other clerks to help him in order to obtain the information we want so badly? Will he return to us empty handed saying no man of said name exist? Would it have just been better to say never mind and do it ourselves? This is where the author introduces an idea that is and has been heavily disputed for as long as it's conception. The author states, "And this incapacity for independent action, this moral stupidity, this infirmity of the will, this unwillingness to cheerfully catch hold and lift, are the things that put pure socialism so far into the future. If men will not act for themselves, what will they do when the benefit of their effort is for all?" The author references that if we continue on like this we will keep putting pure socialism further into the future. This changes what he meant earlier of a man like Rowan. Instead of more people needing to be like Rowan, everyone should be like Rowan. A honest person who asks no questions, just gets their job done, nothing else. The author may be explaining how we can reach pure socialism and possibly pure communism. The author continues on, telling about other people in their jobs, can they complete the job they are assigned on their own free will? Will the person I assign, who may be a fine worker, on his way back stop at pubs instead of putting the important first and getting his job done? Will the man even finish his job? This is what is holding us back, the inability to do something independently. This is where the author continues on, on about the men who can't do their jobs themselves. They must have some help for some reason.  This is where the snippet ends, with the author explaining that the world needs, needs badly someone like Rowan. A man who can get the job done, without any idiotic questions or help from a outside source. One who takes that letter to Garcia without refusal or question. Without throwing the letter away and lying to the "boss". Someone who works while the "boss" is away or while he is home. Someone who never gets laid off or goes on strike for higher wages. For a man as such is so rare that an employer cannot let him go. There may be fine others but they can't get their job done right like such a man, so they must be let go. Civilization longs for a man as such and it is due time that civilization gets more men like this. He is needed everywhere in society, every country, every state, every city, every town, every village - in shops, offices, and factories. The world needs men like this and thus the world cries out for such a man, a man who is needed badly, a man who can, carry a message to Garcia. For the world will be a greater and brighter place with such these men. For they get their job done, no questions asked.

First Day at John Carroll, my experience.

Hi, this blog entry is about my first day of classes at John Carroll and the experiences I had. I'll mostly be going through the day as I went through my schedule so I can keep track of it neatly. I started the day by arriving at the school and going to the cafeteria to wait for the academic wing to be opened. I met up with some upperclassmen who I know and talked to them while we waited to go to our lockers. Once I had what I needed from my locker I went off to my first period class, advanced algebra 2. There we reviewed some things like the class rules and syllabus. We went over our contracts for our books and reviewed number terms. My second period was STEAM centered learning where we went over more class related rules and subjects and even played a "set" game where we had to make sets from different sets of shapes. After this I went to advisory where I basically just sat and listened to the noise and events going on in the room. After this I had Hnr. Human Geo where we had our photos taken for our ID cards. When we came back we went over rules and the syllabus a little. We were assigned our first homework project which just so happens to be what I'm typing right now. After that class I had lunch where I sat with my friends and discussed the new environment I've been thrown into. Then I had Honors Bio which was going over rules and the syllabus, getting contract, and doing an activity. Then I had an off mod where I sat in the media center with my laptop and worked on some homework. Lastly, I had German class with Mr. Canter which was fun because it was basically comedy night. Then ended the day and went home to finish my work for my classes.