The Guide

In reading the short story Farm Girl, in Chapter 4 of the guide, the author gave such a thorough and vivid description I started to smell cow manure.  The author describes the odor, temperature, mood, and lifestyle so well that it is very addicting to the reader to continue to the next paragraph.  The article in the beginning of chapter 4 about Hurricane Katrina was a good article but it failed to give a description as detailed as Farm Girl.  When I think of the Astrodome before and after Hurricane Katrina I think of pandemonium and chaos.  I see crying babies and scared families as they anticipate the devastation of what lies ahead.  I see long lines of upset refugees with nowhere else to go.  None of this was mentioned in great detail.  I believe it makes the story more realistic when you can imagine yourself being there.     

Earth Democracy

As an alternative to the concept of globalization (which promotes blending and uniforming diverse cultures), author Vandana Shiva offers the concept of an earth democracy.  Shiva explains the importance of valuing those characteristics which distinguish cultures from each other, and of species from each other. In an earth democracy, differences can co-exist in a peaceful, symbiotic way.  Shiva stresses the importance of thinking globally but acting locally in order to contribute to sustainable living.  This is not a new concept; Shiva refers to a 1848 speech by Chief Seattle in which he reminds us that mankind belongs to the Earth rather than man owning rights to the Earth.  Native American Indians maintained a lifestyle that was very sustainable.  Chief Seattle's view that “all things are connected” is not that much different from the Law of Conservation of Energy which says energy cannot be destroyed nor created, just converted from one form to another.  By acting locally and supporting local farmers, by reducing consumption, by reusing products, and by recycling to reduce waste, we all have a moral obligation to contribute to the long-term health of our planet.  The population on Earth was 6.6 billion as of July 2007, so a small contribution by everybody will go a long way.

McCloud

This is the first time I have a read comics since I was 9 but it was actually quite interesting.  I had no idea comics have been around this long.  I especially like the comics without words.  It gives you a way to interpret the story by analyzing the pictures and using your imagination, like on page 16.  I did further research on this particular comic and it was actually more gruesome than the comic shows.        

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erasmus_of_Formiae