Book Review #3
Alexander Gordon Smith's Escape From Furnace: Lockdown, Book 1 of 5 in the Escape From Furnace Series, kept me on the edge of my seat and, at times, made me cringe with its grotesque detail.
The life lesson throughout the entire series is that regardless of what happens to you on the outside, however strong the force, never forget who you truly are on the inside. Alex, the main character, is the victim of constant conflict with his surroundings throughout this book. The majority of Furnace's inhabitants have already succumbed to the negative propaganda designed to steal all hope for their freedom. One character committed suicide because of the environment, others gained personal strength from the pressures they faced.
Smith's writing style is very appealing to me because he gives all the information you need to get a thorough picture of what is happening without giving so many details that he causes you to lose interest. I found myself racing through this book with no need to retrace the story to gain full understanding of what was happening. The author's descriptive ability evokes strong emotion while reading this book.
The author makes the main characters very believable. He gives them such qualities as strength, intelligence, and loyalty to one another. These characters are ones you would admire for their determination and who you crave to see succeed.
The physical setting of this novel has a great impact on the conflict. The author's description of the prison is realistic as well as severely oppressive. The Furnace Penitentiary appears to be impenetrable. The great adversity the characters face pulls you into their struggle as you read along.
Escape From Furnace: Lockdown reminds me of an old favorite of mine, the Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan. The writing style of the authors is similar; I consider these books to be real page-turners. The first book in this series is extremely suspenseful. I would recommend this book to all those who enjoy reading a true thriller.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Finding New Resources in Deep Space CC#2
A recent article written by Irene Klotz and posted on Yahoo News dated Wednesday, January 23, 2013, informed readers about a new company intending to mine asteroids in deep space for raw materials. This expository article, entitled "Into deep space: second U.S. firm takes aim at mining asteroids" is very informative about the possibilities of retrieving resources from a source outside the limitations of our planet.
Ms. Klotz reports that a team of entrepreneurs and engineers presented their plans for a space mining company that intends to find nearby asteroids and tap them for their raw materials. The first mission is planned for 2015, and would send a small spacecraft called "Firefly" on a six-month trip to evaluate a suitable asteroid. It is stated that "the 55-pound satellite, about the size of a laptop computer would be launched aboard a commercial rocket carrying a communication satellite and robotic probe."
Mr. David Gump is the founder of the company called Deep Space Industries which is based in Santa Monica, California. Mr. Gump has also co-founded three other space and technology companies, "including Astrobotic Technology, which is focused on exploration and development of lunar resources." These companies plan to collect gases and metals from asteroids which can be turned into fuel and used in three-dimensional printers to make components for building solar cells in space. His goal is to build a fleet of robotic ships to pull resources for fuel and to mine valuable minerals from asteroids that can then be used on Earth.
John Mankins, a former NASA Jet propulsion Lab manager, who attended the presentation states that, "the technology may not have been used in space for the exact purposes that we propose, but the fundamental technologies are really at hand." Although the technology exists to go forward with these missions, the cost is another factor. "The cost of a Firefly mission would be about $20 million," half expected to come from government and research institute contracts and half from sponsors.
I find this type of research and information fascinating because it proves that our technology is becoming so advanced that we will be able to accomplish amazing things in the near future both on and off our planet. It is obvious that if we cannot make the necessary changes to the way we currently treat our Earth, we will be forced to explore finding our resources elsewhere. This article informs us that there are people who are actively paving the way for future generations to find necessary resources in space. This is an area of exploration that greatly expands our current limits.
Ms. Klotz reports that a team of entrepreneurs and engineers presented their plans for a space mining company that intends to find nearby asteroids and tap them for their raw materials. The first mission is planned for 2015, and would send a small spacecraft called "Firefly" on a six-month trip to evaluate a suitable asteroid. It is stated that "the 55-pound satellite, about the size of a laptop computer would be launched aboard a commercial rocket carrying a communication satellite and robotic probe."
Mr. David Gump is the founder of the company called Deep Space Industries which is based in Santa Monica, California. Mr. Gump has also co-founded three other space and technology companies, "including Astrobotic Technology, which is focused on exploration and development of lunar resources." These companies plan to collect gases and metals from asteroids which can be turned into fuel and used in three-dimensional printers to make components for building solar cells in space. His goal is to build a fleet of robotic ships to pull resources for fuel and to mine valuable minerals from asteroids that can then be used on Earth.
John Mankins, a former NASA Jet propulsion Lab manager, who attended the presentation states that, "the technology may not have been used in space for the exact purposes that we propose, but the fundamental technologies are really at hand." Although the technology exists to go forward with these missions, the cost is another factor. "The cost of a Firefly mission would be about $20 million," half expected to come from government and research institute contracts and half from sponsors.
I find this type of research and information fascinating because it proves that our technology is becoming so advanced that we will be able to accomplish amazing things in the near future both on and off our planet. It is obvious that if we cannot make the necessary changes to the way we currently treat our Earth, we will be forced to explore finding our resources elsewhere. This article informs us that there are people who are actively paving the way for future generations to find necessary resources in space. This is an area of exploration that greatly expands our current limits.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
What is your American Dream
From a young age I have always wanted to be successful in life, to be wealthy and live a good life. Any American, any human, would want that for themselves. As I have grown up, my dreams for what I want to be have changed into more realistic things. I no longer dream the stereotypical child's dream to be a superhero. My ideas for the American dream for myself and how to achieve those dreams have been defined to me by four simple rules; work hard, always have a goal, stay focused, and have patience. These four rules have shaped my mind so as to make me one hundred percent dedicated to achieving my goals, whatever direction they take me.
Although I am just a Junior in High School, I have a good idea of what course I want my life to take. I know what goals I have set for myself to pursue. With the knowledge I have gained from studying history, books and documentaries, I have been surprised to realize that business is extremely intriguing to me. I feel confident that finance is the field I am most excited to become a part of. The branch I find most interesting is investing, such as in stocks and bonds. Having invested some of my own money into stocks already, I find watching the numbers change and fluctuate throughout the vast scope of investments to be alluring and fascinating.
The college where I would love to study business and attend school is Stanford University in California. My research shows that the school is ranked sixth best college in the United States. Stanford offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular courses and activities to the students who attend there. Stanford University offers every possible type of business focus from simple to complex to dual degrees. I am excited to explore the courses available for me to choose from to help me shape my future.
I know that when I graduate from college and have earned my degree, my rule of "having patience" will be very important to me. I will need to be able to find employment to support myself, but be selective in my job search to be able to place myself in the best position to achieve my goals for the future. I may not find my dream job for a while. I may be faced with difficult personal choices to be able to follow my dream. I will most likely need to start at the bottom and work my way up to the position I want. I understand that college is just a starting point in my plan for myself and that joining the work force is a huge step to take toward fulfilling my dreams.
In conclusion, I can see myself achieving my dreams, due to the drive and determination I have to see myself succeed. One day I hope to see myself in an executive chair and look back on the past, congratulating myself on what I have worked so hard to accomplish.
Although I am just a Junior in High School, I have a good idea of what course I want my life to take. I know what goals I have set for myself to pursue. With the knowledge I have gained from studying history, books and documentaries, I have been surprised to realize that business is extremely intriguing to me. I feel confident that finance is the field I am most excited to become a part of. The branch I find most interesting is investing, such as in stocks and bonds. Having invested some of my own money into stocks already, I find watching the numbers change and fluctuate throughout the vast scope of investments to be alluring and fascinating.
The college where I would love to study business and attend school is Stanford University in California. My research shows that the school is ranked sixth best college in the United States. Stanford offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular courses and activities to the students who attend there. Stanford University offers every possible type of business focus from simple to complex to dual degrees. I am excited to explore the courses available for me to choose from to help me shape my future.
I know that when I graduate from college and have earned my degree, my rule of "having patience" will be very important to me. I will need to be able to find employment to support myself, but be selective in my job search to be able to place myself in the best position to achieve my goals for the future. I may not find my dream job for a while. I may be faced with difficult personal choices to be able to follow my dream. I will most likely need to start at the bottom and work my way up to the position I want. I understand that college is just a starting point in my plan for myself and that joining the work force is a huge step to take toward fulfilling my dreams.
In conclusion, I can see myself achieving my dreams, due to the drive and determination I have to see myself succeed. One day I hope to see myself in an executive chair and look back on the past, congratulating myself on what I have worked so hard to accomplish.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Malian City Bombed by the French CC#1
A recent article posted on Yahoo news called "French jets bomb major Malian city in north" written by Rikmini Callimachi and Baba Ahmed described how the French bombed rebel targets in Mali's north on Sunday, demolishing many key areas used by the Al-Qaida linked Islamists who control the area.
French president Francois Hollande authorized four hundred French troops to attack the towns of Konna and Mopti, which are both currently controlled by the rebels. This decision was made after the rebels started to push further south to extend their control of the country. Many believe that if the Isalmists seize Mopti, the potential outcome would be "A terrorist state at the doorstep of France and Europe," according to French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The Islamists, which are made up of three separate rebel groups, are well armed and well trained and seized control of the territory in the north in March, 2011. Mali was once a stable nation who gained it's independence from France in 1970. The country is now suffering from poverty and unrest, which makes it a perfect target and nesting place for Al-Qaida linked groups. "They obtained from Libya modern, sophisticated equipment, much stronger and more efficient than we had imagined," a French presidential aid stated.
Oumar Ould Hamaha, a rebel commander, confirmed that the French fighter jets had hit training camps and depots. He called them cowards and said, "The French attack has only heightened the rebels desire for jihad." Hamaha went on to explain that, "Our elements are constantly on the move." "France is going to reap the worst consequences possible from this. Now no French person can feel safe anywhere in the world."
The French are asking for help from the United States and Europe in the fight against these terrorist rebels in Mali. These terrorists impose their very strict form of Islam which is a form of religious fanaticism and oppression. Terrorists fight for control of people all over the world, mostly in impoverished countries similar to Mali.
This article shows us how the French are taking the steps to exterminate terrorism from the country of Mali. This should make us think about the fight for human rights everywhere in the world.
French president Francois Hollande authorized four hundred French troops to attack the towns of Konna and Mopti, which are both currently controlled by the rebels. This decision was made after the rebels started to push further south to extend their control of the country. Many believe that if the Isalmists seize Mopti, the potential outcome would be "A terrorist state at the doorstep of France and Europe," according to French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The Islamists, which are made up of three separate rebel groups, are well armed and well trained and seized control of the territory in the north in March, 2011. Mali was once a stable nation who gained it's independence from France in 1970. The country is now suffering from poverty and unrest, which makes it a perfect target and nesting place for Al-Qaida linked groups. "They obtained from Libya modern, sophisticated equipment, much stronger and more efficient than we had imagined," a French presidential aid stated.
Oumar Ould Hamaha, a rebel commander, confirmed that the French fighter jets had hit training camps and depots. He called them cowards and said, "The French attack has only heightened the rebels desire for jihad." Hamaha went on to explain that, "Our elements are constantly on the move." "France is going to reap the worst consequences possible from this. Now no French person can feel safe anywhere in the world."
The French are asking for help from the United States and Europe in the fight against these terrorist rebels in Mali. These terrorists impose their very strict form of Islam which is a form of religious fanaticism and oppression. Terrorists fight for control of people all over the world, mostly in impoverished countries similar to Mali.
This article shows us how the French are taking the steps to exterminate terrorism from the country of Mali. This should make us think about the fight for human rights everywhere in the world.
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