English

Hyperinflation is the rapid increase of prices by more than 50% a month. It’s caused by an increase in the money supply and demand-pull inflation, which is when a government prints money for its own spending. One of the most recent examples is Venezuela, in 2013 the prices rose by 41%, and by 2018 the annual inflation rate was at 80,000%.

Economic Impact

Most of Venezuela’s economic prosperity was highly dependant on oil exports, with more than 90% of the export earnings coming from oil. These export earnings had allowed the government to pay for social programs that intended to help inequality and poverty, but in doing so the government’s spending obligations were much too high. Subsequently when the global price of oil dropped there was less demand to buy Venezuelan oil, which caused the currency value to fall and the price of exported goods to rise. The government’s solution to this was to print more money which caused the value of the money to decrease.

Social Impact

In 2013 the president of Venezuela announced a state of emergency due to the failing economy. With more money being printed the value of it started to decrease and this caused prices to rise. At one point it had gotten so bad that stores stopped putting prices on things and had the cashiers calculate the prices themselves, which might be 2x as much as, or more than an hour earlier. With the prices rising fewer people could afford to buy things with their increasingly worthless money, which caused companies to stop stocking their shelves. This caused more than 3 million Venezuelans to relocate because of the shortage of practically everything, this is now the largest human displacement in all of Latin American history.

Polical Impact

The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro was serving his first term when the economy started its downward spiral. Many citizens blame Maduro and his socialist government for the decline of their economy. In May of 2018, Maduro was re-elected in highly controversial polls and many from opposite parties boycotting. Many candidates were barred from running, jailed, or even fled the country for fear of being imprisoned, which lead many to argue that it was unfair. This caused the election to not be recognized by the National Assembly, which was controlled by Maduro’s opposition, meaning that the presidency was considered vacant. With the presidency considered vacant, Juan Guaido declared himself acting president; many countries recognized him as president but China and Russia still recognized Maduro as president which has lead to a tense situation for those involved.

Could This Go Global?

I think that the impacts of hyperinflation in Venezuela has the potential to have a global effect. For example, the Venezuelans that are fleeing into different countries could cause issues for the countries that they are moving into. It could possibly cause even more political tension around the world creating an unsafe environment for many people. In conclusion, hyperinflation is a major issue that can affect the entire world if ignored and let out of control.

Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36319877 and https://theconversation.com/what-caused-hyperinflation-in-venezuela-a-rare-blend-of-public-ineptitude-and-private-enterprise-102483

Since drones have been introduced into the world they have been used for many things. Sometimes for recreational use and other times they are used to help accomplish tasks. They have been used to help keep surveillance over company properties and even used in emergency situations. Additionally since 2015 when the first permit was given to farmers allowing them to use drones in order to help run their farms more smoothly and efficiently.

Drones have been used to check crops, farmers use drones to find any spots in the crops that may be too wet or too dry, or even infested with pests. They can also use drones to spray pesticides on certain areas where the crops have been infested. This is beneficial because farmers can now spray small amounts of crops that need help rather than the whole field, this also helps to reduce the amount of chemicals that are used. This is much better for the environment and for the food that is going to be distributed among people.

Farmers have also used drones to check on their livestock. They can use the drones to count their livestock and check for any that may be sick and in need of treatment. In addition to this farmers can also use drones to apply insecticides to the animals instead of having to catch the animal and cause more stress than is necessary. They can also use the drones to help locate escaped livestock, which is very beneficial in catching the cow and avoiding dangerous situations with roads and/or traffic.

Drones also help farms to increase their productivity. The drones allow the farmers quick access to pictures of their crops that can help in making sure they are growing normally. They also help in reducing the workload of farmers by being able to apply pesticides and weed killers in a small amount to the affected crops. They also help to reduce the amount of money that is spent, because being able to apply chemicals to small amounts of crops and not have to spray the entire field helps to reduce the amount of chemicals that they need to buy. This also helps to reduce the cost of the product because the more money needed to grow the plant the more money it is going to cost to buy it.

Drones have helped to improve farms tremendously, even in the short amount of time that they have been in use. They help to reduce costs to farmers and consumers. They also help in making sure that the crops are quality and that the livestock is healthy. In conclusion, drones are very beneficial to farmers and even the environment.

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

This story is about a man named Rainsford who falls from his yacht and has to swim to an island that the sailors say has an “evil name among seafaring men.” Once he gets to the island he finds a mansion on the coast, he then goes up and knocks on the door. He is greeted by a man named General Zaroff, who invites him in and treats him to dinner. He discovers that Zaroff is a hunter the same as he and that he is hunting “big game” on the island. As the conversation continues Zaroff reveals that it is no animal that he is hunting but people. He says that he has grown bored of hunting other animals and that he needed to hunt something that could reason and his conclusion is to hunt man. He justifies this by saying that he is a rich and powerful man and that life is for the strong, which he is, and those who are not live to please the strong. He also says that he is hunting the scum of the earth, not anyone “important”. After Rainsford shows his great disgust towards this idea Zaroff decides that Rainsford should be his next hunting target. He is sent out into the jungle where he makes several attempts to kill Zaroff, he does not succeed instead of killing some of his hounds and his trusted servant. Soon though Rainsford is cornered where he then jumps into the water surrounding the island. The General then returns to his home after dinner he goes to his room to sleep where he finds Rainsford, who swam to the mansion, waiting for him. They have a duel, which the General loses and Rainsford is safe.

The Mind of a Psycopath

Website for comparison:

https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/into-the-mind-of-a-psychopath

After reading this article and rereading the story I have found several similarities. The first one I saw is that in the article it says that psychopaths who were placed in psychiatric hospitals were often released early because they displayed, “a perfect mask of genuine sanity, a flawless surface indicative in every respect of robust mental health.” meaning that they appeared to be the same as any other human being. When Rainsford first meets Zaroff he did not think of him as a cruel murderer, he thought of him as a normal rich man on an island, Zaroff tricked him into thinking that he meant no harm until it was too late. Another similarity I found is that as Zaroff is describing his game of cat and mouse so to speak, he says that

The Most Dangerous Game- Page 9

“It’s a game, you see,” pursued the general blandly. “I suggest to one of them that we go hunting. I give him a supply of food and an excellent hunting knife. I give him three hours’ start. I am to follow, armed only with a pistol of the smallest caliber and range. If my quarry eludes me for three whole days, he wins the game. If I find him “–the general smiled–” he loses.”

He makes them think that it is going to be a harmless endeavor but instead ends up being a fight for their life. He puts on a mask that shows him as any other host would treat their guests and then at the end of it all he shows his true colors.

The reformation was a time of religious conflict. The Catholic church was becoming corrupt; obsessed with worldly things and not focusing on God. Martian Luther, a german monk, was one of the first people to take a stand against the church. He believed that the selling of indulgences, paying money to have one’s sins forgiven, was wrong and ungodly, so he decided to post the 95 theses. These were letters that he wrote to the church addressing all of the things that he and several others believed were wrong in the church. This helped to start the reformation and the separation of religion for the government. But religion and government have never fully been separated and I don’t think that they ever truly will be.

You may be wondering what this has to do with our lives today. Many politicians use the power of religious opinions to push an agenda. Like those of the Catholic church did before the reformation started to turn people against them. People are more likely to support someone who has the same beliefs and views as they do, politicians frequently use this to their atvandage. They will cover a political agenda that is not in the interest of the people with religious speech. Polititions will often ignore the suffering of people that they are causing by justifying it saying that this is according to the bible and God’s will. They will also win over the support of people with major roles in the religious community so that they will back them up.

I’m sure that you could find several examples of religious leaders helping politicians in order to gain something out of it. If a politician somehow manages to back themselves into a corner making promises to different groups of people they will call on powerful religious leaders to help them out because it gives them more credibility, shows that they are empathetic if they are helping the church and other religious causes. They will also more often than not try and appeal to a larger religion and leave out the other minorities. Politiotns will also put people who are heavily affiliated with a certain religion into positions of power in order to help push an agenda.

Articles used:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/08/trump-religion-megachurch-american-tradition?scrlybrkr=b98df229

https://newint.org/features/2018/12/17/debate-should-religion-play-role-politics

Have you ever had an important assignment due and not been able to make any progress? You might need to try and redeirect your focus, the list below contains many of the ways that could help you.

# 1 Move to a different location or seat.

Sitting in one place for a long period of time is bad for you, sometimes it’s good to get up, stretch and move around for a minute or maybe find a new place to sit. If you are having trouble coming up with an idea moving to a different spot can sometimes help. Scientists have also said that sedentary behavior or sitting too much is linked to changes in the part of the brain that is crucial for memory.

#2 Check the thermostat

If it is too hot or too cold in your work environment it could affect your focus. If you are too cold then you are going to be focused on trying to warm up rather than on your task. There was a study done at Cornell University that showed workers were more productive and made fewer errors in an environment of 68 to 78 degrees, there are others that say the “magic” temperature is 71 degrees.

#3 Turn on some music

Too much noise can make it very difficult to concentrate, but having some music playing in the background helps. Studies have shown that having music playing in the background can help you focus on your thoughts. The studies say that in order for this to help you, you have to like the song. I don’t know about you but I like all kinds of different songs so this isn’t too difficult of an issue.

#4 Take a short break

Sometimes it helps to take a short break and let your mind have a rest. Instead of letting things that you could be doing distract you, take a short break do something else for a while and then return to your work. Taking a break while doing a long task helps to reorganize your thoughts and re-energize your brain. So if you are feeling overwhelmed or are losing focus take a break, get some coffee.

#5 Go outside or Take a walk

Nature has a calming effect on people, many plants release certain organic compounds that help relieve anxiety, stress, and can even increase your brain’s attention span. Forests can help to reduce the levels of stress hormones in your body and can help to lower your blood pressure. Being able to breathe in fresh air from trees, helps to regulate your serotonin levels, and promote happiness. It also has a relaxing effect on the body.

I hope these helped you and thank you for reading my blog.

Spoilers! Please do not read if you haven’t read the story first.

“It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree.1 The flower garden was strained with rotting brown magnolia petals and ironweeds grew rank amid the purple phlox…The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and through every room of our house, speaking softly the names of our dead.”

(Hurst 1)

Summary

The Scarlet Ibis is about a boy who learns a very important and difficult life lesson about how pride is a wonderful and terrible thing, “a seed that bears two vines, life and death.” (Hurst 2). The Scarlet Ibis is a story about a boy who lets his pride get the better of him and causes the death of his fragile younger brother, Doodle. After reaching the end of the story I had to reread the last paragraph several times just to make sure I wasn’t making things up. Then I sat and wondered how something so innocent and loving could be betrayed by his own brother, and why his brother could be so heinous and spiteful. The more I thought about it the more I understood that his actions were fueled by his pride and that I too have let my pride get the best of me, hurting another person in doing so.

Theme

Pride is not always a bad thing sometimes it is a good thing, like taking pride in ones’ accomplishments or abilities. Taking pride in those kinds of things can help to boost self-confidence and help a person be more social. It can help to motivate people to do better and try and achieve their goals/dreams. Then there is the other, horrendous, side of pride the one that makes us focus on what we want and not the needs of others. This is the kind of pride that killed Doodle and is what hurts people today. I’m sure that many people could think of times that pride has made them selfish. People need to be careful not to be too prideful because, as the author says ” Pride is a wonderful, and terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines” (Hurst 2).

When has your pride gotten the best of you? What do you think can be done to help keep your pride from allowing you to hurt people? Do you ever hurt yourself because you are too prideful to ask for help?

Another theme present in The Scarlet Ibis, that we could learn from is love. People often feel embarrassed by their friends or family because they have flaws or are not seen as normal to the rest of the world. This is what happened to Brother, he felt ashamed and embarrassed that Doodle was his brother because he could not do all of the things that the other boys could. This caused him to become a bit spiteful after Doodle wasn’t improving as fast as he wanted him to, this caused Doodle’s death. I often find myself in this situation, being embarrassed by my family but after reading the story I realized that I needed to let go of that and love them for who they are. It is also extremely important to show others that they are loved because they might not know or think that they are, this could cause them to become sad or feel lonely.

Have you ever felt ashamed or embarrassed by a family member or friend? How do you think they felt when they realized that you were embarrassed or ashamed of them? Do you think that they have ever been ashamed of you the same way you have them?