Elton John Philanthropy Project Sources

My Sources:



http://www.eltonjohn.com/charities/elton-john-aids-foundation/

This website explains the reasons for creating Elton John's AIDS Foundation and the background of it.

http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/glitzy-giving/elton-john.html

This website explains what all of Elton John's main focuses are when he helps foundations and charities.

https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/elton-john

This website lists all of Elton John's foundations and charities that he has become a part of, created, or helped out.

The Beauty of the Industrial Age

My book, The Beauty of the Industrial Age, envelopes all the key reasons why the early 20th century thrived. They thrived from the abundant and continuous growth of technology and entrepreneurs. The constant discoveries that our country made during this time has been one of the biggest contributors to the lifestyles of our society today. The laborious hours spent, trying to discover new and improved innovations, have led us to be a very united country. Without our discovery of raw materials, we would not have gotten very far with our industrial growth and technological advances. The use of steel and oil allowed us to create railroads that have completely changed our ideas about time and even united our country even more.

Learning about Coffee from Starbucks

Starbucks produces their coffee that takes laborious time perfecting. During the process of perfecting their coffee that is sold, bought, and inspected by third parties before it even becomes close to being sold at Starbucks stores. Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.), are Starbucks' inspectors that review the quality of the coffee, the amount of money spent and sold throughout the process of retrieving the coffee beans, and the quality of the coffee beans. I wonder where all the coffee beans come from because Starbucks never states where exactly their coffee beans come from.

Smoke Signals

          Smoke Signals, illustrates the perspective of two young Native American boys on their way to seek one of the boys' deceased father. The journey of the two boys are long and brutal at times but also eye-opening and determined at other times. Throughout the movie, you realize that Victor is the son of the man who died and his friend traveling with him is Thomas. Thomas and Victor grew up together and Victors dad saved Thomas from a fire at his house that killed his parents. We end up learning more about the characters and their personalities as the story progresses and we are able to see their reasoning behind the choices they have made and the way their personalities are the way they are.

          Victor is a thick-skinned and tougher boy with a lot of self-loath and grudges. He is cold and ruthless just like the stereotypical Native Americans. He grew up with a father who drank too much and then left him just like the stereotypical Native American. The Native Americans were notorious for disappearing and they also have a high rate for alcoholism. Victor told Thomas at one point in the movie, that he had to have a tough look on his face and act tougher or else no one would respect or listen to him. While boarding back onto the bus, two older white men had taken their seats and refused to give them back. The men treated them with disrespect and treated Victor and Thomas as if they were not as important as they were. The idea of the stereotypical hierarchy where the white men are more important and higher up in society than Native Americans, is shown in this scene.

          Thomas is calming and known for his story telling. He told his stories constantly with a way that made the made up stories hard to differ from the real ones. His storytelling, that he embraced and found power in, was a stereotypical Native American trait. They were known for their amazing storytelling. Thomas told stories about love, power, and determination. Thomas always told stories that always made the main character in his stories look better and more dominant in comparison to the other characters in the story. During a scene in the movie, Thomas tells a story about Victor's mom feeding all the Indians at the feast with just a small amount of bread. He made her sound as if she was amazing and powerful but in reality she just broke the pieces apart. He tells this story to make Victor's mother sound amazing and powerful.

          Victor's dad was a drunk man who abused his family. He was full of regret and self-loath because he was the reason that Thomas' parents died. He regretted killing Thomas' parents that he became verbally and physically abusive towards his family and then ended up abandoning them. He fled his lifestyle due to his hatred and depression caused by his own mistakes. Victor's dad was ashamed of his old way of living and wanted a new start, just like how the white men wanted the Native Americans to have a "fresh start" by forcing them to abandon their Indian ways of life and convert to the normal American way of life.

          The movie, Smoke Signals, shows the journey through the lives of two boys and their journey to find one of their fathers. As the story progresses, your understanding of each character and their backgrounds begin to become clear.

Supply Chain Management

According to techtarget.com, supply chain management is the oversight of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer

The Sioux Chef

Sean Sherman is an Oglala Lakota which derives from the knowledge of Ojibwe and Lakota tribes that foraged in the Midwest plains. He is opening a restaurant in Minnesota to bring the Native American culture to America by way of food. He uses very natural vegetables and herbs for his dishes. Sean Sherman uses dried vegetables like corn, rice, and dried as an idea to work off of for his meals. He studied in ethnobotany to try to comprehend the way plants were used for specific things in food.

Life Out West

The Daily Los Angeles Herald of Los Angeles, California on April 15, 1879

The journalist wrote against the new California Constitution which was the Chinese Exclusion Act.

The Chinese Exclusion Act was a way to get rid of the Chinese Immigrants. The white citizens were unhappy with the Chinese Immigrants because they were willing to work more for a smaller price. 

The new Governor, Kearney, sides with the white citizens that the Chines Immigrants must be sent back to China. He wins because of this.

This Is What I Learned Today...

• Only use a direct quote when it adds power and style to my writing.
• Always make it clear, from context, that I understand the full meaning of the quote.
• Whether I quote or paraphrase, I must always be transparent about the source and how I’m using it.
• If I use another author’s exact words or phrases, to any extent, I have to use quotation marks and give credit.
• If I use another author’s presentation of facts or ideas, but put their ideas in my own words, (paraphrase) I better have a good reason for doing so, and I MUST give credit.
• Hyperlinking is so easy, there is no excuse for not being transparent about my sources.  

I understand these things

Reflection on Paraphrase post

These past few days have really opened my eyes to multiple things. I learned that if you write something that is paraphrasing someone else's work then you have to be very careful not to plagiarize. In order to succeed in your paraphrased writings, you must first establish the difference between plagiarizing and quoting. Quoting is best used when something specifically from a person is said. For example, if direct information, idea, or a comment is needed then the quote would be best. But paraphrasing would be much more useful when needing more of the main idea of something stated in the text. For example, if the general idea and overview of a statement, comment, or story is necessary then it would be best to paraphrase. 

Organ Removal in China

Kidney: $62,000
Liver: $98,000 - $150,000
Lung: $150,000 - $170,000
Heart: $130 - $160
Pancreas: $98,000 - $130,000
Cornea: $30,000

Found from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvAOOwvJMZs  and http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/what-you-need-to-know-about-human-organ-trafficking 

• Many victims are prisoners      
• every now and then, wardens will "clean out" the prison 
• Falun Gong practicers were the main victims at first
• and Uighurs but they weren't as common

Many of the first victims were practicers of the Falun Gong religion. Some were practicers of the Uighurs religion but this religion was not as common as the others so there were not as many victims from there. Other victims were prisoners that were brutally punished, at any given time, by drugging them and ridding them of their vital organs. Some prisons were "cleaned out" at random times by the warden. Documentation shows that these prisoners just became missing because they were no where to be found. Investigators have looked into the disappearance of these prisoners and has most likely come to the conclusion that these prisoners were kidnapped and killed while being forced to donating organs.

Learning History Through Film

   

This is a newspaper article proving that Solomon Northup was kidnapped and forced into slavery

I watched 12 Years a Slave and Glory and realized that many great historical facts and references were presented to me in a much more meaningful way. A movie allows the audience to become more connected and attached to the characters in the movies by putting the audience in a position where they are up close and personal with the characters. While watching the movie Glory, I was able to comprehend the way the African Americans felt about the first ever group of African American soldiers. They were extremely passionate about them being able to fight in the battle and because I was watching this, I could feel just as passionate about them fighting. After watching Glory, my class and I watched the movie, 12 Years A Slave. This movie was one of the most moving, heartfelt, and heartbreaking movies I had ever experienced. This was not just a movie that was to be watched, but it was to be experienced. 12 Years A Slave, put me in an uncomfortable, scared, and exhausted state of being. Being born an African American free man, Solomon Northup experienced many situations that most African Americans, during that time, did not get to.  He embarked on his journey of enslavement by greeting two men who were soon to be his kidnappers. Solomon wakes to discover, after being drugged, he was forced into a room where he was chained up and beaten multiple times. As the audience, we experience the fear and discomfort Solomon felt in this scene. I was put into a situation where I was emotionally and mentally connected to Solomon Northup. I felt exactly what he was feeling because I was able to mentally be in the position and situation that Solomon was in. 

This is a list of all the free slaves during the 1800's

Although these movies are historical movies with historical events, the director added additional scene to keep the connection between the character and audience alive. Without this connection and bond between the characters and the audience, the movie would fail because nothing ever clicked with anyone. The director must decide on what all to put in a movie, whether it is historically accurate or not. For example, the director of the film, 12 Years A Slave, created a historically inaccurate scene at the beginning of the movie to add emphasis on the brutality of slavery. When Solomon was on the Brig Orleans boat with numerous other slaves, a crew member grabbed Eliza with the intentions of raping her. While in the process of stealing the girl, a friend of Solomon’s attempted to stop the crew member, but was stabbed without hesitation. The idea of the director was to emphasize the brutal truth that slaves were nothing to other people and they were simply just there to satisfy the needs of their authority. 

Proof that Solomon Northup was forced onto the Brig Orleans to be sold into slavery. 

          While some parts of the film were inaccurate, some were historically accurate. For example, the whole autobiography written by Solomon Northup explaining his excruciating and exhausting twelve years of slavery. He explains the twelve years of torturous work that he endured for the twelve years of his life. According to a website I used, a documentation that Solomon Northup was on a boat, by the name of Brig Orleans, to be sold into slavery in Louisiana. Another document was found stating that Solomon Northup was enslaved on the Epps Plantation in Louisiana according to a website I used for research. A website I used for information, states that while living on the Epps Plantation in Louisiana, Solomon Northup wrote a letter addressed to W.M. Penny and Lewis Parker. This letter explained his situation of being a slave to Epps and it was crucial that he receive his liberation papers. 

Proof that Epps had slaves on his plantation

In conclusion, I believe that students should watch historical movies during school because they provide more clear of understandings than just simply reading text. Due to these movies, I was able to comprehend exactly what messages the directors, actors, and authors were trying to get across. In addition to just watching the movies, I believe that students should be given the opportunity to grow more in their education even after the movie by researching to discover the historical accuracies and historical inaccuracies. 

Proof that Solomon had met someone while enslaved who journaled about Solomon Northup's enslavement 

Sources:

• I used this National Archives blog to find the documentation proving Solomon Northup's freedom and captivity
• I used this website to find out what exactly the letter stated that was written to Lewis Parker and W.M. Penny to bring the papers proving Solomon's freedom
• I used this website to try to get a better understanding of what happened to Solomon Northup when he was enslaved
• https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84028745/1860-06-05/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1860&index=3&date2=1860&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&lccn=sn84028745&words=Case+Waggoner&proxdistance=5&rows=20&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=waggoner+case&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1&loclr=blogtea
• This website was used to discover the historically accurate events in the movie Glory
• I viewed this website to look for more evidence of historically accurate events throughout the movie 12 Years A Slave
• I also used this website to discover the historical accuracies in the film 12 Years A Slave

Practicing Incorporating a Quotation

I enjoyed the movie, Glory, very much and the movie review article captured all of the great things that I enjoyed about this movie.  This movie greatly captures the idea that so many strangers can come together as individuals to create and overcome a common obstacle. Kevin Levin, the movie review author, stated in his review, "The emphasis on a progressive story where the individual characters as well as the unit itself becomes more closely connected or identified with the national goal of emancipation and nationalism.". My quote references the way the African Americans came together as one unit to be emancipated and tear down the barriers in the way of their freedom. The African Americans were very powerful and tear jerking that I believed is shown in classes because of the powerful messages and historical details that are given and thrown at you in the movie. Robert Shaw learns to empathize with the African Americans while they learn to cope with being thrown straight into the war and the ways of living at war. 

Glory Movie Review

Film Review From Civil War Memories:

"The movie does a very good job of addressing the discrimination faced by the 54th Massachusetts as well as their heroic performance at Battery Wagner in July 1863. One of the themes that the movie captures is the slow progress that Col. Robert G. Shaw experienced in learning to more closely empathize with his men as well as the gradual changes that took place among white Union soldiers as they questioned their own racial outlook in response to the battlefield prowess of black regiments like the 54th. As for problems, well, they abound throughout the movie such as the profile of the regiment, which is presented primarily as a unit of fugitive slaves. Most of the men were free blacks from Massachusetts. Other problems include the time frame for the raising and training of the regiment which began in 1863 rather than 1862 as well as the failure to acknowledge Shaw’s marriage at any point in the movie."



My Paraphrase:

The author of this review, Kevin Levin, expresses his take away from the film Glory. He explains that the movie shows the struggles of discrimination between African Americans and White men. Col. Shaw learns throughout the movie how to feel and understand the emotions of his African American soldiers. He experienced the progressive changes of his viewpoint on African American soldiers and White soldiers on the battlefield. Some issues discovered throughout the movie were with some of the African American soldiers being fugitive slaves but most were free African Americans from Massachusetts. In addition to this problem, Levin also complains about the way the movie shows the timing of preparing the soldiers for battle. And finally, Levin also pointed out that the movie never showed that Shaw was actually married.

The Abuse of Power

Throughout this week we have learned a lot about how the ability to control authority can be very difficult and most of the time people abuse this power greatly. The cotton picking slaves were taken hostage and forced into mostly harsh conditions to work. Many people believe that slaves were treated poorly due to the stereotypical abusive white male slave owner and the ideas that slaves were not treated as humans but as animals. The false idea of slaves being abused by their slave owners creates false ideas for other humans. There is no specific evidence that states whether slaves were mistreated or cared for because all slave owners treated their slaves differently. Some slave owners treated their slaves with care and nurtured them because the healthier the slave the more efficient they worked. Whereas, other slave owners gave little to no food to the slaves and mistreated them.

Sympathy vs. Empathy

Sympathy is feeling pity or sorrow for someone else's misfortune. Sympathy could be shown with words of affirmation or comfort. There are many perks of expressing sympathy but if not expressed then people may view you as unapproachable as well as limiting your social interactions. While sympathy is more of feeling and having emotion towards someone, empathy is more of thinking about the feelings of someone else. Empathy is the intellectual identification or vicarious experience of feelings and attitudes of others habits. They key ideas of empathy is understanding, imagination, and thinking about feelings. Empathetic people experience understanding another's condition from their perspective. Sympathy and empathy contain many differences but also contain many similarities. For example, they both deal with whether or not you have experienced the same situation and they both deal with feelings. Different situations require either sympathy or empathy.

Empathy is a powerful emotion that can do many amazing things. It is necessary to have empathy in our lives because it allows humans to understand how to connect with others based upon their past experiences. Throughout history, we were faced with multiple challenges of wars, rebellion, and our inability at times to care for one another. As we have grown and overcome obstacles we have learned to feel empathy not just for our country and friends but for other countries as well. When countries need help, other countries come together to help them out because they all know how it is to need something very hard to obtain. Natural disasters can strip citizens of everything they have and are in a great need of help. History has helped shape the world into caring and empathetic people because of all the trial and error of how to overcome obstacles. We could never be where we are now if it was not for history and the help from others.

What I have learned so far....

Over the past few weeks I have learned made many new discoveries about history that I never new existed! We began the lesson by learning about the settlers and they were the first people to colonize and not indians. As we continued our journey through the exciting history of the US, we discovered slaves and what disadvantages for the US that came with them. Slaves arrived on Dutch ships in 1619 in Virginia to be bought and sold to the southern states. The Original Thirteen Colonies were established from 1626 to 1732. These Colonies were Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New  Hampshire, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Britain created Acts, taxing colonists, to help the British defend themselves from colonies. Because of these Acts created, the French and Indian War was also created. In July of 1776, colonists agreed they deserved to be free from the British Empire so they created the Declaration of Independence to unify their colonies into states. A few years later, the first ever government was created. The Articles of Confederation were given very little power and had no ability to increase the revenue or even enforce its own policies.