Final Assessment

English 02(P) - SUTHERLAND

 

Semester 02 Composition

Final Assessment

2010.06.07

 

English class – not only is it an academic class to learn vocabulary, syntax, conventions, and reading comprehension, but in a way, it is a social science class. Unlike español, français, Deutsch, にほんご, or 中文 classes that focus on vocabulary and grammar, English class explores the fundamentals of communication. In this way, an English class functions as a social science by studying the functioning of human society, because without effective communication, the sole function of a society could not form. With that, this class is far more than a list of California State Standards or school SARC reports, but a development of the interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society.

 

As I mentioned in my first blog post A Statement of Purpose, writing is an invaluable skill – a powerful means of communication. As in any form of communication, writing connects us all as individuals – it helps share and spread ideas. These interactions transmit valuable information from the interpersonal to the international.

 

The creation of a blog for an English class was a unique perspective for executing assignments. English this year deviated from the normal structure of an English class with its structure (in its entirety). Generally, an average English class is encompassed by three major writing assignments with five outlying essays, all with high weighting in the semester grade. Moreover, literature and novels orbit around these compositions. In contrast, the compositions this year were scheduled weekly – with a major assignment scheduled monthly. The majority of the compositions were ‘freestyle’ in the sense that the subject of each assignment was of one’s preference. With the exception of two novels, the literature could be any genre of choice (provided it passed certain guidelines). Albeit less structured, this style of teaching promoted individual freedom.

 

Although I may be leading slightly off the trail, this concept of freedom in the class is important. As a student advance in his studies, the professor will not be able to individually assist every student in every situation because of a large body of students. Furthermore, because of the large class population, professors will spend less time grading homework (an Introduction to Chemistry course I completed over the summer 2009 did not event collect homework). Thus in order to succeed, a student needs to be able to motivate his self to excel in his studies and advance to the next level. By introducing this freedom now, students will be able to respect the class as an opportunity to further his knowledge and motivate his self for a successful future.

 

This is a shift – from seeing the classroom as a room to forcibly learn to a community to advance his self. And it is shift that evolves as the student matures. When he can see how writing a weekly assignment of a topic of his choosing can motivate him to write and communicate, then the true polish of grammar and syntax can be applied.

 

My writing initially began with simple classification of science and how certain branches of science fit together. The first few posts were simply a test of blogger – understanding its components and acclimating myself to this new system of electronic classroom assignments. At this point, I was interested in medicine and attempted two or three posts. I soon realized that my background was sparse and research to provide accurate information was a time-consuming process.

 

Then…at the end of October 2009, one idea struck gold – the science of cooking. Who couldn’t love the subject? There are two of my favorite things: food and science. My background in food science was stronger than that of medicine. And in all honesty, food is a subject to which more people can relate. Most (if not all) of my research and inspiration comes from one gentleman: Alton Brown and his Food Network show Good Eats. After I saw my first episode of Good Eats, I was attached to the show. If I could create a cooking show, it would be most modeled after Good Eats and the science Brown uses. All the facts that are in my Salt series of blog posts (I, II, III, IV) were collected from Good Eats Salt episodes (“Eat this Rock”). It is a fascinating world to know the history of food and the science which composes them. How could a simple egg be transformed into your morning breakfast? Or why would dredging a fish in flour help a batter to adhere for deep-frying? It is more than simply applying heat or adding powder.

 

[C]ooking involves science (albeit not distinctly in many cases). Chemistry, physics, biology, anatomy, botany, ichthyology, ornithology, crystallography (studying crystals, like salts and sugars), and many, many more sciences intermixed to have a foundation for cooking. Transforming raw ingredients to form succulent dishes involved thousands of years of tradition, experimentation, tasting to meld flavors or avoid certain combinations of food. Only until recently (compared to the length of human cooking) have scientists discovered the science behind some of the cooking procedures used in modern culinary compositions.

 

Then the mautam (and the mautam (II))

After watching Rat Attack, a NOVA (in cooperation with National Geographic) documentary, I thought writing about the subject would be an interesting twist to my blog. To think that every 48 years – nature’s clockwork at its best, over a billion tons of bamboo fruit flowers, matures, and falls on the ground…free for the eating. With a billion pounds of fruit come thousands of rats. These rodents coat the countryside with a swarm that could reach millions.

 

The bamboo grass purposely pumps out thousands of fruits each cycle to guarantee fulfilling its biological duty to reproduce and give off more plants. It “knows” that with the plentiful tons of fruits, there still won’t be enough rats in the forest to collect them all. But it is not solely the populous fruit bearings that have given the successful forests of bamboo. They have a secret that is hidden below.

 

In all, this year was successful. I learned more about my writing (conceptually) and started to concentrate on how to polish certain aspects – although it still needs work.

The Art of War (Final)

2010.05.28

 

Famous Military Strategist and General Sun Tzu composed The Art of War (Sun-tzu ping-fa) around 500BCE – immediately after a war among battling city-states of ancient China. After training a small army of only 10,000 men in the state of Wu, Sun Tzu was able to conquer the army of the Chu state with the resources of almost 30 times that of Wu. Shortly before Master Sun’s army conquered the state of Chu, he disappears fearing that the Emperor of Wu will become greedy for more territory – a position of which Sun Tzu does not want to be a part. In the years following his disappearance, Sun Tzu writes his wisdom of hundreds of bamboo sticks that were painstakingly stitched together to form his 13 chapter treatise. Known as one of the greatest military masterminds in history, Sun Tzu’s work was kept a secret for centuries – only accessible to a select few individuals. Now translated into English, The Art of War released the methods of Sun Tzu’s success. Limited not only to military and strategic planning, The Art of War helps understand not only the strategy of battle, but the roots of conflict and resolution.

 

Thomas Cleary takes the words of Master Sun and translates the ancient Chinese text into comprehensible English. However – even amongst Chinese interpreters – translations can be tricky. The language of the Chinese classics varies differently from dynasty to dynasty, even county to county. Not only are the ancient “slang” and use of words different, but the grammar structure and visual appearance characters have vastly changed in modern Chinese. As Cleary says in his Translator's Introduction:

 

It is only natural, therefore, that translations of ancient Chinese texts into modern Western languages, which differ so greatly from Chinese, should themselves exhibit a considerable range of variety. …There are many choices of techniques available to the translator for conveying the contents of classical Chinese writings to the reader in another language. In twenty years of translating, never have I (Thomas Cleary) seen or translated an Oriental classic that I did not find so rich as to be able to generate at least three possible translations.

 

Similar to a comparison to “Ye Olde English” and modern American slang, translator Thomas Cleary incorporates and modifies technical translations to dismiss ambiguity of Sun Tzu’s poetic wording. Cleary does a superb work of rewriting (or omitting) some of the references to local Chinese events or accounts of unpopular or unfamiliar content.

 

Not only has Cleary translated Master Sun’s work, The Art of War, but he has taken the liberty to translate the words of eleven separate interpreters to provide commentary on Sun Tzu. Many of these commentators were other military officials in throughout Chinese history that can clarify some of the metaphors used in The Art of War.

The Art of War is a text that does not solely refer to war strategy. It is a versatile work that can dictate the rules of conflict. If one follows the advice and wisdom of Sun Tzu, he will always prevail. Ignore Master Sun, and you fight in darkness.

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Sun Tzu was summoned by King Helü of Wu sometime toward the end of the Spring and Autumn Period of ancient China. This period could also be corresponded to the first half of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. The eastern states of Wu and Chu have claimed independence from the rule of Zhou emperors (and thus the “Eastern Zhou Dynasty,” compared to the Western). However, tensions between the newly-founded Chu and Wu states begin to ascend. It is believed that land-locked Chu is planning an attack to conquer its smaller, neighboring state Wu (a coastal state) in order to gain access to the valuable resources (trade routes, fish, and greater territory). As friction increases among the two states, King Helü decides it is time to train a military army of its own. Chu is becoming a major threat. King Helü calls in military warrior Sun Tzu to test his talents before the king. Master Sun claims he can train anyone to become a warrior. Of course King Helü challenges Sun.

 

Helü asks Tzu if he can transform palace concubines into warriors. These palace concubines have been trained only in the art of luxury, pleasure, and royalty; they know nothing of the world beyond the palace walls. Since birth, these women of pleasure have no knowledge of the vast world that lies beyond a seemingly large royal courtyard. The palace is their home; the palace is their world. Never before have these concubines seen battle, weapons, or death. That is about to change.

 

King Helü gathers about two dozen of his concubines and allows Sun Tzu to prove his philosophy, to be able to train these spoiled, soft women to be a fighting force. As the king observes, Master Sun hands the two senior concubines swords and appoints them as platoon leaders. These senior of the group are to ensure discipline is in order. Sun Tzu demonstrates a basic command to assemble into a formation when the drum sounds. However, when he is ready to begin the exercise, all the women simply laugh.

 

Puzzled by the reaction, Master Sun rephrases the drill procedure in a more simple language: when the drums sound, line up in formation with your swords and stand at attention like soldiers. But when the concubines fail to heed Sun Tzu’s exercise instruction again, he not only quickly retires the senior platoon leaders but executes them on the spot. Sun Tzu appoints another two concubines to be platoon leaders and when the drums sounded again, they oblige without hesitation.

 

This was a simple demonstration of one of Sun Tzu’s principles in The Art of War. He says:

 

If instructions are not clear and commands not explicit, it is the commander's fault. If the instructions are clear and commands explicit, it is the subordinate officer's fault.

 

Now he has convinced the concubines that he is deadly serious. War is a matter of life and death in Sun Tzu’s philosophy. If this key principle is understood, everyone – from the highest commanding officer to the individual soldiers – will be motivated to win.

The Mautam (II)

The Mautam (II)

 

It was only four years ago when a mysterious plague swept across India. Unlike any plague today it has an eerie meeting every 48 years. What once was thought only to be an event out of myth now frightens the locals…they call it the mautam. This plague was not a virus or germ, but by a widespread famine that struck all of India.

 

NOVA of PBS (in cooperation with National Geographic) took documentation of the mautam in action. In 2006 Biologist Ken Aplin from the Australian National Wildlife Collection and local Indian biologist James Lalsiamliana travel to the province of Mizoram, India to catch the mautam in action.

 

The Mizoram is covered in 2,400 sq. mile forest of bamboo. And every 48 years – like clockwork – the bamboo grass flowers, fruits, and dies. The two thousand square miles of forest will drop 10 tons of fruit…per acre. Over a trillion pounds of bamboo fruit will ripen and drop onto the bamboo floor free for the eating.

 

At its peak performance, a female black rat can reproduce to yield a cycle of over 200 offspring. Take 50 females, and you have 10,000 rats. Only when the bamboo fruit supply diminishes do they move on to the crops of farmers. But the rats need to hurry; once the fruit sprouts, it produces a bitter compound and becomes inedible.

 

The bamboo grass purposely pumps out thousands of fruits each cycle to guarantee fulfilling its biological duty to reproduce and give off more plants. It “knows” that with the plentiful tons of fruits, there still won’t be enough rats in the forest to collect them all. But it is not solely the populous fruit bearings that have given the successful forests of bamboo. They have a secret that is hidden below.

 

After the atomic explosions in Japan during World War II, bamboos were one of the first plants to reemerge. Unlike trees, bamboo is a grass; moreover their roots are not botanically roots – they’re the plant themselves; bamboos are rhizomes. Like ginger, most of the structure of a rhizome is underground in what would normally be called a “root.” For that reason, it is possible to take a section of the rhizome, plant it, and be able to grow another organism. Of course, the initial section must be large enough to sustain itself until it a sufficient shoot can develop.

The Art of War (III)

2010.05.21

 

Leaders – it is an important aspect of all military strategy. Without a leader, a group cannot fully organize and become successful. Master Sun Tzu says that leaders are defined by five characteristics: intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and sternness. Commentator Jia Lin explains how only these five virtues together make a functioning commander.

 

Reliance on intelligence alone results in rebelliousness. Exercise of humaneness alone results in weakness. Fixation on trust results in folly. Dependence on the strength of courage results in violence. Excessive sternness of command results in cruelty. When one has all five virtues together, each appropriate to its function, then one can be a military leader.

 

Being a good leader not only requires these virtues, but needs to be executed properly. Sun Tzu says that “discipline means organization, chain of command, and logistics.” In order to operate a successful cooperation of divisions, the leader must be able to organize the people and place them in a clear, direct chain of command. Failure to give generals unconstrained control from their leaders can lead to perilous results.

 

In World War II (WWII), the Allied command structure gave General Eisenhower absolute authority as supreme leader of all Ally forces on the Western Front. Beneath General Eisenhower are four commanders for the Navy, the Air Force, the US Army group, and the British Army Group – each with their own resources and defined responsibilities. This system is designed similar to that of an organized org chart, each being able to cooperate with Eisenhower, while having the freedom to independently utilize his own resources without restraint. The Allied command chain allowed all the units to collaborate efficiently and effectively to a specific set of commanders with a common goal.

 

One would assume a dictator as Hitler would design an even more defined and efficient system of command. However, it is quite the opposite. In fact, Hitler’s org chart is cluttered with responsibilities that are shared amongst some commanders, while resources are separated or split to different commanders. The system is confusing with overlapping authority. This was to ensure that no one person obtained all the information or had direct control over forces at their disposal. It was designed to direct all authority to the hands of Hitler; he would make the final decision on the allocation of troops and dispersion of weapons and materials.

Quick-write: The Rules of Love

Quick-write: The Rules of Love

Prompt: Answer any of the four questions provided below.

1. What rules govern the behaviour of young men and women in relationships today?

 

2. Name a situation in which the rules have clearly been violated. That is, what actions or gestures do women just do not do; what actions or gestures that gentlemen do not do…?

 

3. What are the possible consequences for being in violation of these rules?

 

4. Where do these rules originate? Who invented these rules and who enforces them?

 

A “relationship” for the purpose of this post refers to a romantic or passionate attachment to a person.

 

Although the term relationship in all respect of the word technically means simply the relation connecting or binding participants in a “relationship” – basically put as a kinship, the “rules of love” could apply to the aforementioned.

 

In my point of view, there are two schools of thought one what governs the behaviour of young couples. There is a more traditional school of thought that a gentleman should formally ask for a date (usually to a fine dinner or film), and the media-popular mentality that a man finds a woman based on his “sexual” drive toward her. I am much a fan of the former – a more sophisticated view – a significant other; while the latter seems to treat women as more as a means to please his…desires (if you will).

 

If the desired route is the formal presentation, the rules are generally strict and rigid with limited opportunity for independent variation. He (the gentleman) will ask her (the lady) on a date – usually, but not limited to, a fine dinner, a walk through a garden or park, a movie, or a tour (or variation thereof). He will dress formal or semi-formal appropriate for the scenario. He will treat her in a respectful manner with commonplace gestures – opening the door and allow her to enter first, picking her up, driving her to and from locations of the date, paying for the bill, speaking with language void of profanity, and not bringing his mother, etc. I assume there are many others that dictate the proper formalities of a date. The world of relationships is a complex state – true love is something difficult to come by. American media (along with other media) greatly influence the “modern” approach to relationships – especially with the younger “technology” generations.

 

To my understanding, current ideals of a date would be to go to a dance or club. He is to purchase drinks and other alcoholic beverages, possibly to get drunk. Thereafter sexual desires may affect the actions of him or her – possibly to the extent of sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, the “health” of the relationship is greatly jeopardised.

The Art of War (II)

2010.05.14

To Whom It May Concern:

Sun Tzu originally wrote Sun-tzu ping-fa around 500BC. For centuries, thirteen chapters that it composed held the secret to understanding the very roots of conflict and resolution; its knowledge was known only to the highest of Chinese and Japanese scholars and military generals. Now translations of Sun Tzu’s work fill the pages of The Art of War. Translator Thomas Cleary takes the time to read over Master Sun’s work and carefully translate his words. In addition to Master Sun, Cleary also selects eleven interpreters to provide commentaries in this translation. Most of the commentators were high ranking military officers of the Chinese military – often famous for some war or fight. Others were just famous Chinese writers and some with no known history or information excluding their commentary on The Art of War. Interpreters generally lived during the first to twelfth centuries.

The Art of War is densely packed with quotes of Master Sun. He says:

Planning should be secret,

attack should be swift. When an army takes its objective like a hawk striking its prey, and battles like a river broken through a dam, its opponents will scatter before the army tires. This is the use of the momentum of an army.

By reading Master Sun’s work, one will find that he repeats this focus on objectivity. Generals need to assess a situation with a dispassionate perspective, yet carefully calculate his actions. Sun Tzu is well known for saying, “to win without fighting is best.” Commentator Zhuge says:

Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered; those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win.

Sun Tzu believes war is either life or death. The first words in The Art of War are, “Millitary action is important to the nation – it is the ground of death and life, the path of survival and destruction, so it is imperative to examine it.” Master Sun has strong views of the layout of war. War is a means to an end – what that end is varies from political to economic. But in the end if you battle – battle till the death, you should either come out victorious and alive, or defeated and dead. This was a philosophy the Japanese used in fighting World War II (kamikaze suicide bombers). Of course, that is not to mention The Art of War solely influenced the Japanese philosophy. Strong Japanese culture on honor describe that it is best to die honorably than be taken prisoner.

Most wars during the medieval times of Europe generally attacked opponents head-on in a battlefront. For the most part, the goal was to show which army was most courageous and strongest. But fighting costs lives, supplies, and money – something that Master Sun’s army could not actually afford. However, Master Sun could care less about fame and glory; he only wants to win. Sun applauds those generals who can outwit his enemy, rather than outfight them.

Fighting also requires deception. Knowing while being unknown, this concept is repeated multiple times as one of the successes in battle. Zhuge uses inspiration from the Tao-te Ching, The Art of War (Sun-tzu ping-fa), and The Masters of Huainan and traditions from Taoist and Confucian philosophy to explain deception:

A skilled attack is one against which opponents do not know how to defend; a skilled defense is one which opponents do not know how to attack. Therefore those skilled in defense are not so because of fortress walls.

This is why high walls and deep moats do not guarantee security, while strong armor and effective weapons do not guarantee strength. If opponents want to hold firm, attack where they are unprepared; if opponents want to establish a battlefront, appear where they do not expect you.

Here Commentator Zhuge explains that relying on advanced technology and weaponry alone will not guarantee success in battle. Even the best of defenses cannot protect an army from all circumstances. The last sentence about attacking where they are unprepared and they do not expect you is better explained in another quote that I may use later.

The secret to this art of invisibility – this idea of knowing while being unknown – is precisely the interior detachment cultivated by Taoists for attaining impersonal views of objective reality.

[M]easure (military action) in terms of five things, use these assessments to make comparisons, and thus find out what the conditions are. The five things are the way, the weather, the terrain, the leadership, and discipline. –Sun Tzu

Interpreter Zhang Yu (Sung Dynasty, 960—1278) comments that discipline means that regulations are strict and clear.

Zhang Yu is only known for his commentary on The Art of War (and a collection of biographies of military leaders). Interestingly, Yu appears to interpret Master Sun’s work in a similar way that I do. The text of this translation is organized so that Master Sun’s original, translated line is printed in bold typeface. Following are the comments of some (or all) the interpreters; some quotations may only have one commentary, while others may have all eleven comment. As I read Sun Tzu’s philosophies, I interpret and comment in my mind. I notice as I read Zhang Yu’s interpretations, I agree in almost all situations or see similar points of view.

I know that as The Art of War continues, I will be able to find more insight on the understanding of conflict and strategic battle. As I mentioned in the first Literature Circle letter, The Art of War is not only a text on military strategy, it is a book on the understanding of conflict.

Research Thesis - Topic Description

In history class, there is a month-long project on a research thesis about some international/global topic of our choosing. A description of our topic that includes (a) the topic and basic information or background (b) the reason of choosing the particular topic (c) any information that has been accumulated when searching for sources and (d) any particular focus or issues to be addressed in the thesis. My topic description is below:

The topic I will be writing about for the research thesis is overfishing. Overfishing is the focus of my thesis because I enjoy fish. A segment of my research will be the overfishing in Japan because I am fond of sashimi (a Japanese dish of thinly sliced raw fish). The Japanese cuisine that is not cooked is usually forms of sushi – and one of my favorite food preparation styles. But with such a popular style of food, how do Japan and other locations with heavy Japanese populations fish for a large audience. Understand that a whole tuna fish on auction in Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market (the largest fish market in the world) can cost the same price as a car. Even then hundreds of fresh, whole tuna are hauled in daily – thousands of frozen specimens are auctioned off on top of that. I want to learn how one of my favorite foods – fish – could be so popular that it becomes an international issue. After thousands of tuna are purchased daily in the world’s largest fish market, how there could still be fish left in the oceans.

My research suggests that commercial overfish originated with the Industrial Revolution. This dramatically increased human population and with it a sudden demand for the necessities of life – food, water, shelter, and clothing. It was during this time of industrialization in Japan when small, subsidence fishing operations evolved into larger commercial fisheries. Eventually, large demands for food (including fish) led to modern Japanese overfishing practices. Another case of overfishing in the 1980s occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. Apparently in New Orleans, Louisiana a chef popularized a dish “blackened redfish” which utilized Sciaenops ocellatus (also red-drum and incorrectly redfish). S. ocellatus suddenly became high demand from this popular dish. So many of these fish were pulled out from the ocean state departments of Fish and Game passed codes which limited the size and number of S. ocellatus which could be harvested for commercial use. These codes normally enforce effective protection to fish, however the development of red-drums seriously flawed the system. These fish can have a life of over 50 years. Logically the population of long-lived animals decline rapidly with large-scale commercial harvesting as the rate of harvesting exceeds the rate of reproduction and development – they eventually would become “non-sustainable” resources. Unfortunately, even the new state, national, and international protection could not entirely protect the redfish. S. ocellatus develops very quickly – usually within 3 to 6 years. However, thereafter most development halts in its entirety. Because of that, teenaged redfish are almost indistinguishable from its elder generations. Present day aquaculture (the raising of marine creatures in farms, then releasing them back to the wild) in addition to wildlife protection is now an effective measure to protect the once-overfished species. Nonetheless, in other parts of the world, overfishing is still an outstanding issue.

My thesis will attempt to focus on Japanese overfishing – especially tuna (for sushi) as mentioned above. This issue however is not only limited to Japan. Other countries are also suffering scrutiny for overfishing – including China and South Korea. However their focus will most likely be limited – and as I gather more research, I may find it unnecessary to my thesis. Another interesting Japanese issue that has sparked my interest is the killing of dolphins. So instead of general overfishing as my topic, there may be a modified topic of the Japanese fishing industry. This will greatly depend on the volume and detail of my research on the topics. In any case, I will be interested in my findings regardless of the specific topic I choose.